The Editor Speaks: Inhumane. Where are the Christian values we hold dear and even common sense?

The Cayman Islands probably has more churches per capita than anywhere else. If that isn’t true we still have a lot of churches.

We hold Christian values dear to our hearts – well that is the preaching from our MLA’s.

Yet, I haven’t heard one raise his or her voice in support of the family that was targeted and tortured by a violent Mexican drug cartel and has sought refuge here in the Cayman Islands.

For that matter, I haven’t heard any of our church leaders support this family.

The Cayman Ministers Association has been quiet on the subject.

One doesn’t expect our Immigration Department to show an ounce of Christianity when they make decisions.

Their theme song (with one word changed) is the Rolling Stone’s song “you Gotta get Out of This Place”.

Even the Judge who had to rule in favour of the Immigration Department and refuse the Appeal of deportation raised his concerns about the whole matter.

Maria Del Piler Ortiz Chavez and her two children arrived here six years ago from Cuba having escaped from Mexico after a corrupt police chief forced her to hand over property that belonged to her. Maria’s daughter, Allura, was well educated and spoke English and it was alleged a drug cartel led by the brother of the police chief wanted to force the daughter into helping them as a translator. When she refused she was kidnapped and her family were subjected to violent harassment and intimidation.

Members of the Mexican army were able to find the kidnapped daughter and got her released.

The Mexican authorities were deaf to the family’s complaints and having a Caymanian friend managed to escape to Cuba and then came here to the Cayman Islands where they sought asylum.

This was refused by then Chief Immigration Officer, Linda Evans, on the grounds the crimes perpetrated by the Cartel were not state supported. Therefore they were not refugees. Evans made her decision without researching the information or contacting the Mexican authorities. This decision was upheld by the Immigration Tribunal.

A letter was sent to Governor Helen Kilpatrick by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) which indicated that the organisation had designated the family as refugees. The UNHCR asked the Cayman Islands government to afford the necessary support to the family under the convention. They also stated they would submit information to support the family’s claim.

For some inexplicable reason the Cayman Islands Governor ignored this request and did not and has not passed it on to the Attorney General’s Office.

The judge explained he could not help because of the limitations of the law surrounding a judicial review. He advised their lawyer, local attorney Denis Brady who assisted the family with a pro bono appearance before they obtained legal aid to pursue other possible legal avenues as a result of the United Nations correspondence.

Have you heard anything so terrible? So inhumane?

The silence out there is deafening.

If the family were part of the LGBTG community there would be demands worldwide against this inhumanity.

So where are our Christian values over this case? Why isn’t the Christian community demanding this family should be allowed to stay here?

Oh, yes, Anthony Eden can rant and rave, stomp and explode over Christian values. Perhaps he might do the same over this case. Practice what you preach!

Come on all Christians out there do something practical. Ask yourselves what Jesus Christ would have done? Even though I am far short of being Jesus Christ I don’t need a parable to understand this whole affair is WRONG! UNCHRISTIAN! And even worse makes NO COMMONSENSE!!!