ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the myriad of intractable problems which have plagued Caymanian society as it stumbled into the 21st century. Politically British, the Cayman Islands are economically North American. To this extent, there is a popular colloquialism which states: 'When the United States sneezes, the Cayman Islands catches a cold'. When Caymanians awakened from their sleepy cocoon in the 20th century, the majority oriented their economic attention away from the British Caribbean, notwithstanding the historical ties to their close neighbour Jamaica. The chapter investigates the Caymanian search for a suitable immigration law. The Caymanian economy is thoroughly dependent on the patronage of Americans whether as tourists or investors, but Americans in the Cayman Islands are also bound by the restrictions on most foreign workers. The decision of the Cayman Islands to implement 'beneficial ownership', following significant international pressure, also carries the possibility of a reduction in the jurisdiction's appeal as a viable financial centre.
