Immigration Minister Fred Mitchell yesterday warned several major businesses including Emera and Baha Mar to "get with the program", adding that there will be "no exceptions" to the immigration policy.
"I say again it shocks me sometimes how unsympathetic so many of our business people, both domestic and foreign, are to this stark reality that their profits in this country will only continue to come if there is social peace," said Mitchell as he contributed to debate on the budget in the House of Assembly.
"They therefore have a stake in making sure that The Bahamas and the Bahamian people have work, otherwise their investments are doomed. Absolutely doomed.
"I say this to Emera in Freeport, the Grand Bahama Shipyard, Club Fortuna, Quality Services, who just don't seem to get it. And Baha Mar should take stock as well here in Nassau.
"You have to have a stake in making sure there is social peace in the country. You can't have people looking outside the fence seeing people who are doing these jobs that they could do."
Mitchell urged all businesses in the country to put Bahamians first. He said the Department of Immigration is prepared to enforce its policy.
"The immigration policy is going to force this issue if the business sector is not going to get with the program," he said.
"So I'm asking them to get with the program. And what's also important to us is for parliamentary colleagues not to go wobbly on immigration because the usual suspects are out there making noise about the policy.
"It's the right policy. Let them bray if they would, but also let them conform. It's important that we speak with one voice in this Parliament with one message. There are no exemptions."
He said in too many cases Bahamians are being laid off while foreigners continue to be employed.
However, Mitchell did acknowledge that many Bahamians require training.
He noted that the government is putting resources in training so that the Department of Immigration does not have to issue so many work permits.
"That is what this budget is doing," he said. "It is investing in young people, seeking to improve those dreadful [statistics] that say 30 percent of the people under 25 are out of jobs.
"This is unsustainable."

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