Mac opposes immigration bill
(CNS): Taking a different position from most in his lack of support for the government’s new immigration amendment bill, the opposition leader told the Legislative Assembly Wednesday that he did not think the bill would build confidence and would be too costly. McKeeva Bush said he took the position that immigration was not the cause of Cayman’s unemployment problem as the country needed to grow its population. The issue, he said, was the economy and it was by encouraging the right people to come and invest that jobs would be created. Bush warned that it was the type of people not the quantity that mattered and said that Cayman did not need more “cantankerous people”.
Bush said he was not going to scoff at the work that had clearly gone into the bill but he did not believe it would achieve its aims and it was a bad deal for all concerned as it was focusing on the wrong problem. Bush said he still believed that the country needed to grow its population. He said that when Cayman had more people there were more jobs but he said the country had to pay much closer attention to who came in the first place.
“We need to check who is coming here not how many and not bring any more cantankerous people. We have enough troublesome people here already,” he said, adding that he did not think that government would be able to enforce the law it was trying to pass as it would be far too costly. He said hardly anyone had ever been prosecuted since the laws were first passed and the government had to focus on attracting investment.
Bush said people were wrong when they still saw work permit holders keeping Caymanians out of work. “Jobs need to be created for our people and that won’t be done by driving people away,” he said.
The opposition leader said that it was wishful thinking that locals would get the posts held by Term Limit Exemption Permit holders, as it would be impossible to carry out the enforcement needed to prevent people from notgetting new work permits.
“I am not going to support this bill for various reasons, but not because of the clamour but because I am thinking long term. I don’t think it will build any real confidence and the process is going to be costly. We need to build the country and it’s not immigration that is causing unemployment … It will hurt more than help. I hope that won’t be the case but I can’t see it working the way they say it will.”
Bush said nothing had been said recently to make him change his mind that the population base was too small to support the businesses that were here and if people didn’t start to recognize this issue the country would carry on tinkering at immigration piecemeal. He warned that the legislation would kill more businesses and stop more employment opportunities rather than create jobs for local people.
The change that was required, the UDP leader said, was to reduce the break in stay, as he pointed to legal opinion from the attorney general and Lord Panick that he had sought when premier. The lawyers had both said that the break in stay (the time expatriates spend off island so it does not count as continuous residency on the Cayman Islands) could be as short as the Cayman government wanted it to be. He said reducing the break in stay would eliminate the problem.
Bush said the two issues were unemployment and Caymanians being worried about being outnumbered and reducing the break in stay would eliminate the second problem.
But he lamented government’s efforts as he said there wasn’t any money in the budget for enforcement and he did not think it would be able to get the fees and fines as “no one gets caught”.
He said, “Immigration will be a problem for every government until we recognize where the problem really is. We can’t do it on our own; we need foreigners and their investment.”
Regardless of his indication that he would not support the bill and his concerns that it would not tackle the real problems, the opposition leader ended his contribution to the debate on an upbeat note. He said that, regardless of the law, he believed the future was still bright, despite what he called the “wrangling and jangling”, as the country was well placed to enjoy future economic recovery as a leading tourist destination and financial jurisdiction.
See related story on CNS: Immigration-bill-passes
Category: Politics
For once, I have to agree with Mac. In order for Cayman to become a vibrant, thriving economy, it needs to create more jobs. More jobs means having more foreign investments from high net worth individuals and companies. It also means attracting expats with skills and services that would contribute to further entrepreneurship. Too many shortsighted individuals only see the number of jobs as a finite number and expats taking away jobs from locals. What a true visionary sees is more jobs and prosperity for everyone. However, in order for that to happen the government has to create immigration policies that are geared towards those goals. For far too long governments of the Cayman Islands have been too shortsighed with it's immigration policies thatwere more geared towards securing votes rather than building the country.
Over the years immigration policies have been restrictive to the point where most expat workers were not encouraged to become an integral part of the society and hence they neither spent nor invested their monies in the local economy. That is something that has to change if the local economy is to thrive and create more jobs.
I think the point is that with 20K+ persons on work permits filling jobs spanning the entire range from unskilled to specialist professional and top management Cayman clearly does not have a job shortage.
Can you honestly compare countries with such high levels of resources and space and potential jobs to a small caribbean country?
This country exists off of finances (Not our money) and tourism (Not our money). That makes it fragile. It means that we must be careful in all we do. And the people have a tendency to wantto stay home.
As a Caymanian who lost my job due to a permit being granted for another expat this is what am gonna say. Cayman is done and am done cant wait to leave this place as soon as I have eveything in place by years end. Cant wait to see the crime increase if you think its bad now wait till those who really break and reach I cant get a job the young folks start Cayman what a mess this place gonna be in. Am done this not myhome anymore cant wait to leave gonna be so happy when Cayman Airways lifts up soon come soon come. I say expats you can have this place stick it up your you know what goodbye an sink.
hmmm…did your previous position entail any communiction responsibilities where some knowledge of grammar was required?
Thats right, attack the person and not the topic. What a brave hero you are!
It seems to me that attacking the person was in fact attacking the topic. Someone can't post a short paragraph without spelling and grammar mistakes but also doesn't understand why someone else got the job over them. Somehow this is supposed to be an example of how the country is going down the drain because of prejudice against Caymanians and preferential treatment of expats. I see it as an example of predudice against the lack of basic skills and preferential treatment of someone who has been provided a basic education (and successfully took advantage of what was provided).
This may be no fault of the person who lost the job, who of course feels bitter and upset. However, don't blame the expat who has the skills and experience to get the job. Perhaps look deeper and blame the education system and culture who set you loose on the world without the basic knowledge and skills required to compete effectively.
Judging by the current quality of the education system and the lack of respect both students and parents seem to have for teachers and education in general (from what my teacher friends tell me), I think Cayman is in for a worsening of the unemployment situation long before it gets better. People need to focus on the root causes of the problem.
I have one teacher friend who didn't have access to paper most of the year. Paper. Not fancy computers or other equipment. Paper. How are students expected to succeed without being provided some of the most basic tools necessary to learn?
While this may be the case at times, you have to appreciate that law breaking employers have taken to use this as an excuse to hire solely at their discretion, outside of our laws.Im sure you have noticed that this a global concern, and not unique to these Islands. What does that mean to you?
The problem will not be solved focusing too far to the left or right, but steadily in the middle.
At present this economy is creating alot of poverty-thats right, POVERTY! Yet we are bringning in more foreign workers, and from what i can tell, not always quality workers. Took forever to pick up my laundry because i couldnt speak phillipino the other day. So you see, no balance. Im guessing a semi illetrate person might have been able to process my order a bit faster. Maybe that same poster who yougraded so poorly might have been able to understand the local language and helped me faster! But, we will never know, as sir turlte and he have already decided on a date.
Shame
Hey I reckon there should be anIsland wide Ex-pat 'We won't go into work today,day'….I wonder how this place would function then? Considerthe situation … I fancy a drink/meal/some gas/and education…and who will look after the tourists???..just a thought!
Do you fight for your rights this much back home?
I voted
Thats great, but please realise you dont get a second vote. A bit of humaility might do you some good as well.
Cowards and fools the lot of them. Has no one any common sense?
I sat with an employment expert yesterday, who spelt out exactly what has happened in this law. It is a tragedy to Caymanians and expats alike. The short version is that many jobs that were here are starting to go back to the US, UK, Canada or wherever. Employers will not employ people who are below their required standards, and any government that tells them they have to is living in cuckoo land. Look at Bermuda, same policies, revenues severely down for their government and as many jobs as possible being relocated onshore. Did CIG actually think this through? Clearly not. In short local unemployment is not going to change because of these measures, permit fees are already falling off here and likely to continue to do so, which means possibly no surplus, just more debt, CIG has just signed Caymans death warrant.
Do you mean that "he was for it before he was against it"?????? If it wasn't for him & his cronies we wouldn't be in this immigration conundrum in the first place. Tell Mac to go sit down, XXXX
WHY are you reporting what this man says? We don't care! Ignore him!
You might not like the MACster, but you cannot ignore.
Given the history of Caymanian politics, there is a reasonable probability that he will be Premier again after the next election.
Lord help us if Mckeeve ever becomes Premier again.
Mac is doing what he did the last time the PPM was in. Sit back and set them up to fall.
Then its the PPM's time and then Mac. I think you get the idea.
The immigration matter is very interesting as Mac put it on hold for the PPM to solve. Then he contradicts what they do.
Except there is a criminal trial in between elections this time.
Well Mac's right that immigrations in not the cause of Cayman unemployment problems. I believe that non-compliance and lack of incentives for businesses to help them compete is the main problem. How does a business compete when they are paying rent, pensions, employees, duty, licenses, work permits, Etc… and non-compliance businesses, in most cases, play little or nothing.
Everyone must play by the rules… Government as well as “ALL CITIZENS OF CAYMAN” must do their best to enforce and report anyone that doesn’t play by the rules. Our system of government will never work when our government makes rules but does not enforce them…
Remember, our children are our future and they learn by our examples, if there is no enforcement of laws,why have them?
Let’s make a stand… “Play by the rules or You will get punished” P.S. Thank You Mr. Mario Ebanks for taking on a very hard job and letting our children know that government will no longer tolerate businesses that do not comply with our pension laws…….
We can now call any human's right to free speech as cantankerous, especially free speech that exposes corrupt and double dipping leeches.
Anymore subjective measures like "cantankerous" to label expats that are suffering under your blissful ignorance.
Exactly, instead of cantankerous old men who got us into this mess, we need blissfull and contrived opinions with contrived consensus.
PPM govt. got their votes from Paper Caymanians when they stated in their manifesto that they would let everyone who stayed here for 8 years apply for permanent residency. At that time they didn't say how they were going to tweak this law to make it next to impossible for anyone to get the PR here. Now that they are in power, they are tweaking the law as they wish, whereby hardly anyone who applied for PR would be successful. This is such a cheap way to increase the govt. revenue – putting up the application fee for PR and then making sure no one gets through it. The negative consequences soon follows – businesses moving to better offshore jurisdictions and more unemployment and doomed economy here.
"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Pogo
"We have quoted a cliche and we think we are smart" Popo.
Yes, the the PPM is certainly anti-expat wolves in sheep's clothing and they pulled the wool over everybody's eyes. They have basically ensured that only a couple of dozen people or so a year at most will get PR, which means the road to status will be blocked and their precious anti-expat voting base protected from dilution. We all knew Alden and should have know that a leopard doesn't change his spots. What will come is an unmitigated economic disaster, again.
What are you talking about? Why would paper Caymanians want more paper Caymanians here?
Whew, I am now in the castle……RAISE THE DRAWBRIDGE!
Thas wa I'm talkin bout
Pure hog wash from you who must be an expat, married to one or in love with one. We need to reverse the damage that so many expats have done to our islands. Each PPM member should receive a gold medal for what they have done. If it was me I would set the bar a lot higher. Me or my children, and their children don't want to be faced with high taxes to help fund social services to help support those who received status and enjoy governent free hand outs, which is what they are use to in the countries they migrate from.
Are you talking about expats….or Status Jamaicans…?
Fine, you don't like it then go home. Which country gives you residency as fast as Cayman had been doing so? It needs to change. I'm sure if you had a better job in a better place to live you would already be there so pls deal with it or leave.
UK, 5 years.
Wow. You really need to get off your rock a little more often. You clearly don't have a clue what you are talking about.
Erm.., since you're asking, the US grants citizenship after holding a green card for five years and many Caribbean Islands grant full citizenship after seven years. Just saying.
You clearly have reading difficulties. Obviously if one has a Green Card one already has residency.
Australia and Canada are two that spring to mind.
Europe under the Shengen agreement gives residency in any European country automatically.
There are probably more but I am quite satisfied that your naivity and lack of awareness has been highlighted.
Then why don't you all go to Austrailia, UK,Canada or whatever perfect country you all come from instead of raining on our parade?
There are some of us here that are so tired of these threats please do us a favour and relocate i would rather be poor and happy than what we are now prosperous and miserable. Fighting everday to control this little rock. Pray to GOD that some fool doesnt think they need to start a revolution to feel like they have gotten back in control of there home call Cayman.
I understand your feelings, but the road from prosperous and miserable doesn't go to poor and happy. People who have always been poor can, and often do, lead fairly happy lives, depending on the degree of poverty in which they live. However, once a society has tasted prosperity, it doesn't take to poverty happily. That, my friend, is when your revolutions start.
Caymanians have traded the values of morality and personal responsibility that marked its society of yesteryear for the trappings of wealth. Expats might have enabled that, but it was Caymanians who made the choice to accept it. Now we're left with a society that doesn't have the same sense of morality and which doesn't want to accept personal responsibility to the degree that they want government to do everything for them. There is no way you can now tell these people that that they are going to become poor, but that's ok, because they'll be much happier for it. That's just not reality. Like it or not, you can't turn back the clock. The only way forward is with continued growth and development, and yes that means more expats.
I guess the simple and cheap solution to immigration is to just add one question to the work perimt applications.
"Are you cantankerous y/n?
Problem solved.
Why does anyone care what Mac opposes?
Don't forget to add the meaning of the word.
To:Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 25/10/2013 – 16:15. Heres the meaningof cantankerous" bad-tempered, argumentative, and uncooperative."
That sounds like me:)
Cantankerous people don't think they're cantankerous.
I don't care who you are. Caymanian, or expat. That is funny!!!
I am sooo confused by this madMac's ramblings,,,In one breath he says we need immigrants, and then opposes a bill that allows foreigners to remain and invest in Cayman.Why do we keep paying any heed to anything this ruinous buffoon has to say.
The unemployed will not suddenly fill a vacant post if a foreigner's job becomes available, they are unemployed for many good reasons, and lack of education and work ethic has a lot to do with it.
You should apply for a job as a script writer for Rundown. This stuff is really funny.
As three islands, we continue to treat symptoms instead of problems.
We have a substantial problem. It is the shortage of qualified and college educated Caymanians.
A full overseas teritary education has several benefits . One, it brings discipline and confidence. Two, it promotes self-awareness and self-regulation. Third, it permits one to be marketable and competitve in the workforce.
In the end, we will our own filling prominent positions in firms across our land. Not to mention, setting a better example for our future generations to replicate.
I wish the best for my three islands.
Stop singing that old worn out tune 13:28. This may have been true years ago but today there are many smart Caymanians with Masters Degrees from well recognised universities yet they remain unemployed. What we have in this island is a well developed system of discrimination against Caymanians which is not being addressed by the government they elected!!
I think you're talking nonsense. The only reason there are "many" smart Caymanians with Master's Degrees who aren't employed is either a) they worked for government and were put on required leave for political reasons, b) have overvalued their worth and are asking for too much money, c) have an attitude or work ethic problem, or d) (which I think is most likely) there aren't and you're just repeating something you heard on a radio talk show.
Hello! I have a Master's Degree and a "work ethic problem" at the same time – Ummm yea like that makes sense idiot.
To clarify things, why dont you explain some more about the work ethics you and your crew believe in? And please, expand on the industries you have worked in. and where you are from?
Then take a long look in the mirror and ask why are you in another mans land if you dont feel comfortable .Certainly somone like you can make a living amongst the civilized world, and have no need for this third world nonsense.But, when you take a good look , everywhere including the US and UK are dealing with biased employment.
Jockah you is!
We should look at creating a low flat fee corporate income tax on a new special category of foreign affiliate business company. Then engage our TIEA partner nations for recognition of a limited double taxation agreement that relates to income for that class and category of Cayman company and permits us to compete in the low tax market as well as the tax neutral market.
The backend of the SEZ thesis is still valid and most would agree with it: getting new legitimate staffed offices here will stimulate our real estate market, local merchants, and create the opportunities for the hiring of qualified Caymanians for generations. We need to get more creative in how we get there since current business inducements are not enough.
Or maybe force the non functional to start functioning and earn their own way in life instead of taking it from those who do. You would first have to start by not voting for them.
What was suggested was a new class of company (in addition to current tax exempt companies) where foreign-owned affiliates would voluntarily opt to contribute a symbolic low income tax in exchange for treaty benefits, ie. a 1% Cayman income tax versus >15% domestic. The income tax on this series would be low (not a major revenue measure for the CIG), but real enough for a true double taxation agreement that could usher-in ia new sustainable business model for this jurisdiction. Consider that Barbados unemployment was 24.5% in 1993, by 2007 it had fallen to 7% attributable in large part to the expansion of double taxation low tax business growth. We are in charge of our taxation destiny here – why not offer a taxable share structure for those that that could be induced to open an office here? In many western taxable jurisdictions, there are now sham tests for brass plate businesses. The minimum requirements are a full time office with over 5 full time employees. These offices also need lawyers and accountants. Imagine the impact a few hundred of these businesses might have on local employment and senior level immigration – the kind that we need.
Not talking about personal income tax. Voluntary corporate income tax and only for a specific new classification of Cayman Company.
can we start with the royal family?
Or better still, make all workers pay income tax and share the wealth amongst the population instead of just a few. Make those who can afford it, pay into a welfare system for those unfortunate enough to have nothing.
Lenin did that. Didn't work out too well for him.
Stop shooting each other and stop robbing people who come there and stop burgling the houses of the people who live there – I think that would be a good first step. I practised law there until I realized that the sharp-edged kitchen utensils that were scattered about the house when I came home were there due to my wife's fear of home invaders, robbery and rape. We left the following month.
PS – Taxing businesses in a jurisdiction whose only attraction is the fact that it is tax-free? You must be making a wind-up post because no one is that goofy, right?
There is nothing goofy about creating a seperate stand-alone class of shares where companies voluntarily submit to pay 1 or 2% corporate tax for the benefit of double taxation exclusion on what might otherwise be a 15, 20 25, 55% domestic tax. We don't have to tax any other current series of Cayman company, or even talk about personal income tax. We are in charge of our domestic taxation destiny and can create and customise a tax code that will actually attract legitimate staffed foreign affiliate offices. We should have done this 30 years ago.
But Cayman is the best place in the world where every expat wants to stay for ever and eventually vote and collect welfare, so you must be lying.
Or take a page from Barbados book and actually do a TAX TREATY instead of TIEA??? hello…..
There needs to be a real corporate income tax – even if only a symbolic one (like Barbados' 2%) in order to negotiate a double taxation treaty. If Cayman registry launched a new class of shares subject to a voluntary low income tax, Cayman could tick another box in the plus column for large corporations reviewing where to establish foreign affiliate offices.
Wasn't it hisimmigration policy that brought these "cantankerous" people here in the first place? This is laughable. He's critisizing the PPM for the effects of his own policies!!
He has always been a very funny man.
It has been a long long time BUT I must agree with Mac on this one. Whoever linked Immigration and Unemployment issues is only interested in gathering more votes. The two issues are completely (at least 99%) unrelated.
Obviously immigration and employment are fundamentally linked. That's why you have to advertise locally before seeking a work permit. In theory at least, the ad is meant to give Caymanians the first opportunity to fill a vacancy which will otherwise be filled by an expat. Now we see that that is being undermined by unscrupulous employers and managers.
No, what you're seeing is a misguided policy beign undermined by fundamental economics. The fact of the matter is (and you can look this up) that after the financial crisis and some 5,000 or 6,000 work permit holders left Cayman, unemployment of Caymanians went up, not down. And just why do you think these so-called "unscrupulous employers and managers" are wanting expatriate workers on which them ust pay high recruitment and work permit fees, over Caymanians, which pay much less in recruitment fees and no work permit fees. There's a reason you know. If you can allow yourself to accept teh answer, that's a major step in reaching a solution.
You are ignoring the mass addition of new Caymanians as a direct result of dependents of cabinet status grantees gaining status and also the completion of the post Ivan re-build from your considerations.
Immigration and unemployment are NOT fundamentally linked. Immigration is essential to the growth and prosperity of Caymn. Cayman has been built on foreign investment. Unemployment is a direct function of (1) an entitlement mentality by too many (not all) Caymanians (2) poor parentlng by too many (not all) Caymanians and (3) a third class educatinal system for 40 years. Employeers want staff that are competent and come to work. Many (most) Caymanians meet these requirements however a consistent percentage do not. The mere concept of a Caymanian Protection Board (the former name) begs the question that Caymanians are not good enough to compete in an open and free market. It was created by gas bags politicos who will always cater to the non productive masses.
The – third class "educati-nal" system for 40 years that the gas bag on on Sat, 26/10/2013 – 10:17 refers to has historically been based on the UK educatiOnal system – Newsflash Cayman is a UK territory. So gas bag, exactly what is it that you are trying to say?
As a capable Caymanian who knows for a fact that his applications for jobs have been discarded in favor of expat buddies on work permits without Immigration being informed on pwermit applications, I can assure you the issues are very closely linked. I can also assure you that incompetence and corruption by regulators mean that no Caymanian in my position can do anything about it but get angrier and angrier.
Let it go. Folks don't hire angry types.
Only cantankerous ones!
I wish I could agree more than once! Totally unrelated.
Who the hell is Mac?
Cheese' cousin.
Mac is an abbreviation for mackintosh, which is a large coat. Big Mac is a large burger sold at McDonalds. Honorable Mac is an ex-premier serving time in the legislature until his trial comes up.
And the latter has a big beautiful coat which he dons when in England. It is a beauty.
More people & can’t find jobs for the population We have now! That’s why you got rolled out bobo! Gt
This bobo no understand you bobo
Bush: "We need to build the country and it’s not immigration that is causing unemployment …" If that is the case, both Bush and Alden seriously need to review the Immigration Laws that are effecting the economy such like the rollover policy. Mr. Bush, it doesn't make sense to focus on private sector investment when there are no labor laws enforced to protect employees. And Alden, you just gave the Opposition more amunition against the PPM/C4C party.
Didnt Mac create this mess in the first place?
His solutions have proven to worth a dime a dozen…
i'm not udp but it was the economic mismagement of the last ppm gov that bankrupted cayman…..
Whether your statement is right or wrong, there is no future in the past, my friend, and mckeewa most certainly did not make the situation any better by a very long shot.
Absolute bullshit. Yes they cost us a fair penny but at least we have infrastructure to show for it. The subsequent mismanagement by Bush is what bankrupted Cayman, not PPM. And what have we got to show for that?
Now I know I have heard and seen it all. How can you say that the ppm didnt bankrpt the Cay Isls. and we got infrastructure to show for it!!
Let's see we got one school built for over CI$102,000,000.00. We have another school that to date is not complete but we spent over CI$95,000,000.00 on we have down in rock hole over CI$1,000,000.00 worth of fill. And the fill in WB couple of million more!Think about this: Just stop and STARE at these numbers and ask yourself how many years we and our children and our childrens children would have to work to earn this kind of money and whether we got value for money. Are you satisfied with what you got?
I don't know why we are so SHOCKED with what we are seeing!! Garbage in garbage out. And YES it was theppm that forced the udp to raise taxes on us. And since the ppm is so much brighter than the udp tell me what they did that was so different re the budget. Oh i forgot they introduced a new fee/tax; the directorship fee….
This is what the UDP DID – PRIMARY SCHOOL EXPANSION PROJECT
EE Primary approx – 500k
Layman Scott school in the Brac – approx 200k
GT Primary – approx 4m
BT Primary – approx 3m
Sav Primary – approx 3m
Sir John A Cumber – approx 3m
Total 13.7m
Looking at the work done across all the schools and considerations that some things like 2 libraries being built instead of 1 library if it was for one school and perhaps a bigger canteen the government could have arguably built 1 primary school to accommodate 600 children for approx 20m we could have built 5 schools with change left.
I know Mac and the UDP are hard for some people to like but if we are going to hate lets hate on the real track record. No need to make stuff up.
And pls dont let me start on how much Arden took from schools and placed on roads!
I dont know why we are so SHOCKED with what we are seeing!! Garbage in garbage out. And YES it was the ppm that forced the udp to raise taxes on us. And since the ppm is so much brighter than the udp tell me what they didi that was so different re the budget. Oh i forgot they introduced a new fee; the directorship fee….
We are blinded by HATE and FEAR. All spirits of the devil!!!
We get the government we deserve!!!!! More to come the immigration amendments was just the first round!!! have fun poking at my comments you simple ninja cyber warriors!!!
Well said sir, well said. Ona take that PPM sorrowful bloggers.
Define infrastructure what does it mean to you who appear to be learned. Teach I. And the test of bloggers. And then tell us the cost per capita in dollar terms and our GDP.
What the heck are you talking about. Keep taking the pills.
PPM left Cayman 81 million dollars in the hole at the end of their last administration.
UDP left Cayman 600+ million dollars in the hole at the end of their last administration.
How exactly is it the PPM's fault that we are bankrupt?
Oh. My.God. I think I just agreed with something this man said. Going to sit down in a quiet place and have a long hard think about what's happening to me.
The two-party system… Iike I didn't warned you and I do so again. That is why you are so confused. When one party is in, the other one opposes and looks good. It is just a repeat. That is why they talk so good and shake hands behind closed doors. When there is election they divide the country and look like they are against each other. But it is all for the money and benefits. The oppositional side gets paid over 10,000 dollars if they lose. Voters keep putting in the same faces, and they knowing that they will get in again either as a winner or loser, use the opportunity to put interest first over the people.
Unfortunately, that's the way a democracy works. The voters will elect whoever promises them the most. NOT a good way to run a country.
Leave it to PPM idiocy to make Mac look good. It's like deja vu all over again.
Actually it takes incredible genius to make mac look good.
Puhleez stop saying the 'all ove again' part. It was a little funny once, when Yogi Berra said it, but that was a long long time ago.
If you over look Mac's past involvement wouldnt you honestly believe he is the brains of the operation.
“We need to check who is coming here not how many and not bring any more cantankerous people. We have enough troublesome people here already,” he said…
It was listed on my very first GOL and I STILL got in!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHahahahaaa!! LMFAO!
So many ways his is funny. To the bone.
I LOVE living here and I'm staying forever.
Hardee har har. Are you happy now.
10 persons I know who since wednesday and some are key employees and some just reached 2 year are asking me if I can keep their car until it is sold. Reason they are heading to Canada. And thats just 10 people I know. They are professionals and they say they are not sticking around. As much as I ask them to just stick around and see what happens first. Some of them didnt even bother to give the employee the required notice upon resignation and they are Senior Managers and Managers. Im feeling scared!
I know of a few houses going up for sale, people are not willing to live hanging on the edge like this. I can't see how this will help the economy.
Absolutely. I was due to be rolled over in December and I had to ensure I had a home and a job to go to if I did end up leaving then. I couldn't put my life on hold and wait for this law to be passed. I'm going home too, and I know plenty of others both TLEP and Term Limit who have also had enough and have either already left, or shortly will be leaving the island. This whole immigration issue is a complete mess.
Glad to hear that 10 are leaving voluntarily. That is a long way from the 1500 that need to leave.
And it's not just workers who are leaving. Have you seen NorthSide/Cayman Kai recently, almost every property has a 'for sale' sign outside.
People are packing up and going, and worse, they are taking their money with them.
I understand being concerned with uncertainty but surely the 10 persons you know realise that they only have tenure for as long as their work permit is valid, even with key. I don't know any expat who doesn't know that they live here in 2 year blocks, some take a chance and buy property, some squirrel away every cent earned.
They either came here for the money, that hasn't changed, or the lifestyle, again no change, So in all fairness if this is the reason they are using to leave then they must have been unhappy with some aspect of being here. Cayman's not for everyone, and it's certainly not a sunny warm version of Canada.
When people are facing the upheaval of moving to another country, or back to their own country after 7 years in Cayman, they need a lot more than the few days they've been given to get their affairs in order. The law was passed yesterday – 6 days before their permits expired. Too little and too late. Most of us are leaving anyway because all this new law does is kick the can down the road when the whole thing needed starting over. In any event, unless you are very rich and own property you no longer stand a chance of staying here no matter how important you are to the business you work in, so what's the point of delaying the inevitable?
To be fair the requirement for owning property has always been one of the criteria to getting PR, they are only looking for a commitment to Cayman, I know it's difficult to commit to something that keeps changing, and it is a gamble, but if the payoff is good enough sometimes it's worth taking that chance.
Bull crap! The vast majority are still here and are going no where.
OH WOW!!! Heading to Canada?!!!!! I wish them all the luck in the world in getting a job!!! Or I should say that I hope all 10 of them have already secured jobs. Somehow I suspect you will claim that they all do. While I don't know of ten people, I know of two highly educated Canadians who left Cayman last year (no because they had to leave) to go looking greener pastures back in their country. Today, they are back in Cayman as NEITHER of them could get a job. I'm glad to say they have had more luck here gaining employment.
Brrrr….bit too cold for me!
Yeah Mac, I understand, to support the 9000 and growing Caymanians who are unwilling to do the low level jobs that their lack of any qualification or skills actually qualify them to do , we need a lot of foreigners here so that we can get money out of them using our consumption based tax regime, so that we can give that money that we get from the hard working foreigners to the 9000 people of leisure.
they do it in Dubai you know, no Emeraty does a lick of work.
Where did the 9000 number arise from. Speak!.
Wow Mac. For once I agree with you.
Mac knows the answers, problem is he is not good at getting it done when he is in office – but he does know what should be done!
He obviously knows what should be done. To help everyone on earth except the Cayman Islands and our people.
More people, more polution, more traffic, more crime. Not a good idea.
For a politician it is brilliant. More people means more power, more money.
The problem lies with the employers who take advantage of the lack of a minimum wage and the the power they have with the politicians.
mac is 100% right on this one……. but why didn't he get it done in his 4 years of power?????
the lack of acheivement in anything is why the udp were routed in the last election….. and now we are stuck with the ppm who are doing nothing to solve any of the real problems facing cayman…….
The UDP's projects put on the drawing board is what Progressives will feed from, for a long while.
“We have enough troublesome people here already,” he said.”
I can think of one…….