Ask Auntie
Not happy with postal service to Canada
Why does it take a letter from Canada less than a week to arrive in Cayman; but mail sent from Cayman to Canada often takes over two months to get to its destination in Canada? The staff at the post office in Cayman blames Canada Post. There is no disruption or strikes currently in Canada […]
Hoping Uber finds its way to Cayman
Can we get Uber or Lyft in Cayman? I recall there was once going to be meters in the taxis to avoid the embarrassing “one-sided discussion” on random taxi fares at the end of the ride – not sure whatever happened to that, but surely in an era of Uber, Cayman would be perfectly placed […]
Visiting Cayman between term limits
Can a person who has been rolled over return to Cayman as a tourist for a vacation during the period of that rollover or do they have to be totally absent for the whole year? Auntie’s answer: The Department of Immigration website addresses your question in its work-permit section; go to this link to the […]
Neighbours living in unfinished house
Where or how do I go about reporting to the planning department some people that are living in a house that they are building but is not close to be completed and have no planning permission to be living there yet? I know of circumstances where people are building and have finished the roof and […]
Finding a job after cancelled work permit
At lunchtime, I ran into an acquaintance of mine. He recently quit his job as a sales associate, and accordingly his employer cancelled his work permit. After telling me this, he then proceeded to show me an email exchange between himself and personnel from the Ministry of Finance & Economic Development in which he was […]
Common-law relationship and PR points
My boyfriend of six-plus years is approaching his term limit. I am Caymanian and we have lived together for the majority of our relationship and we were wondering how his relationship with me might count in regards to the points system for PR as there seem to be no allowances for a close Caymanian connection […]
Cyclists and obeying the Traffic Law
I would like to ask whether there exist clear rules for bicycle riders. In general I consider it dangerous to ride a bicycle in Cayman since, according to my experience, car and especially bus and truck drivers don’t care much about the fate of bicycle riders. But besides this, I also don’t understand every behaviour […]
Clarifying the accommodation tax
As a resident I am sometimes able to get 15% discount from hotels and restaurants. Some restaurants do not give this 15%. In one local hotel recently they would give it for breakfast but not for brunch. Can you let me know what exactly this 15% tax is and if the hospitality sector should legally […]
Naturalisation and same-sex marriage
Can you be naturalised through marriage to a Caymanian in a same-sex partnership? Auntie’s answer: There is nothing in the law that covers same-sex marriage in the Cayman Islands so the answer would have to be no. Same-sex unions are not legally sanctioned or recognised for purposes such as pension or inheritance. Since you posted […]
Obtaining Caymanian status through marriage
When a non-Caymanian is conferred status by virtue of marriage to a Caymanian and subsequently divorces their Caymanian spouse, can they confer their status to another non-Caymanian through marriage? Auntie’s answer: The advice on this question from an immigration official is first to check with the Caymanian Status and Permanent Residency Board to confirm that after […]
Legal responsibilities of landlords
Does a landlord have any liability for the acts – invading neighbours’ property, killing pets, defecating in the neighbours’ yard, general nuisance like barking, for example – of the untethered dog(s) of the landlord’s tenants? Auntie’s answer: I feel safe in assuming that you are an aggrieved tenant. I put your question to a local […]
Paying for a parking ticket
Do I have to pay a parking ticket if the police have not entered it? Recently while I had visitors borrowing my car they got a ticket in town. They tried to pay it at the clerk of the court on the same day but the office was closed. My visitors left and three days […]
The standing of permanent residents in the civil service
I thought a part of the Cayman Islands Constitution included protections so that government could not discriminate on the basis of race or nationality? If that is the case, why are people with permanent residence still regarded as expats within the civil service? Even if a person with PR is already employed within government, Caymanians […]
Wants to report lawyer for infraction
What happens when a senior lawyer breaks client confidentiality? There is no independent authority to report them to because both societies are all entangled and friends. How do you report their actions which have caused great distress and be heard fairly? Auntie’s answer: I have previously addressed a question dealing with complaints about legal services which […]
Looking at fuel prices in Cayman
Who is the regulator of supply of propane gas? I note that the Home Gas pricing is US$4.96 per gallon (CI$4.07). This compares to US$4.76 in Miami, Florida (see US Energy Information Administration website). I presume there is duty on the import of propane … so why is this price so comparable, when the gasoline […]
Travelling on Cayman passports without chips
Will I need to change my (Cayman) passport to travel to the US on the visa waiver programme? I currently have the passport without the chip they require as of 1 April 2016. My passport does not expire until 2020. I am being told it only affects the UK passport but others are saying something […]
The right to wear a burka in Cayman
I am just wondering what Cayman’s policy is on Muslim women wearing burkas in public in Cayman. Also, do they have to remove them when coming through the airport security as they do in France? It was the strangest sight to see a woman with full face covering and long black robes at a local […]
The rules of the road for school buses
What are the rules in regard to where school buses can stop? Twice now I have seen a school bus stop on the roundabout by Hurley’s (on the inside lane) to allow children to disembark. It appears incredibly dangerous to me to expect all traffic entering the roundabout to stop. Auntie’s answer: It seems almost […]
