Nassau, Bahamas – As the sun set last Friday evening, two young striping apprentices prepared for a different sort of happy hour. With five months of training under their belts, they were eager to get to laying the lines and arrows on a 58 bay parking lot, for the first time entirely on their own.
“I’ve been observing, watching, practicing, asking questions,” 18 year-old Romell Davis, one of the stripers said ahead of the task. “Now I have the chance to do this striping myself. It’s a big opportunity.”
Davis has only been with the company, Bahamas Striping, since mid-2011. But he is one of its youngest employees and has distinguished himself and earned the confidence of his seniors to stripe the parking lot of the new executive offices of Bahamas Supermarkets Limited (BSL) on JFK Drive near Bethel Avenue, along with his colleague, 23 year old Tristan Johnson.
It’s one of those jobs where the quality of the work is put on display, like writing a letter that everyone’s going to see—with an ink pen. Sure, you can ‘liquid paper’ over errors, but the cover-ups are evident and don’t leave the best impression.
Bahamas Striping trainer Brian Bostock explained it takes a lot of confidence to lay those lines, and employees understand that getting them right is a quality issue the company takes seriously. But as the young Bahamian apprentices are confident, so are their instructors.
“They’re ready,” Bostock said. “They’ve been asking all the right questions, which shows that they’re keen. They’ve had a lot of practice, and the confidence is starting to build.”
Bostock was brought in specifically to train young Bahamians to the highest international road striping practices and standards, company president Atario Mitchell explained. He was pleased to see two employees reached the point where they could handle jobs without his or Bostock’s supervision.
“It shows they could leave here today and do this on their own,” said Mitchell, adding with a smile, “but I wouldn’t advise that though.”
Rather than looking at the development of his fellow Bahamians as a threat to his business, the well-known young entrepreneur who started his business with a $5,000 government grant through the Self-Starter program sees their progress as integral to the growth of his company. With plans to be able to service multiple contracts throughout The Bahamas simultaneously, the leverage brought by having qualified supervisors capable of managing different worksites becomes essential.
It’s also a part of Mitchell’s greater vision to see the striping business in The Bahamas led by Bahamians.
“Why shouldn’t Bahamians who have proven they are capable and up to the highest standards run this segment of the construction industry?” Mitchell said. “Considering the high unemployment and all the talk about empowering Bahamians, I think it’s really sad that foreign companies are still allowed to come in here and take these jobs and not even leave a single skilled Bahamian behind—keeping us ignorant so they can get all the contracts. That just doesn’t make any sense, and I believe many, many Bahamians would agree with me on that.”
BSL director Nikki Finlayson-Boeuf may have a similar sentiment. According to her, the fact that Bahamas Striping is a Bahamian company employing young Bahamians was a factor in the decision to give them the contract for the executive parking lot to them. Mitchell’s tenacity and a very competitive price quote were important factors too, she said.
“I see myself as a trailblazer, starting a trend whereby Bahamians could control this section of the business,” Mitchell said. “Whether Bahamas Striping is successful or not, I know I’m leaving behind local people who are capable of doing the work. That’s what Bahamas Striping is all about.”
Of the two young stripers, Johnson has more experience in the construction industry, and said he jumped on the opportunity to add striping to the trades he’s already proficient in. After hearing Mitchell’s ‘dream and vision’ for striping in The Bahamas, he was eager to satisfy his curiosity about the road-striping process.
Friday evening brought the chance to show what he’s learned.
“This is the first one they allowed us to do all on our own. If feels wonderful and it’s a chance to show the boss the company is really teaching us to do the work, I haven’t been just coming here and taking money.
“After this, they’ll know they can focus on other things and just let me do the work.”
At a time when many of their peers are not employed, Davis said he was glad for his success of Bahamas Striping, and the fact that the job was not only “putting money in my pocket,” but imparting skills he’ll take with him the rest of his life.
“I’m young and it sends a message to every young guy out there. I can do it—go out there and make something out of my life instead of doing nothing all day. I’d still be out there hoping for the little odd job, instead of preparing to be a supervisor if it wasn’t’ for Bahamas Striping.”
By Bobby Bower
