The Freeport News team met about a dozen employees still on the premises assembled in the arcade of the LMR mini mall.
Lynette Roberts, one of the employees released two weeks ago, said she has yet to receive her last paycheck.
“I’m here for my money and the red hair gentleman told me I must come out of LMR or he will get the police for me,” said the mother of six. “I thought the labour law was when you let a person go, you pay them on the spot. But it’s been two weeks ago and I haven’t got paid. I want my money.”
Roberts had been with the company for six years and said the store was closed down after she demanded her money and threatened to call the media.
She said while she was waiting outside for the media, management decided to lock the door.
Another employee of six years, Verna Russell, said management immediately called a meeting around 11:30 yesterday morning and announced that they were closed for business.
“They just told us that they closed the doors and to go home. They said as of now, LMR is officially closed,” Russell revealed.
Roberts said she wasn’t allowed in the meeting.
The women say they never thought the employees would be treated in such a manner and were under the impression that they were like family.
The employees were reportedly told to return to LMR on Monday to pick up their cheques, but when the time came they were given the runaround.
Russell said when they were asked to return today, they were given another story and as of noon had not yet received anything.
The former employees are convinced they are being treated wrongly because they have not presented a united front.
“Black people need to stick together. Everyone wants their money, but nobody wants to say what’s on their mind,” said Russell.
[BahamasB2B Editor’s Note: Here we see that ugly Bahamas “anti-white” racism at work again.]
The store’s security officer was stationed at the main door and warding off would-be customers and a number of employees. However, he did step outside the store at one point to tell the media that the occupants of the store wanted them to leave the premises.
Confused on hearing the news outside the door, customers questioned why the store was closed at that time of the day when it is not scheduled for closure until September 30.
After waiting outside the store for some time, the news team attempted to get a comment from one of the managers who had exited the side door, but was unsuccessful as she bolted to the front entrance and made her way around the building to the parking lot adjacent to the old Grand Union Food Store.
She remained silent the entire time, got into her car and drove away.
A majority of the employees in the arcade eventually left the premises, although a handful could be seen milling around in the store.
At 12:07 p.m., the sign displaying the new store hours was removed by the security officer and another man and was replaced by another at 12:21 p.m. which read, “Closed until further notice.”
Some customers went away complaining about the way they had to find out about the closure and the fact that there was no prior notice.
Another customer, who had no idea the store was closing down at all, was shocked that the door was locked and taken aback that Friday was to be the last day.
A female employee inside the store, on seeing two would-be customers at the door, walked up and tapped the “closed” sign before walking away.
One of those patrons said she came to shop, but after being told she would not be able to, said she felt sorry for the workers.
“They are out of a job,” she said. “It’s going to be a big loss for Freeport because it’s right in the heart of down- town and you need something like this here.”
Another deemed the treatment an insult to those who patronized the establishment throughout its existence, noting that management should at least say something to the consumers.
LMR Drug Stores Co. Ltd. has served the Freeport community for more than 30 years and operated a store in the LMR Mini Mall on West Mall, the Sheraton Grand Bahama Island at Our Lucaya Resort and the Seahorse Plaza.
Both the Our Lucaya and Seahorse stores were closed earlier this month.
The drug store provided the Grand Bahama community with a variety of baby and beauty supplies and gift items, among other things.
By LEDEDRA MARCHE, Senior Freeport News Reporter
