Miller rejects Cayman only jobs
Posted on Mon, 09/06/2010 - 17:53 in Headline News
(CNS): A private member’s motion tabled by Ellio Solomon asking government to designated certain positions as “Caymanian only” has failed to attract the support of Ezzard Miller, the country’s most staunch protector of local employment rights. Although the independent member for North Side is well known as an advocate of jobs for Caymanians first, he says Solomon’s motion could cause problems for local business owners. The motion, which is limited in detail, is expected to come before the Legislative Assembly this week and it asks government to form a committee to recommend categories of positions or types of employment that should be preserved for Caymanians. (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)
Rejecting the idea, Miller said that what Cayman needs is to enforce its existing immigration law to ensure Caymanians are protected in the work place. He pointed out that by designating specific roles government would create further problems for local businesses.
“What will happen when a Caymanian is genuinely not available to take up the position?” Miller asked rhetorically. “That could cause problems for Caymanian businesses if they can’t find a local person and then are not allowed to recruit overseas. This motion won’t address the problems Caymanians are facing. What we need is to see the existing immigration laws enforced and a human resource authority ensuring that Caymanians who are available for the work get first chance.”
Although, Miller says he is in favour of anything that can assist Caymanians who are unemployed at present, he said this idea would be counterproductive.
It is not clear if the motion being tabled by Solomon and supported by government backbencher Dwayne Seymour has support from his front bench government colleagues but it is not included in an amendment government is expected to bring this week to the Immigration Law protecting carers and other domestic helpers from the rollover policy.
Although there has been some discussion about creating certain roles to be automatically designated 'key' and by return some exempt from key, neither the present government nor the previous administration has ever suggested making specific job titles the preserve of Caymanians.
The current immigration law provides that a work permit can only be issued if there is not a suitably qualified Caymanian available. While many employers are frequently accused of circumventing the law to avoid employing Caymanians, the refusal of work permits in some cases in order to force a firm’s to try harder to find Caymanians has been cited as one of a list of reason why some firms, particularly in finance, have relocated from Cayman.
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Ellio Solomon. If I recall
Ellio Solomon. If I recall well, the UDP election campaign was biggin' up expats aplenty. Why, because you all knew that the expats who had become Caymanians could tip the balance in your favour. Now that you think that you are established in power you now renege on your promises and are whip-lashing us, to now try to win more Caymanian votes for the next election. Guess what? Those same expat-Caymanians who voted you in are now itching to vote against you all because guess what, when you diss our brethren who have Permanent Residence, you are still dissing us because now we know that if we did not now have Status but only PR you would have dissed us too. Time flies. Election soon come! Roll-over Ellio Solomon!
Excellent idea! Maybe the
Excellent idea!
Maybe the following positions in the Public Service should be Caymanian Only:
Deputy Commissioner of Police
Collector of Customs
Director of Labour
Chief Immigration Officer
Thanks for thinking of the Civil Service Ellio, they really need some help in there.
Wonder if Ellio would
Wonder if Ellio would support, removing HR managers that are not native Caymanian?
Would he support having balance between native Caymanians and English as the better balance for the territory?
(Trust me, the divisive nature of many people from now independent territories are one factor being overlooked!)
When positions are held by West Indians and Canadians with status they are considered 'Caymanian' yet when a more qualified English person is placed there, it's taking jobs from Caymanians? Really?
People wake up and look at who is replacing native Caymanains...not the English for sure but I thank God every night they still have a 'little' control.
When Ellio makes these proposals, in my opinion it is an attempt to ensure the UDP voters and future voters have jobs for themselves and their relatives secured within the civil service.
PLUS, if not passed, he will appear to have tried to help increase that UDP base...just like the salary cut proposal. Maybe Charles Clifford's resignation was an impetus to appear to be doing something for Caymaians.
But what about the entire Employment Law? Wouldn't it be more equitable to simply make the civil service comply with the same laws to which the employers/employees in the private sector have to follow? Then let people enforce their rights when they see fit?
But I would prefer to see more English police officers, teachers and civil servants and yes maybe place a moratorium on work permits in certain service industries and marine/hotel/watersports to be reserved for school leavers and young adults. Every year we have persons looking for jobs in those areas and I know for a fact many young men want these jobs but are refused. In my opinion, we can deal with short-term needs of our people without infringing on human rights issues.
What is the point of having
What is the point of having colonies if UK and its people cannot extract value from them? If this type of nonsense comes to pass, the UK should let Cayman go and watch it sink.
Ellio for Premier!
Ellio for Premier!
The civil service needs to
The civil service needs to have certain jobs that are "caymanian only".
Very good idea!
Once problem that gets in the
Once problem that gets in the way of hiring Caymanians is that it is so hard to fire the bad ones, who would and should be ditched from any business regardless of nationality. Each bad apple in the employment market barrel causes a great deal of harm for a dozen others around them.
To 00:14 There are also a few
To 00:14
There are also a few qualified Civil Service workers sitting at home on there a$$$, milking the country for about a quarter million dollars a year!!!
You don't see them out there picking garbage or other jobs....doing something for the country in return.
They are not milking
They are not milking anything. They would much prefer to be at their job using their knowledge to assist our country. However, they cannot because the elected persons do not want them, so they sit stuck in limbo. This is in spite of the fact that they are very knowledgeable and hardworking ladies. If they are eventually "paid off" it is our country that will suffer due to the loss of expertise. What happens when the next government is formed and they need that expertise?
Although I don’t agree
Although I don’t agree with the general idea, I have to say it is a policy that is used on otherIslands and even some major countries and could have certain benefits in Cayman.
For example, I find it strange and sad that a tourist can come to Cayman stay for a week and not meet a Caymanian because their bartenders, food servers, housekeepers, divemasters and lately even cab drivers are expats. There positions do not require any special qualifications so why are there a number of Caymanians unemployed? Is it that we as Caymanians are too proud to take these jobs or is it that Caymanians are not being hired? If it is the former, then shame on us and those unemployed people deserve to be unemployed - but if it is the later, then perhaps there is some merit to certain positions in the service industry being reserved for Caymanians (see Bahamas, Barbados, etc) so that more Caymanians can get working with minimal training. The idea would obviously not work for jobs that require more than a few weeks of training.
As a Caymanian who worked in
As a Caymanian who worked in the hospitality industry for nearly ten years before moving over to finance I must say that during my time in hospitality (which ended in 2001) there just weren't Caymanians applying for any jobs which required "hard" work (its difficult to place the exact term here but to explain - I worked in two of the major hotels here and only one other Caymanian worked in food and beverage, we were both bartenders and made great money but it was long hours, on your feet, lifting, carrying, sweating, etc. - plus we were "on stage" the whole time which I found great fun, chatting to tourists while working and "selling" all the great things about our island to them, but some found tedious). There were a handful of Caymanians working in the back office and at the front desk and NONE in Maintenance, Housekeeping, Watersports, or any of the "dirty" jobs. I'd guess that 90% of the staff were expat.
At that time of course there wasn't the same unemployment so perhaps it was more a matter of choice, given the option of unemployment or hard work I would hope that our countrymen would choose to roll up their sleeves but to be honest I'm not sure that is the case. Too many young Caymanians (I'm talking 30 and below) have been brought up with a sense of entitlement, I don't know anyone that complains about the work habits of the older Caymanians (who have real jobs - not politicians, that is another discussion) but there are some who didn't realize how hard their parents worked and just expected to have a cushy job, nice car etc. when they got out of high school (because for a while there, that did happen!)
Anyway, my point is that perhaps these jobs are looked at in the wrong light, Bartenders, Waitresses, Divemasters, etc. can make a good living (sometimes VERY good) as long as they do a good job - instead of looking at them as "servers" or the "service industry" perhaps we should remarket this industry to our youth and show them that with hard work comes opportunity, wealth and pride.
Keep safe.
Well said. It is always a joy
Well said.
It is always a joy to read intelligent posts like this.
This is absolutely ludicrus,
This is absolutely ludicrus, here you have on one hand Elio looking out for the Caymanians only, and on the other hand the Premier is telling us he is going to let all the domestics stay here forever, that's what it means, because once you can stay here for over 8 years then you can apply for residency and what comes after that folks - CAYMANIAN STATUS. I know it was coming sooner than later Elio vs Premier. Can't wait to hear the outcome of this scenario. Seems like trouble in the camp to me.
Prior to the influx of
Prior to the influx of visitors all jobs were done by Caymanians...domestic help, tailors,gardener,investor...to name just a few.
All of a sudden you hear that Caymanians are conveniently not available.
Did anyone notice that in the places that you frequent daily, suddenly young Caymanian employees are now being intergrated into the workforce.
Please make reports with a
Please make reports with a little more detail:-
All jobs were done by Caymanians prior to an influx in immigration and the sell out of the people by its government,
Jobs:
Banking: Including Bank President and fully staffed by Caymanians
Insurance
Hotel Managers : also Front Desk Clerks, Bellman, concierge etc.
Cooks, etc.
Store Clerks
Legal Secretaries, the best and most competent in the world equipped with Pittjans Shorthand and Speedring skills together with bookkeeping and full service Secretrial skllls/Office Manager
.Caymanianians were always professionally trained, educated and experienced.
It is the sell out of the politicians that have sold our people into slavery in exchange for work permit fees and deals under the table.
The myth that Caymanians are Lazy is only a Smoking Signal sent up by X-pats seeking to plant a Flag on our land and Government Punks and Croonies walking around a "Caymanians For Sale:"sign denying them an honest living in their own country regardless of how many GCE's or Degrees they have achieved. It is the biggest Scam, bigger than Global
Warming!
Global warming has actually
Global warming has actually been proved, the world has been warming since the last ice age, all scientist world wide agree on this
It's called Climate change and it has been happening since the earth first formed
Just shows your ignorance
What these highly qualified
What these highly qualified individuals are calling global warming due to increased Greenhouse gases. While an increase in greenhouse will cause you an increase in temperature it may be argued that it is unproven.
It in interesting that the greenhouse affect is taught to you in your first year of meteorology and most except it until recent years.
Global warming is a scam??
Global warming is a scam??
Of course it is, the only
Of course it is, the only bigger one is Insurance premiums.
...and organized religion
...and organized religion
Yes the visitors want to come
Yes the visitors want to come to Cayman for the fun, sun and the rum, but once they get here they don't want to go back, remember Dave Martins '80s song England cold cold cold.
Then once settled we see the true attitudes of the fellas and gals trying to make Cayman like back home.
This is not us against them rhetoric just the plain old facts as it is.
We already have what could be
We already have what could be described as positive discrimination in the way the Immigration Law is enforced. So now they're suggesting we make a move to simply bold and brazen positive discrimination... amazing... and they wonder why there's so much hostility between the local and ex pat communities, yet the laws here positively encourage and fuel racial hatred, regardless of whether you are a local or an ex pat.
It's just simple, the
The biggest misconception that many who come to our country seem to make is they take the “NATIVES” for just that uncivilized, uneducated & backward NATIVES which we are not, and the funny thing is; the foolish Politicians seems to think the same exact thing, I assure you all who that think this way are now seeing and hearing that this IS NOT THE CASE.
While we are at it we should
While we are at it we should also restrict the position of MLA to people who have some intelligence....Oooops that would rule out most of the current MLA's even those like Elio (who at one time claimed to have not one but two degrees if I remember rightly!)
You do realize that only
You do realize that only Alden, Rolston, Mark and CG would qualify?!!!
Um, you do realize that they
Um, you do realize that they don't qualify either don't you?
It's a great pity the
It's a great pity the goverment doesn't follow its own regulations when it comes to the Immigration Law. I have first hand knowledge (with documentation) of an instance where a government worker from another country was re-employed when his contract was up for renewal. The government did advertise the job (as required by law), but failed to employ any of the Caymanians who applied. This was not a skilled job and I know that at least one of the Caymanians who applied had direct experience of the same job after a short term contract with that department the year previously. When questioned about it, the government department involved completely refused to answer any of the questions raised and also denied a freedom of information request. It is a tough pill to swallow for those Caymanians who are out of work and trying hard to find something to do.
By the way, no Caymanian v expat bashing here, I am an expat working in a government position who is married to a Caymanian - I see both sides of the coin!
What we need and have always
What we need and have always needed is ENFORCEMENT.
Our Immigration laws are not bad. There are places we need some amendments but fundamentally they are not bad. What we need is enforcement of the laws.
Here's what I mean.
Rollover was designed to assist Caymanians to move up in businesses by the grating of permits to overseas employees with the clear understanding that Caymanians be trained or hired and trained for these positions during the course of the employment of this overseas worker.
The idea is that a Caymanian within a period of 7 years SHOULD be able to fill this roll for the business. Problem is most business don't look at it this way. They simply look at a work permit as a way to fill a position only and when the time is up and that employee is rolled over they will simply seek another.
What needs to happen is that when a grant is to be made the employer who is doing it for the first time needs to be called in and explained the concept behind the grant of the permit. During this explanation they should be explained to that they have 7 years MAXIMUM to fill that seat with a Caymanian or no further permit will be granted for that seat UNLESS there is an EXTRA ORDINARY reason. I say that because some roles could take longer than 7 years to fill like doctors or bankers. This is why "key employees" are being considered and this is one of the amendments I spoke of.
I think at 3 years a follow up meeting with the employer needs to be made to see how he/she is progressing towards filling the position with a Caymanian where they should be reminded of the reason why they were allowed the grant. They should also be reminded that no grants be allowed past the 7 years to that overseas employee or another other they wish to employ from overseas.
I believe there is nothing wrong fundamentally with rollover. Of course businesses do not like it. They like to operate without having their hands tied in anyway. We all know that is how business owners think but if we are to protect our own and ensure that they get the jobs they deserve then this is how it has to be.
Now we as Caymanians need to play our roles also. We need to work harder, study harder and be the OBVIOUS choice for position when they become available. We can not SIMPLY EXPECT it to be given to us, we need to TAKE IT. Nothing ever falls from the sky into your laps. You have to earn it.
But I agree with Mr. Miller on this. We don't necesssarily need more laws. We need the ones we have enforced. Cayman has always had issues with enforcement from Immigration to Police to Customs.
I'm afraid you are starting
I'm afraid you are starting from a false premise. Rollover was never designed to protect Caymanians in the work place. Refresh your memory with this article:
http://www.caymannewsservice.com/headline-news/2010/01/23/rollover-gap-shrink
Here is an extract from the article:
"She ( Sherri Bodden ) said there had been a misunderstanding about rollover and some irresponsible politicians had led people to believe rollover was about throwing foreigners off the island in order to give jobs to Caymanians. “This is not so,” she said. “Rollover was introduced to ensure that we met the United Kingdom’s laws and conventions on nationality.”"
O'Really, did you notice that
O'Really, did you notice that this statement was after-the-fact? That is merely Ms. Bodden-Cowan's and the UDP's present position.
If you say so. Seems pretty
If you say so.
Seems pretty clear to me but if you wish to interpret it in a way not supported by the actual words that is your prerogative.
If you were around during the
If you were around during the conversations when it was being laid down it was a whole different story. Article is wonderful 5 years after the fact.
YES there was an issue with the UK but there was also another underlying problem that everyone expanded on at the time and YES it was said it also served to protect Caymanians and it is the REASON why today this statement of Caymanians hating Expats came about.
If you don't see it you will never see it. Nuff said.
I will give you my view on
I will give you my view on this issue because I don't think it's a matter of what I don't see as much as what I do see.
In 2002 the CI government lost a legal case, details of which I have posted elsewhere, which ruled that the moratorium on status grants imposed in 1991 was illegal. This decision exposed the naivete of successive CI governments in relying on such a mechanism to control grants of status, because of course it masked the number of expats being allowed to live in Cayman for a period of years sufficient to meet any reasonable residency requirement for seeking status.
The decision brought into sharp focus both the problem of how many expats were now eligible for status based on residency and the problem of how to prevent this from continuing. I do not believe it was coincidence that there were mass status grants in 2003 ( to address the build of eligible expats - I am ignoring those who obtained status at that time who would not have met reasonable residency criteria, that's a whole different issue ) or that rollover was introduced in 2004 to prevent or at least control such a build up in future.
If, as you suggest, the explanation put forward for rollover's introduction was that it was to help Caymanians in the work place, it does not strike me as beyond the realm of possibility that this was at best a secondary consideration and at worse a lie, because the truth would have been unpalatable. Sherri Bodden's explanation a few months ago has a ring of truth to it.
Just another point to consider. If the aim of rollover was to protect Caymanians, why are expats allowed back on island at all after they are rolled over? Almost all who come back take up the same or similar post to that which they previously held and I fail to see how this can advance the Caymanian cause in the job market. On the other hand if it's objective is to stop an individual from being able to meet residency criteria without disrupting businesses too much, it makes perfect sense.
I'm not sure why you felt it was necessary to make the comment about Caymanians hating expats, I must have missed something.
Ezzard Miller has been right
Ezzard Miller has been right on alot of things. Alot of times, I run my own business and forget about how the locals helped the business from the start. I just hire foreginors to fill in vacancies where I can't find Caymanians, but pretty much I do feel it is the right thing for Caymanians to lead in their own country. Ellio, I believe is crazy, because I can not see how I will be able to run the business efficiently if I can't hire a foreignor now and again.
The past have shown that what
The past have shown that what is good for Caymanians has not been good for Cayman and vise versa. There needs to be a natural balance of Caymanians that start at the bottom and work their way up and experienced expats that can keeps things running smoothly and efficiently. The almost total inefficiency of CIG to fulfill its financial record keeping, the pathetic customer service of the bloated and overpaid civil service, should in itself show the need for Expat (read skilled, experienced,good work ethic) workers to shoulder the responsibilities that a good portion of Caymanian workers can't seem to grasp. Or you can continue to put Caymanians first before skill and let people like Bush run the island back into the stone age XXXXXX As ONLY a Caymanian can lead by example how much longer will Cayman last as a work/tourist destination? Or do you not see it going downhill? Like it or not( and most Caymanians won't) this "Caymanians first" effort will only survive as long as there is enough extra money to pay for it. In case you haven't been paying attention Cayman is in dept and will soon be broke because of this .
To Mr. Only Qualified
To Mr. Only Qualified Caymanians,
this theme song of having Caymannians work their way up while experienced expats keep things running has worn thin. We must understand that this has been the cry for many years while the expat gains sufficient time to gain status and then what happens to the caymanian who has been working his or jher way up? Ask yourself the question as the expat I presume you to be, in your native land do you bow to the expat experience aren't there laws to protect your workers, ro assist teh advancement of your workers? Why are you here how did you get here, why couldn't you have stayed and worked in your own country? Is it because the competition was too much, or was it because you were a lil fish in a big pond, now turned big fish in a lil pond and trying to tell people how to run their affairs. Respect the land that allowed you to be here and offer constructive and nit destructive comments.
First I am not here now, I
First I am not here now, I came by plane to help with the hurricane recovery, I could have stayed and worked in my own country but my skill and experience was needed in Cayman at the time and we left because we got a job offer we couldn't refuse in the states. Cayman has lots of hands but few brains and not a very high percentage of experienced workers. Just look to your own Government and tell the world that you wouldn't want more skill, experience and better morals in the people that are leading the country and spending your money. I have many Caymanian and Jamaican friends and they all agree that Cayman is going down hill fast and picking up speed. And why is that? If you can't see it it is only because you lack the capacity
Opinions are like status
Opinions are like status every foreigner has one. Thank God we can still voice at least one somewhere.
Excellent idea Ellio, all
Excellent idea Ellio, all doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, accounts,bankers, etc must be Caymanian. Don't listen to Ezzard, he need try hush.
Think that over again Mr
Think that over again Mr Ezzard. You are going back on what you stand for. Mind UDP trip you up.
Seriously? All doctors,
Seriously? All doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers, accounts,bankers, etc. must be Caymanian? You're seriously delusional. I guess you don't care about getting the best for the job, as long as he/she is Caymanian? Let me ask you, is your doctor Caymanian? Your lawyer?. I'm Caymanian and will be more than happy to be your doctor and make the big bucks, but you'll have a very short painful life if I am, I can also be your lawyer too cause I think some of them make some good money too, but don't count on getting any advise that's helpful or legal.
Be reasonable for goodness sake and if you were being satirical then my appologies, but you should emphasize the satire more if so.
If you actually bothered to
If you actually bothered to look/read, then you would noticed the name as 'S. Stirrer' - I would have thought that was a dead give away
Another one misses the SATIRE
Another one misses the SATIRE completely!
I CAN TELL YOU - That is not
I CAN TELL YOU -
That is not the EZZARD WAY of looking out for Caymanians! I think some of you commenters are attempting to MISREPRESENT Ezzard's position, because some of you don't like his stance for Caymanians.
Ezzard wants a JOB CZAR position in place that would liased with Education Department and Immigration Department to determine what kind of employees businesses and companies are looking for to see which Caymanian has earned a degree to fill in the vacant spot, and somehow make it into law that the employer who refuses to hire the Caymanian that is qualified and recommended by the CZAR be penalized to the full extent of the law.
ELLIO'S APPROACH SEEM TO BE MORE ARBITRARY. His approach is that whether a person is qualified or not, employers MUST hire him or her because they are Caymanian, and moreover, they are prohibited from hiring anyone else but Caymanian!
SEE THE DIFFERENCE?
EZZARD'S APPROACH SEEMS TO BE MORE RATIONAL! HOW ARE YOU GOING TO FORCE CAYMANIAN EMPLOYERS TO LOVE UNQUALIFIED CAYMANIANS? BY MAKING THEM SHORT OF STAFF and HARDER FOR THEM TO DO BUSINESS???
I hope Elio Solomon is
I hope Elio Solomon is removed from the Government soon. He likes to be heard on the radio, maybe he should have stayed with the Rooster. I have called the UDP office several times, have gotten no answer and the recording states that the mailbox for the number is full and you cannot even leave a message. Good Ole UDP. I hope the people are not snowed enough th re-elect him again. He is controversial and is a know-it-all punk, who does not belong in any government, not even that of McDinejad.
PPM and UDP shut up. AGAIN,
PPM and UDP shut up.
AGAIN, Mr. Ezzard Miller is making more sense in the face of these two shortsighted XXXX, Elio and Dwayne. what kind of trumped up bill proposal is that anyway? Elio can't think constructively, why did we elect him?
There is no way in the world that such a bill would be welcomed.
What happens if a business owner can not truly find a Caymanian to fill the position. His business must suffer as a result? Elio get a life!
Caymanian Business owners have rights too so Ezzard is looking out for them and the country as well. Good job.
The bill proposed by Elio and Dwayne has no legs and it is going nowhere!
The answer is ENFORCEMENT of the laws already on the books regarding labor and employment!
Except look at Ezzard's
Except look at Ezzard's track record with the big-boy red phone company. He did the bidding of the powerful owners and sacrificed his own countrymen there. Ask at the immigration department. It only depends on who gives the power to him....corporate or government, either way...he plays the game.
And it's much more fun to
And it's much more fun to kick the expat out than to deny the expat a job.
I agree with many pf the
I agree with many pf the above commentors that Mr Solomon's proposal is counter productive in the long run.
The world is changing from what we all grew up with. We need to compete with the rest of the world iin retaining business and attractingnew ones.
We Caymanians need to educate and train ourselves so that employers will make us their first choice should jobs be available automatically. Many of them know the hassles of recruiting from overseas and do so because many of us have made have not made attempts to pull ourselves to the standards expected.Once we reach those standards, all we need to is enforce the excisting immigration laws to deal with some of the rogue employers.
In the end, let us not create unnecessary new laws and regulations to patch up or cover many of our weaknesses.
how about making Caymanians
how about making Caymanians "key" in the law firms, accounting firms, offshore firms etc?
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