Topic: Deputy Premier Chris Saunders
Sham-marriage crackdown: 69 face losing residency
As Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman ramps up its scrutiny of local marriages, it has confirmed that 69 Residency and Employment Rights Certificate holders are facing 'mindful to revoke' notices.
Three held after 200 fentanyl tablets discovered in package
A Caymanian woman and two Jamaican men have been arrested in connection with the seizure of 200 fentanyl tablets that were concealed in an incoming package at the Airport Post Office last month.
Government to expand detention centre to house Cubans
Government is looking to expand the Immigration Detention Centre to increase accommodation for Cuban asylum seekers and move them out of the Bodden Town Civic Centre, Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has said.
Gov’t revenue crosses $1 billion mark, surplus recorded
Core government revenues hit a milestone at the close of 2022, crossing the billion-dollar mark, according to Deputy Premier Chris Saunders.
Saunders warns ‘scrutiny will continue’ as PR backlog mounts
With some Permanent Residency applications taking as long as 16 months for a decision, Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has doubled down on the growing delays, saying that close scrutiny of those seeking to live here long-term will continue.
Pensions Act to phase in higher fines, prison sentences for non-compliance
Almost seven years after the lawmakers approved changes the National Pensions Law Cabinet has approved a new Commencement Order to bring into force part of those reforms.
Minimum wage report expected by end of June
The Minimum Wage Advisory Committee has said it expects to have its report ready by the end of June, barring any delays in its deliberations.
Temp jobs must be advertised at WORC before permit application
Cabinet has approved new regulations requiring the advertising of temporary job vacancies on the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman JobsCayman portal prior to submitting temporary work permit applications for the positions.
2 children among 20 repatriated Cubans
An 11-year-old boy and a 14-year-old girl were among the latest batch of Cuban nationals to be returned to their homeland on Tuesday as Government's continued its repatriation exercise.
WORC: Jamaican murder suspect had ‘clean police record’
Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman has responded to concerns over the granting of a work permit to Jamaican murder suspect Ashley Williams, saying the woman had a clean police record when her application was submitted.
16 Cubans repatriated, 385 seeking asylum
While Cayman repatriated 16 male Cubans on a Cayman Airways charter flight, some 385 nationals currently on island have applied for asylum, Customs and Border Control confirmed.
114 suspected ‘sham’ marriages under investigation
Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman (WORC) Compliance and Enforcement unit has said 114 suspected sham marriages are being looked into following investigations into 175 marriage reports received since the start of the year.
Four arrested in immigration crackdown
Four people were arrested at West Bay Road Public Beach for work-permit and immigration breaches last Wednesday, Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman has said.
Saunders: ‘Increased scrutiny’ has delayed permanent residence applications
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders, in responding to concerns over lengthy processing of permanent residence applications, said increased scrutiny and not a moratorium has caused the delay.
New law changes seek to tighten Cayman’s asylum process
Government is moving to change the asylum process, so that successful refugees are not automatically granted indefinite leave to stay in the Cayman Islands.
WORC nets $273,170 in fines for work-permit breaches
A total of 78 work-permit-related offences were recorded between the first and third quarter of 2022, resulting in $273,170 in administrative fines being levied on companies and individuals.
Million-dollar bill as Cuban refugee crisis mounts
Government has shelled out more than $1 million to house Cuban asylum seekers in secure accommodation this year alone amid a mounting refugee crisis.
Deputy premier floats 30-storey building policy
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has thrown his weight behind policy changes to allow buildings to go “much higher” than the current 10-storey maximum.
Inspire Cayman scholarship recipients begin training
Inspire Cayman has begun training 24 recipients of tourism scholarships looking for careers in water sports or for those already working to gain related certifications.
Travel Cayman staff redeployed
All but 15 of the 87 staffers of the disbanded Travel Cayman have been seconded to central government, according to Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Chris Saunders.
Cayman development plan to move forward
The National Planning Framework (Plan Cayman) document, which sets out a proposed development map for the islands, will be moving forward in the upcoming fiscal year, the Planning Ministry has said.
Cayman’s population grows by 10.5% in less than a year
Cayman's population now stands at 78,554, an increase of 10.5% over the number of people counted in the October 2021 Census, Deputy Premier Chris Saunders said.
Bryan: Changes to ganja and gambling laws up to the people
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan says the people of Cayman should decide whether to decriminalise cannabis and gambling, possibly through a referendum process.
Deputy premier had ‘no authority’ to cancel COVID test order
Auditor General Sue Winspear has said Deputy Premier Chris Saunders had "no authority" to make any phone call to cancel an order for 500,000 lateral flow tests with Blue Water Medical Supplies Limited last year.
Cayman, Jamaica discuss tourism collaboration
Deputy Premier Christopher Saunders, together with Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan, have initiated discussions with Jamaican leaders to work together on greater collaboration with Cayman on tourism travel between the two destinations.
Lack of crime reporting a concern, says deputy premier
Statistics coming out of the 2021 census have shown that 31.8% of crimes in the 12 months leading up to the population count were not reported to police, a worrying figure for Deputy Premier Chris Saunders.
Rising cost of living a factor in pension holiday extension
As Deputy Premier Minister Chris Saunders advised the public of cabinet's decision to extend the pension holiday extension to September he warned inflation will continue to rise.
Ministry warns against hiring Cubans awaiting asylum
Deputy Premier and Minister for Border Control Chris Saunders has sounded a warning to local employers and employees that anyone found breaching Cayman's employment rules will be prosecuted.
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders tests positive for COVID
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has tested positive for COVID-19 and is currently in isolation, a government statement confirmed Monday.
CINICO to expand health insurance coverage, add property and casualty insurance
The Cayman Islands National Insurance Company (CINICO) is planning to expand its health insurance coverage to more people and add new property and casualty insurance business lines.
WORC nets $1m in fines, logs 405 breaches over last 3 years
Over the last three years, Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman has registered 405 breaches of the Immigration Act and levied over $1.04 million in fines from local companies and individuals.
Staffing board chair: “Urgent need” for reform of work permit process
In a comprehensive letter to government, Business Staffing Plan Board chairman Richard Barton said there is an "urgent need" for legislative reform to address the ongoing abuse of the work-permit application process that is increasingly detrimental to Caymanians.
Saunders: Minimum wage ‘absolutely way too low’
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders said a committee is being assembled to review Cayman's existing $6 minimum wage which he described as "absolutely way too low."
Gov’t eyes April end for tourism stipend, transition to grant programme
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has said government is moving to end the tourism stipend by April and transition displaced workers who are not up to full employment by then to a recovery grant programme at a smaller sum in some cases.
Hundreds attend Dart hospitality job fair
Job seekers, armed with resumes in hand, turned out in their numbers for a Dart organized hospitality industry career fair Saturday morning to fill vacancies at three of its hotels.
Saunders and McTaggart agree: Flexibility is needed for gov’t finances
Following concerns raised by the auditor general, both Finance Minister Chris Saunders and Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart agree that though Cayman's budget process must have the flexibility to adjust spending as the need arises, a managed approach is best.
Saunders: Stipend review finds abuses, but no prosecutions planned
Although Finance and Labour Minister Chris Saunders said government has flagged incidents of abuse under the tourism stipend programme, there will be no prosecutions arising out of it.
Pension holiday extended to March 2022
Cayman's national pension holiday has been extended to March 2022, government has announced.
Attorney: Vaccination bills could be challenged in court
As legislators get set to debate law changes introducing mandatory vaccinations, local immigration experts say planned provisions go further than initially expected and serve to widen the divide in Cayman.
Saunders: November reopening remains a possibility
Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has said the reopening of local borders could be possible from November, as he reiterated government’s position is to revisit the amended end-of-year timeline, as it works to contain local COVID cases.
No bump in stipend money planned
Government is not considering increasing the $1,500 tourism stipend at this time, however it may consider adding an extra sum in December, according to Finance Minister Chris Saunders.
PACT government refutes rumours of discord within the ranks
Both Premier Wayne Panton and Deputy Premier Chris Saunders have dismissed rumours of dissension within government's ranks, saying the PACT administration will not be distracted by "nonsense".
Decriminalisation not legalisation: Deputy premier clears air on ganja plans
While government is committed to the decriminalisation of possessing certain quantities of marijuana, there will not be a wholesale legalisation of the drug in the Cayman Islands, Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has confirmed.
Cayman’s Deputy Premier Chris Saunders appears on The Resh Hour
On the 28 July episode of The Resh Hour we sit down with Deputy Premier and Finance Minister Chris Saunders to discuss government finances,...
Panton maintains vaccination push; puts education, environment top of agenda
From ensuring local school children are feed to plans to reform work permit fees Premier Wayne Panton outlined his administration's roadmap to recovery for the Cayman Islands Wednesday in his Strategic Policy Statement.
