It is a fallacy to believe that by stream-lining Government hundreds of displaced staff would automatically take jobs in the private sector and reduce the number of overseas guest workers required on the Island.

Union president Armell Thomas said the train of events put forward by Chamber of Commerce president Peter Everson would not materialise in present day Bermuda.

Rather than seek to slim down the size of Government it would be better to allow it to increase its productivity and reduce its need to out-source services, thereby potentially providing more quality training and job opportunities for Bermudians that would be harder to secure in the private sector, said Mr. Thomas. While agreeing with two of the key points made by Mr. Everson at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce regarding compensation plans for staff and the need for accountability, productivity and performance, the president of the Bermuda Public Services Union does not agree with Mr. Everson?s third point about Government being trimmed down.

According to Mr. Everson a five percent increase in Government productivity could lead to 259 fewer jobs which would ultimately mean a reduction in work permits for guest workers as the displaced Government staff take up work in the private sector with the knock-on effect of having fewer guest workers meaning a decrease in vehicles on the road and an increase in accommodation available for Bermudians. However, that is not how things would work, said Mr. Thomas. He does not believe an increase in Government productivity necessarily means reducing its workforce. It could do more services in-house rather than pay outside agencies and business to do the work.

?In some instances the services may not be provided any more efficiently in the private sector than the public sector. However, the impact on the economy of doing it in-house has to be a consideration,? he said. Bermudians employed by Government receive job experience and other benefits, he said. ?The Government focuses a lot on training, it also happens in the private sector but not as much as within Government.?

The social role Government plays in providing job training, skills and career opportunities should not be under-estimated, said Mr. Thomas, particularly when compared to difficulties Bermudians encounter trying to get similar opportunities in the private sector.

The idea that freeing up 259 Government jobs would lead to those people securing jobs in the private sector and reduce the need for guest workers to be employed is unrealistic, according to the BPSU president.

?The argument assumes persons displaced in Government will be absorbed by the private sector who would then get rid of non-Bermudian workers. The history of employment practices in Bermuda has indicated this is not true,? he said. ?If this was the case Bermudians would not feel disenfranchised in the workplace. There would not be the perception, and in some cases the reality, that preference is given to non-Bermudian employees over Bermudians.?

He said this would also minimalise the sometimes ?blatant flaunting? of immigration policies and he added: ?Opportunities must be afforded to all Bermudians to fulfil their realistic employment goals.

?For social stability Bermudians must feel they have a fair share of the Bermuda economic pie. Increased productivity in Government would have benefits to the country as a whole. What Mr. Everson should have stated is that an efficient Government has benefits for all and that Government, like any good employer, should always be looking for a way to increase productivity and address accountability.?