The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

THE Government and the Grand Bahama Shipyard have agreed to a training programme which will replace 200 foreign workers per year over the next three years, with Prime Minister Perry Christie describing it as a “template” for The Bahamas.

Mr Christie, who was addressing the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers Confederation’s (BCCEC) annual general meeting (AGM) on Wednesday night, said the need for an apprenticeship system was becoming ‘critical’ to this nation in light of major developments across the country seeking a skilled labour force.

As reported by Tribune Business this week, the Hawksbill Creek Agreement Review Committee warned the Christie administration that ‘skills gaps’ in the Bahamian workforce were both undermining economic growth on Grand Bahama and elsewhere, and acting as an obstacle to attracting new industries in Freeport.

The report highlighted how just 39.2 per cent of the Grand Bahama Shipyard’s workforce, or 330 out of 840 total workers, were Bahamian despite the company enjoying an average annual revenue growth rate of 7 per cent.

“We looked at the Shipyard and saw that it had hundreds of work permits, and we spoke to them about how we go about getting Bahamians on a training programme to take the place of the people people who are there,” Mr Christie said.

“They have  agreed this year to a joint venture training programme. It will be a template for the Bahamas where we will replace 200 workers a year over the next three years. The first 50 have started and we are due to take the next 50 this month.”

Mr Christie said the Government has suggested a similar programme to the Baker’s Bay developers.

“We can’t bring people here advancing that they are going to have five-star service and they get three or four stars,” said Mr Christie. “The reality is that we have the closest offshore country to the United States of America and we can do much more and much better.”