Editorial: An opportunity for our people

Much has been made about the hundreds, possibly thousands of expatriate workers who have left the island as a result of the economic drop-off brought on by government’s measures to curb the spread of Coronavirus. Their absence will be felt as the economy reopens but any void created provides an opportunity to get as many Caymanians as possible ready to fill those vacancies.

We acknowledge that it is no easy feat to fully replace expat workers, especially those in highly specialized roles, but there is a window for disenfranchised Caymanians to get a foot in the door. That’s why we were pleased to hear the Premier announce recently that the Ready2Work programme was being brought back.

Often times, unpaid internships create unnecessary barriers to entry into various industries, as bills have to be paid, food has to be put on the table and families need to be looked after. Ready2Work should provide the balance with paid internships and other forms of support, including childcare.

At Caymanian Times, we call on all employers to consider what roles they can assist job-ready Caymanians to retool and repurpose their skills to take up. We also encourage as many Caymanians sitting at home after being displaced from their jobs to grab this opportunity with both hands.

Let’s hope we see tangible opportunities for our locals because what’s the point of a “Cayman Dream”, if it remains a nightmare for those not afforded the chance to be a part of the success story.