PPM: Gov’t lacks plan to tackle local unemployment
(CNS): Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart has questioned why the government has no strategy to address the notable increase in local unemployment figures revealed in a report by the Economic and Statistics Office earlier this month. In a video statement posted on social media, he said there were “things to be concerned about” regarding the number of jobless Caymanians, which has increased from 3.6% to 5%, but the government lacks “a coherent strategy” to deal with it.
There were 1,143 Caymanians out of work when the 2023 Fall Labour Force Survey was conducted, almost exactly the same as the number recorded in March 2022 when Cayman had been locked down for two years as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy was just beginning to recover, McTaggart noted.
“Eighteen months after the economy reopened, Caymanian unemployment is back to where we started,” the opposition leader stated. “I have said over three years that this government, whether you call it the PACT or UPM, has lacked a coherent strategy for sustainable growth and jobs for Caymanians. You certainly will not find any tangible or meaningful strategy for economic and jobs growth in the government’s own recently released Strategic Priorities report.”
McTaggart said the “lack of action” had led to rising unemployment, a cost of living crisis and falling living standards.
“No wonder so many Caymanians feel worse off after three years of this government,” McTaggart said. “It will concern all of us that Caymanian unemployment is increasing and returning to the levels we had as the economy was opening up after the pandemic.
“It certainly does concern the opposition that small businesses continue to struggle in the PACT/UPM economy. We need the government to focus its time and energy on providing the country with a thoughtful strategy to grow the economy and create jobs that benefit Caymanians, not waste time papering over its own internal divisions.”
However, the former minister responsible for the economy and public finances was puzzled by some of the other numbers revealed by the ESO’s latest LFS report. He said the high under-employment level that the opposition highlighted last year had dropped, but he said, “Until we know more, I note this point with some caution. This could mean Caymanians are getting the work hours they were looking for, but it could also mean that Caymanians working part-time are being put out of work as businesses struggle to stay open by shedding part-time jobs.”
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Category: Politics
The reputation of Caymanian workers is well earned and well noted by all employers on island. The fact that a couple hundred or more newly out of school and unemployable Caymanians join the unemployment club every year is coming as a surprise by CIG tells the big story here.
Please call for a public meeting. Not pay another Consultant to tell us that
.Education system sucks.
.Permit fees substitute for corporate taxes.
.Cheap labor is an addiction here.
.Ageism n sexism are rife.
.Nepotism of new Caymanians who bring in their friends and family and hire over Caymanians.
.Caymankind is a Sham in tourism.
Agree with some of this. There are ones that just have no clue on work ethic and others that do. One poster had on here about the older workers. They are experienced and do show up for work and know that loyalty and good work ethic count for something but certain employers look at age and get scared. There are many who are working in their 60s because they are skilled, fit and know how to handle situations. As well, there are jobs for the not as skilled Caymanians but are they given a chance? Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Look at the job section on Ecay, one of them is Filipino only – why is that allowed? It is for a driver and should be made to Caymanians as well. I am not sure how they get to say only Filipinos. I see where it would be only Caymanians but why now can we say only Filipino. Or only Indian. Or only [fill in the blank]. Bizarre.
Let us vote for the Clown of the year; And the winner is by public acclaim “Roy Mctaggart” ( spoiling such an iconic Caymanian name).
Roy please shut up go sit down nah!
If you are unemployed on the Cayman Islands its only because your unemployable. There are some people on this Island that believe they are owed a living due to their Heritage. They really aren’t interested in working they just want a check. Its not like you have to be skilled in any way to sweep up garbage etc on all these construction site. All you need to do this is have the drive to show up to work daily and on time.
do any party or govt have a plan..other than serve the rich and theur desires? especially one! ZZZZZZ
Governments problem is they spread a narrative that local private employers should solve the unemployment problem. 90 percent of unemployed people are so for 3 reasons.
1. They are unable to work due to age or disability.
2. They are unwilling to work.
3. They are not qualified for the positions they believe they are entitled to.
Business owners do not want to pay work permit fees and deal with the huge headache that comes with government departments, trust me. They do so out of necessity. Improve the school system and offer proper trade schooling locally and help the children progress.
it’s not always like that. I know a few caymanians who are both experienced and qualified for advertised positions, and bring no “baggage” or issues from past employment. But they have been knocked back in favour of lesser candidates, some of which are WP holders but known by the recruiter.
Rejected locals, and those offered lesser positions, have no scope to complain, because there is no place to make a formal complaint, and any attempt to do so will likely result in blacklisting, never to work in that industry again. We are already well aware of blacklisting in cayman’s law firms.
It should be true but it isn’t. I have seen with my own eyes job vacancies crafted to suit a foreigners precise qualifications. I have witnessed my own Caymanian wife hired as an apprentice with other Caymanians for medical billing (low paid) with a promise of being sponsored for enrolment in further education to gain qualifications. After six months there was nothing. They all quit. It was all a ruse so the employer could report to worc that they tried to hire Caymanians. They replaced them with foreigner’s. The best part was that at least one of the foreigners lied on their resume about the qualifications she had and was fired, thanks to worc for checking.
Roy – employers want and need European, Asian or North American education standards. Not the crap doled out at great expense to students in the government schools. The PPM needs to deal with that reality – which is in large part of its own making.
everybody is so tired of politicians. it’s like being forced to watch a really bad reality show.
ppm…as bad in opposition as they were in power.
Suffering the daily embarrassment of having a government of uneducated self seeking parasites, makes me think how lucky we are to have a PPM plus Wayne and Andre alternative.
C’mon guys, dump the pride and ambition , get rid of Mac, Saunders, Kenny and Seymour, and get us back to a leadership we can respect.
Roy is correct and the facts prove it. It was announced just recently that we have a record amount of work permits. Record inflation and a growing population (not Caymanian) are contributing to the problems.
The government is failing to manage growth, inflation, rising unemployment, rising crime and rising government spending.
The opposition needs to point these issues out so there can be discussions but I doubt that the current government will even listen.
The Honorable Labor Minister Seymour along with the esteemed Premier have a top secret solution they are getting ready to spring on us all, just before election time. Old Roy you are out of touch, better go ride them donkey’s with old Jon-Jon so you can learn a thing or two.
The unemployable problem is not the same as the unemployment problem and can not be solved now. Maybe if CIG finally realizes that they are the main factors in the unemployable problem it would not get worse every year? You can not fix a problem caused by your own culture. Watch as they try and fail every time.
You are so very mistaken as our leaders have the solution and the money so don’t you worry.
They have the money all right. Just not spending it on the solution.
well said roy,,,but what is your plan?
or is just just more of the same from do-nothing-ppm?
Older Caymanians that want to retire can’t, so they stay working. Often for less than the going rate and therefore deny a younger Caymanian to replace them. Let people retire on a decent pension and some of the problem will be resolved.
Get rid of old people as they are taking our young people’s jobs and future.
What a horrible thing to say. Remember you might be lucky and live to be old too!
Make no difference as old people are holding us all back, the new modern way is progress and making it. Old people tax our health and insurance systems.
Please take an IQ test, you may qualify for assistance.
I am young and work in a professional office with many over sixty. They are so nice and I learn so much from them. They do not gossip and have an extraordinary work ethic. I am so grateful to them for showing me not only how to get things done, but to get them done efficiently and quickly. They are not holding me back at all, but passing on great knowledge that will help propel my career.
Older people have a right to survive too, so just shut up.
They can survive, just not in the modern Cayman.
I bet those older workers have much wisdom and experience that employers value. Maybe the employers are content with these reliable, stable and valued workers.
That is true and well recognised elsewhere. People being called out of retirement. Older people know what commitment is, show up for work and actually work.
They certainly have a better work ethic.
Here’s a plan, educate your citizens.
This government lacks a plan to do anything at all.
yup. they only do whims.
do any of these PPM ever just think for a moment about the fact they were all in power and did nothing but ensure development as is continuing was able to continue and pretty much make it impossible for low and middle income people to survive at anywhere near a level we used to
not one of these PPM should be allowed to run again, never mind get elected. BTW, nor should any of the current regime. But this is about Roy and his incredible ability to point at the sun and tell us all its there, and then take credit for it
Only plans that the ppm has it to give the rest of this island away to foreign developers with 0% duty on anything that said developer wants to import.
ppm = duty concessions
We already know that while there are some under-employed Caymanians, those that are truly unemployed are usually so because they’re not vaguely employable. With so many work permits in unskilled areas, if a caymanian wants a job, there is one, they just don’t want the modern day slavery rates that have been set by caymanian employers.
Slavery rates? That would be zero bobo.
YAWN – and what exactly did Roy do to help this problem which also existed when he was in power? Don’t worry, I’ll wait…..
Excuuuuuse you? I’ll have you know that he gave away countless concessions to ultra-wealthy foreign developers, so that people like his immigrant son-in-law real estate agent could make money hand over fist!
…wait, I think I misunderstood the question.
Unemployment was not a problem with the PPM government. This government has sat on its ass and done f*ck all to help anything.
@ 1:10pm – YEAH RIGHT! Try again with someone else.
Other than implement COVID procedures – PPM did not do jack sh*t for the Caymanian public. Oh sorry, I mean they did a fine job on selling out our country to the highest bidder. Forgot about that. My bad.
Your sh*t anecdotes are useless. Look at the unemployment stats of 2017-2020 and come back to me.
You must have a heck of a poor memory pal.
What you say? They sure know how to help themselves!