Video: PLP Hold Press Conference On Jobs
The Progressive Labour Party [PLP] held a press conference this afternoon [July 5] with Spokesperson for Tourism & Entrepreneurship Jamahl Simmons and Spokesperson for Economic Development Kim Wilkerson discussing the economy, and specifically jobs.
Mr Simmons said, “The OBA is making a lot of promises about how they will fix our economy, but how can we trust them? Time and again they failed to deliver on their promises to create jobs in Bermuda. Instead, they have looked out for their friends and helped the elite continue to prosper, while the needs of the rest of Bermudians are ignored.
“In 2013, they promised to create 2,000 jobs over the next five years. So, they gave tax breaks and other deals to their rich friends to help them make more money. What did the average Bermudian get? There are fewer jobs in Bermuda today then there were five years ago.
“The true proof of the OBA’s failed leadership is in the data shows that when the PLP left office in 2012 there were just over 35,000 jobs in Bermuda; when the OBA left office, there are just over 32,000.”
Ms Wilkerson said, “As far as Bermudian employment is concerned, our economy is stagnant. Bermudians are suffering from the lack of jobs and the lack of opportunity. Once in government, the PLP will move quickly and aggressively to address these problems and begin getting Bermudians back to work.”
The 13-minute live video replay is below:
Jamahl Simmons Remarks:
The OBA is making a lot of promises about how they will fix our economy, but how can we trust them? Time and again they failed to deliver on their promises to create jobs in Bermuda. Instead, they have looked out for their friends and helped the elite continue to prosper, while the needs of the rest of Bermudians are ignored.
In 2013, they promised to create 2,000 jobs over the next five years. So, they gave tax breaks and other deals to their rich friends to help them make more money. What did the average Bermudian get? There are fewer jobs in Bermuda today then there were five years ago.
The true proof of the OBA’s failed leadership is in the data shows that when the PLP left office in 2012 there were just over 35,000 jobs in Bermuda; when the OBA left office, there are just over 32,000.
- In 2012, there were 11,600 Bermudian men working; in 2015, almost 700 fewer Bermudian men were working;
- In 2015 [now in their 3rd year of government and showing their true colours], the OBA did not even try to hide who they cared about. In 2013, there were 4 Landscaper work permits, 47 in 2014, but 129 in 2015! One hundred and twenty-nine work permits were given in a single sector; one that is not so specialized that Bermudians cannot lead it.
- In April 2017, the Government announced that even in the Hotel industry, one of the pillars of the economy, the amount of non-Bermudian employees increased, while the number of Bermudian employees decreased in 2016…last year!;
Over the last eight years, the total number of jobs in Bermuda has dropped by 17%. How can we believe the OBA’s promises now, when they have failed Bermudians for the last five years?
In 2016, our economy created just 56 new jobs. 56! That shows the extent of the failure of the OBA government. How can they ask for your vote with a record like that? That shows how out of touch they are with the needs of the Bermudian people.
While jobs have disappeared for Bermudians, the OBA has been successful in creating jobs for one group – Non-Bermudians. Over the last three years, while jobs for Bermudians in the hotel industry have fallen, the number of non-Bermudian jobs in the hotel industry has increased. The OBA’s policies are hurting Bermudians and causing discrimination against Bermudian workers.
In fact, their record on Bermudian jobs ties into their record on Public Education. Believe it or not, do you know which job suffered the largest losses? In fact, the job losses were so large they pulled down the other employment statistics. Voters, please note that the jobs that suffered the largest decline in 2015 were Public School Teachers! Yes, that’s right…there were 753 teachers in 2014, and 679 in 2015! To be clear, the data comes from the Department of Statistics; so not only has BDA lost jobs, they are the jobs that we most need!
Not only did the OBA lie about creating Bermudian jobs, they lied about protecting Bermudian jobs; they lied about creating more jobs than the PLP…in fact they lied about creating jobs period!
The stagnant growth of our economy is just another sign of the OBA’s failure to lead and failure to govern. Bermudians can’t afford another five years of OBA leadership.
Bermudians deserve better than they have gotten from the OBA. They deserve a government that will keep their promises and do what is right for ALL Bermudians – not just a select few. A government that will work to create jobs and opportunities and most importantly a government that they can trust to keep their promises.
Kim Wilkerson Remarks:
Bermudians have had to stand by and watch 85 telecommunications technicians land in the middle of the night and work for months and months. Dozens of foreign waiters and waitresses brought in to serve food and drink at America’s Cup Village while Bermudians were and remain unemployed.
We have been made to understand that some of the servers at America’s Cup were in fact British university students who were fortunate that their Summer job was in Bermuda this year! While that was indeed a fantastic opportunity for those students, we know that there were Bermudian university students who were unemployed.
As far as Bermudian employment is concerned, our economy is stagnant. Bermudians are suffering from the lack of jobs and the lack of opportunity. Once in government, the PLP will move quickly and aggressively to address these problems and begin getting Bermudians back to work.
The PLP will amend the Employment Act to ensure that no Bermudian is unemployed due to “over qualification”. You know the story: A Bermudian accountant, unemployed for 2years finally gets short-listed for a bookkeeper’s job. At the interview however, they are told they are ‘over-qualified’ and a foreign bookkeeper is hired; those days are over.
We will also review the industries that are historically require the most work permits. With the exception of the international business sector that has certain considerations to allow global companies to attract global talent, the PLP will review all other industries, identify what makes foreign labour more attractive or more qualified, so that over the next year we can put in place plans to sustainably educate, train and re-tool our People. And we will address, head-on, the often talked about issue of “work ethic” – the concept of giving value for a day’s work, which is critical underpinning of a successful, sustainable Bermudian workforce.
One of our first priorities will be to review the Job Corps program, to see how it can be improved. Providing training to young people, especially those in high risk situations, is vital. We need to focus on giving them the skills needed to build careers so they have the capacity to create, find and keep jobs – that is the key to a healthy future for our island and our communities.
We are committed to making sure that all Bermudians have the skills they need to succeed. As a result, the PLP will immediately increase the funding available for the Bermuda College to highlight the various ways one can train and retrain at the campus; we will greatly enhance the College’s already successful Profession and Career Education Department [P.A.C.E.].
One of the most urgent elements of the jobs recovery will be a user-friendly and innovative website, updated quarterly showing the sectors where the most work permits are used, and how many are due to expire within 18 months. And where data is captured from the use of the website. This initiative, in collaboration with Education and Workforce Development will assist students to make the best educational choices possible for their careers.
In that same effort, we will review our tax structure to identify and levers to incentivize Bermudian employment. The PLP will make Bermudians the priority so they attain the job opportunities they need to have a good quality of life
Finally, we will work with key leaders and stakeholders to review the National Workforce Development Plan to assess the long-term changes that we need to make the grow our economy on a sustainable basis.
This group will be empowered to make a wholesale review of government policies and ensure that we are best utilizing the skills of our workers while creating an environment for employers to grow and create jobs. They will be asked to make recommendations on the changes we need to make across our economy to create good jobs for Bermudians.
We are eager to get Bermuda working again. The unfulfilled promises that played on anxious, unemployed Bermudians in 2012 will not work in 2017.
Progress is a choice. Job creation is a choice. Whether we give our children a future of more or a future of less is also a choice.
Bermuda works with the PLP.
Read More About
Category: All, News, Politics, Videos
