BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – UNEMPLOYMENT is fast becoming the new trend as everywhere you look, you see someone who is out of work, but with the economy going through a recession is it any wonder that this is so?
While the economic downturn may play a major role in persons being unemployed, there are a number of other reasons too, and when looking into these reasons one has to ask, is it by choice or by force?
Since the beginning of the year, there have been a few businesses that have ceased operations, such as Clear Harbour Call Centre and Reed Data Services, leaving well over 200 persons out of a job and searching desperately to find another so as to have income to meet their responsibilities.
Some are lucky enough to find employment soon after, others sit at home for weeks, even months before they can find another job.
A number of other businesses have downsized, also leaving persons without employment while other companies, in trying to avoid adverse publicity through layoffs, terminate their employees’ services over simple blunders.
Then there are persons who were overseas studying and are now back and ready to join the workforce, but unfortunately, the workforce is not ready for them because some of these former students have not been able to find employment in the profession of their choice.
Some have taken jobs for which they are quite over qualified, but which they took anyway just to make a living for themselves.
“I basically had no choice but to take the job that I have, even though I am over qualified. The company wanted an individual for this position and I needed a job so I took it. I don’t mind because this is better than sitting at home every day. At least I am getting something which is a lot better than nothing at all,” one person said.
There are others who have returned to their homeland months ago, and are still at home filling out application forms, losing hope of ever finding a job.
SKNVibes met Sarah (not real name), a young lady who returned home some months ago after studying abroad and is yet to find work.
“I have been home from studying overseas for some time now, and I am still out of work. As the months roll on I am becoming depressed because I have responsibilities. This is not how I expected it to be. I had absolutely no idea it would be this difficult,” she said, near tears.
She continued, “The main problem that I have is that jobs are asking for both qualifications and experience and I have no problem with that, but persons who have the qualifications do not have the experience, but then those who have the experience lack the qualifications. It is very difficult to find the two together.”
She said that she would take anything that comes her way because she is reaching to a point of desperation. “I would bag groceries in a store if I am offered the job. Many people do not see it this way but in my opinion, work is work so long as it pays you something,” she said.
On the other hand, there are individuals who have decided to stay unemployed until they find the occupation they are looking for; they refuse to take anything above or below what they want.
One individual said, “There is one specific profession I am looking to go into and I am not going to do anything else; I am not going to take anything less than what I am qualified to do.”
Then there are those individuals who are unemployed simply because they choose to be.
Instead of going out to find work, they choose to sit at home or wherever for that matter and ‘lime’ the day away.
James (not his real name) explained that he chose not to work simply because he did not want to.
“Why should I work if I don’t want to? I don’t need to stress myself all day, not when I can stay home and relax,” the person explained.
SKNVibes spoke with Paul (not his real name), a young man who completed his High School education and then proceeded to the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC). Upon graduating from CFBC, one would think the next step would be to establish his independence by going out to work – think again.
Paul spends his days playing video games, surfing the internet and sleeping. He said that he does not have any responsibilities and therefore, has no need to work.
“I have no bills to pay, and I have no children to feed, I live in a house where everything is done for me, so why work?” the young man said.
Paul is of the opinion that since he basically has everything handed to him, he need not labour all day. “I don’t need the money, someone who really needs the money can have the job that I might have gotten if I actually went out and looked for one,” he said.
Strangely enough, the young lad’s mother agrees with him.
She said, “My son does not have to work if he does not want to. We are ‘well off’ and whatever he wants, he gets, so he is quite fine.”
SKNVibes contacted Labour Commissioner, Spencer Amory, for a figure on what the actual unemployment rate is like in St. Kitts, but was unsuccessful in getting such information.
“We do not have the information,” he said, and directed us elsewhere but again we were unsuccessful in getting any statistics.
So the guessing game of the unemployment rate continues; it is obvious that there is quite a large number of unemployed persons in St. Kitts, but one cannot be 100% certain what the real rate is.
The reality of things are that there are persons who are unemployed because they are unsuccessful in finding a job while there are those who are unemployed simply because they choose to be.
