Stuart Jack

The entitlement culture

On Saturday the Cayman Islands Society of Professional Accountants held their annual awards dinner for young Caymanians who had acquired accountancy qualifications. 

An excellent and forthright speech was given by the guest speaker, Canover Watson, a Caymanian who has worked himself up to Managing Director of a multi-billion funds administration company and who two years ago received the prestigious Young Caymanian Leadership Award. 

Canover criticised the entitlement culture that pertains among some Caymanians – the belief that if someone is Caymanian and especially if they have a degree or professional diploma they are entitled by right to a good job or to promotion. He pointed out that young Caymanians like the ones being celebrated at Saturday’s event were not competing just against foreign work permit holders in Cayman but in a global market against people around the world (he mentioned India which he had just visited). To succeed, like he had, they had to be ambitious and work hard. 

Canover is right – as people I spoke to at the event all agreed. Government should do its best to give people in Cayman opportunities through education. It can restrict work permits to jobs where there is no suitable local who is capable and willing. As in the civil service efforts can – and should - be made to develop local people so that they can compete successfully for higher level jobs; and where a Caymanian and a foreigner compete for a job and are both equally good preference should go to the Caymanian. 

But here as in most of the rest of the world people have to earn their job and earn their promotion, not expect it by right. That is particularly important in a service-based economy like the Cayman Islands where success depends on having the best people. I am sure most employees and even more so employers understand that. But not it seems all.

Posted at 22:28 05 October 2009 by Stuart Jack  |  Comments[1]