Construction: 512 Masons on Work Permits
Bermuda’s construction industry enjoyed a period of runaway growth in recent years fuelled by both a dynamic off-shore business sector and condominium developments Bermudians built in the expectation of renting them out to the expatriate workforce.
Construction here was significantly impacted by the global recession. Real estate agencies are reporting a surplus stock of houses and condos for the first time in more than a decade. Speculative commercial projects have slowed, but they have not come to a dead stop.
Ongoing projects include nine Hamilton office developments, various hotel proposals and a number of major warehouse projects. Public sector projects include two affordable housing schemes, the new combination Court Building and Police Station in Hamilton and the Corporation of Hamilton’s new depot facility. And the $350 million redevelopment of the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is slated to break ground soon.
Earlier this week when addressing more than a hundred young Bermudians who attended the annual Bermudian Students Dinner in London hosted by Government, newly-appointed Minister without Portfolio Michael Weeks encouraged his audience to tailor their career opportunities to economic opportunities which exist on the island.
He said there were plentiful opportunities for intelligent, motivated Bermudians to excel in both the off-shore financial services sector and its satellite industries such as telecommunications as well as tourism. But, the Minister also pointed out Government continues to grant more than 500 work permits a year to expatriate masons — suggesting young people might want to consider the construction sector as a means to “drive the economy of their country.”
“Get the picture?” said the Minister. “There are jobs that Bermudians can do. There are jobs that you can do. The challenge is to become qualified in the discipline, be ready to work and this Government will ensure that you are suitably employed. It’s a partnership and we each must be true to our obligations.”
Earlier this year former Immigration Minister Col. David Burch caused a stir in the construction industry when he said some companies were “not serious about hiring Bermudians.”
“Clearly, there is a balance that must be struck in the application of any policy to protect Bermudian jobs while also supporting business,” he said in August, announcing work permit applications submitted by construction firms would come under closer Government scrutiny. “We have examples of all sides – the good, the bad and the ugly – it therefore falls to me to create that balance.”
The then-Immigration Minister said his department had received a considerable number of complaints regarding the construction industry in particular regarding a percieved reluctance to hire Bermudians.
“As one example we have received information on a master mason who had applied to 10 different construction companies and only one called him back,” said Col. Burch. “Happily the firm who did – hired him and are quite happy with his craftsmanship.
“We have been provided with the names and adverts of all those companies where he applied. They have been red-carded – which means all their Work Permit applications – new or renewal are on hold and must be approved by me.”
The Minister said there were exceptions to this type of behaviour and he praised employers in the construction field who were hiring unskilled workers and training them. He said Government had no intention of forcing the construction sector to take on Bermudians whose “work ethic is lacking” — but in the current economic circumstances employers had an obligation to look beyond their bottom lines at the mounting social impact of spiking unemployment numbers.
In October, as part of an ongoing programme to encourage Bermudians to pursue vocational training, Works Minister Derrek Burgess announced Government was supporting an initiative that would offer training in woodwork and carpentry.
“Programmes such as the Woodworks Carpentry Training Initiative are crucial to the island’s efforts to provide solutions for those persons who might otherwise follow a path leading to unsatisfactory social behaviour, including criminal activity,” said Minister Burgess. “Information collected by the Department of Child and Family Services identifies a number of young men who are at risk for joining a gang or who are already involved in a gang. Available information also suggests that many of these young men are eager to pull themselves away from a gang, but are unable to do so without support.”
The recently released 2010 Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs showed a continuing decline in employment in Bermuda. There were 39,520 jobs counted in 2009 compared to 40,213 in 2008, a loss of almost 700 jobs. The construction sector was among the hardest hit — construction held 3,488 positions in 2009, a 4% slide from the 3,649 jobs posted in 2008.
Shadow Finance Minister Bob Richards, while supportive of Government efforts to put unemployed Bermudians back to work and agreeing employment opportunities exist in the construction sector, recently said a more measured approach needed to be taken.
“It is difficult to quantify the state of our construction industry because there is no up-to-date data,” he said in September. “However, anecdotal evidence says the industry is in a major recession. Private sector projects are drying up and the Government’s ability to stimulate the sector has been weakened by poor planning, waste and spending excesses that have scarred its record … ”
Mr. Richards warned “draconian” steps taken by Government to reduce the number of work permit holders in the construction field might actually have the opposite effect to the one intended, alarming potential investors and reducing the number of overall job opportunities for both Bermudians and expatriates.
“While abuse of Immigration rules by contractors is totally unacceptable, it should be recognised that such abuse was permitted by the same Ministry that is now taking draconian and undifferentiated action against them,” he said. “It is our view that the Government’s failure to understand the conditions and practices in the industry caused this extreme swing in policy. This heightens uncertainty – the biggest enemy of business – and consequently dampens business investment, activity and ultimately reduces jobs available to Bermudians.”
Read More About
Comments (6)
Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed
Articles that link to this one:
- Minister Kim Wilson Construction Association of Bermuda | Bernews.com | December 7, 2010
Somehow i dont think these students are in London studying to be Masons……
No — but as Minister Weeks says some of them might be studying “basketweaving” or some other obscure and irrelevant discipline. There will be no jobs for them when they come home if that’s the case! As the Minister made clear, while Government has a duty to diversify Bermuda’s economy and create employment opportunities, it is not in the business of creating a “basketweaving” sector! Some of these young people have to get real. They have to go to where the jobs are. Not all of the youth Minister Weeks spoke to are going to come home qualified as accountants, lawyers, etc. Some are going to return to Bermuda with useless qualifications and demand they be given jobs! Minister Weeks was politely suggesting those who fall into that category should reconsider their plans and pursue career opportunities which do exist. Being a mason is an entry-level job in construction: man, if you have the brains, the skills and the ambition you can not only earn a good living, you can also climb the construction industry ladder lickety-split. Congratulations to Minister Weeks for telling it like it is!
You think I want my house to be built (which I am paying an arm and a leg for per square foot) by somebody on the job who is learning just because he is Bermudian. I think not!!! If you are qualified fine…if not…get off my jobsite and that goes for Bermudian or non-Bermudians. I want it done properly. I do not want my house to be full of leaks and falling down a year from now!!!!!
I think this is a good message. Far too long have we been encouraging Bermudians and pigeon holing them into two industries, International Business and Tourism. The message that is coming loud and clear to me, at least, is that we are now supporting diversity in the employment opportunities and training.
I think that if we can educate and develop our workers, we will thrive. BUT until we find value in ourselves, and LEARN, this is not going to happen.
It seems the Cox Government’s message in the last few weeks is focusing back on the people. I hope it continues and we see something done about it. This is what we are all craving.
Maybe the Government should encourage the out of work Masons to join the dying agricultural field. How many buildings are we going to build, and when the work is complete how many Bermudians and non-Bermudians will be out of work? We need to learn new skills, and if the construction industry is slowing down people need to re-think, do we want a concrete jungle that no body can afford to live in? Bermudian Masons should seek training on how to increase their skill level and the company can train them up if they choose. There is never going to be enough Bermudians to fill all the jobs in Bermuda. Look at London, years ago people from the West-Indies were brought in to work on the trains and do the jobs that Londoners did not want to do and could not fill. Its give and take, the companies should encourage Bermudians to work for their company, and the Bermudians should not feel its a given right to work for that company, but based on what they bring to the table. Think about it though Col Burch says that companies are not serious about hiring Bermudians, well Government is not that serious either, Government needs to get rid of all their non-Bermudian consultants that cost about 5,000 a month and train and school workers that actually want to work, and then cut their fat salaries.