Cayman’s first female deputy governor, Gloria McField-Nixon, will take up the post in the summer, Government House has said.
McField-Nixon, who is currently chief officer in the Portfolio of the Civil Service, will become head of the civil service as well.
She said in a statement, “This is a role I approach with great humility, enthusiasm and a profound sense of responsibility.
“I look forward to working closely with Her Excellency the Governor, Premier, Ministers other members of Cabinet and Members of Parliament in the years ahead.”
McField-Nixon paid tribute to her predecessor Franz Manderson for his “outstanding example of servant leadership”, and said she looked forward to working with the rest of the civil service.
She added, “Together, we will continue to deliver the outstanding public services that the people of the Cayman Islands deserve.
“I am excited about what we can achieve together and I am deeply committed to supporting, empowering and championing each of you as we make continuous strides towards becoming a world-class Civil Service.”
Worthy successor
Governor Jane Owen said McField-Nixon, who will take over as deputy governor in July, said she would be a worthy successor to Manderson.
Owen added, “She brings exceptional experience and a deep commitment to public service, and I am confident that she will serve the people of the Cayman Islands extraordinarily well.
“I look forward to working closely together to ensure our Civil Service continues to deliver the Government’s agenda, making lives better for the people of the Cayman Islands.”
McField-Nixon became a chief officer just nine years after she graduated from university with a communications degree and has held a string of chief officer roles across the civil service.
She also qualified as a lawyer and was admitted to the Cayman Bar in 2012.
The married mother-of-one also played a major role in the government’s response to the 2020 COVID-19 crisis, for which she was awarded the Certificate and Badge of Honour by the governor.
Her team of civil servants was awarded the People Team of the Year (Public Service) Award by the UK’s Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development for its handling of the pandemic.
McField-Nixon has also led two Civil Service Strategic Plans since 2018, which involved the collection of more than 1.7 million customer responses, which translated into a 91% satisfaction rate.
A total of 90% of civil servants also reported pride in their role, which was said to be “clear indicators of sustained excellence and employee engagement”.
Strong foundation
Manderson said he had “every confidence” in his successor, who has served stints as acting deputy governor, and that she would lead the civil service “with distinction”.
He added, “She inherits a strong foundation and I know she will take it to even greater heights. I will be cheering from the sidelines with great pride and I wish her and every other member of the Civil Service family all the very best for the future.”
McField-Nixon was appointed by a panel headed by Owen that also included Lemuel Hurlston, former head of the civil service, now chairman of the Constitutional Commission, and Woody Foster, chairman of the Commission of Standards in Public Life.
Owen also paid tribute to Manderson, a 44-year veteran of the civil service, who has been deputy governor for 14 years.
She said, “His leadership, vision and unwavering commitment continue to shape the professionalism, policy skills and customer focus that define our civil service today.
“On behalf of the government and the people of the Cayman Islands, I thank him sincerely and wish him every happiness in his retirement.”
The civil service employs about 5,000 people across 14 ministries and portfolios and is responsible for the delivery of essential public services to the public.
McField-Nixon will be Cayman’s third deputy governor, following Manderson and Donovan Ebanks. The role of deputy governor was introduced in the 2009 Constitution Order. Prior to that, the person who served as deputy to the governor was chief secretary.
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