Rolled Over

So, my son's Nanny, care giver and family friend, SQ, who has been in the employ of my family in excess of eight years, and on island for tweve years, is being rolled over by the Cayman Islands Immigration Department.

Yep. They have unilaterally decided that SQ's services are not essential to me and my family and to the island as a whole, and therefore, she is to depart the island as she is no longer eligible for the grant of further work permits. Adios. По-русски. adeus. さようなら. Arrivederci. Auf Wiedersehen. Vaarwel. Au revoir.

Yep. Thems the licks.

Let me break down the notification scenario, and as I do, please pay careful attention to the dates as listed:

SQ's work permit application was submitted in December of 2005, for the renewal period December 13th, 2005 through December 31st, 2006. We had not heard anything on the status of our application for renewal, but were trudging along as normal, on the basis that all was well.

I have now received a letter dated September 16th, 2006 advising of the approval of her work permit application for the period December 13th 05 through December 31st 06, which further advises this was the final work permit grant for SQ, and that she is to return home as and when her work permit expires on December 31st, 2006.

It has taken them 9 months to approve an application, for a term that has almost expired!! Essentially, she now has 2 months to get her stuff in order, and to return home.

How cold and callous is that? This state of affairs has concerned me so much, as the dates highlighted above have aptly displayed the ineptitude of the Immgiration Department, and its possible impact on a person's life. This is unacceptable.

It is nasty and disgusting, and I was sure to call someone at the Department, to give them an earful, but the problem is, they really do not give two shits. The government is a Monopoly, the Department is inefficiant and littered with rude, uncaring civil servants that are unhappy with their lot and has no one to answer to, and their Supervisors are obviously leading by example.

I liked the concept of the Roll Over Policy, but had always felt that the government was ill prepared to implement the policy, as is now evident with my receipt of said letter. We may still blame all of our trial and tribulations on Hurricane Ivan (that Rat Bastard!!!), but it is obvious that the Immigration Department and the respective decision making Boards are still playing catch up, and are ill prepared to deal with an issue of this magnitude. Frankly, I am embarrassed and dismayed.

With the implementaton of this Roll Over Policy, I did have a problem with those who would be deemed 'essential staff', as I had visions of organisations amending their business staffing plans and job descriptions in order to bring certain individuals within this definition. Promotions for th sake of promotions, the allocation of sophisticated job titles, all in a bid to define a foreigner as 'essential'.

I had a vision of the face of Cayman changing even further, as Caucasians that dominate the legal and financial sectors, would quickly claw and manipulate their way into the 'essential' staff definition. They have the means, motive and the opportunities, and are not afraid to kis politicians asses as necessary.

The domestic helpers, construction workers, landscapers, and mechanics, all essential skills required to keep us functioning, would be sent home with inadequate warning and preparation. What of those who ask me that fundamntal question, "Do you want fries with that?"

Caymanians are surely not clamouring for those jobs.

Post Office boxes are now viewed with horror and trepidition, as many are afraid to clear their mail, for fear of what may await them. Sigh. The sad fact is, SQ's issue will be resolved, and can be explained as an adminitratve error. I can only begin to imagine how others that are impacted by this inefficient and uncaring administration would feel, having been tossed out at a moments notice.

On that note, I shall now exit.

Out.

Afro