Premier commits to 100% local employment

| 01/02/2018 | 106 Comments
Cayman News Service

Premier Alden McLaughlin at the CEO conference, 1 Feb 2018

(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has said that he is committed to full Caymanian employment before the end of this term and that every local person “who is willing, able and qualified to work” will be given the chance to do so. Giving his annual address at the Fidelity CEO conference Thursday, he denied that his goal of zero Cayman unemployment was just a political stunt and said he was serious about his government’s determination to address the challenges that locals still face in the labour market.

In his address he made no new announcements about the Unity government’s policy plans over the next three years but he stressed the efforts that his government would make, in particular his own ministry of labour, to address the challenges local workers still face in what is now a robust local economy.

“Whilst unemployment has been almost halved over the last six years, there are still qualified and experienced Caymanians unable to find employment,” he said, adding that government and the private sector must ensure that Caymanians are given opportunities to fully participate, at all levels, in the economic success of the country. “This includes opportunities for training to allow Caymanians to advance within organisations.”

McLaughlin said most businesses do what is right regarding the training and advancement of Caymanians.

“But frankly there are some businesses that do not,” he told the audience made up of many local employers. “Some may claim this does not happen but it does. We see it on many levels; we hear the stories from our constituents, our family members and often from those who sit on immigration boards. We also see it in the manner in which jobs are advertised.”

The premier said his government was moving to close loopholes in the regulations surrounding job advertising to ensure that there is a fair playing field for Caymanians and residents.

“This includes insisting that jobs must be advertised locally before being advertised overseas, and that overseas job advertisements must mirror those published locally. We cannot continue to allow a low salary with few benefits to be advertised in Cayman whilst a more advantageous salary and benefits package for the same post is advertised overseas.”

McLaughlin also said there were few reasons why advertised jobs should not state the name of the actual business that will serve as the employer, and that he had plans to make that change as well.

“We will also look again at the role of employment agencies and their negative impact on the
employment of Caymanians,” he said, adding that to ensure qualified and experienced Caymanians
are not being wrongly overlooked for promotion, the business-staffing plan regime would be strengthened to ensure commitments given by employers to hire, train and promote Caymanian employees are being fulfilled.

Recruitment agencies have often been the target of complaints that they largely ignore potential local job-seekers. However, Steve Macintosh, CEO of CML and Nova Recruitment who has worked in the for-profit job placement market for many years, said his company has worked closely for many years with governments to propose and support programmes to assist unemployed Caymanians.

He said that Nova was formed early last year specifically to provide enhanced recruitment and training services for Caymanian job-seekers, and since then 70% of all placed candidates have been locals and 80% for permanent positions.

“While we acknowledge that we can do even better, we cannot if we do not earn and keep the trust of Caymanians, which we are determined to do,” he said following the premier’s speech.

“We would be delighted to cooperate with the premier’s ministry on an examination of practices in the recruitment sector and the development of a new regulatory framework that ensures a level playing field between our local and international competitors whilst allowing the economy to continue to thrive, to the ultimate benefit of the Caymanian people,” he added.

McLaughlin called repeatedly on the business community to partner with government to create a balanced environment where local people also benefit from Cayman’s enviable successes.

See the full Premier’s address at the 2018 Fidelity CEO Conference

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Comments (106)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I’m 100% that won’t happen.

  2. Colum Fyft says:

    This man’s rhetoric becomes less believable by the day. May the light of truth be shed upon his dealings on “behalf” of these islands.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Pls correct me if I’m wrong but wasn’t this the same person on the talk show saying that his Government would not be hiring persons with a Police Record? If they won’t give these individuals a second chance who will or should? It seems they rather pay the $66K to keep them at Northward or Fairbanks. This is the saddest Govt yet believe me. It was, in my opinion, the biggest mistake of Mac’s life to join this circus known as the Progressives!!

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  4. Anonymous says:

    As someone involved in the hiring process I can say without exception we always recruit locally first which is nearly always unsuccessful except for entry level positions.

    In my industry, there are many willing able and highly qualified Caymanians suited for upper management positions that are advertised by our company. The reality is they are unavailable and already working in those positions at other companies or in their own business.

    Cayman has an abundance of educated, talented and hardworking people. You won’t find them here at CNS complaining because they are too busy living their lives and prospering.

    Why would a company look abroad for workers if they could get them locally without having to pay for a work permit and all the many expenses that go along with bringing someone in from abroad. Not to mention the waste associated with turn over when the expat comes here and finds out in a few months that Cayman is not his or her cup of tea.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Full employment has been achieved. Anything else is a social welfare tax on local business.

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  6. West bay Premier says:

    That’s not Alden saying those words , that’s his shadow, look at the photo and all the people in the above photo . The Premiere thinks that he is talking to idiots, and after he will go back and tell the business people something different . So don’t believe everything he say until you see it .

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  7. Anonymous says:

    I did post advert in paper for 3 weeks..not even 1 caymanian apply but 20 people from overseas apply…he is talking out of his ass as I know some of caymanian want to deal with drugs and guns as easy money but early grave…

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Cayman Psalms
    Alden McLaughlin is the shepherd I did not want, he leadeth me beside the high cost of living. He restoreth my faith in the independents, he guideth me to the path of unemployment for his parties sake. Ye though I shall bare more hunger for no food is with me. He annointeth my income with taxes, my expenses runneth over. Surely poverty and hard life shall follow me all the days of my life. And I shall live in my parents house forever and ever. Amen.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Going to have to change me pants again as can’t stop pissing myself laughing.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    He’s talking out his rear again.

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  11. annonymous says:

    if this is what he said then he has less sense than I thought possible!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Back your prime minister, and insist on him fulfilling what he promises to deliver. Quit being so negative. Be proactive in achieveing the goals to make the Cayman Islands prosperous for all Caymanians. Don’t let politics derail what is achieveable when we all stand together.
      Be steadfast in whatever it takes to work together to accomplish positive gains. Encourage those who can make changes and hold their feet to the fire. Positive thinking yield positive results. Don’t think that you are disenfranchised because you have no shoes, think of those who have no feet.

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      • Michel says:

        I totally agree with your post. Time to put political agendas aside. Let’s give a chance to our Premier and help support his efforts while making certain that it’s gets done. I would like to see a similar Caymanian Protection Board as we once had to be formed… with authority and enforcement powers. Need to get rid of the corruption that exist and make Caymanians proud of who they are once more. Not the other way around as it presently is. Let’s do this Mr. Premier and all of you that where elected including our opposition members. Unite and make a difference for Your People and it’s future generations to come.

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      • Anonymous says:

        You lost me at “prime minister”…

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  12. ConwayT says:

    Such a load of crap!

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  13. "Anonymousir" says:

    Alden, you have said that, McKeeva has said that. PPM has said it, UDP/CDP has said it. Everyone one of you POLITICIANS has SAID IT. When the hell are you all actually going to DO IT ?? Please. We are just waiting on it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You expect them to do something that is impossible,
      In other news I have 3 private islands in the Caribbean to sell to you

      Please call
      !-800-UR2-DUMB

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      • "Anonymousir" says:

        sell the 3 islands to your mother … she needs them more than me

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        • Anonymous says:

          Sell them to “your mother”
          what a comeback
          what year is this 1846?

          You could have just taken your licks and sat down like a good little boy, but I guess a weak response is better than no response

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    • Anonymous says:

      Read what he said….a job for everyone “who is willing, able and qualified to work”. We are pretty close to full employment of those folks already.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    All accepted economic theory will show full employment to include 2-5% unemployment. [digest the first few paragraphs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Full_employment%5D The reason for this number is to account for chronically unemployable job-seekers who have not dropped out of the labor market, usually due to a lack of access to a social or governmental support network. They are “chronically unemployable” due to some or all of absenteeism, lack of applicable skills, drug/alcohol dependence, or violent criminal history. Remember, these are facts, not an opinion. Employers cannot be forced to carry the financial burden of a chronically unemployable member of society simply to aim at a false myth of “100% employment”.

    Agencies facilitate a more fluid and efficient labor market. As statistics show, success rates in assisting Caymanians obtain work far outstrips the ratio of Caymanian/work permit labor in the wider market. This will show any casual observer that employers are desperate to find and employ qualified Caymanians that are increasingly difficult to find, thanks in no small part to the Premier’s efforts. It may be worth noting as well that employers routinely disregard applications from well-qualified ex-patriate labor. Employers consistently eschew highly qualified work permit holders in order to hire and train Caymanians in accordance with immigration policy urging that necessity. Remember, this is not supposition, this is statistics. It is also worth noting that Caymanians have a far higher proportion of individuals in financial services than other nations with our standard of living. To support and sustain guiding young folks into those professions takes a Herculean effort, and one that can be to their detriment depending on their true aspirations.

    Regarding the Premier’s assertion that jobs need to be advertised overseas that mirror local advertisement, I agree. However, the misnomer here is that they are not. The simple fact is that there is far too much business here (including well over 1200 qualified accountants and 700 lawyers) to be support by a native workforce alone. It is my belief that this stout business sector serves to support and bolster opportunities for Caymanians, rather than stifle them. If an insurance company must absolutely employ one uniquely-qualified actuary who holds a work permit in order to support a staff of 100 that is 65% Caymanian, then surely that is for the greater good, no?

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    • Anonymous says:

      I’m not at all convinced the Premier plans on doing anything about the unemployed and is merely trying quell the increasing amount of criticism about his liberal wp and pr policies. However in fairness he did qualify his 100% with “willing, able, and qualified”. So your first paragraph is really irrelevant.

      As to the rest of your post, most of my experience with recruiters has been very different. They often advise their clients on best ways to protect a permit including wording the advertisement to make the position appear unattractive. I’ve have seen one recruiter change the advertisement (including position title and removal of company name) and place it in a publication with limited circulation all because a qualified Caymanian applied for the first advert.

      I have also had very good experience with certain individuals at a couple of the recruitment firms down here even when I’ve had permit renewals challenged. They had a lot of integrity and seemed to understand and accept the laws and their purposes.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Well said. Good to see someone making sense in these comments!

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  15. Anonymous says:

    There is already full local employment. Those that do not work are either incapacitated by drink or drugs, criminals or they simply do not want to do the many jobs that are available out of choice. Those that choose not to work when they can work are not unemployed.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    There are definitely some financial service firms out there that are able to comply with the laws and still thrive. However, there are at least as many crying “we’re going to leave if we have to abide by the laws of your country”. Why some companies can comply while another needs to circumvent the laws really comes down to the effectiveness of management.
    I hope immigration will start look at some of the old machinations such as changing ad to suit an applicant, obscure unnecessary skill requirements and of course escalating experience consistent with permit holder employment.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Baloney. Some firms are able to thrive because they have little or no overseas competition and something of a local oligopoly (like audit firms and law firms).

      Audit firms and law firms don’t “threaten to leave” because they can’t.

      Fund administrators on the other hand have to compete with firms in Dublin, Halifax, Poland and so on. AND they CAN LEAVE!

      Any firm can staff up with Caymanians if they have deep enough pockets to poach them from the competition. But that doesn’t work the other way. A start up would find it impossible to compete with the salaries and other benefits Caymanians get at a large established firm.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I don’t understand your comment…no one is suggesting you pay Caymanians more than you can afford and they won’t apply if you aren’t offering the big salaries your competition is…so effectively you would still be compliant.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Politics. You higher them Alden! They don’t want to work but can run their mouth!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Christ almighty re-read what you wrote and spell check, and you are one of those who is satisfied that all is well here in Cayman and you can’t spell “hire”??!!

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      • Juanita says:

        It would be nice for those working on the school buses to be paid equal pay & then maybe with a good health insurance working for 945 a month and have to pay 62 or more for pension and your insurname 426.50 tell me what u taking home to feed your family or pay your rent please consider us bus warden we all do the same job the only difference is those that getting 1900 a month don’t come to work often and those that get 945 is to work every day that’s a SHAME

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Sounds like a broken record. Or another attempt to milk a bull. How about zero crime. Zero pollution. Frankly, this issue has been beaten to death, and why your officials remain fixated on it is puzzling.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Is this a joke

      There are so many jobs that are filled by expats where by 3 to 6 months of proper training could be filled by a caymanian

      But firms prefer the control of a work permit and

      don’t want to train caymanians!!!!!

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      • Anonymous says:

        On the other hand there are a few Caymanians who have the right qualifications, get the job and then bitch about it all day, do nothing constructive along the lines they are supposed to, and threaten to go write letters to all and sundry about how badly they are treated. Its a two way street.

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      • Anonymous says:

        If caymanians do not meet their standards or have the qualifications then they will not be hired
        A private business is not responsible for training persons it does not employ

        The government is meant to provide opportunities for training its citizens (whether that is education or actual skills for the workplace) along with resources and so forth

        It is the citizen’s job to take advantage of the opportunities and better themselves
        If they cannot find a job they shouldn’t just be able to complain about racism or anti-caymanian policies they have to better themselves

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      • Anonymous says:

        9:32 Have you tried it? If you had you wouldn’t write c*** like that. Trust me it isn’t that simple.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Attitude and commitment go along way in the service industry, that is why Jamaica is a S#$@ hole and they will make Cayman a S*()^ hole too.

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      • Anonymous says:

        You need to train people to get out of bed.

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  19. An Unimpressed Youth says:

    100% Employment rate is unachievable, Mr. Premier. Sounds a lot like that unrealistic budget figure for that terrible cruise ship berthing facility your so adamant on pressing ahead with (against the recommendations of independent assessments). How about making realistic promises to the people?

    Criticisms aside, glad your working to level the playing field for Caymanians to compete for jobs and employment.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    The Hon Premier should google ‘is zero unemployment possible’.

    One of the numerous links he will find debunking the 100% employment myth is – https://www.investopedia.com/university/macroeconomics/macroeconomics8.asp – he should read it and also some of the other reports and news stories that the search turns up.

    I thought our leader was an educated man, guess I was mistaken.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This is a major bugaboo. We are for all intents and purposes at full employment. There will always be, in any society, chronically unemployed folks who are technically job seekers, but virtually unemployable.

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  21. Blue Steel says:

    Which Caymanians you talkin bout Alden the ones you allowed to come here on work permits then granted PR another mental trick by him that speaketh with fork tongue? stop importing crime Alden that what you need to do. NO more rinky dink police from overseas

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Thank you Mr. Premier as you are always trying to help us Caymanians. Please stay in power as this is the best government we have ever had.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Signed, Alden.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Lol

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        • Anonymous says:

          All you naysayers need to just work together with our leaders as look how good things are under the Unity Team. Honorable Bush needs to have more input though as he is also a true leader for us Caymanians. Lets get our full support behind our good government who are getting Cayman Great Again! 4 more years!

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    • The Comment Judge says:

      Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! That is the dumbest comment of the year! Well…. it is the dumbest so far. Keep trying, 5:54. You might win dumbest comment of 2018 award.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Aladdin won’t be back, he can’t be Premier again.

      Says a lot, no?

  23. WhaYaSay says:

    Noble (if unrealistic) goal. My only question, for now, is; will full employment=fair wage (we all know of employed people that are grossly underpaid)?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Wages have been all but stagnant in our region since the 70s/80s, the cost of living and buying power changed but wage rates have remained at the same basic level

      People have to stretch the same amount of money to do more and more and eventually it will reach a breaking point, the cycle of poverty has to end

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      • PD says:

        Yes but we can not pay too much as we must keep a separation of the upper class and the lower class. It works much better this way for us who have it. We can make or large dollars spread way more by getting a lot for less. And we do not pay income tax. This is the economic miracle. Thank goodness for a forward thinking government.

      • Anonymous says:

        Spot on @ 12:19 pm

    • Anonymous says:

      And an awful lot more who are overpaid. Take senior jobs in schools, then transfer to less jobs whilst maintaining their higher salary.

      • Anonymous says:

        Overpaid? No such thing. If the value of an employee to an employer is worth it, they will pay what is needed to keep that person. Sounds like a little envy going on there 7.29

  24. Anonymous says:

    Unless Premier Alden McLaughlin is willing to place some of the local companies under close and direct supervision nothing will change for the better and his words will be hollow.

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    • Anonymous says:

      WTH are you saying? Do you even know what you are saying? Why don’t we just make ALL business government employers….
      Idiotic

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    • Anonymous says:

      Ah 5.19, the old expropriation, nationalization, confiscation game…yes that same one that led Venezuela to lose all its international ratings, creditors, investors, food and even other basics that everyone needs. That’ll work Mr Marx, every time.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Pathetic. And inflationary.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    Why should business be forced to hire some little girl or boy that has just got married to a Caymanian?. We nah talking bout the real deal Caymanians now.
    If business wanted a Jam or Hondu, they would prefer the real deal and do the permit.
    The man or woman that married them should be responsible for them.

    A marriage certificate is not a Diploma or does not mean its an education qualification.

    Some club girls will always want the club life and will cause problems in the workplace.
    The criminal man or boy will not all of a sudden be a decent citizen.

    Every dog and his cat cannot just be brought into Cayman and have business force to hire just for the sake of this foolishness bout “Married to Caymanian”.
    Try so get to the back of the line so the few capable Kay Man yuns can get a chance.
    Chu man. Get me started.

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  27. David Shibli says:

    It is probably too late to promise your people anything now, Mr. McLaughlin. You cannot deliver and they won’t believe you anyway.
    How’s that Lodge thing working out for you?

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  28. Yup says:

    Top 10 things that I am committed 100% to in 2018:

    1. Putting on a PPM suit with wings, jumping off a building, and pretending that I can fly!

    2. Putting on a PPM suit and pretending that I know how to lead a country!

    3. Bringing down gun crime by exactly 60.00000001% in the next 365.00125 days!

    4. Shooting off my mouth every time around election time with promises that I don’t keep!

    5. Flying to the moon in a day and a half. And three seconds!

    6. Selling the country to the highest bidder, and pretending that I care!

    7. Talking ’bout God and Jesus, whenever it suits the purpose! Hear ’bout Joey?

    8. Bringing N. Korean nuclear reactors to the island to solve our electricity interruptions.

    9. Sayin’ dumb a$% sh1t while trying to sound intelligent.

    10. Did I say I wanna learn how to fly?

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Simple solution. The accreditation system.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    CML truly is the best agency on Island for locals. They’ve helped find employment for 3 members of my family in the past year. The other agencies (ironically the ones owned by our own native Caymanians) pretend to place locals but only work with ex-pats, trust me I speak from experience!! We mustn’t be too quick to paint all agencies with the same brush, CML is making a big difference in the community and I hope Government will bring them on board to help find solutions.

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  31. Anonymous says:

    See his get out, willing and able. Most of the unemployed are lazy f*****s high on dope who don’t want to work. Get a sense of realism there will always be unemployment.

    Ps. Also can’t all be brain surgeons and pilots, plenty of work in the hospitality trade

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    • Anonymous says:

      9:02 Some years ago I interviewed a number of teenage boys about their future employment ambitions. More than half of them said they wanted to be architects – only one problem not one had even graduated from high school. There seemed to be a complete disconnect between the idea of what they wanted to do and the educational standards needed to achieve that aim. It was almost like they thought a company would take them on and overnight they’d somehow become professionals.

      Around the same time there was a drive to get teenage girls into nursing. Almost without exception when this option was put to them their stated ambitions were to get jobs as secretaries and/or office receptionists – basically anything that didn’t appear to them to involve much training or any real work. Again they didn’t seem to have any idea what either of those jobs involved or the skills (like speaking at least passable English!) required.

      When one company I worked for tried recruiting locally it was an exercise in frustration. After working through job applications and CVs that would have failed the WP English test we scheduled a dozen interviews but only four people turned up and one those started texting on his phone while we were trying to talk to him. That’s what you’re dealing with.

      Caymanians need to get their heads around the fact that the days when companies were prepared to hand out non-jobs to locals to keep their employment quotas up are pretty much over. If you want a job now you are going to have to work for it.

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      • Anonymous says:

        And how did you get involved in helping raise the standards ? By writing this comment on CNs and degrading and demoralizing our young people who have been run through that conveyor belt education sham we call a system ?

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        • Anonymous says:

          2.24pm whilst I might agree with you, there is no employer in the world who will take on what is a state problem…and why should they? So they can lose money and go bankrupt? How is that going to help anyone?

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        • Anonymous says:

          2:24 It’s not just the education system, it’s the whole entitlement system. Kids here seem to go through an imperfect education process believing that because they’re ‘Caymanian’ it doesn’t matter if they’ve got no usable qualifications.

          I’m not in a position to say whether or not you can blame that on their upbringing but the fact is that it’s not rocket science for anyone who wants to get on in life to work out that there’s a point where they need to get off their backside and do more. I did that in the UK over 30 years ago and back then we didn’t have access to things like the internet – you had to do night classes and read up in the local library.

          The resources are out there – they’ve just not being used.

  32. Anonymous says:

    The problem with imploring private sector bosses to train more Caymanians is that the good ones already do a lot and the bad ones won’t anyway. So what’s the point?

    We don’t need more government brow beating, we need more government support.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Perhaps if businesses wouldn’t be allowed to have almost 50% of their staff from Temp Agencies, more younger people would actually get their foot in the door and start a career.

      The fact is that these days many Caymanians have to go through Temp Agencies to get a job as many companies only hire through those agencies. So Agencies are taking a hefty chunk of the pay and in turn provide the people with totally crappy benefits. It is ridiculous.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Education and training not just in specialized fields whatever they may be, but also in how to work, what you are expected to do, what not to do. I particularly agree with Steve’s approach. Certain elements ( and it is a largish minority) get irritated that they are overlooked for promotion. The reason often enough and I have seen it, is the constant food breaks, internet use that is not work related, and frankly because they are Caymanian that they feel they automatically deserve a promotion. Cayman needs to meet the real world and understand, that is not how it works globally and don’t expect employers to make allowances. This is where a lot of the issues arise.

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Thought he was smarter

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  34. Anonymous says:

    I guess we can always dream! Talk about being totally unrealistic and absolutely clueless! 100 percent unemployment is not achievable- and if any change is to be made then a lot of people gonna being packing up and heading back home. We will watch at what you do Mr. Premier… but I ain’t (and others) aren’t holding our breathes on any real change. We can’t continue to be hopeful about the future when many have again chosen to vote the majority of the PPM party back into power. Everyone knows the PPM party is about supporting those in society that are in the upper class…not the common person on the street. The general election in May 2017 demanded change; in people, priorities and leadership…. and we didn’t get it! Now we are again stuck in a pile of mud that smells like crab and will only get worse. It’s time for many (including you Mr. Premier) to hang your cowboy hat up, and saddle into retirement, so that this country can acquire real leadership of persons that care and want the betterment of Caymanians. #counting down to 2021 #alden need go home or to the bar

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    • Anonymous says:

      Now who is unrealistic. Finding someone with true leadership skills willing to tackle the long term issues affecting our country aint going to happen. Seriously, his 100% employment tell us how out of touch our Premier is. It is unachievable. Go visit a mental health ward to see you.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    “…every local person who is willing, able and qualified to work”. He should say who is able, trained, prepared; and describe the ways his government is willing to see this through. Otherwise, it’s just more of the usual lip service.

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  36. Anonymous says:

    Talk about populist delusions…the financial industry has been contracting for over a decade and continues to decline, not grow. There are going to be more layoffs and business closures or relocations in that sector, and those may happen very quickly. Protectionist policies will only accelerate organized withdrawals. That leaves the traditionally unappealing tourism sector, already bloated CIG, and unchecked illegal transshipment drug dealing, robbing, looting and smuggling sectors as the only other economic pillars. Those employed in the latter are booming, and hiring!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The problem is too many feel as you do. The “unappealing tourism sector” is your only long term hope. There are many very good paying jobs in that sector. It is also possible to start at the bottom without a University degree and with hard work and a positive attitude move up the ladder in the industry. I don’t know when or how tourism became so unappealing to locals, but it is a shame.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Caymanians for the most part, are too proud to clean rooms, wait tables, or scrub toilets, and most lack qualification for the few upper mgmt desk jobs. The closure of Herbo’s beachfront Holiday Inn, and the laying-off of the hundreds of Caymanians that were promised jobs by Michael Ryan, was probably the historical moment you’re looking for.

  37. Anonymous says:

    yawn…..zzzzzzzzzzzz.

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  38. Anonymous says:

    Alden you also committed to a 60% cut in gun crime. Talk is cheap and your record of achievement is poor. God help the Cayman Islands.

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    • Fred the Piemaker says:

      He actually committed to a 60% reduction in the importation of illegal firearms, not in gun crime. The former is a very safe but meaningless promise, as it is impossible to measure as there is no way of knowing what the starting numbers are, or how many guns continue to be imported. The latter is clearly measurable – and going by the amount of press coverage seems to be on the increase rather than a decrease.

  39. Diogenes says:

    As someone who has studied economics in the past at a tertiary level and is actively studying it again I can say with no hesitation:
    Pay no attention to this talking point, nothing will change, carry on

    Zero percent unemployment is a myth, you’d have better luck finding a unicorn, the PPM lost their one economist and it shows, Marco needs to call his old pal and tell him about basic economic principles like frictional and structural unemployment which are PERMANENT parts of a growing economy
    the best that can be achieved is full employment which is not equal to 0% unemployment

    Someone in the ESO needs to pull Alden to the side and tell him that he is making a complete fool of himself

    Also please take note “In his address he made no new announcements about the Unity government’s policy plans” which boils down to this again being a talking point

    Diogenes

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    • Anonymous says:

      Dio, I like you. I wish I knew who you are so that I could shake your hand.

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    • 0% unemployment is a fantasy, however, 3% unemployment is possible, but first a vocational / trade school has to be built and then after that a good part of the Caymanian unemployed will be sucked up.

  40. #POLITRICKS101 says:

    Well said Mr. Premier. However, how are you planning and your government going to turn this talk into real actions that yields positive results for Caymanians and the local economy?

    Please show the country our plan of action and the related timelines.

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