Fahy: Government will not tolerate abuse of guest workers (Update)

“Very disturbed”, was the sentiment expressed by the Minister of Home Affairs Sen. the Hon. Michael Fahy JP, upon reading today’s Royal Gazette article entitled “Xenophobia: Expat Worker Describes 14-years of Harassment and Attacks”.

Minister Fahy went on to say that Government will not tolerate abuse of any kind in the workplace.

As a result, the Minister wishes to remind all members of Bermuda’s guest worker community that the Ministry is here to provide support, and encourages individuals to visit the Department of Workforce Development regarding issues of poor treatment in the workplace.

Minister Fahy pointed out that the Department of Immigration is also a valuable resource and has the powers to investigate matters regarding work permit issues.

The Minister reminded the community that in order for Bermuda’s economy to thrive, there will be a need for guest workers into the foreseeable future, and he stressed that the Ministry is “fully supportive of our guest workers - who are vital to the successful functioning of our Island”.

Finally, the Minister advised that earlier this year he met with a Philippine Embassy team led by Consul Arlene Magno and Labour Attache Luz Padilla with the aim of establishing stronger ties between the two Countries.

At that meeting Minister Fahy highlighted the Filipino community’s role in the Bermuda community and asked if there were any concerns forthcoming to the Ministry from the Filipino population in Bermuda. At that meeting the Minister also offered support by highlighting the role of Workforce Development with regard to workforce infractions.

Statement by Shadow Immigration and External Affairs Minister Walton Brown

 The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party today joins the OBA in condemning acts of verbal or physical abuse directed against our guest workers.  The fact that they are here working in Bermuda, while many Bermudians go without work or opportunities is not their fault and they should not be targeted for seeking to improve their lives with the opportunities that Bermuda's private sector have given them.

This reported incident is inexcusable and symptomatic of a deeper problem.  While the OBA rushes to defend guest workers, the same government has referred to Bermudians as xenophobic and Kool Aid drinkers and sought to give the children of guest workers the right to work and compete for jobs alongside Bermuda's youth.  In 18 months the message has been sent time and time again that the OBA plans don't make Bermudians a priority.

Today, many of us are out of work and more are beginning to believe that Bermuda simply doesn't work for Bermudians.  They are beginning to feel that they simply can't compete against cheap, foreign labour willing to work in sometimes intolerable and inhumane circumstances.  That's why the PLP has championed ideas designed to protect Bermudians from being denied opportunities and offered solutions to address the exploitation of guest workers :

• Requiring all businesses to include the salary range in job advertisements to minimize opportunities for wage disparities based on race, gender or sexual orientation.

• Introducing tougher penalties for violation of the Human Rights Act, including a provision to name and shame.

•  Increasing penalties for Immigration and work permit violations.

• Strengthening laws and policies to protect work permit holders from intimidation and exploitation

• Instituting Human Rights Protection for our seniors in the workplace

• Instituting Immigration spot checks on domestic workers' conditions of employment to ensure that the conditions of the work permit are being followed and that abuse is not occurring.

There will always be employers who will place profit over people, seek to break our immigration laws and  exploit or abuse our guest workers.  That's why the PLP believes in pursuing a balanced approach that protects Bermudian jobs and opportunities while protecting the guest workers that Bermuda needs from the unscrupulous.