Bahamian businesses have in the past been protected by legislation from foreign entities setting up shop in The Bahamas. Over the years, locally-owned wholesale, newspaper and retail businesses have all thrived due to such protection. However, as of late, Bay Street has seen a shift where Bahamian retailers and wholesalers are being replaced with an influx of foreign-owned companies.
Similarly, there seems to be some injustices in the system for fishermen tied to the recently passed Fisheries Bill 2020. According to Part VI, Division 2 on page 34 of this bill, “No operator of a commercial fishing vessel shall — (a) allow a person who is not a citizen of The Bahamas to engage in fishing in Bahamian fisheries waters or use the vessel other than for charter sportsfishing; or (b) employ a person who is not a citizen of The Bahamas on board the vessel.”
This law prohibits a Bahamian from hiring a foreigner on a Bahamian-owned fishing boat. That’s right, a legitimate Bahamian owner of a fishing boat cannot employ non-Bahamians on his boat as a member of his crew. This basically means that even though this crew member could be married to a Bahamian or enjoy permanent resident status, he cannot fish commercially on any Bahamian-owned boat.
In the meantime, accounting firms can bring in foreign accountants, hotels like Atlantis and Baha Mar can bring in executive chefs and all sorts of middle management, but the Bahamian fisherman cannot staff his boats with a foreign crew?
Not to mention the hundreds of nurses and nannies that are in abundance in our country, foreign bankers in the offshore banks and trust companies, the lawyers who come to town to defend high-profile politicians in court cases and the hundreds of farm laborers that we have scattered across our islands. What is the rationale in granting these large corporations these privileges, but yet the little Bahamian fisherman cannot staff his fishing boat with a non-Bahamian crew? Is the fisherman being singled out and having his hands tied for hiring good fishermen on his boats?
The legislation goes on to state, “(3) A person who contravenes this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand dollars or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding four years, or to both.” This seems to be a bit unfair and one has to wonder what is really going on here, as the cards appear to be heavily stacked against a Bahamian fisherman trying to etch out a living using legitimate resources to survive in a very competitive market.
I am one for protecting Bahamian jobs, but it’s unfair if some in other industries like the hotels, banks, accounting firms and hundreds of other businesses that immigration allows in to employ foreign help but the fishermen can’t! Why is the government putting such discriminatory measures against Bahamian fisherman?
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
• William Wong is a two-term president of the Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation, two-term president of the Bahamas Real Estate Association and a partner at Darville-Wong Realty. He is also a former president of the Rotary Club of South East Nassau and is currently a member of the Rotary Club of West Nassau. E-mail: williamuwong@gmail.com.
The post The unfairness of the fisheries legislation appeared first on The Nassau Guardian.
source https://thenassauguardian.com/the-unfairness-of-the-fisheries-legislation/
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