The Tribune

By NEIL HARTNELL

Tribune Business Editor

nhartnell@tribunemedia.net

The Government’s plan to eliminate work permits for certain jobs categories within one year was yesterday branded as ‘unworkable’ by a former Immigration minister, who said that based on personal experience Bahamians were simply unwilling to do this work.

Branville McCartney, the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader, told Tribune Business that he and his wife had no choice but to hire a foreign live-in housekeeper after the four Bahamians they had short-listed to interview for the post all failed to appear.

Urging the Government to be “realistic” about its aim of eradicating work permits for jobs such as housekeepers/maids, gardeners and labourers within 12 months, Mr McCartney said his experience as both minister and business owner showed such a policy “just does not work”.

He added that employers and home owners were “hard pressed” to find Bahamians willing to do this work at the pay and terms prevailing in the market.

“More often than not”, Mr McCartney said, it was the willingness of Bahamians to do the work involved that produced the stumbling block.

Recalling the struggle he and his wife endured in finding a live-in housekeeper while he was minister of state for immigration under the former Ingraham government, Mr McCartney said they made a request to the Labour Board and obtained the names of persons suitable for the post.

They scheduled interviews for the four short-listed persons for 7am, given that live-in housekeepers have to do most of their work in the early morning and evenings.

“Of the four different persons we tried, not one showed up,” Mr McCartney told Tribune Business.

“That’s just an example of the reality of what we’re facing in the Bahamas. I would implore the Minister [Fred Mitchell] to reconsider the position, because it’s not going to be realistic.

“With regard to the part about phasing out domestic helper work permits, the fact of the matter is we need those persons in this country to help build this country.

“Even when you come down to handymen, you are very hard-pressed to find Bahamians to do it. I’m in the legal profession, but there are instances where we need persons with qualifications we do not have, and expertise we need.”

Regardless of whether it was domestic helpers, journalists or attorneys, Mr McCartney said the Bahamas needed the contribution of foreign workers to help build the nation.

Recalling his time in Immigration, Mr McCartney told Tribune Business: ‘I was very much aware that a lot of work permits were being issued for domestic helpers, gardeners and handymen, and the truth more often than not in the business community, is that you find it difficult to find people to work in these areas, particularly Bahamians.”

Urging the Government to be “very careful” in its public statements on work permits, Mr McCartney said the policy statements made by Mr Mitchell made good reading politically, especially in an atmosphere of high unemployment and where there was a perception that foreigners were “getting all the jobs”.

The DNA leader said the two key issues were whether Bahamians were qualified to do a particular job and, more importantly, if they wanted to do it.

“In some cases they lack the qualifications, and in most instances they lack the will to do the work,” Mr McCartney said.

“We’re trying to become a developed country, but we’re still very much Third World. We’re trying to get where Barbados is, and implementing this type of policy does not help us to develop. I know from experience in the business sector, being in government, it just does not work.”

Pointing out that it was hard to find Bahamian women to work as live-in domestic helpers and housekeepers, given that they wanted to be with their families, Mr McCartney questioned what Mr Mitchell’s Parliamentary and ministerial colleagues were thinking when he have his address.

Recalling his time in the House of Assembly, the DNA leader said MPs from both the FNM and PLP all had foreign workers employed as maids and housekeepers.

“I am concerned to tell the truth,” Mr McCartney said of Mr Mitchell’s comments, noting that expatriates were among those employed at various businesses he was invested in.

“I have a foreign housekeeper who has become part of my family, and I’d like to see her remain for at least a little while longer.”