(CMR) The Cayman Islands Government has approved an additional $1.8 million for the Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) to purchase a second replacement aircraft, as the agency grapples with an aging fleet and increased mosquito activity.

The additional funding was disclosed in Parliament last week, with the government explaining that MRCU currently operates two aging aircraft that have been experiencing increased downtime because of maintenance and repairs.

Cabinet approved an exceptional circumstance transaction to increase the Ministry of Health, Environment and Sustainability's capital expenditure appropriation by $1.8 million, with the same amount being reallocated from the Infrastructure and Development Fund.

The money will allow MRCU to procure a second replacement aircraft, alongside another replacement aircraft already approved in the 2026-2027 budget.

The decision comes as MRCU faces significant challenges with its existing aircraft, which are approximately 20 years old and have provided mosquito-control support across the Cayman Islands for years.

Last week, MRCU warned residents to expect increased mosquito activity following higher-than-normal tides in wetland areas combined with increased rainfall. The Eastern Districts of Grand Cayman were expected to experience some of the highest mosquito levels.

At the time, MRCU said it had only one aircraft available for operations. That aircraft was due for its required 100-hour inspection but had been granted an additional 10 flight hours before it had to be taken out of service.

The Unit's second aircraft was grounded because of a mechanical issue, with no timeline provided for its return to service.

MRCU warned that once the additional 10 hours were exhausted, it would be unable to conduct further aerial operations until either the inspection was completed or the mechanical problem affecting the second aircraft was resolved.

The aircraft issues came at a particularly challenging time, as rainfall and higher tides created extensive mosquito breeding habitats. Inclement weather had also interrupted aerial larvicide treatments, leaving planned treatments in parts of Bodden Town and North Side, as well as the Sister Islands, incomplete.

The immediate mosquito situation was also raised in Parliament, with one member noting that people were “suffering with the mosquitoes in a big way” and asking whether government had considered leasing an aircraft while waiting for the replacements.

The government said it had considered leasing, but an aircraft would not have been available until December 2026. With delivery of the new aircraft anticipated in early 2027, officials decided not to pursue the leasing option.

Until its full aerial capability is restored, MRCU has said it will continue using truck fogging and other ground-based measures in affected communities. However, the Unit noted that ground operations cannot cover the same large geographical areas as quickly as aircraft, particularly during widespread mosquito emergences.

(CNS): Fears of soaring power bills and further shocks at the gas pumps were soothed a little on Monday, when the government said it had approved a three-month extension to the current fuel relief programme, which was due to end on Wednesday.

The government subsidy has been extended until the end of December because of the persistent “uncertainty and volatility” in global energy markets, officials have said. The extension maintains the 100% import duty waiver on gasoline, diesel and propane and continues the residential electricity fuel charge assistance introduced for the summer.

This requires an additional CI$3 million in supplementary funding for the power bills subsidy, which caps fuel charges at $0.18 per kilowatt hour for nearly 95% of households. At current fuel cost rates of 0.2255 for September 2026, the cap and waiver combined provide savings of around $70.44 per month on usage of 1,200 kWh.

Electricity costs in the Cayman Islands are influenced by international oil prices, shipping costs and other external market conditions. Premier André Ebanks said the extension will maintain practical cost-of-living support while his government continues its longer-term energy programme.

“Cost of living remains a daily concern and struggle for many families, and this extension provides some relief until the end of the year,” Ebanks said in a press release Monday.

“Although government is unable to control global fuel prices, we can act responsibly to reduce their impact on electricity, transportation and household budgets. We are also continuing the longer-term work on energy efficiency and renewable generation so that Cayman is less exposed to future price shocks.”

Finance Minister Rolston Anglin said the extension was needed to protect residents from pressures originating outside the Cayman Islands. “By the end of August, Government had provided approximately CI$11.35 million in electricity rebates and fuel duty relief,” he said.

“That is a significant level of support, but it reflects the scale of the exposure facing a small island economy that imports the fuel used to generate electricity and move people and goods.

“Global energy markets remain uncertain, and the underlying pressures have not ended simply because the summer period is drawing to a close. Extending the programme through December gives families greater protection and avoids a sudden return of duties at a time when energy costs remain a concern,” Anglin added.

The fuel charge cap will remain at CI$0.18 per kWh. Residential customers using between 101 and 3,500 kWh per month are eligible for relief on the first 2,000 kilowatt-hours of consumption.

Eligible relief is applied automatically through CUC and Island Energy. Customers do not need to submit an application. The expanded threshold was introduced to include more multi-generational households, larger families and residents who rely on medical equipment at home.

CUC President and CEO Richard Hew said the programme provides much-needed cost relief for residential customers when fluctuations in global fuel prices are affecting electricity costs across Grand Cayman.

“We recognise the impact that higher energy costs can have on households and are thankful and welcome the measures being put in place that provide meaningful support to our customers.”

He added, “We also encourage customers to take practical steps to manage their energy consumption wherever possible. Simple energy-saving measures, along with investing in more energy-efficient appliances and technologies, can help households better manage their electricity usage and costs.”

Island Energy Director Matthew Bishop said the company welcomes the decision to extend the initiative. “Without the fuel subsidy, the recent surge in global oil prices would have translated directly into significantly higher electricity costs, placing additional pressure on vulnerable people and hard-working families across the Cayman Islands,” he said.

Given global oil prices and ongoing issues in the Middle East driving up fuel costs, there were fears of further gas price increases just as the waiver was about to end. However, the duty waiver means they will be 75 cents less per gallon at the pump.

The waiver removes the government duty component, but it does not set or freeze retail fuel prices. Prices at service stations will continue to reflect international purchase prices, shipping and supply costs, existing inventory and other market factors.

Depending on movements in global fuel prices, consumers may see a reduction, little change or an increase at the pump. In each case, prices should be lower than they otherwise would have been if the applicable import duty had been charged, officials said, noting that the waiver also continues to apply to propane.

OfReg and Customs and Border Control will continue coordinating with the ministry to monitor the fuel supply chain so that the benefit of the waiver is reflected in wholesale and retail pricing.

The NCFC government says this is part of its first phase of a three-phase energy relief and resilience plan. The second phase will expand home energy efficiency support through the Cayman Home Energy Efficiency Retrofit (CHEER) programme, including roof insulation and, at a later stage, more efficient air-conditioning units and fans.

The third phase will be expanding solar generation and other renewable energy solutions to reduce Cayman’s long-term exposure to oil price shocks.

Between 1 June and 31 August, the government gave CI$3.92 million in rebates to CUC and Island Energy to cover the cut in residential power bills, and waived CI$7.43 million in import duties on gasoline, diesel and propane. The further CI$3 million in supplementary funding is expected to be approved by Finance Committee next week.

Anglin said the extension balances immediate affordability support with responsible financial management. “This is targeted, time-limited relief while government advances the longer-term work needed to reduce energy consumption and dependence on imported fuel,” he said.

“We are directing support where it has a practical effect on household and business costs, while maintaining compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management,” the minister added.

As the government extends its fuel relief programme, Premier André Ebanks said the longer-term answer to energy costs will be cutting the Cayman Islands’ dependence on diesel.

Speaking on Radio Cayman on Monday, 28 September, Ebanks described the cost relief measures, which will now run until the end of December, as “very short term” and “costly”.

The extension continues the first phase of government’s three-phase energy relief and resilience plan.

The third phase focuses on expanding solar generation and other renewable energy solutions such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) to reduce Cayman’s long-term exposure to oil price shocks.

“The mindset of our team, NCFC, was, let’s try to accelerate as fast as we can to solar. But that isn’t happening as fast as we would like, and there is some expense to it,” he said.

“So we can’t stay in one mindset. We have to now think more broadly.

“We need other alternatives, and we’re going to have to look at things and re-examine the proposition for LNG and any other alternative now.”

Economic development minister Rolston Anglin, he added, has been asked to present options, including LNG, to caucus.

“What are some alternative sources of fuel? How are we going to maybe mix that with acceleration to electricity?” Ebanks said.

“Because the current pathway is a wake-up call that we have to use this challenge as an opportunity to reduce the cost for our people.”

When leaders of Caribbean overseas territories met in Bermuda in September, ahead of November’s Joint Ministerial Council in London, Ebanks said the issue was “on all of our minds in that meeting”.

“All the Caribbean OTs are struggling with the issue of cost of living and the inescapable conclusion is that one of the strongest routes [to relief] is to break our dependency on diesel,” he said.

(CNS): The Public Transport Unit (PTU) is launching a free public transport service in East End and North Side on Thursday and is urging everyone to try it and give feedback. The Eastern Link is a four-month public transport pilot initiative designed to improve connections across the Eastern Districts, giving passengers a practical connection to the wider public bus network through Frank Sound Junction.

People can use the service as the government gathers operational information and passenger feedback to help inform future public transport planning.

Grand Cayman is in desperate need of a modern public transport system to address traffic congestion, frustrating commutes and the problems associated with the current bus service, which is unreliable on many routes. It also does not run early or late enough for shift workers and has limited service over the weekend.

However, the Eastern Link is focused entirely on internal district travel, allowing passengers to move in and around the two furthest districts from the capital. It will be available Monday to Saturday, from 7:30am to 7:30pm, excluding public holidays.

It will offer the East End Loop through the village of East End, a second service looping through the district via the Queen’s Highway, and a third service running through North Side to Cayman Kai. Frank Sound Junction will serve as the principal connection point between the Eastern Link and the existing public bus network.

Travel on this shuttle is free for the duration of the pilot. Where shuttle passengers transfer to an existing public bus, the existing public bus fare rates will apply. To support operations, PTU staff will be on site every morning to ensure buses run as expected and to facilitate a smooth transition between public and shuttle buses at the junction, officials stated in a press release.

Residents are encouraged to try the service over the next four months, using the official passenger information to plan journeys and share feedback on the experience.

Towards the final phase of the pilot, the government will place additional emphasis on passenger and stakeholder feedback to support evaluation of the service. “Try it. Use it. Tell us what you think,” officials added.

Butterfield’s shareholders approved all four proposals put to a vote at the bank’s 2026 annual general meeting on 18 September.

The measures included a share issuance linked to Butterfield’s proposed acquisition of CIBC Caribbean.

The virtual meeting was held in Bermuda and also covered the appointment of the bank’s independent auditor, the election of directors and a general share-issuance mandate.

Butterfield said proposals one through four were each approved by the requisite vote.

Under the first proposal, shareholders approved the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers Ltd (PwC) as Butterfield’s independent auditor for the year ending 31 December.

They also authorised the board’s Audit Committee to determine the auditor’s remuneration.

Shareholders approved nine directors under the second proposal. The nominees were Michael Weld Collins, Alastair Barbour, Stephen E Cummings, Andrew Henton, Mark T Lynch, Meroe Park, Ingrid Pierce, Jana R Schreuder and Michael Schrum.

The directors will serve until the close of the 2027 annual general meeting or until their successors are elected or appointed.

The third proposal approved a general mandate allowing the board to issue or transfer shares and certain securities linked to shares.

Shares issued under the mandate must remain below 20% of Butterfield’s issued and outstanding share capital.

The fourth proposal related specifically to the proposed CIBC Caribbean acquisition. It allows Butterfield to issue shares to holders of CIBC Caribbean common stock as part of the transaction.

Approval was required under New York Stock Exchange and Bermuda Stock Exchange rules because the number of shares expected to be issued would exceed the applicable threshold.

Butterfield had 39,326,687 issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote as of the 29 July record date. Each share carried one vote, according to the bank’s proxy statement.

The AGM vote represents a further procedural step for the proposed transaction.

The acquisition remains subject to regulatory approvals and other closing conditions, with Butterfield previously saying it expects completion during the first half of 2027.

Butterfield operates banking and wealth management businesses in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda, the Channel Islands and the United Kingdom, among other jurisdictions.

Applicants for permanent residence could soon have to demonstrate more direct involvement with Caymanian people and culture as government prepares to make changes to the points system used to determine whether applicants can reside in the Cayman Islands indefinitely.

Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration Michael Myles said the revised system would restrict the types of volunteer work that qualify for points and place greater emphasis on activities involving schools, churches, cultural events and heritage organisations.

The proposals have been presented to Caucus following consultations with stakeholder groups, although the final scoring criteria and a timeline for their introduction have not yet been announced.

“The biggest part of the point system that we’re changing is that when you are in the Cayman Islands, you have to be assimilated to our culture,” Myles said during an interview on Compass Media’s Forefront programme that aired on 10 Sept.

Immigration regulations

Under the existing Immigration Regulations, applicants can earn up to 20 points for being community-minded and integrating into Caymanian society.

The regulations award points for activities including youth, sports, arts and church programmes; service clubs; charitable work; mentoring Caymanians; rehabilitating offenders; and certain financial contributions. Applicants generally must provide at least 35 hours of service annually to qualify for points in a given year.

Volunteering for a non-profit, charitable or voluntary organisation currently earns 1.5 points for each qualifying year, up to eight years. Higher marks are available for activities such as mentoring Caymanians outside normal working hours, sponsoring a Caymanian’s tertiary education or helping to rehabilitate offenders.

Myles said the present system allows applicants to accumulate points through activities that may not bring them into meaningful contact with Caymanians.

Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration Michael Myles speaking to Forefront host Tammi Sulliman. – Photo: Compass TV

He cited volunteering at the Cayman Islands Humane Society as an example, saying someone could walk dogs for the required hours and earn points without becoming more integrated into the wider community.

“I’m not against you going to walk a dog, but you’re not getting points for that,” he said of the proposed changes. “If you are a dog lover, go do that. But … we now need you is to make sure that you are culturally assimilated to the Cayman Islands and knowing our people.”

Revised system

Myles identified volunteering at Pirates Week, Cayman Carnival Batabano, the Cayman Turtle Centre and heritage sites as activities that could qualify under the revised system.

Work in schools could also be recognised, including mentoring or tutoring students and reading to children in primary schools. Volunteering through churches and becoming a foster parent are among the other options being considered.

“If you truly want points, that’s where we need to give you points because you get to know our people, you get to know their parents,” he said.

Myles said government wanted to make it more difficult for applicants to select what he described as the easiest route to securing community-involvement points.

“What we’re finding is that people are choosing the easiest path, and we need to now ensure that that’s harder,” he said.

The minister also suggested the wider system should not allow a high income alone to compensate for limited involvement in Caymanian society.

“We simply don’t want to give you points because you’re making $150,000 a year,” he said. “At the end of the day, that’s important. But you could stay on West Bay Road and not even interface with anybody in our country.”

The existing system awards up to 15 points for employment income, with the maximum available to applicants earning at least CI$150,000 annually. Points are also awarded for occupation, education and experience, local investments, savings, knowledge of Cayman’s history and culture, family connections, nationality and age.

Applicants who have been legally and ordinarily resident in Cayman for at least eight years must secure at least 110 points to receive permanent residence with the right to work.

Ministry of Social Development and Innovation chief officer Nellie Pouchie told members of Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that some departments were still not accepting the government’s eID cards, more than eight months after the scheme was launched at the beginning of the year.

Pouchie said that, as of early August, 2,109 ID cards had so far been issued and added, “We continue to work with departments to ensure that if there are any impediments or questions as to the validity of it. However, we’re not sure that all departments accept it at this point.”

She added, “I don’t have anything definitive, but where we do encounter issues with any entities that say they’re not accepting it, I know that’s when discussions then ensue as to why not, and then usually it’s a misunderstanding in terms of how they can rely on it. And once further information has been provided, those departments have accepted it.”

Scheme sign-ups

Public Accounts Committee chair and MP for George Town East, Roy McTaggart, questioned why the numbers of people who had signed up to the scheme were so low, saying, “Just over 2,000 registrants just doesn’t seem to me like a very large number when we have a population of 90,000 people. Is there any idea why there is such reluctance, that’s what I perceive it to be, to accept and to go ahead and have themselves registered and have a proper form of ID?”

In response, Pouchi said that the eID cards were still in the early stages, but that one of the groups which were slower to sign up were those who were born on or before 26 March 1977, who have now been formally recognised as Caymanian without having to apply for Caymanian status thanks to Immigration Act amendments passed in March.

“One of the big blocks was in terms of that population pre-‘77,” she said. “So, we are seeing some strides now in terms of those persons coming forward to get the eID.”

She said she didn’t have the figure of how many Caymanians have an eID card.

Bodden Town West MP Chris Saunders speaking in Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee. – Photo: CIGTV

Chris Saunders, MP for Bodden Town West, then asked why the official register of electors couldn’t be used to prove Caymanian status.

“I hate the fact that Caymanians have to go to immigration and get a letter of acknowledgement,” he said. “That drives me crazy. I’ve never gotten one. My kids have never gotten one and I refuse to get one. But we have a database of 20,000 Caymanians already … why can’t we just link the two and say we know these ones are already Caymanian and just solve that problem. Is it legislation stopping us from doing it? What is stopping us from doing that?”

MSDI chief financial officer Vinton Chinsee said that it was a “very touchy legislative problem,” and said that the risk was that the election list might contain people who were not given Caymanian status, although the number was likely to be small.

Politicial situation

Saunders said that legislation needed to be changed “so that we don’t have to be putting Caymanians through this. This is another problem the politicians created when they went and allowed people to be naturalised without having status … so now you have people who are naturalised British Overseas Territory citizens who have the passport but are not Caymanians.”

MSDI deputy chief officer, Charles Brown, who leads the eID project, was sworn in to clarify the issue. He said that while only Caymanians have the right to vote, making the list of electors essentially a list of Caymanians, “people can only be deemed as Caymanian under the Immigration Transition Act on a one-to-one basis through an application.”

Earlier this year, an amendment changed the legislation so that anyone born in the islands on or before 26 March 1977 is now deemed to be Caymanian. People who want to apply for an eID card can just bring their birth certificate showing they were born in the Cayman Islands earlier than that date and they do not need to bring a letter of acknowledgement. For people born afterwards, they would have to bring an acknowledgement letter, confirmation letter or a status grant and then details would be confirmed with WORC.

Deputy opposition leader Kenneth Bryan sought to clarify the issue of Caymanian status. – Photo: CIGTV

Without the letter of acknowledgment, said Brown, “if you remain unacknowledged, you essentially are one of the groups of the “believed to be Caymanians,” if that’s a term, and you can have your eID printed, but it would print as dash dash dash, not as Caymanian.”

Following questioning from deputy opposition leader Kenneth Bryan, Brown confirmed that a Caymanian passport would not be considered proof that a person was Caymanian.

“In a long-term vision,” said Brown, “how this should work in my humble opinion, is that when a child is born in the islands is when their immigration status should be determined. Nobody should be determining their immigration status as an adult.”

In an added twist, Brown said that he was aware that the DVDL, according to its own guidance, will accept the Cayman Islands’ Voters ID card for proof of Caymanian status, but that the same card will not be accepted as proof of Caymanian status when applying for an eID card. Said Bryan, “Thank you for confirming that the DVDL is not using a proper process to give away fees of the taxpayers money, because I don’t know how they’re going to do that.”

The restoration of the eroded beachfront at the Grand Cayman Marriott Resort is already being hailed as a success and a blueprint for returning the Seven Mile shoreline to its former glory.

Tourism Minister Gary Rutty said the project would be the “ultimate test” for how to bring back the beach and could open the door for a wider restoration effort.

And hotel bosses said the project, which was completed last month, was a “proof of concept” that created a template for battling erosion that others could potentially follow.

The site of the old Royal Palms, where a new venture is planned, has seen significant sand return naturally. – Photo: James Whittaker

Deputy Premier Rutty said the return of the Marriott’s beach would bring back jobs and income as well as help restore the tarnished reputation of Cayman’s key tourism asset.

The wave action from certain storms has supplemented the replenishment project, bringing beach frontage back to properties on a mile-long stretch of severely impacted coastline at the southern end of Seven Mile.

Rutty visited the beach and reviewed the changes along with Premier André Ebanks last month. He told the Compass it was “so beautiful” to see the beach back at its best, with people able to walk its entire length.

“That area has taken such a licking over the past few years with sand erosion, but it is so beautiful. We took a tour and visited a few spots and it is looking good.

“The most important thing is for our visitors to come here and experience Seven Mile Beach as we know it.”

The current revitalisation of the beach is part nature, part nurture.

Rutty said the early signs were that the Marriott restoration had been a success. And he suggested a wider restoration is likely a necessary next step.

He said the sustainability Marriott project, which involved the importation of 8,000 cubic yards of sand from the Bahamas and the installation of two low-profile rock structures, would help establish what was possible elsewhere on the beach.

The beach outside the Marriott following the recent replenishment. – Photo: James Whittaker

The deputy premier, who previously owned the nearby Comfort Suites hotel (now the Hampton by Hilton Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach), added that government has moved quickly to approve the project, once environment officials had signed off on the concept.

“It was long overdue and it shouldn’t have gone on as long as it had gone. The country has missed out, the Marriott has missed out and some of our Caymanian employees have missed out.

A Compass boat moored up next to the Marriott deck, prior to the restoration in 2024. – Photo: Simon Boxall

“It’s a calculated risk that we had to do,” Rutty said. “There was no sand here. There was no beach. You could tie up a boat to the Marriott seawall.”

He added that the project would bring back employment and praised the Marriott for hiring Caymanians. It is also expected to increase room rates, occupancy and revenue for government from accommodation taxes.

“Government was losing about $2 million a year just off of that hotel,” he said.

“We had to do something.”

Wider replenishment remains necessary

While storms have also brought sand back along the worse-hit southern stretch of the beach, that is expected to be a temporary reprieve, amid seasonal patterns that are impacting a large swathe of prime beach front.

Rutty acknowledged that a wider replenishment project was likely necessary.

Government has indicated it expects the private sector to lead on plans for beach restoration and there is no direct funding budgeted.

Marriott has ‘paved the way’ for others

Jason Marin, vice president of asset management at LR Group, which owns the Marriott, said he was delighted to have the beach back at the hotel.

The resort lost significant revenue and occupancy as a result of the loss of its beach and has already moved to hire 50 more employees ahead of what is expected to be its busiest high season in year.

But Marin said the project has implications beyond the boundaries of the property.

Working with government, he said the hotelier had established a blueprint on how to do a major beach restoration in Cayman.

Prior to the Marriott’s project there was no established process for beach restoration, including sourcing viable sand from overseas. – Photo: James Whittaker

“We proved a test case that can be taken by any other owner now,” Marin said.

While any other project would need separate approvals from Cabinet and the Department of Environment and Agriculture, he said a process for private sector led restoration was now established.

“That’s the real beauty of this project. We have now paved the way for another owner to take this template and make an application of their own.”

He added that a larger, beach-wide project remains under discussion among other owners.

“We’ve proven the concept,” he added.

Storms have brought some sand back to Laguna Del Mar and other properties, but the situation remains precarious. – Photo: James Whittaker

Rutty said a separate group had brought forward proposals for a wider replenishment of sand along Seven Mile Beach, though nothing has progressed significantly at this stage.

“There’s been a few discussions, a few proposals that have come forward,” Rutty said.

‘A gift from the good Lord’

Handel Whittaker, who runs Jacks Beach Bar and is about to open a new venue at the old Royal Palms hotel site, said there was 130-foot of beach front bordering the property. Even in front of Jacks – formerly Coral Beach – sunbathers spread out on deckchairs where only a few months ago snorkelers and paddle boarders swam alongside the seawall.

“This is all a gift from the good Lord,” he said.

Handel Whittaker, owner of Jacks Beach Bar, is happy to see sand return to southern Seven Mile. – Photo: James Whittaker

The beach has suffered, both in reality and in the public eye, because of erosion and negative reviews. And he believes it could be time to supplement what nature has brought with a replenishment project.

Compass reporter James Whittaker pictured around the same spot in 2021. Photo: File

“We could have prevented all the adverse publicity about Seven Mile Beach being ruined because of no beach [if we had acted sooner]. I think now that the sand is coming back, this is the opportune time for stakeholders, along with government, to do something about it.”

For the Marriott, the return of the beach is fundamental to the success of the hotel.

General Manager Hermes Cuello moved quickly to restore the “beach” to the resort’s official name and signage.

“The beach is an integral part of the guest experience at Grand Cayman Marriott Beach Resort, and its restoration is truly transformational for our property.

Hermes Cuello proudly displays the new entry sign. – Photo: James Whittaker

“Our guests choose to stay at a beachfront resort because they want direct access to the sand and sea.”

The Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service (CBC) is reminding members of the public that the permanent CI$800 duty free allowance for returning residents is now in effect, following the conclusion of the temporary CI$1,000 summer allowance on 31 August 2026.

Effective 1 September 2026, returning residents may bring personal and household goods valued at up to CI$800 duty free, at the discretion of the Director. The permanent allowance, which represents an increase from the previous standard allowance of CI$500, was introduced through an amendment to Schedule 2 of the Customs Tariff Act (2026 Revision), relating to duty free imported goods.

CBC also reminds the public that the temporary CI$1,000 duty free allowance will resume from 23 November 2026 through 7 January 2027. The permanent CI$800 allowance will resume on 8 January 2027.

The allowances apply to personal and household goods only and do not apply to merchandise, commercial goods or items intended for resale. Where the value of goods exceeds the applicable duty free allowance, travellers are required to declare the goods and pay the applicable duty on the amount exceeding the allowance.

Individuals are encouraged to retain receipts for goods purchased while travelling and to ensure that all required declarations are complete and accurate.

Director of CBC, Marlon Bodden, said, “We encourage members of the public to familiarise themselves with the applicable duty free allowance before travelling and to ensure that all goods are declared accurately where required. The permanent CI$800 allowance is now in effect, and it is important that the public understands the applicable thresholds, particularly as we transition between the permanent and seasonal allowances.

CBC remains committed to making the customs process as clear and efficient as possible. We therefore encourage travellers to retain their receipts, declare goods honestly and, where they are uncertain about their obligations, seek guidance from a CBC officer.

Nearly a year and a half after Caymanians voted to decriminalise small amounts of cannabis and establish a national lottery, both matters remain with the Law Reform Commission.

Deputy opposition leader Kenneth Bryan says he has “no confidence” the government will legislate the results this term, adding that it is not a priority for them.

“If they wanted this, it would happen,” Bryan told Radio Cayman’s programme ‘For the Record’ on 2 September.

“When it’s a priority for you, you call an emergency sitting in the House to get it done. It’s not a priority for government. That’s just the simple truth.”

Caymanians voted on three government-initiated referendum questions during the April 2025 general election.

Those questions asked if voters supported the introduction of a national lottery, if they supported decriminalisation of the consumption and possession of small amounts of cannabis, and if the Cayman Islands should develop cruise berthing infrastructure.

The results showed 51.24% support for the lottery, 55.64% support for cannabis decriminalisation and 64.15% rejection of cruise berthing infrastructure.

In a June 2025 sitting of parliament, Premier Andre Ebanks said the government was committed to honouring the will of Caymanian voters.

He said the government would “be guided accordingly” by the public’s clear rejection of the cruise berthing infrastructure, but expressed more nuance regarding the other questions.

Both matters, he said, would need to be referred to the Law Reform Commission for recommendations.

The commission opened a public consultation process on cannabis reform and harm minimisation in July. That consultation closed on 1 September.

Cayman Independent has contacted the commission and the Office of the Premier for comment on the outcome of that consultation process.

A final report from the commission on the decriminalisation of cannabis is expected to be submitted in October, and another report on the national lottery is expected in January.

Bryan was doubtful that any progress would be made on the matters, noting that the conclusion was his own and not that of the People’s Progressive Movement.

“If, at the rate of those steps, it takes 18 months to do a discussion paper, I can promise you this government is not going to deliver either one of the referendums,” he said.

“I have no confidence whatsoever that this administration is going to bring legislation for either one of those results in the referendum.”

While Bryan said the opposition has pushed the topic several times with the government, he also acknowledged that advancing the referendum results was not a top priority for the opposition either.

“We advocate for what the people have said. We stand by their results. But there are other issues that are going on in this country that we need to face,” he said.

“I don’t think the world will end, if one of those referendum matters comes into play in this administration or [doesn’t].

“But there are other issues – the cost of living, housing, healthcare issues, safety.”

As the next sitting of parliament nears on 30 September, lawmakers in both the government and the opposition are revisiting the debate over permanent residency reform.

Caymanian employment and immigration minister Michael Myles this week pointed to updating the permanent residency points system as a current priority area for his ministry.

“The PR points system has been a major stain on our country,” he told Cayman Independent.

“The system will be reformed. We simply can no longer allow people to qualify because they can buy a house or walk dogs.”

Last month, speaking on Radio Cayman’s ‘For the Record’ programme, Myles touched on the topic, saying the reform process was “well underway”.

“We’ve been talking about this for 20 years, reforming the PR points system. We’ve had ministers come in and toy with the idea because it’s unpopular,” he said at the time.

“I don’t really care one way or another. We have to protect Caymanians. The status, Caymanianship, should not be bought. It has to be earned.”

Under the current points-based system, applicants can earn up to 30 points from property ownership towards the 110 needed to qualify for permanent residency.

Property investments in the Cayman Islands above CI$500,000 are guaranteed the maximum points.

The property ownership topic is one that Premier André Ebanks has said his government will seek to address by the end of the year.

In May, he reflected on the impact of rewarding real estate holdings in both the permanent residency and residency-by-investment frameworks.

“We know that that is now exacerbating another problem where there are Caymanians who… can’t get onto the property ladder,” he told Cayman Independent at the time.

Opposition echoes support for reform

The opposition as well has pointed to the urgent need to reform the permanent residency process.

Deputy opposition leader Kenneth Bryan told Cayman Independent that an overhaul of the permanent residency points system is “the single most critical phase of immigration reform”.

Bryan, the opposition’s shadow immigration minister, said this is an area where the opposition is in full agreement with the need for reform.

“One of our key focus areas is removing points awarded purely for acquiring land and residential property,” he said.

“The current setup has incentivised property purchases simply to accumulate points, which artificially inflates our real estate market, pushes homeownership out of reach for everyday people, and inherently favours wealthy applicants over those without significant capital.”

He said becoming a permanent resident in Cayman should never be a transaction.

“The qualities that truly matter are an applicant’s character, their integration into our community, and their genuine commitment to adopting and preserving the Caymanian way of life,” he said.

“We want to see stronger, more meaningful testing mechanisms within the points system to evaluate an individual’s understanding of our unique culture, heritage and civic values.”

Bryan said the opposition looked forward to reviewing the government’s proposed criteria for a new system.

He expressed hope that the amended criteria would prioritise character and community integration over financial assets.

“Without our culture and our people, Cayman is just a rock in the Caribbean Sea,” Bryan said.

The topic was identified by the government as the next phase in overhauling Cayman’s immigration framework.

(CMR) A man who claimed he armed himself with an illegal firearm out of fear after being shot in a mass shooting at Ed Bush Stadium has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing the weapon.

Justice Cheryll Richards KC sentenced Lucianno Jackson-Martinez (29) on 22 May 2026 after he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition and possession of cocaine with intent to supply. He also pleaded guilty to four drug offenses dealt with in the Summary Court.

The firearm offense arose from a police search of Jackson-Martinez’s apartment at 47 Lantern Point, Prospect Point Road, on 9 May 2025. Officers found a Smith & Wesson SD9 VE semi-automatic 9mm pistol and 11 rounds of ammunition inside a drawstring bag in a storage bin in the living room.

The firearm was found to be in good working order and capable of firing 9mm ammunition. Jackson-Martinez was not licensed to possess firearms or ammunition in the Cayman Islands.

The same search uncovered cocaine weighing 24.8 grams. Police also recovered ganja from a vehicle Jackson-Martinez was driving on Mary Street. The ganja weighed 535.1 grams, or 18.875 ounces, and police also found a digital scale containing ganja residue.

According to the judgment, Jackson-Martinez acknowledged owning the vehicle, backpack, and its contents during a police interview, and said the ganja was for personal use. He also acknowledged that the scale belonged to him.

The firearm was discovered after Jackson-Martinez had been arrested in connection with the search. When he saw his partner being brought into the detention center, he became agitated and said, “the gun is mine,” while also stating that he had the gun because he had been shot and the person responsible had not been found. His comments were recorded by the detention centre’s surveillance system.

A significant part of the sentencing hearing concerned whether Jackson-Martinez’s circumstances amounted to “exceptional circumstances” under the Firearms Act, allowing the court to avoid the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence.

Defense counsel argued that Jackson-Martinez had been threatened repeatedly, shot at on previous occasions and eventually shot in the right thigh during the February 2024 mass shooting at Ed Bush Stadium in West Bay.

The court heard that two armed men fired into the crowd at the stadium, hitting Jackson-Martinez and six other people. He escaped, drove himself to hospital and was treated for a gunshot wound to his right thigh.

His defense argued that he had reported threats to police and that the combination of the threats, previous attempts to shoot him and the 2024 shooting caused him to fear for his life and the safety of his family. Counsel maintained that he acquired the firearm solely for self-defence.

The prosecution did not dispute all of the factual circumstances relied upon by the defence, but argued that possessing a firearm for protection did not amount to exceptional circumstances warranting a departure from the statutory minimum.

The court accepted that Jackson-Martinez had suffered trauma as a result of the threats and shooting and said it was likely that he was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. However, Justice Richards found that the circumstances, considered together, did not meet the threshold required to disapply the mandatory sentence.

“In the Court’s view, looking at all the circumstances holistically,” the judgment states, “there is nothing in these circumstances taken as a whole which may be regarded as exceptional either in relation to the offender or to the offense.”

The judge concluded that imposing the 10-year minimum would not be arbitrary or disproportionate.

Justice Richards therefore imposed the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence for possession of the firearm.

The court noted that the pistol was a genuine, functioning firearm and had been loaded with 11 rounds, although there was no evidence it had been used. The judge also noted that Jackson-Martinez had no previous convictions for firearm offenses and that his stated intention had been to protect himself.

He received a concurrent 12-month sentence for possession of ammunition.

For possession of cocaine with intent to supply, the court adopted a starting point of eight years. The sentence was increased by three months because the cocaine was not securely stored and was in an apartment where a baby lived, but was then reduced by 18 months in mitigation. After the full one-third guilty plea discount, the final sentence for the cocaine offense was 54 months.

For possession of ganja with intent to supply, the court imposed a final sentence of 20 months after mitigation and the guilty plea discount. The simple possession charge was subsumed.

Jackson-Martinez also received 12 weeks for possession of a drug utensil and 12 weeks for consumption of ganja. All of the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

Jackson-Martinez has been in custody since 9 May 2025, and Justice Richards ordered that all time already served be deducted from his sentence.

The judge also directed that while in custody he continue to receive treatment for his addictions and any issues relating to post-traumatic stress disorder.

The firearm, ammunition, cocaine, ganja and digital scale were ordered forfeited to the Crown for destruction.

(CNS): In submissions to the government’s current public consultation on drafting legislation to meet the outcome of the 2025 referendum, a psychiatrist and a local attorney campaigning for full cannabis legalisation say Cayman risks making its drug problem worse if it only decriminalises small amounts of ganja without allowing people to grow their own.

Dr Marc Lockhart and Orren Merren argue that the proposed “narrow decriminalisation” model — removing criminal penalties for possession but keeping cultivation illegal — is a recipe for more illegal imports, more black‑market activity and more social injustice.

They point to a regional anti‑money‑laundering report that warns decriminalisation without legal cultivation leads to a spike in smuggling. “Where possession is decriminalised and demand increases, but importing and cultivation remains illegal, illicit imports increase,” the report cited in the submissions states.

Merren and Lockhart have made their submissions on the subject public because the local community is still divided on the subject. Some want to retain Cayman’s outdated laws, some support decriminalisation and others want controlled legalisation, not just for recreational use but to kickstart a new economic sector with medical marijuana.

Dr Lockhart and Merren argue that Cayman will face the problems that have emerged in other jurisdictions if it only decriminalises possession. People will still have to buy cannabis illegally, meaning the black market — and the criminal networks behind it — stay firmly in business.

The pair, who have become well known for their long-running campaign for a much broader approach to legalisation and regulation, point to the CARICOM Marijuana Commission’s warning that narrow decriminalisation is “a half‑measure… which encourages criminality”.

They argue that the reality is already apparent in the Cayman Islands, with ganja arriving alongside guns, ammunition, cocaine and other contraband, often through the same smuggling routes.

They warn that keeping cultivation illegal means users have no control over what they’re consuming, including dangerous contaminants like formaldehyde, which Jamaican police and Cayman’s CBC have said gangs are using to lace ganja to make it stronger.

Dr Lockhart and Merren say that Cayman’s current approach has created unequal justice, with Caymanians often receiving harsher penalties than tourists caught with the same cannabis products.

They point to a number of recent cases reported in local media where visitors received fines and no convictions, while Caymanians faced criminal records. They argue that this imbalance will continue unless Cayman adopts a wider model that includes home cultivation.

Police organisations around the region are seeking ways to avoid diverting resources from serious crime to arrest people consuming ganja, which disproportionately targets young, low‑income people and does little to reduce violence or trafficking. Dr Lockhart and Merren maintain that decriminalisation will not meaningfully reduce the consequences of this social injustice.

A previous RCIPS police commissioner, David Baines, warned that ganja possession cases were “clogging up the system” and diverting attention from major drug trafficking and gun smuggling.

Dr Lockhart and Merren say the safest, most effective model is the one used in Jamaica: decriminalise possession and allow adults to grow up to five plants at home. This reduces reliance on traffickers, improves product safety, and frees police to focus on serious crime.

They argue that Cayman’s proposed narrow model will increase illegal imports, expose users to contaminated cannabis, perpetuate unequal sentencing, waste police resources and fail to reduce gang activity. But decriminalisation that includes home cultivation would shrink the black market, reduce youth criminalisation, improve public health, support social justice and align Cayman with regional best practice.

Their message to lawmakers, in a hefty package of information submitted to lawmakers, including draft legislation, said Cayman must avoid a halfway approach. If the country wants to reduce crime, protect young people, and stop clogging the courts with minor ganja cases, a wider but regulated legalisation and is the only model that works.

Deputy opposition leader Kenneth Bryan has accused the government of presenting a high rate of work-permit refusals as evidence of progress.

The shadow immigration minister called the framing “tone-deaf and insensitive” to a business community he described as “overwhelmingly Caymanian-owned”.

The criticism follows comments by Caymanian employment and immigration minister Michael Myles that Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman is now refusing more work permit applications than it approves.

Myles attributed the shift to officials holding to account employers who overlook qualified Caymanians.

“I find it deeply concerning that the ministry and the minister are attempting to portray high rejection rates as a positive metric,” Bryan told Cayman Independent.

“Higher refusal rates do not automatically translate to fewer work permits or a sudden surge in local hiring; what they do create is an increasingly bureaucratic, slow and burdensome process for legitimate businesses trying to secure necessary labour.”

Increasing refusals, he added, “often just means the process has become more convoluted and burdensome”, with increased business costs that “trickle directly down to the consumer”.

Data transparency

Speaking on Radio Cayman on 21 August, Myles said he receives the refusal statistics almost weekly.

Bryan said, however, that, to date, there has been no comprehensive data published or made public regarding enforcement outcomes, revocations or refusal metrics since 1 May, when the Caymanian Protection Act took effect.

“This lack of transparency suggests a hesitation to reveal that many of these administrative changes and system shifts may not be delivering the promised outcomes,” Bryan said.

“When a government introduces a sweeping reform to the immigration and labour framework, the public deserves at least quarterly reporting on key performance indicators and enforcement results.

“Transparency is essential so we can evaluate whether these policies are genuinely achieving their intended goals.”

Myles, in response to Cayman Independent, pushed back on Bryan’s assessment, calling it disappointing and saying the MP had never requested the information from him directly.

“Furthermore, if he requested these statistics from any other ministry or department representative, I am certainly not aware of it,” Myles said.

“I would encourage a look back during his time as a minister in government to verify just how many of these same statistics his own administration published or released during their tenure.

“Since taking office in May 2025, I found that these specific statistics were never routinely published – not because anyone is trying to hide anything, but simply because there was no prior precedent or demand established for them.”

As of January, the latest public data from the Cayman Islands Government saw total work permit holders, including government staff, sat at 37,613.

The number has remained relatively stable in recent years, sitting above 37,000 since September 2024 and above 34,000 since January 2023.

Employment focus

During his 21 August Radio Cayman appearance, Myles described a shift in government’s employment strategy, focused more squarely on the unemployed rather than the underemployed.

The Employment Services Unit’s client list, Myles said, had been cut from about 1,000 people to roughly 280 to 290, after screening found that many registrants were underemployed or already in work rather than unemployed.

Bryan argued that the government was missing the bigger economic question in its labour market approach, focusing on Caymanian unemployment rather than underemployment.

“Statistically, our unemployment rate is relatively low, but the far more pressing and systemic issue affecting our people today is underemployment,” he said.

“We have qualified Caymanians who are working, but they are stuck in positions below their skill level or receiving wages that do not align with their qualifications or the cost of living.

“That is where government focus and workforce development should be directed.”

As of fall 2025, the Caymanian unemployment rate sat at 4.1% and the underemployment rate at 7.5%.

In comments to Cayman Independent, Myles elaborated on his ministry’s active priorities, including the elimination of work permit abuse by employers, labour reform to reduce abuse of employees, and raising employment standards to assist Caymanians with employment, training and career advancement opportunities. 

“I have committed my time in office to work for our people. I have no time to discuss pettiness. There is a lot of clean-up to do,” Myles said.

Meanwhile, Bryan said truly measuring the success of labour market reforms will come down to analysing quality of life rather than employment rates alone.

“While seeing lower Caymanian unemployment and a higher representation of Caymanians in leadership roles across our key sectors – such as financial services, tourism and the civil service – are important indicators, the ultimate test of a ‘Cayman First’ policy goes much deeper,” he said.

“The true measurable evidence of success is quality of life and affordability.

“A policy is only working if Caymanians can actually afford to live in their own country – where homeownership is within reach, where the cost of living is manageable, and where hard-working people aren’t forced to work two or three jobs just to survive.

“Real success isn’t just about statistics on a paper; it’s about ensuring our people can thrive in their home island.”

Although the strengthening El Niño in the Pacific Ocean has so far inhibited tropical cyclone activity in the Caribbean, it can bring other consequences to the region, including hotter temperatures and less rain.

Lightning over Grand Cayman 5 September. – Photo: Joan West

This past week’s showers were a welcomed respite for an island that has seen less rainfall than usual over the past two years, but it doesn’t mean the Cayman Islands will see the normal amounts of rain in September and October – historically the wettest months of the year.

Last week’s thunderstorms left puddles on roads, put water into cisterns and give thirsty vegetation some badly needed relief. But drought is not measured by a week’s worth of rain; it is measured by accumulated rainfall over many weeks, months and seasons.

Hot and dry

Weather Service statistics show Grand Cayman recorded 4.4 inches of rain in August, compared with a 30-year average of about 5.8 inches.

Cayman Brac received just 0.9 inches, compared with a 10-year August average of about 4.7 inches.

In addition, the temperatures on Grand Cayman on one day in August reached 95.4 F – one-tenth of a degree from the hottest temperatures ever recorded on the island – with nine daily record highs recorded during the month.

The dry conditions so far this year follow 2025, when Grand Cayman received just 35.1 inches of rain, making it the second-driest year on record. The 2025 wet season was itself the third driest on record.

Speaking on CompassTV on 4 Sept., Kerry Powery, director general of the Cayman Islands National Weather Service, said Grand Cayman was running about 11 inches below average rainfall accumulation for the wet season so far this year.

A major contributing factor, he said, is El Niño.

For the northwestern Caribbean, Powery said the phenomenon is associated with “heat and dry weather”, with the heat persisting throughout the evening.

“We’re not getting any relief at night,” Powery said.

With fewer active tropical waves passing through and delivering periodic rain, he said heat can accumulate and conditions can feel hotter.

Powery said a recently installed station on Little Cayman recorded 95.7 F, which, if accurate, would be the highest temperature recorded in the Cayman Islands.

He cautioned, however, that Cayman’s long-term historical records have principally been based on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. The newer stations will need years of observations before equivalent climatological comparisons can be made.

El Niño strengthens

El Niño began with unusually warm water across parts of the equatorial Pacific but develops into a coupled ocean-atmosphere phenomenon capable of altering weather patterns thousands of miles away.

In a press statement issued on 3 Sept., the World Meteorological Organization announced that El Niño was firmly established and expected to strengthen further.

“El Niño is being supersized before our eyes,” said UN Secretary-General António Guterres in the statement. “The science leaves no room for doubt: the planet is in uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up. Sea surface temperatures are rising, temperatures keep climbing, and the world is in the danger zone of extreme weather.”

The World Meteorological Organization’s latest forecasts put the likelihood of El Niño persisting through February 2027 at nearly 100% – the first time it has expressed that degree of certainty in an El Niño/La Niña update.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center similarly reported in August that El Niño was strengthening, with a greater than 90% chance of a very strong event during the Northern Hemisphere autumn and winter.

Jamaica feels the drought

Elsewhere in the Caribbean, the effects of hot and dry conditions are becoming more severe.

In neighbouring Jamaica, water prohibition orders took effect on 17 Aug. across seven parishes following critically low rainfall and persistently high temperatures associated with El Niño.

The restrictions prohibit National Water Commission water being used for activities including watering gardens and farms, filling swimming pools and washing vehicles with a hose.

Jamaica’s Minister of Water, Environment and Climate Change Matthew Samuda said rainfall in eastern parishes had remained below the 30-year average since April, while higher temperatures were increasing evaporation.

“The climate has changed,” he said. “We are exposed to extremes that our infrastructure was never designed to manage.”

Samuda said the prevailing outlook indicated a significant improvement in rainfall was not expected until early next year.

From farms to grocery shelves

The potential consequences of El Niño extend beyond rainfall and temperature.

While some regions become wetter during El Niño, drought risk increases in others, including some important agricultural areas.

The World Bank warned in June that global food markets entered 2026 on relatively stable footing, but that a stronger or more prolonged El Niño could disrupt several major crop-producing regions simultaneously.

Typically, El Niño can bring prolonged drought to Southeast Asia and drier conditions across parts of Australia, northern Brazil, southern Africa and South Asia – regions important for grains, sugarcane and oilseeds.

For Cayman, which imports much of its food, disruption in major agricultural regions can eventually become a local cost-of-living issue.

Fruits and vegetables. – Compass file photo.

That does not mean shoppers should expect an immediate El Niño surcharge at the supermarket. Commodity prices are only one component of retail food prices, alongside shipping, fuel, fertiliser, processing, labour and other costs. But it illustrates how a phenomenon beginning in the Pacific can potentially connect a drought-stricken farm thousands of miles away to a grocery bill in the Cayman Islands.

Other costs

Hotter temperatures can also add to the cost of living in Cayman. Higher temperatures increase evaporation and water demand for local farmers and home gardeners, increasing their costs.

Warmer nights can keep air-conditioning systems working longer, which can increase household expenses.

Hotter days increase electricity costs for businesses as they keep employees, customers and inventories cool.

The increased heat can also lead to serious health issues, especially for those who work outdoors and those who exercise or participate in sporting activities outside.

(CNS): An American flight attendant based in Georgia who has worked for Delta Airlines for some 50 years has stirred up a social media storm in the Cayman Islands, and officials have confirmed that the matter is being investigated by WORC.

For several years, tour operators have been complaining about Val Kegel and what they say is her “disingenuous” pay-to-play social media influencing and promotion — or criticism — of Caymanian businesses catering to tourists.

However, Kegel’s work here has come under intense fire recently, and questions have been raised about the legality of what she is doing. Tour operators are accusing the government of standing by as she undermines local businesses that refuse to pay her for ‘positive posts’.

Kegel is not a resident here but is a regular visitor. She, like many people, posts reviews and information on a range of social media pages and a website about the Cayman Islands, and has done so for several years.

However, it appears that in more recent times, she has been converting what appeared to be a hobby into a business, as she has intensified her solicitation of local restaurants, bars, shops and accommodation owners to pay to appear on her pages with positive reviews.

Conversely, she posts negative reviews of businesses that don’t agree to pay or who choose not to renew contracts with her. Kegel switches from criticising businesses and posting what many say are ‘fake’ reviews when they don’t pay her to posting positive ones when they do, and vice versa.

While the online world is something of a wild west and very difficult to police, local businesses are now asking local authorities at the Department of Tourism, the Customs and Border Control Service and WORC to close Kegel down, as they believe she is breaking Cayman laws and could be prosecuted, given that she is a frequent visitor.

Dozens of people have contacted CNS and other media outlets about her. They are speaking openly about their concerns, despite fears that Kegel will, as one operator told us, “bad mouth” their business if they criticise her, using numerous social media pages and sites to post misinformation.

Cayman News Service has reached out to Kegel to comment on the mounting backlash about her pay-to-play-influencer model, and we are awaiting a response. But there is no evidence of her holding a trade and business licence with a local partner, or a work permit, or even a visitor’s work visa for when she is here and allegedly working.

When we contacted WORC, they stated that Kegel was the subject of an investigation. “We can confirm that the allegations are being investigated currently by the WORC department regarding suspension of engaging in activities requiring a work permit under the Caymanian Protection Act,” Director Jeremy Scott said.

But the law remains unclear when it comes to the enforcement of Cayman legislation, since Kegel is conducting the work from her home in the United States. Nevertheless, those negatively impacted by her work believe the government could act next time Kegel visits Cayman, which, according to her own social media posts, will be for the upcoming Pirates Week festival.

Roland Talanow, who has raised the issue on social media and is among those who contacted CNS about Kegel, said this was not about isolated complaints, and that his own pages have been inundated by posts saying that Kegel is attacking local businesses.

“Numerous apparently independent Cayman business owners, residents and consumers describe strikingly similar experiences,” Talanow, who has been speaking on behalf of a number of local businesses, told CNS.

“There is also an important Cayman First dimension: a non-resident is commercially benefiting from Cayman-focused platforms, while Caymanian and local businesses that refuse to pay or provide benefits can be selectively disadvantaged. Meanwhile, participating businesses receive favourable exposure to tourists through recommendations presented as genuine community opinion.

“The broader question is whether a non-resident commercial promotional operation is profiting from Cayman while manipulating what tourists perceive as independent recommendations and disadvantaging Cayman businesses that refuse to participate in its commercial model,” he added.

(CMR) The Cayman Islands has gone, almost overnight, from one weekly newspaper limping along to four scrambling to print every week, with more titles reportedly preparing to launch in the coming months.

That is not organic growth. It is the direct, engineered result of a decision by Minister Michael Myles and the Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman department to force every employer on this island to buy print advertising space for every single job vacancy, on top of the mandatory WORC jobs portal listing that already existed. And the law those officials are pointing to does not say what they are telling the public it says.

Section 58(2)(b) of the Immigration (Transition) Act, as amended this year, requires a prospective employer to have advertised a vacancy “in a local newspaper or other prescribed media” for twenty-one days before submitting a work permit application. That is the operative language of the statute Parliament passed. It is not “printed newspaper.” It is not “hard copy publication.” It is “newspaper,” a word that in ordinary and legal usage across multiple jurisdictions has long been understood to include digital news publications, and it is paired with the phrase “or other prescribed media,” which on its face contemplates formats beyond a printed sheet altogether.

Minister Myles has nonetheless taken the position that “newspaper” means a printed newspaper, and WORC has enforced that reading, turning what Parliament wrote as an inclusive standard into an exclusionary one without any visible regulatory process. CMR has reviewed its own Trade and Business Licensing record, dated June 2026, which classifies this outlet as a Newspaper. That classification exists under the same government, through policy interpretation rather than legislation, suggesting digital-only newspapers do not count for the purposes of section 58. If the Minister wants “newspaper” to mean “printed newspaper” for immigration purposes, that is a change to the meaning of a defined term in an Act of Parliament, and it is Parliament, not a ministerial directive or an internal WORC decision, that has the authority to make it. A minister cannot rewrite a statutory term by announcement. That is the textbook definition of a decision made ultra vires, beyond the powers the law actually confers, and it is precisely the kind of decision that is vulnerable to judicial review.

CMR understands that media houses are now actively discussing exactly that: a judicial review challenge to have this policy declared unlawful.

CMR put a detailed set of questions to the government, copying the ministry responsible for sustainability given the environmental angle, and asked plainly what research or data justified the shift to mandatory print. The government's response, credited to Myles, offers not a single figure. It does not say how many people read a print job advert versus a portal listing. It does not say how many copies of any newspaper are actually read versus discarded. It does not address the fact that a digital advert can be measured through page views, unique visitors, and independent third-party social media analytics, while a stack of newspapers sitting untouched at a gas station till cannot. CMR understands that the Cayman Compass prints under eight thousand copies a week.

Nobody in government has ever asked, let alone answered, how many of those eight thousand actually leave the rack.

There is also no minimum print run, no circulation threshold, and no explanation anywhere in the government's response of what actually qualifies a publication to satisfy the requirement, beyond the bare assertion that it must be a print product. Employers must now run the same job ad once a week for three weeks in “at least one print publication of their choosing,” a change the government frames as giving jobseekers an extra week to apply. What it does not mention is the practical result on the ground: a policy engineered around a delivery mechanism nobody can verify anyone is using, replacing large parts of the one delivery mechanism, the WORC portal, that government itself built specifically because it could be centralized, searchable, and monitored.

A newspaper that prints in the Cayman Islands pays a $10,000 annual business licensing fee. An online-only outlet pays seven hundred. Before this policy, an outlet could reasonably choose to stay digital only and absorb the lower fee, because the market and the law both allowed it. Now, outlets that never intended to print, and built their entire cost structure around not printing, are being forced to either pay to print locally or pay to print overseas and ship copies in, purely to remain competitive for job advertising revenue that the government itself has funneled toward print through this directive. That is not a neutral shift in advertising practice. It is government using its regulatory power over immigration compliance to reshape the commercial structure of the media industry, without a single word of that intention appearing in the legislation.

For the past six years, since the 2020 shift to the WORC portal, employers could choose whether to advertise jobs in print. It is now mandatory, adding a cost businesses did not previously have to absorb: buying display ad space that Caymanians, including those living abroad and trying to find their way back into the local job market, are unlikely to ever see.

It also moves in only one direction. The Cayman Compass, the paper this decision most directly revives, has gone from a shrinking print product with dwindling job ad revenue to the single largest commercial beneficiary of a policy no other outlet asked for and no other outlet had any say in shaping. CMR asked the government directly whether it carried out any conflict-of-interest assessment before designing this policy, and whether it took steps to ensure it did not advantage particular commercial entities in the media sector. The government's response did not answer that question. It did not mention conflict of interest at all.

This government has spent years telling the public it is moving toward e-government, campaigning on EID, online customs declarations, digital portals for practically every transaction a resident or business might need. WORC's own written response to CMR describes its approach as “digital first” even while mandating print. Compare that to what the last administration said when it moved job advertising the other way, toward the portal. In 2020, then Premier Alden McLaughlin was asked directly what government would do to help print media survive the loss of job ad revenue once WORC's online portal took over. He said plainly that government was not prepared to subsidize local media, and that he hoped job advertisements were not the thing principally keeping media houses afloat. He put the responsibility on the industry to innovate.

>

Alden McLaughlin, June 19, 2020

Five years later, a different government has done the opposite of innovate. It has manufactured, by directive rather than legislation, an artificial and unmeasurable demand for print advertising precisely when digital media had already adapted to survive without it. Outlets that spent years building an online-only model, in direct response to the advice government itself gave them, are now being told that model no longer qualifies them to carry the very advertising that keeps a newsroom funded, unless they also print.

Roughly seventy-five percent or more of some print editions now consist entirely of job advertisements repeated week after week for the same vacancies. Multiply that across four papers, soon to be more, each running the same ads for three consecutive weeks, and the result is a volume of printed paper that did not exist eighteen months ago, generated by government mandate, in a jurisdiction whose own Strategic Policy Statement talks about resilience and modern, efficient, technologically capable public service delivery. CMR asked directly whether any environmental or sustainability impact assessment was carried out. The government's response did not address the question.

WORC's substantive response, issued in Myles's name, frames the change as ensuring “every Caymanian searching for work” can access opportunities “regardless of their digital access or abilities,” and says government “also accepts that jobseekers should not have to search multiple platforms” to see everything on offer. Both are reasonable goals in the abstract. Neither explains why the solution had to be a blanket, one-size-fits-all, print-only mandate rather than, for instance, a requirement that satisfies the statute's own “or other prescribed media” language by recognizing established digital publications with verifiable local reach. Nothing in the government's response engages with that alternative at all, which is telling, because it is the alternative that was actually available on the face of the law WORC is supposedly implementing.

CMR sent government thirteen specific questions. Several, including the ones about legal basis, conflict of interest, and environmental impact, went unanswered in substance. What the government did send back reads as a policy justification memo, not a set of direct answers to direct questions, which is itself worth noting from an outlet that asked in good faith and copied the sustainability ministry precisely so those questions could not be quietly ignored.

What is left is a policy imposed through ministerial interpretation of a word Parliament did not restrict the way the Minister now claims it means, with no data behind it, no measurable public benefit demonstrated, a clear and undisclosed commercial beneficiary, and a direct contradiction of the government's own digital transformation agenda. Media houses do not need CMR to tell them what that looks like. Several are already talking to lawyers.

A visitor who suffered a serious bite while wading in shallow water near Governors Beach has confirmed she lost three-quarters of one of her toes as a result of the incident.

Diane Brown was staying at the Westin Grand Cayman Seven Mile Beach Resort & Spa when she was bitten on 24 Aug., the second serious bite reported in the Governors Beach area in less than two weeks.

Brown reached out to the Compass after reading the follow-up article published 3 Sept. about the barracuda that was suspected of biting her. In that article, a representative of the Department of Environment suggested her injury wasn’t “quite as bad” as reported by eyewitnesses on the beach after the biting incident occurred. However, since the Department of Environment was not given access to Brown’s medical records, they were unaware that doctors had to amputate much of the toe that remained after she was bitten.

In shallow water

Brown told the Compass she was walking out of the sea in about a foot of water when something struck her left foot.

“I felt something hit my foot, and I looked down and I saw the fish swim away,” she said.

She lifted her foot and realised part of her second toe had been bitten away.

“The fish bit my toe off,” she remembers shouting to her partner, John.

Diane Brown and her partner John at the Westin. – Photo: supplied.

Brown said she saw only the back half of the animal as it swam away, describing it as “long and skinny, like a barracuda”.

She was not wearing jewellery on her feet, although her toenails were painted pink.

A woman identified only as Vanessa immediately came to Brown’s assistance, helping her from the water and remaining with her until emergency help arrived.

“We said, ‘Are you a doctor? Are you a nurse?’ And she said, ‘No, just a mom,’” Brown recalled.

Red Sail Sports staff also responded, carrying Brown to a cabana and providing first-aid supplies and ice before an ambulance transported her to hospital.

Surgery required

At the emergency room, Brown said the extent of the injury quickly became apparent.

“The whole top of my toe; more like half of my toe was gone. There was a bone sticking out and jagged,” she said.

An orthopaedic surgeon was called, and Brown underwent surgery that evening.

She said there was insufficient tissue remaining to close the wound, requiring the surgeon to remove additional bone before stitching it closed.

Brown received antibiotics, pain medication and a tetanus shot and remained in hospital overnight. She praised the treatment she received.

“Everybody was great. The hospital … they were just wonderful,” she said.

The incident happened on the first full day of what was supposed to be a week-long Cayman vacation. After leaving hospital, Brown spent several days using a wheelchair and she and her partner remained at the hotel for the rest of their stay.

Brown said she is now recovering at home in the United States and expects to walk normally once the wound heals.

“It’s not going to change my lifestyle,” she said.

Barracuda suspected

Brown said the surgeon believed the nature of the wound was consistent with a barracuda bite, but there has been no scientific confirmation of what species caused her injury.

The Department of Environment subsequently removed a barracuda from waters near Governors Beach after officers observed what the department described as territorial and aggressive behaviour towards people.

A necropsy found the remains of a cephalopod; an octopus or possibly a squid, in the fish’s stomach.

The Department of Environment has said there is no conclusive evidence linking that particular barracuda to either of the two recent bite incidents. However, officials determined its behaviour, combined with two serious incidents occurring in close succession in the same area, warranted removing the animal in the interest of public safety.

The first incident occurred on 12 Aug., when 25-year-old New York resident Kiana Brubaker suffered a severe injury while standing chest-deep near Governors Beach. Her Achilles tendon was damaged, requiring surgery in Cayman and further surgery after she returned to the US.

Brown said that while the experience has not changed her outlook on Cayman, she believes visitors should be made aware when an unusual marine incident has occurred.

“I just never dreamed that something like that would happen,” she said.

“I think people should be aware … and be aware if there are fish around their feet or whatever.”

The Department of Environment has reminded swimmers that barracudas are a natural part of Cayman’s marine environment and that incidents resulting in injury are very rare. The department has also urged the public never to feed fish along beaches or reefs.