Christopher Famous, the Progressive Labour Party propagandist, is again flooding the media with half-truths and misinformation to tell a story that fits the version he would like to be true, but which actually has no basis in reality.

Even Mr Famous admits he is guessing when he pens his propaganda. Discussing one of his recent columns, which had been posted on Facebook, Mr Famous said: “Without proper data we are all just guessing.”

Mr Famous uses wildly exaggerated numbers and carefully selected statistics in his attempt to convince the public that the Government is engaged in a sinister plot that will advantage non-Bermudians to the detriment of Bermudians.

That’s hogwash. Growing jobs for Bermudians is our biggest, most important job — the one Bermudians hired us to do.

It has been the focus of our work from Day 1, and we’re making progress. But if you follow Mr Famous’s line of thinking, we’re trying to achieve exactly the opposite. Does this make sense? What purpose would it serve? Certainly not our re-election. The problem with propagandists such as Mr Famous is that their point isn’t the truth. The point, rather, is manipulation of facts and fears, distorting perception, muddying the water — all for political gain. That’s what Mr Famous tries to achieve every time he takes pen to paper.

His claim that thousands of people will become eligible for permanent resident’s certificates and status is simply not true — the number is in the hundreds and until we have data from the upcoming census, we will not know exact numbers. However, the true number is likely to be fewer than 1,000; not the 9,000 that Mr Famous claims.

He asks why Bermudians are not employed in jobs they could reasonably be expected to fill such as bakers, chefs, butchers, landscapers, tilers and masons.

If these jobs are filled by non-Bermudian workers, then they will have been advertised locally according to existing immigration law. If no locals apply or are not suitably qualified, the business has no option but to apply for a work permit.

This government is acutely aware of the job categories filled in large part by non-Bermudians, and all the resources are available for Bermudians to learn the skills required for these jobs. We are working to empower Bermudians through the National Training Plan as well as through programmes run by departments and entities such as the Department of Workforce Development and Bermuda College.

The truth is the One Bermuda Alliance government has taken great strides forward in assisting Bermudians getting back to work and ensuring that they are given first priority for all jobs in Bermuda.

The Bermuda Jobs Board was launched in 2013 and since March 1, 2015, all employers are required to advertise all available positions for a minimum of eight consecutive days on the Job Board. By the end of January, there were 1,113 employers and 6,530 clients registered, and the total number of applications submitted through the job board was 36,400.

Enhancements to the Jobs Board were made this year, including that expiring work permits will now be displayed to include the job title, work permit expiration date and job details from the original job posting. This will allow candidates to prepare themselves for upcoming potential jobs by ensuring their skills are relevant to the required skills needed.

A new “Resources Tab” links users to relevant and current information on résumé development tips, cover letters, interview skills, dressing for success and general employment information. The resources tab provides an excellent opportunity to share information with jobseekers, ultimately equipping candidates with strategies to build a strong profile and application for consideration.

A mandatory field on the Jobs Board requires employers to report on recruitment through the Job Board by responding to the question: “Have you hired a candidate for this position that applied via the Job Board?” This will enhance reporting on recruitment activity.

There is also a direct link to the Department of Workforce Development’s website and enhanced applicant reporting for employers, which is required for the work permit policy. The enhanced applicant reporting enables us to obtain current feedback on recruitment efforts from employers and successes experienced by applicants.

To create an environment conducive for job creation, the Government is working to get projects moving forward such as construction of new hotels and legislative changes to grow our international business sector. Opportunities are available for Bermudian entrepreneurs, often assisted by the Bermuda Economic Development Corporation, and new businesses are opening and hiring Bermudians.

Mr Famous attempts to convince readers that Bermudian employment began falling only in 2012, which is simply not true. The truth is Bermudian employment has been falling since 2008. However, the policies and initiatives put in place by this government are bearing fruit and Bermudian unemployment is falling for the first time in many years.

The truth is the former government issued the highest number of work permits ever — more than 18,000 in 2007, compared with less than 9,000 today.

The truth is that when term limits were in place under the former government, more than 70 per cent of waiver applications were granted across many job categories; not just international business.

The truth is the former government implemented immigration policies that had very real and very detrimental impacts on Bermudian-owned business.

The truth is the former government made an amendment to the Bermuda Immigration and Protection Act in 2002 that opened the door for 1,455 PRCs to gain status. The truth is the OBA government has cracked down on rogue employers harder than any government in Bermuda’s history, with more than 800 complaints under investigation at present and approximately 130 cases before the courts.

The truth is this government is doing everything it can to ensure Bermuda works first and foremost for Bermudians.

The truth seems to elude Mr Famous, and his truth deficit continues to grow with each piece of fiction he attempts to portray as fact.

Jeff Sousa, a government backbencher, is the MP for Warwick West (Constituency 28)