Job ads still in question
(CNS): With many local job seekers still experiencing difficulties looking for work, CNS readers have identified more advertisements that raise serious questions about employers’ compliance with the labour and immigration laws. Several recent ads have included requests for specific nationalities, a post for a maintenance person with their own car, salaries that are completely disproportionate to the required qualifications and pay that in many cases would fall far below the minimum wage of $5 per hour, if it we had one. Despite government’s promise to remove barriers to work for locals, many job ads are clearly still being tailored to fit imported cheap labour.
Concerns are not just from job hunters. One of government’s own backbenchers told CNS he was very disappointed to see some employers continue to show complete disregard for the law and the people of these islands.
“There is no doubt in my mind that these ads are being tailored to discourage Caymanians from applying for jobs,” said Al Suckoo, the government backbench member for Bodden Town. ”It is also disappointing when one considers that the government just spent a week in the LA debating and passing some significant motions that recommended changes to the Labour Law to try and stamp out some of the most blatant cases of discrimination and abuse against Caymanians and others in the work-force.”
Suckoo stated that in its efforts not to be too heavy handed, government has given employers time to adjust to the new administration and to understand that it will not turn a blind eye to these immoral and illegal practices. But, he said, it was now time to demonstrate that the government is serious about tackling discrimination against Caymanians.
“The practice of drafting ads that are completely unreasonable in what they are asking for, especially when one looks at the salaries offered in most cases, is not only unethical it is illegal and I want to remind employers that they could receive fines as high as $20,000 from the immigrationdepartment for these offenses,” he added.
Suckoo said he will be discussing some of the latest infractions regarding recruitment practices when the political arm of government next meets and will ask Cabinet to direct the immigration department, via the chief immigration officer, to take strong steps to ensure that this stops immediately.
The rookie Bodden Town MLA has already spent a considerable amount of his early political career in the Legislative Assembly debating this issue and has made it his business to address the marginalisation of local workers while in office. He recently described the struggles of the Caymanian middle class during a debate in which he seconded a successful motion by Winston Connolly to have some of the cash collected by immigration from work permits ring-fenced for training Caymanians.
“I am growing more concerned by the day that we are evolving into a society with only the very wealthy and the poor,” he said. “We all can co-exist here quite happily, but I will not have my time as a representative marred by a failure to address this growing problem. These are the Cayman Islands. What happens here must be for the benefit of Caymanians.”
The examples of tailoring or simple exploitation are still common and despite a commitment to enforcement by the PPM government there are still many obvious infractions. A recent advertisement for a “Filipino Nannie” was a clear breach of the immigration law but other infractions are far more subtle. A recent ad for an office administrator at an insurance broker asking for someone with a degree in commerce, more than five years insurance office experience including accounting with a salary of just $800pcm is more illustrative of the posts being tailored to existing permit holders and to deter applications from local job seekers.
Local activist Sandra Catron, who has been monitoring some of the practices of local employers, told CNS that she remained awestruck at these advertisements.
“Cleary the job requirements and salary offered are not in sync with each other and that makes any reasonable person question the very authenticity of the recruitment process. To think that an educated person with 5 years’ experience could and would actually work for less than CI $1000 per month is incorrigible,” she said this week as another array of ads were published with salaries that were completely below what would be considered reasonable. Catron says she wants to know if government is going to make employers accountable.
“As a society we cannot sit back and allow these employment injustices to occur without addressing them. There is a trickle down affect where abuse of anyone eventually impacts us all. So if for no other reason than self-preservation, we should all be concerned to raise the bar," she added.
With the advertisement for the office post attracting more than a 100 comments on social media it is clear that the community is not only concerned that employers carry on doing this but that they are getting away with it as the authorities are failing to stop it or hold anyone accountable.
Recent samples of recruitment ads that raised eyebrows.
Category: Crime
Without permit fees the country will crumble..Perhaps you need to ask some of the veterans to step away and allow others to fill spots. One would think they have a Native person waiting in the wings.
If you are job searching through the newspaper you are not searching … Str8 talk..Get to walking and knocking. Stop asking for entitlements.
There needs to be a board that investigates these ads, ecpecially if they werre previously held by a work permit holder and even more so if a Caymanian has been turned down for that position. There needs to be a n intelligent committee who can call these employers out and fine them heavily for fradulant hirng practices. Make false adverising for a position come with great financal consiquences.
Waiting for government to fix this problem is an exercise in futility be it UDP, or PPM. They have both contributed to this fiasco. The reason? The two party system. As in the States, they can always blame the other for their failures hoping you'll forget theirs.
A two party political system is similar to the two shirt method: wear one shirt til it is too odious. Then wear the other one. By the time you can't stand that one the first doesn't smell too bad.
ITS A SIMPLE FORMULA.
The GOV needs revenue from permits and will continue to grant new permits even if it means the social decay of the island. Caymanians need to revise the Gov motto, its no longer a goverment of the people and for the people. It is now a goverment for everyone except its own people.
Take a close look at the people that make up the Chamber of Commerce and you will see why there is no support for hiring Caymanians or a providing minimum wage to ensure a decent wage is paid.
The solution is simple;
1. Give everyone a social security number (This includes work permit holders)
2. Every advertised job should have a refference or posting number which should be registered with Immigration and NWDA
3. All application for the advertised job can be crossed check verifying who applied and the response given.
Problem solved.
Minimum wage law will change the landscape of Cayman. It will take out all the low wages and enhance the residents financially thus in turn more more will generate in the economy.HURRY!
The rich folk don't want a minimum wage, they like to hire expats who will work for $4/5 dollars an hour. Saves them LOTS!!!!!
Wake-up Cayman.
Wrong, the level of greed is too high. Businesses will pass the increase of wages to consumers making products and services still unattainable.
I've actually seen job adverts without any contact details – submitted just to satisfy the requirement to advertise. While adverts are a commercial avenue for the newspapers, perhaps if they vetted such ads more carefully I would imagine that they would be ethically and professionally inclined to reject an employment ad missing contact details.
BUT, the problem is not necessarily with employers. Everyone wants to advance their profits, save on operating costs and have good employees to meet their and their customers' needs. The problem is primarily two-fold and both are directly attributed to the public system!!!
1. Public schools are "dumping" out a large number of young adults who are generally unqualified for the higher wage spectrum of the workforce.
2. The public service system is dependent on the fees earned from issuing work permits.
So, despite many unemployed Caymanians being capable of pumping gas, or washing dishes or cutting lawns (or many other minimum wage and unskilled jobs) they have no chance when their own public system is not structured to support their chance.
The percentage of wasters who don't want to work or who don't give a s**t about good work ethics of respect, punctuality, productivity and good customer service is in the minority. But the irony is that many, many of that type are presently employed in the public service and getting free money at the public's expense!!
exactly! most advertised jobs are simply to comply with the work permit requirements. Lets face the facts – employers whether he are amanina or otherwise do not want to risk loosing a good employee whether they are local or expat). Ifthe employee is on work permit, the will reluctant to loose that person t take on a local who is unproven ttheir company.
Oh well , the next time they ready for that "X" remember that they stop working for you !!
Change the law to make it that adverts for permit renewals must specifically say they are permit renewals and it will be easier to see who is trying to break the law.
That is intentionally not done as it wold discourage worthy Caymanian candidates from applying.
I hope that we start making examples of these organisations/persons very soon in placing fines on those who carry out such a scheme in depriving the country's people. This should never happen!!!! but we have to opening our mouths and minds to these unscruplus organisations. It is a shameful situation that Caymanians are deprived of their jobs, families, and homes. Thank God for Ezzard Miller, Arden McLean, Al Suckoo, and Sandra Catron, with working towards some of the actions that the Bahamas had to put in place to rid the evils that took them over.
I SAW AN ADD FOR A TOP SECURITY JOB
I sent my resume and got an interview and was never contacted after the interview even though I was told I had a very good interview.
After a few weeks I spoke to a friend who works at the same supermarket and during a little catch up talk I told him I had applied for the job and he said well you are late my friend they hired a guy from England About a month ago.
My friends this guy was hired whilst I was being interviewed so this is the kind of BS that happens in Cayman and it is not the expats that arevhired it is the Caymanians that hire them.
But it is acceptable to list an open position calling for Caymanian only? The most qualified candidate should be hired for the post, regardless of nationality. By not doing so, it furthers socital tensions while crippling business. A prime example of this is the affirmative action mistake in the US. Non minorities found themselves losing jobs to under qualified minorities which weakened both race and gender relations while businesses struggled to operate at optimal levels.
I too have seen and applied for those position calling for Caymanian only. To later be told/find out that they are work permit renewal,,,,,, I've even had an employer tell me in the interview that they were impress by me however it was a work permit renewal and they would contact me back if another position became available. This is just another sad example of schemes use to bypass Caymanian and comply with the immigration's laws.
For new hires then Caymanians have a huge advantage. But for many jobs the economic costs of losing existing staff means it makes complete sense to do everything possible to ensure work permits are renewed.
Here’s another idea. How about we have a society that respects and follows laws, and ensures that those who are unwilling to do so are fined, incarcerated or overseas.
Maybe this might be a case of market speculation on the side of the company hiring an individual for 12K p.a.. Be careful though. If you pay peanuts, expect to get monkeys, simple as that.
Wow. 100+ comments. A hot topic? Good job CNS, keep up the pressure and good reporting. Nice to know one newspaper cannot be bought.
What is wrong with you. I keep seeing reference to FOI. Are requests in Cayman higher than in say USA? The trouble with blind facts is that there is a certain amount of judgement used when hiring. Two excellent candidates, one getting a job and the other nit may be down in some cases to how they interviewed. That is inevitable and i a Caymanian take this stancebecause it happened to me. I did not moan but sought feedback on why and when they explained, i fully understood. The feedback helped me to realise i needed to work on my interview technique which i did and it worked.
Excellence post. Excellent use of an FOI. You researched your weaknesses and improved your lot. You used the FOI for all the right reasons, well done. Raising your professionalism is key to competing with expat positions. **Ask any woman who has gone up against a man in the white collar world and they will tell you to get ahead and get the job, you must be hands down better than the man- it is the glass ceiling baby. Unfair, but happens every day.
In this same light, "Locals" must PROVE they are a better long term bet than the expat at the work permit renewal stage … but this means (I'm taling to YOU crony Government & Finance firms!!) that WHEN a local proves they are the better qualified, then the crony white collar HR Managers should step up and hite the local- this is simply NOT happening right now, hence the unfairness and without enforcement, the current INJUSTICE!!
The FOIs are also showing unfair hiring practices and favortism during interviews and ignoring the qualificiations, certifications, and career history of locals with excllent work references and the jobs are still going to expats which (last time I checked) is against the LAW.
Again, no one wants a free lunch, but fariness MUST be applied. In the case of the recent DOZEN Civil Servants posts (And worse, the Authorities) the FOIs are priving that expats are being hired over qualified locals- Franz, just HOW MANY "contracts" are there now and recent "contract renewals?" It sadly appears that any UWI grad from ANY other country is given a job above our own….sad.
Welcome Jamaica, Barbados, Bahamas, Guyana!! (Sorry Caymanians)- these folks have YOUR jobs.
The running theme here (and politiicans SHOULD take note when over 130+ posts in one single weekend CNS?)
Hey don't forget about complaining about the Brac – in a few more years the Filipinos will outnumber the "Brackers" – so I am now learning to speak Tagalog in order to keep up with the future of the community.
Funny thing, how in the heck do Filipinos get work? Oh yes now I remember, it is Brackers who are taking out permits!!!
Don’t forget the Honduran hookers!
Where do I find them?
That's a trifle harsh! Care givers, nanny's, home helps – those are the politically acceptable terms (which will of course qualify for an exemption from roll over too). .
There is one employer on island who hires mostly Caymanians and is still in business. It makes no money (and does almost nothing but spend money )Its ONLY job is paying out money to worthless and incompetent persons who would not last a day in the real world job market and cost about 50 million dollars a year to keep running. If only All employers on Cayman could afford to do this the problem would be solved. But no.
The current immigration laws do not take into consideration the difference between filling an empty position and a renewing a position filled with a valuable member of staff who is about to have their work permit expire.
These are really two different scenarios and the immigration laws should reflect that.
Businesses are going to go very far out of there way to avoid loosing a proven member of staff. They not only have someone they and their customers are familiar with, they have someone who has gotten past the very steep learning curve that many positions have. Trying to force these companies to essentially fire a staff member for some unknown quantity because they meet the minimum qualifications and are local is going to be a loosing battle for immigration and Cayman. This creates bad will on both sides, further breaking the system.
Some revision to the system that takes a much closer look at the hiring process for new positions while allowing companies to retain work permit holders during renewal that satisfy the company and abide by cayman laws must be a better solution.
The current system is akin to putting a speed limit too low on a street, everyone ignores it and it becomes meaningless.
The current immigration laws treat an expiring work permit as a vacancy for which the incumbent can apply. If there is no available Caymanian, the permit will be renewed. What is so wrong or confusing about that? The alternative next to guarantees status to anyone with education and money who gets a first work permit. If employers were honest, we would never be in this mess.
Cayman is free to make the Permanent Residency application process as hard as it feels necessary. You could argue that Cayman has just done exactly that and there will be no more than a trickle of people getting Permanent Residency from here on out.
Expats having more certainty that they could stay up to 9 years if they and their employer wisih it would lead to much more investment in Cayman. Cayman is not having financial issues because of too many expats, it is having issues because of too few!
You will find that the further you go back in time the less restrictive Cayman's immigration policies were. The country was built by allowing people to come and settle. The only native Caymanians are the turtles!
It is not a zero sum game, jobs for expats mean more jobs for caymanians not that a caymanian has just lost a job to an expat.
"..the only native Caymanians are the turtles…" RIGHT! Keep playing that card.
I am a native not a local and I will never develop your type of colonialistic mentality.
Do yourself a favor and RESEARCH what you are talking about and while you are at it ask yourself which country today is exempt from having had expatriates HELP build their country?
I hope you are neither American, British or Canadian because your comment would make you a HUGE hypocrite. Further, please explain to EVERYONE why you are trying to imply that there is no such thing as Native Caymanians and that we are not native to our own country. Enlighten us as to what you know that we don't.
Lastly, Cayman is not for everyone, far too many want to settle here and reap the benefits while US the NATIVES are struggling to keep our heads above water!
Well said. Protecting Caymanians to the point of destroying businesses is backward thinking. There must be a balance and both sides must do their part and respect the other. Until Cayman islands pull themselves out of the third world mentality and put more into protecting the island and less into protecting individuals there will be a constant fight for businesses to survive.
NWDA?!? where are you?? isn't it REQUIRED to register ALL jobs with the NWDA which means any caymanian registered with the NWDA will see every job registereted? if a caymanian, or status holder aplies for the job and does not get it, dosn't the employer have to write to the NWDA to sat why the person wasn't hired? wouldn't that fix the problem in the article?
PEOPLE USE your resourses, and gov't IMPLEMENT YOUR policy's to make EVERY COMPANY register EVERY job with the NWDA or you WONT get a work permit until the NWDA says there are no successful candidates…. problem solved
I’m a PR status with right to work as I’m married to caymanian, just this week I send like 10 resumes to a job advertisements on news paper and online. I’m a degree holder and got great job ecperience but most ads now offers more on law firms and accounting jobs,which is not the degree I finished, so instead of waiting, I tried to apply on a job that I can relate and be flexible with but of course no response again and the salary offer can’t even let me send my child to a good school. So better be stay home mum and focus on my child if no good offers come.Maybe that’s why most status holders I knew said theyre not gonna retire here in cayman. Not a good place to grew a family coz its too expensive. But no good job that offers to majority of middle and lower class.
Maybe brushing up on your English and grammar might help you find a job – Caymanian, PR holder or not! Think about it!
Exclamation marks do tend to be overused by the smug.
Your english is apalling, no wonder you're not employed! KFC is hiring though!
Is it just the lower wage, higher qualification and more experience that is drawing employers to hire expats? Could it also include the attitude, work ethics, respect for superiors and williness to take orders – just to name a few – have a role to play in their choices?
Even if a 'university' degree was required (Canadians use the term University for the US equivalent of 'college') Why should that degree be in 'commerce'? That is just stupid. Commerce for insurance??why not any 4 year degree? Why not any assoc. Degree in business? Why, because this is not a real job ad, duh! I graduated from a major US 'university' with degrees in business admin and economics. I have never heard of a 'commerce' degree, and it was certainly not offered at my big 10 college.
That is because a BCAdegree is not a four-year university degree. It is an undergraduate degree
https://admissions.carleton.ca/programs/commerce/
What is the basis for this statement?
"Canadians use the term Universityfor the US equivalent of 'college'"
Here's an idea !!!! How about all expats just leave and u can go back to living on a sandbar
with nothing. Great problem solving
Why do you expats feel that the people of the Cayman Islands need you all so much? When our forefathers were working and living off the land and sea before any of you ventured here, we made it thru all of the hardships our little islands went thru to get to where we are. I want you and all that think like you to know. WE DONT NEED U! We locals know the truth and that is ALL OF YOU NEED US! Get it straight in your heads! Because we have it in ours. Don't make the idiots who sell out our country fool all of you, we are not all greedy, stupid & blind.
Ha! You think that today's generation can go back to working on the seas?? Those jobs are hard. If the current generation could handle jobs on ships, then the jobs on island would be no problem.
The forefathers knew how to work hard and undure hardship, and that helped these islands prosper. But those skills were not passed down to MOST (not all) the current job seekers. Without hard work and reliability it is tough to get any job anywhere, let alone on the sea. And anyway they would be competing with the same Filipinos and Indians that are already here…
Globilisation is like evolution. It is happening whether you acknowledge it or not… that applies to the job market as well…
I cannot believe this post . Lets face it, you have a tax free island that has attracted international financiers and bankers to your shores. They buy property, spend money in shops and restaurants, send their children to your private schools (like 30 percent of Caymanians), give money to the government to go away and play with it. All you have to do is remove the tax free status of Cayman and we would all be relocated elsewhere, perhaps even somewhere we Re wanted. So go ahead, press your politicians to introduce direct taxation, do away with your tax free haven and see who looses out.
Sir there is little to be gained from attacking expats. Look to your fellow caymanians in power, they are the real problem.
Perhaps you could explain a functional 21st century Cayman economy without expats? There is no doubt that previous generations of Caymanians accomplished great things.
Those were very different times though. There was a much smaller local population living on an island who's natural resources had not been completely depleted. The sea was rich with both fish and turtles. There were still large numbers of native trees such as redwoods that could be used in ship building.
This made it possible to live off of the food from the sea and the land. Before the invention of syntehtic fibers, the thatched roping industry was very viable.
You had Caymanian men working off island in large numbers fishing and later onboard commercial ships sending money back home. Most of modern Cayman you owe to these men who brought what they learned overseas back to Cayman.
Caymanians had not grown accustomed to electricity. Mosquitos were a horrible menace.
Today though Cayman is completely dependent on expats. The finance sector makes uphalf the economy, tourism (largely handled by expats) makes up much of the rest. Medical tourism expats..
This is not a bad thing! The question is how you push forward into the 21st century. Turning back the clock might sound appealing, but times have moved on and it is just not possible.
What I have read in the abovearticle is a travesty.
It appears clear that these are ads created to comply with the law when renewing a work permit, rather than a genuine attempt to find an employee.
It is also understandable that a company will prefer to keep an existing employee rather than train an unknown quantity.
A first question that should be asked by the CIG employment office is, "What is the current pay for this job?"
If the current employee is earning 5,000 per month then that should be the rate of pay advertised.
Regarding your comments about ex-pats generally, the fact is that the Cayman Islands were a subsistance economy for many years. A good friend, 5th generation Caymanian from a well off family, told me she remembers growing up without electricity.
The islands were infested by so many mosquitoes that life was almost unbearable. A tough existence indeed.
Things only changed when foreign knowhow and money arrived. This is a fact.
What would happen if every ex-pat left? Interesting question.
The population would halve. And half the homes would be empty. Since many are owned and rented to ex-pats by Caymanians this would be a big hole in the income of Caymanians. If the homes are financed they would be unable to pay their mortgages.
Grocery stores would have half as many customers, and their foreign low wage employees would go too. They would have to make their money on half as many customers and with higher expenses. So prices would go up, a lot!
There would be half as many cars on the road, good, but half as much road tax collected and half as much fuel tax.
Of course the government would no longer collect work permit fees, so 30% of their income would be gone. They would have to fire many of the Caymanians they employ. No problem because they would have half the population to serve.
The tourist industry will almost collapse due to a lack of hotel and restaurant staff. Tourists will stop coming once they know that the fine hotels and restaurants they have enjoyed are shut.
Every service in the country, electricity, water and phone built to service 50,000 people would lose half their customers and many of their technicians. So again, increased prices and poorer service.
Crime would of course increase, especially robberies of those empty houses.
Yes, the Cayman Islands would survive, but not in the state they are in now.
First I am Caymanian and all I can say is what rubbish. We sit here and talk about our heritage of how our men went to sea don't you understand what that means we left our own country and used other countries to advance ourselves now we complain when those citizens from those countries come and advance ourselves on our shores.
Our financial services sector was not developed by us locally multi generational born Caymanians. It was developed by a joining of ex-pats coming here bringing the ideas and our forefathers helping with the framework. Let's not gloss this over our forefathers were pirates in a very real way when we developed our banking systems. However we have evolved and we forget our history we say we did it on her own and we don't need ex pats that's just a complete load of rubbish we need everybody working together.
Pour tourism sector was developed by ex-pats coming here finding a very unique resource and working with local people to develop it it did not develop inherently on its own by our own people we were the islands the time forgot. Ex pats came and found us and working with us developed the tourism sector.
How arrogant we have become we went to sea our forefathers left our country and worked in other countries or for offshore companies that were from other countries do we not see that do we not understand that we used other countries to develop our own country and now when those countries look to come to us to work we turn our backs on them and say they can go home we can do without them very arrogant and rude of us. Our sense of entitlement is mind-boggling.
we will always need ex-pat workers we will always need Caymanian workers we cannot do it on our own unless we truly do want to go back to living in thatch houses and fishing and going barefoot and yes there are many who want to do that because it doesn't require responsibility education or improving our lot in life but most of us don't want to go back to those ways we want to continue on our evolutionary journey I am always dismayed by my fellow countrymen Who think that they did it all themselves when in fact it was a joint effort predominately led by ex pats who took a risk on us we each other gratitude they owe us gratitude we owe them gratitude how easily we forget our past it is a shame.
as for forcing employers to employ a particular individual just because of birth that is no way to run a country based on free enterprise and we are quickly becoming a country that is so overregulated that nobody will want to do business here very soon and we will wind up going back to not only the islands that time forgot but the islands that the world forgot.
Prime example of why employers are not hiring us Caymanians.
Go crawl under a rock.
How about we just get rid of the morons….pack your bags you'e going home.
The main reason why we continue to see ads such as these being placed in our local papers, is "in my opinion" because we continue to reelect the same individuals who continue to be given portfolios under which such things as labor and employment falls. These persons then seem to "acquiesce" [give in] to whatever outrageous ads these employers [some of them being their friends and, political supporters] continue to place in the local news media.
Twenty Years Experience, With a Salary of CI$2,000.00 per month? This is what I call an [in your face] insult to the people of this Island! And they do it as I said with the acquiescence of our Government, who should have in place "after all these years" laws and regulations to control those employers who continue to take advantage of workers who "they" know are desperately needing work.
We must scrutinize these companies that run these type of ads! Ads which I call, slave wages ads! These companies will, after getting their work permits for "Their Friends or Countrymen" who will be well paid once they get here, or, permits for those from "Some Poor Country" whom they can exploit, by paying them little or nothing, will laugh at us and speak of how stupid we Caymanians are! We need an official body in the labor department whose mandate it is, to investigate all complaints brought forward against any of these employers that violate our labor laws.
Let us get new laws in place whereby, we have a "Minimum Livable Wage" that is deemed mandatory. Let us employ "honest people" in the department of labor whose job it is, to inspect and report any infraction of the conditions under which employees have to work that violate any health, labor and/or safety protocol! These employers will be given a specific time to correct these violations, and will be heavily fined if they are found guilty for non-compliance on/or before the end of that specific time period. And! To emphasize the seriousness of not complying with the law! They can then be put on probation for a certain period of time, whereas any violation committed within that time by management, "That Company" will be excluded from having any work permits granted for the next three years.
Tell Us What You Think!
Thumbs up! LIKE Thumbs down! O'WELL!
Thank you for explaining the word acquiesce!
-Implementing a minimum wage will drive up the cost of living.
– a degree that is in some nonsensical course or from some bootleg school is not worth the paper it is written on and 2000 a month is a good wage.
– that's good money for a bored retiree, housewife who wants to get out the house or someone in between jobs. Just not for you
-companies told what to do (aka told who to hire) no longer operate in a democracy but a dictatorship
– you don't need to apply to the job. Find one more suitable for your needs.
– do you own your own company? Do you know how to manage one effectively?
– next will be companies just not putting it down on paper, but when people come in for an interview, they will just not hire them. Effectively wasting a lot of people's time
– most jobs aren't about the degree and experience but about the personality of the individual. Do they fit in the company's working culture? Eg a respectable law firm won't hire the front desk reception if she/he has facial piercings, visible tattoos, purple hair. A construction sit won't hire a man/woman if they are feeble and are not able to lift heavy weight etc.
Pity the law firm wont hire with facial piercings or tattoos. Bet they wouldtake the money of client who has these things done to them. We are so hypocrital and judgemental. Money talkjs and bullshit walks in this town.
Wouldn't it be better to employ honest people rather than "honest people"? I understand you are very fond of quotation marks but you are not using them correctly.
My wife responded to an advertisement for a teaching post at a private school. She received a response saying the ad was only placed because of a work permit renewal!
If that is true why did she not send it in to the Labour department and Immigration? No employer can be that stupid to put something like that in writing!
Plenty are that stupid but their stupidity is exceeded only by the unwillingness of the enforcers to act.
Because when you complain you get labelled a trouble-maker and get blacklisted! Employers know that. We need whistleblower legislation.
You can have all the legislation you like, there has to be a will to enforce it.
Not only can they be that stupid they are that BRAZEN. Because neither the labour department, the NWDA, Immigration or the politicians do anything to enforce the laws to protect our citizens. Money and political connections talk in this town. Just look at what is happening in the Brac. One investor and everything rubber stamped. No one cheking on the violations though.
Ha Ha Ha Ha! ALL employers know there is zero enforcement. It was not like this two decades ago , but we have sadly become just like our Caribbean cousins and unless our voters step up we will be lost. Do not be fooled by sheep in wolves clothing. Wake up Cayman and stop listening to these horrid career politicians!!
She did
People should stop moaning and realise that the bigger the economy the more jobs for Caymanians. No-one will ever want to sack a good employee to make the way for someone and doing that would only result in many jobs moving elsewhere in a heart-beat reducing the size of the economy.
I call bullsh1t. By your example the best hotel in Cayman should employ more “indigenous” Caymanians than the Holiday Inn it replaced. After all, it has four times the staff and has been operating for a decade. Do tell us how this enormous expansion has increased the number of jobs for Caymanians.
Caymanians culturally no longer want to do that type of work anymore. That is why the numbers of Caymanians in hotels are not as it was in the past.
CaymaniAns are starting to understand and so are several business entities who must be congratulated on understanding their responsibility to contribute to the Caymanian labor force so the myth is slowly but surely dwindling. Examples are restaurants in camana Bay.
It must be awful being born with a huge tongue, and a really tiny brain!
The ladies might disagree!
People that are too stupid to get and keep a job in their own country are way too stupid to realize what makes a good economy. The real problem with Cayman is the high percentage of people in this category and the fact that they have taken over the Government and are in charge of fixing the very problems they have created.
Or least instead of blaming expats, start holding their elected politicians accountable. I know, since each party is as bad as one another, at the next election everyone should spoil their vote giving a resounding message as to the lack of ability of cayman to govern itself. I hear your cries but you are the only ones who can do something about it.
Employment adds, Work permits and the Immigration problems start with the issuance of business licences. The board issues licences to companies with sixty percent Caymanian ownership that would not stand up to scrutiny.
There is so much fronting the very concept of Caymanian ownership of businesses is an illusion. There is so little enforcement the concept of us having laws is a scam.
Bingo. That is indeed the root of most of this evil, but NO-ONE is willing to do anything!
I went on Cayman Enterprise City's website for job opportunities recently. I found one which was a position ofPersonal Assistant. I myself am Caymanian, with two degrees from overseas universities; and accounting and administration, and client service experience. The ad in question demanded collectively 24 years of work experience – 10 as a p.a., 7 in cruise and 7 in air travel. I am completely capable of booking a cruise or flight online or through an agency. I am capable of taking minutes, accepting calls and organising one's schedule. I am completely capable of ordering office supplies. Do I qualify for this position?! Ahh…..Yes I freaking do! Do THEY think I qualify? No. It is so outrageous. So obvious a work permit has already been taken out and this is just a renewal. Immigration where are you?!!
The CEC advertising for locals to fill positions is a complete farce!! Does anyone else think that Charlie Kirk Connell being the head of the work permit immigration board is a complete conflict of interest when his primary job at CEC is to rubber stamp expats (so they can work here no permit needed?)
As for your application for the PA job, this seems to be a very clear case of the $20,000 fine for withholding we qualified locals application?
So, will Charlie impose the $20,000 fine on himself?
Alden, your people are screaming that this stinks to high heaven and smells of horrid cronyism, what are you going to do about this? You cannot fake ethics and it is time for these forward politicians and buddies to step up and become honest men.
Madame Governor? can you help us with some common sense and legal enforcement?
Very good post. 10:22
check out http://www.caymanfreelancers.com and work for yourself.
There are lots of opportunities!
Under the cec law there is no obligation to hire a caymanian.
Part of Immigration's job would now be to immediately audit the current holder of the position and check to make sure that the advert does not have a typo in it, and then, check to make sure they have in fact really only been paid what the advert says. If not, hand it to the police and treat the issue as the fraud it may be. God this country is a joke.
You can easily find both of them in Facebook. Cudos to Ms. Catron and Mr. Suckoo.
Is anyone listening to the cries of the people?
Excuse me please, but you cannot be a Caymanian. If you are take your head out of the sand and if you are not how would you like if some foreign national came to your country and because of their situation at home they are prepared to work for much less than you because that would be more than they could earn at home. Would you still say quodos to the employer?
We Caymanians are being exploited and it has to stop!!!!! My mother worked for $3+/hr. In the 70s and that is still the pay being offered 40+ years later. Something is not right in that equation.
Kenneth Ebanks
A proud Caymanian
Foreign nationals came to my country. That is why I am here.
Let us take a week off Caymanian brethren and let the knowledgeable expat community write all they want to write. Let's see what solutions they offer to their own misconduct on work permits, let's see what they say about a minimum wage, and training of Caymanians to take over their posts when their permits are up. Let us hear how well offthey wee and where they lived in their country and what wete their wages then and now and their reasons for being here. Last but not least let them name 20 Caymanian names who they know outside of their work place, I.e. If they know any.
come on YA mightier than the sword expats who disdain us, let's hear your frank opinions
No. I put my earphones on to drown out the rampant self-pity.
What's the specific concern over the insurance job paying USD12k pa? That someone with a degree and 5 years experience is willing to work for that amount of money, or that the advert is somehow incorrect?
I know it's a pittance and it's not something I would be interested in, even if I were qualified, but if the company has managed to find someone so qualified, and willing to work for the advertised salary then all you can really say is well done to the company and bad luck to the prospective employee.
Your'e having a little joke with us, hopefully. If you aren't then you are living in the wrong century. You belong in a time when children were employed in factories and mines. I guess that was their bad luck?
The requirements for the positions appear artificial and tailored to a specific expat or otherwise designed to dissuade any interest from Caymanians. If so, an offense has been committed, in print, and our authorities are doing nothing. We have had enough.
And I, as your employer, can find a nice gentleman India who is able and willing to do your job for less than a quarter of what I pay you. Yeah, lets open up all employment in Cayman to the cheapest available talent on Earth without regard to the fact that it will immediately bankrupt the entire society and result in us all living 10 to a garage. Hell, we can just import the poorest most desperate people to fill almost all our jobs. They are willing to work for almost nothing. Bet I can find some that will work 10 hours for a bowl of rice. Wanna dance? Didn’t think so. Now do you get it (quite apart from the fact that making up artificial minimum requirements for a position is likely a fraud anyway)?
Look, I'm an extreme realist, if the business I work in could figure out how to get the job done and pay someone a bowl of rice to do it I assume they will at some point. That has happened in pretty much every industry here, maybe a bowl of rice is extreme, but the principle stands. IT was probably first to be outsourced, then Fund admin, accounting, even legal is outsourced, it's a global economy, if you aren't in a profession that isn't dependent on you physically being here you should assume that someone else can do it cheaper. I assume that at some point my job will go to someone else, if they can do it better or cheaper than I can why should you assume it won't? Just becauseit's not fair? Yes it is a race to the bottom and this isn't limited to this little rock.
USA : Mexicans and Guatemalans
UK : Lithuanians and Bulgarians
Germany : Turks and Tunisians
Spain : Indians and Nigerians
Cayman : Brits, Americans, Austrailians, Indians, Canadians, Filipinos, Indians, Jamaicans, Brazilians, etc.
Slave labour … it is the global order of the day.
Long live capitalism and globalization!
The CIG has allowed this injustice to be carried out on the Caymanian people for too long.
It is a damn shame and ironically some of this injustice is carried out by Caymanian employers.
The laws and policies may be on the books BUT it takes the political will to get the job accomplished.
If Cayman had political will it (1) would not be flying jets 80 miles to the Brac (2) would not allow civil servants and Ministers to charge personal expenses on their credit card and finally (3) would not elect a Premier with a 4th grade education.
Proscute them! …and since there is no dfference between a Caymanian and a status holder, could we please stop the divisive and improper distinction in adverts?
On this very site there is constant reference to status holders and real caymanians. The papers are reflecting the way your society perceives it sadly.
I am Caymanian, born and bred as were my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and so on and I am extremely offended that there is no differentiation between indigenous Caymanians and Status Holders. I do not think that it is fair for a Status Holder to be called Caymanian. Why does the grant of a piece of paper automatically give them the same rights as those of us born and bred here? In most cases, these so called Caymanians continue to hold passports and citizen papers from their countries of birth or the country they deem "home" and have only accepted the status grant as a means to bypass the work permit system and continue to rape this country. At the end of the day, these so called Caymanians are going return "home" so why should we treat them as if they are a real part of the Caymanian society and give them the same rights as those of us born and bred here and who will remain here for the rest of our lives. Most of these status holders have no real allegiance to the Cayman Islands, yet they can demand their rights as a "Caymanian". If someone wants to be considered and called Caymanian then to do so they should be forced to renounce their allegiance to any other country. For those individuals that have been granted "status" by virtue of a Cayman connection being a parent, grandparent then that's also wrong. If someone is given papers because they have a Caymanian connection then they should not be deemed Caymanian by Status grant, they should be Caymanian, full stop. Why is it that we treat or own people so terribly but are so willing to accept non Caymanians as our own?
I am very sympathetic to you but legally you are not a Caymanian born and bred. You are a belonger of the Cayman Islands – awarded (or deemed to have been awarded) the status of Caymanian at birth by virtue of the Caymanian Protection Law. You therefore possess Cayman Status. That is what makes you (and anyone else) Caymanian.
As for those that call themselves Caymanian but for whom somewhere else is home, I do not think they should be treated as Caymanian either, but Mac did, and no-one stopped him, so we are screwed.
We are clearly not treated the same. Just a thought, perhaps real caymanians should give up their american and uk passports then?
This is so true!!! I've been saying this for years now. the average amount of students graduating each is around 2000 or more. Its amazing to me that all company want so many years experience just to renew a work permitt. To my understanding the whole rollover policy was supposed to help Caymanians that was fit for the position to be trained by the individual on their last year before the roll over. Government is wondering why the spike in crimes… THEY ARE NO JOBS FOR US!!!!!
Maybe if you could spell, write a sentence correctly and stop your moaning then there might be a job for you. Crime is not committed by the unemployed – crime is committed by criminals – the fact that they are unemployed is because they are unemployable.
Let me guess. You are one of the rich merchant class Caymanians who could care less that our people are literally being run out of their own country and left to fend for themselves so you can make a dollar. Those days are over my friendtake warning. God bless politicians like Mr Suckoo I wish we had 18 just like him.
THANK YOU!!! It is about time someone addressed this issue! Something needs to be done! They are weeding out the Caymanian, slowly but surely! I had to leave my own country (Cayman) because I cannot get a job there and I am a fully qualified executive secretary! This is preposterous and unfair, and so blatant! Who do these people think they are? They think we are a bunch of uneducated fools because we are LETTING THEM THINK THAT WAY!! Bring Cayman and Caymanians BACK!
13:35 have you thanked. The country that is allowing you to work in it and not your home country? What a hypocrite I'm Caymanian and I didn't cut and run I stood up for myself I polished my skills I develop new skills and I don't make excuses because of where I was born you cut and ran and asked another country to take you in yet you don't want our country to take people in and give them employment that's just plane simple hypocritical. If other countries behaved the way that came in Brandon worn want to behave and say get rid of all ex-pat then you wouldn't have the chance to get a better education you wouldn't have a chance to get better medical care you wouldn't get the chance to have the opportunity to work elsewhere that's just disgusting people should be allowed the same opportunities though Caymanians should be given preference but only and I mean only if they are equally able qualified ready and willing to do the job and most of them are not willing to work in tourism sector they are not willing to work in food and beverage and hospitality they are not willing to work in the diving industry they are not willing to work in entry level positions and they most certainly are not willing to work for a pay scale the other people find reasonable to work on and live and get by on just fine because we know how to budget and again I'm Caymanian by birth but then again I'm only third-generation so accordingto most measures in this country I'm still not quite yet Caymanian yet I have given more to this country than those that are five and 10 generation born and bred in fact the last time I was off Island was over seven years ago I do all of my shopping local can you say the same thing all of you with the thumbs down how many have you traveled off island to do your shopping to do your leisure to do your vacation or do you stay here in this country and do it like some of us. Who truly coldest country home and believe in putting our hard earned money back into her own country and the businesses and support them? We are certainly a country of hypocrites and it's a crying shame because we never used to be
At last this situation is being looked at. It is rediculas we as Caymanians have to face these trials and imagine in our own country we are being abused by these employers. The question is why must we suffer like this under people like them?
IT'S FIXED TO KEEP CAYMANIAN OUT OF A JOB!
It is fixed to keep the unemployable from messing up the businesses chance at success. Unfortunately for Cayman the voters are also the unemployables.
I've been advised from someone "inside" that if a government job is not advertised,those jobs were advertised in the U.S.A,U.K,Canada and Jamaica.And a candidate has already been identified,so submitting for those jobs is a waste of time.Good Job Mr Premier for looking after your caymanian people.
The Premier has the leadership, but it is Franz and the Chief Officers that keep hiring from overseas when degreed and qualified locals apply?! I have spoken to no less than five good community locals (some are very qualified Status holders! ) who were denied in the past two years and an expat was hired for the Government job. Before you say "best person best fit" the FOIs prove otherwise! The local candidates all had excellent overseas work experience and exemplary career references- I do not know WHY our own are pushed aside except to keep POWER. Our dumb-dumb Chiefs and Deputy's and their Manager minions are just scared of anyone joining that is good and may move up the ranks? That is just insane.
Until a Chief Officer loses their job for ignoring (Christian helping your brother?) a local applicant we will suffer more of the same. Franz, take these FOIs seriously they are going to be published next and then you and Alden have a LOT of explaining todo to your voters and possibly the courts?
The only way to fix this is to make ALL posts and permit hearings PUBLIC. Yes, I dare you to rubber stamp a work permit in front of a courthouse full of voters.
All the finance firms will squeak a little at first, but when they see that our university graduates are sincerely a good choice and the person who bettered themselves through Chamber courses deserves a shot at a white collar job, they will come around and we will be back to zero unemployment of 1989 and crime will drop. Justice will be served and the public (if no one applies for that job, cannot complain.)
Simple- run the advert, and hold the Immigration Approval Boards in front of a public audience. If a qualified Caymanian wants that $1000 a month job so badly, then so be it. (6 month probation applies- if local fails then employer can re-post)
More so for Govt. All Govermemt position "panel interview" decisions must be made in front of a public audience.
Alden & Franz (and Linda Evans) you want fair and open transparency? Then open up the secret back room and let the public attend the work permit board hearings! This is true democracy and you would truly be serving the public and could turn this issue around in a month!!
HE Madame Governor please help your people get past this political corrupt crony system and push for public hearings of work permits! The he said- she said will stop in the light of day. Why do we need secret Work Permit and Staffing Boards? The secret handshake is killing us. Open and fair and Public and the problem goes away.
Be heroes not hopeless politicians.
The days of heros is long gone. All anyone cares about today is $$$. Even the generation of kids coming up. They want material things, lots of $$$, big houses. Totally unrealistic mentality.
We sold out our own people, our countrymen, for power and $$$.
Thanks to all the past self-less men who represented us on the highest of levels, here and abroad. What we have today is a sad representation of Cayman and its people.
We, the general public are crabs in a bucket; the leaders and rich/elite Caymanians are holding that bucket handle!
The add for the office assistant say salary starting at 12K per year depending on Experiance and the other at 24K a year does seem low. But noone if forcing anyone to take these jobs, if they don't want them. Maybe that's all these companies can afford to pay or maybe that's all they are willing to pay for that position…
I wonder who the Caymaniuan owners are behind these businesses? Might they not potentially committed an offence that was made possible by or facilitated by the fact that they are Caymanian? Is anyone willing to act against them?
Yup, the enemy of the Cayman working class is the Cayman rulling class.
That may not be the "real" owners. Would be fun to find out though.
What's the offense? If all they afford to pay to keep the business up and running is what is advertised, then that's what the salary will be. If they were forced to pay more then maybe the business wouldn't exist.
You would sing a different song if you were a business owner.
The possible offense is misleading regulators. I am a business owner. I play by the rules. Damned be those who do not.
Hear hear! CIMA regulators better do an audit. If these folks are bendingthe rules like THIS to squeak a buck, what ELSE are they doing? CIMA investigate now, it is YOUR job to make sure all insurance firms comply to regulations and that would include Immigration regulations eh?
Bless you good business owner who can sleep at night and have ethics. We rely on YOU, thank you.
I remain an "expat" who arrived here 20 years ago and has FAITH in the good people of Cayman. I am saddened to see so many that have abused the system and know that you simply cannot fake ethics, period. It is not an easy road to do the right thing, but I hire locally and promote and mentor locals. To do anything less cheats our entire community and shame on those who find cronies and short-cuts.
Cronies = corruption
Well, at least one person who may be involved has a half million dollar boat, so it would seem likely they could afford to pay a little more than advertised.
The insurance broker is regulated by CIMA and contact details are available on CIMA website.
Oh dear, that is too funny. Love to watch Government squirm it’s way around that one.
Wonder if that political donation might help?
Emailed (and confirmation given) to Dept of Immigration with factual evidence of high profile firms sweeping very qualified white collar Caymanian applications under the carpet and this is happening every day and not just at the cheap import labor level. It gets MUCH WORSE at the executive level.
There was even a very recent May 2014 clear case of an expat on a six month temp permit threatening a local Caymanian applicant NOT to apply for their job as they were concerned avout their work permit approval. This was done on a business networking web site and shared with the Immigration authorities. Result? = Work permit approved and the local never even got an interview.
The authorities did nothing and the big firm has their pet expat while the qualified local remains unemployed? Waaas up with THAT Ms Linda Evans? Who can we report to if no action is taken?
For those defending the "choose who you want" stance? Wouldn't you agree that at least the more qualified local with excellent industry references should have been granted an interview?
The Caymanian should appeal against the grant of the work permit, and there should be prosecutions whether the Caymanian does anything or not! Our laws are a joke!
Yup, seen it myself. Told Immigration myself. Been told politicians stop them from acting myself. Everyone just shrugs their shoulders and points their finger at others. There is no accountability. The enforcers act as though they are complicit or at best turn a blind eye for fear of treading on the wrong toes. The illegality is widespread and at the highest levels.
Were these jobs advertised by the Poor People Mistake Government ??Most of these jobs went to foreign nationals contracts.Can anyone do a FOI on these please Ezzard,Arden or CNS ??
The number of people working for the Cayman Islands public sector is set to increase by more than 100 full-time equivalent employees, according to budget for the 2014/15 fiscal year.
The government’s annual budget statement shows a net increase in “full-time equivalent” positions of 73 jobs in core government ministries and portfolios compared to numbers in the current 2013/14 budget.
Meanwhile, statutory authorities and government-owned companies increase full-time equivalent positions by 53 jobs, according to the upcoming budget plan, when compared to 2013/14.
Full-time equivalent positions basically mean the number of hours worked that equate to a full-time work-week. One person working up to 45 hours a week would equal one full-time equivalent, and two part-time workers working a combined 45 hour week would also count as one “full-time equivalent” employee.
Also, just because a position is budgeted doesn’t necessarily mean someone will be hired to fill it if it is currently vacant. Government departments seeking to cut costs later in the budget year may choose not fill a position in order to save money.
Central government’s full-time equivalent staff was budgeted at 3,912 workers for the upcoming 2014/15 fiscal year.
The largest budgeted increases in full-time equivalent staff were in the Ministry of Tourism, with 26 additional positions, the Ministry of Home Affairs with 14 funded positions and the Ministry of Health, which planned 12 positions.
Other ministries and departments that increased staffing plans were the Ministry of Community Affairs (four positions), the Ministry of Finance (seven), the Ministry of Financial Services (five), the Ministry of Education (four), the Portfolio of Legal Affairs (four), the Auditor Generals office (two) and the Director of Public Prosecutions (one).
Staff numbers in the Cabinet office, the Ministry of Planning, and the Portfolio of the Civil Service shrank slightly when compared to the current 2013/14 budget.
Statutory authorities and government-owned companies reported overall full-time equivalent staff of 2,402 people planned for the 2014/15 budget year.
The largest proposed staff increases were seen in the Health Services Authority, with 29 new full-time equivalent positions, the Cayman Islands Airports Authority, with 14 additional positions, and the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, which also had an addition 14 positions.
Other staff increases were seen at Cayman Airways (seven full-time equivalent positions), the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company (three), the Cayman Turtle Farm (three), the Maritime Authority (one) and the Sister Islands Affordable Housing Corporation (one).
Several authorities also decreased staff, including the Cayman Islands Development Bank, the National Museum, the Stock Exchange, the Cultural Foundation, the Information and Communications Technology Authority, the National Housing Development Trust, the National Roads Authority, the Public Service Pensions Board, and the University College of the Cayman Islands.
12:08 you hit the nail on the head. Our own Civil Service and Authorities are the worst offenders and the FOIs prove it, but no enforcement?
HE Governor? Where do we complain to when the Head of CIG and Head of Immigration are found to have known about the case(s) but also ignored (the Law)?
The reason this continues in all levels is that there are no repercussions or enforcements all the way to the top.
3 more senior mamagement Govt positions are up for final decision this week . The panel interviews were done in August- Do we need to give the FOIs directly to HE Governor along with the Complaints Commissioner?
This needs to be publically exposed! Alden, your Chiefs and Deputy's are routinely passing over qualified locals (and people who have worked hard to get their status) to simply pad their power dens with expat hires? Alden? Can't you step in and lead? Review all "contracts" given to GIG in the past two years and simply repost these jobs. You will be amazed that over 50% CAN be filled by a qualified local or status holder!! I dare you to lead and not let this sit?
Try the airport authority then.
Way to go CNS I love the ad sample that goes with this article. My personal opinion has been for a long time, that if a company is going to ask for a University Degree then the pay should match the requirements. After all who spends 4 years in college at the expense colleges cost these days to come out and earn $12,000.00 a year US? Give be a break!! If the law is going to look at minimum wage it needs to look at this as part of it. If the position requires a degree then it should pay a minimum by degree. E.g. Associate’s $3,000.00/month; Bachelors’ $4,000.00/month; Master’s $5,000.00; Doctorate/Law $10,000.00/month. Obviously I’m just pulling these figures out of my head without doing any formal market research. But the point is that companies are basically giving government the finger when they do things like this.
It’s high time we say enough is enough. We should be naming and shaming these companies every time.
Not all degrees are created equal. Having a degree doesn't mean you have any capabilities to perform the job duties. Salary is related to the demand and profitability of the sector/industry/company earnings. Your explanation is not rational. It is obvious you did not go to university and if you did obviously not a very good one.
Fair enough – but are you then trying to say that someone with a university degree should earn so little. You can earn more at Wendy's!
And you think someone who got a degree from a very good university would be accepting a salary of $12,000 p.a.?
A fine of $20,000 is nothing to some of these companies. Make the penalty $200,000 and enforce it. It is useless, in my opinion, to have a fine on the books and never enforce it.
No spines on our work permit board, just a bunch of jellyfish that just dont care.
They are better than the BSP Board!
Jellyfish? Why all the secrecy and back room deals? It is time to open the sessions to the public … If I want to defend that I am the more qualified expat (to stay in my current role be renewed) I am able to challenge the local application? In turn, if I am the qualified Caymanian and think I deserve the job I should be able to publically present myself to the Board. This will eliminate the accusations of cronyism and the Boards will find ( Immigration and Business Staffing Board) that 80% of the jobs won't be challenged (so grant the work permit) and the ones that are blatantly skewed in favor of an employer (won't be granted)
Every citizen should be allowed to "hear" how & why the Board upheld "The Law"?
Public meetings are the only open and transparent answer. Give every job a number # KY12041 and publish the "docket" and date of work permit hearings – make Civil Service jobs apply too!
Numbering the position instead ofthe person will also track if the job has historically been awarded to an expat and if some of Winston's and Alva's $7.3 million ear marked for training should be applied to that potential role? For example- all dentists historically expat? Start a dental training program and scholarship? All IT senior jobs going to expats? Work with UCCI for advanced IT classes, CPAs uneven number to the number of permits with university accounting graduates? Take the funds and create a corporate mentoring program and pay the firms to train the local university graduates? Come on a little common sense and openess and this is solved.
No honest person should be afraid of an open system. What we have now is closed behind doors and only day light and openess will solve the problem! Politicians be afraid, we are going to ask the UK to demand an open system to eliminate your back room deals.
When its not specific ads placed in the papers, its personal referrals through the temping agencies, i.e. a staff suggests a "friend" who is not Caymanian but according to the staff, has the experience and knowledge and it would waste too much time trying to interview locals etc. so they contact that prospective employee, instruct them to send their CV and supporting documentation to that specific agency and the agency of course does the work to get that individual a temporary work permit and in a matter of days, will arrive on island and ready to work as a "temp" for six months, then the contract is sold and that person is hired and a one year work permit granted after the temporary expires. The bottom line is, we are discriminated against and all painted with the same brush
Temp permits are a back door and need to be abolished. Once here the newspaper advert for the job (or renewal) are simply another step in the rubber stamp process.
No one is asking for a hand out, just a fair chance. If we followed the law this would not be a problem. Ask anyone about 25 years ago? We worked together and it worked. Cronyism and favors have replaced our basic ethics and following the law?
Got to be honest, we signed up to the employment services website ( can’t recall the name), place an ad and have had 2 caymanians apply, which is great, however the problem is; we asked for someone with a valid drivers license and both applicants didn’t have one, therefore as we only received 2 applicants that are not qualified we have had to submit a permit adding additional cost to our company.
By the way we currently employ 6 caymanians and this will be our first permit in 5 years… hate to do it but it has to be done…
@'got to be honest"……….are you sure?
let's see
was the driving aspect necessary for the job and what % of the time?
was it possible to use alternative for driving portion of duties such as courier or other staff member (unless job was strictly for a driver and if so wonder why the applicants would have applied)?
was the person able to drive but waiting to complete test? or to have own transportation?
if driving was not absolutely essential to overall ability to do teh job, TO BE HONEST, sounds like it could be unfair discrimination?
so based on above wouldn't it have been cheaper to employ teh caymanian and sort out issue of being able to drive versus taking out work permi and incur moral and financial issues??
please!!!! take that honesty to someone who just got off the boat
ostrich farming?
anyone?
SHAME AGAIN! Minimum wage where are you? Minimum wage should be start at CI$12.00 per hour. Get your people back to work. Caymanians will not work peanuts.
Intelligence is lacking in many of these posts. If minimum wage is implemented at all or the value you suggest, then the cost of living will increase and the situation will exasperate due to people leaving the country/cost of business too high/high labour costs etc.
We Caymanians would not be better off. We would suffer even more. Think before you post. It really makes the rest of us look bad.
Your argument was used in uk to try to stop the minimum wage being implemented. It clearly did not bring the wrath of god down on them.
Where there's no OVERSIGHT! There's no RESPONSIBILITY!
Where there's no RESPONSIBILITY! There's MALFEASANCE!
Where there's MALFEASANCE! There's no OVERSIGHT!
Sorry, but I see nothing discriminatory in either ad this is what employment ads look like all over the world. You do need experience and/or the correct training for many jobs except perhaps comedian, panhandler or politician.
The sample ad in this article says it all. US$1,000 per month for someone with a university degree? The job is an office assistant! This sounds like a job that any well rounded high school graduate with maybe a year or two experience could do. The requirements certainly doesn't jive with the salary offered.
Now, where this should be stopped in its tracks is when this ad is presented with the application for a work permit or wp renewal. Does the immigration board really read these ads? Somebody(ies) needs to do their job.
US$12,000 per year? That's CI$833 per month or about CI$41.00 a day on a five day work week. Whoever is responsible for this should hanging their heads in shame – but this will be impossible because they have no shame. How long will this abuse be allowed to continue?
aslong people can´t calculate….CI$41.00 a day x30= CI$1230 a month!! Wonder why some people can´t get a proper job.
The initial poster based their calculaiton on a 5 day work week…so "aslong people" can't read or write, wonder how they got a permit?
Why is it that Hon. Minister Alva Suckoo is taking this labour issue on and not our Labour Minister Tara Rivers. What the hell is Minister Rivers doing. Thank you Minister Suckoo this is,long overdue.
Unfortunately Mr Suckoo is not a Minister, he is a backbench MLA and Miss Rivers is the Minister of Labour. Immigration falls under the Premier.
Seems weird that the only one willing to speak up is the Backbench MLA. Leadership from the back I guess???
What is the official Civil Service and Government Authorities "policy" to hire qualified locals? Over 10 jobs advertised this year where qualified Caymanians applied went to (or renewed) "on contract" expat workers within the Civil Service and Government Authorities. If perfectly qualified locals can't even get into their government over overseas hires, what hope is there?
All goes back to no enforcement, no policies, no accountability, and no repercussions.
I call bullsh–t on that. Not too long ago POCS re-hired (under orders) a Caymanian woman who used to work there, left for the private sector and everyone was very very happy because she was so utterly useless. Three-repeat three-private sector firms fired her and she was rehired by Government into some fancy "strategic advisor" type post. She is so useless she has been seconded I wont say where to spare embarrassment. That, ladies and gentlemen, is government's policy on hiring Caymanians.
I am an overseas university degreed Caymanian with impeccable job references and even the NWDA and Business Staffing Board are ignoring all my applications with in my technical field and rubber stamping work permits. How do I get in touch with Alva and Sandra directly?
Give us the name of your university "Direct help'. We have a bunch of people in the civil service with degrees from Anderson University Indiana 30 years ago when all you needed for Masters and Bachelors was to know the Bible (in a fundamentalist way) and attend Church regularly.They are barely literate. So we are suspicious when people like you speak of your brilliance. Your story just does not sound right, bobo,so let's have some details.
You are that intelligent and cannot work out how to contact an MLA and one of the most publicity orientated people on the island?
Alva.suckoo@gov.ky
not sure about Sandra
Stick with Sandra. Get in touch through Facebook. She seems much more effective than anyone whose job it is to deal with these issues. The politicians just seem to wait until the expat becomes Caymanian and then celebrate that a Caymanian has the job. Idiots!
It is very simple: There is a law, so ENFORCE it.
Politicians (business owners) are to blame here.
Actually, I hold the police responsible. If you are right that politicians and business owners are impeding the enforcement of the law, is that not corruption? Attorney General?
This just proves Gov't is not doing their job. The whole bunch should be fired and forced to work at $5 per hour if they have 20 years experience.
You do realise that work permits are granted by the work permit board right? there arent any civil servants on the board, check the membership.
Every member of the Board is an ex officio civilservant.
It is supply and demand. That is what drives the market.