By LETRE SWEETING

Tribune Staff Reporter

lsweeting@tribunemedia.net

LABOUR Minister Keith Bell vowed to clamp down on unlawful work permit practices and illegal fronting operations in the construction sector yesterday, telling contractors: “Get your house in order.”

Mr Bell emphasised the Davis administration’s enforcement of the country’s labour laws during a speech at the Bahamas Contractors Association’s (BCA) monthly meeting yesterday.

He said amendments may be required to increase penalties for people who violate the laws.

He said from April 2022 to April 2023, the Department of Labour granted 102 approvals to non-Bahamians to fill vacancies in the construction industry at senior operational levels.

Additionally, 175 labour certificates were issued to non-Bahamians in non-managerial disciplines during that period, including A/C technicians, joinery technicians, skilled carpenters and marble tile layers.

Mr Bell said officials had found dozens of cases where work permits were obtained for entry-level jobs even though the employees were highly trained and paid.

“If you are doing this, stop. Submit the proper documentation to the government and pay the correct fees,” he said.

He said farm labourers should not work on construction sites.

“Contractors know that a construction site is not a farm and a building contractor is not a farmer,” he said. “Persons who have been issued permits to work on farms found working on construction sites are liable for deportation.”

He said: “When those persons come back to us, they will not be classified as farm labourers or handymen anymore. They’d be classified as skilled labourers, so the fees would be twice as much. Instead of being $2000 it’ll be $4000.”

Mr Bell said officials had increased their scrutiny of the permit process to ensure it reflects genuine efforts to recruit Bahamians in a way consistent with the country’s market realities.

He said some businesses have offered “inordinately low salaries” to people before complaining they received no application from Bahamians.

“Interestingly, we have found several examples where persons have advertised positions at one salary locally only to hire a non-Bahamian at a significantly higher salary than the one advertised,” he said. “Schemes such as this do not conform with the regulations and will not be permitted.”

Mr Bell said permits for people working outside the scope of their licence would be cancelled, not “fixed”, and the permit holders would be prosecuted and possibly deported.

“I believe,” he said, “it is important to specifically warn you as contractors who employ persons on work permits, get your house in order! The law is clear on what is required.”

Mr Bell also said officials would crack down on illegal fronting operations in the construction sector.

“Contractors would be aware that this sector is reserved for Bahamians,” he said. “Yet (there are) numerous reports of fronting operations where employees are really owners and have arrangements with Bahamian citizens to submit inaccurate documents to facilitate approvals. This is where contractors must speak up. The system cannot function if we allow persons to corrupt the system by making illegal fronting arrangements. Equally, tourists should not be managing construction firms or projects. If they have no permit, they should not be working here.”