The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

The Bahamas Electrical Workers Union's (BEWU) president yesterday urged the Government to consider a freeze on work permits as it rolls out its austerity measures, telling this newspaper: "You can't put Bahamians out to pasture".

Paul Maynard told Tribune Business: "What the Government should do is implement a freeze on all construction work permits and work permits for engineers. We are giving out a lot of loose permits when we have Bahamians qualified to do the job. We have a lot of Bahamian engineers out of work because companies are bringing in foreign engineers. That has to stop.

"The Government has to do better, The Government has to get serious. You can't have your people not working and foreigners working. That's not right. The unions are prepared to work with them to show them that we are serious.

"You can't put Bahamians out to pasture and have foreigners working. Right now we have many Bahamians working abroad because they can't get a job here and would like to come home."

Mr Maynard's comments came on the heels of the Minnis administration's announcement of a variety of austerity measures, including a 10 per cent cut in spending in all government ministries and a freeze on new public sector hiring.