600 people turn out for clean-up work
Crowds sign up for the Christmas clean-up 2016
(CNS): The number of people who came out to sign up for government’s annual Christmas clean-up last week was down slightly on the more than 700 that took part last year, which government believes is down to the fall in the unemployment rate. But officials revealed that with 550 people registered in Grand Cayman, another 41 on Cayman Brac, and three young people who were turned away because they were under the age of 18 years old. This means that there were still almost 600 people hoping to get the seasonal $10 per hour work, despite the claims that unemployment has fallen significantly.
Forty-five percent of those that registered are between 41-65 years old and around 20 people over 66 years old also turned up for what is tough work.
At the sign-up workers were told that they would be cleaning road sides and public areas, as well as clearing beach accesses that have been blocked, sometimes deliberately. This is an issue that has climbed up the government agenda in recent months after the planning minister revealed in the LA last month that government was reviewing the legislation surrounding access rights.
The main aim, however, is to give the unemployed an opportunity to earn some cash at Christmas time and to clean the island for the busy tourist season.
Workers were told by Employment Minister Tara Rivers when they attended the sign-up session that the project was not about “free money”; those engaged on the clean-up would be required to work hard for their $10 per hour, she said.
Despite the drop in the number of people compared to the overwhelming crowds that turned up last year, concerns have been expressed on social media and on the local airwaves that there are still too many local people willing to do manual low paid work who are unemployed when there are hundreds of permit holders doing this type of work every day for private sector firms.
Kenneth Bryan, a former political assistant to the premier who is planning to run for office against him in George Town Central, said it was encouraging that there were fewer people seeking the clean-up work this year but he remained concerned that the people looking to participate in the project were overwhelmingly what he termed “indigenous Caymanians”.
Bryan said he believed that this illustrates the prejudice that many bosses still appear to have against hiring Caymanians. With unemployment falling and work permit numbers increasing, the amount of local people desperate for “any kind of work” was something government had to address. As welcome as the work is for many people over the Christmas period, Bryan said that there was a systemic problem underpinning local unemployment, which is still too high.
Category: Jobs, Local News
Why don’t you just learn to pick your own s##t up during the entire year, negating the need for such stupid stunts?
Are they all caymaniana & do confirm that in the interview? It’s important that our people are employed! Bracka
come on everyone…it is just a Christmas present for a few…no need to get too deep about it.
About a year ago, someone from DOEH gave a presentation, stating that they had revamped their department’s processes and based on some consultants suggestion,every DOEH employee in a DOEH vehicle is going to stop and pick up some litter on the side of the road if they see it.
What ever happened to this process? I have NEVER seen a DOEH vehicle stop randomly to pick up some big pieces of plastic, beer bottles, card board boxes etc, unless it was during planned road clean up sessions. It seems that nobody from DOEH even sees when a place is a total mess as the public has to call in to advise them accordingly.
Where are the no-littering sign which were supposed to be put up all over the Island?
I understand that law regarding littering and the respective enforcement is beyond antiquated, but is someone from the Department or Ministry working on getting this changed so that DOEH employees can enforce the law without having to go through police?
Sad enough that so many people on this Island are so darn nasty to throw their stuff all over the place, but also sad that once again the residents seem to have paid for a consultant and nothing has come of it!
A government willing to pay cleaners $10.00/hr. but promotes only a $6.00/hr. minimum wage has a warped perspective on pay in the job market.
The $10 is for Caymanians, the $6 is for permit holders
The $10 is for people who can vote
Instead of empowering our youth with the pride of holding a job, and earning their own keep our representatives have chosen to shift responsibility to the private sector, and perpetuate a culture of dependency. How can you ever hire part time staff if you have to pay full time benefits? Well, you cannot.
They are all hired for just under the required time to provide benefits. Hmmmm.
I wonder how many of these 600 have outstanding warrants that could be cleared once they are “hired” on the first day of work?
Here is the PPM after election on how they were going to tackle the rising levels of work permits and local unemployment:- (this article and more are on the ppm.ky
Posted on: 10 September, 2013
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has confirmed that money has been found in the forthcoming budget to fund the changes at the immigration department which, will see an increased headcount to both process permits more quickly and enforce the law. Over the last week or so the premier has been doing the media rounds talking about the need to replace the boards, ensure employers are compliant and to generally fix a system which has failed to safeguard Caymanians in the workplace. With almost 20,500 foreign workers in Cayman but an estimated 2000 plus Caymanians out of and looking for work, it is increasingly apparent that things have gone awry when it comes to prioritising local labour.
Despite facing controversies over his decision to lift the seven year rollover, which will allow some 1500 holders of temporary exemption permits to stay in Cayman and apply for permanent residency, McLaughlin has promised more scrutiny of work permits and employer compliance.
“The real challenge for immigration has been that it has not had the resources to check that employers are compliant,” he said last week, adding that it was now abundantly clear that permits were being granted when they shouldn’t be. “I believe we can significantly improve the process to assist both employers and local people.”
He explained that with so many people on work permits, it has not been possible for the immigration department with its current staffing levels to check them all and to ensure the conditions under which the permits were granted reflect the reality of the employment situation.
“The system has not worked for years,” the premier said, adding that for as long as he could remember local people have complained about jobs going to foreigners and not Caymanians.
While promising more due diligence, the premier has also warned that government cannot send the wrong signals with the process of reform as the business community has to be confident that it can still recruit the talent it needs to keep the economy going.
“We need to be careful as we are dependent on foreign labour and we can’t be anti-foreign but we are keen to send a message that the review of the immigration system will be fair to Caymanians. We will do best to ensure where a Caymanian is willing and able they will get work,” McLaughlin stated.
With government’s planned reform in two stages, it is beginning with the removal of rollover and dealing with the Term limit extension permit holders (TLEPs) in conjunction with the revamping and tightening of the point system for granting permanent residency. While all of the TELPS will now be able to apply for PR, McLaughlin made it clear that they will not all get it and will still need to leave the island if they are refused. Government is expected to have made these necessary policy and legislative changes by October.
The second phase will be in April when the broader issues of the immigration system will be addressed and when the government will also look at whether its foreign workers should be part of the wider immigration regime as the most recent work conducted by the last immigration review team headed up by Sherri Bodden-Cowan recommended that they should be treated in the same way as work permit holders.
With the community concerns about the removal of rollover undermining Caymanian opportunities in the work force, speaking on rooster’s Crosstalk recently Bodden- Cowan emphasised once again that the policy was never intended as a mechanism to get Caymanians employed but to prevent every person who comes to islands getting Cayman status. Both Bodden-Cowan and McLaughlin have been at pains to point out that the rollover issue is separate and apart from the issue of employing local people.
I think any new legislation will be vulnerable to judicial challenges.
The PPM dragged their feet and waffled so long as to trample applicant’s, and employers’ rights, they will likely have to answer for their actions, or lack there of.
Excellent comment MM
So the Island will look good for a day and then the usual crap of littering all over the place will continue…….
BTW, would be good if some of those yard maintenance companies who blow litter, grass, leaves etc onto the road or the next property would actually pick the stuff and dispose of it properly rather than just blowing it off the property making it someone elses problem.
Well said 12.40, why can’t they vacuum it up, take it away and compost it? All the blowing just creates mess in the next yard, on the road and kicks up a ton of dust which for one gives me more allergy problems and will soon for a lot more people. They could actually sell the compost to make more money…
I think the government should ban the use of blowers because as you rightly stated they only blow the debris on someone else’s property, on the road. Before too long the spwind blow it right back. The least they should do is rake it and bag it and take it with them. It is also very scary to drive by these blowers with gravel flying in all direction.
Retire the 200 or so 60+ Civil Servants. Promote from within as needed. Hire these people to replace those prompted. They couldn’t possibly make things any worse than they are now.
Sounds good to retire 200 and hire some of those vying for $10 ph workers. How well would they work behind a desk?
Better than those that sit behind those desks currently.
well we know that the private sector does it better. long lines at utility companies, poor internet service to name a few.
Customer service at some banks!, restaurants. Horrible!!
Probably pretty good as I be the retiring 200 don’t do much apart from sit behind a desk.
Typical PPM with the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing.
In another publication yesterday, we read that, on the eve of hiring people in North Side to clean up North Side so that they will have money for Christmas, they send their 2017 candidate Ed Chisholm and his brother, along with a company that Government is paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to on another contract, to CLEAN UP THE GARBAGE IN NORTH SIDE.
Honestly I wonder how many needy unemployed workers in North Side they are denying an opportunity to get a little work for Christmas?
Knowing the PPM I am sure they are still going to hire those supporters who apply, even if there is no longer any garbage along the roads in North Side to pick up.
Thats not Corruption its good “Governunce” positioning their candidate to meet the people and pay them one little bit of money and jobs for their vote. Unnah hush unnah mouth nah!!!! Oh but the PPM Cheap eh?
I would hire anyone to help me around my house every weekend for $10 an hour. But we can’t without breaking the law. We need to pay pension health insurance. Where can I go when I need to hire someone to help around my house for $10 ?
No lie, the current law deters employers from hiring more staff. It is short sighted and obtuse.
I am caymanian, 66 years old. No pension or ins to be paid. Call Michel 917-2233. I can start next weekend. Working this weekend
You can hire a company on a contract basis. You pay what is agreed in the contract. The company figures out the rest for health and pension.
lemay66michel@gmail.com. 66 years old. No worries for pension, permit and own insurance. Will gladly work weekends for $10 . Very healthy.
Worked beside this gentleman during the NiCE programme and he is definitely not afraid of a little hard work! Give him a chance!!
Every year same time I know when this project is going on in Cayman Brac – people who are known to be supported by NAU/Social Services can be seen going to the bank and then crossing the street to invest in the local liquor store. Seems like most of them are content to work for a little party money around Christmas and let government support them for the rest of the year by claiming they can’t find work.
What a bunch of bleep, bleep, bleep it all is. Only one guy on the PWD bush crew can be seen putting in an honest days worth of work.
Now I am going to cry call Mose and Julie (both as my representative and loyal PPM members)to complain about all the foreigners taking away jobs from brackers like me.
Peace, love and thank you PPM/Caymannewsservice for publishing this.
Unemployment the lowest it has ever been, yet we have 600 persons who has registered for work out of a possible 55,000. It is clear to see that the ppm claim to fame on unemployment is not true. Now that’s Progessive!!!
Thought gambling was illegal?
I am an educated, unemployed but also righteous young man. Will not state my nationality.
However, recently I became victim to some unfaithful, self-loathing and in-despicable employers. Offering what appeared to be a fair starting career within a large insurance company. Things began smoothly and got totally interesting as I became more engaged.
Only to get the now popular run-around…..”your working too fast”…”your working too slow”…”oh, do it this way”…”use a special font size (that isnt even there, #13 in MS Word) when writing”….”we’re going to monitor you” for what honest reason?? and never have follow ups for progress, if any!? – This, plus more (not presented) in 2 short years?
Turns out that I was used for the term of my “full-time” contract and then cut because “business growth not as projected” (i.e – things got slow)….YA for an international insurance company still operating 100% with more appreciating assets and larger targets to hit next year.
Perhaps employers should volunteer their loved ones or offer themselves to such gambling equations. Will see you all in court (once I save all Christmas gift monies for lawyer fees).
I also heard it became mandatory that all current employees re-negotiate their contracts. Was that just to include jargon so they would never be allowed to seek any form of justice via trial?
A Fish will stink anywhere and all the time.
Sad story….you should try typing 13 in font box of MS Word.
Perhaps they were monitoring you because of your appalling spelling and grammar, or inability to work out that you can get size 13 font by simply typing 13 in the font size box. And your beef is that they kept you for the duration of your contract? You do understand that once your contract expires, there is no obligation to renew it, right? They are not marrying you.
“around 20 people over 66 years old also turned up for what is tough work.”
I’d like to know what the demographics are for all those over 55 that showed up. I would venture to say that it was a much larger number, and likely many who have been forced out or are unable to find work due to ageism. The level of discrimination against those 55 and older is criminal at best and needs to change. Those people have families and mortgages that need to be attended to, just like all the rest of us They have knowledge, skills and a work ethic that has been developed over a long span of time in the workforce. It’s about time that factor was given MUCH more favourable consideration.
Some people may just want a temporary job to have money to spend at Christmas, but almost half of those applying are between ages 41-60. This suggests to me that many of these people may lack a marketable skill. Perhaps some vocational training for this group would be a more sustainable approach. Anyway I hope they work hard and enjoy their Christmas spending money.
Happy Christmas…could they pay them $10 a ticket to fine those who create litter? Self funding until the message gets through to those disgusting litter louts, and an incentive to work..,
10:14pm Disgusting liter bugs are those we could do without. The road I live on, is traversed by some people who have arrived here and really running a muck of my area.
Turning away 16 and 17 year olds is crazy. Governments own statistics count them as part of the workforce. What kind of lesson does that teach a 17 year old Caymanian willing to pick up garbage, particularly when expats are among those getting paid to work!
Expats = Work Permit Revenue = Short-term Economic Surplus = Inequity for Caymanians
Except the expats do not have work permits to do the work they are being paid by the government to do, potentially making the whole thing illegal – but hey, who is watching?
Inequality for Caymanians in the workplace has been caused by a generation of poor quality primary and tertiary education. The government must try to appreciate they cannot make up for failures in the education system by promoting positive discrimination for Caymanians in the workplace, which creates an entitlement attitude — “the country owes me a job”, and which make Caymanians LESS attractive employers who are threatened by the degree of hyper-protectionism. Three areas to improve for better employment for Caymanians: Education, education, and education.
Funny how Tara gave her “free money” speech when she has done absolutely nothing for education and labor. If you ask me her salary is just that! Free money because she does as little work as possible! I wonder if she will tell the country who paid her legal fees.
Will those same people turn up, on time, and work hard everyday? I only hire Caymanians, and have a great staff. But in any demographic there are good and bad ones, lazy and hard working ones. I question whether the Government has the same expectation of work ethics as the private sector.
Yes, but the way the law is skewed towards positive discrimination for Caymanians, employers in the private sector must give the job to the Caymanian with THE SAME QUALIFICATION even if they’re a bad, lazy person. Positive discrimination does not work.
Kenneth Bryan knows that the reason these people are so eager for this work is because it is for a few days, basically unsupervised and is really just a handout. Kenneth knows these kinds of people really really well. Really well.
This is the perfect scenario for our typically unemployables. Good pay, friendly “boss”, no particular skill set required, OK if you didn’t pay attention in school, short term “contract”, no background check required. Don’t assume these folks want full time employment where they have to show up on time and pay attention. This a different crowd. Then again, as Kenneth well knows, these people can vote and they love political sweet talk.
Shouldn’t PWD be doing these jobs all year long since it’s what they are being paid to do?
More vote buying by the ppm government who criticized the udp for doing the same thing
Hey if it’s one thing they know, Mackeeva understands the poor man and tried to help so out of touch PPM could never come up with anything better or long term