CIG postpones immigration transition
Cayman Islands Department of Immigration
(CNS): Government officials have said that the transition to separate the immigration department into the new Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) unit and the Customs and Border Control Agency, scheduled to begin on 1 January 2019, has been postponed. No new date has been set and CNS was told that there was nothing more to add to a press release circulated late Friday afternoon. The release said the legislative changes to facilitate the transition of various immigration-related powers to WORC and border control “will now take effect in early 2019”.
Failing to reveal the new commencement date or give any indication of how long the postponement will be for the Immigration (Transition) Law, 2018 and Customs and Border Control Law, 2018, officials said the purpose of a “short extension” was to “facilitate extended public information and education for stakeholders impacted by the changes”.
The release went on to say that during this period the existing customs and immigration laws will remain in force. People applying for temporary work permits, business visitors’ permits and visitors’ work visas should continue to follow the existing processes detailed on the Department of Immigration website until further notice.
Government said it would continue to keep its stakeholders up to date as it moves forward with the establishment of the two new agencies.
“The Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration is working to ensure that WORC and CBC are structured and equipped to increase Caymanian employment, streamline current processes and provide intelligence-driven border control services,” the release stated.
Category: Local News
Another one of Alden’s Cluster%#^*s
Hoho and a bottle of rum; slows down launches.
And so the Cayman Merchant Class has now spoken and told “their Government” how they feel about changes that will help the common man and the Government suddenly needs to consult. Two steps forward and ten steps backwards. SMH it will never change
11.53am What’s all this “Merchant Class” divisive crap? What class are you? No class, low class, or classless? Enough already.
I cannot wait to hear the spin from blowhard mouth piece Austin Harris
he has been a complete let down
another year…another story on the incompetence of our ever expanding civil service….zzzzzzzzzzz
Hope this stops the fake jobs that posted in favor of expats
Both transparent and accountable
Transparent – It could hardly be kept a secret. Accountable is when someone takes responsibility rather than saying it’s all down to needing more time to consult when it’s that no one actually thought through or took the practical steps necessary to actually implement the idea so grandly announced.
I was being sarcastic in the original comment
Will Worc be the straw that caused the plane door to close on me as i leave?
It seems none of the top people of WORC know what they are doing.
On the contrary. They do, and listened to valid concerns, hence the delay.
Surely these concerns did not just manifest themselves 2 weeks before they are meant to be operational
The CIG always waits till the last minute
Just look at these new “economic substance” laws being put into place
Their excuse will always be “we were busy spending our time getting ready that is why we had to wait till the last minute
OK. Good point. The top brass at WORC do not know what they are doing. Then again the top brass at immigration do not know what they are doing either, so it’s OK. Just business as usual.
it certainly is one big mass of confusion! they keep changing their minds……its a true mess and a perfect example as to how you don’t enact change management!
Cannot be worse than immigration.
They really should just hold off on the merger until all staff have been trained, laws finalized and all systems are in place to ensure a smooth transition but let us be honest we all know why this is being rushed. Alden needs this to be completed during his term as this must be added to his all too important legacy and we all know how much politicians love their precious legacies.
LMAO – so everyone knows about Alden and his ego.
I agree 100% – or it will be another PR situation all over again, changes made (smoke in mirrors) that contradict the laws, and makes the situation worse than what we started in the first place.
I think Alden should think more about that for his legacy. After several half finished school buildings are his legacy…..
9.36am So negative..
CI project that missed its deadline, no one could have seen this coming and it is so out of character for CIG to miss a deadline or go over budget. I mean I’m completely shocked… stunned even.
Good. There will be growing pains; if it requires a delay in the rollout to minimise those pains or otherwise get their ducks in a row, then so be it.
No surprises here.
Combining 1 ailing entitiy with a new one that is filled with useful people (except the Director) is a recipe for disaster, especially in a civil service.
Probably the smartest thing that the government did this year .
Not an easy decision, but the right one. Well done guys.
Never open a new business on January 1. Who in the hell thought anyone would be preparing for this through the holidays.
Empty promises…
World class