Topic: Franz Manderson
Governor makes splash in East End
Governor Anwar Choudhury enjoyed a soaking at the Blow Holes in East End when he visited the district on Friday, April 13.
Manderson faces fears at YMCA ropes course
The tower in front of him stood 53 feet tall, but for Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, it may as well have been twice that high. Mr. Manderson faced his fear of heights Wednesday, when he was the first person to take a run at the ropes challenge course designed for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands.
Governor Choudhury explores Grand Cayman
One advantage to being the governor in a tourist destination is getting to play the tourist.
Deputy governor headlines race for philanthropy
Runners of all ages and abilities will have a chance to contribute to several charities and causes by taking part in one run later this month.
Convicted track coach leaves Cayman
Former Cayman Islands track coach Ato Modibo Stephens left the Cayman Islands Sunday following his criminal conviction last year for convincing a 14-year-old girl to send him topless photos of herself.
Cayman raises flag to mark Commonwealth Day
Cayman hoisted a special flag Monday to mark Commonwealth Day, along with 52 other territories and countries around the world.
Cayman’s first female governor says goodbye
Ending a four-and-a-half year term that made her one of Cayman’s longest-serving governors since the post was established in the early 1970s, Helen Kilpatrick bid farewell to the Cayman Islands in a small sending off party at Island Air Monday afternoon.
New chief officer for community affairs announced
Teresa Echenique has been appointed as the new chief officer for the Ministry of Community Affairs.
Parting message from Governor Helen Kilpatrick
It is with great sadness that I leave the Cayman Islands. From the moment I arrived in September 2013 – on the Honorable Premier’s birthday no less – I have felt welcome and happy here.
Governor Kilpatrick flies out Monday
Governor Helen Kilpatrick steps down from her role as Queen Elizabeth II’s representative in the Cayman Islands on Monday.
Government hiring fight could go to court
A long-brewing battle over hiring for a high-profile Ministry of Education job could end up in the Grand Court, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Tuesday.
Government improves accounts, but accountability has ‘a ways to go’
The Cayman Islands civil service has vastly improved how it tracks public money spent on various government entities each year, but according to auditors, public accountability – as defined under the law – remains to be achieved.
Rain postpones family fun day; rescheduled for 2018
A new YMCA ropes course, planned for completion early next year, began teaching team-building and problem-solving skills ahead of schedule this weekend.
UPDATE: Man arrested in connection to police station break-in
Would-be thieves broke into the back parking lot of the George Town Police Station early Wednesday and attempted to take a motorcycle that was stored there, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service reported.
Cayman’s public service workforce grew in 2016
The Cayman Islands public service employment rolls grew during the 2015/16 budget year, according to human resources reports released to the Legislative Assembly this week.
Civil service considering a clampdown on ‘job hopping’
The Cayman Islands government is reviewing employment rules for non-Caymanian workers that often do not strictly prevent those employees from switching jobs in the midst of a contract.
Governor to expedite citizenship bids
Recent permanent residence grantees who have waited more than 15 months to receive that immigration status may now apply immediately for naturalization as a British Overseas Territories citizen.
Civil service ‘rollover’ stymied by education, police jobs
Plans to implement a term limit on residency for non-Caymanian government workers have never materialized, largely because there is no “easy” way to replace foreign employees in teaching or law enforcement roles, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson acknowledged Tuesday.
Civil service retains older workers
The Cayman Islands government now has 261 workers over age 60 in its ranks, following a change to the public sector’s retirement age last year.
EDITORIAL – ‘Required leave’: When civil servants are paid NOT to work
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson’s proposal to limit paid leave for government employees facing criminal investigations is a move in the right direction, but it also serves to illustrate the untenable situation faced by civil service management and highlights the fundamental differences between the public and private sector.
Government to limit paid suspension time for civil servants
A proposal to limit the time a Cayman Islands government employee can remain on paid leave during a criminal investigation will go to Cabinet members later this year, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Friday.
Senior tourism officer retires after 27 years
Alma McKenzie, senior tourism training and development officer for the Department of Tourism, retired this month after 27 years of service focusing on the development of youth and infusion of tourism education into the schools’ curriculum.
Older Persons Month kicks off in Cayman
The event followed Sunday’s church service at Agape Family Centre to mark the start of the month during which Cayman’s senior citizens are celebrated. Social events for Cayman’s elderly residents will be held throughout October.
Civil servants hand out Meals on Wheels
Twenty-eight civil servants set out on 14 routes Monday, from George Town to West Bay, to deliver 100 meals to the elderly, disabled and housebound.
Chief officer of government welfare takes early retirement
The longtime head of the Cayman Islands government’s Community Affairs Ministry, responsible for the administration of social welfare programs, has agreed to early retirement, according to Deputy Governor Franz Manderson.
Civil service decade-long hiring ‘moratorium’ ends
A hiring “moratorium” that a number of government managers complained was slowing efforts to fill civil service job vacancies for the last 10 years has ended.
Money from Deputy Governor’s 5K supports Brac youth
Ten young people from Cayman Brac traveled to Grand Cayman for a YMCA summer camp and leadership program from Aug. 13-18.
Government orders auditor to probe liquor board actions
Government has ordered an independent inquiry into the liquor board’s handling of an application from a gas station to serve alcohol on Sundays. The inquiry follows reports and an editorial in the Cayman Compass highlighting concerns over an application from Peanuts convenience store at the Red Bay gas station for a “retail license.”
Deputy Governor’s 5K raises $85,000 for YMCA
The 2017 Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge raised $85,000 for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said.
Lighthouse School students get a taste of working world
Six students in the graduating class of the Lighthouse School interned for a day last week at the Government Administration Building. Lauren Knight, manager of the Internal Audit Service, designed an initiative to allow the students to get a better understanding of workplace duties, protocols and expectations.
EDITORIAL – e-Government gets ‘police clearance’
Today’s front page contains a welcome development from government – Cayman Islands residents can now apply online for police clearance certificates, potentially cutting in half the number of in-person visits needed to obtain these documents required by immigration officials, as well as some employers and businesses.
Six new recruits join police service
Six new recruits who completed a 17-week cadet training course for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and two other officers who were employed as auxiliary constables with the RCIPS became police constables at a ceremony in George Town on Tuesday afternoon.
A sea of blue at Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge
Nearly 2,000 walkers and runners took to the streets in George Town Sunday for the fourth annual Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge.
DG’s 5K Challenge kicks off on Brac
The 2017 Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge kicked off last weekend on the Brac with an enthusiastic turnout and great weather.
Human trafficking focus of Cuba, Cayman Islands talks
Cuban officials and the Cayman Islands government met in bilateral talks last week to discuss migration between the two island nations.
Deputy Governor leads challenge for YMCA
One of the biggest wellness events of the year is being split between Sunday in Cayman Brac and April 30 in Grand Cayman.
Pensioners gather at Pedro St. James
More than 400 people attended a Public Service Pensions Board pensioners appreciation event at Pedro St. James last week.
Party-line vote approves police complaints process
Legislation creating a process for public complaints against the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and law enforcement officers who work with that agency was approved in a party-line vote late Monday.
Deputy governor concerned about ‘politicized’ civil service
A heated Legislative Assembly exchange Monday over the fate of a Cayman Islands senior prisons manager brought warnings against “politicizing” the public service from Deputy Governor Franz Manderson.
$620,000 payout to retired customs officers
Two senior Cayman Islands customs officers received more than $600,000 in salary and pension payments upon their retirement from the service at the beginning of the current government budget year. The payments were made during the previous government budget (2015/16) and were reported in the Ministry of Finance’s annual financial statements as “additional expenses in personnel” by the customs service.
Deputy governor prepares for 5K by getting ‘Off the Couch’
Franz Manderson launched the Off the Couch fitness program Monday evening. Off the Couch is a free weekly walk/run which aims to get people in shape for the 5K Challenge to raise money for the YMCA of the Cayman Islands, according to a government press release.
New QCs welcomed in court ceremony
Friends, relatives and colleagues filled Court One on Friday afternoon, with an overflow crowd in Court Two watching via CCTV as six local attorneys were recognized for their distinguished service and special abilities in various areas of law.
EDITORIAL – CarePay scandal: Its epitaph is not yet written
CarePay is dead. But its residue lingers all over the Cayman Islands. The lead story in Wednesday’s Compass was a partial exhumation of the CarePay issue. During a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee, Superintendent of Health Insurance Mervyn Conolly told lawmakers that Cayman still needs a real-time electronic verification system for healthcare claims, following the government’s previous unsuccessful effort.
YMCA to benefit from DG’s 5K run
Proceeds from Deputy Governor Franz Manderson’s annual 5K run this year will go to the local chapter of the YMCA. Mr. Manderson said he hoped the event could raise $60,000 for the charity. The money will go toward a “ropes challenge course” in Grand Cayman.
Soccer ‘legends’ back in action for halfway house
Former soccer stars, politicians and public figures will lace up their boots once again on Monday for the final match in a series of charity soccer games to raise money for a West Bay halfway house.
Project future total: Three down, 41 to go, 8 uncertain
The Cayman Islands government has completed three “projects” as part of an effort to restructure the civil service for better efficiency and lower costs, according to a report issued Friday.
1,500 civil servants in line for immediate pay increases
A pre-Christmas gift is coming for hundreds of Cayman Islands civil servants whose salaries have remained stagnant for at least three years. According to documents circulated among the Civil Service Thursday morning, the government has approved a proposed remedy for ongoing “pay stagnation” issues.
36 percent of civil service employees are eligible to retire
About 1,300 employees in the Cayman Islands civil service – more than one-third of the entire workforce – could retire as of today if they wished. About 200 of those employees are age 60 or older and have been allowed to continue working past what had been the normal retirement age (60) until the law was changed in September.
Kiss rock the boat in Cayman
Rock band Kiss made a brief stop in the Cayman Islands this week as part of their “head-banging, fist-pumping mission at sea.” The band have been sailing Mexico and the Caribbean with a ship full of fans aboard the Norwegian Pearl and dropped in to Grand Cayman on Monday.
Cabinet allowed immigration scammer to remain in Cayman
Paul Anthony Hume Ebanks, who was convicted Tuesday of taking money from victims he conned in an immigration status scam, had been given special permission to remain and work in the Cayman Islands by Cabinet in early 2012.
31 graduate from Civil Service College
Thirty-one government workers graduated from the Cayman Islands Civil Service College last week. Of the graduates, 22 earned honors or merits, achieving GPAs of 3.5 or 3.0 and above, respectively, according to a government press release.
UCCI grads celebrate academic success
UCCI celebrated the achievements of more than 200 graduates at a commencement ceremony Thursday evening at the Sir Vassel Johnson Hall. Twenty-five students were awarded Bachelor’s degrees, two received postgraduate degrees, 118 received associate degrees, nine degrees were awarded for professional programs and 55 certificates were given out.
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Civil service pulling employees off paid suspension
The Cayman Islands government service is bringing back to work some employees who were suspended as a result of suspected criminal activity and instituting internal disciplinary proceedings against them for “gross misconduct” after they return.
Government drops effort to cement political parties in Elections Bill
Facing pressure from one of its ministers, as well as from opposition politicians, the Progressives-led government on Friday appeared ready to abandon efforts to legally force the registration of groups believed to be operating as political parties before the May 2017 general election.
Prospect Emergency Response Team wins Challenge Cup
The Prospect Community Emergency Response Team took home the Chairman’s Challenge Cup in the second annual CERT Challenge on Saturday.
‘Racing’ DVDL inspector case goes to prosecutor
The traffic case involving a Department of Vehicle and Drivers’ Licensing vehicle inspector who crashed a car he was test driving on July 11 has gone to local prosecutors for a ruling.
Veteran customs managers retiring
Two senior managers at the Cayman Islands Customs Department will retire effective July 1, leading to a significant reshuffling in the upper ranks of the service.
31 civil servants on paid leave
Thirty-one Cayman Islands civil servants are on suspension with pay over various issues, including criminal allegations, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson confirmed Wednesday.
‘Hollywood’ civil service gets more staff
The Cayman Islands civil service will have fewer “actors” but will likely gain additional employees as job vacancies are filled in the coming months, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson told the Legislative Assembly last week.
Old boys turn on the style in football fundraiser
Bad backs and creaking joints did not stop some of Cayman’s soccer legends from dusting off their boots to raise money for recovering addicts Monday night.
EDITORIAL – The civil service should not be a jobs program
An exchange of words between East End Arden McLean and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson about a young man who didn't secure a job with the Prison Service shed light on what is right with the Cayman Islands government, and what is wrong.
EDITORIAL – Broken record: Officials must obey FOI Law
“We now have an open government,” said Deputy Governor Franz Manderson back in September 2013, declaring that the Cayman Islands’ Freedom of Information Law was a success.
Deputy governor says civil service ‘taking beating’ from lawmakers
The verbal “beating” Cayman Islands government workers sometimes receive from elected lawmakers has made some Caymanians reluctant to join the civil service, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Friday.
EDITORIAL – Franz Manderson: Walking the walk
In the long run, the deputy governor’s continued focus on improving the health of the civil service, and the wider Cayman community, may prove extremely beneficial.
Deputy governor slams door on ‘no confidence’ in debate over police
A “lack of confidence” motion questioning the Cayman Islands police service’s management methods and seeking a review of its governance structure was rewritten in the Legislative Assembly late Monday after independent lawmakers agreed to a compromise with the Progressives-led government.
Lace up your running shoes for Deputy Governor’s 5K
The Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge returns for its third year, taking place on Sunday and benefitting the Cayman Heart Fund.
Strong turnout for Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge
Dignitaries and government officials joined nearly 200 participants from the Cayman Brac community for the 2016 Deputy Governor’s 5K Challenge.
Lawmakers told caucus makes government land sale decisions
An initial decision on which Cayman Islands government “surplus” properties would be put up for sale was made by the Progressives-led administration’s political caucus, a senior civil servant told lawmakers last week.
Governor: Audit reports must not face ‘long delay’
Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick has backed the prompt release of independent government audits once those are completed, following recent public comments that the process surrounding the release and evaluation of reports from the auditor general’s office may be changed.
Civil service fires 16 people in 14 months
Sixteen people have been fired from the Cayman Islands civil service since January 2015, mostly due to what was termed “misconduct.”
‘Inadequate performance’ continues in civil service
Despite public warnings issued a year ago, Cayman Islands Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said poor performance in government “continues by some staff.”
