Mac vows to protect helpers
(CNS): With immigration policy changes now in place to assist the financial services sector in the recruitment and retention of employees for that industry, the premier has also promised more changes in the Immigration Law which will protect those who support the wider community. McKeeva Bush saidthat the immigration review team will be looking at how they can save domestic workers from the rollover policy and help local families keep long standing carers whom they trust. The premier said his government proposed to help those who are here caring for Cayman’s children, its sick, elderly and handicapped.
“Myself and my colleagues are faced every day with the suffering of our own Caymanians who, due to the inflexibility of the current seven year rollover, are forced to make trusted helpers leave for a year after years of good service – often to the detriment of those they care for,” Bush said today (Tuesday 9 February) at the first post-Cabinet press briefing of the new year.
The rollover, he added, created a burden for local families and said that the review team would be finding a way to protect these caregivers and to put some flexibility in the law. He said carers should be allowed to stay beyond the seven-year limit, subject to a review of their circumstances each year in order to avoid abuse.
Bush added that this review of the way domestic helpers are considered in relation to the rollover policy would only apply to existing carers who have been caring for people for a number of years and are very much needed by their families. Promising to bring legislation to the Legislative Assembly at the next sitting, which starts later this month, the premier said that the changes to the work permit categories he had introduced affected the needs of those at the top of the economy, but he wanted to also help those much needed domestics.
He said that together the two groups only represented less than 10 percent of the country’s work permit population. With regards to the remaining 90% of permit holders, he said employers had to understand the law was clear and when there are jobs that unemployed Caymanians can do they must be given the opportunity to do them.
“That large category of skilled and semi-skilled workers must be closely scrutinized by our immigration boards and by our Labour Department to ensure that as soon as a Caymanian is available to do the job there are no further work permits issued to that person,” the premier stated.
He said that just because the system allowed for seven years did not mean that every permit holder was entitled to stay for that long, and permits should not be renewed when a Caymanian was available for the job.
Bush also asked employers not to lay off local workers as a result of the downturn in the economy and said they had to have a social conscience and consider the plight of Caymanians. Bush urged employers to implement shift changes or a reduction in hours rather than lay people off. He said that, given the current global economic climate and the need to address immigration issues to make Cayman more attractive and competitive, it was also important to make sure that employers understood the need to protect Caymanians in the workplace. Sending a message with what he said was the strongest possible meaning to employers from every sector, he said they could no longer continue to find excuses for not employing Caymanians.
Bush suggested that, as government had paved the way for the financial sector to gain better access to the high level talent it needed, government expected that in turn the industry and local employers in general would in turn pave the way to employ more Caymanians and improve access to training.
The premier also warned that employers taking on foreign workers and only paying them a few dollars per hour should not get past the Work Permit Board. He said no one should expect to work for $4 or $5 per hour and employers would no longer be allowed to get permits for staff where salaries were not enough to live on.
“We will be instructing our boards to be mindful of the fact that prior to issuing a work permit they must be convinced that the person can afford to support himself and any dependents whilst working here. If not, either the employer must pay more or the work permit must be refused,” Bush added.
He said that while the government was going to ensure the financial services had access to the talent it needed to compete effectively, the government would not on the one hand shore up financial services while neglecting the rest of the community. “Do not think for one minute that the government, by wishing to shore up the financial community or to help the Caymanian families, are being soft on immigration,” the premier said.
Category: Headline News
Our illustrious Premier has dodged the subject. As usual. A minimum wage is just that…a minimum. The minimum wage needed for survival. Just because people can somehow manage to survive on paltry wages does not make it right, or just. Start with a minimum wage and for crying out loud enforce it! For a change. Unlike pensions and health insurance that have become a standing joke.
And then look at the work permit concept, held by employers, often over the heads of workers, as a form of servitude. If it is necessary to control employment why not remove it from the grasp of employers? Allow a government agency to issue permits to workers. Freeing them to continue their employment and contributions to the island without having to deal with unscrupulous employers. And allowing them to have some dignity. As to their working conditions.
Are these solutions too easy to grasp? Stop dancing around these topics with bandaids and do something about it.
I believe that a work permit should be held between the EMPLOYEE
and THE WORK PERMIT BOARD. NOT held by the employer.
The employee should own their work permit.
For instance if someone is offered in employment they can then take this offer, along with the details of employment, wages, benefits, etc. to the Work Permit Board and be granted the right to work.
Split the fee between the employee and employer if that’s what it takes, with a small monthly deduction from wages.
How many workers are intimdated not to do anything or say anything for fear of retribution and losing their work permit?
How much abuse of workers takes place when the employer who has their work permit at times creates sub-standard working conditions, unpaid overtime, withholds pension and or health insurance contributions?
Why are there over 600 employer cases of such abuses? How many workers does this represent?
This is no more than a feudal system, fragments society, disenfranchises workers, allows theft, and is designed for abuse.
And without a minimum wage continues to be an embarrassment to this island containing a modern society and should not be allowed to continue.
"Slavery With A Stipend" In my opinion,Mac should not be too concerned about keeping Helpers on the Island,he should be more concerned about there welfare whilst here.Overworked and or underpaid (or no pay at all),very long hours,sitting at home with kids while parents frolic until wee hours of the night,they are sometimes left to the mercies of strangers who may oblige them with a lift home and then be back at work early the next morning and the cycle continues.In my opinion its slavery with a little stipend.Employers who are trying to maintain their image with sometimes unneccesary things who can afford to pay their Helpers more are relunctant to do so because all their friends have cheap labour so why shouldnt they.($150,$200per wk) is ridiculous,nothing to save,remember they do not live here and they have to send money back home to their families,they have to eat,pay rent,bills;no wonder some resort to questionable lifestyle,shacking up with men to cut down living expense,been promiscuous,hopping from ‘man to man.In addition little or no insurance,no pension NOTHING! As a ‘Paper Caymanian’ im in awe of how some Caymanians treat ladies who care for their children_care for their children_care for their children………………???????????????
Protect your own people Mac, remember them? Yes, they are the ones that voted you in also. Born Caymanians are an endangered species like the turtles, what are you doing to protect them?
If the Government wants to encourage local businesses to hire unskilled Caymanians first, rather than have them continue to fill posts with unskilled expatriates, then it ought to give thought to making it less risky for an employer to give the Caymanian a chance.
These days the sense of entitlement amongst our poorly educated young people is too great. They have been told that being Caymanian is a qualification.
If we want to change this, for everyone’s benefit, then we need to make our unskilled young people realize that they must do a good job in order to stay employed and not try to intimidate their expatriate supervisors with their "I’m here to stay, you’re here to go" mentality, or to run off to the DER every time their work or work ethic is criticized.
It might seem counter intuitive for the stated goal, but in the long run I believe a "hire and fire at will" labour policy would see more Caymanians employed at the first opportunity and those employed might not develop those bad characteristics that some employers complain about.
In my companies it has always been our policy to be, if not harsh, then definiltely firm, with our unskilled and inexperienced employees, whether they are Caymanian or not, we treat them all the same way. Any nonsense and they are disciplined equally.
As a result, we have an excellent group of hard working and loyal Caymanian employees at every skill level, many that we have trained from scratch.
Yes we’ve been to the labour tribunal more than once, but we refuse to give in to the entitlement mentality whenever it raises its ugly head.
Well said Mr. Roffey.
Ah yes. Immigration…my favorite subject.
There are always going to be flaws with any policy in effect. You can’t please everyone. I’m glad Government’s making strides to try and "catch up" with the growing demands of the country.
But what really needs to happen is Government should start fining those landlords of those slums down in Dog City, Swamp, and all those other side streets in town. These are the only places domestic helpers and labourers can afford to stay…some of these "houses" don’t even look fit to live in. But, they don’t have a choice, because rent elsewhere is jacked up so high! Or they’d have to find some place in the outer districts, relying on the bus for transport. The convenience of living in town means they can get up and down easier, but their options for affordable housing are, well, very limited.
Think about it…want to know one of the reasons for Cayman’s economic recession? Because greedy people were demanding so much for rent, no one could afford it, so the house/apartment stayed empty. Any money is better than no money, no?
How can anyone afford to stimulate our economy when they have to spend the majority of their earnings on the day-to-day necessities?
Government should get rid of alot of these cars and take notes from Bermuda:
One 4-wheeled vehicle per household, but unlimited scooters, mopeds, motorbikes.
We live on an island…the highest speed limit is what? 50? Where are you really gonna go in that Hummer, Mac?
But I digress.
We all wish we could get inside the minds of our Gov’t leaders…can’t be an easy job. Time for reform though. They definately need young blood in there. I hope they sort something out, and not leave it til there’s 3 months left before the next election and try to pass some half-assed proposal through. It’s sad, but the latter is inevitable.
It sounds like you have a real gem for a housekeeper. I am sure that others do as well. However give a thought to the country and the interests of all Caymanians.
Perhaps we should have a sponsorship program for people who don’t want their helpers to be away for a year or so. These people who want their helpers to get status could guarantee the government and all taxpayers that neither the helper nor any of the children of the helper, who may very well be entitled to come to Cayman once the helper gets status, will ever be a burden on the taxpayers – either in the form of handouts or prison costs. They could back up this guarantee by permitting a charge over all property they may have. If they would be willing to do that then maybe – just maybe – in very rare cases where extreme hardship would result if a helper left for even a few months or a year – exceptions to the rollover could be made.
What is amusing about these ‘allow my helper to stay so she can work for me forever’ posts is that when the helper gains Caymanian status the helper will no longer remain as a helper but will go on to greener pastures. I have seen it happen within months. My ow helper has just returned after a one year break. Did we miss her? Did it involve some incovenience? Yes to both. However, it was good to have the sabbatical. She appreciates us more, and we appreciate her more. I for one am willing to put up with some personal inconvenience for the overall good of my country. Too many policies are based on personal whims rather than the long term interest of the country.
To anon 8:02 Tues:
‘when the helper gains Caymanian status, the helper will no longer remain as a helper but wil go on to greener pastures’.
You are ever so right. Having been allowed to stay longer, they were able to send their children to better schools, colleges and/or universities. And built better homes, too. Maybe a little bit of savings for the rainy days. Some have put up businesses in their own country – apartments, taxi operators, retail stores, hardware stores, equipment rentals, boarding houses, others became landowners, etc.
Then when these children finished school and got employed, either in their own country or abroad, the helper is then asked to come home and finally reap the rewards of her hard work.
I bet you, despite having been granted status, she never intended to die here and be buried on a sandy beach. In fact, I personally know of a number of status holders who are no longer on the island. They had gone to greener pastures – to heck with their status grants.
And yes, those children who had found employment abroad and settled there, would most certainly want their parents with them, greener pastures, indeed.
Tell me did you do without a helper for the year or did you take on someone temporary? Put up with some inconvenience indeed!! try being out of work for a year see how you like it!
We actually had a couple of temporaries who were simply not up to the job and it led to a great deal of frustration.
Actually I can speak with a great deal of authority about being out of work for far more than one year.
Well said. Of course the person that has a helper that they want to stay better be paying pensions for them, and at least $10.00 an hour so they can actually live, oh, yes, and CI$40,000 per year so their three kids to attend Government school, and then there is health insurance ….
Yep, without a doubt, believe it or not I am a Caymanian, no….not by paper……by birth and parents and grand parents also!!!!
We need to stop this crap!!!!!. God is not sleeping! We are acting liking hateful people. When people come to Cayman and give up their lives for years to take care of our children, elderly, mentally challenged people so that they are off the roads, instilling the right morals in them, is this the thank you they receive? Thank you, buy …. now? We need to consider that these people too reader Wed, 02/10/2010 – 06:52 are investing into children of tomorrow so that when they are all grown up, like God will say to us on judgment day………well done my child ….well done…….and I can assure you it will be due to them…………thanks to them!!!!!!!! Most of our Young Caymanian children have a hot meal to come home to, clean cloths to wear, and an individual to care for them after school when the parents are not around after coming home from a hard days work or better yet getting ready to go to their second job! When helpers are here for years let them see the reward of their hard work that they produced. Reader Tue, 02/09/2010 – 23:07 When I look into the eyes of my helper know what I see…………..loyalty being passed on to my Caymanian kids for tomorrow, respect being passed on to my Caymanian kids for tomorrow, a family member being passed on to my Caymanian kids for tomorrow, as good can never be forgotten!!!!!!!
Your post gives me hope. Thank you. The way the majority of the posts are written, who would want to become Caymanian? Most writers seem not to realize that one defining characteristic of a culture is its values. The majority of these posts seem to value hatred over love, exclusion over inclusion, and insecurity over confidence. Such writers are making us look more like Nazi’s than Christians. Of course, many will say we have changed for the worse because of outside influences. However, those of us who believe in our culture know those that changed did so by choice, not force. I’ll bet no one even knows when we got "birth rights" and what those "birth rights" are. How many do we have? What are they? Can they be obtained by marriage? What about half castes? Do they have "birth rights" as well. Cayman we are being destroyed by ignorance and hatred from within. Our forefathers would be ashamed of us.
Mac what about us, your people? When are you going to protect us????
WOW You people. WOW WOW WOW and WOW.
So what do you honestly think is going to happen. Let me tell you what is going to happen so you can wrap your heads around it.
In 2012/3 whenever next elections are held we will raise up and smite him. GO YEE THEREFORE FROM OUR HALLOWED HALLS.
Then in 2016/7 He’s BACK!!!!!!!!!!!
Do you not recall how angry we were about the 5,000, 6,000 or 6million status grants he gave out? OOh he would never sit again!!! OOh really, really now, never.
We are such idiots. We voted this XXX back into office after he all butraped what we have of a future. Not saying there weren’t some that didn’t deserve it but MANY and I mean MANY got that did not. and look it’s paying off because many of those who got have assisted him and his team to the house. And some played their part in assisting other members of his house into office also.
We Caymanians, and I now have to say this loosely cause it doesn’t have the same meaning anymore, we have short pathetic memories.
And West Bayers are the worst. Every year you put him back in RESOUNDINGLY. Even the election year after the status grant fiasco you put him in in AMAZING FASHION.
WOW PEOPLE WOW!!!!
Of course he is now going to talk about protecting helpers. He wants us to have to pay helpers alot of money out of our pocket while government (we the people) pays $35,000 per years for his helper! Now that he does not have to pay his helper out his pocket he talks about looking out for helpers! Why didn’t he think of this BEFORE we (the people) started to pay for his helper? This man is selfish & shameless!
Not so fast ! Big Mac is very subtil in raising up an army to smite us with his thousands of status grant holders he plans to give away before 2012. We must urge Ezzard and the others to stop him. He does not have the power to pass this himself. The others must turn against him to stop this. all districts constitutients need to start talking to their MLA’s and let them stop him by not voting for it.. let them know you are through with them if they do not stand up to Big Mac.,
Are you suggesting that it is unemployed helpers who are committing all the crimes on this island? Now I’ve heard everything…..
not usually, but some of their kids are.
I thought Caymanians had no where to go?
Does anyone really believe most people with an extra million for status won’t do any due diligence and quickly realize they are buying into a country with an unstable government that changes the rules daily. They won’t even make a phone call to inquire. Caymanians you have been and are being bamboozled and for those of you that vote for him again shame on you. As a foreigner married to a Caymanian unless we find a legal way to get this guy and his party out of office we will never be able to recover from their ignorant, uninformed knee jerk XXXX politics. Must be a way to get him out "Vote of no-confidence"? We need to get together in a tangible way to get him and his cronies out before it is too late and I can feel that foul breeze getting stronger everyday! Time is of the essense.
Excuse me, but what will you do when UDP is voted out and the new government comes in and we have to pay taxes. You as an foreigner married to a Caymanian have another home to go to, we do not and we have to stay here and pay those taxes. I am not in agreement to some of the issues taking place, the new government is trying to take us out of debt in order for us not to pay taxes, which I am sure if you were living in your country you would be paying every year.
"vows to protect"…..this is reactive, knee jerk…..not planning not vision…
so, sir King Mac…when are we getting rid of the visa requirements for certain countries?….never mind I know…you saving that liitle one until 2013…I wish I was half as smart as you sir.
You had better be looking down in that picture. You know you WRONG!
No worries — this will be offset by all the people with $10million that are going to pay the $1million to be a permanent resident.
They’ll probably bring their own special trained help staff though so just more people on island.
Yes, he has already done a great job by levying a tax on money transfers most of which are done by the poor working class, yet zillions of dollars are transferred in and out of Cayman every day.
This man speaks with forked tongue and cannot be trusted.
To be honest, I think Mr Bush is just way out of his depth and it is no good looking for answers from him. He simply does not have them.
Please sir, give it up.
Yet again Mac is tweaking the law to satisfy certain special interest groups who have influence. The big financial & law firms have now been allowed special treatment on permits. Now Mac is applying it to helpers, since too many of his followers are unhappy to have to roll them over. Calling them "carers" and talking of "caring" for Caymanian families is deliberate and misleading: only a small proportion of this class of worker are true carers of elderly and sick people.
The abuse will continue as normal, as helpers’ hours are whatever their boss decides from one day to the next, even though the permit application may say something different. Ever heard of a helper with a contract of employment? One who gets a pay slip setting out their hours and £ each week? No, and if they ever have an employment problem or have their rights abused they’ll never find a sypathetic ear in Cayman Govt departments or legislation.
So, business as usual in that respect I reckon.
Agree!!
They can say whatever they want on the permit app, that doesn’t mean that is the wage they pay the worker.
I worked for over 10 years at a reputable place that would shock you, that the owner lied about the expats wages. One person brought over from XXXXX had the cajones to leave because of not getting the promised wage.
I always thought that kharma would eventually catch up with that cheat, but xxx’s over 80 now and still successful. Some people like to get rich off the sweat of others. (by cheating people)
ah, tru! ah tru! and I could tell you of an employer who advertised for $5/hr job just so he’ll be sure no Caymanian will take it, but when he got the person he really wanted, he was receiving $15.
Now who got the last laugh here?
You could tell immigration too. Oh no, hang on a minute, the AG will not let them take anonymous complaints of unlawful activity so, unless you want death threats, perhaps you better just leave it under the carpet.
Well said, well said indeed.
It seems to me that he is more concerned with vowing to help EVERYBODY except who is he supposed to. You know what Mac, you better make good of the four years that you scrapped up(/ bought out) this time around. Who would have thought that what Cayman took forever to accomplish is being destroyed single handedly by ONE man in a couple of years! All hail MACBush!
So sad! When will the headlines say "Mac looking out for Caymanians"?
maybe there should be a list of professions that will be rolled over? Will architechts/engineers be rolled over and cleaners given key employee status?……. alice in wonderland stuff.. just another day in cayman
mac again bending over for his voters without thinking long term as to how this will effect us long term, most helpers have kids albeit not on island, let helpers stay long enough to be eligible for status , they get it then one year later the children become eligible, he may want to think about doubling the size of the schools that are currently being built, as well as the budget for social services and child welfare. Our helper was rolled over for one year, we had her sister come in and cover for her, my helper is now back and her sister is now covering freinds helpers whom have been rolled over , so she will be her for another 5 years covering for rollovers then the cycle will start again, all it takes is a few families to get together work out when their helpers are going to be rolled over and plan.
I am not against helpers staying for longer than 7 years but again if all helpers are allowed to stay then they can then apply to reside here. Most of them after they get their papers they now demand big salaries because they have Cayman papers and end up being let go. Then they can’t get jobs too easy cause no one wants to pay their demand. So what happens next…..yes they end up at social services looking for rent and food money cause they can’t afford it.
Most of us that have helpers have more than 1 child and paying nursery fees from 6 weeks is expensive. We go out and work for less to nothing, prices are going up everyday but not paychecks. How on earth can they expect us to pay any high salary when we dont get it.
"Myself and my colleagues are faced every day with the suffering of our own Caymanians who, due to the inflexibility of the current seven year rollover, are forced to make trusted helpers leave for a year after years of good service – often to the detriment of those they carefor".
Clearly, this is an attempt by Mr. Bush to distance himself from rollover. Mr. Bush, the inflexibility of the rollover for domestics was created by you and your govt. when you passed the Immigration Law, 2003. Indeed, at that time you required those rolled over to be absent from the jurisdiction for two years. The PPM Govt. saw fit to reduce this to one. If there is suffering, Mr. Bush, it is therefore of your own creation. Of course you have stated that the purpose of rollover was to ensure that those who would not be able to support themselves in retirement (i.e, domestic helpers) would not gain permanent rights. You apparently are now removing entirely the reasons for rollover. Caymanians wake up!
Yet another example of very bad and very short term thinking. Please no more Fire Ready Aim policies.
I am aware that there are any number of helpers who families become depent on, and I understand the emotional arguments made by individuals for the special case relating to their particular helper. Nevertheless, any move to exempt helpers from the rollover policy is definitely not in the long term interest of Cayman. Even if the families concerned were willing to pay $500,000 $1,000,000 to buy a home for these helpers and the first generation of their dependents and pay for the long term support of these individuals, it would still not be a good idea.
This proposal may get Beloved Leader a few more votes from some people, but it will definitely lose him my vote and the votes of my family members. We have talked about this and have come to the conclusion that we cannot afford any more of this short term thinking.
Please Immigration Review Team – don’t do this – Don’t allow emotional blackmail and short term political thinking like this to destroy the long term future of this country.
Unfortunately for us Caymanians, Bush is not capable of thinking ‘long term’ – he has never made any decision that would benefit Cayman/Caymanians in the ‘long term’. Generally he has never made any decision that would benefit Cayman/Caymanians period! But to all his loving supporters who are ever so ‘ga ga’ over his ‘ability’ to ‘make decisions’ I sure hope unna happy with the decisions he making now! Dog eat unna suppa!
I have always wonder why the care takers were made to roll over. I have never known anyone who had a helper that left and was replaced with a Caymanian. I guess there are no qualified Caymanian in need of a job as a "helper". I know for a fact that accepting $3-4.00 to do this type of work is not something that most folks would do yet alone leave their families for a year and live in housing that is not up to standard. We really need a law that protects renters. I see so manyhouses that are rentals that would not even pass a safety inspection but the owners are getting big bucks for them because they know they can get it. So low pay ,hard work, leave your family and in some cases never get paid.Let’s not forget the high cost of living here. I’m sure we would have a long line of Caymanians wanting this type of work. So why make them go home if they are willing to work under these horrible conditions??? Just think what it would be like if every helper and yardman left tomorrow. Guess we could go back to cleaning our homes, cooking our meals and caring for our children just like our mothers did and in some cases still work at another job. Don’t forget the man of the house he could clean that yard after working all day. I did leave out how so many Caymanians still look down their noses at the people who are just trying to work and care for their famlies back home. Life is not always good for those born in another country so be glad you are Caymanian and consider yourself lucky but never forget it could of been you born into the life that so many of them have to live. They are not asking for pity just a chance to do better which is what we all want.
Obviously you are clueless about the rollover and its purpose!
"So low pay ,hard work, leave your family and in some cases never get paid.Let’s not forget the high cost of living here." Sounds to me like a damn nightmare you and others are living in right here in the beautiful Cayman Islands – it has got to be time for you to be looking eslewhere to find work! – someplace that allows you sweet dreams at night, not nightmares! Go for it.
And you are clueless about common human decency.
Now I know this place has gone down the drain…the UDP Gov’t selling Permanent Residency for $1million KYD.
Remember the UDP who told you that they wouldn’t be giving away PR during their campaign? Well guess what? They aren’t giving it away, but the sure are selling it.
P.S. I hope CNS is writing a story on this very important part of the Premier’s press briefing.
CNS: Check the headlines
I looked my helper in the eye, and asking myself, what was best for my country, reluctantly but willingly waved her goodbye, looking forward to having her back in one year.
Then the politicians came along and said, screw what’s best for my country. All that matters is what is good to get me re-elected and not have to personally call Ropers for a year.
How it go Mac? Embrace poverty or …..?
I love Mack to death but he first need to put together Boards with mature Business minded people who knows the Community, and care about the Country. The 7 year roll over was done with good intentions I suppose, but as far as I can see it only creates double the amount of folks coming into the Country. Whenever the roll over time is coming around the employer is already bringing in a replacement, and of course yhat person never ever returns . Then when the year is up the old employee returns so then you have two workers on the Island. I say let those that really have the need for a helper get a helper and as long as they are pleased with their performance and behaviour let them remain for as long as needed. The Residence and Status must be done away with, this should have been a long time ago. Alot of us cant do without the help not even one day, so if a change is going to be made letting them return home for one month as suggested by some dummy dosent work. IF ONE CAN DO WITHOUT THE HELP FOR ONE MONTH THEN THEY DONT REALLY NEED HELP, THEN THEY CAN WAIT FOR ONE YEAR. We have unskilled workers here who has been here longer than 20 years what do we do about them? I SAY SCREEN THEM AND LET THEM STAY FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN BEHAVE THEMSELVES.
Which will result in all their kids overseas being able to claim that they are Caymanian. Think!
Between the low standards of education and the roll over, Cayman is going to be poor anyway. Its a pity people can’t see this. Cayman needs to promote education above all, not with buildings but with quality teachers and discipline. No country has been successful without education. Neither has a country successfully implemented "ethnic cleansing" and got away with it. Kicking people out retroactively, unethically and perhaps illegally simply isn’t good marketing. I doubt God likes it either. Indeed, the roll over makes Caymanians look insecure, unchristian, and weak. Are these the qualities we want to be known for? These are certainly not the traits that brought us success. Cayman will not return to prosperity until we return to our core christian values. Why should God protect us if we don’t consider a helper a human being who has the same needs as us. When did we become better than other people? Do unto others as you would have them do on to you. Man cannot ignore God’s laws and come out ahead. If really want our country to succeed then start educating, caring and loving all of God’s children.
Mac -some of this is good. I never understood how the Boards granted permits to people earning 3 or 4 dollars an hour. The immigration Law has always clearly said they should not, but I guess we all know how much attention actually gets paid to many laws around here.
Please though, are you really saying the lovely lady that cleans my house is "worth" more to our economy or otherwise deserving of better treatment than a first class funds accountant who employs and trains Caymanians?
It also seems that you are now saying that one of the purposes of rollover is to make space in the economy for qualified Caymanians. I agree.
Man, politics is interesting.
Great idea, but what happens when the children grow up??? They don’t stay little forever
You mean the grown up child of an accountant who enjoyed a world class education and stable upbringing, as opposed to the grown up child of a helper who perhaps has no education and had no stable family life growing up?
I know which one I would most like to be the one that marries my daughter , or is otherwise most likely to be a highly productive future Caymanian.
No, that is not prejudiced – it is an honest statement of fact based on socio-economic factors. There will always be exceptions.
More of MacDinejad’s "Give Away Cayman" policy. Poorly thought through and blatent disregard for the future ramifications.
What a mess!
This must be good news for those who sang "Kurt is McKeeva donkey" the night of the elections.
And he still is the donkey, "trus me" because he does not have the backbone to take a stand! He proved that in 2003 when the status grants happened so I do not expect him to do anything now. Our country is being destroyed and we have no elected representatives with the good sense or the backbone to stand up and defend our rights. The only one I hear speaking out for Caymanians is Ezzard and we will see if he really has the brass now to stand up and demand that this ignorance be stopped! Ezzard, if you are who you like to say you are then stand up and call for a no confidence vote against McKeeva as Premier of these islands and organise a rally against it!