Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts announced last Friday the Government will present an Immigration (Amendment) Bill, 2005 to the Legislative Assembly that, when passed, will significantly curtail the Cabinet’s power to grant Caymanian Status.
‘The main purpose of this Bill is to remove any uncertainty as to where the authority resides for the granting of the right to be Caymanian, and to establish a procedure for the exercise of such authority,’ Mr. Tibbetts said.
The proposed amendment to section 20 of the Immigration Law would restrict Cabinet’s power to make grants of Caymanian Status to circumstances where recommendations for the grants are made by the Immigration Board and approved by the Legislative Assembly, Mr. Tibbetts said.
‘In addition, the maximum number of such grants that may be made would be limited to four in any calendar year.’
The amendment of the law is a result of the previous Cabinet’s making of 2,850 Caymanian Status grants between September and December 2003.
The People’s Progressive Movement, then the Opposition, strongly criticised the way the government made the Status grants.
‘Cabinet’s exuberant granting of Caymanian status in 2003 resulted in considerable disquiet among the populace, thus necessitating some degree of legislative intervention,’ Mr. Tibbetts said.
Another proposed amendment to the Immigration Law will also be brought to the House which would allow a person on a temporary work permit who has applied for a one-year permit on the same terms and conditions, to remain and work for the same employer until the determination of the one-year application.
‘The enactment of these provisions would result in the enhancement of the Immigration Law and would greatly reduce the burden of the Immigration Department in their implementation of the Law,’ Mr. Tibbetts said.
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