Allaying fears that there could possibly be an influx of immigrants to these shores, Minister of Labour & Immigration Vincent Peet, stated that the present immigration policy in The Bahamas takes into account these factors.
Addressing the delegates at International Labour Conference on the FTAA at the Whyndam Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino, Mr. Peet said once there is a qualified Bahamian for any job, and then it is the Government's duty to ensure that the person gets that position.
"I wish to echo and reinforce the sentiments expressed by my colleague the Hon. Minister for Trade and Industry, by stating that no agreement will be entered into by this Government, which will place Bahamian workers at a disadvantage and no work permits will be granted in any cases where suitably qualified Bahamians are available and willing to work," said Mr. Peet.
He said however, that the formation of an agreement like the FTAA offers the possibility of increased growth for productivity and employment opportunities on a hemispheric level. Nevertheless he said, it also has the potential to become the source of dislocation and insecurity as probable risks of job losses and job relocation could take place at a time when there is fierce competition and pressures from other countries involved in the process.
Mr. Peet said that in the last few months, his Ministry has been reviewing existing labour legislation in hopes of correcting any problems created by the new law.
To assist with this venture, the minister said there would be a launching of several symposiums and training workshops at the tri-partite level, which will include labour organisations, employers and the Government.
Minister Peet said that in addition to these workshops, the Ministry will continue to hold in-house seminars for their immigration and administration staff to sensitise them on the immediate effects of the integration process as front-line officials charged with border control and immigration enforcement activities.
According to the minister, officers charged with manning the ports of entry, especially those at the various Family Islands, will participate in foreign language courses that include Spanish and French.
"We recognise that strategic dialogue at the industrial, entrepreneurial and national level, offers exciting prospects and growth potential in addressing the current challenges of competitiveness and efficiency, as well as providing employment opportunities for Bahamians," he said.
"As a result of the trade openness and economic integration, it is expected that the labour effects from the globalization and integration process will be felt in several ways. Productivity will be high on the agenda, particularly in those sectors that supply tradable goods and services."
Minister Peet stated that is vital that The Bahamas intensifies its preparations in an effort to continue defending its economic and national interests in the various negotiation arenas. Furthermore, he said there is a growing concern for smaller economies such as The Bahamas to have a firm ground amongst the underlying effects of economic integration in order to benefit equitably from such an agreement.
Because the country is at the starting level of negotiations, Minister Peet said it was a fitting time to pose several questions regarding the FTAA process.
Firstly, he said there are particular problems that The Bahamas will encounter in meeting the obligations set forth in the FTAA agreement.
Secondly, what kind of economic policies should The Bahamas adopt to facilitate our integration into this hemispheric grouping?
Thirdly, are there specific determining factors of small developing economies such as The Bahamas', which could ultimately affect the process of hemispheric integration on its part?
These issues related to the free trade agreement Mr. Peet said, will have a strong impact on the economic performance of two of the nation's valuable economies, they include the financial services and tourism.
"The reality is that changes in our economic and business practices will be required in order for The Bahamas to take full advantage of the FTAA and such changes will involve a more outward oriented approach," he said.
Mr. Peet reminded the delegates about the invaluable knowledge they have obtained from information presented at the conference thus far on the FTAA process, citing the internal and external ramifications, which the Government will face. The Government to this effect is presently meeting with the labour movement and the employers in hopes of reshaping and amending the laws to make them relevant and fairer.
"This is going to be a tremendous impact, as Bahamian workers will have to become first class workers," he said. "They will have to become more productive, they will have to become more trained as skills training is high on the agenda of the Department of Labour and if we are going to compete at the international level then we must start thinking and acting first world in terms of our productivity."
He then advised employers that they must also put in place, training programmes for their employees, so that they can be brought up to the highest possible level because productivity will be the hallmark of determining how workers move in the future.
In the end, Mr. Peet stated, the laws must also ensure harmony amongst workers, the employers, labour unions and the Government. Training in competency of corporate and finance laws, as well as foreign language skills, computer technology and modern day business administration he said, will be the order of the day.
"In light of the obvious paradigm shift in the world of technology, both employers and workers are fully aware that emphasis on individual relations will somewhat shift away from the traditional adversarial stance to a more consultative one," he said.
"One can simply not conduct business as was carried out in the past. Therefore, the ultimate challenge is to create employment in the framework of respect for the fundamental rights of workers and to create the necessary labour laws and regulations in defense of the worker."
By Lisa Albury, The Nassau Guardian
