Job ads still excluding locals

| 28/11/2014

(CNS): Although the government was upbeat this week about the projected fall in unemployment over the next two years, the recent announcements over bank closures and other major layoffs of local workers are compounded by ongoing problems for job seekers. CNS is continuing to highlightthe day to day problems faced by local qualified job seekers. But with almost 20,200 valid work permits held by overseas employees jobs, ads are still being posted in the press that are clearly tailored to existing permit holders and designed to deter local applicants. One such ad causing a significant stir on social media this week was posted on the NWDA job portal.

However, when CNS queried the continued infractions regarding the recruitment practices of some employers, the National Workforce Development Agency said they are working hard on quality control of the ads and asking employers placing job vacancies that don’t appear to comply with industry norms to re-think the requirements.

Officials from the government’s work agency said that an ad on its site for a full time admin clerk paying a maximum of $24k that required an MBA or computer science masters was overlooked and a spokesperson apologized for the chain of events that led to the vacancy being posted without modifications.

“This marks a singular, isolated incident among the many job postings – now totalling 268 live postings as of 27 November,” the agency said in a statement to CNS. “The agency makes every effort to provide quality control measures for these listings and to match these listings against industry norms in order to ensure that the posting is one where able and ready Caymanians have the ability to effectively compete.  If there are mismatches … or if the employer presents a job listing which represents a clear breach of the Labour Law or the Gender Equality Law, then NWDA staff will work with the employer to ensure compliance with the law and to help the hiring manager think more clearly about the ways that their job tasks can be more accurately reflected.”

The NWDA admitted that, as a growing agency, it was still experiencing learning curves over the procedures necessary to screen the increased volume of job postings. This ad, it stated, was an error but also a learning experience. 

“One of functions of the NWDA is to allow our clients to have access to job listings that match their qualifications against an employer’s needs, and job applicants who are interested in applying for a job can then be considered on a competitive, equal footing with foreign workers,” the NWDA said, adding that it will not post jobs in future that give an unfair advantage to a non-Caymanian or have unreasonable expectations for local applicants.

However, despite the efforts of the new agency to help the advertisement process employers are required to go through before getting a permit, this is still being manipulated.

Sandra Catron posted a copy of the job that had required the MBA for the admin clerk on Facebook, which generated considerable incredulity in the community. She told CNS that it was difficult to believe it wasn’t tailored for a particular individual.

“What company needs an accountant, administrator and IT professional all in one person with 9-10 years works experience and a master’s degree but yet can’t find it in their budget to pay them a decent living wage?” Catron queried.

“The glaring issues with these type of adverts have to be addressed and there must be some level of enforcement. Tailoring a job for a particular individual to such a large degree that it excludes reasonable applications is unconscionable. At what point will we see something done about this?” she asked.

One person on the political front who says he is determined to do something about the issue is government back-bencher Al Suckoo.

He said he continues to be astounded by job ads that are blatantly designed to either frustrate Caymanians into not applying for those jobs or artificially raise the requirements above the salary level and expectations one would normally expect.

“It is clearly a slap in the face to many hard working and qualified Caymanians to see ads that don’t take our educational and professional achievements into consideration and instead focus on offering embarrassingly low salaries compared to the educational requirements. It is clear that more and more businesses are taking advantage of the easy availability of cheap labour and if this trend is not addressed the recent economic successes that the government has achieved will not benefit Caymanians because as new jobs become available and businesses grow, Caymanians will not get the jobs,”

Suckoo pointed out that government’s efforts to encourage development, manage public money, and turn the country around are not trickling down to local people.

“We are creating the economic circumstances where our people and industries should prosper but we are not seeing significant improvements in opportunities for Caymanians. Government must push ahead with the minimum wage implementation, complete our immigration reform and finally make the connection between labour requirements and immigration policies,” the Bodden Town MLA urged. “Some 50 years after the economic boom there still not many Caymanians taking leadership positions in the accounting, legal, tourism and technology sectors.”

He added that major improvements in education, immigration and labour were still needed.

“We are on the brink of social unrest and unless we begin to seriously address the blatant discrimination, the situation will get much worse. I hear Caymanians now talking about moving abroad to find opportunities because they believe their children will not find any opportunities here for themselves,” Suckoo told CNS.

Concerned that the issue is fuelling crime, he warned employers that those who deliberately try to keep Caymanians out of the job market are contributing to the continued social and economic problems.

See job sample ad below and the NWDA full statement.

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  1. futurethoughts says:


    This is not a new situation here in Grand Cayman, please remember after the tragic 9/11 twin towers incident.  Employees were called in to meetings with managers of different establishments, to advise them that if there were a downsizing of the company, Caymanians would be they first to be released.  The Government of that day, simply put it that we could not lose the revenue created from work permits!!!  It is the same today, the problem is that we cannot stop the revenue!!!  

    So all those that is calling all Caymanians, lazy, incompetent idiots, please stop the insulting now or we will have to show you all that we are sick of this s___!!!  Stop comparing all Caymanians with a handful of lazy bums that hang around the Islands!!!  I am very proud to say that I have three Caymanian children, who have Masters in their various educational backgrounds, and have been employed since they have turned 18!!  My oldest daughter is now 28 years old, and have been with the same company for the last 10 years, which they are very proud to have a hardworking, honest Caymanian.  I could go on for a while on this subject, but let's make it short and sweet.  We sowed, we reaped, we made the bread while you were not around, now you want to eat the whole loaf and leave us the crumbs!!  Sorry, this will not work!  So, before you start insulting while working on our beautiful Islands, please remember who brought Cayman to this stage.  Please, I am begging you, don't let the good turn bad!!

  2. Anonymous says:

    This island is killing itself  No one wants to come here for business anymore

    You people carry on and outsiders know it.

    Sure they come here for vacation but they leave there wallets home.

    I cannot tell anyone to invest here because this place is run by a bunch of spoiled children with low IQ's 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh i wish i could lambast you for this comment but I fear its true.

    • Anonymous says:

      15:43 – It's 'their' wallets not 'there' wallets actually  ( from one of those spoiled children with low IQs who can actually spell) !

      • Anonymous says:

        Spelling and Grammar Nazi, give it up. You have no viable argument, so attacking the spelling is the best unni can do. damn pitiful.

        • Anonymous says:

          05:08 – FYI I'm a Caymanian 'Spelling and Grammar Nazi' …and as for viable argument – you have just helped to make 15:43's argument as one of the Low IQ people he/she was talking about !  Furthermore, I don't see you making any argument at all…just 'trolling'.

        • Anonymous says:

          XXXX

        • Anonymous says:

          You're a joker 05:08 !! – You've just about done exactly the same thing as you're accusing the 'Spelling'  poster of doing ….talk about the 'pot calling the kettle black'…. Pathetic !!!

      • Anonymous says:

        You can spell, but your punctuation is dreadful. Poor spelling has been shown to be an indicator of higher IQ, but poor punctuation is either laziness or a sign of a bad education.

        • Anonymous says:

          07:55 …. and let's be frank, we all know that you had to run your spellcheck/grammar check tool three or four times before you felt your 'laziness or bad education' or obvious ignorance were comfortable enough to post your little 'dig'  !!

           

        • Anonymous says:

          Well Mr. or Mrs. 'You can Spell' … you really added value to that conversation didn't you ? Where did you get that little gem from – a crackerjack Box or did you just make it up as you went along ??? – I suspect the latter.

    • Anonymous says:

      to 14;43

      If no one wants to come here and do business…how come there are so many foreign builders opperating in our litte country?

      all you foregners do is put us down like we dont know what we are doing, call us dumb.

      Let me ask you this? where you all when we Caymanians ran this country? we let you in, open our arms and welome you,only now to be called chdren and have a low IQ.

      you Piece of shit!!!! 

       

  3. Dr. Do - Little - Too - Late says:

    In Switzerland they are about to vote on a referendum to limit the number of foreign workers allowed in the country because it has created problems with local workers being unemployed because of cheap foreign labor.

    The mother country "Great  Britain" is doing the same to protect their own, yet when we mention anything like this , we are told that  we don't want to work. That we are lazy. And it goes on and on! 

    Where else in the world is there a ratio of expat workers to unemployed locals like there is in   The Cayman Islands? This ratio is ten to one!  In other-words, there are 10 expat workers to every unemployed Caymanian. How is this possible?

    It is possible, because most of those people in the Private & Public sectors "who I'll refer to as the enablers" are members of the same groups and organizations that  control the wealth in our Island, Thus giving them not just "political power" but more importantly "economic power". This therefore is major reason why we witness election after election we cry out about the same things that have plagued us for the last [three or so] decades!

    I therefore plead with our political leaders to think long and hard before we find ourselves in a race where we as amateurs are competing against seasoned professionals. It's a game we are bound to lose unless we make the rules to protect ourselves, and continually apply them, and in so doing we will have given "our people" fist dibs on available jobs in Cayman.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      See results of that referendum and the reasons given by the people of that country

    • Ruling class is the problem of the working class says:

      I agree.  Until we force our politicians to improve the local employment product  (through education and perhaps free university for all locals) we will be doomed to play second fiddle. The politicians MUST improve our schools so that locals are the first choice for employment. 

      In the80's and 90's we had it right….businesses scrambled for Caymanians, we had 100% employment, we were treated well and respected.  Now, hiring a local is a joke and big business does whatever it wants (while politicians play poor lip service.)

      Until employers actually groom locals, we will be doomed to watch expat get all the choice jobs.

      Just over the weekend I was saddened to hear that bright UCCI grads were passed over for a large local law firm in IT because the software was "experience only."  Fine! but since we have talented IT grads, perhaps they can LEARN this software on the job and the firms can implement some succession planning or this cycle will continue and ojnly expats will have all IT jobs.

      Sucession planning, interns, on-the-job training and YES! limiting work permits is the key until we change our mindsets back.

      • Anonymous says:

        Your vision that in the the past Cayman had a great education system is just not born out by the statistics.  But why let fact get in the way of ignorance. 

    • Ruling class is the problem of the working class says:

      Or perhapos just enforce the $20,000 fiine a few times.  As soon as Government sees that they can get an easy $250,000 by enforicng this fine for a dozen companies two things will happen (to be efffective like Switzerland)

      1.) The games will stop and truly qualified locals will be hired.

      2.) Employers and big business will see the need for good quality locals and will fall over themselves to offer scholatships, push for better education, implement succession planning and raise the level of the local talent pool.

      Sounds like a win-win.  All we need to do is get the polticians to actually enforce our laws!?!

      Cronyism is dead, long live fairness and the rule of law.

       

      • Anonymous says:

        We do see the need for good quality locals.  Do you honestly think employers want to be paying the cost of having a foreign worker if there is a  suitably qualified, high calibre experiemced local?  Get real and then ask yourself if, what you say is indeed true, then what might the reason be and exclude racism,  My employees come from all over the world proving I do not have an issue with race.  However, what I do habe issue with is the constant misrepresentation of why Caymanians are not hired.

        • Anonymous says:

          Surely you "habe" many issues when you cannot see the forest for the trees.

    • Anonymous says:

      14.28 You miss the point entirely and bring up total irrelevances.

    • Anonymous says:

      Wait a minute, the Swiss people voted i. A referendum to NOT restrict immigration.  It would appear the people there are comfortable with the fact that they need foreign workers.

    • Anonymous says:

      What use is that ratio? if there were 10 unemployed caymanians and 20,000 expats the ration would be 2,000 to one, OMG, but hey only 10 unemployed. if you are going to use ratios at least use ones that make sense. Like the fact that 18,000, or 90% of Caymanians have a job, and in a climate when where noone wants to give them a job. It is odd how so many Caymanians find jobs so easily. But lt's go back to the Caymanian way of looking at the negative of everything.

    • Anonymous says:

      Both the countries mentioned have income taxes. You people just can't see the real picture here and that is that the CIG needs all those work permit fees. As long as there are no income taxes in Cayman a Work Permit is worth more to the government than a local worker is. So don't believe the hype that the CIG is trying to reduce the number of work permits. If anything they want more, Whether you like it or not the Work Permit fees charged for Expat workers provide an influx of revenue nessesary to run cayman and support the civil service over head , this would only be able to be replaced by income Taxes. 

      Maybe if there were income taxes for Caymainan Workers and the CIG actually beneifited they would be more interested in creating more jobs for Caymanians.  If 20-30 Percent of the expat worker were replaced by locals in would break Caymans budget and they know it.

      To say anything else would simply be BS, and simple vote seeking nonsense.

    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman already has stronger immigration laws than both those countries, maybe if you concentrated more on Caymaan than other countries you would know this. Why don't you just move to Switzerland if you love it so much. Don't let the door hit you on the way out!

  4. Anonymous says:

    Now Hiring. Pizza delivery drivers. Must have own Porsche 918 F1 driving experience.

  5. UHUHUH says:

    These things  have been going on for decades and the authorities know they're happening, but they seem reticent about doing what should be done!

    The best way to stem this corrupt practice "in my opinion" is to do the following!

    1: Before any work permit is issued, have a  qualified person interview these applicants. And based on their answers a work permit is or is not issued!

    2: If any employer is found to have lied and/or manipulated the system in order to get an approval for any work permit, said company or individual shall be put on probation for a period of three years during which time no work permits will given to that company or employer. And if said employer or company has been found guilty in a court of law for violating any laws pertaining to employment within that period they shall be banned from applying for or being granted any work permits.

    3: Work permit holders who have been found to be working on any job that was not listed on the permit shall be sent off island, and their employers shall be fined and prohibited from applying for and/or being granted any work permits.  No work permit shall be shared except in the case of a care giver for the elderly, which allows the holder to move from job to job. These shared permits shall not have more than two employers.

    4: Any company and/or government employee who has been found to have violated the law by enabling a work permit holder with-out the qualifications as stated on the published ads or stated on the application, the employer shall be fined and banned from hiring any foreign national who is not not a status holder or caymanian by birth, and the Govt.  Employee shall be fired immediately!

    And last but not least: No work permits shall be issued to any foreign national as long as there are qualified Caymanians willing to take the job.

    • Anonymous says:

      Hitler did stuff like that. Why do you want to force stuff? Just be professional, work hard for the allotted hours, show the right attitude and there will be no unemployed Caymanians. The answer is in your hands and no one elses

      • Anonymous says:

        Actually in every country there is always a small section of society who are unemployable either through disability, low educational attainment or just plain dont want to work. You are focusing on the wrong thing.  How many of the 2,000 caymanians are unemployable and how many are full blooded Caymanians or do you conveniently include paper Caymanians in your statistic when it suits you? 

    • Anonymous says:

      These work permits has got out of hand.  We have over 20,000 , work permits @ Cl dollars that is big money for the Government , then employers take advantage of this  big number . We have to wake up , because you know what happens when you are the minority .

       

       

        

    • Anonymous says:

      Why in the world are there thumbs down? They must be from the NWDA!

    • Anonymous says:

      Hilarious post given that laws are broken every day with absolutely no consequences. What makes you think your idea woukd be workable?  It will never, nor should it, happen.

    • Che Che Che says:

      Go Fidel!

      SMH……

    • Anonymous says:

      Re 12:27 – There is something to be said for point 2 ….. It is not enough for the authorities to tell system abusers 'you naughty person…now go do it right this time'…..

      On two occasions that I recall  I, as a qualified person went for Interviews to Major Local Banks and as I set foot through the door was literally  told that the job was already earmarked as part of the preliminary remarks.

      At one Bank, I was told that they had a Candidate from Guernsey who they wanted to hire – at the other I was told, "we had someone selected but Immigration said we had to interview more Caymanians".

      Would I want to work for someone under those circumstance if they felt 'obliged' to select me because I had equal qualifications but was a Caymanian – No way !

       

    • Reich order 511 says:

      5. Any permit holder found not in possession of a valid work permit at a place of employment, after lights out, curfew or during roll call will be placed in solitary. Whilst in solitary, all access to mail and Red cross parcels will be rescinded.

  6. Anonymous says:

    So job postings with high qualifications deter Caymanian applicants? Does anyone else find this embarrassing? Read it again. Postings with high qualifications deter Caymanians. That's what I read between the lines. 

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree, what use is a secretary in today’s world if she does not have a multi-engined pilots license and an ability to lift 150lbs.

      moron.

    • Anonymous says:

      Come on now 11:21, be fair ! – When you read between the lines you forgot to include the salient point being made throughout the article – the ridiculous Salary being attached to those 'Postings with high qualifications' !! That is the issue – not the fact that there are not potential Caymanians with those qualifications, there are !

  7. Anonymous says:

    why don't you just ask any major business here about their experiences with local employees????

     

  8. Anonymous says:

    probably because locals are generally not very well educated and have a poor work ethic….

    ooops…sorry for the politically incorrect honesty…….

    • Anonymous says:

      Also some times in business we take a punt on a potential employee, giving them the benefit of the doubt.  If employers do this with a local and they turn out to be less than able, we are stuck with them, whereas if we do this with a foreign worker we can easily rectify our mistake.

      • Anonymous says:

        Here we have it, discrinmination against locals and it's written in black and white by Sun 9:20

    • Anonymous says:

      f@@@ off 11;17.

      The builders that built this country yesteryear are the same ones around today. Tell me why they cant get a job?

    • Anonymous says:

      Hey .
      I haven’t found any locals to work as long n hard as my ladies from Canadia.

  9. Anonymous says:

    if there is a conspiracy or discrimination….ask the question why??????

    are caymanians and cns afraid of having an honest discussion on why companies would prefer not to employ them????

    • Anonymous says:

      Sure. I acknowledge the fact I could not get a particular position was nothing whatsoever to do with the fact I am Caymanian.

      It was based purely on the fact I am not Canadian.

      • Anonymous says:

        spot on 7:32 !! spot on !!  Same with most Foreign companies/Banks – they only want their own people.

  10. anonymous says:

    I have had an "epiphany", we are going about this the wrong way . What we should do is talk to work permit holders.  Work permit holders who have been bullied or threatened by employers .There are many complaints from work permit holders who are not getting overtime, or 45 hour work weeks no medical ins. or pensions.  I am sure when a survey is done we will have conclusive proof of why they are really hiring WP holders. Give it to the Mininstry of labour, labour tribunal etc. Let see if we can't kill this abuse. 

  11. Anonymous says:

    Hey, come on, let's all be real. Everybody knows what is happening on Island.

    Why should I pay a Caymanian $3-4000.00 a month, plus health and pension when I can pay 2-3 expat workers $1000.00 a month and these expat workers have to pay their own work permit, health and pension. Everybody knows it's going on, and those that don't or deny it are either a part of it or just plain blind.

    Until the GOV makes it a level playing across the board for all jobs with work permits ie: Increase the fees for work permits like what other Carribean islands did that made it unprofitable to hire expats over locals, and stop listening to these persons who conduct these things under the protection of different organizations/lobbyists groups, then it is only going to get worse.

    Back in the 90's it was predicted what was going to happen and as no suprise, it did. I was looking a job then and found some of the same foolishness then. It's worse now.

    And honestly I doubt anything is going to happen until there is a blow up, even out right protests and riots.

    The younger generation of Caymanians are getting fed up and frustrated. They can see why they can't get jobs. They can't understand why nothing is being done by Govt and Immigration. They are going to take care of the issue themselves and God help this little Island when it starts.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh come on, you can't get your lazy asses out of bed to get to work on time or attend a much lauded jobs fair. Riots, I don't think so, that would entail commitment and some level of gumption.

      Why is it the default position of some communities to riot when things don't go their way? Just look at Ferguson, London or Paris where riots have broken out over similar issues, work, law enforcement and the self righteous indignation that comes with victim and self entitled mentalities. The point being that the only people they hurt are themselves, everyone else looks on and picks up the bill. If it did ever come to violent action, (and it won't) this island would be ruined overnight as a mass withdrawal of expat labour would destroy the economy and put Caymanians out of work for a very long time indeed. Say goodbye to your nice cars, houses and boats, because it would all go.

      If you want real change then become more reliable, lobby for a minimum wage, break up the family monopolies that keep the cost of living artificially high and get used to the fact that not all Caymanians are smart enough to command high wage employment. Cayman is part of the worlds free market economy and businesses will do business where operating costs are in their favour. Forcing business to conform to a socialist agenda of enforced employment is wrong and counter productive, they will just simply relocate or reduce their operating costs by reducing employees.

      So, think about the reality before making threats that could damage the country forever. Expat labour and work permits are the only option on an island of so few. What you need to find is a way of working with business and not against it.

      • Anonymous says:

        Sorry buddy, but maybe where you come from that horse radish works but with this up coming generation it doesn't. You can attempt to scare them with your mediocre scare tactics but quite frankly they see through all the smoke and mirrors.

        I can tell you that MOST of this new generation ARE SMARTER, ARE MORE RELIABLE and have ALOT more gumption than you or any expat have ever had. 

        I know this because unlike expats that are here, claiming to be smarter and better, but are still here and not in their own home countries, this younger generation has gone to other "developed" countries, learnt in their colleges and universities with honors, then came back to their own home country to live their lives.

        You say entitlement, HELL YEH they should be entitled if they got the education. You say they don't deserve better or have the right to expect better, in their own country, BOY you are so wrong it ain't even funny and I feel pity for you.

        Like I said, increase the work permit fees across the board like other countries have done in an effort to protect their citizens, stop listening to people like this sad soul. These are the people that are going to ruin this country with their crooked ways.

        And sorry I dont agree with you, all the fancy cars, houses, boats and most of the other stuff won't go away. What are the fleeing people gonna do, take it with them, oh yeh I can see it now, he's at the airport checking in his zinc shack, three bedroom condo, Porsche, broken Honda and his drug canoe and 50ft Donzi as baggage.

        What will happen is that this younger generation will get real chances to earn an equal living with less stumbling blocks in their way. What will happen is that these Islands will become the Cayman Islands again, with friendly Caymanians and not mean, crooked people.

        You say businesses will leave, huh, I've seen the other potentials. If these were so good then these bussineeses would already be there. They ain't, they are a far cry from being as good as we are. Sorry but try that tactic with someone else.

        What I will say is that unless something is done to rectify this situation then we WILL be just like these other places where people used to say the same foolishness your saying now to justify their crooked and corrupt ways.

        And I can say this because I have had severale expat bosses that quite frankly couldn't cut it.

        Two had false education diplomas (one from England and the other from Jamaica), one was fired because it was obvious to the owner that the person (Canadian) did not know how to do the job. I then was given the chance and I've been here for 20yrs. I have 3 young Caymanians (2yrs going) under me and when I retire they will be next in line because the owner, who IS an expat/caymanian learnt the hard way.

        So sorry BOY, but you can't sell your turnips here. Go home and try again. Tourists will ALWAYS come here because we are beautiful. Unlike most. Thats why you are here.add

      • Anonymous says:

        Hey, 11:02. I got sone thing for you. YOUR MAMA!

        Hows them apples for ya?

    • Judean People's Front says:

      Exactly. What have the expats ever done for us?

      We stand with you brother, the Judean People's Front salute you and your team of revolutionary, probationary martyrs to the anti imperialist cause.

      • anon says:

        Well, we didn't build our robust and respected financial industry on our own.

  12. Anonymous says:

    It is good to know that the test is one of a level playing field between Caymanians and Expatriates for all positions. I will put a university educated multiple-language speaking filipina up against any Caymanian school leaver for my burger flipping position. No Caymanian would ever get a job on the basis that the NWDA is operating.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is now just overt, open corruption. Money makes all rules. Those passed by our pathetic government are irrelevant. They are ignored with impunity. The tail now wags the dog. Even those charged with preventing the problems now actively participate in making it worse!

      • Hark! says:

        Whew! You finally figured it out that it's your own people in the powerful government positions and Caymanian business owners who are isolating their own. Take them to task and demand better- no one else can do it for you. You deserve better.

    • Ruling class is the problem of the working class says:

      Sorry, there are very qualified great community members with superb work references and experience that are unemployed because of rubber stamped work permit renewals! 

      The market shrank, but the only ones looking for work are locals?  That is just wrong.  We don't rent our houses, we own them! We raise our children here and the laws should help us.No one wants a free lunch, just a fair chance to put our CVs next to an ecpats and have a chance.

      I'm talking about accountants, surveyors, IT profressionals, HR managers, teachers, all with glowing letters of references and families to support.  Where is the Immigration Enforcement for these good Caymanian citizens?  Where?!?

  13. Anonymous says:

    The problem with the piece of advocacy masquerading as news is that it is predicated on caveman zero sum economics.  Ezzard would be proud.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Proud of you, Al Suckoo! I stand with you.

    Politics aside, we, as Caymanians, face a grave journey through this hash economy. Let us just be frank and honest, Cayman is now finally experiencing the full grunt of the recession.

    It really does not matter what we as Caymanians think employers should be doing, perhaps, what matters really is that we realise that Cayman as a whole is going through very hard times, like the rest of the world.

    Keeping frank, we as Caymanians may have heard about the countless jobs being loss worldwide without realizing that it could happen here in Cayman until now; or we as Caymanians may have enjoying a great life style without appreciating that we would have to learn to build new industries and opportunities for ourselves and for our children's future, if not to atleast weather storms like these recessions.

    Frankly, and definitely NOT siding for these employers, but we as Caymanians need to expect that employers will be bias about their employees, even go out of the way and keep foreign labour. Why? Simply put, this recession is hurting ALL of us, including employers, so they have a lot to lose; worst now with this recession; be aware, that it takes a lot of years for a business to be established and an incredible set of life long guiding managers to keep it operating, worst in these recessions.

    As we as Caymanians may not have realised it yet, job hopping is a quality that employers today just can not entertain in these times; we may do well to recall that our forefathers lead the foundation for Cayman, doing whatever labour the could – where there was no work in Cayman, some went fishing, others joined the merchant shipping company as sailors bound for the Texas port, and if your forefather was like mine, he worked on the Panama Canal. Though they spent many years overseas they never forgot where home was, and eventually, returned home with savings in hand, enough to build homes and open shops and so on. Our forefathers knew that for them to return home to Cayman, a place that literally had bearly any roads, much less jobs for them to come back home to back in those times, they would have to setup the enterprisesthemselves to ensure their own existence and their families – they built the Cayman Islands industries that we have today.

    Please don't ask yourself what Cayman can do for you, Caymanians (I include myself too!), but better still ask what you can do for Cayman and your family's future. Really, the only question we Caymanians need to ask ourselves today is this: If our forefathers were alive today, would they be proud of what WE have built for ourselves and our families in Cayman?

    Now…how can we as Caymanians redeem ourselves (by the way, it's never too late!), well, if you are willing to solve this problem, perhaps you may want to read my previous article many years ago:

    http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/headline-news/2010/02/10/million-dollar-residency#comment-53743

    Thank you for your attention and I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to come. Let's make the New Year, new Hope ourselves – I Believe In Us Caymanians!

     

  15. Anonymous says:

    Maybe Al Suckoo should speak to his brother Christen who is the Chief Officer in the Ministry and suggest that he get a backbone and correct the flawed NWDA. This ministry single handedly    Is the worst that has ever been seen. TOTAL incompetency from the Minister right down. Going to the NWDA to find work is just as smart as trying to eat a sea egg sandwich……it isn't a wise thing to try.

  16. Anonymous says:

    And sadly the company who advertised the IT position with a masters degree and a slave wage has a Caymanian family member who is more than qualified to do this job with no where near the years experience that they are asking for and who could do this job with his eyes closed but of course not for this amount of money. That's why he works elsewhere in the private sector making an IT industry standard wage for his qualifications. So it's not that you can't find qualified, reliable Caymanians to work it's just that you cannot find Caymanian SLAVES.

  17. Anonypotamus says:

    Disappointing  that the article does not offer the alternate side – why companies do this – other than some vague allusion to discriminating against Caymanians.

    So let me try!

    • We are trying to run a world class economy in Cayman with world class companies – the simple fact is you cannot have this while drawing from a labour pool of 20,000 people. The several billion expats around the world competing for these jobs will always be better qualified and more attractive to employers.
    • We are hiring at my small company – we are thrilled that we believe we have found a Caymanian for the position – we are small and saving the $6k on a work permit is awesome. We were lucky, we need great talent, we were not optimistic of finding it from a small pool on island when we started – that is not discrimination. That is reality.
    • Thing about the worry of renewing an employees permit. It is real for all companies. If you have a great staff member you want to keep, but 'on paper' they are notmore-qualified/experienced than a Cayman aplicant, then your business may be forced to give up this great employee just because a local applies. Even if they are not actually as qualified, as good a personal fit, as well connected, etc. This is unfair and makes Cayman businesses less competitive and less profitable.
    • Cayman is small, and has a small number of industries. If all Caymanians should be employed here you are subjecting them to working only in finance, tourism, legal and service mainly. What about all the other careers and industries that they may be better suited to? If you are looking to maximise Caymanian employment in the correct sectors then you need to facilitate getting Caymanians placed in jobs overseas, not forcing them into the only positions available on island.

    It is not a conspiracy. Stop selling it as one.

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Finally….great post!

    • Anonymous says:

      It is very revealing that you actually put this into print. You have made the case for drastic legislation to deal with this problem, because you are trying to justify the wanton descrimination against Caymanians in the work place, although your argument is to faulty. If there is a qualitified Caymanian, they should be given a chance to do the job. Caymanians should not have to go overseas to work! 

      • Anonymous says:

        Why allow Caymanians to marry non-Caymanians when equally-qualified Caymanians are available?  We marry and reproduce with more expats than we'd like to admit.

        • Anonymous says:

          Where do you live, North Korea? 

          If ever there was an example of the stupidity of some Caymanians, this is your boy. Why would a business employ such backward looking, uneducated Neanderthals over a well educated, cultured and sensible expat? 

          You give educated Caymanians a bad name, get back to your cave and stop thinking, you're dangerous.

          • Anonymous says:

            You have been trolled, you idiot. That is not a Caymanian posting.

        • Anonymous says:

          I think it is going too ar to say caymanians should not marry expats but we are foolish enough to think that they give up support for their old home country.

          There are many expats that are married to caymanians that will not give them a job. heck there are our own caymanians that does the same. some of these fake advertisements are carried out by our own.

          and ps they are getting expats that have those qualifications to work for those salaries.

        • einsatzgruppe 301 says:

          Exactly. Children of mixed marriages here are DNA tested for purity of the Cayman line, so why not spouses and husbands. Once they are deemed to be physically sound and of the correct height /weight, then they can marry.

          Any others will just have to take a permit and not apply until they have contributed for at least two years to the work program which could be overseen by the NWDA.

      • Anonymous says:

        Why not, expats from all over the world have to? Get off your self entitled assess and join the real world.

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes-I’m ‘entitled’ in my own islands.
          Why did u leave ur country.. To be craven and rude in another man’s land?

          • Anonymous says:

            11.31 we do not need to be craven and rude, that is the one thing that you can do perfectly well on your own.

    • Anonymous says:

      Thank you 16 ;52 for the reality of why companies hire expats.

      Caymanians are subjected to finance, toursim, and the legal services mainly. As you say what about the other industries.

      Well lets start with the construction industry, there are no shortage of caymanian builders, yet they cant get the jobs they were subjected to just 10 years back.

      These jobs have been taking over by foriegners, most of them opperating their own company while on a work permit.

      How this is done? the same white colour business man and woman we gave status to, through greed and the lack of common sense on our government they are able to acquire a T&B license to carry out construction jobs.

      These foreign/ paper caymanians seek out their own people and let them use their licenses to carry out large construction jobs. The immigration is aware of this practice.

      • Anonymous says:

        What a racist idiot you are.

        • Anonymous says:

          Nothing to do with race, idiot. Everything to do with a lack of enforcement of immigration and licensing laws which are supposed to prevent a single nationality pervading a workplace if the workers are not Caymanian.

        • Anonymous says:

          11;04

          The stone hit the pig

          Its your racist attitude that you brought here with you. My guess, my comment is all  about people like you.

           

    • Anonymous says:

      make this a viewpoint!

  18. Anonymous says:

    Wendy, your campaign is admirable and of course people blatantly breaking the law should be bought to task for it.

    One has to ask what on earth drives people to so blatantly do this, and I am sure there are many answers, oft repeated by posters here, be it cheap labour at the lower end of the market, or attitudes or qualifications…we have all read the comments.

    For years until recently Cayman has "protected" its workforce, which has lead to some unfortunate situations and points of view, which are inevitable when protectionism is used, as opposed to free market principles. If Caymanians are to be fully employed again, the work place must become totally free of restrictions, at least at certain levels, in order for that small minority of Caymanians who find it difficult to get or retain a job, to understand that the real world outside Cayman is just like that, and skills, motivation and innovation are what is needed to get a job and get the employer to want to keep you on.

    All those who post on here that Caymanians must be given jobs, companies must be forced to employ them are living in cuckoo land. It just does not work like that any more. That is what bankrupts companies and countries.

    • Anonymous says:

      It appears part of your "free market principles" includes unrestricted immigration without regard to the employment levels of the citizens.  Which country has this?  Can we also assume that your modification of these "free market principles" to "certain levels" is one of convenience and that level would of course include you?  The rules have changed "recently" but not significantly in regard to work permits..only the effort of enforcement has.

      • Anonymous says:

        You said unrestricted immigration, not I. I was talking about market forces. 

        • Anonymous says:

          Oh please don't back peddle on your self-serving economically unsupported post now…"Cayman has protected its workforce".."inevitable" result of such "protectionism" are "unfortunate situations" "opposed to free market principles".   Solution…"employment totally free of restrictions"…at this point you have indicated employment without restrictions that are there to protect the citizens of the country ….you do waffle and subsequently limit your open employment policy to levels which I'm sure you conveniently hold.  Not only is your post unsupported and self serviing,,,you are also a pompous ass who feels he/she is more important then others at lower levels who have probably done more for the country. You are a guest…the rules were here when you got here…if you don't like them go home.

    • Walkerman says:

      Great comment. If you look through history in the 80's and 90's less complicated immigration rules. Low caymanian unemployment. As more laws passed throughout the years caymanian unemployment rose.

  19. Anonymous says:

    All trouble is caused by the politicians. THEY can make the laws this country so desperately needs to provide jobs for caymanians.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      No politician can do that, they can only create the right environment in which people are taught the hard work ethic, want to work and policies that create invesment in jobs. Nothing else works.

  20. Anonymous says:

    It really isn't rocket science, employers want to keep hold of experienced, loyal and trustworthy staff who have served their businesses well. Why would anyone who has spent considerable time and money training an employee, voluntarily want to lose that employee and take a risk on a newbie?

    Until Caymanians can prove that they are dependable, loyal, punctual and trustworthy then there will always be a disparity in favour of a known employee. The brutal truth is that many are not and local businessmen know it to their cost. After all, why would an employer want to climb through so many immigration hoops, pay pensions and healthcare if it wasn't in their interest to do so?

    And on the subject of healthcare and pensions, who do you think makes the largest contribution to both contributory funds? Yes, the work permit holders and their employers without whom there would be very little left in the pot for Caymanian interests.

    Cayman should have seen the withdrawal of banking services long ago. Most of the world is way ahead of Caymans personal banking product and wealth funds are relocating to more cost effective locations. For heavens sake, RBS have only just issued Visa Debit Cards!!

    Cayman has been in the US/EU and UK's sights for years now, it didn't take much working out that successive tax avoidance and evasion legislation would eventually have an effect on Caymans banking sector. That's why it's been imperative that the tourism product was given the hotel stock it so desperately needs,  but still has failed to build. Cayman also has to acknowledge that the vast majority of its population are just not qualified or experienced enough to earn high levels of income expected and they will have to enter the service industries if the work permit numbers are to stop increasing.

    Its not the employers fault that a small number of Caymanians are unemployed or unemployable, it is successive governments who have failed to encourage more inward investment and open up their tourism product to those who have huge experience in such matters. If they don't start soon Cayman will founder with the inevitable loss of much of the finance industry and nothing to replace it.

    Open up the business market, encourage competition, stop the closed shop mentality and welcome external investors. No more private condo development for short term gain, build world class hotels and resorts for the growing middle classes who have the money to spend. Stop looking back, lookforward Cayman.

    • Anonymous says:

      Garbage! Businesses will continue to hire people at slave wages in servitude conditions, because they can. The government will not do anything about it and there is no labour movement to demand improvement. In fact, government is one of the worst offenders. There is no competing jurisdiction or marketplace with these conditions among Cayman's business peers. 

      • Anonymous says:

        In answer. Your reply is true, but not in all cases. Many expat staff are quite happy with the wage they earn and with their employers conditions, and there are many other countries that will employ them other than the Cayman Islands so they are not here underobligation.

        Caymanians are the worst offenders when it comes to paying low wages, supplying poor accommodation and treating expats with utter distain. But you make the rules and you are the ones responsible for enforcement, but you are the ones who also want lower prices, childcare, yard workers, nurses, doctors, police officers, bar tenders, cleaners etc, etc………….

        When you finally realise that only a few will ever get to the educational level that warrants high pay, then the work permit level will decrease. The banking and financial sectors are under pressure to reform, the big money jobs just won't be here for ever, so realign your expectations of what careers will be available in the future.

        If not, do as the rest of the world does, get out there.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Well said Al Suckoo. I continue to be proud of giving you my vote. Thank you for standing up for your constituents.

  22. Anonymous says:

    And sadly enough the comapny for which the ad was posted was founded and operated by Caymanians.  Not so sure how much more of this my heart can take.  It's a very sad situation when you see that there are 20,200 valid work permits held by overseas employees and yet apprximately 2,000 Caymanians are unemployed.

  23. Anonymous says:

    It is obvious government does not wish to jeopardize their w/p revenue.  They establish a voluntary NWDA registration and "suggest" companies reassess their compliance with local law.  Immigration/Government must think Caymanians are a little slow if they expect us to see this as a viable way to address the abuses of Cayman laws.  With this kind of effort by our regulators it is understandable why companies now believe the approval of the first work permit gives the foreign national security of tenure for 7 years.  Renewal advertisements with unnecessary requirements which w/p holder happens to have, missing salary ranges, etc. merely enforces the belief….it is nothing more then going through the motions to appease an apathetic and revenue conflicted immigration department.  The only time you will ever see any enforcement is when someone at immigrations relative wants the position.

  24. noname says:

    I myself applied for a job posted by Baraud on behalf of SOL (ESSO)

    The education requirements were minimum at having a high school diploma but the knowledge base of a particular software program were very specific. 

    Turns out, I met and superseded all of the requirements with the exception of 1 – a group 4 driver’s license, which can easily be obtained.

    I gave excellent references which included very reputable overseas engineers with some 30 years’ experience that i have worked with.

    I did not get a receipt of email even when I asked if the recruiter could confirm that he received my email.

    Goes to show that jobs are tailored for individuals and not the best candidate or that these recruitment agencies are not focused on helping Caymanians.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      12;53

      Sol will not hire you if you are a caymanian, you are considered an outsider. If you notice, Sol got rid of all caymanians that were in the top bracket which would be privy to the financial aspect of the company.

       

      Sol even recruited amongst their own people (foreigner) a so-called in-house maintinance company, who contract work from Sol.

      If one notice for the last 15 years in Cayman this has been the trend with managers within these large companies.

      No locals companies are hired to do any of Sol jobs unless in areas like electrical,and that will soon be in-house.

      When it was Texaco , back in the 80s Caymanian companies did all their tank cleaning,welding sand blasting and painting, now its all done by foreigners, we cant say we do not have the skill and capability here. Its all about greed and how much money one can skim off these opportunities. And the Immigration is at fault, they keep giving the work permits.

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe its because they did not like your attitude?  If you come across as hating expats (the customers), or hating the employers (because they hire expats) then you will not fit in very well no matter what you know.  Think about it for just a minute.  Is it possible that you and those like you can change your attitude about non Caymanians?

      • Anonymous says:

        Hatred? That’s a two-way street. Many expats are varybhateful.

      • Anonymous says:

        First off, please tell me how anyone can have an impression or opinion of my "attitude " when I was not even given the opportunity to sit in an interview?

        I have nothing against expats, nor expat companies. What I do have a problem with is exactly what this article has highlighted!

        That these posts are simply fronts to comply with local laws but we are not given real opportunities.

         Perhaps a solution to give some transparency to this is to cc the NWDA  or immigration on all applications? 

        And for the record, my application and resume was reviewed by an expat professional recruiter to ensure that I would be seen as a credible and professional applicant.

        seems like it's you who had a problem with us stating our opinion and factual information about what takes place in our own country that we have no control over because of  persons like you!

        if your offended, tough! This is reality and not some fairy tale that you live in. That's why in the great America, everyone is pissed with their president, cause he's like you! Looking out for everyone except their own!

         

        • Anonymous says:

          You have just exposed why you may not come qcross well.  Such hateed is hard to hide.

      • Anonymous says:

        Hating employers because they hire expats in preference to qualified Caymanians and mislead regulators (committing a crime and damaging our future) to achieve this is perfectly noble and legitimate.

    • Anonymous says:

      The main reason companies utilize immigration service companies is their expertise in circumvention of, not compliance with, Cayman laws and regulations. 

      • Anonymous says:

        And these are the same people drafting the changes to the laws. No wonder it is getting worse.

      • Anonymous says:

        To be fair, some play it by the book, but other are truly scary in what they are willing to do. Even more frightening however is the authorities blatant refusal to do anything to stop it.

    • Anonymous says:

      When I applied to baraud and never heard back, I just assumed i did not have at that time the qualifications  or experiemce to suit the jobs on their books.  I did not assume recism but then I am an expat.

    • Anonymous says:

      So, you did not meet all of the job requirements, and you wonder why you did not make the cut?

  25. Anonymous says:

    If the job posting in question was designed around an expat / permit already in place and meant to make Caymanians shy away from applying then I have a couple questions. (btw – I agree that the ad is meant to do both). 

    1) If the ad is an attempt to fulfill the requirements of the work permit process and to obtain a renewal for a person who has an MBA and who is doing the job already then why would the employer want to get rid of an MBA trained admin clerk? Perhaps this person is working their way up in the company? Perhaps they bring a lot to the table and contribute greatly to the company. Why would anyone want to get rid of that person and hire someone else with less qualifications in their place for the same amount of money?? If you could have a Ferrari for the same price as a Toyota hatchback then wouldn't you take the Ferrari?

    2) As a Caymanian, I would want to get out there and find ways to improve my level of training in order to compete with this. It's clear that the CI must participate in the global labour market in order to make the economy function. 20000 work permits and 2000 unemployed tells us that this is the case. There are tons more jobs than there are people here. Not a bad problem to have. The fact is, for an economy to survive and grow, the government needs to butt out and stop trying to manipulate businesses into hiring less qualified people. Protectionist policies are not known for stimulating economies in the long run. If people want work then they need to make efforts to be the best and the brightest on the pile of applications. Point the finger at the education system here if that isn't the case. It's not the job of the private sector to take on the entire training of the labour force. Some of that must fall to education and to the people themselves. 

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Finally again..great post

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with all you say, except that there must be a level playing field which is not skewed to businesses that want to hire at slave wages, or demand ridiculous qualifications for jobs that clearly do not require it. If you have a level playing field (brought about by proper regulations and enforcement) then you can talk about Caymanians having to improve their work ethics. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Said it before and will say it again. This position could suit a retiree who wants to feel useful again, a person who switched careers and has the experience and doesn't want to work the rat race anymore and already has made their money,  an unemployed person who wants to get back in the workforce, someone who wants to learn the business and maybe one day open their own.  

        This job as many jobs won't work for everyone. But it will work for some. 

      • Anonymous says:

        I didn't say anything about Caymanians improving their work ethics. I said education. 

        What do you mean level playing field? Currently the field is skewed in favour of Caymanians who all have the first rights to every single job on island. The work that must be done by an employer to prove that no Caymanians were found for the job adds expense and time to business operations. For sure it's not a level playing field. Of couse, once an expat is found and then trained… why wouldn't the business want to keep that person who is now  proving themselves to be a valuable or cost effective employee. Who would want to change that out for a person who is presenting a resume that shows a job hop every six months? I have seen these resumes come across my desk. I think it would make for an interesting research study to find out the root causes of so much job hopping. I won't even interview someone who lists a ratio of more than 2 jobs per year. Either they are getting frired repeatedly or quitting after only a few months. Either way, not worth ditching an expat for. 

  26. Anonymous says:

    Who on Gods green earth with a Masters in Computers would work for 24K p.a. in the Cayman Islands.  Shame on that company as they very well know that its their own people that wouldnt do it as it is a Caymanian family owned business….SMH!!! And be on call 24/7! Not even medical personal are on call 24/7… pure bull c#%p! 

    • Anonymous says:

      I would just to get my foot back on the ladder. 

      • Anonymous says:

        I would too.  24k is better than nothing and I know I would impress given the opportunity.

  27. Mr Suckoo - Technology sector? says:

    Dear Mr Suckoo, 

    You came from the technology sector so should know first hand that the primo IT salary jobs ALL go to expats no matter how qualified the locals are!  This is one area where it is simply black and white,. Locals that have university degrees and many advanced IT certifications and qualifications behind their names are consistently passed over for overseas applicants. This is not a judgement call- certifications are qualifications…

    Sorry, but the CI Government is the worst offender in this area. Start with succession planning for all accounting, HR, Admin &  IT jobs in our civil service and our youth currently attending universities (and qualified graduates with IT degrees) can finally get a paycheque in this sector.  The Chief Officers are shameless with their other Caribbean island "pets" and offer 7 years of back to back contracts (General Registry, Customs, Home affairs, HSA, GIS, etc….) while our certified Caymanians sit by and watch all contracts and work permits renewed.

    Alden, we dare you to go and watch Charlie K rubber stamp all the permits for every financial and legal firm on this island.

    Dont even TRY to understand the NWDA, their new rocket science IT person just cc'd every registered loca in an email blast last week (duh) and the new chap is being fed by the same management that rubber stamps "waivers" weekly at the Staffing Board meetings.

    The only solution is to have all local applicants email their resumes to one central point where it is matched against the newspaper advertisements. It could not be simpler, but the 800 pound gorilla in the room is that no one has the balls to actually do it.  Every single politician knows of highly qualified locals that are being passed over, but we still only get poor lip service.

    Make this the political term to have the guts to say goodbye to just 10% of these rubber stamped permits and allow even 200 locals that will be displaced (from HSBC, RBC, and Scotia- quite a few accounting, admin, and IT jobs I'm sure Al?-). Who is looking at the work permit renewals? NOT the Immogration Board that is for sure…. If it is white collar, it is rubber stamped approved! Shameful and wrong!!

    • Cayman Grad with experience says:

      How about Caymanian FSU grad with CPA going toe to toe with same years of INTERNATIONAL business (yes, did 3 years in Miami and I speak Spanish) Member of Rotarac, leader in my church, I have a child here to support, and STILL cannot even get an interview as I watch expats with less experience and no community efforts what so ever walk into every white collar job?!?

      If you actually think we are all just community college wanna-bes you are WRONG.  There is a very high percentage of locals that have just as much international experience as the expats and we are still passed over and that is wrong and against the LAW.

      No one is asking for a free lunch! 

      We worked hard, got scholarships, moved to the USA, UK, and Canada for work experience, but SHOULD expect to have opportunities when we return home and can go toe to toe with Joe expat.  It is THIS inequalty that we are screaming about.  We have the CPA certifications, the advanced IT certifications, the work experience, and the good references….so WHERE are our jobs?

      NWDA new Director, you have failed before you started.  Start by going to every Immigration Board meeting and Business Staffing Board meeting.  Do NOT believe your "managers" they are part of the cronyism problem and will feed you what you want to hear while continuing to grant waivers to their cousins in exchange for favors, free lunches, and nepotism.

      This advert (and others) need the $20,000 fine and our politicians to get the balls to actually deny a work permit renewal when a qualified local is passed over.  Sorry big business, you are supposed to follow the law and without any succession planning, this is your own fault!  $20,000 fine and enforcement is the only answer.  (then education and succession planning will follow as thr white collar businesses then scream for Caymanian hires.)

      Big stick, then the carrot.

      • Anonymous says:

        So where did you apply? I can't believe that you are unable to obtain work with such high qualifications and glowing references. I will say though that your statement that you "should expect to have opportunities" seems to reflect a general attitude of entitlement. Do you want Cayman to be afree capitalist society or a highly regulated socialist society? Do you want the job on your own merits and effort or because a government forced a business to hire you even though you were not their first choice? Hiring policies based on race, gender, culture, sexual preference, nationality, etc instead of raw pure ability will make for a less than efficient and competitive business environment here in the Cayman Islands. Is that what you want?

        I will tell you what I think is happening because of that: people might get jobs at first, but then the jobs will disappear as the economy shrinks due to businesses simply relocating to other jurisdictions. You can see this already with the closure of banks happening. As these businesses close the jobs they provided will disappear and then a domino effect will occur as the money those formerly employed people spent in the economy disappears leading to other service businesses also closing and so on and so forth. I don't think this will bode well for Caymanian employment. 

        Here is the solution:

        1) encourage rather than discourage business development by providing an open environment with less red tape and hassle

        2) ensure that Caymanians are on the top of the list of desired employees by designing, funding and implementing the best education system possible

        But guess what. This is no overnight solution. It will take years and hence it will never be done because it would be political suicide. Voters want immediate results and will turn on their candidates long before this solution is able to fix anything. 

        Cayman is destined to be stuck in this endless loop forever until someone comes along with enough courage to do what is truly necessary. Fix education and create a business environment that encourages new investment in the economy. 

         

      • Anonymous says:

        MightI respectfully suggest that being a leader in your church or doing community work should have nothing to do with getting a job.  I simply do not believe business is excluding caymanians in favor of expats unless "toe to toe" you simply are not better.  It is the employer who must decide who is the best person for the job not you or government.   May I suggest you get independent advice on your resume and interview techniques.  In my experience your sense of entitlement to a job may actually be hampering you.  We are desperate to take on Caymanians but we are also desperate to make sure our business has the best possible enployees to compete in a global market and three years experience would not be enough experience to operate at the level I udemand from my employees.

         
        • Ruling class is the problem of the working class says:

          Great- Desperate to take on good locals- then give us a shot at the interview please.  Name your firm and we will send resumes to your HR.  Lets all sit down and just be fair.  If you don't like my personality that will be reason enough I promise you.  I only want an interview and a fair chance.

      • Walkerman says:

        With all that work and service club time it must not be your qualifications that are keeping you out of a job. Really interests me to know the real reason. 

        • Cayman Grad with experience says:

          The real reason is that you have not met me to give me a chancel  My resume has been reviewed by the recuiters and HR experts and they say it is very good.  However, when it gets to your HR team, I am called and some obcure requirement is made up (forgot to mention must be a sotware expert in a bespoke software) so I never even get in the front door for an interview!

          3 times I've had phone interviews with the "Head Office" while the new hire expat gets off the plane and walks into the local building.  I followed up the same week after my overseas interview only to fin the new chap settled in earlier in the week?

          I never even get a chance.  All we ask is that if you truly want to recruit locals, just be genuine and advertise BEFORE your HR department pays the local recruiters $10,000 to hire the expat.

           

    • Walkerman says:

      Worst idea ever. If the banks are laying people of because of the constraints in cayman. Your idea is to crush them more by taking away the permits they kept here. Do you not think the masters in their head office will further reduce staff in cayman? Cayman is not a unique situation and competition and regulation is huge factors. More and less risky money can be made elsewhere. The banks don't really need cayman anymore. Cayman needs the banks. 

  28. Anonymous says:

    NWDA leadership already making excuses for it's oversight of this glaring "stacked" advertisement!!?? Is this the direction of this agency?

  29. L. E. Phant says:

    This is basically to do with Caymanian owned businesses that don’t want to employ their own people and prefer to hire well certificated and dependable Filipinos and other nationalities who will accept low wages.

    Ironically, the bulk of the Caymanian private sector work force are employed by foreign owned financial services businesses.

    • Anonymous says:

      And the reason 9:48 is because the filipinos and other foreigners employed by these Caymanian companies ensure they make money for the company because they are reliable and work hard. Not Caymanians. It's a bottom line issue plain and simple.

  30. CAYMAN 4 REAL says:

    Our Government is a Joke, the labour department is a bigger joke and tara rivers – good God I don't know what to say about her, I think the poor thing bit off more than she could chew and the voters were fool enough to vote her in and watch her choke at our expense. Government doesn't regulate the private sector, the private sector regulates the Government and for the sake of demoncracy everyone pretends that is not the case. You send a legitimate case to labour board, with all the facts, documents, legislation and STILL they can't give answers or get things done! It is a disgrace, I am Caymanian, and honestly I have gotten to the point that I couldn't care less if we all go unemployed, it would be only then that Caymanians unite and start getting things done! Once a Caymanian is employed and making their lil peanuts, no one else matters and the fire is too far from home, once they are fired or laid off then everyone pays lip service until they find another job. I pray to God that I never have to work in the corporate slavery department ever again! Amen! 

  31. Anonymous says:

    Fraudulent advertising is a crime under the Immigration Law. Why are there no prosecutions? Why do we keep giving fraudsters and the beneficiaries of such frauds status? 

    • Hear hear! says:

      Hear hear! Where is the $20,000 fine ?!? Alden ? Not even 1 enforcement for your crony network? Shame on you and the entire Immigration enforcement division.

      • Anonymous says:

        Let’s ask the anti corruption commission why our law is not enforced? Or are their systems corrupted too?

    • Anonymous says:

      I"m sorry. I don't understand where the fraud was committed? Do you think an employer can't advertise for whatever qualifications they want? How is that fraud? Is Cayman and open and free society or not? I a company manages to land a well trained staff member and then doesn't want to lose that person then what is wrong with advertising for similar qualifications? How is that fraud?

      Wake up and understand the labour market. You want an internationally engaged economy here then that requires expat workers and this in turn creates a highly competitivelabour market. Or, you can send all the expats home, along with their skills and abilities, and have no economy at all. Personally, I think Caymanians should be happy that people want to move here, live here, spend their money here and contribute to the economy and to society. It takes all kinds. Stop moaning about it and get on board. The opportunities are amazing. Why do you think so many expats come?! To take advantage of these opportunities. And yes, that means that there is a lot of competition. Get over it. Study hard. Work hard. Show goes worth ethic and it shouldn't be hard to progress. I simply don't buy it when people say that they are being passed over despite being qualified. That makes absolutely no economic sense. 

       

       

      • Anonymous says:

        The advertising regime is designed and intended to ensure that employment opportunities are fairly disclosed to Caymanians. It is a requirement of the advertising that it fairly represent the requirements of the role. If the requirements are not accurately portrayed, the entire system collapses.

        If there is an intentional crafting of an advertisement to mislead as to actual requirements that is a fraud. If the intention is to seek to preserve the employment of a foreign person over a capable local it causes untold harm to our society and the peaceful cooperation between Caymanians and Expatriates that is the very foundation of Cayman. These frauds are an attack on our very survival, and will cause social unrest if it is not stopped now!

        • Dreadlock Holmes says:

          That my friend is an excellent post. It cuts to the chase. This news article is about discriminatory advertising and I venture to guess most of us are workers, or potential workers, not employers. This about some people, fellow workers if you like being discriminated against. But as usual things are devolving into Caymanian vs Expat.

           

           

           

           

      • Anonymous says:

        You live in a dream world. The overt discrimination against Caymanians in their own country is palpable, growing, and will destroy us all if we do not all take meaningful steps against it. Sure being Caymanian is not a qualification, but neither is being Canadian or Jamaican or South African. Why then do we have businesses dominated by particular nationalities in Cayman?

    • Anonymous says:

      Dear Lord, nothing is illegal here since few laws are enforced.  This cannot be news to you.