‘Global Citizens’ now an official group

| 23/10/2020 | 42 Comments
Cayman News Service
HSA Public Health staff at ORIA

(CNS): People applying for Global Citizen certificates are among the limited groups of people officially allowed into the Cayman Islands in the coming weeks. But officials don’t believe we will see the first of these visitors until late November at the very earliest because they need to go through a vigorous application process. The tourism ministry has also said that the capacity of isolation monitoring to guard against COVID-19 will grow to meet the demand created by these rich visitors.

Officials told CNS that the new category of visitors will not be given any priority over Caymanians and residents wanting to come home, and that all categories of individuals allowed to travel here can apply to do so now and no longer have to wait until Monday. A spokesperson for the ministry said that the transition from TravelTime to TravelCayman is now complete and the team is able to deal with applications from all those legally allowed into the country at present.

During the preparations for the soft opening of the borders, Cabinet granted approval to extend the categories of people eligible to return to Cayman. But while the emphasis has been on returning residents and property owners, officials confirmed that a category of ‘other approved visitors’ was cleared at that time, despite comments by the premier and other government officials that visitors were not yet permitted to return to Cayman during the first phase of the reopening.

As a result, those wanting a ‘Global Citizen’ certificate can now start applying, though their entry will not be prioritised over residents or existing categories of travellers currently allowed to return. They will also be subject to the same quarantine process through TravelCayman as any other traveller, using the wristband and geofencing system.

Officials confirmed that at the stage there will be no limit on the number of global citizens and they have not yet revealed their expectations regarding the take-up of the programme.

Meanwhile, after its initial teething troubles, TravelCayman, which is the unit dealing with all of the other people returning, has now launched its new online system. It has already dealt with 510 requests this week from those eligible to return to Cayman and has confirmed around 145 of them for next month.

Speaking to CIGTV (see below), Dr Tasha Ebanks-Garcia, who is heading up the monitoring process of those in isolation, said they are monitoring all of the accommodation where residents and homeowners want to stay when they arrive back. She said they have added a support team to help homeowners tackle any problems they may encounter, from broken air-conditioning to grocery needs.

Over 800 people have already come back to Cayman this month, with 600 of them isolating in their homes.


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Comments (42)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Once again the guests are trying to dictate our regulations…sadly the spineless and corrupt ones in power will likely concede even if “Reduce the lockdown to five days” would expose us to infection….just look at all the recent cases…almost all travelers.

    • Anonymous says:

      The guests who account for the vast % of government income and basically zero of it’s spending.

      The same guests that comprise 50% of the population but are completely disenfranchised.

      I think the guests may go choose to party somewhere else. Only then will you realise who was paying the tab at the bar 🙂

      • Anonymous says:

        Yeah those GUESTS! Understand your place.

      • Brett Cavanaugh says:

        @26/10/2020 4:26 pm – Yes, the very same guests who, in their own home countries, would not grant voting rights and decision making powers to wealthy foreigners either, simply because their wealthy foreigners.

        There is a path to citizenship here in Cayman that would grant you the voting rights and the decision making power that you seek. I suggest you use that rather than threaten to “party somewhere else”.

        • Anonymous says:

          Don’t care about your citizenship or voting. Definitely care about the lack of partying, no air service and quarantine.

          • Brett Cavanaugh says:

            Oh, ok. Sorry, I mistakenly thought I was replying to someone making an intelligent argument. Never mind then.

  2. Anonymous says:

    It is assumed that the remote work can only be done online, for eg people in construction, nursing, tourism etc will not be accepted for consideration, so common sense states work has to be done online and not taking jobs of Caymanians and residents, therefore, quarantine for first 14 days should not be a deterent for persons seriously interested in the benefits of using this option to work here for a year or so without paying work permit fees and government still collects comparable amount from program that would have gone to immigration.

    Only concern is monitoring type of work to be restricted to what can be done online.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Do you have to pledge allegiance to the Grand Poomba?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Too little too late. Cayman Islands are in for a very difficult year if you are Caymanian. CIG can not even save itself from itself. Greed and corruption have been its mainstay and now the time to pay is almost here.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Reduce the lockdown to five days and I know a few who will come to Cayman.

  6. Al Catraz says:

    “they need to go through a vigorous application process”

    Running? Dance competition?

    I could understand a rigorous one, but requiring vigor will, one supposes, improve general physical fitness.

    • Anonymous says:

      As rigorous as Adlen’s work permit process…’pay the fee and file something…anything really’

  7. DBF says:

    Does the general public believe this “Global Citizens” program will actually work? I’m honestly interested in why you think it will or will not be successful.

    • Anonymous says:

      Nope. 14 to 16 days is crazy and no confirmed flight info in and out.

    • Uh, no says:

      Not likely at all.
      Who would want to be shut into a hotel for 16 days? No regular flights in or out. Your friends, family want to come visit – no way. You leave and the entire process starts all over plus $3000 each trip to the penitentiary.

    • Anonymous says:

      It will be very successful. It allows me to earn tax free money and live in Cayman without having to pay for a work permit or buy property. My work permit and business license would cost $20,000. Now I don’t need them or expensive local health insurance and only have to pay 1,500. It is a no-brainer.

      • Anonymous says:

        You pay tax either way unless you give up your citzenship. This program is like the Bio button=Joke =CIG

        • Anonymous says:

          You assume everyone is American, and even if you are, there are no state taxes here, and a foreign earned income exemption on your federal income taxes.

          • Anonymous says:

            Not really good enough with a 15 day quarantine and no regular air service. Too many better choices. (Speaking as an American in the target audience.)

            • Anonymous says:

              Your comment doesn’t seem at all related to the discussion. Your fellow Americans probably aren’t very happy with your representation and dimwitted comments.

        • Anonymous says:

          You are an imbecile.

          • Anonymous says:

            No one is moving out of the US to avoid state taxes. No one is coming to work online in Cayman when they can do that literally anywhere in the world, including places with good airline connections and no 15 day quarantine. Me, I’d rather go hang out in Bermuda. It’s also prettier and more civilized.

            • Anonymous says:

              No you legally can’t do that “literally anywhere in the world”…if you are considered resident most countries will tax you. Bermuda does have a similar Global Citizen program but the point is moot as I can’t imagine you make a lot of money online or otherwise.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Thank you CIG. Let the negative posters begin.

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