Column: PLP’s Robinson On Jobs & Economy
[Opinion column written by PLP Senator Leslie Robinson]
The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party welcomes the positive news contained within the 2024 Bermuda Job Market Employment Briefs unveiled by Minister Jason Hayward this week confirming that Bermuda is seeing strong job growth and steady economic progress.
Highlights from the report include
- Between 2022 and 2023, Bermuda saw an increase of 952 filled jobs, bringing the total to 32,866 – a 3% rise.
- Key industries like Accommodation and Food Services [+12.2%], International Business [+5.0%], and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Activities [+6.4%] led the way in job growth
- Jobs for workers under 20 grew by 4.2%
- Jobs for people aged 65 and over increased by 6.3%.
- Bermudians benefited with 121 more jobs being filled by Bermudians, making up 68% of all jobs.
We’re also happy to see a 2.4% increase in the median income, meaning more Bermudians are earning better wages.
This progress didn’t happen by chance or by accident. As a government we’ve worked hard to not only create an environment where businesses can grow, but also to ensure that our people have access to training through Workforce Development and higher education through expanded investment in scholarships and education grants.
We won’t stop there though, as we are investing in training and apprenticeship programs in construction, solar energy, and hospitality to help Bermudians gain the skills needed for good jobs in these important industries. Fields like nursing, accounting, and teaching also offer great opportunities for Bermudians and we are prepared to ensure that our people have what they need to succeed.
The PLP remains focused on creating jobs and growing the economy, while ensuring that Bermudians benefit from this progress. We encourage everyone to read the full 2024 Employment Briefs on the Bermuda Government website to learn more.
- Senator Leslie Robinson
Jobs for people aged 65 and over increased by 6.3%.
Bermudians benefited with 121 more jobs being filled by Bermudians.
Two facts that the shows how the PLP have totally failed. People over 65 having to work to make ends meet, and what work? Packers?
121 jobs for Bermudians, out of 952 shows how many non Bermudians are coming in. No wonder so many Bermudians are leaving, they can’t afford the costs here. Bermuda for Non Bermudians is clearly their motto now.
Imagine how good our economy would be if the government wasn’t corrupt and incompetent!
Wow the PLP trying to spin this again. The reality is…..
Hayward originally said 8418 jobs, at end of 2023 per video “The number of filled jobs is still 1,512 below the pre- pandemic level of 2019″
So adding these alleged 952 jobs doesn’t even get us to pre pandemic levels in the year 2019.
This wasn’t a bit ambitious Mr Hayward, you downright lied to us. the PLP plan to achieve these 8418 jobs had no substance (you took two years planning to plan and then came up with an empty document). We were told these jobs were NEEDED to help support pensions, and healthcare system with an aging population (Impact of the PLP failure is that healthcare costs are going to RISE, it will cost you more !!!!! and the pension funds are going to run out faster. Another EPIC FAIL by the PLP, making us all poorer every day. The PLP will now turn to lies and bogeyman politics, After over 20 years of PLP rule what is better. This version of the PLP can’t grow jobs, can’t manage the economy and can’t bring down the crazy cost of living. Rents are ridiculous, Roads are ruined, bridges are crumbling, but the Ministers are doing OK with their new big electric vehicles and feeding for personal gain at our expense.
“We’re also happy to see a 2.4% increase in the median income, meaning more Bermudians are earning better wages.”
Dear Senator Robinson,
Those wage increases are reported as “Median Gross Annual Income” (https://cloudfront.bernews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/2023-Employment-Survey-Tabulation-Set.pdf). That means they are not adjusted for inflation. Inflation in Bermuda was at least 5.1% in September 2022 and 4.5% in 2023.
Even using the lower rate of inflation of 4.5%, anyone who received 2.4% increase in “Median Gross Annual Income” over the period September 2022 to September 2023 lost 2.1% of their purchasing power.
More Bermudians are NOT earning better wages in real terms.
Joe Bloogs.
Mr. Bloogs that ! only took you one swipe of the almighty pen.
BINGO !
Reported by Hayward in March 2022 the four priorities for the economic recovery plan — vertical farming, casinos, upgrades to Tynes Bay and the extension of the EEZ.
Tynes Bay has no bearing on stimulating economic growth. Am not seeing result yet of the expansion of the EEZ, we don’t have CASINOS and there is no Vertical farming.
The number of jobs in Bermuda had fallen to below pre pandemic levels.
The roads are a mess, they should have been maintained. The bridges are crumbling and it has become near impossible to live with the rude cost of living.
It is sad that even when good news hits, folks have to find fault just to try and score political points.
How is it good news that we have less jobs than in 2019.
How is it good news that your pay buys you much less than two years ago. Median wages rose, but inflation wiped out that raise, as the cost of things rose more than wages.
How about you stop trying to cling onto power and actual start being honest and transparent. Spinning bad news to make it sound good is a form of deception and WE THE PEOPLE ARE SICK OF BEING DECIEVED.
Any dumb bell can spin numbers to make them in your desired favour …fact we are in a major huge hole that this administration has no clue how to try and get out. When will those smothered in green finally get to grips with the failure of their leaders
Its slipping away ..the power grab is slowly slipping away and the race card will be the only card they will play
Facts are facts just be man enough to really look at them
“Bermudians benefited with 121 more jobs being filled by Bermudians, making up 68% of all jobs”
Nice spin. But of the 900+ new jobs only 13% went to Bdians. Imagine the PLP and their supporter’s responses if the OBA bragged about these figures. You truly are a sheep. bahhh
It is going to take more than a bunch of jobs when there are little or no customers through the Airport needed to get this island back on its feet.
Got to stop building every bodies hopes up by offering our people something we once had.
We can not tax a man who has no shirt on his back.
The easiest thing in the world is spending money , the hardest thing in life is to earn it. !
Money is not water in a bucket with a hole in it . ( Buying stuff we don’t need )
We have got to do something better than our compeditors for our visitors savings.
Let us all get back and talk about money some time , before it is too late .
I realize that the above comments are some what negative,if that is what takes ,so be it .
Time has come to put more than honey on the pancakes !
“It is going to take more than a bunch of jobs when there are little or no customers through the Airport needed to get this island back on its feet.”
We priced ourselves out of the tourist market 40 years ago and we do not want those nasty foreigners on work permits, that is why we keep driving them away.