Ask Auntie
Where can I park to pick up people from airport?
I have guests arriving this Wednesday, 27 March, at ORIA about the same time as Prince Charles is dedicating the airport. It says that parking will be closed to the public. Does this mean short-term parking for people who will be meeting passengers as well? If so, what provisions are being made to accommodate the […]
What can I do if my landlord violates the lease?
We just recently moved into a rental home. We signed the lease which stated internet included. Now the landlord says they don’t want to provide internet anymore and cut the service off. Is there anything we can do? Isn’t that breach of contract? Auntie’s answer: While I want to stress, as I have done before, […]
Should I stop on roundabout for an ambulance?
According to the Road Code of the Cayman Islands, 2012, Section 3.11.5 , no vehicle at all is permitted to stop on a roundabout for any reason. If that statement is indeed true and the law, what does it say about stopping to let emergency vehicles through? I once had to suddenly stop on a […]
Can my child attend Lighthouse School?
I am a Honduran national and working in Grand Cayman on a work permit. I have a 7-year-old son who is a Down’s syndrome child. Can he attend the Lighthouse School in Grand Cayman, and if he can, what would be the way forward and the cost? In Honduras, my son has to go to regular school, […]
Where is my new licence plate?
I have been checking the Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing (DVDL) site for more than a year for my licence number to appear on the list of plates ready to be exchanged for new ones. It looks like the last updated list of licences was July last year. What is the reason for the […]
Are e-cigarettes safe to use?
I know that people who switch from cigarettes to e-cigarettes or just take up “vaping” on its own say that the electronic version is the safer alternative. But I am not convinced. How safe is vaping really? Auntie’s answer: I have wondered the same thing. I also take great issue with the flavours of “smoke” […]
Why don’t we have traffic lights at crosswalks?
Why didn’t the NRA put walk/don’t walk pedestrian crossings to stop the situation that one pedestrian crosses, gets to the other side, another one starts to cross… cars still waiting… that pedestrian crosses then two more decide they want to cross, etc. It would make much more sense to have this synched so traffic moves […]
Do I have to pay doctor before surgery?
I’m hoping you might shed some light on the recent practice of health services requiring full payment for a procedure and then the patient expected to be reimbursed by the insurer. Case in point: our son has a scheduled knee surgery and we’re having to pay the anaesthesiologist in full before the surgery is to […]
Why leave a hole at the beach?
I visit Grand Cayman as often as possible (I have godchildren that live there). I have been told since 1980 that sand castles are fine but there can never be large holes left in the beach at the end of the day and during the day need to be marked to better prevent people falling and being […]
Answers I’m waiting… and waiting for…
In a perfect world, when someone sends me a question I should able to get an answer from the relevant department/business/person in a reasonable amount of time and publish the response in a column. While this scenario does sometimes play out and I acknowledge that on occasion I have been gratefully stunned by a reply […]
Wants to donate used items
I watched Marie Kondo on Netflix (the tidying and decluttering expert) and I am going to try and retake control of my house. After I have thanked and said goodbye to my shoes, clothes, fax machines, modems, printers, where should it go? I do not like the idea of just throwing away things I no […]
Are taxis getting meters?
Quite some time ago there was discussion that taxis were to install meters. Did that go away and why? Auntie’s answer: No, that hasn’t gone away; it is working its way through the system. An official with the Public Transport Board explained that it is developing a strategic plan, a process which began September last […]
Can school or work look at your phone?
What rights do I have at school or when older at work with regard to electronic devices including phones and computers, personally owned? Do teachers (or employers) have any right to search and under what circumstances and laws? Auntie’s answer: Unfortunately, this is a complicated issue, in part because it makes a difference whether the […]
The cost of changing coins
I have heard that the banks charge a percent fee for changing coins. Is this true? If yes, is this legal? I would appreciate an answer as I have a full coin jar I wish to change. Auntie’s answer: The quick responses are yes and yes. As discussed in a recent column (see Non-account holder […]
Long wait to clear a cheque
Why in 2018 does it take a week to clear a local cheque? I made a deposit of two Butterfield cheques from my own account to the Scotia ATM at the Airport Foster’s (they no longer have a convenient ATM on Seven Mile Beach) on Monday morning. On Wednesday morning the funds were removed from […]
Shocked by rises in rent
Is there any government body we can appeal to about these crazy rent increases? I just found out my rent is going up another $200 from the $300 it went up last year! Other people I know have had their rent go up by $700. This is crazy! How is anyone expected to live with […]
Measuring recyclables shipped overseas
What are the units for the recyclables shipped from Cayman, ie per tonne, cubic foot or something else? Auntie’s answer: This question arose from a reader’s comment to a previous column on recycling (see Where do Cayman’s recyclables wind up?) which explained where goods such as plastics, cardboard and aluminium cans are shipped and how […]
Remove signs that obstruct sidewalks
Who is supposed to be enforcing the law regarding signs on sidewalks? It seems that signs such as sandwich boards are blocking sidewalks everywhere from downtown George Town to the Eastern Districts. Auntie’s answer: I am really glad this question was asked. In addition to blocking sidewalks, the sandwich boards often prevent a clear view […]
