The Cayman Islands Immigration Department have sparked outrage to not only Caymanians but the paper variety too.

The Immigration Department issued a statement aiming to clarify the situation for people who are Caymanian by right through descent who have to acquire a letter from immigration proving that fact. See iNews Cayman story published April 18 2018 “Cayman Islands Immigration Ministry explains Acknowledgement Letters” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-islands-immigration-ministry-explains-acknowledgement-letters/

This has done nothing, however, to stop the anger from persons born in the Cayman Islands to a Caymanian parent after 1977 and have no paperwork to prove they are Caymanian by right.

There are also adult ‘heritage’ Caymanians whose right comes through descent and do not have official means to prove it.

Now Immigration are asking people to apply for acknowledgment letters because employers are now asking for proof a Caymanian is really a Caymanian.

In making an application, the Immigration statement requires the person to produce copies of relevant documentation proving that he or she satisfies the particular requirements. Once the Chief Immigration Officer is satisfied that the person is a Caymanian he will issue a formal letter confirming this fact and a stamp will be placed in the person’s passport denoting that they are Caymanian.

Of course this is a long and burdensome process as people who are of the paper variety have also found.

If you have mislaid or lost your letter that you have Cayman Status don’t think that is an easy job to get a replacement or believe a stamp in your passport saying you have Caymanian status is good enough. It is not.

Even though one would assume it is recorded in the Immigration computer that doesn’t count either if you give a reference to someone applying for status.

No piece of paper and your status has gone. And try asking for a replacement.

Premier Alden McLaughlin might believe his clampdown would not be taken to the absolute limit of his words and common sense would prevail and a simple look into the computer would be enough but that is not what he said.

You must have that piece of paper. The original.

“We have to try to devise a means of easily and simply being able to determine the status of a person,” he said in the LA without giving any more information as to how he is trying to devise one.

Using common sense would be my number one choice but when it comes to immigration that was lost as soon as you go into the Immigration building.

It seems to immediately bring outrage to the fore and, unfortunately, rightly so.