Local passports in jeopardy

| 16/12/2013

(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is beginning a fight with the UK over the future of Cayman-specific British Passports and the ability of the local passport office to issue emergency passports, especially to those who are in need of overseas medical attention. Premier Alden McLaughlin said Friday that he has “some grave concerns” about the UK government’s plans to replace local, non-biometric variant passports in its territories with British biometric ones and the need for the implementation of a new and costly regime. During the recent trip to the UK for the Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) meeting with the Foreign Office, Cayman delegates also met with the Home Office over the proposed long term plan to repatriate passport printing.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly on Friday, McLaughlin said the UK had issued a December 2014 deadline for the implementation of the new system, putting an end to the Cayman passport office’s ability to issue its own passports, as has been common for many years.

The premier said the UK had presented the overseas territories with various options but they all present some issues for the future of Cayman-specific passports, not least what McLaughlin said was the prohibitively high costs of implementing the respective systems.

The UK has said the local government can phase in a biometric fully automated specific system but this could cost millions of dollars to maintain and the passports, which will no longer be Cayman specific, will be printed and issued in the UK and sent back here. Although government will still be able to issue emergency passports from its existing non-biometric stock, once the stocks run out there will be no more.

“All of the options presented by the UK also include a scenario that would replace the Cayman Islands specific 'Variant' of the British Passport with the standard issue British Passport without any reference to the Cayman Islands. We have requested that the UK printed bio-metric passports be Cayman Islands specific variants,” he said

Aside from cost and the loss of Cayman’s own passport, the need to issue local emergency passports is essential for Cayman and often mean the difference between life and death in medical emergencies, the premier said.

“Many in this House know of a recent incident in which a veteran seaman who hasn’t travelled since he gave up his life at sea had a heart attack and had to be airlifted to Miami,” he said. “He did not have a current passport as he did not see the need for one. If we had not had the ability to produce an emergency passport for him, his family would be in mourning over his death at this time of Christmas. Instead, I am happy to report that we were able to provide the emergency passport and he is back home, as of this week, to celebrate this joyful time of year with his loved ones. We have asked that the Cayman Islands retain the ability to issue emergency passports here on home soil.”

While local stock levels for non-biometric passports will last until December 2014, McLaughlin said Cayman would need additional non-biometric passport stock for these emergency passports in the future, and while the government plans to purchase a large batch of non-biometric passport stock while they are still available, it is unknown when the United States will stop accepting non-biometric passports.

“Long-term provisions for locally printed emergency passports remain a concern as the providers of the laminate for the non-biometric stock of passports will no longer produce the laminate after this last batch. Therefore, once the stock is depleted, options for emergency passports are a critical unknown risk,” he warned.

“I have written a letter to FCO Minister Mark Simmonds outlining my concerns about the passports issues and have made some suggestions for a way forward for the Cayman Islands,” he said. “The Cayman Islands would like to participate in the passport printing repatriation project now being undertaken for Gibraltar and the Crown Dependencies. We see the work with Gibraltar as the most progressive option, reducing the costs to the Cayman Islands while allowing the Cayman Islands to rapidly advance the repatriation variant passport printing,” he added.

“The ultimate desire of the Cayman Islands is to have a secure passport issuance regime that meets the needs of the Cayman Islands which includes having Cayman Islands specific biometric passports that are internationally accepted and 'approved for issue' by the Cayman Islands,” he said, adding that Cayman would also need to be able to issue modern bio-metric emergency passports here in future.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    This is a whole lot of carrying on for nothing.  Personally I will be glad to see the end of the badly managed local passport office. I recently had reason to go there and was appalled by the poor service. I had to wait in line for an inordinate time, while staff behaved like they were doing everyone a favour. It appeared an effort even to smile! A sourly looking woman, who I was told was the head, or manager, promptly closed the door to the public long before 5 p.m. although there were at least 4 people who came within 5 minutes of the place being closed. I say, good that Britain is taking it over!

  2. Anonymous says:

    What I hope the Brits do is thoroughly check the background of all those who have acquired Cayman Status and hold Caymanian Passports as many are not necessarily "born" Caymanians but the unscrupulous way in which some of them got status and the careless manner in which our local system vets those applicants means we have given a status symbol by virtue of the Cayman Passport, to some undesirables.

    So I hope that there will be a better vetting system and if they have to take away some then do so.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Ha! You clearly don’t understand how the brits have screwed up their own countries immigration do you.

  3. Anonymous says:

    does that mean we dont need to go to jamaica for a visa anymore ? cause that a real hassle to go to jamaica (visa to go jam,plane ticket,hotel,all day waiting in lines). Cause i mean british passsort holders dont need a visa for states so if thats the case sen on those biometric passports asap lol

  4. brit says:

    Isn't this also something to do with the fact that 500 British passports were stolen last year!!!!  Think about it who has them & where are they & what are they up to!!!  I am all for this much more secure regime & I am a Caymanian!

    • Anonymous says:

      You might be Caymanian but you don't have a lick of sense. Who were these passports stolen from? The Cayman Islands Passport Office or the UK Passport Office?

      Back in 2008, 3000 blank British passports were stolen in Manchester, England.

  5. Anonymous says:

    British passports are an issue for London.  Be thankful to get what you get.  End of story. 

  6. Anonymously says:

    I prefer that the UK process the passports for all of the territories and since we are all Btitish subjects the passports will be uniform as each will have the place of the holders birth.  If the holder is a citizenby naturalization then the same applies. The process will be streamlined and the cost will be less.  This will be a win, win for Cayman and the other territories and not a way to introduce taxes by the UK.

    • Anonymous says:

      Unfortunately, thousands of Caymanians are not British suspects due in large part to the Cabinet Status Grants and the way in which the Immigration Law allows the spouses of Caymanians to become Caymanian without getting Naturalised first. Unless the immigration law is fixed, the situation will continue to worsen.

  7. Anonymous says:

    The REAL question is: if there is no differenciation between Caymanian passport holders and all the other UK passport holders, how do we tell who's who? What documents will show who's Caymanian and who is not? 

    • Anonymous says:

      Having a Cayman Passport in no way indicates that the holder is a Caymanian.

    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman passports do not tell you who is Caymanian now.

    • Anonymous says:

      While I am wary of what else is to come…I think…if I am reading between the lines correctly, the cover of the passports will no longer have Cayman Islands on them,  but inside will have  BOTC Cayman Islands. And place of birth.

      This will specify which British Territory the passport holder hails from; perhaps  I am wrong but surely that must be the case….

       

  8. Knot S Smart says:

    But my current passport has a very nice photo in it of when I was much.. much.. younger and much more handsome…

    So I dont care which country is named on the passport as long as I can transfer that photo of myself from when I was really really very good-looking…

     

  9. Anonymous says:

    Biometric Passport Standard was recommended by the International Civl Aviation Organization (ICAO) in 2005.  The UK adopted and began issuing biometric passports since 2006 using a Radio Frequency Identification microchip (RFID) embedded in a polycarbonate data page.  The security chip contains a digital photo and basic personal info on the passport holder (Height, Hair colour, DOB etc).  The standard has been adopted by Sweden, Norway, The UK, the entire EU community and coming soon as a standard for entry into the USA.  This is what is going to be required to board an airplane in the age ofterrorism and it has nothing to do with Cayman Islands or any conspiracy theory to take over the Turtle Farm and Cayman Airways – trust me.  Cayman and the rest of the Dependent Nations can opt to acquire the expensive apparatus to produce these ourselves, but it is cost prohibitive.  UK have offered to print them for us, with a current international turnaround time of 6 weeks and cost of GBP150.  It would allow us to downsize part of our own bloated beaurocracy and save us money towards large payments that are coming soon.  Under our current fiscal circumstances, the Independence talk is laughable – we can't even afford the machine to print the passports!      

    • Cayman T says:

      Who's talking IRRESPONSIBLE INDEPENDENCE???  Most intelligent Caymanians I know who talk Independence are talking about a responsible, self-governing, strong economic system. Some are suggesting allegiance to another superpower (who has more respect) other than the UK … some even suggest Canada. We may be small but it doesn't we are so dumb to go into an Independence that leaves us vunerable and weak. On the hand, if the UK want to force us into Independence then you know they have got what they have got from us already. But it appears they haven't and still holding on to us. 🙂  

  10. Anonymous says:

    But it's their passport to do with as they please. There is no such thing as a "Cayman passport". Take a good look at it, it says BRITISH PASSPORT and at the bottom "Cayman Islands". British on top, CI on the bottom. Cayman is a British OVERSEAS Territory, not a sovereign nation unto itself. Reality check.

    • Anonymous says:

      Idiot. Obviously, if Cayman thought it were a sovereign nation there would be no discussion with the UK at all. Clearly as it is a matter which concerns we should have a say. Realtiy check.

  11. UK FATCA says:

    Here comes the UK version of FATCA, I doubt they will want to tax Caymanians as we do not use their Infrastructure and Resources, but I be they are looking to Tax those Brits who have left the UK to work here, 

    • Anonymous says:

      They already are dumbass.

      • UK FATCA says:

        And you think they are all paying those taxes? Think moron why did the US bring FATCA? They Tax their citizens abroad but had trouble collecting. Ok perhaps I should have said "collect taxes from"

    • Anonymous says:

      07.07, don't you have some Christmas shopping to do?

  12. AH TOLE UNNA SO! says:

    See folks this is what happens when we have uncouth politicians who are not smart enough to know their limitations! I'm speaking of those who at their swearing in as a member parliament of the Cayman Islands " in a public forum no less" and looks at the Governor "the Queens representative" and says, something to this affect! DON"T  FORGET THAT I'M IN CHARGE NOW. That I think, was a total disregard of protocol, and, an insult to "not only her majesty, but to everyone of us who were in attendance! Regardlessof how one feels about the way we sometimes perceive how, we as an Overseas Territory are treated, it is still expected at the very minimum on an occasion such as this that all those involved would leave their bad manners at home, and for once, act with some dignity.

    Now you are probably wondering what this has to do with the subject at hand!  Well!, it's like this! If you as a junior member of  the family, insult your mother for no good reason in a public forum, you don't expect that big brother is going to sit by and take it lightly. And remember! This was not the first time that remarks were made and inappropriate things said that were so blatantly disrespectful, that big brother seems to have had enough, and now, he's going to whip your "bunky".

    So what we now see coming down the track from the mother Country, from those who are in control, is a way of chastisement for being disrespectful, and exhibiting such bad behavior toward Mama! Not  only bad behavior, but the total disregard for prudent management of all those millions of dollars that were wasted on so many ill conceived projects. Money misused for so called nation building, exorbitant salaries for politicians, and friends appointed to cushy jobs in the civil service. Uncalled for law suits that cost us millions, because those who signed  the contracts for whichever project, felt that they could cancel those contracts as they pleased  without "due process". These are the things that has the Mother Country pissed off, because she watched us waste hundreds of millions over the years, and now we are broke and want to continue to borrow money to clear the slate so we can start all over again. But mama says, not yet children, you have been wasteful and disrespectful, so now you'll have to learn to be a little more frugal, and when you've done that, then I'll perhaps let you have a little more say in the way things are run. 

    So the passport deal is just another way of saying to those  who run this country, we are telling you to learn frugality, and be a little more careful with the peoples money, and if you do that we'll try to work with you.

    I'm very pleased to see that the new Government including the independents seems to be making real effort to show some accountability for  good governance, and especially for how and where the peoples money is spent.

    And For This We Thank Them!

    • Whodatis says:

      If you are correct then I would remind you that a spiteful mother is a failure of a mother.

      Whodatis had nothing to do with the actions to which you refer – nevertheless, is Whodatis and every other Caymanian to "pay the price" for the actions of one Caymanian individual?

      (Is this really the attitude the UK still employs after 400 years of colonial experience?)

      In any event, you speak as if the UK is some utopia intent on raising our standards to theirs. Which of the countries have been plagued by its own young generation runniing amok, rioting, looting and burning their own communities – for absolutely no common or identifiable reason?

      Yes, the UK.

      As for fiscal responsibility – there is hardly a country "broker" than the UK right now! My goodness – do some of you even think before you put finger to keyboard?

      Regardless, these callous and fantasized declarations continue to receive support on this forum.

      Absolutely amazing.

      • Anonymous says:

        Classic Christmas Whodatis…gun toting robbers, muggers with machete's, drugs galore, incompetent government decisions and he points, once again at the UK rather than try to clear up the local mess. One day I might get what you are trying to say, clearly I am not bright enough for you.

        • Whodatis says:

          You are entitled to your opinion.

          However, mine is that, although not as perfect as it once was, (yes, my childhood was damn near ultimate bliss – and I am by no means an old man), Cayman trumps the UK in most categories as it concerns a personal standard of modern living.

          Apparently, many of the UK's citizens share my opinion as it is rare to find one that is willing to leave the Cayman Islands and return home … other than for the purpose of dying, of course.

    • Anonymous says:

      Foolishness,try go get some sleep.

  13. Pliny the Meddler says:

    Forget the taxation aspect which is a shibboleth that flies in the face of long established UK policy.

    The only material issues are (1) the time it will take to process an application, (2) whether Caymanians will still need a US visa and (3) whether the new passport will allow holders to register for US entry using the kiosk system.

    Tired of having to go to Jamaica every 10 years.

    • Anonymous says:

      I already have a UK biometric passport and it gets you nothing with entry to the US.  You are allowed in to the US as part of the visa waiver programme, this doesn't extend to private unscheduled flighst (air ambulance etc) so even with the new passport it's still advisable to get a 10 year visa, sorry.  And as for the kiosk system if you become elligible so do the other 40mio UK passport holders….so unlikely this will be extended.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Surprise, surprise. All Caymanians are British FULL stop! Just like the English,Scottish Welsh and some Irish folk.

    Passports need to be updated, It's called going with the times, if you dont want a BRITISH passport, then don't apply for one.

    100 bucks for 10 years of travel, what a deal!

     

    Rule Britannia , god bless the Queen.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry – you should be right but today many Caymanians are Honduran, Jamaican etc. and NOT British.

      • Anonymous says:

        No, they are Caymanians. Their roots may be elsewhere, but if it says Caymanian on the label, its a Caymanian. Just as most Caymanians roots are African.

        • Anonymous says:

          We are talking about Nationality and Citizenship, not Roots. A Jamaican who is granted Caymanian Status is still a Jamaican Citizen. They only become a British Overseas Territories Citizen if they get Naturalised.  

        • Anonymous says:

          LOL. Ummmm…..no. Not at all. First of all "Africa" is not a country and there is no nationality of "African". Second, most Caymanians are of mixed race. Third, I guarantee you that you will not find one Caymanian who will identify as "African" versus "Caymanian". However, "Jamaican", Honduran", "Filipino", "Canadian" etc. are all nationalities and when granted Caymanian status they still self-identify as Jamaican, Honduran, Filipino, Canadian etc.

          Try again.   

        • Anonymous says:

          You are so missing the point. They might have Caymanian status but they are not British and so are not entitled to a British passport.  

  15. Live Free..... says:

    Well, Well, Well, the Premier of the Cayman Islands is concern about the new Passport England wants us to adopt before December 2014. First off the Cayman Islands belongs to England, here is a bit of history.

     

    Cayman Islands celebrated its 500th birthday – its Quincentennial Year – in 2003, marking the first sighting of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman by Christopher Columbus, it was only about three hundred years ago that people began to settle permanently on these islands.

     

    With no archeological evidence that Amerindians ever inhabited the Cayman Islands, it is believed that the first people to actually land here were sailors from Sir Francis Drake’s 1585-6 expedition to the West Indies.

     

    Over the next several hundred years, despite the treacherous fringing reefs surrounding the islands and the presence of large salt water crocodiles – the Caimans, for which the islands were eventually named – they became a popular stop for sailors, including the Caribbean’s infamous buccaneers, who came to stock up on the abundant supply of fresh turtle meat and to careen their vessels.

     

    History states that there were no Amerindians living on these three Islands, which means these three Islands was never inhabited. So when Christopher Columbus came to these shores in 1503, he saw plenty Turtles, and name the Islands Las Tortugas, and no human life was their on these Islands. The first people actually land here in 1585-6 was from sir Francis Drake's expedition of the West Indies, which means they didn't reside on these three Islands just like the Pirates, stop and go is all they did.

     

    #2 England took formal control of the Caymans, along with Jamaica, under the Treaty of Madrid in 1670 after the first settlers came from Jamaica in 1661-71 to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. These first settlements were abandoned after attacks by Spanish privateers, but English privateers often used the Cayman Islands as a base and in the 18th century they became an increasingly popular hideout for pirates, even after the end of legitimate privateering in 1713. Following several unsuccessful attempts, permanent settlement of the islands began in the 1730s.

     

    After this History lesson, I asked the question? Who is a Caymanian, or what is a Caymanian? History tell's us England rule the Cayman Islands from 1670, 343 years of British Rule, and that permanent settlement of these Islands began in the 1730's, which would make them British. And in due respect, the people of these Islands should be calling themselves British Caymanians.

     

    #3 Back to the Passports, I think the British Caymanians, took the freedom of British allowding them to print their own Passports, and by this they now feel that they own their Passports.Now that Britain wants to take the responsibility of printing of the passports back, as in which they done before in the past. Now they have these new British Caymanians concern, why? Who rule these three Islands? I guess you all know the answers to that, so if they want to change their passports, why challenge them? They rule these Islands for 343 years, and the British caymanians must never forget that, all of the ancestors born under the British rule, remember the permanent settlement of the 1730's some 60 years after the British rule began. Knowing your history is important, now you know where you all come from, no such thing as a Caymanian without British.

     

    Live Free…..

  16. Anonymous says:

    Definately laziness.

  17. Anonymous says:

    This is the last straw….actually the last one before we have to pay INCOME TAX!!!  If they need biometric passports let the CI Government buy a Biometric machine but still issue Cayman Passports…..take a look at how many Caymanians did NOT apply for UK passports when offered…think that was lazinest?…nah…just smart ones staying away from the UK Treasory Office sticky fingers.

    • Anonymous says:

      Holding a UK Passport really has nothing to do with liability to pay UK tax which is based upon residence, and whether one holds a UK Passport or not, every BOTC was conferred British Citizenship automatically by the British Overseas Territories Act 2002.

      • O. Stone says:

        Will you stop debunking a perfectly reasonable conspiracy!!!

      • anonymous says:

        14:26 here….I know it does not have anything to do with tax- not silly…it does not have anything to do with tax….YET!!!!

        If you think the UK will forever let their citizens work overseas, make money and then jump on a BA plane and use thier social services and hospitals at will you are mistaken….its just a matter of time. They will follow the USA- they will have no choice given their budget situation….and you know what…the resident English will vote for it for sure.

        • Anonymous says:

          I have not worked or lived in the UK for years and last time I was there and got minorly sick, had to pay for it. And quite right too, if I don't contribute to the taxes, I should have to pay for service I use there.

        • Anonymous says:

          You can't…you have to build up a certain amount of 'credit' with regards tax, national insurance etc to be able to easily pop back home and claim. IIRC, when I first left the UK I was advised that  I could stay out of the country, pay no NI for 7 years without it affecting my Govt pension for example

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, but thousands have become BOTC's since 2002 and they are not automatically British citizens.

        • Anonymous says:

          Thousands? Really? Most of those who have acquired BOTCship since did so for two reasons: to obtain Caymanian status if they did not have it already, and to register as a British Citizen and obtain a UK passport.   

          • Anonymous says:

            Yes, thousands. Almost every cabinet status grant recipient and their spouses and children for a start. Most were not alreaty British or BOTC’s and many are still not.

            • Anonymous says:

              You didn't understand the post you are trying to respond to, did you? If those persons were already granted Caymanian status there would be no reason for them to be naturalised as BOTCs unless they also planned to register as British Citizens which case they are already Citizens.

              Thousands is obviously a gross exaggeration. I doubt that it is more than 100 persons who are not British Citizens but hold Caymanian status and BOTCship.   

               

               

      • Anonymous says:

        Not UK Naturalisation – that is another process altogether.

    • Anonymous says:

      14.26 yes, go for it 14.26. Go for full independence and print your own passports and see how far they get you without the need for visas at every port/airport. If you want your nice and convenient toys, then be good children and fo as Mother wants. Everyone know bad children don't get anything for Christmas.

    • Anonymous says:

      Idiot.

  18. Kadafe says:

    I have a uk passport and it's all I ever use to travel on, it's where I put my visa. Whenever I'm leaving a country abroad to come back home hey always ask me if I have to visa to come to cayman. At that point is when I present my Cayman Islands passport. Even tho the uk passport says that I was born in the Cayman Islands.. Has anyone else had this experience? I wonder how they will sort this issue out? I love my UK passport .

    • Anonymous says:

      You can get imigration to stamp your UK passprot showing that you are a Cayman citizen

       

  19. Anonymous says:

    What is terrfying are the posts so far from passport holders who do not  realise they owe allegiance to the UK already.

    • Anonymous says:

      Just as much allegiance as the UK owes to the Cayman Islands!

    • Anonymous says:

      And also that there is no such thing as a "Cayman" passport. Cayman is a British OVERSEAS Territory. No Caymanian representation in United Nations. No "national" defense. All British baby! That is the reality.

      Perspective: If you one of us were held in Iraq / Iran /North Korea or some such place. Who do you think is gonna send a team to come get us? CI Govt or UK? That is provided that they feel a Caymanian life is worth it. It sounds harsh, but it's real talk.

    • And AnotherTing says:

      Allegiance , this word seems to be a misplaced word in the context of UK /Cayman Relations. We are quick to give but we never receive, yet we owe allegiance? Me thinketh not.

      • Union Jack says:

        The concept of the UK owing any allegience to Cayman simply makes no sense at all.

        • Anonymous says:

          The ask for an oath of allegiance at the naturalization ceremony.  Crossed fingers on that one!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Do I detect an underlying suggestion in this move that the UK simply does not trust CIG with the handling of sensitive items like biometric passports? If so I can't say I blame them.  

    • Anonymous says:

      The biometric chip is part of an ICAO global security standard.  The UK, and other EU countries  were early adopters of the standard.  Soon you won't be able to fly without it.  Cayman has the option to buy the machinery, but it is now financially out of reach since we incurred the Clifton Hunter school, various paymouts on earlier and ongoing cruise port fiascos.  Had we not spent with abandon (and continue to on CIG payroll) we might have funds available to determine our own destiny.  

    • Anonymous says:

      LOL. They're probably worried CIG will start handing then out like GASBOY cards.

    • Anonymously says:

      CIG can be trusted it's some of the new caymanians of the 2003 mass status grants which were not vetted and we know nothing or very little about, that are now employed in various government departments that cannot be trusted.

       

    • And AnotherTing says:

      To tell you the truth, some of the biggest theft on the Island have been people from a breed of thieves and if I recall they were foreign immigrant workers.  Now who is less trustworthy the big thief?. And Another Ting, sick o ona.

  21. Anonymous says:

    I have nothing against the UK, obviously as they are our Mother country and we are as much a part of them, as they are a part of us. I do, however, have a problem with having my national identity constantly changed & tweaked over the years at their discretion. Over the decades we've gone from holding British passports, to B.D.O.T. passports, to C.I. passports, to C.I./U.K. (cover page) passports, to being able to have both a C.I. and a U.K. passport. Please make up your minds and stick to it. My family and I also have our US Visas already put into our CI passports – who really wants the hassle of traveling with 2 passports per person, or getting the U.S. Visa transferred into another passport? Unless, as many suspect – the ulterior motive is to eventually have us all pay British taxes? I say, if the UK wants to issue C.I. biometrically chipped passports on our behalf – then by all means do it, but leave the current "nationalily" as is. Just my 2 cents. Signed, one British/British-Dependent-Overseas-Territorial-(proud to be)-CAYMANIAN. 🙂 

    • kisses says:

      If they want us to pay taxes, may as well have us pay a community tax here to aid our social programs.

    • Anonymous says:

      British citizens with British passports don't pay taxes on income earned overseas so why would the UK government start taxing others who derive no benefit from government spending?

      • anonymous says:

        they dont tax you all YET!!  what this space…they will learn from the USA as their budget keeps getting smaller and smaller. I actually think its just a matter of time before you folks get taxed while relaxing on our beaches..just a matter of time!

        • Anonymous says:

          The Labour party are likely to include it in their next manifesto.

        • Anonymous says:

          Relaxing???  I don't know where you work, but I can't remember the last time I got to relax on a beach – yours or anyone else's.

        • Anonymous says:

          They already do stupid!

      • Anonymous says:

        Exactly. Which is why it makes no sense to take CAYMAN off of the CAYMANIANS' passports. Another pointless UK idea.

        • Anonymous says:

          The point being that it isn't a Caymanian passport, it is a British passport, period.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Ohhhkkk  so . that means they will be able to draft us to fight their wars .. smh 

    • Anonymous says:

      Are their wars not our wars?  If a country was to attack Cayman would you not expect them to send their army?

      • Anonymous says:

        Well said 11.07- They sent armed forces to protect the Falklands, not sure they would bother with the ingrates here, except of course to protect those with real British passports.

        • Anonymous says:

          They did a pretty crappy job protecting us from criminals after Ivan, preferring to keep their men with arms off-shore rather than doing what was needed, so I am not holding my breath on any future invasion.  

          • Anonymous says:

            That was your own fault, ask Bush why he didn't want the assistance that was offered.

            • Anonymous says:

              Actually, the security assistance was requested, and refused. It was only after that that they were sent on their way.

          • Anonymous says:

            ah, 16.47 so you do need Mother it transpires. Seem to remember Mr Haines doing a damn fine job of sorting it out.

          • Anonymous says:

            Cayman chose not to accept assistance after Ivan which was offered by the UK.

            • Anonymous says:

              Oh really? What help the UK offer? Some tarpaulin and water purification tablets? They were far more interested in getting their Governor out of here. FYI, the UK MPs I have spoken to indicated that no help was given because it was felt that we were so wealthy we did not need it and they consider our recovery proof that they were right.    

        • Tally Ho Hoe says:

          If you represent what English people are all about then this country would be far better of without you and your kind. It is your condescending and woefully deluded pomposity that has played a large part of the destruction of what used to be a good place to live. The Cayman Islands are nothing but a place to use and abuse for XXX like yourself XXXX

        • Anonymous says:

          I would suspect that if you are living and working in Cayman, you are the ingrate.  You must be getting something out of Cayman that you cannot get in your homeland so …please..ingrates you are the rude ingrate.  

          • Anonymous says:

            Very articulate, copious amounts of ingrating.

            And no, I get nothing here except lots of money (which you hate) and a bit of warmth, and large bills. And you can't claim credit for either of the first two, possibly the latter. You, and CIG, of course, get the benefit of a large contribution to your coffers via the WP payment and my local consumption of imported goods being taxed through the roof, which helps keeps you, well..educated and articulate I guess. Ingrated even, possibly.

        • Anonymous says:

          Don't you ever that it was The Cayman Islands that sent one million pounds to the Mother Country to assist with the war in the Falklands Islands – i am not proud of that but you need to  know that it happened.

          • Anonymous says:
             
        • Anonymous says:

          i.e. to protect white people as they did in the Falklands. Thanks for the admission.

          • Anonymous says:

            09.53, do not attempt to reverse your racism on to the poster..he made no mention of colour..you did. Many British passport holders are black or other colours and perfectly well integrated. Whats the excuse here for local xenophobia? I am actually sure the Falkland islanders would welcome you..

            • Anonymous says:

              Don't be dense. Of course he/she made no mention of colour. That would be too straightforward for a Brit. But that was the clear implication which matches with reality. The fact of the matter is that that Falkland Islanders were given right of abode in the UK in 1983 while the rest of the (non-white) OTs had to wait until 2002. Even in England black people born in England are not called English, but Black British. 

              What you call "local xenophobia" is simply the understandable reaction to the appalling treatment Caymanians receive at the hands of expats and insults to Cayman and Caymanians that are very much in evidence on CNS.

               

    • Anonymous says:

      Ha, ha, ha you can't even be bothered to turn up to protest along side General Ezzard and his wacky racists. So no one will expect you to actually defend the freedoms you take for granted at the expense of the UK taxpayer and her courageous armed forces.

  23. Slowpoke says:

    This is worth fighting about, but warrantless wiretapping with no proper oversight is not?

    Some ineresting priorities you got there.

    • Bayah says:

      What about warrantless searches based upon marl road gossip??  That's not worth protesting??

  24. Anonymous says:

    A full British Passport would be a more useful travel document than the Cayman Islands derivative.  I've used the CI one while travelling in South America to avoid paying the 9/11 reciprocity immigration fees and some officials look at the CI Passport with an automatic suspicion that something nefarious is afoot.  In hindsight I would have gladly paid the fees than endure some of the clearance hurdles I've endured with the CI Passport.  Applying for a UK Passport now to avoid those hassles going forward.  

  25. cow itch. says:

    dah.. biometric passports… so if you decide to run, they will know how to find in you in the bush!

  26. Anonymous says:

    Why do we need Cayman Specific Passports if they are nothing to do with whether the holder is Caymanian or not?

  27. squid says:

    Once Cayman give the UK its full allegiance, there is no turning back. Will they do whatever they want with us?  On this matter, will we lose a huge chunk of our independence?  Is there a special interest agenda which the Foreign Office know but we are too niave to know?

    • Anonymous says:

      You don't have independence, you have been granted a limited degree of self governance to control certain internal government departments.

      The Union Flag remains your flag of allegiance and you have no diplomatic or external security powers, (essential for the validity of passports). Therefore, the passport issued to you by the UK remains the property of the UK and as such they can decide how it is formatted and issued.

      There doesn't need to be an FCO agenda, they have ultimate control over Cayman anyway.

      As for the stupidity of some posts and their reluctance to retain a passport. Nearly every citizen in the UK possesses a passport, it is a vital tool for identity and travel. If you live on a small island, having possession of a passport should become a normal part of all citizens personal documentation. Reliance on emergency documentation is both irresponsible and unnecessary in the modern age. Citizens must take responsibility for their own ability to travel, whether for pleasure or for health treatment, it is not for the state to sort out the inability of individuals to think for themselves.

      The main reason for the UK's insistence that she is the only issuing authority, is purely down to security. The forgery of UK passports is way out of control, with many ending up in the hands of drug dealers, mules, people traffickers and even potential terrorists. Some Caribbean and African nations are notorious for utilising forged documents, and this has prompted the UK to take control of ALL passport distribution.

      So to all you isolationists, conspiracy theorists and idle b######s, get a passport and join the 21st century. The Cayman Islands are a British Territory, get over it.

      • Anonymous says:

        Very well said, I can't believe what I've been reading on this post, the level of ignorance from some posters, and indeed it would appear from political leaders, is frightening in this day and age.

         

      • Anonymous says:

        If it can be demonstrated that a Cayman passport has been forged, or ever abused by a criminal then your logic holds water, if not then it's just being tarred by the same brush as 'some nations'.

        I do agree with your post about holding relevant travel documents but would go one step further. The UK passport only gets you into the US as part of the visa waiver programme, this programme only extends to scheduled commercial flights, not emergency medical flights.  For that you still need a US visa.  In this instance a Cayman passport with a US visa trumps a UK passport without.

        Best advice is to get a UK passport with a US visa. For a family of 4 that's $500 for the passports and $2k for a trip to Jamaica, renewals are a bit cheaper.

        • King Iguana Tut Khan Hammack II says:

          lol.. mo money in deh pocket.. its all bout deh money

        • Anonymous says:

          The point being that the UK doesn't need to prove any point to the Cayman Islands, if forgery exists in the present system, then the system must be adjusted to take that into account. As the passport issued to Cayman residents is a British passport, that adjustment will happen regardless of the small minded attitudes of some Caymanians.

          All Caymanians should be in possession of a valid UK passport with appropriate visas or waivers, there is no excuse, unless you want to die unnecessarily from a treatable condition.

  28. Union Jack says:

    “The ultimate desire of the Cayman Islands is to have a secure passport issuance regime that meets the needs of the Cayman Islands"  Unless Cayman wants independence, it should focus on meeting the needs of the UK.

    • Anonymous says:

      According to the UK there is supposed to be a "modern partnership for progress and prosperity" between the overseas territories and the UK. In a modern partnership the desires of both parties are important. However, I suspect that the true sentiments of the UK are rather like yours – 19th century colonialism.        

    • Seaboy says:

      The only reason why you would see the UK special interest pushing us towards independence, is because they have in mind some benefit or financial exchange. Whenever UK pushes a country to independence big shots and cronies raid the country of its wealth. Not to scare you, but me thinks you read the wrong history books in your school.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Cayman, you have a 5th option:  print your own passports that offer no rights of residency in the UK and the EU.  And let's see how that works out for you when you try and use them.

    • Anonymous says:

      As I understand it, the present Cayman passport does not give rights to residency in the UK or EU and many people are still happy to hold it which is why the Premiere is trying to preserve the status quo, your option 5.  Some old both Cayman and UK (EU) passports for convenience of travel to the UK and EU.

      • Anonymous says:

        It does give you unfettered rights to residency if you have employment, you can then apply for citizenship after 5 years. It also gives you the same rights throughout the EU and protection under the EU law.

         

    • Anonymous says:

      Cayman Passports give no right to anthing in the UK or Europe anyway.

  30. Anonymous says:

    This suggests to me that the push is on to get all passports issued by the UK and to get any existing Caymanian passports exchanged as full British Passports.

    Whilst this may have it's advantages, I believe that this may be the gateway to extending the income tax to encompass UK Citizens and UK passport holders.

    Luckily for us all, the UK does not have National Service or Conscription to the Military to passport holders, unlike other countries.

    • Anonymous says:

      No conscription or national service, but we do the decent and courageous thing by volunteering  to serve or Queen and country. Why don't you try it, if you can leave the pattie stall behind.

      • Anonymous says:

        Obviously you are not aware that during world war 2, many Caymanians volunteer for service to the British Government, I know because my father was one.  Many Caymanian men were in Trinidad working on the British base there as well as working on navy frigates.  Some of you really need to study our history before applying for permanent residence- heck it should be compulsory!! 

        • Anonymous says:

          And that was 70 years ago and the population of Cayman barely numbered in the thousands. 70 years on and what's the excuse for your lack of service to the crown? 

          • Anonymous says:

            Our participation is about the same as the average village of 25,000 people in the UK.

    • Anonymous says:

      Cake and eat it brigade!!

      • Anonymous says:

        Who datis? You must mean those who come here enjoy the high life and income and then retire back home where it is cheaper.

  31. Anonymous says:

    If you don't want them, hand them back in.

    • Anonymous says:

      I sure hope that Her Majesty's Passport office steps up their efficiency first before they put in any more stringent requirements on us.  I  applied recently for renewal of my EU passport and what a hassle that was.  I sent in all the forms and the draft drawn on a US bank and sent it to Washington D.C. as stated on the  application form, waited and then received an email from the passport office telling me that the passport would be processed in England instead and that I had to get another set of pictures, because my eyes were different. and they needed a british currency bank draft and they also wanted to see my birth certificate. They said in the correspondence that they were returning the U.S. draft and in another paragraph it stated that they were going to destroy the draft. I never saw so much in-efficiency in my life. On top of that when I decided to call to try to explain that the bank draft should be returned to me along with the new passport and of course the old in, it turned out I was speaking to someone in Ireland. So it went fro Cayman to Washington to England and Ireland before I could get everything sorted out.  I was abut to cancel the application, because in 10 years I only used the Passport when I went to Europe a few years ago.  I must add however that in the end I got everything done, and they were almost as polite as the ladies in our own passport office

      • Anonymous says:

        Sounds like you didn't follow the very clear instructions on the forms, I filled mine out and sent it off and had my shiny new passport within a week with zero hassle. Sounds like illiteracy on the part of the applicantrather than inefficiency on behalf of the passport office to me.

        • Anonymous says:

          Illiteracy!!  I have a Masters degree in Sociology and a Bachelors in Law- what do you have you insolent XXXXX!!

           

          • Anonymous says:

            Some manners?

          • Anonymous says:

            Educational standards must have dropped since I wrote mine then, because I didn't need to be told to follow the instructions on the sheet to receive my passport.

            I guess it's true you can't teach common sense.

          • Anonymous says:

            Wow, so you can tell me how I am behaving and whether it's right or wrong. Sounds like you really had to study hard.

          • Anonymous says:

            Sociology? Did you not get the grades to do a real degree?

          • Anonymously says:

            Prove it, you sound like one of those condescending pompous AH that was born poor got a little education and think the title of Lord or Lady should be conferred upon you by people who were born superior to you.

            • Anonymous says:

              "…by people who were born superior to you". Now that's enlightening. Do tell. What was this "superiority" based on? LOL.

              I'm not the original poster, by the way.

          • Anonymous says:

            Are you employed though, did you manage to fill out the application for employment correctly? Suggest you were perhaps educated beyond your intelligence.

            I have a sore ass and a mother in law, will that do, you pompous w####r.

          • Anonymous says:

            With all that education, one day you might get to move from watching the fries to flipping the burgers.

      • Diogenes says:

        Rejected because your "eyes were different"?  Different to what?  To each other? To a human's?  To some standard of colour or shape known only to the Passport Service?  Please explain.

        • Anonymous says:

          Bug eyes apparently.  As a result of a grandparent conducting bizarre science experiments in the    60s.

        • Anonymous says:

          Just walk around West Bay one afternoon.  Then you will understand.

        • Anonymous says:

          I am still trying to figure that one out, the pictures were as they requested so I really don't know.  I went back to the same store to get another set of pictures.  As far as I could tell the only difference was the blouse I wore for the second set of pictures.

      • Anonymous says:

        My family received their passports from DC in a week.  They are lovely. 

        • Anonymous says:

          16:04, this is typical of most people's experience renewing their passport. The other bloggers are just trying to be nasty and anti-british (while applying for their British passport).Typical of a certain type of Caymaian we have living here sorry to say.

        • Anonymous says:

          Impossible.  British passports are being processed in London now….not in D.C.  Unless maybe you are a diplomat or something very special?,

          • Anonymous says:

            It's not London, it's Durham. And it was D.C. until last October so the poster is maybe correct.

          • Anonymous says:

            Now you didn't take into account that the poster failed to tell you when he got his DC passport issue. That was presumptuous and stupid, perhaps he was special, at least more than you.

      • Anonymous says:

        16/12/13–1038

        You,have just made my evening,I was feeling a bit down,then I came across your post,and I laughed so hard,I know you were being serious ,and that just made it all the funnier

        Thanks for cheeriing me up. Sometimes you come across real gems on CNS and yours was one of them! Have a good evening.Glad you got your passport sorted.

         

      • Anonymous says:

        Last time I got my UK passport renewed on a visit home, I made an appointment, dropped off the forms and documents and old passport, gave them the right amount of cash, did some shopping and had lunch, came back at the time stated and was handed a brand new shiny passport. Say 4 hours all in, including driving to town and home again.

        From the UK Passport Office in Durham. The big, busy one, where pretty much every UK passport comes from.

        No queuing, no tooth sucking, no stupid tickets and waiting around, no closed counters, no triplicate printed receipts, no hassle. And I got a smile too!

    • anonymous says:

      ????? stupid!

    • Anonymous says:

      we are flea compared to fat mama