The Bahamas Hotel Catering and Allied Workers Union has appointed its first female president, Nicole Martin. During the Bahamas' hard economical times, Martin has a lot of work to do to ensure the success of the organization. According to data released by Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham, the total amount of visitors to the Bahamas has been down 1.2 percent since this time last year.
Minister of Labour Dion Foulkes was very pleased with the outcome of this election as he congratulated Martin on Thursday. "As Minister of Labour, I am very pleased with how the process worked (on Thursday)," he said. "It went without incident and it was a very lively election. And it shows that the democratic process within the trade union movement works. This is also a statement for gender equality within the country. Martin's election to the largest union in the country, and the most powerful union in the country, is a statement that women can hold any position in The Bahamas."
Contrary to the celebration on Martin's end, a challenge is leading up to the union's election before the Supreme Court. The challenge is being lead by outgoing union first vice-president Kirk Wilson. He was not on the original ballot but instead was nominated on May 11, a day he said the executive council of the union sanctioned.
The two parties are scheduled to meet before the Supreme Court on June 26.