February 24, 2013Dear Sir,As a concerned Bermudian, I feel compelled to write this letter because of the continuous criticism by a segment of Bermudians in relation to the OBA’s initiative to try and attract international business (IB) back to Bermuda for the purpose of boosting the economy and creating more jobs for qualified, hard-working Bermudians.What is completely beyond my comprehension is why there are Bermudians who are doing their best to make IB feel unwelcome and thereby discouraging them from setting up in Bermuda! What I would like to know is this - for those Bermudians who are completely against IB from setting up on the Island, from where do you think additional jobs for Bermudians will be created?We have not been able to depend on tourism for many years now which has resulted in hotels closing, leaving Bermudians out of work. There are almost certainly not enough local companies to provide jobs for Bermudians so again, where do think additional jobs will come from if not IB? Rather than criticising, why not offer up viable solutions which could potentially lead to creating more jobs for Bermudians?In order to attract IB back to Bermuda, the offer has to be attractive enough for them to set up here and the OBA is doing its utmost to implement this. It is important to realise that IB does not need Bermuda as much as Bermuda needs IB. There are many other locations in the world where it would be cost effective for them to set up their companies and also be encouraged and welcomed in the process.Bermudians have, or at least had, a reputation of being warm and welcoming to our guest workers and rightfully so - what has happened to make some Bermudians take the position of making IB unwelcome in a hateful manner? In addition to IB creating jobs with fantastic benefits for Bermudians, they also pay high rents to Bermudian landlords and/or purchase homes from Bermudians, they patronise local stores, they spend a significant amount of not only their money but time in assisting local charities. They give to Bermuda in a very big way which is exceptionally beneficial to Bermudians as a whole.I am a Bermudian with an extensive background in Human Resources and Recruiting. I have worked for several international companies and they have always treated me fantastically because I am hard working, loyal and responsible. In my experience in my role as a recruiter, IB prefers to hire qualified, hard-working Bermudians, as opposed to going through the work permit process required to hire a non-Bermudian. The process is not only time consuming, but costly.There are of course, and most likely always will be, instances where there are roles for which there are no qualified Bermudians and in these instances, key non-Bermudian employees are a requirement. The bottom line is, if you are a Bermudian who is qualified for a specific position and is willing to work hard, IB would welcome you as an employee. I personally know of many many fabulous qualified, hard-working Bermudians, who are willing to, and do, work exceptionally hard for their employers. These Bermudians are recognised for their hard work, excellent performance and work ethic and would definitely be hired and appreciated by IB.My final comment is that constructive criticism can be helpful, however, I believe that what should follow constructive criticism is a suggested solution if one does not buy into what is being tabled.So for those Bermudians who do not wish to welcome IB back to Bermuda, let’s hear some viable solutions to creating additional jobs for Bermudians and boosting the economy please.A BERMUDIAN WHO WELCOMES IBHamilton