About 1,100 job seekers registered with the Department of Labour’s employment data base at the third “Labour on the Blocks” Job Fair which was held this past Saturday on the Golden Gates Assembly Park, Carmichael Road.

The following 14 companies and institutes conducted pre-screening and interviewed the jobseekers:

ARM - Air Conditioning, Refrigeration and Mechanical 
Atlantis, Paradise Island
Bahamian Delight Restaurant
Breezes Resorts & Spa
BTVI – Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute
Checkers Cafe
Diamonds International 
Enviroscape
Fidelity Bank
Fusion/IMAX
NTA -National Training Agency
Super Value
Warwick Hotel
Wemco Ltd.

The event was a resounding success, one week after an equally successful Grand Bahama Job Fair. Tameka Forbes, Vice President of Human Resources and Eric Hall, Public Relations Manager at Atlantis, were in attendance along with 8 interviewers. They indicated that Atlantis screened 332 jobseekers at Saturday’s Job Fair, of whom 77 will be called for a second interview. Bahamian Delight Restaurant owner, Mr. Lionel Rolle, was able to find 12 potential new employees on-site.

Atavus Group Limited owners of Fusion/IMAX also participated in the Job Fair. Selina Archer, Chief Marketing Officer and Trevare Sherman, Chief Human Resources Officer were both pleased with the job seekers their team interviewed.

Diamonds International’s Human Resource Director, Chynella Cunningham, stated that she had already identified 10 job seekers who they would engage.

All of the companies which participated indicated that they will employ some of the persons they interviewed.

To date some 800 persons have been employed as a result of the “Labour on the Blocks” events and the Construction Job Fair which was held at the Kendal G. L. Isaacs Gymnasium several weeks ago.

On hand to personally welcome and greet the job seekers was the Minister of Labour, Senator the Hon. Dion Foulkes.

Also in attendance was the Member of Parliament for Golden Gates, the Hon. Michael Foulkes.

Also leading the charge with Labour teams were Ms. Cecilia Strachan, Permanent Secretary (Acting) in the Ministry of Labour; Mr. A. Robert Farquharson, Director of Labour and Mrs. Patrenda Russell-Brice, Deputy Director of the Department of Labour.

The Southwestern Job Fair marked the fourth “Labour on The Blocks” Job Fair to be held.

Two Job Fairs were held earlier this year in New Providence and one in Grand Bahama.

A special thank you was extended by the Director of Labour to all of the jobseekers and organizations that attended, the staff of the Ministry and Department of Labour, Bishop Ros Davis of Golden Gates World Outreach Ministries and The Royal Bahamas Police Force who all played a role in the success of the “Labour on the Blocks” Job Fair.  

Minister Foulkes, announced that the next “Labour on the Blocks” Job Fair is scheduled for Windsor Park at East Street and Wulff Road, on Saturday, 24th March, from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. This event will target jobseekers from the constituencies of Centreville, St. Barnabas, Englerston, Marathon and Freetown.

The Department of Labour encourages all jobseekers in The Bahamas or abroad, and employers with vacancies to continue to register in the Department’s recruitment database: www.jobseekers.bahamas.gov.bs

Persons attending the “Labour on the Blocks” Job Fairs are asked to bring along their NIB Card, and a valid Government-issued ID such as a passport or voters card. Registering in the database in advance is also highly recommended.

For more details on the “Labour on the Blocks” initiative, please contact the Public Employment Services Unit at The Department of Labour. 302-2550/2562

About The Bahamas Department of Labour
The Bahamas’ Department of Labour is a division of the Ministry of Labour & National Insurance and has responsibility for fostering good Industrial Relations between Employees and Employers while promoting a high level of employment, productivity, human rights and the Decent Work Agenda in accordance with international standards, for all citizens and residents of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. Units within the Department include Industrial Relations and Conciliations, Employment Exchange and Public Employment Services, Occupational Health and Safety and Inspections. The Bahamas Department of Labour, located on Rosetta Street, facilitates Employment Assistance Services, Employee Placement Services, Formation and Registration of Trade Unions, Trade Dispute Reports, Registration for Employment, Consumer Protection and Complaints and Occupational Health and Safety.