BVI News

‘Being a BVIslander or a Belonger is not enough to get a job’ — Premier warns

Premier Andrew Fahie

BVIslanders and Belongers are being told that their bare Immigration status is not enough to earn them employment in the territory.

Premier Andrew Fahie made that remark on the heels of his announcement that employers are now required to exhaust a territory-wide list of unemployed locals and Belongers before a work permit is issued to an expat.

Speaking in the House of Assembly on Thursday, Fahie said: “[Do] not expect to be hired just because you are a Belonger. Being a BVIslander or a Belonger is not enough.”

“While you are entitled to certain things, you could lose your entitlement if you do not prepare yourself for the future. You also have to bring skills to the job and to make sure that you come to work and add value to the job,” he added.

The Premier is currently spearheading an employment initiative to provide 1,000 jobs to BVIslanders and Belongers in 1,000 days.

He said the aforementioned list of unemployed locals has been drafted with the type of job that each of those jobless persons are capable of doing.

In the meantime, a team will be canvasing the districts to ensure everyone local who wants to work, will find work.

Shares

Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

37 Comments

Disclaimer: BVI News and its affiliated companies are not responsible for the content of comments posted or for anything arising out of use of the comments below or other interaction among the users.

  1. Mmm says:

    When Walwyn made the statement that basically said being born here won’t be enough to protect our jobs in the future, you were one that basically joined with the territory and said he was against locals. Now look at you touting the same thing. How funny….

    Like 79
    Dislike 11
    • CORRECT says:

      He and W*****k twist Walwyn’s statement soooo much and now look here! Serves the Territory right! The VIP takes the general population for fools and this shows again that they are correct. Hatred against ONE man (that they have created) all out of jealously to get POWER.

      Like 9
      Dislike 3
    • @Mmm says:

      Yeah, exactly. Yep, when Myron said it, it was twisted so bad. Now look. Myron is now sitting back getting the last laugh.

      Like 34
      Dislike 2
      • @ mmm says:

        When Myron said what he said, it was explicit and it hurt BVIslanders as employers took full disadvantage.

        This is not what the Premier is saying.

        When Myron said what he said, I as a BVIslander was bullied on the job by expat boss and there wasn’t anyone to turn to. A fili got in on them with what must be fake qualification and could not do the job, or understand the documents. He was paid a handsome salary, almost double mine and was in over his head. To cover up he bad talked me because I would not do his accounting work (though this was not my field or area of study but since I held on until he arrived he thought I was some accounting wizard when I was really doing basic arithmetic) on top of my compliance job in another department in another field. He thought he had a good thing going and had the expat boss wrapped around his finger because he sourced out the boss’ disdain for locals.

        What ended his party was, after I left from the bullying, abuse and bad treatment, the company rehired another expat employee with the same accounting qualification who used to do the same job the fili was doing. The expat employee saw right through him right away. His cover was blown and the fili resigned.

        My bias expat boss wouldn’t listen to me, a local who stayed with them nearly 4 years, while they went through changes of 5 expat accountants in under 4 years. There were only 2 employees in the bvi office and each time an accountant left, I had to hold the fort, filling in for them on top of my work, one employee running the BVI office. So don’t come up here talking about locals are lazy and don’t want to work. Only those who know, know what does be going on in this place.

        Like 11
        Dislike 28
        • @mmm says:

          Wondering, if you KNOW the job, why would an employer with only two employees spent a LOT to pay salary twice as much as you do and process work permit FIVE times which he knew would eat up a chunk of his profit instead of promoting you?hmmmm…

          • Jill says:

            Because they look out for their own unlike BV islanders.

          • lol says:

            where in the world entitles you to get a job, just because you are a local or a belonger. you have to have the right skills and work ethics. how you work will speak for you.

            but generally lazy people don’t actually know that they are lazy. same thing that when you have a body odor, you are not actually aware of it. but the people around you suffer.

            Like 1
            Dislike 1
    • @Mmm says:

      It was a similar situation but very different. Myron’s issue was he said that he cant make laws to protect locals which is very far from the truth. You dont have to take my word for it I’ll provide the link. As a part of the ruling government they can basically make any law they chose a reality as long as it does not violate human rights. What Fahie is saying is basic common sense that should not even have to be said.

      https://bvinews.com/i-did-not-say-i-care-more-for-expats-than-locals/

      Like 21
      Dislike 9
    • Styler says:

      You all heard what you want to hear Myron said and I quote”he cannot protect BVI Islanders” it’s not the same you all want to yo have your cake and eat the icing I cannot work

      Like 2
      Dislike 11
      • Tall man says:

        Myron said an I quote ” A time will come when they cannot continue to make laws to protect Bvislanders” end of quote…. and to be quite Frank with you from Andrew and the VIP get in it’s been more about fast tracking expat for citizenship which in a nut shell sum up to be the same exact thing Myron was saying…. I can go on futher he also say stt eating our lunch a next thing he was crucified for by people who don’t travel further than stt and Florida….

        Like 9
        Dislike 2
  2. strupes says:

    FLIP-FLOPPER

    Like 27
    Dislike 5
    • Yes says:

      He is a flip flopper because he is weak, bending to every breeze that blows. He cannot standup firm. Fahie thinks he has to please expats. What a silly fellow.

      Like 1
      Dislike 1
  3. Child of God says:

    Keep taking target practice on expats God don’t sleep we are all Gods Children’s.

    Like 20
    Dislike 11
  4. At last a politician says something sensible says:

    We need to drop our sense of entitlement and understand that nobody will employ us if we don’t have the necessary skills and/or attitude to do the job. Sure, we can expect training once we have secured employment, but simply relying on our immigration status is not enough to get a job.

    Like 43
    Dislike 4
  5. More Like says:

    FLIP TO THE FLA FLOP.

    Like 11
    Dislike 3
  6. Bvislander says:

    Leave him alone, I hope when election comes again, he will say all BVIslanders and Belongers are vital for him to win the election for him . He will change his words. He got power now so he can say what he feels like. Myron said that the last where is he today. He is gone with the wind. People don’t forget these things when they are spoken in the atmosphere. Let he go on!!!

    Like 14
    Dislike 8
  7. Concerned says:

    Make up your mind. Last week it was exhaust all to get a bvislander for the job……..now it does not matter! Doesn’t make sense.

    Like 15
    Dislike 7
  8. Well says:

    Soon one is going to have a Degree to wash pots and pans.

    Like 5
    Dislike 3
  9. Bolly says:

    He changed his mind after the real owners of the territory spoke to him.

    Like 8
    Dislike 7
  10. Resident says:

    The Flip Flop Politician is at it again. First it was residency status for expats and now it is jobs for belongers…..flip flop, flip flop……….

    Like 3
    Dislike 13
  11. Resident says:

    It is an honorable thing that this Government is attempting to do but the whole thing could backfire on the Government. I have worked alongside mature Belongers who were quite good at their jobs and took pride in their work, however the Government must work to deter the growing sense of entitlement among the up and coming and insure and instill punctuality and work ethic…..

    Like 22
    Dislike 1
  12. Wow says:

    And then you sing, one world ?, let’s get together.
    Bulls**t the world is sick, I think we should all have the same possibilities, we all born on the same planet. No one should be able to decide you can work here ,but not you. This is BIG Bulls**t

    Like 4
    Dislike 4
  13. see says:

    All he is saying is that being a belonger might get you in the door but once in the door you need to be responsible and do the job and arrive on time and not be on your phone etc . Stop crying the blues and looking for job handouts . NO ONE IS ENTITLED TO WORK WITHOUT EARNING IT . lets start growing up and getting a WORK ETHIC for the betterment of our territory and its people . Please .

    Like 23
  14. Thoughtful sailor says:

    I think he is saying that even a BVIslander or Belonger has to be qualified which makes total sense. The deeper question is who determines what “qualified” means. In theory, that should be up to the employer, but obviously immigration status must come into play. Where the line is drawn is the exceedingly tricky part.

    I have a lot of time and perhaps a
    half million dollars invested in my business. There are plenty of BVIslanders who could have done the same thing. Do you think that I, or anyone else who had made the same investment, would or should want to hire someone who is not well qualified, whatever their status is?

    Like 15
  15. Blah says:

    Literacy and Comprehension seem to be a big problem with a few of the people that read BVINews. No where in the entire article did it mention that the Premier changed his mind regarding exhausting the list of unemployed locals. Some people are so dense they really thought the Premier was forcing employers to hire unskilled or uneducated people just because they are local. The irony is the Premier is saying exactly what everybody was saying in the previous article.

    Like 13
  16. Forward ever Backward never says:

    Full speed on the move going backwards with Andrew Fahie as our leader. What Andrew is explicitly saying is that he is not going to put us first.

    Like 2
    Dislike 7
  17. Hmm says:

    One local supermarket has resorted to majority expats to pack shelves!! I’m not in the for or against argument, but if you are telling me we are approving work permits to pack shelves in supermakets (for example) and we can’t find a qualified local person… SOMETHING IS VERY WRONG WITH THAT PICTURE!

    Like 3
    Dislike 3
    • Online Now says:

      You have to find a qualified local person who both wants the job and will turn up to work every day

    • @Hmm says:

      How many locals you know want that job, and I mean want it permanently? Some will take it as a ‘now for now’ job and then they’re gone, then what? Businesses need continuum and that’s the biggest part of the misunderstanding. As a local you can just walk off the job leaving businesses in limbo and it’s not right. Most of the people talking s**t have no idea about business and how to run a business.

  18. Comelordjesus says:

    Time to go home.signs and wonders leave out the miracles.

  19. Road Town Rebel says:

    Even being born in the Virgin Islands don’t make you a Belonger. Who suffeking now? You all need to stop and wake up and live.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1
  20. a hole says:

    all of them is the same. bulls**t

  21. a hole says:

    he just start..all they want is power..bunch of liars

  22. Phoenix says:

    Do people intentionally misunderstand the Hon Fahie? He said nothing about not attempting to fulfill his employment goals.

    The Premier clearly states over and over that Virgin Islanders should have work entitlements; he has clearly stated over and over that we should be the first employed for any job for which we are qualified. I personally believe we should add to that jobs for which we may not be qualified but for which the time, potential and desire to be trained exists.

    But here is the problem:
    Many of us would be shocked by the number of young people who accept jobs then walk into work the first day, refusing to do tasks in their job descriptions or telling the employer “I can’t make the hours-these are the hours I can make.” or taking a two and a half hour lunch (again, on the first day) because “I had things to do.”….and then there is the most prevalent; phone gaming and shushing the boss, “I need to finish this level”.

    Many of our kids haven’t been prepared to enter the work force- they simply don’t understand the economic contract. It is up to us- the community; parents, grandparents, friends and churches, to support the Premier in his goals by talking to our kids, finding out what they understand a job to be and helping those that don’t understand.

    Like 1
    Dislike 1

Leave a Reply

Shares