Published 11 February 2019
Buckie Got It, St. Kitts and Nevis News Source
Photo: Minister of Labour, the Hon. Vance Amory addressing Lutron employees during a visit to the plant on Monday, February 11.
The announcement was made today by Senior Minister and Minister of Labour, the Honourable Vance Amory, while addressing employees of Lutron Liamuiga during a visit to the facility, as part of a planned tour of the different manufacturing plants in St. Kitts. The tour formed part of the calendar of activities organized in recognition of the Team Unity administration’s second anniversary in office.
Minister Amory said the opportunity presented by Jaro Electronics is available to any Lutron employee desirous of a continued career in the manufacturing sector.
Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris expressed his satisfaction with Jaro’s decision. Dr. Harris stated that what is important to his Cabinet is that there will be no displacement of workers as a result of the imminent closure of Lutron Liamuiga.
The prime minister added, “This also speaks to the robust growth of Jaro, which is clearly in an expansive mode. Jaro has an employee base of over 320 employees and so when it would have absorbed those from Lutron, we are looking at close to 400 persons being employed there.”
It was revealed that 53 of the 59 workers currently employed at Lutron Liamuiga have accepted the offer to work at Jaro Electronics.
In a formal advisory submitted on October 31, 2018 to the Ministry of Labour, Lutron disclosed that its decision to close its factory in St. Kitts is due to “the United States Government’s regulatory changes made in 2007, leading to a decrease in the demand for its [Lutron Liamuiga’s] products.”
Lutron has been operating in the Federation for some 31 plus years.
