So now we have legislation in place that will allow the Cayman Islands Cabinet to designate certain positions, jobs, types of work or business areas as the sole purview of Caymanians.

So, what does this mean?

At the moment, ALMOST absolutely nothing.

An amendment to the immigration law does not specify any role or business which should be reserved for Caymanians.

I have included the word “ALMOST” because Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said the provision was very flexible and allowed for exceptional circumstances where the chief immigration officer or the boards could still grant temporary work permits in certain reserve occupations.

“Certain reserve occupations”?

What these occupations are was not given.

The amendment also provided for a transitional period so that staff currently on permits in what could become reserve occupations, once they are selected, would not just be fired.

However, Manderson did give some examples of reserve occupations, not saying if these were just his opinion. These were, concierge posts in hotels, as Caymanians are an obvious and ideal choice to tell visitors about Cayman, as well as Human Resource positions.

Manderson also said there was a provision in the amendment that allows anyone who already has key employee to stay in the post, even if their job joins the list of reserve occupations.

I have to agree, however, with North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, who said, “All it does is create an option for any future politician to be whatever they want it to be. There are no standards or criteria or anything.”

This is because the criteria for reserve occupation will be decided by the next cabinet and, as Miller says, the existing immigration law contains all of the criteria to ensure Caymanians get the jobs they are qualified for.

The Amendment Bill defines absolutely nothing, no quotas, no specifics, no criteria, no benchmarks and no targets. What it does contain is what Manderson described as “very flexible” provisions.

And “very flexible” provisions gives plenty of scope for ………..

Nah. I am not going to say the word or words.

There is an election happening.

And on that note I leave the last words to Miller.

“This is a feel good piece of legislation for the election and it will have zero effect. It’s not worth the paper it is written on and is nothing more than electioneering.”