Hundreds of job seekers turned out at the Ministry of Labour and Department of Labour’s first ‘Labour On The Blocks Job Fair’ in Grand Bahama this past Saturday to register for jobs with the Department of Labour’s employment data bank and local companies attending the event.
A proactive programme, ‘Labour on the Blocks’ is among the initiatives officials believe will help put a substantial dent in the country’s unemployment figures.
Director of Labour, Robert Farquharson, is pleased with the progress his department has seen since the inaugural event was held back in January in the Bain and Grants Town areas. Corporate partners including Baha Mar, Atlantis and Enviroscape were all active participants.
“Enviroscape hired 30 persons on that day,” said Farquharson. “In addition to those 30 persons, they are still looking for additional staff. Atlantis saw some 143 persons who visited their desk. they confirmed employment, i think to date, for 43 persons. Baha Mar saw 186 persons and all of those 186 have been interviewed and been considered for employment.”
On hand to personally welcome and greet the job seekers was the Minister of Labour, Senator the Hon. Dion Foulkes. Also in attendance were the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance and Member of Parliament for East Grand Bahama, the Hon. K. Peter Turnquest; the Hon. Kwasi Thompson, Minister of State for Grand Bahama; Pakesia Parker-Edgecombe, Parliamentary Secretary in the Office of the Prime Minister and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini and Frederick McAlpine, Member of Parliament for Pineridge.
Leading the charge with their Labour teams were Ms. Cecilia Strachan, Permanent Secretary (Acting) in the Ministry of Labour; Mr. Tyrone Gibson, Deputy Director of Labour in Grand Bahama and Mrs. Patrenda Russell-Brice, Deputy Director of the Department of Labour in New Providence.
For persons interested in attending the next event, a valid passport, voters card or driver’s license along with your National Insurance card and a resume will be required for processing into the Ministry’s database.
The next Labour on the Blocks event will be held February 24 at the park opposite Golden Gates Assembly Church on Carmichael Road.
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