Tag: Department of Immigration
Immigration officer acquitted of corruption
(CNS): The second of what was expected to be three trials relating to allegations of corruption within the immigration department failed to get underway last week when the crown offered no evidence following several days of legal arguments. One 58-year-old female immigration officer and one 47-year-old civilian man from the Dominican Republic were both acquitted […]
Three immigration officers convicted in conspiracy
(CNS): After a trial lasting more than six weeks, it took a jury less than a day to return the verdicts in an immigration conspiracy case relating to bribes in connection with the English Language Test. Seven people, five of whom were immigration officers, were tried and only one civilian woman walked away without a […]
Immigration ignores FOI requests
(CNS): The Department of Immigration (DoI) has admitted that a shortage of resources and its transition into two new agencies, the Customs and Border Control Agency and Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman, left it unable to manage freedom of information requests. The Office of the Ombudsman, which deals with appeals relating to troublesome requests, found […]
Defendants deny messages relate to bribery
(CNS): Five immigration officers and one civilian have all denied that messages between them have anything to do with a conspiracy regarding bribes paid to them to inappropriately assist people to pass an English test in order to secure work permits. Each of the defendants who have appeared in the witness box have suggested what […]
Immigration officer denies messages reveal corruption
(CNS): A senior immigration officer who is currently facing trial in a corruption case relating to bribes over the English Language Test at the department has emphatically denied that messages submitted as evidence against him show his involvement in that conspiracy. Taking the witness stand on Tuesday, he told the court that the messages related […]
Text translations ‘best guess’, witness admits
(CNS): The lead translator who worked on phone messages that form a major part of the crown’s case against seven defendants accused of making or taking bribes in a conspiracy surrounding the immigration department’s English language tests told a court that the job of translating these texts was extremely challenging, with many being just a […]
Conspirator admits helping women pay test bribes
(CNS): A woman who has admitted her part in a conspiracy at the immigration department, in which people from Spanish-speaking countries seeking work permits pass their English test even though they don’t speak the language, told a court on Friday that she helped four of her relatives get jobs and organised bribes. She told them […]
Witness reveals failings around immigration tests
(CNS): A senior manager with the immigration department revealed many policy failings over how it was conducting English Language Tests at the time an internal review began, which happened after the department was tipped off that something criminal could be going on. Nicola Solomon, an assistant chief officer, gave evidence on Thursday in the immigration […]
WORC and border control set to go live
(CNS): The government has announced that the legislative changes creating the new employment agency Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman (WORC) and the revamped Customs and Border Control (CBC) Agency will become effective next month. After postponing the planned 1 January start date, officials have now confirmed the Immigration (Transition) Law, 2018 and the Customs and Border […]
IO’s allegedly took $600 for English test pass mark
(CNS): Immigration officers allegedly took $600 from at least 15 Spanish speakers to steer them to the 75% pass mark needed to get through the department’s English Language Test and secure work permits, even though their language skills were not up to scratch, the court heard Monday. As the acting director of public prosecutions, Patrick Moran, […]
Jury selected in challenging immigration fraud case
(CNS): A group of seven men and women, along with three alternate jurors, have now been selected to serve in an anti-corruption case involving a number of immigration officers and clients, who are accused of conspiring to circumvent the English tests administered to people wanting to enter Cayman for work. The prosecution is expected to […]
