Contractors treating workers like slaves — Davies
Some local commentators are suggesting that mistreatment of workers has seriously impacted the level of employment within the local workforce, particularly in relation to youth employment.
Co-host on the Hot Seat radio show, Julian Gordon, said he felt young persons need to be given an opportunity to gain skilled development so they can have a genuine livelihood and not have to rely on criminal activities, especially gun crimes, in order to sustain themselves.
But local attorney Daniel Davies, argued that he did not feel that young persons were being employed in significant numbers and suggested that this was just part of the unemployment picture in the territory.
“I don’t necessarily think there’s a lack of skill, you know? I think the persons of my generation have a lot of skill to offer,” Davies argued.
Gordon suggested that some employers apply for work permits using the excuse that they can’t find locals to fill certain positions and he then rhetorically questioned which person or entity was approving such permits.
Davies then offered the example of general contractors who he felt tended to abuse their employees, hinting that this may be the reason young persons are not taking advantage of some job opportunities.
“In construction, a number of these general contractors treat their workers, or like to be able to treat their workers as if they were slaves really and truly,” Davies said. “[They] have them working all hours, not paying them overtime, not paying them on time, and having them work all kinds of days and holidays and so on and so forth.”
“Nobody will want to suffer that kind of abuse,” he added.
“When they try it on the locals, the locals tell them, ‘No, no, no. That ain’t going work with me’,” co-host Walwyn Brewley argued. He added that this generally resulted in locals being sent home from those job sites.
“They [then] get fellows from all over – as far as the Philippines or wherever – [and] they do it to them,” Brewley added.
He said when expatriate workers protest their working conditions and don’t ‘toe the line’, they are threatened with a withdrawal of their work permits and a trip back to their home countries.
Gordon questioned whether enforcement measures were actually in place concerning employment that was being brought into the territory but Davies argued that the Labour Department does not have the available resources to do inspections of some work sites.
He added that while some young persons may want to complain about their treatment on job sites, they may hold back from doing so since they also need a reference from employers and this is often held over their head as some kind of threat.
“There’s a lot of factors not just that the young ones aren’t skilled, they are skilled and it’s not that they don’t want to work it’s just that the working conditions that are presented are really not fit for modern day practices at all,” Davies argued.
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Mr Davies set up his own firm because no other law firm in the Territory would employ him. Good for him I say – that shows the sort of entrepreneurial spirit that is good for a country. Unfortunately his politics have not matured and he is still stuck in student type moaning with an unfortunate socialist tendency.
Regular reades of BVIs online media surely recall various articles about employers withholding employee NHI contributions and not forwarding to NHI only for a hapless employee to be denied care because he was not paid up. I’d say that’s abusive.
This line of abuse has been happening for many years and I am glad someone is addressing it. My concern is, will this be just another issue talked about, or will there laws and positive actions will take place?
“I don’t trust anyone who’s nice to me but rude to the waiter. Because they would treat me the same way if I were in that position.” – Muhammad Ali
Interesting, tell me are these contractors expats. Are expats treating the locals this way. These are topic that needs to be discuss. Topic that affecting certain industries in the land. If the other host can’t find topics of merit then sit to hell down or take a flight back to Jamaica. Interesting that the funeral home grey headed expat hating mongrel have not returned to the airways recently. God for the host let her sit her a$$ at home.
This dude needs to join a party to get more votes so that he could have a say in our legislature.
It’s true
Geesh, yall love to throw that slave word around LOL
Davies has the right frame of mind regarding politicsvin the Bvis. Living on a sister island I hadn’t known Davidies before his campaign run;run, which means by staying engaged and making his voice and ideas known, brighter days are ahead of him. He offered himself for political office in the recent elections; he gave it a good shot; perhaps he gave all but didn’t land the big fish. But youth and time is on his side. But here he is, still engaged and keeping his presence in the spotlight. Now this is quite different from other would be politicians, as they seem to wander off in the distance after the elections remaining unengaged uninvolved to the point that voters forget about their run, or the important ideas they. I say Congratatioms to young Davies for his contribution to the political process in the Bvi and his continuing engagement to the political process and his effort to make the Bvi a better better place and being a source of inspiration for other youthful aspiring politicians. It is sometimes voiced that “the youth is our future”… and it truly is.
There are two stories here, first is that migrant workers are subject to abuse and exploitation by employers and are not empowered to resist as their lives and livelihoods are controlled by the holder of their work permit. This is effectively indentured servitude.
The second is, that because of the abuse by employers, BVIslanders lose out on those employment “opportunities” because they will not tolerate the abuse.
Employers need to be held to account: NHI and social security payments needs to be made or trade licenses need to be removed. The Labor and Immigration Department needs to be conducting on site inspections to ensure the wellbeing of our labor pool.
There are some truth to the discussion. Most of those contractors are the BVI natives, they have workers in their employment 20,and 30 years, some two that I know of
All I can say from the story itself and the comments, most people have no clue about owning or running any type of business. The employment situation is not that cut and dry, it’s not as simple as ‘hire a local’. Mr. Davies has a Law Firm currently, would he hire any Lawyer, Paralegal, Secretary just because they’re local? NO, he will hire the most qualified and best fit for his firm and if that is a local then great, it’s a plus. Do these people understand how much it costs an employer to recruit overseas? Most employers would rather hire local as it’s much easier and cheaper IFFFFF they can find the right people.
Further in the field of construction, does Davies even understand the dynamics? Here is a scenario, I hire a young local to work at my construction firm. I invest heavily in this person with training etc. 3 years later this persons knows the ins and outs of my entire business, all my clients etc. Because this person is a local, they go down to Trade Dept, apply for their contractor license and then poach my clients, walk away with my intellectual property and because they’re a ‘local’, there is no recourse. Then you also have the issue of locals just walking off a job again, because you have no recourse as they are ‘local’. There are A LOT of VERY GOOD local workers but guess what? THEY ARE ALL EMPLOYED!!!! A business exists to make a return on investment, i.e. PROFIT, not welfare!
Do people know how slaves were treated? WTF??
There are some truth to the discussion. Some local BVI contractors have workers in their employment 15,20,30,36 years working. These are big contractors in Virgin Gorda, Peter Island and on Tortola. They collect the money, buy new equipment, traveled with family for vacation,but refused to honor their worker.
Some contractors pay their employees whenever they feel like, if their schedule is 15 and 30th of the month two and three weeks later is when they are paid,
some turn 65 and nothing at social security for them, they have never paid their taxes. Some three years taxes are not paid, some five years.
They are with holding any correspondence that will allow the expat worker to gain Belonger status.
One guy worked 36 years with the same company,only to be told that he cannot get his servance pay because the company went bankrupt the day before he ask about his servance, the guy quit the next day, and walk away with nothing.
When a BVI contractors employed with their own people they cannot treat them they same way ,so they do not employ them. This bring the refinement of their skills to a halt, as they seek other ways of employment. One guy now is driving a concrete truck and he forgetting his passion of carpentry.if this is how the local treat the locals , just imagine what the others are getting.
Most expat Phillipanos are getting paid the minimum, in construction,some who holds their degrees and experience 15$ per hour. The Labour is cheap and so the attract to take the job gives the boss more money in his pocket, the worked three, four years and leave. So, there is no servance to be paid.
The labour department needs to change their policy to include a time span for all workers to be paid the servance, this is money which are accumulated over a period of time that should not be used by the company.
Keep confidential the things discuss at their office and stop calling the employees boss to tell them so, and so is here making complain. Visit these sites to see the condition of the environment.
Working out for him?
Compares another day to day issue to slavery.
In other news…maybe a little more time researching history.
Jane, you are so correct. I have a friend who recently returned home, and the things he mentioned having to deal with on the construction site, I was shocked. I asked him why they never complain, and he asked “to who”? I then got the picture. He probably feared having to leave the BVI sooner, and I do understand why employers here would rather go to Asia to hire people whose horse and saddle they do not know.
Wow, Wow and Wow. Jokes, your last paragraph is very interesting! The expats do the same thing by having a local front for them.
Davies is an ideologue who has no idea about business and operations thereof. Complaining is a big sport in the BVI until the shoe is on the other foot. Carry on!
So are we going to pretend that workers are not a f**k to the employers as well? If we are going to talk, let’s talk ALL! There are workers to exploit their employer and then when they can no longer get their way they seek to destroy them. There are many businesses here barely holding on because of nasty employees but you would never hear those stories. People that take staff loans and leave the company high and dry, guys doing side-jobs for the same clients as the company they work for, undercutting the ability to conduct business and make a profit. I can go on and on. For every bad employer there are 3 bad employees and I’m not asking you, I’m telling you. I am not condoning wrong doing by any party as wrong is wrong but let us not demonize businesses because it’s easy to do.
Over the years the Territory of the Virgin Islands has found itself in a Rut of Corruption, Drug Trade, Nepotism, Cronyism, Greed and the like. Therefore, young Attorney Davies who is Intelligent, Honest and quite the opposite of the aforementioned will NEVER fit into such Environment of Politics in these Virgin Islands.This Territory right now is on a different level in Politics than it was years ago. Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles would agree. The BVI is in a Class All by itself… Only Time will tell.
I like Daniel; however, he lacks maturity. Workers need to be held accountable. Again, I suggest we have them all work on commission. If you don’t accomplish anything, you don’t get paid. No one wants to do any work, but they take many long water and bathroom breaks and expect the employer to pay them for that time. Then they stay out sick after or before a holiday or the weekend and expect to be paid. What more do you expect from businesses?
This will continue until other countries start, (and it has already begun) offering better pay and treatment. Then those slave drivers will have a problem on their hands.
Not only is it abuse, I’m trying to figure out why it’s not considered a crime. Deducting Social Security and NHI from your employee’s salary and not paying it into the system is tax fraud.
Not Just contractors, but I am glad you have the heart, the courage to speak out…Don’t give up the fight for the people.
BUT THAT HSA BEEN THE NORN FOR AGES , OUTSIDERS HAS BEEN EMPHASIZED ON IN MANY WAYS ,/ THE ( MONEY GRAM FIASCO ) IS ONE EXAMPLE , THE EMPLOYEES WERE DOUBLE TAXED WHILE THE EMPLOYERS WHO ARE EXPLOITING THEIR GOVERNMENT AND THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE UNTOUCHED , AND THAT AINT NO HIDDEN SECRET ? THERE IS AN OLD SAYING ” ADVANTAGE WILL NEVER DONE ” ? / THE VG PRINCE IS AN
EVIL MAN JUST LIKE ALL THOSE WHO CLOSED THEIR EYES AND AGREED TO THAT DIRTY WICKEDNESS THAT WAS DONE TO INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO WORKED HONESTLY FOR THEIR MONEY TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM LIKE THAT, ( SHAMEFUL ) BUT THE LORD WILL DEAL WITH THEM .
There is a crisis of leadership EVERYWHERE! Look at the USA, England, Russia, Brazil, Sudan and I could go on. Across the globe people continue to vote against their own interest. People are fooled by easy solutions and the reinforcement of their prejudices. The BVI is no worse than any other country, we can just speak freely and complain without offering or participating in viable solutions.
Expats has several incomes that are not taxed, I’m quite sure a great deal of monies that these same expats sent out via moneygram etc are not taxed. Many expats are purchasing weedeaters from Drakes etc. and doing gardening services throughout Tortola without a Trade License. (MANY JUST REACH ON ISLAND)Came to the BVI as a CONSTRUCTION WORKER AND WORKING ELSEWHERE. THIS NEEDS TO STOP!AS A LOCAL HAVING A LICENSE FOR GARDENING SERVICES A FEW EXPATS WAS TRYING TO TAKE AWAY MY CLIENTS. THE 7% BY MONEYGRAM AND WESTERN UNION ARE OKAY.LIKE I SAID EARLIER MANY OF THE MONIES GOING THROUGH THESE REMITTALS ARE UNTAXED.As a Local I do use these remittals for sending monies to my daughter whoses overseas as well.
Many expats are ungrateful they are allowed to stay in the BVI for all these years, and stated that the BVI did nothing for them. After they build their house back home, they still would not go live in their houses. smh
BVI IS NO EXCEPTION WITHIN THE CARIBBEAN AND ABROAD IN KEEPING PERSONS EMPLOYED. ITS A BREAD BASKET!
Trade Union
Davies is actually a character of King David. Rudy, fair and good looking in Yah sight and highly favored and truthful. It is not the big muscular intelligent and handsome men that Yah looks for, but the outcast and humble. That is why your wicked colleagues will not work with him. My Heavenly Father will one day anoint him to straighten up the corruption in the BVI in Jesus name.
Our departments are so understaffed that they cannot enforce rules and regulations. What is the point of making laws if you don’t put people in place to enforce them. Almost every government department is understaffed and lack resources needed to properly do their job. This is under the governor. When will he do what is necessary to do what needs to be done. Open up the purse and put money into the Civil Service.