Headcount too low, says Mac
(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier has said that the early results of the national census from the Economics and Statistics Office show a declining instead of increasing trend in the population. Despite the growth in numbers since the island-wide headcount in 1999, McKeeva Bush said the figure of 54,878 was lower than the population estimates received back in 2008, which had projected a total of just over 57,000 with the expectation that the population would continue to grow. He said that government had to address the decline as he said a sustainable increasing population was vital for economic growth.
“This population downtrend has the potential to negatively impact local economic activity and is thus a matter of serious concern, one which needs immediate action,” the premier said in a statement released on Thursday. “The new census results accordingly compel government to continue pushing for policies that will promote sustainable population growth in the Cayman Islands. While we do not want a runaway population spiral, what we do need is sustainable growth that can spur healthy local economic growth.”
The preliminary population results from the ESO’s two month-long census exercise were revealed to the public earlier this week and also revealed that population growth among the districts is uneven.
“We have a large gap in numbers for George Town, compared to West Bay and Bodden Town, the two other population-dense districts,” Bush stated. “But we have to maintain sustainable growth in all our districts. Government considers this a vital requirement for progress and we want to address this actively.”
The premier also pointed to the relatively slow population growth in the Sister Islands, which he said must also be addressed.
“Facilitating greater economic activity in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman therefore becomes vital to achieve growth in keeping with the environmental concerns that characterise those islands,” he said. “We don’t want some districts to be left behind in Cayman’s socio-economic development process; otherwise our progress will not be meaningful.”
The full census report, expected in the last quarter of this year, will provide in-depth information on each district’s socio-economic and demographic dynamics. “We need those figures in order to take focused action,” Bush revealed, adding that the data would guide his government’s response, not only to the issues that exist at the district level, but to “promote balanced growth across the country”.
The results revealed that Bodden Town was the fastest growing district in the Cayman Islands. All the other districts have experienced a gradual decline in their share of the population over the past 30 years, except George Town, which had experienced a gradual increase.
Though the population is not as large as the premier would like it to be, the ESO report reveals that if the islands’ population were to continue growing at the rate it has since the last census, it would double in size over the next two decades.
Category: Headline News
The only headcount which is too low in the Cayman Islands is the headcount of those who have abused their privelege of power and their so very much deserved presence on the proverbial chopping block. The tack to take here is not one of anything close to xenophobia as you cannot blame anyone for simply wishing to make an honest living and if one’s pay only allows living arrangements of a lower standard than should be acceptable then you must look beyond the person/people and investigate the situation in which they live. Those who wish to unrighteously get rich off of the backs of others wether they be Caymanian or not are the one’s who are to blame for that. It is not productive to blame the immigrant, it is a trap set by the real perpetrators as they are well aware of the situation and were beforehand. Ask yourself; who is the real benefactor of the rollover policy? The massive boom and subsequent leveling off of our country’s population is as natural as the rising and the setting of the sun, regardless of international economics. Those who would wish to increase the numbers of folks in these islands to bursting point only for increased short term benefit for themselves are the enemy of this country. Until this country disallows the predatory and cannibalistic practices of those of such distateful qualities amongst our midst then wether we have a hundred or a hundred thousand people living in the Cayman Islands the situation will be the same and the consequences will only be more dire and excacerbated when human congestion is encouraged with little or no concern for the added weight to needs for infrastructure and beyond which accompany population growth. The carrying load which this country can and will bear is not an infinite thing and of this I am sure, he who is calling for it today is not doing so from a position of a wish for the best future for the Cayman Islands. Instead he is doing so from a profiteering, manipulatory and despicable place. The very observance of our recent history proves that to be so.
Mac has been successful using his divide and conquer techniques up until this point. He pitted expats and Caymanians against one another with his status grants and then reversed the scenario with Roll over (his brainchild).
Rapid population growth is not the answer.
The reality is there are communities and cities around the world who are and have survived (and thrived) with populations of 10,000, 30,000, and 50,000, and 100,000. The retailers, restaurants, and other businesses have survived. It comes down to these communities living and spending within their means, forecasting for 3-5% growth as opposed to 25%, 35% etc. This is not something new.
Mac is now for expats and not Caymanians- it is truly sad to see. His glorious plan of a population of 100,000 will boost the economy, I can’t deny that, but it will be artificial, and at the expense of harmony for society which is a far greater cost. Mac will use the smoke and mirrors to say he is creating jobs (ask for whom?!) and increased prosperity (for whom again?) Caymanians will be further dis-enfranchised in their own country and what culture remains from the past 25 years of massive growth will be diminished further.
Consider the agreement he will sign with Shetty allowing xxxxnumber of Indian nationals to have permits. Look at the Bahamas and the battle between their gov’t and a chinese developer who asked for an extremely high percentage of Chinese work permits when there are 1000’s of Bahamian construction workers out of jobs.
Rapid population growth is not the answer.
Vig Idj
Welcome to population explosion, get ready for the kind of growth similar to that of India they have been doing very well with a population explosion, maybe this is the direction that our Premier wants to see these islands go and I have very little doubt about that.
This is exactly why he is fighting so hard to get the Dr. Shetty’s hospital here. Many jobs for Indian professionals and their families and friends in addition they can work in the proposed oil refinery and many other professions, just look at the chefs on islands now very few Europeans as opposed to the 1970, 80s, 90’s. Change is coming just be prepared for it. Look around the neighbourhoods, look on the streets.
From what I can see the world over the smart countries are fighting to keep their population as small as possible just look around at the good countries with managable population and see how hard it is to migrate there and to get citizenship. Try Monaco, Anguilla and Bermuda do you see them advertising for people to migrate there and if you are lucky enough to live there look at what you have to do and bring to the table for the priviledge. Cayman had a good thing going until about 1998 then everything change and we are fast becoming what we hate to be called most “Third World”.
Take a look around neighbourhoods that just 2-6 years ago were desirable to live in and notice now third world they have become garbage and old cars parked all over the place, rats as big as cats 15-30 people sharing a 3 bedroom house. Yes these are just signs of the times and things to come. I pray that we return to good common sense or dog will eat our supper. The powers that be finally got their wishes, gated communities, rich or poor no middle class, slums and yes The Cayman Islands will officially become “Third World”.
Here is some food for thought. Could it be that the census numbers released are not totally accurate? XXXX I am not sure why this news service did not publish my original blog suggesting that a proper census was needed to disclose more vital information such as 1) how many Generational Caymanians are here and what percentage of the population they make up? 2) How many persons are here as a direct or indirect result of the wonton status grant fiasco and by what relation? 3) What country did most of the status grabbers come from? What is the largest population of persons living here? 4) How many persons are holders of P.R. and P.R. with the right to work? 5) How many are school age and what schools do they attend? 6) how many PR holders are earning money here but don’t live here? From these figures we could have very useful information that is vital to our growth and success. We would also have info. so that if Mac Dicktator takes it upon himself to issue status grants as we know he probably will do we could at least argue his plan with facts and demand that at the very least they are not all from one country. It would also be useful to check out how manyof the PR holders in the count have actually PAID their PR fees and if hey have not they and their companies should immediately be fined and then the PR holder should be deported for criminal/fraudulent activity. In my opinion if you have not paid your PR should be revoked immediately. NO excuses. This would open opportunities for revenue that our island badly needs instead of further taxing the law abiding Caymanians and other good citizens. Does Mac Dicktator and his team of Immig/status/PR specialists know how many PR holders are earning a living here who have not paid their PR fees and if so why is NOTHING done about it except to recoup those losses from honest citizens and ppermit these criminals to earn big bucks here fraudulently??? I urge Mac to have these figures checked out by an independant audit of the PR. Dept and release the figures to the public. We may then have room for more good citizens who have earned the right to apply for Cayman Status and increase our numbers in a manageable and beneficial way. Not cram this place with more criminals like these and others.
How can Caymanians feel comfortable when the foreign population is starting to overwhelm locals what the census did not say is the proportion of Caymanians versus expats. Those suggesting another wholesale grant are asking for real trouble. Just how many people do they expect to jam on to these little rocks without displacing others.They are now experiencing some of the social effects of this situation. A smaller well managed population and economy is unfortunately not what some want to hear but building more rental apartments for more people is that really a solution?All politician love the word “expansion” but none understand what it realy means or its price. All Caymanians have to decide what price are they and their children willing to pay for an expanded population and does it really make sense.
What is not being said is that he has opened our borders so that a large number of people can come here looking for jobs. Fine and well. However this has created a crazy job market now. See this past Fridays newspaper requiring a Bachelors for a job with a salary of only $5 per hour. This is a joke. How can you say job already marked for a expat. That same expat will come back later and complain that they are being treated unfairly and being aksed to work for slave wages.
Welcome to the new Cayman.
Any position advertised to be filled and requiring a Bachelors degree paying $5 per hour is FALSE ADVERTISING and does NOT REPRESENT the TREUE POSITION to be filled nor the salary!
Government in greed for work permits fewe3s revenue continue to give these crooks the NOD to their crooked ways and look the other way granting their work permits and keeping Caymanians from making a living.
WE MUST STOP MCKEEVA HE IS OUT TO DESTROY CAYMAN AND CAYMANIANS making us a 3rd world country
Population growth must be aligned with the size of the country and what the ecological structure along with the infra structure can accommodate.
Cayman Islands is in no way shape or form able to accommodate or invite ANOTHER INFLUX OF IMMIGRATION!
The Premiere has taken leave of his senses!
He’s thinking about MORE STATUS GRANTS TO ENSURE HIS CONTINUED DICTORSHIP
HE WILL BE FORCED TO GRANT STATUS FOR THOSE CRYING AND INCREASE UDP VOTES ‘REMAINING IN POWER FOR ANOTHER 50 YEARS!
GOD HELP US
MEN OR CAYMAN IF YOU STILL HAVE YOUR BALLS PLESW stop this man!
Welcome to Canada
NO MORE Status Grants McKeeva!! Please make sure that if you do, that every individual status granted, they are properly screened and that will include every family member. With the high crime rate taking place today, most of them are status grantee that were never screened. Make sure they have a sustainable income too, so that our SS Dept. will not get overwhelm. One other thing McKeeva, get your current unemployed Caymanians employed first and please drop those immigration prices to where they were before you took office. That might help your sustainable growth. You and your party are partially to blame for this. You are losing generation of Caymanians as they are leaving the Islands to seek a better life elsewhere, while your new statusgrantees are staying to drag down your economy. Your Policies are the problem.
Mr. Premier the master of trickery is at it again!
Here we go again, Big Mac the person that has single-handedly made a wreck of our economy by increasing fees at the worst possible time in our recent history when the economy was in a deep recession.
I have no idea who advises our leader but simple principles of good fiscal responsibility is to "tax less" when times are hard and "tax more" in the good times, he cut government worker’s salaries and this further made thing more difficult in an already failing economy. I really would like to know who advises the Premier on economic matters?? Or does he dream up these ideas when he sleeps at night??
Yes Mr. Bush and his economic team continue to do the impossible and defy logical actions that would help stabilize the country’s economy and now we have lost a substantial amount of businesses and jobs, make no mistake about it this elected government’s dollars-and cents policies have failed and made it impossible to operate in these Islands.
Now he preaches we need more headson the ground, he and the people who are advising him are so wrong on this, what makes them think businesses that left will come back to our shores "if we don’t do our part" to entice them back.
I mean one would think before the leader opens his mouth he would set things in motion to encourage businesses to come back, if he isn’t aware rolling back all the immigrations fees, business licensing fees to where they were would be a good start in stimulating growth in the economy.
But true to his Stubborn ways this leader would never do any of the above as it would prove that his government’s fiscal policies are a failure and were wrong to begin with, so we have to hear this hogwash which nothing more the political gamesmanship, blaming it on the numbers is not the solution – you need to look in the mirror and ask yourself why the numbers are down.
Take some responsibility for once as the leader of these Islands.
Mr. Bush let me give you some layman’s advise which I know will probably go through one ear and leave through the next one. Leave our economy as you have done enough damage, it will fix itself over time, more heads on the ground isn’t the solution if there isn’t proper planning – get that through your skull.
Fellow Caymanians please put people in power who are fiscally responsible.
A 39% increase in total population (yes, Mac, with dips of 3,000 come and 3,000 go in bad economic times) is a SERIOUS increase in population and should have been a GREAT THING……SADLY, the country is broke and the spending has not slowed own one bit.
What!?! you ADDED 39% more people, more spending, more tax base, more fees, and STILL SPENT EVERY !$^#@^&(*^ fricking dime????
Sorry, I’m with Turks and Caicos, throw our greedy politicians OUT. Any MLA who served and spent this way over the past decade should be prosecuted for stealing the people’s money.
$50K trips to Spain,$50 million and $150 million dollar stupid projects for construction buddies, bribes and greed…..GET RID OF THEM ALL. I’ve been here for 29 years and am married to a Caymanian. I want British direct rule of a set of accountants and to shrink the civil service. Our "voters" have put us to ruins with their own greed.
Ashamed to be a 30 year paper Caymanian……..
I’m starting get bored of the same rants and name calling.
It is understandable that people are angry and frustrated. What is going on is beyond belief. I truly cannot believe what they are ALL getting away with and it wouldn’t be any different if it was PPM. Taking you all for a ride.
At this point, and most especially after the “Talk with the Experts” (experts??!) fiasco, it is apparent that the premier has lost all shreds of credibility and any respect that anyone still had for him. He’ll never be able to say or do anything right from here on in.
He has learned the hard way that respect doesn’t come with the title, it must be earned.
You folks need to xxx or get off the pot, (meaning quit bitching and do something about it). Isn’t there anything that can be done?? I’ll help!
What is strangling Cayman slowly but surely is a culture rooted in prejudice and discrimmination.
When Cayman was at its economic and population peak, sometime between 1998 and 2004 (pre-Ivan), no one foresaw a downturn in the world’s economy at such a devastating scale and…
Caymanians have kept on screeching anti-foreigner and anti-expatriate rhetoric out of nothing but pure ignorance.
A roll-over policy was supposed to give every Caymanian a job and make every Caymanian rich…
So both political parties promised.
The great pity is that Caymanians don’t understand that this culture that has been ingrained in them is merely being used by the smarter ones who screech anti-foreigner political rhetoric at election time for votes but who all have foriegners as their best friends and business partners.
When the voting Caymanian gets smart enough to ditch this culture of prejudice and discrimmination, they will demand a scrapping of this work-permit system, introduce a ‘green-card’ immigration policy and build a solid population base of all who wish to be Caymanian and deserve the right to be because they are good people who love the Cayman Islands.
Keep up this continuing, ignorant division between ‘Caymanians’ and ‘expatriates’ and Cayman is doomed to a slow and painful death.
The census results just told you so !
Rollover policy was not primarily implemented for Caymanian job creation.
Do not confuse anti-‘lax immigration’ with anti-expat, there is a difference. Please stop with the misdirecting and degrading the argument.
They coming with this foolishness again!!!!! we were suppose to have all these economic benefits from the first grant that apparently has never materialise. Oh I wonder who has the “Big List” $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ GP Get P$$D
McKeeva its like Chuckie said on Rooster this morning……."you have a flawed economic policy" so the numbers are dropping because of your policies. We have lost 10,000 people from this country since you took office. Do you understand what that means and do you understand, McKeeva, that your increases in taxes over and over since you took office has put the cost of business beyond the point of sustainability for businesses, hence the reason why foreign businesses are leaving and local businesses are closing.
Just because Chuckie opposes you McKeeva that doesn’t mean that you can’t take advice from him and others who oppose you and who know better.
McKeeva its time for you to resign !!!!!!!!!!!!
“Mckeeva its like Chuckie said on rooster this morning………”you have a flawed economic policy” so the numbers are dropping because of your policies.We have lost 10,000 people from this country since you took office”……….Anonymous @ 11:07 are you serious? We have lost 10,000 people from our shores not because of McKeeva or the UDP but because of the PPM,s flawed economic policy along with the party’s anti-expat stance and stupid roll over policy for the four years they were in,are you telling me that if the PPM had won 10,000 people would not have leaved?please go tell this to someone else.
exactly, why would people want to come and invest in a nation that will kick them out in 7 years. After having to start life over for a year, few people bother to come back.
How soon some of us forget that it was Mac’s administration that put the roll over into effect.
Most of Cayman is aware that it was the UDP that put the roll over into effect but we are also aware that it was the PPM who took it up and ran with it like a bunch of starving chickens!!!!
Nowthat is silly. First, rollover is not a policy, it is the law passed by the UDP. Obviously, there is no point to having a law that is not enforced. The point is that the UDP cannot blame the PPM for rollover since they created it.
we are still struggling from the last crazy give away of status grants. Don’t get me wrong. I have nothing against ex-pats. However, the last time this man sold out his country because everyone knew people who had been here for years and deserved to get status. However they were not the ones who got status. This should have been done on a case by case basis with proper background checks. We now find that the schools are fit to burst. Social services cannot help Caymanians because some of the new status grant recipients went straight on to social services and yes some criminals were given status. Amazing as that sounds. Its absolutely true. Is this what any of us – Caymanians/ status holders/ ex pats want? I’m not blaming all crime on non-Caymanians but who wants criminals from other countries to deal with as well as our own? No one, and yet our leader in his ultimate wisdom, not only welcomed them but gave them status. The infrastucture of this country cannot take another mass status grant and knowing this govt., they will do exactly the same as the last time. People of Cayman – all people – it is time to come together to demand ethical, honest, moral behaviour from educated leaders/government officials. If they cannot deliver this, they need to be removed. For someone who claims to care about this country, our Premier does not even want to hear what his own people have to say because it is not what he wants to hear and may affect the amount of dollars going into his pocket. He is off yet again on another round the world party while his people are suffering more than ever before. Does he care? No, not at all. .
MacDaffi is not thinking wisely when he speaks of sustainable population growth. He has created the “WALK DOWN FREEDOM STREET”, With all the status grants that were given, opportunities were explored, and multitudes of new gateways were open to prosperity outside the Cayman Islands. Our country provided the incenitives for pesons to obtain an English Passport or Visa to the USA etc. So, what is he talking about!?? when liberalisation was granted,
Maybe, the Census Office probably accounted for Work Permit holders on “ROLL OVER” who have since left the Island, also some households could have rejected the Census Count. We are creating our own problems and there seems too be no way out for now and the future unless we create a New Cayman Islands, which I believe is impossible in this life and the next.
something is seriously wrong when the over whelming majority of opinions expressed have no confidence or respect for the current govt. It could be that the over whelming majority like to see "the big man take a fall" – but for this kind of duration ? When "asking the audience" in t.v shows usually benefits the contestant a large percentage of the time, one has to wonder just how far off track our government is with the responses given by our audience to past and progressive choices it’s made to date. . . I just don’t get it. . . – I really don’t
The Issue Here IS: when ever the premier speaks of population – it means increasing the population – it means more status grant – more work permits- means more status grant – get real. Hey Caymanians Born bread and delivered of 8 generations – let us all apply for our cayman status, obviously, we might as well double numbered -because big mac has us out numbered.
No a local policeman to see on the road- all foreigners.
You expect population growth when you’re rolling everyone over, and you’re taxing people out of jobs during a recession! Go get an economics ‘O’-Level, dingbat.
"He said that government had to address the decline as he said a sustainable increasing population was vital "
On a small island the words sustainable and increasing are opposites, when it comes to population.
OMFG is he serious… because he does not have the intellectual capacity to come up with a better idea to make a tiny island sustainable he’s saying add more people.
Cayman this should tell you that we need young blood and quick before the old blood drains everyone and everything dry.
It’s because developers and land owners are running the government. More people to rent too.
@ Dred – 20:02 ***** Dred, your suggestion below is a wise suggestion in the right direction: LOWER COSTS AND STIMULATE THE MARKET! However, I will go a step further. There are other methods for financing the Cayman Islands Government without undermining people’s means of support and production on the island. Cost for establishing businesses and work permit fees can be eliminated altogether. This will ensure the affordability of locals in starting and maintaining their own businesses and keeping employees. Meanwhile government can review financing options, such as, making individuals or legal entities who want specific services pay for it. User fees, donations, and services to the public and tourism are all moral ways of appropriating funds from people / entities who work for their monies. Maybe you are right in that if they lower the work permits and business fees to begin with, that would be a great milestone. But to me, once they lower such costs, they will hike it up again! It won’t be for a long time! Best to eliminate such costs altogether by permanent legislation! Then you will see a healthy rise in population, a population that won’t be jobless. ***** Libertarian
My recollection is that in the mid 80’s the population of Little Cayman was in fact somewhere in the region of 16 persons. I’m no mathematician (nor do I suspect Mac to be) but I would suggest that the population growth there over the last 20 years is in fact quite substantial and often times it can be best to leave some things be.
McBush345..can I talk to you?…I need a hook up to get my Caymanian Status…I’ll hit you up on twitter. Thx
Stumbled on the line saying
“If the population were to continue to grow at this rate, it would double its size by
the year 2033”.
Wow. Papa bear has two points on a graph – lets make an all sciencezzy prediction.
If this is the level of the report…geez.
Status grant? Why confuse the issue.
The issue is people living, working and spending their money here, instead of being frugal, saving and sending their earnings overseas. Policies should be in place to attract and retain residents while encouraging them to spend their money here. Just look at the tried and tested business model for human resouces , the most important resource of any entity.
Everybody benefits, including residents locals, businesses, government and expats. Most expats earning above a certain level of income not even remotely interested status grants, right to be Cayamnian etc.
"Most expats earning above a certain level of income" are not most expats
I agree with you. As Canadian expats, we will be returning home (yes, I know about the door of the plane) and don’t want status or PR. Most expats (Canadians, US, S. African, British) I talk to, always say they will return home after a few years, not necessarily 7 yrs, but at some point we all want to go back to our countries. It may come as a shock to some locals, but not everyone wants to stay here forever & there are other nice places in the world.
Agreed. I was at a restaurant last night.
It was a leaving party for one of the persons, however the other nine will be gone by July.
None of them have reached, or intend to reach roll over or jump through hoops to get PR.
All rented properties and shopped locally.
They, additionally, will not let the door hit them on the ass I am sure, but kindly hold it open for others.
You can’t deal with the issues of the Cayman Islands (crime, welfare, unemployment etc.) yet you want more people?! I hope you’re not about to give more status grants! God help us from this insanity!!!
McKeever Bush…open mouth insert foot. You know the fish wouldn’t get in trouble if they kept their mouth shut.
For God’s sake hurry up and go Venice, Dubai or wherever else you are going and stay. Please take Ju Ju with you. There must be some cell phones somewhere she can look at. Tell her stop interfering with DOE.
We don’t need anymore status grants. What aren’t criminals ahve brought their 101 children to live off of Social Services. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make life better for Caymanians so taht they will spend.
Hereis what would have helped to stimulate the economy. MLA’s take pay cut not Civil Servants except those high up on the scale. Give an increase to those making small money. You see when people salary get cut, they spend less so they downscale and the economy goes into recession.
To get more tourists,
1. do something about the CRIMINALS.
2. Encourage the hotels, condos, guest houses to have specials. The prices for those so called Villas are ridiculous. For those prices, you get a butler, driver and cook in Jamaica.
but you would be in jamaica…
McKeeva Bush is a DINOSAUR that has no place in the leadership position of any country today.
The man is living in the past – he is STUCK in the year 1991 – he is a Mubarak – his time has past – he is not ‘smart’ or wise – it is embarrassing to have such an individual as our representative.
It is impossible to be confident in the leadership of another for whom you have absolutely no (professional) respect.
This is where I am at today.
*Cline, Rolston, Elio … all of you ought to be ashamed of yourselves. By the way, you can no longer demand any respect as well.
Disgusting.
I got my status grant. Got my UK passport and I AM OUTTA HERE!!! LMAO on the way out the door!!
The "guy at the top", because I refuse to use his name, needs to realise that things such as crime and the stupid roll-over policy will reduce the population. How would he know what is happening in Cayman since he is in Europe and the US most of the time anyway????
Pushing your button. The guy about the “status, British Passport and ‘outta here’ ” is pushing your button. He is local. don’t swallow the bait and get angry
I swear this man dropped on his head.
Never again I’m going to give them my X.
Why did you do it in the first place. You should have avoided both parties and have voted in someone with some brains. There were some good ‘independents’ but of course you took the washing machine and gave him the vote. Thanks for helping him get voted back in – you are in part to blame for all this nonsense.
Very classy guys
Look for the long line outside the police station collecting police clearance reports (forget about the rap sheet back home dey ain’t checkin)
Granting status does not help as those will be for people who are already resident on the island. It does not increase the population. What is required is business development and a more positive mind set to ex pats living on the island to support development of the economy. Get off this status bandwagon as it is past and a very negative approach. Cayman must have a more positive approach. The only problem faced at present is that Caymanians who are currently unemployed, and there are highly qualified and professional Caymanians in that group, must be considered for positions before new expatsand work permits even although permits is a source of income for the economy. Do not fall into a trap of hiring off shore to increase permit revenue and leave qualified Caymanians behind.
‘Granting status does not help as those will be for people who are already resident on the island.’ Is this what happened last time?
Really? It won’t help? So you want the ones who have already been resident here for several years to leave too? If they have already proven to be good citizens that contribute to society, don’t you think they should be encouraged to stay?
But MR Premier are you not the #1 reason for the fall in numbers? Did you not hike everything you could and forced so many businesses to close or relocate? Do you believe that there is any other reason for this but your silly economic plan?
You want to raise the numbers on Cayman make it feasible for business to survive here. Here’s some ideas:
1) Lower the cost of establishing businesses
2) Lower the cost of work permits
3) Create incentives for locals to start up businesses such as no business licensing fee in first 2 years and 20% off of Work Permits if the business is 75% Caymanian owned or more.
We need to get Caymanians out working but we need Caymanians getting their own businesses.
***** Dred’s suggestion is a good start. It is a shame that you are not hearing ideas like this from the Opposition. ***** Libertarian
The last time I check, we are all living in a Island that is approximately 22 miles long and 8 miles at it widest point, I think 54,878 people is plenty for this little Island, and can offer enough sustainable economy as it is, there is no need to grow the population more than it is already. I don’t know what Macdinejad think this Island is, he wants Mega Yachts to come here, more five star Hotels, dredge up the North Sound, Oil Refinery, and put a Dock in East End. He think he is living in some huge country, realistically Macdinejad, it is not. It’s time to respect the size of this Island for what it is. I guess 22 miles long to him is 220 miles, and 8 miles wide to him is 80 miles, that is some bad calculation to the size Island that we live in.
Iraq is rebuilding, could use all of the above and is looking for a new leader::))
"He said that government had to address the decline as he said a sustainable increasing population was vital for economic growth."
Now THAT is the dumbest thing I have ever heard.
Economic growth comes from education and export, but I understand this man has can probably not even spell the words.
What an idiot !!
For man without an education he sure knows a lot. Off to Italy to inspect an engineering project and now thoughtful insights on mathematics. We have a brain on our hands that only see people with big money. Mac the brainiac.
Actually, for once, Mac is right. The local shops, services, garages, resturants, etc etc. would all benefit from more customers (e.g. more population). That translates pretty directly to more jobs.
I agree. Increasing businesses without increasing customers will lead to businesses cannibalising themselves. A business license does not guarantee a successful business. Mother Nature will see to it that people willmigrate to sustain stable population levels. Ever notice how man’s attempts to override nature always fail?
Anonymouse 17:37
AND MORE CARS AND MORE TRAFFIC AND MORE CRIME etc. Need I say more !!!!!
This is a sad day again for Cayman, its time for this to stop, we cant handle any more people coming here for such low wages that put Caymanians out of a job. Mr Premeir would you in your right mind work for $4.50 an hour? No, so lets stop blaming the locals when they cry out for help from our government. I do not condone laziness but when a man with a family of four have to accept that kind of pay because our government allows the business owners to manipulate the salaries this is what we get. So please do not try to bring in more people that will in the long run get status. Are we any different than the U S A or Australia, who wont allow them to over stay, no so immigration get some *****.
I completely disagree with the previous contributions to this thread making it only about politics.
Bringing more people with more money to feed the local economy and to move into local rental properties or perhaps buy homes is good for the country.
Local businesses will grow with a somewhat larger population but it must be managed carefully.
This increased population will not add to the voting numbers so forget that argument.
Look around at rental figures and figure it out.
Forgot to mention,Please leave Little Cayman alone.Dont mess it up like Grand Cayman.The only place left that is still like the old Cayman that many of us remember.
One Bush too many, I say.
Will be interesting to see how many more people the Shetty project will bring in plus the Economic zone if that all comes to pass.I have nothing against either one of these projects PROVIDED the infrastructure of the island is increased(garbage,sewage roads etc.) to meet the increased demand on all the before mentioned.amenities.My personal feeling is that by the year 2015 we will have close to 100,000 people living on these three islands(And that is not equal to 80,000 CI)Hopefully we will continue to encourage more stay over visitors of all walks of life(not just the rich)and that I am sure will help our floundering economy tremendously.We desperately need a proper plan in place to get our stay over visitors back up to pre Ivan figures.Lets get those airfares and hotel,condo rates down as that is the ONLY way this will happen.
Yours for a better Cayman.
thats over estimation. You realize thats just 4 years away. The attraction that Cayman used to have does not exist anymore.
In 2008 someone projected that the population would be 57,000 and Cayman is off 3% +/- or just 2122 people. Whoever did the estimate was pretty good. Ideas to help a steady growth in population. 1) Drastically reduce crime. 2) Energize stay over tourism with reduced airfares, incentives for tourism hotel developers, duty reductions for tourism food, beverage and FF&E, a real education system for Caymanians to get into tourism 3) Easy access for business owners to work permits 4) incentives for companies in the professional services to come and stay in Cayman 5) a solid education system 6) safe un congested roadways. The answer is not a big real estate project.
Cayman, be prepared for another 3000 status grants to make up the numbers that Mac needs to bolster his vision of what Cayman is supposed to look like…
"sustainable growth that can spur healthy local economic growth", indeed….
More like, "more people who I can manipulate into voting for me"….
Yea, another excuse to give out more Status’ to make sure he has more votes to get reelected, but he can try all he want but that wont happen, TRUST ME!
I hope you are right, NEVER forget that cabinet grants are IRREVOCABLE, regardless of what the recipient does after the grant. UDP status grants were mainly to unscreened, unsuitable people who are unable to support themselves. They threw in a few people who are deserving and will get status eventually to muddy the waters. We counted 1000 new cabinet-grant Caymanians on the voters roll for the last election and we figure that will be at least 5000 will in the next one, once spouses, kids etc…. join the voters roll. Imagine what another grant will do?
so 3000 more status grants and 3000 more caymanians. i was at a induction to new caymainians and what they have access to is a uk passport. i would ask what the uk gets from cayman? the answer is nothing, and is probably worse than that as the UN does not look favourably and we may have to bail out the finances ie turks caicos. Please tell me why a pakistani, indian, honduran, columbian has the same rights as a UK citizen when any caymanain can get a uk passport entitiling them to work anywhere in europe and benefits frree health care etc.
do not attack UK expats unless you have only a caymanian passport and not a us, uk other passport.
Hypocrisy think about it.
Another excuse to issue more status grants so that the UDP will have enough votes to win the next election and to increase the number of “Caymanians” so that we will not be a minority in our own country.
We heard all this during the elections. The UDP candidates, & especially Mr. Bush, all talked about increasing our population if elected. It did not take the results of the recent cencus for them to plan this or talk about it, it has been promised for some time now.
In other words, what I am saying is that Bush is just using the census results to do what he has wanted to do all along, increase the population, & it’s my opinion that he wants to increase the population for political purposes. Do not be fooled folks, this has been Bush’s plan all along, to increase the population!
You’re so right. This is pure Maconomic bull. Makes me wonder what will happen to the economy when people have to stand on each others heads in Cayman…
The population will adjust.
You know what…please dont start this sh*t again about the numbers need to grow. Remember what happened last time? U handed out thousands of Status grants to criminals, uneducated and unskilled workers! (Granted a small number im sure had a positive impact on the islands). It is understandable that Cayman does need to sustain a slow growth in population I just hope that you are not intending on pulling the same idiotic stunt that you pulled last time to make this happen! Not too mention that at the moment we have an extremely high unemployment rate dut to the economy so where would you propose these additional people wipould fit into society other than bringing an increase in robberies and crime. What should be happening is number crunch on all the people who were initially granted status that are not working and not contributing to society in anyway and these people should be shipped back to where they came from! I fully support bringing in expats to fill roles as long as they support our economy instead of becoming a drag on it!
Agreed Frank -16:43
Development for what purpose, and so who exactly does he propose will benefit from such an increase? Everywhere I look I see professional and skilled Caymanians disclocated through unemployment, and foreigners working. Talk is cheap, but where is the plan Sir?
Caymanians are becoming very resentful of what is taking place in their land of birth because it seems no one is listening or has a practical solution.
What is he stupid? Oops I answered my own question…..yes he is…he raised work permit fees, hasn’t addressed the rollover, cost of living here is over the top, crime is out of control and he wonders why the population is on a decrease???? Real Estate is not doing well. THe list is endless…..
What Big Mac is REALLY SAYING is that substantial increase in population is CRUCIAL TO THE UDP continued empowerment to govern as he continues to grant CAYMAN STATUS to work Permit holders and reduce the rollover policy. He will then run Caymanians away to other countries because they can not get a job in their own country. THRY HAVE NO SUPPORT OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND THE GOVERNOR NOR THE UK DOES NOT GIVE A Sh*T
Is there really any concrete proof that the Premier’s office is giving out a lot of status grants? And if so, should the population then not be growing as opposed to shrinking? Just asking.
That might explain why it has taken so long for the census numbers to be released and who is to say they haven’t been manipulated like a lot of other things around here. I doubt these figures are accurate. What would have been more useful information would have been a census that showed how many Generational Caymanians are left, what percent of the population are now Caymanians because of the wonton status grants, how many have a Police record, what countries make up the highest percentage of Cayman’s population etc. etc. etc. Anyone with half a brain more than McMadman knows he wants the population to increase for one reason only…..for more votes because hopefully by now the West Bayers realise their nightmare of a mistake.