After 31 years of service, J. Barrie Farrington, CBE retired as President of the Bahamas Hotel Employers Association (BHEA). The announcement was made today at the tri-annual meeting of the BHEA, attended by leading figures in the hotel sector and Director of Labour and Registrar of Trade Unions Harcourt V. Brown.
Robert D.L. Sands, Senior Vice President of Baha Mar, was elected to replace Mr. Farrington as President of the BHEA.
In his remarks, Mr. Farrington noted the importance of bringing young leadership to the forefront, ensuring that the organization is maintained and strengthened.
Mr. Farrington's resignation ended an era of remarkable development for the BHEA in industrial relations in the Hotel and Tourism sectors. Many leaders of the hospitality sector have known no person in the role of the association's president. It is widely credited with having laid down the guiding template for the conduct of the affairs of the association and many matters of the industry, particularly those within the sphere of industrial relations. Those who sat at the hotel sector's negotiation tables can attest to the fact that a new standard was set in industrial relations during Mr. Farrington's tenure.
Under Mr. Farrington's presidency this employer/union relationship operated on various levels, but always on a basis of mutual respect. An example of the effectiveness of the environment thus created was the establishment of a joint investment committee, which allows representatives from the management pension fund and the union pension fund to sit in one room and discuss investment opportunities and matters that are mutually beneficial to both pension funds. This unique and pragmatic approach does not exist in any other industry or union-employer relationship in The Bahamas.
Mr. Farrington is also admired for his effectiveness on a human level. His warm and reassuring manner, made it possible for him to forge relationships with labor leaders that helped to soften or remove the edge from their roles as adversaries at the negotiating table.
As this was the final meeting chaired by the veteran, he paid special tribute to individuals whose contributions were instrumental in the development of the association through the synergy of working relations; namely Michael C Reckley, executive vice president of BHEA, Robert D L Sands, senior vice president of BHEA and members of the association's executive committee.
Although there is still a long list of things to be accomplished by the association, Mr. Farrington said he was optimistic that these could be achieved through much perseverance within the industrial relations management framework of the industry. He thanked all for allowing him to serve in the capacity of President of the Bahamas Hotel Employers' Association and wished all good fortune.
Newly elected president, Robert D.L. Sands, served as senior vice president for BHEA for 22 years. He thanked all for their confidence in him and, in particular, Mr. Farrington for his tutelage and the valuable contributions he made to the BHEA. He referred to him as the 'glue' that has held the association together for many years. He also praised him as a 'steady-as-she-goes', level headed leader with a wealth of knowledge that has helped to guide and stabilize the association and the industry over the past 31 years.

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