Government backbencher Arthur Hodgson’s idea for a register of expatriates has drawn some praise and a fair amount of criticism since he made it public last week.

It is worth a second look because it may go some way to resolving some of the real and perceived injustices in the Island’s immigration system.

Mr. Hodgson made the proposal because there is a longstanding view among Bermudians that they are being short changed as they seek jobs and promotions.

There are any number of stories, some dating back decades and some no doubt from last week, of how a Bermudian was denied a job for which he or she was qualified due to work experience, education length of service and so on. The story usually ends with a description of how the Bermudian had to teach the newly arrived expatriate how to do the job.

Mr. Hodgson’s concern in part is to end the anecdotal nature of these stories, which tend to poison relations between Bermudians and expatriates, and to ensure that where a Bermudian is qualified, that they actually get a fair crack at the job.

The truth of the matter is that there have been occasions when Bermudians have been turned down for jobs for which they were eminently qualified, either because the employer wished to continue to employ the non-Bermudian job-holder, or because the Bermudian would be a threat to the non-Bermudian manager doing the hiring sometime down the road.

And there have also been occasions when Bermudians has applied for a job for which they believe they are qualified when they are not, or for which they may be drastically ill-suited. Most employers will employ Bermudians whenever possible; that is a fact.

Mr. Hodgson’s register does what the Board and Department of Immigration are supposed to do; protect Bermudians’ interests by ensuring that there are no qualified Bermudians before a non-Bermudian is brought in to do the job.

People do not apply for jobs when they assume they are for work permit renewals, or they miss the advertisement. And the Immigration Board may not always know of all the applicants for a job unless a complaint is made.

Mr. Hodgson’s register would enable Bermudians to examine what jobs are coming available, what the qualifications and experience levels are, and whether the job is for a vacant post or if it is for a work permit renewal.

It has been suggested elsewhere that the job-holders, where they exist, should not be identified. This is a good suggestion since it would eliminate the possibility of witch hunts. For the same reason, the register need not identify the company; a description such as telephone service provider, clothing retailer or international insurance company would suffice.

At the same time, some security for expatriate jobholders is also essential. Increasingly, employers are being asked to advertise the posts of non-Bermudians on an annual basis. This should be extended to three years, except in cases where the job is for a set period of time so that non-Bermudians do not feel as if their jobs are up in the air every 12 months.