'Some people are seeking assistance for everything' - Hon Fraser
This is according to Third District Representative and Member of the Opposition, Hon Julian Fraser RA, speaking during the Fifth Sitting of the First Session of the Fourth House of Assembly (HoA) on Thursday July 25, 2019.
High rate of unemployment
Hon Fraser linked the problem to what he termed the high rate of employment in the territory.
“Too many people are out of work…and the pattern I am seeing is [it’s] happening to young women. They can’t find jobs. We have a substantial amount of adult males as well. But what bothers me more than anything else is that these women are vulnerable more so than men when they don’t have jobs.”
Further, Hon Fraser said people are going hungry, while some don’t have places to live. “What kind of society are we building? We can’t be happy about this. Then we going to celebrate…dancing and jumping up and people are in this state of predicament.”
The senior member of the House of Assembly, Hon Fraser, noted; however, that he is aware Premier and Minister of Finance Hon Andrew A. Fahie (R1) has called for persons to get together to see how they could help persons, primarily businesses destroyed by the hurricanes of 2017.
“I know that has a lot to do with it. But there is more Mr Speaker, all the people that came here after the hurricane to work, among those people are those who didn’t have any jobs to go to but they are here.”
Hon Fraser said he heard that the Department of Labour and Workforce Development will soon be introducing an electronic work permit system and he shudders whenever he hears that as he believes one of the reasons Virgin Islanders are out of work is because they are being denied job opportunities.
“Every day I see new people going to work. People who come here, every day I see them going to work. But people who are here can’t get jobs. We have to do something about it. Government has a serious responsibility and they have to take it head on. This place is not what it was and the responsibility to fix it is ours.”
Gov’t tackling unemployment from various angles
Meanwhile, the issue of unemployment and locals being side-lined in the job market is something the 5-month old Government led by Hon Fahie has spoken about and has vowed to tackle head-on through various policies.
One of the counter measures is the launch of the ‘1000 jobs in 1000 days’ initiative, “because we believe every single citizen in this territory must find meaningful work and we will not stop until it happens,” Hon Fahie said in the House of Assembly on July 25, 2019.
The Premier, through a Monday, July 22, 2019 media announcement on the release of the Government's Fast Track initiative on Wednesday July 24, 2019, noted that the government is always aware of issues within the immigration and labour system in the territory and will be making moves to clamp down on illegalities.
Premier Fahie said Phase 1 of the Immigration and Labour Reform Strategy involves tying off loose ends and he pointed out that it will create a clean slate for introducing a new framework of policies that will better serve Virgin Islanders.
“It will bring closure to certain outstanding matters and shut the floodgates so that persons will no longer be able to remain unchecked in the territory for extended periods of time only for them to show up one day with certain claims,” Premier Fahie noted.
Further, the premier said his administration has taken note of the cries of the citizens, that they are being disadvantaged in the workplace under conditions where job opportunities are thwarted.
“We are aware that persons have been flouting their statutory obligations with respect to Income Tax, Social Security and NHI. We are aware that persons are entering the country on work permits for fake jobs, and that many of those individuals are freelancing, thereby depriving others of an opportunity to have employment.”
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14 Responses to “'Some people are seeking assistance for everything' - Hon Fraser”
Put your foot down, direct the needed persons to social development or labor department or which ever relevant organization that has the mandate to help their situations and guide them through the process. As a legislator fight to ensure these organizations are properly funded and ensure your constituents that are in need are being properly helped by them. Granted there are legitimate cases whereby persons need genuine district funded assistance, but put measures in place to ensure who really needs help gets the help.
I'm sorry but it is HIGH TIME to find a permanent solution. I agree with Mr. Fraser here, it just is not working.
I wonder why...
Maybe you should fix the BVI education system
Moreover, the BVI shifted from an agricultural economy to a service economy starting in the mid 60s. The shift created a number of new jobs and new job skills. Nonetheless, Virgin Islanders and Belongers are concentrated in the administrative skills. Somebody erroneously fool Virgin Islanders that there is a stigma to work outdoors with their hands. Here is a news flash. Electricians, Plumbers, automechanics, carpenters, masons.......etc pay well. Just today there was an article stating the 80% of local students attending HLSCC attend tuition free. What is taxpayers getting for this investment.
You hear bull sh!#
We will not work for the slave masters minimum wages. So they bring in you expats for their cheap labor. Main while the country is way over run by expats because or minsters failed to put proper measure's in place. Now they want fast track but remember when fast tracking who you fast tracking. Some of these same said people talk bad pollute and call down our home. Can we go in your country and do the same. We have no where else to go while you have your own to go back to. If we voice our opinion in our own country you ready to kill us for voicing our opinion. Can we go in your country and have a voice I don't think so we would be killed from the first word we set. None of our Government for us. Remember we open our arms and are kind to you all Respect my country for I disrespect yours.