S.A.L. Downsizes, Eleven People Lose Jobs

September 20, 2012

Eleven staff members have been laid off at S.A.L. Limited, with the Company saying they had to make the “necessary decision to downsize” due to the large downturn in trading in the difficult economic times.

A statement from SAL said: “S.A.L. Trading Limited regrettably had to inform a number of our employees that the effect of the large downturn in trading throughout all departments of the Company, in the difficult economic times of today, is the necessary decision to downsize the Company.

“This difficult decision follows other cost cutting measures, previously implemented, that alone proved insufficient to offset the decline in business.

“The number of Employees who are affected is eleven, including management. The Company also advised everyone on the layoff list that their health coverage will be continued throughout the layoff period.”

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Comments (81)

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  1. Come Correct says:

    Economic recovery has begun because it gets worse before it gets better? Is that it Ms. Cox?

    • It is not economy recovery,it is down sizing and doing more with less,in other words axe the workers and make the rest damn slaves to pick up the work load of those that were axed,so that the employer can keep more of the finances in there control to be in a position to bail the hell out when needed.

      • Cleancut says:

        Government and the civil Service operate the country, the tax payers pay them to do so. The tax payers are loosing their jobs, so Government is unable to pay its staff to operate and clean our country.

        The Government can be changed.

        The more of our tax payers that loose their jobs, the more civil servants will have to go as well, just a matter of time.

  2. Weeare Screwed says:

    Get ready for much more of this.

  3. Swing Voter says:

    so the trickle down mechanics of the economy is telling us that retail and service based jobs are being cut because business has slowed. Business has slowed because contractors are not busy and do-it-yourself-ers are not bothered with home improvement or have left the island. money is drying up, jobs are drying up, and single parents are heading for the UK because they can’t make it here. Can’t recall this sh!t happening under the UBP and they saw their share of recessions as well

    • andre says:

      Is this not happening with our Major trading partners as well? The USA, Canada, UK most of the EU and you nput the balme on the government of the time. ReallY?

      • Billy Mays says:

        No, andre, it’s not happening in the US and Canada. Employment in both countries is growing; they’re in recovery mode. Bermuda is in freefall. Blame it on the international downturn if you like, but you’d A) be wrong, and B) be distracting from the area where corrections need to be made, if it’s not too late.
        Bermuda could, and should, have weathered the economic storm quite well, as evidenced by the recent results of the insurance industry. The recession was a challenge, but in the small segment of the international business world that is domiciled here, its effects were relatively minimal. Tourism was more effected.
        Bermuda’s downturn has been mostly self-inflicted. Recognize that fact and you’re on the way to recovery. Ignore it, and you’re destined to the continued descent.

  4. Sandgrownan says:

    Paulanomics.

  5. longtail says:

    The economic recovery has begun!!!!! (We had to deceive you!)

  6. SAD says:

    I AM DISGUSTED WITH THIS GOVERNMENT. SEND ALL THE UNQUALIFIED FORIEGNERS HOME. HALF OF THEM ARE HERE ESPECIALLY IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GETTING HOUSED AND FEED AND ONLY #30 A WEEK OUT OF THEIR WAGES THAT ARE EQUAL TO A LOCALS WAGE. ALL THIS TALK AND THEY ARE STILL GIVING EXTENSIONA AND PERMITS TO THEM. AND IT HUSRTS MORE THEY SEND THEIR MONIES HOME TO BULID UP BUISNESS THEY SHOULD HAVE TO SPEND THE MONIES. I AM SICK OF THIS IMMIGRATION PLAY YOUR PART OOPS I FORGOT THE REVENUE IS A PART OF GOVERNMENTS MONIES JUST LIKE THE CRUISE SHIPS THEY HAVE ALLOWED, WE THE PEOPLE DONT BENEFIT FROM THAT ONLY GOVERNMENT.I SWEAR IF PLP GET IN POWER I DONT KNOW WHERE THIS ISLAND WILL BE IN 5YEARS. AND WE AS BERMUDIANS ARE NOT STANDING UP FOR OUR RIGHTS,STOP RUNNING AWAY STAND FIRM AS THE JAMACIAN’S DO!!! THEIR GOVERNMENT HAS TO LISTEN TO THEM MAKE OURS LISTEN TO US!!!!!!!!!!! AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY ARE THE ONES WHO MAKE THE FINAL DECISIONS.

    • Family Man says:

      Unqualified? You mean like those who can’t spell or write a complete sentence?

      • PathetiSad says:

        Or that don’t know where the caps-lock button is? People should only be allowed to yell if they can do so in an educated manner….or if their island home is sinking beneath their feet perhaps…Oh, wait…

        • @Work says:

          Or that don’t know where the caps-lock button is? People should only be allowed to yell if they can do so in an educated manner….or if their island home is sinking beneath their feet perhaps…Oh, wait…

          I LIKE YOUR POST

    • not surprised says:

      I really do hope this is a sarcastic comment. If not….then you sure have alot to learn. I little tid bit of information. The foreigners have left (and continue to do so, not to mention Bermudians who have a back up plan) and they did contribute to society…now they don’t and look at what’s happening. Those foreigners that you dislike so much, kept employement up especially in the retail Sector.And all of those folks that rented apartments to them are now loosing out on their income and they have to cutback, yup in the retail sectore as well!!Come on folksm it really doesn’t take a brain surgeon to fiugre this out. No one here to spend money, no money made, people ouyt of work and doors close.

      • Tommy Chong says:

        The foreigners have left & continue to do so?!?!?! Whooaa! Wait a minute! Are all the people I see when I’m in town locals? I thought I was living on the island 570 miles from North Carolina not the one thats 636 miles from Macau. Jeeze talk about waking in the twilight zone.

        • Mad Dawg says:

          Tommy, whole departmens have been relocated overseas. Every summer hundreds of families are moving away. The schools are emptying. Supermarkets are closing. People aren’t buying cars (other than government of course). And in the meantime, Paula goes on another shopping trip at pur expense.

          • Tommy Chong says:

            Yes! Yes! I know this & I’m not blind, def or dumb to it all but still there are thousands of foreign workers here & still coming here the difference between the many who have left to the many who have come is they don’t spend as much on goods because they can get those goods cheaper when they stopover in Hong Kong on there way home, they don’t buy much groceries because they are used to not eating much & they don’t buy cars because they usually know someone who’s boss lets them use their second car as long as they register it in their name under the assessment number of the hole in the wall on the side of the boss’ house that they call an apartment. This on top of what you stated above this makes our economy worse because a huge portion of what is made now by the non professionals doesn’t stay here like it used to with the IB workers. I bet if there was a way to get stats from the banks here especially the non Bermudian one of the amount of foreign workers now that have standing orders to transfer a huge portions of their funds monthly overseas it would be shocking.

            • Zombie Apocalypse says:

              “They don’t buy groceries because they are used to not eating much”?

              Man, sometimes you really say the most ridiculous things.

              • Tommy Chong says:

                Okay, so the wording was off. They don’t buy much groceries because they are used to not eating much. Is that what you consider ridiculous or was it the logic in general which is an elementary concept where if you invited an someone who is accustom to eating little to a feast & some one who overindulges to the same feast the glutton will eat more. Of course gluttony can be considered a sin but its what makes an economy go around. We need the foreign workers who splurge on designer cloths, nice cars, expensive restaurants, boats, video games & tennis lessons for their kids etc. Not the foreign workers who penny pinch monthly & then send the majority of their savings back home who’s only extracurricular activity is to get together at the boss of their friend’s mansion in Tuckers Town & play cards & jump in their pool while their away.

                BTW I didn’t say anything I typed it so before you start dissecting my sentences for irregularities take a look at your own.

                I have no problem with foreigners working here & think its great way to ad a multicultural flavor to the island but when the a$$ is blatantly teared out of it by employers & foreign workers at the literal expense of locals way of living it really chips my marbles.

                It’s ironic how many sing praises of UBPs governing but fail to bring in the notes of how under their government there were much more IB workers with permits than non IB & ever since PLP has got in everything has gone a$$ backwards.

                • Mad Dawg says:

                  So you only want foreign worhers who over-eat? That is your solution to Bermuda’s economic problems?

                  And we should try to avoid having residents who don’t over-eat?

                  Did you figure all this out while drinking a few beers one night?

                  • Mr Happy says:

                    Hahaha great comment mate!

                    • Tommy Chong says:

                      It’s amazing how the small minded are easily amused. Now run along back to your rubber band collection.

                  • Tommy Chong says:

                    I did expand on what I meant & it mentions the word splurge in relation to all types. Though I didn’t mention anything about residents who over eat so I’m not sure what hole you pulled that out of. Maybe if you read what I typed veeeeerrrrryyyyy sloooooowwwlyyyyy you wouldn’t type such daft questions. I Know! I Know! Teacher says, “No question is a dumb one.” but asking questions for answers that are spelt out right in front of you shows that common sense is not so common.

            • meow1 says:

              @ Tommy Chong—are you reading my mind.. on point , definitly agree with you here also!The foreigners here now doing menial jobs eat rice for the whole year and don’t need much at all to survive! I wonder what those figures are when it comes to the amount of money the foreigner labourers(truck drivers, caregivers,waiters/tresses,landscapers,gardeners,cooks, chefs, ect) these positions once held by Bermudians as second jobs or in between jobs, have now been taken over by a group of unprofessionals who send more money abroad through banks and western Unions and the like!

    • tard says:

      act like jamaicans?!?! ok! Ima start d gazzzzaaa! hahaha how about you look at PROPER places to compare to…canada for example?
      uneducated = you…to think the jamaican government listens!

  7. Get ready says:

    This is just the Beginning!

    • observer says:

      You are correct, a friend of mine was told last week in her department meeting that her Government department will soon be going to four day week. I feel sorry for anyone holding a huge morgage or those who did not save when they had the opertunity. Thank the present government for spending when advised this was coming, and also Mrs. Cox for not putting her foot down when monies where being spent by the Dr Brown tenior. As she admitted, I am only a cog in the wheel. Well Mrs Cox, it is you and your governments fault for not paying attention and being waistful. No money = no jobs = no imports = no food. I feel sorry and responsible for helping in this mess by supporting your party thinking that we would get better. We surely got a new Bermuda, a broke, poor, dirty, uncomfortable, jobless unlawful new island that we were so proud of and now is the laughing stock of the world. I can only shake my head and ask how and why????????

  8. lyfe says:

    we need to vote for change! PLP is dragging us down to the ground! they are gona cause a riot

  9. the word says:

    @sad do not really understand your logic so what make the SAL workers chefs or wine waiters or pot washers????? when the country is F…ed its Fu..ed!

  10. Shaking the Head says:

    Less revenue for Government, yet the Government still maintains, and almost certainly adds, to its staff. This can only mean more debt to pay their wages and salaries. The longer the numbers remian at these levels, the bigger the pain when the adjustments are made. What are the PLP plans for reducing Government expense?

    • Trufth says:

      Why should we reduce govt expenses? Paula says the recession is over! Didn’t you get an invitation to the party at her house?

      Yea, me neither. I’ll be home eating Spam and rice – again.

      • Where do I "BUY BDA" says:

        @trufth – Lucky you – You get rice with your spam.. I am down to spam with no salt saltine crackers. Talk about a sh!tty dinner

        • Come Correct says:

          Have you guys never heard of raman noodles? Its a 65cent meal and they taste alright. Plus there’s like 8 different flavas, that’s more flavas than days in a week. Oooorrrr you could just get caught with a little bag of weed and ride out the rest of the recession on westgate welfare. Its a gated community so it keeps all the crazies out, most of the rooms are ocean view and for $80,000 a head you can say goodbye to raman noodles and spam.

          • Family Man says:

            Maybe Paula and her entourage will bring you back some goodies from Tennessee. Or maybe not. They don’t seem like the sharing type.

      • Watching On says:

        Time for the Cornbeef and rice, Rice and Sugar, sardine and Rice diet to begin. It is going to get so much worst before it gets better. I should not be speechless, but in 2006 I never envisioned Bermuda would reach this level.

  11. Chart says:

    SAL’s point that they will continue to provide health insurance for these people is quite a concession.
    But for how long? And does this mean they evade paying them termination?

  12. cut of nose despite self says:

    @SAD, really? “send all the unqualified foreigners home”. Let the downward spiral continue… er no I mean accelerate!

    • Tommy Chong says:

      un·qual·i·fied   [uhn-kwol-uh-fahyd]
      adjective
      1.
      not qualified; not fit; lacking requisite qualifications: unqualified for the job.
      2.
      not modified, limited, or restricted in any way; without reservations: unqualified praise.
      3.
      absolute; complete; out-and-out: an unqualified liar.

      It seems that someone defined as this if not would let the downward spiral continue if they continued to work here.

      • cut of nose despite self says:

        Ok I see now. It’s the UNqualified ones (that our Bermudian immigration department approved and our fellow Bermudians employ) that we want to send home, not the qualified ones. We must be careful when we make them scapegoats though, we don’t want to mistakenly make the qualified ones in town feel unwelcome and cause them to go home…

        • Tommy Chong says:

          We’ve already made that mistake by lumping all work permits laws together & people like McKeeva Bush have taken advantage of this to twist the story for their benefit. What needs to happen is a division between permits of nonprofessional & professional & become far less generous with the nonprofessional ones given out & far more generous with the professional ones. Government needs to make it hard to near impossible to bring in those workers for jobs that don’t carry a qualification & not bend as they are doing to these business owners who use qualifications pulled out of thin air as an excuse to bring in workers that don’t even carry a qualification because government doesn’t check what’s fact from fiction especially when some of their buddy ministers already have shares in these businesses so they don’t want to step on toes.

  13. Zombie Apocalypse says:

    Maybe they could become nail technicians. As the economy rebounds, according to Paula any minute now, we will all need nail technicians.

  14. Watching On says:

    Heard Continental Motors has downsized as well following after HWP. Yes it is getting worst. signs of the times indeed

  15. Argosy says:

    They can all apply to the Gov’t for work. There’s no problem, since the Finance Minister says the economic recovery has begun.

    Obviously, Wendall has not get the message!

  16. Bermudian says:

    And people still want the PLP in charge??? PLP supporter said to me ‘the world is in a recession’, I said yes, but the PLP has created Bermuda’s own recession. Standing strong Bermudians huh…DON’T THINK SO!!! Under the UBP EVERYBODY had money…EVERYBODY! I hope everyone wakes the heck up come election time.

    • mixitup says:

      Your statement clearly shows a GULF in classes here in Bermuda. Under what UBP did “everybody” have money? You’re delusional!

      • Bermudian says:

        Yes, everybody had money. Was this island ever in the state that it is now under the UBP? NO! I’ve talked too many people of different classes and they all say the same thing. If you think the PLP has done wonders YOU are delusional. And before you start assuming that I’m a rich spoiled brat, you would be seriously wrong.

        • mixitup says:

          You sound ridiculous and clearly out of touch with another Bermuda, and I’m delusional? I wasn’t and nor was my family living large under the UBP Gov’t nor were many of my friends, that’s not delusion that’s a FACT! And show me where I’ve mentioned anything about the PLP? You are here arguing with yourself, now that’s a bit delusional.

          • Come Correct says:

            He said people had money under the ubp, not that we were all ballin under the ubp. Why argue about a difference that you can look out your window and see. For the most part we all see the same things we just have different views but there’s no denying this one. How many condos have we sold on southshore? At 100% financing…how many jobs lost this week? The list is just so long. Apparently a portion of our female population is leaving, if that keeps up this whole island will be one big sausage fest…think about it.

            • Bermudian says:

              That’s exactly what I’m saying. In every country ther are lower class, middle class and upper and some countries are just dirt broke third world. My point was that under the UBP we were never in this dire economic position, but it is happening under the PLP leadership (and I use that word loosely)and that’s not me being delusional its facts.

              • M.P.Mountbatten JP says:

                The Bermuda economy was fortunate enough under the UBP to be firmly propped up by the U.S , Canadian and , British bases . Off base personal rented properties and bought motorbikes , and sundry to support the local economy . We no longer have that luxury . So the UBP allowed the tourist industry to flounder , thereby cutting the feet off from under the blue collar worker and , encouraged the proliferation of IB which they were able to afford to prepared their offspring and LACKY’S children for , through private and university education . This is the beautiful end result , isn’t it grand ? I mean John Swan is hot under the collar because he is unable to fill his office space , he laments the fact that He has had a hand in creating a situation were only six people are in control of the financial existence of Bermuda . That was his handiwork and , now he is willing to sell what he doesn’t own … Bermuda’s soul . American Airlines is processing 11,000 lay offs . To put into focus where the global job lay-offs and effects will hurt all sectors .

                • Cleancut says:

                  Just walk into seon place and look at the directory of the businesses presently occupying the floors in Swan’s building.

                  He is fighting to keep them there!

          • Mad Dawg says:

            Well thousands are unemployed now mixitup. Not exactly a frikkin success story is it unless you’re part of the limo riding champagne drinking first class flying PLP political elite. The PLP fat cats are doing fine.

  17. Big Joe, Tams sisters brother says:

    The haemorrhaging continues in the job market.

  18. It is notning different from what over 2000 unemployed Bermudians have been facing for the last 2 and a half years and the numbers are growing and it is time for the government to revoke all permit holders of any job that can be done by a Bermudian in the hospitality,landscaping and any other job that is not out of the reach of those that have a G.E.D or less,I dont think we need to politic this any further but put Bermuda back to work but Bermuda you have to want to also take the jobs that come available because one of the greatest arguments there is,is of the worker that claims it wants to work and then dont show up to work for all the stupid reasons in the book.

    I am a father and a husband that is self employed who would love to have a full time position with health insurance coverage and if you think that is easy to do in this day it is not.my wife is qualified and worked at her last job going on 7 years before being made redundant and has not found work in almost two years,you tell me how much further or longer we can go on like this or even decide to stay in a country that has so far out priced itself that it is litterally forcing born Bermudians to flee their native land when we are not even a third world country YET. wake up Bermuda, we need a shake up and I tend to agree with Mr.Maeshall that our parlimentary forms for voting at the voting booth on the day of election should also include a box for those who choose not to vote for either party or independant issue and lets see how many people in Bermuda would really abstain to send a clear message to all political parties and hopefuls in Bermuda

    • Sad says:

      I totally agree!!! Guess what though as much as PLP say they cutting back on work permits its all a lie. Trust me I know of a few cases were they have extended and given new permits to ones for small jobs such as a nail tech and front desk agents.

      • Come Correct says:

        Lol they’re cutting back on work permits for people that don’t look like them. They can say it any way they like but the facts speak louder than their words. They got rid of most of the IB work permits for some strange reason but the foreign pot washers, chefs, maids, landscapers ect. are still here, but the question is why? Unless your intention is to bring the island to its knees. Unqualified Bermudians can’t get jobs because they’re taken, and qualified Bermudians can’t get jobs because the majority of IB has gone elsewhere. Slightly off topic, but I went to Rosa’s not too long ago for a birthday lunch, just after they finished their renovations? and price increases. I ordered a $33 ribeye steak that was tasteless…a tasteless ribeye? You can literally salt a pepper it, cook it and its one of the best cuts of beef, but that was restaurant quality at $33. I’m Bermudian, not a qualified chef, and I could have done a better ribeye. So now I go to the grocery store, buy one for $10 and do it myself. So why exactly is there a bunch of philipinos in that kitchen cooking mexican food? I personally know qualified, talented Bermudian chefs that are able to cook multiple styles of quisine, but yet can’t find work in that area. Anyway thanks plp for looking out for Bermudians but I would preferre if you didn’t and left that up to us thanks.

        • Tommy Chong says:

          “They got rid of most of the IB work permits for some strange reason but the foreign pot washers, chefs, maids, landscapers ect. are still here, but the question is why?”

          I can answer that question. The majority of these employers that do this are prejudice non Bermudians who either share ownership with a greedy Bermudian or are married to a Bermudian. Even the Italians & some Portuguese have become disloyal to their people & will bring in others who would work cheaper. If I want to eat Italian I want a proper Italian Chef preparing my meal & if I want to eat sushi I would like a proper Japanese chef preparing it & I can taste the difference so I don’t eat it on island any more. Gone are the days of The Mikado & proper Italian Restaurants in Bermuda.

          • meow1 says:

            @Tommy Chong—-I agreee! where are the authentic Jamaican, Italian, French, Chinese and Bermudian resturants on the island… We allow anybody to set up a resturant and don’t even have policies regarding the menu and the name which gives an impression to be Italian for e.i. but can’t even make homemade pasta!!!You can only buy L.V. at an L.V. shop that only sells Louis Vuitton and nothing else! these are examples of our lower standards which make us miss the five star quality we so desire.. I also do not go out anymore to these resturants because the thrill is not there I haven’t seen any of those chefs on chopped,or foodnetwork either! if they are so good why would they be in Bermuda serving in resturants that are not authentic..and sub standard?

          • Come Correct says:

            For real they should rename Portafinos to Philipinos. Sorry if it seems like I’m hating on foreigners, I’m not, if your position is needed its needed, if its not then a Bermudian should be working. You say you want an Italian chef if your eating Italian, well same story at Rosa’s we had an asian waitress (didn’t look philipino). I’ll add she did a good job but after she took our order I looked at everyone and sarcastically said “she doesn’t really sound mexican does she?”. How do you have a mexican restaurant with absolutely no authenticity at all? Because you have a few bull horns and cacti around? You really can’t convince me that Philipinos work cheaper than Mexicans. If I’m going out to eat mexican I want to feel like a gringo not like I’m in the twighlight zone. Sorry I’m well off topic now aren’t I?

            • meow1 says:

              @ come correct–fuunnny!!!very true I want to feel like a gringo at Mexican resturant too! There are no phillipino resturants in Bermuda but sure are enough of them working here also met people fromhalfway around the globe waitressing here with no Bermudian relationship whatsoever! its pathetic that we are now second class to what was considered third world nations, I am not hating either just pointing out the fact that this government has brought in more nationalitites than I can shake a stick at, I no longer know what language to pursue!….just call me CONFUSIOUS!

              • Tommy Chong says:

                There are no Filipino restaurants here but there is Filipino food sold here at as odd as it may seem the Portuguese bakery on Sunday. not anything to do with the Portuguese owners as they only rent the spot its the owner of the space that allows it. I wonder what the legality of this is but probably guised as some sort of charity. A charity that sells a dish of food at 30 DOLLARS EVERY SUNDAY! While Bermudians who want to open a restaurant would have to go through hell or high water for permits, inspections & all the other hurdles even if the restaurant was open only on weekend. HMMMM!

        • yawn says:

          at least you can afford a ribeye at rosa’s

  19. Cleancut says:

    More Government revenue lost. Government is desperate to hold on to it’s taxes,

    See you all at TCD!

  20. Solidarity says:

    Black authenticity construct is a better option than crossing the floor. The OBA and Bermuda would be inundated with opportunity just because they might listen. Michael Scott, Steven Todd, Kim Wilson,, Dale Butler, Vincent Ingham, Alex Scott jr. and others could be the key to taking Bermuda to the stars. Listen to the people’s pain, and not be influenced by lavish lifestyles, personal agendas and black authenticity construct.

  21. Razor says:

    “SEND ALL THE UNQUALIFIED FORIEGNERS HOME.”

    Well 6,000 expats have lefts in the last 5 years and hows your economy doing? Expats spend money on apartments, in bars, in stores, in….why am I even going over this again? Yes blame the foreigner, easy thing to do!

    • Tommy Chong says:

      Why not send all the UNqualified foreigners home? Now Bermudians need a diploma to take an order, toss salad or paint nails so why should a foreigner get a job just cause their brother has a friend who’s uncle’s, cousin already works here & can hook them up?

      It’s the QUALIFIED workers who spent a lot here & the ones that remain still do. They are the ones out of the thousands who’s leaving has hurt the economy. This is because the QUALIFIED workers are the ones who come with money already to spend on our island. The numbers were posted already for all to see that even thousands of work permits were approved last year & the years before despite the mass exodus of QUALIFIED workers from Bermuda. What the stats don’t show is exactly who got these thousands of approved permits but whoever they are it seems their not spending as much money on apartments, in bars, in stores, in…. well in anywhere that the QUALIFIED workers did.

  22. grateful says:

    This Government needs to sit up and pay attention. Look around and see what is happening in and to Bermuda. Something is wrong when people Bermudians and Foreigners are leaving in great numbers. Bermuda is overpriced and offers nothing in the way of incentives to encourage people to stay. Why dosen’t the Insurance Companies offer a discount when people do not have an accident for a whole year. Why do the retail stores refuse to broaden their choice of clothing line. Everyone is not the same size and flowers do not look good on everyone. We need to get back to being Bermuda and stop copying the rest of the world. Find out what works for Bermuda. Of course keep up with technology and advance where we have too, but Bermuda needs to stop selling ourselves to every whim that comes along. Politians stop making promises you can’t keep, just be honest and say, you’ll try your best. Bda Tech and the Hotel College should have never been closed. That’s where the training was. Instead of the PLP and OBE fussing with each other, why don’t you get together and figure out together what can be done to really get Bermuda back on it’s feet. Stop trying to impress and satisfy everyone. Stop selling Bermuda to every tom, dick and harry. Bermuda is suffering and we need help.

  23. Sad says:

    First of all I am educated. Sometimes when one has loads of anger behind their fingers whilst typing, errors may occur. When I say be like jamaicans, I was referiring to how they stick together as one. Maybe Bermuda does need a riot to wake up. It’s idiots like you that feel what is going on is right. And when I say send the unqaulified foreigners
    Home I totally mean the ones who’s rents are getting paid by the company. I’ve done payroll for different companies I clearly know what I am talking about and they do not put money back into this country. Only if you knew oh ya I forgot your probably well off and in with PLP so your not feeling the crunch. Keep in mind PLP chased all the business’s off the island.

    • Mad Dawg says:

      Doesn’t rent put money into the country, no matter who is paying it? You’d rather have empty houses?

      • Tommy Chong says:

        The rent that poster Sad is referring to is at a less expensive rate than what is charged to a Bermudian because either the foreign worker’s boss is also their landlord or the landlord is a mate of the boss who will give hookups to his mate for the gesture. They hold this housing for their workers only while Bermudians have to pay out the nose to get a roof over their head. This all puts a different perspective on the affordable housing plight here that goes unmentioned & gives government excuses to fleece taxpayers to develop housing that wouldn’t be needed if low income Bermudians had a chance to rent where the foreign workers do. There are already loads empty apartments & houses here but neither Foreigners nor Bermudians can afford to rent them so they will stay empty until someone with intelligence starts running things here make laws to put a cap on housing increases instead of spending our money on building low income housing.

  24. William says:

    What happens each time one person loses a job or it no longer exists is that five other people that they come in contact with everyday also lose a part of their work.
    Losing jobs works somewhat like an avalanche. So for every person out there trying their best to fornicate someone out of a job remember that one day it may be Your Job that vanishes.

  25. Dat Islander Cat says:

    Wait. We had to deceive you!

  26. Withheld says:

    Well Sad, I was a foreigner and I went home. You know what else Bermuda lost? The countless visits by my friends and family every year that I was there. Think about it at just 4 visits a year that’s 4 weeks of hotels, taxis, restaurants, bars that had revenue increase bc of me. Now 6000 of me have left. That’s 24000 weeks of income that some lovely Bermudians don’t get. It adds up.

    • Tommy Chong says:

      To bad your employer didn’t start a restaurant chain here & put it in every nook, cranny & gas station then you would have been able to stay & invite ALL of your friends to come & work for one of the island wide restaurants. Even if you have any lazy friends they could come to & get a job sitting on their backsides taking reservations. The only catch is you & your buddies will have to do the occasional whining about how horribly poor it is in your country like you are one of the impoverished even if in reality you are middle class. Oh yes pardon me, I forgot one more thing you’ll have to do is say thank you maum or thank you sawr & if you no there name add miss or mister in front of it when addressing them ALL THE TIME i.e. mister Jack or miss Jill.

      • Withheld says:

        Poor u Tommy Chong I am a Canadian accountant who was looking for some adventure travelling the world until I was ready to settle down. My friends are accountants, doctors, lawyers, dentists and pharmacists. No whining here, we just take our money elsewhere. Oh yeah and tell all of our friends and family who tell their friends and family and so on – that Bermuda doesn’t like foreigners. No biggie it is a big world, many pretty beaches and great airfare/hotel deals. Bye bye Bermuda. By the way I’m posting this on my iPhone 5, what’s in your hands?

        • Tommy Chong says:

          So, your an accountant go figure that you’d not detect sarcasm unless it was in some numerical form.

          I knew you were some type of professional because if you & also your friends weren’t then you would all still be employed here & thats my point. Well, actually if you were an accountant not from north America or Europe you would still be welcome here. There are many foreign accountants who still hold jobs here but I’m sure they don’t have a quarter of credentials you have. Its not that Bermuda doesn’t like foreigners since Bermuda is an island so I don’t think it shares any likes or dislikes but no biggie I know what you mean but your still wrong. Bermudian people of course like foreigners if they didn’t they wouldn’t take so many trips. It’s the employers in Bermuda who many are not Bermudians are the ones who don’t like hiring foreigners who are overqualified because then they have to pay them what their worth in fact they don’t even like hiring overqualified locals. Like I mentioned there are lots of accountants here who are obvious non Bermudians if you check out the Chartered Accountants Of Bermuda site this is apparent & where almost half of them are from is more apparent. What doesn’t make sense is how some of these graduates on this site got a job here in the first place if they had to take the Chartered Accountants course when they got here meaning they were under qualified but still got a work permit.

          • yawn says:

            i know of accountant and other personal whom are employed by local businesses but from their homes in canada and the uk…when they told the company that they were going back home to raise their family the company offered them to work from overseas out of their house…and yes, these are jobs that bermudians could fill.

          • yawn says:

            i agree, i know of foreign accountants that are here and obtained their cfa whilst here working a job that a qualified bermudians could fill. once they obtained their cfa and when the time came for the work permit renewal, the job was advertised to included the requirement of the cfa

  27. BermudaSon says:

    Unfortunately, this is happening around the globe. The U.S. is in a slow recovery after more than four years of job losses and business closures. Companies have become more efficient and streamlined because folks had to lay off or hire on an as needed basis.
    Our country however, is only beginning to feel the pain of what is yet to come. No matter what our opinions are; this is a runaway horse which will not tire for a while. We can blame Politics, Business and the way we carry on our day to day activities. But let it be known, the worst is yet to come.
    Bermuda is changing forever, the days of long vacations, long lunches, work stoppages in the middle of the day and taking your own sweet time to get your work done is over.
    Now let’s chat about what is going to happen soon!
    Massive government layoffs (They will have to become efficient quick)
    Government cars will go adios
    Import taxes and duty will be overhauled
    Foreclosures are going to skyrocket
    Home prices will deteriorate quickly
    Free range chickens will look better by the minute.
    So we better sit back, buckle our seat belts and nail our chairs to the floor, because the rough seas are coming and it is only now beginning to warm up.

    It is my hope that our people use and take the expertise of some of our skilled Bermudians who want to come back home Many want to lessen the blow of this down turn and they can aid in the recovery.
    No matter what anyone says, “It will get worse, before it gets better”

  28. Triangle Drifter says:

    Can’t say that this is too surprising for SAL. Another Whites supermarket. SAL used to be my home center of choice, if for no other reason a SAL store is closer to me than any other.

    Over the years the staff attitude & stock on the shelves changed. SAL is now the home center of last choice. Sorry but I must be getting spoiled by service levels found in Lowes, Home Depot & Ace Hardware stores in the US where I spend a fair amount of time these days. Walk around one of those stores looking lost & a staff member will come up to offer assistance in no time. Totally different story in Bermuda, SAL being the worst of the group.

    The fittest will survive in this New Bermuda which has been set back decades for all the reasons posted by others above.