Ask Auntie
Slow going for new licence plates
I was told back in April when I renewed my vehicle licence that I would be contacted by DVDL when I could exchange it for the new licence being phased in. It has been about seven months now and still no word. How long is this process supposed to take? Auntie’s answer: The Department of […]
Unhappy with change in discounted airfare
I purchased tickets during the August sale that Cayman Airways had for travel dates during September 2017. Unfortunately Cayman Airways called me to cancel my outgoing flight to Miami due to Hurricane Irma and I had to reschedule my trip. I have managed to rebook my trip for October. However, Cayman Airways has indicated that they […]
Loud trucks a public nuisance
Truck noise has become a real nuisance on Cayman. But it appears the police do not care to enforce the law that trucks meet manufacturers’ standards. Some of these trucks emit up to 90dB of noise, and seem to enjoy doing so. Auntie’s answer: I checked with the RCIPS about your question and a spokesperson […]
Enforcing a child-maintenance order
How do you get maintenance enforced when one party has defaulted for many years? What is the process? Maintenance in this instance was mandated in court. Auntie’s answer: This question was posed in response to a recent column on this topic (see The legal obligations of child maintenance), which discussed the general process for applying […]
Tour bus drivers holding microphones
I often see coach drivers, in the mid-size coaches, driving whilst giving their passengers a commentary on a hand-held microphone. Is this legal? Auntie’s answer: You may be surprised to learn that it is legal for drivers of tour coaches to use one hand to hold a microphone while driving with the other. I know […]
Septic tank next door fouling the air
What can I do if a neighbour’s septic tank stinks? He doesn’t even have it plastered on the outside and the fumes are affecting us. Auntie’s answer: There is actually a mechanism in place to deal with your unfortunate circumstance. I can only imagine the unpleasantness of having to deal with the odour emanating from […]
Telephone company lacking customer service
I have an issue with a local telephone company whereby I made about 30 requests to transfer an account from myself to another customer. After four months they finally agreed to resolve the issue, but for the next nine months they continued the billing. Now they are billing me for $1,000+ for charges incurred while […]
Does Cayman offer protection to consumers?
A local media house claims it is the ‘most trusted’ news publication, a radio station claims it is ‘number one’. Are there no advertising laws in Cayman that at least require entities to provide evidence of their claims? By the way, did you know I am the best question submitter? Auntie’s answer: I have actually […]
Clamping down on errant parkers
What’s a good way of dealing with the cars parked on sidewalks, which impede pedestrians from using the sidewalk? I often walk on South Sound Road, where there are only a few sidewalks. Every time there is a car, or two or three, parked on the actual sidewalk (often in front of Southern Skies condos, […]
Wants to stop neighbour’s dog coming into yard
Am I right in thinking the Agriculture Department has no website? If it does not, why not? I wanted to check for such things as how to get assistance with dealing with a neighbour’s dog always invading my property and killing and/or chasing chickens, cats, etc, none of which I want happening. Auntie’s answer: Actually, […]
The legal obligations of child maintenance
What is the Cayman law regarding child support for parents that have separated? Auntie’s answer: Your question is pretty general, leaving your situation unclear. It would have helped to know if the child support is being contested between the parents and if the couple is married. However, I think I will be able to point […]
Getting excused from serving as a juror
As a Caymanian, I am truly happy to carry out juror duty for my country — it is an honour to do this. However, I am self-employed and my business is literally not able to run without me present, which can impact heavily on the income for my family. Should I be called for juror […]
Does CIREBA vet its members?
Does CIREBA run background checks on all its recognised agents, e.g. for any prior criminal records (particularly given the large sums of money they have access to)? Auntie’s answer: The Cayman Islands Real Estate Brokers Association (CIREBA) requires a prospective member to submit a police clearance certificate, which is what the Department of Immigration mandates […]
Shopper ignoring express checkout limit
On Saturday night I was at the supermarket and was only buying five things so went to one of the “seven items or less” queues. However, the person in front of me had a full basket and there were lots of people waiting behind me. The checkout person just kept scanning, even though it was […]
No Netflix on smart TV
I bought a smart TV from a local discount store. It clearly said on the box that you could get Netflix as well as other streaming services like Hulu and Amazon on the TV, but when I got it home all I could get was YouTube. Netflix was simply not an option as an app. […]
Is it compulsory to pay service charge?
Is a service charge in the food industry or hotel mandatory, or discretionary? I had assumed this was to reward good service. If I felt I didn’t get good service I wouldn’t expect to have to pay a tip/gratuity. It seems that some restaurants and hotels view the service charge as the charge to pay […]
Combining commercial and residential developments
Is it true that the zoning laws in George Town prohibit mixed use (residential above retail/commercial)? Seems like it would be a good fit to revive GT. Auntie’s answer: The zoning laws do allow for mixed-use developments but, not surprisingly, under specific conditions. A Department of Planning official helped to clarify the guidelines set out […]
Recycling should be required in Cayman
I’m wondering why recycling is not mandatory in Cayman Islands. We all know garbage is a problem worldwide. But looking at “Mount Trashmore”, it’s huge here. In the past we had two garbage collections weekly, cut back to one now. Why doesn’t DEH replace the second collection with a recyclable one? I do take my […]
