By KHRISNA VIRGIL
Tribune Staff Reporter
kvirgil@tribunemedia.net
THE Christie administration’s attempt to stop issuing work permits to non-Bahamian maids, housekeepers and labourers will have serious effects on the country’s economic development, said FNM MP Hubert Chipman yesterday.
In fact, Mr Chipman believes that government’s proposals to enact the move by next year is excessively aggressive and should be cause for great concern among Bahamians.
His press statement was in response to Foreign Affairs Minister Fred Mitchell’s House of Assembly address on Tuesday. It was during that session that Mr Mitchell made it clear that the government will abide by a policy not to grant permits in areas where Bahamians are qualified to get the job done.
Mr Chipman, (FNM-St Anne’s) is the Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration.
“We are greatly concerned,” he said, “that the Minister might be using a heavy blunt instrument to tackle a vexing business and social problem for which skill and precision seem to be in order.
“The devil will be in the details and we will observe closely the Department of Immigration’s strategies and tactics to ensure that this government does not unduly and unreasonably disrupt the way of life of ordinary Bahamians or the conduct of commerce by attempting to resolve in one year a set of problems that have evolved over a generation or more.”
Political pundits now believe the PLP is trying to spark job creation with the move that is seen as radical “radical.”
The PLP’s Charter for Governance promised to create 10,000 jobs during the party’s 2012-2017 term in office.
In the House Mr Mitchell said that Bahamian businesses constantly complained that they were unable to find Bahamians with the necessary work ethic at a salary offered their labourers.
He said that the Cabinet has asked Immigration to work with the Labour Department and the National Training programme so that in one year work permits would not be issued for maids, housekeepers and labourers. Mr Mitchell said he expected the move to come with great resistance.
Labourers, caregivers and live in maids are by far the most applied for category, Mr Mitchell said.
There are currently 343 new applications in that category while 1,458 are currently seeking renewals.
The Department also has 449 new applications and 1,891 queries for renewals for gardeners, handy men and similar workers.
Comments
Collin 11 years, 1 month ago
The PLP did not promise to create 10,000 jobs during the 2012-2017 term. The PLP promised using the DPM words to provide 10,000 jobs by the end of 2012. When the PM Christie was asked about it he backed tracked.
Concerned 11 years, 1 month ago
Yep, if I fire 10,000 and hire 10,000 to replace them, I would have provided 10,000 jobs. Sounds like PLP logic to me.
VDSheep 11 years, 1 month ago
Both political parties are guilty of bushwhacking the Bahamian worker. Immigration policy in this country is an affront to the Bahamian worker, all over this country! The FNM are the worst and PLP are close behind in allowing foreign workers to take jobs, or bread out of the mouth of Bahamians. All over the county they allow maids, gardeners, handyman, carpenters, electricians, care takers, managers and all sort of workers. Most of our politicians still have the house boy, colonial, slave mentality. Our leaders do not protect jobs for Bahamian workers - when an investor comes in to invest; government ought to have a standard list for investors to protect Bahamian jobs. Including an agency to police illegal workers - not just for Haitians, Jamaicans etc. But for all others that come into the country and work illegally! Many illegal workers are working in Abaco, New Providence, Exuma and especially in Exuma Cays and elsewhere in the country. The immigration department is not policing those activities properly! Save Bahamian jobs stupid!
Philosopher_King 11 years, 1 month ago
The whole immigration system is a joke: recently a friend of mine interviewed for a major multinational company job back home, she ask if her compensation package would be based on being considered the same as an ex-pat, and they said no because she was Bahamian she couldn't expect housing, schooling and re-location allowances. Even though she is a legal resident of the US and would have to move her family back to the Bahamas to take the job. The job will now most likely be filled by a foreign worker needing a work permit to boot, and they'll get all those benefits included. You guys can't be serious about building a nation that benefits the people of it if in this day and age current immigration policy allows them to get away with this foolishness.
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