Opposition Senator Walters denies dismissal from restaurant biz

Opposition Senator Ryan Walters has parted company with his former employer, Restaurant Associates (Barbados) Ltd, Barbados TODAY can confirm.

But the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) representative in the Senate firmly rejected reports that he was fired from his position as general manager of the Burger King restaurant chain, describing such claims as “malicious”.

Walters insisted that his departure was a “mutual separation”.

He said: “It was a voluntary mutual separation. People with a motive would want to interpret that [as a termination]. The malicious people would want to interpret it that way.”

Restaurant Associates Limited (RAL) assumed full ownership of the Burger King franchise in Barbados in 2013, following a deal with Williams Industries Inc., which gave up the franchise licence for the fast-food chain.

RAL is also the franchisee for Burger King, Popeyes, Little Caesars Pizza and Krispy Kreme in Jamaica and Trinidad.

A family business with more than 40 years’ service, RAL represents international quick-service franchises across more than 95 locations in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados.

(EJ)