7MB resort under pension probe

| 06/07/2020 | 158 Comments
Cayman News Service
Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman

(CNS): The Department of Labour and Pensions has confirmed it is investigating the Margaritaville Beach Resort Grand Cayman for not paying its workers’ pension contributions. But the department has refused to release any details because of the ongoing probe into the issue. The hotel is believed to be one of several employers that were exposed when staff sought to access their pension funds under changes to the law.

Following government’s decision to amend the pension law to allow private sector workers access to their pension funds due to the COVID-19 pandemic, staff at Margaritaville learned that some of their cash was missing, indicating that the resort had failed to pay in contributions made by the staff as well as their employer.

CNS was informed by workers from the resort that at least a year’s worth of contributions were missing from some pension accounts. As a result we contacted the government’s private sector pension regulator at the DLP, Amy Wolliston, about the missing cash almost two months ago, on 7 May.

We asked if the department was able to confirm that Margaritaville had missed employee contributions for a year, that the company was under investigation and how it intended to make up for the missing payments. But we were directed to make a freedom of information request.

On Thursday, almost two months after we asked the original press question, we received a letter from the DLP stating that they could not tell us anything about the case because it was under investigation and when the investigation was completed we could ask again.

It’s not clear how many employers are currently under investigation by the DLP. Dozens of bosses are still going through Summary Court paying back missing pensions piecemeal, an issue that continues to be of particular concern against the backdrop of the failing private sector pension system.

During a recent Public Accounts Committee hearing, the problem of delinquent accounts was one of many issues raised by the members and witnesses. The Fidelity boss, Brett Hill, said that private pension providers spend a great deal of time chasing employers who pay late or don’t pay the amount they should.

While a number of workers are missing money from their pensions, the DLP director has said that where there is still money in accounts, employees would still be allowed to access that under the emergency withdrawal plan.


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Category: Business, Local News, Tourism

Comments (158)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    When will a Cayman government recognize that it cannot keep on appointing and then protecting Civil Servants, Heads of Government Departments, Statutory Boards etc, who turn out to be utterly incompetent, and just sit on their fat arses, knowing they will never be held accountable

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    • 2 says:

      Ms. Wolliston is one of incompetent civil servants protected by the the Deputy Governor.

      She has for many, many years been giving excuses why pensions are in such a mess.

      But as long as her “protector” is in place, she will be in place while people suffer.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I believe the best way for the island to keep it from becoming like many others in the Caribbean is to resurrect a consistent firm and fair approach to enforcement in ALL aspects of life. Planning Department, Traffic stops, Pension collection, PAC, CIMA, DFL, NAU, Education, T&B, Vehicle inspection, various committees,Work Permit offences, Immigration offences, offences under OfReg. The island needs to restore confidence in residents that the policies, rules, and laws need to be respected.

    Respect for one another and authority will continue to deteriorate, and once it is lost, will be very challenging to regain. The time is now.

    It will be a shock to many, but better a shock now, then create a society one is unhappy with in the future.

    The seeds are being planted each day that determine what kind of garden (society) will exist in the future.

    Accept and own the responsibility now, make conscious choices today, or be positioned with only fear based choices in the future.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Nice comment, but how are you going to get it done??????????????????????

      • Anonymous says:

        In some cases police action will be required. The evidence of apparent corruption lies around in the open and even when the police stumble over it, they appear to do nothing. Regulators should be dealing with the issues but they do not, often it seems due to direct political direction.

  3. Anonymous says:

    That place been going downhill from when Silvers close.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    The DLP have also turned a blind eye to the Real Estate companies that continue force their employees to sign what they call an “independent contractor. Many employees lost their pension and health benefits when they introduced this a few years ago forcing employees to have to sign these agreements if they wanted to keep their jobs. All real estate units work from a small percentage of the commission paid on a sale and when forced to pay for their own advertising, health and pension as well as in some cases Franchise fees amounting to anywhere between 6% and 8% leaves very little in the form of take home pay.

    This “independent contractor agreement” in effect allows the employer not to pay and pension or health benefits but the employee must pay for both of these. Apparently, there is no such thing as an independent contractor employee in the Labor Law and when a complaint was made the DLP said they couldn’t intervene because the employee by signing agreed that they would pay their own pension and health care..

    How is this possible? How can you be employed and paid by a company and they advertise you as their employee yet force you to pay as if you were not an employee. If the employees are forced to become “independent contractors” would they not all need to have separate trade and business licenses. Are this real estate agencies forcing their employees to contravene the Trade and Business License Law?

    CNS: If you would like to pursue or do a story on this, please give me a private email and I can send you a copy of one.

    CNS: info@caymannewsservice.com

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    • Anonymous says:

      Wow. You hit the nail on the head. Its these property managers and real estate agents that jack up the rents so high. I work for a local unregulated real estate company. They got me trying to rent an apt in West Bay for 1350 when the apt is worth $550 a month. They looking high commission rates for themselves.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Nobody forces anyone to sign… Yes, name the property managers, etc.. as the evil ones; but for those that signed and later regretted the conditions, you did not do YOUR homework. YES, homework! Like we all had in 5’th, 6’th, 7’th grade +. Didn’t want to learn it then, guess you’ll learn it now.

        A breach of law? LEARN.
        A breach of civility? LEARN.
        Foreign Agents taking advantage of Cayman? We need to LEARN how to rule our country (Quit whining, it’s our future).
        Blame the expats? The expats CAN’T elect Cayman officials; we elect them; we are to blame.
        This is our country, it is our reality. Do we care enough to admit to our flaws?

    • Anonymous says:

      You are correct to identify this. It is widespread. It is also a breach of Trade and Business licensing laws and yet the DCI does nothing. Very well connected people are responsible.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It is one of the obvious areas of what must amount (in many cases) to overt corruption. Some companies openly flaunted the laws for years and are only now becoming compliant. Even their work permits were unlawful (given many of the agents were self employed despite laws prohibiting that). Still, the licenses are granted and renewed without question.

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      • Anonymous says:

        You people are really sickening, when times were good and you were raking in the money you all kept your mouths shut but now you all whine and cry because you want a free hand out – HELL NO!!!!
        Majority of the agents are foreigners anyway so send there bottoms packing and kick them off the island.

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        • Anonymous says:

          I know many of these “expat”/PR realtors who clear $250k to $1m+ per year. That 7% anti-competitive price rigging commission is more that suffice for these realtors. I think they can live without the franchise’s pension contribution. Realtors in North America live off <2% commissions and pay the same franchise fees and other costs – and they all living good lives lol

        • Anonymous says:

          Better do it fast. Most I know have PR based on questionable work permits and are now about to become Caymanian.

    • Anonymous says:

      Take them to court. There have been several high profile English cases (eg the BBC) where arrangements like these have been held to be shams and in reality employer/employee relationships, with all the implications (pension rights etc) that come with that. And yes, the authorities should get involved: where the necessary local business licensing for these “contractors” is missing, these arrangements are illegal, in fact criminal, and the brokers imposing them are aiding and abetting an offense if not actually committing one.

      These are clearly ill-disguised employment arrangements and should be treated as such.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Poor realtors. 7%? Lol

  5. Anonymous says:

    The fault lies with the ministry of tourism who are in charge of Hotel licensing. The hotel license renewal process ought to include an audit of pension and health insurance. DCI in fairness does a good job as they request information about pensions prior to TBL renewal.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why should this fall under Dept of Tourism?? Clearly it should fall under Dept of Labour and Pensions!

  6. Anonymous says:

    If that proves true for any of them, I hope they are charged, prosecuted and sentenced to the full extent of the law. Despicable thieves!

    But knowing our legal frame work and the numbers of poorly-drafted legislation and “loop-holes” available I would have to see it actually happen first. Then of course is the influence and lobbying of the rich hotel owner$

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  7. Anonymous says:

    How much for the giant flip flop?

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  8. Anonymous says:

    The news on CMR – if correct – that There is a petition for the management company to be liquidated makes the position of the employees look a little bleak to say the least. Even if the regulator funds they haven’t been paying over deductions the prospects for the employees getting that money back are not good. Far better if the regulator had stepped in once the deductions were over due by a couple of months – but guessing that would require some active policing. But like Mile Ryan and the Ritz repayments to government – all a little late in the day to make a practical difference once the entity goes bust.

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    • Anonymous says:

      If it traded while insolvent the directors are personally liable for all sums due to employees.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Good luck with that. Look forward to your analysis of the successful outcomes of actions against directors for breach of duty in Cayman ever – let alone those that survive the indemnity clauses that are commonplace in the industry. Oh, and let alone the ones where the costs of suing don’t consume all the available insurance and /or directors assets, even if you were successful. I have been in insolvency here for over 10 years and can count on the fingers of my left foot how many times directors have been found responsible for a breach of duty that actually resulted in them paying a penny, let alone that money exceeding the costs and going to the creditors.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Perhaps in your 10 years you are yet to have cause to read the Health Insurance Law, The National Pensions Law, the Labour Law, or the Immigration Law. How high up the chain liability, including criminal liability, reaches, is pretty clear.

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          • Anonymous says:

            And pray explain how any of that results in the poor employees getting their money back? Because it just flat doesn’t, whereas laws providing directors liability might.

            And whilst you are about it, can you point to any obvious examples in which those laws have been enforced and the guilty punished? Nah thought not. Worse “punishment “ I have seen is a time to pay order.

            In insolvency we tend to see the darker side and be pretty cynical, but I suspect our cynicism is a little more accurate than your pompous reference to laws that are not policed or enforced. With an attitude like that you should work for CIG on the team trying to persuade CFATF that’s all we’ll and good in Cayman and we can get off the naughty list because we have lots of laws and regulations – just not a lot of actual enforcement.

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            • Anonymous says:

              I agree, laws will actually have to be followed (for once) if the recoveries are to be made.

          • Anonymous says:

            OK, read all the laws you cited. Means nothing if the CIG will not enforce the laws.

            • Anonymous says:

              No. It likely means our government is corrupt if it will not enforce our laws, but I appreciate you taking the time to see what those laws say.

        • Chris Johnson says:

          I believe I am possibly the only person that took on the task of suing directors since the liquidation of Prospect Properties many years ago. Older readers will recall the majority shareholder was Jim Bodden, National Hero. Enough said.

          Since then I have talked against other directors.

          As you point out almost all the time directors are indemnified by the company for everything except willful default and fraud. I have lobbied for years to change this. To explain this more fully if you are an auditor and negligent in auditing the accounts any liquidator will sue you. If you are a director you will not get sued due to the indemnity.

          The Cayman Islands is years behind the rest of the world on this subject. But let me add one more comment. To protect shareholders and creditors it is the lawyers that draft the Articles of Association where clauses indemnify the directors. Why on earth do they draft such clauses? That hardly protects the investors. Do they understand conflicts of interest?

          I await a barrage of negative comments from the lawyers and bring em on.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Lawyers are instructed by the company, acting by its directors. It’s not their job to look after investors.

            Also, without the indemnities, who would be willing to be a director? Most auditors have limitation clauses in their terms of engagement which are designed to achieve the same protection.

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            • Chris Johnson says:

              Wrong !! How can directors instruct a lawyer to form a company. Directors are appointed after a company is formed.
              having sued ten audit firms I can assure you that none had limitation clauses in the engagement letters and why should they. By the way neither does my garden company.

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              • Anonymous says:

                That’s a fair point: it perhaps should have read that the lawyers are instructed by the legal or natural persons looking to form the company, who will often in due course be appointed as its directors, or be in a position to appoint them. The fundamental point remains true though: the lawyers aren’t there to look after investors.

                In terms of limitation clauses, there is an exponential difference between the potential exposure of your garden company for some over enthusiastic trimming and the potential exposure of a director or professional service provider. Again the fundamental point holds true: who would be willing to serve as a director whilst accepting unlimited liability?

        • Anonymous says:

          I agree with 07/07/2020 at 3:11 pm, Cayman doesn’t prosecute nefarious directors. I am sure someone on here can find 1 or two rare circumstances. Meanwhile, 100s or 1000s of other cases go with directors unpunished.

    • Anonymous says:

      Directors are personally liable to pay pension. Any alleged liquidation doesn’t change that.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    The saddest part of all this is how for many of us it is news. Because it’s not. One large company failing to comply with any law is merely the latest in a litany of examples of (take your pick) corruption, amateurism, cronyism, theft, criminality, etc over decades that have led us to this point.

    our country is gone. the beach access and lack of public beach on smb for me is the glaring example of how we’ve been robbed in plain sight, slowly boiled like the proverbial frog

    the only way it all stops and gets fixed is with a complete overhaul of legislative appointees and candidates, then they can go about removing the usual Board members across industries and so forth.

    it’s a generational problem. its not going away until they do.

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  10. Eric Ebanks says:

    Agin, how many times has this place gone bust?

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    • Anonymous says:

      When this expensive refurbishment started there were a number of posts on CNS suggesting it was a non-starter If my memory is correct at least one person familiar with issues in the structure stated that the only way to viably remediate the place was with a wrecking ball. Judging by some of the other reports starting to appear today it’s heading for another bankruptcy.

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  11. Robert Mugabe IV says:

    Black and White Pensions Matter….
    .
    .
    .
    .
    Not

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Was there not a similar case in Cayman Brac a few years ago? What happened to it, and the government official who dared to try to do their job?

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  13. JM says:

    who are the owners/management company beneficial owners?

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  14. Anonymous says:

    5* world class civil service…..guffaw guffaw guffaw….oh my aching sides. Any down votes for this comment proves only one thing. You are just as corrupt and lacking in integrity as the Government.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Civil servants are blamed for everything on this island…..PRIVATE SECTOR engage in pension fruad/theft, blame the civil service…o the logics

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      • Anonymous says:

        Of course we do, after we report it to the regulator, the ministry, the police, and others and NOTHING is done.

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  15. Dont Lie and cheat the Government hates competition! says:

    Recently spoke with a person who did a recent telecom upgrade for two of the main providers who informed me of a number serious labour & work related issues raised with OFFReg DLP WORC DOE DEH and even Immigration from Environmental pollution to no work permits non payment even bringing person here with a contagious disease absolutely nothing was done said it was a total waste of time.Reports & complaints mysteriously make it back to senior officials in the company who try to cover up or mitigate situations. Said too many politically connected people and politicians chairman and partners themselves have serious conflicts of interest on these businesses. Thats why they continue to get away with it until news outlets like CNS or Cayman Marlroad get hold of it.The other entities and gov’t are bought/Bribed out by Advertising $$ and free phones and sponsorship for their private/political charities all so they can get away with this crime. The person said they are having to now take legal action against main contractor.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    When they make it mandatory that
    All salary payments should be made in bank accounts. (traceable)
    No checks or cash payment hand outs.
    Pay slips with Working hrs, sick leave pay , public holidays pay, vacation pays and overtime pay + deductions for Health insurance and Pension deductions should be mandatory.

    All Work permit renewals need to be accompanied by a statement of Salary payments, pension funds statement from pension fund and Health insurance payments from health insurance.

    No proper paperwork no grand of Permit renewal.
    This would clean up this corrupt mess

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  17. Anonymous says:

    5% of $6 an hour isn’t a whole lot.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You’re missing the point, if the law requires payment, it should be honored period!! As previous posters have alluded, its disgraceful that in 2020 government agencies are still not linked, allowing for unscrupulous business practices to continue. PPM really have dropped the ball speaking out of both sides of their mouth simultaneously; standing on a platform of openness and transparency yet is laugable.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It is to the hundreds in Cayman who have had their pension monies stolen by their employers and now find themselves with nothing at this critical time. Immediate full compensation and the imprisonment of those responsible, including company directors, is the only way to go. Steps should be being taken to ensure none can flee the jurisdiction.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It is a whole lot for these poor people. Especially when employers are taking it from their salary and stealing it. Maybe if it is not a lot to you, perhaps you can give to these people the amount owed to them?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Regardless of the amount it is still their money. Hopefully if you are an employer you do not have that same mind set.

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  18. No Pension No problem Mon! says:

    No surprise here sadly we have some very disloyal reprobates in our political arena and in our very own churches now trying extremely hard to undo our1962 Caymanian decision to remain preaching false doctrine and propaganda to the citizenry .Yet they are here trying to control and own everything we have!

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  19. Anonymous says:

    my boyfriend works for a big AC company in George Town and his employers do not take pension from his account. Ole Crook. I would expose him but my boyfriend would get fired!

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    • Anonymous says:

      That is because your boyfriend is a sub contractor so he himself is responsible to pay his pension & health insurance. All you whiners who have been raking in the cash now want more from the poor employers.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Pension is just the beginning. Some outfits (wont name names) in Cayman not paying overtime, gratuity collected from customers, holiday pay, etc. Employers been threatening to fire any employee who complains to DLP, media, or any other government entity. And this is more than 1 employer 🙁

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    • Anonymous says:

      Time for a new boyfriend, one with a real job.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    This whole thing is about who you know. I hope that they dig out those people that are fronting for work permit holders that don’t have actual work and they pay for their own work permits, pension and health insurance. If they pay at all. I can’t remember what they’re called but they oversee health insurance and threatened to report me to immigration for being one month behind. I was having issues because I paid it online and kept putting it in the wrong account. However, a co-worker of mine hadn’t paid her helper’s health insurance for three months and no one threatened her. It just goes to show that it’s who you know.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    DLP is completely useless..I wouldn’t depend on them to investigate anything..They allowed the Pension Providers to rape us all these years and now they can’t even respond to a phone call or do something to protect us.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Word…just another example of cronyism in government appointments…totally beyond their abilities.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Margaritaville has no Caymanian ownership..

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    • Anonymous says:

      That’s besides the point. The article says that other businesses are also under investigation, which I’m sure one or two of them have caymanian ownership but again that’s not the point. Stop turning this into an us vs them situation. The focus is people were robbed of what’s due to them and things must be implemented to make it right.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Does anyone know if legally, can the authorities/employees go after the unit owners on this or are they screwed? As the unit owners are somewhat separate yet comingled from the operator?

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  23. Anonymous says:

    I reported my my ex-emplyer to the pension and labour department before the pandemic but I never got and answer since October I hade to email them to get and update all I get for and answer is in currently under investigation that’s all I still haven’t seen any pension been pay to my pension account

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  24. Anonymous says:

    So if i go to the hotel bar and steal a bottle of $20 rum – i go to prison? If the hotel owner steals pension contributions – slap on the wrist? Gotta love how the system is rigged for the rich. I have been hearing about MVille Hotel doing these shady things since they re-opened. Government only now investigated them. STEUPS

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    • Anonymous says:

      The failure to undertake timely and effective enforcement of so many of our laws is such that the police themselves should be determining why things are in fact so bad. Our perceptions of the reasons are quite likely very close to the truth. It is worrying that the police too seem oblivious to the scale of industrialized unlawfulness pervading many aspects of our society.

      Just another example from last week. If it is already a crime to block beach accesses why has there never been a single arrest, let alone prosecution?

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    • Anonymous says:

      They are also stealing money from small businesses who supply them. As employee debts always take precedence over external creditors in an insolvency situation, any available value in this situation will go to meet the pension deficit (as is entirely appropriate), but these guys also owe money to small and currently struggling businesses who will never see any cash for services and goods supplied before this pandemic began. So the employees are not the only victims here.

  25. Not saying says:

    Why in this day and age are our Government entities computer systems tied together? If your trade and business license aren’t up to date, if your health & pension aren’t up to date, how are businesses still trading. I’m so sick and tired of this b.s. Why do only x% of companies have to do the right thing, and the rest get away with it all.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    Employees should be checking their pension statements at least quarterly if not monthly to ensure that their pension deductions are being paid in. It is similar to your bank account. Ensure that monies are paid in.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Have you ever tried getting a pension statement from these companies?..I am still begging Britcay for mine to no avail..

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      • Anonymous says:

        Speak up to your employers and demand change in the pension plan provider if needed. I can’t speak on all of the administrators but I have easy access to mine and check it monthly for completeness. I get quick turnaround on questions and got my funds out in less than the 45 days allowed.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Caymanians don’t need work permits??

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  28. Anonymous says:

    You think it’s just them? Prominent people owning businesses been doing exact same thing. Scrambling to not get caught.

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  29. Anonymous says:

    ….it happens all the time. Permits get granted and renewed. Liquor licenses and hotel licenses get issued. Properties get transferred. No one gets prosecuted. The police refuse to lift a finger.

    It takes quite a unique combination of seeming ineptitude and what looks a lot like corruption to go a year with no active intervention. It takes a pandemic for the regulators to notice? Bullshit!

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    • Anonymous says:

      If employers can get business licenses renewed with just a self certification, then they will and this is the result.

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      • Anonymous says:

        This is particularly the case at dci. False returns and no prosecutions for the fraud that it is

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    • Anonymous says:

      Just another day in the whacky private sector. Don’t worry CIG to the rescue.

      Can you imagine what the private sector would be like without the civil service watching over them.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Despite an enormous budget and clear legislation, the civil service does not watch over anyone. That is why we are all in this problem!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Legge was right. Rules being ignored by the authorities becomes commonplace, to the point where you can’t distinguish between laziness, incompetence and corruption.

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      • Anonymous says:

        7:33pm – I like this statement so much. Pretty much sums up this island. These people do not even know what the word ‘corruption’ means..

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      • Anonymous says:

        Legge said YOU were corrupt. – Was he right?

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  30. Covid Man says:

    This is the common practice for employers in Cayman if you have a connection to anyone in the goverment. Why doesn’t the goverment ever close down all these unscrupulous businesses, especially in the construction field. Seems all these hot shot developers and the larger companies just classify everyone as a ‘sub-contractor”. This will never be stopped because too many fat cats are getting a piece of the action. Who cares – no one!

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  31. Anonymous says:

    Why are the police not involved?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Financial Crimes Unit tells you to contact DLP. They dont care.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Total dereliction of duty. They are refusing to investigate thefts and frauds on a massive scale. They have taken this position for years, while millions are literally stolen under their noses. They disgust me.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why don’t you bleeding hearts just shut up. This is OK because they are just cheap work permit workers so thats how it goes. The business is having a tough time of it so let them be. If these workers don’t like it they should quit and go back where they came from.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Astonishing!

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        • Anonymous says:

          @ 2.40 It isn’t actually. It’s Caymankind.

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        • Anonymous says:

          And yet it is standard operating procedure and the highest levels of government and the civil service find it acceptable, and then dare complain that there are too few Caymanians employee in all manner of business in Cayman. Why would you expect otherwise where you treat categories of employment as an updated version of indentured servitude, and openly tolerate the unlawful treatment of employees for a decade.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Why don’t you put your business name? So all us bleeding hearts can stop patronizing. If you cannot abide by the rules, do not have a business.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I agree, this is really ridiculous as these workers knew they were not paying pension but now they want some extra money so they are crying. To bad, call travel time for a flight out!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe because the potential for hundreds of people having their pension monies effectively stolen across multiple employers and industries for many years contradicts the “crime situation is stable and all is good” illusion we keep being fed?

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      • Anonymous says:

        So what – ha ha ha you work permit holders need to shut up and do as you are told or go back to where you came from.

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  32. Hafoo says:

    The problem is that certain Politician is known to get involved and allow these things to happen.(wink,wink)

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  33. Anonymous says:

    This rock is as bent as a 9 bob note. Sub-Saharan Africa could learn a lot from us.

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  34. Anonymous says:

    Too many businesses in Cayman see the breaking of laws as simply the cost of doing business.

    This will continue until people are held personally responsible for their actions.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Corruption feeds off of people. It can not feed itself. It never ran out of easy money before, and it can’t keep getting loans forever.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    Well done CNS for getting the DLP and Ms Wolliston to actually do their jobs! I guarantee if you hadn’t made that FOI request they would never have done a single thing about it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The pension department has way to much work to do andthey are understaffed. Hire them more workers.

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      • Anonymous says:

        No one or two timely prosecutions with prison sentences for theft and fraud is all it would take to ensure compliance. A bigger civil service is the last thing we need.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Nonsense. The have enough staff to at least do something, some of the time and yet nothing ever happens. They are a decade behind on their reports and there is rampant non-compliance with the laws they are supposed to enforce and…..nada.

        If they want more staff tell us why they are needed. Tell us work it is exactly that keeps them so busy they can’t discharge their core functions with their current resources.

        They can’t because the real reason is all the lunches, cocktail parties, overseas junkets, late starts and early finishes and meeting with their political supporters to agree back-room deals. That’s what they do all day if they even show up at all.

      • Anonymous says:

        And they have the wrong staff…Labour leadership might be good (although WORC is a joke) but Pensions seems a little out of their ability.

  36. Anonymous says:

    Too much corruption in this place because of breed, but what is in darkness must come to light.

    39
    2
    • Anonymous says:

      3:43 It would seem that law breaking within the private sector is rampant.

      Explain how to breed corruption that is a foreign concept to Cayman.

      6
      2
      • Anonymous says:

        I’m sorry I meant to say greed not breed

        But the corruption is real especially for the ones that got money to burn

        They can bend and break laws with out repercussions

      • Anonymous says:

        Just look who gets cabinet status grants, ask yourself why, then see who is their friend in high places.

        • Anonymous says:

          Yet another act that warrants the most stringent of police investigations. What do we get from our robust law enforcers? Crickets…

          The concept of the rule of law and of robust, consistent and unbiased enforcement is a farce.

      • Anonymous says:

        Corruption is a foreign concept in cayman?? Wow, what a statement. The very nature of man is corruption, thus corruption is found everywhere man resides. And the last time I checked the inhabitants of the Cayman Islands did not comprise of robots and artificial intelligence systems.

  37. Rodney Barnett says:

    06/07/2020 at 3:17 pm: You asked who is protecting “them”.

    In my opinion, I believe it is the Cayman People who are protecting “them”. Clearly the GOvernment that YOU elect is protecting the influential insiders by hiding their illegal actions through such things as the Government’s insistence that public information be hidden in the deepest depths of the sea. The out and out trashing of the law is experienced every day both by residents and the press.

    In the coming months, the CIG must change the law to make sure all public information is available to the public. Obviously, some personnel and unsigned contract information must be protected. Otherwise, GOVERNMENT IN THE SUNSHINE must be the law of the land, and that law must be real.

    Remember, “you get the government you deserve”. And for what you pay for it, you deserve the best.

    48
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    • Anonymous says:

      @ Rodney Barnett. Spot on. And we wonder why we are on a financial blacklist? It’s because this island is corrupt to the core! We make Imelda Marcos look like a philanthropist!

      10
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  38. Anonymous says:

    XXXXX should be next! The things being done to those workers is just shameful. $100 pay check for 6 days work and no pension contributions paid. Why has this been allowed to go on for a decade? who is protecting them? CNS please please please could you ask inquire about this.

    49
    • Anonymous says:

      I’m sure you are referring to any of the nanny/housekeeping services. I refuse to use any because the owner takes 75% of what’s charged to the client. SAD.

      43
      • Anonymous says:

        Sandra at CMR will get to the bottom of this before police, government, or any other news outlet will

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      • Anonymous says:

        Name them. People need to boycott these businesses. Or send the proof to Sandra so she can name them. It is despicable that people can treat hard working nannies this way and live the high life off someone else’s hard work. And then have the nerve to talk about slavery and BLM in the same breath.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with you 3:17pm. The way in which these workers have been treated during COVID-19 is shameful to say the least. Making them work 2 hours a day, when this adds up for a two week period this probably works out to under $200.00 dollars. After they pay their share of the Rent& Utilities they have nothing left for the next two weeks. How can anyone survive in Cayman on such wages. When these workers asked their employer for assistance they were denied. Had to depend on friends to survive. Companies like this should not be allowed to even have a Trade & Business Licence. They should not be allowed to bring expat workers to the Island and take advantage of them like this. It is so inhumane. They need people to have a voice for them because they are afraid if they speak out they will no longer have a job and will be sent back home.

      33
      • Anonymous says:

        Get off it, the worker wants it so leave them be or why don’t you big hearts take up a collection and pass out some cash! Ha-ha-ha, won’t see that happening!

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  39. Anonymous says:

    How did Margaritaville manage to get work permits approved? Aren’t the pension contributions meant to be confirmed during that process? Or is it just a tick box on the form?

    89
    • Anonymous says:

      Tick box. Normally nothing gets verified but if they do check there are codes you can use to suggest you’re making the payments even if you’re not. I know one ex-pat business owner who has been doing that to dodge his own pension payments for at least the last 10 years but in fairness he doesn’t rip his employees off the same way.

      35
      • Anonymous says:

        Sorry you can’t have expat business owners. 60% Caymanian ownership, surely they must know they are not paying pension contributions or is it like a certain construction company the Caymanian owner wouldn’t know bricks and mortor if it stared him in the face

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        • Anonymous says:

          5:10 It’s not a construction company and I can assure you the 60% rule isn’t being enforced any more than Pensions Law – you need to get about a bit more and see what’s really going on here.

          Drinking in the right places and going to a few well-known churches on Sunday is a good start.

          26
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          • Anonymous says:

            Correct. Fronting is rife. That is another offense the authorities refuse to enforce. The police should be all over it.

            11
        • Anon says:

          @ 06/07/2020 at 5:10 pm – errr. Yes, you can and there are many of them w/o the 60%.

        • Anonymous says:

          Have you ever heard of an LCCL license..Trust me no Caymanian involved in this one..

          11
      • Anonymous says:

        The work permit system is a sham orchestrated to make the Caymanian people believe their government is offering them some level of protection. Nothing seems to be checked. There are no consequences for lying on the forms.

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        • Anonymous says:

          5:45 And the treatment you get depends on who your employer is. If they’re one of the chosen ones your application just cruises through but if they’re not on the list you’ll end up re-doing paperwork and blood tests for ever. Been there, seen it, done it, now got PR so stuff ’em.

          14
      • Anonymous says:

        4:05pm – How can you say “in fairness” that he doesn’t rip his employees off the same way?? Not paying the pension is THEFT. Stealing from your employees. Not sure when that became “fair”.

  40. Anonymous says:

    LOL! This is going to get very messy, very quickly.

    34
    • Anonymous says:

      Jimmy Buffett could write a song about this. Hey – what rhymes with pension?

      33
      • Anonymous says:

        Tension in the 4th dimension.

        25
      • Anonymous says:

        @ 4.15 I have no intention, to pay your pension. It’s a clear contravention but did I mention, I like to give the impression that your money is going in the right direction. But it’s not matey. It’s going straight in my hip….ha ha ha …..mugs!

  41. Anonymous says:

    How can a Cayman employer not pay pension contributions into the plan for their employees, and the DLP fail to realise that they are delinquent – NEGLIGENCE ? INCOMPETENCE ? or something MUCH MORE SERIOUS……….

    72
  42. Anonymous says:

    Still nothing about potential accounting abuses by the pension administrators? Did the DLP unknowingly give permission to the providers to use irregular methods that ultimately created smaller withdrawal values? Aren’t these providers and plans also regulated by CIMA? The CIG silence is telling.

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