Twelve people have appeared in Summary Court in the Cayman Islands on various charges related to a scheme that officers have said sought to circumvent the English-language proficiency requirement for foreign workers.
The group is made up of six Immigration Department employees and six Cayman Islands residents, and together the alleged scheme has brought a total of 75 criminal charges against the individuals involved. The English test is administered to all non-Caymanian workers who come from countries where English is not the primary language. Anti-Corruption Commission officers claim those charged had either received rewards for helping individuals pass the Immigration Department’s English-language test or had been paid for test answers. Some of those appearing before the court themselves needed the assistance of a Spanish interpreter. The six serving immigration personnel have been suspended with pay following their 2017 arrests in connection with the probe.
The charges facing the various defendants are all indictable. The maximum sentences upon conviction range from seven to ten years in custody. The group was transmitted to Grand Court for pleas and further hearings on April 27.
