Women demo for work
(CNS): Several women drew attention to their struggle to find work in George Town today as they demonstrated with placards about their situation. The women, who said they were all experienced workers, raised concerns that the Department of Employment Relations was doing no more than paying lip service to their problems and that local employers were not interested in employing them when they can employ permit holders for less. One woman, who lost her job twelve months ago after sixteen years in the post, told CNS that government was being unfair when it described the unemployed as having employability problems.
The women gathered in Heroes Square opposite the Legislative Assembly to say that they were employable and they needed jobs. Supported by former George Town MLA Lucille Seymour, the women said they just want the opportunity to work for a fair salary.
“These women are making a statement about the need for work and I am here to support them,” Seymour said. “I want to appeal to the country’s employers to give these and other women a chance. We need the private sector and government to work together to create jobs but we also have to ask ourselves, when we have over 20,000 people on permits, why these women who are employable can’t find work.”
Andrea Castro, who after 80 interviews said she had still not found work, raised concerns that the DER was sending people out on interviews and not following up to find out why they were not getting the work. “The department’s role doesn’t end when they set up interviews. They should be finding out why people are not getting taken on and then helping us to get through the problems. We don’t get any feedback at all,” she said.
Donna Welcome said she could not be described as unemployable as she had held a job for more than sixteen years. “I think I am being turned down because I have diabetes and that would increase the employer’s health insurance, but as I understand it, it’s against the law for employers to discriminate like that,” she said. Despite her lengthy office work experience, Welcome said that since signing on with DER 12 months ago they had arranged only one interview for her. She explained that she had mademany many applications for jobs herself but had only been called for interview on 8 or 9 occasions.
The women said they hoped their decision to take to the street would draw attention to the fact that the local people who are unemployed are not all “unemployable”, as Rolston Anglin, the minister for labour, said in the Legislative Assembly recently, but are facing prejudices as well as competition from very low paid permit holders.
One single mother among the demonstrators said that the labour minister was wrong when he said the country’s biggest issue regarding work was employability. “The biggest issue with employability is cheap labour,” she added.
The demonstration comes in the wake of an earlier protest held by another unemployed single mother outside the Legislative Assembly while the members were sitting last month. Karissa Cameron caused a stir when she held a placard saying, “Young Caymanian mother of four, in need of work (a cry for help)”.
Cameron told CNS she had been out of work since 28 September with no child support. She said she had been out looking for work every day since 30 September but everywhere she went she was told she was either under or over qualified or people were not hiring.
At the time Jennifer Smith, Acting Director of the Department of Employment Relations said that Cameron, who is registered with the DER was brought into the office once they heard that she was standing by LA with a placard. After being interviewed by the JPU officer, she was sent out for three interviews, Smith said.
The DER said Cameron was dismissed from Island Companies after a few weeks with them which would be investigated. “We found her a job sometime ago and she has been working up until very recently. She was trying to find a job on her own, she said, since she was dismissed from her job about a month ago. As with all our clients, we are doing our best to help Karissa and will be following up with her in the coming weeks.”
It is clear however, that there are many more women who are looking for work and who feel the DER is not helping them. Kerry Horek said the women on the street today were taking matters into their own hands. On a day with five cruise ships in town they wanted everyone to know that there were capable and qualified Caymanians who were being marginalized and ignored when all they wanted was a fair chance.
Category: Headline News
People who blame others for their own failures will always be just that, Failures constantly looking for a handout. I know plenty of successful hard working Caymanians that hold great jobs. They are where they are because they don’t sit on their butts waiting for someone to hand success to them, they go out and get it. These are the type of people that are Caymans future, not the ones that sit on their behinds, although they will always be there for the hard working folks to support. No different than the Welfare recipients of the US that believe it’s only the government’s responsibility to insure their success. They are responsible for creating an environment where success is obtainable but it is up to ourselves to go out grasp success or we will surely be left behind.
I spent all day reading every comment in this thread, and I stand corrected. I now believe that there are plenty of reasons why businesses would conspire to avoid hiring Caymanians. Probably mostly for their own survival which comes down to money. As some comments also stated I’m sure it also has a lot to with power over the employees.
Mr. Rolston Anglin, Minister for Labor and Education! do you see the problem you have caused your people?.Caymanians its time for you to Rally to force Mr. Rolston Anglin to resign he has made it harder for all Caymanians to find employment. I find this most disgusting.
To all those wondering what is taking place in this territory, well, I happen to be British, and I refuse to lie or be in denial of anything. I am well aware that there is a toxic relationship existing between x-pats and Caymanians in the workplace. I have heard many confessions from even my own nationals that they just do not like the natives, as they feel they are inferior. I have rebuked them on more than one occasion for their prejudices !There are also reports that the Caymanian partners who should own 60% of the companies simply has no backbone and allows the x-pat partner to misuse and abuse their Caymanian employees who have nowhere to turn!. surprised?
I would recommend that you hurry up and enact the Bill of rights, and do not allow the UK you legislators to hold it up any longer. Why not ask the governor to enact the bill of Rights immediately? Such a powerful document working for the people will help solve most if not all your problems. The difficulties facing Caymanians is all about violation of your inalienable rights and freedoms and your rightful privilege to live and work in your OWN COUNTRY. Caymanians like other nationalities in the world are EMPLOYABLE, DON’T LET SOME MORON TELL YOU ANYTHING DIFFERENT. If you were smart you would FORCE ROLSTON ANGLIN OUT OF OFFICE! yes its time to replace him because of the very damaging public statements he has made recently as the minister for Labor and Education IS ‘PROOF" THAT HE IS A ‘MAJOR" PART OF THE PROBLEM AND "HAS NO SOLUTIONS" why keep him in that position?
Its time to run him out of the bloody office!
I am curious, I am a Cayman Property owner, not a resident but I do spend quite a bit of time on the island, I am not involved in any local businesses, I do not hold a work permit nor do I need to work locally to support myself. I read the paper a lot and I am trying to personally make since of this debate.
All your questions have been answered by previous posters. Read again, since this would make sense to a sensible person whereas a "don’t know that I don’t know" can’t understand what he read anyway so no one is going to repeat.
It was a rhetorical question!!
Donna Welcome,
Since it is the law that Insurance Companies cannot cherry pick who they will and will not cover; then they are still operating under the radar by having these employers hand you a questionaire or an application that requires you to divulge to them your health condition! This in itself is illegal ! Therefore not only is the insurance company breaking the law, but so are the employers of these businesses breaking it as well. Furthermore the questions they are asking these applicantsis an ILLEGAL practice as these individuals now have a legal right to privacy regarding their health. If they are asking them to sign a release of information, then they are in fact asking the prospective employee or applicant to waive their constitutional right or waive their legal right to privacy regarding their health condition!
Lets hear what the health minister Mr.Scotland has to say about this he seems to be a little brighter than Mr. Anglin, so I’m sure his response would not be that Ms. Donna Welcome is not only unemployable but also UNINSURABLE! I believe he would look into the matter and set it straight.
Guys, its time we force our M.L.A’s to work for us. This should not be our battle
My God it seems that we are now a lawless society with everyone doing as they please!
This job situation in the Cayman Islands is not just a fight for Ms. Welcome or Ms. Horeb. Everyone needs to get involved you may be one of them tomorrow! Nothing lasts forever but salvation! The DER, the work Permit Board, the Cayman Immigration Board all should be summoned to the Legislative Assembly in an open and transparent meeting where the public can hear the response.We need to know just how hard are you working for the people of these islands, to date we are NOT CONVINCED!
Caymanians Its time for us to hold these people accountable for this jobless and hopeless situation our people are faced with on a daily basis. It is an absolute disgrace that in a country as successful as the Cayman Islands where the worlds wealth and treasure resides that there is no job opportunity for our people.It is even more sad that we have no representation.
I have read all these comments with interest. I am not Caymanian but in all I have read I am confused. Do all Ex pats go off island to spend thier dollars? Where do they buy thier groceries, gas, services labour? Dont they eat at resturaunts or drink at bars? Dont their families visit and bring their tourist dollars along?
Cayman Ex-Pats, Foreign business owners, foreign property owners, take my advice its time to take your business elsewhere, once we all leave Caymanians will have no one else to blame but themselves. Good ideamaybe it is time to shut down the Work Permit Office in the Caymans and chase all the foreign investosr away leaving Cayman for Caymanians. Its obvious that this is what they want. They complain about expats taking their jobs when expats are the one doing the work they all feel they are too good for, so let them have the jobs. Let them have all the land to buy for themselves. Theres plenty of islands in the Caribbean that would appreciate us for what we contribute.
Hit the road Jack and don’t ya come back no more!
Don’t worry, you will soon get what you want, I am currently in the process of selling my home and heading back to Canada. Hopefully plenty more off islanders will follow suit. I am sick of this attitude I get from locals when it comes to foreigners.
Caymanians were living before you came here but now they are tired of your attitude and will continue to live when you are gone. Too bad, everyone should be nice.
If you don’t sell your house, it will become occupied in the near future – by squatters. Just ask our Carib neighbours.
You came here for your benefit, not to help Cayman. Other Caribbean islanders will surely think you’re moving there for their benefit!
When my wife and I purchased a piece of Land in the Cayman Islands, we had this image of a beautiful place where we could retire and spend a lot of time enjoying our retirement. But after reading the local News Papers as well as comments from residents. The one thing I am now sure of is that we picked the wrong place. Its obvious that we would never be welcomed or safe for that matter. The last thing Id want to see is the home I spend my retirement money building, broken into and destroyed while we were away or at home for that matter. There seems to be so much ill feelings from locals toward foreigners that Im even afraid to visit at this point. I truly believe that its time for everyone whos not Caymanian to just leave and let these people have it their way. Im sick of hearing that they dont need EX-Pats, Tourists or any foreigner on the island, I say leave it all in their hands a let see how they fair. I for one will never step foot on the Island again, hopefully I can get rid of my property there as soon as possible, Id hate to be sitting on my porch and have folks pointing at me saying its my fault they have nothing.
You can tell when Caymanians take a stand in their country how quickly the ‘haters’ have so much to say.
Take a warning the new generation of Caymanians will not be standing for this.
For the majority of you it is clear you are on work permits, or are UDP supporters.
Have your say, your day is coming very soon and you too will be marching up and down the place looking support.
Time is longer than rope, mind you trip on your own stool.
The "haters" aren’t objecting to Caymanians taking a stand, they are objecting to the entitlement mentality that is so prevalent amongst Caymanians. It is the idea that being Caymanian is a qualification by itself that must soon come to an end!
Why are you so defensive about the contributions and denial of a problem and waving the flag will not make it go away.
A normal work environment is a place where I would prefer anyone who carries their share of the workload at the job from anywhere over someonewho doesn’t carry their share of the work from my hometown.
What you are doing is making it into something else and letting people off when they need to be held responsible as adults.
Be at work on time-period.
Arrive every day ready to work-period.
Carry your share of the load -period.
When you twist it to a political party thing or a nationalistic thing these people with poor work habits are left playing the part of a victim and does no one any good.
‘Take a warning the new generation of Caymanians will not be standing for this.’……..
bring it on..we are ready and waiting!
Why is this a Caymanian issue? Is it really that simple that all Caymanians are lazy and uneducated and have a bad morale and all expats are bright, hardworking and superior?
In any country in this world you have people who are just not that interested to do any job to survive. Look how many people in the US are on a welfare! Look how many people in Europe rely on the convenience of government hand-outs?
I am begging you to stop judging an entire country based on a few. All this does it to terr the country even further apart from what it already is!
I think it is very sad that these women needed to protest in the first place. In fact, to think that there are such high numbers of unemployed people in the Cayman Islands it’s a very sad indictment on our country.
The majority of these people have some skills and wish to work. For a country that boasts such high standard of living we should not have persons being unemployed. I think that the government really needs to examine the issues behind this problem. In fact, I also am very aware that there are a number of extremely qualified individuals with degrees who were unable to find employment. And yet, there lesser qualified ex-pat counterparts are able to find work quite easily. They shouldnever be the case.
I recently received an application from a currently unemployed Caymanian who seemed employable, however, when I did background checks it was discovered that she had been convicted of theft and did jail time AND had more recently again charged with theft. So, there is always another side to these stories and claims of not being able to gain employment.
In response to your very stereo-typed comment, I was layed off from my job, and it took me NINE (9) months to find another. I have never received so much as a speeding ticket, much less being convicted of any crime, yet I could not get a job. In addition, I have a degree. Now I work at a firm that submit work permits, and to see exactly as others have pointed out, it is not as black and white as you make it seem. Not everyone that cannot find work is lazy or have criminal back ground. In my previous job, I was always told about how ambitious and eager I was to help others. It just didn’t help me from losing my job to someone on a work permit. That’s the reality!!
Maybe the reality is the expat could spell "laid". Also, it is been, not "being" and submits not "submit".
I do not point out those errors to put you down but to simply point out the simple errors you made in a short paragraph which may contribute to making you unemployed. Most persons write better than they speak. If I was an employer I would think twice about hiring someone who makes such simple grammatical errors, particularly one who claims to have a degree.
Hmmmm.
I’m sure you meant to write, "If I *were* an employer, I would think twice about hiring someone who makes such simple grammatical errors."
Pot, meet kettle.
Actually, both "was" and "were" can be correct. Nice try though.
No, they are not both correct. In the strictest sense, the writer should have used "were", using the subjunctive mood. It is true that in dialogue, the subjunctive sometimes sounds overly formal and is replaced by more casual forms.
However, any writer pedantic enough to use "persons" rather than "people" should also be aware that using "was" is grammatically incorrect. The subjunctive may be declining, but it is the more correct form.
12/101010-09.30
Agh! Pot and Kettle, enough already.
I am involved in several local businesses and we never have locals coming in to ask for jobs. When we advertise a position, we never get applications from locals.
Over the years we have gone out of our way and bent over backwards to try and ensure that we hire locally.
In that we save several thousand dollars in fees when we can hire locally, we actually offer a HIGHER SALARY to locals than expats.
Whenever we have a local employee we constantly overlook late arrivals, missing items, numerous sick days, poor, slow and bad work issues making it virtually impossible for that person to get fired.
Having your boyfriend wait for you at your place of employment for three hours before you are due to finish working, is not acceptable.
Having your boyfriend threaten your supervisor for pointing that out, is not acceptable.
Telling your boss that you can pretty much do anything you like and there is nothing they can do about it because you will go straight to the labour board, is not acceptable.
I have seen established local businesses go out of business because the level of service being provided was so bad that customers refused to deal with the employees.
I know lots of local business owners who operate and run their own companies working 70-80 hours a week, because they can not find good reliable local employees.
Nobody reading this is shocked by the comments and that pretty much explains the situation we are in.
One thing that would help these unemployed single mothers would be to have the father’s pay child support.
This seems to be completely ignored in Cayman, the concept that the fathers of these children have some responsiblity for the maintenance of their children.
Could someone please explain why the issue of deadbeat dads is ignored in this country?
I’m an expat. I am self employed and don’t have any dealings with anyone or any business on the island (internet stuff) so don’t bring in the expat vs Caymanian.
When I moved here I assumed everyone must be earning at least $12ci an hour because of the high cost of living. I was shocked when I learned that there is no minimum wage andpeople earn as little as $4 an hour.
When will the government step up and force a company to offer a minimum wage? If someone can’t afford to pay more than $4 an hour, they should not be in business. $4 an hour is what you pay people in india where the cost of living is a tenth of what it is here. Seriously how can these employers even sleep at night?
I also think Caymanians should be given priority for a lot of jobs. That being said Caymanians don’t realize how easy they have it in some respects. I pay 10k ci a year in work visa fees and for a corporation that does nothing but issue the work visa (I even bank offshore)
So as a Caymanian if you become self employed you don’t have to worry about work visa fees, paying for your childrens education, etc So you do have some benefits, quit looking at the negative only.
I would recommend these women try and start their own business. It is always better than working for someone else. Quit looking for work and create your own work.
I got a flyer for smalljobs.ky a while back, to start off you could start by listing your services in there. Just an idea.
But I really think someone needs to step up to the plate and offer a minimum wage as this is ridiculous, and probably tied to the increase in crime.
There are jobs in US that pay $4 US/hour as a base wages. And who is the judge about employability of these women? 80 interviews and still no job? There is more to the story.
US minimum wage is what, $6.75 or $7.25 or something like that? Regardless, the only people who make less legally are people who receive gratuities, but with the stipulation that if their weekly paycheck PLUS tips doesn’t equal minimum wage, their employer must pay them the difference. Further, the cost of living, for the most part, is significantly lower than here. Finally, at a minimum wage job, an employee wouldn’t have an annual income that would require they pay tax beyond those funds that are allocated to Medicare/Medicaid and Social Security. (If they choose not to take an immediate exemption, they would have both their federal and state taxes returned upon filing their tax forms, though perhaps not city taxes, if they exist in that specific city/region.)
Your point, while true, doesn’t cover the whole story and it really isn’t a comparable situation since even the lowest income bracket here pays "taxes" for every purchase made, whereas at least there is some return to the lowest income brackets in the state.
One cannot get by here with the lowest wage jobs as a single income. In the US, it’s certainly possible, though not easy.
No work is a serious problem along with the many other problems that we are faced with. Problem we are not addressing them the right way. If we read the good book the BIBLE its only prophecy being fullfilled. Brothern we are in the last days and the worst is yet to come. Lets get prepared because it will be too sad if we have it so hard here and and then loose our souls to a long eternity. Please read the entire book of Revelation and get enlightened.
Thou shalt not be lazy.
Oh please! Get off your pedastal!
Dr who!!! What "I am also a Caymanian" is saying is that, her parents, her parents parents and their parents are Caymanians…Not a Sept 11 Caymanian give away.
I know a mother of two that don’t have a job, the Bank she was working for closed down because of the high fees that was impossed on them, she has submitted resumes to almost every company on the Island and hasn’t even gotten an interview for the pass six months..None of us say this happening, not even the USA… Do you think anyone with sense would have had kids knowing the world would be like this?????Yeah it ok for those of us who have a job to pass judgment becuase we don’t have to worry where the food for our kids or family is coming from…have you seen a child that is hungry sit and cry for food??? Social Services is a JOKE, they help who they want to help, I have seen that first hand.
Hello what if we go to work on Monday and we are told that our company is closing down..Then what!!!!!
Since the concept of Caymanian is a mid-1960’s political construct, I am impressed that the poster is part of a family that can produce a new generation every 10-12 years.
What do you do? You take Tuesday off to cry….and get your resume together and on Wednesday you hit the pavement searching for your next
J-O-B!
Is there another answer??
Mrs. Edna Moyle, we miss your presence! That’s right Caymanian Women AND Men – stand for something or fall for anything!!! It’s about time you make your voices heard and hopefully someone in Government will listen. ESO when are the statistics coming out? I cant wait to hear the figures of that survey!!!
When I was out of work for a year, I had to work 3 jobs just to make ends meet. Not one of those jobs was in my field, but all three of those jobs added up to money that helped me pay my mortgage and keep my electricity on. I was not picky. I did not worry about my "pride". I worried about getting up each morning and working my butt off and going to three "lousy" jobs to make ends meet. If you want to work, stop complaining and get out there and work!! Drop your "standards" – get any job and work. Bottom line. Standing on a picket line is not going to put food on your table!
Great reply girl! Sense of entitlement drive these women. Are their skills marketable?? If not, may be 3 jobs that each pay$4/hr is not a bad after all. When I emigrated to US 15 years ago, with two kids,I could not find any job and took the one of a sale clerk for $6/hr ( and had a college degree at that time). I went back to school, improved my language skills, obtained professional license and always stay on top of latest development in a computer technology. I had no problem with finding a job ever since.
BTW….I had my master’s degree in 2 fields and had to work 3 lousy paying jobs. Hurt pride, yes!! Salary decrease, yes, but Money in my pocket, yes!!! Losing a job is tough, but you can either sit around and complain or get up and work your butt off. It is your choice…it is your mortgage….and believe me, there are jobs!! I found 3 of them within one and 1/2 weeks of being out of work and they were not in my field.
Get up, get out , swallow your pride and go to work and soon you will feel much better.
well it was Makeevaz bush that made everyone happy by granting all the status in 2003, wow and all he can do now is fly!!
Regarding your comment:
If the Status grants of 2003 had gone through the proper channels then the theives and murderers could have been sent back home if convicted. Unfortunately they get to remain here as they are now just as " Caymanian" as we are.
It is tiring to hear this being dragged out, once again, as the reason for all of Cayman’s social ills, in spite of all evidence to the contrary.
scape·goat (sk
p
g
t
) 1. One that is made to bear the blame of others.
What skills is needed to stand in a jewellery/duty free store down town and show items for sale?
I work in a bank and I see many job reference letters coming to open accounts for their foreign staff and here’s what they look like:
Mr. X works 44 hours a week and is paid CI$6.00 per hour that equals CI$264 per week. I am thinking, that the insurance/pension hasn’t been taken out yet? How many Caymanians can survive on that? They have mortgages, school fees and their other monthly commitments, but these persons can accept these low wages because they have NO COMMITMENTS here!! They send home every live 20 to a two bedroom apartment!!
This is why the crime is so high, and don’t let me tell you how many accounts are closed within a 3 month period because employers are finding their new work permit approved employee is a ‘thief’. So they fire them and hire another, and another and the same job reference letter is submitted with a differentname.
The nationalities of these persons range from: honduran, indian, hungarian, etc.
Stop putting down your own they must have an equal opportunity in their country.
That’s the base salary if you just show up. Those employees work on commission, so if they work they can actually make upwards of $40k per year. Average is around $30k. Caymanians just don’t like to serve people, work late, work weekends, work public holidays, stand up most of the day, etc etc
It is important to note that many Caymanians are struggling even with their jobs today.
There are companies that are refusing to allow Caymanians the time off work to go to educate themselves at the local higher education institutions. When idle comments are placed on this blog about Caymanians must educate themselves, and you have to hear the former Director of Labour on the talk show yesterday making this claim, you only have to wonder how can another Caymanian state such comments when it is a proven fact that companies are denying Caymanians the opportunity to further their education and remain employed. Caymanians don’t live in countries where they can go to school for FREE, get an education and while doing so full-time, their Country pays them a stipend every month.
No the reality of it is, if you want to get an education like a Caymanian you have to struggle and fight to do so and take hard words, threats and other insane responses from your employer to do so.
There is a firm that recently interviewed a Caymanian for a position and because they were leaving because their bosses were giving them a hard time regarding going to school, they were not hired by the other firm, a foreigner was hired whom had been laid off from another instead. That’s job hopping and Immigration don’t see these issues because they too don’t check into the backgrounds of those work permit applications. The qualified Caymanian who applied for the job was told by the firm that they could not allow them to attend school and they have dropped their program on allowing persons to go to school and work as well.
So Mr. Walling Whittaker don’t tell me that Caymanians aren’t trying to educate themselves. I heard your commentary yesterday on the talk show and have to wonder what was your degree of assistance for Caymanians during your reign as the Director of Labour?
Likewise you have companies whom are always sending their foreign staff on courses and training, and when the Caymanian makes an application to do so they are turned down and not given the opportunity again to do so.
There are some unemployables within our midst, that’s a given, and that is within every country. But to paint everyone with the same paint brush is very sad, and for your own country to turn you down left and right is even sadder.
Those women yesterday, made a statement, and they showed true prowess for doing so, as a matter of fact they aren’t cowards and they stood there to say they represented all that were unemployed in their country, and not just themselves, again demonstrating they were not self righteous either.
People with police records in this country have it the hardest, but we have the Govt. of the Cayman Islands hiring persons from overseas with Police Records and give them positions such as Electrical Inspectors, so if the Govt. doesn’t have a problem with it why should anyone else.
Additionally, there was a short while ago a firm hired a foreign lawyer only to find out almost a year later that this individual didn’t even have a law degree, all of their credentials were fake. So here you all go passing judgement on Caymanians. Why don’t you all investigate the HMP Services and see how many none Caymanians are up there as well. If the foreign labour was the best thing ever to happen to this country, then HMP should only be filled with Caymanians!
There are foreigners in our many companies whom have managerial positions, that are pushing Caymanians out of their jobs so that they can bring in their spouses, friends or college buddies to fill the post. Has anyone investigated these scenario’s? Caymanian HRManagers are being instructed to hire the foreigner so they can hold the proverbial work permit over their heads.
We have imported so much cheap labour, that we have introduced communal and shift living in our community because of it. Immigration permits persons whose work permits have been terminated by their employers to remain in the country and keep competing for jobs with Caymanians, is that fair? Why is it that our well educated Caymanians are retained overseas after completing their degrees? There is no incentive for them to return home, when they have to compete with mediocre degree holders from countries where their educational training is sub-standard. It’s all a conspiracy against Caymanians, the corporations and businesses must encourage/massage their fat bottom lines, at the expense of cheap labour. They do so in this country where the cost of living is outrageous, where there is no minimum wage to be on par with the cost of living, no human rights and no protection agencies. That’s why we are attractive to corrupt business and they come with their own agenda’s and our Govt. roll out the red carpet for them.
Therefore, the lot of you to pass judgement on anyone for their actions after their Govt. has failed them, and in saying this, the DER. Why? because the JPU (Job Placement Unit) Officers don’t take the time to review or request the feedback forms from the employers after a referral has been made to see why that Caymanian was not hired. They send it out in their referral forms, but then they drop the ball for each and every applicant. When you have sent someone on interview after interview and that’s just a formality for the Company to use the DER to get that waiver letter needed to complete that work permit application, then there is something seriously flawed with the system. As an added reminder the DER is (Dept. of Employment Relations), they are a Govt. Agency set up to find jobs for every unemployed Caymanian. Where else must a Caymanian go if not to this agency and ask for assistance? This agency has seriously failed Caymanians over and over and they cannot seem to get their act together, so maybe it is a conspiracy with them to see to it that they fail Caymanians.
I am sitting back and waiting patiently for the day when all of you will be on the receiving end of discriminatory/prejudicial treatment by a foreign boss. OH, better yet, your children, then your song will be singing a different tune.
I praise those women, as we know they took to the streets and that shows guts, determination, fearlessness and more than the majority of persons commenting against them on this news blog. At the very least they aren’t cowards. I hope they will all find employment, and shame on the DER for not assisting them all the way.
Time off to go study!? Do it on your own time, I did as I’m sure others have as well. In fact two people in my office are finishing up courses after "work hours".
You obviously have been left out of the loop. They use to pay Caymanians to go to UCCI. They also still pay for you to go to UCCI.
The fact is that you get free education, both at home (Cayman) and abroad (assuming your grades were good enough). So you DO GET free education, stop looking for excuses.
Are you for real??? ….The employer must pay you, but also give you time to study as well…..Get real. How about you study when you get home and on weekends like the rest of the working masses. Study on your own dime!!!
The minsister who spoke on the radio was correct. Caymanians need to take advantage of the free education that is avaialable to them insteadof wasting the governments money. Take a look at the Year 12 program at Clifton Hunter this year. There is approx 300+ kids there now who didn’t pass a single subject in high school. That is absolutely pathetic. I applaud them for going back and trying to pass something but from the reports I’ve read……that is even more unlikely as the mass of students there dont appreciate the second chance that they have been given.
Until this country realize that education is the only way out for the majority of its people, then and only then will things ever change.
I am an employer in Cayman. I have 5 Caymanians working for me all of whom hadn’t even attempted to get jobs before i went to "find" them. These women have made more of an effort to form this protest than they have to find jobs. There are plenty of jobs available but these women wont do those jobs, they are far too good for that. On the way to town they probably passed 20 restaurants who would all hire them in an instant as kitchen staff, but that will never happen, they are Caymanian and too good for those jobs! I feel sorry for this government having to provide all of these "hand outs!" Times are toughif you have to find a job that pays less to hold you over until CEO of the bank becomes avialable!
Laws state that any company must hire qualified Caymanians for a position before they hire an ex-pat. This is a touchy subject though since who wants to be the person to push somebody out of an organization by reporting them and there employers to immigration to only then go and work for them. You wouldnt exactly win a popularity contest on your first day especially since you boss probably shares the same nationality as the person they just had to fire. I do findit disturbing that we have an increasing number of people and specific nationalities who are coming to Cayman and are willing to work for shirt buttons. This does create employment problems since they are here for a limited amount of time to collect and then return to there respective countries. This means no mortgage payments here, usually no family and extremely low rent due to the mjor overcrowding of apartments that they share. This then puts strains on Caymanian who actually are trying to build a life and family and are dependant on a respectable paycheck.
This all being said, I am a Caymanian and some (not all) people do need to come to terms with the fact that just because you are Caymanian you are not automatically entitled to anything. You have to work at it just like everybody else. We do however need to re-evaluate the amount of "cheap labour" expats that we have in Cayman as this does damper the hopes of Caymanians getting a job. Ever heard of companies outsourcing to different countries? We are outsourcing, except we are bringing the workers here instead!
Caymanians are given preferred status by law. The immigration department can effectively second-guess the recruitment process and deny a permit on the basis that there is a suitably qualified local for a job. Most employers accept that having a certain number of non-productive Caymanians on the payroll is the price of doing business here.
What more do these women want?
If they really are well qualified and hard working then they are victims of a system that sees unqualified Caymanians getting cushy "jobs for life" and that creates an assumption that Caymanians as a whole are not good employees.
And if they’re not well qualified and hard working (and anecdotal evidence suggests that is the case with at least a couple of them) then they need to lose the signs (and the sense of entitlement) and get qualified or take a job that is "beneath them" and work their way up. They need to prove that they are as qualified and motivated as the ex-pats and not just compete with the other Caymanians.
Either way they need to stop blaming the Department of Employment Relations for their problems.
Someexpats are lazy, unqualified and criminals just like some Caymanians
but not in the same proportions…….
Only because those Brits, Canadians, Irish and Americans who are lazy and unqualified don’t tend to be the ones who come here. If they are unqualified there, they are equally unqualified here, and wouldn’t be granted a work permit. And if they are lazy, they wouldn’t bother to stir themselves to make the move in the first place.
Correct. More of you. Check Social Services
One of the major issues is that some Caymanians are very picky about what type of job they do. There are many jobs available. I’m not denying that these are trying times, but just open up the newspaper and you will see a range of positions always being offered. Many of these posts will be filled by an expat. Why? Because many Caymanians will not even bother to apply….it’s not the kind of work they want? A janitor? A waitress? A gardener? Yeah right. Many need to come off of their high horses and find employment in a field out of their comfort zone, assuming they are in fact as desperate as they claim to be. At one point in my life, I had to do it, an it didn’t kill me. It got me to where I am today….in a much better situation. Swallow your pride and do what you have to do, to get by.
Good reply. At one point of my life, after I held management positions in my country ( I am college educated), I had to work as a janitor, babysitter for two families, all at the same time, just to keep food on the table for my kids. Never asked for help anyone.
These are rought figures but my point should be clear….approximetly 30,000 Caymanians and 20,000 work permits…..
A big part of the problem is the Indentured Slavery Law (oops, Immigration Law).
Given the choice between an indentured slave (who has to show up for work on time, work hard, accept the fact that pension and health care payments are deducted and not paid, who is expected to work extra hours for no pay let alone overtime, and can be deported on a few days notice if they get "uppity") and a free citizen of the Cayman Islands (who expects a fair wage for fair work, expects that pension and health care payments are made, has friends in high places, cannot be deported, and knows where you live) who would you pick?
Most employers, it seems, prefer to hire indentured slaves. The system gives them control and less drama.
It’s primarily about control and profit.
O somebody who actually understands how real life works, re-freshing.
And lets not forget, due to the blocks to opening business here, the majority of business have a 50% Caymanian ownership, its your own people who are making the money, not the expat workers…. think about it! Its not the big bad expat wolf!
And who controls Immigration? Expats?
Yes
No!
Maybe so!
Yes, you are spot on. Cayman’s politicians like the idea of controlling migrant workers through the indentures system – a throwback to "The Good Old Days", I guess. The system works against the hiring of Caymanian workers at all levels, and these women are victims of it. Once hired, they will be very hard to fire, no matter how unsatisfactory they might be. Why would any employer want to go down that road, if he can avoid it?
Unfortunately, the system is set in stone and no politician is brave enough to challenge it.
Wait a second this is a Christian country and abuses such as you describe could not exist in a Christian country, the Ministers Association would preach it down in a second. Wouldn’t they?
I agree and have seen this time and again. The current employer tied permit system is purportedly designed to provide protection to employers for costs incurred in the recruitment and employment of foreign workers. However the attraction for many foreign (not all industries require majority Caymanian ownership) and Caymanian employers is the resulting "indentured" nature of the relationship. In extreme situations this can actually facilitate serious abuses.
I believe the system works against the Caymanian workforce and a fairer playing field can be obtained by changing the regulation and attaching the industry specific permit to the employee with employment contracts providing protection to the employer for reasonable recruitment/employment costs.
btw…I am not a permit holder
it started with one, now four, in a few weeks twenty. before long, there’s gonnabe an army of placard waving women turning over police cars, setting the LA on fire and attacking the Premier on his way to the theatre. mark my words.
Seriously though, I still find it hard to believe that anyone on this Island can genuinely struggle to find work, unless there is something seriously wrong with their resume (be it a criminal record, mental issues or whatever). You have to be willing to start at the bottom though – if you’re desperate, take that gardening job for minimum wage. If you’re capable and willing to do the work, why would an employer choose a foreigner over you, and have to pay for a permit on top of the wage?
In fact, why don’t these ladies post their resumes on here? or if not in these comments in the classified section? I’m sure plenty of employers read CNS
Something got to be wrong with 80 interviews and no job…durrrrrrrr…….
Have they tried the janitorial field or perhaps landscaping?
Anon Thu 19:44, of course they have not tried janitorial or landscaping. They are Caymanian and so areentitled to be appointed to white collar jobs in the law firms and other professional offices.
20,000 !!!!! Work permits??????? Think about how nationalistic that is. &then they’re mum on crime! Using utter non-sense phrases like “employability”. My god, even DELIVERY DRIVER’S are increasingly non-Caymanian.
Do you know why they are increasingly non-Caymanian? Because it’s very hard to get a Caymanian to fill a post like that. Pride is an issue here. There I said it, and I’m Caymanian. People do not want to start anywhere near the bottom. They need to be in an office job, in AC, and making no less than 2500/ month. Some of these people may well be desperate. But how desperate? Desperate enough to fill a post as a janitor, or gardener? I doubt it. ANd this is what it all comes down too. Many Caymanian’s don’t want service jobs such as these and the will not even apply for it. Yet the positions must be filled. And how isthis done? By hiring a foreigner who is WILLING to do that job. To be honest, I must agree with one of the other comments on here…..Ido not see how getting a job is so hard. I recently got employed, and a number of friends of mine did also. (Granted, they were not the kind of jobs they really wanted, but deperate times call for desperate measures. It’s just something you have to deal with in order to get by.) That’s the difference between many Caymanians and expats. We are not so willing to do many of the available jobs, and yet they are. Also education is another big factor (at least for the higher salary corporate posts).
I hear ya.. People the world over not just Caymanian’s,are fed up with year’s of toiling from paycheck to paycheck.Unable to aspire to their dreams,& the ease of success,as the system is a rotating billing machine. However,it is true,anyone wanting to succeed must have a moderately fair field to play,with a ardent mixture of good English/other,ambition,drive & skill. Whether it’s a trade or whatever. Director Michael Moore has a incredible grasp of the worlds people & the reasons why all people cant be winner’s. Although they should be.
I wonder if one of these promising candidates could help update CITA’s events calendar from 2009? Or perhaps they could update DOT’s Events and Festivals calendar – the only valid event being the now expired "Cayman Open" listing?!? 1000s of useless bodies in CIG and not one person with the good sense to update our national web resources in advance of the winter "Tourist Season". Any high schooler could do this stuff!
Face reality people.
All these unemployment problems stem from the mass status grants in 2003, and you might have people who were associated with this act that will say it ain’t so, but there were over 3000 "Caymanians", and even more now, that as Caymanians, HAVE to be get work to live here.
How in the world can a small community such as Cayman absorb such a massive influx of people into the work force all at once, and trust me, it is going to get worse as the 3000 multiply with family members.
But this is just me being a REALIST!
That’s complete baloney. Most of us "paper Caymanians" who got the grant in 2003 were here already, in good jobs, so there was no "influx" as you put it. Some of us had been here for a generation, going to school, living here, involved in the community, contributing to the nation’s wealth, and the status grants were merely addressing a wrong anyhow. You need to use facts, not political rhetoric. At the time also there was full employment for all the employable "born Caymanians".
Anonymous 08:48 most Caymanians have no problem with saying that inidivduals on work permit for 15-20 years should have been given their status. And you are right in part that since you had jobs already should not cost Caymanians jobs. However what has happened is that the jobmarket has shrunk but the individuals coming into the country continues to increase. Caymanians that are either poor or do not have high eductation will not leave the Cayman Islands. Meanwhile people come in and take the jobs and a lot of the jobs do not require high levels of education.
‘However what has happened is that the job market has shrunk but the individuals coming into the country continues to increase. Caymanians that are either poor or do not have high eductation will not leave the Cayman Islands. Meanwhile people come in and take the jobs and a lot of the jobs do not require high levels of education.’
Huh? Why do the Caymanians that are either poor or do not have a high education that will not leave the Cayman Islands not take the jobs and a lot of the jobs that do not require high levels of education that the people coming in are taking?
Juliana,
Earn your money and help your GIRLFRIENDS!
You have reached the desk of Julianna unfotunately I am away on "business" in the Bahamas, after which I will be going to Australia, Tahita, Hawaii, Hong Kong………..
Please leave a name and number and I will contact you upon my return, should I decide to do that. Beeeeeeeep…..
"I’m sorry but this mail box is over full and can not take anymore message, good luck getting thru"
I am a young Caymanian single mother who has been seeking permanent employment since early this year. I have registered with a private recruitment companies as well as DER and have applied for 10+ Gov’t jobs, have done 3 tests out of the 16 for the jobs, have not been called for ONE interview much less received a call or letter to inform me that I have been turned down for the jobs I have applied for. I have followed up with every job and I have left messages upon messages for ANYONE in HR to contact me, if I do get through to someone I get the story line excuse "someone will contact you shortly".
This is not only depressing but disgusting! Should I even touch on the subject of asking Social Services for assistance?? Dead end there, but I know of persons living freely, NOT looking for a job, living in a Gov’t paid trailor home with more than one dependant (spouse and/child) who get assistance every month. Too bad those of us who arent looking for a hand out are the ones to suffer.
I know this is an issue everywhere but for an island as small and ‘rich’ as Cayman this is unacceptable in more ways than one.
The owners of Reflections were on Rooster this morning. It was a follow up from a few weeks ago when they offered jobs to Caymanians. I believe that 12 jobs were offered. They got "fewer" applications than they expected and have only been able to employ six Caymanians. Jobs are still available with this company. The jobs include office , data entry type positions.
I was not aware of this. Thank you very much!
As a single mother perhaps you should spend a lot of time with all of your girl children teaching them that it is going to be really difficult for them to get educated and then get a good job if they become single mothers. This would be the most important thing you can do for our society to break the cycle of ignorance and poverty.
The Boy children will be fine because thier daddys have already taught them how to hit and run.
Thank you Merry Christmas.
Here is the problem. The health insurance is way too cost prohibitive to take on someone with a health condition – hence out of simple economic sense, forcing an employer to turn that person away. Can you blame them, if they are struggling to survive themselves?
Here is an idea, being a Caymanian is not a degree, a card to play for a high wage. Just because "i wuz bown here" does not entitle you to demand high wages.
And as for the young mother, we all feel for you, but who has that many children and no income? You seem to think it is everyones job to give you a job.
It is not the Governements job to force people to hire people. There is a reason why some people cannot find work. There are many Caymanians that are hard working and are not having demonstrations as they know that hard work is what gets you the job, not just being born here. They hold jobs.
Where I understand that there are a few Caymanians willing to work and cannot get a job, but who on earth told you to have children (and most of these women are single mothers) when you cannot support them? Sorry but don’t use that as a calling card to get a job. If you aren’t skilled you cannot demand a job you are not qualified for. If you are qualified and you do see a work permit holder getting the job, then you need to speak to your politican!!!
Just because you are Caymanian, doesn’t mean you are qualified for the jobs you are applying for.
you are ignorant. did you know that some women are single mothers because their no good no child support paying husbands ran off with other women. what is wrong with you ignorant ass.
Is that what your no good husband did?
Don’t go jeering coz when these angry fatherly-neglected children poke a gun up your fatherly-nurtured children’s faces, you’ll be singing a different tune. Be compassionate. Gosh.
Although I understand what you are saying, you should also note that this scenario does not apply to all women or single mothers.
Some of us have had jobs and made redundant, not all single mothers sit around on their behinds all day like you would like to think.
Also not everyone wants to ask their child’s father for help for whatever reason, thats their business the fact is there are women, men with or without children who want a job and not a handout and cannot find it.
Unfortunately, some people here in Cayman have been very short sighted and never envisioned a time when their world may change, but unfortunately is has. Cayman is now experiencing what the world has been feeling for years now! Your government has no money so you can’t demand they help you if they can’t help themselves.
Cayman was wealthy and wanted to attract wealthy investors, residents etc, but in the wake of a recession and the likes of Bernie Madoff the rich are not investing or travelling, and its all a trickle down effect. I mean if I had to chose between the fund account (CPA) and the admin asst, what will I do fire the admin staff and make the CPA do it all. Its not about people not giving Caymanians a chance its about cutting costs, its business!
So rather than having children all over the place, or keeping a man and squandering your money trying to keep up with the Jones’ when it was available (scholorship, work study etc), people should have been improving themselves. Because now is the time world over where no one gets anything because of Nationality or looking out for each other, its are you qualified or not, and if not you loose!
zzzzzz….the myth of caymanian unemployment continues……zzzzzzz
The minister meant that the main problem in respect to unemployment was that many were unemployable.
He didn’t mean that all the unemployed were unemployable!
Fact is, it is hard to get a job at the moment. Believe it or not, this applies to expats as well. I am an expat with over 12 years experience, 2 accounting qualification, 3 degrees and 1 Master degree. I was unemployed for 4 months. I applied for countless jobs, but only got 2 interviews.
Lets not create a work permit holder versus Caymanian issue over this!
Study, develop your skills and keep looking for work, instead of spending all your time complaining about it!
I am Caymanian and you said…"Lets not create a work permit holder versus Caymanian issue over this!" How dare you?
You have been unemployed for 4 months and you are an expat so what gives you the right to still be here?
DER and Immgration are both "jokers" they help who they want to help.
Ladies I pray for each of you, and hope that something or someone will help you soon, because as "CAYMANIANS" we don’t have any one looking out for us we have to look out for ourselves.
I am also proud that you didn’t resort to Department of Social Services for assistance, but I tell you what if you have to, do it, you have every right, and those that can help themselves get it, so why can’t you until you can get back on your feet.
I am also a Caymanian, and have been for many generations.
My first thought was that this "expat" was the spouse of someone else living and working here, and people with advanced qualifications are hardly taking food off Caymanian plates.
Many of the unemployed "Caymanians" today are part of those who came with the great status giveaway of 2003, and if you think they have not made a major contribution to the increase in crime since 2003 then you are living in la la land.
The problem with the "unemployed" who demonstrate is that one thief who has repeatedly stolen from their employers in their midst has a tendency to give a bad name to the rest who are genuinely seeking work.
If the Status grants of 2003 had gone through the proper channels then the theives and murderers could have been sent back home if convicted. Unfortunately they get to remain here as they are now just as " Caymanian" as we are.
Of course you could be one of these new "Caymanians" yourself by the way you query why an expat is still here after losing his or her job. I grew up poor, like everyone else back then, but my mother would always say "good manners are free, so there is no excuse for not having them".
"I am also a Caymanian, and have been for many generations." How many generations have you lived for? Do you find regeneration/resurrection a painful process?
‘i am also a Caymanian, and have been for many generations.’
I can understand totally what is being said here. I grew up in the Highlands of Scotland with nothing but my wife Heather and the company of our own brethren.
Sadly, people moved in looking for opportunities to take control and be ‘the one’ in charge. First it was just drifters and opportunists then more skilled persons arrived. Even Metallugirsts from SPAIN were turning up and peddling their wares and skills.
The only choice I had was to move and set up in New York several generations later.
I hope that this is not the same scenario that is now happening in Cayman.
There can be only one!
One ofthese days I will chop off your head.
So Connor Mcloud, did you manage to get a job building Hadrian’s wall, or was that a bit before your time? Tough job though, made you strong, eh?
Attitude and ignorance like what you have, is half the reason why people don’t want to hire Caymanians. That includes Caymanian HR personnel!!!! I am Caymanian by the way, and you have embarassed me on this forum. Sad, so sad, how ignorant some still are.