Only 1/4 of tourism jobless register with ministry
(CNS): Only 1,000 Caymanians who lost their jobs in tourism have registered with the ministry so far. As a result, the deadline has been extended until Sunday night to give people more time to register their situation so government can plan how it will help those displaced by the COVID-19 shutdown. According to numbers promoted by government before that shutdown, there were some 4,200 jobs in cruise tourism alone, indicating that less than a quarter of those likely to have been impacted have come forward.
“Since announcing the call for registration on 21 May, my team has received over 1,000 responses, however we know there are still others in the community who should be registered.” said Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell in a release. “This is an important step for us as a government to provide a much-needed economic stimulus for those in the tourism industry as we continue to navigate through this period.”
Before the coronavirus arrived in Cayman and the government closed both the airport and ports, shutting down the tourism sector, the ministry was still pushing the development of the controversial cruise berthing project.
One of the main justifications for the project touted by the tourism ministry was the claim that more than 4,200 jobs were dependent on cruise tourism and the majority of those workers were Caymanians.
Government is now urging people who depend on this sector but have not made themselves known to come forward to register. According to its own figures, this could be more than 3,000 workers and it is not clear why they have not yet come forward.
Possible explanations include that the government’s estimate about the number of people working in this sector was inaccurate, or that most of these jobs were held by foreign workers, or that those workers just do not have access to the internet.
Any Caymanian who has lost their job in a tourism-related field, including overnight tourism as well as the cruise sector, and has not done so is asked to go online here, complete the registration form and upload their proof of Caymanian citizenship documents.
People who have no online access should call the Department of Tourism at 949-0623 for guidance.
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Category: Business, Jobs, Local News, Tourism
There are many of us Caymanians that don’t work in tourism but are without jobs…
CNS: The rest of this comment is posted here.
I would like to know as 1 of the 1000 who fill out my form and sent it in on time as were asked to do, others receive back papers back to fill out before 7th, I haven’t receive mine as yet?
The “open-up-now” tourism voices really need to wrap their head around the bigger new global reality that there aren’t travelers beating down the doors to travel internationally anywhere. Sorry to report, but that demand has dropped to nearly zero, and won’t be back to any semblance of what it was for years. Every airline on the planet is hemorrhaging cash or seeking bailouts and government subsidies. Unsurprisingly, all the hotel chains are reporting dramatic declines in RevPAR. Even the largest players in the international cruise industry are in serious trouble, despite having already tapped the capital markets. Carnival is burning through $1Bln a month just to keep their idle fleet operational in ports around the world.
There is a good article in FT today about how bad it actually is.
https://www.ft.com/content/d8ff5129-6817-4a19-af02-1316f8defe52
If I were a participant in that industry, I’d be feverishly selling discounted future service vouchers to locals, and retooling myself and the business for the longer-haul.
11:37am – Thank you! It seems to me that Cayman seems to think that it’s only us that is in a crises! And we seems to think that Alden has a magic button and cash raining down. Mr McTaggart needs a reality check and some new; strong glasses.
What about permanent residents or spouses of Caymanians?
Requiring/relying on government assistance constitutes grounds for revocation.
Still expats. This relief is for Caymanians only. Fair enough. Local people should (and must) come first.
True, when they actually pay into the system they rely upon. Expats pay a disproportionate amount of money into the Cayman economy and should be entitled to make a modest claim on a case by case and immediate need basis.
I’m not talking about freeloaders who come here to live off the backs of others, just those who have contributed.
Expats do not pay. Their Caymanian employers do.
Really? So who buys the goods they need, pays their rents, buys, maintains and fuels their vehicles, pays their bar and restaurant bills etc….?
You stupid myopic xenophobic muppet.
Completely agree with your comments, I’ve Never read so much prejudice and hate filled replies on this topic, a very poor reflection of Cayman’s, hopefully a minority. God help the poor foreigners in the Cayman’s.
According to Alden, not real Caymanians so not deserving. Contribution is not the issue – came by pain, preferably after at least 3 generations, or you are a contributor, not a shareholder. Bit like his generous assistance to unemployed and unable to be repatriated work permit holders,; a one off $150 food voucher. And if you cant afford the evacuation flight, good luck – you may be able to find a private sector sponsor.
Umm, according to the law they are not Caymanians either…
Does this apply for taxi drivers/tour operators etc that received the $ 600 stipend previously?
So these Caymanians don’t have families? wife/living with a spouse, how about kids? So does your salary include the rest of the family? Just stop complaining and think. Port not being built would have affected us the same way. Boat, taxis, tour busess, duty free stores, etc. This pandemic is affecting us together. So how does it feel?
I was wondering the same thing. My caymanian husband works in tourism and I teach. He doesn’t need to apply as we are managing fine.
Good for you. We like to hear from people like you.
So many commenters looking to find fault with the government (even in these unprecedented times) it’s unbelievable.
Some tourism workers don’t need the government handout. Others are too proud to register. Many are not computer literate in order to register.
But the first conclusion of many “haters” is government had to have been giving false information about the number of Caymanian tourism workers.
How do you know the government figures are accurate? What are you relying on? The ESO?
The Premier announced these Caymanians who lost their jobs in the tourist industry will receive $1000 per month for 3 months, but expats in the same situation only receive a one time food voucher for $150 – a little disparity here?.
9:26 pm Those unemployed expat workers are expected to make their way home asap.
Without available flights and have to buy their own tickets at over $1000 a pop when they were only paid minimum wage – yeah, sounds fair. Sounds Caymankind. Especially when Alden goes on TV and grandly states that no one will go hungry or not have somewhere to live or be unable to get health care. Then gives them $150 for food – one off payment.
Displaced tourism permit holders were encouraged to go home. If they are still here, it better be because they have savings or their employer is carrying them through. There were weeks of warning, here and elsewhere, that the border was closing.
Go home??!! Me here fe stay!
Weeks of warning? Seem to recall it was about 5 days.
Not to worry. No one would expect help from a Caymanian like you. Anyone can see that you are come from a very self centered cultured people who grew up just trying to survive and not yet ready to be part of anything bigger. People like you are better left alone to their own world. Don’t bother yourself worrying about expats as they are strong and hard working and they take care of each other as you can already see. Good luck to you in the future.
Yes, there definitely is and there should be.
9.36pm – as far as I know the status grant law is you must be self sufficient – seeing we have a crisis you should count your lucky stars and start packing. We do not have money raining down! How much more is Alden expected to do. SMFH. go!!!!
And you think anyone follows the law?
Reverse discrimination
Expats cannot vote!
No taxation without representation.
Duty is taxation, now let us vote if you dare!!!
Probably because a bit of effort has to be put in to register
You hit the nail on the head.
LAZY
Can’t be lazy and Working in tourism and hospitality. Its an industry that weeds out lazy workers rapidly no matter where you from or who your mama is
Wow Really nasty, unnecessary comment. Especially as you are probably a guest in someone else’s country.
Could it be that the government overestimated the loss to back up their claims for the port project?
Or, could it be that few Caymanians actually work in the tourism sector?
CIG lied they claimed the 4500 industry were Caymanians to suit the political propaganda.
Thankfully CPR exposed the lies told by CIG and won the legal battle in the Grand court. The case highlighted the lies the UNITY government told the public to justify a cruise berthing project Cayman cannot afford or need.
This government wasted $11million dollars to pursue the project. That money sure would be useful today,
5:55pm Yes wasting, wasting and giving away our money. University of the west indies was given 2.5 million $’s by Julia O’Connor – Connolly, this was not hers to hand out! what a shame, when we have Caymanians suffering and loosing their homes – remember Raul Martinez. But Government continue to up hold imported criminals and poverty stricken users. They are NOT our responsibility. Send these people home! Stop encouraging these people, if you don’t – “you haven’t seen any thing yet”.
Not a chance. They are open, transparent and accountable at all times. I know this because the Governor tells us so, and it is his job to make sure.
Caymanians are not the majority of Tourism workers so why is this surprising?
Then why did Alden and Moses tell us 4000 Caymanian jobs were dependent on cruise ship piers?
Because you are so used to being lied to that you believe anything your tribal leaders say. Its OK without them you would nothing.
And they say there are 6,500 Caymanians that are waiting to come home. I would love to see that list. XXXX
CNS: If you’re wondering why I have deleted many of your comments, it’s because they cross the line into hate speech.
I can only assume that those who do register are willing, capable, experienced, and ready to work. Therefore, there should be NO EXCUSE this time round why Caymanians can not fill the particular job they apply for.
COVID-19 has provided us the opportunity to ‘Caymanise’ the industry and let’s get it done right this time round.
Yes, there will be lots more jobs than the number of available Caymanian workers but, I repeat, there will be NO ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE(S) why there should still be such large numbers of Caymanians out of work after this if this process is done correctly.
I’m not applying as I don’t need it.
No excuse on opportunity being offered, sure – but you cant just transport people from one job to another without some regard to qualification. An unemployed Caymanian boat captain doing tourist charters isnt going to be a line chef or an office manager overnight (assuming he even wants that job). There has to be a massive effort on providing training options to allow people to switch from their well established normal to another trade.
Try finding a ‘qualified’ Caymanian boat captain in tourism, they are truly a rare beast. In fact, most Caymanians lack any qualifications recognisable beyond these islands and are in their jobs because of their nationality or familial connections.
With a clean police record … alot of people looking for work cant provide that so what’s the next option?!?!
Why would a Caymanian need a clean police record to work many entry level jobs? Americans and Canadians working on construction sites in the USA or Canada will often have a criminal record. Shetty hospital was part built using prisoners and parolees. Where is the disconnect?
I hope that the number does not go higher but it may be proof that the fear mongering over the port about loss of jobs had no basis in reality. It also lays bear the fact that there should be enough jobs in tourism to employ every Caymanian.
I hope you really don’t think that Caymanians would have gotten a job at the port! God is great!
Open the country for business!!
It reminds me of the song.
“The Caymanians ain’t Caymanians but the Government don’t know. Woe, is me, shame and scandal in the ministry.”
So guys, what is it? Are we about to accidentally get formal recognition that the mass market tourism industry is embarrassing bad in its employment of Caymanians? That it is driven by foreign interests fed by cheap foreign labor, casting a scar on our environment and contributing to overcrowding and mount trashmore, with very little in return? Seriously? And whatever happens, please no one quote the ESO for facts.
spot on
Perhaps we should make sure that only persons who are registered are eligible for government assistance? Then the truth will out.
They can’t handle the truth (or at least the electorate will not).
Nah, they would rather pay $1,000 a month to expats, claiming them to be Caymanian, than admit how wrong they have been.
I don’t think that will happen. Exercise some trust in the government.
Been there, done that…
Like the mass status grant. They know they committed treason against us, but still won’t bite the bullet! Soon come though!