Today, March 11, 2024, the 17th Youth Parliament passed a motion to revise the permanent residency application process and amend the relevant Immigration Acts and Regulations to give effect to the same. Miss Sirichandana Batta, MP For Cayman Brac East, brought the motion, which was seconded by Miss Aylani Morris-Seymour, MP for West Bay Central.
Discussing her reasons for bringing the motion, the MP For Cayman Brac East said:
This motion is about altering and strengthening the regulations for an expatriate to gain permanent residency and therefore become a Caymanian.
This proposal is not meant to deter nor discriminate against expats.
However, opposition member Miss Anabella Hayden, MP for George Town South, resisted the motion, suggesting, “This motion is clearly a confused, vague attempt to solve problems that are significantly removed from immigration.”
Hayden added:
The Government motion states that the livelihood of the Cayman population is being hampered by the influx of other nationalities.
But what is this livelihood referring to?
Arguably, the economic livelihood of Caymanians is improved by immigration.
Hayden continued:
The positive economic impact of immigration for advanced economies has been demonstrated over and over again empirically.
A study from the International Monetary Fund showed that immigration improves growth and productivity in the long and medium term.
This is because native and immigrant workers bring a diverse set of skills to the labour market that complement each other.
Taking a specific look at the Cayman Islands, Hayden noted that “Cayman has shown it has a growing, dynamic economy,” with “a real GDP growth rate of 4%” last year, “which is above many other developed economies.”
Hayden attributed these benefits to the “influx of skilled labour” Cayman receives.
Hayden emphasized that “Continued economic growth will benefit the livelihood of Caymanians by providing them with increased job opportunities, higher wages and higher quality and variety of goods and services.”
She warned, “Under the Government’s approach of decreasing quantity, some of the quality of the labour we enjoy will be lost.”
The Hon. Jerrin Reynolds—Velasquez, MP for West Bay North and Minister for Youth, Sports and Heritage, also touched on the quality of the labour force, but from the other side of the Parliamentary aisle.
Reynolds- Velasquez explained:
Now that our people are upskilled and our youth are leaving Cayman with international qualifications and global experience, we need to better regulate the granting of permanent residency and Caymanian status to encourage them to stay and work here.
For our first generation Caymanians and work permit holders, we must implement measures to embrace them into our community and encourage more integration and stronger connections with our multi generational Caymanians.
They must be encouraged to learn about our culture and heritage.
He warned that “if the rapid rate of immigration continues into our islands without proper regulation, we will see a strain in our basic needs and lose our old ways and traditions.”
He implied that the motion’s passage was a way to “embrace our heritage and not let it be watered down.”
It would also encourage expatriates to “respect our laws and our identity,” he added.
After a heated debate from both sides, the Speaker of the Youth Parliament, Hon. Raldayne Thomas, MP, put the motion to a vote.
Thomas said:
The question is, be it therefore resolved that this honourable Youth Parliament considers revising the permanent residency application process and amending the relevant Immigration Acts and Regulations to give effect to this revision, be it therefore further resolved that this honourable Youth Parliament considers the implementation and maintenance of a comprehensive immigration screening process that encourages greater security and safety of the economic, social and political well being of the Cayman Islands.
Thomas declared the motion passed following votes from the members of the Youth Parliament.
