The restoration and reconstruction of homes damaged or destroyed in Cayman Brac will not require the recruitment of overseas labour, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said Thursday.
Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said there is no need to bring in overseas workers to repair the heavy damage on Cayman Brac caused by Hurricane Paloma. Photo: Tammie C. Chisholm |
Speaking during the Cabinet press briefing, Mr. Tibbetts said there were enough construction workers available within the Cayman Islands to complete the recovery task.
‘We should not have to entertain the thought of having to bring in any foreign workers,’ he said. ‘I am absolutely certain there is no need.’
In addition to the construction workers already living in Cayman Brac, there were Caymanians and work permit holders working for construction companies on Grand Cayman who could help in the reconstruction efforts, Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘We don’t want to bring in any workers when there are people here not working.’
Mr. Tibbetts roughly estimated that there were about 500 homes on Cayman Brac and that about 90 per cent of them were damaged during Paloma’s passing last Friday and Saturday.
Although he believes the construction workers needed to repair or reconstruct those approximately 450 damaged homes are already in the Cayman Islands, Mr. Tibbetts said he did not believe the diversion of those workers to Cayman Brac would disrupt other construction projects under way or planned on Grand Cayman.
‘That’s because the people will intermittently be doing the work [in Cayman Brac],’ he said.
Commuting workers
Because of the shortage of accommodations in Cayman Brac, some construction workers, as well as Planning Department staff, will commute back and forth to Cayman Brac on a daily basis on special jet service arranged with Cayman Airways, Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘The jet will be going up in the morning and coming back in the evening, so accommodation will not be necessary.’
A special rate for the construction workers will be established; however Mr. Tibbetts did not give specific details about the rate.
Another Grand Cayman-based construction company will bring temporary housing for its workers to Cayman Brac, Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘One company, I think it was the Atlantic Star Group, sent a team up to Cayman Brac with portable accommodation.’
Displaced work permit holders
Similar to what happened on Grand Cayman after Hurricane Ivan in September 2004, special provisions will be made for work permit holders in Cayman Brac if the business they worked for was closed because of Hurricane Paloma.
‘The Chief Immigration Officer was on the ground in Cayman Brac [Wednesday],’ Mr. Tibbetts said. ‘He has arranged… if work permit holders have been displaced because their business is not open… that they will be in a position to work under their current permit for another business, even on Grand Cayman, without having to go through the application process.’
Mr. Tibbetts stressed the provision to be able to switch employers without making an application to the relevant immigration board would only be temporary.
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