VI’s Labour Department is asleep – Julio S. Henry
Henry made the comment on the ‘Speak Your Mind’ show aired on January 25, 2014 against the backdrop of a number of layoffs in the Virgin Islands which had been reported in the media over the past few months.
“A lot of these businesses came in, we said we needed growth, we talked about investment and we pretty much gave them the key to the front door without saying there still should be some restriction,” Henry said.
He added that a lot of corporations are using this umbrella over the heads of the Territory’s representatives.
Henry suggested that compromises are often made by Representatives who, because of a wish for harmony, a good working environment and an ease of doing business within the Territory, sit down and relax on many of the laws and procedures governing businesses.
According to the talk show host, this trend has been continued by the current government, but started a long time ago.
The government, he related, is currently placed in a position where they have to appease many of the overseas corporations based within the Territory. “The corporations came in and pretty much dictated the terms,” he stated.
“The Labour Department is asleep… I put in a letter in there two weeks ago… for the BVI Taxi Stand to get some help over there to get an extra worker and up to this day we can’t get a phone call,” he complained.
Henry further recommended that the government make mandatory a severance fund for corporations based in the Virgin Islands. “The government should make it a law that these companies should set up a severance fund and the severance fund should be controlled by a board of people…” he added.
This group of people, he said, should determine the severance pay for persons who are being laid off within the Territory. “It’s like a savings account that each company will set up.”
27 Responses to “VI’s Labour Department is asleep – Julio S. Henry”
Stop blaming the damn departments. It's our own locals jumping through hoops to facilitate outside people and is only when they get what they want and turn on their asses they know right from wrong. Pull the files, do the math. We need to stop the s#!t. We are our own worst enemies!
They just a little dis functional and need some PR along with a clearer vision and mission
Are they working for all or just some .. are they proactive in what they do .. which most government offices are not. THey have so much time on vacation they don't seem to know what they working for