Sidebar: Existing challenges
On Wednesday 25 May 2011 the Chamber hosted a BE INFORMED
event where the Honourable Minister Rolston Anglin, Minister for Education, Training and
Employment, and senior ministry representatives Chief Officer Mary Rodrigues,
and Deputy Chief Officer Vaughn Carter gave an informative presentation on
their newly proposed realignment of labour, employment and pension services –
as well as the Ministry’s strategy behind the reorganisation of these entities
and their anticipated roles and responsibilities.
When Chamber President James O’Neill asked the question “Is
there any plan to change the pension contribution amount, the percentage, and
also to introduce a minimum wage in the Labour Law?” The Minister was clear that although he was
not opposed to the principle he had no intention mandating a basic rate of pay,
and at present there were no plans to change the amount specified for pension
contributions. This was said with the acknowledgement that a motion for minimum
wage has been put before the Legislative Assembly by Northside MLA, Ezzard
Miller, with suggested amount of $5.
With more than 600 people employed by individual employers
as nannies, gardeners, domestic helpers and caregivers, Minister Anglin
remarked that not many earn as much as $5 and that government would have to
figure out what to do with this category of workers before it could consider
the move. He also commented that waiting staff in restaurants and bars would
also be under consideration in relation to whether employee tips should be part
of a basic wage rate.
“It’s quite easy to aspire to a minimum wage,” Minister
Anglin remarked. “But it has to take into consideration the economy, the
workforce and the current economic climate,” he said.
The Ministry explained that its goals included:
Prepare our human capital for future opportunities by
enabling all Caymanians to maximize their potential in productive and
meaningful employment.
Provide effective supervision of the labour market so as to
facilitate conditions in which the economy can grow, while at the same time
according workers every due respect.
Improve the lives of the
elderly by better preparing all persons for a dignified life in retirement.
Build, implement and support an education system that creates citizens who can
contribute to the economic and social growth of the Cayman Islands.
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