It still comes as a shock when injustice is obvious to everyone except the very people who sit on the boards that have to do with immigration, and I am talking of the Cayman Islands.

If you have money you are more than half way home. If you are exceedingly rich it often means a rubberstamp and you have your status or residency with the right to work. I use the word ‘rich’ here on purpose. The word ‘rich’ does not just mean money but this is the only meaning relevant to Immigration. It seems to be the only definition in most of the online dictionaries. The Merriam-Webster dictionary has another meaning: “having high value or equality”. It gives examples such as :

– The dictionary is a rich source of information.
– A rich and spicy soup
– The food was a little too
rich for me.
– Their country has a rich
cultural heritage.
– This area has a rich history.
– She has a rich vocabulary.

You see none of those examples have anything to do with wealth.

I know a man, he is Jamaican, and he doesn’t fit into the category of riches meaning wealth. He has, however, an abundant of riches I wish I possessed.  He has riches in abundance when he uses his hands. He has riches in abundance when he cares for the elderly. He has riches in abundance when he cares for children. He has riches in abundance for his love of God. He has riches in abundance when he cares for his church. He has riches in abundance that are seen by everyone who works with him because he is honoured every year by a school principal, by parents of the children he helps, and he is much loved.

He has lived in the Cayman Islands for FIFTEEN years. He has tried to obtain status and he has tried to get residency with the right to work. He is not wealthy and the $500 he has to find to apply for this costs him much more than anyone sitting on these immigration boards. $500 is the equivalent of trying to find $10,000 to an average wage earner. To a wealthy person $500 is one meal ticket.

During Hurricane Ivan this man lost all his possessions. Every single thing he owned. Where he was staying was flooded and he had to swim for his safety.

His refuge was St George’s Anglican Church. He dedicated his time at no monetary cost to help rebuild the church and its hall.

He maintains the church premises, he does the gardening, he drives the church bus to collect and take home the children and elderly who attend the church services.

His applications to the Immigration Board have failed. His appeal to reconsider their verdict to the Immigration Appeals Tribunal has failed.

The hearts of stone by these persons could not find a tear. They knew everything he has done for the community but he doesn’t conform to their rule book.

Their final letter said they had “noted no valid grounds of appeal were made out pursuant to Section 15 (2) of the Immigration law (2010) Revision)”. A man who has made Cayman his home for FIFTEEN years. A man who has no dependants living here. A man who gives and does not take.

Reginald Augustus Griffiths has been ordered to leave these islands forthwith. And I say THIS IS A DISGRACE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And I ask how many other Reginald Augustus Griffiths are there?

Just so the Immigration Board of the Cayman Islands and the members of the Immigration Appeals Tribunal know iNews Cayman is read in thirty two countries of the World EVERY DAY! And that is mounting. We have over 4,500 hits on our website and 85% download the PDF version. We are on Twitter and Facebook. Hundreds of people outside this Country will read this and what will they think? The Immigration Boards probably don’t care.

When Reginald Griffiths departs these Islands by this gross injustice we are the losers. We have lost the benefits of his riches. And we will be there with our cameras at the airport to give him a good send off. A country who doesn’t deserve a man who has given so much to so many for FIFTEEN years.