Topic: Alden McLaughlin
EDITORIAL – Permanent residence: The premier’s deepening quagmire
Premier Alden McLaughlin and his Progressives government spent $312,000 of taxpayers’ money to commission a report on a subject — the Cayman Islands’ permanent residence system — that affects every person living in, or thinking about moving to, this country. And he does not want you to read a word of it.
Cayman Airways looks to ‘next generation’ of Boeing 737s
Cayman Airways welcomed the first of its “next generation” of jets Friday as it begins the process of upgrading its entire fleet of international aircraft. Hundreds of well-wishers gathered at the Owen Roberts International Airport as the Boeing 737-800 plane touched down on Caymanian soil for the first time.
Premier: Political ‘sea of uncertainty’ ahead; Cayman poised to reap benefits
Major uncertainties, both internationally and at home, are facing the Cayman Islands just ahead of the May 2017 general election, Premier Alden McLaughlin told a conference of hundreds of government and private sector professionals Thursday afternoon.
EDITORIAL: One PR applicant speaks out – We should listen
The Progressives legislators themselves created this permanent residence quagmire when they passed the immigration law, setting out specific requirements for people to obtain PR, inviting them to apply – and then refusing to follow the very law they wrote, approved and enacted.
Stuck in PR limbo
While my issues and worries may not be of any material concern to the political administration or Cayman constituents, it is because of their legislative commitment in October 2013 that my family is now in a position of grave uncertainty with regards to our careers, our ability to earn a livelihood … and the education of our children.
EDITORIAL – Cayman deserves straight talk on permanent residence
We would hope Mr. McLaughlin would cease trying to reframe the government’s mounting problems with permanent residence applications as a “Compass vs. Government” matter. It is nothing of the sort. Permanent residence is an issue of great consequence to our entire country, and the Compass is simply pointing out the obvious: Our government must face it – and fix it.
Hailed as ‘jewel’ of tourism sector, Kimpton opens doors
Immediately hailed as a “new jewel” of Grand Cayman’s tourism industry, the Kimpton Seafire Resort + Spa, opened for guests on Tuesday. The 266-room hotel has been four years in the making.
Ruling Progressives party pledges voter challenges
The switch to 19 single-member voting districts ahead of the upcoming May 2017 general election has suddenly made the home address of prospective voters very important. Premier Alden McLaughlin said last week that voters will now find themselves participating in constituencies where individual votes will be determined by strict boundary lines.
Veterans, seamen honored on Remembrance Sunday
War veterans and those who lost their lives at sea were honored Sunday as the Cayman Islands joined Commonwealth nations around the world in solemn remembrance. Police in ceremonial uniform marched through George Town before the laying of the wreaths at the cenotaph and seamen’s memorial.
EDITORIAL – PR application delays: The consequences now loom larger
On today’s front page, in headline type so large that a legally blind patient taking an eye exam could read it, we share some extremely disconcerting news. It has to do with the risks the country is facing because of its inaction on more than 800 dormant permanent residence (PR) applications.
Government approves Smith Cove purchase; Pageant Beach eyed
The Cayman Islands Cabinet has approved the purchase of property adjacent to Smith Cove public beach for US$5.4 million (CI$4.4 million), Planning Minister Kurt Tibbetts said Wednesday. The price is about US$1.2 million more than a private developer bought the same parcel of land for in 2015.
Cayman’s cure for criminal recidivism
The Cayman Compass published a discussion between Premier Alden McLaughlin and George Town MLA Winston Connolly on Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016, in which topics including the Cayman Islands Prison System, Work Placement Scheme, reoffending rate and Prison Service Vocational Training Program were covered. I feel my observations and experience on these topics may shed a unique light on the subjects, as I have been incarcerated at HMP Northward for the last 16 months.
Rules for British pensioners unfair, premier claims
During this week’s meeting between U.K. politicians and overseas territories leaders, Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin and other leaders raised the issue and noted that British citizens who live in the Caribbean territories should be treated the same as those who live in the U.K. or the dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man.
Premier talks Brexit, budget, beer in London
The Cayman Islands government may wish to pay off some of its $500 million in debts early, according to statements made during the week-long Joint Ministerial Council meeting in London.
EDITORIAL – Head-on collision: New highway and environmental law
A highway is plotted directly through the “ecological heart of Grand Cayman.” On one side are elected leaders who support the project. On the other are officials charged with protecting the environment. What we have here, folks, is a high-stakes game of chicken.
Overseas territories ministers to gather in London for annual meeting
Ministers from the British Overseas Territories will gather in London next week to discuss Brexit, economic development and good governance at the annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting.
Gov’t to require jobs to be registered with NWDA
Employers will have to register job vacancies with the National Workforce Development Agency at least two weeks before applying for a work permit to hire a non-Caymanian following a vote last week in the Legislative Assembly.
EDITORIAL – Cayman education: Divided schools lead to divergent futures
Quality education is the only ticket out of poverty for far too many. It is the passport not only to well-paying jobs but, even more importantly, to a rich, fulfilling life.
Government ordered to hand over ‘Ritch Report’ to FOI office
Cayman Islands Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose has been ordered to turn over an immigration consultant’s report to the information commissioner’s office, after the government initially denied the information commissioner access to the report. The consultant’s report is the subject of an open records request filed by the Cayman Compass.
EDITORIAL – ‘Relentless’!
Although it is unlikely Premier McLaughlin intended for us to take it as a compliment, being labeled “relentless” is among the highest praise a newspaper could ever hope to receive. We’ve already got the T-shirts in production.
Alden McLaughlin makes case for one more term
Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday that he would seek one more term in elected office as leader of the Progressives political party and as premier if his party colleagues and/or like-minded independents receive majority support of the electorate next year. After that, the premier said, he would embark on a different career path.
School segregation set back Cayman Islands, premier says
Premier Alden McLaughlin says his government plans to desegregate the islands’ schools in the long term, allowing foreign students to sit in classrooms alongside Caymanians. He said the long-standing policy decision not to allow the children of expatriates to attend government schools was one of the most regressive decisions the country had ever taken.
Cayman booming, but immigration issues unresolved, premier says
The Cayman Islands is “in a much better position” than the territory was four years ago, Premier Alden McLaughlin told a group of several hundred local businesspeople, with the development and tourism industry surging, unemployment down and a strong partnership between government and the private sector.
Education Law approved, radically revising outdated legislation
A new Education Law radically revising the outdated legislation underpinning the island’s school system has been approved by lawmakers. The law was unanimously approved after an extended discussion in the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday and Wednesday.
Government drops effort to cement political parties in Elections Bill
Facing pressure from one of its ministers, as well as from opposition politicians, the Progressives-led government on Friday appeared ready to abandon efforts to legally force the registration of groups believed to be operating as political parties before the May 2017 general election.
Museum conference explores role of cultural heritage
The National Gallery of the Cayman Islands hosted the 27th Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Museums Association of the Caribbean this week, welcoming delegates from across the Caribbean, U.K., Canada and the U.S.
Police warn of fake premier Facebook page
The police’s Financial Crime Unit issued a warning Thursday over a fake Facebook page that purports to belong to Premier Alden McLaughlin. People who visit the page and are “friended” are then solicited in Facebook messages to make donations and give their bank account details, police said.
Ten inmates return to work in the community
Of the 20 Cayman Islands inmates who have completed the work placement scheme with the prisons service, 10 have gone on to work in the community. Premier Alden McLaughlin said 20 inmates began the program during their sentence at Her Majesty’s Prison, Northward. Seventeen completed the course; three did not finish it.
Cabinet approves sending landfill plan out for bids
Cabinet on Tuesday approved a new plan for the George Town landfill, including a waste-to-energy plant to incinerate waste. The new waste management strategy calls for capping the landfill, creating a new recycling facility on the site and reducing the amount of waste going into the landfill by 95 percent.
After vote legalizes medicinal cannabis oil, supply becomes the issue
A legislative vote Monday has cleared the way for cannabis oil to be prescribed in the Cayman Islands for cancer patients and other medical issues if the government can find a legal supplier. Lawmakers approved a key second reading of a bill that will amend the Misuse of Drugs Law to allow the substance, derived from the marijuana plant, to be prescribed by local doctors and carried by Cayman pharmacies.
Same-sex marriage: In their own words
Lawmakers spent most of the day Oct. 6 debating whether the Cayman Islands should hold a public referendum on allowing same-sex marriage in the territory. The referendum motion failed by a 9-to-8 party line vote. Below are excerpts from the debate from each legislator who spoke in the debate.
EDITORIAL – Premier McLaughlin muddies the waters of ‘Alden Pond’
On Thursday, Premier Alden McLaughlin purported to “correct” a Cayman Compass editorial that stated his Progressives government had squandered an opportunity to obtain land adjoining Smith Cove from the Dart Group. Premier McLaughlin then proceeded to lay out, in detail, how accurate the Compass’s observations were.
Premier: ‘Agreement in principle’ to purchase Smith Cove
The Cayman Islands government has agreed “in principle” to purchase a property on the northern end of Smith Cove, to prevent part of the beach from being developed. Premier Alden McLaughlin announced Friday in Legislative Assembly that the agreement had been made with Bronte Development Ltd. to buy the land, but a price had not been agreed.
Bill to legalize cannabis oil introduced
Legislation that would legalize cannabis oil for medicinal purposes in the Cayman Islands was introduced Friday afternoon, but Legislative Assembly debate on the measure was held until Monday. Premier Alden McLaughlin said he agreed to bring forward proposed changes to the Misuse of Drugs Law.
UPDATED: Agreement ‘in principle’ to buy Smith Cove land
Premier Alden McLaughlin announced Friday that government had reached an "agreement in principle" to buy land on the northern side of Smith Cove from the private owners of the parcel.
UPDATED: Bid for referendum on gay marriage fails
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin indicated Thursday that his ruling Progressives party-led government would block any attempt to hold a referendum on whether Cayman should change its law to accept same-sex marriages.
Cabinet approves Caymanian status for 2 business leaders
Two longtime Cayman Islands residents have been approved for Cabinet grants of Caymanian status, Premier Alden McLaughlin confirmed Wednesday. The residents are Monique Hamaty-Simmonds of the Tortuga group of companies and Fraser Wellon, well-known developer and owner of the WaterColours property on Seven Mile Beach.
New bill would clear conviction records after ‘crime-free period’
Criminals who have served their time and spent a specific period following their release from prison crime-free will have previous convictions wiped from their permanent record, under legislation to be considered by lawmakers this month.
Baroness takes in Sister Islands sights
The U.K. Overseas Territories Minister, Baroness Joyce Anelay, made a brief but action-packed visit to the Sister Islands Monday. With a busy itinerary, the baroness visited a number of sites on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
EDITORIAL – Smith Cove: ‘Alden Pond’?
Smith Cove (or, as many longtime residents know it, Smith Barcadere) is a national, natural treasure. For decades, the white sandy beach–flanked turquoise lagoon has been a magnet for swimmers, sunbathers and tourists in the South Church Street area. Simply put, Smith Cove is the epitome of a beautiful public space.
Premier: Free Jamaican work permit story ‘bogus’
A recent online report claiming that the Cayman Islands government had agreed to give Jamaican citizens working here free work permits and allowed them to enter Cayman without a visa for up to six months is entirely false, Premier Alden McLaughlin’s office said Monday.
Lawmakers: Mass of bills to change ‘lives of generations’
Cayman Islands lawmakers are set to review and approve an unprecedented number of bills in the Legislative Assembly meeting that begins Tuesday, some of which involve complex, long-standing issues that have been before parliament for more than a decade.
Immigration report on PR cost $312,000
The Cayman Islands government issued six checks totaling $312,470 for a consultant’s review of a 2015 Grand Court judgment that questioned the islands’ permanent residence approval and appeals process.
Firefighters back in West Bay station
Firefighters are back at the West Bay Fire Station after it was closed in late July because of mold in the air conditioning systems.
EDITORIAL – Politics and religion: Foreshadowing our upcoming elections
Inside the Lions Centre on Sunday, thousands of residents rallied for the preservation of traditional “family values.” The huge gathering, impressive by any measure, was testimony to the fact that the collective character of the Caymanian people is rooted deeply in conservative religious values and beliefs.
Government tries again with lawyers bill
With an international anti-money laundering review looming next year, Cayman Islands lawmakers will try one more time to pass modern regulatory legislation for the legal profession.
Thousands rally for ‘family values’ in George Town
Thousands of people packed the Lions Centre Sunday night for what was billed as the Cayman Islands’ first “family values” conference.
Governor rates policies, premier in FCO memos
Recent internal communications between the Cayman Islands governor and the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office were made public last week, involving Governor Helen Kilpatrick’s summations of current government policies.
Honduran president visits Cayman
Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez will be paying Cayman a brief visit on Friday.
Nominations open for Heroes Day
Nominations are now open for the 2017 National Heroes Day Awards. The awards will pay tribute to pioneers in tourism, honoring those who have made significant contributions to the past and ongoing development in the field in the Cayman Islands.
Bureaucracy stalls request for immigration report
The bureaucratic process associated with the Cayman Islands Freedom of Information Law will stall requests for the release of an immigration consultant’s report (also known as the “David Ritch report”) for at least several more weeks, the Cayman Compass has been informed.
Cannabis law change made public
Government has published amendments to the Misuse of Drugs Law to allow doctors to prescribe “cannabis extracts and tinctures” as controlled drugs.
Imports, flights to Roatan on the table
The prospect of direct flights and food imports from Roatan were discussed Tuesday when government and airline officials made a flying visit to the Honduran island.
Review of permanent residence system withheld
A government-commissioned review of the Cayman Islands permanent residence approval system, which was completed earlier this year, has been withheld from release by the Office of the Premier.
Premier: Legalizing medical marijuana to move forward
Government has warned there are no guarantees that cannabis oil will be available to patients in the Cayman Islands – even after medical use is legalized.
EDITORIAL – School woes not just ‘on paper’
We’ve all heard of, “No more pencils, no more books” — but no more paper?
Premier: Opposition to GM mosquito release political grandstanding
Premier Alden McLaughlin, in a press statement Tuesday, criticized opponents of the genetically modified mosquito program, as the Public Health Department confirmed Cayman’s first local cases of Zika.
Earl wreaks havoc in Belize, Guatemala and Mexico
Weather that led to the Cayman Islands being placed under tropical storm watch last week brought huge downpours, strong winds and damage across Belize, Guatemala and Mexico.
EDITORIAL – The immigration report the premier doesn’t want you to read
The parts of Cayman’s permanent residence system have been arranged, rearranged and manipulated by officials like chess pieces on a chessboard.
Pre-UK ministerial meeting wraps up in Turks and Caicos
Anticipated consequences of the U.K. ‘Brexit’ vote was the major topic of discussion this week as British Overseas Territories leaders gathered in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Premier defends tire disposal project
A contract will be signed this week for the huge pile of tires at the George Town landfill to be shredded and used as fill in development projects around the island, including the newly approved Ironwood golf resort.
Brexit response not robust enough
The government must take this issue of the U.K.’s exit from the EU as a very serious matter ….
Cayman seeks opportunity in Brexit aftermath
Cayman Islands leaders are seeking silver linings amid global political and economic turmoil in the wake of Britain’s decision to leave the European Union.
EDITORIAL – Time to pull the plug on this nonsense
In regard to the Glass House, lethargy and inaction have been government’s standing orders for the past decade.
Report calls for 42-bed mental health facility
A new report recommends a 42-bed long-term residential mental health facility be built in the eastern districts to serve local and overseas patients with severe mental illnesses.
Premier: ‘Huge mistake’ made with National Security Council
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin said Thursday that he believes the U.K. government is “constitutionally wrong” in the way its representatives are handling advice from members of the National Security Council – the law enforcement oversight body chaired by the British Overseas Territory’s governor.
Premier meets Gonsalves
Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, paid a courtesy visit to Premier Alden McLaughlin on Thursday at the Legislative Assembly.
Premier ‘disappointed’ in government leavers
Warning independent Cayman Islands lawmakers not to take local voters “for fools,” Premier Alden McLaughlin directed verbal barbs Friday at two Legislative Assembly members who left his government backbench in late 2015 and early 2016.
Few EY report ‘priorities’ under way
Recommendations from a September 2014 government consultant’s report by the Ernst & Young accounting firm have been pared down to 57 areas which the civil service intends to “progress,” according to a report released last week.
EDITORIAL – Alden and the EY report: We were wrong
Last week, the Premier said the Compass Editorial Board was wrong to declare that the EY Report appeared to be going nowhere. Let’s examine what the Progressives’ idea of “progress” really consists of.
Independents ‘wrong’ on immigration issue, premier says
Banning grants of Caymanian status to long-term non-Caymanian workers who have no family ties to the Cayman Islands would be a “regressive” move that would hurt the local economy and the average Caymanian worker, Premier Alden McLaughlin said last week.
