George Town MLA Ellio Solomon will discuss his proposed Caymanian-only Jobs Bill at Tuesday’s Mary Miller Hall gathering, launching a series of district meetings before its November submission to the Legislative Assembly.

The Bill, tentatively titled Jobs for Caymanians Only, will designate a series of jobs for the native workforce, including status holders, but not necessarily permanent residents.

“They are on a track to become status holders anyway,” Mr Solomon told iNews, “but people born here and perhaps also status holders,” would be eligible for the positions.

He declined, however, to name what jobs might be designated, leaving the decision to public opinion, district meetings and consultation with a proposed committee of between five people and seven people who will weigh the Bill’s implications.

“I don’t have a definitive answer about what jobs in particular,” Mr Solomon said, “but I believe there are certain jobs in this country that should be Caymanian only. In the short term, however, we have to go through the proper processes and create a list.

“The constitution reserves the office of Deputy Governor for a Caymanian. The Chief Immigration Officer is a Caymanian. Every MLA is constitutionally a Caymanian”, as are all political candidates and voters, he said.

“It’s simply a case of having to look and to decide in consultation with the general public what is in the national interests of the country,” the MLA said, pointing out that the US, UK and “every other country in the world” regulates expatriate employment.

“An employer is free to hire any employee, but if it’s a foreign national, you have to get permission from the government,” he said. “This does not affect a free market in the exchange of labour. Caymanian labour is a free market, but anywhere in the world, when it comes to foreign nationals, is regulated. The US reserves certain jobs, for example, like security at airports and seaports. If the US does it, I see no reason the Cayman Islands should not do it.”

The November bill, he said, would create a schedule, which would be completed in subsequent weeks through town hall meetings.

“We will go to every district, and will try to take it to Cayman Brac and Little Cayman and look to get public feedback. Then the committee will consider what has been offered up,” he said.

He said the committee “was being formed” now, but declined to name its members, beyond himself as “most likely” to head the group. He hoped for someone from the civil service  “and a range of others so the majority of people are satisfied.”

Mr Solomon hoped to complete consultations in early January, completing the process before the middle of 2012.