NASSAU, BAHAMAS — A local manufacturer said yesterday that its production is being impeded by challenges securing spare parts and raw materials in addition to the inability to retain entry-level staff.
Geoffrey Knowles, Aquapure’s managing director, told Eyewitness News: “They want a job but don’t want to work.”
Knowles continued: “It’s been a real challenge to get spare parts and raw materials. I would estimate that for us the cost of raw materials has gone up 20-25 percent. It’s really tough when you look at the cost of raw materials, shipping and staffing issues and it’s not just our business. It seems like no one wants to work anymore. We can’t find staff. You get people in, they stay for a week or two, and then they’re gone. Everywhere I go business people are telling me about staffing challenges.”
He said: “We hire a good number of persons at entry-level positions, mostly unskilled.They come in and shortly thereafter they leave. We then hire some more and they either leave or get fired. That’s the way it’s been. We have our core staff and they’re very good but entry level is a real challenge.
“I spoke to a company executive who told me that in the past three weeks they hired ten people and out of that ten only one remains. People are just up and quitting. I’m hearing about this issue from other businesses. It’s something that needs to be looked into. People are looking for a job but don’t want to work.”
Last week, Labor Director Robert Farquharson urged Bahamians seeking employment to register with the Department of Labor’s online skills bank. He noted that the department last month had to approve applications for 29 foreigners to work as lifeguards.
Knowles told Eyewitness News that sales this summer have been strong, notwithstanding the aforementioned issues.
“Sales are good,” he said.
“There’s no problem there. Production is really giving us a problem because of staff and issues getting spare parts. We ordered a conveyor belt in June. We used to be able to get it in two weeks. Now we won’t get it until September.”
