Fahie brings in Labour reps to assess job situation

While noting other post-hurricane recovery efforts that are underway in his constituency, representative of the First Electoral District Andrew Fahie said he is involved in an assessment to determine the number of his constituents who are without jobs following Hurricane Irma, which wrecked a number of employment sources last month.

“The hurricane has impacted employment significantly in the territory,”  said Fahie, who also is Leader of the Opposition.

He said he has invited the Labour Department to participate in a series of community meeting he has been hosting in his district to – among other things – register persons who are seeking jobs.

“By request of the first district representative, a representative from the department of labour was also present [at the meetings] to register all residents who are currently unemployed and are seeking employment. This information will allow residents to be greatly assisted by the Labour Department in finding employment,” Fahie further told BVI News Online.

He declined to state how many unemployed persons registered so far at his community meetings, adding that a number should be available by tomorrow, October 20.

Fahie’s community meetings so far have been held at West End Park and Carrot Bay, and the other will take place today at Little Apple Bay.

“This weekend, we met with the West End community for 3pm – where food supplies were distributed, updates were given by the representative, [and] concerns by residents were expressed and addressed. The BVI Red Cross illustrated the right way to install tarpaulins while registering all who needed. [It also was] distributing tarpaulins. At 4:30pm, the community of Carrot Bay benefited from the same mentioned contents of the prior meeting held in West End.”

Fahie stated that, at 4pm today (October 9), the Little Apple Bay community will benefit from a public meeting similar to the previous two.

Fahie stated that, since the passage of Hurricane Irma on September 7, three public meetings are held weekly in the First Electoral District to inform residents about current events, to distribute food supplies – when available, and to address residents’ concerns.

“These meetings became necessary seeing that, in the wake of Irma, the entire First District had no communication nor access to the rest of Tortola and beyond, given that for the first few days after Irma the roads were impassable and other than ‘word of mouth’ communications were non-existent. The district was in a survival mode, and our unity was – and remains – our strength…,” added Fahie.