The Bahamas will come to a place where its developments may outpace its ability to provide labor, as it simultaneously grapples with the problem of illegal labor on construction sites, Bahamian Contractors Association President Leonard Sands said yesterday.

Sands, who has in recent weeks made headlines for suggesting that if foreign labor is taken out of the construction labor pool the sector would collapse, yesterday doubled down on those sentiments while on Guardian Radio 96.9 FM.

Last week, Minister of Labour and Immigration Keith Bell said the government might look at simply changing the status of workers found on job sites without a properly designated work permit.

However, he said that process would require approval from Cabinet and an adjustment of immigration law. If that law is adjusted, it would likely mean contractors would pay higher fees for permits that would reflect the correct designation.

Meantime, he contended those on job sites illegally would have to be arrested, deported and placed on a stop list.

Sands said he agreed with the government's proposed stance on labor on construction sites, explaining that there is definitely a shortage of Bahamian labor.

"I think we will come to a place in this nation where our development may outpace our labor ability, and we need to look at flexible work permits... again, I'm not advocating for it, but I'm saying that we need to recognize where we are," said Sands.

"I think I want to say as the president of the Contractors Association, that we're asking for contractors to be honest when they make the application, if they're doing so for the labor they need.

Don't say you need two guys to lift buckets and you got them out there operating heavy equipment. Let's not do that."

Sands said while some of the labor on construction sites might not be illegal, they are Creole speaking individuals, which he said begs the question, Where are the Bahamians?

"We weren't training them. We don't train carpenters. We trained plumbers. We trained electricians. We trained HVAC. But the 15 other areas in construction, if we don't train them, where would you find them?

"So, if you don't train them, guess where you're gonna get them from."

Sands said the grave injustice in the construction sector comes from people "robbing the public treasury" by not hiring under the right permit designation.

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