Ask Auntie
Clarifying pre-clearance at the airport
Why is it that Cayman Airways, the national flag carrier, has not managed to integrate their reservation system into the Immigration system (but are able to provide the necessary information to the US authorities) whereas the foreign carriers have? Auntie’s answer: After a bit of back and forth with two Department of Immigration (DOI) officials, […]
Unhappy with rubbish collection
What’s the appropriate party to speak to regarding the garbage service? I know this isn’t the top job for most people, but I don’t think the staff should show such little regard to the belongings of householders. Time after time my bins are scattered on the road, the bin house gate broken, etc. Who is […]
Unable to find video of PAC hearing
Why has GIS removed the section of TV footage regarding the Public Accounts Committee hearings on the Ministry of Community Affairs on 16 August 2017, from the CIGTV uploaded broadcast on the CIGTV YouTube channel? And who instructed that section to be removed from public viewing? Research shows all other sections of the PAC hearing for […]
Maintaining Caymanian status if living abroad
In your column on Maintaining the right to be Caymanian, you state: “However, if you go overseas for no more than six months in a row for such things as education, health, vacation or business, you will still be considered a resident.” 1) Are you saying that if I were to travel to Cayman every […]
Shedding light on the solar eclipse
Would you be able to find out the best time and place in Cayman to view the August solar eclipse and how much of the sun will be obscured here? Auntie’s answer: For anyone who is not aware, a solar eclipse is coming; the big day is Monday, 21 August. While there is one very […]
Allocating pension benefits after death
If I die before I receive my pension what happens with that money? Auntie’s answer: Your question actually lends itself to several scenarios, all of which were explained by an official with the Department of Labour and Pensions (DLP). If you are married, then under the law your spouse automatically becomes your beneficiary. In the […]
Rules for using divided highways
What is the general rule around two-lane bypasses and the use of lanes? Given we’re soon to have two more, I think this is important. In the UK you use the right lane for faster cars, and the inside lane for slower vehicles (unless you’re approaching a roundabout etc and are taking a third exit). […]
How much does McKeeva Bush earn as speaker of the LA?
Does the speaker earn an additional salary to his MLA stipend? Auntie’s answer: Yes, I can confirm, thanks to a government source, that the current speaker is paid a higher salary than an ordinary MLA. To be more specific, the speaker, McKeeva Bush, is on salary grade B and, my source explained, “His exact point on […]
Disabled driver ticketed for parking by yellow lines
I got a $100 ticket for parking on a double line near Hurley’s supermarket entrance door. I am handicapped and try to park as close as I can to where I am going, as the dedicated handicapped parking is a good distance away at Hurley’s. I am of the opinion that the ticket is invalid […]
Is abortion illegal in Cayman?
I’m writing to you as I wanted to know where Cayman stands on abortions. I assume it’s illegal as I couldn’t find much information on it but I just wanted to clarify. I’ve had my little pregnancy scares before and I know others could benefit from the information you could find and provide us with. […]
Does Cayman allow organ donation?
If someone dies suddenly, say in a car wreck, and some of their organs are still viable, is it possible for those organs to be donated to someone in need here in Cayman (or even flown elsewhere)? Auntie’s answer: The simple answer to your question is no, but that will be changing to a yes […]
Navigating questions on visitors’ driving permits
There were many comments and a few contradictory posts after the previous column on a visitor’s driving permit (see May visitors drive with US licence in Cayman?). In the hopes of providing clarity, I have compiled all the queries into one overall question for the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL): What exactly are the […]
Is practising obeah against the law in Cayman?
I’ve heard it’s illegal to practise obeah here. Is that true? That seems to go against the Bill of Rights, which guarantee freedom of religion. Auntie’s answer: Yes, it is true – it is against the law to practise obeah in the Cayman Islands. Just to be clear, Section 170(1) of the Penal Code (2013 […]
Road signage by roundabouts
I am glad to see that the NRA is putting up signs and painting arrows on the roads leading to the (Butterfield) roundabout from all directions. Hopefully this will educate the drivers that don’t already know how to properly use roundabouts. Unfortunately, I think they have the signs and arrows wrong in one spot, which […]
May visitors drive with US licence in Cayman?
My family will be coming to visit Grand Cayman soon. I am wondering if I can drive there using my US driver’s license? Auntie’s answer: You are not allowed to drive with only your foreign licence; you are required to get a visitor’s permit before taking a car out on the road here. But the […]
Couple on rollover hopes to visit Cayman
I am on rollover and my spouse wants us to spend the summer holiday in Cayman. Can I apply for a visitor’s visa? My rollover is up in November of this year. Auntie’s answer: A similar question has come up before but it has been about a year, so it seems a good time to […]
Are BB guns allowed in Cayman?
Is it legal to import BB guns or air rifles into the Cayman Islands? Auntie’s answer: The Firearms Law (2008 Revision) defines a firearm as “artillery, machine gun, sub-machine gun, rifle, shot gun, pistol, air gun, air pistol or any lethal barrelled weapon from which any shot, bullet or other missile can be discharged or […]
Approval rate for grant of right to be Caymanian
I read that the success rate for Caymanian status applications is way lower than for permanent residence in recent years. Is status approval more or less assured, provided an applicant is naturalised, insured, immigration fees paid up to date and can prove a minimum 15 years uninterrupted residence? Is the decision-making process sufficiently transparent to […]
