LUCEA, Hanover:

THE HANOVER Parish Council has decided to write to the minister of labour to complain about what it says is the bypassing of many Hanoverians in the job recruitment process at the 1,600-room Fiesta hotel in Lucea.

Councillors took the decision during Thursday's regular monthly meeting of the council, after mayor of Lucea and chairman of the Hanover Parish Council, Lloyd Hill, brought up the matter.

Hill said he was displeased as numerous agencies across the parish had trained hundreds of residents in hospitality skills in preparation for the hotel's opening in June, but that residents have been complaining that their applications have been ignored.

"As the local authority, we want to ensure that as long as Hanoverians are qualified, priority is given to them in terms of employment, because much effort has been made to carry out training by different groupings and many people have gone on their own to get certified," Hill said.

He was supported by Councillors Derrick Foster of Hopewell, and Easton Edwards of Lucea.

Issue serious

"This is very, very serious," Foster declared. "We would like for the opening of Fiesta to be smooth, but we can't allow them to continue to take people from Westmoreland, Kingston and everywhere else, and leave out Hanoverians. We had been told Hanoverians would be given priority, but the information I am getting now is that that is not happening, so I am asking council to step on it."

"I have friends who have called me saying they have got employment at Fiesta - and they are not from Hanover," Foster added. "I know that over 800 applications have been sent in from the respective training organisations across the parish. I personally have gone to the office in Montego Bay to drop off at least 100 applications, many of which were from people with university degrees and they have been ignored. The MPs (members of parliament) and councillors must address this, because it is no use we have an investment like this in Hanover, and the people of Hanover are not being employed."

Disappointed

For his part, Edwards said he was saddened as a lot of money and time had been spent training people in the parish.

"I am really feeling bad because we got word from them - they promised us that they would have taken care of our people," Edwards told the mayor. "It is sad, sir, and I think we should speak out, and speak strongly to Fiesta, and let them know that we are not pleased. In all fairness, the hotel doesn't belong to us sir, but it is in our town and we have trained people we have gone out of our way to make sure the people of Hanover are ready for jobs."