Jamaicans fear being denied entry while permits are processed

Friday,  November 25, 2005

A number of Jamaicans whose work permits are up for renewal are fearful that if they leave the Island during the forth- coming holiday period they might not be allowed to return.

However, the Immigration Department has said that it would issue re-entry stamps to persons who are renewing their work permits and want to leave the Cayman Islands.

A number of Jamaicans who want to go home for the holidays became concerned about doing so as reports began to circulate that some people were indeed being denied re-entry into Cayman when work permits were being processed even though they had re-entry stamps.

Cayman Net News could not confirm that anyone with re-entry stamps had been denied entry, but the fear is real among the people of the Jamaican community here. 

One woman who agreed to talk to Net News under conditions of anonymity, said that she wants to visit her child but she is worried that even with the re-entry stamped in her passport that would not be enough to get her back in the country. Her daughter is four-years-old and asthmatic, and it has been six months since they have seen each other.

She said that she became worried when she heard that people with re-entry stamps were denied entry and told to get a visa.

A carpenter who has been working here for four years said he is taking extra precautions and wants his passport to be stamped and initialled by an immigration officer so there can be no speculation that the stamp is genuine. 

However, the Immigration Department said that under immigration rules people whose work permits are in process of being renewed could enter or leave (without a visa) and continue their employment until the permits come through. 

The department, however, said that people who are changing jobs are supposed to leave the Island until processing is complete. 

A source at the department said that the office has regularly received calls from the public with these concerns. 

Since the Cayman Islands imposed visa restriction on Jamaican nationals, there has been a lot of confusion and misconception about what will happen to work permit holders who are travelling between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands.

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