WORC arrests 16 for working illegally
(CNS): After a series of raids by law enforcement officers at construction and landscaping sites this month, 16 people were arrested for immigration offences: eleven for working outside the terms of their permits, four for working without permits and one man was found to have been overstaying in the Cayman Islands for ten years.
A release from Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman said that, based on tips about illegal employment activities in the construction and landscaping industries, the WORC Compliance and Enforcement Unit carried out a series of immigration status inspections at multiple sites in West Bay, George Town and Bodden Town between 9 and 12 July.
Then, on 24 July, the WORC Compliance Team also carried out a joint operation with the RCIPS and Customs & Border Control (CBC) at a construction site on the Linford Pierson Highway in George Town. The RCIPS said that drone footage taken during the operation included men hiding on the roof of the construction site. These men were among those apprehended.
During the operation, workers were approached, and their identities were checked against Immigration records. Those found to be in breach of working outside the terms and conditions of their work permit were arrested for immigration offences.
WORC said that during all the operations in July, twenty construction sites and ten landscaping services sites were investigated. About 200 people were interviewed leading to 16 arrests. The inspections also discovered two people with permanent residency status working outside the occupational position approved.
Although none of the employers of people working at the sites that were raided were named in the release or arrested, WORC said that investigations into the employers of people found to be working illegally are actively being progressed, which may result in administrative fines levied against them.
“These results demonstrate the joint agency commitment to weeding out those persons that choose to flout our immigration laws and use illegitimate avenues to stay in the Cayman Islands,” RCIPS Inspector Ian Yearwood said.
WORC Deputy Director Mervin Manderson said, “Businesses and employers are reminded of the importance of being compliant with the Immigration Transition Act by not allowing employees to work without a permit or outside of the terms for which they were approved. Doing so may result in administrative fines, revocation of the permit and or an appearance in court for prosecution. I would like to ensure the public that these random operations will continue in the future.”
WORC Director Jeremy Scott said, “On behalf of WORC, I would like to extend our deepest gratitude to the enforcement officers who recently completed the compliance operations. Your commitment to performing these duties safely and diligently is commendable. These operations were essential to ensure that all employers adhere to the law, maintaining a fair and just workplace for all.”
Anyone who wants to provide WORC with information about people working illegally can do so anonymously by completing the online form on its website under the complaints tab.
Or email worccomplaints@gov.ky.
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Category: Crime, Immigration
If it took 10 years for our Government to find a person overstaying in this tiny little island, the person should be rewarded with Status as a reminder of why it took our Government 10 years! 10 years on this tiny little island you couldn’t find them? Why for 10 years you couldn’t find them? 10 years?!
wake-up Cayman –
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLEuid8jUhQ
your days are numbered.
Spent 4 years just before and after Ivan and there was an opportunity to right the ship…..sadly… it was ignored
nobody cares about the fact that these people have families to support in the shitholes they are coming from ?
do caymanians realize, that this island has been built, maintained and cleaned hy mostly hardworking foreigners ?
You are as ignorant as you are entitled. Basic regard for our laws is critical to our existence. We are at very real risk of being overrun. Why is adherence to our laws too high an expectation for you?
Can it be done legally?
“do caymanians realize, that this island has been built, maintained and cleaned hy mostly hardworking foreigners ?”
Hahahahah*snort*ahahah
Go read some Caymanian history to educate yourself, and try so enjoy your short time here.
Hardworking Caymanians built this country over 50 years. Will take less time to tear it apart.
if it wasn’t for the expats, caymanians would still be fishing.
Many Caymanians agree wholeheartedly. Ever since the throngs of immigrants showed up, our waters have been destroyed, possibly beyond repair. We used to be able to be able to fish for survival, and now due to ignorance of immigrants from multiple “cultures”, there are barely any conch or edible fish left in our waters. You don’t think we would gladly go back? Surely you don’t think Caymanians were unhappy living in paradise, spending our weekends on our pristine beaches, unbothered by those that thought they knew better but who are now finally starting to understand that they have fucked this place up, too.
Last 30 years hardly see any working in the industry, sad to say!
Then there are the Laws that the rest of us have to abide by .
About time for a bit of law and order. Too many people doing just what they want to do with no consequences.
These Wages should be Illegal also! SLAVE labor all around, so real qualified workers can’t afford to do this.
https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/cost-of-living/new-uk-minimum-wage-rates-29649215
Comes as no surprise from that particular developer.
Will the persons who hold these permits also be arrested? I understand that work permits are granted to these employers who really do not have fulltime jobs for these people so they are allowed to work wherever they can get a day’s work.
So what, we need the buy a work permit program. How else will all the developers get all the cheap, unskilled labor they need? How do you expect all the Caymanians who apply for the work permits but do not have any work for their applicants to make any extra cash?
The answer to that question is NO! They are already working on another job site.
Are they using an actual permit holders permit?
happens everyday and has been like that for years!!!!!!
The statement, “A fair and just workplace for all” by the WORC director is really uplifting.
Who is the developer..?
caught working jobs that caymanians don’t want.
Same people crying about the minimum wage. Maybe you dont really want them either, just rather not go back to where ever you call home.
*”caught working jobs that caymanians don’t want to work for unlivable wages”
FTFY.
Illegal, underpaid, and exploited immigrant workers bring down the pay for everyone. Said immigrants deserve better, and young Caymanians also deserve better than to be told they are unemployable if they don’t want to work for abysmal wages in the scorching sun. Anyone that thinks otherwise is likely either actively involved in this exploitation, or someone who has never worked a full day in the sun in their lives.
WRONG! Caught working jobs that Caymanians can’t get because they will work for less money than anyone can live on!
Caught working for unscrupulous people who will pay them whatever they feel like paying them, and threaten to send them back home if they complain. I can’t imagine anyone wanting to work under those conditions.
And we thought slavery was dead …
16 out of 200 ain’t bad. Would have guessed 100 out of 200.
The owner of this construction company always ends with shoddy building and endless complaints from people who purchase them, and this is probably why. Hiring people off the street with even vetting them says a lot for him..
He is hiding out in Australia with his fortunes and letting his people here take the shaft for him. Won’t deal with all the people that have complaints about all of these poorly built structures that he is a llowed to keep on building. Next time he arrives on island Immigration should arrest him too..
Oh wow, is this one of his?
SHUT him down already and revoke his status!
That is a human rights violation.
If he is claiming to be domiciled in Australia his status should be revoked
If he committed an offense made possible or facilitated by his status, it should be revoked.
That would require enforcement. We do not do that above the minimum wage level.
Care to name that person/company so I don’t buy his crap?
ProPlus
The gardening company or the developer along Linford Pearson?
Who is the “true” Owner of ProPlus et al & Property Plus?
maybe WORC should employ all these people to clear their backlog. Not exactly rocket science being performed over there.
WOW! Over stayed 10 years, whoever he or she is, this slack government should just leave them alone.
Yep cowboys building sub standard homes for you to buy haha
the business should surely be charged as well no?
when hell freezes over
It is time that WORC starts raiding sites all the time without having tips about illegal workers. This has been going on for far to long as some of the biggest projects have illegal sub contract people working so these shady contractors can get out of paying all the various benefits as are required under the labor law. Hope this is not just election time grand standing.
Of course it’s been going on forever. Do you honestly think that Immigration is so dense that they don’t realize that these industries are stocked with people working without permits or outside the terms of their permits? So why don’t they do these raids more often? Good question. Is it because the people who own these businesses can ensure that doesn’t happen? That Immigration enforcement don’t like leaving the office and actually doing their job in the hot outdoors? Or government realizes that the industry would be damage if they applied the laws? Whichever – you end up with the occasion, highly publicized raid around election time or when immigration issues start to boil over, to appease the public. Were it not so, why aren’t they inspecting every major construction site on Cayman?
Government is trying to clamp down on the amount of work permits, but also expect construction companies to have 3 different works permits for jobs that one man can do. For example, many workers can rough frame, hang drywall and paint said drywall, yet government insist on 3 different permits for framer, drywaller and painter even if this person is qualified to do all. It’s just a money grab from CIG.
I think you’ll find that if you can show, through legitimate contracts, that one person is capable of doing all 3 of those tasks for the amount of work that you have, you will be granted a permit for one person to do all of those tasks. I have had similar approved.
Was the employer penalized? No deterrent if not…
should be shut down!
No and why should they be made accountable? This is Cayman, the wide open free for all of cheap labor. Ask your Honorable Labor minister Seymour.
Don’t forget to catch the cleaning ladies who are looking for a days work.
I don’t blame them, they don’t earn a livable wage!
Some come to Cayman by paying for their work permit and the employer does not have any work for them at all which means they are going around looking for a day’s work from anyone. The ones not earning a living wage at least have some guaranteed income coming in and are in Cayman legally. These “day’s workers” should not be in Cayman period. There is no legitimate work for them.
Someone Caymanian has not only submitted a fraudulent work permit application, but in those forms, declared there are sufficient working hours for them, and has signed to attest to the truth of the submission.
“Caymanian”
Bingo!
You do not need to be Caymanian to take out a work permit for a nanny or helper.
I hope the businesses that are “employing” them are held accountable also. Can’t just be one sided…..
So many that support this nonsense and get away with it.
Been doing construction for 30 plus years here and it’s gotten worse here.
So many on permit here that are looking for work that have no medical or pension.
Weekly surprise raids at every job site and severe penalties for enablers may curb it, but I wouldn’t expect it.
Raids should be led by the Honorable Labor Minister Seymour!
That would be a sever human rights violation.
There are all kinds of unskilled trades plying for work, without qualification, skill, and being led by “boss men” who arrive at the work site wearing CI Government department/entity uniforms. I wish I was joking.
Why can’t the private sector get with the program and obey laws. No wonder we need more civil servants.
Thank you civil servants for all that you do.
When’s the last time you heard of a WORC raid? So shouldn’t the question be why don’t the public sector get with the program and enforce the rules.
If you believe all the immigrant trolls on the CNS comments, you’d know that only the brightest and the best ever grace our unworthy shores with their presence. Surely CIG/WORC never thought that those who bless our island in that way would ever be here for their own gain. How could they have had their hearts of gold so tarnished (by those dirty corrupt Caymanians, ‘obviously’) that they would take advantage of such a simple, docile people? I thought they were here to save us! 🙄
Yes, they do one a year. Just like the failing RCIPS and traffic stops.
Lol – good trolling!
Goes on most of the job site’s everyday for years now.
Normal practice here!
Once again CIG is asking, urging and begging for the people to comply with the laws of the land.
Over stayed for 10 Years! WOW! On and island this small that would seem impossible, but then again this is Grand Cayman were miracles seem to occur on a regular basis. These raids should be conducted Quarterly, i think the brass will be surprised to know the hundreds of people operating here illegally.
Can we know who is hiring them, please?
Someone can probably tell by that building
11:08, No, we do not want to embarrass some of Cayman’s finest families involved in the construction sector. 🤡
You must be new here.
You know they have computers? You know pressing a button will give them a list of ALL overstayers? You know they refuse to push the button?
You understand we are up to our necks in shit because aspects of the civil service have actively failed, and even criminally refused, to do their jobs?
If government had passed the gambling law, I would place a bet that those same workers will be caught on another construction site in August.
what are the odds? I want to bet too
yawn…cig solving zero problems one by one….zzzzzzzzzzz