LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Caymanians need a level playing field

Tuesday,  December 13, 2005

Dear Sir,

If your claim to be “bigger, bolder and better” includes having more quality editorials as you had on Thursday December 1, then you are definitely on the right track. The editorial’s caption – “Caymanians need a level work field” expressed many of the sentiments I hear myself in a number of circles. I hope many people especially employers read and understood the message.

It is as you put it – “doing the right thing, which is a good position morally and is also good business” to make more opportunities, other than the lowest levels of the service sector jobs, available to Caymanians. 

Cayman needs the investment and economic activities of employers. However, it would make for a happier society should more opportunities and a wider scope of employment positions be made available to the “natives.” 

There is a growing number of young Caymanians with formal qualifications entering the job market that are experiencing increasing frustration with each refusal of their attempts to get meaningful jobs. For those who are lucky to get employment, further opportunities for upward growth is not a given even with effort and performance.

Some of the known undesirable practices include misleading advertising, creation of obstacles by customizing jobs to match qualifications of preferred individuals, requiring many years of work experience, or simply ignoring applications - all designed to keep out, and in, particular individuals or a category of people.

We should never discourage free enterprise but we must ensure that the island’s employment laws that exist are observed and followed. If the laws are flawed, irrelevant or unnecessary then they should be struck off or changed.

Until that is done the law should be observed and the authorities should ensure compliance by carrying out field audits. Many of the observed transgressions by employers, those that deny equal opportunities, would probably be deemed illegal in more developed societies. 

The great number of new developments in Cayman referred to in your editorial provides welcome and needed revenue to government. However, I imagine a large chunk of this revenue is used for infrastructure expansion made necessary by the development themselves so what or how much is the real benefit of the average Caymanian? 

In my view more jobs to native Caymanians would be a more direct and measurable benefit.

Lee Maragh

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