A crisis broke out Thursday between the management and the junior staff of Sun Beach Hotel and Resort at Cape Pointin Bakau, after the manager of the hotel, Modibo Taal told 104 staff to go on vacation for five months without salary.

Dembo Camara, the barkeeper who has been working with the hotel for the past 10 years, explained that the manager called for a meeting two weeks ago and told them that they cannot operate, and he wants to close the hotel. “The generator is faulty and the swimming pool sometimes has problem. The pool does not contain chlorine, that is why tourists are running away from the hotel,” he added.

He recalled that on Monday 21st May, 2012 a meeting was convened with heads of departments and at the end of the meeting the head of departments informed the junior staff that Taal ‘s decision that staff should proceed on vacation for five months without salary until October 15th, 2012. “The manager also made it clear that whoever refuses to go on leave shall be dismissed without pay,” Camara added.

He said that the junior staff then resolved that no staff will go for unpaid leave, and that they have to be paid their entitlements if the hotel is going to be closed. “It is just like history is repeating itself. Last year, some staff went for leave without being paid and when they resumed, their services with the hotel were terminated,” he said.

Another staff told this paper that the manager said he will close the hotel and if the matter is taken to court, it will prove futile. He also claimed that majority of the staff have spent almost 10 years working in the said hotel but are still paid a paltry D930. “We used to call our salary ‘half past nine’ because we are paid for only D930,” he added.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the manager were unsuccessful. However, when approached, the internal manager, Hamat Bah said the issue is not yet serious. He added that it is an internal matter.