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Some companies not being ‘truthful’ about layoffs – Hon Vincent O. Wheatley

- said Gov’t needs to have accurate picture for stimulus plan
Gauging the true picture of the effect the Novel Coronavirus is having on the working class of the Virgin Islands (VI) is proving to be somewhat of a challenge since some employers have not been truthful about the status of their employees. Photo: VINO/File
According to Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), the lack of truthful information on how COVID-19 has affected the working population is likely have an adverse effect on Government’s ability to accurately work out its stimulus plan aimed at assisting both employers and employees. Photo: GIS/File
According to Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), the lack of truthful information on how COVID-19 has affected the working population is likely have an adverse effect on Government’s ability to accurately work out its stimulus plan aimed at assisting both employers and employees. Photo: GIS/File
Many persons have lost jobs in the Virgin Islands as a result of the Novel Coronavirus but employers have not been truthful to Government with the information, according to Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9). Photo: VINO/File
Many persons have lost jobs in the Virgin Islands as a result of the Novel Coronavirus but employers have not been truthful to Government with the information, according to Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Hon Vincent O. Wheatley (R9). Photo: VINO/File
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI- Gauging the true picture of the effect the Novel Coronavirus is having on the working class of the Virgin Islands (VI) is proving to be somewhat of a challenge since some employers have not been truthful about the status of their employees.

According to Minister for Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, Honourable Vincent O. Wheatley (R9), this is likely to have an adverse effect on Government’s ability to accurately work out its stimulus plan aimed at assisting both employers and employees.

‘Not exactly truthful’

“So I found a lot of companies, or some companies, have not been exactly truthful with what they are actually doing. They are saying that they haven’t laid off when in fact I know that they have persons who are not working there anymore,” Hon Wheatley stated while a guest on JTV’s “The Big Story” aired yesterday, May 25, 2020.

Hon Wheatley was at the time discussing mechanisms put in place at the Department of Labour and Workforce Development and Immigration Department to reduce traffic and make certain processes as seamless as possible, while also requiring businesses to complete a survey of the employees’ current status.

According to the Minister, based on weekly reports being gathered, he is of the strong view businesses are not telling the truth about the status of employees.

“We do reports every week. We ask businesses to please let us know what the state of your company is? How many persons you have retained? How many persons you would have laid off?

“I got a report last week but from my ears on the ground and what the businesses are telling me, I have found discrepancies. I don’t think that people are being totally truthful with what the true picture is on the ground.”

Hon Wheatley said he spends a lot of time among the people, “And I hear conversations, I have a way of verifying what somebody is telling me.

“If somebody is telling me that me and my two friends are laid off and we have ten workers, then when I read your report it shouldn’t say that I have ten workers working still because I know for a fact that three of them have been laid off, I can verify that. So found a lot of companies, or some companies have not been exactly truthful with what they are actually doing.”

Accurate picture needed

Stating that the government needs to know the true picture, Hon Wheatley said the form as is can give the needed accurate picture, “I think the form is clear enough, I don’t know why persons would try to misguide us in some instances as to what the true picture is. We have to know what the true picture is on the ground.

“The Premier is working on the Stimulus Package for the businesses and the unemployed, we need to know as best as we can what those accurate figures are.”

Additionally, he said the survey is also geared at ensuring persons now unemployed find jobs at the earliest possible time.

“What we are trying to understand also with those persons who have been laid off is will you be staying with us for a while? Can you afford to stay or will you be going back home or travelling somewhere else?”

“A lot of folks have left already, some are still here, again, we need to understand what they are doing so we know what we are up against. We don’t have an endless field of money to sustain people for a long period of time. What we need to understand is what we are capable of doing and what we are not capable of doing and we can only make those decisions on accurate and truthful information.”

Fear of repatriation?

Agreeing with the host of the interview Ms Cathy O. Richards, Hon Wheatley said he suspects persons are fearful that government may be seeking to rid the Territory of those expats who have lost their jobs during this period.

“People want to make this crisis into from here and a not from here, national vs non-nationals, it doesn’t call for that, we have to treat people as humans, we are all humans and we are going to do the best we can to take care of everyone within our borders.”

On the other hand; however, the Minister said should they find expats in the Territory incapable of taking care of themselves and the government also is not in a position to do the same for them, “Then we have to make a decision. That to me is the reasonable and the human thing to do.”

Hon Wheatley said he thinks it should not come to the situation where Government has to round up persons and send them out of the Territory indiscriminately.

He said his main concern at this time is, “Non-nationals who does not have work and cannot sustain themselves because that is going to affect the whole situation. As an elected person my first responsibility is to the citizens of this country, not to anybody else, but we will try our best to make everybody feel welcome and comfortable for as long as we can.”

20 Responses to “Some companies not being ‘truthful’ about layoffs – Hon Vincent O. Wheatley”

  • ReX FeRal (26/05/2020, 16:05) Like (12) Dislike (6) Reply
    "People want to make this crisis into from here and a not from here, national vs non-nationals, it doesn’t call for that, we have to treat people as humans, we are all humans and we are going to do the best we can to take care of everyone within our borders.”

    Yes we are ALL HUMANS, But you Mr. Minister of Immigration and Labour needs to overstand the true dynamics of Immigration and Labour Administration and enforcement in the Virgin Islands and by extension the World. Yeah we are ALL HUMANS. Pupt legsl programs in place to deal with these times we are facing. The I from here and you from there has been around for times, get past that nonsense.
    • trrefdrfds (26/05/2020, 17:58) Like (13) Dislike (1) Reply
      Them will not say because some of those island people here illegal or overstayed in the bvi
    • @ReX FeRal (26/05/2020, 18:06) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Do you understand what the Minister is saying?
      • ReX FeRal (27/05/2020, 06:52) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
        Of course. And listen to what He is NOT telling the public. Words are self serving.
    • Offshore finance (27/05/2020, 10:00) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      There is very little news of lay offs in the offshore sector. Harneys laid off a few, but they also got rid of dead wood after Irma. Are they the only ones to let staff go! Annual billing and paying GOVT ends this week, so more may be let go next week. FSC will also know how many companies have not renewed. Critical for GOVT finances.
  • tretretrete (26/05/2020, 16:13) Like (14) Dislike (2) Reply
    The amount of hate that was and continues to be aimed at expats could be the reason some of them are afraid to report that they are unemployed. And the media seem to enjoy the hateful comments cause they post the negative comments more than the positive ones
    • One Question.. (26/05/2020, 17:26) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      How many none work permit holderx got sent home.. How many permit workers stayed on..? .. Simple question to companies... They going to have a million excuses. That doesnt make it right..
    • lol (26/05/2020, 18:46) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      Not all expats not whites they hate island people in particular if not from here or USVI or America or Uk they think your nothing. Sad mentality
    • Naah (27/05/2020, 07:30) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      Their selfishness. VI has very limited resources. If u are unemployed and cannot sustain yourself be of good mind. Cart yourself to your home country where your resources are available. Bleed Tola dry is their motto.
  • annudda2cents (26/05/2020, 16:36) Like (3) Dislike (0) Reply
    as the Hon. Minister correctly said, "As an elected person my first responsibility is to the citizens of this country, not to anybody else..". that is a very honest declaration right there that everybody must respect, understand, and appreciate. the reality is that the BVI is a country with very limited natural resources...natural resources that as a country, we cannot exactly rely on to make a living off of through export (land, water, sun, seafood, agriculture). most of the jobs in the BVI are service-based, and as is evident, Covid-19 has exposed how fragile that has turned out to be. The truth is that with Tourism accounting for about 40 cents (directly or indirectly) of every dollar that enters the Government's coffers, and with the sector being the second leading employer (Gov't being the first) decisions - very tough decisions - will have to be made with so many persons not only unemployed, but also without concrete indications of when that sector will be in a position to employ them again. The Govt has been very reluctant to dip into the Reserves and Social Security funds to bail out this situation. I too am not a fan of calls being made to tap into those resources. What I am an advocate of however, is a suggestion that Hon. Marlon Penn has made before, and reiterated on Edju En Ka's show I believe yesterday, was a Gov't funded "work for pay" program. the idea of simply handing out grants or financial help similar to the groceries that were given out about a month ago is not only not sustainable, but will put is in more problems as this situation continues. now is the time for every abled person to take whatever work is available, even if it's minimum wage. whilst this is being done, the Hon Premier will have to continue talks with the Regional Leaders (thank God that dialogue begun early into the administration) on working closer intra-regionally to build our economy in the short to medium run. we're going to need to work together intra-regionally now more than ever. believe me.
  • Now u Talking (26/05/2020, 17:23) Like (7) Dislike (1) Reply
    Exactly. Now you talking.. They are finding all kind of creative reasons to justify sending home locals and belongers while the whites and the work permit holders stayed on...
    • National (26/05/2020, 18:41) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
      Cause the "I from here" people too lazy and want sit behind desk in AC all day.
    • Steady (27/05/2020, 02:13) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply

      What about the white belongers? What about the foreign people of colour? Those who are not white or black? The ignorance and decisiveness hurts the BVI

  • Plague (26/05/2020, 21:37) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    If you dont wake up it's just a matter of time the real plague is on the heels of the territory watch it unfold. If businesses are hiding workers they them oneself will also have to hide so go ahead and fake and falsify information to immigration and labour. I believe they are trying to make the best decision which would impact the entire territory. Dark days are ahead we are not out of the woods be mindful and watchful. Together we can achieve devided we will fail. If it's the stimulus package we are looking at take warning. it's not coming ease like the food. Some persons who got 4 and 5 bags this time heavy scrutiny. You will hear wait a few more days we will see.
  • expats (27/05/2020, 14:51) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    many of us not working but was not laid off the bosses give us permission to do our little hustles to make ends meet.
  • potter (27/05/2020, 21:01) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    If you from here you going to heaven. And if you from down the island. It look like you going to hell.
    • @potter (27/05/2020, 21:18) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Here is Heaven. Down the island is hell. This is why they clamoring to leave hell and burrow into anyplace anyhow ,here. Truth


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