Comments on: Labour Force Survey: 9% Unemployment Rate

By: John E. Thorne

John E. Thorne — Mon, 12 Jan 2015 02:36:37 +0000

Can you imagine how many people would be out of work if the PLP were still in power?

By: hmmm

hmmm — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 21:13:12 +0000

What % were tourists ????

By: hmmm

hmmm — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 21:11:12 +0000

Interesting point. Does that mean that this survey was done in working hours or in the evening post 7pm ? If in working hours then surely many failed respondents would be at work, and a greater chance that respondents who were called were not working.

By: It's about time!

It's about time! — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:34:24 +0000

It must be because the auditor general just made it all up!! You’re a complete moron….

By: It's about time!

It's about time! — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:30:17 +0000

Seriously??? Where was your outrage when Walter Roban came back after resigning???? Hypocrites!!

By: It's about time!

It's about time! — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 17:26:33 +0000

Ian, I’m afraid you have it WAY wrong…what REAL Bermudians hate is YOU and your ilk that spew your ignorance to all things sensible. FFS just go away already…

By: Just a matter of time

Just a matter of time — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 14:12:08 +0000

If the stats were good and going in the opposite direction, the Minister would be praising the Dept of Stats for their fine work and taking the credit. I always find it interesting when I read the blame game on the previous administration how the financial crash (we are a financial center right?) is given minimum to practically zero contribution towards Bermuda’s situation. Also conveniently missed is that the crash largely created these deficits with decreased tourism and IB’s repositioning. Borrowing was necessary and could not be avoided. This is rarely addressed. If the OBA were as astute as they claim to be, they would not have made the promises that they did regarding job numbers and should accept that responsibility as well. Someone mentioned Obama. I do not recall ever hearing him continue to blame Bush or others. He kept it moving forward. If we are to move forward as a country we have to keep it moving forward. All of this name calling and blaming gets us nowhere.

By: Not happy with my vote oba

Not happy with my vote oba — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 14:09:49 +0000

Is this true Premier Dunkley?

By: Redman

Redman — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 12:11:15 +0000

@ obasellouts

Hopefully for Bermuda about 30 yrs

By: aceboy

aceboy — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 12:04:49 +0000

The promise of 2,000 jobs was made before the OBA were in power. They had no way of knowing just how bad it was and frankly even once they did gain power the state of the records they had was deplorable…probably purposely.

Do you recall some of the PLP promises? Free education at the College? Free day care? Free stuff! Some of those promises were kept for a few months, others not.

The FACT is that 5,000 jobs have been lost. 500 of them were lost under the OBA.

By: aceboy

aceboy — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 11:29:19 +0000

The Platinum Period…LOL What a joke.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 10:57:25 +0000

So Ian’s your real name. Riiight.

Ad hominem attacks are what you lot do when you lose the argument on merit, isn’t it.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 10:54:29 +0000

The Payroll Tax increase was avbig cause of the exodus. Obviously you’re out of the loop, Ian.

By: Cleancut

Cleancut — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 04:43:30 +0000

The Taxi drivers?….. 60% are snobs for the lack of a better word, a retirement recluse, for 70 and 80 year old’s that refuse to retire, and that are incapable of lifting a bag into a cab. Government needs to clamp down on individuals that use the taxi license as a retirement home.

By: Cleancut

Cleancut — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 03:46:00 +0000

You seem to forget something Alvin, this is little England to many Brits that have lived here for decades.

When they took down the Union Jack from the flag pole on front street, many Brits were saddened, similar to when the Argentinians took down the Union Jack in the Falklands before the invasion.

By: OMG!!!!!!!!

OMG!!!!!!!! — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 03:36:51 +0000

How can I believe in a OBA Government with my money when I here crazy stories that your thinking about placing Craig Cannonier who I might add resigned as Premier after the Jet Gate Scandal back as a Minister. Former OBA Chairman and good guy Mr. Thad Hollis must be really flipping out with this one now.

By: Cleancut

Cleancut — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 03:13:45 +0000

You forgot Creamy, we wouldn’t have Paula Cox, we wouldn’t have Dr. Brown, we wouldn’t have Col. Burch.

Oh! we would be fine and dandy.

By: Redman

Redman — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 02:34:41 +0000

@ Creamy

Exactly!!! Crickets…..

Funny how when the local economy was booming it was down to the PLP, despite the fact that they inherited a growing and booming economy. However when the wheels fell off it was because of the ‘Real World Economy’ issues.

While what Ian says is obviously correct and cannot be denied especially during the latter years of the PLP’s tenure. However the PLP and their fan base still wont take ownership of the idiotic policy’s,(mis) management and the wanton waste of much needed $$$$, none of which was caused by the ‘Real World’ economic woes!

By: Ian

Ian — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:44:22 +0000

Ever wonder why its so hard to find?

By: Ian

Ian — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:43:04 +0000

Hey Creamy, try using your real name when responding to people that use theirs. You only spew half the crap you do because so very safe behind your silly alias.

By: Ian

Ian — Sun, 11 Jan 2015 01:40:29 +0000

Oh yeeeaaah….Grand Atlantic and consultants… Oh and a 1yr increase in Payroll… Thats why job losses in IB and other sectors persist to this day… Time for medication Cream for brains!

By: Sickofantz

Sickofantz — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:57:36 +0000

The thing I find most interesting is that of the unemployed only 60% have indicated their age. Of these 50% of the responders are aged 16 to 25. It is possible to be 16-22 (and older) and actually be a student even though you could be searching for a job at the same time. The good news is that because of the high numbers in this youth segment there are likely to be fewer families with mouths to feed impacted by unemployment in Bermuda.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:54:21 +0000

What “real Bermudians hate about a cerain segment”?
Racist hate speech.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:51:06 +0000

Funny how Cox ditched them as soon as you were gone. All that talk about “resetting the dial”. The damage had been done though hadn’t it.

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 21:49:28 +0000

Did the “real world” force us to biuld Grand Atlantic? Force us to spend $100m a year on consultants? Force Cox to increase Payroll Tax for one disastrous year?

By: chipp

chipp — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 20:19:09 +0000

Whats really happening b.d.a ? Those are not up to date status if u believed that than u will fall for anything lol its 2015 now hello

By: Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown

Dr. the Hon. Ewart F. Brown — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 19:53:27 +0000

During Global Hue’s tenure we saw the highest number of air arrivals in almost 20 years. Was something wrong with that?

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 19:06:19 +0000

Oh yeah? So despite the growing evidence job losses in Bermuda [post OBA taking power] clearly are the result of REAL WORLD, BIGGER WORLD dynamics you can still sit there and willingly look foolish making those sorts of guarantees?

By: Portia

Portia — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 18:47:46 +0000

And what about the 15 people who lost their jobs at AA last week? What about the 12 people (all Bermudians) who lost their jobs at Marsh shortly before Christmas? That was AFTER May 2014. Clearly we are still seeing a downward trend here. As for the projects you’ve listed, if the way the America’s Cup jobs are being recruited is any indication of hiring practices in these areas – well,so much for increasing employment for Bermudians.

By: Axelrod

Axelrod — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 18:47:42 +0000

Listen up Bermuda…
OBA is following PLP down the same sewer line…and we know where we will end up don’t we….in the (money) pit!
Bermuda still borrowing $260 mil per year, ad infinitum, ad nauseum! $260 mil per year people!We are on the road to perdition! Country will run out of money by March 31, 2016! OBA will have to borrow big time next year to keep country afloat…country will owe $3.5 bill plus by April of 2016!

A loaf of bread costs $7 today….after we pass the $4 billion debt mark in 2018 a loaf of bread will cost BMD$14.00 and the currency will need to be devalued which will send Electricity bills soaring! Re-insurance business is collapsing….like most of the other 16 categories of business/industry they simply have too much capital. Next year will see many white-collar educated Bermudians unemployed.

OBA better not build that airport….It will sink the island’s economy to build it at this time. We do not need to take on more debt…it is unsustainable. The PPP is a form of debt finance….a sale and lease-back, and a lease is a form of debt! Rather we need to think counter cyclically and counter intuitively to restructure our economy:

*Slow the economy down by cutting government employees by 800 to 1,000 people over the next 3 years – 200 to 300 people per year.
*Reduce the pension and health care benefits of the remaining government employees by 8%.
*Put together plans to rebuild the causeway – with the same style design as the original – in the same footings – section by section over the next 5 years. Like wise for the arrivals section of the airport…using local contractor and engineers/architects to maximise local job creation.
*Rapidly increase adoption of Cambridge FULL curriculum in govt schools and move all curriculum down by one grade. P1 would start with P2 curriculum and so forth to speed learning outcomes. Public schools teaching too SLOWLY and too passively! This holds back job preparation of Bermuda lowest income strata.

9% unemployment rate is unacceptable! But…..with 70% of all nurses are non-Bermudians, 80% of all pharmacists are non-Bermudians, 60% of all policemen are non-Bermudians, 90% of all Chefs are non-Bermudians.

Meanwhile 100% of all taxi drivers and bus drivers are Bermudians…..hmmmmmm it don’t take a rocket scientist to recognise a lack of ambition on the part of Bermuda’s working class population. Wake your lazy children up….make them miss a meal and do some home work to prepare for a better future!

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 16:03:44 +0000

If the former PLP government ruin Bermuda? I would have expected a rush for the proverbial door by Bermuda’s status seeking migrant workers; instead what we see is a clamouring on their part to claim a right to stay in Bermuda; assisted greatly by the anti-Bermudian policies of this government. Meanwhile on the other side of the shoe; the fate of Bermudians; there is an increased desperation to leave their homeland even if only to become an economic refugee in another man’s country England. All of which must be a god sent to this government; who don’t have to count them thus making this labour force survey even worst. ‘Who feels it knows it’-Bob Marley- Something that has escape the mindset of this government’s finance minister;’ It’s not too bad it’s only numbers which could be higher or lower; the fact that this involves the economic dislocation of thousands of Bermudians and their families is an after thought to this government. No matter how they twist and turn and claim that they are tie to the policies of the former PLP government; this new economic reality is happening on their watch.

By: JONO

JONO — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 15:48:50 +0000

This is only a survey……Are they full-time jobs, part-time or casual..Perhaps the Tax Office can determine the number of employees deleted during 2014 and the number added to the employment tax register…Far more accurate

By: obasellouts

obasellouts — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 15:46:10 +0000

lol,

oba getting it done.

how many years left in this joke of a gov????

By: Cleancut

Cleancut — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 14:59:14 +0000

“The only thing our Government can do is make Bermuda more appealing for investors” Excluding……..Racist rhetoric…….Arrogance……..unfriendly immigration policies……..Tax hikes, due to the mismanagement of the public purse………

By: Creamy

Creamy — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 14:30:52 +0000

We’d have a lot less unemployment. We’d have less debt. We wouldn’t have the Grand Atlantic.

By: mj

mj — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 13:15:39 +0000

inna–grow up!speak on topic, Paula been out, so childish to make such comparison, this is a brand new party who made their own promises they will be held accountable for no mater what happened under Paulas regime!

By: MB

MB — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:42:16 +0000

This is higher than the US rate and instead of
trying to diminish the number, the
Government should be talking about diminishing
the number of people unemployed…spin it anyway u
want number speaks for itself, it is not 5% or $10%,
it is what is! It should be zero percent,
because everyday I see jobs advertised that
Bermudians could get. My guess is intl companies
are shrinking their workforce in the global
economy, and Bermudians are increasingly finding
themselves unemployable versus expats from
emerging world who are kind and can do employees who r willing to take less $$$.
Sorry there just is no room for ‘I don’t work
weekends or holidays’, or the cashiers that
refuse to say hello and thank you
to customers, and rudely carry on chats with others while u r right in front of them, telling their business all over the place
or the prickly admins who refuse
to step and take on work, or the sales guy at
a certain bike shop who would not look up
from social media when a customer walked in
with $$$ to spend … or the phone answerers
that prefer to tell you what they can’t do and
how they can’t help you (when I call a company I pray
I get a guy as they are always super helpful, stores
should hire more of our men, done with women with attitude.) But you get the picture, make yourself employable and do anything to get
on the ladder….

By: Mr.Ed

Mr.Ed — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:18:55 +0000

You forgot to say George Bush Jr — he was the real screw up!
He simply let his vice President and his secretary for War rule and
ruin his Presidency.
Our problems started with ex Premier Jennifer Smith then to DB.– uncontrolled spending , harsh Policys against foreign business
and lack of economic vision.

By: jim hill

jim hill — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:06:32 +0000

Perhaps if that $800,000,000 that went missing during the PLP’s, reign could be found, the economy would be in better shape?

By: Tony Brannon

Tony Brannon — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:03:36 +0000

The former Government created an exodus of IB workers that coupled with the Financial crash of 2008 created the mess Bermuda found itself in. TERM LIMITS were very harmful and totally unfriendly. CEO’s of Multi National Corporations and Reinsurance took offence to the rhetoric “We don’t care what you people think”. Many a company quietly re position jobs to friendlier climes, and if anyone doesn’t think that has been the case, then you are blind.
The farce of it all is that (PLP policies) hurt Bermudians worse. The loss of Bermudian jobs, the loss of rental incomes to Bermudians from the exiting IB workers, the loss of school enrollment, restaurant revenues, drycleaners, supermarkets et al…..
David Burt has the audacity to finger point, when it is the OBA that are picking up the pieces of the wreckage created by the PLP. It is ironic that a labor government in power for 14 years hurt Bermudian workers like no government in Bermuda’s history. The OBA should be commended for rebuilding tourism, repealing TERM LIMITS and looking for ways to reignite the economic engine of Bermuda.

Job Losses 2009-2013
Source: Quarterly Bulletin of Statistics
Year Employed Loss

2009 39,520
2010 38,097 -1,423
2011 37,399 -698
2012 35,443 -1,956
2013 34,277 -1,166

Total Losses -5,243

Burt is worried about a loss of 511 jobs in 2014 with a 4,077 loss from 2009 to 2012 on PLP watch? The carry over into 2013 was all a result of PLP policy. At least the numbers are now reversing….

By: Mr.Ed

Mr.Ed — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 12:00:22 +0000

I’m suprized the opposition have not made a press release yet. on this – and why is the PLP Leadership so laid back these days.
The results here may be a bit misleading – the survey should have went back to 1999 – we would have seen the real picture.
If it reaches 11% and shows no decline then this could spell trouble for the running Political party.

By: Cafe Au Lait

Cafe Au Lait — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 11:29:59 +0000

Not sure what the big deal is here. It took several years for PLP to completely ruin Bermuda, it could take a similar time for OBA to turn things around.

One thing is for sure, if PLP were still in – we’d be MUCH worse off. 20% – 30% jobless by now. Maybe more.

By: Kangoocar

Kangoocar — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 11:16:42 +0000

Typo : $85 Billion a MONTH was spent trying to turn the U.S. economy around

By: Kangoocar

Kangoocar — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 11:10:24 +0000

Sorry to disappoint you but, I don’t have a problem with any colour, what’s right and what’s wrong is all I am concerned about!!! Why is it, that in Bermuda race comes into just about everything?? I travell every two months going to either the U.S. or Europe and talk to a lot of people overseas ( more than I do locally) and NEVER does race get talked about???

By: NEXT

NEXT — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 07:23:01 +0000

How about we stick to the facts. The OBA promised jobs and it looks like the numbers say otherwise. If this were the PLP you wouldn’t be giving them any benefit of the doubt and saying, “Do you think the OBA would do better?”

Don’t assume who I have voted for or who I would and would not vote for in the future. The OBA is the ruling party and I will hold them accountable. Stick to the present day and what we actually know and not possibilities if another party was in or hypotheticals. You are doing too much spinning.

By: Hmmm

Hmmm — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 05:17:18 +0000

I think we should have actual unemployed, not stupid sample surveys. If in the sample picked a majority are unemployed , it does not refelct the whole island. All it takes is for one unscrupulous person to call people they know are unemployed to come up with garbage results.

Stop paying money for guess work, get actual please. Registered unemployed and available for work please.

By: Ian

Ian — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 03:25:44 +0000

Go home kangoocar… You represent what real bermudians hate about a certain segment of this island. You’re the poster child for the reason the OBA needed deceit to win the last election. And I’m sure you’ll be rooting for every measure they take to facilitate the creation of new Bermu… I mean status holders in order to win the next election.

Stay crazy kangoocar! Last least it’s entertaining!

By: wow

wow — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 02:53:04 +0000

OBA inherited 3,000+ unemployed thanks to businesses who have downsized and transferred jobs to other countries. What makes you think government can fix the unemployment rate to begin with? Government cannot tell a company not to downsize or not to transfer jobs outside of Bermuda. Our government doesn’t control markets. We live more so in capitalist society and these companies are out for profit and not for the sake of Bermuda and Bermudians.

Businesses can choose who they want to hire and who they want to make redundant and we just have to suck it up and live with it. The only thing our government can do is make Bermuda more appealing for investors and that’s not a magic fix or a guarantee of anything.

By: Walks like a Duck

Walks like a Duck — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:44:20 +0000

I honestly think that you have a problem with anything that’s black or green, Kangoocar!!!

By: Real Bermuda

Real Bermuda — Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:35:33 +0000

I’d trust a crack head before I trust the OBA sheep.