The Cayman government has recently released its planned immigration law amendments. These proposals are obviously intended to make residency and immigration more protracted and more difficult.
However, it should be understood that Cayman is in a worldwide competition for both talent and capital. Cayman is one of the top financial centres of the world, and this has resulted in Cayman having a very high GDP per capita, and level of income. Cayman residents and citizens enjoy a very privileged quality of life.
But Cayman does not have the systemic internal resources, strength or endowment to maintain its current prosperity, and quality of life. It requires imported talent and capital. The new proposed legislation will undoubtedly diminish the quality of life for all the people who call Cayman home.
Recently, four Caribbean countries signed an agreement intended to stem the flow of skilled professionals from Barbados, Belize, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Free movement will allow nationals of the four countries to reside, work and remain indefinitely in any of the countries without need for a work or residency permit. It is an EU-style free-movement agreement.
Cayman has powerful competition for talent and capital from countries like Singapore, Dubai, Bahamas, United Arab Emirates, Malta, Portugal, Cypress and numerous others.
There is a nostalgia among many older Caymanians for a lifestyle that came with a population much smaller than today, and for a quiet island life that they remember from decades ago. But, you cannot turn back the clock. If legislation is enacted as proposed in the immigration amendment law, this island will lose its next generation of young people. The vigour and dynamism that the new immigrants bring will be lost and is irreplaceable.
I know that the current elected members of the Cayman government need to appeal, and cater, to the voters of Cayman, and restricting and reducing residency and employment permits appeals to many voters. It is shortsighted and in the long term, very detrimental to all residents of Cayman. The overall quality of today’s lifestyle will be compromised.
John Friesen
Permanent resident
Related Videos
Well said John.
Grand Cayman has been my home for over 40 years.
I well remember those times when the population was under 20,000, there were no traffic lights anywhere and you could drive the length of 7 mile beach and see the water 80% of the time.
I can also remember it being impossible to eat outdoors in the evenings due to the mosquitoes, the lack of medical specialists here ( you had to leave the island for anything serious), the outrageous cost of overseas phone calls and the meager selection in the supermarkets.
From an unknown island our home has become a global hotspot with one of the highest standards of living in the world.
Almost everyone is better off. We should not try to turn back the clock.