Miller: Findings back rollover
Posted on Wed, 06/20/2012 - 16:07 in Politics
(CNS): Although the Term Limit Review Committee has recommended that government drop the controversial seven year term limit for foreign workers, Ezzard Miller says the findings of the report show that the policy has worked. The independent MLA says that, despite the recommendations made by the authors, their findings indicate that rollover has not driven business away but has worked and limited the number of people who are now eligible for Caymanian status. He said that removing the seven year limit and allowing everyone to apply for PR is nothing more “than kicking the can down the road” and will raise unrealistic expectations among foreign workers.
Miller is likely to be a lone voice on the issue, however, as it seems government, the opposition and large parts of the community are set to support the committee’s recommendation to push the term limit back to ten years. Nevertheless, despite being one of the few remaining supporters of rollover, Miller believes it is still the best policy.
He said the idea that because government will let all people who stay here for ten years apply for PR, more people will be granted residency is misleading as it cannot afford to allow many of those who apply through because it will not have the money to take care of low paid workers once they retire. He warned that making the system seem fairer to allow low income workers the right to permanently reside may sound politically correct but it wasn’t a realistic option.
Miller warned that allowing everyone to stay longer than eight years so they could apply for PR would place the Cayman government at risk of human rights challenges and would create false expectations because, while everyone would then apply for residency, government would have no intention of granting all but a few of the applications.
Although he admitted it might not be a perfect system, Miller told CNS that he supported the key employee system. “There is nothing wrong with principle behind the ‘key application’ process. I don’t agree with the TLRC that it’s the employer making the decision,” he said. “The decision is made by the board based on a lawful set of criteria.”
The independent member noted that to improve the application process, those given key status should meet all of the criteria established by government, not just one.
Miller emphasised that the report found that rollover was not the main issue impacting the Cayman economy so there was no real reason to remove it. He said that it was a fallacy that thousands of people had left because of the term limits. “As I’ve said many times before, immigration isn’t the problem. It’s simply not true that people have left en-masse. This was confirmed by CUC who had not lost the thousands of customers that they should have done if the exodus was a reality.”
Miller said the problem is government’s imposition of high fees and policies, which were crippling existing small business and preventing new entrepreneurs from launching start-ups. The North Side representative said the cost of borrowing was too high and the cost of fees even higher.
“Government has been addressing the wrong problem all along,” he added, pointing to endless amendments to the immigration law since the UDP administration took office. “But there have been no amendments to legislation to help small businesses. With the exception of bending laws and policies to meet the wants of his favoured major developers, who are lauded as economic saviours, the premier has done nothing to help the backbone of the economy.”
Miller told CNS that, given the current economic circumstances and the number of Caymanians out of work, the government should be turning its attention to reducing the number of permits. He said new jobs are no longer being created, which means young Caymanians need to be given the work that is currently held by migrant workers.
He conceded, however, that this was unlikely to be a priority for government considering the amount of revenue it now collects from work permit fees and its dependence on that money to pay for the ballooning public sector.
See full TLRC report here
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Dear Caymanians, Question 1
Dear Caymanians,
Question 1 of your Culture and Hisotry Test. Please tell me how Cayman became an offshore Centre?
Smarty, do some research.
Smarty, do some research. Caymanians don't go to other countries and question the natives. You all are too insulting. Get off the rock if you don't like what Caymanians have to say.
sea captains!
sea captains!
I couldn't agree more with
I couldn't agree more with Ezzard Miller's statement:-
"there have been no amendments to legislation to help small businesses. With the exception of bending laws and policies to meet the wants of his favoured major developers, who are lauded as economic saviours, the premier has done nothing to help the backbone of the economy"
I challenge readers to contemplate the reality of these words carefully.
Ezzard Miller is no
Ezzard Miller is no indredibly wrong that its unbeleivable anybody can agree with him? Nobody can see how bad the rollover has been for businesses here? Anyone who agrees must be an unemployed Caymanian who blames ex-pats.
Hello anon it is not Ezzard
Hello anon it is not Ezzard who said the rollover was not the biggest obsticle to business it was the business people themselves who ranked it 5 out of 8 in the survey. You need to stop being personal and read the report, Ezzard has the balls to pander and whether he is wrong or right he has his own views and is not afraid to be alone on an issue.
don't believe everything in
don't believe everything in polls.....
Again I say that all of this
Again I say that all of this is ridiculous! Our Christian people have been subjected too long to these expats and their ungodly ways! We should have a rule that only those who are Christian and have proper respect for our morals and values are allowed to stay in our Islands. And there should be a committee of Godly men and women who should make sure that only those of proper respect and morality can remain in our midst. We need to be rid of corrupting ways and return to our Christian heritage. God bless Cayman and true Caymanians!
Can't you folk see that this
Can't you folk see that this is a troll winding you up?
so which nationality has been
so which nationality has been fraudulently using Gasboy cards.
LOL better look up Matthew 7.5 and while your at it leviticus 19.34
"But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself;"
not adhering to the teaching of your own holy book, very christian of you
Thank you CNS. After a busy
Thank you CNS. After a busy and stressful day working, I can usually rely on you providing hilarious nonsense to brighten up my evenings. This one is priceless.
is your Christian son or
is your Christian son or daughter gonna cut grass or clean pools at $4 an hour? Are they gonna clean houses or work as a table server for even less?
You condone
You condone slavery/indentured labour.
lPlease clear up a few facts
lPlease clear up a few facts for me.
1.If a persons stays here for 8 or 10 years they must be granted residency?
2. Kicking everyone off before that happens is the only way to keep out those who are not self sustaining?
3.CIG has no say in who is granted residency as long as they have stayed long enough?
4. Businesses will have to let go of their expat skill sooner or later or Cayman will have too much expat skill and not enough jobs for Caymanian skill.
Is this right?
5. If there is a cap on the number of residencys per year and they have to pass other qualifications then a time limit is moot. Unless kicking skill down the road so no skill can have a chance is the real reason for a roll over. In which case it is understood. And the real reason for the expense of having, running, and using a business in Cayman.
1. no, the PR bpard will
1. no, the PR bpard will decide if they can stay or have to leave before 10 years
2 it is also the only way to stop anyone investing on staying in Cayman
3. yes they do
4 no that is wrong, very few people in today's world spend their life at the same company
5 What ????
We are neglecting the
We are neglecting the constraints. Injecting money and manpower into a functioning area does not eradicate our islands' problems.
I agree with Mr. Miller.
Millar report: Findings back
Millar report: Findings back Caymanian self governing not self sustaining! But still better than nothing for the next year if the money holds out.
Findings back UK takeover!
Findings back UK takeover!
17:58 Shame on you to
17:58 Shame on you to suggest any Caymanian should be run out of our own country!!! Thats exactly whats wrong with the mentality of some who live here now!!! Ezzard's forefathers and mine were Generational Caymanians who helped build Cayman to what it is now. They had the same goals, to build a sustainable Cayman and a place where Caymanians had te benefits of being here. Thise others who came to these shores were welcomed and most of them fit into the fabric of our society. They made valuable contributions to Cayman, not just made their riches and left. They respected they were in someone elses country and embraced Caymanians and worked hand in hand with them to ensure their survival. The bottom line is Caymanians still got the benefit of being here. As much as I would like to see some of my expat family and friends also be able to come and live here, it is not economically feasible to import EVERYONE. When people take jos or come here to go to school it should never automatically entitle them to become citizens. The Immigration policies should be clear on that and then those who would come here could make an intelligent choice to either come here for the short term or stay where they are. No Caymanian would ever have any different priviliges in any other country. Please o not bring up England......The rollover statistics say enough. It is working and that must be the only thing here so far that is. I am with you 100% Ezzard..
Rubbish. Just because you, me
Rubbish. Just because you, me and our forefathers, are from Cayman does NOT mean that we all built the place. You make it sound as if we had some cohesive master plan. The fact is outsiders had the idea of turning this place into a financial centre and SOME of us embraced the idea. As is typical in Cayman, some were against it. Some didn't even know (and still) don't know about the financial industry and how it put us on the map. The financial industry back then is exactly the same as CEC is now.
Contrary to what you say, there is zero entitlement for foreigners here. So stop spreading propaganda. They can only APPLY for key employee. IF successful with key, they can only APPLY for residency. IF successfuly with res, they can APPLY for naturalization. If successful with naturalization they can APPLY for status. At each and every stage of the process, they can be (and often are) turned down.
Those who are not Caymanian cannot go to public schools. So you your point, is once again, inaccurate.
Your post is an insult, not only to Caymanians who successfully live and work in other countries, but to those of us who have stayed here and acutally know our history. I'm not surprised in the least that you support that dinasour 100%.
P.S. Until we no longer use the term "paper" Caymanian, we have not truly welcomed anyone here.
The term 'paper Caymanian' is
The term 'paper Caymanian' is no worse than all the ugly adjectives expats use to describe us. Not welcoming someone is nicer than 'stomping' on someone. Everyone knows that in many instances Caymanians are treated unfairly in order to accommodate expats!
You could also add that when
You could also add that when persons APPLY, they APPLY to various boards where only Caymanians may sit. Many of whom have the same disposition as the writer above. So to use the word "entitlement" is absolutely shameless.
The difference between you're
The difference between you're Forefathers and those that lead now is that they had Cayman and its development at the forefront of everything they did.
The bunch of jokers we have now have only themselves at the forefropnt of everything they do. BIG DIFFERENCE.
Wow a lot of thumbs down on
Wow a lot of thumbs down on these comments, I guess the foreigners are not happy with what the Caymanians have to say.
Nope. I am a college educated
Nope. I am a college educated Caymanian and 5th generation from this fair land and sea. We just don't trust Ezzard Miller as far as we can throw him.
Hope you're not brainwashed
Hope you're not brainwashed by that expat.
Well if you are you should
Well if you are you should then understand his motive, he just wants to protect the future for us the 4th and 5th generation Caymaninans. We do no want foreigners with the top postions in The Cayman Islands forever.
Obviously Miller and those
In other countries you can't
In other countries you can't hire who you want unless they are citizens of that country or have legal rights so cut the bologne. There is a limit to how many people should be allowed to migrate to these 2 x 4 islands. Every country has countrol so should we.
Rollover is not crippling the
Rollover is not crippling the cayman islands , greed is. No matter where the businesses are the best person for the job is now being hired from a cheaper source. If the chinese would come businesses would hire them from there. Bowl of rice anyone?
Please stop! all that you are
Please stop! all that you are saying is lies, stop pushing foolishness on us, miller is right we all know and so do you that rollover is not the problem, its greedy business persons that think they can pay anything they want to, keeping workers in poverty so that they can make more profits but all they are doing is running themselves out of Cayman.
I think every one knows what you will do, you will run to some other country, tell them you know it all, grab what you can grab and ruin them, then run from there when they realise what you are and start to stand up for there rights, then you will say they are hatefull and small minded people because you cant have and do what you want.
Please do not ask us to let you do things in our country that we cannot do in yours, you are causeing us to dislike you, we were liveing in peace untill your greed came to us, if this is prosperity god help us, twenty years ago expats used to respect us and we welcomed them but the expats that is comeing now most seem to disrepect us and our culture, and then you wonder why we are not friendly anymore, you do not have a right to go to another persons country and insult them, they will run you eventualy.
Please if we want rollover then that is our policy, if you are in your country and you dont want me to stay but for three years that is your policy, stop biteing the hand that feed you, the people will get mad and run you, remember our children deserve to work just like yours do, they have to eat just like you, do not push them or none of us will like the result, these kids are starting to talk bad things so please stop makeing the same mistakes that almost every other country made out there, no one will be able to turn around these hard problems when it starts, where will you run then? to a country where they have serial killers, people killing there whole familly and where you have to watch your children so as not to have them kidnaped, raped and killed, enjoy this country dont try to change it, you may not like what it may become.
Then you like what commenter
Then you like what commenter 21:50 was saying, should be exempted from having to pay for work permits. You should have special incentive for employing 98% Caymanian workers.
You must be dreaming. That
You must be dreaming. That reasoning is why so many legitimate Caymanians cannot get jobs for sufficient pay to feed their families and pay for their housing. Every country in the world controls the work force and with all the others, the people of the country are given the first choice. That is one of the reasons for the rollover policy, and it would have worked if the people hiring in the Cayman Islands would have done what they should have by law. As a Caymanian, I applied for jobs here in the island until I was about to give up and move my daughter back to the US. Every job I applied for, was given to ex-pats, mostly British, with no explanation to me. So when you talk about. being able to hire who you want to, that has been going on here for the past 30 years and even with the rollover policy, the only category it seems to affect are the household helpers. Any position given to anyone above that level is still being given to ex-pats and won't stop anytime in the future.;
Pass the self-pity pot.
So not true, on so many
So not true, on so many fronts.
We don't want you in the U.S.
We don't want you in the U.S. That is for U.S. persons. At least, according to your argument.
Mr. Miller's reference to the
And replaced with what? Go
And replaced with what? Go back to the old days where people lived here for umpteen years on work permits and be deluged with human right claims for permanent rights? You must think we are real idiots to even consider that.
Assuming that the rhetoric is
Assuming that the rhetoric is true and it is the lower paid long term expats that the Jurisdiction is concerned about, then replacing the current regime with one where the expat employee applies for and holds his own work permit would be more efficient.
Currently, the cost and effort that an employer has to expend in obtaining a work permit for an expat employee acts as an incentive to hold on to that employee rather than the equally skilled Caymanian when it comes to down sizing. The employer's logic being, when things get better, it's easier to rehire the Caymanian than recruit a new expat. It's not fair. It's not in the spirit of the Law, but it is a real economic incentive.
Let's assume for a moment that the wage for equal work skill, experience and effort is, or at least should be, the same, whether expat or not.
The work permit fee would then be an expense to the expat employee so, in a downsizing era, with the incentive for the employer to keep the expat over the Caymanian removed, and both employees are equally good and cost the employer the same, then the employer will most likely lay off the expat, not the Caymanian. The expat whose expenses are higher than the Caymanian's, after finding no other work in the short or medium term, will be incentivised to leave. No need to roll him over, he'll go of his own accord.
The Caymanian still needs to compete with the expat to be as good or better so as not to be the employee that is laid off. No problem with that for a hard working and competent Caymanian, of which I have employed hundreds over the years in my construction related business.
Expats and Caymanian's want a level playing field. The market will be far more objective in making these decisions. The Employee will decide whether or not to renew his own permit and his only reason to do so would be that there is economically viable work. Raising a category of workers' work permit fees, should there be a recognized surplus in that category, would increase the impetus to leave in lean times. Lowering it in boom times would have the opposite effect, attracting workers to our shores. These permit price fluctuations would not impact the business owner. He wouldn't have to pay for it. The labour market would hit its own equilibrium.
It is still up to those Caymanians who are unemployed to improve their skills and make themselves more employable. We need Labour Law reform to assist them.
My view (always has been). Scrap the Labour Law. All of it. It's a huge disincentive towards hiring Caymanians and the European Labour priniciples upon which it was founded are now very obviously failing in those countries too. There is only two rules. Remove all disincentives from an employer so that he will employ someone new. The employee then makes himself indispensible to his employer! It really is that simple. All the rest of the populist protectionist rubbish is killing opportunity for Caymanians and is therefore working against the very people it was intended to protect.
I don't believe that getting rid of expats, no matter what their pay bracket might be, is the correct answer. The Island requires population growth in order to enjoy economic growth. We should be encouraging all to stay and work and spend their money here.
Abolish rollover.
Abolish the indentured slavery that is our current Work Permit system.
Level the playing field for Caymanians, Expat workers and their employers.
Reward hard work.
The economy will take care of itself in those circumstances.
The Cayman Islands are not a
It is not understod, why? one
It is not understod, why? one wants to start building an empire in another man's country, and at the end of the day it only causes pain and stress, trying to achieve a goal of being a citizen when you know you are not!! Someone is not doing a thought process of the end results - we feel sorry to hear of their plights but this is the way the world turns.
Caymanians no longer have any
Caymanians no longer have any say the foreigners are the shot callers, if they say no to a policy the Government listens but if it is a Caymanian that says so it falls on deaf ears.
really?
really?
yes furiners demanded
yes furiners demanded rol-over, LOL
this very subject proves you wrong
I never did like the idea of
I never did like the idea of a rollover policy to limited the number of Caymanian status holders on the island. How I see it, the market, when allowed to be free and lassez-fare, can produce a healthy and ambitious population with good circulation of monies that will sustain businesses on the island. And the market will naturally rollover itself, no policy, nothing planned by politicians, people come here, move in, and then roll out, leaving their mark on the island. No government telling them when they must leave or stop contributing to the Cayman Islands.
Nevertheless, the rollover policy is here to stay, and the question that everyone struggles with, is how it is defined. Here, it seems Ezzard Miller's statements about the rollover policy "not driving business away," gives the impression that the MLA judges all is well with the business community. I hope that is not the case. Because just a few weeks ago I took a walk in George Town and saw so many signs of businesses hurting from the cost of living and an immigration policy that has cause slow-growth because of unskilled workers. And really the rollover policy has taken a toll on small businesses.
Of course, extending the policy to ten years will "kick the can down the road", but it is alot better than it was before, because people will be allowed to apply for PR without the sense of deadline being up on the seventh year. At least, it will increase the Caymanian population and more flow of money in the economy, and unlike Miller, I see that as a very positive thing for these islands.
We can't be full protectionist all our lives. With a policy that is estrange to liberty and a free market, we can at least amend it in ways where we can provide more options and opportunities, hence not such a restrictive system. One of the options I recommend and I think should be implemented into law, is in exchange for an employer losing a valuable and skilled worker for a year, allow the employer to pay a “special one-year fee” to keep the skilled worker on island. Then the revenue from the fees can be earmark to educating Caymanians, social programs and helping small businesses to thrive. Another option to consider, is a special exemption for businesses when at least 60% of their skilled workers are Caymanians. Also the incentive could be included with the exemption that work permit fees wouldn't have to be paid if 60% of skilled workers are Caymanians. This will ensure more jobs for everyone including youngsters that are citizens.
good idea
good idea
“... kicking the can down the
“... kicking the can down the road ...” should be re-phrased as:
"...kicking the expat down the road..."
I hope and pray Ezzard is the
I hope and pray Ezzard is the next Premier......SOON too.....
R U MADDDDD. This man has a
R U MADDDDD. This man has a Personal agenda can't people see this. This man will be worst than Mackeeva trust me , I am from North Side and the things I know would freighten Ya All. I dont suport Ezzard and I support a National Vote not one man one vote .
The rollover has worked
The rollover has worked except that it should be on a case by case basis. Domestic care-givers, nurses and helpers for the disabled, elderly and children should be automatically excluded. All others should be rolled and have to remain off-island for 3 or more years instead of one year. Let's face it.....if everyone who comes here to visit or work thinks that entitles them to become Permanent Residents and or Caymanians we might as well just do away with Immigration period. We need to get Cayman back to ZERO unemployment, not cater to the wealthy and wannabes who are here only to make money and avoid taxes in their own countries. Caymanians have nowhere else to go and are being run out of their own homeland because the wealthy are taking over, the cost of living is sky-rocketing and Immigration is catering to outsiders with their political correctness instead of protecting generational Caymanians. We are trying to "fix" a major problem that was single handedly created by Macdummy when he doled out status grants and made that something that everyone now thinks they are entitled to also. There are already too many people here now as is evident in the unemplyment statistics and trust me this is not just unemployables as some would love to use as an excuse to suit their own agenda. It is going to cause civil war before long too if it is not curtailed effectively. Mark my words......
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