Too bad our law makers have their head in the sand.

March 12, 2007. Government announced that newly-arrived foreign workers will soon have to pass an English test or face being booted out, Labour and Immigration Minister Derrick Burgess has revealed. The test will apply to foreigners from non-English speaking countries. He told the House of Assembly on Friday: "You have heard the Bermudians in the news media, on talk radio and in this very House complaining of their experience, in restaurants in particular, when they have encountered a non-Bermudian waiter who cannot speak enough English to take their order and they end up getting a dish that they did not order. This does not bode well for our tourist industry. "Another downside to the language barrier is that persons cannot assimilate into our society and learn our culture when they cannot speak our language. This then causes conflict between Bermudians and non-Bermudians in the workplace." Mr. Burgess said he understood the challenges employers faced in recruiting from English-speaking countries. But he added: "It is unacceptable to have foreigners serving persons, whether it is in a restaurant, a hotel or a rest home, who cannot communicate effectively in English." And he said it was dangerous in a job where the employee has to also read prescriptions or the labels of dangerous chemicals. "Therefore I will be introducing a policy where work permits for persons from countries where English is not the primary language will only be approved subject to that person demonstrating to the Department of Immigration that he or she has a working knowledge of the English language." Once that person arrives they will be required to attend the Department to take a short test to demonstrate they understand English. "If he or she does not pass the test, the work permit will be withdrawn." The new policy could prove costly for employers who got it wrong, admitted Mr. Burgess. But he added: "I can assure employers we will work with their representative organizations to identify the job categories where speaking English is necessary and arrive at a mutually satisfactory solution. "But, ultimately, the onus is on the employer to ensure the persons they hire and bring to Bermuda can speak English."


http://www.bermuda-online.org/employwp.htm