A CABINET Minister yesterday sought to “clarify” the seemingly new hard-line work permit stance, saying it was “not a firm policy” and no final decision on it had been taken by the government.
In what some might interpret as “back tracking” or an attempt to soften the remarks made by Immigration minister Fred Mitchell in the House of Assembly on Monday, Khaalis Rolle, minister of state for investments, said the proposals had been “thrown out there” in a bid to get public discussion going on the work permits issue.
“The clarification that needs to come is that it was just thrown out there. The government has not developed a firm policy position on it. This is just being considered as a mechanism to create domestic jobs for Bahamians,” Mr Rolle said.
Emphasising that the Christie administration intended to strike “the right balance”, Mr Rolle said there had been an overreaction to Mr Mitchell’s remarks, and he urged businesses and investors “not to panic”.
The proposals, as laid out by Mr Mitchell, sent a collective chill through the private sector – and both Bahamian and foreign investors, new and existing – as they outlined a significant hardening of the government’s stance on issuing work permits.
The reaction from the Bahamian political and business community was largely negative, with the likes of Branville McCartney, Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader and former immigration minister, branding the proposed policies as “unworkable”.
He also warned that, if implemented, they could “cripple the economy” and set back its recovery, as no nation – not even the US or UK – could meet all its labour needs.
If Mr Mitchell’s comments were intended as a “Green Paper” to start the dialogue, it has come across as a very clumsy way of doing so, given that it created an immediate concern in the Bahamian business community as to whether they would be able to hire workers – at reasonable cost – vital to the profitability of their operations.
• See Tribune Business for full story.
Comments
moncurcool 11 years, 7 months ago
When will this government get their act together. One Minister says it will be implemented by next year, and another comes out and says it is not been finalized as yet. Which one is to be believed? Like one wise man said concerning elections, the change will be different but never better.
1StLadyJ 11 years, 7 months ago
Hon. Khaalis Rolle needs to do his job and let the minister of immigration do his. Please stop trying to hinder the growth and development of this country and its people. I salute the Minister of Immigration for a job well done.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
if you believe that nonsene ?? the big investors will get all the permits they need ,,Freds words are emotive political talk for the undereducated masses ,,,,,,,,,,,,,Fred knows it ,, you think Baha mar is not going get all the permits they want .............
SDRFC 11 years, 7 months ago
There you go...the new generation of PLP leaders thinking they can be Minister of all Ministries...stay in your lane fool. Rolle will cater and pander to foreign investment. These young dudes just like their Daddys don't care that Bahamians don't own their own economy. As long as they can create low wage paying jobs for the masses on the "Bahama Plantation" while our natural resources create billions for foreigners. A "D" average is more tahn enough to taxi tourist, fluff pillows, serve drinks, shake cowbells, and beat drums.
smallbiz 11 years, 7 months ago
Or maybe.... We can stop blaming the government and we can educate ourselves and our kids. Helping your kids do their homework is part of being a parent and not a government mandate last time I checked. But i guess its easier to blame the government than yourself.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
THE NO PERMIT SPEECH WAS JUST FLUFF FOR THE UNDEREDUCATED AND XENOPHOBIC INNER CITY VOTERS ,,IT WAS NOT FOR THE EARS OF INVESTORS ,,THEY WILL GET ALL THE PERMITS THEY NEED ,,ITS JUST EMOTIVE TALK ON THE PARLIMENT CHANNEL ,,",BAD FORIEGNER "IS THE STRAW MAN THE PLP USES TO MAKE THE SMALL MAN THINK THEY REPRESENT THEIR INTEREST ,,,,,,,
TalRussell 11 years, 7 months ago
I guess Minister Khaalis is signaling "black smoke" at his colleague Immigration Minister Fred's stand against the long standing policy, from the UBP days, of rubber stamping work permits.
Minister Khaalis statement reminds me more of the Middle Ages days when instead of white smoke announcing the electron of the new pope the tradition involved tapping the forehead of the dead Pope with a hammer?
.'Ouch That Hurts.' But if it will ease the pain Comrade Fred it was a small silver hammer wielded by the cardinal at the dead pope's head.
http://tribune242.com/users/photos/2013…
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
Fred was in campaign mode , giving the undereducated their dailey dose of "bad foriegner or bad whitey " ,,,,Rolle knows its not for the big investors ears and had to smooth the waters ...With out FDI we all suffer ,and please don,t go on about farming and fishing , i, m a fisherman there is not enough fish out there to support us all . Farming ,,we don,t have the soil and whose going to work these farms ?? not these kids coming out of school now ,,since the loyalist people have been starving trying to farm on these rocks ,we even let the cows the U/S gave us starve ,,
SP 11 years, 7 months ago
Khaalis Rolle so far has been a huge disappointment. Two weeks ago he confirmed that he received a serious $1.5B agriculture proposal providing 10,000 jobs for the Island of Andros however, he said "he had not had time to look at it yet".
What could possibly be more important and timely than a proposal that creates 10,000 jobs? Perhaps Mr. Rolle has other proposals for the creation of 20,000 or maybe 30,000 jobs, but I think not.
Mr. Rolle, needs to focus with-in his job description and work on bringing to fruition some the many proposals for untold numbers of jobs sitting on his desk gathering dust. Investors will not sit around forever waiting on Mr. Rolle to get all of his ducks in a row while other destinations have open invitations for them.
Mr. Mitchell is finally on the right track and consistent with work permit best practices of other countries governments on this issue. Mr. Rolle would do well to mind his own business…..literally.
concernedcitizen 11 years, 7 months ago
find me 10,000 bahamians that are going toil in the hot sun of Andros on Sandy Shaffiers imaginary farm ,,,you,ll need lots of work perits for hatians ,,Fred speech was emotive political speech for the undereducated masses and K Rolle had to let the foriegn investors know they,ll get their permits ,,,
John 11 years, 7 months ago
I think it is time for yall brainwash folk to stop saying Bahamians are lazy, dishonest and don't want to work. That is only a cop out to open the flood gates and let foreigners overrun this country and force Bahamians to become THIRD class citizens.. (the foreign investor is already number one, yes he is). Not all Bahamians are book smart and capable of taking on supervisor responsibility. Once you match the person with the job Bahamians can produce just as much as any other national on the face of the world. Just look at the road works..grueling hours in the hot sun, the rain and being cussed out n the media eveyday..but the got the job done, even if they had to smoke a lil dope and drink to do it..the job got done..so stop letting these foreigners, who have their own hidden agendas, feed you the lie that Bahamians don't want to wrok, hook, line and stinker! Them is the same set who believe black people should work for nothing (i.E slavery) and the next Bahamian who buy into that lie should be tried for treason! This country has a lot of natural resources including its people and plenty a them tryin ta tief' we tings .
Sign in to comment
OpenID