Hardship for 100 Lutron workers and 400 Four Seasons employees

Breadwinners for over 500 families will either lose their jobs permanently or are unemployed for four months, when St. Kitts' Lutron Liamuiga ceases production in March and Nevis' Four Seasons closes temporarily in June.

The nation first heard via social media last October that Lutron Liamuiga, which has been assembling dimmer switches and fan speed controls for export to the United States will cease production in March this year leaving 100 employees jobless.

In December last year came the bombshell announcement that some 400 employees of Nevis' Four Seasons will be unemployed for four months when the resort closes for refurbishing from June 1, 2019 and reopens in October, 2019.

The Timothy Harris-led Team Unity Government has been accused of bringing hardship on the 100 employees, most of whom are single mothers and head of households who will become unemployed.

"This is such a horrible, horrible blow to the people of St. Kitts and Nevis and especially to those mothers with young children in daycares, pre-school, primary school, secondary or high school and college," said Leader of the Opposition, the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas, who pointed out that they will also have other obligations including mortgages on homes, cars and other personal matters.

"Some of them may already have children who are unemployed and are dependants and elderly parents and grandparents who depend on them for their livelihood," said the former prime minister.

He said the loss of employment will also have psychological effects and also deal a serious blow to the advancement of the individual.

"This development is going to create increasing hardship on the employees," said Dr. Douglas, who expressed outrage that the closure had been kept in complete secrecy from the public for many months.

He said in clear and certain terms that the closure of Lutron Liamuiga "is due to the lack of any programme or plan for the economic strengthening of the country by Dr. Timothy Harris.

Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris, International Trade Minister Hon. Lindsay Grant and Labour Minister Hon. Vance Amory have been accused of "gross incompetence."