EDITOR, The Tribune.
AS a Bahamian I am often confused as to why Bahamians treat foreigners better than their own people. Foreigners come here and open large hotels and Bahamians are only hired to fill entry level or low paying positions. Why aren’t we hired for well paying higher positions? There are many qualified Bahamians who are overlooked because of the belief that foreign is better.
In our schools I am told that foreigners are holding positions such as heads of department that Bahamians are able to fill. I am also told that many foreigners are in charge of marking Bahamian examinations and that they are quite rude to the Bahamians who work under them. If we have qualified Bahamians to mark our exams and who also better understand our culture why are foreigners being chosen to oversee this area? If I went to another Caribbean country to work in a school or any other industry would I be given a head position when the local persons there are qualified to fill it? I do not think so. Most countries in the Caribbean love their country and put their people first as it should be. Why doesn’t The Bahamas do the same?
While watching the news the other night I came across a report on a Haitian art gallery called the Brownstone. Why is Haitian art being sold here when there are many Bahamian artists who need the exposure? Why wasn’t this opened in Haiti in hotels there or some other appropriate place?
I also wonder why the options on my phone are in English and Creole. All are welcome to come here legally but why are those in high positions trying to make it seem like they are catering to persons who should know or learn English if they are here legally and want to become a part of this country. It seems to me that many want to take over The Bahamas and make it their own. This is not right. If you want to be here legally then learn and respect our land and culture.
I also wonder why Haitians of means do not go back to Haiti and try to improve and build up that country instead of trying to over take other lands.
All Bahamians need to wake up. Yes we can welcome others who are here legally but we must put our people and our country first and stop being foolish and letting foreigners graciously smile in our faces but laugh at us and call us fools behind our backs.
CONCERNED BAHAMIAN
Nassau,
November 22, 2017.
Comments
CatIslandBoy 6 years, 5 months ago
You are not only confused, but a confused, xenophobic idiot.
jamaicaproud 6 years, 5 months ago
Wow what paranoia
OMG 6 years, 5 months ago
Oh my another racist rant. For the record in teaching most foreign teachers, and there are not many if you exclude the Deputy Directors love of Cubans are usually excluded from any positions of authority, or extra earnings. The few remaining foreigners have been here for many many years, built houses, buy Bahamian and still are discriminated against. If you went to the UK or USA as a nurse or teacher you would have the same rights as a native, Not so in the Bahamas where a foreign teacher who has given his life to the country , done everything and more than asked for has NO right to a teachers pension that his Bahamian colleague has. As for the BGCSE that was supposed to be entirely set, checked, and marked in the Bahamas over 17 years ago yet still the exams submitted to the UK do not reach the required standard . Blame the expatriate again ??????. Your racist and warped views are exactly what put off investors and prospective foreign homeowners coming here. It may surprise you to know that in the 21st century other countries recruit the best irrespective of nationality because it is recognized that one qualified individual can make a success and create hundreds of jobs.
CuriousAbaconian 6 years, 5 months ago
You "are told" this and that. Will you believe everything you hear? OK, I'm telling you to quit being a gullible xenophobe
joeblow 6 years, 5 months ago
This writer echoes the sentiments of many Bahamians who feel marginalized in their own country. What I hear in the tone is a call for Bahamians to mature patriotically. Not xenophobia but frustration. There is a difference!
SP 6 years, 5 months ago
joeblow thank you for the sole rational response so far on this issue! Why people berate Bahamians for being patriotic is an unsolved mystery that we could care less about.
Nobody ever complains about patriotic Haitians lobbying for illegal immigrants, but as soon as a Bahamian says something patriotic, it is immediately labeled as xenophobic!
If that is the case, then we need MUCH MORE xenophobia in the Bahamas. Bahamians certainly cannot migrate to Haiti, Jamaica, America, Canada or anywhere else and benefit minutely as much as these foreigners do coming here.
Unquestionably, Bahamians have been systematically marginalized for decades, firstly by none other than the very people we repeatedly voted into power, that routinely placed more interest in foreigners than our own people. i.e. who was the political jackass genius that decided to reward illegal Haitian migrants being repatriated a $250.00 bonus for breaking our immigration laws? NOBODY will take responsibility for this asinine stupidity.
Secondly, many foreigners with only basic skills and education that couldn't make a decent living in home countries migrated to the Bahamas with less than nothing, other than a different complexion or nationality find it easy to climb the totem pole in the Bahamas because they are taken under the wings of others that came before them and introduced to prejudiced employers who cannot deal with intelligent, black Bahamians with a backbone!
The Bahamas needs a 100,000% increase in patriotic xenophobia to protect the Bahamas for future generations of Bahamians!
jamaicaproud 6 years, 5 months ago
Nonsense. I can't speak for Haiti, but If a BAHAMIAN goes to US Canada or Jamaica, they can wok and live in peace with all rights. THEIR kids born locally can acquire passport etc citizenship. Grow up. There is a difference between patriotism paranoia and parochialism.Stop playing pity parry. No one in any country will appointment anyone to a senior position if they are not qualified. Do you want your child to graduate college and jump into Senior positions simply because the occupants are foreigners?
Anyway I blame my Jamaican countrymen. I have no idea why I would live in a place where if I have a child they can't get a passport or school papers. Backward mindset and laws. Educate your workforce so you don't need to import labour. Till then...
sheeprunner12 6 years, 5 months ago
Bahamians only treat foreigners better than themselves when there is something in the deal for them ......... A Bahamian boss will place a foreigner in a position to control the others to his/her advantage ......... A Bahamian would support a foreign business partner if he/she is getting a "cut" out of the deal ....... A Bahamian private business would hire a foreigner if he/she can save money or cut out extra fees ..... A Bahamian Government would hire foreigners if it means getting its agenda done without resistance (NHI, BPL) ......... Bahamian teachers are overlooked because they are not willing to go the extra mile to get the "allowances" because they can make more money moonlighting elsewhere .......... A Bahamian would pay a Haitian gardener, Filipino maid etc because he/she gets better "service" ........... Bahamians prefer foreigners if it suits their own selfish, personal motives.
ohdrap4 6 years, 5 months ago
what you say is true.
if you look at civil servants, including the teachers, if there are slackers in the dept, they are bahamian, the lazy or chronically late foreigners get fired, so the dept heads go to the foreigners who show up for and do work all the time.
As for the marking of exams, bahamians stopped doing it because their pay was reduced years ago. in the beginning of the bgcse, the markers used to get 1,500 then they switched to payment per script so now only the less experienced teachers take it.
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