The Tribune

By DANA SMITH

Tribune Staff Reporter

dsmith@tribunemedia.net

A LONG-TERM job training scheme is in the works to combat the country’s unemployment rate, said State Minister for Investments Khaalis Rolle.

Speaking outside the Urban Renewal Job Fair at Holy Cross Anglican Church, the Pinewood MP said the country needs to try and find as many ways possible to provide opportunities for job-seekers.

“The economy isn’t what it should be. Unemployment is extremely high and it’s a major challenge for this country.

“When you have so few jobs and so many people competing for them you have to try and make people understand what has to be done to get the job,” Mr Rolle said. “We have to position people.”

He praised the job fair for offering opportunities to Bahamians and said the fair was good preparation and motivation for job-seekers.

“When you go through the process of unemployment, over a period of time, people become discouraged and they just stop looking. We want to keep them engaged,” he said.

“Eventually, through the efforts that we’re undertaking as a government, pursuing as much foreign direct investment as possible and getting as many projects up as possible, when the economy comes back, these people will be perfectly positioned to benefit from whatever opportunities they may yield.”

Asked if the government planned to bring back the job training programme which was carried out under the previous administration, Mr Rolle said there was a similar, more sustainable, plan already in the works.

“There are plans but it’s a long term, sustainable job training initiative.

“It’s going to be a national initiative that we’re currently constructing and the Prime Minister will speak more about that because that’s his baby and he’s developing it now,” he said.

“The short term programmes, we’re trying to get away from. We’re trying to get people involved in sustainable activities.

“The country has to have people that meet the needs of businesses. The goal now is to ensure that there’s a national long term sustainable initiative to have the best people employed and have them productive. The Bahamas is always criticised for having a skills gap - we don’t have sufficient employees the meet the needs of employers and this long term initiative when presented by the Prime Minister, I think, will begin to address those needs.”