Immigration puts block on illegal paving business

| 16/03/2011

(CNS): The enforcement arm of the immigration department recently put a stop to a paving business that was run by an American national who was employing three people but had no permits for himself or his employees. The man was fined $20,900 after he pleaded guilty to several offences and opted to have his case dealt with administratively, paying the large fine rather than face court proceedings. Explaining the details of the case, immigration officials said they had received a tip that the man was completing commercial paving contracts for local businesses, and after launching an investigation, the offender was apprehended while attempting to leave the Owen Roberts International Airport.

“This case was unusual because of the scope of his operation,” Deputy Chief Immigration Officer for Enforcement, Gary Wong, said in a release. “He rented heavy equipment and services from local companies and actively solicited business.”

This is not the only case where immigration enforcement has achieved success. Officers have collected some $136,000 in administrative fines since last July, with officers continuing to target offenders at all levels. In addition, 18 people are currently facing court charges for overstaying and having falsified documents, while 14 others – including some local employers – are on bail pending results of ongoing investigations.

Wong said that the most common offences that officials see are overstaying, working outside the terms of work permits (working in occupations or for employers not named on a work permit), employing persons without a work permit and making false representations.

Reminding employers and workers alike that many offences are preventable, Wong said if employers submit renewal applications before current work permits expire, they can avoid possible charges of employing persons without a work permit. Also, there is provision for workers to apply for amendments allowing them to work for additional employers and in new occupations.

Under the administrative fine provision, a fine can be double or triple the normal cost of an annual work permit. Furthermore, when persons are fined and leave Cayman, special permission must be granted before they can re-enter the country.

However Wong said that certain offences, such as human smuggling and illegal landing, will not be dealt with administratively and will be referred to the courts.

Chief Immigration Officer Linda Evans applauded the diligence of her officers, especially those inthe Enforcement Section. She also thanked the public for supplying information which has led to arrests.

“These offences will not be tolerated,” she said. “After undertaking several accommodating initiatives over the past year, including an immigration amnesty and a series of educational district meetings, my staff is now conscientiously enforcing the laws and regulations.”

She added that at the current rate, total fines will soon surpass those imposed during the past fiscal year. Between July 2009 and June 2010, administrative fines amounting to $181,000 were collected.

Those who are overstaying or committing other immigration offences should voluntarily contact Immigration Enforcement. Failure to do so will result in their arrest when attempting to depart.
The penalty for overstaying is a fine of up to $20,000 and imprisonment of up to five years. Penalties for work permit offences range from CI$5,000 to $15,000 and imprisonment of up to one year. Fines can be significantly higher when dealt with administratively.

To contact the Immigration Department call 949-8344, or the toll-free Enforcement Hotline: 91-800 534 2546. Alternatively, email the Enforcement Section at legalim@gov.ky.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    This is just one case of the many that could be out there – only in the Cayman Islands this happens. Immigration should be more vigilant and not let these persons escape with our monies earned in a dishonest way. Why did Immigration Enforcement Dept. give up checking the job sites, as was done in the past???

  2. Trueblood says:

    I think the immigration department needs to clean up the act of their employees before branching out. There are so many officers employed to uphold the law that break it. I can think of a few guilty of domestic abuse, destroying property and borderline psychotic. People hired in their capacities shouldn’t be going around making threats and displaying such poor behavior. Many have let the little badge with stripes go to their heads. Linda, do some digging in to your staff affairs because it’s a damn joke! Of course this not only applies to Immigration; Customs and Police have some bad seeds as well but as we are on the topic of Immigration matters…let’s start with them.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Has he been deported and is he no longer allowed to return to Cayman? Does the same go to the people who worked for him without a permit?

    • Anonymous says:

      that will be the case if they are also found in the Wong

    • JE says:

      its not even the job sites any more, they work out of their aprtment or houses,thse spouses of teh permit holders. THey operate without a Trade & BUsiness Licence and pay no type of revenue to teh country while they make money over money conducting their business illegally.

      what Immigration needs to do is search its records of permoit holders with spouses and have them interviwed or pay them a visit at their last known residence. Better yet a statement should first be issued in teh papers askin them to give theselves up within a defined period and thereafter those who have not turned themselves in will be deported once found guilty.

  4. expat weirdo says:

    If anything it goes to show how much easier it is for a local person to take the initiative and start a business when they don’t have to worry about work permits, and obviously taxes.

    For all those people who complain there is no work, start your own business simple as that.

     

     

     

  5. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Wong perhaps you guys have to seriously start looking into those small businesses that are importing these young female workers to work for their businesses, when they have no prior experiences in the required field. They will advertise yes, but they usually turns down every Caymanian who may apply, as they do not want the Caymanian, they want these young beautiful spanish/philipino women for their companies. I am mostly talking about the middle aged married men. These men are not bringing these women in from Honduras, Columbia, Dominican Republic and the Philipines to work. They are bringing them in for sex. Start investigating the trends of the last year or two and you will find a lot of Immigration crime in these areas. these women are not staying where they say they are staying, do follow ups. Stop issuing these temporary WP for these young women before fully screening them and their purpose. You guys are assisting with the breakdown of families in these Islands, through these Temporary WP to these disgraceful men. Mostly those that are going through a mid life crisis.

    • Anonymous says:

      As the article points out, if you know someone who is doing this then send an email or call immigration, if there is a sifnicicant trend in this area then you must know who the people are, REPORT THEM. If this is just something you heard then dont write it down here like a fact. I cannot believe people say these things and ask immigration or police to investigate, you clearly know who it is so do something about it.

      • anonymous says:

        Can’t disagree with that sentiment and they did a good job here but there’s a problem.

        Before making headlines over busts like this immigration needs to get in and clean up their own act.

        It’s long overdue for measures to be put in place that prevent immigration officers from running businesses or even being involved in them with friends or family members, particularly if they employ people on work permits. It’s also time for a clamp down on immigration officers moonlighting as ‘immigration consultants’ or doing favours to help out former colleagues who have left to go into that line of work.

        And please don’t try and tell me it ain’t happening because this has been going on for years without anyone bothering to intervene.

      • Manny Khant says:

        I would not report anyone since the disgraceful discrimination that is the Cayman work permit system is morally bereft.

    • Anonymous says:

       Having sex with "middle-aged married men" who are "going through a mid-life crisis" sounds like hard work better left to professionals….

    • Anonymous says:

      I do agree with you that if women are being brought to Cayman for illegal purposes then those guilty of such offenses should be prosecuted for whichever laws they broke. 

      But how can you claim that the Department of Immigration is assisting in the breakdown of families?  Since when is immigration responsible for family matters? 

      If I understand correctly, your issue is, to put it very simply, with infidelity in general, and prostitution in particular.  However, with all due respect, if a man chooses to stray, how is Immigration or the other woman to blame?  Neither Immigration nor the ‘other woman’ owes any kind of duty , loyalty or responsibility to the wife/girlfriend/family. 

      The only person in this scenario to that should be responsible is the husband/boyfriend that is in a committed relationship and who chooses to stray.  There will always be younger, prettier, sexier, available women.  But again, it is the man’s CHOICE whether he avails himself of these temptations. 

      Are we saying that our men are so weak that they cannot resist the temptation to stray?  Are we saying that they have no choice in whether they choose to cheat?  If that is the case, do you really want a man that is so weak that he would risk losing his family/wife/girlfriend for a few cheap thrills?

      I’m not saying a man won’t be tempted to stray.  But ultimately whether or not he chooses to cheat, is HIS decision and his alone.

       

       

       

  6. Anonymous says:

    Name?

  7. Jumbles says:

    Did he do a good job of the paving? 

    • Pending says:

      Wouldnt matter if they did, surely it all has to get torn up becasue of no planning permission? And I would hazard a guess to say that the only reason this guy was caught was because the competition XXXX saw what he was doing and informed. Its a shame that others cant do the same for all the other crime occurring on this rock and being hidden by those who know…

  8. Anonymous says:

    ya gotta love it 

  9. The Beaver says:

    So they let this guy off with an "administrative" fine after he knowingly broke the law, having no work permit for himself or his employees – yet they haul you into court for a simple seat belt ticket.  Not to mention that Canadian teacher who they put through five trials over a half spliff when he was innocent all along, the harassment Ms. Catron faced over a dog incident, and numerous other idiotic moves by the Legal Department.  Just shows where the priorities are.  As the saying goes, "money talks, bullsh1t walks".