Company under group that owns Cavalier Construction

NASSAU, BAHAMAS- Bobcat Bahamas, the well-known heavy duty equipment service provider, has made 54 employees redundant, according to Labour director John Pinder.

Pinder told Eyewitness News Online the workers were made redundant by the company last Thursday.

“I heard that they were making 54 people redundant due to the fact that they did not have the business levels to continue on and the company has been losing business,” said Pinder.

“Once the employees have been made redundant they have to receive redundancy packages,” he added.

Pinder indicated that he would be sending a team to Bobcat Bahamas today.

In a letter to employees last week, a copy of which was seen by Eyewitness News, company executives indicated that Bobcat Bahamas would cease to trade with immediate effect.

“The directors are now taking the necessary steps with regards to the appointment of a liquidator to formally wind-up the business. As such your employment with Cavalier Construction Company is terminated immediately and you are dismissed because of redundancy.”

Bobcat Bahamas was formed in May 2001 and is a subsidiary of the Galaxy Group of Companies, which includes Cavalier Construction Company Limited.

Cavalier has been building throughout the Bahamas since 1956 and its fate is being called into question as well.

Attempts to reach company executives have proven unsuccessful up to this point but some industry sources have suggested that the company, which has developed numerous public and private sector projects such as Albany, the Critical Care Block at the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Straw Market, could be headed out of business.

Such a move, sources say could have a ‘ripple effect’ throughout the construction industry.