March 13, 2013Dear Sir,We hear so much about jobs but an important point needs to be made. It is imperative that Bermuda earns foreign currency to pay for our food, fuel, interest on our debt, etc. We manufacture virtually nothing and can only earn by being of service to foreigners. Like it or not we are a service economy and have to attract foreigners here to serve. From the day a visitor on a cruise ship to the wealthier executive who we can persuade to live here with their family, we need them all because they spend foreign currency in our local market. This spending creates real jobs for Bermudians, expands our economy and pays for our imports. We must allocate an adequate percentage of our land, houses and jobs to those individuals who are paid in foreign currency so we can survive and prosper. We must welcome these people and appreciate what they do for us. We must not frustrate them with unnecessary permits and taxes. Only then can we succeed.By contrast we should control those foreign workers who come here and work at jobs Bermudians can do and are paid in Bermuda dollars. These workers save as much as they can and change their Bermuda dollars to foreign currency and send it back to their home country. Bermudians who hire Bermudians help the individual but not the national prosperity or our balance of payments. The mindset that wants to keep everything here, land, jobs, etc, for Bermudians is a formula for national disaster. Mr Acting Editor, if this country is to survive and get out of debt we must welcome international business executives and high net worth individuals to come and be domiciled here to create jobs. We must encourage visitors to stay in our hotels and give them fair value for money, this will create jobs. The vast majority of these people have no interest in Bermuda status, but don’t tell them they may never have it or they will feel excluded and not contribute to our society. Make it possible that they can earn it. Let us recognise and accept that we need foreigners, with foreign income to come and live with us. Let’s welcome them and enjoy having greater diversity in our community. They will be the key to our success. We will learn from them and gain valuable experience which will help us when we travel to other countries. If we choose to live in isolation and keep everything for ourselves we will starve to death. So let’s end this negative thinking about our visitors and rebuild our economy.MILES EH OUTERBRIDGESt David’s