Feeding the addiction
Nick Joseph writes: Our economy, or at least aspects of it, operates on cheap labour. Wages are sometimes derisory and do not reflect basic economic principles where — other things equal — shortage drives up price. Wages, in some cases, are purely an artificial construct founded upon a nearly unlimited supply of labour. Much of that “minimum wage” labour comes to Cayman not only attracted by the relative opportunity our Islands present but sometimes driven by sheer desperation from their circumstances (and those of their families) at home.
If any employer can access almost unlimited high-quality labour (from every corner of the globe) at CI$6.00/hour, then no matter how skilled or experienced a Caymanian is, the salary level has been set. From this cursory perspective, it makes good business sense. Why pay more than absolutely necessary?
However, the social and economic consequences for a society are far less attractive. A Caymanian often must care for young children or an elderly parent. It is pointless to allocate responsibility to another person if, in consequence, they must pay that employee as many dollars for the care they provide as the caregiver’s employer can generate by working. It makes more sense to remain at home, provide the care, and sit out any opportunity for employment.
Our natural desire to employ the best people at the lowest possible rate has turned around and bitten us. It has driven down the value of our own labour, particularly in “less skilled” and entry-level positions — but the impact is spreading. Professionals are amongst those now seeing lower incomes than were previously available, especially if adjusted for inflation.
Some businesses (some of them very well-connected) rely not on particular entrepreneurial skills and expertise but on the margin between what they can effectively “rent an employee out for” and what they pay them. Of course, this can benefit businesses and the wider economy, but unregulated can be disastrous for the employment of Caymanians and our fragile middle class.
I do not subscribe to the rhetoric that “Caymanians do not want these jobs” or that “Caymanians consider certain roles beneath them”. It is offensive to suggest this to the grandchildren of persons who scrubbed the floors of hotel rooms with a hand brush, toiled across the globe in the innards of early 20th century ships, or cut bush armed with no more than a cutlass and their bare hands. It is an affront to a whole people to imply they are inherently not willing to serve drinks to tourists, bend steel or fix air conditioners.
This strikes me as a story told by addicts (addicted to cheap foreign labour) to explain their conduct. Sadly, it seems some of our own regulators may have been willing to subscribe to this deeply flawed perspective.
I hope it helps them to sleep at night.
My perceptions as to much of what is happening keep me awake. Many of the jobs filled by readily available foreign workers are entry-level positions, filled elsewhere around the world by young persons (often teenagers) trying to supplement any pocket money they are lucky enough to get or as the means of entering onto the job ladder.
Our youth are, however, forced to compete on (effectively) equal terms with skilled, experienced and artificially cheap labour at even the lowest rungs. With other barriers, including perceived inadequacies in aspects of our education system and struggling family units, are we setting the next generation up to fail?
We have created many unintended barriers to the employment of Caymanians, well beyond potential inadequacies of remuneration. The hand we have dealt to many of our own people presents significant challenges. Some of these are described below.
Inadequate incentive to upskill, work hard, and seek promotion.
In some businesses, there can be literally no material benefit to working hard and trying to get “extra hours”. Time and a half “overtime” pay is unavailable. Even if the employer abides by all the rules (and too many, regrettably, do not), the surplus of available labour is such that astute employers simply bring in “extra staff” for particular jobs to seek to ensure that profit-eating overtime pay never arises.
Without the ability to earn “extra” by going above and beyond, the whole relationship between effort and reward is destroyed. There is no means for even the hardest workers in such an enterprise to extract themselves out of subsistence-level pay. Keeping some of our hardest workers in a spiral of dependence is dangerous. It betrays the very principles of capitalism. Effort should (indeed must) be related to reward in any free market system.
Then there is another issue. The Department of WORC has struggled to curtail what likely amounts to abuses.
The difference in pay scales between the most junior and most experienced positions is sometimes too small. In an extreme example, a business may “advertise”:
Help Wanted. Dynamic, computer-literate university graduate with 10 years’ experience and a diploma in “mixology” invited to apply for the following roles:
Assistant – $6.00/hour
Supervisor - $6.00/hour
Manager – $6.00/hour
Fluency in Japanese preferred.
WORC (like the Department of Immigration before it) has too often noted that no qualified Caymanians applied (of course no Caymanian applied!) and grants the permits.
This basic example shows how it can be pointless to work hard and “advance”. Extra work and responsibility entail zero increase in remuneration or benefits. In some circumstances, highly capable people refuse promotion to management because the operation of aspects of our labour laws (and particularly the exclusion of managerial level staff from the gratuities scheme) means that managers often take home less than those reporting to them.
For decades, our laws have had mechanisms to prevent much of this. The Immigration (Transition) Act (2022 Revision) s. 58(3)(d) says that the authorities considering the grant of a work permit shall (and with respect to a renewal, may) consider “the sufficiency of the resources or the proposed salary of the worker… and that person’s ability to adequately maintain that person’s dependants”.
s.58(3) d was formerly known as s. 44(3)(d). After I first identified the problem more than ten years ago, I proposed the approach set out below to the responsible authorities at the then Department of Immigration as an attempt to abate the potential for artificially low salaries, including for the most skilled and qualified, from undermining the local employment market. Unfortunately, I never heard back.
Cabinet could literally issue policy directions along the lines of the above to the Department of WORC (separate and distinct from minimum wage, and more scientifically determined and data-driven than my “off the cuff” proposals) and this aspect of the problem would be (largely) solved.
The pension barrier to employing Caymanians and permanent residents
The principles underpinning Cayman’s Pensions Regime are sound. Allowed to operate as intended and designed, and given the required time to perform, it would do a fair job at alleviating some of the financial pressures on older persons, their families and the government in retirees’ later years. Anyone who employs a Caymanian or Permanent Resident must, from the first paycheck, deduct 5% from their pay and add an additional 5%, which must be contributed (up to the current cap on pensionable earnings).
This means that someone earning $100 will, in fact, “take home” $95 while costing their employer $105. The $10 difference will accrue in the employee’s pension account.
Fair enough — insofar as the intention is to provide workers with some measure of future security whilst also allaying the government’s future liabilities and obligations.
But then we exempt expatriates from any participation in the pension regime for their first nine months residing in the Islands. This means that (for their first nine months of employment) a newly-arrived expatriate earning $100 will cost their employer $100 and take home $100.
Their Caymanian colleague, employed in the same role and starting on the same day, will take home $95 and cost their employer $105. It is, therefore, 5% more expensive to employ a Caymanian over a foreign national in the same role and with the same conditions of employment. The Caymanian will have $5 less in hand to meet the same cost of groceries faced by their expatriate colleague.
Some may argue that this is offset by work permit fees, but with work permit fees as low as $0 (for those employed by a church, a school, or a charity), $300 for a transport-helper and porter or packer, car tinter, dish-washer or car or boat cleaner, $375 for a gardener or janitor, $500 for a kitchen helper or doorman, and $550 for a labourer, expatriate workers can nonetheless be cheaper to employ than locals.
It becomes starkly evident when pension exemptions are multiplied. Across 50 new staff being paid $2,000/month, in nine months, the payroll difference (equating to savings for the employer) makes it $45,000 cheaper to employ foreigners than Caymanians. This amounts to state-sponsored incentivisation to employ expatriates over Caymanians of almost $1,000/person.
To level the playing field, a simple fix would be to change the pension obligation to “everyone employed for more than three months”, effectively stopping any direct economic incentive in favour of employing foreign labour over local workers.
Exclusion from bank financing of some service industry and commission-based workers
In the service industry in particular, there is another longstanding issue that is displacing Caymanians from appropriate participation. Some financial institutions (like the Department of WORC in processing PR applications) will not give full credit for the gratuities/tips elements of wages or commissions.
This means that if workers are seeking financing, even though the job may pay well, only the guaranteed base pay of $6.00/hour (and not the additional $20.00/hour that may be available through tips and gratuities) is taken into account. This can mean that workers are excluded from financing and cannot get a car loan, student loan, or mortgage through regular channels.
In egregious cases, I have seen Caymanians leave well-paying jobs in tourism to get a less-paid office job — not because they did not like the hours, working hard or serving foreigners. On the contrary, even having saved sufficient funds for a down payment/deposit, this is the only route by which they can obtain the financing required to (finally) buy their own home.
The takeaway: it is maths that has been contributing to Caymanians not participating as fully as they once did, and still might, in the tourism sector. Not the more often ascribed laziness, ignorance or pride.
Turning a “blind eye” to substandard housing
Of course, foreign labour can survive and even thrive on salaries below those capable of sustaining many of their local counterparts. How? By sharing accommodation, sometimes at levels far far below those expected by planning regulations. Bunk beds in a single bedroom, so that each can house four unrelated adults, is one way the cost of living has been addressed.
Stories even exist of shift workers sharing the same beds — hot bunking — so in fact eight (or more) workers can share a single 4-bunk bedroom. Shipping containers have been proffered to some foreign workers.
Cayman becomes much more affordable — with sacrifice — if several people split the electricity bill and cook communal meals. This lifestyle is unavailable to a single parent or person responsible for the care of an older relative. It appears impossible if our laws are being properly and consistently applied.
Unequal application of labour protections
We have inadequate “whistleblower” or other employment protections. All too frequently, raising a complaint if you are a foreign national on a work permit results in little more than a cancellation of your work permit and a ticket home (at your own expense).
Pursuing a labour complaint from overseas while unemployed, and all for a whole two weeks’ base wages for each completed year of service (and nothing if you worked for less than a year) is unworkable. It is made worse by the fact that complaints can take years to conclude — and some employers can simply move on with a work permit granted in favour of their next employee. If only we had implemented a long-anticipated “accreditation system” as part of our work permit regime.
Of course, the law seems to operate better to protect Caymanian workers from unscrupulous employers — but therein lies the problem. Caymanians know who is who and do not apply for the jobs, and what unscrupulous employer would employ them anyway if the result will be shared in the morning on Cayman Marl Road — seemingly the ultimate enforcer of many of our laws and standards?
Truth in advertising
Very well-paying jobs are often “advertised” as $6.00/hour + Gratuities. That does not “look” very attractive to persons already earning $30,000 a year. However, these roles can and do often pay in excess of $60,000/year. Jobseekers are unaware, and so they neither apply nor seek to obtain the requisite skills and experience required for such roles.
The fix is simple: Require the fullest disclosures of expected remuneration (including tips, gratuities, school fees, housing, vehicles, airfares, etc.). Too often, this has been withheld from potential local jobseekers and from regulators who should be demanding this information.
The (sometimes shocking) reality of reduced hours
Tourism has seasons. In December (as we can see from a marked increase in traffic) through April we are hopping. Thousands of tourists come and enjoy all that Cayman (bolstered by exceptional hotels and culinary establishments) has to offer during this “high season”. An enterprise may require 200 workers (all working 40-hour weeks and participating in a waterfall of gratuities).
The same enterprise, in the September, October, and November “quiet season”, may only need 50 staff. Gratuities become limited as establishments cut their rates (sometimes to zero for the right influencers) and more cost-conscious customers avail themselves of the services. No mind. The solution of some enterprises is to reduce hours across the board for all staff. Ten hours a week is all that it takes to get the job done.
The problem herein is that employees (with not only reduced hours but also greatly reduced gratuities) face less than 25% of their income while continuing to face 100% of the cost of living in one of the earth’s most expensive places. In fact, with the heat of the late summer, the period of greatly reduced income corresponds with the highest electricity bills.
Young North Americans employed in the service industry ameliorate the problem. Some of them can (and do) voluntarily take unpaid leave and surrender their shared Cayman lease (but not their work permit). They can return “home” and live inexpensively. Some can even head for an idyllic cottage by a lake, living inexpensively and seeing family and friends for a couple of months. They can then return to their job in Cayman when their income can again be sufficient to allay the realities of our high cost of living.
For most Caymanians, this is emphatically not an option. They must bear the costs year-round, whether their income makes it affordable or not. Then we add insult to injury. If you have a local family (a condition much more likely to affect a local person than a “young, free, and single” expatriate tourism worker), then your employer must, in some circumstances, deduct the cost of your dependent’s health insurance from your paycheck. With hours reduced and gratuities curtailed, this can result in negative remuneration.
I will never forget the look on the face of a young woman some years ago. Cheeks stained by tears, she trembled as she passed me her pay- slip. After deductions, it had turned negative. Then came the real sting from the hardworking, freshly minted Caymanian single mother (of African descent):
“When there was slavery, there was no pay. Today, I end the month owing my employer money. How can that be?”
This is not a problem of the health insurance system. Largely, it results from the lack of use of (or imposition of) seasonal permits and our permissive attitude to cutting hours (and remuneration) to a fraction of those expected for full-time employees. The answer, as is the case for much that ails us, is in our Immigration (Transition) Act. We should understand it and apply it.
The childcare dilemma
A single mother without a reliable family network to rely on and an absent father (too often and too easily able to avoid the obligations in his role, however fleeting) needs childcare to be able to work. Unless the child is of school age, and even then, during the school holidays (or unexpected weather closure), she must pay for it herself.
If a mother is to leave her child in the care of a paid carer, that carer will have to be available to care for the child from the moment the mother leaves for work. If the mother faces a one-hour commute and works an 8-hour day, she will have to be away from her child for 10 hours. If our laws are being followed, the mother earning minimum wage will earn CI$45.60 for her day’s work — $6.00 x 8 – 5% (pension).
Meanwhile, the helper will have to be paid CI$63 ($6.00 x 9 plus 1 x $9 (time-and-a-half overtime for the tenth hour). Adding the cost of the carer’s health insurance, the cost to the mother will be around CI$73.00.
It follows that a mother will literally be CI$27.40 richer every day if she sits on the couch with her child rather than going to work – and that is even without considering the costs of transportation to and from work or the impact of inadequate care.
Part of the answer may be found in a system of government (and even employer) subsidised daycare and effective, reliable transport (further below).
The currency of remuneration
Small change, perhaps, but many employers pay salaries in United States dollars. This makes sense. Although they do not hesitate to price their products and services in Cayman Islands dollars and enjoy a multi-percent conversion spread, their revenue is generated in US dollars, and for larger operators in particular, their expenses are often in United States dollars. Their expatriate employees often prefer to be compensated in United States dollars.
But their Caymanian employees operate in a Cayman dollar environment. Their expenses and day-to-day living costs are met with dollar bills and debit cards in smaller increments. If their revenue is in US dollars, but their expenses are in CI dollars, they lose a couple of percent on every transaction. For those struggling to make ends meet, this becomes yet another burden.
The public transport barrier to Caymanian employment
A lack of reliable public transport also serves to exclude Caymanians from jobs. Expatriate workers are not impacted to the same extent. They can choose (or be assisted with selecting) housing in relative proximity to their workplace and live in communion with others (seemingly often in breach of planning and development regulations). They can share costs and, for example, transport.
These options are not available to a Caymanian who may literally have been born into the place they live — and must account for housing for children and/or an elderly parent they must care for.
A key component of any job is the ability to turn up on time and be ready for work. If and when a worker cannot reliably and consistently be punctual in arriving at their location of employment, any employment relationship will be necessarily short-lived.
JobsCayman
Does it WORC work? No. And it never did. Its recent replacement continues to present challenges. The problem does not lie with the department’s hard-working civil servants. Instead, it has emanated from a seemingly simple change.
If the intention of getting rid of newspaper advertising was to penalise elements of a supposedly “free” press for drawing certain adverse inferences, mission accomplished!
If it is to test the job market and draw opportunities to the attention of prospective local candidates, not so much. Although it may be a work in progress, it seemingly has a long way to go before it can rival the effectiveness, accessibility and efficiency of newspaper advertising, which worked not only to introduce the unemployed to jobs but, as importantly, alerted the already employed to opportunities for upward mobility or increased job satisfaction.
Artificially low work permit fees and a potentially undermined apprenticeship system
Work permit fees are more than a means to generate revenue or to offset the cost of administration. They also serve to act as a disincentive to employ foreign labour that an employer does not actually really “need.” This is why the statute makes it an offence (frequently committed) for a worker to pay or contribute towards their own work permit fee.
For fifty years, it has been an expectation of our work permit regime that any time a skilled employee is needed, a genuine effort is made by that employer to equip local people with those skills. Apprenticeship enshrined in legislation.
Unfortunately, we seem to have forgotten that. Rather than emphasising the training and mentoring of local persons, we are now sometimes feeding industry with relatively unskilled foreign workers, in droves, for what effectively amounts to “trainee” positions.
Are these positions really what they purport to be, or are they simply a means of incurring the cheapest possible work permit fees? How we can ever expect to instill relevant skills in meaningful numbers Caymanians, if those same Caymanians must compete for training opportunity with almost all the entry level positions available to foreign labour at work permit fees of less than CI$1,000/year?
Washing the neighbour’s car, mowing the lawn, babysitting, construction labour or flipping burgers (the traditional step into the door of gainful employment for teenagers all around the world) is increasingly unavailable to local persons.
As of the end of last year, 1,020 expatriates were here on work permits as kitchen helpers (annual work permit fee CI$500), 270 as car cleaners (annual work permit fee CI$375), and 1,057 (annual work permit fee CI$375) as gardeners.
We should hope, given our rich nautical heritage, that we can at least get our kids experience as deckhands, right? Perhaps, but at the end of last year, they had to compete with 86 work permit holders (annual fee CI$500).
While unsung heroes like Michael Myles and his Inspire Cayman Training seek to ensure the provision of training and opportunity to local persons, we had, as of the end of last year, 74 apprentice plumbers on work permits (annual fee CI$875). Imagine, our systems may be facilitating, importing and subsidising the employment of foreign labour for the purpose of training it!
Is much of what I am suggesting inflationary?
Perhaps, but not necessarily. These are just ideas. I am throwing them out for debate and discussion. Each will have pros and cons. These thoughts are a product of more than 25 years working in “local practice”, often in the weeds with real people and real businesses, with real people and real problems.
Many of Cayman’s employers compete successfully and provide excellent service and a great standard of living for their workers, remunerating even entry-level positions at well above minimum wage, employing a large proportion of Caymanians and remaining highly profitable.
There is also an unfortunate reality. Others operate profitably only because they conduct their affairs at what may be politely described as “sub-optimal” levels. Our permissiveness (contrary to the intention of our laws) is necessarily resulting in a substantial importation of poverty.
Poverty needs to be subsidised by government (and/or the wider community). It makes people unable to support themselves. Government has to step in and provide support. That costs money. That money comes from fees and taxes. Those fees and taxes are (usually) inflationary.
Lowering fees and taxes is one way to ameliorate the cost of living.
There is also the reality that automation is part of the future. According to recent data, there were 679 expatriates employed as retail cashiers in the Cayman Islands. When we do what much of the world has already done and replace a couple of hundred of them with self-checkout and automatic payment technology, then the consequence is going to be less cash and fewer cashiers. Not good news for the cashiers but good news for most consumers… and for the availability of entry-level housing stock.
Less physical cash also means less security. And fewer security guards (735 as of the end of last year, on an annual work permit fee of CI$1,732.50).
And fewer people forced to live in poverty.
And less traffic.
Everything is linked.
The roof is on fire
You may now recognise that I have an affinity for song lyrics as a means of emphasising a point. It can perhaps act as a jingle in the minds of readers. This whole situation brings to my mind 1984’s Rock Master Scott & the Dynamic Three and their single, “The Roof is on Fire”.
Faced with a situation of the scent of smoke emanating from the soffits (as we may now have), we have a choice: Do we call the proverbial fire brigade and properly work across ministries with teams of bucket (rather than buck)-passing citizens uniting to understand and fix the issues?
Or, to put it bluntly, are we going to continue to sit, drunk on our addiction to cheap replaceable labour, and ultimately, filled with glee and mesmerised at the bright light and sparks emanating from the nascent inferno, begin to chant: “We don’t need no water, let the…“ (you probably know the rest).
However inelegantly, I just threw a bucket of water in the direction of some of the perceived hotspots. If others do as well, we just might be able to have a vibrant AND sustainable economy in which the Caymanian people, foreign workers, and employers, whether they be Caymanian or not, can thrive.
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Category: Viewpoint
What an excellent article! It is for anyone who is looking for the future for their children and even grandchildren, as time seems to be accelerating these days.
Interestingly not mentioned that work permit fees do not increase with inflation, I think for nonskilled and skilled they are the same as 25 years ago. If these low-cost permits were increased a simple $1/hour or $2200 per year and skilled permits increased to $2/hour or $4400 per year.
The second change is to close the loophole on working over 45 hours per week. Currently, if the employee signs a letter that they agree to work a flat rate up to 75 hours a week, I remember, then the employer does not need to pay overtime for this. Get rid of it—anyone working 45 hours per week pays time and a half.
Then these simple changes would make hiring non-Caymanian labour more expensive and allow school leavers to gain jobs and therefore gain the experience and training to move up the job ladder.
The government needs to invest in training but so do the companies, in the UK construction companies pay an annual levy to the construction training board, which provides training to the industry. This could be done here and UCCI could expand their training programs.
It’s heart breaking how so many local businesses take advantage of people – both foreigners and Caymanians – by paying low wages that are far below the poverty line. I’m not sure how these people live with themselves.
I’m not sure how these people live with themselves.
Answer: In very nice houses cleaned by people making $6/hour.
Low paying jobs have ALWAYS, in every economy been entry-level jobs where the employee does it for his/her resume/credentials, get experience, get a good job history. Entry level jobs have NEVER been intended for sustaining a family. Why do Caymanian’s want entry-level low-paying jobs be their end-game????? Those who want high-paying salaries, but are not interested in improving their skills, work history, are not workers I would look seriously at.
To answer your first statement: If an employee accepts a job – they are not being taken advantaged of, it was their choice to accept or reject (yet, still they very well may be after hire, I fully acknowledge). They got an offer, they accepted, there is no valid argument; only grumblings from an employee soon to be an ex-employee. Claiming being taken advantaged of after they accepted the offered terms is comical.
If a full time job doesn’t provide enough for someone to have essentials for living (rent, food on the table, basic bills- light, water, internet/phone) then that job is exploitative and should not exist.
You think people that prepare your food don’t deserve to earn a livable wage? The people that stock shelves at Fosters don’t deserve to have basic necessities? Is that how you little you really think of your fellow human beings? You prefer the company owners (many of whom do little to no actual work themselves) to continue to rake in record profits while exploiting the impoverished?
“You think people that prepare your food don’t deserve to earn a livable wage?”
In many cases, NO, I don’t! To me an entry job was a job as a 15 yr old to get some work experience, be prompt, do as best as I could. I NEVER viewed it as a job to support a family – totally absurd! Why do Caymanian’s aspire to entry-level jobs as their ultimate achievement????? Entry -level – It was an avenue to better prospects. Here in Cayman, so many feel an entry level job should be an end-skill job! This is why Cayman educated youth will never be able to compete for high level employment… Unless you do better for them! (Your choice, argue with me, or actually do something to better the Cayman youth for decent jobs). Don’t want to believe me, just look at your statistics for how successful Cayman educated youths can compete with youths from other countries… Be honest – the results are poor!
You are missing the point that we don’t have entry-level or part-time employment here. Low-wage, low-skill jobs are almost uniformly filled by full-time staff on work permits at low wages.
I challenge you to walk into Wendy’s or Popeye’s etc and find a Caymanian teenager getting their first work experience. Or find a high school student working for a landscaping or painting business in the summer.
Our incredibly cheap work permit fees distort the economy. Only Professional positions attract the level of fee where an employer might think twice about employing an Expat over a Caymanian. If it cost $5k a year for a Cleaner or Server at a hotel you may well see different choices made by the employer. If a business isn’t willing to pay at least $5k/yr ($2.50/hr) for a permit I would argue that the permit isn’t needed.
It’s heartbreaking how little attention is being given to changing the Cayman education disfunctional system. If the Cayman youth were given a fair education to compete for jobs, this would slowly be for the better year after year.
Too much noise is here about employers, and not about the skill set for typical Cayman youth. Any properly educated Cayman youth that starts a business will hire SKILLED, EDUCATED, EXPERIENCED, PROFESSIONAL employees = = = exactly what you don’t want current businesses to do. The illogic here is profound, as is the “blame others
for our “lack of proper governance to care for our citizens”.
“Photographer” is one job title that Immigration has seriously failed to protect for Caymanians as the shift to digital in 2001 made it more expensive to remain on the leading edge of technology, but much, much easier to learn. As a result, while Caymanians HAD the opportunity to completely replace expats in the local market, Immigration rubber stamped the importation of hundreds of new expat photographers instead. PLEASE… IMMIGRATION… TAKE NOTE AND STOP IMPORTING PHOTOGRAPHERS. Protect our jobs! I’m as good as it gets at this, yet I’ve been struggling desperately since Covid hit.
…so sayeth the imported photographer. 😂
But, are you really any better? Just asking.
Irrelevant. Competent, capable, and Caymanian. The law clearly requires the authorities to ensure preference for Mr. Platt and any other competent capable Caymanian photographers, before granting a work permit that allows non Caymanians to compete. Granting permits to everyone who wants to be a photographer is unfairly diminishing the ability of those already established in the market to survive. The slices of the pie are being made so thin, there is not enough work to go around. Mr. Platt is entirely correct to express his concerns, and to expect reasonable levels of protection.
No point in voting that down. That is what the law requires. You might not like it, and may not follow it, and it may not be enforced, but it is the law of these Islands.
“Caymanian”
I love this post – I needed the laugh. Thank you.
Wow, so Cayman is being overrun with expat photographers – “HUNDREDS” of them by your statement, those evil vermin!
You can’t make this sh.t up. Well, Mr local photographer extraordinaire (I had to look up that spelling; I’m stupid), there is an easy solution. Just get the appropriate Minister (just pick one and roll your dice as you pay them off) to sanction a culling of expat photographs. Just shoot those damn photographers – use the Iguana cullers who need the work.
I’ll suggest a $20.00 bounty for any expat who’s sorry as. is brought in for harvesting and sold to a restaurant. I expect a HUGE demand for “Expat Photographer BBQ!
Cayman, have a great day, logic rules here. Anyone wonder why our electorate is such a bastion of intellect???
‘Expat photographer brisket’ – best with a spicy jerk! I’m all over that.
There’s no way there are hundreds of photographers. Maybe a dozen.
Shsss, Don’t say that too loud – the ‘resident experts’ will wake up from their couch.
It should be the responsibility of the employer to pay a living wage and not rely on tips from customers.
It’s the responsibility of every employee to accept a job that meets their needs. Why in hell would anyone accept a job that is inadequate for their responsibilities and then blame the employer? Return to the unemployment line and improve your situation. Why can’t Caymanian’s take responsibility for their situation? (I’ll await all the excuses and blaming others vs actual self-responsibility).
Don’t preach self-responsibility here – that is not a popular topic!
Nick Joseph always offers valuable insight and this is amongst his broadcast and most insightful. Thank you.
Yes, it would be a no-brainer for people Nick Joseph and others like him to enter the political arena. But they won’t, because the system is literally “beneath”
Even if Nick was eligible to run (which he is not) the voters in most districts would not find intellect, integrity and honesty to be attractive qualities in their representative.
They would rather vote for someone who can be bought.
He can’t stand for election because your retarded, thieving so-called politicians have stitched up the system, so they are effectively unchallengeable by anyone with a brain or a scintilla of integrity.
Caymanians must truly, deeply hate their children and grandchildren, because they are destroying their future.
We read your first post below. Time to pile on the praises?
Nick Joseph always presents valuable insight. This post is one of his broader and most insightful yet. Thank you Mr. Joseph.
Yes, it would be a ‘no-brainer’ to ask Mr. Joseph and others clearly qualified and very “in-tune’ with today’s Cayman to run for political office. But, most likely he/they won’t unfortunately, to our national detriment.
Why? In Mr. Joseph’s case the first arrow shot would be “he’s a furriner’ (not true). That would be enough for many of our uneducated electorate.
However, in my opinion, the main deterrent to people like Mr. Joseph, as well as ethical and capable Caymanians whose eligibility cannot be challenged (myself included), is the hand-out mentality that Cayman politics has become – to the elected but mainly to the electorate!
Unfortunately, Cayman’s politics has long been based only on populism and less on principles and ideals. Thus, voters expect the “betterment of me and mine” response from their elected, not “betterment of our community or Islands at large”.
This has led to voters expecting of their elected reps, favours (or jobs) for family and friends, cash assistance with bills, political influence where/when needed, etc., etc. If community betterment is addressed, we see unnecessary launching ramps, unused volleyball courts, driveway pavings, etc., general waste of public funds just to say “see what I’m doing for unna!”
The responsive actions by the elected protect their votes, family by family. To achieve this, elected reps must be prepared to have every private hour invaded by people camping outside their doors, or calling their phones (most voters ignore the availability of constituency offices, and the required protocols).
Added to this “village” mentality, is the fickleness of Cayman’s voters. The elected could be doing wonders for education, health care, general economic growth, job growth, cost-of-living….all things which benefit the society at large, BUT, if that voter’s family don’t get that turkey at Christmas, there goes a dozen votes.
I (remaining anonymous) was approached 2 election cycles ago by a very respected businessman who had sold his company and retired, to consider mounting an election campaign in the desperately needed WBW constituency. I declined, mainly because of the expectations of the electorate I would face. To be successful, the electorate would expect me to replicate the current rep. Sorry, NO CAN DO!!
I suspect people like Mr. Joseph might wrestle with the same considerations. Cowardice?? Certainly not! Self preservation? Most definitely…at least for me!
Unfortunately, Cayman’s present political system will challenge the ethics of anyone and the strong will not prevail.
It would take Mr.Joseph and two dozen other equally capable and like-minded individuals on a cohesive platform to make an electoral difference.
He can’t stand for election, because the system is rigged by the greedy kleptocrats who have limited eligibility so that they are largely unchallenged.
Per the Creed you’re transitional, and only until three generations of navel cords buried in Caymanian soil do you get to participate in the holy ritual of dropping a mL of blood into a dead conch shell on a full moon night while riding a donkey through Jerusa- I mean New George Town.
Once you throw said conch shell into the harbor you’re now considered Blood Caymanian.
/s
This isn’t sarcastic, it’s just rude, insulting, and not even funny. Where are you from? I can come up with better.
Great, let’s hear your sarcasm. Truth even with sarcasm stings here I guess.
I thought I was losing my mind for a second. You really copy and pasted my sarcasm “Per the Creed” from an older comment?
Flattering, but be original lol.
Dude when I made the comment about the Creed it was entirely made up and a joke lmao why are you copying and pasting it across CNS?? What’s the obsession here..
My original comment:
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/10/the-de-caymanization-of-cayman/comment-page-2/#comment-660092
Your copy and pasting, here, and including:
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/12/independents-parties-and-campaign-donors/#comment-666957
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/12/independents-parties-and-campaign-donors/#comment-666957
Your Creed is actually more sensible that the retarded power-hoarding that is practiced in Cayman to ensure the re-election of kleptocrats, drunk-drivers, rapists, and the other assorted vermin who comprise the Caymanian political class.
As another commenter notes, “Caymanians must truly, deeply hate their children and grandchildren, because they are destroying their future.”
This exchange is hilarious! Two dumb-asses critiquing dumb-ass comments, for the betterment of a dumb-ass topic that will result in NOTHING other than the amusement of readers who want a chuckle… Thanks!
In other news, Cayman has REAL issues that need attention.
Is he allowed to run? Wasn’t born here.
Nor were Tara Rivers or Kurt Tibbetts. Just sayin.
The commentary argues that Cayman’s heavy reliance on cheap, easily sourced foreign labor has driven down wages, stripped Caymanians of fair employment opportunities, and distorted the labor market. Because employers can hire low-cost workers with minimal regulation, local workers—who often have family responsibilities and higher living costs—find it nearly impossible to compete. Even highly qualified Caymanians face reduced wages and fewer incentives to upskill or seek promotions, as some employers use low baseline wages and avoid overtime by adding more foreign staff instead.
The system encourages cost-saving but harmful practices, including substandard housing for foreign workers, a pension exemption that makes employing expats cheaper than hiring locals, and a lack of transparency about actual earnings (like tips and gratuities). While work permit fees and laws exist to discourage such abuses, they are poorly enforced or ignored. As a result, Caymanians can end up excluded from vital “entry-level” positions and long-term career growth. The commentary suggests reforms—enforcing existing laws, adjusting pension regulations, ensuring honest job advertisements, and introducing reliable public transportation and child-care support—to level the playing field and create a healthier, more sustainable labor market that benefits both Caymanians and well-run businesses.
Hello ChatGPT
Foreigners like me are here because Caymanian companies hired us. It is your own native, local people who are selling out to the foreigners.
I have to live here in substandard conditions in order to send funds back home to support my family – just as many here had to go on ships to send money back home to their families years ago.
I appreciate the fact that I can work here – thank you – it is not easy to be away from family. Those among you known as seafarers would know this all too well.
The Cayman Islands have been blessed with what some would call a high standard of living – but take a detour away from SMB, Cayman Kai and venture down some of the side streets in George Town, Bodden Town, West Bay – how some of us survive may shock you – but I know I am a foreigner here and I can be replaced in a heartbeat.
Thank you for your comment. I think many Caymanians are appreciative of most expats and can relate to their struggles (I am one of those that can), as many Caymanians can remember when their family members had to leave the island to earn a living. We are incredibly fortunate to have the two pillar industries that drive our economy. I believe that we can all coexist harmoniously if we are kind to one another and treat each other with respect. It think it is important for expats to adopt some Caymanian social norms, like simply acknowledging each other’s presence and being polite. Saying hello to the people you come across in your everyday routine is a big deal for us. Most expats aren’t accustomed to this because they don’t do that where they come from. But they aren’t in their home country anymore, so it wouldn’t kill them to abide by some of our social norms. It would go a long way in improving expat/Caymanian relations. And yes, there are Caymanians that do exploit expat workers, which isn’t right. Those Caymanians are giving the rest a bad name for the sake of profit. And unfortunately, there are many expats that wouldn’t give a Caymanian the time of day, which unfairly causes animosity towards all expats.
Good comment. Only criticism is that tourism is actually more damaging than good for the islands. Cayman has one pillar to the economy: financial services. And the Jamaican contingent of MLAs are trying to destroy it.
See Marla Dukharan’s report: https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/03/bryan-challenges-report-on-low-value-of-cayman-tourism.
Hello 839AM. I am the poster from 617AM. Your words are 100% correct. All too often you will encounter expats who ignore or do not even try to assimilate into the Cayman community. Totally respect your comments sir/madam.
I try my best to do good work for people and be an example of where I come from – it isn’t easy at times, but in general, Caymanians are friendlier than many of the other nationalities here.
“Caymanian”
What’s the problem here? Shall we refer to other nationalities with the same quotations? “American”, “Canadian” etc?
If their nationality was corruptly conferred on them and they do not even consider themselves to hold that nationality (other than for convenience), yes.
Don’t bother, another ChatGBT.
You have our bright minister placing homeless caymanians in hotels. Do you see the problem Nick? As long as our existing government continues to make this a welfare country then we will always get the the same “quality” of politicians in the house.
Hotels that many of us could never afford to stay in ourselves. Still he’ll get his votes from the homeless and his kudos from all the hotel owners rubbing their hands together at the opportunity for more easy money out of the public purse.
https://caymanresident.com/profile/reside-cayman
Awesome comments written by an Attorney who has made a career of assisting expats relocate to Cayman for residence or business ventures. He is literally paid by those he critiques. Priceless.
An attorney who follows laws imposed by others. Who identifies and communicates defects in those laws. Who seeks to protect Cayman for Caymanians and those who deserve to be and become part of us. Who teaches the subject at the law school. You think self-interest is his motivation?
Of course self-interest is in his motivation, so would yours and mine! What a stupid question. He is doing his job; I get that. But he is critiquing the very system that has made him a multi, multi millionaire – so much for serving the working class that he wants to promote. He critiques defects in laws that he has used for decades to become rich. WAKE UP!
Believe it or not, some people can (on occasion) put wider interests ahead of their own – whether that be the interests of a friend, a spouse, a child, or a country. It is called “doing the right thing” and, thankfully, is more common than you assume.
Nick Joseph is not a multi millionaire. He has a true love for Cayman.
Is the entire next generation of Caymanians “working class” as you so eloquently describe? All in a previously classless society?
Classy argument.
So which one of the issues he lists is without merit, and should not warrant consideration if we want a sustainable economy in which local persons can appropriately participate?
Give your counter argument. I am confident he would welcome it.
Oh, so he is an acknowledged leading expert on the topic? OK then. Ignore his musings at your peril (and that of your country).
LOL, Nick has spent his career helping people like me navigate the labyrinth of poorly thought out and knee jerk immigration policies. I have been here for 27 years and have seen it all from WP’s that took two years to process so that when they were approved they had only weeks left to expiry! I went through Key Employee boondoggle, a PR application that took 4 years to process with multiple requests for submitting the same documents over and over. Finally a Status grant that took another 2 years. Thankfully I never have to interact with WORC/Immigration ever again.
Who has made a career diligently helping clients follow the law as set out by CIG. As one of those clients I see absolutely no inconsistency with doing that and the views expressed here.
So you paid him to ‘diligently’ do what he is saying should be stopped, got it. Will he lead the way and voluntarily stop assisting expats get slid in? I think not, and nor should he (just pointing out the irony).
Nick is only saying what he has always said. The law should be followed. All of it.
Thank you for agreeing with me. So he says the system is horribly flawed (it is), but as long as it is there he will reap millions of dollars from expats needing assistance to slip in, legally (he does). Sorry, if he is so benevolent to the Cayman culture he could practice a different category of law… Maybe defending Caymanians vs expats. The optics are thus: Expats have the money; Caymanians do not; he wants – wait for it, wait, wait ===== $$$$$$$. Stop being so naive.
If he wanted to make millions off a broken system why would he bring attention to the flaws?
So sad that this is your view. recall that he is only dealing with the Laws put in place by CAYMANIANS who voted in the government that put in place the Boards that enforce these Laws.
Corrupt laws, corrupt lawyers = corrupt decisions = a corrupt society. You got what you wanted I guess; hope you are happy with it.
Are you SURE Caymanians put these laws in place and are responsible for their enforcement? Jamaicans, Trinis and Bajans seem to have considerable influence. The laws certainly seem to be protecting those nationalities, rather than Caymanians.
Interesting article. If I didn’t know it was describing Cayman, I could have reasonably assumed it was from many, many other countries. Cayman’s problems are not unique. However, you made so many excuses for problems that the Cayman voters could solve that the end conclusion is that nothing will improve, and only get worse. As I see it, Cayman does not have the will to change… just complain. And as I see the vast thumbs down coming, I will wait to be proven wrong. Sadly I will be proven correct.
Nick – your perspective is as a person who has never run the type of business that you describe and criticize.
One factor that I don’t think you considered –
there are not enough Caymanians to fill all the positions available.
There are not enough, but there are many more than appears. Perhaps if access to foreign labour were more restricted, or more expensive, businesses would take more time to seek them out, employ those with potential, train, and retain them.
What elements of the issues Nick describes do you disagree with?
His perspective is one of someone who is intimately familiar with our laws, the principles underpinning them, and the practices of numerous employers. He is not alone in watching the deterioration of our community and our people, in direct consequence of some of those actions. Defending the indefensible, and excusing the unconscionable, has never been, and will never be, part of his role.
He watches, reaps millions while assisting the deterioration and then criticizes the system that made him profoundly wealthy. I’ll give him this, he is a very educated, bright, slick millionaire.
Read the viewpoint again. See the cabinet direction he recommended more than 10 years ago? How is that “assisting in the deterioration of the system.”
He has fought against much of what has been happening for almost 20 years. You should turn up for one of his lectures some time.
Most permits is just so people can stay here.
Micro- to macro-economics in one lesson, amazing!
Caymanians who understand Mr Joseph’s article must vote. If don’t understand, stay home.
And Caymanians who understand and can offer similarly-detailed remedies should consider being candidates.
Un-disincentivize Caymanians to improve money flows upward.
Voting won’t help, if you only have corrupt chimpanzees to vote for.
Fix the electoral system, so that more – and better – people can stand.
But the fact remains that all these unskilled job that Nick set out above, the employers are all Caymanians. Therein lies the problem. Caymanians are not giving their own a choice to work minimum wage jobs. And many Caymanians who are unskilled don’t particularly want to work for other Caymanians in low wage paying jobs. It is going to take a reset and a rethinking by all persons to achieve what is clearly a problem.
“Caymanians”
“We don’t need no water…”
Let’s start with the work permit (GOL) fee for a real estate agent. This should be equal to the CEO of a law firm based on the potential income. Not what it currently costs. There is no need for imported labour for this limited scope activity.
Yep and with all these new faces? probably a lot of money laundering happening too!
No one is stopping Caymanians from being real estate agents.
As you state there is high “potential” income, there is no guarantee however which is not attractive to a lot of people including Caymanians.
LOL.
You should get out more.
Great article. Great food for thought and should be taken into serious consideration.
Hopefully one of our educated young aspiring politicians will take Nick Joseph’s considerable intellect on board as a policy advisor.
What’s left of our current government are too lazy or educationally challenged to understand what Nick has so clearly set out.
It is heartening to have someone in our midst who takes so much time to foster the interests of the community, let’s hope this doesn’t fall on deaf ears.
Are any of these “educated young aspiring politicians” in the room with us now?
Can you sense their presence? Their existence?
Or in fact do they not exist, and are almost *ALL* Caymanians so-called politicians just lobotomised, self-serving grifters, window-lickers and bottom feeders?
Oh yes, that’s the issue, isn’t it. No wonder the territory is f##ked.
The electoral system is the blame: it’s a disaster.
Please run for public office, Nick…Cayman desperately needs your intelligence and foresight.
I’m guessing that’s the plan based on recent writings and carefully chosen words when talking about civil servants.
Good lord almighty, Ms Burcombe, why would Mr Joseph submit himself to the nonsense that goes along with trying to get elected in Cayman…”he don’t come inna mi yad and lick dominoes wid me”…and in the very very remote possibility of him being elected having to “debate” with the likes of Dwayne Seymour or Kenneth Bryan or Bernie Bush??
Apartheid (as defined by the UN) enshrined in the Cayman constitution prevents non generational Caymanians from holding public office.
🙄
…
🙄🙄🙄🙄
I wish you could actually experience anything close to true apartheid so that you would one day be able to recognize how stupid of a statement this is.
Denial of right to run for all types of public office to a class of citizens is included in definition of Apartheid. [US only restricts right to run for one public office to those citizens born in US]
Yeah, and there are no other connotations that come along with using that term. 😉 We both know full well what you’re trying to do by invoking the power that words like “apartheid” hold, and you know you’ve experienced none of it here in Cayman. Be better.
please dont!! its him and his law firm that has help in making every expat to land on our shores feel entitled to cayman status
No. That is your laws, your civil service, and your politicians that are doing that.
He and his firm is still complicit. He critiques the system that has made him profoundly wealthy. It sounds good while sitting on the throne of entitlement.
Nonsense. On many levels. Have you even met the guy?
I’m not an expat, so he’s above my pay scale. He wouldn’t acknowledge my presence above the landscapers at his home.
I doubt that. You should give him a call. See how that goes, then make your mind up.
Your comment infers all expats are above your pay scale and wouldn’t acknowledge your presence which is simply untrue. Sounds to me like you’re the one with the problem.
I’m not so sure about the “profoundly wealthy” bit, but rather him than all those lawyers who become fabulously wealthy not giving a damn about Cayman and Caymanians.
If only he could.
I’ve always said it. The laws in Cayman work against Caymanians and benefit expat workers. Then you have the band of expats that every chance they get, talk down on Caymanians as a whole (which now includes token Caymanians). The way you get treated when you speak with a Caymanian accent is not acceptable, as I encounter this all the time. The ones that do take the time to get to know you, then say “Wow, your smart for a Caymanian!” as if that is a compliment. Most don’t realize that my accent is due to growing up here and not being born here. However, this is my home, and I’m not like most that make the distinction between having status and being born here.
You can be born here & have the accent, but still have status.
You might know ‘your’ from you’re but that’s doesn’t make you smart.
You’re…
Personally, I LOVE the accent! It’s charming
As a Brit, me too. Jamaican accent too. Most Caribbean accents can’t help but make you smile!
Lose the accent.
Don’t hate the player; hate the game. Deal with the world as it is, rather than as you would like it to be. Humans don’t have time to get to know everyone in detail – they must make assumptions. One of those assumptions is that educated English-speaking people speak ‘properly’ with some variant of a neutral access, be that e.g. North American or Canadian or Kiwi.
I found this article which makes the point well:
https://www.legalcheek.com/2020/01/dont-risk-dying-a-martyr-for-your-home-town-accent-warns-barrister-who-rose-from-poverty/
All MP’s deliberately avoid reading this kind of highly respectable & informed analysis, sadly.
They CAN’T read it 12:41!! Can you imagine Seymour sitting at his desk and reflecting on the arguments in this article?! He wouldn’t get past the first paragraph.
And Saunders would mutter “wa dis? Wa de raas clat him talkin about.?”
LOL 9:14. You wicked, bwuoy!
Most can’t really read and all definitely couldn’t comprehend.
Mr. Nick, I am bookmarking this treatise for future reference. Don’t expect a lot of replies, as most will not make it through to the end of your entire post.
Along the lines of what you said, I believe the government is also addicted to work permit fees. To hire a Caymanian for the same job means less in the CIG coffers. I think it is most of why the minimum wage was again kicked down the road instead of being raised to a level in which a Caymanian could subsist themselves and their family.
Expat WP holders are acquired from countries in which the employees can make a profit based upon the exchange rate between C.I. and their own country’s money. Thus, they can profoundly sacrifice, perhaps by living several to a house, but eventually return home with enough to start a life and a business.
I believe CIG is willing fund people on NAU, as it is cheaper than raising the minimum wage such that Caymanians could live on it. A couple of decades ago, all hospitality workers, all clerks, all dive operations employed Caymanians. At that time, even Caymanian-owned companies had to employ mostly Caymanians, particularly in the construction trade.
Then, someone got the bright idea of throwing their constituents under the bus, and allowing Caymanian-majority owned businesses to sole source underpaid expats, and that was the moment in which the Cayman Islands sacrificed the non-CIG middle class. Add to that profound health care costs for non-CIG employees, and now we have a class divide that is desperately sharp and far apart. We have thrown our elderly to the sharks — people who worked hard all their lives having to choose between paying bills and health care.
Mr. Nick, if you are able, will you run for office? Just to read someone who understands and acknowledges the problems is breathtaking. You give me hope.
If you are able indeed. Thought Nick came here as a child and is ineligible thanks to our wonderful electoral rules which end up with someone like Dwayne, large scale employer of cheap imported labour, as the Minister. To say nothing of the massive disparity in understanding of the issues or commitment to the better internet of Cayman rather than self.
Nick came to Cayman, from Jamaica, aged 2.
Interesting, adds some additional context.
…..and he knows all the words to “Ram goat liver”.
…because it is the greatest song ever!
I agree with eon every single aspect, but the elephant in the room is the lack of adequacy of the education system in public schools in Cayman, the de facto segregation and the recruitment of teachers from our easterly caribbean nation whom simply do not give a damn about the kids and keep the poor kids passing years even though they should be repeating their year to avoid compounding their learning difficulties is a huge mistake!
Never have I seen so many charities taking over and trying to make a difference and helping kids and adults alike to reach reading and writing literacy! The present public education in place is failing its purpose, its students and its mission to bring about young adults to the labor market!
If somehow the segregated was put a stop to, parents will surely react to the situation and those teachers for some, would be expeditiously sent packing !
Single parent families are a BIG issue left unaddressed and the school system instead of doubling up its efforts keeps on going on as per a Business As Usual , granting left and right multiple dispensations to honor students to skew the statistics in the school’s favor! I kid you not on the matter as I have seen it with my own two eyes !
Teachers of secondary languages can easily confirm the above statements ! The kids and teachers are struggling to engage with their classrooms as the pooor kids cannot read or write , much less comprehend and communicate in a foreign language! This is especially true when the language in question uses specific phonetics and/or alphabet and has roots that widely differ from English (Spanish, Russian, German, French, Greek) whoms language roots differ from the Anglo-Savon language group!
If we actually pay attention to the matter and try to act , we would see a completely different picture in terms of perspectives to the job market !
Some employers have limited scruples I will certainly concede that point and have little to offer to the island’s economy and more than likely won’t find any response to their ludicrous demands at such level of pay anyhow.
I certainly wouldn’t take the time to respond to such an job offer as I code in multiple 5th generation programming languages and handle translations to the documentation in each language my client uses (French, English, German) and dedicated translation for Japanese and Chinese for code documentation ( I pay for the translation service as part of rates I receive from the client)
The code being translated to natural language to the client’s who will review and have access to the source code. My hourly rate tends to be on the upper tier and I have the luxury of choosing whom I want to help or providing my services to and I don’t exactly come cheap! (I provide full stack integration down to hardware and for projects that require it , cluster solutions including GPU dedicated code as well as CPU depending on the application) (Think 100k synchronous users and request per second , then things become interesting especially for transaction based applications)
Until that happens and more commonplace on island there are very few ways will improve ! (I have seen many times code breakdowns in the applications used for specific domains including, but not limited to banking services)
Your comment especially rings true, given that the public purse pays as much for public education as the average private school tuition. For what we pay to educate a Caymanian school kid, they should come out amongst the best educated in the world. We are failing them by not demanding better teachers, better curriculum and quit throwing our money at $50 million dollar school construction projects that are simply used to funnel money to the bag men of Cayman’s politicians. This shit needs to stop.
Money doesn’t address the actual issues. Culture matters. Money doesn’t.
Unsuccessful children are the way they are because of low calibre parents (and usually absent fathers).
Parents should be in a stable, married relationship, children must be actively supported, they must be infused with a disciplined attitude to education, and they must refrain from crime. By contrast, children from certain groups arriving in primary school are often unable to speak properly, use cutlery and their general intellectual development is already 18 months behind better-parented peers.
As the expression goes, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree”. Or, in computing terms, “garbage in = garbage out”.
This explains why many recently immigrated Asian and Indian families around the world often have exponentially better performance than peers of similar economic status.
It also explains why black Africans outperform black Caribbeans in London: cultural attitudes toward education, work, police and crime are determinative. Similarly, black African immigrants in the US outperform inner city US blacks many times over.
Taste like addiction
Smells like addiction
This is addiction
Feeding the addiction
Feeding the addiction
Feeding the addiction
My apologies – I meant hire you as the Director for WORC!
Well written article. Mr Joseph,the Deputy Governor should hire you as the Director for work.
So many employers apply for a work permit that states the employee is working in a lower paying job (so that they don’t have to pay higher work permit fees) for the job that their employee is actually doing.
Also, they don’t want to hire Caymanians a lot of times, because they have family,a friend or they want to give the job to someone from their own country.
If they do hire a Caymanian, they will give that person hell on the job, so that they quit and then say, the Caymanian that was employed wasn’t suitable for the job.
What Deputy Governor? Do we even have a Governor. All I’ve been seeing lately is a bunch of curtains and table cloths……that where all our money is going to!
An excellent Viewpoint Nick! Thank you!
One additional point – in any situation in which Cabinet Ministers who set immigration policy also own businesses that earn vast sums by importing cheap labour and poverty, little is going to change. Eliminating the conflict of interest or voting out the politicians who benefit from such conflicts may need to be the first step.
Very well thought out and put together, I have nothing to add.
But will the powers that be listen or take any of this into account…? *sigh* we know how this goes.
Don’t say the quiet part out load Nick. Our political and merchant class know exactly what they are doing and why they are doing it.
Cayman is incapable of changing for the good because the entire economy is built on a foundation of unaffordable cheap labour living in prison conditions. It’s impossible to fix because the house of cards is built in. That is why, the only way is forward and upwards.
I would strongly recommend Caymanians with means (if you’re not the above mentioned classes and therefore “in” on the scam) make real, proper, concrete plans to leave these beautiful Islands in the future.
Cayman as we all knew it is gone.
Cayman as we all know it now, is going.
Cayman as we all know is coming, most certainly is and it will not be a place anyone other than the super rich will want to live, or the abject masses from the poorest nations on earth to serve them.
Very well said Nick. The most comprehensive observation of our broken labor system I’ve ever heard or read in my 40 years on this island.
In just about every other country, young citizens get their first paying jobs as teenagers. They work in fast food, supermarkets, etc. Conversely, many of our young Caymanians get their first real job only after graduating from college or university, which is very late in the game compared to their expat competitors. No wonder many young Caymanians struggle to fit in when they finally do get that first job. Also the overall impact on our society seems to not be a concern to many employers. With thousands upon thousands of foreign laborers, many of whom do not adopt local social norms and customs, its no wonder Cayman doesn’t seem like the Cayman that many of us have known all our lives (ex. Caymanians are accustomed to acknowledging the presence of others, even people we don’t know, while many expats wouldn’t dream of looking a stranger in the eye to say hello). To a very large extent, the price of hiring so many from abroad has eroded what made the Cayman Islands special in the first place.
Wow, this is an incredibly articulate and well written and game changing article.
Nick Joseph is a highly intelligent and overall good person. I have a lot of respect for him.
as long as religions require women to reproduce more than they can produce there will always be an abundance of labor, i.e., there will be someone who will work harder at your job for less.
Nothing will change.
It is excellent.
However, all of the so-called ‘politicians’ are self-serving cretins, so nothing will ever change.