The Tribune

By NATARIO McKENZIE

Tribune Business Reporter

nmckenzie@tribunemedia.net

Ministers were urged yesterday to abandon the 'dogmatic culture of governance' as a step towards ensuring the success of a revamped Employment Exchange.

The appeal came from the Organisation for Responsible Governance (ORG) which also expressed its concern over the implications and tone of a more 'vigorous' work permit enforcement pledge.

ORG, a non-profit foundation working for governance reform, said, while the potential for the new Employment Exchange to create avenues to work for Bahamians and at the same time presenting quality applicant options for employers is "encouraging", it was concerned over recent statements by Labour Director Robert Farquharson on how the technology would be used.

Mr Farquharson told Tribune Business last week he expects his department to 'more vigorously' enforce the country's work permit policy when the revamped Exchange officially launches at the end of this month. ORG said it was concerned over the implications and adversarial tone of that statement.

"As we have stated in the past, we strongly encourage the Government to become more consultative in their approach to governance and to abandon the dogmatic culture of governance that has dominated in previous years and has led us to the state of socioeconomic crisis we now find ourselves in," ORG said.

"The success of the Employment Exchange in encouraging employers to utilise Bahamian talent would be enhanced by engaging with stakeholders on how best it could be implemented, how it is most useful and how to encourage participation. We therefore implore the Government - in this case, the Labour Board, Department of Immigration and institutional funders such as the IDB - to work hand in hand with the private sector, civil society organisations, churches, labour unions and all relevant stakeholders to design and implement effective technology and policy that will have the broadest input, the greatest buy in from all sectors, and thus the greatest chance for success."

Mr Farquharson told Tribune Business last week: "We expect to be able to more vigorously enforce the policy that no labour certificate will be issued to non-Bahamians when we have identified Bahamians qualified for the position," adding the new system would be able to identify how qualified a person is for a given position.

ORG noted: "The success of the Department of Labour's Employment Exchange is highly dependent on the frequency and quality of data inputted by employees and employers and on the ability of the Department's staff to maintain the database on an ongoing basis. Any failure by the department to update and maintain the current employment status of employees within the data base will negatively impact the ease, speed and cost of doing business in the Bahamas. As such it is dependent on the buy-in and collaboration of all stakeholders.

"Whilst it is in the interest of everyone that this initiative succeeds the willing participation of private sector is essential to optimise results. And the willing participation of the private sector is best ensured by all relevant Governmental agencies engaging in open and transparent consultation and collaboration with the private sector."

It added: "As a nation, we must work together and use every resource to improve governance, growth and opportunity for everyone if we wish to remain relevant in a modern and highly competitive world. If all stakeholders in our socioeconomic future do not take an honest look and vested interest in improving labour productivity, skills gaps, education, the ease/cost of doing business and moving toward an open and accountable governance we will continue on a path to socioeconomic ruin."