LETTER: Honey is in this rock! Why can’t I get my share, as a young university graduate, born & bred in Antigua?

Foreigners come from where we don’t know; Bird give dem the whole of Scotch Row.

I just get the impression you’re a bit ‘soft’ and feeling hurt by the world. This world owes you nothing. Anyone can ‘make it’ with a little determination.

If you’ve been *ahem* “dispatching” resumes for a year why not get a job outside of your desired field in order to bring some $$$ home?

Maybe I’m just old school but young people need to sharpen up and toughen up a bit.

There has been a notable increase in the publication of middle and upper management vacancies in recent months.

Make sure to regularly followup with every employer where you sent your application.

While more are being hired every week, at the end of the day you understandably want to secure the iob you like soonest. Best of luck.

I don’t know if this would help, but try applying at any post where ur biochem. knowledge n skills can b put 2use – hospital lab, private labs, environment division, agricultural sector, Marine biology areas within fisheries…. Or if all else fails, try teaching….it’s not the best I would recommend given the present state of affairs within the teaching profession, but pure science as well as integrated science teachers r needed in secondary schools especially….

I [read] you loud and clear, Christel A.

First off, kudos to you for enduring, yet achieving and bringing to fruition some aspects, of your dreams and aspirations. Don’t give up the fight. I think that you already know this.

A…trained in Bio-Chemistry! Recently, there are reports of a Chinese firm which is been hailed for their [innovation] in growing broccoli 🥦 🥦in Antigua, an island with average temperatures in the 80*F range, which means, that these plants which thrives best in 60*F to 70*F is being manipulated genetically, to produce florets of broccoli rather than [bolted] broccoli which produces mainly flowers and seeds. Allegedly, there a few local chemists, bio-chemists, biologists who are a part of these endeavours in the Nation. This is an area where, this young Bio-Chemist is desperately needed, in the drive towards FOOD SECURITY.

There are other aspects of your comment which are resonating with what appears, to be a silent majority of recent college graduates, of Antiguan decent who are facing similar challenges, as you are.
There will be a #bottleneck syndrome which will hit the job market, and from all indications, it will not be as rosy or pretty as these #nattering_nabobs of the Parliament and Cabinet are making it out to be.

The poliTRICKtans are very cunning, and so too are these imported citizens (so called Caribbean brothers and sisters – pure farse, since many of these transplants for whatever reason, don’t give a rats ass about you or anyone else. In the War Game of Politics, they know there roles very well, as pawns, and will march to the poliTRICKtans drum_N_bass at their beckoned calls).
What has been happening in Antigua and now Barbuda, in terms of alienation of the local indegenious population over the past ONE HUNDRED plus Gregorian years, by bringing “outsiders” to destabilise the economy and keep those indegenious people poor is nothing new!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Most definitely, there are pockets or families of indegenious Antiguans who have weathered many storms and is still thriving like a NEEM TREE. But those #Neem_Trees are few and far between.

While politicians and political parties do shoulder some of the blame, the People have to admit and accept, the, THE DOCILITY OF THEIR LIVITY.

Jumbee_Picknee aka Ras Smood
De’ole Dutty Peg🦉Garrat_Bastard

Vere C. Edwards

There is always that one person from ABLP that will never ever take responsibility for anything. Always a problem when Antiguans and Barbudans put pressure on them. I literally see nothing negative about what the writer wrote.

The person has a STEM degree, a vitally important degree and is having a difficult time find a job in Antigua and Barbuda, while folks who recently entered the country have 2 and 3 jobs. People in the government in positions they do not qualify for, but there because of their political affiliation.

Politicians like ABLP and PM Brown saying to Antiguans and Barbudans, “I cannot help you”. The business I simply asked for ABLP and PM Browne to support timely and reasonable decisions on my license and applications so that I could expand my business and provide jobs for vitally important degree holders like the writer here but ABLP (all of them), and PM Brown expressed they are not interested in helping Antiguans and Barbudans achieve anything.

You can tell the accuracy of what i am saying from bloggers with 10 moniker (@Jamal Edwards) who are ABLP always blogging the most ignorant, uncaring, selfish, and victim blaming responses.

As soon as you call out their government to go harder to do more (more like to do something), they attack you. You are not allowed to put pressure on your leaders, which means they will never achieve much, as you cannot motivate them to do more, to innovate and to hear your pain. This is the perfect way of demonstrating the incompetence of your government, they never ever take responsibility for anything.

If i was a leader in politics, I am taking and want and need to be responsible for anything that goes wrong. That will push me to do better, the best, in that office instead of being highly ignorant to the suffering and needs of the people.

You screw up at my office, I am wrong. I will never ever stop believing in that. I pray politicians start to believe in that. Take responsibility for every aspect of your country, especially as elected or selected leaders. If you start blaming others only, you immediately disqualifies yourself as a leader. The sad thing is, nearly nobody in Antigua and Barbuda has the moral and intellectual capacity to appreciate this.

It is sad when our youths cannot be empowered with a job that they have studied for. Their knowledge and skills become rusty and the contribution that they could make towards national development dwindles……

So in theory, what this writer is saying is that this government has failed her, and that sentiment is well understood by me, because, isn’t it a general thing,when someone secured a government scholarship, is for an agreement be made where at the end of the scholarship, that person is provided a job
,where that person can secure their future and be a vital benefactor to the building of the nation?

So this is telling to me, that this those standards were not followed here.

So from what I gathered, promises were broken here, and someone in high places,has failed this brilliant young person.

But hey, am I surprised by this cry for help by patriotic Antiguan’s, nope, because from what I’ve already observed from this administration, is that they don’t give two rats about their own people, and that’s a fact.

They rather make deals with foreigners, and bring in their so-called business people from Africa to fill the void, than to help build the young people like this fellow Antiguan.
Help your bloody people Gatson, help them..is that so hard?

Ah Antigua me cum fram don’t mean a s**t to this shi**y administration, in your own country Dawg better than you if e gat a bone unless you decide to join the Lickspittle Brigade

Unless you are born with a gold spoon in your mouth, you must be prepared to fight and work to achieve. This is a tiny country and many of our young people are studying things that are over subscribed or not needed. And this will get worse as AI takes more and more jobs. Maybe what ever you studied is more needed in bigger countriea. With a university degree, you qualify under CSME and can work in any Caricom country. Spread your wings and stop feeling sorry for yourself.

Don’t be too tough on this young lady. Government helped her and she came back to make a contribution. In my case as a health professional, I came back and practiced my skills for over 9 months which benefited a former Prime Minister. May his soul rest in peace. They never upgraded my salary and paid me what I was getting in my old skills. I feel this young lady pains. She must not be scared to broaden her horizon though. If Antigua can’t give you recognition seek it elsewhere for yourself and family. I wish you well

This is so disheartening to hear of a young person who has put in the struggle to get herself/himself educated and successfully gained a degree and cannot find a job.
Whomsoever you are, perhaps it is time for you to think outside of the box. If the traditional job market is not heeding you, look at your area of expertise and see how you can make your education work for you.
Perhaps think entrepreneurially and start your own start-up utilizing your knowledge.
I wish you well, do not let the lemons make you shed tears, but rather make lemonade.

@my way of helping…

Ah wah U ah say? Ah wan #’ole_thyme subben! A learnt behavior from my elders! I’ll always greet, even a shadow after dark!

Hail, watch yah! Me kno, dat U lun Dadli, and subben, subben, kinda say, dat U #big_boast (if me Wrang, god goh TUMP me innah me mouth, ‘cause, me ah judge u, kinda, sorta because of your demeanour towards certain things, and you are entitled.

Now, man to man and leaving all that politics, blame here, blame there, blame over there, blame under there, blame on top, let’s just say, shhhhhssssssssjhjhhh…this girl like she’s a great Queen for a King, a great catch to build something #DADLIAN which cannot be upended by politicians LOVE. You should try and check her out.

By the way, @my way, hope when serious indegenious Antiguan or Barbudans hit you up with bonafide investments which no government can STOP, you’ll be ready.

The issues of constant flow of potable water (minor disruptions can be tolerated by the system), and constant flow of electricity (can be mitigated with other sources such as generators or solar and wind), there are local investors who are willing and able to employ individuals with this young lady’s learning.

Family Matters Being worked out, to uplift and expand what Our parents and grandparents willed to Us!
I’m finally convincing some retired nurses and soon to be retired physicians, that our parents and grandparents didn’t intend for Us, as their offsprings to die in the cold of Europe and North America, therefore, it’s time to head back to Antigua & Barbuda.
Life these days, afford us the opportunities and privileges to have one #dutty_🦶🏿 yah-so-so and the other #dutty_foot, ovah #DEY_SO_SEW!

But, check fu dis Queen dat write dis yah editorial. She serias, but timid.

Ras Smood aka Jumbee_Picknee
De’ole Dutty Peg🦉Garrat_Bastard

Vere C. Edwards

Well get off your lazy, entitled backside and find some area in which you can put your university skills to use. Perhaps you can apply, based on what you have already exposed to the public, for job as a UPP journalist, mouthpiece ,the Little Black Boy’ writer (de jezebel Isaac’s daily distribution has become so repetitve and boring. Further, your initial entry into the world of spin, Antigua-style has already garnered the interest of the bored, UPP membership, judging from their asinine comments. Check with a certain Ward character whose recent pathetic performance as an election analyst revealed his hidden impotence to even rile up especially the so-called Undecided voter. Check with him. There are lots of idle, politically motivated people, young and old alike who just love drama and attention.
Meanwhile, kudos to Antigua and Barbuda’s finest who avail themselves of a sound education relative to the country’s needs as well as your own and are able to fit seamlessly into the contribution to national development.

It is not unusual for a person to wait for months or a year to gain employment after graduation. A doctor friend of mine waited a whole year then got a small position helping with someone else’s private practice. Today she finally has her own practice. I wish the young lady well. However, there are some issues with this letter. Firstly, it is not good to automatically jump into blaming “foreigners” for lack of employment. Antigua keeps building hotels and expanding tourism to provide jobs, but, like yourself many Antiguans don’t want to work certain jobs in that sector. So, foreigners arrive and are happy to fill them. Perhaps you would have taken the job for a while then left once you found something in your field whereas the managers might prefer employees who intend to stick around. Why does this country keep expanding tourism if there are no Antiguans for those jobs? Rumour has it that some hotels have almost no Antiguans or even English speakers on staff. Perhaps we should change our tourism model to state that we are a microcosm of the entire Caribbean so visitors can find a hotel representing every culture here. Just go with the flow… Something to think about. In any case it’s not the foreigners’ fault that you are unemployed because you’re not really competing for a job in the same sector as them. Secondly, elderly persons have a wealth of experience that you might underestimate as a new, young member of the field, and they deserve to keep their jobs until retirement. Their organizations also benefit from their experience. So, please don’t be envious of grandma. You can find your own job with time. Thirdly, the civil service is quite full because in the past some persons who weren’t needed were hired to give them a job, like you’re wanting them to do for you. This drives down wages for everyone. It’s so full that workers might not be paid enough to live comfortably in this pricy tourist country. So, if you got in, you would still be complaining as you struggle to make ends meet. That being said, sometimes qualified people like yourself are needed if you know where to look, but managers don’t want to ask for another person to be paid so the rest of the staff struggles to get things done in the absence of the extra staff that is required for optimal efficiency and productivity. So, you should still ask around. Overall keep trying but avoid blaming other people for your lack of employment. The very people who you are hating on might have been able to open a door for you if you had asked them instead of hating on them in the media.