Tag: Bruce Smith
Clifford prepares to hand CBC reins to deputy
(CNS): The director of Customs and Border Control, Charles Clifford, is preparing for a long but what it appears will be a smooth transition to the next head of the critical agency. More than eight months before Clifford retires, his deputy and veteran official Bruce Smith has been confirmed as director-designate.
More Cuban migrants deported back to Havana
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service repatriated another fifteen migrants to the Republic of Cuba on Tuesday. The twelve men and three women departed on a chartered Cayman Airways 737-8 from Grand Cayman at 8:39am and arrived in Cuba at 9:23am. Acting CBC Director Bruce Smith said that more repatriation flights are being coordinated […]
Increased seizures of Fentanyl cause CBC concerns
(CNS): Over the past ten weeks Customs and Border Control (CBC) has seized an increasing amount of class A drugs, including Fentanyl a dangerous and addictive synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. In total, 288 Fentanyl tablets, 6.95 grams of cocaine hydrochloride, 0.23 grams of cocaine base and eight oxymorphone […]
Immigration says ‘sorry’ over FOI delays
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Department of Immigration said it is working hard to address the delays people are experiencing in responses to their freedom of information (FOI) requests. Retirements and staff shortages, among other issues, are behind the delays, according to officials from the department that still receives the most FOI requests of all government […]
Immigration to split into new agencies
(CNS): As government begins work on shaping a new border protection force, which will see the customs and immigration enforcement arms merge and the creation of a new human resources unit, the immigration department as it is now will no longer exist. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly last month, the premier described the immigration department […]
Customs and immigration merger to shape new border force
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is moving ahead with the plans for a national border force, merging the enforcement elements of immigration and customs. Premier Alden McLaughlin said that when it is complete, the country will have a single border force agency with staff trained to better protect the sea and airports and to focus […]
English test backlog stops seasonal workers
(CNS) UPDATED MONDAY: The Department of Immigration has confirmed that as it does all it can to address a backlog of applications for English tests for overseas workers, those needed for Christmas work, especially in the tourism sector that have a permit, have 30 days before they must fill their obligation to complete the language […]
Customs and immigration focus on targeted intel
(CNS): A group of leaders from the Cayman Islands immigration and customs departments recently returned from a CARICOM meeting in Trinidad about the strategic and risk management approaches to border security. Both departments are tasked with tackling risks and threats related to the movement of potential terrorists, drug traffickers, deportees, prohibited immigrants, as well as drugs, […]
Miller calls for transparency on relief visa policy
(CNS): Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller says he is fully behind the need to offer visas and temporary evacuations to the citizens of BVI and other territories as the countries attempt to rebuild their business economy after the devastation from hurricanes Irma and Maria. However, he has called on the government to publish the full details […]
Civil servants to work on PR backlog
(CNS): Government has appointed six administrators who have been trained to assess permanent residency applications to help deal with the backlog of around 1,000 people awaiting a decision. Although the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency has historically made the PR decisions, the law provides for qualified civil servants at the Department of Immigration to also grant […]
Home affairs silent on CIO suspension
(CNS): Government officials at the home affairs ministry have refused to comment on the current situation regarding the chief immigration officer, Linda Evans, who has been on required leave from her top civil service job for more than two years. CNS has learned that Evans may have been retired from the post on medical grounds […]
