LETTER: Concern about government hiring practices and the new recruitment platform
Dear Editor,
I am writing to share my concerns regarding the current hiring process within the British Virgin Islands Government recruitment platform.
Over the last year, I have submitted multiple applications through the Government recruitment system in an effort to contribute my skills and experience to the people of the Virgin Islands. Despite my qualifications and willingness to serve, I have not received an interview opportunity or meaningful feedback regarding my applications.
Instead, I continue to receive general responses stating that my applications were unsuccessful or did not move forward in the selection process. After repeated attempts, this experience has become discouraging and has raised concerns about fairness, transparency, and accountability within the hiring process.
I have more than 15 years of experience working in the legal and financial sectors and have also applied for junior positions, including Lifeguard and Immigration Officer roles, simply for the opportunity to serve and contribute.
What concerns me most is that I have witnessed several individuals being appointed to Government positions despite ongoing concerns, apparently due to their close family ties to a former Immigration Chief.
Many residents hoped that the Commission of Inquiry would lead to greater transparency, fairness, and accountability in public service hiring practices. Unfortunately, many qualified and experienced BVIslanders still feel overlooked despite their credentials and willingness to serve.
I am writing this letter from a place of shared disappointment and concern for equal opportunity within the public service.
I believe the public deserves reassurance that employment opportunities within Government are being awarded fairly, based on merit, qualifications, and equal opportunity for all.
Sincerely,
Concerned BVIslander
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Nothing new here. Government been like that. Only hiring friend’s and family. But when all the young adults decide to pack up and leave to use there qualifications elsewhere they will be the same one begging locals to come back.
That’s why I always smile when I see locals who moved abroad to live. They always look happier and doing better than being stuck in bvi driving into potholes to get to their minimum wage job with their associate, bachelor and masters degree.
Don’t worry when all the young qualified adults leave they will outsource or have to use them same friends and family to work to low wage job’s that they trying so hard to avoid.
Happier where? The USA? UK? Quit the delusions. Nothing beats home.
BC they want U.S ss and citizenship they idolize it so much they upset persons choose to come home. STAY mad dawg. You think them care for ayo smalls?
I always smile when I see politicians offsprings finish school and land a job immediately in government. Them life been secured from birth. While many bvi Landers who are not so lucky has to pay their way through education only to come back and apply year after year with no success.
Some of them lane job directly on them homeland while some bvi Landers who lucky to scrape through and get in government with luck would have to work off island but beggars can’t be choosers… unless you got connections and elite family lol
The sooner people realise the VI is only Elites for Elites the better and the sooner they can change thier voting habits and elect true leaders of the people.
ALL THE PEOPLE
Good luck with those aspirations .
My dear it who you is and who you for. My daughter graduated in 2023, and she went on an interview right after graduation. You know what they ask my child during the interview? Who are your parents? Do you have a photo of them? She said no she does not have a photo of them. If course she will not show them that!!
Not condoning crime, but when you only helping certain ppl, don’t you think it makes these folks looking for work depressed?
I born here, but sorry to say I hate it here!! I hope this problem gets addressed as soon as possible!! Sickening.
By the way I ain’t voting!!! Ah ain’t joking!!
I want to believe you because that is a question that can and has been asked in different scenarios, but a JOB interview?! Nah.you could sue them for that. I honestly find this scenario a bit out there…
Yes it actually happened. No lies here..
I feel your pain. I once applied for an advertised position with a statutory body and received no opportunity for an interview either. However, I met the HR Manager and inquired about my application. I was told “we can’t pay you”. This comment was made without any conversation. Indeed, I never heard from that organization.
Do not be discouraged. Your application will be viewed without prejudice soon.
This is a pain when applying for promotion in education. Apparently it starts and ends with the CEO. She does the shortlisting. They choose a few people then she picks her friends and associates. It does not matter if you have more experience or qualifications. Another thing is if you are selected then something happens and the CEO I selects you. It’s crazy in the ministry and the Deputy Governor knows the nonsense that’s happening but does nothing. Some people don’t stand a chance of promotion with the vindictive petty CEO being there but God and time. Post this
You don’t stand a chance with that PS D, especially if you are not on her side. The vindictiveness is real. She hired her niece with no qualifications and put her everywhere, like many others in their flock. The DG is a waste of time screwps. I don’t know how he got to be DG with no qualifications, himself walking around like he’s so educated.
The public servants going through hell under her leadership. She the PS and still acting director. Having a say in every rotation, transfer and hiring.
I wish that I could give your post 1000 likes. The CEO is vindictive and heavily engrossed in cronyism. She likes seeing herself as a force to be reckoned with and enjoys bullying the persons that dare to challenge her or her cronies. Education is a trap and more so, a hell hole.
I am Not Surprised of These Comments and there are quite a lot More. I Have said it Many Times before, As Long as this VIP Administration is in Power, BVI will have More Woes Than Success. All Past Governments had Their Good and Bad But, Within the Last 7 Years, BVI Has Never Been This Low. But, I Blame You, The People for allowing what is Happening to Continue to Happen. Your Children and Other Family Members will Continue to Suffer In Their Homeland once You are Not Related to Them Or Not Their Friends. I want The People to Check The Names of ALL The Members of This Administration. One By One. I Wish to Say Except Hon. Fraser and Hon. Mather. Go Down The List and You Can Name The Others One by One and Agree, They Don’t mean well for All the People of This territory and Your Sons and Daughters will Suffer under Their Hands. I would Not Say The Hon. Premier is a Bad Person, But He is surrounded by a Wicked Force. By God’s Grace, This territory MUST Be Free of Wickedness or The Innocent WILL Suffer along With The Guilty unless There is A Change. There is More Evil Said than Good and The Masses will Suffer Unless there is Some Intervention By God. BVI Take pattern From other Countries. We are No Different. God Will Judge Us By Our Wicked Deeds and Actions. Remember, The Earth Is The Lord and The Fullness Thereof. The Earth Belongs To The Lord and Not The other way around. God is seeing All The Wickedness and The End is about to Come. Meanwhile The Church Has Lost Its Focus. People of BVI Repent and Take back What The Devil Has Stolen From Us.
I find the timing of your submission mighty suspect (oscillating eyeroll) stuuuupz
No surprises here. Anyone with any common sense can see what has been happening to education for years. It is essentially a friends club run by the minister and the CEO. You fall in line or get marginalized. The woman is the biggest micromanager in government. Only voters at an election can fix that mess.
To the writer! Making effort in your job search to be generally rejected (basically automated with how many people raising conscerns) can be discouraging, do not be discouraged. So many deranged and questionable persons fill vacancy’s QUICK just from an inside pull. THEY AREN’T EVEN UP TO PROFESSIONAL STANDARD.
COI will take its course soon. Nothing is going unnoticed. Continue being vocal whether publicly or anonymously, a change will come.
For the amount of public officer retiring every so often I can’t see why you can’t get employment as a bvi Islander as the man from Antigua said you have to fight for your food this born here thing ain’t working anymore and a next thing again what do public officers thing about this 60 learning hours is it a good thing or a bad thing I think they finding ways to frostrate you to leave or retire
Instead of thinking how to grow the economy labour workforce thinking of how to keep down section of the working class population in the BVI
This is very poor mentality
Well the Head of the Labour workforce has made the website private . When jobs from all sectors of the private industry were posted publicly they have now set up a private website so JOBS
Posted openly they control and let in who they want
That is why the country is going backwards and not forwards. Too many badminded people in control
It is only a matter of time they will be begging people to come back home including other national to supply work force .
SHAME on the head of the woman who did that
Nothing do not hide!!
Yet they want so called virgin forget all about us islanders to come back here to this nonsense. Try apply to the private sector the government has a track record of leaving people behind especially some of them who if they pay you a dollar they feel you going be better than them. There are people in the government wanting to see you on your face and the country to it knees begging them. I have two word for them. Fk off!
It is happening on the inside too. If you’re not on their side, they’re blocking your transfers and rotations. Officers are begging for transfers and rotations to grow and contribute their skills in other departments, their actual field of study and because you’re not up under their @$$, they’re blocking it. And these people in church every Sunday and God always on their tongues.
They even goin as far as not making you permanent and keeping you temporary for years…
Imagine rotation is there as an option for officers and PS D telling them they cant rotate. How is that when you are being stagnated,demoralized based on favoritism. How ,how where is the justice. Governor pls step in and others will be paying you a visit.
Will still blame the white colonists slave masters, or them people we label island people
Additionally, the Statutory Boards do not advertise via the platform. This promotes nepotism, favouritism and corruption.
Why anyone would want to work for the BVI Goverment is beyond me. Nothing but horror stories. Have you ever met a government employee that is happy with their role, colleagues, pay, environment, etc.? That is a toxic institution.
Go on the Labour Management System and apply. At least the employer will have to consider you once you meet the requirements otherwise they can’t get their work permit candidate. I will give points to Labour as they are being very responsible in that regard.
And sometimes it does not matter how educated, experienced, trained or exposed you are, BVIslander or not, they will not hire you because you probably know too dam much and will be a threat to their corrupt asses
Oh that going on? Is that deep?