NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Ministry of Labour officials are encouraging Bahamians to take advantage of their upcoming registration drive as they seek to ensure that they are better positioned to identify qualified Bahamian professionals to fill job vacancies and significantly reduce the need for foreign labor.
The Department of Labor will launch its registration drive at the Carmichael Road office this coming Saturday. People can also register at www.jobseekersbahamas.bs.
Labour Director Robert Farquharson estimated that of the 12,000 labor certificates issued by the Department, 40 percent of those certificates were issued to foreigners for positions he believes Bahamians could have filled.
He acknowledged that many jobs that do become available such as handymen, farm laborers, housekeepers and caretakers, Bahamians do not apply for.
"One of the goals for 2023/2024 period for the Public Employment Service Unit is to host a registration drive for Bahamian professionals. The aim of this drive is to register all unemployed Bahamian professionals as well as those seeking better employment opportunities.
"This places the Department of Labour in a better position to identify suitably qualified Bahamians for employment opportunities when approached by employers seeking to have non-Bahamians fill those positions.
"Most importantly, it reduces the need for foreign labor in The Bahamas and puts Bahamians in a better position to take advantage of the many opportunities that become available in our market," said Farquharson.
He continued: "Just last week, I turned down an application for a foreigner to be the food and beverage director at a major hotel paying them in excess of $120,000 a year. The reason why I turned them down is because I know that we have qualified Bahamians to fill that position.
"We want to encourage all professionals in various fields, plumbers, carpenters, welders, mechanics, web developers and compliance officers; these are some of the vacancies available and employers are seeking non-Bahamians to fill these positions."
The Department of Labour's database currently has 100,000 job seekers, most of whom are Bahamians.
Farquharson noted that the Labour Department has had to approve labor certificates for AC technicians, welders, pharmacists, accountants, architects, engineers, skilled masons and skilled carpenters.
"We have worked hand in hand with BTVI to have more Bahamians certified. They are doing a wonderful job at BTVI but they can't come out fast enough," said Farquharson.
He noted that the Labour Department recently had to approve labor certificates for nine butlers to work at Sandals Emerald Bay Exuma. "They have a number of vacancies we declined, and we are working hand in hand with residents in Exuma and in Grand Bahama," said Farquharson.
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