Local jobless rate at 4.8%

| 14/11/2019 | 138 Comments
Cayman News Service

(CNS) UPDATED: According to the 2019 Spring Labour Force Survey, compiled by the Economics and Statistics Office, the Cayman Islands’ overall unemployment rate increased from 2.8% in the Autumn 2018 report to 3%. However, this is an improvement on the Spring of 2018. Reading from the latest survey, Finance Minister Roy McTaggart revealed that the local population has grown by 5.7% compared to last year, having passed 68,000, with 54% being Caymanian.

The figures suggest that there are now 1,038 Caymanians who do not have a job. And more than half of those without a job who are looking for work have been unemployed for more than six months, the report revealed. Over 690 Caymanians who did not have a job said this was because there was no work available for them. Over 900 job hunters said they had sent resumes to employers but only around 500 said they had registered with the government’s workforce agency.

The latest statistics revealed that the labour force grew between spring 2018 and spring this year by 7.7%, or more than 3,400 people; around 500 of those new workers were Caymanians and the rest were permit holders. There are now 46,215 people with jobs in the local workforce, with 20,474 of them being Caymanians, a growth rate of 3.2% over the spring 2018 estimate.

The document also revealed that well over half of the workforce earns less than $3600pcm and underemployment where workers who could or would like to be working for a full week can find only part-time work is also undermining the figures.

The underemployed accounted for 3.3 percent of all of those in work but 3.9% of working Caymanians said they were underemployed. The group with the highest level of underemployment was those over 65 years of age. Almost 7% of that group who are in work said they want to do more.

In his budget statement, Friday, McTaggart predicted that the overall unemployment rate for 2020 was forecast to be 3.5% and 3.6% in 2021. Government has been pushing the concept that Cayman is now close to full employment. But there indications that may not be the case.

Registration for the NiCE clean-up programme, which was held Wednesday at the Lion’s Centre, has shown an unexpected increase for the winter initiative.

Over 700 people showed up and more than 600 registered for the work which begins at the end of this month for three weeks. The number of people increased significantly on last year when less than 400 people joined the Christmas programme. During the summer the numbers had increased slightly to 480 which would be expected given the lower number of jobs around then for seasonal workers.

But with Cayman now in the high season for tourism officials were hoping to see a fall in numbers again but the increase suggests that either the unemployment figures are going in a different direction than government statistics suggests or people are leaving lowered paid work to take up the government’s temporary but better paid offer.

See the Budget Address in the CNS Library

and the survey on the ESO website


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Comments (138)

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  1. MR says:

    A Brutally Honest Caymanian Woman:

    The key to better pay is better education, training and experience. A 24 year old returning from college with a degree will earn CI$3500 easy – if they are smart enough to delay having a family and concentrate on career for at least 5 years they will be earning at least CI$7500 which with a proper spouse will be more than enough to live a very comfortable, upper middle class life, take vacations, save for kids college and yadda yadda.

    CI$2000 is good pay for a single person, no kids, one-person bills but if someone wants to be irresponsible, sleep around, get preggo and have to maintain a family on that then that is when it becomes “not enough”.

    Single mothers complaining about “jobs paying nothing” and yet got pregnant at 17 with minimal education, no experience, deadbeat baby-daddy, no life skills, little respect for authority and the nerve to demand higher pay is everything that is wrong with our country and our people.

    Take it from a woman who was once that ridiculous 17 yr old girl decades ago – life is unforgiving, there must come a day we take an honest look in the mirror and admit where we went wrong no matter how long we got to cry and scream at ourselves about it.

    Our Caymanian people need to stop pushing their high school graduate children in to jobs so that the kids can be at home to help pay bills – EVERY high school grad should be scrambling for a university education right now or we will indeed need the PPMs upgraded prison!

    Parents, go grab the annual scholarship book and go over it with your children from their last year of primary school – let them know what is out there and what it will take to get it! Encourage your children to get a degree!!! High school diplomas can barely get you a janitorial job these days and employers have good reason for demanding tertiary education – common sense is no longer common and the only way to ensure someone has what it takes is if they have something more than the secondary diploma!

    Caymanian fathers on child maintenance – stop encouraging your children to skip university so that your maintenance payments will end at them turning 18 yrs old – you’re disgusting!

    No, our Caymanian accent is not always appropriate so learn to speak proper, standard English – there is nothing wrong with loving your country and its culture but there is a time for everything and a job interview is no place to say “yeah bobo”

    If it wasn’t for expats coming to this island then all the hard working Caymanians would have no help with home management, childcare, car cleaning, gardening, garbage disposal, sewage maintenance and the list goes on because somehow our people became too high and mighty for these jobs even if they can hardly write their own name.

    Do not blame your child’s lack of education or success on the school system – education begins at home! Before a child enters Pre-k they should AT LEAST be able to sing the alphabet and count to 20, respond yes sir or yes ma’am and exercise basic self control. Too many of our local women are busy chasing cheating, no-good men around to make sure they aren’t cheating while neglecting their children due to “relationship stress”.

    The NAU is not there to support able-bodied people for their whole life so if their “benefits” are feeling insufficient then it is time to explore options for training, education, career planning and getting a job. There ARE programs in place to cover childcare expenses for low-income families so the whole “I can’t survive on $2k per month with kids but can survive on NAU” is a line from welfare hell.

    Mothers (particularly young ones) with sons – stop dressing your sons “thuggish” and proclaiming them “lady killers” – stop prophesying doom over your child and the woman he grows up to be with. Raise gentlemen instead of “gangsters” and encourage your child to take interest in positive professions.

    POSITIVE MUSIC – stop exposing children to the violent, gang crap coming from we all know where – I cannot imagine the confusion going on in some of our Caymanian children’s minds as they try to navigate life with the recalled lyrics of “boom badda boom, bad man fi die” – if you as a parent feel like this exposure is doing justice for your child please google “how to put my child up for adoption”

    Our MLAs must be so exhausted with the whining and complaining! The same way “expats” come to this island to make a better life, so can our people! You have to start from the bottom or START OVER from the bottom sometimes and in our local society people have a fear for this because so much energy goes in to gossip and tearing each other down.

    Our people have a difficult time seeing what is happening in their own houses because they often have their noses in other people’s business while blaming everything around them for the fire that consumed their house while they were doing so.

    And, as for the public school system – the biggest problem are the parents. The parents who curse and threaten teachers when they call home about their child’s behavior or missed work, the parents who don’t care to seek help for their child when they are unable to help with certain school assignments – the problem is the parents who encourage their children to be violent, the parents who keep talking negatively about the “expat teachers” who come here and teach OUR children because for some reason VERY few Caymanians appear to be interested in teaching careers these days.

    The problem is this whirlwind of society that was once a family here or there that has throughout the decades become their own community of underachievers standing by outdated parenting principles from our Caymanian ancestors who did not understand the value of education or how to support their child through it.

    There is little hope for the Caymanian adults in their 30s and up who are still singing the “gimme, gimme, gimme” rhythm because this is the 21st century and the ones who will succeed are the ones willing to work, work, work from the bottom to the top.

    And if you think your life is only worth what someone will drop off at your doorstep or give you without a fight then that is the reason you are unemployed. Show me your resume and I will tell you what is really wrong.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    I built a beach house. Used a Caymanian contractor and architect. Now I have a Caymanian manager to supply housekeepers (mostly local and Jamaican), a Caymanian gardener with local helpers, Caymanian plumber, pool cleaning company with Filipino workers, and all kinds of Caymanian a/c and electrical appliance repairmen, painters, beach cleaners, etc.

    I have only had success with Caymanians doing one-off short term jobs or tasks. I have had no success finding Caymanians willing to reliably do long term or recurring jobs. They will not stick to a schedule, period. I have to keep a list of 4-5 of every kind of Caymanian contractor because when we need something, there is no telling who is working that week. Same with the manager and all the regular workers with the sole exception of the Filipino pool guys who show up like clockwork. Not to mention the Caymanian building contractor who stopped answering his phone at 90% completion leaving me to sub out all that was left to do.

    In five years we have probably dealt with 150 Caymanian contractors and workers because we try to put into the local economy. Hiring local can be done, but the fact is it’s a giant pain in the ass because Caymanians across the board disdain regular hours of work. My life would be a lot simpler if I switched to all expat staffed businesses. Fact.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    These comments are really making me change my view on many expats. The hatred expats feel for Caymanians has really shown here on this article… IF YOU DONT LIKE US, LEAVE! PLEASE LEAVE!!!

    The Jamaicans can stay though, they face the same level of discrimination here just like Caymanians.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Aldart gave them this sense of entitlement…he has given away your country.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I am also surprised. This does not exist in other islands, even BVI or Bermuda. I feel very sorry for Caymanians. I have no idea how your Territory ended up like this.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The Jamaicans can go too. What is the difference with them and the rest?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Seconded! Just leave!! Green iguanas ..

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    • Anonymous says:

      Raise the minimum wage to $10 and hour. If $10 an hour is good enough for NiCE Caymanian workers then it is good for everyone else. Stop the wage discrimination NOW.

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    • Anonymous says:

      6:18pm – Caymanians started the discrimination and now your are reversing it back to Expats????? Expats have never hated Caymanians. Its Caymanians that hate expats for being in their country. Was not like this in old Cayman.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I was with you until that last sentence.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Do any of the entitled expats remember Ivan? Most hightailed it back to their home country, because the damage was too devastating. Remind me who was left here to rebuild the Island? Mostly Caymanians! Most of the expats that were here recognized the opportunity to make a fortune from the Island’s misfortune. That is when most locals prospered with employment and business opportunities. My point is, you guys have somewhere to run to anytime shit hits the fan. Multi-generational Caymanians have no other place to run to. We have to stay behind and deal with it. So where else am I entitled to anything? I sure as hell can’t go to your country and demand anything.

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    • Anonymous says:

      expats built your island and they re-built it after ivan.
      cayman is nothing without expats.
      don’t believe me?….imagine if every expat went on strike tomorrow?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Sigh – how many times. You are perfectly entitled to go and live and work in the UK anytime you want, even get healthcare and benefits, but that doesn’t fit with your victimhood agenda.

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      • Anonymous says:

        That why so many from the UK here?? Because its paradise? Birth rights much…

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        • Anonymous says:

          Tell me about it. Once they become independent Directors, they no longer live here full time. They go around the world with the invaluable experience gained here in the Cayman Islands, that they otherwise would not have gotten back home. Make tons of money and talk about how hard they worked. When in reality it was at the expense of the Caymanian people.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Remember half the indigenous RCIP not turning up for work and leaving it to the expats.

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    • Anon says:

      You can go to the UK anytime, receive free health care and free education for your children, but you will have to pay taxes like anyone else. I will remind you who was left to rebuild after Ivan – Jamaicans!.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Bullshit. Wealthy residents, insurance companies, and tech financial services industry rebuilt Cayman after Ivan. Foreign labour was highly paid to do what it did. There was little to no charity in that contribution.

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        • Anonymous says:

          The point was that most expats left and Caymanians had no where to go. So they, along with the expats that stayed and they ones that came to make money and leave rebuilt Cayman. Not all these Insurance executives or whoever else left on a private plane and worked remotely until the Island was rebuilt.

      • Anonymous says:

        8:33pm ask who were the thieves after Ivan. Packing up all the furniture and goods that was given out and shipping it. Some were breaking stores and loading up with the goods.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, as an expat I was on Island through Ivan and have been here ever since.

      I can only assume you are either ignorant or have a very short memory. A large number of Caymanians literally fled the island after Ivan, leaving behind their ageing parents and pets, with absolutely no thought to their well-being…..for months on end.

      A lot of expats went to the trouble of bringing food, supplies and care to these abandoned people and pets. There are a lot of stories about these events, just ask around.

      And then, if you can find in you…be a part of the solution and not a part of the problem.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Thank you for your contribution, but most Caymanians had no where to go. Tons of private jets evacuating Non-Caymanians that did not want to stay. Maybe you did, but do not for one second try to make me believe it was the majority of expats that stayed. I saw with my own eyes, people giving away keys to their Mercedes and BMW vehicles at the airport because “They weren’t coming back” because “The Island was destroyed beyond recognition”.

  5. Kurt Christian says:

    Vote No

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  6. Anonymous says:

    like in any economy reaching full employment…there will always be an elelmnt of people who choose not to work or are simply unemployable. end of story.
    never believe the myth of caymanian unemployment.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Especially when you see how they clearly spend their days….

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      • joe says:

        something missing in all this. what about the students coming out of schools or returning from college. are jobs available?

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        • Anonymous says:

          To the ones with actual degrees and also experience and a clear track record of attendance, yes.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Great. There you have it. These arseholes are boasting that they are offering jobs to qualified and educated school leavers if they have a proven track record of work experience. Anyone else see the problem with that approach?

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            • Anonymous says:

              Ironic, when most of them gain their experience here and blatantly lie about previous experience, because who’s gonna look into that anyway?

          • Anonymous says:

            And how do we gain this experience?

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            • Anonymous says:

              You never will because if you’re more experienced than an expat, by law you “should” be able to take their position. Self education is the way! Find the good expats out of the bad bunch that are willing to help. There are some, but not much. Most do good deeds for points towards permanent residency.

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            • Anonymous says:

              By taking the job offered. Not the one you aren’t ready for.

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            • MR says:

              I know many young Caymanians that came back from college with a degree and took a filing job or similar; less than 3 years later (often less than 1 yr) they are in higher career positions making fast progress.

              And then on the other hand I know many young Caymanians who came back from college and were offered similar opportunities but thought having a degree meant they should be handed a senior position when the flight landed. It does not work that way – those are mostly still unemployed and complaining.

              No, you do not go off to college to get a degree to come back and have nothing – unemployment is nothing, take a start when you can get it, add some proper employment references to your resume and move from there.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, Caymanians can always find work, but $2000 per month can’t pay the bills. Please, especially Caymanian owned companies, pay your fellow Caymanians a living wage. At least $3000 per month.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    I volunteer as a mentor in Cayman Finance’s mentorship program. The program has mentors meet with final year high school students for 8-9 weeks just before the summer. One of our tasks as mentors is to prepare the students for job interviews for summer internships. In my 5 years with the program, none of the public school candidates that I’ve personally mentored have had the basic verbal or social skills necessary for a successful job interview, much less an internship. This is NOT a knock on public school kids, who I feel are NOT being properly served by the government officials responsible for the 12 years of education these kids get before they get to me. The kids are eager and ambitious, but compared to the private school kids that I’ve mentored, the public school kids are lagging in many areas. Check out the recent auditor general’s report on public schools. The government is spending an ample amount of money per student, but the kids are not receiving a QUALITY education for that money.

    I don’t know what the answer is, but I feel for those local kids that the public school education system has failed to prepare. With the tax rate that average Caymanians pay to live in this country, they should be demanding better public education. I think all of the energy, ingenuity and effort that the government is currently putting into this cruise port should be redirected at fixing public education. The auditor general’s report had plenty of recommendations. Where is the plan to implement them??

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    • Anonymous says:

      Recruit teachers from overages, and improve the education system. Too many West Indians. Teacg students proper English and they would be better equipped

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  8. Anonymous says:

    That is an amazing percentage and represents almost total employment. Again we are the envy of the world.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Can we please talk about the obvious discrimination Caymanians face when trying to find work. It’s no secret that a company will hire an American or Brit over a Caymanian just because of simple things like our accent. Apparently our accent is too ghetto for the workplace but the British accent is fine? We need to address the blatant racism that is present here but y’all aren’t ready for that conversation….

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    • Anonymous says:

      Can we address the appalling sense of entitlement and lack of gratitude? You live in a country with an economy that is the envy of the region and have more than equal opportunity to share in the wealth and success. Unemployment is virtually non-existent.

      No? Not ready for that conversation?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Or just plain lazy!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I am a Brit and I only hire Caymanians. No work permits for me, Bobo. It is their country after all.
      Quite frankly, I would think that they would be fed up of our “supposed” moral and intellectual superiority telling them what to believe and think.
      They were doing alright before us Johnny-come-latelys washed up here.
      Bloody well leave them alone.
      If you are a guest in someone else’s house stop moving the furniture around and helping yourself to the refrigerator. Have some manners.

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    • X says:

      It’s also no secret that some Caymanians leave Cayman and find and take up work elsewhere without regard for the natives of those countries and then they return to Cayman demanding a job here when they realize the grass isn’t greener.

      As a Caymanian I believe we need to hold government policy accountable, not those who take up opportunities here from abroad, opportunities afforded to them by our sell out PPM Alden run Government. Stop approving work permits for jobs that can be done by Caymanians and raise minimum wage.

      Stop the divide of hardworking people, scorning them can only work against us. We need to stand for what is right.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Minimum wage only benefited the low paid expats including nannies. No more increase in minimum wage. In the first place it shouldn’t have happened.

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        • Anonymous says:

          You are a total fool 11:18. Try living here on $6 an hour. You probably are a supporter of slavery too.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe it’s because the actions of a few in terms of attendance, sick leave and work ethic have poisoned the market for everyone else. Hire a Caymanian and make a bad choice and you are stuck. Hire an expat and they turn out to be lazy or have a bad attitude you pull the work permit and problem goes away. Unintended consequences of the Labour Law discriminating in favour of Caymanians.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Three warning letters and you can fire a Caymanian. So I call your BS. With all of the flaws most expats say Caymanians have, it shouldn’t be hard to write three warning letters. I am an educated Caymanian and employed, and I can see the blatant discrimination against Caymanians every day in the work place.

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        • Anonymous says:

          And after your three letters you will have to write a bunch more to deal with the appeal to the Labour Tribunal, and then even more to Immigration when you try and hire an expat in the future. BS? Don’t think so.

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          • Anonymous says:

            If you fire someone for not doing their job and not just because your friend wants to move here then there shouldn’t be a problem.

        • Anon says:

          12.46pm NOT in the Civil Service!.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s because when a company takes out a work permit, they own you. It’s leverage for the employer to take advantage of the employee with no complaints.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Its not my experience that the underperforming expat gets its work permit pulled. Actually it is the opposite. They get promoted to senior positions.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Bang on.

        I work in a company that actively hires Caymanians. And it’s only the Caymanians that have been caught stealing, that have taken every monday off sick, that refuse to do tasks.

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        • Anonymous says:

          If a few Caymanians have stole or don’t show up to work doesn’t mean that every Caymanian is like that! I know tons of educated Caymanians and I myself is currently studying to graduate and find a job. There are Caymanians who are serious about their career but it’s people like you who don’t wanna give us a chance just because of a few mishaps that may have involved Caymanians. Stop generalizing!

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    • Anonymous says:

      can we adress the reality of when empolyers are forced to hire caymanans?
      ask any major employer of their experiences.

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    • Anonymous says:

      They also like the indentured nature of work permits.

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    • Anon says:

      5.01pm Unlike Govt,employers, the private sector have to make a profit and having to shell out thousands for a work permit just because of an accent makes no sense. We have 6 or 7000 civil servants where a Caymanian accent guarantees a job so I welcome your conversation about “blatant racism” and you might want to include blatant ignorance.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Utterly ridiculous comment coming from an entitled halfwit I suspect.

      Caymanians have every opportunity but you’re probably the type who prefers to moan rather than get off their bone idle backside and do something about it.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    I thought they said the population was 65,813 about 6 weeks ago? But it’s 68,000 now? Or did I read that wrong? 54% Caymanian isn’t a lot in terms of the native people… I’m not anti-expat, in fact my parents are from elsewhere in the Caribbean, and I was born and raised here, but I just think that the native people should be the majority of a country. Caymanians keep the island’s culture alive, that’s why I’m so proud to be born a caymanian even if I’m not blood, I would hate to see it lost to an immigrant majority that kicks the culture to the side and continues down a stale path for the future of cayman. I think we should only take in a certain number of people a year and give Caymanians the chance to find a well paying job.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe 5.4% isn’t a lot but more than it should be when there are 30k work permits….and don’t ignore under employment…Aldart is addressing this by giving away PR’s at record pace…soon they will be Caymanian. Most dangerous leader you have ever had.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Get educated, show up on time, work a full day without your cell phone, drop the entitled attitude, dress properly, have good manners. That’s the basics of being employable.

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      • Anonymous says:

        First off, as an educated Caymanian, we have the right to be entitled. I can’t go to the US or UK without being a citizen or permanent resident benefit from social security, free health care or a job. The citizens of those Countries are entitled to those benefits. So how could you hypocrites come here and tell us to lose our sense of entitlement in our own home? Where else do we go to be treated as citizens?

        Every other country in the world reserve specific rights and benefits for their people, but you come here and say we have an “entitled attitude”. If anything, people like you have the sense of entitlement in a foreign country and are ungrateful racists! I know It’s hard for you not to be so defensive when you’re getting paid double of what you would back home for living in paradise.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Actually, as a Caymanian you are entitled to a British passport and CAN go to the UK and get all the benefits you mention. But hey, don’t let the facts get in the way.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Not true. Only persons who were BOTC’s in 2001 (whether or not they are Caymanian) are entitled to go and live in the U.K., but don’t let facts get in the way.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Just like expats are entitled to go through the process for permanent residency?

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    • Anonymous says:

      The population is now 75,000. It is no longer possible to rely on what government tells us. Look at the core data and work it out for yourself.

      • Anonymous says:

        And the goal is over 100,000 and who knows with all the crazies in power maybe a million next. Hong Kong Caribbean here we come.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Didn’t they say the population was 65,813 about 6 weeks ago? But it’s over 68,000 now? Or did I read that wrong?? 54% of Caymanians isn’t a lot.. that number is gonna keep decreasing because of the constant influx of people! I’m not anti-expat, in fact my parents are from elsewhere in the Caribbean but I was born and raised here. I just believe native people should be the majority in their own country! Caymanians are what makes Cayman Cayman!! The cultural vibrancy of the people are what makes me proud to be a born caymanian, even if I’m not blood! I would just hate to see the culture lost to an immigrant majority that kicks the country’s heritage to the side and continues on a stale path..

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  12. Anonymous says:

    No one want to acknowledge underemployed…it effects work permit revenue….even the WORC job board makes you sign in to SEE positions….only reason is they know employed won’t sign up as with all people you don’t really want current employer to see they are looking. WORC is the most effective agency for circumventing the regulations.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    ‘Over 690 Caymanians who did not have a job said this was because there was no work available for them.’ Possibly because they want jobs they’re not remotely qualified for or are simply unemployable.

    A few years ago I interviewed a number of unemployed Caymanian teenagers. They were all high school drop outs but when you asked what sort of work they were looking for the answers included things like ‘architect’ and ‘accountant’. If they’d been prepared to get out there, roll their sleeves up and get dirty there was work for them – that’s what the ex-pats on WPs do – but they didn’t want to do that!

    As for 900 who sent out resumes? Have you ever seen what they send you? It’s scary!

    And if they do come in for interview (most don’t) they’ll talk patois (street talk if you like) or break off to answer their cell phone and talk to friends during it. Would you employ them?

    Get real folks – the days of the entitlement society are over. If you want a job you’ve got to work for it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Or they turn up for interview clearly stoned out of their skulls – my employer has had that a few times.

      The fact is there are plenty of Caymanians prepared to work and they’re the ones who have jobs.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I think you missed something here..We are writing off these young people. Instead of doing that we should be encouraging them to go back to school and get their GED. Government is always spouting off about how much surplus we have but our schools are still failing our kids who just get thrown out to the world ill-equipped to be employable citizens.

      I have often heard that the politicians prefer to “dumb down” the people because you can always through them a ham, turkey or refrigerator once a year and they are guaranteed a vote..

      The Education system has to change. It continues to fail us..

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      • Anonymous says:

        5:23 No arguments there and, as 4;47 said, ‘there are plenty of Caymanians prepared to work.’

        It’s the ones who are dropping through, or out of, the education system that need help before they become unemployed, not after.

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      • X says:

        If I could like 5.23 100 times I would.

        These kids have been failed by the system. They have no idea what it takes because no one has showed them or taught them. Some have probably never been told that they just are not equipped and should find work they are suited to.

        Teenagers have dreams still, we all did, I’m not sure how many of us fulfilled those dreams. Hell I still want to be a property mogul when I grow up, but I, am already very grown and the bank still owns most of my 1 house.

        Let them dream but be the one to guide them, not suppress them.

        15
    • Seriously? says:

      I find it hilarious when white expats accuse ANYONE of having a “sense of entitlement”. Did you not have a sense of entitlement back in your home country? Does the privileged class of European descendants ANYWHERE in this world NOT feel that they are entitled to the very best education, opportunities and lifestyle before their “minority” fellow citizens? I grew up in America, I was educated in the UK, I’ve worked as an educated professional in Cayman’s financial industry for 30 years and I’ve traveled the world. I can state without any shadow of a doubt that no group of people has more of a sense of entitlement than white European defendants. Yes, you are correct that there are SOME Caymanians that have a sense of entitlement, which I also see as ridiculous and I would never make excuses for them. Everyone should EARN any opportunity. But please don’t try to suggest that this sense is a uniquely Caymanian one.

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      • Anonymous says:

        The expats have a sense of entitlement in a host country never mind wtf they are from.

        10
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        • Anonymous says:

          That is an excellent comment. So true. I am an expat that came here many years ago and I respect the culture. I am very proud to be a paper Caymanian and I understand that it comes with unwritten limitations.
          No problem for me at all. I get on with the locals and I am content. I have no problem with their culture unlike other expats who wash up here and try to tell them that they are “not progressive”.
          Remember, if your sorry ass did not wash up here with your hoity-toity opinions, this place would still be paradise.
          Please have some respect of you are a guest in another man’s house.

      • Anonymous says:

        If there is one place you should feel entitled, is in you home!

        14
        2
      • Anonymous says:

        We are in Cayman so we’re talking about why Caymanians are unemployable. But there you go with your entitlement and shout but what about lung cancer at a breast cancer fundraiser.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Are you sure you are not interviewing for a crappy job for an expat Jamaican. You sound like U r from the uk or Canada. With a stick up your @. There are plenty lazy layabouts in those countries, I know cos i’m From one. And if you have a problem here, go home. “Street talk”…..lol pls. Who are you and what position are you advertising for really?

      7
      7
    • Anonymous says:

      The same old self serving rant of a guest!

      7
      6
  14. Anonymous says:

    If the Caymanians importing labor via multiple “work permits of convenience” were caught by Enforcement and prosecuted by the Crown we would not have this much unemployment.

    36
    4
    • Anonymous says:

      You would not have much of anything

      1
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    • Anonymous says:

      3:43 If you know who they are report them but I bet it won’t do any good because you can guarantee they’re all ‘connected’.

      Fact is that for certain areas of employment employing ex-pats is the only option. Caymanians won’t do it (and for good reasons) on the terms the employer wants to impose. Someone on a WP in these job categories is effectively 21st century slavery.

      11
  15. Anonymous says:

    The numbers are crap. There are at least 30,000 expats on work permits of some kind or another. Government has no idea how many Caymanians there are, and certainly not enough detail to declare them in the majority.

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    • Anonymous says:

      30,298 expats on work permits.
      3,000+ dependents on work permit holders.
      5,000 RERC/PR holders and dependents.

      At least 38,000 expats.

      Add 37,000 Caymanians you get two results:

      1. The population exceeds 75,000.

      2. Caymanians are in the minority.

      13
      • Anonymous says:

        3. The ESO stats have little bearing on reality, but cost us millions and misguide government policy.

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