Prints

At certain times certain rules for guest workers are brought into places like the Cayman Islands or Bermuda that make absolutely no sense to me. In recent news, a new law has been proposed requiring the fingerprinting of all expat workers. If approved, the fingerprinting procedure will be implemented for potential and current guest workers. The news went on to state that an applicant has the right to refuse being fingerprinted, which would then give Immigration the right to refuse that applicant his/her work permit. So basically an expat would HAVE to submit to their prints being taken. Resistance is futile!

The whole rationalisation behind the fingerprinting agenda is to get a handle on and to better manage and/or solve crime. Excuse me but, what crime and by whom? If that were the case, shouldn't EVERYONE be fingerprinted? Why just the expats? And isn't it factual and common knowledge that the crime that does exist in Cayman at most times, especially in recent times, does not involve expats. So, where is the justification for this procedure coming from?

Many believe the rationalisation behind the whole fingerprinting procedure is to keep in check a specific expat nationality. I won't say which at this point but it's common knowledge as to which one it is. It just won't do for Cayman to just come right out and say we are going to have just these expat workers from country X fingerprinted, would it? What kind of message would it be sending as an offshore jurisdiction, one that tops the world's list for the most number funds domiciled. But that's just a theory that's out there.

I have to wonder though, would the top bosses, the high profile executives be open to having themselves fingerprinted? Or would exceptions be made for them? And would that then translate to nationality, where if one were from Canada or America, they'd be excused? It will be very interesting to see how this develops because no one is comfortable with this new law/proposal. Click here to see the latest online poll taken by the Caymanian Compass on this matter.

Ok, so here's my thing: Canada doesn't even have my fingerprints for crying out loud, nor does India, Dubai or Bermuda. So, I'm not particularly in the sharing mood when it comes to my fingerprints. That and I don't trust any government with that kind of information. You know what, I'm NOT ok with it. The only time I have ever been fingerprinted was when I was six months old and that went in my baby book. Maybe I should just submit that with my next work permit application. Ridiculousness! Just a ridiculous as the proposal of the 'No cars for expats' in Bermuda.

So what do you think? Is this acceptable in any form in any country? All you Dubai & Bermuda expats, would you be ok with this if they were to implement this in your adopted country?