Prime Minister Perry Christie said he expects some business owners to say they can no longer operate in The Bahamas because of the government's impending changes to its immigration policy, and added that while the move will give Bahamians more jobs, the changes are not set in stone.
Christie said he has an open door policy for business owners and investors who have questions about the government's work permit policy or a legitimate reason why foreign workers should be hired over Bahamians in key areas.
Earlier this week, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Immigration Fred Mitchell said the government plans to stop granting work permits for maids, housekeepers and laborers within a year. He said that category makes up the bulk of work permit applications at the Department of Immigration. The government is also pledging greater scrutiny of work permits beyond domestic helpers and residential laborers.
Christie stressed that his government would not impose any policies that would derail economic growth and recovery. However, he said his administration is grappling with high unemployment while issuing thousands of work permits for jobs Bahamians can fill, which is the basis for the policy change.
"We know that we must do nothing to cause any kind of reduction, any kind of halt to the progress we are making," he told The Nassau Guardian yesterday. "We know that we are going to act responsibly, and so therefore it is not a question for us of intending to make decisions that are harmful to the economy or will cause the economy to go into a tailspin. That is something we know we will avoid because we must."
Christie welcomed public discourse on the work permit issue but said focus must be put on long term national development and ensuring Bahamians are involved in more aspects of the economy.
"It is good for the concerns to be expressed in the way they are being expressed," he said. "I expect some people to announce that they can no longer do business, but there comes a time in a country when I think a great effort has to be made to stimulate thought and reflection on where we ought to be going.
"We have an obligation that was based on the consultation we had with the Bahamian people who supported us to do our very best to integrate into meaningful positions in our economy as many Bahamians as we possibly can. And we know we must do it collaboratively and not imposing it upon people.
"To those areas where people have protested to me I will make the necessary inquires and if there is something we have to fix, I will fix it."
He added that those who have concerns over the policy should speak to him before making assumptions.
"We are partners and I would expect that if a minister of the government makes a particular point that they regard as harmful, if they are unaware of what he is intending by making the point, then they should speak to the minister or myself with a view of getting full clarification," he said when asked about concerns from the hotel sector.
After Mitchell's announcement, President and Managing Director at Atlantis George Markantonis said officials at the hotel are "very concerned" by the looming change. He said the current foreign staff complement at the hotel is "critical" to Paradise Island's success.
Robert 'Sandy' Sands, senior vice president of administration and external affairs at Baha Mar, called for more clarity on the work permit issue.
Democratic National Alliance (DNA) Leader Branville McCartney called the government's plans "extreme" and lacking in foresight.
Christie said he had a recent meeting with Markantonis, who outlined Atlantis' growth and contributions to the economy. He added that he did not think the impending work permit changes would harm Atlantis' operations.
The prime minister also acknowledged that there are legitimate concerns over delays in work permit processing. He said he promised to look into work permit delays for a particular restaurant franchise and see what resolution he could bring to the matter.

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