I can fully understand why, with an election looming, Premier Alden McLaughlin has intimated unemployment is a blot on his landscape since he has been in office.

There is no doubt ex-premier McKeeva Bush is going to canvass very hard that the Progressives are for the rich and he is for “the little people”.

We have published the unemployment figures today – see story “Cayman Islands unemployment figures from 2006 – 2015” that shows the number of unemployed persons in Cayman Islands increased to 2248 in 2015 from 1859 in 2014.

I don’t understand why since the drop in 2014 was from an even higher figure of 2413 in 2013.

It does strike me as strange since the figures from 2009 had all been stuck between 2300 – 2400.

So what happened in 2014 to show such a huge drop?

Was there a sudden boom in commerce in 2014? No there wasn’t.

More building projects? There were a few. And 2015 saw a number of completions and a few starts.

2016 seems more promising.

McLaughlin blames the employers in not giving jobs to locals and using work permits that did see an increase.

The Chamber of Commerce blames the government in not providing adequately trained school leavers.

McLaughlin says the requirements for some of the jobs are too high and a lower requirement would make the job suitable for a Caymanian who could be provided with additional training courtesy of the employer. The smaller companies would not be able to afford this and perhaps government could look at setting up a funding scheme to help pay for this tuition?

Back in the 1950/60’s when I grew up in the UK we had a day release/evening course that was part funded by government and the employer. It worked very well.

There is no doubt there is an abuse of the work permits, especially the three month one. I know of one high profile employer who regularly changes his staff every three to six months with expats!

Unemployment is a big issue and with the hundreds that came out to do a menial job to get some work over Christmas was almost pitiful. These persons were desperate and gives lie to the claim Caymanians don’t want labour intensive jobs.

Employers must be encouraged to employ Caymanians. It is no use wielding an iron fist. That will not be successful. Jobs will be lost as employers will tighten up and worse, close down.

The Chamber of Commerce did themselves no good with executing the blame game and it is fine saying they have sat down with government and discussed the problem. I have sat down with the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh and a number of other Royalty. So?

If there is a willingness on both sides to solve a problem – it will be solved. Issuing statements blaming each other will not.

I have sometimes distrusted the motives of the Chamber and elections of presidents have been very political in my humble opinion. That is why I stopped being a member.

I am sure I shall be writing many more editorials on unemployment.