LABOUR Director John Pinder.
By Khrisna Russell
krussell@tribunemedia.net
DEPARTMENT of Labour Director John Pinder wants employers’ work permits revoked if they fail to appoint and properly train apprentices as part of their succession planning.
The move, Mr Pinder told The Tribune yesterday, would give the department teeth and earn it more respect in the eyes of employers who have not ensured Bahamian employees are trained for certain jobs He said it had been the department’s intention to have this stipulation enforced by this month. However, now it could be longer before the rule can be officially enforced, with Mr Pinder saying there needed to be further discussions with the Department of Immigration to ensure labour officials have a functioning plan.
His department has to also make amendments to application forms to accommodate a breakdown of apprentice training guidelines.
The department’s special projects unit is handling the process, he said.
“We have met cases where persons say that I didn’t know they were the understudy, but on the application form their name is listed,” Mr Pinder said yesterday when asked about enforcing the rule this month. He was also asked how the department intended to protect employees from retribution once they are interviewed by officials about employers’ training practices.
“If the employer tries to victimise the employee for giving us the correct information or tries to terminate them for that we will always have some sort of conciliation regarding that dismissal or wrongful dismissal, so there are things in the law that can protect that individual.
“In addition to that we will then review the application form for labour certificates when it comes back to us and in consultation with the Department of Immigration – we’ll have to do this so immigration and us are on the same page with this and immigration will also tell us what is expected of us – so that at the end of the day when we give a labour certificate immigration is satisfied that we did do the necessary due.”
He also said: “Simultaneously we just want to have that relationship with immigration for instance when the employer is not doing what it should be, (but) I think once immigration (is involved) with the authority to revoke the permit I think we would get more respect and it will have more teeth.”
Asked to clarify if the intention was to ensure work permits were revoked for noncompliance, Mr Pinder said; “Actually, yes, that’s our intention now.
“So what we are doing now is once we think what we are doing is something workable, we will then sit with immigration to get guidance from them to ensure that it can work.”
As far as a timeline is concerned, Mr Pinder said on his end the framework is “just about complete”.
However there needed to be further engagement.
“After this it’s just engaging immigration to review what we got to see if its workable. Then after that it has to go to the permanent secretary and the minister so it may take a little bit more time but the minister is aware of what we are doing. The permanent secretary is aware so it’s just a matter of them putting their blessing on it.”
Last year, Mr Pinder said labour certificates, which confirm there are no qualified Bahamians willing or able to take a particular job, will only be issued to companies that provide evidence they have identified a Bahamian “understudy” who will be trained to replace the expatriate worker once their work permit has expired.
Comments
Well_mudda_take_sic 4 years, 10 months ago
This dense lout should not be receiving a salary and medical, retirement and other benefits paid to him from the Public Treasury using our tax dollars. Bahamian workers need to wake up to the fact that D. Foulkes and J. Pinder have been working against their progress in the work place for decades. Their tactic in doing so is a simple one and entirely consistent with the government's objective of keeping as many Bahamian workers as possible dumb, stupid and divided. The last thing the political elite want, whether they be FNM or PLP, are smart workers capable of thinking for themselves. The private sector businesses are of course left to suffer the consequences of an illiterate and divided Bahamian workforce whose inclination at the direction and urging of government is to take their frustration and anger out on their employers.
TheMadHatter 4 years, 10 months ago
Absolutely correct. People like Pinder have us fighting over a small pie and complaining over who gets the big piece and who gets a tiny bit bigger piece and so on. Instead we should be making the WHOLE PIE bigger and in fact making MORE pies. Then there will be so many slices of various sizes and people's belly's will be so full they won't be able to complain.
You are correct. By keeping the pie small - they get to be the arbiters over who gets what - and too bad for Bahamians who don't get any piece and live on the street begging for money or washing cars with their bucket that they sleep with.
These lofty people have no understanding (or just don't care) about ALL classes of Bahamians of various stripes and how we will ALL be better off if we ALL move forward, upward, onward together. It's so sad how so many Bahamians say that phrase, but don't really know what it means - and how it would be really really great if we were doing it. Even Mr. Pinder himself would benefit by living in such a wonderful world.
banker 4 years, 10 months ago
This man and his ilk represents what's wrong with a lot of Bahamians who eye the expat professionals working in our midst. It is the Bahamian attitude of being crumb-catchers at the rich man's table. We want a piece of the pie without trying to bake it.
It is wrong to think that any person can be trained to take over a job in a few years, from a certified professional who has gone to a good school, has 20 years experience, has numerous additional courses and certifications along the way, and operates with extensive knowledge, and then expect a trainee to take over. We can't replicate the experiences that created that knowledge worker in a few short years.
It reminds when I worked a trading desk. We were getting new carpets in the office, and two of the carpet installers stood behind me as I worked at my computer. One turned to the other and said "Imagine gettin' a high payin' job by pressing buttons all day. Man, if I knew what buttons to press, I'd have it made". I was trading financial instruments called derivatives. Pinder has an equally uneducated view as the carpet installers.
The key to success is to open the field up, give work permits out like candy at Halloween. These professionals would come in, create value and businesses which would result in higher paying jobs for Bahamians, a revitalised economy, a diverse economy and better prosperity for all in the country, including more revenue for the government.
Instead we insist on being gatekeepers locking the door, keeping us in the dark ages, and keeping us a Third World country. Professional work permits should be cheap, the only impediment to deny one, would be a criminal record, and they should be good for a long period of time.
Unfortunately, idiots like Pinder and other government types are too intellectually-challenged to understand the economics of this. Labour unions are parasites who feed off those in Bahamian society who can least afford it -- the poorer workers.
Clamshell 4 years, 10 months ago
Hear, hear. Well-said.
ThisIsOurs 4 years, 10 months ago
There's fault on both sides of the issue. I knew of one expect who was here for 16 years who was seen covertly referencing a user manual then hiding it. When he was asked about a process he would claim ignorance. There are also cases of Bahamians more qualified than the expat who are held down. This is rampant in the hotel industry. Some of the positions are laughable Director this and that when the individual is really a clerk. The Pointe is an absolute disgrace to the Bahamian construction workers who worked Atlantis.
hrysippus 4 years, 10 months ago
Hey Blanker, your comment is 100% on the money. Thank you for posting.
Chucky 4 years, 10 months ago
Thanks for this, I didn’t think there was anyone else out there who shared this perspective.
TheMadHatter 4 years, 10 months ago
I take my hat off and applaud the Banker's comment.
Economist 4 years, 10 months ago
Statements like these further confirm "Don't invest in The Bahamas".
Maybe that is what he should say because that is what he means.
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
Time To Get Tough On Work Permits'? You think? Regardless of where I travel in Nassau, every time I turn around, I bump into Haitians and Filipinos doing low skilled jobs Bahamians should be doing.
Nassau is infested with Haitians and Filipinos, while Bahamians are left literally killing each other hustling a living on the streets!
Successive governments are equally responsible for failing to educate our people, then abandoning them like garbage to fend for themselves.
Although not perfect, I support this initiative 100%. SOMETHING has to done to rectify the decades' old idiotic ex-pat open-door policy that is turning our people into criminals for survival.
No other country in the world abandoned its own people as the Bahamas has. Regardless of circumstances, countries fiercely protect jobs for their citizens. Try applying for a work permit for a Bahamian blue-collar worker in Haiti, Jamaica, Philippines, Latin America, Asia, Africa, or anywhere else these ex-pats come from and you will find it is IMPOSSIBLE to get one!
bahamian242 4 years, 10 months ago
SP your just too Naive, plain and simple! How can Nassau infested with Filipinos when there are only.2,000 that live in The Bahamas. Where some 1,500 live here in Nassau, and the rest live throughout the rest of The Bahamas. Comparing 90,000 Haitians in The Bahamas, and some 75,000 living here Nassau??? You my friend don't make Sense!
themessenger 4 years, 10 months ago
The other points that SP doesn't seem to grasp are that (A) many no skilled Bahamians feel that jobs like gardening or maids work is beneath their dignity, and (B) many other Bahamians don't feel comfortable employing them in any capacity because they're lazy and unproductive and they steal. Ask any Bahamian business owner what their attrition rate of staff is and their inventory losses due to employee theft, many Bahamian feel that stealing from their employers is their right.
TalRussell 4 years, 10 months ago
In arguing case advocating in favour colony's issuing work permits, I wouldn't thought the engaging trading real estate instruments called derivatives** - be's something a banker comrade would thinks wise admits to having previously peddled on their work experiences resume ... sounds like admission working out unscrupulous boiler room, likes one featured in the movie, Wall Street?
The_Oracle 4 years, 10 months ago
This whole argument serves to highlight the complete and total incompetence across the board Repeating the same bad policy as experienced under "Bahamianization" is by definition insanity. On the face of it it has merit, but not when you have starved the youth educationally for the last 50 years. As to understudy, sure, try that again, but they better come to grips with the 10% success rate that is typical in non skilled jobs attrition. Like hiring a foreigner is cheaper. (aside the Haitians and Philippino's maybe? I have no clue and do not hire but one Haitian gardener (documented, permit holder) Meanwhile, political government is saying eliminate the red tape to encourage investment. Maybe he didn't get the memo?
bahamian242 4 years, 10 months ago
No hiring a foreigner is not cheaper! The work permit system is not followed by law. This Haitian national working for you, do provided his housing? By law your suppose to!!!
bahamian242 4 years, 10 months ago
Well SP tell me how many Haitians you see working in the Health Field?????? What do you, Pinder, or Farquharson know? You must be an Unionist just as they are, Aye???? If we didn't have the Filipinos in the Hospital, you know how many Bahamian's would died? No their lives have been prolonged, so they can bellyache about nonsensical foolishness as what you are carrying on with!!!! Maybe you should be up to Sandilands where you can't get away from Filipinos!!!!!
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
@ bahamian242. I am always amazed at how many people like you cannot comprehend what they read. What part of "blue-collar" jobs do you find difficult to understand?
Non-essential, low skilled, ex-pats should not be allowed to have work permits. Those jobs should be strictly reserved for Bahamian low skilled workers.
Try getting a domestic work permit for a Bahamian in the Phillapeans and you will be unpleasantly surprised to discover it is impossible to obtain! So why should we allow ex-pats to come from other countries to take jobs Bahamians can do when those same countries absolutely refuse to reciprocate in kind?
bahamian242 4 years, 10 months ago
Look SP Bahamian's are just too dammed Lazy!!!! That's why we will always have a D- average Bahamian society. BTW those Blue Collar job's some Filipinos hold. Guess what they are over qualified for them as they hold university degrees. Sounds like you attended The University of Wulff Road!
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
Everyone and their dog knows the Filipinos educated their people well. But why do we need university graduate blue-collar domestic workers? You are still missing the point. If every Bahamian is lazy, D-average and fat remain irrelevant. Those are still not reasons to give the country away! We MUST find solutions and exceptions for your so-called lazy, D-average and fat Bahamians.
If you are the only Bahamian that's not lazy, D-average and fat, then we need to study you to determine how to help more Bahamians emulate your behavior. Giving the country away is NOT an option!
mandela 4 years, 10 months ago
Ya talk, talk, talk too much ya talk too much. Time for action, time for results, less talk.
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
@bahamian242...Everyone and their dog know the Filipinos educated their people well. But why do we need university graduate blue-collar domestic workers? You are still missing the point. If every Bahamian is lazy, D-average and fat remain irrelevant. Those are still not reasons to give the country away! We MUST find solutions and exceptions for your so-called lazy, D-average and fat Bahamians.
If you are the only Bahamian that's not lazy, D-average and fat, then we need to study you to determine how to help more Bahamians emulate your behavior. Giving the country away is NOT an option!
bahamian242 4 years, 10 months ago
SP No where did I say Fat Bahamian's, you brought that up! I agree with you on that, most are way too Fat. A lot are too Fat to even Drive, they can't even turn their head to look for oncoming traffic...........
themessenger 4 years, 10 months ago
The other points that SP doesn't seem to grasp are that (A) many no skilled Bahamians feel that jobs like gardening or maids work is beneath their dignity, and (B) many other Bahamians don't feel comfortable employing them in any capacity because they're lazy and unproductive and they steal. Ask any Bahamian business owner what their attrition rate of staff is and their inventory losses due to employee theft, many Bahamian feel that stealing from their employers is their right.
joeblow 4 years, 10 months ago
... Bahamians used to feel that way but look around at the amount of Bahamians pumping gas, involved in sweeping roads, young guys cleaning fish, roadside vendors etc! Right now people are hustling, trying to survive. The problem is that at the lowest levels they are doing so right along side Haitians and Jamaicans!
Too many Bahamians think in terms of a JOB and not a CAREER!
SP 4 years, 10 months ago
@bahamian242...Lol.....Regardless of all being said here, nothing justifies giving away the country!
Successive governments foolishly created this problem. Now we all have to do whatever is necessary, bite the bullet, and suffer whatever short to medium term fallout arises until enough Bahamians develop the skills, demeanor, and work ethics to help with truly building our nation in the long term.
Continuing on our current course already unquestionably proved to lead to higher unemployment resulting in more crime!
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