After weeks of speculation, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has confirmed Chief Officer Jennifer Ahearn’s departure from the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, but gave no insight into why she was no longer in the post.
Instead, Manderson, in a statement Wednesday evening, announced that “as part of the ongoing Civil Service modernisation efforts”, Ahearn has been appointed as chief sustainability officer in the Office of the Deputy Governor.
“In the new role, Ms. Ahearn will be responsible for facilitating strategic initiatives to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the Cayman Islands Government’s business operation,” the statement said.
The Cayman Compass, since mid-December, has reached out repeatedly to government for official word on the changes to the leadership of the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, which is responsible for the ReGen project negotiations.
The move, which extracts Ahearn from the helm of the ministry, has left more questions than answers, compounded by the fact that the Office of the Deputy Governor made no mention of the circumstances that led to Ahearn’s departure from the prominent role at the ministry.
Ahearn, in the statement, said she was optimistic about her new position.
“I am humbled and honoured to be considered for this critical position. I am committed to contributing to the positive evolution of the civil service and look forward to helping chart the course for an organisation with enhanced reputation, cost efficiencies and heightened stakeholder engagement, while ensuring there is a balance across the economic, social, and environmental pillars that are the ‘triple bottom line’ of sustainability,” she said.
The statement noted that, in her new role, Ahearn will have “oversight of the organisation’s operational policies and strategies, and collaborate with cross-functional teams” to promote a culture of sustainability across the civil service.
Manderson, in the statement, pointed to Ahearn’s 20-plus years of experience in various leadership roles across government, “combined with her relevant experience and expertise”, which, he said, made “her ideally suited to take on this role and support the Civil Service on our continuing journey to enhanced sustainability, efficiency and service excellence”.
He added that Ahearn was instrumental in building the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency “from the ground up”. The ministry was created and led by former premier Wayne Panton, until the collapse of the PACT government in November last year.
New Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, through the statement, congratulated the deputy governor on “his foresight in establishing this important role”.
“I look forward to collaborating with the Deputy Governor, Ms. Ahearn, and the wider Civil Service as we work together to make the Civil Service the most sustainable and climate resilient employer in the Cayman Islands,” she said, adding that Ahearn was “well-qualified” to fill the role.
“The appointment of the Chief Sustainability Officer serves as a tangible demonstration of our commitment to sustainable working methods,” Manderson said. “This role will not only facilitate harmonising our operational strategies and service delivery with sustainability principles and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, but also fortifies our competitive edge and resilience in an ever-evolving world.”
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