Tourism workers getting stipend must take survey
(CNS): The Ministry of Tourism has launched a mandatory survey that must be completed by all recipients of the tourism stipend by Friday, 2 July. Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan said the objective was to collect accurate data that will enable the ministry to plan for the future needs of the industry, in preparation for reopening. The survey, which asks questions about the current circumstances of those who were directly impacted by the tourism shutdown, is available online and is estimated to take 15-20 minutes to complete.
Bryan said his ultimate goal as minister “is to ensure that displaced tourism workers who wish to return to the industry, are given first preference to fill tourism vacancies. The data collected from stipend recipients will allow for more accountability, and will help me to ensure that the skills of our Caymanian people are being appropriately matched to the available jobs.”
Respondents must agree to a clause which states that “if any false statement or information is discovered, this may result in immediate suspension of my stipend”and must also agree to the CIG using their personal data. When completing the survey, respondents must also upload a copy of one form of government issued photo ID, from either their Cayman Islands voter registration card, driver’s license or passport.
See message from the minister below:
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Nicely said. Once again, not anti vaxxer, just anti this one for now
My wife and I were working our own businesses in tourism. We are over 60 years and 67 years old. We didn’t have much pension. Medical insurance gets higher when you get older it doesn’t cover dental or eyeglasses. We are not going to work at fast food or hotels. They are not going to hire us for our experience. But they should hire us for experience. The system has been corrupt too long. My wife hands are getting bends and knuckles don’t work like they did.
But we’re doing our part by farming. We are having problems with rain, soil needs fertilizer, sun is very hot this summer. We have put screens and bought longer hoses. We have bought pots so that we can sell our small produce. We were starting to get some help through Gov’t $400 per month. But there were wealthy people getting stuff also. Poor people were selling cow manure. Anyway Jay close that down.
We believe the best thing is to retire. The elderly who drive busses and taxi would be off that street if there were discounts, proper medical, dental and eyeglass insurance. The stipend could help with rent or mortgage plus groceries.
This is how its done for drug addicts except they are young. We are 65-83 we are going to have a very small percentage of that number live past 80 years old. Actuaries have already study this part of life, to charge people life insurance. Thats why it cost more as you get older. I believe this new Government will find a way.
May God bless you. I wish I was in the position to help
Tourism workers are crucial but they want 10,000+ new permits granted by September!!
Didn’t C3 give $$millions to business owners already?!
Another $100,000 raffle?? Why not make that a national raffle. sell $25 tickets for 4 $25,000 prizes?
Did prices go down or salaries go up?
The Minister must first decide what the monthly liveable wages are in Summer 2021!
Things are hard for local tourism workers!
Any small family needs 5 to $6,000 just to survive properly.
1. The former government did a brilliant job of containing the spread of the pandemic to our shores. They had to make hard and unpopular decisions to close the borders and thus kill the tourism industry, literally overnight.
2. This was for the good of ALL of the community, and this has lasted 15 months.
3. Go in front of the mirror and imagine that from tomorrow morning your business is shut down, your income is zero, your skills and knowledge are useless outside of your field and the reduced market of available jobs is flooded with 50% of the population. All of your assets are now in limbo – you cannot sell your business but it is still costing you money. Add to that the burden of trying to assist your employees.
4. There is no way an employee or business owner can have prepared for this.
5. To those who have not abused the stipend system, this has been a lifesaver. Literally. Thank you.
6. Those affected did not make this choice. It was made for them.
7. Those affected were not previously a burden to society and in fact the opposite is true. We were good ambassadors for the island.
8. Many of those affected have skills that are unique to their business or have certain factors that disqualify them from getting jobs in other sectors. For example, a 50 year old woman owning a taxi and earning $3000 dollars a month. There is reasonable doubt that be she can migrate seamlessly to become a server, or a construction worker, or do administration work at the same pay.
9. Can we perhaps for a moment compare how much a prisoner costs versus the cost of the stipend? Those affected have not acted against society, they have not broken the law and did not choose this, but carry a very heavy “sentence”.
10. To all those who believe that stipend receivers only want the dream job, be sure that we would all leap at the chance hold a job for similar salary and duties. We just want to pay our way like any good citizen.
11. The belief that those affected are uneducated, lazy, stupid and only fit for low income jobs that do not cover the basic costs of living in Cayman, is astounding and saddening.
12. Remember, there, but for the Grace of God, go you.
26/06@6:07pm. My tourism-related business of 36 years took a hit, like most others, in March 2020’s lockdown. It is still totally closed. Because I personally receive a pension from past, unrelated, employment I did not apply for the stipend. I felt others needed it more than me so I declined.
However, some times since, when I read about the abuse and “double-dipping” I wonder why I did the right thing….But that’s me. Anyway, I’m comforted that I did. I wonder how many with alternate incomes, including pensions, declined?
Colonialism 2.0.
Wow not even in power for 2 months pact and already showing cayman culture no more gov quarantine benefits and stipend getting a choke hold way to go what’s next on fighting down your own people. Let’s start making money cost cuts elsewhere, first shall we by not cutting it from your own born caymanians .geeez
And also they cut the free shuttle helping transport around George town .why?
Yes, Rothmans and 345’s all around!
They should not guarantee the stipend to someone that is fully employed. I know a woman that has a business and is full time employed and still getting the stipend. I can’t imagine she’ll be honest on this survey.
Should be vaccinated and prove they have applied for jobs that are available
Exactly it’s a sailors dream! Instead of smoking cigs and drinking cheap can beers on the govt stipend everyday they need to do more to ensure the monies aren’t wasted.
This bullying about vaccination has got to stop! You got yours obviously, so you are apparently 100% safe, so be happy about it. For medical reasons, I CANNOT take the vaccine and don’t wish to risk death to make you happy!! Now your narrow mindedness wants to take away a bit of help for my family as well ….. I pray you are never in the same situation
No one is expecting people with allergies or other relevant medical conditions to take the vaccine.
I would love to be able to prove that I have been offered jobs that can actually pay to support my family. Bring it on!
Should have stayed in school and you could demand the higher pay.
What a nasty comment. Stayed in school long enough to build my own businesses for most of my life and not take the easy road. How about you?
Don’t mind him; he’s probably an arrogant expat.
@Gray Matter,
What an inconsiderate, mindless, callous and self centered and all the other adjectives of the same comment in your response about “should’ve stayed in school”! Maybe you were so privileged to get an education and a good job as a result but life’s reality doesn’t always play out that way for everyone unfortunately!
Just stop and think tho for a moment if you’re capable to do that! Who collects your garbage, cleans your home, your car, does your laundry, does your landscaping, home maintenance, serve your food when eating out, provide you with transportation when necessary, cash you out when shopping and supplies the food you eat, for ease of your reference(farmers) etc?
These occupations are for the most part are generally unskilled labour that does not require a high level of education but nevertheless very important in our everyday lives! Imagine if your garbage isn’t collected on a regular basis then you’ll be upset and among the first complainers and might hv to become your own garbage collector! Hmmm…..!🤔
So don’t be such a KAREN and throw around disparaging comments about other people, have some respect for your fellow people!! I for one worked in the tourism sector as an ambassador, enjoyed showing the tourists our Island and educating them of our culture but due to the shutdown, that was taken away!
And Yes, I stayed in school got an education and had a long career in property management in both commercial and tourism and decided to put to good use as a Caymanian Tourism Ambassador later on! So don’t think that everyone that does these “menial” jobs according to you are just there because they can’t do anything else, nevertheless important to our economy and everyday life in general!
Nuff said, again don’t be such a KAREN Mr/Mrs.Gray Matter, engage your brain before you engage with the keyboard!!!
You shouldn’t be waiting for people to offer you jobs, go out and apply like a lot of us did. Some income is better than none even if it’s not your dream job.
My mathematics tell me that no matter the kind of job, if it costs you more to go to work than you get from the salary, then it doesn’t make sense. I say once again, I would LOVE to get a job that pays the bills that my business was paying. Happily!
Did they add a requirement to be vaccinated also before getting new stipend. Had thought this was coming?
Vax bullies ….. so tired of hearing their self important arrogance. Everyone I know of who has taken the vaccine has not done it for the good of the community as they claim, but because they are terrified they won’t be able to travel!
Anyone receiving tourism stipend should be required to be vaccinated or prove medical reason why they cannot take the vaccine.
Nobody should be forced to take a vaccine. If vaccines work, take yours and you should be fine.
Tourisim people come in like beggars and treated like beggars
Idiots like you could never be an ambassador of Grand Cayman.
Idiot like you would not know It’s the CAYMAN ISLANDS.
Please be honest but don’t worry, if you’re not, you’ll still get the free cash anyway.
You act like we are getting a million dollars a month. You act like there is a surplus of jobs paying salaries that can support the average family. You all sound so aggrieved that you are not getting the stipend. Here’s an idea. I will swop my stipend for your paying job and you can pay all your family bills with the stipend whilst saying no to clothes, no to haircuts, no to meals out, no to children treats, no to fresh vegetables that cost so much, no to necessary medical treatments etc. I cannot even afford the clothes from the Humane Society and have to borrow money from my parent to survive. And then let’s do that for 14 months and see how you like the stipend more that your job …..
*swap
There’s a reason I have a job and you don’t.
Petty comment. Would love to take you on at grammar and spelling and win a job
I haven’t bought new clothes, meals out or a haircut in over a year. These things are not necessities. I did on the other hand take 2 jobs while we wait for the borders to open, I don’t like either job but my bills are being paid.
I think you made my point for me regarding necessities so thank you. Obviously you also have children being looked after for free and zero medical conditions to worry about so you can work all hours. Not all of us are in the same position.