Fraser bemoans BVI labour exploitation
Third District Representative Julian Fraser recently raised the issue of exploitation in the BVI and concluded that it would always exist in the labour market.
He urged lawmakers to represent their constituents fully and bring their labour concerns to the Labour Minister.
Fraser expressed that some forms of exploitation could not be remedied formally through documents or the labour code.
“The voice of the Minister for Labour is a powerful voice. No matter who the minister is, it’s a powerful voice,” Fraser said. “And it can fix a lot of things that you can’t fix on paper.”
Fraser, who was once a Labour Minister himself shared: “Sometimes you gotta call someone to your office, and tell them to stop it. Sometimes you gotta go by the place, and observe for yourself.”
Fraser’s comments come amid claims from one employee who said their employer had not paid their Social Security deductions for seven years and complained that officials had done nothing about the issue.
“When I called Social Security, the lady apologised and said there is nothing she can do about it. HELP!” the person wrote on Facebook.
Some persons argued that the Social Security Board pays lip service to complaints and only advises employees that it is their responsibility to ensure that deductions are remitted.
Other persons suggested that the employee approach the Board to seek redress through a formal complaints procedure, where the Board would investigate and work to resolve the issue.
According to the BVI Labour Code, employers must pay social security contributions on behalf of their employees. Failure to make these remittances is considered a violation of the Labour Code.
If an employer does not comply, the employee has the right to report this non-compliance to the Social Security Board, which can then take action against the employer, including penalties or legal action to recover the unpaid contributions.
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Frazer it’s time to turn over to Willock or Aaron
They are not ready for primetime.
We saw how this worked when the rule was that to get a license or permit, an employer had to demonstrate that they were uptodate with their payments of payroll tax, NHI and social security. So few local companies could do this the policy had to be abandoned.
It’s another example of the endemic corruption in the two tier BVI society.
It has NOT been abandoned. I work for a company that has to get Certificates of Good Standing BEFORE signing a contract with Government. Maybe it depends on who the business owner is, and I would not doubt that. The thing is it’s ridiculous to say it is the responsibility of the employee to make sure the employer is making the payments. Social Security, NHI, Inland Revenue all know who the employers are. If they are not making payments it’s their responsibility to contact the employer and make them take responsibility and obey the law. Of course who you are plays a part in whether that is done or not. In at least one case that was publicized the employer was given a Certificate of Good Standing and after that it was discovered he had not been making payments. Long ago you could it was bad mindedness. These days I’d say that no one is pursued because no one knows who has the guns.
Fraser is the man!
Mr. Fraser is right employer should be penalized for not paying, some action must be taken
Every nancy story that’s told, people quick to believe. The truth is if an employer pays an employee 100% of their wage with zero deductions then they need to look into their contributions. Yes, the employer also needs to pay their part as well. If the employer is deducting monies and not paying it in that is THEFT. Why all the noise? There are laws in place, ENFORCE THEM! You guys are too easily fooled by politicians prancing up and down talking f**kry. There are laws and mechanisms in place to deal with these situations, we don’t need Fraser or any Labour Minister to do it.
But laws, even if in place, are rarely enforced if the “guilty” person has connections. That’s why the requirement for Certificates of Good Standing from employers for NHI, SSB and IR were dropped.
informed there’s nothing we can do! What a joke no enforcement of the legislation against the employer , they have the audacity to claim it’s the employees responsibility who’s already paid to pursue the matter, presumably because the department has just stepped out! . Top five in the world for government services!
Government is FULLY aware that some employers take money from their employees for SS when something happens or you want a good standing..: Only to find nothing was paid in
There is no penalty enforced for this act of theft
Because often times the ones who commit these offenses are family members with businesses of the Government workers who is supposed to execute justice
Then the Pastor says there is no corruption What a people
The worse thing that district 3 could do is elect that egotistical, narcissistic, wig wearing, mouth lying, impulsive, excuse for a human being. Don’t disgrace yourselves by sending this fool to represent you.
Jump high the maybe sad reality is the esteemed will be the next third district representative and you can’t stop it! Haha he he
Indeed, most employment forms of exploitation will never be remedied through legislation. As, the same law creators and legislators are the same ones that own, and are major investors and otherwise major beneficiaries of every major business in the territory.
Further, they possess the ultimate human deficiencies with in them which are 1) heartlessness, 2) cold-bloodedness 3) zero empathy and 4) they are vessels filled to running over with greed, especially this party currently in power.
For example, the major super market chain in the territory has recently given an insulting, can’t feed a dog or take care of one child or bill a measely 13% salary increase. Meanwhile, that percentage was immediately added on to every essential item in the store.
Some employees are literally in tears when off the job and at home after receiving a mere 13 cents on their salary. The exploitation is excruciating. It is equivalent to slavery even if a salary is in evolved.
What kind of human being, with rational and empathetic thinking would pay a 13% salary increase to its employees who are the front lines securing the weekly millions in profits and investors payout? While an employee employed for over nineteen to twenty plus years is still making minimum wage and can neither afford anything.
What kind of rational lawmaker would allow business to do this to its people? What kind of human beings, law “fakers,” owners and share holders would dismiss the economic plight and suffering of the masses in favor of exploitative businesses?
It will be postulated that all the current abuse of people in the interest of economic greed have serious consequences ahead.. There will soon come a time when the human mind will become over saturated with abuse and hardship and will be begging to break and rebel.
That rebellion will see people taking to the streets, burning, destroying, looting, killing and seeking revenge for decades of exploitation and abuse for insufficient payment and exploitation of their labor. There wil be terrorism that will terrify.
The present employee employer relationship must be dropped for one that is fairer and more human, or else the straw will broke… Thirteen (13) cents cannot even buy a candy today!! How oppressive and insulting!!!
Some of dem even want to tax the meager tip
Given to the already unfortunately underpaid workers . Wickedness to its highest degree.
even the labour department doing it. imagine you cannot take in a work permit renewal unless you have an appointment months before.
we know that ,but you are being taken for a ride , / what he os
hollering out , isn’t anything new it’s like telling you how to spell your name , the chickenhawk from VG design an evil plan to DOUBLE TAX our brothers and sisters by using moneygram and he and king Andrew ignored the employers who they knew wasn’t contributing their fair share of TAXES to the same GOVERNMENT that the king was in charge of, instead he was bragging how he got two million off them island people , that Vincent is a wicked fellow ( he watched the p
victims to see how and what they do with their own money that they worked ( honestly ) for ,and emphasize their POWER on them/ Julian was aware , but kept ( QUIET ) now all of a sudden he found the strength to make some noise / just like the so called pastor who is cool and QUIET about all the guns / drugs / cold blooded execution style murders & whatever the government isn’t doing right , now he stepped out his closet and making some noise too , about how HOLY we are , with that tricky smile on face like the city slicker , Mr CsC , who are these jokers trying to fool
Looks like you got
touched by the truth , and your response with your childish (HAHA HEHE ,that’s one of your favorites , hope you learning the Michael Jackson’s moonwalk from CsC 11, so you can sing HE he and do
it live on TV, / that ought tou put you in the spotlight , which you so crave
Nothing new here Fraser. Nothing new. There is abuse of processes checks and balances.
Yet again just another kick in the gut to all the ex pats who are here trying to survive and do the right thing.
Taking payment for taxes or ss and not submitting is theft. What happens when someone is caught stealing..the get charged and held accountable.
Another situation is company’s being taken over/sold and severance pay being ignored. I remember when the JR restaurant was sold some of the employees had been there faithfully for over 20 years and not a dime. That’s 12 x 20 which is 240 days payment due that was brushed under the carpet.
We have a lot of things to fix.
UNION, UNION, UNION, SOLUTION!