Agree with Mr. Myers the idiot Ministers of Educations (lets just say all of em...) haven't done jack for education except sometimes build a new school that takes years and usually winds up in the public purse rip off..... AND the bloody labour unions get ahold of these "not as" educated persons and fill their heads with BS ideas (just like the church) and let them run amok encouraging everyone to work less but demand more? If anyone's seen BTC in Abaco they can attest to the fact that BTC is seriously trying to represent the Bahamas in the next olympics in the long distance sleeping events....

Also totally agree with Mr. Myers.

Unions are going to soon start pushing for extra pay when union members show up to work on time and God forbid they should be productive at work which in return 2-3 months of paid vacation !

Comrades, wanting be fair I read and searched for even an ounce 'accidental truth' of the assertions offered by Comrade Robert, and I can no find?
Everybody thinks they know best how change us natives when the only change the people needs is to return our beaches, private islands and crown lands to the natives. If we needs any kinds changing then why not leave us be to return back the kinds people we were before...a simple people not in need much and not time waste greedy pirates.

Comrade, you need to search harder!

Did the Minister of Education just made the Teachers Union president (Belinda Wilson) the chief in charge of the schools????? ......... Is that a rumour or is that truth????????

This is a two-edged sword.
Productivity has risen substantially in the US in the last 40 years.
But, real wages have dropped in real terms across the board.
Union membership is at an all time low there.
Despite great gains in productivity, wages are going down and poverty is increasing. Go figure.
On the other side is The Bahamas.
Perhaps 1 in 100 Bahamians could keep a job in the US.
In the modern world, business owners do not generally tolerate; constant lateness, incompetence, sleeping on the job, very poor attitudes, or stealing.
There is also a reason why when people get educated, they rarely come back to The Bahamas to live.
There is a concept called A Living Wage.
The idea is that someone working a full time job should be able to make ends meet, maybe even raise a family.
Until governments and business come together in understanding this, advocating for this, and implementing standards and commensurate wages, nothing can change.
The world is in a race to the bottom.
People no longer matter.
Only "jobs" matter.
Big business is booming.
The poor are getting poorer.
The rich are getting immensely richer, and gaining more control over the world's resources.
On the other hand, this "give me a job" attitude here in The Bahamas is an utter embarrassment to decency.

We sure get the "race to the bottom" idea ....... If we keep cow-towing to Amnesty, OECD and the UN, we will be first on the line in that race....... We have to grow some "national gonads" and stand up to these liberals who want to create and implement this utopian One World agenda aka 666.

Comrades, nothing unites the Imperial red shirts more than that of self financial interests. It's keeping the wages low that most guarantees the divide of the upper class from the near poor and outright poor classes. This kinds talk is is old Bay Street Boys/UBP talk, and its been around ever since the end World War 11, and it is what will allow even a political party such as the PLP to resurface with renewed chance at governing strength. Same old Sir Stafford, Pop Symonette and Asa H. Pritchard kinds wage suppression talk.

Comrade, there are those that would assert that the average blue/yellow shirt would take the cake in the doling out of low wages and benefits! Sometime you should remove those blinders, if only for a moment or two!

It is clear that some of our bloggers have never owned a business or worked outside The Bahamas.

Or worked, full stop.
Party appointed jobs do not count.

There must be a better working, productive and respectful balance between the Tri-Partite Coalition of Government-private employers-Unions/employees ...... While Unions really only represent about 20% of workers in this country ........ and Government only employs about 15% of workers in the country ....... the vast majority of workers are employed in the private or informal sector with NO union representation ........ at the mercy of the Robert Myers-like employers in the country .......... These private sector bosses mimic the Government (or Public Corporations) - who really treats its workers poorly AND who dangles "political carrots" at the Unions at every opportunity it gets. This creates an unequal and unfair labour climate for all.
Just look at what the BPSU or BNU are offered compared to the BEWU or BEMU.

That is a really dysfunctional state of labour relations for any FDI to be brought into and thrive.

"Government only employs about 15% of workers in the country ... the vast majority of workers are employed in the private or informal sector" ...interesting..... Department of Statistics reported that 62% of the labour force was employed by the private sector.....that leaves 38% not working for the private sector. 38% is a big number.

Ever heard of "personally self-employed" aka informal businessman?????

Why do the powers that be only concentrate on the redundancy notice period???? If the labor force is so good and hardworking(as the money grubbing unions think) there should be no worry about being made redundant.

Silly comment!

Although I agree with some of Mr. Myers statements, his placing of the lack of productivity all on "labour" is wrong.
Almost everyone agrees higher wages without a corresponding increase in productivity is stifling to a successful economy but it is NOT the only reason. Freezing wages has NEVER turned an economy around. It is much more complicated than that.

Please take a moment and read this article published in March of 2017 in the Tribune. It really does help explain the issues that must be addressed in order to turn an economy around.

http://www.tribune242.com/news/2017/mar…
**Easing the cost small business start ups is key!!**

Comrades! What is there prevent the government from singling out the groceries items and bring them within 25% shelving pricing of what Miami residents pay for what is often the exact same brand name items? What a way to enrich the working poor and near poor to stretch their purchasing power by at least 50%. Comrades, what about the price being demanded at the grocery stores for a loaf of bread?

In effect Tal, you are asking Government to forego its taxes, and taxes on freight, and Vat on taxes and freight correct? Cause that would handle it damn near to the penny!
eliminating business license tax on Gross income would help too.
Just so we understand each other.......

Comrade The-Oracle, a loaf plain white bread is the working poor and near poor's daily food staple item and with creativity and with a tin sardines, some baloney sausage or canned potted meat - you have lots meals choices at your fingertips.
In Nassau a loaf plain white bread can sell for $4 to $5, while in Miami, Florida the same loaf white bread is 99 cents to $1,78? No economist can come up with better way to give the working poor and near poor - more spending money than to lower the prices they must pay for 'bread basket items.'

Unions are like a mill stone around every organization thy are apart of.

The present bunch of greedy Bahamian Union leaders are the main problem.......... they are mill-stones around their Union members' necks most of all ....... Most of them make big salaries with perks, while many of their members make low wages, pay big members fees and agency shop against their will ......... And to add insult to injury - many Union leaders are "in bed" with the politicians ........ It is an untenable situation for the weak economy, and union (and non-union) members.

Wonder how so many ex-Union Presidents end up in prominent Cabinet or civil service jobs???