HSA hospital in George Town (CNS): Consultants engaged by the Ministry of Health to conduct a diagnostic assessment of the Health Services Authority (HSA) have completed several steps in the process and presented their initial findings to the ministry. These were based on interviews, a survey of around 686 stakeholders, and the implementation of “a structured framework”, the findings of which will all be published in a final report in the coming weeks. Health Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks said, “The ministry commissioned this independent assessment to ensure that the HSA is operating effectively and in line with best practice. From the outset, we committed to a transparent process. The findings will be shared publicly, and we will outline the actions to be taken to address the issues identified.” The work by consultants KPMG, which began in January, is designed to support system-level improvements and advance national health priorities. The government faces...

Stretch of road that will be in accessible during roadworks (CNS): A section of Northwest Point Road will be closed for three days starting at 5:00am on 27 April to allow the Cayman Turtle Centre to safely carry out excavation works related to the installation of a new 36‑inch saltwater pipeline. The closure will affect the road between numbers 786 and 831, with no through traffic permitted along the affected strip. Motorists will be directed to use a signed detour route via Watercourse Road. Access for emergency vehicles will be maintained at all times. The aim of the project is to improve the CTC’s seawater supply and long‑term resilience. It is a critical investment in its operations, helping to ensure a reliable seawater supply that supports animal welfare, staff safety and operational efficiency. The CTC said it is working closely with its contractors and the relevant authorities to minimise disruption...

(CNS): A freedom of information request by local activist group Sustainable Cayman has revealed that the Cayman Islands Government is pursuing a revised route for the East-West Arterial Road extension that was not considered in the 2025 Environmental Impact Assessment. The documents show that the stretch of the planned road from Woodland Drive to the north of the Paul Bodden Quarry reduces the impact on some private land and supports proposed developments. However, the revision will impact the environment, including the Central Mangrove Wetlands, which weren’t considered during the long, detailed and costly EIA process. The changed route introduces negative impacts on land held by the National Trust for the Cayman Islands. This land, which would have to be acquired by the government, represents a fundamental shift in the plan Cabinet originally approved and is far removed from the B2 Route recommended by the Environmental Assessment Board and the National...

Police Commissioner Kurt Walton reveals the 2025 crime statistics at a press conference on Wednesday (CNS): Police responded to 3,408 road collisions last year across the three Cayman Islands, 151 more than in 2024, reflecting a 5% rise. Just six were fatal, eight fewer than the previous year, when there were eleven fatal crashes in which 14 people were killed. However, 27 people were seriously injured and over 300 sustained minor injuries. The high accident rate can be attributed to a number of factors, including understaffing at the traffic unit, which led to a 33% drop in enforcement last year. At a press conference on Wednesday about the 2025 Crime and Traffic Statistical Report, Police Commissioner Kurt Walton said there are currently 15 officers in the Traffic and Roads Policing Unit. However, the ideal number would be closer to 30, given that there are, on average, nine crashes every day and 65...

(L-R) Premier André Ebanks, Governor Jane Owen, Minister Nickolas DaCosta, Minister Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, and Parliamentary Secretary Wayne Panton at the Little Cayman airfield (CNS): During a trip to Little Cayman on Earth Day 2025, the Cayman Islands Government made a number of important conservation announcements, including confirmation that the Edward Bodden Airfield is not moving. The CIG also revealed a new list of protected areas and said that drafting instructions have been issued for the long-awaited ban on single-use plastics. In a press release, the CIG said it had listened to residents, and the airfield and runway on Little Cayman will remain in place, providing long-term certainty for residents, businesses and stakeholders. The decision means that the island will retain connectivity, access to critical services, and economic activity for its community, while reflecting the CIG’s commitment to preserving the natural and cultural character that makes the Sister Islands distinctive, officials...

(CNS): A physician employed at the HSA hospital in George Town was arrested last weekend in relation to allegations of immigration fraud being investigated by Customs and Border Control. CBC officers arrested a visitor on Thursday, 16 April, at Owen Roberts International Airport (ORIA) after he attempted to enter the Cayman Islands using a fraudulent travel document. The man is believed to be the doctor’s husband. Shortly after his arrival, the man presented documentation that raised concerns during routine CBC Passport Control checks, officials said in a press release. Further examination by officers confirmed that the passport was not authentic, and the individual was immediately taken into custody. He was formally charged with possession of a forged, altered, or irregular passport, illegal entry, and uttering a false document. He appeared in court on 20 April and pleaded guilty to the charges. He was remanded in custody and is scheduled to...

(CNS): The Ministry of Infrastructure said it is working on regulations that will give the Public Transport Unit (PTU) the power to enforce the law. There has been a growing number of complaints about the unreliability of public bus services and the conduct of some operators, and Cabinet recently quashed an effort by bus operators to increase fares. However, officials are now warning that new rules will enhance oversight and enforcement, including a new administrative penalties framework. The government said in a release that it was taking the conduct of drivers seriously because public transport “is an essential service, and commuters are entitled to expect consistent routes, reliable service, and professional conduct”. Consequently, the PTU, under the direction of the Public Transport Board, is actively monitoring operations across the system. Operators are obligated under the Traffic (Public Passenger Vehicles) Regulations to adhere to approved routes, maintain a scheduled service, and...

WORC offices on Mary Street (CNS): Following recent reports on social media and an article on Cayman Marl Road about an alleged people-trafficking and work permit scam, officials from the Ministry of Caymanian Employment and Immigration, the Department of Labour and Pensions (DLP) and Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) have acknowledged the accusations. However, they said very little about any investigation into allegations that a couple, trading under the name LJS Recruitment, are abusing the temporary permit system to bring expatriate workers, mostly from the Philippines and Nepal, into the Cayman Islands and con them out of thousands of dollars. “All allegations of wrongdoing and breaches of the Immigration Transition Act are taken seriously and all reports are assessed in accordance with established protocols by DLP and WORC. Where credible evidence exists, appropriate actions are taken, including investigations, administrative measures, and referrals for prosecution,” the government agencies said last week in a brief...

Government Administration Building on Elgin Ave (CNS): Between July 2015 and February 2025, the Office of the Auditor General published 33 reports that required a formal response by the Cayman Islands Government, but this was done according to the law for only 9% of them. In another damning report about failings in public finance reporting, the OAG explained that when it publishes a performance audit report, the Public Accounts Committee usually holds hearings and tables its own report in parliament. According to Standing Orders, within three months of PAC laying its report, the CIG must table a formal response, known as a Government Minute, to both the PAC report and the OAG report to which it relates. The response should address each recommendation made by the OAG and PAC, explaining what actions the CIG has taken or plans to take. However, over the decade covered by the latest OAG report,...

CCMI coral nursery (photo credit: CCMI) Researchers monitoring coral (photo credit: CCMI) Bleached coral (photo credit: CCMI) Researchers monitoring coral (photo credit: CCMI) (CNS): Coral reefs around Little Cayman that were devastated during a bleaching event three years ago are showing early, small signs of recovery, the Central Caribbean Marine Institute (CCMI) found in its annual reef report. The summer of 2023 was the hottest on record and brought with it one of the most extensive global coral bleaching events. CCMI’s 2024 report revealed the greatest reduction in coral around Little Cayman since monitoring began in 1998. Cover was as low as 9.8%, down from 26% before the 2023 marine heatwave. As the Cayman Islands marks another Earth Day with its terrestrial and marine environment still under significant strain from ongoing threats, CCMI scientists said they had documented some early improvement in coral cover, from 9.8% to 13.4%. Although not...