Employment Effort: BELCO & Government
Today [Sept 9], a joint news conference was held by Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Housing Lt. Col. David Burch, and A.L. Vincent Ingham, Chief Executive Officer of Bermuda Electric Light Company Limited (BELCO). They stood together at BELCO’s Transport Garage to talk about two recent, joint projects.
In May, with the assistance of the Ministry, BELCO employed six workers from the Hustle Truck to do a variety of maintenance jobs at the company’s Central Plant, and four of the workers continued through mid-August. In July, BELCO put out a Request for Proposal through the Bermuda Small Business Development Corporation (BSBDC), seeking a contractor to repair and paint BELCO’s Transport Garage. Three bids were received and the contract was awarded to Mr. Larry Packwood, Packwood’s Painting and Maintenance.
Minister Burch said, “We are pleased that BELCO have reached out to employ Hustle Truck workers and to seek out small contractors, especially during these challenging economic times. The Ministry supports every effort to put Bermudians to work and to develop the skills of our Bermudian workforce.”
Mr. Ingham said, “The workers who came to us through the Hustle Truck programme not only did a good job, but also fit in well here at BELCO, earning the respect and friendship of our staff. We enjoyed working with them and we also look forward to working with Mr. Packwood on the Garage project. We believe this sets the groundwork for continued cooperation with the Ministry, so that, together, we can put people to work.”
Mr. Ingham added, “Our involvement in this effort stems from our commitment to support the Bermuda community in a variety of ways, including employing and training staff. Over 90 percent of BELCO’s full-time workforce is Bermudian, and we recognise that now, more than ever, many of our fellow Bermudians also need work. We are pleased to do our part to help.”
BELCO plans to work with the Ministry and BSBDC to find additional workers and contractors for several upcoming maintenance and building projects at its Central Plant and substations.
