In just about every country leaders and citizens alike are concerned about economic matters. But can the economy of any of these countries be fixed; meaning they achieve the same level of job growth and productivity as was experienced prior to the global economic meltdown?
I guess not and this leads me to conclude that we here in the Cayman Islands will be experiencing economic regression for some time to come. But as a small business person in the Central George Town area, I am indeed concern with the role government is playing, in making the survivor of small businesses even more difficult than it should be, even in these serious times.
I hope that this letter is read by as many small business and property owners in Central as possible and that some move is made by us to unite against the disadvantages government bureaucracy and taxes will place on our ability to survive in 2012 and beyond. Of course I accept that government must collect revenue to pay for much needed infrastructure and services but, as has been preached time and time again, our government is too big and its expenses is exactly what has been killing the Caymanian middle class and small business owners.
Take for example the well-developed policy of our government of using work permit fees as a main source of revenue rather than to protect Caymanian workers. As the owner of El Caboose restaurant government will not assist me in finding, training and retaining a Caymanian staff yet I must pay the same high fees for work permits for kitchen personnel and servers as the big restaurants in the Seven Mile Beach area! Imagine the incredible differences in income. In any other civilized place we would be taxed according to earnings and after we have earned; not before. I do not own a beauty salon in Central where there is one next to the other as is in the case of the small restaurants; but consider the high price owners must pay for work permits for barbers and hairdressers. Central George Town is heavily saturated with small bars, restaurants, clothing shops and barbershops at a time when the economy has for years been under-performing and the representatives of George Town really need to take a good look at this situation now. And I suggest they begin to do so by recognising Central as an inner city community with many of the attributes of inner cities worldwide; some negative and some positive.
There will be those that believe that the challenges facing small investors in Central will be solved by the creation of another level of political dictating but they are mistaking. The solutions must be of an economic nature and must come from those losing their futures because the government continues to exclude us from their tourism strategy and is taxing us out of business. From Mary Street, to Shedden Road, to Eastern Avenue, there are shops, restaurants, bars and entertainment that could form a vital part of our tourism product if our leaders were truly thinking of the little man.
Sometimes when I see the bus loads of cruise tourist using Eastern Avenue, McField Lane and Mary Street as their short cut from the Seven Mile Beach areas to Church Street, it makes me more aware of the discriminatory economic policies of our government. Yes the people in these areas look different than those in the Seven Mile Beach areas and there is crime in our community. But the crime problem can be managed if more of our policemen would leave their comfortable and pretty sports cars and walk like many of the people in Central; walking two side by side chatting with people as they go merrily about our country’s business. Perhaps less money would then have to be spent on policing and some funds might become available for low interest business loans and the promotion of our businesses. In conclusion I would like to see some consideration for our small George Town businesses and not just consideration for the rich and powerful. If any small business owner feels as I do about the potential but neglect of Central then please contact me at [email protected] or call me at 9168139.
Frank McField
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