The UK government yesterday released the results of its autumn survey of Overseas Territories, pointing out that Cayman Islands worries centred on crime, public safety, the cost of living and foreign labour.

High crime rates were raised generally throughout the 11 Overseas Territories (OTs), the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) report said, but more than half the 41 submissions on the subject came from Cayman, including the Cayman Islands government which, the authors said, “highlighted public safety and the rise of crime as a significant challenge, and advocated the development of a long-term strategic plan to tackle this.”

Dated February 2012 and covering 43 pages, the report chronicles 517 responses to its 27 September – 31 December survey. Most of the submissions came from the Cayman Islands, which contributed 182 answers, 35.2% of the total. In second place was the British Virgin Islands, with 104 answers, 20.2%,, followed by the United Kingdom itself, with 82, Bermuda with 50 and Anguilla with 23.

The Caribbean region was by far the largest contributor, with Montserrat in eighth position and the Turks and Caicos Islands at No. 10.

On the subject of law enforcement, the report said it had been “the most important area of cooperation [with the UK] raised in nine submissions,” all of which came from both Cayman and the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Suggesting Cayman respondents felt similarly to BVI, the report said the territory had asked that “the UK strengthen its cooperation with local police as recent events on the island had caused an increase of crime which local authorities were incapable of handling.”

BVI Premier Dr Orlando Smith said the police “clearance rate” on crime was below norm, while a Cayman respondent said that “skills related to the gathering and effective protection of solid evidence is lacking”.

One Cayman resident was concerned “that the current model of co-operation between the UK and the Cayman Islands Police Service was failing, and that recent visits and consultations had not yielded satisfactory results.”

The cost of living, the FCO said, “was the second most-frequently discussed issue,” mentioned in 24 answers, including food-price complaints from Anguilla and the Falkland Islands, and quoting a Cayman response: “The cost of living is way too high. The Cayman Islands is a world-leading financial centre and a global player. There is no level playing field where everyday living is concerned.”

Fears that foreign labour was “undercutting the pay of local workers“ drew the third-most responses among economic issues, the report said, quoting eight observations, “largely from residents of the Cayman Islands, including local government which described the difficulties of “striking the appropriate balance between attracting qualified and expert labour from overseas and, in the process of so doing, not obstructing the progress and development of the local workforce.”

Finding that balance, the spokesman finished, “remains an elusive task and one that would seem to be central to any successful economic planning in the Cayman Islands.”

Other issues included education, defence, good governance, Cayman’s lack of audited accounts and poor infrastructure planning, quoting one Cayman resident “who believed that politicians often began projects that were scrapped by new administrations, at significant cost to the taxpayer.”

The Office of Governor Duncan Taylor said yesterday that the summary of responses was only a precursor to a final White Paper, which would be published “on 17 April, depending on the feedback, on #10 Downing Street and Parliament’s timetable,” according to spokesman Steve Moore.

A draft final report has already circulated among the premier, top officials and the consultative committee created for the survey, seeking further information and feedback to London.

Ultimately, Mr Moore said, the paper would affect UK decisions on “the concerns of the Overseas Territories and if the UK can do more and can be better engaged.

“We are working with the Treasury and the Home Office and others”, he said, echoing the report itself, looking at how “the UK could strengthen cooperation and partnerships with the Territories via  audits, policing and constitutional reform.”