Plans underway to have 70% locals, 30% expats in workforce- Hon Wheatley
Minister Wheatley made the pronouncement during an interview on the Honestly Speaking Radio Programme on ZBVI 780AM on Tuesday, August 18, 2020.
He said: “In terms of the workforce, we as a government want to localise our workforce more. It is a more sustainable way to go about it. It took the hurricanes of 2017 and COVID-19 to bring that point home to us, that we should not continue on the path that we were on, where the workforce was kind of skewed when it came to local talent versus outside talent.”
He added: “The pattern we saw was not sustainable and studies show that pattern from past records is never sustainable. When you have a local population unemployed and the outside persons so to speak happily going to work, collecting checks and money and doing things, it always ends bad, every single time and we are trying to avoid that situation, and we are trying to find a better balance.”
He said, while the task is not easy, the process has to start at some point.
“You cannot tell me that all those persons on work permits are doing jobs that no BVIslander is qualified to do. If you recall, last year we renamed Labour to Department of Labour and Workforce Development because we are going through labour and immigration reform. One of the things we are going to do is we are automating the work permit process because right now that process takes up most of the manpower in the department. When we are through automating that process, it’s going to free up a lot of manpower to then start doing inspections.”
He explained that while business owners are supposed to hire more locals, this is not being done.
Locals are cheaper
He pointed out that locals should be more cost effective for the business owner.
“You don’t have to pay rent, insurance and travel and all these stuff. It is cheaper to hire local persons, and we expect that to happen, but is it really happening? We are moving towards a higher ratio of locals and belongers in the workforce. I think right now it is probably 30 per cent locals, 70 per cent expats, that 30 needs to move to 70, and 30 per cent expats.”
Appeal to business owners
In the same vein, he called on the business community to assist the government in their goal.
“Let’s make this a priority, let’s start shifting that ratio around because the current model of 30 to 70 is not sustainable,” he remarked.
Hon Wheatley also warned that there could be drastic measures if businesses fail to comply.
“If there is too much resistance we will be forced to do things like places like Cayman do, which is after five years, pack up and leave and never come back. That’s how they have solved their problem, and to me, that’s an extreme way of doing it. I don’t want to start there; if it is going too slow, it will force us to go draconian and say “you know what? You don’t want to move, so we will force you to move by limiting your work permits. I don’t want to go there like that because we know we must have outside talent, every country in the world must have outside talent.”
He said he wouldn’t argue if businesses hire specialised jobs that are hard to come by “but to sell ice cream? Or something as menial as to pack a shelf? To welcome somebody into your office? You cannot find anybody here who can do that? I'm really sorry, but I can't accept that.”
He informed that there is a consultant that is scheduled to come to the Territory to take on this task as soon as the border is open.
“The consultant should be on board, she should have been onboard already, but because of COVID-19 it had to be pushed back... Actually, we wanted it to be in place after the regularisation, but it didn’t happen, but sooner rather than later.”
Workforce Assessment data
Hon Wheatley said, currently, there are approximately 942 operational businesses and 171 that are non-operational. Of that figure, 972 are on Tortola, 94 on Virgin Gorda, 24 on Jost van Dyke, 13 on Anegada and on the surrounding cays, 10.
He said of the businesses that reported, the employment status of employees that have been retained stands at 8,962. The number that has been released stands at 294 while 1,263 have been laid off with 175 persons that are unspecified.
Hon Wheatley said, of that figure, 6,186 are work permit holders, while 3,161 are VIslanders/Belongers.
The number of work permit-exempt holders is 926 as of July 31, 2020.
As of August 17, 2020, there are a total of 8,053 work permits, and 789 represents work permits pending or processing.
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96 Responses to “Plans underway to have 70% locals, 30% expats in workforce- Hon Wheatley”
The law speaks of afford equal opportunity to all, and it never say if you were born in the BVI or you are an expatriate.
The discriminatory treatment against persons need to stop, and I seen it as a political attack on the expatriates.
We were created by God and we do believe in certain morals and principles. This world is not our home, stop the division amoung our people and let live in peace and dignity.
from inception,the bvi authority,and their practices,remain the most racist country on earth,thats why,they hate the white governor so much.
mr.wheathly u aint making it back in that seat you doing stupidness if it wasn't for expats bvi would have never recovered from the passing of irma how many expats was sent here to help rebuild
So can't a BVIlander do it, the Consultant? Its good only when it suits you.
it is clear that the BVI needs expat workers. Without expat workers BVI will turn into an empty rock with no business activities or employment. There is a reason why there are so many work permit holders in the BVI.
Good luck with destroying our economy!
I admire that about you guys !
But becareful this not a situation to rush into ,especially in a time like this .please do some more research and go about it slowly .
Making sure you dont go back on your words which is happening very often lately
Remember every country have a need at this present time ,
While depending on outsiders to boast there economy ,
Who gonna come knowing its 5years and spend comfortable like
The ones that are been forced to go ,
They will be coming on a adgenda !
Bvi have no resource we dont know where this pandemic taking us .becareful
You dont have to force people to go they will go eventually
Check the status from immigration how many people leaving without been told to do so ....
Remember that every business depending on the people in the country presently especially bvi thats under lock and key
Housing ,travel services, rental companies ,gas stations, restaurant, ,taxies delivery trucks just to name a few that feeling the squeeze !
I must say this, if this the road you travelling with this speed .
Reminder speed kills...........!
Did it occur to you that less money would leave if people could stay forever?
Why do they build a house back home? Because they know they can't stay forever.
Just dividing the island
You all carry on. We are seeing your true colours shining through.
Remember this is God's world. We are just occupying till he calls us home. People get power and suddenly it's us against them. Remember we came and worked hard in helping you to build. God does not sleep. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. That includes the BVI.
We were told this party does not like outsiders but they denied and we did not believe but every day is some talk against outsiders. You all carry on brave.
"Remember we came and worked hard in helping you to build." Yes, we remember. Remember also that when you worked whether hard or not, the most of you were paid handsomely, so please don't try to make it sound like you were working for free or just out of your goodwill. (Everywhere some people get taken advantage of, whether willingly or not, so of course, that would occur in the BVI, too. Humanbeings are humanbeings everywhere, but culture makes a whole lot of difference. Some look out for their own and others look out only for themselves). Yes the earth is the Lord's, so why must everyone else be taken care of in the BVI except BVIslanders?
Most outsiders make a handsome living in the BVI, but as long as there is a bandwagon to jump on against the BVI Government or people, count them in for doing that. Show some appreciation for the good you enjoy in the BVI.
The BVI will survive on a smaller scale with less population and with higher end tourists who seek these shores without the rubbish that is thrown everywhere by non BVIslanders and just to be clear I am an expat.
Stop the discrimination....We are over the slavery, plantation era.....Some of your wives, brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, grandfathers.....are not local. Send back all those who are not born here(expat) and see what the territory will be left with. A country of a serious economic downfall. No dedicated worker in the work force, no tenant for the landlords, no one cleaning your local streets, elderly home, offices, houses..........I understand the situation but find a better way to deal with it. This is creating division and discrimination. STOP IT!!!!
1. When you really conduct research...There is only about 10% True local living on the territory. Most of the people who we consider locals are either born in St. Thomas, PR or USA. This is where their parents took them to born, therefore they are locals.
2. When people reside in a country...living and working. When they have their child or children born here. They are not consider locals either. They have to get their passport and paper from their parents country.
3. The grand parent(s) of the True locals are also expat.
Truly investigate the BVI there is only 10% local, so how on God earth would you get 70% of the local in the workforce. Please use another term and stop the discrimination about where you from.
Same thing with the luxury charter yacht market... Force them to spend ALL their money on St. Thomas.
Good plan, well thought out... The cart-before-the-horse model has always worked out soooo well.
!
Compile a register of all BVIslanders seeking employment stating their education, experience, previous employment record, type of work sought and expected salary/benefits.
Match 3 BVIslanders to every work permit sought, and send for interview accompanied with a form to be completed by the employer.
You will say this already exists.......if so then ensure it is being adhered to.
I say to the Honourable Minister- Kudos to you. Next thing is to bring sanctions against those employers.
Then the problem lies within the Hon. Minister own domain. Our governments issue is not putting laws/policies on the books BUT with enforcement of existing policies and laws. With the BVI small population and most indigenous persons being family/friends, enforcement will always be an issue.
What’s going to happen when we get to appoint our own indigenous governor............let see if there is a local prepared to put one of his/her family/friend in jail if need be ?
Do you want to replace your employees regularly and pay recruitment & relocation expenses or are you better to retain staff?
1. As a BVI IsLander Contractor in the PastI have Sponsor Supposed to be Skilman and when they get here ,most of them are not even Qualify to be a Helper which I had to Train.
2. I don't understand why is it an Issue due
to Circumstances why person/Persons are afraid to return to their Country if they are not Employ until things become better in the furture is Labour department see it Necessary.
3. If they are not Working then how can they Sustain themselves , How would they pay there Land Lord especially those who owe the Bank for their Homes.
As a BVI IsLander if I was in another man Country and I find myself in such Situations, no one will have to ask me to Leave , my Common sense will tell me to do so.
Finally having a Work Permit Doesn't mean that each and everyone have a Lifetime Commitment because any giving time you may ask to leave . This depends on the Circumstances which also applied to those that have Belonger Status / Naturalization.
You want to have a $300m tax take you need to service it.
You want islanders to be able to rent $3-5k villas, you need highly paid expats to pay rent.
You need to invest in education.
You need to make wealthy businesses sponsor high school graduates to go abroad.
You need skilled expats for them next 20 to 30 years until you can have the same level of skills.
You need locals to work abroad to gain the skills before coming back.
You need to not put off expats in the meantime.
You need to create an environment where wealthy expats feel able to invest.
Up to you but a 20 year pathway to residency (followed by an indeterminate number of years waiting for the application to be considered) followed by a period before application for belongership (followed by an indeterminate number of years for the application to be considered) doesn’t seem like the right climate to encourage investment.
A well wisher.
I think he does not understand how the BVI works. More people create more jobs. Business are more sucessful, cash flow is stronger.
I am sure that number is far far less than the amount of employed foreigners. So all this 70 to #0 % will do is create an artificial shortage of labour in the labour market which will not help development. I am sure that less than 10% of employable belongers are unemployed. So when you drives out the foreigners who will drive the labour market?
May God have mercy on those who try to destroy,to empty and to desecrate the VI with their ungrateful,resentful and envious mentality.
Minister Wheatley, really?
There are so many ways that this can be looked at....
In most cases of course locals can do the jobs...BUT...they have the privilege of choosing. So many times when they witness the wilderness part of the job, they say out loud that they would never do what we do or it is better we go through the trouble than they themselves.
On multiple occasions I have offered to train my local colleagues not even thinking that I may be out of a job and all they say is that its too much work or headache. It is sad that you all will not admit that many locals prefer the ''stay out of the Kitchen kind of jobs'', but you will make it seem as if we're just here taking bread and butter out of the locals mouth.
God be with you people! Seriously!
(1)
of the bvi constitution.in this section the expressions-
DISCRIMINATION means..
(a)affording different treatment to different persons on any ground such as sex, race, color, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, association with a national minority, property, family relations, economic status, disability, age, birth, sexual orientation, marital or other status..
(3) no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting under any written law or performing the functions of any public office or any public authority.
her majesty the queen and her representative the governor are crying long tears to realise that fundamental rights and freedoms in the bvi means nothing to people in authority.dem born racist and will die racist.
black lives matters and expat lives also matters in the bvi.
We will find ourselves between a rock and a hard place. With COVID-19 showing no sign of an ending in the near future. The adverse effects of hurricane Irma and Maria, the annual hurricane seasons as well as the annual drought conditions as we are experiencing will have a significant effect on the local economy.
In order for the territory to realize the asperation of the minister in hiring 70% locals we should have started to plan over ten years ago and that will take us to 2030 for that to be achieved. Additionally, the Department of Education should adopt what Singapore did for its local population many years ago. Then and only then that we will be self-sufficient with individuals who will rise up the the challenge. Finally the government, parents, students and the community will have to work collectively in order to ensure that we can build the territory for ourselves. No amount of Constitutional reviews will achieve this unless the people become serious and want to build this Little Nation.
Should this behavior continue, we will bring a class action against your government.