4 Months in Prison for Breaking Quarantine in Cayman Islands

[Larryjd1]

Skylar Mack, 18, a student from Loganville, Georgia, and Vanjae Ramgeet, 24, a professional jet ski racer from the Cayman Islands, received the sentence on Tuesday morning, after the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Patrick Moran, decided to appeal their original sentence of a $2,600 fine and 40 hours of community service each.

According to the office of the DPP, Mack arrived in the Cayman Islands on November 27, and was required to undergo a minimum 14-day quarantine-in-residence, per Caymanian Covid suppression guidelines. On November 29, Mack instead left her residence and removed her geo-fencing bracelet, which tracks her location, in order to watch Ramgeet compete in a jet ski event.

Here is the full article:

American Teen and Boyfriend Sentenced to 4 Months in Prison for Breaking Quarantine in Cayman Islands

 

[Joneill]

Skylar Mack, 18, a student from Loganville, Georgia, and Vanjae Ramgeet, 24, a professional jet ski racer from the Cayman Islands, received the sentence on Tuesday morning, after the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Patrick Moran, decided to appeal their original sentence of a $2,600 fine and 40 hours of community service each.

According to the office of the DPP, Mack arrived in the Cayman Islands on November 27, and was required to undergo a minimum 14-day quarantine-in-residence, per Caymanian Covid suppression guidelines. On November 29, Mack instead left her residence and removed her geo-fencing bracelet, which tracks her location, in order to watch Ramgeet compete in a jet ski event.

Here is the full article:

American Teen and Boyfriend Sentenced to 4 Months in Prison for Breaking Quarantine in Cayman Islands

Good - though 4 months seems a little bit overkill - I'd make it 1 month and then deport her and ban her re-entry for a few years!

 

[Doctorfish]

Seems a bit of a harsh penalty for simple stupidity. I'd have thought community service and a fine would suffice.

Interesting to compare to when Tiffany Seymour, the wife of the Minister of Health had charges dropped in June for a curfew breach. I guess it's who you are and who you know that is important in Cayman, rather than just the rule of law. By the way; still waiting to hear about Mckeeva Bush's sentencing for assault, to which he plead guilty. I bet he gets a pass as well.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Seems a bit of a harsh penalty for simple stupidity. I'd have thought community service and a fine would suffice.

Interesting to compare to when Tiffany Seymour, the wife of the Minister of Health had charges dropped in June for a curfew breach. I guess it's who you are and who you know that is important in Cayman, rather than just the rule of law. By the way; still waiting to hear about Mckeeva Bush's sentencing for assault, to which he plead guilty. I bet he gets a pass as well.

All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

 

[broncobowsher]

Did I read that right? Got slapped with a fine and some community service. Fought it and got 4 months in prison instead?

 

[Manatee Diver]

Did I read that right? Got slapped with a fine and some community service. Fought it and got 4 months in prison instead?

No the prosecutor appealed it.

 

[Joneill]

Seems a bit of a harsh penalty for simple stupidity. I'd have thought community service and a fine would suffice.

Interesting to compare to when Tiffany Seymour, the wife of the Minister of Health had charges dropped in June for a curfew breach. I guess it's who you are and who you know that is important in Cayman, rather than just the rule of law. By the way; still waiting to hear about Mckeeva Bush's sentencing for assault, to which he plead guilty. I bet he gets a pass as well.

I agree that 4 months in prison is too harsh - but this was more than just simple stupidity as she obviously planned this knowing it was illegal and could come with even harsher penalties than she received:

$10,000 fines approved for quarantine breaches - Cayman Compass

That said, I would have put her back in 14 more days of quarantine, made her pay for all expenses related to her breach, deported her immediately after quarantine and banned her reentry for a few years to set an example.

Also agree that the penalties should be applied consistently, regardless who you are - but the ruling class unfortunately seems to operate with the “do as I say not as I do” mindset in most places these days.

 

[Manatee Diver]

Also agree that the penalties should be applied consistently, regardless who you are - but the ruling class unfortunately seems to operate with the “do as I say not as I do” mindset in most places these days.

I disagree standards shouldn't be applied consistently, they should be held to a higher standard. When a government official or a close family member violates the law they should have the book thrown at them.

 

[scoobydrew]

Seems a bit of a harsh penalty for simple stupidity. I'd have thought community service and a fine would suffice.

Interesting to compare to when Tiffany Seymour, the wife of the Minister of Health had charges dropped in June for a curfew breach. I guess it's who you are and who you know that is important in Cayman, rather than just the rule of law. By the way; still waiting to hear about Mckeeva Bush's sentencing for assault, to which he plead guilty. I bet he gets a pass as well.

You make some good points but I have a thought on one of your comments. Firstly, yes Mckeeva will probably walk scott free and make a mockery of the judicial system here. Tiffany Seymour getting nothing is more of a joke than her husband's attempt to field the question put to him about the incident live on TV, did you see that by the way? I can send it to you if not.

I don't really agree with you about the harsh sentencing though. As you say, its not what you know but who you know on the island, this gets proved time and again but people who live here notice it too and can be vocal about the differentiation in laws and punishments that can be influenced by wealth, race, social standing etc. Even though arrivals to the island are made aware that breach of curfew can carry a jail sentence I am surprised that a pretty, young, educated, wealthy American girl has been given time. But it is for that reason that I also think that the message is kinda positive by saying that regardless of the things public opinion would think would have kept her out of jail, she got thrown in anyway. So for some people that helps break down the concept that there is one law for some and another for others.

Consider this... As you know, the Cayman Islands have been closed to tourism since March. This has resulted in significant hardship from which some will never recover. People have been forced to sacrifice so much. Businesses have gone bust, people are broke, jobs have been lost, many have had to leave the island and attempt to start new lives elsewhere. Finally there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it looks like the islands will soon be opening up again but the people are scared and their responses to the reopening are driven by that fear.

If we had an outbreak here on the island now be it from a tourist breaking curfew or however else then I have no doubt that it would set back plans to reopen significantly. All the sacrifices that had been made to date by tens of thousands of people would be negated. Further hardship would ensue and innocent people would lose more from the business side of things as well as potentially get sick or maybe even worse.

What was the girls motivation to break the law? she wanted to go to a jetski tournament which is kinda trivial in comparison. She knew there would be a penalty for her actions if caught but I would think that she considered her demographic would not be the kind that got sent to jail, she got proved wrong.

Yeah it sucks for her but her actions were selfish. So maybe she has been used to prove a point or send a message but at the same time she did knowingly commit the crime so should accept the time

 

[ontdiver]

If more people had followed the advice of health professionals the daily death count would not be so horrific. Sadly, many seem to place a higher value on personal entitlement than civic responsibility. Good on the Cayman Islands for taking a tough stand.