CIG lacks data of migrating Caymanians
(CNS): Government has no data at all on the number of Caymanians that have left the country to live and work elsewhere. Recent anecdotal evidence suggests that the number of local people leaving the island long-term or permanently in order to find work or better career opportunities and advancement overseas is increasing, but the government has no figures to support or contradict this suspicion. Answering a parliamentary question Friday, Premier Alden McLaughlin told members that the 2010 census had attempted to capture this data but were unable to get any meaningful information.
Kenneth Bryan, the independent member for George Town Central, had asked what data the department had on Caymanians migrating overseas for the last ten years, but the premier confirmed that no agency was collecting the data. McLaughlin said that the issue was not one that had been discussed as a priority but that as government was going through a review of immigration and human resources, it was something he would take on board.
It is an issue that has previously been raised on debating platforms that locals have been driven overseas because of discrimination that they have received in their jobs here or because they feel they are not getting access to the opportunities they want.
Some Caymanians working in specialist fields have gone overseas simply because their career choices have led them towards industries and sectors simply not present here, such as film or scientific research, but there are concerns that qualified Caymanians in professions where there is a local need are still seeking a life elsewhere.
Caymanian doctors, teachers and even financial experts are understood to be working abroad but government has no figures to say how many, where they are or, most importantly, why they left.
Category: Jobs, Local News
The stats say that people who work in the US, that come from the Caribbean, earn more on average than American born workers.
too long, didn’t read. stopped at “Government has no data at all”. so, we dont keep records of who has departed cayman via the airport? cross-reference with nationality. cross-reference with return date. no return date? then theyve probably left and havent returned. im sure some people have left via boat, some may have even swam… review statistics on general departure trends… extrapolate results across subject population… incorporate “margin of error”.. voila “reasonable estimate” based on data.
disclaimer: i did not consult mr. holmes (or KPMG) prior to posting this.
Of course…Alden has given priority to foreign interests in his immigration policies…the entitled are no longer the people of the country. Thanks Alden, you are the BCOC (big Caymanian on Cayman) now.
Forget about this data. What we need is for CIG to at least maintain a list of who is a Caymanian. CIG has no such data….and I suspect the reason is that CIG departments cannot even agree on the definition of a Caymanian.
This leaves the private sector employers to insist on a certificate under Section 20 of the Immigration law – without which employers could be in breach of the immigration law.
Both are needed!!
Bingo! The Cayman Islands Government has accurate list and every department seems to have its own criteria for deciding who is and who is not Caymanian. The problem is that none of them seem to be using the full/correct criteria (at least based on what they publish)!
CIG is only worried about how many they can get to vote for them by giving free money to the lazy, PS the ‘free money ‘ comes from the hard working class.
Showing how much they care about Caymanians! Or they ashamed to say that Caymanians are leaving for a better life. Soon there will be no Expats Pension Exodus which willbe replicated with Caymanians Betterlife Exodus!
At least three Caymanian men, including the son of an MLA, are living in the U.K.because they cannot deal with the nasty anti gay environment that Saint Anthony of Savannah has created.
That Anti Gay environment has been present for a long time buddy. Mr. Eden is just a product of his environment.
Caymanian with degrees/ professional qualification here. Gainfully employed before migration and ever since.
Main reason I left? Discriminatory archaic laws which fail to offer basic human rights/ legal recognition to me personally and my same- sex partnership.
Reason I will not return? Archaic law in place requiring several years of continual residency to run for elections ensures that I will never have the opportunity to make a difference through holding office.
I am Caymanian- but I’m sad to say that I feel more at home in a foreign country. Maybe one day things may change…maybe…
It’s not archaic to expect that someone running for office has lived in the country for several continuous years before running for office. I am voter who wants my elected representative to know the issues facing the country from a ground-view…Keeping up to date online and by speaking with a few others from time to time does not give me confidence that you know what the issues are and therefore have the tools to properly address them.
Fully respect your view. But let the voter decide if the person is too far removed from reality based on their time overseas. Arguably, a Caymanian returning from overseas may bring solutions to problems that ‘local’ politicians may struggle to solve.
I wonder if the migrating Caymanians are facing any xenophobic attitude towards them as they seek a better life for them and their children??/
No they are not.
really? When I went to the U.K. first I was head-butted in the face for no reason other than my “American accent” as the ignoramous described it. Never heard of anyone ever being attacked for their accent here.
Really dont believe
Martison inflicts $580 worth of damage to patrol car… I believe!
If you are going to call someone an ignoramus, try and be sure you know how to spell the word, otherwise it all descends into something more ironic than you originally intended.
I wonder if your parents ever forgave themselves for having you
I migrated to the UK with my children for a better life and educational reasons. I can say I felt no xenophobic attittude towrds myself and children. Every entity I approached to get settled I was received with open arms. They are documents you have to complete just comply and submit. When I applied for my housing, the first thing my housing officer informed me was that 3 things govern children in this country 1. Every child must be educated 2. No child must be left homeless 3. No child must go to bed hungry. How encouraging !
Pleased to hear you had a good experience in the UK. And can we take it that you also qualified for social benefits? – applying for housing means asking local authorities for housing.
Excellent experiences ! Yes I was qualified for social benefits and that included Housing and to top it off I immediately got a job still working to prove that I did not solely come to the UK to live off their benefits. Never one day experience any anti ex-pat sentiments. Worked with British and other nationalities.
9:35 am, the difference between you and me, you don’t have any pride, you wants social services to give you, (remember soclal services money comes from hard working people) I have pride and don’t want any ones money, i work for mine, if i don’t have it i do without certain things and never, never ask soclal services for other people money.
Not Social Services. Money ! Benefits are allotted by the Govt purses for the British people that they can give their children a good life, education and have a roof over their head. There’s no pride game with this its an entitlement bestowed on you by invitation. Bring your kids (if you have) here and I assure you would put down pride (which you are full of) and accept the benefits.
4:12 pm, you say not social services, where you think the government gets the money, its the working people money, Suppose everyone was on this benefits (you call it allotted benefits) what you think would happen to the Government, it would go broke, broke.
That’s why taxes are paid to facilate these kind og programmes. Myself and children was qualified for it and it was a massive help to us. No regrets!
I agree with you. If my child is absent from a school in Cayman who the heck would call my phone to find out why my child is not in school,. But let me say that doesn’t work in the UK, every child’s attendance is monitored daily and your child doesn’t show up for school, Social Services will be knocking on your door. Also parents who takes their kids out of school during term time will be penalized. That’s why the UK Education is highly rated! When children attends school in the UK teachers are on the ball to identify any issues and act on them. Wish I could say that about the failing Education System in Cayman !
10:22 am, please stay over there and never come back here, if there is so good and here is so bad, just stay over there and keep shut.
Making comparisons cheese to chalk
I will till my children are fully educated. You are a hypocrite stop being in denial
The UK school system is not highly rated. Matter of fact recent statistics show more school age kids are failing.
Not true still better than the one you maybe still in!
10:22am ask what purpose the Truant Officer in the Education Dept. serves. Collects a salary, suck up a/c and relax all year.
Hmmm… if they went to certain areas of North America, or Europe they probably will face some sort of xenophobic attitude from the locals.
Please don’t pretend that it doesn’t happen other places, as sad as that may be.
Those that I am aware of that have gone to the U.S. are only facing more opportunity, better benefits, cheaper prices and better food.
It is obvious why they left.
Who wants to live on a christian fundamentalist rock, at 6$ an hour ?
8:17 pm, if you don’t want to live here, what are you doing here. please leave, i am sure your Country is worst than here, that is why you is here in the first place. And to all the expats that are thankful to be here and don’t bad mouth this place, i say a BIg WELCOME, we appreciate you being here, thanks.
Let me be the first to inform you that there is at least one who fits this category. The people who owned a certain building supply store in Cayman Brac has moved to the U.S. I understand that the gentleman is now working at a Lowe’s Store.
The gentle man returned to the country of his birth with his family, not sure if that is really news.
No, he did not. They all come back frequently for a visit. The entire family has found success in the U.S.
There are a host of reasons that talented Caymanians would consider “on-shore” opportunities, but the number one, in my opinion, is that their children would receive a far better education. It seems that ever since Hurricane Ivan in 2004, the quality of life has never been been the same. And the cost to maintain it has risen dramatically. These two factors alone are making those with the resources and skills to consider something that was never on their radar in the past. Unfortunately for Cayman, the migration is likely to continue for some time. My hope is that conditions will improve to the point where those Caymanians who have left will choose to return and spend their golden years in the wonderful place that we all used to know so well, where He Hath Founded it By the Sea.
Agree with you, especially for a better education for your children. Cayman has lost all its virtue. It was such a beautiful island up until 2004 when Ivan struck and the grant of Mass Statuses. Dr Frank identified that the island was looming with a lot of social issues what happened ? He was ostracized. Now was he really wrong ! What did the CIG do ? Turn a blind eye! As to the failing Education System what was done to develop our youths. Plans in place for a Vocational School which sadly fell on the roadside. What plans were in place for our youths who graduated and did meet the criteria level for 6th form/University level. No skills unable to get a job, these are the dirt bike riders riding up and down robbing /stealing/turning to drugs. I can attest that any child educated in the UK who fails the System is not the British Govt fault because they have so many options plus backed with financial help. I know for a fact a lot of Caymanians have migrated to the UK for a better life and are doing extremely well. Their children are better educated, Govt gives them house, financial help. My personal opinion is that children /youths are idolized in the UK they are not forgotten and the system will work with you till the end. For a country that use to brag they were the jewel of the Caribbean can there be comeback!
The grants were in 2003 Ivan was 2004. You can’t even decide which you’re trying to blame…
BTW it was Ivan and the implementation of the rollover, that was always in place but never enforced, that changed everything.
I blame both ! Thanks for correcting Mass grants statuses from 2004 to 2003. Over population, depriving Caymanians of their entitlement and the list goes on.
CIG lacks data of Caymanians generally. It cannot even agree how to tell if someone is Caymanian. Without sorting that out attempting to count them is pointless and work out where they are is pointless.
Try this for fun. Take the list of Cabinet status grant recipients (the only fairly accurate list of Caymanians I could find anywhere) and after you have asked yourself why did that so many of the recipients get chosen, note how many have long left!
Or died
Or never wanted it in the first place. Or had already left.
or were known criminals, or had never lived here!
Hey – hold on! Don’t be unfair. Many of these people had made significant contributions. Some had been here for more than a year and for example, were doing business with important real estate companies. Others were important dudes in law enforcement and the fight against corruption and were duly recognized. It was all totally legal and proper. We have had that confirmed multiple times both by the people who gave it and the people who received it!
Ha! Love your sarcasm here.
6:58 This was a JOKER’s GAME that did not go down well for the country!!!!!!!!
Many of them have left since the foot was in the door and opened many more opportunities to excel in other countries.
Caymanians leaving to work overseas?! Outrageous! Don’t they realize those jobs should go to local Americans/British/Canadians?!! Why is it that Caymanians working overseas expect local people in those countries to be treated like second class citizens while they expect to rock up like “Johnny come lately” and receive jobs ahead of local people?
If there are 100 Caymanians working in the States they should kick em all out and let 100 unemployed Americans take those jobs. Obviously those employers are just anti-American because they would rather hire people from overseas than their own kind.
They should ban any American jobs being advertised on websites that can be seen by Caymanians. I mean how is it possible that American employers can’t find a single candidate out of 145 million American adults, 7 million of whom are unemployed?
It’s probably Caymanian managers who are hiring all their Caymanian friends just because they’re Caymanian.
Sad!
Obviously the thumbs down don’t recognize sarcasm. Too funny!
Actually, I did recognize the attempt at sarcasm. I still don’t like the comment.
I really want to believe that this is sarcasm…Have you ever worked overseas? Many Caymanians have dual citizenship meaning they have the right to live and work in anouther country. Thus they have to compete for vacancies just like everyone else.
Most Caymanian’s looking for work abroad are driven individuals, looking for better career opportunities. Granted a lot of them can find work in there line of work in Cayman, but the exposure and experience of working abroad that they would get by doing so is invaluable. Especially if they bring the experience gained back to benefit the Islands some day.
Sure there may be a few that fit the bill of your description, but many more fit the one I described above in one way or another (Myself included). So in future please try not to generalize?
Original poster: Yes, you doofus, it was sarcasm.
I’m glad those Caymanians were able to seek work overseas but you cannot beat the irony that many of their countrymen and women here at home believe that no foreign person should be hired as long as a single Caymanian is unemployed.
6:45am Poster: Well sarcasm clearly isn’t my forte! My bad haha.
I cant agree more. The notion is laughable!
No one believe that. They only believe that the legally required opportunities should be given where appropriate.
You are obviously an expat. What are you doing here with such a vile attitude toward Cayman and Caymanians?
I usually avoid use of this twrm, but in tos case…you need to go back to wherever you came from! I’m venturing a guess that is America. Go – go far and stay long. Trump needs your help!
Dumb!
First thing to remember is that Alden doesn’t give a rats as! Amount anyone but him and his government.
You got that right! That pompous blow bag only cares about himself and his buddies/supporters. They could care less if anyone leaves as better for the elite.
No more drunken posting for either of you.
Government is not concern with how many Caymanians had to leave by the fact that they do not collect data. All the Government is concern about is granting PR and status as quick as possible.
As quick as possible? Where you been hiding?