Immigraiton team turns blue to help kids

(CNS): Staff from the Department of Immigration raised over some $270 last month when they held a special dress blue day to demonstrate their support for child abuse prevention. The money which was raised by selling blue ribbons went to the Cayman Islands Youth Develop Consortium. Director Sylvia Wilks explained that the ribbons are being sold throughout April as part of Child Abuse Prevention Month and she commended the staff for embracing the campaign and for their initiative in staging the dress down day.

“We asked organisations to join the campaign by encouraging employees to donate $1.00 to obtain a ribbon and to wear it to show support for child abuse prevention and to promote awareness,” Wilks explained. She noted that while other government departments are involved in the campaign, Immigration was the only entity to take it a step further by staging a dress down day to raise funds.  Sixty-four staff took part although by law, uniformed officers were excluded since they must wear uniforms at all times when on the job.

Acting Chief Immigration Officer Bruce Smith said the department fully supports the Blue Ribbon Campaign in its goal of protecting Cayman’s children from abuse. “As a department, all our functions are committed to promoting a secure and healthy social environment in which our people, especially our young citizens, can thrive,” he said as he congratulated the employees for getting on board.