MP Commissiong On OBA’s 2000 Jobs Plan

September 2, 2014

The OBA “breaking their promise to create 2000 jobs has real consequences for Bermudians and the OBA need to produce a jobs plan that is believable, attainable and will get results for Bermudians,” Shadow Workforce Development Minister Rolfe Commissiong said.

Mr. Commissiong said, “The reform of Workforce Development which was started by the Progressive Labour Party continues to deliver real value to Bermudians today in the form of one stop services and training opportunities.

“Despite the hard work of the new one stop shop, the weakening job market is hampering many Bermudians from securing stable, full time employment in this economy.

Screenshot from the OBA’s Jobs & Economic Turnaround Plan [PDF] from the 2012 pre-election period

oba election plan 2012 2000 jobs

Mr. Commissiong continued, ”The Department of Statistics report [PDF] that the current account surplus of two hundred and twenty five million dollars for the first quarter of 2014 is down eleven million dollars from the corresponding period in 2013, which recorded a two hundred and thirty six million dollar surplus.

“Moreover, the value of imported goods fell 6.8 percent to two hundred and nineteen million dollars with imported goods from both the Caribbean and the United States showing declines. Much of that as the report noted can be attributed to the importation of fuel which fell significantly.

“While this only reflects a snapshot of the first quarter year over year, we believe that these facts may point to a softening of economic demand, contributing to a distinct lack of robust employment growth, as promised by the OBA. We wait with some interest on what the next quarter will tell us.

“Additionally, unemployment remains persistently high, particularly with respect to Bermuda’s black working age population. The Government’s own Labour Force Survey, 2014, confirmed that in 2013, black unemployment stood at nine percent, four times that of whites and PRC holders who recorded unemployment levels of only two percent – virtually signifying full employment for those two groups. In fact, as the numbers reveal the unemployment gap between white and black has grown since 2012.

“Consequently and just as troubling from our standpoint is the fact that strong anecdotal evidence suggest that Bermudians over the last two years are emigrating to the UK and other locales at an unprecedented rate.

“This, when Minister Fahy’s OBA seem more concerned in advancing foreign interests than in creating economic conditions that serve the interest of Bermudians and foster the creation of good jobs for Bermudians throughout our economy.

“We are a country of limited human resources and can ill-afford to lose our young, best and brightest because they no longer believe that Bermuda is a land of opportunity for Bermudians.

“The OBA promised 2000 jobs yet they never told us in what fields, what categories or how long it would take. Breaking their promise to create 2000 jobs has real consequences for Bermudians and the OBA need to produce a jobs plan that is believable, attainable and will get results for Bermudians,” concluded Mr. Commissiong

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  1. Navin Johnson says:

    Well the OBA did say over 5 years although I would doubt if they could have imagined the state the PLP left us in. Like walking through a town after a tornado struck. Guess we are going to have to have all of the PLP drones and talking heads now. Who would ever want to be a politician. Give it back to the PLP and put us put of our misery as there is little chance to recover. Why would a business want to invest in Bermuda if they thought there was a chance the PLP could return to Government?

    • Ian says:

      Keep playing the blame game and see where that gets us…

      • serengeti says:

        Who are you talking to…Rolfe?

        • Black Soil says:

          Bro. Bob did say 5 years….or is Bro. Commissiong not sure how to count like cousin Paula was of the same?? Give it a rest.

      • Heavens says:

        @Ian, dude, look in the mirror!

      • Come Correct says:

        Look where ducking responsibility got us.

      • sonso says:

        It seems all well and good to blame the OBA, but i guess it doesnt work the other way huh Ian?

      • LOL (Original TM*) says:

        This comming from a supporter of a pary that has blamed others for at least 40years for the issues of the country.

        LOL

  2. Dockyard Lackey says:

    ” The OBA promised 2000 jobs yet never told us in what fields, in what categories or how long it would take. ”
    Read the last paragraph of the statement made by Bob Richards in 2012 . Maybe if you read Rolf, you might avoid putting the proverbial foot in the mouth. And always remember – Who created this mess in the first place. Answer – Look in the mirror.

    • Raymond Ray says:

      Rolf is one who enjoys throwing B/S about to stir-up trouble among the citizens. Of course the percentage of unemployed “black Bermudians” exceed the unemployed “white Bermudians” that is because the population is higher e.g. there are far more “black Bermudians than there are “white Bermudians”Rolf / or anyone that can’t comprehend.
      The One Bermuda Alliance job plan states 2000 jobs will be created over 5 years and not over night! If you don’t believe me then (re-) read it for yourself it is there for everyone to see…

      • Young Bermudian says:

        Raymond,

        You are absolutely correct! There are more Black Bermudians than there are White. According to the 2010 Census, there are 54% of Blacks and 31% of Whites, accounting for 85% of Bermuda’s population. This means there are roughly 34,732 Blacks and 19,938 Whites. These figures reflect the entire population, not the those that are of working age. But you get the point, there ARE more Black Bermudians than White.

        All that to say, 9% of Black Bermudians that account for the unemployment rate is far more significant than 2% of White Bermudians that are unemployed. 9% of the unemployed that accounts for 54% of the population is far more signifcant than 2% of the unemployed of the 31% of the White population. So how about you look a bit more into statistics that are more representative before you use them as an invaluable excuse for the large racial divide of the unemployment population in Bermuda.

        • Steve Davis says:

          Simple really. There is a symptom of class that manifests itself in race, built upon a legacy of have and have not. I am sure if you looked at the type of employment among black and white, look at the respective qualifications, then look at standard of education. Standard means quality overall, so not a mickey mouse degree from a community college. Then think about it sensibly, whites have had an unfair advantage in that they have generally always had a higher income per household in Bermuda. It is a cycle and it repeats itself, young Bermudians who attended private school have received a greatly higher standard of education than public school kids. There are more white private school graduates than black. Likewise there are a vast majority more black public school children than white.

          The only way to level that playing field is Education. And here is where the PLP has failed the most. They set the bar so low that people believe they are more qualified than they are. In reality a Bermudian Education is the lowest of the low within the developed world, our students do not even meet minimum requirements for state school graduation in the UK. Why? Because the PLP were arrogant enough to think we knew better than keeping a GCSE curriculum in ALL subjects within our Government schools. The PLP had the ignorance to mess around a create a bogus public curriculum which has no global credibility. How can you expect our children to go to recognized colleges.

          Your brain is the most important thing you have, your ability to use it will dictate your success and path in life.

          If you are struggling to find a job in Bermuda, move to the U.K. If you a qualified and willing to work, you will find employment. You just need the fortitude to do so!

          • Raymond Ray says:

            Thanks Steve Davis…If you are struggling to find a job in Bermuda, move to the U.K. If you a qualified and willing to work, you will find employment. You just need the fortitude to do so!

    • Fact Finder says:

      Are there any PLP supporters out there asking the question, why did the OBA feel the need to make such a statement if the PLP had left the economy in such good shape?!

      Rolf, with all due respect, it was your party that created the mess we are in. They inherited one of the strongest economies on earth. We had no debt, full employment, and a government that was respected around the world. What were we left with? A government that many government around the work saw as equally problematic as that of the Turks & Caicos. A government that had $800M on the balance sheets that no MP could confirm where it went? Rolf when you lose $800M and you can say where it means one of two things? Which one is it! You and your friends in the PLP, with their “if you don’t like it you can leave” caused the company that I worked for to move its offices to Dublin, and my co-workers and I (12 Bermudians included over a 8 month period) were left without jobs. Fortunately, my husband is still employed, but two other co-workers were forced to sell their homes.

      Please don’t talk to me about creating jobs. Was it part of the PLPs agenda to loose thousands of jobs? At least the OBA is trying to stop the bleeding.

      • Ian says:

        Do you blame the PLP for the global economic downturn?

        • Navin Johnson says:

          We should have been immune to the global issue. Every time Burch opened his mouth he sent people packing. The condescension of Brown sent people packing. Cox and her foolish financial mistakes sent people packing. The PLP encouraged people to move to the UK to go on the dole. Our healthy reinsurance business was pushed to decisions based on term limits. People were asked to sign forms promising to leave. You still don’t get it. The

          • Jo Blo says:

            Thats dumb and I would hope at your age youre smart enough to realize that… 85% of economy rests on (re)insurance and you think we should have been immune!? Youre joking right? You are very naive if you think the things you listed off are what sent people packing. Why is it you do not mention how John Chaman, CEO of Endurance, sent 20 expats packing after he got the job last year. And that was AFTER proclaiming people would vote with their feet if government wasnt more accomodating, and furthermore he did it AFTER the OBA bent over backwards for foreigners scrapping term limits, creating paths to PRC status for execs, making property ownership more accessible to foreigners and companies etc etc etc… But when John does it RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR FACES its okay and its STILL the PLPs fault right?

          • Ian says:

            Do you blame the PLP when companies sent expats packing after all the bells and whistles the OBA has offered to foreigners? Remember why Endurance CEO John Chaman axed 2o relatively senior positions last year AFTER claiming expats would “vote with their feet” if government didn’t accommodate them more. Well guess what? He did that after the OBA scrapped term limits, created a path the PRC status for execs, lowered the cost of PRC status, reduced barriers to property ownership for foreigners and companies, removed the 6o/4o rule on “Bermudian” business ownership, attempted to give access to summer employment for expats, lowered the Bermudian head count requirements for exempt companies etc etc etc. Did he do that because of the PLP? Have the banks been doing it since the last election because of the PLP too? And you think we should be immune the “global issue” at a time 85% of our economic activity comes from a single source which, furthermore, is experience a whole new set of challenges lately??? A right genius you are huh?? lol

        • hmmm says:

          NO, but the PLP overheated our economy. Excessive spending at already economic full employment levels.

          The revenue streams to cover their level of committed spending (regardless of the debt) were unachievable.

          If the world recession hadn’t happened we would have still crashed under the PLP.

          Monetary and fiscal policy epic failures.

          • Jo Blo says:

            Its soo depressing reading the idiotic views of extreme right-winged OBA supporters and extreme left-winged PLP supporters…

            • BermyL says:

              Agreed

            • hmmm says:

              Please explain yourself…you tagged onto my post… I’m not right wing, I’m not a member of the OBA. I hate political games, politicians using race or them and us nonsense to divide a people.

            • Build a Better Bermuda says:

              You are slightly off there, the OBA isn’t remotely right wing, they are in the middle. It is the PLP who harbour both the right wing and left wing extremism in their party. One of the reasons they have never been able to pursue an effect government policy, they are in constant struggle within themselves over who’s policy they would persue. Their only reason for staying together is that they cannot garner enough votes separate, than they can together (see PLP/NLP era)

            • Strike fund says:

              I would say the OBA are right wing and the PLP are extreme right.

            • Navin Johnson says:

              sometimes the truth hurts

        • Build a Better Bermuda says:

          No, just the horrendous negligence/mismanagement of our economy and government finances that has landed us so deep into the recession that we are in. While the global recession is a contributing factor, the depth to which we hit and the lack of government finances left to soften the blow lay squarely with the PLP. The fact that they show no remorse for how they have left us and continue, as the opposition, to pursue the same course and attitude that failed us so badly, only highlights how unfit they are to lead us now as when they were government. They show no desire to prove to us that they are fit to lead, but continue to behave and treat us like it is their right to lead, so make no mistake, it is that attitude that put us where we are today, and will do nothing to improve our situation tomorrow.

        • Sandgrownan says:

          The global economic downturn is, in fact, a myth. Try again.

          • SMH says:

            The uk’s economy has taken off and housing prices are rising. PLP’s policies have criplled us so badly it will take years to recover

          • BermyL says:

            Are you actually putting the well-documented 2008 Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, the housing collapse and the ensuing credit crisis in the same category as Bigfoot, the Yetti or Loch Ness????

        • Come Correct says:

          False, Canada to name one never had an economic downturn. Thus, not global. Countries with poor fiscal management felt it. Governments of countries with poor fiscal management said it was global.

          • Build a Better Bermuda says:

            Canada was a rarity, it had several factors that minimized the effects of the global recession on it’s economy. Parts of it’s business sectors faltered during the recession, however, other areas in in industry and natural resources help to minimize the effects, somewhat equalizing the job losses with other job gains. But make no mistake, there are those in Canada that felt the recession in their fields of employment.

        • Global? says:

          Ian, the recession has affected many countries but NOT all countries! The USA suffered but Canada was largely unaffected! Many European and Asian countries were affected but NOT all. Some are stronger than ever!

          We are in a recession solely due to the decisions that the PLP made while in power. Ian you are not stupid so I will not waste time listing the who, what, where, and why since you know these answers. However, you would prefer to believe that it never happened and shift blame to anyone but the PLP.

          The PLP inherited a stable government and economy which was amazing considering we do not manufacture,mine or export anything. We were one of the most respected and admired countries in the world. Ian what were we left with after 14 years?!

          Don’t try to blame a Global recession. That is pure BS! Its not like countries stopped buying the products we export, because we export NOTHING. Our income came from foreign investment. The PLP pushed them away and made them feel unwelcome so they left with their dollars, Bermudians lost jobs, rental income and homes.

          You can ignore it and you might even fool a few fools. However, most of us know the truth and remember a better life, not so long ago. Give it a rest Ian.

          • Ian says:

            How many of those countries “Not affected” have 85% of their ecomonmy riding on a single industry which performance is directly tied to the goings of two of the largest economies most directly (adversely) affected by the GLOBAL ECONOMIC DOWNTURN? YOu said it yourself, we thrive on the performance of foreign investment! It is foolish to compare Bermuda to the countries you reference. And stop with the 14 years crap… You think it was just a coincidence Bermuda saw the highest growth it ever experienced up to 2008 before the proverbial sh!t hit the fan?

  3. sassymama2 says:

    Don’t you mean giving Bermudians “menial” jobs?

    • Ian says:

      Are you having a hard time following what is being said?

    • Rhonnie aka BlueFamiliar says:

      What the heck is wrong with menial jobs? Someone’s got to do them. Why not Bermudians? God knows I’ve done my share over the years. It doesn’t mean the person doing them is any less a person, no one should look down on them. We should be proud of people willing to take on work, ANY work available. It’s called experience getting, it’s called income.

      • Global? says:

        Exactly, to get to the top and stay on top, you must make the long climb up the ladder and take on some of those menial jobs.

        Those that leap to the top usually fall down from the top fast and hard.

  4. Onion says:

    Do you know what caused us to lose many of our best and brightest?

    - Conscription
    - Racism and intolerance from the government
    - The toxic political environment
    - Lack of entry level jobs (caused by Term Limits and hostility to business)

    As usual the PLP has no plan, no reflection on how they created this mess, and no sign that they’d do better in the future.

  5. Jim Bean says:

    Is this guy for real. No solutions as usual. They are consistent at least! Blame everyone else but themselves! What a joke

  6. Chaos Theory says:

    Lets see – “…over the next five years…”

    Not in 1 year or 2 years or 3 years, but over 5 years.

    The PLP keep on skipping over that 5 words.

  7. @ Rolfe, Read this:

    “The OBA Turnaround Plan will create 2,000 jobs
    over the next five years by implementing pro-growth
    economic policies. These 2,000 jobs will come in a
    range of sectors including construction, hospitality,
    retail, financial services and international business.”
    Bob Richards, Shadow Finance Minister,

    I guess you can’t let a good tale get in the way of the truth.

    How many jobs did the PLP’s short sighted & disastrous policies cost Bermudians, 3,4,5000? Why aren’t you and the PLP Nouveau riche out creating significant employment for Bermudians? oh yeah, silly me they will only do that by growing the already bloated civil service using tax Payers $$$ not their own.

    What a Joker.

    • Heavens says:

      too right Mr Pitcher! and the PLP riche don’t even hire Bermudians! All their employees (those that can actually run a profitable business), their nannies and housekeepers ALL are imported labour!

  8. newman says:

    The Workforce Development goals of creating a dozen or so jobs will help achieve the larger goals of others. Thanks,

  9. LiarLiar says:

    Great list of solutions presented…

    Why doesn’t the tell us how their online gaming plan is to resolve our unemployment woes?

    And people have been emigrating to the UK alot longer than the last 2 years.

  10. X man says:

    You know darn well that that was part of the election theme – come on Bermudians are you that easy!
    That’s Political game gets you every time –the only Jobs left for Bermudians are washing Trash cans, at least thats what they feel we deserve – LOL’ read though the fine print the next time listen to any Politician punch line.
    A growing number of Bermudians believe that the OBA Foreign Based Political Parting using a Bermudian Puppet as it’s leader or front man.

    • Global? says:

      @XMan. Have you seen the results of our public education system? Our system has been failing for years.

      A College degree isn’t often enough to land that dream job when competing with others wit a Masters. Sorry, but why should someone that cant read, write or speak clearly expect to be offered anything better than a menial job.

      Any smart individual that is out of work should be taking online or night classes to be prepared for that next opportunity. At the very least they should be donating some of their free time to charities to show their next employer that they are motivated and not happy to sit on their butt! We have all had to do menial jobs, and during these tough times so of us are even grateful to have one. Howvever, if you believe that somehow just being Bermudian means that we are beyond starting at the bottom and we should be handed a nice job, car and big paycheck you are a fool. Hopefully you never pass these beliefs on to your children. If you do they will never push themselves, and work hard. Why would they?

      It should be no surprise that if you didn’t pay attention and behave in school what you get stuck with in life is a menial job.

  11. Jo Blo says:

    As a rationally thinking person (giving the benefit of doubt) you cant really expect it would be achievable to create 2000 jobs in the first 19 months of taking the helm right??? Over 5 years is ambitious but not impossible.

  12. jt says:

    Sticking to their game plan…such that it is.

    More noise.

  13. aceboy says:

    Not only did they leave a huge mess the paper shredders working overtime after the election made finding information very difficult.

    One good thing is that the OBA aren’t paying for a “race consultant” whose only job is to stir racial tensions.

  14. Yahoo says:

    I guess it is Rolfy’s turn to take the mic and stir up the sheep.

  15. ya right says:

    The OBA a.k.a the “Break Promises Party”. Deceived us once, you won’t get away with it twice come election day.

    • hmmm says:

      and if they prove the promised jobs, you’ll vote OBA?

      I didn’t think so.

    • animallover says:

      OK, so vote them out, then what??? Do you honestly think that the PLP will get you a job? Come on, they didn’t when they were in, what makes you think they can or will if they regain power? Are you going to kick up like you PLP folks have done since the OBA has been in power? We’ll see. I sure hope IF THE PLP GET IN AGAIN that the news coverage is all over them, like they are with the OBA now, cause what’s good for the goose…..you know the rest.

  16. Alvin Williams says:

    Who created the mess? the answer to that is clear. It was the cow boys of wall street; it was their actions which pretty much drag the economies of many countries into the pit.
    Interesting the PLP as the government of the day has had to bear the full brunt of the blame; but it’s detractors do not question the other economic decisions made by the private sector which were all a part of Bermuda’s economic down turn. The unlimited bank loans that were made to many creditors from the builders of office blocks to the builders of condos to the home buyers and business loans all caught in the economic melt down started by the cow boys on wall street. How about all that money that was invested in fraudulent schemes not only by individuals but by some of Bermuda’s biggest economic interests which came close to sinking them economically. That alone is one of the biggest cover ups that is not talked about or written about by some of these economic gurus around here. PLP detractors have often used staff levels in the civil service as a big stick to beat the PLP with. They hire too many people it is stated? But on the other side I say without those employment levels Bermuda’s unemployment situation would have been far worst and thereby making the effects of the economic down turn and recession and it’s impact on Bermuda far greater. What if we did not built the cruise ship docks at the west end? Refurbish and repaired the airfield; not built the new court complex and police station in Hamilton, Had not built those housing units were Bermudian families are now living and not invested in social development programs that benefited Bermudians. What if the PLP government not spent that money? Given the social dislocation that Bermuda right now would have been in; given that the economy still has not turn around; would it have been worth it? Yes the current OBA Finance minister like a drum beat warn of an economic slow down. But that is the way the system of capitalism operates. There are time of great economic booms and economic expansion followed by economic down turns; recessions even economic depression. Now I am sure that is what the current OBA Finance Minister based his warning on. But even he could not have predicted what happen to the world economy in 1998. Allan Greenpande former head of the Fed when called before the Congress and ask to explain what had happen during the hight of this crisis; looked like a deer caught in a car’s headlights as he admitted that he did not know why the market and the economy behave the way it did? If he didn’t know I am sure that Bermuda’s current finance minister could not predict or explain the depth of the 1998 economic crisis which effected so many world economies. The former PLP government under Paula Cox as Finance Minister made those economic decisions based on the state of the economy which had not begun it’s decline and with every reason to believe that there would be a economic turn around and the reason behind this current OBA Finance Minister making the massive loan this current Government has made far larger than what the former PLP government did. The belief that the economy will turn around? Same game different players.

  17. serengeti says:

    If the OBA promised 2,000 jobs in their first 5-year term, and if they are currently less than 2 years into that term, what promise have they broken, exactly?

    Also, can Rolfe remind us how many new jobs were promised by the PLP prior to the last election, just so we can compare the relative perspectives?

  18. Heavens says:

    why doesn’t Rolfie put his money where his mouth is? if the OBA do indeed create 2,000 jobs in 5 years, you Rolfie are required to vote for them in the next election.

  19. Build a Better Bermuda says:

    And with this latest statement from Mr. Commissiong, it becomes even more glaringly obvious why the PLP failed us so completely on the social/economic front. It took over 50 years to build to the economic success we felt from the 90′s to the later part of the last decade, but evidently Mr. Commissiong thinks that it is possible to rebound a falling economy in 20 months. There isn’t another economy in the world that has managed to pull that off. Further more, he also seems to have forgotten what the OBA stated over 20 months ago. “The OBA promised 2000 jobs yet they never told us in what fields, what categories or how long it would take. Breaking their promise to create 2000 jobs has real consequences for Bermudians and the OBA need to produce a jobs plan that is believable, attainable and will get results for Bermudians,” Mr. Commissiong claims; but the OBA committed to creating 2000 jobs over 5 years across most sectors as stated in their platform. Frankly, given the mess the PLP left us in, it will be a miracle if they can pull it off, and if they do manage to, don’t count on all of those 2000 jobs being Bermudian, but given that we have lost nearly 4 times that number from our economy, any 2000 employees paying into our economy and taxes will go a long way to getting us back in track.

  20. Triangle Drifter says:

    This must be Rolfes week to trot out the same old same old. How have they managed to keep him quiet so long?

  21. Realist says:

    We all know it was the PLP who put us out of work!

  22. Unbelievable says:

    Oh look, Commisiong woke up. He decided to make it look like he’s earning that MP salary.

    • BermyL says:

      Dear PLP Leadership,

      In order for me and many other voters like me to start taking anything you say seriously, please begin all future criticism of the OBA with the following statement: “If we were in power we would do …”

  23. Unbelievable says:

    If the OBA haven’t delivered on the 2000 jobs (which they said it would happen over a 5 year span not the two minutes they have been in power), then would we really consider switching back to the PLP who got RID of the jobs in the first place and who never have a plan to create jobs?? Come on people.

    No one is really thinking about this logically. Go ahead, go back to the PLP.

    • Strike fund says:

      It will be quite interesting if the OBA manage to create around 1700 jobs in the five years.

      If this happened would the PLP trumpet broken promises or stay quiet as it would still be quite a feat?

  24. Paz says:

    When will you get it? “Advancing foreign interest” advances the interests of Bermudians. It is almost the only way to raise us from our current situation. Foreign money drives our economy.

    1,000 expat families that left the island
    x $150,000 salaries and bonuses per family (at least)
    = $150 million

    A good share of this money was spent at restaurants, hair dressers, grocers, auto repairs, new bikes, clothes and on and on and on. It would make quite a difference for the local economy.

    Bermuda should stop looking for internal growth. It will not happen. “Advancing foreign interests” in Bermuda, while creating benefits for Bermuda, is exactly what is needed.

  25. Come On Man says:

    It’s not a matter of the blame game. The PLP created this mess and are now using it as pre-election,brainwashing tactic by contstantly painting the picture that the OBA started the problem. I cannot believe the nonsense that I have heard over the past couple of weeks,especially this past weekend. Utter nonsense,from both parties, they are playing all of you. Take your Damn heads out of the sand and wake up. And before you PLP supporters start to attack the messenger.I am not an OBA supporter.

  26. Spliffs says:

    Vote PLP and vote for currency devaluation.

  27. YoungBDA says:

    Ok..