By SANCHESKA BROWN
Tribune Staff Reporter
sbrown@tribunemedia.net
SECRETARY of the Bahama Land Construction Trade Union, Herman Armbrister, claimed yesterday Bahamian construction workers cannot get any jobs because developers would rather hire “Haitians” and “Mexicans” to work for “little or nothing”.
Speaking with The Tribune, Mr Armbrister said hundreds of Mexicans are working at a Bahamian project, taking jobs that were promised to Bahamians by the government. He also said contractors would rather hire Haitians so they can pay them under the table and then call immigration when they don’t want them anymore.
“There are like 300 of them down there but the problem is not just (on the islands). Right here on these construction sites in New Providence there are hundreds of Haitians working. They get permits from the government to work as handymen and gardeners, but they are on these construction sites working as dry wallers and masons and doing electrical and plumbing work. The contractors would rather hire the Haitians because they don’t have to pay them a lot, they don’t have to pay National Insurance for them and sometimes they will hire them and when it comes time to pay them at the end of the month, they would call Immigration on their own site just to avoid paying them,” Mr Armbrister said.
“The government doesn’t charge the contractors when they get caught hiring these people and it won’t stop until there is some punishment or penalty for them. When immigration raids the sites, they arrest the Haitians and the next day there is another group ready to take their place. The contractors are not hiring us because they do not want to pay us, they want cheap labour and the government is letting them get away with this. My phone never stops ringing with young men looking for work, they want to work, they don’t want to be on the blocks all day but they cannot find a job. That is why crime is so high, the people are frustrated.”
Mr Armbrister also claimed that 227 persons went to a recent job fair looking for work and the resort only hired one person.
He said: “More than 200 people showed up for that fair, they advertised (dozens) of jobs and they hired one person. When we went to (the island), four of us went for interviews of the 227 people. We were interviewed by a Mexican who had to use an interpreter and they only hired one of us. They only had the job fair to pretend that they wanted to hire us to make the government feel good, but they already have hundreds of their people there. So they don’t need us.
“These foreigners do not want Bahamians on their property, how is the government letting this happen? This is the reason why Bahamians killing up each other because they have no job to go to.”
Mr Armbrister said the union will rally with Trade Union Congress to get their concerns heard before it is too late and they are all unemployed.
Comments
bismark 10 years, 8 months ago
This has been going on in construction for too long,majority of masons on the site are Haitian,yet they have a gardener or handyman permit,which is wrong they are defrauding the government,what should be done,all contractors hiring foreigners,if they are found to be doing work different than their permit states;fine them $5000 for each person found,i don't think you would have that problem any longer.
Bahamianpride 10 years, 8 months ago
They do the same thing in the U.S, only difference is they hire Mexican's for construction labour.. Why, because they work hard all day long for cheap and keep quiet. Its a business decision...
BahamianAway 10 years, 8 months ago
Let's not forget how Bahamian workers operate when on the job.
Joe Blow shows up at work around 10am when he was suppose to be there for 8am, he then takes a hour to get set up, leaving him with one hour in which to work before he jumps off at 12pm for lunch. He then takes a 2 hour lunch and comes back at somewhere after 2pm. He works for about 2 hours before claiming he needs to go and pick up his children at school for 4pm. Then he is gone all day....but he wants to be paid for an 8hr day. Heaven forbid his employer complains because then he wants to file complaints with the labour unions. Who then claim that Mr. Joe Blow is being overworked and underpayed.
Whereas the Haitian or Mexican who is so grateful to be able to work and send a few dollars home to their family will be at work from 7am, eat lunch while working, and continue on past the knock off time of 5pm and give no complaints when the boss man asks him to do a little extra.
Not saying all Bahamians are like this...but the vast majority of them have this attitude that they are entitled as opposed to be fourtunate they reside in a country where they have the opportunity to work.
Island_gal 10 years, 8 months ago
I disagree with you , as a matter of fact i consider your type of thinking as the reason why we have this problem. Bahamians have a right to feel entitled in their own country(as any other nationality in his/her country) We have a right to demand a decent wage and to be paid for work we have done. What you have describe is nothing more than a negative stereotype of your own people. I have never seen or experience any Bahamian. construction worker act the way you have described. They work as hard as any one else, the same hours and don't,"slack off" They too have families to feed. You imply that these people are ungrateful??? You leave people to assume that we shouldn't hire our own during hard economic times even when they want the job.. The reason why people hire illegals is because they are cheap and can be mistreated. THAT"S IT. No other reason but that and certainly not due to the negative stereotypes you attribute to Bahamians. The reason why you don't hear Haitian or Mexicans complaining about their mistreatment and low pay(sometimes no pay) is due to their fears of being deported. You ranting and raving about how bad Bahamians are almost seem like a justification for these companies TO BREAK OUR LAWS. I dont know whats worst you downing and stereotyping your own people, or you justifying slave labour and inhumane treatment or others. Your House negro mentality is sad
wearedone 10 years, 8 months ago
BahamianAway 10 years, 8 months ago
I don't care if you are Mexican in Mexico, African in Africa, or wherever you are from in your own country...you should never feel entitled to anything. That is the problem with Bahamians and why our country continues to be plagued with such backwards behaviour.
A job is a privilege granted to a person based on their skills and knowledge, do you know how many people are without jobs despite being qualified. So to say you are entitled to have a job in The Bahamas just because you are a Bahamian is bullcrap. Yes, you being a Bahamian should give you an edge over other just as QUALIFIED candidates. But if you lack the qualifications and the work ethic to hold a job then by darn you don't deserve it.
You can call my mentality whatever you please but I can tell you one thing without a doubt a stereotype became a stereotype for a reason. And I have seen first hand the way Bahamians work. Also I made sure to say that not all Bahamians are like that- but let's be real there are a good many of them out there. And I don't think I would be entirely off the reservation to assume you might be one of them.
Island_gal 10 years, 8 months ago
I don't even think you read the article. its not about who is more qualified its about companies BREAKING THE LAW. Sure Bahamians being slackers should be called out but companies breaking our laws is ok for you? Paying illegals next to nothing and mistreating them is alright as well i guess(since you love that they dont complain about being treated like slaves). I guess according to you anyone could be slacker but a Bahamian. You ranting about how Bahamian are so bad but these expats are slackers as well.
I agree with your second paragraph BUT, first there is no proof that these illegals are more qualified than Bahamian construction workers. i doubt that someone fresh out of Haiti is more qualified than a Bahamian who has been working on construction and electrical for years. Secondly feeling entitled in your own country is not backwards especially if the person is qualified. That does not mean that we should support cronyism and mediocrity but yet put our workers first especially if they have knowledge and are willing to do the job. If you read the article properly you would see none of that is being done, these companies want cheap labour not qualified persons. But people like you just love to assume that Bahamians just make noise for nothing.
What is backward is to believe some old house negro plantation story about us being lazy and not wanting to work(if you read the article it says that these young men want to work) Like you said, stereotypes don't come out of nothing I guess your are a lazy slacker since you are a Bahamian(at least you claim to be). You do fit the stereotype of the Bahamian who bashes his own but yet praise the law breaking foreigner(like those in the article) who is contributing to our problems. So trust me i don't fit the stereotype as much as you.
wearedone 10 years, 8 months ago
The problem is that most don't want to work, they just want to get paid. I have ran work here for almost 10 years and sadly this is the case. Sometimes there are Bahamians that are qualified but are lazy and I would much rather have a hard worker who is willing to learn than a person who thinks they know it all and refuse to even show up to work on time and earn a days pay. It might not be all but unfortunately it is most.
Island_gal 10 years, 8 months ago
Again the lazy stereotype. I guess breaking the law and paying the poor illegal below minimum wage is better. Because that is what's happening according to the article. Do you honestly think that during one of the worst recessions that our country has ever been through that no Bahamian wants to work? Or is it that no one want to pay them a fair wage? For what I have seen during my last trip to Freeport and Nassau is that people just want cheap labour. It has nothing to do with perceived laziness on part of Bahamians. Thank God I never came back home to work. I would've never made it with such an inferiority complex running rampant in the country. I would rather be judge by my qualifications and work the be stereotyped. I'm not saying that their arent lazy people but lazy people are every where. But to write off an entire population as lazy???? I have heard Haitians call their own lazy, and Jamaicans do the same.We always bash and trample ourselves to explain our economic hardships forgetting there are those breaking our labour laws and bribe our politicians.
carlh57 10 years, 8 months ago
totally agree! Entitlement mentality is a disease here (and other island nations) and its the downfall of not only work ethics but work productivity and moral decay. "Give me, give me, give me"....is all one hears from a large majority of bahamian workers.....and generations growing up are already getting/having this mentality (thus the reason for theft/assault etc)...personally I'd hire more bahamians if i could find ones that want to work an honest days work.....show up when they say they will, work till job is done etc....but highly doubt it will be easy...
sheeprunner12 10 years, 8 months ago
Most Bahamian construction workers want $15-20 per hour basic pay. Can you NOT see why contractors would look to hire cheaper labour.................. vs worker productivity. Is $800 per week (40hrs) too much for a skilled Bahamian mason, electrician, plumber???
Do you Bahamian bloggers out there really believe that the Haitian or Jamaican mason is more productive than the Bahamian mason??????????? Comments anyone?????
Island_gal 10 years, 8 months ago
No they are just cheaper. A Haitian who does not have any legal status will get hired before a Haitian who has legal status. If you notice the only immigrants who are hired are those you can easily get rid off. Its easier to break labour laws when a employee is always fearful of getting deported. This has nothing to do about productivity but cost of labour. Many companies around the world do this, the only difference is that while they are breaking the law they don't trash talk their own as much to justify it. There are some Bahamian masons who may demand more money but during these rough times some may just be satisfied with a job.
carlh57 10 years, 8 months ago
haitian and jamacian mason's i've hired work circles around bahamians anyday...and they are legal too....i doubt i'd ever hire a bahamian worker again, unless they can show me they are willing to work the way they should...
SP 10 years, 8 months ago
SHUT UP......Vote PLP or FNM.....
Keep "Preparation H and KY jelly on hand.....Remember what the duck got....Multiply by 100%
SP 10 years, 8 months ago
Bahamians ‘Can’T Find Jobs In Construction’......?
LOL....Born a PLP or FNM and ga die a PLP or FNM.....O.K. Then!
BahamianAway 10 years, 8 months ago
I am not condoning illegal activity, all I am saying is this article doesn't speak to the entire truth of the situation. This may seem unrelated but look at the situation with the customs officer- they are walking off the job because of extended hours.
What I am trying to highlight is if a person truly wants to work and is qualified to work I can't see how if a job is available they couldn't get it. I work in both the Bahamas and the US and I am not by any means saying the US is better because they to have their faults, but I see the young Bahamian men showing up to work high, they want to smoke and hold down a construction job.
There are many facets to this hiring of illegal immigrants to work situation in the Bahamas. My mentality is that of if you are qualified and are willing to work, willing to learn, and you are dependable then a job should be yours. Call it house negro mentality or whatever you chose but until Bahamians break that sense of entitlement unfourtuntely the illegals will always have the edge over us.
newcitizen 10 years, 8 months ago
The customs officers aren't even being asked to work extended hours, just to work on a shift that isn't 9-5. They're still being asked to work the same number of hours.
BahamianAway 10 years, 8 months ago
I stand corrected, It is the police force that is being required to work 12hr shifts. However, the point I was attempting to make is that there are Bahamians out there who refuse to be regulated. The customs officers refuse to follow the new shift policy, the policemen are complaining about being made to work 12hr shifts.
Why if I was a contractor would I put myself in the position to have to deal with such behaviour? Whether it be from a Bahamian or a foreigner. I would just want to get the job done with the least amount of fuss and the most effective amount of work. And truthfully Bahamians are known for being big-mouth and hardheaded...again not saying all are like that. But one makes it bad for many.
I said it before and I say it again...Bahamians need to shake the sense of entitlement. It will always be the crippler of our nation.
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