The Tribune

By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMAS Contractors Association president Leonard Sands said the Davis administration has supported its tough talk on work permit laws with action.

Labour Minister Keith Bell told contractors on Wednesday to follow the law.

He told them to ensure people work according to their work permit guidelines and not let people who are hired for farm work on construction sites.

Mr Sands said yesterday: “I think that this administration has been seemingly more focused on doing the job that they were tasked to do in respect to labour and immigration matters and in reference to work permits. What we saw in the past is very little to nothing being done. There seemingly was no interest or desire to ensure that the policies and laws on immigration in that fashion was addressed at all.”

Mr Sands said enforcement of work permit laws should have a positive impact on his sector.

“I think it’s going to impact the industry significantly, but by impacting it doesn’t mean that the persons can’t resubmit and get their filing correct. And I think that would be the response to greater enforcement, and I think that’s the desire.”

He said stricter law enforcement would indirectly increase the number of Bahamians hired.

“It will force greater adherence to existing policy, while it probably will reduce the amount of applications moving forward, which in turn has, you know, a twofold effect on increasing the number of persons who may then be employed locally. It doesn’t help if you say, we have 10,000 labour permits and then when you go on the farm, and we actually have 15,000 persons on the construction site. That doesn’t help anyone.”

Mr Bell said on Wednesday that amendments may be required to increase penalties for people who violate the laws.