'Time to stand up & fight the system for all BVIslanders'– LIME workers
Stay quiet don’t broadcast to media
“The Minister told us that when we get what we get don’t go broadcasting it to the media, don’t tell anybody … If we do that there is a possibility that the boss (name given) could lose his job,” said a frustrated employee.
Efforts to reach the responsible Minster and the senior management of LIME BVI yesterday afternoon, October 16, 2013 were futile.
A large group of the employees met with Virgin Islands News Online recently to once again vent their feelings about the manner in which LIME, the National Democratic Party (NDP) Government and other companies are allegedly taking advantage of persons working in the Virgin Islands.
They related that senior functionaries of the Government did fulfill their promise to meet with the management of LIME but have failed to effect any change in the situation. “He, the Minister, guaranteed us that he was going to "put pressure" on them but what? Nothing, and now trying to hush us up, no that is not going to happen. We will let the world know how they are weak as a government and the people must know that we have to fight for ourselves,” this news site was told by one of the employees.
It’s Business as usual
Some weeks ago the aggrieved workers likely to be laid off by LIME BVI had expressed concerns that their severance pay was meagre, they were working in a tense environment since they allegedly had not been told how much longer they have with the company and that management had allegedly not given them any assurance that they would be rehired by the company identified to manage its technical operations.
“This is beyond just the money right now, it had to do more with the way persons in the BVI, BVIslanders are being monopolized, taken advantage of and forced to stay quiet. Its time for a revolution, it’s time to stand up and fight back… that’s the message we are sending… this situation is blanketing the whole territory, LIME, the resorts, the banks, every company taking advantage of workers and our government is too weak to represent us,” said another employee.
They said that subsequent to meeting with the Deputy Premier and Minister for Natural Resources and Labour, Honourable Kedrick D. Pickering, the company’s management had summoned them to a meeting where they were told that it was ‘business as usual’ and that the severance package would remain the same as initially set. They will be paid 12 days for each year of service.
The workers also alleged they were told by management that the ‘One Caribbean’ slogan/motto does not apply when it comes to the issue of severance pay. “Every day for the decades that we have been working with the company that is the song they would sing in our ears, We are one Caribbean, we working as one, now suddenly we are not one but we are less than all the other Caribbean countries and that’s the message we want our people to open their eyes and see.”
Standing up for all BVIslanders not just ourselves
“This is not just LIME this is a matter for all BVIslanders, we have no representation by our government and we are being taken advantage of by companies and its time that someone break the monopoly. We have to fight back and if we are the ones to go to the slaughter house for our brothers and sisters we are going to be the goat and not the sheep,” said an employee.
“Sheep would see you coming with a knife to slit his throat and not make a sound but a goat knows what's up and would start hollering. That’s us, we are prepared to fight back. We know the end result but it’s time that we start sending a message,” he continued.
According to the men, in the VI they are on the brink of a turning point which has been coming down on us from a global scene. “There are a lot of offshore businesses that operate here in the BVI, this trend is nothing of the norm and if nothing is put in place to protect these workers that are being let go what we are going to have is a lot of hurting people in this place,” expressed one man.
Integrity
The workers said they plan to walk away from the company with a clean slate and send a straight message to the management. They said that while it is the feeling that they would attempt to sabotage the company by destroying or damaging the system, it is far from the truth.
“We have been fixing things in this company for all the years and we would not, would not bring ourselves so low as to try to hurt the system because of the situation. When the time comes for us to go we will go, our minds are made up but everything would be left intact,” assured the workers.
They said their fight is not with the physical structure of the company but the principles of respect and justice that are allegedly being taken advantage of.
“We hope our people get the message of what we are saying. This tread of ‘teck wah you get’ has got to stop, we have rights like everyone else in the other Caribbean countries, we must show strong bargaining powers and if the government not going to do it for us we have to start doing it for ourselves or we’ll be dead in this place,” one stressed.
And according to another, “Time for change now come. Let’s stand up as one BVI people, let’s stand up and fight. We will lose some battles but the message that we are not to be taken advantage of and lightly will be loud.”
Virgin Islands News Online was told that some members of the group are scheduled for a meeting with the Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable D. Orlando Smith this morning, October 17, 2013.
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34 Responses to “'Time to stand up & fight the system for all BVIslanders'– LIME workers”
See why BVI is the way it is? People only know about 'others' when $h!t hits them. Nobody cared when deCastro and others were calling for unions, why? They were sitting pretty, cush salaries, nice bonuses so F him. You cannot compare BVI to other Caribbean Islands where they have workers unions and other groups that put measures in place to protect employees. How do you know what those people signed? How do you know that they're not represented under unions etc. so must get over and above what the average employee gets? Lack of education and being laid back is what brought us here. Government cannot force LIME to give you anything especially if they're already giving more than what the law requires at this time. As 'from here' said, people love to remind people where they from and bash those not from here. Find a local job now, let me see ya.
You missing the point ... Worker unions did not neogociate for the other caribbean countries. The same regional Manager for the BVI is who allegedly made bargins for the other caribbean countries when they were preparing their packages. .. why did this person made such low bargin for the People of the BVI and the country where them from they made a hefty bargin for them. Never mind what our laws say on the books in regards to severance packages and thaty they BVI Lime is offering more, the other caribbean countries had low serverance rates and they got much high offers and deals. but they giving the BVI the dirty end of the stick when done they are the ones who carrying the motherload for every other Caribbean country.
Soo people need stop talking about unions and CCt this and all that .... if they really don't understand what our brothers and sisters at LIME are fighting for. We ARE ONE CARIBBEAN... treat the BVI as one give us The BVI what you give them (BARBADOS, CAYMAN ISLANDS ETC) thats all they are asking for
Wake up, no one is saying that you shouldn't feel some type of way having inevitable job loss looming over head. But this "If I go down we all going down or I taking down as much of the B.V.I with me as possible" is idiotic. Have some grace, fight for you job and more compensation on the strength of your commitment to the company, if that doesn't work, be as bitter as you want with lime....leave the government and our reputation as a fair (all be it ailing) economy in tact. No working environment the world over provides 100% job security, that is an illusion. There are things that we as B.V. Islanders need to come together and stand up for, I do recognize that my brothers and sisters here deserve our attention as our plight is no different from theirs...but what is there to fight here really? They are not being taken advantage of, this is just the harsh reality of modern economies, no foul here!
please get rid of all the expat workers and that manger thhen give all your locals the first choice on the jobs
It seems a lot of these employees are busy to call down LIME and the NDP Government, but they are not speaking about the fact that they are the same ones who saying "one caribbean" and yet they so highly aggrieved because Turks getting 7 days and they (BVIslanders) don't feel Turks should get their labour code mandated 7 days. IN ADDITION these are the same locals who are complaining because johnny who been working LIME BVI for 2 years getting the same 12 days per year pay that Frank who been working LIME BVI for 20 years getting.
Set of hypocrites but it's not surprising considering its the BVI, they only know when to talk a salacious story when it suits them...or perhaps their words are being misconstrued, who knows. So when they go talking to VINO about their fight for "equality" they need to tell the whole story and not just their side. Fact is that even within that cohort of disgruntled employees, there are still some ppl who only looking at themself and willing to undermine their fellow man. This is seriously sickening now.
You grew up alone?Or you just came from under a rock? I can see that you fall for anything because you don't even understand the reason they are fighting. I won't explain it to you either so hopefully if you read it over about 5 more times you might just get it. Matt 11:5 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear...
As wit in so with out.
As a man think so shall he be.
So mote to be.
Is this the way this govt operating? Is this why they dont want to come on the air and say BJIC was wrong in his accusation of bad treatment of his friends by immigration on 5th October based on a call from persons? There is lying and wickedness in the land.