Island would grind to a halt without foreign workers
I WRITE with regard to a letter in your Open Lines section of the Guernsey Press on 11 October 2016 entitled 'In praise of valued foreign workers'. I fully concur with the author's comments – indeed I would suggest that it really is about time that 'locals' woke up and accepted that without non-local workers willing to fill many of these positions, they would remain vacant because 'locals' don't want to fill them. I can't remember the last time I was served by a 'local' in a restaurant or bar and indeed in many shops.
I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of those employed in the horticultural and tourism industries aren't 'local' and it seems to me that most outdoor or manual jobs are also filled by non-local workers. Why? Because 'locals' don't want to do them.
As a Guernseyman born and bred, I am often amazed at some of the negative comments made about our foreign friends – most of whom are honest, hard-working people who are trying to make a better life for themselves and their families.
I have recently had the privilege of utilising the services of a locally registered company, owned and run by a Portuguese man who employs wholly Portuguese staff, to undertake decorating and gardening works at my house.
Not only was all the work undertaken of an excellent standard, but the work ethic of the guys doing it was commendable. They arrived on site early in the morning and didn't leave until it was dark, taking little time to have coffee and lunch breaks. They also worked at weekends if necessary to get the work done.
Previously-used 'local' tradesmen arrived late (if they turned up at all), constantly stopped for coffee breaks and left the site about 3.30pm so they were back at their yard to finish work at 4pm. You barely get a day's work out of them and on a Friday they leave even earlier.
You certainly wouldn't get a 'local' tradesman to work until it's dark and very rarely at weekends.
Rather than complain about foreign workers, why not embrace them – they are part of our community and without them this island would come to a standstill.
They are undertaking essential jobs that enable Guernsey to function and thrive.
Maybe those 'local' people who are happy to claim the plethora of available handouts from the States rather than do a decent day's work could learn a few things from our foreign friends.
M. HARRIS,
Address withheld.
