Minister should apologise for hoax tactic
Disgusted young Caymanian writes: Underhanded, totally reprehensible, and totally unacceptable is the only way to describe how I felt when I read that Minister Bryan’s announcement to reduce the tourism stipend was, in his words, a hoax meant to scare Caymanians to “Go find work”. Well, as someone who has been affected by this pandemic and someone who is struggling to “find work”, let me enlighten Minister Bryan on a few things.
His hoax is an insult to the thousands of hard-working, underpaid, undervalued, and unsupported Caymanians living in his constituency. While he may feel like his hoax was a brilliant chess play, all it did was make me feel used and, to be honest, quite dirty.
How could someone who comes from such humble beginnings not see the error in deliberately lying to a large segment of the population who are already living with anxiety and stress? People who are trying to find work in an unsympathetic foreigner-favouring industry.
Did he not think his words would instill not just a sense of urgency, but also a sense of despair in someone who has applied for countless jobs only to be told they are over- or under-qualified?
Did he not think single mothers who now face the prospect of their kids returning to school, unvaccinated, while we open borders already had enough to contend with? And that adding the threat of a reduced stipend was only going to make them feel even more desperate as the tourism businesses continue to apply for permits and pay lip service to employing Caymanians?
Minister, your words didn’t inspire anyone, and now to hear that it was just a “hoax”! I am at a loss when I try to imagine why a minister in Cabinet would deploy such underhanded tactics. Playing with people lives, Minister Bryan, is the trademark of a true narcissist and dictator, not a caring “people-driven” representative.
But let’s not allow the other PACT members off the hook either. They are complicit in this “hoax” and they need to either publicly distance themselves from this act or be prepared to be painted with the same brush.
The government’s Policy Statement shows that the stipend will continue, but do the figures reflect that this claim of a “hoax” is true? Or was there an adjustment made to reflect a reduction in the amounts to be paid? Only an FOI will clear this question up.
Minister Bryan spent a lot of time talking this through at the press briefing. Were Premier Panton and Minister Turner, who sat there in approval, in on the joke? Can we now treat the entire Strategic Policy Statement as a potential hoax? At any moment can PACT change direction and say, “we were kidding; we didn’t mean it”?
PACT talks about accountability and transparency; well, those two things require more than talk! Let’s see if anyone in the PACT Government has the decency to apologise to the many out-of-work, struggling, poor Caymanians who were, it seems, the brunt of a cruel joke.
We are not your children, PACT, and we certainly do not appreciate being coerced and tricked into anything, if you all feel that we are just a bunch of lazy people who don’t want to work, well stop the stipend, or reduce it, but do not construct elaborate schemes to trick us into doing ANYTHING.
Someone owes me an apology. I will get it now, or in four years.
- Fascinated
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- Bored
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Totally agree with this Viewpoint. The PACT Cabinet made a bid deal photo-op with their so called ‘Code of Conduct’. That Code specifically prohibits this type of dishonesty. PACT also makes a big deal of ‘Accountability’. As we have seen claims of honesty and accountability were to get elected only. The joke is on us who believed them.
Oh my, this writer surely had their cue cards all lined up …. “Underhanded, totally reprehensible, and totally unacceptable” to kick it off and then no less than a dozen ‘for drama effect’ highlights ranging from single mothers, disenfranchised Caymanians, and a slew of others … got to love the cancel culture in full effect here.
Yes, ofcourse the Minister blew it on this one.. he has said so himself … does it really require a full Viewpoint article with ohhh and ahh effect?.. I think not … The Minister is only human; he tried a thing .. well intended .. but it back-fired… and frankly, he should have known better … but lets crack on, as there’s plenty to do to help get things back on track.
Well intended.? You crack me up.
So an elected Minister lies, and you support downplaying the facts. Hmnnnnn… No wonder fools keep getting elected, re-elected, convicted and re-elected. #Caymanethics.
In Europe and the US a hiring manager generally isn’t thinking about the nationality of an applicant when hiring. That is a huge consideration here. Every company would rather hire a qualified Caymanian to avoid the hassle and expense of a work permit. Regardless of where you’re from do the following to get ahead:
– Show up on time
– Work hard
– Aviod drama with coworkers
– Take initiative
If you aren’t doing these things, then don’t expect to be successful.
Well intended.? You crack me up.
Add to that twist.
Don’t spend all day talking on the phone to your baby momma or daddy.
Slavery! One of many examples I know – expat works 7 days a week, 16hr days for the past 9 months. No days off. in the SMB service industry. I wont name the place now. But which Caymanian could “match such a great work ethic”!!
Blame DART, CITA, and all the other slavemasters that brought expats here to suffer for their own easy profits.
CIG can only ensure you are paid A wage, not a good one. The slavemasters have your dues, not government.
Caymanians are simply fed up with competing, being left out in the sun, and overlooked against cheap labourers in the slave trade happening in their homeland.
The juice has not been worth the squeeze for a long time; has very little to do with work ethic.
Any trained eye will see that for what it is. Should not the shunned feel scorned? Just saying.
Always blaming others for home-grown tragedies.
To compare Dart, CITA, etc as slavemasters bringing in slaves is an incredible ignorance of what slave trade was.
Expats (I’m not one) come here of their own free will. The wages, conditions they accept is another matter. But slavery?????? Your comment is completely repugnant.
Oh my, as a descendent of a true Cayman slave many generations ago – your message is most disturbing. How can you even think that those arriving on a self-bought plane ticket compares to being chained to a bulkhead. You need to simply read and not stay willfully ignorant. Your statements are a disgrace.
9:30 pm, i did that on ships for years and yes i am Caymanian going back 8 generations
I know someone working retail (expat) who gets one Sunday off a month and no other day off during the week. Indentured servant who can’t complain.
Um, excuse me, but the caymanian who has a family and a life. Having a good work ethic does not mean trading your life for money. You want slaves not employees.
He should stepped down/resign. Manipulate your people when they are down. What else is the government manipulating the people with?
Stop all this negative comments about the young people. This cannot be good.
Only foolish people would ever vote for him , only need to check his record
And the Bushbeater’s electorate???? I do agree with you, but sadly, this is Cayman.
Cayman seamen had very good work ethics, yes it was a few bad eggs, but 95 % was hard working, even in the 70’s and 80’s in Brac when the Ship to Ship Transfers was operating, that was solely run and operated by Brackers, that’s was a big operation, but Brackers was smart and hard working with good work ethics, but now that has changed in the Brac with these yound adult’s , maybe Government and parents gave/giving them too much , sure is a different.
Drugs is the problem and a certain drug dealer operating with no consequences. Looks like he has free reign of Cayman Brac. Government even have him employed and all he does is sell drugs all day while government pays him to do it. Irony of it all.
@ 8.54 And you have done your civic duty and reported this to the appropriate authorities and have evidence to back this up? No? Well why bother telling us.
Your totally correct with this statement about drug dealer in brac .
once again he isn’t a bracker he come to brac and idiot spot bay girl made him breed her now he is staying her destroying our community with coke.
no no it nah Bracka kids that have no work ethic its the clowns who come from grand cayman so lets be real with that
Young caymanians just don’t want to work. I have tried and continue to try with them and you get a day here and a day there. We can’t run a business with this is kind of staffing.
They don’t need free money, they have to work for it and there is plenty of work right now for those who WANT to work!
Government shouldn’t be paying stipends when I can’t get people to work!
I agree so much. As a successful PR holder from the uk, or shocks me how lazy the young caymanian are. Want it all for free. So sad
7.29pm It’s not only in Cayman. It’s a problem in the US and UK as well.
Writing this comment at 5:34 am as a young Caymanian about to get into my car and drive to work.
Good for you – mean that sincerely. Most of the posters on CNS try and reduce any debate to expats versus Caymanians, with each taking an extreme position on the other groups perceived or actual failings r motivations. No admission that there are good an dbad actors in every group. Unfortunately, whilst you and many other Caykanians are hard working, the expats see no shortage of examples of the other. But are blind to the same issues existing in their home country. It would be nice if people would criticize the behaviour without trying to ascribe it to a group without distinguishing between individuals.
It is not only young Caymanians. When it is sought to deal with their constant tardiness, dishonesty, absenteeism etc many of them love to cry bullying. Some have no objection to coming to work to warm a chair and collecting a salary to do little to nothing.
Hi, 20 year old Caymanian here on my lunch break reading CNS.. I promise 90% of us want to work. It’s just who is willing to give us a chance?
I totally agree with the writer that the Minister’s lie of threatened stipend reduction was reprehensible and unacceptable. This of course joins the long list of unacceptable things that Government Ministers have done and continue to do, up to and including recent history.
Setting aside his stupidity on the stipend reduction for a moment, I still don’t see why he doesn’t totally withhold the stipend until the recipients have signed up with WORC if that is a condition of receiving the stipend. Everyone else has conditions attached to their pay, such as showing up for work, filling out a time card etc.
@ 12.36 Well why don’t you prove all these colonial mindset types wrong and let’s see Caymanians take up EVERY tourist industry profession job, negate the need for WP holders and drive the invaders out? You might actually force up the wages as well as Caymanians won’t work for $6 an hour as stated by a comment on this thread
https://caymannewsservice.com/2021/08/bryan-admits-misleading-threat-over-stipend/
Why is minimum wage so low in this country when cost of living is so high? Ask the real questions.
2:42 pm, why the Hotels/Restaurants don’t pay the minimum wages of 6 d per hour, they only pay 4.50 plus tips from the guests, it should be 6 d plus the tips.
You can blame the law for that one. But if the tips aren’t sufficient to make up the pay to $6 per hour, the employer should be paying the shortfall.
Because the expat managers promised to their expat friends to rehire them.
You say “People who are trying to find work in an unsympathetic foreigner-favouring industry.”
If that were true then there should be no problem signing up with WORC. Too many people getting stipend and are already working other jobs. Too many that did NOT depend on tourism getting paid. Too many “tourism dependent” refusing to get vaccinated and don’t want the boarders to open as right now they get paid for doing F all. The list goes on…The problem is not PACT it’s the people…
Yes people are the problem and it starts with people like you
It’s both. However, no Caymanian in their right mind would want to work in Tourism now. First of all, it’s shown itself to be something that people can’t rely on for work. Expats will take the jobs because if Tourism goes down here, they can just go somewhere else and get a job.
No, he should resign.
Apologize? How about resigning!
I had such high hopes for Kenneth, not I am truly disappointed as he joins the long line of disappointments.
Ossie, Mac, Frank, Julie, Tara, Saunders, Bernie, Sabrina, Panton, and now Kenneth.
Why higb hopes? He’s the biggest bully in the bunch.
Only foolish people would ever vote for him , only need to check his record
Largest majority in parliament – over 87%.
You got dat rite. GTC don’t need no honest, upright, educated, trustworthy, lawful, fair-minded, and benevolent people like Marco representing dem!
12:35 pm, a Leopard can’t change his spots, sensible people never vote for people like him, GTC must take the cake for fools of the years.
Que the PPMers!
Nice one for them salivate on..
CUE…
You do know that this was a play on his words by the “Compost” to drive some attention to them. They are struggling really bad.
Watch the video and stop drinking Sandy’s TCHT Kool-aid. There is no play on words.
That ploy should bring basic trust in government ministers close to zero.
Thank you ‘Disgusted’. While my situation is quite stable but I was dismayed at such needless drama & manipulation. Most all the vulnerable people are in dire straights NOT due to their own fault.
The rest of PACT is complicit also. Complete lack of respect + regard for our own people.
“Foreigner favouring industry”. If…IF ..it’s true you should ask yourself why. Reliability, value for money work ethic, pleasant attitude with clients perhaps………….
Jesus Wept.
Try easier to control. If you have a foreigner on work permit, they’re less likely to stand up for themselves knowing that their employer is their lifeline in this country.
I really don’t like the insinuation that Caymanians all have poor work ethic. Take that bigoted colonialist mindset elsewhere.
Except that most ‘Caymanians’ I have encountered over the last 35 years actually had a ‘poor work ethic.’ Not an insinuation, an experienced fact since 1987.
Care to prove me wrong, better start 30 years ago!
I’ve only been here 20 years…. but it also seems that way to me.
They do this to all the Caribbean small islands. They say the people are lazy and not able to learn. And that’s how they get the employed high positions.
DING, DING, DING, DING….we have a winner for big fact of the day!!!
All they do is push their weight around to get these high positions (often lacking the credentials they claim to have when applying).
They do the bare minimum to hold the job, work no more than locals (often much less), soak up all the amenities available at the expense of locals, and take everything they can touch as complimentary gifts when everything dries up and “better opportunities” await abroad.
Good enough to come here for high living, but not good enough to stay in the tough times.
DING, DING, DING, DING… Expats were essentially forced off the island.