The Tribune

By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

ALTHOUGH economic activity has increased on Grand Bahama as a result of new businesses that have opened, many persons are still unemployed as the island’s unemployment rate still remains one of the highest in the country.

The unemployment rate stands at 12.4 per cent, showing no change since May 2017. The situation is very discouraging particularly for many young people who are unable to find employment in Grand Bahama.

Young Briel Clarke says she is considering relocating to Abaco, where there are more job opportunities.

“The job situation here is bad,” said Clarke, who was graduated two years ago from high school. It’s just no jobs in Grand Bahama.”

Clarke said that she has been job hunting, but has got no call back from places she applied for work.

“Some people will take your information and still don’t hire you even when you have the qualifications. I have my BJCs, BGCSEs, and my high school diploma, and they still won’t give me a chance,” she told The Tribune.

Clarke said that getting a job in Grand Bahama depends not on what you know, but who you know.

She said that she is seriously considering moving to another Family Island.

“I feel like relocating; there are plenty opportunities in Abaco, and I have family over there that I could stay with,” she said.

Her mother, who did not want to be identified, said that the situation in Grand Bahama is getting worse.

Minister of State for Grand Bahama Senator Kwasi Thompson last week reported that statistics showed an increase in employment and improvement in economic activity on the island.

He noted that the results of the recently released preliminary Labour Force Survey 2018 reveal that for the period November 2017 to May 2018, the number of persons employed has increased in Grand Bahama by some 725, and increased by 1,805 employed for the period May 2017 to May 2018.

“While these numbers are encouraging, the unemployment rate according to the survey has remained the same as that of May 2017 at 12.4 per cent. We must continue to work to reduce this number,” Minister Thompson said last week.

Grand Bahamians continue to await the sale of the Grand Lucayan property, where some 1,000 jobs have been lost since its closure in October 2016 due to hurricane damage. The tourism sector has also been severely affected.

An unemployed Sandra Smith is hoping that the job situation in Grand Bahama improves soon.

“They (the government) say they will sell the hotel, so we got to be optimistic and see what will come out of it,” she said.

However, Smith thinks that more attention is being given to Nassau than Freeport.

“Because everybody lives in Nassau, they building up in Nassau. People say things in Freeport is bad because there are no jobs, nothing here to do.”

“If you can’t work at Burger King, Wendy’s or Kentucky, you wouldn’t work nowhere; and that still ain’t enough money for people to pay their bills,” Smith said.

Her sister Samantha Smith believes that young people cannot find employment at many jobs because too many older people are remaining on the job.

“The problem is that some of these older persons have been on these jobs for years and they are not leaving, and they ain’t giving us young people a chance. I hope things turn around in Grand Bahama for the young generation,” she said.

The sisters said that more opportunities for jobs are on the islands of Abaco, Bimini, and Exuma.

“It is sad that we have to go to these other islands to find jobs… because we ain’t got nothing going on over here,” they said.

The three young women said the employment situation is very discouraging for young people, especially those recent high school graduates.

Several businesses have opened in Grand Bahama since the FNM came to office, including Windriver Tobacco Manufacturing Company, Carnival Ocean Medallion Project, Goombayland Go-Cart and Skating Rink, GIBC digital, Fowlco Logistics Company and Omni Financial creating new jobs, according to Minister Thompson in a statement released last week.

He also noted that government expects to see immediate employment opportunities at Quality Services Limited at the PharmaChem Expansion, Pelican Bay Renovation Project, Home Fabric Opening, Eco-Oil Construction and Opening, and Itelbpo expansion.