The Cayman Islands Government, in partnership with the Caribbean Development Bank, launched a study of living conditions on Monday.
The study will look at the living conditions of all residents in the Cayman Islands, including expatriates.
Called the National Assessment of Living Conditions, the nine-month study will gather comprehensive information from thousands of randomly-selected households on the welfare of residents living in the Cayman Islands, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said.
‘The intention is not merely to gather data on how residents are living,’ he said. ‘We will also be seeking input on why persons find themselves in their particular circumstances in order to develop an action plan to address the underlying conditions as well as meet immediate needs.’
Mr. Tibbetts said much of the study will concentrate on factors contributing to the standard of living of ‘the more economically challenged individuals’.
A group called the National Assessment Team, consisting of civil servants, representatives of non-governmental organisations and members of the public, will direct the study. Diane Montoya, Chief Officer of the Ministry of Health and Human Services, will chair the team.
Mr. Tibbetts promised the survey would not simply result in a ‘glossy-papered report destined for shelves in government offices to gather dust’.
‘The findings will be acted upon and they will guide the creation of development policies,’ he said. ‘In fact, the development of an action plan with implementation strategies will be part of the current exercise.’
Mr. Tibbetts said the study will allow the Government to identify how residents have been affected and benefited by the economic, social and cultural changes that have accompanied growth in the Cayman Islands.
‘For example, with our growth there has been a movement away from a relationship-based community to a society increasingly focused on the individual,’ he said. ‘This has many implications for our changing values as a people, and this study will assess where we are and where we want to be in terms of this dimension, and help us plan for a better future.’
Having factual, scientifically-derived data on living conditions is the only way to achieve focused and effective policymaking to ensure the Government finds solutions that work, Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘We must meet present needs as well as assist people to reach longer-term goals that will enable them to take full advantage of opportunities around them. In short, this is a project about and for the people,’ he said.
Mr. Tibbetts noted that Cayman Islands was the last of the English-speaking Caribbean countries to have conducted the Caribbean Development Bank’s assessment.
Although the study commenced as a Ministry of Health and Human Services initiative, Mr. Tibbetts said the entire Cabinet had come on board to facilitate cross-government coordination of the project.
‘We recognise collaboration across the whole of government is essential,’ he said.
Minister of Health Anthony Eden said the Government was well aware that historically an emphasis had been placed on developing Cayman’s infrastructure and sustaining a sound economy.
‘While this has had great beneficial value for these Islands, the PPM Government’s view is that we now need to place much greater emphasis on the development of our people.’
Mr. Eden said the Government was committed to strengthening the family and community.
‘It is well known that many of the social ills of our society can be traced back to the family,’ he said. ‘We aim to strengthen the capacity of the community, school, the churches and employers to give the necessary support to families, particularly those headed by single-parents.
‘And the National Assessment of Living Conditions seeks to address how competent we are in meeting this objective.’
Mr. Eden said the slogan for the National Assessment project was ‘Charting the Future Together’.
‘If we want our people to face the future with hope, with their basic rights intact… we must join our hearts and minds together. We must overcome the challenges of achieving social equity and improving our social protection systems. We must ensure intelligent, effective and fair allocation of resources.’
The National Assessment Team will work closely with a team of consultants, which will provide training, advice and technical support for the study.
While the study will help government address issues like poverty, Mr. Eden stressed the goal of the study was not to determine who should get more financial assistance from Government.
‘I want to dispel the thinking that creating a social development policy will mean that more financial assistance will be granted,’ he said. ‘I strongly believe that we must give our people a hand up not a hand out.
‘Social development must be focused on strengthening an individual’s capacity to be a responsible member of the community, empowered to effect change and to achieve the society he or she wants.’
Education Minister Alden McLaughlin said the data from the survey would serve a critical role in charting the future of education and training needs in the context of the global and knowledge-based economy.
‘My goal is to achieve a society where personal and social circumstances create a range of choices available to Caymanians, young and old, to achieve the highest level of self-actualisation,’ he said. ‘I am particularly concerned about identifying and removing obstacles to the achievements of youth.’
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