One more for today

Discussion with stakeholders are ongoing. Yesterday it was the turn of the F & B association to talk to Premier Wever-Croes, MEP, and coalition partner, RAIZ, in an effort to find out what hurts and what should be fixed by the next government.

MEP & RAIZ will be writing their joint-governing program, for the next 4 years, based on these conversations.

What did we hear?

The F&B association treaded carefully in the post-conversation press conference. Current association President represented the restaurants and bars mindfully, and gave a restrained presentation.

Perhaps too diplomatic, because an AMIGOE journalist at the end of the Q&A session pressed him for more clarity.

About what?

The F&B sector on the island suffers from a global phenomenon, scarcity of workers. With the FASE subsidy in combination with grey economic activities many who previously worked in the sector are now sitting home, collecting from the government, plus trading or cooking on the side. They get by and have more personal time without formal work.

The F&B association believes that they must be motivated to return to the workforce, and thereby pay their taxes, their health care and their social security, leaving the grey economy behind.

With the pandemic, DIMAS, our chronically sluggish immigration service, came to a halt, not a single permit was renewed, if its recipient was here less than five years. Many F&B workers, with an expired work permit still have a work-contract with their F&B employer, which cannot be annulled, since the promised reform in labor laws has not happened yet.

They are stuck. They can’t work, and can’t be fired. The costs lay heavy on the employer.

Aruba is enjoying a healthy recovery due to the fact that other destinations are still knee deep in virus restrictions.

The F&B sector here while in need of helping hands is afraid to hire, because once the Caribbean opens, and our influx of visitors stabilizes, the businesses will be stuck with the new recruits, since the promised reform in labor laws has not happened yet.

According to the F&B association we should in addition to the concern with the labor shortage, also be concerned with the quality of help about to occupy positions in the new developments, such as some upcoming boutique hotels and the Hilton’s Embassy Suites, a 330-suite oceanfront resort under management agreement with Natura Development II N.V., that was scheduled to open in mid-2021.

The F&B association would like to see more dialogue between the employees and the employers so the needs of both are better served.

While the F&B association president hinted at the existence on a qualified work force on the island that can be tapped, the Amigoe journalist pressed on.

They were talking, about the island’s undocumented residents, some say in excess of 10.000 people.

Many think this demographic could save all our labor shortages, if an amnesty is announced, and the reality of them living here, is made legal.

Another issue addressed by the F&B association was the low percentage of hospitality students that actually go to work in the sector when they finish their studies. Apparently the percentage is low. The F&B association would like to see this issue addressed early on, and the opportunities in hospitality made clear to kids from an early age, at school.

Not discussed? Vaccinations, and the fact that many employers would like to see a higher percentage of their employees vaccinated. While they cannot enforce it, a verdict from Curacao made it clear that a contract may be dissolved over vaccine hesitancy.

After writing this column, I saw the letters handed in during the meeting, and they clearly stated the association’s needs, minus the vaccination issue. Nice touch, thanking the Premier for handling the pandemic and the economic recovery, well.

 

 

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July 27, 2021
Rona Coster