Bill proposes $10k fine for public health breaches

| 01/10/2020 | 82 Comments

(CNS): As the Cayman Islands enters a phased reopening of its borders and rolls out a new geofence home-quarantine system, government is seeking to increase fines for breaches of the Public Health Law ten-fold and quadruple the jail time. The aim is to deter behaviour that might cause a resurgence of COVID-19, given the risk the new protocols pose when Cayman is currently free of community transmission.

Opening up while the virus is spreading around the world has fuelled public concern about the increased risk of community spread, but at the same time those in the hospitality sector are keen to see government start opening Cayman up to more people.

In addition to the use of wristbands, which all arriving passengers who have been cleared for home isolation will receive, the government is hoping to double down on the security with an increase in the consequences for anyone who breaks public health laws.

The bill is expected to be debated when the Legislative Assembly meets on Wednesday, 14 October, and proposes to increase the fines currently defined in the regulations relating to the Coronavirus pandemic and place them into the Public Health Law. The amendment will see an increase in the maximum fine from $1,000 to $10,000 and increase the term of imprisonment from six months to two years for any breach of the public health law.

The move from government facilities, which are covered by round the clock security, opens up new possibilities for coronavirus to return to the community. Despite wearing wristbands that are connected to the 911 emergency call centre and will trigger an alarm if a person in isolation moves out of their quarantine limit, the measures present a greater opportunity for people to move around and interact with others.

The significant increase in punishment is designed to deter rule breaks and allow Cayman to open its borders to more categories of people while managing the risk and protecting the wider community.


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Category: Health, Health Insurance

Comments (82)

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  1. C'Mon Now! says:

    As note on how well our “World Class” Public service is handling things, if you go to Explore.ky and the TravelTime section they haven’t even bothered to update the webpage for the new rules.

    There is a link to the Gov’t response to Covid-19 but that just goes to what has been gazetted and isn’t really easy to understand.

    Failure to update the site explaining what the rules are is comical and shows just how the planning for this gradual reopening is being handled.

    • Anonymous says:

      In your rush to criticize you overlooked that the new penalties are not in effect as yet. CNS article mentions that there is a vote by the LA on 14 Oct. Also mentioned by the Hon. Premier in the 2nd Oct COVID-19 Update freely available on youtube.

      • Anonymous says:

        😲🙄🤭🤫

      • Anonymous says:

        Dude I think they meant that according to the CIG website

        You still can’t quarantine at home. It has the July 1st rules:

        Welcome to the Cayman Islands Government TravelTime Application Page.

        As of July 1 2020, Cabinet created a new entity to coordinate and operate repatriation flights to the Cayman Islands. This new entity is known as ‘TravelTime’. From July 1, 2020, anyone wishing to travel to the Cayman Islands, by air or sea, must apply to TravelTime. Persons wishing to travel to the Cayman Islands on a repatriation flight should also register.

        A mandatory isolation period in a government managed facility will be required for anyone wishing to return to the Cayman Islands. This entails a minimum of 16 days, with testing conducted on the 15th day. Test results take 24-72 hours, and a negative test result is required to leave.
        Persons wishing to leave the Cayman Islands on a Cayman Airways repatriation flight or via charter aircraft can make travel arrangements directly with the carrier.
        Two hotels are being used for the purpose of isolating for people who have returned from abroad. These are operating as isolation facilities rather than hotels.
        Caymanians and permanent residents do not pay for isolation at these two hotels.
        Work permit holders are required to pay for isolation. Two paid facilities are currently available: Palm Heights (starting at CI$5,250) and the Ritz-Carlton (starting at CI$9,000). These are operated on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability.
        Other facilities may become available over the coming weeks.

      • C'Mon Now! says:

        I meant according to the Gov’t website you still need to quarantine at the Hotel California.

        Nothing useful about the current situation from the people who are in charge of it.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Cayman is full of rules and laws, very little are enforced save for those on the people using drugs, speeding or having tint on their cars..

    This is a big waste of money to even bother drafting this law as it will never be used.

    Remember the $3000 fine for breaching curfew??? A complete waste of time other than to frighten people in hopes they would stay home..

    CIG..not teeth, no balls and no follow through…

    • Anonymous says:

      I say, Mr. 12:13 pm…….. are you the one who has been fined for tinted windows…. and smoking a little weed…. and speeding… and having tinted windows? Just curious.

    • Seriously? says:

      … they don’t enforce the rules on car tint.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Just keep in mind, none of this needs to make sense. It just has to make people feel good.

  4. Anonymous says:

    These fines are just as crazy as the ones for ganja.

    Even if the individual wears a wrist band, what stops visitors from just dropping by and getting infected? The wrist band holder stays in place so no alarm, but the visitor will go back into the community. ..and a fine going stop a drunk idiot?

  5. Anonymous says:

    Still, only a grand more than a two week luxury prison sentence at the Ritz. Well worth it.

  6. Anonymous says:

    It is not COVID, it is the Dump people must be very concerned about.. They fxxxed up Grand Cayman, and now it is Brac’s turn.

    Public officials responsible for the current state of waste management must go to jail for a very very long time. Criminal negligence, disregard of public health and safety. It could be done.

    If WestBay ladies managed to challenge new road construction, though lost on technicalities, if CPR campaign managed to stop the monstrosity, it would not be too hard to bring a case against CIG for willful disregard of public health and safety.

    I don’t have a crystal ball, but many things I predict happens. I predicted that tourism industry could be brought to a halt at the blink of an eye when I have said many times in my comments that reliance on tourism is dangerous.

    I now know that the next thing that would bring Cayman economy to its knees would be The Dump. Just wait and see. The sleeping monster could manifest its power in many ways. From explosion to uncontrollable fire and unknown to science bacteria, virus, parasite or whatever that is being “cooked” in this uncontrollable “lab”. The conditions are perfect- heat and humidity are excellent catalysts in biochemical reactions.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree, a storm such as a hurricane, (ie an annual risk!) could wash away or tear up the dumps on all 3 islands spreading decades of waste all over the place.
      It happened in New Zealand, Fox glacier landfill capped for 20years was eroded and washed out by a storm in 2019. There is ‘no away’ and capping is NOT a solution, just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean it’s not there.

      Totally unjust to leave the clean up, pollution and health hazard cost to future generations.

      “Volunteers in tears as full scale of Westland landfill flood disaster becomes clear”

      https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/111835637/volunteers-in-tears-as-full-scale-of-westland-landfill-flood-disaster-becomes-clear

      “Fox River rubbish spill should be declared a national disaster, volunteers say”
      https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/390639/fox-river-rubbish-spill-should-be-declared-a-national-disaster-volunteers-say

      • Anonymous says:

        Thank you for posting the links. Hopefully more people start taking it seriously and will collectively bring a suit agains CIG for willful disregard of public health and safety.

        Here is more..
        Underground explosion hits Mexico garbage site https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WcXg05kZl64

        https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=7bN7CoHPcE4 The latest Cayman hell of a fire.

      • Anonymous says:

        The thing is there is no escape for Cayman residents in case of a catastrophic fire or a hurricane spreading the Dump contents around. Grand Cayman would need to be abandoned and declared an environmental catastrophe site.
        Those who decide to stay would not be able to sustain itself with fish, for coastal waters would be poisoned.
        Those who are overly optimistic believing that these scenarios are not going to happen, think again.
        A close friend sold her SMB beachfront condo and moved farther away from the Dump. They pulled their kid from CIS..

        People can wear masks and stay home to avoid COVID, they would be able to do nothing in case of the Dump disaster.

  7. Anonymous says:

    All you scare mongers… SWEDEN!!!!!
    Google it and find out for yourselves how they handled it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Google is not a reliable source any longer. I suspected something was really off for a couple of months when I was getting really weird search results. Use other search engines.

      • Anonymous says:

        duckduckgo.com has been my go to, plus they don’t track you.

        • Anonymous says:

          Not sure that anything is really secure these days.
          They may say they are.
          Unless you personally know the operators and their technology, you are just hoping.
          Even VPNs are wholly monitored for browsing traffic against the user name.
          If you don’t want to have your video posted online…. You know the rest.

          • Anonymous says:

            It is not really about security, but about search results. Google has gone bonkers.
            I spoke with people working at Google, friends of friends, they tried to replicate my search and got the same weird search results.
            🤨
            I use Signal instead of Watsup.

        • Anonymous says:

          Thanks

    • Anonymous says:

      I’m betting they’ll be able to ratchet the fear up again soon since respiratory viruses tend to be seasonal, and as we approach the winter months there’s bound to be a way of showing that whatever coronavirus stat they decide to focus on is rising, which of course the terrorcrats will try to scapegoat on the people for not bowing to their totalitarian lockdown edicts

  8. Say it like it is says:

    How many people got the maximum fine, or imprisonment for breaking the lockdown curfew- zero.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Still more people die on our roads because the traffic department doesn’t enforce (or follow) road laws.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Brave words from someone in the comfort of a Covid free bubble. Over a million people world wide who might disagree with you if only they were still alive to do so.

    • Jake Spellings says:

      The average age of death from covid is over the average life expectancy age. Also, only 6% of people who died from covid didnt have other pre existing conditions.

      • Anonymous says:

        Do you realise 6% medically, is a HUGE number? 6 people in 100. That is a lot of mortality. You want 0.00000006% type – decimal percentages when talking about mortality for the risk to be low.
        Saying ‘only’ 6% is a rather callous view of a person’s life.

  11. Anonymous says:

    But pedophiles get 6 months.

    • Anonymous says:

      People who publicly abuse women and charged with four offenses, including common assault continue living happily ever after being handsomely compensated monthly, while their trial is being pushed back 3 times already.

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, our leaders even. Beat up their wives and never prosecuted.

        • Anonymous says:

          And some of our “leaders” beat up women who aren’t their wives and no one enforcing the law seem to care. Hey!…. It’s Cayman Islands politics, folks!

    • Anonymous says:

      Yep! and rapists don’t get much more..

      And a wee $1,000 for after the fact planning approval…

  12. Anonymous says:

    If Caymanians were as afraid of heart disease(which still kills more people) There would not be any fat or sugar allowed on the island. But they are not. That smart.

    • Anonymous says:

      Heart disease is not highly contagious, so the only person you are risking is yourself if you choose to ignore medical advice.

      If you choose to ignore medical advice with regards to Covid 19, then you are risking OTHER people’s lives.

      Big, big difference.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, but you can’t control people by bitching about heart disease and diabetes.
      People choose them and the government really doesn’t care.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Thank you. Now you have a fine that is an actual deterrant. Question though…who is responsible when the govt lets out someone accidentally with a positive test?

    • Anonymous says:

      “Deterrent”. Write smarty pants comments, spell right. Now your good comment is worthless because you did not bother.
      If you have something to say, please present accurately.
      Sorry, I received no breaks at school for failure.
      What do you say to your children?

      • Anonymous says:

        It is still obvious from your attempt at sentence construction and more that your lack of “breaks” did not help you😂

        • Anonymous says:

          Yes, but at least I can spell.
          While you are at it, please deconstruct the above comment accurately.
          Standing by…..

      • Anonymous says:

        LOL. One wrong letter and the entire text is worthless. WOW, I wonder what you can do with a lump of coal.

      • Anonymous says:

        10:02 You clearly did not receive enough hugs in life

  14. Anonymous says:

    “Unless we put medical freedom into the Constitution the time will come when medicine will organize itself into an undercover dictatorship. To restrict the art of healing to doctors and deny equal privileges to others will constitute the Bastille of medical science. All such laws are un-American and despotic.” Benjamin Rush

    Benjamin Rush (January 4, 1746 [O.S. December 24, 1745] – April 19, 1813) was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence and a civic leader in Philadelphia, where he was a physician, politician, social reformer, humanitarian, and educator and the founder of Dickinson College.

  15. Anonymous says:

    What about “helpers/nannies/butlers/massage therapists/care givers” surely none of this home quarantining works if people are coming and going from that residence.

    • Anonymous says:

      Glad to hear that the penalties are going to be increased. Hopefully there will be a ten fold increase in enforcement as well.

  16. Anonymous says:

    What has been the conviction rate for those arrested for previous breaches of the laws? The jail must be full.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Following the trend with CIG:
    $1,000 and 6 months now $10,000 and 2 years – next public caning and pillory – then the guillotine will be the next logical step.

    Better get in step sheople, this virus is serious. And you had better trust us to make sure you don’t get sick from this deadly 0.06% killer.

    Funny, no one has broken the quarantine law yet and still it isn’t enough of a deterrent.

    Makes one wonder just what is more dangerous.

    • William Wallace says:

      Interesting. Go ahead, ask Roper (under oath) if XXXX

      CNS:
      I’ve deleted the rest of this comment on the basis that it is completely and utterly insane. It is unbelievable what c**p people will believe. Where on earth do you get this stuff?

    • Anonymous says:

      keelhauling surely!

    • Anonymous says:

      Well, I know it’s unpopular, but I heard it directly from a policeman that XXX
      Perhaps this is a question that real journalists need to ask?

      CNS: No. This is mind blowing craziness at QAnon Pizzagate levels. No real journalist is going to indulge such foolish conspiracy theory nonsense. It is unbelievably irresponsible – and dangerous – to spread c**p like this. If you are simply gullible, please stop believing every stupid thing hear.

  18. Anonymous says:

    And if someone beaches it should also be mandatory that they gp into the gov quarantine facility and foot their own bill along with the bill for anyone they were in contact with.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Just another law that the lawless culture will not follow, will not be enforced on Caymanians and leadership will get around.

  20. Anonymous says:

    Why don’t we change the way of life and start living virtually from now on?
    There are at least 80 communicable diseases after all
    The common cold..
    Influenza. …
    Pink Eye. …
    Strep Throat. …
    Gastroenteritis…
    Norovirus..
    STD…
    Hepatitis..
    Tuberculosis…

    All governments who bought the lockdown mania are now “trapped in their own narrative” and it will “out” their foot soldiers for the public to see. This is one of the few benefits of C19. The genie is out of the bottle.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Boiling frog syndrome.

    The Dump is a legitimate threat to public health that affects every single person on this rock. It kills slowly though for imbeciles to realize that until it is too late.

  22. Andy says:

    Got to replace work permit fees with something !

  23. Curious says:

    Out of curiosity, which other laws would fall under this besides COVID? “anyone who breaks public health laws.” Health Laws is pretty vague.

  24. Anonymous says:

    The law actually states “Except for the First Lady.”

  25. Anonymous says:

    Oh wow! No thanks!

  26. Anonymous says:

    As the virus is not a legitimate threat to public health, these penalties are unenforceable in any event.

    • Anonymous says:

      7:29 Because 1 million dead worldwide is not a concern at all… When are you people going to get it? You might not be affected but someone else will. There are a lot of old Caymanians and obesity is a pretty big thing here. 2 of the most at-risk categories. Pretty sure 10k fines are justifiable.

      • Anonymous says:

        1 million have died with Covid, not from Covid.

      • Anonymous says:

        Did you think no one dies? Did you think humans now only die of Covid? In the time that 1 million died of Covid(or covid related)many millions have died of Heart disease, Cancer, other sicknesses and being killed by their own or someone else’s stupidity. Most Caymanians are going to die from over eating and running cars into rock walls and telephone poles.

      • MG says:

        1m out of 7.5bn on earth, or 1/7500 or 0.000133%

        Every day in the world 150k people die. So COVID has about 1 week of extra deaths this year (150*7).

        Weekly, all-cause excess mortality, is now trending below 2020 as of August 30 (source bottom). Likely because those who were on death’s door were given a bit of a nudge from COVID earlier this year.

        And for this negligible gain in mortality, we have plunged the economy into a recession taking on massive government debt and lost jobs.

        The younger generation, who this has very little effect on, will have to pay this back in higher taxes, fewer jobs, and benefits, less to spend on education, etc…

        This is what you when the with an elected gerontocracy making decisions that benefit mainly themselves.

        Source: https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/excess-mortality-raw-death-count?tab=chart&stackMode=absolute&region=World

      • Anonymous says:

        BTW – if “obesity is a pretty big thing here” maybe it’d make more sense to focus on making a healthier population. Would save more lives than a complete shutdown.

    • Anonymous says:

      Ok Karen. Go home and feed your cat!!

      • Anonymous says:

        This Karen thing is so disrespectful to people who have that name.
        It is a real pisser to have your name that was perfectly OK be associated with this sort of shit.
        I don’t hear any support from the BLM crew, nor the Trump crew (both losers).
        Which one are you?

        • Anonymous says:

          Tough luck I guess. They can call themselves whatever or legally change the name.
          Joe is the most “abused” name I think. Joes don’t complain.

        • Anonymous says:

          #karensmatter

        • Anonymous says:

          Which one am I??? I don’t know anything about the Karen thing and am not interested in the BLM crew or the Trump crew. I will just keep trudging along the path of life as long as I can.

          P.S. I left out the Biden Bunch because I didn’t think they were of any importance.

    • Anonymous says:

      Tell that to the thousands who are dead when you next see them.
      Or maybe get your self infected and then report on your experience and the longer term effects.

    • As expected says:

      People like you, with that attitude, are the same ones who would disregard the law and spread it.

      Have some respect for our efforts.

    • Anonymous says:

      Just turn yourself in right now. Save the RCIPS the bother from having to cuff and lock you up. Idiots like you exacerbate potential new outbreaks and cause further lockdowns.

    • Really ???? says:

      Are you serious ?

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