PLP & OBA On Guest Worker Policies
“We’ve seen over and over again that the only solution that the UBP turned OBA offers is one that would bring more guest workers to our shores and would grant sacred status to countless guest workers,” said the PLP.
“If you believe that the solution to our economic problems is to open Bermuda up and bring more guest workers to our shores – the OBA is the party for you.”
Responding to the PLP’s statement, Opposition Leader Craig Cannonier said, “If the PLP is going to base the re-election campaign on fewer expat workers being good for Bermuda, then bring it on. In today’s economy, less is not more, less is less – for you, your families and our future.
“On the basis of this PLP thinking, a vote for the PLP is a vote to destroy Bermuda’s economy and that should be a major concern for all Bermudians – PLP, OBA, even UBP..”
The PLP statement was posted on their website, and said the OBA’s policy on guest workers sounds exactly like the old UBP, and that Craig Cannonier is echoing the same policies that “shows that he and his party remain the party that puts guest workers first.”
Mr Cannonier responded, saying “it reveals how desperate their politics has become” as the PLP effort to “portray him as some sort of closet UBPer” is their “re-election strategy to divert people’s attention from their poor record…”
The full statement from the PLP’s website is below:
When it comes to the OBA’s policy on guest workers, they are sounding exactly like the old UBP. Just like Bob Richards and Michael Dunkley, Craig Cannonier is echoing the same policies that shows that he and his party remain the party that puts guest workers first.
We all remember in the 2007 election when the UBP platform promised to give Bermudian status to thousands of guest workers.
We’ve seen over and over again that the only solution that the UBP turned OBA offers is one that would bring MORE guest workers to our shores and would grant sacred status to countless guest workers.
If you believe that the solution to our economic problems is to open Bermuda up and bring more guest workers to our shores – the OBA is the party for you.
If you believe in a balanced approach that balances the interests of business with ensuring that Bermudians have access to jobs, the PLP should get your vote.
Mr Cannonier’s full statement is below:
I’ve a few things to say about the PLP’s statement “Cannonier Parrots Old UBP Guest Worker Line” that was put up on their website today because it reveals how desperate their politics has become.
The first is the PLP practice of attacking me and my colleagues with anonymous statements. All OBA statements carry the name of the author because we think it is important that people know who’s doing the talking. But no one in the PLP is willing to own up to their daily attack statements. We expect our opponents to show a little more spine than that.
The second is the PLP effort to portray me as some sort of closet UBPer; me who told that party to “turn out the lights”. This little game is part of their re-election strategy to divert people’s attention from their poor record in office and to keep Bermudians in a political lockdown, thinking about the past and thinking in terms of “the enemy.” It’s so counterproductive to building a better Bermuda that they should be ashamed of themselves.
The third is their fondness for basing their attacks against me on…. NOTHING. I dare the PLP to produce any statement I’ve made that says, as their anonymous writers write, that we would put “guest workers first.”
Fourth, if we want to get factual, let’s hear the PLP answer the following questions:
1) Is it true during the PLP years in power that more guest workers have lived in Bermuda than ever before, by a long shot?
2) Is it not true the PLP Government is putting Permanent Residency Certificates up for sale to non-Bermudians?
Finally, the PLP’s press statement suggests more guest workers are bad for Bermuda. We disagree. At the core of the economic problems facing Bermuda is the lack of bodies coming to Bermuda, whether as tourists or as guest workers.
The collapse of our tourism industry has dried up sales and income for thousands who once earned their livelihood from a robust tourism industry; and the outflow of international business operations to other jurisdictions has meant the loss of expat workers and their families – all of whom contributed to our economy in the form of jobs and wages for Bermudian workers, retail sales for local shops, rents for landlords, higher tax earnings for the Government, support for charities, etc.
And what is the upshot of this loss of bodies? It is joblessness and smaller paycheques for thousands of Bermudians and cutbacks in Government services that are supposed to be helping people in hard times.
If the PLP is going to base the re-election campaign on fewer expat workers being good for Bermuda, then bring it on. In today’s economy, less is not more, less is less – for you, your families and our future.
On the basis of this PLP thinking, a vote for the PLP is a vote to destroy Bermuda’s economy and that should be a major concern for all Bermudians – PLP, OBA, even UBP.
I hope people see the TRUTH !
Craig you have spoken it here.
PLP is hoping that there are enough stupid, uneducated fools to fall for this BS and vote them back in again. Next couple of weeks you’ll see the race card as per usual – for good measure.
They’ve been “graduating” more than 200 functionally illiterate kids every year, year after year now, so I suspect there’s more than enough to vote them back in.
UMMMM I’m offended by your comment. I am no supporter of either party PLP, or the UBP transition to OBA….but it was the UBP Government that change our SCHOOLING system designed to fail OUR BLACK children from the beginning.
And as that is such a common argument from PLP, that the UBP ruined the schools to fail black children, where is the reply from PLP as to what they’ve dont to fix it in the last 14 years?
In fact, what have the remotely even tried to do in the last 14 years to fix it? Had a study done… which is collecting dust.
There comes a time where the govt needs to step the f**k up and stop whining about who ruined what in the past, and actually start doing what they are supposed to do, which is improve Bermuda.
I reiterate… the idea (whether true or not) that the UBP ruined education deliberately to hold black kids back was 14 years ago. FOURTEEN!!!!
Can someone refresh my memory?
Wasn’t the transition of the school system under the UBP signed off on by a bi-partisan committee? If my memory serves me correctlty I believe Dame Smith was on the committee as well as other PLP members.
Also, back then the PLP Opposition constantly railed against the school system as being colonialist and racist. In response the Govt changed from the Cambridge curriculum to the BSSC as a means to appease these complaints.
Fast forward approximately 10 years later the PLP Govt reinstitutes the colonial and racist Cambridge Curriculum.
Someone please clarify if I am mistaken…
Also please see who back then also agreed with the change it was non other than the PLP. Please do some research and find out who showed their approval back then maybe they knew what would happen and thats why they agree to the change. Party over country I guess.
LOL
system yes they did. but plp has whar 14 years to raise the standards. sorry half right is not good enough. or only try half as hard. that the issue with the system. you can fall back to the old system, but if 50% is still a pass then same problem is still going happen.
I concur with Jury. UBP put the current school system in place. One could argue that it was inetional (given the UBP’s track record) to derail our youth and put Bermuda in its current state.
well as i said in the prior reply, that was almost a decade and a half ago.
Does the plp ever plan on fixing this supposed injustice? or just keep whining about it every damn election?
I do not know that nor do I speak for the PLP. I speak for myself as a Bermudian who notices who the original fault was. My honest opinion would be to simply change the system back to what it originally was. But when that was proposed, UBP supporters at the time said that was a waste of time and kicked up loads of s%$t. End result, it wasn’t changed becasue of the opposition UBP. However, there is now a change in effect to return our school system back to the original Caimbridge system. So to quash your statement of ‘Does the plp ever plan on fixing this supposed injustice? or just keep whining about it every damn election?’ they are fixing it and are no longer whining about it.
Lol on that comment. I wish it was true and they were fixing it but they aren’t. Case in point, nothing across the island is standardized for teaching. The Cambridge Curriculum is a guideline so what is taught varies from school to school. My daughter was supposed to be in the GATES program last year, it was scrapped because of a lack of available teachers, on top of that she brought home American spelling words even though this is a British curriculum. Action without prior planning does not actually mean we are moving forward, just that we’re moving.
Your not being honest Can’t if the Government wanted to change it back it could even if the whole opposition voted against it they do not have enough seats to stop it so that means some PLP MPs must have vote against it as well. But let pretend thats not the case………………………………..
The sky is REEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE blue the sky is blue………………”Lier,lier”
LOL
What proof do you have, apart from the standard line, that the change was designed to fail black chldren? Are you aware that there was a Committee, one of whom was Jennifer Smith, yes the same person who is, again, the Minister of Education, who approved the change? Are you aware the change was made in 1996. That means the change was only in place for 2 years, because two years later in 1998 the PLP were elected as Government. So in the 13 years since 1998 all you can come up with is the UBP designed a syetem to fail? In 13 years nothing has changed, despite the change only being in place for 2 years. That means the PLP have in effect far more responsibility for the alleged failed sysytem. Odd how up to 1998 there have been countless numbers of successful black Bermudians who benefitted from the system that was in place up to 1998, but this isn’t trumpeted.
You said it Bewildered. Oh and by the way if parents spend the time needed the system can work. The problem is that in order for it to work the parents need to be involved every step of the way engaging the teachers and the ministry. It’s a sacrifices but as its been said “a brilliant mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
LOL
Politicians and their activists on both side need to stop spin the reality for votes it’s misleading and divisive where ever it comes from.
Never said black children, I said youth in Bermuda. And what proof do you have that it was not UBP’s intention to do it?
One can also make reference to the closing of the tech schools by the UBP in the same argument. UBP closed them many years ago because (many think it) Bermuda was turning out too many educated black (yes I said it this time) Bermudians in many trades. As a result, this introduced all the guest wrkers in landscaping, plumbing, electrical, etc……
As for the coutless successful black bermudians you speak of, there are far more that have not benefitted from the system.
Convo between us is pointless becasue its obvious you are white and I am black so we each will defend our own points of view.
Well I’m black and I can’t take your illogical and race-based bs any more. No more excuses. After 14 years of incompetence, whining and race-baiting it’s time for another change. Let’s give the OBA a chance to walk the walk for a few years and put the PLP on a time out. The OBA certainly couldn’t do much worse and most of us now have EU or other overseas passports, so we needn’t be quite so scared of being sent back to the plantation. At least not in chains, since the PLP may have have already driven us all back to subsistence farming.
I feel you, but I don’t think my comments were race based. In the end they may have went that way, but thats only because I was responding to a race based comment. Got to read it all fella. But I wouldn’t give OBA a chance simply becasue they remind me too much of the UBP. I see the exact same scare tactics used on the masses by the OBA that UBP used for many years. Seems like a vicuous cycle to me. On top of that, all of their major supporters or backbenchers are those of the former UBP.
And the OBA is the former UBP. Proof……….right before UBP’s demise, they said they needed to change their immage and a renaming of the party would help them in being re-elected. Long story short, UBP went out and OBA came in.
And somehow you cannot or refuse to see that the PLP is using the same scare tactics to woo their electorate?
So what would the OBA do to you and yours if they achieve power?
All these fear mongering from your camp is very much Bermuda’s own Tea Party. Instead your lot wants you to believe that if the OBA gets into power all of a sudden we will return to the days of slavery, segregation and oppression.
The sad thing is that you lot gobble it up and buy into such nonsense.
How do you feel about the numerous long-time UBPers that are not part of the PLP?
It’s a shame you feel that the convo is pointless. I agree with you about the closing of the Tech Schools. There used to be a hotel training school by the way. Unfortunately the PLP has done nothing to reinstate the Tech Schools and they sold Stonignton and effectively shut the Hotel training school. I am a great believer in the need to have “Education” cater to all, not just academics. Not all people want to become, or have the ability to become actuaries, accountants etc, and trades are essential. Unfortunaltely the general consensus in so many societies seems to be to look down on trades.
It is pointless to keep going about what happened 14 years ago and sooner, when 13 years has passed, and nothing has changed. It’s almost as if the PLP want to continue with the failure so they don’t have to do something positive. I wish they would prove that misconception wrong.
But they are reinstating the tech school. Have you not seen Minister Weeks comments about htis. He is trying his hardest to have them back up and running.
Are they reinstating the hospitality school (Stonington) which the PLP sold to a foreigner?
Jury said our BLACK children.
You said you agreed with Jury, and then mentioned “our youth” and the “UBPs track record”
Then you did indeed mention “too many black bermudians”.
dont try to turn around and say you never meant black children.
As for the closing of tech schoools/etc, again, that was HOW LONG ago? Why has the beloved current govt done NOTHING towards fixing it except bringing up this supposed intentional injustice?
A lot of people seem to complain so much about what the UBP did that was wrong, and ignore the fact that the PLP has done nothing about fixing certain things…
…oh and i must say i love the “Convo between us is pointless becasue its obvious you are white and I am black so we each will defend our own points of view.” line… thats really gonna move bermuda forward!
Read my comments again. Please! I only threw black in there to make a point, which I highlighted in brackets after he/she accused me of saying black children. I swear, you guys love twisting peoples words. Mentioning one part while leaving out the other. Only one group I know is famous for that.
I know two groups funny their both Bermudains.
@ Can’t Take it Anymore & Jury: I can agree that there was much the UBP did that negatively affected blacks in our community. Can you agree that there is much that the PLP could have done or actually did that has had an even worse impact on our black children? Multiple changes in Education Ministry heads; continuation of the comprehensive education system, and the mega-schools that have failed everywhere else and have been the breeding ground for our current gang problem; closure of the Hotel School; delayed re-opening of a technical school; a top-heavy Education Department; firing teachers instead of administrative staff; and on and on.
Telling me the UBP did it, 2 even 4 years after the event is one thing. Telling me the same thing 13 years later is unacceptable.
I agree with Jury as well.
And you have set back and just watched this?!?! Thanks Brother!
bring on higher rents..
bring on the class division john swan proposes
bring on a bigger support base for the OBA
yep
Guest workers can’t vote…
Is this part of that thousands of new voters lie from the PLP in 2007?
LOL I think the actual number was hashed out and was way less than the PLP wanted people to believe. Oh and does this also constitute fear mongering since it was not completely true?
cedar beams comment “enough stupid, uneducated fools” i steh reason why his party will never be in power again. you cant condescend to people whose votes you need, politics 101, actually humanity 101.
There are 2 types of voters in Bermuda: People who are too stupid to vote against the PLP, and the rest. Hopefully, the rest will take the next election or we are all doomed.
You must be one of the uneducated fools. What he is saying is true. All the silly dilly-bops out there that only see white man versus black man will eat up all the PLP’s bullsh*t and vote them in. The problem is, there are probably more of them then there are those that can see through the PLP’s nonsense
In your opinion but Trident is right. Wish he/she would tell that to the PLP heads whom seem to be able to degrade whites at will largely for things done in the past that according to the times seem like social norms. We all know that humanitarianism has developed quite allot since then as evidence by workers rights and human rights activism large championed by those who where oppressed that must have had some help from those who heard them and had some influence.
LOL
Craig, we see your statements, and they make us laugh.
I think you just answered the PLP line perfectly, and agreed that the OBA supports more guest workers for Bermuda.
Thanks for making it clear. PLP wants Bermudians employed, OBA wants foreigners.
Wow!
Can you highlight where Cannonier said this:
“I think you just answered the PLP line perfectly, and agreed that the OBA supports more guest workers for Bermuda.”
The PlP do know rile up some of their supporters. Just attack foreigners and whites and you all start salivating…
At least we know who the true haters are…Hate everything that isn’t green
Quote from Craig Cannonier:
“Finally, the PLP’s press statement suggests more guest workers are bad for Bermuda. We disagree. At the core of the economic problems facing Bermuda is the lack of bodies coming to Bermuda, whether as tourists or as guest workers.”
And that says somehow that we need more guest workers…?
If you believe that we don’t need any guest wrokers then yuo have no clue as to how our economy works. We have 40,000 jobs for an approximate 30,000 local workforce…
Wow you guys truly are the Party of Hate
They are the party of fools, and I fear because their numbers are greater than ours, so the PLP will more than likely be voted in again. Even though they prove DAILY that they do not know what they are doing.
I don’t believe they are fools at all…
They just know how to rally their supporters by creating a perceived enemy…
It is actually quite a smart move, but not one that is unique…
Many Govts create enemies, real or false, as a means to rally the troops while also providing a convenient distraction from what is really going on…
Definitely not fools or else they would not have been elected 3x in a row…
But definitely morphing into a Party of Hate (everything that isn’t green)
When I say they are the party of fools, I’m talking about their supporters more than anything. And they are fools if they can’t see past the bull and vote for someone who actually has their best interests in mind (and that’s not the PLP)
You can’t be serious right? The proof is in the grammer. I’m sure you took basic english in school. If you did (assuming you did pass and not fail english) then you can see that OBA thinks more guest workers coming in is the right path. Craig said so above! He thinks that there is a lack of bodies coming in to the island be it tourists or GUEST WORKERS! DUHHHHHH, basic english slow poke!!
People that tend to call names are usually the slow ones…
So you believe that our economy doesn’t need guest workers to function at its fullest?
Not at all. However I do beleive that Bermudians need to be first on the employment chain given our current economic state. And for Bermuda to function at its fullest, we need Bermudians in conjuction with the guest workers to function at our maximum potential.
So what do you think about this quote either you are lying by trying to put your spin on what he said or he is lying and there must be stats to prove it.
“1) Is it true during the PLP years in power that more guest workers have lived in Bermuda than ever before, by a long shot?”
To be honest, looking from my seat here at the Bermuda table of employment I can honestly say that I have not noticed a big difference in the last 20 years. I can remember back in 1995 all the cheap laborers that started to come here and take the most miniscule jobs because Bermudians felt they were beneath them. In that same breath I remember when PLP came to power that the guest workers seemed to level out. And I remember that in the last few years that the numbers of guest workers has rose back to that of 1995. of course I am basing my opinion off of my own and others visuals at all the times and not stats. As we al know sometimes stats can be very misleading. I guess my simple answer to your question would be that I have no facts to support your statement nor disprove it. Only thing I can say is that we have loads of Bermudians without work and that is not good for our economy. Those in the IB sector are fine in my humble opinion, but those in the less favorable jobs should be monitored or let go if there is a local willing and able to do that job. Actually, even those in the IB sector (some not all) should also be monitored if we have Bermudians that can do their same job for less.
And I agree Bermuda should work but I don’t think anyone here is say to not employ Qualified Bermudians I might have missed something……
LOL
So you too are agreeing that we need guest workers. Yes, you distinguish between IB and others and I tend to agree with on that. It just makes sense that the top IB earners create more jobs while here for others. But the PLP are sticking to the line that they are the only ones really looking out for Bermudians in terms of jobs. Tell me why the OBA would not want to create jobs for Bermudians just as much. Why would they not want as many Bermudians gainfully employed as possible. It would be crazy not want that for obvious reasons.
First thing. English has a capital E as it is a pronoun.
If Bermudians want to live to the high standards that they a used to living, then we will need foreigh workers. What the OBA said is we need the right foreigners. What the PLP said, is Bermudians are only good as pot washers, as they are the jobs the PLP are opening up.
YAWN!!
Not a pronoun. Its a proper noun. Go back to 2nd grade English. A pronoun is He, She, It etc….damn pathetic.
The point being that more guest workers = more jobs for Bermudians and more money for the Government. Just finding jobs for Bermudians is not going to answer all of our problems.
Is that so……….can you prove that theory?
Lets say we take every waiter, potwasher etc and make them a guest worker, which is what they are mostly now, exactly how is this bettering our economy if there are Bermudians that can do their jobs and if the majority of their dollars are being sent home to their own countries to support their families? At least if they were Bermudian you would know that the dollars are being spent here.
I’m sorry guys, but I am for hiring more Bermudians than I am guest workers. Not saying that I hate or won’t hire guest workers. I just beleive in my people even if you guys do not.
Do you dispute the concept that IB Executives actually create jobs for Bermudians? Not just within their companies but though out the island in the service industries etc. How about this – one IB Executive recently calculated he was responsible for 12 other jobs in Bermuda…
I will agree that potwashers don’t create jobs to the same extent, but they do contribute to our economy, buying commodities paying for general living expenses and doing a job that up until very recently very few Bermudians would even consider. I say open up these categories and let’s see what the result is, because I’m sorry, I too am all for hiring more Bermudians than guest workers, if they desire to work.
I also believe that the PLP know that guest workers create additional jobs for Bermudians they just could never acknowledge that running up to an election. That would go against their platform that says the PLP are for Bermudians and OBA are pro foreigner, even if it goes against sound reasoning…because they know that message plays well with their base supporters.
grammer?
Who gave out the work permits? Not the UBP & not the OBA!
The plp have issued FAR MORE work permits during the past few years than the UBP ever did. Check the numbers yourself….
I love plp spin: always at odds with the Truth. Sad, init?!
WE NEED A CHANGE!
You have got to be kidding me, we have 2000 people unemployed and the OBA thinks we need more foreigners?
I can’t believe what I just read! I thought that the OBA may have had a clue, but at least put Bermudians First.
This makes depressing reading. Really Really Sad
“The third is their fondness for basing their attacks against me on…. NOTHING. I dare the PLP to produce any statement I’ve made that says, as their anonymous writers write, that we would put “guest workers first.”
I can agree with that, but I do also agree that the OBA wants more guest workers on the island as well. The proof is in the grammer that Craid used.
you are confusing the grammar though.
The OBA does not want more guest workers because they like guest workers. The OBA wants our economy to stop crashing, if it takes more guest workers to fill the jobs Bermudians dont want, and more guest workers to bring in foreign money, then so be it.
The PLP sadly doesnt give a damn about the economy, they just want expats to go so they can get their votes.
And what Bermudians do not want these jobs??? Everyone I know and have spoken to welcome these new jobs and would like to fill these shoes. As for your note of ‘more guest workers to bring in foreign money’ at which spectrum are you referring, the waiters, potwashers etc or are you referring to the IB workers? Because those waiters and potwashers send thir money home to support their extensive families. Would like to know how that money is being brought here?
well then, if you are going to single out porters, waiters, etc, then why not single them out when you are describing the OBA’s policies?
Instead you just group them all as “guest workers”.
Take a page from your own wording. Is the PLP bashing the OBA for wanting more IB workers? Or because they want more porters/waiters/cleaners?
Dont lump all guest workers together for the sake of your own argument and then separate them to try to tear apart someone elses.
I understand you. I was simply making a broad reference in a comment on a different string which was relevant at the time. But correct you are none the less.
On a seperate note I want to pick your brain, there is something I would like to ask of you and every OBA supporter on here (assuming you support the OBA)……………. in 1998 when PLP won for the first time, who did you guys vote for back then, UBP or PLP? As we needed change at that time and that was the PLP slogan ‘Change’, I can’t help but wonder all those that voted UBP did not want a change and to my understanding they continued to vote UBP unitl they phased out. Now I’m told those former supporters vote for the OBA. I am also told that they never supported the PLP. Am also told that the black vote (yes I said it, but it needs to be said) is the swing vote and that whites in Bermuda vote only one way. Apparently it has been this way since the beginning. Do you think there is any merit to that whatsoever? Be honest please? I may be venting here, but doesn’t that seem very odd to anyone else?
I voted PLP in 1998 first vote for me and in 2003. Someone asked who I voted for and I said i don’t remeber who I voted for in 1998 but in 2003 it was Mark Bean.
LOL
ah well. my first voting chance, freshly 18, but i did not vote. Its weird… i think without all the online blogs/posts, i really had no clue about politics in those days… so didnt bother. Suppose i can admit i was living comfortably, and without the online insight of the rest of the island, i guess “change” didnt really seem all that important.
Over the next few college years i was actually pretty happy with the new govt… from what i remember there was a lot of racial back n forth, so in 2003 i voted ubp in paget (i think it was gibbons?).
After that loss, i was actually impressed with Alex Scott for a bit.. but then, in my opinion, everythign went to hell. Racial divisiveness came out (esp around election). I think talking/rectifying/providing opportunity to share the wealth isnt a bad thing in itself, but i felt that those things were more created to shame the white community as opposed to really helping anything.
Needless to say policies from then onward to me have been basically about gaining votes. All the freebies (totally unsustainable), most of which have either been greatly shrunk or eliminated, bitter statements made (vote for ubp is a vote back to the plantation), etc etc just make me feel that the PLP is more into keeping the island divided so they can keep the power….
Do i think its weird that Whites only vote one way? yea i’d say that is mostly true.. the question though is why? I feel there is merit in it too. PLP will tell you its because they cant handle a powerful black man in charge. To me thats pure BS and great propaganda. To me i’d say its because the PLP is, by definition, a labour govt (even if they dont really match taht description anymore). They started out supporting the working class (which is obviously predominantly black.) I think as time as passed, the PLP’s battle between blue collar and white collar, regardless of race, has shifted to be a more black vs white thing.
Yes statistically the white collar workers were white and blue collar workers were black, but i still would say white vs black is different than white c vs blue c.
anyway fastforward to nowadays, and i think that a lot of whites are just pissed off that the PLP is (in their eyes) tossing the island to hell just to appease the majority voter. Who cares about debt, and IB, and tourism and this and that, as long as our main voting core has what they want, even if we cant afford it.
… whew. that would be the majority of my opinion, all done! lol
And your other comment ‘The OBA does not want more guest workers because they like guest workers’ makes no sense. You don’t want them here because you like them? Then in the next breath you say OBA wants the economy to stop crashing so it takes more guest workers to fill these jobs? Nice word play, but I am not fooled with you double talking. You don’t want them here because you like them and we need them to fill jobs in order to stop the economy from crashing. Thats what you said, so how is it that the OBA does not want more guest workers here again?
lol if i have to explain in detail, they oba does not want guest workers here for the sake of having guest workers here.
At its most basic, do animals eat food because they like food? or because they need it to survive? They are two different meanings.
You. Don’t understand how an economy works do you?
I’m guessing your understanding is this.
1) Allow companies to bring in cheap foreign labour, and pay them $10 an hour for 70 hours a week, while housing them 8 people to a 2 BR House.
2) Say Bermudians are lazy becuase they don’t wish to be exploited under such conditions
3) Say we need more guest workers while Bermudians remain out of work.
Did I hit your nail on the head?
Yes but has not the government not had the ability to do something about human rights and unfair employment issues for say 13 years now. They have business to do they employ 100% Bermudian. I think not.
LOL
This whole thing is a straw man argument
Hoa many OBA members are married to foreigners and supporting their entire families..
So, why is it that the PLP is offering 10-year permits, permanent residency, etc? Don’t those things sound like the PLP thinks we “need more foreigners”?
Or has the PLP finally, in a mad panic, realized that IB is actually beneficial to Bermuda’s economy?
Don’t forget the PLP rushed through the SDO for Tucker’s Point so more of Bermuda’s limited land space can be sold off to non Bermudians.
As well as selling Stonington to John Jefferis who just happened to be a major financier for a past PLP election.
Yeah, the same hotel that USED to have the tourism training school for Bermudians.
+1
we have at least 2000 people unemployed because of the PLP policies and we do need more foreigners to replace the ones driven out by Brown and Burch in order to put Bermudians first you must replace the drivers of the economy who have left….whats to difficult to understand about that…One day the PLP is touting the value of foreign work force in IB and the next day they are booting out foreign pot washers…..If the idiots in charge wake up tomorrow and decide to Bermudianize all exempt companies what happens…..and if you think thats not possible then you must have missed all of the changes of policies that have occured under your government.
I wonder where the supporters of getting rid of expat workers think the money to pay them will come from?
possibly by hiring bermudians?
There are many expats that are job creaters ..and they hire Bermudians. We are getting rid of them at an alarming rate and therefore BERMUDIANS are losing their jobs.
That is a reality that you all need to come to terms with.
Sorry Truth- I don’t get what you are trying to say. I do know that many Bermudian companies hire Bermudians and that is as they should. I also know that thousands of people owe their livliehood to IB, and I don’t understand how anyone can think we can run this country without foreign workers. We never have and we cannot. I want the same thing as most bloggers here, I want Bermudians to have jobs and opportunties. I want my children to be able to have a job someday. I just don’t think that pretending that by sending home a bunch of pot washers it is helping anyone. Bermudians DO NOT APPLY for these jobs. I was talking to a woman yesterday who runs a landscaping company. She ran an add, not once but twice to try and get some workers. She has one applicant, and offered him a job, he just needed to get her two references. He agreed and left. She expected him to come the next day as agreed to start work- he never turned up. How can you expect her to run a business?
if you want all that Lady Scribbler then you must vote to get rid of the PLP…they are responsible for this mess we all find ourselves in…
No PLP Member has ever even bothered to visit my family of 7 voters:)
If they did now I would sure have a lot of questions for them!
Nope, PLP will not get my vote or anyone in our family. We just see the island getting worse and worse. So sad, it was a beautiful place, not perfect but where is? We had/have the chance to be a shining example of how to do it right. I believe that Bermudians, of all kinds, can make it happen again. BUT, we have to have a change in government- there is no other way.
LOL!! They dont need your vote..
Well said Lady Scribbler. I’m all for giving Bermudians the chance of the job first, my company always does – but if the post cannot be filled or we are constantly let down like this, should we close our business down rather than employ a non-Bermudian?
Incidentally – my sister has just lost her job as a (Bermudian) nanny as the ex-pat family have had enough and told her they are leaving. That also means no job for their (Bermudian)gardner, (Bermudian)pool guy, no money in the (Bermudian) restaurants they ate in, less tax collected by the Bermudian Govt, less money being spent in the (Bermudian) retail sector etc etc etc
Where has common sense gone?
Let’s be honest, sometimes there are not suitable Bermudians out there to do the jobs. Friend recently advertised a job that specifically asked for and needed a professional qualification, and was keen to employ a Bermudian (no fun for employers to deal with immigration and the whole work permit application). No qualified Bermudian applied, only lots of unqualified ones which all had to be interviewed.
Another friend offered a job to 2 young Bermudians ($30,000 plus benefits). Both turned it down as it didn’t pay enough. Job was given to a guest worker who manages to rent somewhere and live on that salary. Makes you wonder what the true unemployment figures are.
Is that before or after out dollar gets devalued do to less foreign currency in the market.
LOL
Basically it boils down to where the money comes from that drives our economy. If my CEO leaves Bermuda because of the lack of support he receives in BDA, his family is called names, they are hassled all the time etc. I and the 60 other people who are Bermudian lose their jobs. That is not scaremongoring, that is a fact. So 61 people will not be eating in restaurants and therefore we won’t even need potwashers. That is my point. The money to pay potwashers in large part COMES from non Bermudian’s not Bermudians.
So hire the few bermudians that want those jobs to do it and it won’t change their situation. I won’t be eating out – I won’t have a job!
D- your response makes no sense. How does shipping pot washers off the island create money for Bermudians? You suggest then that Bermudians will take those jobs right? My point is there will be no job as no one will be eating in the restaurants= no income if we keep pushing expats out!
I don’t support getting rid of IB workers because they put the time & money into being educated in the positions they deserve. As for the menial labor expats I could care less if they left today because I know necessities like garbage collection & street cleaning will still be done. Besides these menial labor expats send millions back to their country every year while Bermudians pay land tax, mortgages & buy Bermuda despite popular belief way more than these expats simply because Bermudians like to splurge. If these menial labor expats feel they need some cloths or a new bag they stop in Hong Kong on the way back to their homeland each year to buy. So, where is the money I get paid coming from? Not Them.
I find it quite funny how teh PLP recognizes you guys hatred for people that do not look like you or come from where you are…
Notice how this wasn’t an issue until an election is around the corner? Remember how it wasn’t an issue until just before the election of 2007? But what I bet you don’t remember, or conveniently forget, is that subsequent to the 2007 election the PLP signed off on more work permits than any previous Government.
The PLP heirarchy are definitely smart individuals. They recognize your hatred and then play you for fools in order to gain votes…
Now that they got your blood boiling about foreigners the next step is denigrating white Bermudians and black Bermudians who mingle with such devils…
It is so predictable and yet so sad…
Ignorance is bliss…especially for the Party of Hate
Most of the plp RACISM originates with the core group of haters in the Central Committee.
Star man you are correct. My neighbor and his wife are deligates and they are terrible. The way they act towards our white neighbors has changed my mind towards the party. There was a Canadian lawyer who was their neighbor, which his entire office has now been relocated to Brazil. He once stated at a gethering we had , “I have never witness unprovoked inner hate as I have with our neighbor.” These are the ones that are taking the lead in our country. Wonderful people that cared for Bermuda, his wife baked cookies and cake and shared it with the neighbors, invite the neighbors over for BBQ, the only persons not to show were guess who. Why? four out of the six households were black families and we all got together several times a year as neighbors, not them. Why hate people who have done nothing to you? If your reading this you know who you are. Why? Love thy neighbor, especially ones that try to be neighborly. Just think of what they told all the family that came to visit about us, do you think that draws them back to Bermuda. Think about the ones that are thinking about possibly relocating to Bermuda and they may call him in Brazil and ask. sad to know that you are part of the ones making decisions for the entire Bermuda. Hope you read this and reflect and posibly change.
So starman, u have been to a PLP Central Committe Meeting, because if you had you would know that CC does not drive policy.
Not talking about plp policy, talking about plp racism & CC haters. Can’t you read?
Mr. Cannonier you asked PLP, “Is it true during the PLP years in power that more guest workers have lived in Bermuda than ever before, by a long shot?” Since the cat that swallowed the canary is not going to answer in fear a feather might float out I a public voice will. Yes they (PLP) are the ones who caused the problem of over employment of guest workers along with the BDA Immigration & certain employers.
Now I have a question for you Mr. Cannonier. If you have openly admitted this is an issue why go against the Moratorium Policy which will clean up the spilt milk? Mr. Cannonier if you really care about Bermuda then show us by supporting good ideas the current government has. It’s not about you or PLP it’s about our country & it’s “BERMUDIAN” voting citizen so why not support any good idea no matter what direction it comes from no matter if you sway votes against your favor by doing so. That’s if you care because at the moment to me you are looking like just another politic performing parlor tricks.
In response to Tommy Chong would not taking the moratorium policy to its logical fullness by placing it across the spectrum on all industries and all jobs be an even greater idea from the Government. This would get all of Bermuda working instead of being selective. Would this moratorium work “more effectively” for those more highly skilled and lucrative positions? You are right Tommy it is not about the OBA Leader it is about getting Bermudians back to work. I am just not sure that the only “out of work” Bermudians are all Kitchen Porters …
Mr. Francis- I am not sure I am understanding your post. Are you suggesting that they moratorium be placed on International Business as well?
Let me clarify (hopefully) .. I am asking if the work permit moratorium across all sectors for be even more effective at getting Bermudians back to work? A short term stoppage on kitchen porters, IT professional, cleaners, plumbers, electricians, accountants, etc, etc, etc. While the number of guest workers (yes guest) seems to skewed to the sectors in the hospitality industry, there are Bermudians that are highly skilled in other areas that could use some assistance in finding work in Bermuda. My question was simply would this be more effective towards reaching the goal than the current policy.
Thanks Mr. Francis. My guess is that a policy like that would tilt the scale in favour of making Bermuda a less desireable place to do business. As it stands now, I agree with a moratorium on certain job positions. Kitchen porters, cleaners etc. Not for jobs that require a certain skill set; Specialized IT personnel, Insurance and Reinsurance Professionals, accountants etc. The sad reality is that Bermuda hasn’t done a great job at preparing/educating our children to fill many of the spaces available in IB. I am Bermudian and I work in the industry and I can tell you first hand that it is difficult to find Bermudians to do what I do. You can’t just walk in off the street and do it, neither is it simple to just “train someone” to do it. There has a be a sufficient base of knowledge to build upon. That is simply not there is far too many cases. What I believe needs to happen is as follows;
1. Our education system needs to produce quality students who move on to further education at reputable schools. (Long term)
2. The moratorium on “unskilled labour” needs to be executed carefully with particular attention to not causing businesses to fail because of a disruption on available staff. (Short Term)
Ultimately, we need to strike a proper balance of weloming our guest workers where they are needed whilst simultaneously providing a proper balance with the needs of Bermudians. I think a moratorium across all sectors would do more harm than good.
Truth .. I know where you are .. I have been in the IT Industry for several years and understand the dynamic. Your points are well taken and thank you for the discussion.
Maybe I’m mistaken but I thought the government was looking at closing other positions also for foreign workers & Kitchen Porters was just the beginning at least this is what this report says. http://bernews.com/2012/01/government-mulls-work-permit-closures
This is my point exactly. Why knee jerk a policy then have to revise it? It is making Bermuda less attractive as a nation to potential investors (i.e. job creators). It puts all our workers and businesses on edge as it looks haphazard. Taking a well thought out approach even to me seems like a better way to go for everyone. It slows down the escalating tensions and allows everyone to think a little more clearly. Clear thinkers make better decisions.
I’m not sure what the answer to this is & only plp would know. My guess is that the government wanted to ease the employers into the Moratorium Policy. They already have received much protest only dealing with kitchen porters. Imagine how many more employers would protest if they had to let go their landscapers, retail sales people, etc. These employers outcry would be filled with excuses like “we can’t find locals to work & locals are terrible workers” The reality which employers will not admit is that they underpay foreign workers at their selfish gain because they know when Bermuda’s currency is converted to the foreign workers currency its enough to give their family at home a decent life. Bermudians can not & should not be subjected to living as family parents & children in a studio while their employers live in the laps of luxury. I really do sympathize with these third world people but Bermuda is too small to support them while Bermudians remain unemployed. This influx of this foreign labor only started about several years ago & has become out of hand. Before this influx we were doing well with the local workers we had. I’m sure all these local workers we had before were not seniors & now have retired. I’m also sure they were made redundant & employers were hired to take their place. I realize this took place because of the ignorance of the local employees who didn’t know that an employer according to the employment act cannot make a position redundant & then hirer another for the same position but people should not suffer for their ignorance. I also realize that plp & immigration are to blame for this as its happened on their watch but the ship is sinking now & what ever solutions plugs some of the holes to keep it afloat should be welcome. The recession in Bermuda will get worse before it gets better & those who think not need to pinch themselves. My biggest fear from this all is that if unemployment gets worse & the numbers keep climbing a catalyst may be set for disaster. I’d hate to bring up the past issue of the graffiti against foreign workers & I don’t feel the individual who did this was going about it the right way as they were probably uneducated judging their spelling. Beside this graffiti act being notably uncouth the other thing I noted was the word RIOT next to all of them. This is my biggest fear of all with mass unemployment & if we think that the gun toting gangsters will not take social unrest as an opportunity we have another thing coming. I remember being lectured in the regiment on how it was started because of the 1970′s riots & then in just the officer would say, “Well this would never happen again because Bermudians are too comfortable” Well I was in the regiment way before the recession & thought the same as the lecturing officer but my views have changed seeing young Bermudians sleeping at albouy’s point at night because they didn’t look comfortable at all.
Thanks Tommy. This is the type of discussion that we can have across the board and all it takes is someone to ask the question and listen to the answer. Your fears are my fears also. We need to create stimulus to this economy with sound prudent policy that is long term and balanced.
What “good ideas” do the current government have?
What a twisted spin –
a) if the immigration policies for Bermuda were well aligned to both Bermuda’s need for economic growth and the protection of its citizens AND were properly managed, Bermudian employment prospects would be protected 95% of the time.
b)since we don’t have tourists wishing to come here and spend time in our hotels and bars for 10 days, why do we want to turn away guests workers who will rent our houses and spend money for 10 years?
c) our economy needs scale to generate sufficient tax revenue to provide social services to even the limited standard we’ve become accustomed to; business and people brought here used to be a big part of that.
d) as the world implements more aggressive regulation, many organizations must have a substantial presence in terms of people offshore in order to participate in the same levels of regulatory and tax neutrality that used to benefit the offshore “lite” structures of years ago.
Other jurisdictions, like Singapore are taking on massive amounts of business at our expense because they understand the global situation and welcome the business. We just seem to make it as difficult as possible to bring business and people here – I have worked to encourage many organizations to come here, and after seeing what they have to contend with, they can’t be bothered and happily head to other jurisdictions.
Good points. The whole Singapore taking on new biz is correct, but what you left out was that over there, workers aren’t permitted to switch jobs, they’re required to leave the country within seven days if they lose their jobs, they can’t marry natives, and they face deportation or mandatory abortions if they get pregnant. Yes it is draconian, but what they are doing is protecting the natives of their country first! Insuring the future of their country is first! Something that we Bermudians don to care about. We only care about the here and now.
“they face deportation or mandatory abortions if they get pregnant
This is just flat out false. Because of the low birth rate in Singapore, they have actually been encouraging foreigners to immigrate there.
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/257208/1/.html
Area
– Total 710 km2 (189th)
274 sq mi
Population
– 2011 census 5,183,700
bERMUDA HAS BEEN ITS OWN WORST ENEMY FOR YEARS, WE ONLY THINK OF SHORT TERM AND NEVER LONG TERM, THATS WHY WE HAVE FAILED TO ADDRESS ISSUES. TYE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT WAS UNDERTAKEN FOR THAT VERY REASON AND STILL WE AS A COUNTRY HAVE NOT LISTENED OR TAKEN HEED.
Bermuda is like the ship on the rocks in Italy. The PLP is her skipper.
We are in desperate shape. The years of running around the world declaring “We won” are over. The years of basically letting the ship run on auto pilot ended with the Brown regime & the true ineptness of the PLP should have been clear for all to see.
You cannot expect a bunch of people with no business experience to be able to run what is, in effect, a small business, by world standards anyhow.
Oh yeah, lots of promises were made. Not much was delivered. Much has been, or will be, reversed.
You know what is hitting the fan & they have not clue one what to do.
so vince ingham has no buisness experience?
stephen todd has no buisness experience
zane desilva has no buisness experience
johnathan smith has no buisness experience
Got to admit it appears that the first two individuals are quite a coup for the PLP…
Are they running in relatively safe seats in the next election? Honest question as I cannot remeber which constituency they are contesting
Why would those individuals be “quite a coup for the PLP”. Contrary to what Allan Marshall said the other day, the PLP has always attracted “credible” candidates. That’s why the PLP has won the last three elections.
Remember, Craig Cannonnier said there were “no safe seats”.
That is your opinion and I will not get into a pissing match with someone such as yourself…
But even I have to admit that the current PLP line up is much more improved than the previous candidates…
@ Tired of nonsense—the voters are also getting smarter, they proved it by giving the Defender 8 votes.
I guess it depends on how you define quality candidates? My hope is that those good fellows will enact change from within. They are solid businessmen and I can only think they are going in to try and rescue us from behind the lines.
Hey Laverne – David Burt also said there are no safe seats. BTW – how does it feel that Wayne Furbert, exleader of the racist UBP is now your tourism minister? You must hate that. How does it feel that ex commissioner smith who was a ubp supporter is now PLP or vince or that todd was a bda member? The plp is please leave parliament. You love to hate and hate to love anyone not green.
@ Jim Bean says:
Don’t forget that Minister Wayne Furbert beat her handily in her back yard, and Mrs. Furbert believes that she has supporters, Yeah all 8 of em. lol lol
Not trying to bash you in any way, but looking for a well respected response. Everyone on here speaks of all the promises that were made by the PLP and how some or none have been delivered. Since you are advocating the same thing, can you tell us what promises were made and of them just how many were and were not delivered?
I’ll take a crack:
Free busses, (and no I do not mean the students free thing as that was not the original promise this was more the UBP’s idea)Also contributes to accidents like what happened the other day as it seem the regular maintenance is costly.
Fast ferries (don’t work so well now) same as above
Platinum Period of tourism,
Free college it was never free an other cost came into play like books
Free Child care (not the means tested child care as this again was the UBP’s plan which the PLP had no choice but to adopt)
Presently the free licensing for seniors is under review do to abuse which they should have expected.
Better health care system opinions very here and I know of one local insurer that wants out of health care altogether so has it worked.
This is all for now anyone else care to chime in be my guest. If I have some info wrong feel free to correct I admit when I’m wrong. Seems to me that money is very thin for the Government and that’s why taxes are growing and looks as if this could have been avoided with a little more conservatism.
LOL
The Dishwasher at my job just got fired.
Any Bermudians willing to wash dishes in a mid scale restaurant for $8 an hour? Due to the break between breakfast and lunch you will also be required to sweep the floor and clean the bathrooms. Job hours are 7am till 12am with 3 hours of break in between.
Showing up late, leaving early, or showing poor performance will result in your termination.
Please apply by responding to this Post. (Only Bermudians allowed)
I’ll take that job!!! Money is money! Where is this so-called place of business located so others and myself can come and apply?
Or are you saying it for kicks?
If true, why not put the establishments name up saying pot washer needed?
you will take the job ? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Yup, need the extra cash!!
$8 an hour? Was your employer a Somalian diamond merchant before they got in the restaurant business? I’m sure they don’t pay themselves that while they sit back & crack the whip? Do you get paid a similar wage? My conscience would not be settled if I knew I was getting paid much more than $8 an hour working there because I would be condoning my employer taking advantage of another human being for their own gain.
Your employer better check the employment act because anything over 40 hours is overtime pay or he’s breaking the law.
Take it or leave it – that’s the pay rate and those are the hours. This is what the employer has been paying and that is what the employee accepted. Employers shouldn’t have to raise their wages just so someone with a BDA birth certificate needs a job. This is what the job pays, take it or leave it!
And if someone doesn’t take the job then a foreigner should get the job or ….what’s that? The Bermudian-owned restauranteur loses his business. Remind me again, how is that helping Bermudians?????
I cannot believe how much stupidity this tiny island has. Incredible! Such a bunch of stupid sheep!
You cannot really be serious with this can you…
So, as a business owner if I can get someone on Island for $8 and hour, who has no family, kids, or needs and will live in a substandard shack with 5 other people. I should be able to hire him.
That is called market manipulation! And if you flood the market with cheap labour, just like you do with cheap goods it causes issues.
Do you think that same potwasher could migrate to USA to wash pots!?!?!
Hellz F no. I really cannot beleive the amount of greedy people on this island.
Here is a hint.. Pay the Bermudian $16 and have the greedy owner take home $2000 less a month!
Pat you sound foolish and uncaring. There is no way that in a place such as Bermuda with such a high cost of living that anyone should be paid such a low wage for their work and when you add the hours their expected to work that borders the line of slavery.
You are right Employers shouldn’t have to raise their wages just because someone with a Bermuda Birth certificate needs the job. Their wage should already be set at a fair rate to allow a chance to meet the basic cost of living regardless who is employed. When jobs are plentiful and Bermudians are for the most part employed the gust workers are more the welcome to fill the positions, however they should receive the same pay that a Bermudian would expect in order to survive. This is why a living wage really needs to be enforced in Bermuda to ensure that peoples work is paid for at a level suitable for them to afford the basic cost of living. Hopefully this move by Government to freeze work permits in these jobs will reveal the amount of mistreatment and unfair payment going on and there can be a stop put to it.
Bermudians need jobs NOW and gust workers whom fill jobs that Bermudians can do themselves should be asked to leave simple. When the job market builds back up they are welcome to come back. But they should be paid suitable wages so as to be able to afford to live here while working here. Yes those in the jobs now send their money home and spend as little as possible here, but that is mainly because they are under paid and have to take care of their family’s back home so they sacrifice a lot to do so. If they were paid their worth they would have money left to spend in our stores, restaurants etc. How can you be so heartless? People have to provide for themselves and family’s and just because you see no worth in their work does not give you the right to suggest that they are undeserving of being paid enough for the basic cost of living. NO we should not “take it or leave it” Employers must raise it or lose it.
Fair treatment and pay for all workers!!!!! However, Bermudians First!!!!
You mention much stupidity but your the one ignorant to the employment act which is the law of the land. So no matter what the pay is or the hours once an employee has worked 40 hours for an employer in a week they are due overtime pay. If the employer refuses to pay overtime they are liable to be sued. This is business 101 take it or leave it or I could suggest you do something else with it but I’ll stay cordial.
Actually that is not totally correct:
(1) Any hours worked by an employee in excess of forty hours a week shall either
(a) be paid at the overtime rate; or
(b) be paid at the employees normal hourly wage and compensated by giving him the same number of hours time off in lieu.
(2) Subsection (1) shall not apply
(a) where the employee is a professional or managerial employee whose statement of employment indicates that his annual salary has been calculated to reflect the fact that his regular duties are likely to require him to work, on occasion, more than forty hours a week; or
(b) in any other case where the employer and employee agree that it shall not apply.
(3) For the purposes of this section, the Minister may, after consulting the Labour Advisory Council, modify the effect of subsection (1) by prescribing a different number of hours for specified types of employer or employee, and in doing so shall take into account such matters as he considers relevant, including
(a) the seasonal nature of the work; and
(b) the effect of the different number of hours on the health and safety of employees and the public.
(4) Regulations made pursuant to subsection (3) shall be subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.
Understand & know this but was directing it towards a kitchen porter or others in a low paid menial position who is not a manager or considered a professional & I’m sure would rather take the overtime pay than agree to another arrangement in lieu. Though I wonder how many employers of unskilled workers ever give them these details or choice instead of the take it or leave it option that some feel is justified.
Note 2(b) “in any other case where the employer and employee agree that it shall not apply”
In other words, if the lowly guest worker, for whom $8 seems like riches compared to what he/she would earn at home, agrees to work for 13 hours (taking the 3 hrs off as mentioned) without overtime pay, then the boss does not have to provide overtime pay. Something very wrong with that, as it is easily open to coercion and exploitation.
The PLP had an opportunity to create minimum wage legislation and botched it because business owners didn’t want it. That has now backfired because Bermudian workers cannot afford to take these low-paying jobs and the guest workers are being made to leave. A man with a wife and family is unlikely to live 4 or 6 to an apartment, much less to a room. Guest workers know there is a time limit to their stay so they steel themselves to live like that for the short haul, knowing when they return home they will be in a better position.
In hospitality, you dont get over time. Just time and a half on holidays and a yearly bonus. I’m a chef and like most of us in the kitchen, youre paid by the hour.
I would love to see the advert in the paper tomorrow and then maybe someone can tell us the result. For all the chatter, hundreds should apply………but I strongly doubt it.
Of the 4 you mention, only 1 (Zane DeSilva) is an elected MP who is also part of Cabinet. Suggest you try again.
You cannot expect a bunch of people with no business experience to be able to run what is, in effect, a small business, by world standards anyhow.
this was your statement correct?
so i listed at least 4 and now you are disqualifing 3?
sounds like you either are saying they are not succesful buisness persons or ….because they are for the PLP thier success is null and void
No what he is saying is that 3 out of those 4 are simply candidates and not elected MPs with the ability to debate and vote on proposed legislation etc…
wether elected or not they have immediate influence on policy ..
isnt vince a senator?
isnt he a jr minister in industry
Vince may be a Senator but Senators have little influence as they vote Yes or No, Government Senators always vote Yes by the way, to any Legislation coming from the House. In other words they have no influence. Having said that, if the Senate was doing its job properly, it is there to ensure what Legislation does come from the House is accurate and correct. Unfortunately some temporary Government Senators merely saw it as an additional income stream.
Lets make something clear, there are two categories of guest workers. Those who are skilled and who work in the knowledge economy (IE international business types), and those who are unskilled and work in the labour economy (IE kitchen porters).
The first type, skilled, support our economy in a massive way. They rent more expensive property, they sent their kids to school, eat at restaurants, drink at bars, support local sports (try having a rugby, corona, field hockey, roller hockey, or softball league without them). They earn money and they spend a lot of it here. These are the people Bermuda needs and these are the people that need to be let to skip the red tape.
The unskilled type, (kitchen porters, landscapers, basic labourers), do little. Many come from poor countries and send money home to their family. A noble thing to do, but it doesn’t really help Bermuda. These are they guys that need to be looked at more carefully.
Of course there is a middle ground, but these are the ends of the spectrum.
Both parties seem to favour a one size fits all approach, which I don’t think will accomplish anything particularly well.
Something both PLP and OBA/UBP supporters refuse to talk about and bring to light.
Every government during this “difficult economic recession time” should be focused on ensuring that their citizens can secure “JOBS”, JOBS”, if not we will face some serious “social unrest” in the near future. High percentage of “Unemployment” with in a country brings all kinds of problems. This government is clearly aware of this and is working towards addressing such a problem. All governments should “revise, review, and make revisions” to laws or policies that prevent any of their citizens from securing jobs. This is not a bad thing, in fact it reflects well upon a government that seeks and recognizes that change is required. Laws can become outdated from time to time, and need to reflect the current issues of the day. It is not in any government’s best interest to have foreigners working, while their own citizens are without work, this would suggest that a government is out of touch with the current economic climate. As a result of that, this becomes a non-issue for debate.
Based upon the economic climate of a country, there will be changes from time to time, in laws and policies to reflect the current status of that time-frame. Only a dead government would not move to make the appropriate changes when required. So come on Mr. Cannioner, changes are required from time to time, depending on the current climate.
Becareful Mr. Cannioner………as it is doubtful that you thought of this response himself, more so was able to inject your own bit of spice to the response. Mr. Cannioner is just in “Kindergarten class” and has not mastered such responses. Do not put him in front of the camera; he would surely fall all over his words. He would not be able to articulate clearly what is written above. So who do you think you’re fooling Mr. Cannioner?
The silent leader now Writes or attempts to speak behind paper! Is he still in “Kindergarten class” learning politics or have they graduated Mr. Cannonier to “Preschool?” Or is the political advisor safeguarding his responses/speeches by writing them in advance? Caution there young Colt!! Well, if he is in Preschool he still has a great deal to learn. But more and more he is looking fairly shaky and unsure of where is actually position. I believe that he is in over his head, and is asking himself what the hell did I get myself twisted into? As a result he continues to do a “Flip Flop”…..Flop.
Neverthless, I wonder if Mr. Cannioner still stands behind what he read in his reply in the “Throne Speech”, or was it just for the OBA fans or was he playing nice? His actions today,do not reflect most of what he read at all. Mr. Cannonier you indicated that you wanted to work in a more collaborative role, yet you are now fighting against every good solution-based initiatives that the current government has put or are putting into place. If you really care about Bermuda then show us by supporting good ideas the current government has as you stated in the Throne Speech. It’s not about you or OBA/UBP it’s about our country, and its people.
If anyone’s in “Kindergarten class” it’s the whole damn self-serving plp Cabinet. A bunch of rank amateurs who have all but destroyed our once beautiful Country.
BTW specialgirl… your patronizing posts leave me cold. Or dizzy.
WE NEED A CHANGE. To ANYTHING but the plp!
You are delusional and need an education in Business 101. Hang it up girl.
Mr. Speaker,
Our aim is to break the confrontational cycle of politics and move Bermuda into an era of collaboration. Collaboration does not mean setting aside our or any other party’s chief responsibility as the Official Opposition. Constructive criticism lies at the core of democracy. It is only through criticism that we can understand and repair our failings. If our observations, advice and criticism help the Government perform better, then we’re fine with that.
There have been many who have tiptoed around the issue of race in the political arena and it has hurt their public credibility and, I’m sure, the integrity of their souls. I cannot follow that route. I have my dignity to maintain and my ancestors to respect. Others seeking a platform in our country have been genuinely ignorant about the way white supremacy has imposed injustice and how it still works to maintain the status quo
More spin and a desire to seperate. In any other country especially middle eastern or other Asian countries you would have been hit by now.
D-reader– White supremecy are you kidding? You are in denial man you really are.
Preschool comes before Kindergarten.
Just sayin
yes Special Girl it was not that long ago that your precious government was denying there was an employement problem….while everyone else on the island knew there was…they need to go ASAP…and whether Ingham or any of the other recent joiners of the PLP have business experience is almost becoming irrelevant as the core philosphy of the Central Committee is rotten and whilst you are bringing up those for add in Burch and Commissiong or should we subtract them from the 4 mentioned.?
@ Johnson and OBA/UBP Fans, the government never denied that persons were unemployed, the government were correcting Mr.Richards and Mr Burchall who attempted at that time to report inaccurate statistical percentages of persons that were unemployed. If the OBA/UBP were real they too would recognize that with a World-wide Recession, almost every country is facing a percentage of unemployment. If the Recession gets deeper, the number of unemployed often increases as well. In fact Bermuda is fearing fairly well in comparison to other countries. This is economic 101, maybe you and OBA/UBP have missed this in class. So every time the OBA/UBP attempts to say the government is blame for unemployment you are being extremely disingenuous and spreading faults hoods, to the people.
Government has rarely if ever provided unemployemnt statistics except ones that were at least 2 years out of date. Can you provide statistics of unemployed Bermudians as at June 30 2011 for example?
You all we have your say in a few short months, make sure you VOTE,and please dont blame anyone for the result. However if you must blame yourselves for the over the top post you have posted on the various blogs as you all put it people are stupid so be prepared for four more years.
The PLP are obviously sticking to their line which worked for them in 2007. PLP for Bermudians – the Opposition for foreigners. This strikes a nerve with their base, which the PLP need to motivate and give them a reason to get out and vote on the day, even though the OBA makes the more logical argument of how to stimulate the economy and in turn produce new jobs. The PLP have to create doubt and fear in the minds of electorate about the Opposition. The PLP are betting that the same sentiment will prevail this time round. And why not, it worked the last time for them. The problem with that strategy is that 2012 is very different from 2007 and everybody knows it.
It must be causing Paula Cox a lot of angst trying to find the window to call the election, with day after day of bad news and constantly having to put out fires. Her problem is, the longer she leaves it the worse it might get…
I’m beginning to think that maybe I won’t vote for the OBA, but rather vote for the plp.
I want to make the plp clean up their own sh*t! Now THAT will be interesting!!!
We need guest workers, that’s how bermuda stays on the map. They work harder than most Bermudians because they have families to support back home as well as themselves. I’m not saying that bermudians don’t work hard but the younger generation doesn’t seem to grasp the concept of hard work and sacrifice. Yes some work hours may be horrible and yes you may have to give up time you could spend with friends or family, but that’s life and we all have to sacrifice to get somewhere.
We need guest workers, we don’t need guest potwashers!
We do need guest pot washers. As a Bermudian in the hospitality industry I have seen many Bermudians come into the industry as a pot washer, more known as a ‘Porter’ and they were all fired for there lack of work (laziness) and their tardiness. Most Bermudians wouldn’t dare to wake up at 6am and work straight until 5 pm everyday or like one of the men I work with, he starts at 7am and works until 11pm that night.
Finding a Bermudian willing to do this is like finding a talking dog!
YOU MADE MY F-ING POINT!!!
Yes, lets make Bermudians work 16 hour days!
How about you hire 2 bermudians to work 8 hour days.
Problem solved.
If you can pay them, why dont you hire them…. Its the wrong season to hire to people and pay them a good amount!
Lets face it, most Bermudians, yes need the job but none are committed enough to hold that job.
Being a Bermudian chef, I’ve had to sacrifice my christmas, my new years, bermuda day, valentines day…. every holiday you name it. Working 16 hours is not an option, the time cannot be split between 2 people especially since it is Winter. During the winter the hospitality industry does not make the millions they make during the summer so hiring people becomes difficult because their payment cannot be as great as during the summer.
It’s not as easy as that 2 employees have seperate cost for example both must be insured for basic benifits as per law that has a cost with it where as one employee, one cost.
LOL
Also, pay a Bermudian a living wage and see how many show up to apply
Care to comment more on that ‘Assinine’.
Most establishments in Hamilton are owned by a few people of liter shades. All Others are owned by people of colour.
Forget it.
Few people of “liter” lighter shades?!?!? Are you being facetious? Most establishments in Hamilton are owned by people of italian, british & german decent. Unless you mean the lick of the brush the moors gave to the italians.
Specialgilr4u this is specially for you and I hope you see it. First I’ll tell you directly no matter what your opinion is about mr Cannonaire, I want you to know who runs the show at the OBA! Altho we listen and take everyone’s consideration at the party because we are “inclusive”, mr Cannonaire is the one running the show. He shows and stamps his authority as leader of the oba party Believe me he is no puppet on a string which some of you want to beleive.
Mr Cannonaire is not going to support a plan put into effect if it not in good governance or if it contains errors like the most recent plans that have been put into effect. Everytime the plp tries to implement a policy it has to go back to the drawing board to be revised because “it was not thought out properly”! That is rediculois and it is mr cannonaires job as the opposition leader to point these silly mistakes out. he Is not there to just agree. Now if you think mr Cannonaire is green you shud look back when the PLP first came into power where they did not understand anything about “protocol”
For a party that’s been ruling for thirteen years you shud look argue country and the mess that were in and how we got there. Anyone cud have told you that if you give away free this and free no that – that it wud come back and haunt the country but because of lack of foresight, planning and direction along with people afraid to disagree with a past premier we find ourselves in dire straights. PLP shud concentrate on getting this country cleaned up and realize the opposition and mr Cannonaire are there to crititsize when warranted. And everytime – it’s been warranted!
@ Cancer and OBA/UBP FANS…….For you to reply speaks volumes about the leadership within the OBA/UBP and Mr. Cannioner in particular. It clearly indicates that he is merely a “figure-head”, who is struggling to figure out what in the hell of a twist did he put himself in. But, he is too embarrassed at this point to change it. He knows now that the OBA/UBP is lead by the white males within the party. His voice does not hold as much power. His speech has even changed and reflects more like words that would come out of Mr. Dunkley’s and Mr.Moniz’s mouths.
Unforgettably, Mr. Cannioner does not even seem to be his old self, anymore. I am beginning to lose respect for him. Mr.Cannioner will not support anything by the PLP as that is how he has been directed to act. As a season politician one would know that policies and laws are done in draft form, and goes thur the process of several revisions before a final copy is produced. It is also debated on to allow for changes in the house and Senate before it becomes law. So please, one can support an idea or policies in principal and speak to some of the good points within the document. But this response sounds just like how the old UBP would react, no change and the OBA is doing just that. So it is difficult to say there is a difference between the OBA and UBP, except a name change of the UBP/OBA.
It is difficult to understand why people refer to the new party as the UBP/OBA when the ex leader of the UBP joined the PLP and was instantly rewarded with a key Ministry! UBP/PLP anyone?
Ask yourself Why did so many of the black UBP MPs cross the floor and Join the PLP? The answers do not bode well for the UBP/OBA. I will refer to the era in our political history. Black MPs were not respected for their intelligent competencies and leadership abilities. They also faced racism, white supremacy and elitism from white leaders within the party. They were not treated with any great value. Go read Uncle Jim’s book”. Mr. Woolridge spoke out about this practice of the UBP. Mr. Woolridge explains on page 125 of his book “The House that Jack Built”, “You little white boys don’t mind a black man being in charge as long as you can tell him what to do”. This alone speaks to deliberately deceiveful practice of placing persons in political positions based upon race. What the UBP wanted were “nice” blacks whose “inclusion” was expedient. They were not, in the main, considered credible and these well intentioned members deemed it necessary to form a black caucus. Lastly, Dr. Eva Hodgson stated, “Of course segregationist whites welcomed blacks politically because they could never have won the government without blacks. They certainly have not shown any interest in “integrating” anything else apart from the political party.” So maybe this is a question you do not want to ask too often, if you want the real historical facts. Many accept those members from the UBP as coming home to PLP, because of the injustices they suffered under the UBP/OBA. The selection of Mr.Cannioner as leader of the OBA, suggest that this same practice is continued today.
amen
Here’s the hole in that theory has the rate of interracial marriages gone up or down? Also if one group refuses to integrate as you say was it the black or the whites that pursued the other race as a partner? Let me guess you think that there was something other than love that drove the decision?
LOL I doubt you’ll answer but if you do think it out carefully there are a lot of mixed children out there.
you all posted about who has buisness experience
Mr C has ran 3 gas stations..are they pulling thier wieght
yet this is who you all expect us to belive will be running bermuda?
I believe Mr. Cannonier OWNS 3 gas stations and employs many Bermudians…there is a difference d-reader correct?
esso owns the gas stations..
mr c runs them and makes money from the items sold inside..
esso makes the money from the gas
I believe esso sells him the gas fool….just like KFC lets them put up a sign on Queen street…you think the own the store? god you are stupid
Maybe specialgirl4u or lavern furbert or d-reader can tell me why the PLP MP’s refuse to take a pay cut. The party is supposed to be so down with and for the people but they still enjoy these big salaries while the rest of us are broke. We have people not working left, right and centre but the PLP politicians still enjoy theIr big salaries and live large! Yeah their for the people alright! Btw 5 people lost jobs at the aquarium but MP’s salaries live on…
Lavern says it’s because MP’s work hard for their money – well we all work hard for our money but he only ones not suffering are the MP’s with their big pay cheques! I look forward to yr comments
Cancer, I’ll tell you why the PLP MPs refuse to take a pay cut, when you tell me why the OBA/UBP MPs refuse to take a pay cut.
I remember a while back UBP MPs said they were going to donate the salary increase to charity. Has that happened yet?
Yes, I understand that 5 people from the Aquarium lost their jobs which is sad. Maybe now the Aquarium will act like it’s a government department as opposed to a private enterprise, which it has been doing since it existence.
The plp are the Government, they should lead by example and take a substantial pay cut (like the rest of us peons). Not look to the OBA for leadership.
Oh LaVerne be quiet. Government should lead by example.
Sorta like the Manager of an enterpize cutting back his overhead to pay a pot whasher 30 bucks an hour. Logistics woman.
Regardless if the old UBP a governing body did it. The OBA is the oppostion. Take a pay cut? They can’t even have dialogue with you bucnch let alone take a cut.
Just call the election LaVerne since your the number one spoke in the wheel of fortune.
Were freekin doomed. And while your at it …lower your rents to those that you house.
This must be the new UBP/PLP leadership by example slogan:
We’ll do nothing unless the OBA does it first
But Laverne your reasoning is off base! We’re talking about the government MP’s here. Don’t you think they shud be leading by example? I mean come on!! Don’t know about but were suffering out here!
No i think it should be reversed…WE the people should be setting the examples for the government but instead wah sitting waiting for them to do, that’s why we are in the state we are in. We’re too divided, so whomever is in political lead – it makes it easier for them to rule us over and out….
We the people know what we want and some of us are very highly educated, educated even higher then those in parliament. But as we continue to remain divided, point fingers whine and complain our island will always remain in the state that it is in. The PEOPLE are the government….WE need to buck up just as much and those we point fingers at, if we get it TOGETHER we rule, we control WE conquer….imo
Now THAT is funny!!!!
You guys are funny. “Government must lead by example”
Really? Do you all forget that all 36 MP’s were elected by the people of Bermuda and all 36 are expected to serve the people they represent? That is a sad argument that because the OBA are not the Government that their MP’s should not be held to the same standards. They reason they are not the Government is because they were unsuccessful in obtaining the majority seats in the house. Those who elected them however, still expect them to fully serve on their behalf. So they should be looked at the same as it relates to taking a pay cut. 36 seats in the house all 36 have an obligation to the people.
When the OBA and their supporters realize this then they can be taken seriously.
Huh…??
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!
Bernooze censoring comments.
What happened to Gays and Lesbians Bernews.
You guys are so funny. You post my latest but don’t incorporate it with Laverne Furberts comments.
You scared of her?
Must be. No reply except my comments.
Never mind..off to Specialty Girl Inn #4……..
Bring your own plates……..
My comments do not reflect the cleanlinest of any resturant).
PLP will continue to work hard in the best interest of Bermuda and the people.
@specialgirl4you
Are you sure the PLP have the best interests of Bermuda and it’s people?
I was on a work permit and because of the term limits put into place by the present government my Bermudian partner and I had two choices :-
1. Leave Bermuda, which means no longer paying rent, buying from local business, paying taxes etc.
2. Stay in Bermuda and get married, which means I can now work where I want, have as many jobs as I like and by law my employer has to pay into my private penison. In 10 years I will have the same rights as my Bermudian spouse.
Are you really sure they are working hard for Bermuda or is it for themselves?
Specialgirl when Laverne packs it in from being the spokes person for the PLP I’m sure you can take her job. Specialgirl you think you know the relationship inside the OBA but sorry your way off base! Btw I was always a PLP supporter in the previous elections but I was one of the fortunate people who were able to take my blinders off when I saw all the ace boys getting hooked up and taking free rides that they didn’t even earn while the rest were and still are suffering. Premier and MPs are living large and the rest of us are suffering. I’m sure you and Laverne get yr weekly paycheques but youll feel it when it hits home (not saying you haven’t been effected one way or the other but you both have jobs I’m sure)! PLP have no clue how to get us out of this trouble! Btw try to regain your respect back for CC because by end of June he will be the next premier!
PLP will continue to work hard at correcting their silly mistakes! After 13 years you would think they’ll have a clue by now! Country can’t get any worse. Oh PLP is ruling yes it can…. My bad!!!
Support ‘Doomsday Bob’ and ‘The sky is falling Dunkley’, vote UBA! As a swing voter I see one clear thing. As the PLP look to fix some of the issues (new and old), all I hear are complaints from the UBA. No new ideas, and the notion that any that supports the PLP is uneducated. smh….
Spokeman like all you UBP/OBA FANS like ……Cancer, Redflag, Shaking your head and all the other bloggers of the UBPOBA or is it OBAUBP…………..The relationship inside the OBA is evident. The “same players”, so not much change. Many of the players will act in a certain way now, until after the election. After the election all hell will break loose, and Mr Dunkley is just holding on for that day. He will play nice, and so will others, it just the way politics goes. You may be surprise at the end of the day what will take place within your precious OBAUBP Party. History tells another story. I think I will rely on History as it is usually a good predictor of the Future. So stop blowing out all that hot smoke, and go take a break. Let me kick this off…..where are all your high quality candidates.?????? Searching hard for them ah????? Why begin the process, and than suddenly stop cold…..this speaks volumes as to what is going on inside the “OBAUBP”………… take the fire now…….
Ask yourself Why did so many of the black UBP MPs cross the floor and Join the PLP? The answers do not bode well for the UBP/OBA. I will refer to the era in our political history. Black MPs were not respected for their intelligent competencies and leadership abilities. They also faced racism, white supremacy and elitism from white leaders within the party. They were not treated with any great value. Go read Uncle Jim’s book”. Mr. Woolridge spoke out about this practice of the UBP. Mr. Woolridge explains on page 125 of his book “The House that Jack Built”, “You little white boys don’t mind a black man being in charge as long as you can tell him what to do”. This alone speaks to deliberately deceiveful practice of placing persons in political positions based upon race. What the UBP wanted were “nice” blacks whose “inclusion” was expedient. They were not, in the main, considered credible and these well intentioned members deemed it necessary to form a black caucus. Lastly, Dr. Eva Hodgson stated, “Of course segregationist whites welcomed blacks politically because they could never have won the government without blacks. They certainly have not shown any interest in “integrating” anything else apart from the political party.” So maybe this is a question you do not want to ask too often, if you want the real historical facts. Many accept those members from the UBP as coming home to PLP, because of the injustices they suffered under the UBP/OBA. The selection of Mr.Cannioner as leader of the OBA, suggest that this same practice is continued today.
So MR. Cannioner is so far off point to suggest that the PLP are playing the race card, when in fact he has more racist followers than ever before. There is no real push for any form of integration by the en-block white voters. It is them who do not seek to bring about good racial relationships in Bermuda. So why say it is the black people? Come Mr Cannioner I am really losing respect for you and so many others share my view as well. Be real in your position, and stop repeating what you are told.
Specialgirl you obviously don’t know whats going on within your own party but I do.. The amount of people that’s pissed off with Premier Cog within the PLP is much worse than the OBA. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones! As much as you refer to the OBA as the UBP – I would refer to ms Cox as “the Cog”. Fair is fair!!!
rarely do I agree with islandgirl but on this occasion I kinda do! I don’t have insider information, but I do think that those within the PLP who are at odds with premier Cox, are those who may have been up to no good, and are scared of her new governance and conflict of interest policies. Those who WANT good governance or have nothing to hide back her all the way! Just my opinion from reading between the lines though.
Irony…People who live in Cedar houses build boats and sail away.
Get past the black and white. Until then, the death knoll rings louder.
@Cancer, Unfortunately, You take the word of a few, and believe it represents the majority. But if that makes you feel confident, take it. As in all political parties, there is always a percentage of persons who from time to time, do not agree with all the policies and programmes that have been accepted or put into place by the party. It is often common during this economic time we are facing, for all countries to have persons going to tough situations, and many relies on governments to support them, no one else. It is not a good feeling when one loses their jobs. This government is focus on addressing that issue, we can not afford to get bug down in silly stuff. But within the PLP persons are free to express their concerns, we do not hold anyone back, like the UBP/OBA does. Within a “family” there are always disagreements from time to time, but does that mean one divorces the family? Not always. So hold on to your sense of hope, if it gives some form of comfort for now. But, do not attempt to spread mis-information which the OBA/UBP are now becoming famous for.
As Craig tries in vain to distance himself/OBA from the UPB he furthers our concern that nothing has changed. Remember the 80′s we went thru similar economic difficulty, who was the government then? How about the 70′s? Do we remember the struggles of the majority and economic minority to be treated equally. It may be just a coincidence that after the civil rights struggles settled we faced an economic down turn, but it also possible that the economic power made a concerted effort to break the back of those pestilent black folks. Let us not forget the PLP brought prosperity to a broader section of our population. Let’s not lose sight of the bigger picture here, the PLP has been bad, Mrs. Coxs should have done more to resist Dr. Browns corruption and over spending. But, the party as a whole is good and cares for its people, i owe them my support. Not blindly I might add, hold them to account for their actions. The OBA seems quite good at being backbenchers, lets support them in that role. Keep the government honest. Voice your complains, do your jobs! People of Bermuda, the ones who count, the ones that are able to vote, the ones that have a say, do you trust the OBA or their puppet to look out for your interests? if you do, then vote for their MPs. But if you can see the UBP’s hand up the puppet’s backside then don’t.
“Let us not forget the PLP brought prosperity to a broader section of our population.”
How?
They also brought the biggest debt we have ever seen in our history.
LOL
The UBP employed racist policies in the past- in education, hiring policies and in the inequality of wealth. That’s why we call it institutional racism. No matter which way you cut it, what excuses they give, it was done and with grave repurcussions as we have seen. BUT let us not forget that the PLP have been in power for Bermuda’s RICHEST years where the piggy bank was at its fullest and where they could have made a difference and in my opinion a HUGE difference particularly in the educational system. There were some good ideas, but few carried through which actually produced results. Long and short the PLP disappointed us. They could have put that money to good use but they didn’t. IT’S ALL GONE.
It’s the economy….STUPID!!!
There are just too many people who don’t get it. How much is the Bermuda dollar worth on the international markets? ABSOLUTELY NOTHING… Because foreigners can’t really invest in Bermuda, and because US dollars can be spent here, there is no demand for our currency. Hence, it has no real value. Although we are pegged to the US dollar, we can’t buy anything outside of Bermuda with the Bermuda dollar, so we need the foreign cash. We barely produce any food in Bermuda, much less anything else. Nearly 100% of what we need and want comes from overseas and has to be purchased with these foreign reserves.
Once upon a time in Bermuda, we had reasonable wages, rents and land costs. Restaurant and hotel experiences weren’t restrictively priced and were accompanied by interactions with friendly and welcoming Bermudians. Tourism was a booming source of foreign cash. Bermuda was probably the only place in the world where a taxi driver was a premier paying job or business to have.
This dynamic has changed over the last 25 years. As international business (IB) crept, then flooded in, with large amounts of foreign cash, the increased demand for housing, goods and services drove up the costs of living. Most Bermudians in areas outside of IB demanded that their wages keep up with this inflation, while others moved into IB and other better paying professions. Landlords determined to take advantage of generous IB rental allowances increased their rents substantially. Landowners increased sale prices, banks lent more, developers built more, and more people and businesses came. The rate of development meant that there weren’t enough local construction workers for all the projects, or restaurant workers, housekeepers and nannies to meet the demand. Thus, we had the influx of the low-paid foreign worker. Bermuda got more expensive as the “Bermuda Product” became less distinct, less inviting, less fun, less friendly and less safe for all of our visitors. This went on and on in an unsustainable inflationary feedback loop, leading to a bubble that has finally burst.
Figuratively, we have been a “Bermuda Meat” sandwich, with a plain slice of foreign kitchen porters and laborers underneath us and a sesame seeded slice of foreign C_O’s above us. Most consider the top slice to be important because they create jobs and bring in foreign currency. These jobs require years of education and experience, and a high level of accountability and responsibility. The bottom slice is considered less important because, while they do contribute to the local economy, they don’t create jobs or bring foreign cash. While requiring minimal academic education and providing minimal pay, these jobs require lots of work, a certain level of skill and training, and attention to detail. During the good years we really didn’t want to be the bottom slice. Now that pickings are slim, we want to blame the bottom slice for our misfortune. In fact, we now want to be the bottom slice, just not on the bottom of the pay scale. These workers have taken nothing from us…we gave them our leftovers and now want them back.
Be careful what you wish for. Yes, foreigners do send a lot of their earnings overseas. However, every foreigner that leaves is one less rent payer, grocery buyer and utility payer. The resulting oversupply in some areas should drive those costs down, at the expense of landlords, developers, vehicle dealers, grocers and retailers. Bermudians moving into the areas vacated by the lower slice are already indicating that the wages aren’t good enough. But, if that higher pay wasn’t sustainable for the businesses during the good times where do they expect the money to come from in the difficult times? Additionally, foreigners from to top slice are leaving our shores. With them go sizeable payroll tax payments, executive rents, private school tuition, and their “attachment” to us, if any. The government’s recent scorched earth tactics have burned both slices.
As the job market shrinks and the supply of available workers increases, wages will inevitably be pushed down as people become desperate for work. This desperation should lend a little insight into why the bottom slice foreign worker has been valued so highly by employers and so despised by disenfranchised locals. Desperation may be a step too far, but these workers come from thousands of miles away with the one goal of “working hard” to make money, often to support entire extended families back at home. They come, leaving their families behind, and they do work very hard. They put up with crap from both abusive employers and xenophobic locals because they know that their families will benefit from their struggles. While employers have the added expense and hassle of dealing with immigration, they gain the stability of knowing that these workers can’t change their jobs easily and the financial benefits of lower wage costs. At the end of the day, these workers provide a better cost-benefit for the employers and there is no way around it. They are prepared to work harder, faster, and longer for less money. We shouldn’t begrudge them for this.
As bad as things are, all the air isn’t out of our balloon yet. Things can and are getting worse, as is evidenced by the weekly job losses. There is a lot of blame to go around the entire community; not just to the politicians, but to the businesses, the unions, the workers, the teachers, the parents and even the kids. Bermuda was allowed to grow too fast. Things have gotten too costly. Our society has become too abrasive. Where we once had growing pains, we now have chafe, stretch marks and saggy, dry skin. Look at all the buildings in town that can’t be filled. Look at all the condominium developments around the island. Look at all of the rental units available and the falling prices. Bermudians have become accustomed to a standard and style of life that requires a critical mass of workers and foreign exchange. That critical mass cannot be met by Bermudians alone. We need to find our level. We need to focus on a sustainable path to growth.
I guess the real question is what do we want Bermuda to look like? How do we want Bermuda to develop? And an even more important question is, what do we have to offer to the world? Ultimately, we are a small, insignificant island when set against the world economic stage. We are not self sufficient, so we need the world a whole lot more than the world needs us. If Bermuda were swallowed by the ocean tomorrow, the world would hardly skip a beat. All of the international business performed in Bermuda can just as easily be performed somewhere else. We actually aren’t that special.
I am so tired of the divisive politics from both sides that only seems to inflame rather than heal, to agitate rather than balance, to complicate rather than solve. When are we going to see some well thought out, and measured solutions from all parts of our community? When are we going to figure out that if we want to participate in the global economy, then we must market and sell our “Bermuda Product”, whatever that is, at a reasonable price. We must offer value for money.
If we don’t wake up soon, nobody will be buying what we are selling!!! Then, we will have Bermuda for Bermudians and we can be hunters and gatherers all over again.
@ Professor, I enjoyed reading your position, and you do make some important points. You have address this topic in an interest and insightful way.
Specialgirl your response sounds like you are an HSBC service representative in Mumbai…..Have I answered all your questions today? I did not realize that you could outsource blog responders but you have shown that you can….
so if this is a new page for the plp are they going to be the first in line for drug testing to show that they will have no parts of that culture or do they get to closet smoke while receiving our money after 14 yrs i have had enough off the nonsense from the party that was saying they would lead us off of the plantation so as i sit here rolling my smoke and SMH i wonder do i vote for the BLACK LABOUR PARTY who has let me down as a young black man by walking around in small circles going nowhere while my island falls apart all around me ——- randy horton knew that bermuda has it fair share of dummies cause he was the principal who was passing them out of his UBP run less than enough education system for many years and should have made moves to protect their job possibilities 14 yrs ago like how many work permits did the labour govt give out for tilers- painters and sand sifters and broom holders and lawnmower drivers and POTWASHERS in the last 14 yrs —and as i roll another smoke i am still SMH —ALL HAIL THE Poorly Leading People a-holes
Oh yeah she’s certainly a blog responder for the blind loyalists of the PLP – she’s certainly special and got the Cogs back!
Lol show me the money. The PLP has brought in more foreign workers thru work permits than any time ever in Bermuda! Much worse than when the UBP was in power! It’s guys like you who has lost faith in this government. Maybe it’ll be different if they knew what the hell they were doing! The OBA is the only way!!
Self hatred is so alive and well! The comments about Mr. Cannonnier remind me of a conversation I had a few months back about Stuart Hayward. The gentleman I was talking with insisted that Mr. Hayward was just a “white man’s puppet” because so many white people were involved in BEST’s efforts to preserve this island’s environment. Therefore those white people MUST be directing him since Mr. Hayward, being black, could not possibly have had such ideas on his own. Having talked with Mr. Cannonnier, I have a lot of respect for his intellect and his enthusiasm. He sure doesn’t come across as puppet material to me.
We have no respect for ourselves. Mose Allen had it right when he called black Bermudians “crabs.” You ever watch crabs in a pot? Every time one makes any progress in climbing out, the others pull it right back down.
So sad.