WORKFORCE AND LOCAL FOCUS Operating in one of the Caribbean’s smallest territories presents unique challenges that require a deep understanding of local dynamics and workforce development. The British Virgin Islands’ population of approximately 35,000 people creates a tight labor market where CTL must balance local hiring preferences with the need for specialized skills across their diverse operations. “We prefer to hire locals first as much as we possibly can. Wherever we can find those persons qualified for what we’re looking for, the first persons we would prefer to hire would be the islanders or belongers as they are called,” Thomas explains. “We do have a fair amount, but CTL is still 70% locals or BVI belongers and the other 30% is a mixture of persons from throughout the Caribbean, South America, the Philippines, and the US mainland.” The scale challenge becomes apparent when comparing the BVI market to neighboring territories. 42 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 12, ISSUE 08
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