Cayman’s MPs will consider and debate the immigration reform bill next month.
The Immigration (Transition) (Amendment and Validation) Bill is listed on the agenda for the latest meeting of Parliament, which begins 5 Nov., with the delivery of the National Coalition For Caymanian government’s first budget.
The meeting, which is expected to include a number of sittings, will extend to December, when the immigration bill will be presented to the House.
Immigration Minister Michael Myles confirmed to the Compass on Tuesday that the bill has been scheduled to be presented on 10 Dec.
This timeframe means the bill will meet and exceed the minimum 28-day notice period for bills to receive their first reading in the House.
The bill was gazetted on 17 Oct. and is open to public consultation until 14 Nov.
Leader of the Opposition Joey Hew, in an interview with the Compass, said he had been informed that an extra sitting of the House would be held in December to make sure the debate was in line with normal procedure.
He added that a bill “of such magnitude” should have had a stronger consultation process, including more town hall meetings.
Three public meetings have been held over the bill, beginning on 29 Oct., in Red Bay, Cayman Brac and North Side.
While the content of the bill has been publicly available for nearly three weeks, the associated regulations have not been published, an issue that local immigration lawyers have raised as a concern.
Alastair David, of HSM law firm, earlier told the Compass, “It is very difficult to have a full and proper consultation when you don’t have regulations published at the same time.”
Hew echoed this, saying, “A lot of the meat will be in the regulations and we don’t know whether the regulations will be completed before the bill goes to the House.”
Read the full immigration reform bill here.
Members of the public can give their feedback on the bill to government via email at [email protected].
Additional reporting by Raymond Hainey.