Amid mounting frustration, government moves on vet hiring crisis

Government has appointed a new veterinary board and begun clearing a backlog of registrations, meaning much-needed new professionals can finally be brought to Cayman.

The board has been defunct since the end of January, contributing to a hiring crisis in the profession. 

The Compass highlighted last week how how the impasse was putting animals and businesses at risk.

One vet practice had to go down to reduced hours because its applications to bring in new vets and nurses had not been dealt with.

A day after our story was published and two weeks after we began asking questions about the issue – which received no substantive response – government issued a press release, announcing the appointment of the new board.

It described the move, which comes almost seven months after the last board’s tenure expired as a “commendable achievement in light of the recent difficulties in finding willing individuals to serve”.

The membership of the board is made up largely of the same people who were on the previous board.

And local vets told us they were not aware of any broad effort to find new people to serve on the board, which performs critical practical functions that allow the industry to run smoothly.

Key among those is the approval and registration of vets and vet nurses to practice in Cayman. That function appears to have been left unfulfilled since February.

The bureaucratic backlog has come at a time when the need for veterinary professionals is greater than ever.

The cost-of-living and, in particular, challenges finding affordable accommodation have made it hard to recruit and retain qualified staff. And a surge in population combined with a post-COVID boom in pet ownership has meant there is more work for fewer vets.

Some of those hiring barriers should now start to clear, however, with the confirmation of the new board.

The press release from the Ministry of Agriculture indicated, “Since their first meeting, all pending applications have been addressed.

“Several were approved, while some were deferred pending receipt of additional information. The letters and certificates for the approved applications are currently being prepared.”

The appointed board members are: 

Brian Crichlow (Ex-Officio), Chair
Dr. Brendan Lee (Member, Re-appointment)
Dr. Olivia Benjamin (Member, Re-appointment)
Dr. Tiffany Chisholm (Member, Re-appointment)
Justin Woods (Member, New)
Recording Secretary (To be appointed by Acting Director of the Department of Agriculture) 

“The Ministry extends its gratitude to the members of the Veterinary Board for their service and also thanks the public for their unwavering support and patience during the period of transition,” the press release stated.

“As the new board assumes its duties, the public can look forward to collaboration and progress that will benefit animals, professionals, and citizens alike.”