PHILIPSBURG:--- President of the Workers Institute for Organized Labor (WIFOL) Theophilus Thompson confirmed on Tuesday during the Windward Islands Chamber of Labour Unions' weekly press briefing that the Government of St. Maarten and Sonesta Group of Companies entered into an agreement where they bring in people working for Sandals Resort to take up management positions on St. Maarten. Thompson said the union is concerned about this move because he believes that workers on St. Maarten lack training and even though the island has a record of 60 years in the Tourism Industry there is still no training center for workers that are in the hospitality field. Thompson further explained that he is the representative for the workers at Sonesta Great Bay while the WICSU/PSU represents the workers of Sonesta Maho. The unionist said at Sonesta Great Bay there are at least five persons that came from Sandals Resort and are holding top positions at Sonesta.
Last week during the Council of Ministers' weekly press briefing, SMN News asked the Minister of Labor Cornelius de Weever if he was aware of this agreement and if the workers mainly from Jamaica have working permits. Minister de Weever denied having any knowledge of such and an agreement.
Thompson said all the workers that were brought in from Sandals are in possession of working and residency permits because this was an agreement the company made with government. He further explained that top managerial positions for the Sonesta Group of Companies were always held by foreigners. He said at the moment the food and beverage manager is one of the persons that was brought in due to the agreement government has with the company.
The President of WIFOL said that the only union that saw it fit to train workers is the WIFOL through CIFSEF. "Because of the training CIFSEF provides, there are workers that work at Great Bay Sonesta and other resorts and hold management position because they took the courses CIFSEF offers and became certified.
