Population now around 65k, ESO estimates
(CNS): The Cayman Islands population stood at around 70,000 before the COVID-19 pandemic struck but with the associated departures it is now believed to be just under 65,000, the Economics and Statistics Office has said. Around 7,000 people left Cayman between March and August, according to immigration figures, but 2,000 returned to Cayman. The ESO said that Caymanians now make up 58.3% of the population.
The Spring Labour Force Survey and the 2020 National Census, which had been scheduled for this month, have both been cancelled because of the virus, so ESO enumerators began a departure survey in May at the Owen Roberts International Airport, which lasted through August, to get an idea about who was leaving and why.
Over the four month period the ESO surveyed 4,410 people, but the top line results revealed few surprises.
Almost 80% of those who left were non-Caymanian work permit holders. The largest share of individuals departing the Cayman Islands on the emergency flights were male work permit holders. Work permit holders within the 25-54 age range accounted for 62.6%, or 2,429 people.
But less than 1,600 people said they were leaving solely because they had lost their job, either in the short- or long-term. People departed for a host of different reasons, from health issues to reuniting with family elsewhere.
The majority of Caymanians who left during this period were either students or retirees.
See the full ‘Cayman Islands’ COVID-19 Passenger Departure Survey Report – August 2020’ in the CNS Library and on the ESO website.
Category: Local News
65,000 here of which only 21,900 can vote. That seems fair (not).
At the 2017 election, only 14,600 voted, and the winning candidates received 7,700 votes total. Isn’t it about time that candidate eligibility was relaxed so that the dinosaurs no longer rule the roost, we voters get a wider range of independent candidates, and we become able to vote for representatives of honour, integrity, gravitas, hard work and selflessness ?
When you become Caymanian you can vote. It only takes a few years.
What we do need however is a national vote. Voting by village seems to ensure a disproportionate number of idiots end up in charge.
65,000 people here and only 21,900 can vote? Think about this for a moment. Democracy?
Time for Mother in London to step in and restore democracy and basic justice, as well as a semblance of some sort of equality. We are living in 2020 not 1820.
Would you find it fair to have guest workers in Jamaica, T&T, Uk, USA or Canada vote in national elections OR is that the right and responsibility of citizens to elect the persons they want to be their government?
I agree UK should step in and control the number of expats/work permit holders coming here and therefore forcing us to become a minority in our own country by paper citizens who came here for financial reasons.
“Paper citizen”?..that sounds very stupid. If an individual obtains citizenship by following the laws in place, why would you say something so stupid to diminish the status he or she rightfully obtained?. Go lobby your politicans (your people) if you have a problem with the process.
Except large numbers did not “rightfully” obtain it, did they?
How would you know? You’re commenting on here as if you have proof of something. Get a life, loser!
The problem is when you are registered voter then you will have do jury duties which it put people off to register their name down.
Here’s an idea, educate people so they don’t have to bring others in. The majority of WP holders are blue collar, like how many times do we have to go over this. There have been trade schools established in Europe since before jesus’ time and this island rife with money doesn’t have not one? Its all a farse people. The only thing worse than the government ignoring this is the “native” people tolerating it there is no possible way this is by accident. If you want electricity, plumbing, etc. thats gonna be the way it is.
6:59 Sadly, when we complain or get someone to address these issues, we are called ignorant Caymanians and sidelined while expats are using Cayman until the well runs dry and move on to somewhere else, which the government sadly has not realized yet.
Frankly, the government sees us as work mules. Good enough to work to death, but barely good enough to get food and shelter.
Big local recession coming.
Big local depression coming next year. Recession now, depression next.
I’d like to see these two methods of controlling our population:
1. Better birth control practice by some Caymanian women who bring children into this world when they can’t afford to raise them properly;
2. For for some Caymanian women to stop marrying men from overseas (often one neighbour of ours) just so those men can get status or residency rights.
Many of those “Caymanian” women are in fact from the same place as their baby daddies. This is government’s immigration ‘for all’ policy (without regard to the ability of persons to sustain themselves or their dependents) that is now coming home to screw up our economic foundation, for generations.
12:17 Say it louder for the people in the back!
PREACH!
What about the older ugly Caymanian men who start new families with young women from low income countries? I guess that’s fine?
Apparently, that makes us diverse and appeals to the tourists. You know, everything is about tourism, right? The only thing Cayman can offer the world is tourism!! Lol
It “appeals to the tourists”, yes. Just like a freakshow in the circus.
Same same, and should be prevented by WORC where appropriate.
How come they only tell us the unemployment rate once a year and a year late? Seems important to know what it is when decisions are being made.
Over populated Island with over complicated people. Soon won’t be able to breathe with the lot of you.
Because civil service people have become so lazy that they won’t even answer their work phones . They just don’t care anymore. And the Government caused it by can’t fire them and keep saying they working hard and doing a good job.
6:59 I think you are referring to the private sector. The civil service has long passed the private sector in customer service.
We are 6 months since the lock down and many private sector business can’t even get their website sites to work.
We read every day of the incompetence and wrong doing in the private sector. You guys can’t even clear a piece of land properly.
Time to reduce this by another 38,000 and things will turn around for Cayman after this achieved another 22,000 would be ideal and Cayman would breed a sigh of relief . This population expansion foolishness need to stop immediately. Cayman is not for everyone!
Totally fine. But the money will leave with them, the bottom will drop out of your housing market, and the standard of living will plummet. All of which is your – that is, Caymanians – choice to make. But don’t pretend that all those things you have come to rely on will still be there when they expats have gone.
The money isnt here. They send it back home and spend very little here. The wealthy expats spend money with each other so either way the money has zero impact on the life of Caymanians.
Every single dime I make in CI is spent in CI. Property owners buy: internet, cable, utilities, pay for grounds upkeep, renovations, furniture, kitchen wares and tons of little knick-knacks to hang on the wall and for decorations.
Not all driftwood is litter.
58.3% made up of 15% natives and 43.3% Status holders. Status giving continues unabated. Implement rollover now.
As a status holder, I vote to give power back to Caymanians.
They were here before we washed up here and they will be here when we exercise our second passports.
You’re obviously a liar. You’re not a status holder or you wouldn’t be ignorantly referring to them as people who “washed up here”.
Maybethe commenter is subtly referring to what we have been called…..driftwood
Or maybe the poster is a liar. Why would an expat say they were going to exercise their second passport – be their first one surely.
So what you mean is that the 58.3% comprises 100% Caymananians?
Double the number of “born Caymanians” and reduce the status numbers by 15% and you’re probably about right. Are you just figuring this out now? A former Immigration chair said 15 years ago that there were only 12-15K “native Caymanians. They aren’t making babies that much and besides, when they do, they’re half expat (Jamaican, American, English, Canadian, Filipino, etc.). The war was lost a long time ago if you were fighting to keep this place “born Caymanian.” You’d better adapt to that reality because it’s too late too turn back now!
What is a native? My children were born here so they are as native as anyone.
Except that’s not now the law works. Not here. Not in Europe. Not in Jamaica. Being born here actually means nothing, in and of itself.
1:23 That isnt how it works doll.
See but they have the passport so it does, doll.
No it don’t doll. Thousands of people who are not Caymanian have Cayman passports. Some of them are not even allowed to visit here.
I think you need to understand no one is Caymanian and everyone is, doll face.
Actually, I think you need to understand that being a Caymanian, and being a BOTC (Cayman Passport Holder) are two different things.
That door has been slammed shut by the born caymanians a generation back.
Frankly, as long as citizenship is given out to the majority of expatriates like business flyers, we will continue to revisit these issues. It’s sad when a government is so eager to promote tourism it’s willing to sell the only things locals have that would uniquely classify them as a born citizen of a country.
I still think it’s strange, that with all the data from several agencies, we cant collate to determine exactly who is alive and dead and living here at any given moment. Maybe the various siloed departments of CIG could collaborate, you know, in the best interest of running a small territory, and talk to each other?!?
Talk to each other? Nah. They might lose face!
Whoa…
That sounds like common sense and work tbh.
Unfortunately some day our population will reach 100,000, there’s no stopping it. BUT what we can do is prepare for it, like improving our public transport, stopping the importation of old cars, having people work from home, moving our airport, implementing mixed used buildings to save space etc.
We really need to start looking into it unless we want this tiny place to be a filthy, car packed dump.
4:21 I agree with most of what you say but absolutely NO to the airport. Where would you move it to? Any relocation would cause major environmental damage and would require flattening of already diminishing shrub and/or wetland. Plus the airport is in its current location for a reason. The prevailing wind direction comes from the North East so the airport is located where it currently is in order to facilitate safe take-off and landing.
Ahh I see your point, didn’t even think about that aspect! Right!!
Your statement is a contradiction. Best believe though many will be stopping the population from reaching 100K. Whether your game or not.
Youve already seen it. Funny how the supermarkets and business execs were all using logistics for 95K population before Covid but CIG keeps claiming there were only 5K more than now…🤔
Look at May (36K), June (6K), July (4K) pension withdrawers – adds up to 44K people plus add in minimum 6K more people with civil servants.
Thats 50K population of just adults. Now take HALF that number of working adults and add even just ONE child/dependant each. Thats 75,000 people. Only 5K left and now we’re 65K population? The numbers just sound off.
The numbers are off, and yet we pay millions for “estimates.” Here’s an idea: instead of complicated statistical information, could someone just count?
How do you propose they do that sweetie?
Without national identification numbers, it is difficult to determine anything.
You seriously were not suggesting they all line up and someone count were you?😂
People have names and dates of birth, among their distinguishing features. They do not need ID numbers to distinguish between them.
Except that a large number of those persons had 2-3, pensions on the go.
And large numbers had none, because regular enforcement of laws around here ain’t something we do.
Still a long way of the magic 100,000 number Cayman is striving for but public transport and Uber style taxis must be implemented first, as well as new roads East so that can be developed fully with nice new housing.
Whats in Place to stop.the population at 100, then they say 120 then 15o so on and so forth. The populatiiftheze uskadsareenough now. Back in the 1990’s it was approximately half the population that we have now and Caymanians had better lives, everyone had jobs,no traffic Jams, low crime and the cost of living was NOT sky high like it is today. Everyone was happier with less stress.
What is the unemployment rate? Other countries seem to think that is important these days so maybe we should too?
need go down a lot more too
Given our border controls and work permit regime and requirements for everyone to have health insurance or otherwise to be registered, our system for registering births and deaths, and the fact that we pay millions to the ESO, can anyone explain how we do not know exactly how many people are here?
Ask the ESO.
What’s the point? They are not even embarrassed that they cannot answer that basic critical question which should be readily determinable from all the sources they have available to them.
It takes a special kind of ineptitude. It is a disgrace.
Maybe if the fingerprint system that was supposed to go in 20 years ago ever worked we may actually have a clue as to who is actually here.