The common theme: Incentivise the rich, force the poor
I’m a millennial and I’m in this non-stop grind because in the 90s we saw light at the end of the tunnel. I’m running off of that stupid hope that there is something at the end of all this suffering because I used to see it. The next generation didn’t see any of that. They didn’t see when our parents made $3k a month each and everyone had money to spare and could go to Miami two or three times a year, raise the kids and attend our football games. Now, rent alone for anything decent you don’t want to share with someone else is $2,000 AND you have to deal with the landlord disrespecting you at every opportunity.
Government continues to spend hundreds of thousands, of our money that we generated because WE create the economy, on reports and consultants then can’t even respect us enough to put out the report and tell us why they don’t like it.
I’m sick of being disrespected at every turn. Every member of government and every business speaks to me like I have to do what they say. I’m going to start putting my money in a hole and not spend it. I need businesses and the government to start respecting the fact that my money is not theirs. They don’t just get to reach into my wallet when they want without so much as a reason why.
Government and the older generations are asking us, begging us, to keep up appearances and keep the economy afloat for nothing more than the sacred “GDP” because it’s a number on a screen to lie to themselves and the world. I make decent money. I aimed to make this money when I was younger but I can barely save at the end of the month. Literally everything I spend on is bills, but my hand is being forced and I’m going to be shamed by it from business owners.
The time for conveniences is fleeting. As rents increase, bills skyrocket and food prices go up, I have to give up on anything that isn’t an absolute necessity. I can’t wait for the usual round of “come support local restaurants” ads where they are begging us to keep them afloat. I’m already seeing tons of sales and events for the summer. Nowhere in Cayman gives ‘deals’ unless they absolutely have to. Money is KING, and we learn that every day from our Government.
This comment was posted in response to CIG refuses to release task force housing report.
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Category: Viewpoint
Am I the only one who had to have a housemate 20 years ago? Was that not normal? Are your formative years not for working your butt off? No one is forcing you to spend your money on Cayman’s overpriced restaurants.
Well written, and all so very true…unfortunately. We “paved paradise and put up a parking lot”. All for a quick profit for the already rich and connected….with no thoughtful foresight!
Sad!!
Colonization and Gentrification.
Totally agree with what you’re saying. Food prices going through the roof, especially on the healthy food items and Digicel just announced another rate increase for post paid customers, but too me the service has been totally crap for a while now.
We are expected to stomach all this earning what was once a good wage. By the way have you seen what most employers are paying for 5 years + experience job positions nowadays, it might as well be just above minimum wage if you aren’t paid hourly.
This can’t continue for another 4 years like this, people will revolt eventually. See what’s happening in UK, well it’s coming here, that’s our future if nothing changes for the better.
You mean the far right fascsists terrorizing innocent people?
God bless the antifascists for fighting back!
Sixty years ago there wasn’t a Caymanian economy. Men couldn’t get a job locally and had to go to sea. Women stayed home and bought up the child. No electricity and mosquitoes so bad they would suffocate a cow.
Tell me again how terrible your life is with air conditioning, flat screen TV, internet and good medical care.
Come better than that now…you missed the whole point of the writer’s article…Read it again.
If no money is left after paying rent/mortgage, how can one afford to enjoy tv, air con, etc if no money to pay for them.
We are all struggling, the bills are more than the paycheck. Supermarkets can do better with prices. CUC and the samples of elected members should be ashamed of themselves.
Lord help us.
As an expat who deeply loves this island and it’s people, I just want to say I completely agree with the viewpoint and completely resent ignorant morons like you. 60 years ago was Boomers and Gen X, you’re speaking to a millennial born at some point between 1977 and 1996. Grow up you silly prat.
Older generation here, and I’m not asking you to do anything, except stand tall and speak your mind, and I will stand with you. Completely share your view. I have for a long time.
You may not remember, but I recall a time when banks wanted our business; they encouraged our deposits so they could make loans and pay us a little interest for the mutually beneficial association. Not any more. Now, banks know that we have to use them if we want to do business, and they charge for every. single. little. “service”., whether an actual person is involved or not.
Something that I wonder if you’ve thought of — and I hope you don’t have to deal with for some time — the cost of insurance has gone over the moon. Health insurance (unless you work for government) is profound.
This is one elderly person who worked all their life, lived simply and supported my family, and here I am barely subsisting. I’m sorry we’ve allowed the place to get to this sorry state. No doubt about it, it is OUR fault. All I can say to you, is that I’m sorry. We really did our best against ever-increasing bad odds.
Putting your money in a can in the ground will net you more money than putting it into any savings account here, once you deduct all the yearly charges. Ain’t that a sad state of affairs. I hope places still accept money by the time you and me both need them to.
+1 (Boomer).
When the local population is outnumbered by expats and newcomers who happened to love Cayman and decided to stay, what would you expect?
Do you vote? Do your friends vote? Make sure you exercise that right and make sure that people get elected that will give you opportunities.
LOL Potato, potahto.
may I ask what you want from your boss? are they paying you for a service? did you accept that pay? what have you done to better yourself? what money is yours that the government is spending? you did not create that income, the money from the absorbent duty the government charges did. the government has created thousands of make belief government jobs for those that are unemployable to make a living. its all a wash really.
Shame on you for saying this.
It is our money. The rich get breaks on duties, the poor Caymanians don’t. In a nutshell, Cayman is for the rich. Decent Caymanians don’t want handouts, they want hand ups or at least don’t push us down. We’re building an airport to cater to the rich, marina Cayman Brac for the rich, all the tourism properties for foreigners and who do you think own most of the tourism properties? Not Caymanians. It’s building for the rich that is destroying Cayman.
It is the politicians spending our money like it’s water that is destroying Cayman. Govt spent 650,000 for emancipation day celebrations????!!!!!!!!!! WTF do they think they are!! Make up a holiday and spend that much money on it?? We MUST demand accountability from our politicians, this is not a free for all trough
Meantime they fly around carrying cases of cash to give out to who knows who and why. Nobody asked for donations and Jamaica is not Haiti. You can’t deposit $50 in someone else’s account these days, yet $200,000 cash is practically given away with no accountability. Did Jamaica need laptops and air matresses?
The person in charge of all this is invincible.
There is huge systemic impropriety in Cayman
Our politicians have just spent 650,000 !!!!!!! on emancipation day celebrations. Say what!!!! How the heck did they think that is okay when people are struggling to put food on the table?
Cayman has turned into an ugly experiment in Social Darwinism in which the Kleptocracy hoards wealth and the middle class goes begging.
I’m sick of my boss speaking to me like I have to do what they say, too. It’s so disrespectful. I’m going to start putting my money in a hole, too. Don’t tell my girlfriend.
To live a good to excellent standard of life in Cayman, that is to say what we might consider a middle class life with the services that you describe (trips, school fees, mortgage etc), has required at minimum $10,000 a month since the late 90s. And, even at that level, there is little prospect of saving anything meaningful for retirement or balloon payments.
As the country song says, Mamas make your babies be accountants and lawyers and such. Or Chief Officers.
Gen-X’r here, and I 100% support this message!!
Very well said and good luck to you. May God help us all overcome this greed cycle that our country has been stuck in!
Our kids literally have ZERO future here at this rate.
“Our kids literally have ZERO future here at this rate.”
And this is exactly why I as a 29 year old generational Caymanian decided at age 25 I will live the rest of my life happily child-free.
Talk to me about birthrate when there’s a limit or tax on land/properties owned by people who haven’t been in the Cayman Islands for the past year.
Listen here. Your Momma wants a grandbaby!
Unfortunately, that means less Caymanians and them foreigners procreating like rabbits.
Well said, totally correct!
Kleptocracy in a not shell So bad now banks have join in to fleece us too because their elitist mindless kleptomaniacs decide that’s it’s a good idea to rob the people too to increase their wealth.Yes and since our so call political elite are operating with the same impunity and getting away with it . Just like the government they don’t have to comply with the regulatory body or the law and will not be held accountable or responsible for their criminal actions. Reports are for them to justify their unlawful or corrupt actions but when it fails to do that it is just toilet paper to be disposed of quietly even though we bought the most expensive rolls so they can wipe their huge bum bums with it.
Well all I can tell you my friend is that Big Mac, Ju-Ju and Jon-Jon will not be happy with those type of comments after all the hard work they have been putting in. When they come back from their latest boondoggle spending trip, they may come looking to get that money you were planning on putting into the hole because they have lots of holes they need to put it into. You better hope they don’t tie you behind the donkey and drag you around!
Man that poor old donkey sure is getting his behind worked off! Hope Jon-Jon gives him some extra sweet feed.
Well written comment. Thank you!