Topic: Civil Service
EY reform plan: One year later
It
has been a year since the Cayman Islands government announced an
ambitious public sector reform plan to restructure the civil service,
amalgamate certain services, privatize others and sell off certain
public assets.
The reforms were based on a $155,000 consultant report done by EY, and although many of the recommendations were longer-term projects, Premier Alden McLaughlin said in April that six areas in particular had been identified as issues the government would pursue immediately.
Cayman government working on pay inequity
Civil service leaders insist they are still seeking to address concerns over pay inequality across government.
Children and Family Services director retires
After a 33-year career in the Cayman Islands civil service, Alicia “Jen” Dixon retires Tuesday from her post as director of Children and Family Services.
New labor bill: Bad for business, bad for employees
The proposed “Labour Relations Bill, 2015” is an anti-business screed that will benefit neither employees nor employers and will result in increased unemployment in the Cayman Islands – especially among young people just starting out on their career paths.
Pay increase for long-serving teachers
Long-serving public school teachers who have not seen pay increases in several years will get one this year.
An argument AGAINST the Labour Relations Bill
An argument against the proposed Labour Relations Bill, 2015 submitted by James Bergstrom.
Audit slams Nation Building expenses
A report by Cayman's auditor general is highly critical of the former Nation Building Fund, but the country's former premier defends the program.
Premier, deputy governor support auditor's report
Premier Alden McLaughlin and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson both indicated that will fully implement the recommendations in the auditor general's report on the Nation Building Fund.
Auditor General Swarbrick resigns
Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick resigned on Tuesday after five years as one of the Cayman Islands top government watchdogs.
Auditor General Swarbrick resigns, to remain in job until October
Alastair Swarbrick, the Cayman Islands auditor general for the last five years, announced his resignation Wednesday morning just as he was on the receiving end of some sharp public criticism from Cayman’s political opposition leader.
Seaman's son dedicates his call to the Bar
Cayman’s newest attorney, an aeronautical communications engineer and son of a seaman, was called to the Bar of the Cayman Islands last week.
New accountant general named
Cayman has a new accountant general.
Civil servants boost Kiwanis cause
Civil servants dressed in blue or yellow last week as part of a charity fundraising effort.
Cayman's fear factor must be repudiated and eliminated
There are likely murderers (plural) roaming freely in the Cayman Islands, untried and unaccountable for their homicidal actions. This is directly attributable to Cayman’s prevalent culture of silence and perceived retribution.
Surveying the auditor general’s report on land management
The latest report from the Cayman Islands auditor general on government’s land management practices covers so much topical ground that we believe it may be instructive to provide some focused analysis.
Auditor General Report: Planning decisions 'not transparent'
Cayman's financial watchdog shines the spotlight on the appointed boards that control local development behind the scenes.
Fiscal prudence: The road not traveled
The stretch of asphalt connecting the Owen Roberts International Airport to Seven Mile Beach ought to be a grand entryway into Grand Cayman. Instead, we have the Esterley Tibbetts Highway. It's ugly. It's dangerous. And it smells.
Proposed new Labour Law gets public review
Key issues in the Cayman Islands proposed new Labour Law, including worker contract requirements for employers and closing loopholes to reduce structural discrimination against Caymanian employees, were discussed Tuesday night in the first of several public hearings on the rewritten law.
The Greece model: May it forever rest in peace
Greece’s political and monetary future in Europe remains uncertain, even
as the continent’s leaders rallied this weekend with the goal of
starting new bailout negotiations with the embattled and indebted
nation.
Internal audits, public information
The Compass has recently published stories on problems with airport parking, billing for trash collection, vulnerabilities in government's information security systems, and a bureaucratic morass at the Immigration Appeals Tribunal. Believe it or not — we consider this to be good news.
Pay raise, praise for civil servants
Cayman's government leaders praise the civil service, but warn of further changes ahead.
Children and Family Services director retires
Alicia "Jen" Dixon is retiring from her government post after 33 years of service effective Sept. 1.
Civil servant's sentence suspended
A former civil servant convicted of theft had her prison sentence suspended on appeal.
Lawmakers to approve $121M surplus budget
Cayman lawmakers are set to approve a budget that includes a CUC rate cut and pay raises for civil servants.
Miller: Block foreigners from civil service college
North Side MLA Ezzard Miller wants to block non-Caymanian civil servants from taking further education courses through the civil service college.
Civil servants left in limbo on retirement change
Some older civil servants are being left in uncertain positions as government debates changing the retirement age.
Deputy Governor: Public safety 'number one' priority
Cayman's deputy governor says he's not getting in the way of hiring police officers.
'Acting' chiefs and unfilled jobs mount in civil service
The Cayman Islands civil service is having quite a time trying to fill various government jobs at both the top and within the rank and file.
Bureaucrats' meddling with public safety puts Cayman at risk
As the old saying goes, “There’s never a cop around when you need one.” Here in the Cayman Islands, now we know why: Because the government won't allow Police Commissioner David Baines to hire the officers he needs.
Baines: Police have money – but problems hiring
The Royal Cayman Islands Police have money to hire more officers, but actually doing so is proving to be a challenge.
Online poll: Much improved grades for Progressives
The People’s Progressive Movement-led government has made a dramatic improvement over the last eight months in the eyes of the populace, according to the results of a caymancompass.com online poll.
Civil servants balk at healthcare co-pays
The Cayman Islands Civil Service Association says it will consider paying for healthcare, as long as it is not provided by the government Health Services Authority.
'Tall challenge' to hire more Caymanians
Cayman's civil service is about three-fourths local hires, but increasing that number further will prove a "challenge."
Government releases audits, will continue to seek delays
Government releases a handful of internal audits, but seeks to further delay the release of those reports in the future.
Manderson: Health co-pays will take time
Cayman's deputy governor says proper planning is needed before changing the government's healthcare system.
Cayman's public health system in critical condition
The government has pushed back an important deadline, delaying the enactment of much-needed reforms to public healthcare.
Miller calls EY report 'a waste of money'
North Side MLA Ezzard Miller called the EY report a waste of money and said privitization of services seldom saves the government money.
Government personnel costs to increase by $20 million
Government salaries and expenses are back on the rise in the upcoming budget.
Civil service healthcare payments put off
What looked to be an extremely difficult political decision for the Progressives-led administration has been put off until well after the May 2017 general election, government leaders announced Friday.
Labor changes may impact jobless rate
Local unemployment numbers could stagnate or even rise if proposed changes to the Cayman Islands Labour Law and the civil service retirement age take effect within the next year.
Budget: CUC diesel tax cut, minimum wage planned
The Cayman Islands government proposes a duty rate cut for diesel imports to CUC in next year’s budget, starting in January. It also plans to give a 4 percent cost of living pay increase to civil servants and increase spending in a number of other areas, leading to a projected $16 million rise in operating expenses from the current year’s budget.
Despite issues, Cayman FOI rated among best
Cayman's open records laws get high marks when compared with the rest of the world.
Cayman FOI being 'undermined'
Cayman's open records regime is beginning to fall into disrepair, the former information commissioner says.
Online government services progressing
A new steering committee hopes to launch an Internet portal this year that would move many Cayman Islands government services online.
Concern rises over pay inequity in public sector
Government is facing increasing dissatisfaction over pay and conditions with salary inequality blamed for driving talented employees out of the public sector.
Defending FOI and the information managers
Acting Information Commissioner Jan Liebaers defends the Freedom of Information Law and Cayman's information managers.
Government ignores internal audits
Government is largely ignoring the recommendations of its own auditors, a recently-released report reveals.
Playing 'Hide and Seek' with audit reports
Delaying the public release of Internal Audit reports is not a way of protecting the Internal Audit Unit, it's a way of protecting the civil service departments which it audits.
Government delays controversial audits release
Government backtracks on a long-established open records process for Internal Audit Unit reports.
Auditor: Bad debts, employee benefits hit HSA's finances
A new Auditor General report raises concerns about mounting patient debts and retiree healthcare for the Health Services Authority.
Runners give boost to Special Olympics
The Special Olympics program will get a welcome boost from this weekend’s latest fundraiser for it.
Premier insists EY reforms progressing
Cayman's government says progress is being made on civil service consolidation and reform.
Online poll Education, landfill, fighting crime seen as top priorities
When asked which issue the government should spend the most time and money resolving, respondents to a caymancompass.com online poll were almost evenly split between education, solving the landfill problem and fighting crime.
Dozens of officers screened for drugs
Nearly 50 Royal Cayman Islands Police officers and civilian staff members have been drug tested since the start of this year, including one police officer that was suspended after failing the test.
UCCI board of governors gets new members
Cabinet appointed Lemuel Hurlston and Andrea Bryan as chairman and deputy chairman, respectively, to the UCCI board of governors.
Police launch local recruitment drive
Police Commissioner David Baines kicked off a recruitment drive for Caymanian police officers Wednesday.
EY report six months later
A six-month progress update on the Ernst & Young government consulting report shows slow going.
EY Report: Another one bites the dust?
More than six months after the publication of the EY report, it appears we have another "dust gatherer" in the making.
Writers: Build up UCCI
Former legislators say UCCI needs more support, not a smaller budget.
Acting fire chief 'medical boarded'
Cayman's acting fire chief has been officially retired.
Court: Fire chief not yet retired
Cayman's former fire chief claims he was forced to retire, but the civil service and a local judge say that's not the case.
Online poll: About half would consider investing in infrastructure fund
Nearly half the respondents to a caymancompass.com online poll say they would at least consider investing in a private fund to finance the Cayman government’s major infrastructure projects.
Mr. Manderson: Fire away
The deputy governor's written warning to civil servants about customer service is a good first step, but one that is meaningless if he doesn't take the second step.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson: Bad service may lead to firings
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson signals that bad customer service in government departments may lead to “separation” – firing – from the public sector.
Five years on, discredited gas card system still in use
The government's gas card fueling system, maligned in multiple audits and for potentially allowing fuel theft, is apparently still in use.
Auditor's office wins health challenge
Several teams from across the civil services competed to see who could take the most steps in three weeks.
Immigration chief's suspension is 'administrative'
The investigation into alleged 'misconduct' by Cayman's top immigration officer could wrap up next week.
Online poll: Civil servants get bad customer service grades
Almost two-thirds of the respondents to a caymancompass.com online poll would give a grade of “poor” or “terrible” to the Cayman Islands civil service when it comes to customer service.
Cayman seeks new fire chief
Cayman's fire service is the latest public safety department on the islands to seek new leadership.
Statistics Law: Government's latest numbers game
When posed with any proposal that would increase government's reach, diminish individuals' privacy rights and devolve responsibility away from elected officials – our first response is to ask: Why?
PAC chairman defends witness list
Cayman's Public Accounts Committee chairman answers questions about why his committee appears to be selectively calling witnesses.
Independent bodies lack appointments, certainty
A number of government oversight bodies are currently dysfunctional.
