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(CNS): Ashley Williams (20) from Denham Town in Kingston, Jamaica, was on a work permit in the Cayman Islands when she was arrested and then deported earlier this month due to allegations that she and another man had murdered David Rowe (47) in Jones Town, Kingston, in November. The RCIPS said she was arrested and sent back to Jamaica on 5 January. Several weeks after CNS contacted the authorities about how Williams secured a permit, officials said she had no police record when the application was made.
In a short statement released Wednesday evening, WORC said a Caymanian small-business owner had applied for a temporary work permit on 15 December for the woman, who at the time had a clean police record. The permit was approved on 28 December, and Williams arrived in Grand Cayman on 1 January.
The Jamaican authorities contacted Customs and Border Control on 2 January with an arrest warrant for her under a nickname, but no full name was provided at the initial point of contact. On 3 January, they came back with the name of the suspect. CBC then contacted WORC and issued an advisory, and immediate action was taken to revoke the temporary work permit.
The Caymanian employer holding the temporary work permit also decided to formally cancel the application on 3 January, preceding the suspect’s arrest, detention and removal from the island within 24 hours of her arrest.
WORC Acting Interim Director Jeremy Scott said WORC and CBC would continue to work together to ensure that individuals fleeing criminal prosecution do not enter or remain in the Cayman Islands.
“WORC and CBC remain focused and resolute in effectively strengthening our border protection measures, ultimately protecting our community against risks associated with national security and public safety interests,” he said.
“Our departments continue to work effectively on varying strategic and operational initiatives, inclusive of other local law enforcement and government departments, yielding positive results in detection of crimes and assurance of compliance across varying laws. This case was just one example demonstrating our effective networking ties which permitted us to respond and act quickly upon confirmation of the suspect’s identity, facilitated by Jamaican authorities.”
Border Control Minister Chris Saunders commended the agencies for what he said was swift and strategic action. “We must take a very strong stance and clearly demonstrate that the Cayman Islands does not welcome or provide a safe-haven for individuals absconding from the law in their home countries,” he said, “We will continue to ensure that the Cayman Islands remain one of the best and safest places to live and work.”
However, there are persistent concerns in the community that the authorities do not exercise sufficient due diligence to check on those coming into the islands, especially those on temporary permits. While employers complain about the time it takes in some cases to clear annual work permits, temporary permits are seen as a weak link as there is very little scrutiny of those permits, as well as those taken out for low-paid positions such as helpers and hairdressers.
Since returning to Jamaica, Williams and Jovanie Thompson (22) have been charged with murder. The victim was killed during an intense argument that escalated into a knife-wielding brawl, according to the Jamaica authorities. Williams is accused of stabbing Rowe multiple times, while Thompson opened fire, hitting Rowe several times before the couple fled.
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