BVI youth have growing appetite for ‘quick cash’?
Third District Representative Julian Fraser said he has noticed that many young people in the community are gravitating towards the bush-cutting jobs made available under the government’s RATED programme.
Speaking in the House of Assembly recently, Fraser said the bush-cutting jobs used to offer much more compensation a few years ago. Today, even though persons are paid $100 per day, Fraser said he realizes that many are quick to take those jobs even though there are jobs in the community that offer more benefits and better packages.
“I thought about the RATED programme when I saw young people literally hounding you (Premier) about these jobs, and when you go out on the sites and see them working, [for example], in groups of 10, it dawned on me: what is the attraction to this type of work? Quick pay for easy work? To me, I don’t see it as quick pay for easy work, but they still gravitate towards it. This has to stop,” Fraser pointed out.
He said the Labour Department needs to channel youth on the RATED programme into other jobs that expatriates are invited to do in the Virgin Islands.
“The Labour Department and the RATED programme need to work together to place these people in some of these jobs that people on work permits are coming to do. It’s about 3,000 work permits that we work with each year. Cutting bush and cleaning drains has to be more strenuous and less rewarding than washing dishes or whatever the people on work permits do. And they get more benefits,” Fraser posited.
At the same time, Fraser said he knows Premier Dr Natalio Wheatley is trying his best with the RATED programme. He also pointed out that the programme has promise.
The RATED programme has come under criticism from elected leaders who’ve regarded it as an avenue which only channels youth into bush-cutting jobs. Sixth District Representative Myron Walwyn described the programme as a band-aid, arguing that it was an insufficient mechanism for addressing the territory’s employment challenges.
However, Premier Wheatley has stated that persons should note that there are other aspects of the RATED programme, such as apprenticeship, that have not yet been fully rolled out.
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It’s indicative of the low priority given to education and training in the BVI, that local youth are so drawn to bush cutting; despite the billions of government revenue in the budgets since the 1980s.
It also explains why so many skilled jobs are done by expats.
It’s shame the funds were wasted, as detailed in the CoI and Auditor General’s reports.
Bush cutter seeks job as dishwasher to improve social status. Bush cutting should be confined to work permit holders only
They are doing something honest either way so kudos to the young folks. The other ones wanting fast cash just go cut kilos. Let them cut bush if they want too. Y’all really find issue with anything.
Tell me if government pays its lowest salary at 100 dollars a day? I hate when politicians talk crap that ain’t true
No wonder you never come Premier. Smh. Everything is about expats. Why??? When we working our a**es for next to nothing barely can make rent n buy food who stand up for us. When tax drawing out our money n can never get tax return but our tax money you can’t see where it goes.. When we come n multiply the nation having kids here and still have to wait 10- 18 years before them get them rights n the kids are indecisive of who they are cuz they born in one country but have to get passport from another country cuz they not from here although they born here.. Fight more serious issues n come off expats..
BVIslanders are given the crumbs in their own country
the bvi has a long history of import and export of a certain substance, fraser shouldn’t act brand new
Cutting bush is as important as any other job !!! Yall in govt is who keep approving all these work permits, so what u expect !??!?! The bush grow wild,yall complain, young people cut it, yall still complain. But yes, the street jobs need expats to do them,but then again, bvi don’t bother to invest in trade work to teach the youths, these island people get proper training in their homeland, while our youths here withering away getting stiff arms from their expat bosses on regular jobs. I don’t blame the young people for choosing cutting bush over a down island boss in them tank every minute on the job !!!!
The question really is: How did we get our young people to gravitate towards such low-end jobs while outrightly rejecting great opportunities placed within their beck-and-call? The answer is simple: Our culture, our value system, free-will, absolute freedom, want replacing needs etc. are to be blamed. While we celebrate emancipation at this time of the year, let me remind us that it is dangerous to seek absolute freedom to heal from the generational trauma of slavery. The magistrate, or instance, calls the bluff at the magistrate court while the judge is the henchman or woman at the high court. Societies are bound by the constitution, byelaws, edicts etc., guiding the conduct of its citizens. Same applies to religious organizations. Unfortunately, the weak link in the maintenance of law and order lies within our social lives: the seat of self-governance. In the days of our ancestors, this wasn’t the case. The constitution, religion, culture and the family had very strong bearing on our social or self-government. In our modern days, morals, culture and values are being outsmarted by our legislation and the push for absolute freedom. There is no leadership in the family anymore. Get to our Secondary schools especially the public schools, teachers are helpless most of the time at disciplining the students as necessary. I recall my days in the 60s when we were made to cut grass on the school field for the whole day for coming late. Corporal punishment reigned supreme. At home, we knew what to expect for every infraction. As a matter of fact, the cane or cudgel is conspicuously displayed either in the living room or bedroom. The fear of doctor-do-good (as we called cane at that time) was the beginning of good behavior.
There was no political or moral will to enforce discipline when the present adults were growing up. This explains why the adults of today are reluctant and incapable of enforcing discipline. That is the reason our children are still riding motorbikes without licenses or helmets while the Police appear to be helplessly diplomatic about it. Our ill-informed young people made their independent decisions right from their tender years only to discover that what they wanted is not what they need. What they don’t want is what they can get. Unfortunately, they must pay for whatever they order and eat what they pay for. My brother – Honorable Julian is now advocating for allocation of better job to them instead of the one-off bush cutting. It doesn’t work that way. We must go to the source of this bitter water and pour salt into it. The adults are to blame for the kind of society that created and the environment where these young people were raised. We must reset our minds. Family life must be restored. Discipline must be restored in our homes and schools. The values and culture obtained when the baby boomers were raised must find their way back to our society. Our religious organizations must become a mirror to guide in aligning our public and private life. Lawlessness can’t be lawful no matter the intensions.
SO DO THE POLITICIANS. THEY’RE WORSE, WHAT EXAMPLES ARE THEY SETTING FOR THE YOUTHS?
Frazer is correct; how we constantly letting more and more expats in here approving work permit for people who not even doing work that require any special skill or expertise then putting locals to cut bush. It’s not healthy for us to be outnumbered like this to the point where you cant even call a spade a spade or else you a wicked xenophobe.
This is the problem, you do not PLACE PEOPLE IN JOBS! Saying s**t like this is exactly the issue that we have here. A business has a need for human resources and engage who they feel is best fitted to carry out the necessary functions. You do not just place people in a job just because theyre local. As a local they have first preference AMONG THE MOST SUITABLY QUALIFIED.
It is a value system of the fatherless and broken home unfortunate male youths with relatives,friends and countrymen ,densely populating the prison built upon their arrival from the Caribbean Island chain.Even in school the heads and disciplinarian and teachers are females and updeislun with cultures counter to that of the VI.
There are very few real homes in the VI.
We have come a long way very quickly from where we were not too long ago. The BVI has installed this failed future and there is no turning back.
They are just a bunch of lazy good for nothing. That’s all.
1. Hurricane season is here.
2. Guts are not clear.
3. Another year with out a plan or preparation for the hurricane season.
4.There is lots of work to be done for a Government interested in the Territory rather than just finding projects to give money away to buddies.
Bush cutting is the lowest on the totem pole of requiring thinking skills, it is sad that there are people here lauding young people for gravitating to such work, we have gone backwards as a society, if this is what our young people settle for just to make a dollar, a very sad day.
Nice one!
These parents, parent or guardian has raised some lazy WOTHLESS males in this community. They want to smoke or drink and do the easiest thing they can to support their habits. But the WORST CRIME is these so called females LAY WITH THEM STILL! So they have no incentive to better themselves.
The education system sucks…what do you expect?
and when the work permit holder do it and do a good job at it then get more work that’s means more money for him mehson ayo will still get vex.
Why da roundbout man always lookin daily work? Bush work pay cash ?
Have a lie down. You getting too vexed.
Nobody writes that much and that badly
about such a small subject.
It’s not good for you. Chill. Life really is a lot
more fun than you think.
Society would be better off if you had a different mindset. Businesses have an obligation to invest in training and development to help build up the country and contribute to society for greater good. Sometimes that means hiring unskilled unqualified persons and developing them, even if it means starting out in the mail room.
Madsk-**t you have options
Brilliant!
But I think you’re missing something.
When God gave Adam, Eve and the children of Adam “dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”, inherent was the element of stewardship, of caretaking of the creatures and the planet. Humanity has ignored the element of caretaking and exercised massive, unthinking domination for so long, we are paying the price for our sins this summer and for many years to come.
The same goes for the entitlements granted Virgin islanders in our current laws. Those entitlements exist in order to protect Virgin Islanders and those for whom we will become ancestors from historically entrenched global disenfranchisement of people of color.
Instead of treating our rights as BVIslanders as a privilege and an honor we think of those rights as ways to get ahead and -without thought- have immersed our community in the worst clichés of late-stage capitalism. We manipulate those entitlements to benefit the individual, ignoring the community and the future.
The most damaging thing we have done is destroy our children from the inside out; we have allowed the education system to be severely underfunded for decades with little building maintenance, underpaid teachers, an unreasonable lack of necessary supplies and little investment in curriculum, craft education or healthy learning strategies, all the while telling our children they are special, they are entitled and that they don’t have to do their homework or respect that teacher who aint from here. We all know that those who leave for a better education usually don’t return home to work and live. Our youth have not been prepared to step into the future and it’s our fault.
I’ll also say that the UK has always treated our rather unique entitlements with respect. Until we agree to treat those special rights with the same respect, Independence would be a huge mistake; our new country would need a cash infusion to start off and we would literally be forced to sign a deal with some dominating devil of a country or corporation. Joining the US would be even more foolish; they won’t legally be able to allow the retention of our entitlements and their record of entrenched racism is growing at a steady pace.
Our ‘cookie jar’ mentality serves fewer Virgin Islanders every year. We can best serve our youth and our future by learning how to celebrate, use beneficially and serve our enshrined entitlements.
Your comprehension and reading skills sucks don’t blame the system. So go wash some cars and roll up a spliff go siddung.
It’s an easy earner.lick down a little bush..bun weed and leave early.
Mad fo true.
Dastardly and unbelievably blind deaf and dumb and misguided to think that the VI should appreciate you and your kind to copulate and produce your infidel fatherless criminal intensjve spawns to increase the population in the VI.
You have to be mad and beyond stupid and deranged in your hollowed out skull.