of jobs for which they have not prepared themselves. There was a time in Bermuda when politicians told people that they were not being given jobs which they deserved in the local sector. Now there are dangerous attempts to convince people that they are not being given jobs which they deserve in the international company sector.

Bermudians are even being told that the problems they are having today are the direct result of people being deprived of jobs and not being able to make a living. The truth is that there would be far fewer people making a good living if there were no non-Bermudians working here. Every non-Bermudian here generates two or three jobs for Bermudians and most of those non-Bermudians, contrary to what you hear, are not occupying jobs which hard done by Bermudians are qualified to fill. The danger is that constant complaining and hostile attitudes will drive overseas workers out of Bermuda to the huge disadvantage of Bermudians.

If non-Bermudian workers begin to leave, there will be large numbers of Bermudians looking for the good jobs they have now. If that happens, the same politicians will be bleating once again about unemployment. The problem is acute because too many people who have very little idea how the Bermudian economy works but are willing to voice their ignorance.

We are not saying that there are no Bermudians deprived of jobs they should have. There are and that is wrong but there are bound to be a few in a society this complex and we think there are very few and we think that the Department of Immigration basically does a good job of protecting Bermudians.

Bermudians often demand jobs simply because they are Bermudian and not because they deserve the job or are qualified for the job. Certainly if a Bermudian is qualified or capable that Bermudian should come first. Generally they do come first. But too often Bermudians who are not qualified for a job are angry and complaining when they do not get that job. Sometimes businesses even leave jobs unfilled because it is too much hassle to suffer the ire of unqualified Bermudians and the difficulties and expense of hiring overseas. The whole disruptive problem arises because politicians have misled Bermudians for years by telling them that they can perform well in any and every job and thus should have any job they desire, qualified or not. Politicians think that there are votes to be had by implying that both Bermudian and international businesses plot to deprive qualified Bermudians of jobs. In fact, almost all businesses would rather hire Bermudians if they can find anyone even marginally qualified because it is both easier and cheaper.

The truth we never face is that many Bermudian businesses are suffering because they have hired Bermudians who cannot do the job well. Bermuda should face the fact that it is not unusual in Bermuda to find businesses hiring Bermudians who cannot perform adequately in a job and then hiring a non-Bermudian in order to get the work done. We never admit that fact and we should.