This past week I had an opportunity to talk to unemployed persons. I have come to the conclusion that they simply don't want to work.

The foreigners come here and take what ever they could get. Out of the small salary, they pay rent and utilities and buy food and find monies to send home to their families.

What is wrong with our Bahamian people. First they claim that they can't work because they have small children( this time they are starving ,their lights are off and the landlord ready to throw them out)

Some jobs require you to be there early in the morning, they claim that they can't leave their children that early in the morning.

They don't want to work in the service industry, they don't like to stand on their feet all day. They don't want to work for that particular person because they hear they don't pay well.

when you ask them what is their qualifications they have none. They never finished school.

Some one please help me to understand if our unemployment is really high or is it that our people looking for specific jobs and have distinctive and highly selective taste.

If you are not working and you get anything paying you at least the minimum
wage you should take it at least that is 150 dollars that you don't have to pay back.

What is wrong with our people and this is mostly the single women who have a dray load of children and need so much

Mel

there is no blanket answer to your statement/question...not really sure what it was really. There are some persons that are in fact lazy and would rather have things provided for them or are quite sastisfied with their situation even though it might apall someone else. Secondly there are those that would rather not perform a task that requires you to stand on their feet all day and i happen to be one of them, not because i'm lazy...far from but because of health reasons. I'm flat footed and since i was small have had chronic muscle soreness in my back so menial labour like lifting boxes is not my forte but i'm currentlty putting up with it because i'm in college and need a job that will pay regularly and more than a pennance. Alot of these jobs that are here aren't really needed in my opinion...pump attendants, paying someone $50+ to clean your yard when a male of resonable health is present, grown people acting as packing boys/women. by the way, you do realize that many of the illegals live in shanty towns? no water bill, no rent, not too sure about light and they dont spend alot of money on fancy clothes when compared to the average bahamian. so when you look at it the money that they make and save goes a long way when you have a different mind set on spending. but once again, i do agree to a degree that many people are just lazy..not all though.

My Dear not all of the illegals live in shanty towns. We are finding more of them in our inner city areas. They have the best apartments, they pay rents of 500.00 and above. The haitians may live in the shanty but you need to come see where the Chinese and Jamaicans and Americans and Cubans live. Vista Marina, Cable Beach Chippingham, Bain & Grants Town Elizabeth Estates, South Beach.

Landlords claim that the foreigners pay their bills unlike Bahamians.

Health reasons I can accept but simply because the task is too menial is not a good enough reason.

If you went to college and you invested money in your education I agree that you should have a better job. If you slunked in school and did not even get a school leaving certificate what the hell you thought you were going to do when you entered the working world?????

Further more the Bahamas was known for their service to tourist, is it now a disgrace to serve???

When i came from college I could not find a job, I remembered being a house keeper in a hotel . It opened doors for me because I met people who could help me.

You have to take what you get and use it to get what you want. No one is coming to your bedroom and offer a sleeping person a job. Get up and do something. you will be surprised where it goes.

Mel

I don't think that the bulk of Bahamians are lazy, they just have unrealistic expectations about their qualifications and they have little real understanding of the job market.

When I was young, a College education as a ticket to the top. Such an education was rare and much valued. Now a days it seems that everyone has one. It is like having graduated Kindergarten - big deal! Everyone has! I have heard of people with two degrees who are working at McDonald's! The competition for jobs, big ones, is great.

What makes an employee valuable are not the degrees but their drive and their determination to be of valuable to the company. Alas, many Bahamians do not have drive and too many are liabilities to the company. Too many feel this it is their right to work as and when, and where, they please. Too many are unemployed because companies will not meet their demands. They also think, just because they have a degree that some jobs are below them. But all work is of value and when performed well, can be a stepping stone to better things. Some times, in order to reach the top we have to start at the bottom. Some of the people you mentioned, Chinese and Jamaicans and Americans and Cubans have understood this. When we understand it, things will turn around for us.

I have some friends who are responsible for hiring. They tell me that to many Bahamian applicants ask the wrong questions first. "How much does this job pay? What days do I get off? How much vacation time do I get?" All of these might be important questions but the person who usually gets the job is the one who has taken time to learn a bit about the Company they are applying too. The are the persons that can ask intelligent questions about the company. Who show an interest in the product. Who, from the very start make it clear that the company is the thing, not themselves. These people can always get the good jobs because they are rare!