NCFC GOV’T PUSHES AHEAD WITH IMMIGRATION REFORM AGENDA

The NCFC administration has initiated a new phase in overhauling Cayman’s immigration laws, advancing its reform agenda this week. On Wednesday, Hon. Minister for Caymanian Employment, Michael Myles, guided another key reform element through the legislative process in Parliament.

However, while the Immigration (Transition)(Fees) Regulations, 2026 - which updates the law enacted last December - was passed by 18 votes with one abstention, it was not all smooth sailing.

Following the passage in December of the Immigration (Transition) (Amendment and Validation) Act 2025, the NCFC government said the additional reforms are aimed at further streamlining the process. Some Opposition members and business community groups had expressed reservations about aspects of the reforms.

Prior to Wednesday’s meeting, the government had opened a limited period of further consultations which ran from February 19th to March 5th via email on the updated fee structure. In a move to fast-track targeted changes, Hon. Premier Andre Ebanks had stated that certain pieces of legislation were too urgent to permit the usual 28-day publication period before consideration by Parliament. These included proposed amendments relating to immigration and health insurance that address pressing operational and legal matters affecting Caymanians.

A previous government statement said Parliament was "setting a new benchmark for parliamentary transparency," with plans to refine procedures soon. The Premier emphasised: "Our Government believes in solving problems, not prolonging them…Where urgent action is required in the public interest, the Constitution provides a clear and lawful mechanism to act."

But in making his submission in the ensuing debate, Hon. Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Kenneth Bryan, who is also the shadow minister of immigration, challenged the government’s assertion over its interpretation of 'urgency' on this issue.

“We are witnessing administrative default when a government waits until the 11th hour to introduce complex legislation. The resulting urgency that they call it is not a product of external crisis; it is internal inefficiencies. If we allow preparation to constitute urgency, we are effectively granting the Executive the power to switch off the public scrutiny that is necessary whenever they find it more convenient for them. This is a very bad and potentially dangerous precedent being set.”

Mr Bryan said while his party, the main opposition People’s Progressive Movement (PPM/Progressives), supports a modern immigration system, they find it difficult to support what he described as “a culture and a government of shortcuts that ignores Parliamentary conventions and manufactures definitions of urgency where none exists.”

On the other hand, Hon. Premier Ebanks staunchly defended his administration’s approach to the issue at hand. Citing the need to rectify discrepancies in the current system, he stated: “This is too urgent to delay,” he declared. “We have to get on with it...so let's get done what we can and come back to scope the rest later. And for those in the House to try to complete this debate, I've already conferred with the Minister for Caymanian Employment(Myles). Let's get on with it. Enough is enough.”

In closing the debate, which included a wide range of contributions, Hon. Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration, Michael Myles, gave this reassurance: “I respect, and I take feedback from the Opposition on where they felt that they were let down. My responsibility is to continue to work across the aisle to ensure that you guys understand what we're doing more regularly. I commit to that. The goal has always been to inform folks about everything that goes on in government. There are no secrets that we have.”

Min. Myles also stated: “I believe all of us, at one point or another, have been in a leadership position within government. The goal is, how do we make it work? I don't believe that the opposition is going to agree with everything that we do. There are things that are going to be necessary that we are going to need to get done, because they're urgent for the people of this country. I would not be bringing this bill if I felt that it wasn't urgent. If we can wait another six months, I'd wait. Simply, we can't wait.”