MLA urges action over potential ex-pat exodus
Alva Suckoo, Bodden Town MLA
(CNS): The deputy opposition leader and independent member for Newlands is urging government to act now in preparation for what many believe will be an exodus of ex-pat workers at the end of this year over changes to the pension law. Alva Suckoo said that out-of-work Caymanians need to be trained now to fill vacancies that will be created at the peak of the tourist season rather than grant a new batch of last-minute and temporary work permits because nothing was done to manage the potential problem.
The new law prohibits pension cashouts from 1 January, forcing ex-pats who leave the country to maintain their pension in the existing fund until retirement age or to transfer it to another scheme. Many overseas workers, who often already have pension investments in other countries when they come to work in Cayman, or who are simply not interested in thinking about a pension, have come to expect the cash windfall after they leave and are not prepared to miss out.
Although there are no actual statistics, anecdotal evidence points to the possible departure of a large number of ex-pat workers in many different fields before 31 December, the cut-off point to allow people to cash out their pensions.
Faced with the very real possibility of anywhere from hundreds to even as many as 2,000 people leaving at the same time, according to some estimates, Suckoo has filed a private member’s motion in the Legislative Assembly, seconded by the opposition member for Savannah, Anthony Eden. The motion calls for all affected businesses to give the government a detailed list of the vacancies that will be created at their companies by the potential exodus. The opposition member is asking for all affected businesses to register the forthcoming vacancies now on the NWDA jobs database, giving time for government to partner with the employers and embark on a recruitment drive encouraging interested Caymanians to register and apply. This will then allow time to train the potential local candidates to fit the jobs that will become available in the period leading up to the departure dates of the current permit holders.
“The motion is seeking to address the concern that if there is an exodus of expatriate workers, that steps are taken to ensure that as many Caymanians as possible get the opportunity to fill those vacated jobs,” Suckoo told CNS. “My concern is that because this has dragged on the Government will feel pressured to grant work permits to assist businesses and that many unemployed Caymanians or even those who want to change occupations won’t get the opportunity to fill these vacancies.”
On the campaign trail, most candidates, including those on the government benches and the former education and employment minister and architect of the pension law, said that if there was an exodus they wanted to see Caymanians fill the vacancies. While the arguments continue between unemployed locals and bosses about the availability of experienced and willing Caymanians and issues of discrimination, there is no indication whether government is planning any proactive measure to address the problem of the pending exodus while also dealing with the stubborn levels of local unemployment.
“I hope that the government recognises the urgency of the situation and agrees to the recommendations of the motion,” Suckoo said.
PMM No. 5 – Expat Workers Pension Exodus – A. Suckoo – 10 Aug 2017
Category: Local News, Politics
I don’t think you will see a mass exodus of younger, lower wage workers. It just isn’t the demographic. You might see some skilled middle-aged workers leaving, or high earning older individuals, especially amongst those who have built up a significant pension funds.
Either way, it is unlikely employers would replace those groups with unskilled locals. And I personally have found that what the NWDA sends you are persons of very limited skills, often persons married to Caymanians from third world countries, who could not even qualify for janitorial positions.
And so the importation of poverty continues.
The longest anonymous comments I’ve ever seen .
Some of you are so full of shit, really why are you really here. If you were better off at home you wouldn’t be here.
I know a lot of you care for cayman and caymainians but in reality most of you should just pack up and go home and leave the good that are here making cayman their true home.
We have too many loop holes that you badgers have been able to snipe through.
And I wonder why all you have no balls and remain anonymous. .. Caymainians and all.
Please don’t try XXXX with me . I’m at home…going no where but about my business.
Now if the Pension Ministers and Pension Ministers had regulated pension plans in compliance with the National Pension Law , for the exclusive benefit of employees, no then employees would have seen their pension funds growing instead of loosing money year after year. Employees want to remove their pension funds bencase they know that government will not protect their pension funds from the the thieving pension plan adm8nistrators and pension service providers.
Alva do as all times need midea attention only he is waste of time
Seriously? There is a thing called education. There are some good comments and then some bad comments. Look and research how good the public education is in Cayman. Get back when you find the results that your child cannot get a degree with the education system in place. There are great Cayman people that have made this place great! Most of them are not from Cayman. They are from the US, Canada, Jamaica, Trinidad, and anywhere else they where born. After that, all I have to say is that a lot of you and the government is making this place go down hill.. So a question to all of you Caymanians.. Are you going to make your Country Great Again? Or just be passive?
Ask any Caymanian firm and if they speak the truth, they would rather employ one expat than 10 Caymanians. We are here for a reason and that is to WORK! We haven’t flown 5,000 miles solely to laze about on the beach all day or sit under the mango tree sipping on rum and smoking ganja! Some Caymanians, and I mean some, got their heads so far up their backsides they can hardly breath. They think they are superior to any expat and totally resent us being here and working. Yet, they refuse to do any work and that is the sole reason we are here and employed in the first place. They have not got the same work ethic and everything is too much trouble for them. They cannot get up in the morning and are totally unreliable. I know this first hand as I have held a really good job here and when first arrived I couldn’t believe how lax a daisy attitude they all had. I felt I wanted to kick them up the rear end to get moving. Thank God I had quite a few Caymanian friends that had the same work ethic and drive as us expats have and now they are in high profile jobs. Some Caymanians think the world owes them a living and can sit back and reap the rewards for doing Jack shit! Wake up you all. You reap what you sew. I absolutely love this island and truly adore you people but please take full advantage of any offers of higher education that is offered to you because you are ALL capable of improving yourselves. Just don’t blame expats for your situation. You are master of your own destiny.
All of you should read this comment. It is true. I have Status, I was not born here. Look at what you lazy people have done to this Island. 35 years ago you knew how to work for an honest living. 20 years ago you were jealous because the Govt. System allowed people to come in and work now a lot of your children are creating crime, killing people ect as you forgot the one thing in this world “respect”! Shame one a lot of you. If expats are not here then guess what, bye bye Cayman because there are a lot of places in this world where we can go. Jamaica is better than Cayman at the moment. I am not Jamaican but the last time I went to Kingston I did not get approached for money or get robbed and now here as a citizen I do not want to go out in Cayman. Shame yourselves, Make Cayman Better and Stop the Complaining.
My immigrant friend, I can refer you to MANY a CEO and business leader 5,000 miles back in your home country that have the VERY SAME criticisms about your fellow countryfolk – by which they justify their preference for foreign, “expat / immigrant”, mainly (continental) EU, workers.
Conclusion: Don’t make this about nationality – because that is a double-edged sword.
Swing at your own peril though.
– Who
11;48 am, i agree partly of what you said of the young Caymanians, we older Caymanians was /is different we worked hard 10 hours a day, 7 days a week (on ships) etc.. Now tell me truly, are you going to stay/live here after you retire or are you going to take your money (CI $ dollars) and go back home. Tell the truth, remember you said you truly love this island.
Go check yourself and I dare you to state yoye name instead of hiding behind anonymous lije a true coward. There are some lovely hardworking expats but equally there are just as many lazy incompetent expats in the work force who feel that they are superior to us and we should be grateful to have them here. With that attitude and yours you need to go home because you are here for one reason and one reason onlyvsnd that is to live in paradise making more money than you could ever think about in your own country all whilst avoiding paying taxes in your own country. Go gome it’s leeches like you that we do not want here.
Sew it seams…
11:48am. You’re a racist and discriminatory person. The caymanian firms you are talking about is the Status Holders that dont want Caymanians, they want their own kind, like you. No Caymanain thinks they are superior to you. You come with your racist self and think you are better than Caymanains, you want to antagaonize the Caymanains at work and totally treat them like they are wortless. You talk shit about Caymanains don’t have the work ethics, maybe you need to dig the own peck out of your big bias eyes and see your hate. You need to treat the Caymanains the same like how you would treat your own. If you were any good in your country you wouldnt be here working. So, that truly tells me about your work ethics.
Also, go take a good look at your accomplishments, maybe you have one or two old fake degrees that you bought from your country that says your qualified for the job which make you believe you are superior than the Caymanian. Maybe thats why you cant work in in your country or maybe you and like the countless others got disbarred or have complaints against them and cant work again in their country. Thats why they run here, cause they cant do any better in their country.
You love this island, but not the Caymanains.
I can assure you seeetheart I am the last person on this earth that is racist. I deplore racism to the fullest extent. I love this island and I love Caymanians even more. In fact, I gained a lot of my qualifications on this island. Unfortunately, there are a lot of Caymanians that are racist believe it or not. I really am sorry that you feel this way as I don’t wish to offend any one of you not even you with your nasty comments. I suffered a lot of racism by fellow co workers for no good reason when I held the post, which incidentally, was in Government but it was of pure jealousy on the part of some Caymanians. I didn’t want their jobs or indeed their men I can assure you. I am just saying this is how it was then and is now. Actually, it is Caymanian firms that employ mostly expats. I again apologise if I offended you, or any good hardworking Caymanian because there are good amongst you. I wish I knew who you are to personally meet you and you will certainly have a different view of me then.
I beg your pardon, I worked all my life like every expat in my country. We come here not just because we love the Caribbean and your glorious weather, but because the money is good and tax free. There is a good quality of life here and travel certainly broadens the mind. We love to experience different cultures and we feel we can bring our work experiences and help this beautiful island and it’s people grow into what you have become today. If there is any hatred as you say, it’s not coming from us hardworking British expats. We have held open our doors in the UK to every refugee and his grandmother from all over the world so I don’t think we are racists do you?? So I think you should be man/woman enough to apologise for your hatred comments. There is an abundance of Caymanian and Jamaican nationals currently residing in the U.K. Many of which came over in the 1960’s and never returned home to their islands. We love each and everyone of them. I’m retired now but if I could afford your extortionate cost of living I would return to reside amongst you quite happily tomorrow. So there is no racism on my part. How about you?
That’s sad but very true .
Lax a daisy and reap what you sew, tells me you’re getting close to being named CEO.
The fact that someone with your intellect can hold a “really good job” in Cayman sums up the job situation here.
Tell him again! Importation of trash and it’s kin to the shores….driftwood!
Look, sportsfan, you came to a place founded by pirates, what the heck did you expect to find? (That was a joke!) Actually, I reckon you have suffered a bad case of culture shock, and I feel you would have done so had you arrived in quite a few other countries besides Cayman. Truth be told, you are absolutely correct, Caymanians are (or should rightly be) masters of their own destiny, and they should, in no way, shape or form, blame those they have caused to be here.There is a dismal lack of good governance here, but I feel that things are changing for the better. No Caymanian should be expected to work for $6 an hour. It’s ridiculous.
Put country first..not what Caymanian firms think
There is a lot of garbage put on here. As an expat, Caymanians are no more lazy or less willing to work than in other places I have been. All over the world I have worked and the Caymanians are the same as everywhere else, good workers and bad workers. What I am about to write is pertinent to the finance sector, as Cayman has different labour markets in reality.
Its nonsense when people buy into the lazy Caymanian. In most of these instances the employers are negligent in meeting the needs of the locals in terms of salaries and opportunities. When this is the case the employees feel unmotivated. This negligence on the part of employers is when you have a guest worker scheme like Cayman. They can get a new hire easily and so don’t feel the need to raise salaries or train.They just churn the management. As a result of this, wages are lowered and the cost of living rises this can add fuel to the resentment. IT IS THE EMPLOYERS (really management) WHO ARE LAZY. Think about that.
Most job advertisements are fake. The company long has had the person they want for the position usually a friend of management or someone from head office. They then comply with the legislation in advertising the position and making up excuses as to why the local applicant cannot be hired such as no specific experience for the job presented or in a lot of cases they don’t offer anything and hope you will go away.
For instance a manager with less experience who happened to be born in Canada will have been employed by head office in Waterloo or Halifax and after 2-3 years come down to Cayman and be the boss but the locals will have had 10 years on this guy. Many times I have seen this. The job advertisements for this role are then bended to this person’s resume.
Granting PR to these current applicants is insane in that the PR holders will sit in their jobs as there are only a finite number of these senior positions. There is also a ridiculous demand stimulant to the prices in the local real estate market. As to get PR the applicant has to buy property, thereby forcing locals to pay more for a roof over their own head. There is nothing in this PR for Caymanians and only a worsening of their situation.
Rollover was the best policy and would ease a lot of this anger and resentment on both sides. The Expat would get a defined 5 years, they know rules and they can plan their lives . After 5 years they should be rolled over and handed their pension. 7 years is too long and allows people to establish roots that they otherwise would not do. After a year away the expat could return (possibly there could be a WP for returning expats). The beauty of this system was that once an expat was rolled over their position came up and an opportunity would present itself for expats and Caymanians with an emphasis on Caymanian. By giving everyone the right to apply for PR those opportunities have now disappeared and in the future you will find a class division between the expats who will network among one another and the locals. This will breed further resentment.
There should have been no key employee either. The HR departments in far away countries don’t care about some mid level guy running the cayman office being rolled over. In fact PR makes their job easier. They would then really have to ANALYSE the training of the locals to identify real talent if it is here or they would have to bring in a new manager and advertise. These companies make millions from their business models and the whole “island will collapse without us” argument is nonsense. The head offices won’t care about mid-level people being rolled over and if they are that good they will do the job by remote.
The onus is on the government to police these laws and ensure that caymanians are not being looked over in positions, that companies are training locals and promoting when warranted. As stated, management are lazy and will look to keep wages low and either hire their own people/friends where possible like most groups.Or the HR departments in London or NYC or wherever will just send along another manager. The government should not allow these organization’s management to take the lazy option of bringing in expats for positions that a local can do so they don’t have to train or promote. There needs to be more Dept of Labour inspections and also possibly a plan/questionnaire compiled by HR departments and possibly employee feedback on the situation within these organizations.
I appreciate your comments 11:25 and agree with you. As a fellow expat, I was one of the early ones to face the roll-over policy, it worked as it should.
A younger Caymanian, who I had trained, replaced me. It was textbook. I had to leave a place I had grown to love but was never bitter and instead considered myself fortunate to have had the experience.
It seems like the only Caymanians who post are the ones who don’t work. It also seems like the ones who do work are afraid to post because it would make them an enemy to those in their own families and friends. Is this why we never hear from those Caymanians who own and operate businesses? How about the many Caymanians who have great jobs and are doing great at them. They have to be worried about their company and their jobs but you don’t hear from them either. Its like that in third world countries where everything runs of off corruption. Its like that here.
You seem to be making a lot of assumptions
[TOO MUCH PERMANENCE]
Why all the outrage folks?
Are these not the times we in which we live?
This local proposal / “threat” absolutely PALES in comparison to monumental shifts in policy and direction when one considers Brexit and the accompanying aspects of #MAGA – you know, ripping up decades old trade agreements, “bringing back manufacturing jobs” (as if), etc.
There is not enough time in the day to provide a checklist of the epic shit-fest that will ensue if the now in-doubt, and for damn good reason, Brexit becomes an actual thing.
(The EU discussions always make for entertaining reading and analysis.)
There are so many naysayers in this thread that obviously hail from the referenced jurisdictions who would, on a dime, contradict every single utterance and forwarded economic theory in order to defend their own national futures.
Once again, the played out mental dysfunction of inherent exceptionalism rears its ugly head.
In the long-term and grand shame of things, Cayman will be fine.
For every position there are a thousand individuals the world over waiting to jump at the opportunity.
If we are able to clear some of the circling vultures with permanency in their eyes and bring in replacements under circumstances more conducive to a long-term national development plan with the welfare of Caymanians being primary, then good on us.
So, cry me a blood-tainted river folks. If anything, forward those enlightened theories of economy to the leaders of your home countries – they are in dire need thereof.
Once again, too many people are viewing a situation within a timeline of their personal career lifespan.
Time is long folks … very long.
I suggest we all start behaving accordingly.
– Whodatis
*Btw, I wish you guys would quit pretending as if modern job tenure is as it was 15-20 years ago. Our expats work in industries and hail from jurisdictions wherein the average is 3-5 years. (Stop the bullshit people. The jig is up.)
#Vison #DevelopmentPlan #NoMoreDisenfranchisement #Cayxit #MCGA #TooMuchPermanence #ForUsByThem #FlipDaScriptOnDeyAss #LOL
Another redundant comment aimed at stirring the pot rather than seeking solutions. And if you do have some, please share them.
words from a fellow Caymanian.
why can you never just address the issue at hand????
always trying to blame others and point fingers in the totally wrong direction…’
typical caymanian response…..
You are a dick. Please crawl back in your hole.
# bite me fish boy.
Who, your perennial hatred is exposed for what it is by 7.10 below. Could you learn to listen? Could you see the other side of the coin? Or does the hatred run too deep? 7.10 has it spot on…we want Cayman to thrive. However many of us are hesitant, especially when coming across people with attitudes similar to yours, because they just know, one word out of place and a letter is going to immigration. Is that any basis for a trusting and open dialogue, a frank discussion which may allow certain Caymanian elements to improve and progress? No it’s not. And that is one of many problems.
The situation doesn’t shock me. What does shock me is the immaturity and almost tangible hatred that can be witnessed here. The issue seems to me to be one of respect. Caymanians on this forum (or purporting or seeming to be such) could quite rightly be accused of being deliberately hurtful, divisive, inflammatory and rude to the Expatriate population. Likewise, Expatriates (again, or those purporting or seeming to be) could rightly be accused of being condescending and similarly inflammatory and rude etc.
It is genuinely shocking to me, the manner in which people will choose to express themselves with a blanket of anonymity. Everyone is upset by immigration, everywhere. Expatriates have their own concerns with immigration at home as we do here. The simple fact is that there will always be: (i) a degree of unemployment and (ii) a genuine need for skilled and so called ‘un-skilled’ foreign labour.
Expatriates come to the Cayman Islands and bring with them knowledge from their countries of processes which are in some cases newer or better than ours. Caymanians in foreign countries similarly in certain fields bring new and beneficial knowledge. This constant transfer of people from one place to another results in the consistent evolution of products and services and the harmonization of the global economy. We bring out the best in each other and we all need each other.
We love Cayman the way it is, don’t we? Expatriates do to. The laws that govern who acquires and retains rights to the limited landmass and resources that we have will always be rife with contention.
I just wish people could be more empathetic towards each other. As a Caymanian, you want to know that if you work hard you have just as good a chance as any other person on the Island at creating a successful life for yourself. It isn’t hard to understand that, Expatriates feel the same in their own countries.
Perhaps its harder for us to see their side of the coin? As a Caymanian, who has lived abroad…I can tell you…the most discomforting thing in the world is to feel like an “other”, like a person who doesn’t belong. You are away from nation that gave you rights of protection and security at birth, away from family that love and care for you and in amongst a group of people who, despite your best efforts, may see you as the enemy. I won’t suggest that all Expatriates are here because they love Cayman and want to call it home, would fight and bleed for it if they needed to. Some are only here to extract wealth or exploit opportunity. In truth, why would you leave home if it weren’t beneficial?
But for the most part, Expatriates are either in love with the sand, salt and sun like we are and want to see Cayman prosper, want to build and strive with us as one of us…or they are just sharing a bit of paradise for a time – wishing in their heart of hearts when they go home to build and raise families, that they could stay.
The nastiness I have seen on these forums for years is symptomatic of a people who are not well represented by their elected policymakers and a displaced group who become nasty because they are constantly on defense in a sea of people who they believe hate them. Caymanians, young and old. Consider the cause of our complaint and the root issues. You do not have issues with each other. You have issues with a system that isn’t serving you well.
This is perhaps the most thoughtful and balanced piece I have seen on the perennial expat Caymanian divide issue. Shame you are not the Premier.
Brilliant. Best summary I have seen. Come together, fight for what’s right. I am an expat with a rare job, but if someone can do my job or I can train them to do it, I am outta here. I get the rules, love this place, protect it like my own.
8;59 pm You truly a good person, wish all expats were like you, you don’t run down this place and the people, you seems to be thankful to get to work here, we love expats like you, God bless.
You are so right 7.10pm people can be so aggressive if they disagree with the truth. We all need each other for different reasons whatever colour or creed. I thank you so much for your comments. West Indians came to the UK to better themselves and their families just like we have come to Cayman. There was no need for such nastiness from 11.06am. You are a British overseas territory and you wish to remain. so or you would have voted for independence like Jamaica or Belize. Let’s all work together in harmony and we can all prosper.
It’s not a “windfall” – the money belongs to these people. How dare the CI Gov keep other peoples money when they aren’t even in Cayman any more. It’s a damned nerve.
It’s what’s done in every other country with a properly established pension regime
No, not really.
Did Big Bunny Bush tell you that? You might want to start getting a second opinion.
Well, they do invest it for them. For example my $60,000 at British Caymanian has made zero dollars after 13 years. It’s hard to beat returns like that.
You should put it at Fidelity. My under 70,000 gained 3000 plus between July 2016-2017.
Most pensions in the modern word are self directed. In Cayman you have a choice of like four subpar return providers.
These pension assets are ATM machines for the handful of pension providers and their local shareholders. The management expense ratios are way too high for simple index investments and “funds of funds” portfolio allocation. Any positive client performance is accidental – regardless, they get paid handsomely.
There is not another country in the world that lets you take out your pension and leave the country.. I am a US Citizen and I cannot touch my pension until I am att he age of retirement. When I came to Cayman 5 years ago, if I had asked Uncle Sam to give me check because I was leaving the US, I would have been laughed at..
Cayman screwed up with this loop hole and it is to their detriment but don’t tell me that it’s their pension so they can just take it when they want.That is not a pension but a savings account…..It just doesn’t happen elsewhere…Caymanians are not even allowed to do that..Kudos to the last government for closing that loop hole..
Pensions are simply tax deferred savings which in Cayman means they are just savings. In much of the rest of the world you can of course withdraw your un taxed pension by paying a penalty tax, including in your country. That said I don’t think the changes are unreasonable in so far as they still allow transfers into qualifying overseas pensions.
5;00 am, thanks, you is right .
Not true, you can redeem your 401(k) (USA) or RSP (Canada) anytime you want.
its pretty simple the new law should only come into effect from 1 Jan for new employees coming to the island. Shifting the goal posts half way through isn’t fair…. you think the immigration cock up is going to cost the government a heap of cash… you aint seen nothing yet!
Government seriously needs to enforce Regilatoon 6.
Indeed 1.37, and English lessons plus the use of spellcheck too
I agree regulation 6 needs to be enforced and dealt with properly for everyone to be trained no matter who businesses here has been doing this for donkey years before its nothing new. It goes to show how many few jobs and whos making the money. Government to issue a license and fee for those who wants the job even if it is just husking a coconut to flying a plane its not about Caymanian people its about Government Revenue and exodus…whos freeing who. Give unto ceasar that belongs to ceasar in return equal the amount of money in the amount of years of returning. They dont want any savings.
Companies would employee school leavers and train them years ago. Those same people worked for those companies for 25 to 40 years and helped to build them.
This was when the businesses had respect for the Cayman people and the island.
I wonder how many expats come here to get jobs with fake degrees?
My expat turned manager has a degree and worked in one other offshore company in Cayman but has no clue what he is doing. His other manager friends are helping him, covering his tracks and just ensuring that no matter how many complaints are made against him they won’t let him go.
Meanwhile there are many other qualified Caymanians within the company that run circles around him everyday.
As an expat that has been my experience too.
I really struggle to believe this. Private sector is all about performance, and most firms are quite vicious. You can’t do the job, you are out.
I am sure the private sector does a better job of vetting than the CIG. Can you say UCCI?
Not many expats from the UK got fake degrees 1.04pm I can assure you. We are well vetted BEFORE coming here for jobs.we would be soon found out in working practice and back on that 747 flight to Heathrow.
Well Done Mr Suckoo on making an effort and a step in the right direction, and I wholeheartedly agree with number 5 in your proposal “Ensure that the Immigration department can access the vacancy and job seeker information to ensure that work permits are not being granted when there is a potential Caymanian applicant available”. It is shocking that this is not already in place!
Please also find a way to document the actual real number of unemployed Caymanians (ie unemployed Caymanians who are available and want to work, in contrast to the group of Caymanians who are unemployed but have no interest in getting up at 6am to earn a living).
Knowing that number will provide clarity to all of us. For example if there are 2000 expats leaving, but there are only 1500 ‘unemployed available for work Caymanians’, well then there is still a need to hire expats and this would silence a lot of negativity.
Which part of people actually have to want to work and do a good job do you not get? In your book all they need to do is to show up and get paid, and that is it, problem solved. Except why should any employer pay good money to someone who doesn’t want to work or will not work according to what is required? If it was your money, you would be up in arms about it…
No need to worry , not too many will be leaving this expat paradise .
exactly! another false cry about leaving to get immigration to be changed for expats and nonsense about training which can’t happen now in few months if not before. In this age of globalisation, make them leave and jobs that can’t be filled by Caymanians then allow work permits, simple
I understand that some of them plan to go for a few years then come back. Well to that I say no more work permits!
I’m hoping they all stay, get their residency and status and then they can have a nice nest egg when they retire here, fairly well off. Thank you Caymana.
7;21 pm, they are NOT going to retire here , when its time to retire they will take their money and run to built up their country.
Maybe there should be special classes and training in how to accept and show up for entry level and manual labour positions paying less than $25/hr? Our unemployed seem to make a better living as NAU crackheads, backstopped by having their district MLA on speed dial! When will it become clear to the Alva’s of the LA, that there truly aren’t Caymanians, of any age, willing to fill these positions on a continuous operational schedule? “Sun too hot, grannie need rock”
9:39 am, Caymanians are not willing to fill these positions, for social services will support them. The Governmenr got the Young/middle age adults spoilt.. When it was not no social services, every where one went it was Caymanians working, in the stores, gas stations, Hotels, resturarant etc, etc,etc,etc .So whom is to be blamed.
Wow and we sit here silently while another expat calls our children crackheads
They brought it here with them and hook the youth
Anyone who thinks that the job ads in the paper represent the amount of jobs available is delusional. In 8 out of 10 ads a candidate has already been identified and the employer is just going through the motions to satisfy the law. Do you really think a company (especially in the finance industry) is taking all this time to wait and see first if they can find someone locally just to then start looking overseas, waiting for that person to give a few months notice and possibly then wait for the work permit to go through. Don’t think so!
And do you think the immigration board does not check what Caymanians applied and were refused because they didn’t make the grade? They do, and mostly they get it.
Immigration may check but many times the person getting the permit renewed is the one interviewing candidates for the Job? can you say ‘conflict of interest’? it happens all the time either this, or a friend from the managers country. Canadians will push to hire Canadians same for English and all other nationalities its just Cayman people who won’t help their own. And Immigration are only too happy to take the big work permit fees.
Bs. Do you think they don’t check that too? My company didn’t even tell me that another person had applied.
sure…
This is the most pertinent statement I have ever read on this site.
TELL THEM AGAIN! While they are on a quest for Superman….
Why is it that Caymanians have to go through Temp Agencies to get a job just because companies do not want to be burdened with HR matters and fringe benefits? Why does Government not regulate the amount of “temps” a company can have? Allow a certain percentage of “temps” based on overall Caymanian employees the company has to sort out this foolishness.
This is all BS I own a company, advertise all the time through the NWDA and Compass, and when you interview the so called poor unemployed Caymanian, there is always a problem. I was misunderstood from my last employer, I couldn’t work weekends, my baby was sick, I want $25.00 per hour even though I don’t have a skill. Really??? All your fast food restaurants, what is working there??? Work Permit Holders, Kirks Work Permit Holders, evening planning has Work Permit Holders. So don’t come off with this BS about the poor unemployed Caymanian!
Ditto! These “hard working” young Caymanians everyone is talking about don’t make the effort to walk into a place and introduce themselves and give a resume! I posted a job months back through social media, for Caymanians only, the one stipulation being they had to physically come in with a resume. My post was up for over a week, 5000 people reached and not 1 single Caymanian came in with a resume. Had lots emailed to me which I ignored. If you can’t follow the first instruction then why would I hire you? Oh and also if you apply for a job, you might want to change your profile pics from you smoking a spliff. Yes, employers check. I blame the schools. Too busy teaching “yes mam” , “no sir” and “praise god” instead of teaching them HOW TO ACTUALLY FUNCTION IN THE REAL WORLD!!!! So stop blaming the employers and the expats, teach your young get up off their butts and how to present themselves with confidence. How to take a bus to hand out resumes, the importance of being on time, how to be a team player in the work force and that calling in sick every other week is not acceptable. Teach this and maybe you will see change, and KT and her cry babies will have less to cry about and won’t be able to blame anyone but themselves!!! All she does is pass on blame and her own chip on her shoulder to the young. Not doing anything positive for her native young folk at all. Stop enabling your young to believe they are not good enough! Give them wings and tell them to fly!!! Not angry chips on their shoulders!
Lame. Rant.
I have worked in the finance industry for over 20 years and I cannot count the amount of work permit holders who came on inflated resumes not having the first clue about offshore financing, leaning on the junior staff to teach them, just to stomp all over them when they sucked up all of their experience and knowledge and then hire their buddies from overseas who presented another inflated resumes.
In my 30 years experience the junior staff are teaching the newbies internal policies and procedural matters relating to the company that employs them – not how to do the actual work, and I can count on one hand the number of junior staff who knew anything about international finance let alone carry their clients with them to each new employment.
Well then why haven’t you taught any of the junior staff about international finance in your 30 years? Because you don’t want them stepping up into the big roles. How many have you advocated for scholarships or mentored? I bet none!
I have and I continue to do so… for those who are interested within our organisation. In fact I am quite passionate about it. I have lost count of the number of people who I have coached, mentored and managed in various jurisdictions over the years including Cayman for the past 11 years. All those who were genuinely interested are now excelling in their careers and rising to the top of their games, learning that you can get from the bottom to the top if you have the right attitude. I also volunteer time to mentor folk in my community. Not for any charity, but in the hope that I can help someone improve the quality of life and show them that you get out of life what you put into it. Stuff just doesn’t land in your lap.
What have you done in your 20 years?
Not the original poster. In my 30 plus years in Cayman, I have always provided support and promotion of good Cayman workers. It was a given in my company that for many positions, only Caymanian applicants were considered, and during economic downturns, existing expat workers in front line retail positions were informed that they would likely be replaced by Caymanians, and many were. I am currently recruiting for a position, and am, in the first round, only short listing Caymanian applicants. If I am unsuccessful in finding, recruiting, and retaining a suitable Caymanian applicant, it is possible that I may be forced to go the work permit route, but it is, and always has been, the last resort.I don’t think I am alone.
Amen! Thank you!
Great isn’t it? You have to suffer a few years away from civilisation but you get to come back with a lovely lovely pot of money.
Jokes aside it’s not funny. Many of us left our rental accommodation and came here years ago and worked here all that time thinking when we got home that pension pot we saved could be a deposit on our own property. Now we will likely be renting as pensioners as our deposits have gone, and the measly amount we can draw down from our pensions because of the new law, doesn’t go anywhere near covering the monthly rent back home, let alone utilities and food. It’s the rest of people’s lives they’re playing with. By all means apply the new law to newcomers but it is simply a travesty to move the goalposts for those who have worked here for many years under the old law.
9:40 pm, tell me truly , do you have pension in your country, i am sure if it was better there , then you wouldn’t be here, correct ? .
Thats the whole point…Why do Caymanians wait on people to get training when they can do it themselves….Always looking for handouts.
You CANNOT train anybody for 4 months and ram university qualifications in their heads along with the dailygrind of the job. Government and families need to prepare our children to become ideal fits for any job from the Painter to the Accountant who holds a CPA. This was a stupid move by our government to attack the Guest Workers Pensions with a view that after they leave that we will have our Locals to fill the positions. From a Caymanian to another Caymanian.. we need to train our people and ensure that they have a good attitude on the job so that they can become employable. I also need to make it clear, that if their qualification are pertuding out of every pores in their body and their attitude stinks, they still will not hold a job. With that, I have reposted the argument below, which makes sense and it goes for every vocation.
REPOST
Lip service…anyone who wants a job in the tourist industry has one, there are no Caymanians left who would even consider it..or they would already be employed. How about really tackling the issue? Get the vocational education going, manage expectations and grandfather current expats in so they can still cash out if they want and only new permits have the new rules. When is at least one politician going to do the right thing and sort the issues instead of grandstanding all the time?
I am 100% for this, just remember to bring back your cayman trash from the US for training, we sure as hell dont want you. You mention the name cayman at a US household and everybody whinces in disgust.
Oh dear. I am an expat and you are not the type needed in cayman
Another suck-up is what cayman does not need my dear and the only reason I have to visit your rock every now and then is because my son works there and I wish he would realize your place is just another parasite off the american worker. I hope Trump makes you see the light very soon when the new tax laws coming up are enacted, that will be truly a mass exodus.
Then what the hell are you doing here amongst the Cayman trash…oh yeah, you love the land of milk and honey, you just don’t love its people..
Looking forward to the chaos that is bound to ensue. Good luck Cayman to scramble to fill the positions and the expats scrambling to leave short notice to grab their money and run. What a nightmare awaits. In the interim the customers of Cayman will suffer lack of good service or no service at all. Calm before the storm anyone.
All the expats i spoke to said they will not be leaving.
We have already started leaving; doctors, many accountants, pharmacists, teachers, IT, counselors, etc. check with real estate agents and look at how many cars are for sale. We want to stay. Our children are in good schools and we love our church but we are not wanted or valuable.
But you knew it was temporary before you got here? Plus you can’t cash out your pension from your home country.
What will happen is what will happen. So just sit back and watch as Caymanian leadership prove themselves right or wrong. Again. And the unemployed Caymanian wanna be as good as an expat worker tribe prove themselves up to the task at hand or not. Again. One thing for sure. Expat workers know just what Caymanian leadership and people think of them. Unwanted slaves that need to be thrown out of country becasue they are not worthy of respect.
There is no local unemployment. Take out the junkies, drunks, and convicted criminals. That leaves a handful of people who simply choose not to do the many jobs that are available because they think they are better.
What jobs are we talking about?????
An Auditor? A finance industry accountant? Tax professional? A nurse? An attorney? A teacher? A highly skilled and experienced hospital technician? IT technicians? A hotel management staff?
I doubt you can “train” anyone for these positions.
A hairdresser? Technicians of every sorts?
A bartender? A waiter? A construction worker?
You can’t lump them all together and start training.
Agreed, and they think that taking about a training program 4 months before everyone leaves is planning ahead. Incredible. Why not just fix the law and let people who leave take their pension. If they want to come back 2 years later, they have to reinstate what they took. If they spent it, and cannot come up with the money, they can’t come back.
I’m leaving after nearly eight years here for exactly this reason. That pension is my deposit on a home back where I’m from and I can’t afford to lose it. Don’t worry Caymanians I know you won’t miss me! If any of you want my job all you have to do is acquire the necessary skills and experience and my employee will be only too happy to take you on. She is always looking to hire locals but be warned she values initiative so don’t wait for Alva to hold your hand!
Would you have been able to take out your pension in your own country towards your house? I think not.
Wrong! In my country you can take it tax free for a down payment and you have 15 years to repay it. Also in my Country pension funds are regulated and actually make a small profit my current pension has not made a cent. After fess I loose every year.
8:26 pm, If that is true, why did you come here, if your Country is better than here, Nobody leaves their country and go to another country if it is worse than their country, right ?
In the US you can. Just pay the income tax.
To anonymous 17/8/17 8:06pm : You idiot will it make a difference pure fake ads.
What itches the most is they want all these costly documents (Refs/Records/Transcripts) and then waste your time interviewing only to not get a contact back! Cayman youths boy…all got experience, some a formal edu…but still no work then they say must be drugs or lazyness…wow all of us, really?
As a PR I am finding the same thing. Fake job ads and an over supplied labour market.
Why should Caymanians be trained ? Did these ex-pats have on the job training when they took up employment or they were so highly experiienced prior to getting the job that they automically fit in. But poor old 2nd class citizens Caymanians have to be trained. When is this myth going to stop?
The law requires employers to train Caymanians as a quid pro quo for getting the work permits.
Oh yeah. Private business (employers) are in the business of education aren’t they – I mean that’s why they run businesses and not schools. Is it not the responsibility of the CIG to provide sufficient educational and vocational facilities for its people and are they facing up to their responsibilities and doing a good job at this? No, instead they legislate that business must educate, and pass the buck. Do you not see just how ridiculous that is?
It is the law. If you are not prepared to accept it and work within it get it changed or leave.
Um, where should I go as a Caymanian?
Northward. You are not only a criminal (breaking the law) but a traitor to your people.
The post was about on the job training- which every employee needs and which most employers refuse to provide for Caymanians so they can continue to say that Caymanians are inferior and then get their work permit approved.
THIS IS THE TRUTH!
You just proved my point
Caymanians should sue the government to enforce the training requirements on employers, when has there been inspections on employers determining if they are training caymanians to take jobs and not just bringing overseas staff from head office who are then trained by locals!
When will Cayman realize that this idea has never worked and will never work? It’s just bs handed out to placate the voters and beat up businesses for political gain. You keep doing the same thing without any concern for whether it actually works or whether you need a different approach. Your own government is unable to train up Caymanians to replace expats. If they can’t or won’t do it how can you expect businesses to do it.
Wow… stupidest comment I have read on CNS, thank you for supporting our thoughts 4:25 AM
Those expats had on the job training before they came to Cayman and yet you do not think Caymanians should get on the job training in their own county?
Businesses pay no income tax here. It is not unreasonable they should pay for some training. Would you rather pay taxes and let the government mismanage some useless training program like they do elsewhere?
I suggest you all Ex-pats exodusers go to Bermuda Bahamas Turks&Caicos and you will see how meticulous their Immigration policies are, be thankful for Cayman!
I suggest all you Caymanians examine the finances of those places that discriminated against their expats, forcing lots to leave because of stupid comments such as yours building up to a frenzy. Those countries are still bankrupt and suffering the consequences. So why don’t you thank the expats for coming here, with their companies paying the extortionate WP fees, spending money here which results in more government income, which allows Government to pay benefits to those Caymanians with nothing, as well as all the charitable work the expats do to support Cayman further. Do you get it? Stop the hate. Build the love.
The finances of Cayman will hardly help us if we cannot get hired? That is what this entire problem is.
The level of not getting it amazes me constantly. Like you don’t want to understand how it works.
Only 1500 unemployed.
For you anonymous on 17/8/17 -6:49pm : Dont be fooled gone were the day when only a few Caymanians chose to get qualified now soooooo many qualified Caymanians who have fell through the cracks because of people like you who thinks Caymanians are uneducated. There are Caymanians who can do your job or even better. Do a survey ” a prophet is not honoured in his own land” I bet you this could not happen in your country but because of the flaws in the Cayman work system people like you could be privileged to get employed and use the system to receive pension . If you were to receive your pension in hand would you invest or spend same in Cayman? I bet you your answer would be ‘NO ” so I suggest you go back to your country and wait.
Oh dear…try to come up with facts dear. The percentage of Caymanians with decent university degrees willing to work as is required is lower than you might wish to believe. The brightest tend to get snapped up by the likes of Maples and other law firms. We have a few, and they are brilliant, however the majority of our Caymanians have no qualifications, and as much as I like them (and I do, they are mostly decent people) are not fit for purpose and frankly seen as a tax, part of the cost of having an office here. That cannot be pleasant for them, and it certainly is not for us. Please, the youth of today (and older Caymanians too, why not?) Go get qualified in something- be it accountancy, plumbing, electrical, audit, brick laying, nursing, doctor, teacher…it will give you a much better chance. Getting involved in gangs, drugs, sex and being a punk will get you jail time or worse, dead.If we could find more Caymanians who could do the work, without the entitled attitude, we would employ them. We would not then have to pay the ridiculous fees for WP.
Certain folks really ought to get over themselves.
Cayman and Caymanians will be just fine.
– Who
Obviously not.
The wealthy and hard working will be fine; however “certain” neighborhood and micro cultures will not.
In fact If you consider our recent past – one filled with more than enough opportunity. You might say times will only get worst for said persons .
The workforce is much more competitive as local standards are striving to meet global. Manual labor is slipping with the rise of technological advantages – so education is key . If even just to understand economic indicators and business fundamentals. Like it or not business speaks a language and it helps to understand it.
To say we will be fine as though you were always prepared to take over is a limited and ignorant view of the reality headed your way.
BTW if they leavers are significant the island will be faced with another concern. Less demand for industry! Do not forget these expats are dining out more than you , spending more in retail than you ( I am using my stores data), buying more real estate, and in many instances have less debt. Survey business owners and tell me what they think of losing expat worker and customers?!
It is a shame we do not have this data but a picture would be painted if we could snap shot the GDP of specific groups on the island. Actually ,the census could offer us a window if we filtered according to pay bracket ,immigration status and country of origin.
Bless your heart.
So much on your mind, huh?
I reiterate, Cayman will be fine.
– Who
#Cayxit #MCGA #LOL
We are with you. Know this.
Alva/Tony, if we have Caymanians who wish to assume these jobs, should they not show the initiative to go to some classes and get the needed skills? That would impress the employer and very likely land the job. Why do you insist on baby-sitting them? Do you think that government should also provide them with free butt wiping after the free training when they hopefully get a job? If they give up on the job, will YOU name & shame them so they never get any other assistance ever?
No Caymanians don’t have to wait for a mass exodus. I’ve recently interviewed several candidates & I’ve been so disappointed in how the majority of their interviews went. What I can’t understand is that many people have stated on their CV that they attended an employability course – that course needs a re-think if that is the case! I’m just glad I found someone.
It’s ok to be nervous in interviews or take time to respond to questions – the interviewer wants you to succeed. If you show up and offer one word responses to questions, fail to answer the interviewer, express negativity about ex-colleagues (whether deserved or not), display a lack of enthusiasm for the job it does not put you on the list for an offer or 2nd interview. And please always think of a couple of questions to ask the interview panel at the end.
Your lame – looking for superman to do the job of a mouse.
How dare He/She expect a reasonable standard of candidate , and to have the audacity to offer insight and tips for prospective employees …let’s call Him/Her ‘lame’ . Idiot.
Your lame what? I am intrigued. Or is the unyet unidentified noun in lamé? If so, how brave of you, especially given the heat this time of year.
Read it again if you cannot understand. We aint afraid of heat son.
No 4.26 am, the original poster is right, that is now the way of the world, and that is what your competition is, regardless of the job. Being awake at 4.26 am is also not going to improve your performance…that clearly shows.
Learn English proficiency nit-picker.
Can’t fix stupid 3.14, none as blind as those that will not see.
Advertise the position here or you are full of it.
They can’t do it…she’s a caymanian with a foreign mind fighting her own kind.
Let anyone who wants to leave catch the flights. Lets be honest about this nonsense that there will be two people waiting to take anyone person’s job and probably at less pay. Now is the time for all Caymanians to step up to the plate and grab it; go for the gusto! Do not drop the ball though because then you only open the door for a foreign worker because guess what life goes on and you only have your self to blame.
The only Caymanians unemployed are drunks, druggies or heejuts or all of the above. We simply must stop this nonsense from Ezzard, Alva, Hardon and now I gather Anthony is in bed with all these malcontents. Well done Savannah. What has he done for you? What will he do for you? Keep you free of gays?
Yeah, just wait for the masses of locals that will be beating down the door to be a waiter/waitress, cleaning person,security guard….etc. ain’t gonna happen. They wouldn’t hold similar positions before and they won’t later. Good luck.
This is exactly it. The people leaving aren’t in the finance industry. Whatever exodus happens (I think 2000 might be overstating it) will be security guards, cleaners, F&B servers, etc. People on $10 or less per hour.
If 2000 of leave, or 1000, or 500…how many of those jobs will unemployed Caymanians step up and fill??
In my experience, younger Caymanians (18-25 year olds) are now coming around to F&B jobs (even though the hourly rate isn’t great the tips are and the hours can be pretty good) but security/housekeeping etc doesn’t attract Caymanians who can make more being unemployed and not risking their welfare (security) or working hard (housekeeping).
I’m sure there are other job types as well but if Alva is looking to “solve” unemployment with the jobs vacated because of the change in pension laws he’s either pandering to his voting bloc (likely) or delusional
I’m in financial services and several industry contacts have handed in their notice already, leaving to get their pensions so they can invest them into regulated, well-performing pensions that make profits, and where you can choose your own portfolios to invest in. Others need deposits to buy a property to live in when they get home.
I think Al is on to something here just based on the number of anti-Caymanian comments
willing Caymanians, now there we have it!
Could someone please tell me what is the purpose of this change to the pension law. How is this going to help the rest of us?
After Jan 1, exiting expats will be forced to keep their money in the plans or only transfer to similar plans in thier home countries. This bolsters the pension funds by retaining the money and if the government is lucky, long term these expats might forget they have them and the government will be able to pass a law claiming them in 30-60 years.
That is exactly what will happen. I have been advised by lawyers , get your money out , as soon as you can , because it will not be there soon. CI gov will take it eventually.
Yes, because so many people ‘forget’ the thousands they have in pension plans in epidemic proportions.
I believe the real reason is to discourage expats from applying for PR after some idiot changed the PR laws. Now they will use the Caymanian unemployment myth as a sound bite. Mark my words Caymanian unemployment rates will remain unchanged or get worse as a new batch of expats replace the ones that are leaving but it will reset the clock and they will change back PR laws.
The Pensions office themselves told us in a presentation about the new law that part of the reason it was introduced was to stop expats leaving, cashing out their pensions and then coming back to use it to buy property in Cayman and claiming PR. I don’t quite see the logic in that.
That would be about the most self-obsessed justification possible. It would also need about 20 years of advanced planning to carry off.
The larger the funds get the cheaper they are to run. If you are in one of the not for profit trusts then you will pay much lower fees as their service providers bill on a sliding scale. Reform also needs to happen to the investment regulations to allow the plans to invest in asset classes that can produce a decent return.
Hmmm, I might have to get up before mid day, be at work 8-10 hours work Saturday and Sunday. Hmmm no thanks I’ll stay in bed
Tell it to the cayman seaman who built this city from rocks and ropes
The year is 2017
And he should tell it to the large number of the youth who seem to prefer to build their lives on rocks coke and dope
The youth you all taught to heartless money fiends?
Train Caymanians today!
Now you want us to stay?
No we don’t ! How did you reach that conclusion?
You read the title but not the article it seems
No, you can go.. we want training for Caymanians to replace you. Assuming that you are occupying a job that requires training… which many of you are not. In those cases you can still go. Thank you.
You know Caymanians don’t need training to get a professional job. What you on about 9:43?
All those vacancies, if they happen, will be advertised. There were already 18000 work permit applications this year, most of which were advertised. There is no lack of jobs or complaining, but it is way too late to be training people for much of anything in the next 3-4 months. Also, the last time employers partnered with government to do this, the employers got viciously criticized (by Alva and others) for the low participation and lack of follow-through by the Caymanian applicants. Why go through that again? The real problem is people in Cayman mostly won’t work five full days straight two or three weeks in a row. It makes people expensive to hire at every level because productivity is terrible. This includes expats.
Many of those leaving will be professionals on high salaries with much to lose. You cannot train people in a few months to take positions that require years at foreign universities, excellent work ethics plus several years post-qualification experience in the relevant (specialist) fields.
Just repeal that ridiculous law and give us our pensions back please.
Those leaving will not be professionals at high levels. At those levels their contributions are already above the cash out threashold. Professionals only have the option to transfer to a plan overseas. They couldn’t get the cash under the old law, this is no change to them.
The ones leaving will the be the unskilled labour, waiters etc whose pension is small enough that they can cash out.
Um, wrong!
Spot on .
Lip service…anyone who wants a job in the tourist industry has one, there are no Caymanians left who would even consider it..or they would already be employed. How about really tackling the issue? Get the vocational education going, manage expectations and grandfather current expats in so they can still cash out if they want and only new permits have the new rules. When is at least one politician going to do the right thing and sort the issues instead of grandstanding all the time?
Way to go AL Hard at work as usual! Using common sense that isn’t so common around here anymore Looking out for the Caymanian’s! Can’t wait to hear what happens on this motion or what Government’s plan will be!
Its a shame how the expats choose to put down caymanians .we didn’t call you’ll we were doing fine I am a hardworking cayman who HSS worked in the tourist industry for the past 31 years in various position I have done my country well and many more like myself
you are too late, many have already started to leave and have been replaced by new permit holders already. I believe more will be leaving ahead of January 1 but does Alva think these employees are giving 4 months notice?
every expat that leaves will have to be replaced by another expat.
caymanian unemployment is a myth.
but thank you cayman for messing with peoples lives, businesses…..
at the end of the day cayman as a whole will suffer.
You dont know any of Caymans historical facts so how did you reach these incorrect stats??
Too late. Reap what you sow.
MLA Suckoo has consistently been advocating for jobs for Caymanians. If you haven’t heard that you must have been under a rock somewhere.
Doesn’t look like he’s made any difference at all. The unemployed Caymanian masses is a political invention.
11;15 am, you is right the unemployed Caymanian masses is political invention for votes.
Cayman doesn’t realise the value of expats on this island. You are going to see a huge difference and not for the better. The UK could never keep afloat if we didn’t grant permits for the mass of foreign Doctors and Nursing staff we have. Hospitals would be in dire straights. EVERY country in the world needs foreign labour and this island is no exception. Let’s hope the young and up and coming Caymanians will be able to fill these available posts asap! Somehow I doubt this very much. Government desperately need to put a Vocational programme in place as a matter of urgency, to ensure that these youngsters are able to be educated to an acceptable standard and gain a trade to carry out the work which expats have been doing for years. I know many of you criticise expats and that they are taking Caymanian jobs etc., Expats are educated and are driven. We have a different work ethic than a lot of Caymanians. That is the way we have been brought up in the UK. This is why we have secured jobs for years in Cayman. Don’t get me wrong, I am not criticising Caymanians as a whole. I have many friends here which have worked hard and gained high profile jobs. Give the opportunities for young Caymanians also to learn via a proper programme of extra learning in your College.
Truthfully, now, how many countries in the world, especially outside mid-east spoiled-on-oil nations, have a higher ratio of expat to locals in their workforce? To say that Cayman needs to learn from the UK how to welcome foreigners is gross misrepresentation. If the pioneering expatriates of the late sixties had had the attitude toward Caymanians that those who are now always slandering Caymanians on CNS have, we would never have gotten off the ground. This level of disrespect is tearing us apart.
Excellent response @ 7:26 pm
Still, even Caymanians such as myself know it’s patently false to pretend that many of us were ever inclined to assume the menial positions held by those motivated to secure measly pension accruals. If Caymanian business owners applying for permits know this, then why don’t our MLAs? Is this really an ongoing mystery? Maybe our MLAs should reach out the these countrymen and ask for the short list of what they are looking for in their employees, and why many fellow Caymanians fail to make the cut – thus generating all the extra hassle, expense, and commercial bother of bringing in willing and reliable workers from the other side of the planet?
They created Brexit to get rid of foreigners so you cannot use the Brits as an example.
Globalist clap trap. I bet the nhs worked better before the advent of mass immigration. I bet the Brits paid taxes to pay for it unlike s lot of the people using it these days.
You know what Caymanians are really 2nd class citizens in their own country. They have to wait for a mass exodus so that they can become employable when in fact these jobs that the ‘ mass exodusers’ held belonged to them. ONLY IN CAYMAN this could happen. Try Bermuda, Bahamas, TURK & CAICOS . What is really happening ! Dont worry these said jobs will be refilled by a fresh set of new permit holders as CIG needs the revenue. By what medium are Caymanians going to know about these jobs ? Will the CIG be able to monitor these vacancies? How are they going to be advertised? Wake up Caymanians dont be fooled.
Read the effing newspaper, Friday’s are good. Hundreds of jobs. But if you can’t be bothered to look…
Nice try both of you! All the jobs you see in the paper are already taken. They just have to advertise as required by Law…but they already have persons lined up.
so why not try another angle aye?
If the person lined up is an expat, and a suitable Caymanian candidate applies, that person who was lined up is on the plane home – as a matter of law.
No. They just say thank you for your interest but you have been unsuccessful…..we had more suitable candidates etc. it’s an employers market here and everything is personal contacts and a lot of jobs are sent by head office with ads blatantly reading like someone’s resume.
Caymanians like you really are 2nd class citizens no matter which country you are from or which country you are in. You are wide awake and still a fool.
Poor guy might actually believe the Caymanian unemployment myth.
Leave our islands or you will pay.
Stay here and you’ll prolly pay too
Very nice! How much?
Your not ignorant because of what you don’t know, Your ignorant because you don’t want to know.
* it is “you’re not ignorant” and “you’re ignorant”.
Yes. Thank you. Thank you for proving my point.
That is exactly right. If you stay you will pay. Is that what you meant?