Some of the feedback from businesses to the recent Cayman Islands Tourism Association survey done on the impact of the Immigration Law 2003 on the tourism industry includes the following:
‘It is well known that it is virtually impossible to employ Caymanians in the diving industry and that it will be almost impossible for a dive instructor to achieve the points required for permanent residency. As a result, the industry will be losing its most experienced and valuable employees and will be forced to employ new instructors with very little knowledge of Cayman diving. This will detrimentally affect our tourism industry.’
Another says, ‘Employees in this category are our most loyal. They’ve seen our guests grow up – they served them when they used to come with their parents for spring break and now they come with their own children. Hospitality is about people – you can not replace history.’
The future seems uncertain for another business owner’s employees, ‘I have two employees who would like to make long term plans living and working here, purchasing a home, etc., but they are quite worried that they may have to leave.’
Another says, ‘The Immigration Law will have a severely negative impact on the community and the Cayman Islands. Skilled employees who have formed close working relationships with clients and customers (especially in our business) will be forced to leave. The ‘replacement’ employee will not have that same experience or close working relationship with the customers as it is very particular to the individual business. Instead of encouraging people to invest in the islands, the law will encourage people to invest as little as possible and take as much as possible with them when they leave after seven years.
‘What individual would want to purchase property, start a business, or become actively involved in the community when they are forced to leave? This law will be severely detrimental to the overall economy and future of the Cayman Islands.’
One other business outlines the confusion associated with aspects of the law. ‘We believe we have exempt employees as at the start of our business plan per our lawyer we were led to believe that the person in the key position was exempt . . . so at present we do not have any exempted employees under the new business staffing plan board until their renewal time comes up as this is contrary to what we were told at the start of our plan.’
Pullout:
‘The Immigration Law will have a severely negative impact on the community and the Cayman Islands.’
– comment in the CITA survey on the impact of the Immigration Law 2003 on the tourism industry
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