Mac may finally reveal all
(CNS): Updated. The public meeting with theLoGB has been moved to the Mary Miller Hall at 7:30pm. McKeeva Bush is expected to tell the Caymanian public the current situation regarding the budget, the status of the UK approval to borrow funds and an updateon what were described as projects supported by the government. Bush has been reluctant to reveal locally what his plans are to get over the impasse between Cayman and the UK on permission for further borrowing. However, speaking in the Financial Times today, he said Cayman had put forward adequate proposals to cut costs and raise revenues without the introduction of new taxes.
"We have identified steps to move forward and restore balance," he told the UK’s leading financial broadsheet on Tuesday. Bush said the Cayman Islands could put its finances, hit by the economic downturn and rising public spending, on an even keel by raising fees for work permits, registration fees and certain services. But he has yet to convince the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which has delayed approval to borrow $372 million to balance the 2009/10 budget.
Echoing some of the sentiments voiced by the previous PPM administration relating to UK power over Cayman, Bush has called for an overhaul of the UK’s power of veto over additional borrowing by its territories, saying he had put a proposal on the agenda of the Overseas Territories Council, which oversees the relationship. Bush told the FT that the argument that the UK had a contingent liability for the Cayman Islands’ borrowings was unfounded.
"Fairness must be the foundation stone . . . If they are not paying or prepared to pay, there is no contingent liability."
Bush was originally scheduled to bring the Budget on Friday of last week. However, it was postponed to Monday and then deferred to an unspecified date this week. A public meeting was also scheduled to take place on the Court House steps last Thursday but that was also cancelled. Yesterday afternoon a notice was issued that he would be reconvening that meeting tonight at 7:30pm.
So far, the LoGB has hinted at a community or payroll tax as well as increases in existing fees. However, a number of suggestions have been proposed by government over the last few weeks to raise revenue and cut spending, only to be rejected later. The first suggestion was to freeze civil service pensions, which was rejected, followed by a 2% pay cut on civil servants’ salaries, which was also dropped. Since then, attention has moved from the public sector to the private, and in particular foreign workers and propertyowners. The latest suggestions are that work permit fees may be significantly increased.
The people of Cayman may be put out of their suspense this evening if the meeting goes ahead and find out exactly what this year’s budget going to cost them.
Category: Headline News
Expat this, Cayman that… Jamaica has a saying, "Jamaica to the world" (if I’m correct) and seems Cayman wants their own… "Cayman against the world"
Not all Caymanians are lazy, but stigma rises from the bad apples that spoil the bunch. And not all expacts are here to distroy the country.
First, Caymanians need to work hard (er) at their jobs if they want to remain/ rise at all in the business world. Why would you hire a Caymanian, except to escape permit fees, when the talk is (and sometime record) that we’re lazy.
2nd, if we (Caymanians & expats) have no regard for those schooled here, WHY IN THE WORLD DO WE HAVE COLLEGES HERE THEN? If I’m not interested in overseas education and have completed the necessary training here, why can’t I compete for a job here???
3rd, we all human (expats and all). If we continue against each other like this, crime na fi increase? I’m afraid that the next thing go be racial crimes. Jamaican stabbed, Caymanian shot, American stabbed, British shot and the cycle continues… STOP THE FOOLISHNESS, we ALL live here! Selfish poor excuses of life we’ve become….
Sad day in paradise indeed
Mac just played his old recording yet again, what a waste of time:
More devlopment (his company the listing agent)
More people to eventually get Status (more votes beholden to the UDP)
More new foreign companies setting up in the C I to compete with established Caymanian companies (rewards for the UDP Proffessional Fronters – "Jobs for the Boys")
More canals in the North Sound at the expense of that national treasure (more real estate listings for his company)
Move the cargo port and air port – at our expense (rewards to the UDP Boys and still trying to figure out his benefit here, it is there folks)
Build the cruise port (rewarding his UDP buddies again, pay back for party contributions)
The air time could have been saved, just replay from previous Mac speeches, nothing new!
This may not be the place for this but they have DR. BRONNER’S Soap at Foster’s Airport. Best soap I’ve ever used.
Just don’t drop that Doc Browner’s bar…
Wow. It’s been a whole day since I checked these posts, and the Blame Game is in full spate. Phewie.
Folks, we is stuck in de middle of a WORLD recession. De money real scarce. Mommy say no borrow mo. Wot de once-big man to do? No can upset man wid big house. No can upset man wid de big land. No can upset de po relative in gubmint. No can upset big bidniz. No can upset nobody. Oh my. If only me fine me piggy bank, me tink me fine a few million to send de po man.
If you had been keeping up with CNS you would know that it has been determined that the world recession is part of conspiracy by Mother England to destroy Cayman.
If half the posters here had spent any real time in the last year in the real time they might appreciate how easy Cayman has had it and how they should be thankful.
Maybe they should go to Fort Myers and get a taste of what Cayman might be like in a couple of years if its economy does go South.
Just finished watching the televised meeting and I have to say that Mac did a good credible job – and I am saying that as someone who thinks that up to today he did not do too well with presenting Cayman’s situation internationally. But credit where it is do and tonight he did well. I would also like to say well done to Canover and his committee for finding $100 million in new revenue.
As I sat in that hall for 2hrs and listened to him speak, I cannot believe that he stood there, laid out the plans and then gave credit to people like Perlina McGaw, Jonathan Piercy, the Minister’s wife and some private sector big wigs and in all that time, not once did he give credit to anyone in the Civil Service.
I know for a fact, that people, especially in the Portfolio of Finance, worked from early mornings to late nights 7 days per week over the past weeks and months to make this budget possible. These revenue ideas, I know where they came from and with all due respect to Canover, it wasn’t from him.
So folks, when you see the Civil Service push back against a pay cut, I want you all to understand, we do all the work, get all the blame and never any of the credit, therefore, the least the Government can do is pay us an honest wage.
Clearly the "voice" in this email is from the upper echelon of Civil Service association. I agree with you on one point…Perlina I am sure did nothing to really add to this if anyone remembers her campaign speeches and interviews. Jonathan may have but name was purely political. Civil service should have been mentioned because I am sure FS and department, and others, were heavily involved.
Now the other side….the civil service and the "voice’ in this blog really needs to get REAL. 3800 persons in the civil service is ridiculous. I would advise instead of taking the silly stand you have for personal aggrandizement you need to organize internally to DUMP the deadwood! Then people will take you seriously.
The civil service WILL be cut and it WILL respond in a timely manner to public requests. No one in the Cayman Islands should be guaranteed a job without regard to performance. If the private sector can make sacrifices and go to reduced pay to save their jobs, so can you.
Every external review of the civil service done in the last 20 years finds poor performers, poor and inefficient systems and extreme delay in response to public and more……I am not sure why you think you "do all the work"…….and honest wages??…last I saw the civil service is above par with the private sector…..get real Mr. Voice!! you seem to be an angry young man….be a part of the solution and move off this silly position.
I read the origional poster, and your reply. I would like to agree with the original poster. I too have knowledge of the great efforts that have been underway within the Service, and the least that should be done is a recognition that they played a part. This is the way it goes down every time.
You seem to think that you know who the poster is, but there is nothing in what was written that allows you to assume that the poster is male, or a member of the Civil Service Association, or even a Civil Servant, it could be the spouse of a Civil Servant for example. I would guess that the poster is a Civil Servant though. As for being on par with the private sector, you may feel that way, but evidence is to the contrary. As for the deadwood, I agree with you, but I do stress that it is my belief that this is no different than the private sector. Unfortunataley for Civil Servants, this point is neither here nor there, since in the private sector that is the share-holder/owner’s problem, in the public sector it is all of our problem, since the Civil Service works for us.
I agree Big Mac (no sure if I can still call him that, he lost so much weight), Keepit up Mac) he did an excellent job in notifying us of what we have to do going forward. I think he can keep us from going "belly up".
Question, whey did Elio had to spoil it by bringing in his "agenda"? the political bashing is no longer necessary, let’s go on with the business of "keeping the boat afloat"
A praying Caymanian
You must be lovin this CNS I think we should all write in patois. It would be much more interesting to read. We’re getting too grammatical. Can anyone teach me patois?
mi cant tich u, but fi una lissen reel good, u wi lern, lik mi.
You’ve got it a little right and a little wrong. Politics is about tribes. But it isn’t confined to Cayman. It’s just more PERSONAL here because it’s a relatively small place. The concept of people voting for a representative so far hasn’t been improved upon but the processes involved during and afterwards are very similar to a form of tribal warfare. We like to call that ruling by majority! Take a look at the United States. What choice do people really have? The Eastern Seaboard Elitists, represented by the Democrats, or the Southern Oil Barons represented by the Republicans. Occassionaly they try to pretend they represent the unwashed hoards but in reality it’s switch and bait. This is no different than politics anywhere. How do you form a political party? How much money does it take? A lot. Who has that much money? We know for certain banks have a lot of money. We know big oil has a lot of money. Big pharma has lots of money. Big corporations have a lot of money. If you needed funding for your party’s campaign where would you go?? Certainly not to average Americans. They can barely pay their credit cards, keep their homes, or find jobs!
In the end who do you owe your allegiance to? Who got you there? That’s politics in the U.S. And in other larger countries.
Now… let’s get personal.
Cayman is different. In an interesting way. Politics is a little more grassroots. I don’t remember a time in my home country when the Prime Minister walked in and had a beer. Rather cool. But with an amazing twist. There is a large segment of the population which can’t vote. Yet are blamed for many of the problems government sometime creates all by itself. And I am getting right pissed off hearing how ex-pats are evil-doers, don’t give a damn, and take advantage. Tribal warfare? Yeah mon. But let’s not fight amongst ourselves and don’t waste your arrows on me. I work all day long too! And say to myself "wow! where did all my grocery money go?" Food? or Rent?? No I do not drive a Rolls. I am not a member of a hedge fund. I don’t have a timeshare. I don’t live in a mansion. I don’t own a yacht. And I don’t have a private helicopter. I get stuck in traffic also. See you there in the morning.
Peace.
Oh boy, the posters going to have a field day with the crap coming out of Mac’s mouth right now in the morning. Oh well, something for the Civil Servants to do tomorrow I guess. Myself included.
You should be thankful that even if you think it is crap coming out of his mouth that he he is doing something about saving this country rather than people like you who call yourself a civil servant and do nothing but bad mouth the government and reap all the benefits government offers. We the people out here in the private sector don’t get those kinds of privileges. In fact if we were to talk about our employers like that we wouldn’t have a job.
I haven’t heard one word from Kurt Tibbetts about how he would save the country! Of course I wouldn’t call that crap I would call that a load of bull**it if there is ever anything. They have been in office since May and the only thing they have done is to call a press conference to offer no apologies for the state in which they left our country. Kurt offering his hand in unity at the last minute when even the negotiations are over shows his true lack of leadership and in true form PPM political posturing.
Congrats Mac and your entire team for working so hard to get us out of this mess that the PPM put us in.
Please accept my apologies on behalf of this ungrateful so called civil servant that has written in with his/her useless and unwanted comments.
The problem with people like you is that you are part of the problem, not the solution. Not once did I mention the UDP or PPM, I support neither. Nor do I support the crap that was coming out of Mac’s mouth with regards to more unsustainable growth and development, which was a huge part of what put us in this mess in the first place, whetheryou and he are willing to admit to it or not. Hotels are operating with sections closed at 20% occupancy and less(I know it’s low season, I don’t care). Your fearless leader’s solution is to build more luxury resorts and dredge a massive channel in the North Sound for Luxury Yachts, crap. Focusing on these types of projects, as he clearly intends upon doing, is a dangerous game and one which is reliant on many things, not least of which is the global economy. So you go right ahead blindly following, I, and many others would like to think that we are a little more intelligent than that.
I agree with you…..never ending supply of pure crap spilling outta his mouth on a regular basis! We currently have approx 26,000 work permit holders out there…..so who is stupid enough to believe that all this development is to help with creating jobs for Caymanians! If you only have half a brain you must can figure out how simple it is for us to create jobs for Caymanians! It sure as hell does not require the almighty sale of Cayman, millions of dollars of inward investment, killing off the North Sound for mega yacht facilities etc etc!! Unless of course we are going to be ‘inheriting’ another 5-6,000 ‘Caymanians’ overnight – then I guess, we might need to be ‘creating’ jobs for them….our Country in the hands of the Mac and the UDP can only mean one thing…..downward slide! So sad….
Why do you feel that taxing the expats will make everything better? They already pay higher "fees" than any Caymanian. You don’t believe me? Look at the stamp duty before (and surely after) the temporary reduction. Expats pay 6% and locals pay 5%. Plus, even though expats pay a greater duty, they are not allowed to send their kids to the free government school. Instead they are paying outrageous sums, sometimes higher than a college education, just for their kids to get a basic education.
The expats are already paying more for all of their services, and they get treated as second class citizens. "Sorry, you can’t stay. It’s been seven years. You have to go home now. What’s that? You own a house, contribute to the economy, and are a positive influence in the community? Oh well. Maybe you shouldn’t have tried so hard." The expats will not retire here because they are not allowed to. That’s why the money goes to foreign shores. Suddenly xenophobia is turning out to be a bad thing for Cayman.
I am certain my experience is shared by many other expats who are fed up of how the locals treat us and look down on us!!! Even though we are funding the infrastructure projects through our higher duties and fees.
I have just looked at the poll asking about independence. Still a majority in favor of retaining indirect rule by the UK. And yet there is so much national pride. Also, many comments pertaining to ex-pats, foreign workers, and foreign ownership of businesses and what some perceive to be slow eroding of true Caymanian culture and opportunity. The fear of that comes out in some of the nasty comments made towards fellow citizens of the islands. There is nothing wrong with national pride I myself am from Greenland a place where NOONE wants to live or work! Just kidding.
But the poll says a lot about insecurity. We’re all insecure right now. Because of what’s happening. And if you want to feel REAL insecurity try being an ex-pat! Whether Cayman is ready for independence depends a lot on whether or not people have begun to feel secure about their futures. And who can blame any of us this is obviously not an opportune time to feel that way wherever you reside in the world.
But keep in mind that if in the future people wait for the UK to say "you’re ready for independence" or to be given the go ahead. They may have a long wait.
It will possibly never come in quite that fashion. Possibly, at some point, it won’t be a matter of waiting for permission. It will destiny but insecurities will have to be tackled first.
Please don’t blame ex-pats for some of the insecurities which have been foisted on the Cayman people. Or at least don’t let it come out that way in some comments we’re fellow citizens too. And we care as much about this place as you do. If you’re a Caymanian and if you look carefully for just a second. You’d be surprised how many people are on your side.
TAX THE EXPATS AND COLLECT THEIR PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS AS TAX…
My recommendation would be to raise work permit fees and collect the 4-6% pension payment made by expats as a tax to pay off some of our deficit and enhance our communities. Face it; there are approximately 27,000 work permit holders here who do not contribute much to our communities. This 4-6% will benefit our communities as expats ultimately will not retire here. They usually request their pension payment within 1-2 years of leaving the Islands. By raising permit fees, hopefully qualified locals would have a chance to occupy some of the senior positions currently filled by EXPATS. So my thoughts, the expats use our roads, they occupy our beaches and use other public facilities free of charge. Then have the audacity to treat locals as if we are nothing in our own country. What a shame!!!. They send most of their weekly/monthly salary to their home countries in the thousands; therefore, they can buy homes for cash when they return to their home country. I have witnessed this first hand. Question, why are they here? The reason we all go elsewhere is, for a better life. If they are not here to contribute or benefit these Islands, they might as well leave. They are already sucking us dry. Some will ask; what will we do without them?? We survived before they came and brought their friends and their friends brought other friends and before long, we are overrun. We are resilient and can survive without them taking over our jobs (some unqualified yet in senior positions) and ultimately living far better in our own Islands. Those expats who mean well will not run when faced with adversity.
I am certain my experience is shared by many other locals who are fed up of how the expats treat us and look down on us!!! IN OUR OWN COUNTRY!! Caymanians, let us take back our communities and our jobs.
We need to throw away bitterness, sour graping and pointing fingers…. let us act together and think of ways to help the government.
But if you take away the bitterness, sour graping and pointing fingers what are the most vocal here, clearly the most mediocre of the otherwise great local workforce going to do to stop taking responsibility and find some acceptance of their own inadequacies?
You make me sick you ignorant, lazy, self-centered Caymanian. Take away our pension? Are you really that stupid? Why don’t you as a Caymanian, fork over some of your own money to save the country you so love? We expats contribute just as much and usually more- to this country . You don’t have a hope in surviving without ‘us’. We look down only on people like you because you’re just plain stupid – Caymanian or not. Who wouldn’t look down on ignorance like yours. Who helped you out during Ivan? Who paved your roads, who created jobs for you and your loved ones? Yeah, yeah, we’re really bad people aren’t we? If you had half a brain, you’d realize how important we all are to this country and how everyone should pay to keep it viable. You can’t take back something you handed over a long time ago.
You are an idiot, and an embarrassment to the expatriate guest workers on the Island.
You are an obnoxious fxxx, and if I recognized you in the street I’d drop you like the worthless bag of sh!t that you are. It’s complete jackxxxs like you who give humans a bad name, let alone the supposedly well-educated professionals who come here to contribute and share. I can only surmise that (s) you are incomparably stupid, and (b) you are in need of psychiatric treatment for a multitude of disorders.
Please learn to express yourself with a degree of respect to your audience.
PS – xxxx you, you xxxxxxx xxxx.
AMEN!!! I concur! There are tons of qualified Caymanians that can fill these senior positions that the "HS Diploma certified" expats are filling! 27,000 is a ridiculous number of expats to have on such a small island, I’m sure they would be twice as disgruntled if the population in their own homelands was comprised of more than 40% Caymanians or any other nationality. But of course, until they wear our shoes – they won’t know exactly how uncomfortable we are!
Just to give you some idea of what it is like in other, more civilised places. The population of Vancouver is 51% immigrant, and the population of Toronto is 49% immigrant. So please don’t complain until you have educated yourself to the real ways of the world.
I am educated as to world statistics. But I will re-iterate, for such a small Island as Cayman, statistics of a major City such as Toronto (over 2.48 million people) and Vancouver (over 611k) there is no comparison to Cayman’s population of just over 50k. Thus the reason for rollover policy. We don’t have the resources to accommodate so many people, thus the reason for the rising crime level.
"So please don’t complain until you have educated yourself to the real ways of the world." What a ridiculous suggestion. The first rule of CNS postings is that all stridently expressed facts are true.
you ask why are they are here? it’s because there is no caymanian able to the job.
This is what I like about living here. The feeling of being welcomed with open arms. As my family has tried to make a life here, become part of the community and do our best to be responsible members of the Cayman society we are told that we, "do not contribute much to (Cayman) communities," that we, "use (Cayman) roads…occupy (Cayman) beaches and use other public facilities free of charge." I didn’t there was a special payment made by all Caymanians to use the roads, beaches, and other public facilities that I get to use free of charge. Can the previous commenter please tell me how muchit was and where I can pay it? Finally, we "treat locals as if we are nothing in our own country." I have never, nor will I ever denigrate anyone because I think myself better than them nor have I ever sent one dime back home, so does my family get to stay while the previous commenter runs the rest of the sorry, no account, awful for Cayman, expats back to whatever God forsaken place they have come from?
In the animal kingdom they call you and your like "parasites". The reason that expats are required is because you cannot or refuse to do your jobs; you’re of the three kind variety…incompetent, lazy, or both. Just a thought.
You know I am sick of the incompetent, lazy argument. And no the reason we need expats is because we have a country that is growing, through development, faster than the local population can provide labour. Period! So it’s not a matter of cannot or refuse to do our jobs, it’s that there are too many jobs. For your statement to be true, then there would have to be a much larger number of Caymanians not working, or willing to work, and those people woudl be of all kinds of backgrounds, education levels, and would have previously worked, or stated some form of interest in working in a variety of industries. Where are all of the good-high-school pass and higher Caymanians who refuse to work? They don’t exist, they are all out WORKING! As for your first statement, lookya, you never had life this good, and that is the main problem with alot of expats writing on CNS. YOU NEVER HAD LIFE THIS GOOD! Deny all you want, we know better. Come correct and let’s have a real conversatino, but stop spouting this poison.
Obviously this guy has never done a days work in his whole life and sits at home at the expense of the hard working community which he despises so much. His grammar and spelling are actually above average for Cayman so I’d be willing to bet my last dollar that he has spent time overseas raping probably the UK or the US taxpayers to get his education, then comes home and has the audacity to accuse citizens of those countries of doing the same.
He’s probably been turned down for a senior job for which he believed he was entitled because he had one qualification, being Caymanian. This is why he feels so much resentment towards his peers and foreign workers that are more skilled, motivated, open minded and experienced to do these jobs. If he realised that he needs to work hard to get top jobs, he can’t just facebook and text message all day and blame others for his inadequacy, then he may have the chance to work his way into one of these positions.
He’d have a point except, while he contributes nothing to the good of this country, the expatriate workers already contribute more than their fair share through indirect taxes, investments and work permit fees etc to keep him and his family swilling in the luxury to which they have become accustomed.
I’d have no problem paying a fair income tax, despite not being one of the benefactors of the governments gross overspending which has resulted in the expats having to subsidize the unwashed yet again. I think a 5% tax would be a blow but as long as it was across the board on all nationalities and the government followed suit by slashing it’s own operating costs and actually provide some incentive to those same expatriate workers that have built this country to stay and share the benefits of their labour.
Luckily his feelings are typical of only a minority of generally lazy, useless, fascist, inbred, greedy, corrupt and inadequate people. Whilst the majority of the community agree that the whole world is in a mess at the moment and that here in Cayman we need to encourage growth, investment and most of all integration to get this country back to it’s best.
I’m guessing he feels the same way about tourists who also fund his lifestyle and wishes they would all stay away. But he needs to pull his head out of his behind and get to grips with reality. He would not even have what he and his family have today if it wasn’t for the hard work of both Caymanians and expats that have supported his idle lifestyle for so long.
you are all wrong. here you are taking time to speak in such a disrespectful way that shows you have no appreciation for others while chastising someone else for doing the same thing? and for the record where do you come from? shall we compare literacy levels? come on folks we have to be fair and peaceful in our comments otherwise we’re all equally ignorant – regarldessof lteracy, education levels, experience, where e come from or anything else. We are all human first, so please remember that when you post.
How is it morally responsible to use the pension contributions of certain members of the community to effectively pay the salaries of another section of the community?
Yeah, then we could tatoo with their WP number and make where a golden star on their jackeys so why can see who they are and spit on them when we see them in our churches.
Lets round them up into Ghettos, strip them of everything they own and make build all our infrastructure for free
Bloody expats, their not even human and certainly inferior to us Caymanians.
Yeah it’s true their use all our amenitirs for free, except the schools of course and the free mediacl insurance, oh yes and the free flights on CAL and they only can use them for a max of seven years….but apart from that.. oh and they do pay all the same fees as us, so it’s not exactly free, actually they pay more stamp duty and of course all those work permit fees adn clients they bring in.
But apart from that what has the expat even done for us? I mean my grandmother used to have a lovely 2 mile walk to get water in the morning and rarely see her husband who was off at see and mosquitos used to be so thick that cows were known to suffacate, before that pesky Vassel Jamaican guy (he dodn’t even have a visa) helped bring in the FS industry.Life was so much better then, meat once a year, it really gave you something to look forward to.
I say why stop at the current weaselling expats, less tax anyone with family ties to expats since the 1600’s, all of them
Unna need tek me bak to di good ole days we we could smack dem Mesquite-OH(phuk)!!!SSSS in the middle of GT at 10am.
Who needs cable
We got fresh callalloo
Beef at Christmas too if de fam-ly a rich…
THANK YOU for the temp expats that got us the green iguana meat and wile’ chickins to feed us.
Even Hurley Merren was outside the fence with his """Meat Market"""
Let we hunt dem crabs an’ stuff…
Please tek da dam fresh imposter breads, fruits, meats and stuff away.
Unna juss insultin us.
We nah want nunnu dat stuff…
We gonna farm da land…
While I’m sensitive to your comments and point of view, ex-pats do not receive a free ride as you insinuate. We do pay to use the roads in the form of vehicle registration fees just as you do. We do request refunds of our pension contributions when we’re forced to leave. Why should we leave it behind? Why do we even contribute in the first place? Of course, you are probably correct that we repatriate much of our earnings. However, what’s the point of purchasing a home or investing in real estate when without warning you can be deported with only days to get your affairs in order? Our second class position in this society necessitates that we keep our assets liquid and ourselves mobile because we never know when we’ll be forced to leave. While I don’t doubt there are "bad apples" among the ex-pat community there are also "bad apples" among Caymanians. Most ex-pats are here to improve their life and contribute to society within the limits imposed upon us.
Most expats are here to improve their life period. However, instead they moan and complain like it is a terrible place and they have come from paradise.
In many ways expats occupy a first class position in Cayman. Contrary to what the impression the official statistics will tell you, the vast majority of persons earning $100,000+ here are expats. The vast majority of those in senior management positions are expats and they look out for their own in terms of training, remuneration and promotions. Bank loans are given at preferential rates to fellow expats notwithstanding that they may have just arrived. All too often it is the Caymanian who is relegated to a second class position.
As for being forced to leave/deported with only days notice, you know full well that that is nonsense. In fact many expats abuse and manipulate the immigration system. Consider this: an expat is hired on a temporary work permit without the requirement to advertise locally. His boss, who is most likely expat, does not wish to hire a Caymanian and so the advertising process is manipulated with false qualification requirements which are tailored to suit the individual already in the job, or suitability tests designed by the employee already in the job. Provided his application for the full permit is in before the expiry of the temporary permit he can continue to work pending the outcome of his application. If, notwithstanding his manipulations, the application is unsuccessful he can appeal and continue to work pending the outcome of the appeal which may be two years later. In the meantime any Caymanian applicant for the position has clearly not sat around waiting for the job for two years and has moved on.
On the other hand if you are at the end of your rollover period, you are granted a final one year permit which will enable you to get your affairs in order. That is not deportation. It simply means that your work visa has expired as scheduled. That happens in all the world’s great democracies. Work visas expire.
Would you like fish to go with that chip on your shoulder?
No beach in Grand Cayman is technically private. The Queen owns the land up to the high-water mark.
Keep in mind that expats are able to vote in these online polls. Many expats have the position that Cayman will fail if we go independant, so that might have some weight on the poll results. I’m not saying that the majority of Caymanians do or don’t want independance; just that the voting public’s opinion cannot be gleened from these polls. The opinion of the registered voters should be the only opinion that matters when it comes to questions of governance such as independance.
CNS is it true that the UDP has booted Rolston Anglin as deputy leader and replaced him with O’Connor-Connolly? If so what a slap in the face for Mr Anglin who has been a good West Bay mla and Mac’s right hand man for many years
Maybe Mac is afraid that Rollie will take over! Not sure if this move is good or the intension but it seems like their maybe trouble in the UDP camp and one has to wonder why?
Might this be related to the health issues Mr. Anglin was facing a little while back? I just hope this doesn’t reflect a change in policy.
Think about this… If a leader of a tribe cuts food from his tribe, Who will be the most pissed off? The so called leader of Cayman is really just the leader of a certain sector of Caymanians. Most of which have been given jobs that do not require any work done for money paid. 55% increase in the growth of Government in the past four years means 55% growth in the leaders tribe. This is where most of the waste is going. (money paying for nothing back). However if you think for a minute that the Leader will make his tribe pay for their living in Cayman it just won’t happen. The leader must then think of a way to make other people (not of his tribe) pay. Good luck with that! This system is going to fail and take all other Caymanians and expats with it. I think the best thing England can do is let the government borrow and spend all the money they want as fast as they can and get it over with. That way the TRUE OWNERS of Cayman (The honest,hard working, educated and careing Caymanians can get Their country back and make it what it should have been all along. The sooner the fall the sooner the rise. Think this current caymanian system won’tfail?? Just watch and wait. Look at your recent past. God Bless the good guys and give them strenght to overcome in the end.
Excellent Post.
Although, everyone is hoping the Big Mac will show some common sense in this current situation, we do have that nagging doubt in our guts, that all he is going to ignore the big picture and offer solutions that hurt the investors and hardworking people even more, to protect his " Tribe".
I really hope your wrong, but the silence and continual postponements has already told us we aint going to like what is on the plate. How he deals with these issues will be his legacy.
I agree totally with the last comment. Cut the Government down and create some efficiency. There are too many lazy people in there filing their nails and perusing Facebook. They should be contributing to health care and pension like the rest of the country. Come on Cayman, start helping yourself for once instead of asking for more handouts from the expats in the form of higher fees etc.
I have to disagree with comments about infrastructure spending shoring up the economy of a small isalnd nation. The facts is that a majority of the money will depart from the Island on any given Friday or be used to purchase imports from other 1st world countries in the form of groceries etc. Therefore, the ability to continue to circulate domestically is reduce to a level that is unproductive for an economy such as Cayman. My advice is that all person try to stimulate the economy by growing their own gardens or supporting local farmers and fishermen. Try to save as much as possbile and continue support local business who support the local economy. We all have a part to play and we should car pool to save gas and be frugile with our consumption of electrictity. This should have been going on for a long time but since it has not a price now needs to be paid. Good bye expensive car good bye credit cards hello hard times head my warning
economy is stimulated by spending not saving. our personal finances are stimulated by saving. country needs a morale boost in order to change the economy and to encourage financial growth
Maybe if we law off half the useless civil servants we could pay for our schools and our children’s future
Stopping both of the schools will reduce my companies’ tradesmen employees by 75%, more than half of them Caymanian. Many earning less than the $ 3K per month that the LOGB said was too low for Civil Servants to be able to take a 2% pay cut.
Many expats will be sent home, emptying rental apartments, reducing sales in grocery stores and restaurants thus impacting many other Caymanian entrepreneurs who have invested their life savings in property and service industries.
Our office staff will have to be similarly cut and they are 75% Caymanian.
How will their mortages and grocery bills be paid?
Would the Civil Service easily contemplate a radical change of 60% of their staff?
Its simply not fair that only one sector of the economy should suffer such sudden and unexpected distress, especially when the cause is completely unrelated to their work ethic and productivity.
We’ve seen a window into that future this morning with threats of physical violence being made by Caymanian construction workers against a privately owned construction company that is only doing the best it can in circumstances forced upon it by the Government’s cash flow crisis.
This is not the right way forward.
First world countries have realised that infrastructure spending shores up a faltering economy. We are no different.
I say slow down the Schools, don’t stop them altogether. We can at least then keep most of our Caymanians employed yet still reduce the Ministry’s monthly cash outflow.
Do this ina managed way, with the cooperation of the involved contractors, not with flimsy excuses and promises to pay that no sane businessman could take to the bank.
It might look like it will cost more in the end but the alternative is much worse.
Well said Allan!!
The government won’t lay off civil servants, but allow over 100 workers to lose their jobs.
As usual, the poor get the bad end of the stick. I know most construction workers don’t make big bucks, and live pay cheque to pay cheque.
Even a couple weeks out of work can be a real blow.
But the government won’t cut their civil servants, just the poor labourers who don’t have a voice.
PAY UP AND GET THE MEN BACK TO WORK
Mac never ran promising to protec the jobs of the common Caymanian – he ran promising to save the bloated government jobs – so sadly, unless he can step up and realize this is not an option any more – then far more people will be hurt.
Sock it to the Private sector and maintain big government.
If the Private sector is not around to pay taxes to maintain big government how will Government pay its bills.
I get more confused with every new idea that comes out.
I feel for you Alan, and your workers.
The Government needs to pay up, and get these men back to work.
Imagine that! Threatening words coming from construction workers! What’s next lascivious gestures towards the lady in the lunch van?
So your entire business model was built on those school projects happenning?! Give me a break.
If you, as you say, have based 75% of your business on two projects, then you deserve whatever you get. As do CIREBA and all the greedy amongst us who continued to build like there was no tomorrow. Tomorrow has come my friends and you have all bitten off more than you can chew. You have no one to blame but yourselves.
1. boo hoo. sorry, but no sympathy here. you knew who you were getting into bed with (gov’t)…
2. it’s not fair??? life’s not fair, and i’m surprised that a businessman of your calibre would not know that by now…
3. when you stand to make millions, there’s always going to be some associated risk…unfortunately, the risk caught up with you…
LOGB: The decision making is easier once you realize that nobody is going to be happy. The key is to minimize pain and reduce those factors that contribute to the problem.
CI Gov’t should raise import duties, initiate a 1% annual property tax on all Cayman real estate (including raw land), reduce the civil service consumption through staff cuts and/or 10×4 work week for non-essential staff, settle outstanding accounts and suspend construction on the new schools, and other major capital projects for this year.
It would demonstrate leadership and solidarity if the LOGB and staff cancelled and returned their 2009 pay raise to the coffers of the nation. We are not in a short term global slump, this could be a protracted period of discomfort for the world and we should plan that way but cutting expenses and increasing savings.
Pray someone in the capacity to enforce or investigate reads this (CNS – keep up the good work and continue to bring the truth)
Just wondering why no one has discovered the millions of dollars owing to Gov’t by the various financial service providers here (and possible other businesses)…?
Every doc executed in Cayman, per the Stamp Duty Law, must have a $2 stamp. Now since CIMA seems to know nothing about this, I wonder, is the LoGB also uneducated on this matter? Let me break it down…
10,000 docs a year, for example, x $2 = $20,000
143 licenced fund administrators = $2,860,000 (2 million plus!)
That’s just guestimating using the fund administrators but remember we have couple thousand funds registerred here as well… Take into account that $2 dollars may be due from each administrator/ mutual fund/ etc… and that it is very likely each owes for the past few years of operation, then $2 certainly adds up. Perhaps this could pay for the 2 or 3 school villages we are striving for…?
So, Hon McKeeva Bush OBE, JP, I pray you can look into the regulation of this and I’m sure there may be other areas of the law that need holding up. If I’ve overlooked something and am wrong about this, my apologies. This is as it seems to me but again, I’m not in a Gov’t office to know the full picture. I’m just trying to help you see where some lines need coloring in.
God bless you and the Cayman Islands,
sorry but you’re showing your ignorance with the above statement. As an auditor i visited many of the financial service providers in Cayman and the overwhelming majority of documents I examined had the correct stamp on them. FYI there are many other stamps besides the $2. For examples, deeds are $25 each. Penalties for non-compliance are severe and CIMA does check the docs during their audits of service providers.
And ditto 13:15’s sentiments. As a financial services sector worker I can agree, the vast majority of documents are correctly stamped. CIMA is not only aware of this but also vigilantly monitor compliance.
I know there are different stamps (partnership agreement – $50, power of attorney – $25 etc…), however, docs that are not caught by any specific head of duty require $2. When you speak to someone at CIMA and ask if they know about this rule and if they know who are compliant or not, then comment back to me. I am not commenting on a whim but on facts, facts based on research and dicussions with not only CIMA but other members of Gov’t that I won’t note at this time. Particularly speaking about trades by the funds setup in Cayman, are these exempt from this law?
I was humble in my comment as I know this requirment maybe incorrect, but you in no way have the authority to offer such comment because you think you know. And to call me ignorant? What docs did you audit? Prove I’m wrong and I’ll humbly back down but I’m wondering if we’re even talking about the same documents.
I’m just wondering, does every trade (subscription, redemption etc…) incur a stamp duty of $2? If so, who is suppose to regulate and are they in fact doing so? Perhaps since the money isn’t really held in Cayman for these offshore funds the duty doesn’t apply but if it does, as I’m informed, regulate…
Probably opened a can of worms but no man should be exempted from the law if it applies.
When I read these articles in makes my blood boil to think how much damage the PPM did to the finances of the Cayman Islands.
It makes my blood run cold when I think of the millions mispent by the UDP. Just think with your blood boiling and mine running cold – on average we are fine. Cut the UDP/PPM bull excrement – it is getting really boring.
The PPM ruined Cayman. Accept that you and your party wreaked everything, and leave it alone.
I am not a PPM or UDP supporter either. Each of these parties has wasted tens of millions and allowed the civil service to expand far more than necessary to run this country. If you look at the numbers things went downhill for the last 10 years. There was only one person who was in ExCo/Cabinet for all of that time. Excellent credentials for him to be one of Mac’s advisors on government finance.
I couldn’t agree with you more and they still defend their spending.
55% increase in the growth of government in 4 years. THAT is the problem which needs to be cut. To penalize the private sector to support an overbloated government isn’t the answer and will cause damage to already shaken economy.
If the 3000+ status grants had been dealt with properly, each application screened properly and status awarded by merit over a period of years, the Govt. could have estimated how many dependents would be brought into the Islands because of the status grants and planned what additional facilities/infrastucture would be needed. They could have then identified ways of finding the funding. As it was, if you average that each new status holder brought in 2 dependants (and many brought more than that) you had at least 9,000 new citizens in one swoop. Schools were already filled to capacity and unfortunately, there are some "new Caymanians" who are now collecting funds from social services. None of this was planned for by the UDP. We all should remember that the status grant fiasco has a large part in our financial position today. I’m not taking sides but the previous Government had an awful lot to deal with thanks to years of previous mismanagement. The status grants were dealt with in a very unprofessional way with no regard for the chaos that would follow.
No one can defend how the status grants were given out. It was a disgrace. I happen to know many who got it that don’t even live here anymore. So much for gratitude. However, this begs the question, is it the people who stay here, buy food, pay duties, pay utilities, mortgages etc, that are harming the country? Or is it the thousands who have chosen to leave and / or were kicked out with the rollover. If they aren’t here, they certainly are not contributing to the economy. Worse, if they were kicked out, can one imagine the negative publicity Cayman is getting. The point I’m trying to make is that Cayman needs to get over the 3,000. It was done wrong, but 95% of the people who got it probably would have anyway. What is killing Cayman is not those 3,000 but the 3? 5? thousand that have left directly, or indirectly because of the rollover.
There were some status grants included in the 3000 that were undeserved but the vast majority of recipients had been productive members of Cayman society for many, many years, myself included . The real issue, which is always overlooked, is why most of those granted status did not receive it in previous years through an orderly process.
If Cayman in the 1980’s and ’90’s had been equitable with it’s long term expat population, most of the 3000 would already have held status and this whole long running saga would have been avoided.
The status grants were a rare example of open-mindness in a territory that is excessively protectionist and over-keen to maintain too great a concentration of power. Come the new Constitution the whole system will need to be sped up and simplified anyway.
"I happen to know many who got it that don’t even live here anymore. So much for gratitude" Apparently it was a condition of getting status that you had to live here forever. Not a lot of people know that.
Pip – the only argument in favour of the grants for many was that it remedied an injustice to long term residents who were committed to the Islands and had made them their home. It was, simply, time to welcome them into the family. To then abandon the family is considered to be insulting, even to the minority of Caymanians who supported the grants.
Then there is the question of those who were not long term residents and who had not suffered any injustice. I shudder to think how or why they got it…
and then there is the question of those deserving long term residents who were overlooked for non residents
Were it not for rollover every single p[erson here for 10 years would arguably have a right to remain forever – and be joined by their dependants. The problems caused by the status grants (and they are significant and ongoing) would be dwarfed by comparaison. Only peiple who will not be living here in their retirement could possibly think rollover is a bad idea. I agree it sucks – but have you got a better alternative?
An increase in work permit fees for expats will sharply accelerate the number of expats and companies leaving Cayman.
Professional expats, and the companies they work for are the most mobile of the economy and most at risk of relocating.
Again this is not sustainable, and puts an unfair burden on a small minority of foreigners to pay for the vast majority of Caymanians.
Why are Caymanians simply unwilling to pay for their own services in their own country? Don’t you love your country? Then step up to the plate and take fair financial responsibility……..
Everybody will have to pay for the increases one way or another.
we do that everyday….pay that is: enduring unethical and downright wrong glass, concrete and titanium ceilings; being challenged in our own country; unemployed caymanians when their are caymanians willing and able to do the jobs (which incidentally we control on some level amazing as taht is); dictated to by mother; identity crisis on some levels and the lsit goes on.
You are going to ask caymanians if we love our country?! You bet we do, that is why we are rectifying the unbalance or even distribution of wealth.
Work permit fees increases will cause some to leave. Two questions: 1) to where that dont pay fees? 2) Have you lefted yet?
I have no pity or sorrow for trying to blackmail or bamboozle us in some corner with gloom and doom. We are strong believers in devine sovereign powers and MY faith holds strong that He is still very much in control.
What is being cut is: 1) Our fears 2) the unpatriotic guest workers and anything resembling these.
Bye.
With spelling and grammar of this quality why are you surprised to be hitting a glass ceiling?
Wha da hell is wrong wid unna people…..can’t take a lil joke?! Hello!! Unna lefted yet??!! dis a real good laugh for me today!
With his spelling I’d say it had to be a titanium ceiling, as he puts it. There’s a risk of glass breaking and having such a fool in a senior position anywhere is not a nice thought and could be the final nail in Cayman’s coffin.
Another example of an ignorant, uneducated and fascist fool who believe that being Caymanian is a qualification that automatically entitles them to a top tier job regardless of their lack of skills, experience, work ethic or motivation. If some of these losers actually attended school instead of impregnating underage girls, the Caymanian youth would not be the burden on the country’s resources as it is today.
Private enterprise at expatriate workers already pay an awful lot of money to government to subsidize the lazy sponging minorities that take everything they can from their own country but refuse to put anything back. These people expect to get everything on a silver plate paid for by everybody else.
You can go to hell sir! You know nothing about me.
Further, you left off one part at the ned of your inflammatory statement, since I am a facist fool: we want to take all your money and send you home…good bye.
Your attempt to belittle me, takes nothing for me and speak more about you and your motives.
If you pay me no resect, don’t expect the same.
R-E-S-E-C-T find out what the means to me.
Is this Mr. T’s dyslexic brother?
Your British Teachers did an aweful job teaching me how to and you how to overlook what is obviously type errors in a readers’ write form,.
Thankful, there are typographical errors and there is illiteracy. Your contributions are firmly examples of the latter category.
Let us take one sentence as a example:
"Your British Teachers [1] did an aweful [2] job teaching me how to [3] and you how to overlook what is [4] obviously type [5] errors in a readers’ [6] writeform [7] ,. [8]"
1. Improper capitalisation of "Teachers"
2. Incorrect spelling. It is "awful".
3. "How to". Improper sentence construction – I could explain but to keep it simply ask yourself "how to what"?
4. "what is" improper declension. It is "what are"
5. "type" Wrong word. Should be "typo", "typographical" or "typing".
6. "Readers’". Should be "reader’s" although really it should be "writer’s"
7. "write form". This does not make sense. Do you mean "writing form" or "writing style".
8. :,." ? Just ".".
Excellent post my fellow Caymanian, (spelling errors ignored). Hit the nail on the head. We (Caymanians) do care about our country – Thank heavens for roll-over!! Don’t know why so many expats attack this policy because we’re not the only island in the Caribbean that has this policy in effect and without it, how else would a country control their economic leakage?
Unlike most expats I know who eat saltine crackers for lunch everyday, just so they can have more of their paycheck to wire back home to their family, WE Caymanians buy our $10 plate of lunch which in a small way helps our Economy. Because after all its SPENDING that helps an economy to thrive and not personal saving, especially when the saving is being sent to another country, even if not immediately at the end of your employment contract. So please SPARE me the argument about Caymanians not wanting to pay fees and taxes in our country, we have no choice but to pay higher license fees, when was the last time you saw a Caymanian riding to work in a full suit on a bicycle, so they can avoid paying car insurance, gas or vehicle license & registration fees?????
1. If you’d pay some of your expats more than the $3/hour that you pay them, which incidentally are slave wages, they wouldn’t have to eat saltine crackers for lunch and dinner.
2. If you’d lose your "entitlement" attitude and do some of the menial jobs required on island, you wouldn’t have to import expats
3. If you wouldn’t spend $10 per day on lunch because you’re too lazy to cook some rice and chicken, you wouldn’t be complaining about having to pay increased duties
4. If you’d ride a bicycle to work on occasion, your triple XXX butt would not be such a liability to Cayman’s health care system
5. If you wouldn’t be so ignorant and arrogant, you wouldn’t find yourself in your present predicament
1. $3 an hour? where? in your dreams? Please also include all the indirect means of compensation you receive, one being the work permit fee that the employer also pays for you to work on this island, after all work permit fees are fees not "FREE" and are at a cost to someone, and last time I checked it was to the employer not you, the employee. Also I’ve never worked in the restaurant or service industry other than the Financial and Legal services industry where everyone is paid a decent salary which wouldn’t have them resort to eating Saltine crackers everyday, just so you know which demographic I’m applying this to!
2. I believe just as strongly as anyone else that if there is a qualified person for the job that then that is their only justified means of being entitled to that particular job. However, in MANY businesses today, that is not the case but in actual fact, foreign birth certificates are seemingly making job applicants far more qualified than any university degree or professional qualifications that any Caymanian could possibly possess and why is this? Because many of those who are in charge of recruiting are also trying to give a "helping hand" to their friends, and their friends, friends to a better way of life. After all we are living in the 12th richest jurisdiction in the world and the world’s fifth largest banking center, and everybody wants a piece of this Caymanian pie, some who are more aggressive and push and shove to get to the top of the line will most naturally get a bigger slice than the rest of us!
3. I have no problems with paying increase in duties, in fact I wish the government would Tax me on my Income and my property, because it is MINE, and it is in MY country and I would like to keep it that way, I rather not seek the help of investors and selling out my country, heritage and all that comes with it, unlike Mac. So you can quote this Caymanian who has NO PROBLEM with paying taxes.
4. I have no need to ride a bicycle to work; I use my bike on the weekends and at the gym, which keeps me healthy and fit. I pay 50% of my health insurance, and the other 50% is covered by my employer, my health insurance covers 80% of my health expenses and I cover the other 20% so please explain to me WHERE in this equation is it at a cost to the CI Gov’t???? The last time I went to the hospital for the flu, I saw more expats in there than anyone else!! Perhaps if you would quit playing cheap, sponging off of your co-workers lunch crumbles, starving yourself and feed your body the nutrients it needs then YOU wouldn’t be so sick. Also when was the last time you saw > 5 Caymanians living in a 2 bedroom/1 bathroom apartment? Nastiness!!! I think we need to have a law about that as well, in the U.S. you’re only allowed 2 persons per bedroom, can we please have this done here as well?
Are you seriously critisizing people who only eat saltines for lunch? So you are better than them with your $10 lunches? Have you thought that maybe saltines is all that they can afford?
Oh the (in)humanity
I was not CRITICIZING anyone. I was simply pointing out how it is SPENDING in a country and not PERSONAL SAVING that helps a country’s economy to thrive. I’ve also never worked in the service or restaurant industry, who I am sure is not able to afford much on their wages. However, my experience comes from working in the Legal and Financial services industry where many of the "Saltines-for lunch" eaters work hours upon hours, racking up overtime which sometimes adds up to amounts much more than some of the company managers, yet still they can’t afford more than Saltines and let’s not forget Sardines & tuna for lunch?!?! I’m sorry but that is just too big of a pill for me to swallow!
Well said! Also, when was the last time you saw a Caymanian feeding their entire family at "happy hour" at Sunset House on a Friday evening?
Thanks.
I do not know who posted that message, but I am not claiming it as my own submission.
I will stop short of alleging that there are submissions tampering by CNS; however, will be cutting, pasting and saving my submissions for future verification.
That aside, the fact remain, as the LoGB pointed out last night, the Cayman Islands and the Caymanian people are no idiots and are the builders of what you transient guest workers have found here. I will take it further and say: you either respect that of leave.
CNS: If someone else uses your moniker you can email me here and I’ll delete it.
CNS, why have you not posted my response to the message? Is it because I hint or even question message tampering?
It would be very interesting to see if you post that message or this message.
CNS: Sorry, I just wasn’t able to keep up with the comments this morning. Both comments are posted now. If I delete part of a message it is replaced with XXXXX. Otherwise they are posted as written. More on this in our comment policy.
"We are strong believers in devine sovereign powers and MY faith holds strong that He is still very much in control"
If "He" relates to McKeeva then I guess thats true although I query the "very much in control" statement.
Fair enough…
But just in case: He refers to devine power as in God Almighty.
Of course we Caymanians care about our country.
Can’t you see how willing the most money-sucking area – government jobs – are willing to be cut back to sensible levels…
We ALL pay our fair share of ‘taxes’ to run our country, import duties in the products we buy, license fees and yes work permits too. What is needed is a prudent spending policy ie. "tightening up the belt," like we all must do when we are faced financial challenges both personally and in business.
What I would suggest as a revenue stream, albeit small, are long term and short parking meters in town along the roadside during working hours, sure would be better than the dreaded income tax.
Mac – PLEASE cut the fat in government or we will be right back here in no time. Over-bloated and over paid. There needs to be efficiency and value for money.
It is time to run Cayman like a REAL VIABLE BUSINESS.
you and this fat! You obviously do not have cayman and caymanins at heart with taht suggestion to cut Caymanian employee jobs….plain and simple. No more said.
Talk about can’t see the wood for the trees!
Anyone with an iota of common sense knows there is significant wastage in government. If the government concentrated on efficiency and productivity (and could pursuade their workers to be efficient and productive) they could probably cut their staff compliment in half and thus make huge savings for the country.
Mac,
We need our public library open at night until even 9pm so we can STUDY.
You idiots need to get it through your thick skulls that the government which is funded by taxes from foreign investors and their expatriate workers is not there solely to provide charity to Caymanians by way of keeping them employed. The government is supposed to run the islands efficienctly and under the guidelines of their owner, the UK.
The government needs to cut it’s number quickly, it needs to cut by position regardless of whether it be expat or Caymanian. Yes they should look twice before renewing any work permit position to see if there is a qualified experienced Caymanian who could do the job just as well, but if there isn’t and it is a critical post then it stays. On the other hand they can’t just keep all these fatcat Caymanians in senior positions just because they know somebody’s cousin or their uncle works in immigration etc.
Cut the fat out. Expats and Caymanians who are not needed should be made redundant. Caymanians that are laid off should be offered priority on any any empty posts if they are qualified and experienced. If not they should besent on apprenticeship type schemes to equip them with the skills, knowledge and work ethic required to suceed in the private sector or in the international marketplace.
These nationalistic right wing views are part of the reason why the island’s economy is currently in the toilet as the government and some connected people have created far too mach red tape to make it worthwhile doing business here.
The outflow of funds and financial services organisations has begun to ebb away and this is going to pick up pace and leave the island exactly as some of the patriots would like it, back to a banana republic.
are you gone yet?
I find that very descrimatory, why do you assume that when he says cut the fat, that he means Caymanian workers? Are you trying to say Caymanians workers are lazy and don’t pull thier weight by assuming that they are the fat?
Please I know many many hard working Caymanians in the Civil service
it was an assumption given the climate we operate in. Everything we agree upon,
Could someone please initiate a full review of Government and its role and functions. They are not meant to be the be all and end all of everything that takes place!
I’m thinking this might help to eliminate a huge amont of the wastage we currently see happening. Just maybe.