I can fully understand how people here find our immigration department woeful. And I am using a nice word.

Listen to this ridiculous nonsense that I have encountered over a simple reference.

I have been married to a Caymanian for over 34 years. I have had Caymanian Status for thirty years.

I have given references to persons applying for work permits and status on many occasions.

I have travelled from and to the Cayman Islands at least forty of those years.

Not once has my status been questioned.

It is, after all, in a computer.

This all changed last week when I was asked by a member of my church to provide her with a reference for status. This lady, from Jamaica, was married for over five years to a Caymanian who sadly died before she could apply then for her status.

I have known the lady for a long time and she is a hard working Christian woman who does a lot of community work both inside and outside the church.

She sent along the completed forms that included my reference letter.

When the documents were checked at the Immigration they found I had status and was not a Caymanian. I hope all of us who have status are reading this. We are NOT Caymanians. A Caymanian is a BORN Caymanian. I, therefore have to prove I have status, even though it states so in their computer!!!

The proof I have to provide, is by a copy of the actual letter granting me status or some other acceptable means.

With moving and over the years I could not find this letter, but I did find an old passport with the official stamp in it. I gave that to the lady.

She went down to Immigration once again with the documents. She handed over the original passport.

No. They would not accept that. She had to get a photocopy of the passport page with the official stamp in it along with a signature from a Justice of the Peace testifying that it is authentic.

They would not even photocopy the requisite page. She had to do that herself.

Being a playwright I could easily turn this whole thing into a comedy skit that would have the audience laughing in stitches at the stupidity of it. Sadly, it is no laughing matter.

It is time consuming on both parties and completely unnecessary. Government love to waste time and money and it is all at our expense, plus the frustration. When will this nonsense cease? I doubt it ever will.