Comments on: Column: ‘Secret Of Disappearing Bermudians’

By: Coffee

Coffee — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 12:33:05 +0000

The face of Bermudas population will soon mimic Hawaii’s .

By: navin johnson

navin johnson — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 10:59:05 +0000

Certainly the US and UK have political issues and party politics but it does not consume the majority of people…In Bermuda it seems to be the be all and end all and a way of life…we are too small for party politics so that one party or the other has to oppose everything..Bermuda is in a fight for its life in terms of economic survival and do we really want to discourage the young and bright from returning home after getting their education? who wants to come back to this when you can get on with your life without the negativity that overwhelms us….we can no longer export onions and lilies to earn foreign capital and must attract people with currency to come to our island…..shame that is lost on so many people who think it will cost them a job rather than provide jobs…

By: Lucy

Lucy — Thu, 23 Jul 2015 01:32:09 +0000

I am a bermudian leaving the island. My employer hired 1 expat that does 3 people’s positions but hey she is the highest payed with not contribution.

By: Housing Ladder

Housing Ladder — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 23:58:44 +0000

In your day the house price to wage ratio probably meant it was actually realistic to buy a home, unfortunately for large parts of the workforce they could live in shared accommodation indefinitely and never be able to afford their own place at today’s prices. I know quite a few young Bermudians who chose not to return home due to the cost of housing here

By: impressive.

impressive. — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 22:14:41 +0000

Everyone has different experiences in life, and those experiences shape their minds.. So for that reason, I will not say what you wrote above is pure garbage, but giving you the benefit of the doubt, I will hold steady.. However,, your implication that the RACIST mindset is something that is only found in Bermuda and because of that mindset, many students dont want to return home, In addition, apparently they don’t want to come home and deal with bad attitudes and arrogant attitudes at the Airport.. Do you honestly believe what you have written.. For my perspective, it seems you have a chip on your shoulder because of an unfortunate experience that you may have had to endure and then assume that everyone that looks like you gets the same treatment.. First of all, by the way, I am assuming your white. Point 1. The college students who are not returning home and not all the same race, so I am confused as to which race of people are being subjected to this to the point they don’t want to return home.. Me thinks your being overly dramatic..

By: Legalgal

Legalgal — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 21:44:10 +0000

Well said. Ditch the sense of entitlement and get experience. You are indeed fortunate to be able to work/purchase property elsewhere.

By: Kangoocar

Kangoocar — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 21:19:30 +0000

Triangle, Once again alvins comments only proves my nick name for him is correct?????

By: Jonah

Jonah — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:37:52 +0000

Explain how that is done. Seriously, I am interested.

By: Jonah

Jonah — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 19:36:06 +0000

Really and the US and the UK don’t have polarizng parties..or negative political environments?

Really???

By: serengeti

serengeti — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:54:36 +0000

You do realise that these statistics all relate to a period when the PLP was in control, don’t you?

By: Cal Blankendal

Cal Blankendal — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 18:02:28 +0000

Dear Mr. Burchall,

I appreciate your research on various matters concerning the future of Bermuda and her people. Your articles/opinions are very timely, thought provoking and unbiased.

Please continue to stimulate the much needed dialogue in our communities.

By: Cow Polly

Cow Polly — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 17:34:29 +0000

My daughter is dyslexic, gay and smokes weed to control her essential tremor. She’s also an extremely gifted graphic artist. Guess where her Bermudian *ss is and will be until we become more tolerant of other people’s lifestyles.

By: hmmm

hmmm — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 17:03:28 +0000

They want to encourage business here to the island, to provide opportunities to Bermudians directly and indirectly.

By: Sandman

Sandman — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:48:05 +0000

Wow Alvin! – you’ve just blown the lid off the conspiracy.

So you have just revealed that between 2000 and 2010, Bermudians psychically predicted that a new political party would be formed and win the 2012 election, and they decided they had better become economic refugees in advance so that they would not have to deal with the turmoil that this not-yet-existent party would cause.

Or maybe they didn’t predict it, but the God you keep banging on about warned them to leave before he turned up in Bermuda to smite the OBA.

Ladies and gentleman, you are entering: the Alvin Williams Twilight Zone

By: Bermudian Abroad

Bermudian Abroad — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:47:04 +0000

Mr. Burchall, Thank You for the clarity of your information and your knack at putting together statistical insights that actually mean something!

To me, I think there are a few hard truths we need to accept – many Bermudians, especially younger ones, are Global citizens and will find opportunities elsewhere – this population loss is inevitable. Just as inevitably, other Global folks will look at finding a home here. Unless we have some deep rooted desire to become an impoverished backwater because of a diminishing and aging population, we had better embrace this change. One of the ironies here is that the more intolerant Bermudians become to those who want to immigrate and make a future here, the more likely it is that our young (especially those with college degrees) will leave. This strikes me as indeed one of those times that the truth is not what a lot of people want to hear.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:39:58 +0000

He sure likes foot for dinner.

By: hmmm

hmmm — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:37:03 +0000

Ideas are just that, ideas. Nothing more, nothing less.

Actions and putting in the effort to transition those ideas into viable business is what is required.

By: JustAskin2

JustAskin2 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:28:04 +0000

New and fresh ideas perhaps which will help a stagnant company grow.

By: westender

westender — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 16:14:24 +0000

I have said this all along. Bright students go abroad to further their education and find the prospects better in their temporary place of residence so it becomes permanent. They visit for a holiday and have their Bermuda ‘fix’ and that is enough. As someone else said on this thread, it is the brain drain. We can’t afford it but as long as the prospects for progress – social as well as professional – are so limited, it will happen. Bermuda needs to wake up and move to the 21st century.

By: pabear

pabear — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:54:38 +0000

how is it some fresh out of school student is got more to offer than someone who been doing a job for donkeys years

By: smh

smh — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:52:02 +0000

Why do the OBA want to bring in so many foreign persons when we have Bermudians OUT THERE who are fleeing the country due to a lack of work????

By: Lala

Lala — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:35:50 +0000

I believe the number of outward “welfare migrants” is dwarfed by the number of students who decide that Bermuda is too politically backward and simply don’t return. That’s called “brain drain”.

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:31:55 +0000

Talk to the local IB companies, find out what they have in overseas offices, try to get placed overseas for experience and make connections. Then eventually come back if don’t find yourself elsewhere. You always have to start at the bottom, and there is no better experience for the local IB employment market than overseas experience.it will also position you better that should you come back, you will be better positioned for a salary that could better get you in the entry level real estate market

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:22:17 +0000

Ouch, does it hurt when facts pull the floor out from underneath your delusion and you hit the hard surface of reality? Do you even notice, or do you quickly come up with another piece of misinformation or truth spun to lie to cushion the landing? So quick to lay it all on the OBA that you missed the fact that these statistics where from and hidden during the PLP years

By: Concerned

Concerned — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:16:48 +0000

Had a lady visit me from the Voters Registry – my entire family 6) was not on the voters list and yet we voted – hmmmmm perhaps that is why many are missing Thanks PLP

By: St. D

St. D — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 15:05:00 +0000

Thank you Mr. Burchall. Simple and to the point. We all know this has been happening as how many families do you know have moved to the UK because the mother is furthering her education or the child has a leaning disability so they want extra support or the son has been accepted into a UK football program …

Looking forward to the next instalment.

By: bluebird

bluebird — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 14:57:33 +0000

Execellent articule Larry as usual.
Manny young people with a profession or a trade have left Bermuda because they have all travelled.
Manny did not find the RACISM and they dont look like us attitude in other locations,they did not find a hassel comming through IMMIGRATION if they were the wrong color under the previous admininstration.
After relocating they then revisit Bermuda look around and say you know what there is nothing here for me.
So the happly make there life elsewhere because they are mobil and they can.
suggest you blame it on the internet as you can look and find manny places in the world on your computor and get all the information you want even before you visit.
And manny of the young and up and comming are in contact with those who are making a GOOD LIFE else where on facebook etc.
GET USED TO IT BERMUDA,we are not the centre of the world anymore,and if you have an education or a skill you can pretty much go anywhere in the big wide world.
And dont forget that there are about 3Billion people in the Aisa Pacific region the are educated and/or have skills.Have you not noticed some in Bermuda..??

By: Dude

Dude — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 14:31:15 +0000

Stay away as long as you can and get AS MUCH international experience as you can. Then, when you do return home, live with your parents or share a rental to cut costs. Why does every Bermudian think they are entitled to their own place as soon as they finish school? In my day, sharing a one bedroom rental with a friend was the norm… no overnight guests… but I saved enough money to get me started on the property ladder when the time came.

By: Starting Point

Starting Point — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:52:47 +0000

Real problem is that in may countries, currently the grass actually is greener on the other side.

The majority of young Bermudians, especially those educated at university are growing up in an inclusive world where thinking is encouraged, creativity promoted. Returning to Bermuda and its stifling, conservative, negative political environment with polarizing parties is not attractive in any way to the vast majority of university educated Bermudians. The reality is, they can visit at cup match, soak up the sun for two weeks, get everything they love about Bermuda in that time, then return to a real community with diverse cultures in other countries that offers what they need.

sad reality, but to deny its existence prevents us from making changes on the island to improve the circumstances.

By: GTA

GTA — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:51:01 +0000

I wonder which Government conducted the census in 2000 and 2010??? The PLP Government perhaps.

By: Starting Point

Starting Point — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:46:23 +0000

Alvin must have mis heard the article when it was read to him, pretty much no one here believes he can read…

By: um um

um um — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:35:30 +0000

An interesting article, but there is one thing that should be taken into consideration. The census records only persons resident or temporarily absent on the island on one day. Another interpretation could be that more Bermudians are employed overseas, gaining valuable experience, or moving overseas to retire/travel etc.

By: K9

K9 — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:20:28 +0000

What is really on this island for us young people. We would go away, get the education, come back they would say we still need experience. Even the cost to live in Bermuda is higher than most places

By: Sven

Sven — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:19:59 +0000

Alvin ask you friends in Government if they helped and encouraged Bermudians to go to the UK starting in 2008 to keep our unemployment figures low and reduce the amount of financial assistance payments….go to the UK go on the dole…

By: SMH

SMH — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:17:18 +0000

Well said. I couldn’t agree with you more. Hang in there and good luck with your job search. We need you! If possible consider being an apprentice in order to gain experience for your resume.

By: jt

jt — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:16:25 +0000

Dear Alvin,
Mr. Burchall used the time frame 2000-2010.
See the problem?
Now sit down.

By: hmmm

hmmm — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 13:14:01 +0000

From 2000 to 2010….Alvin, so you will be voting OBA.

By: Young Professional

Young Professional — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:45:35 +0000

Great article. I’ve recently returned home and am trying earnestly to return abroad, I am not alone. After obtaining a health and a science degrees it was very hard finding a job in Bermuda. My former employees in the US made me feel valued and they invested in me. Once I returned home, my employer of choice has been stifling. Changes are needed and individuals who are less qualified (but been with the organization donkeys years) are being promoted or are in leadership posts where they often disregard what younger professionals bring to the table. Other local institutions in my field have similar challenges. Value the young professional, Bermuda and you will be amazed what this island could become.

By: navin johnson

navin johnson — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:35:31 +0000

Mr Burchall if the 2010 census is used as a guide let me give you an example of how wrong it could be……the census takers came to my home 4 times! 4 times they asked for information and after the first time I told each successive person that I have already completed it and 2 asked if I would mind doing it again in case it was misplaced……..I always thought the streets of Bermuda particularly Front street and Bermudiana road where you could never parking space now there are always spaces available….I would think the moving companies would be a good place to find out how many people they ship out but of course some just leave with a few suitcases….

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:33:20 +0000

I know where the disappeared Bermudians are; they have become economic refugees in the UK and far from the OBA government not knowing? it’s their dirty little secret the exodus of the accidental Bermudian without a birthright to their country in which they were born; out of sight out of mind.

By: SMH

SMH — Wed, 22 Jul 2015 12:27:50 +0000

You’re my hero! Thanks for always telling it like it is and making sure everyone understands our current economic reality. Good or bad.