No they are just cheaper. A Haitian who does not have any legal status will get hired before a Haitian who has legal status. If you notice the only immigrants who are hired are those you can easily get rid off. Its easier to break labour laws when a employee is always fearful of getting deported. This has nothing to do about productivity but cost of labour. Many companies around the world do this, the only difference is that while they are breaking the law they don't trash talk their own as much to justify it. There are some Bahamian masons who may demand more money but during these rough times some may just be satisfied with a job.

Again the lazy stereotype. I guess breaking the law and paying the poor illegal below minimum wage is better. Because that is what's happening according to the article. Do you honestly think that during one of the worst recessions that our country has ever been through that no Bahamian wants to work? Or is it that no one want to pay them a fair wage? For what I have seen during my last trip to Freeport and Nassau is that people just want cheap labour. It has nothing to do with perceived laziness on part of Bahamians. Thank God I never came back home to work. I would've never made it with such an inferiority complex running rampant in the country. I would rather be judge by my qualifications and work the be stereotyped. I'm not saying that their arent lazy people but lazy people are every where. But to write off an entire population as lazy???? I have heard Haitians call their own lazy, and Jamaicans do the same.We always bash and trample ourselves to explain our economic hardships forgetting there are those breaking our labour laws and bribe our politicians.

I don't even think you read the article. its not about who is more qualified its about companies breaking the law. Sure Bahamians being slackers should be called out but companies breaking our laws is ok for you? Paying illegals next to nothing and mistreating them is alright as well i guess(since you love that they dont complain about being treated like slaves). I guess according to you anyone could be slacker but a Bahamian. You ranting about how Bahamian are so bad but these expats are slackers as well.

I agree with your second paragraph BUT, first there is no proof that these illegals are more qualified than Bahamian construction workers. i doubt that someone fresh out of Haiti is more qualified than a Bahamian who has been working on construction and electrical for years. Secondly feeling entitled in your own country is not backwards especially if the person is qualified. That does not mean that we should support cronyism and mediocrity but yet put our workers first especially if they have knowledge and are willing to do the job. If you read the article properly you would see none of that is being done, these companies want cheap labour not qualified persons. But people like you just love to assume that Bahamians just make noise for nothing.

What is backward is to believe some old house negro plantation story about us being lazy and not wanting to work(if you read the article it says that these young men want to work) Like you said, stereotypes don't come out of nothing I guess your are a lazy slacker since you are a Bahamian(at least you claim to be). You do fit the stereotype of the Bahamian who bashes his own but yet praise the law breaking foreigner(like those in the article) who is contributing to our problems. So trust me i don't fit the stereotype as much as you.

I disagree with you , as a matter of fact i consider your type of thinking as the reason why we have this problem. Bahamians have a right to feel entitled in their own country(as any other nationality in his/her country) We have a right to demand a decent wage and to be paid for work we have done. What you have describe is nothing more than a negative stereotype of your own people. I have never seen or experience any Bahamian. construction worker act the way you have described. They work as hard as any one else, the same hours and don't,"slack off" They too have families to feed. You imply that these people are ungrateful??? You leave people to assume that we shouldn't hire our own during hard economic times even when they want the job..
The reason why people hire illegals is because they are cheap and can be mistreated. that"s it. No other reason but that and certainly not due to the negative stereotypes you attribute to Bahamians. The reason why you don't hear Haitian or Mexicans complaining about their mistreatment and low pay(sometimes no pay) is due to their fears of being deported. You ranting and raving about how bad Bahamians are almost seem like a justification for these companies to break our laws. i dont know whats worst you downing and stereotyping your own people, or you justifying slave labour and inhumane treatment or others. Your House negro mentality is sad