Senior civil servant Bruce Smith has been named as the Customs and Border Control director designate and will take over the reins from Charles Clifford, who is set to retire next year.
The Ministry of Border Control and Labour, in a statement Friday afternoon, announced Smith’s appointment.
Smith will assume the role of director of CBC on 1 Aug. 2024 and will work alongside current Director Charles Clifford until he retires on 31 July 2024.
“I am honored to be appointed Director (Designate) of CBC. I am passionate about public service, and I look forward to working with the talented team at CBC to protect our borders, collect revenue, and facilitate trade. I am confident that together we can build a more secure and prosperous Cayman Islands,” Smith through the statement.
Transition period
Smith will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of CBC’s operations, including border security, revenue collection, and trade facilitation, the statement said.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Bruce Smith as Director (Designate) of CBC. He is a highly experienced and accomplished leader with a deep understanding of the organization and its mission. We are confident that he will lead CBC to even greater success in the years to come,” said Wesley Howell, Chief Officer of the Ministry of Border Control & Labour, as he lauded Smith’s promotion.
Smith’s most recent posting was senior deputy director of CBC, where he was responsible for a wide range of operations, including intelligence, investigations, and border control in the Sister Islands.
Smith, the statement said, “brings over three decades of experience in the Cayman Islands Civil Service to the Directorship of CBC.”
Clifford, commenting on Smith’s promotion, said, “I am confident that Mr. Smith is the right person to lead CBC into the future and I look forward to working with him and our entire amazing CBC team to ensure a seamless transition.”
He added that CBC was committed to a smooth and successful handover of the leadership.
‘Highly respected leader’
Prior to Smith’s current appointment at CBC in February 2019, his tenure included 21 years at legacy HM Customs and 11 at the legacy Department of Immigration.
“Mr Smith is a highly respected leader with a proven track record of success. He is known for his strategic thinking, operational excellence, and ability to build and motivate high-performing teams,” the statement said.
The planned handover period, the ministry statement said, is an important part of the leadership transition and will ensure that “Smith is strategically prepared to assume the Directorship of CBC and effectively continue its transition to an intelligence-led risk management organization”.
The handover period will also give Smith time, with CBC’s senior management team, to review their 2022-2026 five-year strategic plan and make adjustments, where necessary, to counter new and emerging threats at Cayman’s border.
He will also use the transition period to build relationships with key stakeholders, the statement added.
About Bruce Smith
Bruce Smith is a graduate of Triple C School and has completed various leadership and management training courses over the span of his extensive law enforcement career.
He has received numerous service, supervisory and leadership awards including, Civil Servant of Year.
Over the years, he served as a valuable resource on various Boards, Tribunals, and Committees.
For five years, he served as Head of Marine (Marine Commander) of what was previously the Joint Police and Customs Marine Unit.
Related Videos
