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Governor Duncan Taylor has refused to endorse certain provisions of a Cabinet proposal to ease visa requirements for Jamaican nationals eyeing entry into the Cayman Islands, citing concerns over national security.
While Mr. Taylor said he would be content with Cabinet’s suggestion to allow young and elderly Jamaicans access to the Cayman Islands without obtaining visas, he said he would not condone across-the-board waivers for those holding similar documentation issued by Canada, the United Kingdom or the United States.
Mr. Taylor said he was concerned the authenticity of a Jamaican national’s visa issued under the guise of the UK, the US or Canada could be compromised, and therefore this path of entry exploited by criminal elements.
“The problem is that I am advised that there is a lively market in forged and counterfeit documentation in Jamaica, including in visas in the UK, the US and Canada,” Mr. Taylor said. “The Cayman Islands Immigration Department does not have the capability to determine whether such a visa is genuine or not and the respective countries have indicated that they are unable to provide the Cayman Islands with the access to the resources on which they rely to make these determinations.
“Lifting the visa requirement as proposed could potentially allow unscrupulous Jamaican visitors to gain entry to the Islands using forged or counterfeit visas which could have a significant negative impact on the security of the Cayman Islands,” Mr. Taylor said.
During a meeting 9 August, Premier McKeeva Bush and fellow United Democratic Party Cabinet members considered a proposal to ease the visa requirements for Jamaican nationals, thus hoping to foster business and visitor travel from Jamaica.
Cabinet recommended removing the existing requirement to obtain a visitor’s visa for Jamaican nationals who are under age 15; over age 70; or in possession of a valid Canadian, UK or US visa.
“The change to the visa requirements for Jamaican nationals was proposed in order to facilitate business travel between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica and to restore some semblance of the close relationship that Cayman had with Jamaica in the past,” Mr. Bush said. “Also to facilitate the holders of US, UK and Canadian visas as they would have been vetted by the embassies of those countries located in Jamaica and whose staff live and work in Jamaica. I don’t agree with the governor, but he is in charge of national security.”
Under the Constitution, Mr. Taylor, as governor, has final say over issues relating to national security.
Since the provisions were not tied together as all-or-nothing legislation, the age-related portions already passed by Cabinet and now approved by Mr. Taylor will take effect.
“It’s now official policy,” said Steve Moore, head of the governor’s office. “It’s now for immigration to sort out the details.”
Calls to the Department of Immigration were not returned by press time Tuesday.
A visa is a document showing a person is authorized to enter the territory for which it was issued, subject to the permission of an immigration official at the time of entry. The authorisation may be a document, but more commonly it is a stamp endorsed in the applicant’s passport. Some countries do not require a visa in some situations, such as a result of reciprocal treaty arrangements.
The Cayman Islands does not require visas be issued for persons visiting from dozens of countries, including the US, UK, Canada and Germany. However, visas are required to enter the Cayman Islands for visitors from dozens of other countries, including Jamaica, India, Honduras and the Philippines.
In 2005, the then-ruling People’s Progressive Movement government tightened the reins on visa requirements for Jamaican nationals entering the Cayman Islands in an effort to thwart increasing incidents of Jamaicans involved in local criminal activity following the influx of foreign labour in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.
Governor Taylor said he thought the introduction of these stricter visa requirements had resulted in tangible results in the capacity of reduced crime and he cautioned against a complete rollback.
“Having taken advice on the matter and acting in line with my discretion as set out in … the Constitution, I reluctantly concluded that I could not agree to this proposal because I was concerned that the waiver would introduce risks to internal security,” Mr. Taylor said.
Jamaica and its people have long had ties to the Cayman Islands. Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman had been attached to Jamaica as a dependency for colonial administrative purposes for hundreds of years as each resided under the auspices of the British Crown.
That relationship changed, however, after the breakup of the West Indies Federation and Jamaica moved for independence from the UK in 1962. The Cayman Islands has remained tied to London and continues as one of four British Overseas Territories in the Caribbean.
The continued influence of Jamaicans on the economy and culture of the Cayman Islands is without dispute, though.
Attempts to reach officials with the Jamaican consulate in the Cayman Islands for comment were unsuccessful.
Robert Hamaty, a Jamaican businessman who founded Tortuga Rum Company and formerly served as an honorary Jamaican Consul in the Cayman Islands, questioned the accuracy of the information Mr. Taylor had been hearing about the forging of travel documents in Jamaica, and upon which the governor was basing his decision. Mr. Hamaty also said if government was truly concerned with security in the Cayman Islands, then all countries should be screened in the same manner because threats, including terrorism, can come from anywhere.
“It’s sad what has been put forward as a plan to allow more economic activity has been denied,” Mr. Hamaty said. “The Jamaican people here on work permits are very happy and appreciative of the jobs they have and the contribution they make to Cayman.”
Last year, Jamaicans held 7,998 of the total 20,452 work permits issued to foreign nationals by the Cayman Islands government, meaning Jamaicans represented more than one in three of the overall foreign-born labour force, according to the Cayman Islands government’s Economics and Statistics Office.
Jamaica also was the fourth-largest exporter of goods to the Cayman Islands, following the US, the Netherlands Antilles and the UK, according to government figures. “I know the vast majority of Jamaicans are law-abiding citizens,” Mr. Taylor said. “This includes residents who make a positive contribution to our society and economy in the Cayman Islands – and short-term visitors, including business visitors, whose visits are welcome and trouble-free. There is, unfortunately, a small minority who have the potential to cause problems.”
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My heart goes out to the Law abiding Jamaican people that are truly an asset to Cayman. It’s a shame that they have to suffer for the misdoings of a few. I myself have had to deal with the ill effects of racial profiling and stereo typing and it’s not easy, so I in some way can relate to the plight these good people must deal with.
Keep up the good fight..Good will eventually conquer evil..
I think the Governor needs to be more concerned about the Caymanian people shooting each other every other day as a matter of national security. I am quite sure if you look at the residents of Northward, the majority of them would be the people of Cayman. Jamaicans always get a bad rap, why is that?
I can tell you that yes Caymanians are responsible for the shootings but as for the robberies? I have first hand been robbed by Jamaicans outside a nightclub on 7 mile after Ivan, I also had to prevent Jamaicans from robbing my neighbors house by calling the police(who btw responded poorley and would-be- robbers ended up getting away).I am not racial profiling just being honest…there are a lot of Jamaicans that are a burden on the Cayman Islands.
I think Mr Taylor is right, for may years Jamaican has been going to Cayman and all was well then but since of late things has got out of hand, don’t for get the first Murder took place in Cayman was by a Jamaican. I am a Jamaican and the minority of Jamaican gave Jamaica the worst name around the world then they compare other countries with themselves. Stop comparing and amend their ways because other countries commit crime does not mean they should follow suit.
Every year more than a thousand people loose their lives by the gun this was no so in the 60s or early 70s, thus the visa restrict the bad one and allow the good people to enter the island.
Mr Taylor is so right the same thing happen in the UK and other countries because of the crime wave causes every country in the world now to impose visa on Jamaican, the younger they get the worst they becomes. Cayman was such a peaceful place with open arms to Jamaicans, but now they get so vicious. The time is not right yet to life the visa restriction.
Thank you Governor Duncan Taylor.. National Security indeed. This diplomatic fence should remain in place.
U.D.P. Have your ranks been so infiltrated that you can no longer defend your country.. That someone from England has to tell you that you are about to be annexed if you don’t watch the numbers.. Young leaders in the UDP, do not let party affiliation rise above Cayman affiliation and interest.. What is the use of having all the money in the world only to loose your peace and security..
A governor is used to insure an engine remain within its limits of revolutions thus avoiding complete failure.
My opinion, like it or not: Cayman is an increasingly racist country…too bad my Jamaican cousin who is a well known lawyer at an established firm decided to live in your country…maybe being married to a white man has made it easier for her, after all it seems that the Europeans have taken over Cayman. I will continue to visit my forsaken Jamaica and take with me my professional career….
We as Jamaicans living abroad should not allow Caymanians from visiting Jamaica…i may just start a petition…sad indeed, but what do you expect from racist folks? There are bad folks of all nations , so why pick on Jamaicans only.Reminds me of….Hitler (yes, i dared to say it). Call me what you may, but i speak of what i read in your papers!!!
Thank God For Governor Duncan Taylor.
While the Premier is throwing us away to the highest bidder, the Governor is the only govenment official looking out fro the interest of the people of the Cayman Islands.
Governor Taylor, please do not be bullied by Mr.Hamity nor Dr. Mazouca. They do not represent the people of Cayman.
loo
Good job Gov. Taylor. The vast majority of Jamaicans have something engrained in them, a part of their culture that says: You can barely get ahead unless you take advantage of someone else in one form or another. Most Jamaicans themselves admit to this, because they come from such a hard life back home. Virtually all of these Caymanians breaking the law nowadays are newly mixed, part Jamaican/Hondo-Caymanian and highly influenced by this culture, destroying Cayman and it is our (Caymanian’s) own fault for allowing it to happen in the first place.
Yardigurl29
Lets see if you are referring to the same Jamaican-born lawyer that I’m thinking of.
Is she not half-Caymanian as well, with established family ties that date way back before she was born ?
If not, then we are thinking of two different lawyers.
It’s definately nice to know that there are more than one Jamaicans living there that are positive contributing factors to Cayman….wow, i wonder who is surprised by that? Because as this article insinuates, most of us are criminals…..go figure. I wonder just how many more Jamaicans are there reflecting positivity without the knowledge of your law makers. Makes me say….hhhmmmmm! Enough said.
yardigurl29 – it really does not insinuate that most Jamaicans are criminals. What it is pointing out is that, like all countries, there is a criminal element present. This issue is magnified somewhat as around 1/3 of all foreign workers are Jamaican. If there were thousands of workers from other jurisdictions, it would be the law-abiding ones that feel aggrieved.
As for reminding you of Hitler, how is that exactly? I don’t recall any murdering of ethnic groups by the million? The nearest anyone gets to Hitler on this island is usually a ridiculous moustache.
@ koolj – You say you are fully aware that the nurders are being done by Caymanians but not the robberies. Have you noticed that with all the recent murders there have been next to no robberies?? Still think it’s Jamaicans huh? Blame Jamaica for everything. No wonder ex pats think Caymanians are idiots!
Wow the 7 people that dislike my comment must be Jamaican.WITH THE GOOD COMES THE BAD! And trust me Jamaica has a lot of bad.
@Don – Don, I am just curious. You said that the first murder that took place in Cayman, was by a Jamaican. Do you know the name of this man? And where is this information found? In the archives? Where?
What is all the fuss about???? Jamaicans please remember you are in the Cayman Islands, not Jamaica. If you do not like the harsh criticism, the airport is not far and opened 7 days a week. We do not ask for people to come here. Crime will happen no matter what, and no matter who does it. We are human beings and we ALL make mistakes. Its either you get used to the idea that the law will not change or you go HOME!!!! Do you see ANY Caymanians DIEING to live in Jamaica???????????
@yardigurl29 you say that Cayman is racist…well I think you have racial issues, because I can tell you that Cayman is not racist at all and I have lived in many places around the world!
As for Europeans taking over, well you go figure…it’s beacuse alot of European companies are based here, secondly it’s British territory.
Why don’t they go to Jamaica….because of the CRIME!!! even jamaicans admit that.
My friend stayed in MoBay last month and was robbed just outside the hotel, had to extend her stay another week while she waited for her passport, and this puts people off visiting your island!
Good for a Governor that stands up for the people of this Country. Jamaicans it is simple, get your Country off the undesirables list of peoples in the World and you will be embraced. As it now stands you are a close runner up to Somalia. Your family structures are shattered and God save us all if the Ganja runs out. It is not the Racists who have your murder rate higher than almost every nation in the world. It is not the Caymanians who don’t want you, you run from Jamaica as you don’t want to face your Countries problems, crime, embarrassing poverty levels. Be thankful this small nation has allowed so many Jamaicans on it’s shores for a better life. If you disagree flights leave daily.
F.Y.I There are may folks from your lovely country residing in Jamaica, who have never been attacked, killed, ambushed, murdered, raped etc. Go ahead, blame Jamaicans for everything, if that makes you feel better….people like you find segregation of islands and their people tolerable…so sad indeed. I for one will make a point to visit your lily white country….without prejudice. I see that you have a Jamaican sitting on your justice bench handing out convictions of your own people…( His Most Honerable Howard Cooke 🙂 ….dont you have any one of Cayman suitable that you had to come to Jamaica for our Judges….go figure. I will no longer entertain your foolish replies, so dont waste your time…peace
Pattyman…with all due respect i cant help but notice your pic show you holding a Jamaican beef patty….distastes jamaica, but love their food huh?
yardigurl29…I like Chinese cuisine, but I am not a big fan of oppressive communist states. I like some Jamaican foods, however, you can take that tinned ‘cheese’ (y’know, the one you don’t need to refrigerate) and put it in an iron ball, and send it into orbit…never to return to Earth.
Oi…Yardigurl29!
Enough of this passa passa !
And you well know what that term means…
You’ve claimed a so-called prominent Jamaican female lawyer, married to a white man, as your cousin, in Cayman…and I’ve answered you without you knowing who I am.
But some of the posters on this forum well know who I am, as well as your cousin, if she is who I think she is…now confirm my query before you continue arguing with and about people who could very well be friends and/or family to your cousin.
Jamaicans do not run the Cayman Islands…I’m sure your cousin will very well inform you of this before you decide to visit her…
Or else your very attitude will run you into problems in Cayman, in which your cousin will be able to do nothing to help you…
I learned this very lesson growing up and being educated in Jamaica…
When in Rome, you do as the Romans do…
It seems to be that some Jamaicans in Cayman have forgotten this very valuable lesson that has been driven into all of us at home in Jamaica.
Firery: What exactly would you like me to confirm? The name of my cousin? If so, i wont, she deserves her privacy and in a country like Cayman, i wont put her in harms way. In addition, no need 4 me to deal wid di passa passa, i do realize the mentality of the majority of these folks, with that said, i dont need to conform because there are many other countries to visit, as Cayman is not interesed in Jamaicans and this Jamaican is certainly not interested in visiting Cayman either. Dont fry us all in the oil of others, not all Jamaicans are wayward or of criminal intent. That’s the basis of my point.Plain and simple.I seem to be attracting more flies than anything else…Have a great day.
Pattieman: not sure which cheese you’re referring to, but all our tinned cheeses are to be refridgerated after opening, if not mold will set in (as i’m sure you know)….to the moon…not.