Barbados Tourism Minister, Senator Lisa Cummins, is unhappy with how local hoteliers have dealt with employees laid off as a result of the covid-19 pandemic.

She is urging them to do a better job of communicating with the workers.

Addressing the online quarterly general meeting of the Barbados Hotel and Tourism Association, Senator Cummings, called for hoteliers to,, in her words, “do the right thing and have the difficult conversations with employees about the impact of the covid-19 pandemic on their operations”.

She noted the number of protests that have been taking place, remarking that this need not happen, but was the result of too little or no communication with workers many of whom have been long-time employees in the tourism sector and deserve better treatment.

But the tourism minister also claimed that some people were looking to exploit the situation and were stirring up industrial unrest for political gain.