Fire service top brass faces damning report

| 30/05/2011

(CNS):A damning report by Premier HR Management Solutions found that the leadership of the Cayman Islands Fire Service has been severely lacking in basic management skills. The report, compiled in September 2009, was kept under wraps for more than 18 months and only released as a result of a ruling by the information commissioner following an FOI application that had originally been denied. The independnet report was commisisoned by government following a sexual assault on a female fire officer in Cayman Brac. Despite the report’s findings, on the wide level of poor management skills at the top of the service, action has only been taken in connection with four employees.

Details of the “varying levels of disciplinary action” against those officers is still secret as that information, along with numerous other specific personnel details about those involved in the sexual assault, was redacted from the report as directed by the information commissioner.

The victim had reported sexual abuse at the hands of two of her male colleagues back in February 2007. Eventually, following a police investigation just one officer, Dorian Hunter, was convicted and sentenced to 18 months in prison some two years after the indecent assault had taken place.

During the police investigation government ordered an independent review to determine if there should be any changes at the top level of the fire service with regard to responsibilities or compensation.

The report called for an “urgent need of a curriculum of Management & Leadership training in areas such as: Leadership & Management; Recognition Management – handling reward & promotions” among many other areas of management skills training. It also recommends that the chief fire officer should have more senior professional involvement in conferences, societies and networking.

The authors of the report examined the working environment and interviewed fire service employees throughout the whole service and found staff believed there was a power struggle and role identity confusion among senior managers, while management was perceived as “non-responsive” or slow to respond and sometimes ignore issues.

Staff reported that complaints were ignored or were disbelieved and there was the perception of favouritism, double standards and discrimination when dealing with performance issues among the employees of the service.

In particular, the issue of sexual harassment among female staff was poorly dealt with. Staff commented that there seemed to be a lack of recognition or definition of sexual harassment, including how to deal with email, insinuations or innuendo. Some female staff said they were reluctant to report inappropriate behaviour or harassment for fear of being stigmatised and their work-life being made uncomfortable. They had no confidential outlet to whistle blow and their human resources department was perceived as representing management’s interests. 

The situation was so bad in Cayman Brac that female staff felt uncomfortable using the lunchroom and resorted to their car to eat their lunch. 

Even though gender awareness training had been introduced into the fire service, employees said things had not changed much and there was still a prevailing atmosphere of sexual harassment towards female staff members. The report found that there were “strong indications of other inappropriate behaviour” and incidents of sexual assault but staff were afraid to give specific details.

Staff stated that while the authors of the report were around asking questions staff behaved in a way that “looked good to them” but once they left officers said they expected that the old behaviours would return.

The report makes almost forty recommendations, including the development of strategic selection and recruitment policies and the introduction of a more robust and structured reference and background checking protocol. It also suggests that a new and more user-friendly performance management set up should be installed at the fire service, along with the development and introduction of training and skills development policy.

In dealing with sexual harassment, the report suggests that the service make outlying district fire station’s facilities female compliant and adopt a customised policy on gender, harassment, misconduct, discrimination and other related grievances. It also concluded that the fire service must make the working environment more suitable for the six female officers it currently employs.

Premier HR Management Soloutions report part 3

Premier HR Management Soloutions report part 4

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Wooooh!

  2. Anonymous says:

    Sexual harrassment is wrong and it was badly handled by some and the individuals concerned should have to answer for their actions or thelack thereof. But lets get the matter into proportion, there has been one incident in all of the years that the department has existed.  There is no evidence of anything more and if previous posters start claiming there is, I'll naturally ask why you did not make that claim in your previous posts when you trying to black guard the entire Fire Service.

    Just to make it absolutely clear, I have no relatives or close friends in the Fire Service, but two wrongs (or an entire series of wrongs) don't make even one right!

    The first and only born Caymanian Prison Director was fired after one prison break out.  Since then there have been numerous breakouts and no consequences for the Prison Administrators. I see many parallels to that in this situation.

  3. Anonymous says:

    They don't need a degree to know not to sexual harrass their co-workers.  All of this other stuff is just smoke and mirrors to deflect from the wrong they are doing.  Not to mention childish behavior.

    What has a superior getting a Masters degree got to do with sexual harrassment?  What does overtime pay have to do with sexual harrassment?

    Are you saying that because you don't have a degree or weren't paid overtime that you have the right to sexually harrass someone?

     

  4. Anonymous says:

    This honestly saddens me. the problem is not with the management (which there probably is a problem)…but when it comes to sexual harrasment it is the individual and obviously they were not raised with a good mother to teach otherwise. Sexual harrasment is a sad sad thing expecially in the workplace, and if women cannot even go to the lunch room there is a problem. these men need to be put in there place and left without a job so it can be opened to someone who is respectful and serious. this really does sadden me.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is an incorrect and unfounded statement suggesting that females are being sexually harassed. Perhaps it might be prudent to visit the department and speak with the female firefighters.

  5. Dwayne says:

    Firemen in Cayman live in a dream world that their job can be compared to firemen in new york or some other major city where they actually fight fires on a reagular basis.

    These guys have never run into a burning building and I pray we never have to find out if they have the guts to do so.

    Replace half of the firemen with volunteers- trust me many people will sign up to do nothing all day and serve the community.

    speaking about overtime- maybe the fireman can tell us why they were working overtime- did we have a fire or a plane crash or did someone just call in sick so a colleague slept in to cover his shift.

    • Anonymous says:

      Overtime is one thing, but volunteers? No way, the department will be bursting at its seams with expatriates seeking to impress the powers to be for personal reasons which I will not comment on further.

      • Anonymous says:

        Totally agree….this was one department where the majority of workers were Native Caymanians and any opportunity to replace them will be taken. Let's see how quickly they try to replace the employees with foreigners/rollover candidates, just like rest of civil service and police service.

  6. Anonymous says:

    DO YOU KNOW WHEN IT WAS THE FIRE SERVICE STAFF WERE NOTIFIED THAT THEY WERE NOT BEING PAID FOR THERE OVER TIME FOR THE MONTH OF MAY 2011??

    WHEN THEY WENT TO THE BANKS ON PAY DAY, YET TOP MANAGEMENT KNEW FROM THE FIRST WEEK IN MAY THEY DID NOT GET APPROVAL FROM THE MINISTRY TO PAY.

    DO THEY REALISE THAT TIMES ARE SO HARD THAT PEOPLE DO SALARY ADVANCES DEPENDING ON THEIR EXPECTED INCOME OR WHAT WAS PROMISED TO THEM BY THEIR HEAD'S OF DEPARTMENT???

    WHAT GREAT MANAGEMENT!!!!

    CNS: Comments in capitals are usually deleted, Just leave the caps lock off please.

    • Anonymous says:

      Your poor language does not merit you getting a salary let alone overtime paid by tax payers.

  7. Anonymous says:

    just fire all involve

  8. Anonymous says:

    Whats the big surprise? Almost any report of any leadership of any CIG service will find incompetent, unqualified, and lacking in basic leadership skills if you were to compare them to first world country.  Compared to other third world countries they are right in line with what you would expect.   And just like all the other third world countries if all your going to do about it is talk and complain it will never change and its not. Its still better than the Congo.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said. Do a comparable analysis by conducting a review on the Police, Immigration, Prison, Portfolio of the Civil Service, Portfolio of Internal & External Affairs and all Ministries.

      Let us remember that prisoners committed murder while being incarcerated. One Prison Guard loss his life in the prison. Immigration employed a criminal that was wanted bythe United States authorities. Grave errors by very senior civil servants caused this country millions of dollars in lawsuit settlements to former Judges, Commissioner of Police, Deputy Chief Officer of a Ministry, former President of UCCI, and the list goes on. 
       

  9. Anonymous says:

    This kind of behavior is unacceptable but you can't change their way of thinking.  I would suggest bringing some people from Sweden.  They are the role model of the world for Gender Equality.

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you one of those who favour expats?

       

      • Anonymous says:

        Are you one of the many here that still favours sexual harassment?

    • Anonymous says:

      So you are one of those that believe intellegent minds don't exist amongst Caymanians. How sad?

      • Dick Shaughneary says:

        Swedes might be able to spell "intelligent".

      • Anonymous says:

        Show us one or are you talking about the "Premeir"?

      • Anonymous says:

        You can start by spelling intelligent correctly.

        I would like to follow up with what I was explaining about Sweden.  They have a program that is taught in the schools but then they found out that they were having problems with their police and other officials that had to take these kind of complaints so they had to retrain them.

        I would suggest getting rid of all of our third world country nurses, police, teachers, doctors, etc and hiring Swedes to teach this program and get the proper mind set here.

        We definitely need to clean house with our top government officials.  All of them need to go.

         

      • Walter Disney says:

        Where did you get your degree in logic?  Wizard of Oz Community College?

  10. Anonymous says:

    They should have all been fired in the first instance.Save the cost of a consultant's report.What a waste!

    The victims should sue each one personally.

     

  11. Anonymous says:

    Very interesting  " The wide level of poor management skills at the top of the service"

    Does sending one on an online MBA degree course improve their management skills? Has their people handling and verbal communication facility improved?

    This is but an example of several areas of government where people management skills are sorely lacking, and that includes higher levels. Retirement is necessary.

  12. Anonymous says:

    People,people why are you blaming an entire Department for an isolated incident. These guys for the most part are hard working Caymanian fathers, brothers and sons. Its funny how easy you condemn them over the actions of a few. Come on people these guys are always there when you need them no matter what, do you think it's fair to stereo type them, but wait!! thats the norm for Caymanians isn't it to be stereo typed. Everyone has the solutions don't they, training is always needed no matter where you work so as for that what are you people talking about do you know whats going on in the Department, if you don't have all the facts you shouldn't comment about it.  

    • Anonymous says:

      Where were all those “good” fathers and sons when sexual harassments were happening? Why would not they have intervened? Because it never crossed their minds that it was inappropriate, because it was not instilled in them with mother’s milk, because they simply did not care? Their silence enabled that ugly and immoral behavior.

    • Mindy says:

      Standing by and doing nothing or simply not  wanting to get involved is just as bad as doing the assault themselves. I am sure all these "hardworking" people as you call them we aware or at least had heard of what was happending and did nothing. No one is stereo-typing Caymanians, it is just plain human decency to stand up and do something if you know something is wrong. 

      I can only assume that one of these hardworking firemen is your husband/boyfriend/brother and maybe even but I hope not, father. 

  13. Anonymous says:

    Ooo Ooo Ooo… do the police next!

  14. TICTAC says:

    Yes I think those that committed their act should be punish the same as Hunter or strip off there position.

    Remember this young lady has been going through alot since this has happened. For the other ladies that has just joined the force maybe this is happening to them also or they like what they get.

    It’s very discoraging to know that our young women want to be a part of this work and take interest, but have to be deprived because of their stupid action.

    Where were the officers in charge when this was happening? Why did they wait so long until things got worst? Why didn't anyone believe her, maybe they were justas guilty as the others.
    My opion they should all be punish for what they have done to this woman.

  15. True Caymanian!!! says:

    Food for thought Cayman!!!!
      
        Well as we can tell the perception of the Cayman Islands Fire Service (C.I.F.S.) is very grim in the eyes of some of our uneducated citizens.  After reading some of the comments below I can tell that those individuals haven’t got the slightest idea of the function of a Fire Service in our country or the function of a Fire Service in general. Firefighters (historically, firemen) are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations. The increasing complexity of modern industrialized life with an increase in the scale of hazards has created an increase in the skills needed in firefighting technology and a broadening of the firefighter-rescuer's remit. 
        Obviously you all don’t know that an education is essential to any line of work, even to suppress a fire as some of you don’t realize.   You can’t blame the firefighters for the hand that they have been dealt over the years because of poor management and all the restriction that Government had imposed on the Service, in terms of upward mobility and education opportunities.    Let me take this opportunity to give you a few pointers to consider before you all open your mouths to criticize the firefighters of these islands.  If the definition of a firefighter was not clearly defined above. 
    First of all Cayman Islands Fire Service is divided in to two different departments namely the Domestic Department and the Aerodrome Department. The Domestic Department is responsible for responding to your basic structures fires, chemicals spillages, motor vehicle accidents, environmental fires and provides search and rescue services to you the public.  The Aerodrome Department is responsible for all aircraft movements such as: landings, taking offs, undercarriage emergencies, aircraft crash, aircraft medical emergencies and aviation fuel spillages.  This is just to give you all a little brief understanding of what the Cayman Islands Fire service is responsible for on a daily basis.
      Yes! the Cayman Islands Government is crying financial instability but the firefighters were never paid for their worth in first place. They are the only ones that run to the rescue of the Country when everyone else put theirtails between their legs and run away. Hurricane Ivan should be a prime example for you all to remember or do you all think natural disasters can’t happen again in these Islands. The firefighters of these Islands are so underpaid it’s pathetic.  Imagine working for a company for 23 years and making a salary of $2,700.00 CI and new employee just staring will be making the same salary as you.  You all should be giving them thanks and supporting in every which way that you can, instead of talking ill about them. You all are a very ungrateful society and needs a rude awakening to the importance of the country’s first responders.  
     

    • Anonymous says:

      Acry for help is what I see!!!!!
      Very Interesting, It seems that the Firemen have been reaching out for help in many other situations. Obviously after reading this comment the Fire Department has a serious lack of management. Why is it that the Cayman Island Government is ignoring there cry for help? What has the Fire Chief been doing to aid his fellow firemen & women? What has Mr. Bush or who ever is head of the Fire Department been doing? Has anyone made an effort or attempt to talk with the Firemen instead of talking to the Chief or management? 
      It seems that there management team has been covering up a lot of issues.
      Why is it that when I spoke to several firefights on the island while visiting, they all complained of being over worked, not being paid for overtime, shortage of staff, not receiving their vacation time and many have hundreds of hours of Time in Lieu that they will not be paid. Sad to say but they are under paid for there duties. There morale has to below.
      Being a firefighter is a extremely dangerous job. The Fire Department is an Essential Service, They endanger there life by putting themselves in harms way. They risk everything to save others.
      “Example: Someone attends the fire department for a cut on there arm. The firefight assist with bandaging the person but is not aware they have H.I.V. The person suddenly becomes combative and cuts the firefighter. The firefighter gets the infected blood mixed in there wound. Months latter the firefight gets tested and is notified that they are now infected with H.I.V.”

      Think about it. There lives instantly change. They can no longer work, there wives, husbands, children are now affected in many ways. People think. Open your eyes. There is not one thing you can do to help them after all they try to do to help us. At least pay them there dues. Accord to research that I did personally; I have found that a bank teller or a legal aid receptionist earns as much and in certain cases more than a firefighter. This is outrageous and depressing. I had to hang my head in shame and sorrow as a firefighter. Realizing that the government would stand by and allow such issues take place. 
      My heart goes out to the victim in this case. My heart also goes out to the innocent firefighters who are suffering because of extremely poor management and the guilty officers.
      I would like to here from the firemen on the islands. How ever I am made to understand that they can not speak out because they will lose there jobs and be persecuted. Again “SAD” I thought The Cayman Islands honored freedom of speech.
      However I do commend the C.I government for embracing in a Caymanian only Fire Department. There is absolutely No need for a Voluntary Fire Brigade. It is not the way to go for such a small island. Beside that, Children are the future and they need employment. Retire those who need to be and open the doors for the youth. A fire fighter should retire at the age of fifty not at sixty-five. Let's be realistic who would want to be fighting fires or rescuing people at that age. the firefighter may need assitance with a walking stick by then depending on there health.. People stop for a second and try to find out what is wrong with the department and help them.

      it is sad to see many think that they do not have education. WRONG you have to be educated and i feel sure that they go through extensive training both physically and Theoretically. How many of people out there can you ask to calculate friction lose by distance and volume in measurement. Or even the chemistry factor of how a fire and how it burns. Citizens, Locals, people and government stop bashing the innocent and help. Help them as they so often help you. all of them can not be as bad as the public preception makes them out to be.

      As I look at all of the headline news on the islands, I have made a decision. Due to escalating crime rate such as armed robberies, unsolvedcrimes and issues such as this one, also the lack of activities and attractions on the island. I have come to a decision NOT to return to the Caymans. However, I must say the Caymans are very beautiful and I am happy to see that the locals are trying to keep some of there heritage alive.  Firefighters you are in my paryers…..
       

    • Anonymous says:

      I work for the Cayman Islands Fire Service and have for a more than a Decade. And when it comes to sweeping things under the rug or just plain and straight ignoring matters brought to Managers attention that is what happens daily. When Officers from the bottom of the "Food Chain" as how I would term it make a report it's almost as if it is a joke, because weeks and months go by and not as much as a piece of paper hand written to say we are in receipt of your report and are investigating same and will get back to you accordingly. But, Hey the service fought and created the new post of Deputy Chief Fire Officer  ******** and still some  needs that should be taken care of they seem to have no time to respond accordingly or any at all.

      When I say Managers I am not talking about the Station Officers or Sub Officers I'm talking about the UPPER LEVEL OFFICERS. This is something that has just been going on for maybe three years the most. When I started the Fire Service it was a "Disciplined Service", that was under the past Chief Fire Officer Mr. Kirkland Nixon and Mr. Roy Grant. Both of them were stern and recognized an officers abilities and disciplined when and where needed.

      What happened after they left I do not know!!! When you are not hearing from one about all the property they own in THIS SPANISH COUNTRY or the other on his plans of retirement and moving to ONE OF THE NEARER UNITED STATES. That's there concern and only there concerns!!!!

      Deputy Chief Doorly McLaughlin in my sight and a few others that can take honest criticism was a good manager too. He was like this, when it came to work he got it done, or expected the duties of others to be carried out and didn't take BULL. He was one of the stricter Managers too BAD the service lost him because of Medical Reasons.

      Snr. Divisional Officer Ronnie Dixon is a good Manager too bad he hasn't been doing too well for a few years now. And it does seem that he indeed is getting worst. Now that is something our Deputy Chief of Administration and Chief Fire Officer should take as a matter of urgency and make recommendations to have Mr. Dixon retired as he is suffering medically.

      But NO you know what their matter of urgency is "Going to there Woman's place of Employment on their DAY OFF dressed in OFFICIAL UNIFORM to talk to a bunch of students on fire safety, when we have on duty fire personnel in the Training Unit, and the specialized Fire Prevention Unit  that have lots of knowledge in this field.

      Now why don't he take time to deal with matters of TRUE URGENCY???

      And what about that one individual that in the last 5 months have been off for probably more than 3 months in total. Who is being held accountable for his time off. I wonder if someone requested a travel history report for that individual would it reflect his annual leave to date.

      Wow, I could go on forever!!! But, Anyone having specific questions don't hesitate in directing them directly to me headed as FIRE INFO and if I accurately comment I will.  

      A LITTLE MORE FOOD FOR THOUGHT, REMEMBER THAT MASTER'S DEGREE THAT WAS CREATING ALL THE EXCITEMENT OVER……… HAVE YOU ALL HEARD HOW THAT WAS SO GREATLY ACHIEVED???

      • Anonymous says:

        Your English is atrocious, if you know what that word means? Your attempt to discredit your superiors has brought further shame and disgrace on your organization. You really need to start at primary school. I would ask the person with the MBA to do us all justice by tutoring you in basic English. Next time you wish to say something you should ask someone to write it for you. Obviously you have a chip on your shoulder for whatever reason.

        • Anonymous says:

          I regret to say,Fri 1:20, that despite his "atrocious" English and the "chip on his shoulder", that poster is spot on with his observations. He knows the Fire Service betterthan you; his comments about the "masters degree" and the creation of a certain post, amongst others, shows this and he will also know that there is NO way in the world the recipient of that degree could coach anyone in what you refer to as "basic English". His post is troubling, yes, but it is symptomatic of a lot of what is wrong at the fire service.

          • Anonymous says:

            I have to assume that you donot have a degree and don't know how to cope with a co-worker who has. Your time would be better spent working toward your degree or certificate if that is where you need to start. Stop trying to cast doubt on others. Ask yourself, what will it profit you?

        • Caymanian 2 D Bone & Proud of It says:

          To:  “Your English is atrocious",  who are you to criticize? 
          That’s the problem in this country today, this individual gets the guts up to air issues happening within a Govt department and instead of the issue being looked into, people like you are first to criticize about the petty shit like grammar, spelling etc while the issue/mean topic within the post(s) is overlooked just so you can stroke your ego because your English is so superior to others, how pathetic! 

          I completely understood what the writer was trying to get across, and I am not an English Professor,  as they have stated the lower peons in Govt are the ones who catch all the shit when it hits the ceiling, by trying to do the right you’re threatened with your job if you dare to complain or try to expose the truth about what is happening.

          You are properly an expat or some lazy ass Supr, Mgr, or H.O.D  

          The writer was obviously upset and frustrated by what they see taking place in their workplace. As a fellow CS, I can identify with what you have stated.  

          I pray your situation is sorted out the right way. ( you know what I mean)

        • Anonymous says:

          LOL. My English might be atrocious but I am a fully qualified fireman and I am sure if I had to run into your burning house which I have done at other buildings already you would not worry about how good or bad my English might be. And YES, I do know what ATROCIOUS means.  If you think my English is so atrocious you should bring it up with management  for hiring so many uneducated people to put their lives on the line for people like you who think it takes proper English to fight a fire.  The next time our esteemed CFO is on the radio please listen closely for his perfect English grammar.  Now, have a nice day and I hope my English is not too atrocious for you and YES, I wrote this myself.  If you need the assistance of the fire department at any time please specify only firemen that have their degrees in English.

          • Anonymous says:

            Why do you have a problem with the Chief Fire Officer? He is your superior and you should respect his position, if not the person. You are displaying an insubordinate behavior. It is only in the civil service that you are allowed to get away with this kind of thing.

  16. Country's Best says:

    Cover-up, attempt to cover-up and corruption, aren't they all the same?

    "The report, compiled in September 2009, was kept under wraps for more than 18 months and only released as a result of a ruling by the information commissioner following an FOI application that had originally been denied."

    This is the same reasoning and conclusion I reach when I engage in the thought process of whether I should support the decisions made by the UDP govt.

     

     

     

  17. Anonymous says:

    People always trying to blame McKeeva for everything!  This incident occurred while Fire Services was under the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs.  Now ask yourselves, 1) who was heading up the Portfolio at the time and 2) what position do they hold now and 3) why didnt action occur under them when the incident occured?  McKeeva simply inherited this mess!

  18. Anonymous says:

    In US they start teaching about sexual harrasment in grade schools. Cayman has a long way to go to become a civilized country. In every place one looks inepteness and stone age mentality seeps through.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Just to add to the rest of the comments, if truth were to be told, majority of the C.I. Government employees are not college graduates. Our M.L.As are not even qualified for their positions. Yes, I agree that the Fire Service’s management team should receive training, but will that change the fact that it is possible to hire people with low morals? Unfortunately no, resumes or reference letters don’t tell all about a person.

    For inquiring minds, the C.I.F.S falls under the Ministry of Tourism because they are responsible for the safety of Aviation Tourism. The Domestic Service is just an additional service that they provide. Firefighters get a lot of criticizing until one of our family members are trapped in a vehicle accident, or until our homes start burning. What the general public don’t know is that quite a few Officers committed themselves to tertiary education.

    It’s easy for some of you readers to recommend a volunteer service, but did you ever consider that Fire Officers have families too? Let us not use this opportunity to display our ignorance!

    • Anonymous says:

      Couldnt be put any better,maybe you should be the new fire chief,Then again maybe you are gona be!

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree. I am sure that people are glad to see them when they are trapped in a car or their house is on fire but I think people should also realize that the fire department are back up for the ambulance service, the police and anything else that needs to be done. They are there risking their lives when hurricanes strike to save fools who know better then to be where they are.

      People only know what they see or think they see but there is always three sides to anything. My side, your side and how it actually went.

      I would also like to add that there are a number of very intelligent, hard working, dedicated people in the fire department and to those I would like to say thank you for being there when you are needed…….. no matter what anyone else has to say…………

  20. Anonymous says:

    why those invovle were not fired for this situation

  21. So crazy it might just be true? says:

    Most cities that have less than 70,000 people simply have a volunteer fire department.  How many of these Caymanians do we employ?  Pensions? Health Care? How many fires or call-outs do they go on per year?  Does this department justify it's expense?

    Cutting these jobs would not be accepted by our community, but slimming down the numbers to a skeleton crew through normal retirement and a recruiting freeze would be a very prudent step.

    Think about it… train and recruit volunteers and cut these employment numbers to half over the next decade. I be some of the young cadets would volunteer, what about college students, school leavers?  It would give our youth the pride they so need and the community spirit we desire

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you crazy? They dont want to work nowadays for money muchless for nothing, this is a crazy world we're living in now.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Alas, they are just firemen (God bless'em all) who stayed long enough in the fire dept to float to the top management positions. They can put out fires but you dont need academic or management qualifications to do that and these guys mostly dont even have O levels. One special star got an online MBA but that has raised eyebrows in many quarters. It certainly hasn't made him bright or  even a halfways competent manager. It's hard to know what to do with this situation. They are all Caymanians (real ones) and if you retire or dismiss them, the ones below are no better.

    • Anonymous says:

      So where did the bright star get his undergraduate degree? And why do they have so many permanent staff when they hardly have anything to do it seems at least on the domestic side.

      Other government departments are having to do without the bare essentials yet here is a classic example of a bloated one.

      • Anonymous says:

        There are some accredited, reputable universities offering distance MBA programmes, but a number of civil servants enroll in useless ones where the only qualification required is the tuition money.

        • Anonymous says:

          Well said. Many working people have studied at reputable universities and are continuing to study through distance learning, which I should add is more challenging than traditional classroom studies. In fact, many people do not complete distance learning programmes because they are so difficult. Those who do, are to be applauded, particularly at the graduate level.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Hanky panky in the Fire Service – boys will be boys, especially if they have nothing else to do

  24. Anonymous says:

    Can someone explain why the Fire Service comes under the Dept of Tourism. No wonder the Chief Fire Officer is out of touch with his colleagues in the other emergency services. The civil service andchamber of commerce run plenty of good management and leadership courses, the CFO just needs to prod his staff to take advantage of them.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Mac Daddy! You are the best.  Way Lead !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  26. Anonymous says:

    Guess what minister is responsible for the fire department?  clue -its not the ministry that police and immigration are in.  clue-its not under Mr. Manderson   clue-its in the same one that the new Barkers park rangers are in….yep that's right folks its in the MINISTRY of TOURISM under our dictator mckeevabush.  No wonder the report was hidden from the public for 2 years

     

    These are the same guys that couldnt put the fire behind the old Courtyard Mariott too!  What a bunch of incompetent boobs from there leader mckeevabush on down the line

    • Anonymous says:

      Actually to be fair, unless he took it back from Internal & External Affairs, it has not been in that ministry for several years.

      CNS: The Fire Service has been under McKeeva Bush since the beginning of this administration.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Thank you FOI Commissioner!

    Again the action of the Govenrment, Minister and Chief Office to keep such important information secret shows how important Freedom of Information (FOI) is to our Islands AND why from Premier McKeeva Bush on down senior civil servants and many MLA hate FOI.

    Caymanian public do not allow the UDP government to close off FOI!  🙁

     

  28. Anonymous says:

    name and shame them!

    • Anonymous says:

      The fire service is a 100% Caymanian employer and has a useful role to play in the employment of young people. They dont need "shame and name" they need some firm  basic leadership and management training, starting at the top with the Chief. The service is all about disipline, training and team work in order to keep it safe; it cant be rocket science to sort out  this one.

  29. Anonymous says:

    could not agree more……… these people would not last 5 mins in the private sector …but in cayman it's just business as usual for the civil service

    • Anonymous says:

      Actually- there are many private sector employers who are guilty of the same.  There are some whose senior managers are the perpetrators but it gets swept under the rug with settlements etc.

      Difference is, because these people work in the public sector their actions can be publicized.  But if you think sexual harrassment, poor management, lude behaviour and incompetence are characteristics only found in the civil service then you are probably unemployed or self-employed.

      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed these things are not new.  They do go back to Bible times and in such cases there is frequently more than one side to the issue.

    • Anonymous says:

      I think you are right they would not last 5 mins but then again you might not even have got in the front door at the fire station