1,121 People Register As Unemployed
Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry Kim Wilson provided an update on the preliminary results of the Unemployment Registration Drive today [July 6] in the Senate.
1,121 people registered as unemployed; 51% were male and 49% were female. 80% of the respondents identified themselves as black; 12% as white; 0.6% as Asian and 8% of the respondents were from other races.
95% of the respondents were Bermudians; 1.2% identified themselves as Permanent Residents; 2.8% were Non-Bermudian Spouses and 0.6% was other Non-Bermudians.
Minister Wilson’s statement follows in full below:
Madam President, I am pleased to provide an update on the preliminary results of the Unemployment Registration Drive.
You will recall that the aim of the Unemployment Registration Drive was to assist in quantifying the current unemployment level and to gather information to be used to assist with the further development of training, retraining and job placement programmes.
The Unemployment Registration Drive commenced on Tuesday, 21st June and ran through Friday, 1st July.
Unemployed persons were able to register both online or by visiting one of several Unemployment Registration Stations throughout the island during the two-week period.
Madam President, at the close of the registration period 1,121 people had registered; 858 people registered online and 263 people registered in person at one of the registration stations.
Of those that registered, 51 percent were male and 49 percent were female.
Further, 80 percent of the respondents identified themselves as black; 12% as white; 0.6 percent as Asian and 8 percent of the respondents were from “Other” Races.
Additionally, Madam President, 95 percent of the respondents were Bermudians; 1.2 percent identified themselves as Permanent Residents; 2.8 percent were Non-Bermudian Spouses and 0.6 percent was other Non-Bermudians.
Madam President, these are only the very basic statistics summing up the data that was collected during registration period. Over the next few weeks, the Department of Statistics will complete the data analysis phase of the research and an in-depth strategic planning exercise will commence thereafter.
Madam President, I am pleased to advise that the Ministry is in the final stages of engaging KPMG Advisory Limited who will assist with the development of a strategic plan.
The aim Madam President is to produce a clearly defined strategic and implementation plan designed to help us meet the requirement for a trained and job-ready workforce so that we can effectively reduce the local unemployment rate and curtail any further economic downfall of Bermuda residents.
Madam President, given our sophisticated economy and limited number of working age Bermudians, we look to effectively manage the balance between the local and non-Bermudian workforce for the greater good of all Bermuda.
I take this opportunity to thank those persons who participated in the unemployment registration drive and to invite anyone who is unemployed but did not register to visit the Department of Labour and Training.
Thank you Madam President.
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I wonder how many are so lazy they couldn’t even be bothered to register – let alone apply for, and turn up at, a job!
Bermudians make me laugh….
Exactly!!! These 1121 people are only the ones that actually WANT a job and are actively looking. The others can be found at 1-800-sittin-on-d-wall.
Are these folks unemployed or unemployable?
It’s not a matter of people being ‘too lazy to register.’ What is the point, really? What-do you think the Government is going to go out and find jobs for those 1,121 people? Government can’t afford to pay the employees it has now.
All this is is collecting information-just statistics. It’s what is atually DONE with the data that counts. We have gained nothing but the knowledge of exactly how many people are unemployed. It’s not like we get unemployment benefits in Bermuda-those same people woke up unemployed today just like they did yesterday…they haven’t gained anything by participating in this.
A ‘strategic plan’ to go forward? Sorry to be cynical, but if one wants a job one just needs to pound the pavement until he/she gets one. I mean, we’ve all seen how good the Gov’t is on ‘strategic planning’…they couldn’t ‘strategic plan’ their way out of a brown paper bag…Don’t hold your breath waiting for help.
Exactly^^ Some of you spoiled brats that got your job through family members or friends dont exactly count as a person who was out looking for a job.
Most times its not what you know, but who you know. If 1,121 people are unemployed and looking for a job and 1,000 of those people are black, you do the math and please explain to me how equal life is.
Dont bother giving me the, “oh their not educated crap”. I know at least 15 people with Bachelors degrees that can’t find a REAL job.
At the end of the day, the statistics tell you who will end up getting a job first, and thats the %12 thats white.
“their not educated”… fail (since you probably don’t know which word doesn’t belong, it should be “they’re”, not “their”)
I assume you registered today…
smfh, since you cant prove him wrong I’m sure it’s easier to nit-pick at one word that’s out of place. Good time wasting!
No, this is not a waste of time. Poor grammar usage is rife amongst our children and adults. “That’s good enough” is not an acceptable response in the exempted company sector which is usually the place where all these poor spellers want to work. Pay attention to the details of your written submissions. When you make Elementary School level grammatical errors, readers dismiss you as illiterate. Rightly or wrongly, your intelligence level is judged by how you write.
I am absolutely certain, that there are people unemployed who are good workers (no matter the race) and who would put in the time and extra hours that are expected in todays world, however others have spoiled it for them and this is why so many companies do not replace employees in Bermuda but rather move the jobs to other countries.
Some people might have degrees that qualify them to do the work, but their attitude is often in the way. Attitudes such as constant passive-aggressive behaviour or “It’s not my job to do this.”, coming in late and leaving early with extended lunch hours, I’ve seen it all. Again, I would like to emphasize that not all of our work force does this. Bermuda does have many well educated (in their area of expertise), good and hard workers with high ethics.
I agree with Politely Pompous and StreetTalk.
“Don’t care what he says” and “truth” are way off. Some people are also embarrassed as well, it’s not like registering these people was to help get them a job. It’s just a statistic. PP and ST said it all.
@proved your point It was one spelling mistake, we are all human. Plenty of people know the difference and use the wrong word sometimes. Why assume they registered based on a minor mistake? What an a%shole you are.
It’s a good thing your not a statistician. After doing a bit of research and reading an online publication, it suggested that 68% of the Bermudian population is black and 32% is white/other. Of course their will be a larger number of unemployed black people when they represent almost 3/4 of the island’s population. Look at it from a different perspective,if you conducted a survey that calculated what percentage of the total Bermudian working population was black and what percentage is white, what answer do you think you will get??
Think before you comment next time…
No cause for alarm. Plenty of jobs available in landscape gardening: http://bit.ly/qazBj8.
Correct. I hear from a sauce et there will be a new company applying for a licence. It will be run by a foreiner name Cannabil DeSativa. It’s just a budding business at this time buut once up and running should produce many jobs in the pricking of plants…..
Landscaping? Too much like hard work for Bermudians!
Bermudians is ‘spashul’.
Not all. There are several highly specialized, highly educated men who would love to work, but seriously- if you own a landscaping company, are you going to hire the 40-something-year-old guy with more degrees and education than you have to mow lawns and cut hedges? Welcome to my world. It’s not a matter of ‘being spashul’ all the time, but many companies- foreign and local- are still playing games with Bermudians and their spouses even now. Look at the recent ad for a poultry farm worker- two years of experience required. A guy with a college degree and an office background need not apply. Fifteen applications now, no work. Not a lack of will, believe you me. What’s going to be done about that? Nada would be my guess.
I met a guy who was unemployed on the island. He said that he worked the night shift on the front desk at a hotel, he quit his job as he didn’t like the night shift and will only acecpt a job if it is in Reinsurance. He has no qualifications for Reinsurance. He said to me that Government pays his rent and give his 650 a month for bills so he said he is living just fine and that 650 pays his groceries, internet and phone. So he said that he is able to hold out and wait for a Reinsurance job! That is where tax money is going!
You think thats bad. I know girls that have children even though they know they cannot afford them because they know that Government will give them financial assistance. These people are just wasting our money and then these children are probably gonna end up shooting somebody or selling somebody drugs in the future. No, not all children that come from families with poor planning end this way but there are alot. Trust me, alot. It’s a shame where this island is going.
Like the one person that applied for the ‘Waiters Course’…..
Other/s commented “The pay is low and Bermudians don’t like to work split shifts”….
That says it all. They can’t split a shift but can sure as hell smoke a spliff whilst unemployed.
The movie “The Deep” comes to mind and were sure as hell not far from it.
@Concerned Bermudian, I KNOW YOUR LYING !!
First of all if your a single parent you cant get Government assistance without having a job. I don’t know who your been talking to or who you “heard that from” but that’s not how financial assistance works.
Its people like you that just repeat any non-sense you hear from people you know and spread false rumors. What is worst then people like you are the persons who would dare believe the garbage you just said.
Maybe if you spoke personally to “these people” you would learn a thing or two of their struggle and exactly how these people are getting by day to day. Instead you would rather state your opinion thats all fabricated.
me says- are you for real ? is this going on ?so I can get get my rent payed and get $650.oo a month for my bills…I am going to quit my job tomorrow.
Thats pretty funny…Over 1000 people register as jobless yet only 1 person applies for that service industry course (which would of most likely resulted in a job).
Beggars cant be choosers…Just get yourself a foot in the door, make a name for yourself and DONT stop climbing that ladder!!! Show some initiative and excitement, make you boss say to him/herself “wow this guys/girl is going to do wonders here.
Stop kidding yourself, your not going to get the dream job right from the start. I know of a few first time service industry workers who have become managers within two years. The skys the limit..other than gravity the only thing thats holding you back is yourself.
Hope on it People!
*Hop
I have a gentlemen doing my landscaping currently. He owns a small business and Govt didn’t renew some of his work permits in an effort to create work for Bermudians. No Bermudians applied for the work and now he is short staffed and his work is backed up and potentially losing business because he can’t get to customers in a timely fashion anymore. His wife has kicked him to help him out here and there. There are some jobs that Bermudians simply don’t want to do, even if they are unemployed. What we have now is a situation where there are local companies hobbling along with less staff than they need because Govt is trying to make work for Bermudians that refuse to work in certain industries. Its a crazy situation. If I were a business owner in this predicament (and there are many) i would sooooo annoyed.
Its simply rediculous. My friends that have just started off in the service industry are pulling in the same amount as my friends that are starting off in the insurance/reinsurance industries. The only difference is the only in the service industry actually get to talk to people and walk around rather than sitting at a desk. ALL Bermuda jobs pay well, atleast better than nothing.
Also just because you have a job doesnt mean you cant loko for another one. Take what you can and build from there.
@Truth(original) sorry if I stole your name(Truth) on the other article, honest mistake….now I just “Dunno” what to put
LOL !!
No problem at all. I don’t have it trade marked or anything
You can stick with it !
My landscaper is going to close down in august..just can not get Bermudians to stay on the job .So I guess the other landscapers will follow suit !!
How’s his wife kicking him going to help?
LOL ! Kicked “in”
That is why there is always a certain percent of error, in which they should have worked out if they have a statistics officer. But I guess he or she is unemployed as well.
Job finding nowadays is on a who you know basis. only the ambitious one would survive.
No, only the connected will survive. My husband is the spouse of a Bermudian (me!) and can’t find work. Landscape companies don’t want to hire the smart guy, they don’t want someone who will leave when (if, at this point) something better comes along. They want indentured servants, not our unemployed. Ask them, seriously. My husband’s a fit man, doesn’t smoke (anything!) or drink on the job, great time keeper, reliable, personable, HIGHLY educated, intelligent- and he’s been out of work for the past couple of YEARS. Mostly because this government doesn’t like his kind, if you get my meaning, and his training is highly specialized. Jobs in his field only exist in the public service. Ambitious? Yes. Discouraged? You bet. Our BERMUDIAN children and my husband and I may have no other choice but to go elsewhere, and even that’s not a guarantee of success. It disgusts me how many people get good cushy jobs because they know someone.
Hell in a handbasket, that’s where we’ve gone.
I understand what you are saying “Fed Up” some of these employers do want indentured servants. I have been out of work for over a year and applied for a domestic position,(not my field of work, but anything will do) come to find out it was to be split between 2 households, doing windows, floors, cooking, walking dogs, looking after children AND doing some evenings and weekend work, for $25 per hour, FOR BOTH HOMES, so in fact each house will be paying $12.50 an hour. They really don;t want Bermudians, I was willing to take it because I really need the work, but was not successful.
So I am still looking, best of luck to your family!
The other reality is that, if employers get foreign workers for these jobs, they can pay them a pittance and treat them like dirt. Sounds to me like you’ve got your head screwed on right, the very best of luck to you as well. Sounds to me like they’re getting a bargain, and you’re getting worn-out. Things have to get better for us, I refuse to believe that hard, honest work doesn’t pay off in the end.
Peace.
What concerns me is the Minister’s statement (on the radio, not above) that now the statistics have been collected they are engaging the services of consultants from KPMG to analyse them and come up with a plan!!!
At what cost? Please, give me a break! We have 5,000+ people earning hundreds of millions of dollars a year in the Civil Service. Are they incapable of coming up with their own plan? Where does it all end?
“Where does it all end?”
You’ll find out like many of the sheeple. Were in a dry spell now but the rains will come and only those that have prepared will survive.
‘All Aboard the MINO……….Gilligans Island..maybe some stray crooze sheep will drop off supplies of plastic cups at King Ewarts Wharf…never know…..
95% of Bermudians Responded ……according to the Survey….!Grim Statistics…!Unemployment has moved right up the line behind Crime drugs and violence…..!hmmmmmm I wonder how connected the two concerns are…….?Have drugs become the new employment of choice and there is a deeply entrenched underclass who truly believe drugs and thugs are the way to survive …………Mobs over Jobs ……Weed before Work……These supporters of legalizing drugs are contributing to the young people being misled to thinking that the traditional work ethic can be replaced by fast money without work.They are the real criminals in this society and the worst Pushers in the society.Pushers of Perdition.Skunks of The Planet Earth.!
Umum I vant a job an am Bermoojan I cant verk May 24, Cop Metch, Huros Day, Labour Day, an I gotti havr arry Friday night orf after sunset cos a my religion. Can’t do veekends, an nax Vannisdy is my Momma’s friends barfday. Cant do de Queen barfday neither. An you batter pay me $30 a hour cas am Spashul. Oh, an am a bit Layzy too an I gotta a bitta trouble makin time – but ama Bermooojan!!!!!! So, I got de jorb???
Look people, there will always be people without work. It’s the way economies work stupids. Now, why they are out of work is the question. Education play a big part in it, and our economy is very and highly specialized. People with the wrong education or credentials -no matter who they know- are not going to find good jobs. But there are jobs, and it does seem that there are Bermudians who do not want to do those jobs. So, don’t work. But shut -up about it. No-one in Bermuda (or elsewhere for that matter) is promised a job. A government can offer support, education, opportunity (unfortunately much of this has been missing lately) but the individual must take the initiative. If people fail to take the challenge, they deserve a minimum of support; not houses on the beach and trips to ‘Lanta.
What surprises me -and should surprise everybody- is how insignificant this number is. What?? We are falling about pulling out our hair because 1100 PEOPLE CANT FIND WORK?? Out of a work force of 35,000+ AND THIS GOVERNMENT JUST RAN UP A BILLION DOLLAR DEBT IN 5 YEARS?
Where is the problem, people?
Bermuda, get over yourself before the world gets over you!
Joe? Vell how am spose to buy my nax beeg CRWee? An my fancy veels an beeg box? I ain’t been Lanta for 6 months man!
Axpats to blame u no.
Wote Pee Elpee! Carse yer wote!
Or you can get a job at the new EwaRolf Pharmacy…….The only way up…………………
Can you imagine Brown and commisiong in partnership to bring in drugs from India and God knows where else !!!!!Paula Cox ,the leader of this Island is no better then Michael Misick, she is allowing this to happen (oh I forgot she is just a cog in the wheel) and she needs Commisiong as her consultant to take this disgusting deal with Brown and Rolfe !!!!!!!how sick is this ? WE NEED THE GOVENOR OF BDA TO STOP THIS NONSENCE NOW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
to the guys that just look at the 80% of these guys are black thing….well there is alot more black people than white people on this island(last time l looked)
Just haters haten.
LOL
So, why did no one turn up the other day for the waitor / waitress course at the Bermuda college? I guess they are all waiting for the $100,000 plus jobs out there to come along! Shameful that a wonderful course was provided for those in need and those in need don’t bother to show up!
So Charter Chambers are representing Bermuda Health care Agency LTD …this agency has the likes of infamous doc brown and ex con bank robber commisiong!! and the lawyer who is representing them is WHO ?as long as this lawyer is connected with OBA i WILL NEVER VOTE FOR THEM !!!!!!!!!! I will not cast my vote for any party they are all about how they can screw us to get what they want..
Unfortunately, if you cast no vote you’re giving away your right to have any control at all over your destiny. Our ancestors fought too hard for it to throw it away. The only way things change is if and only if we want them to. Women fought hard for the vote, blacks fought hard for the vote. Not voting is to dishonour their spirits. We MUST vote for whomever we believe will do the better job. I’m not siding with one party or the other, but let’s see what the platforms are. And, let’s look at what’s happened in the Middle East. If the politicians don’t represent you, then there is civil disobedience, rallies, etc.- it just depends on how lazy we all are and how willing to accept the status quo. Not voting invites more dictatorship. Not voicing your opinion opens the door for those who would do our country a disservice right into your living room.