Status of senior civil servants still not clear
(CNS): Although a statement was issued by the deputy governor in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday in order to clarify comments made about two senior civil servants who are on leave, it isstill not clear what is happening to Deborah Drummond (left) and Diane Montoya. The women held senior positions in government until the 2009 elections when they were removed from their posts, along with Angela Martins, who was then the permanent secretary in the education ministry. While Martins has been paid off and taken early retirement, Montoya, who was the chief officer in the health ministry, and Drummond, formerly the deputy financial secretary, remain on leave on full pay without jobs.
The two senior civil servants are drawing six figure salaries in the range of $120-130,000 per year plus benefits but neither of their skill sets are being utilized by government.
Questions put to Deputy Governor Donovan Ebanks during Finance Committee in June revealed very little about what had happened to the women other than the fact that government is attempting to reach an amicably arrangement with them.
It was also implied that the women were placed on leave, one on required leave and one on less formal leave, by the former chief secretary, George McCarthy, but it was not clear which woman was in what position and why.
On Wednesday Ebanks said he wished to clarify coments he had made in Finaance Committee and said that Deborah Drummond was not placed on required leave by McCarthy, but he did not make clear if this meant it was Drummond and not Montoya that was on the less formal leave or whether it was someone else who had placed Drummond on required leave.
During Finance Committee Ebanks had indicated that the women were removed from their previous posts because the chief secretary had information that their presence within the ministries concerned was not desired, but he did not necessarily know what that information was. However, none of the three women were accused of wrongdoing, he had confirmed.
The deputy governor had told Finance Committee that he was committed to finding a solution that was fair and reasonable to the officers concerned as well as the service. “It is a very sensitive subject,” Ebanks added.
Category: Politics
This place is stark raving mad.
Embarassing! No wonder we're broke. I wonder if either of these ladies has considered resigning or returning their cheques since they are doing nothing to earn the money and the Island is strapped for cash?
These ladies were unjustly put out to pasture by a despot, and you expect them to resign and/or return their cheques – really? I hope that your looks make up for your lack of brains. The Beaver
They should be considering a law suit against Government for politics interferering with the CS.
Why should they? They have done nothing to deserve termination and have been put in this position by the political directorate. Resigning would reward the offending party. Why should they lose their seniority with the civil service and then have to try to find a job in the private sector in this economic environment?
It is the politician(s) responsible who should have to pay their salaries.
Talk about a waste of human capital and money just for the sake of politics and politicians. This is really a political bullet train on the path to destruction. Where is the UK in all this? Cayman is on the path to total destruction.
she should have been given the job that was given to dax basdeo. it was probably won fairly by dax but it should never have been advertised in the first place as she is qualified to do it.
Dax used to report to Deborah now he is doing her job. Probably something to do with the political support his mother gave Mac.
And once again, I would like to add, my mother worked for Government for many years and is not collecting ONE RED CENT monthly on her pensions! I've emailed everyone, even our God-fearing leader and NOTHING is being done, but yet Government is tossing around millions on churches and paying salaries for persons they are not using!?!?!?! So not tell me, if these ladies are on leave (which is by know means their own fault, just another tribute to our ridiculous, illiterate (literally!) government leaders. I am once again in awe!
Pensions have to be paid to persons that held pensionable positions for ten years or more. Also the new Pension Law requires even less than ten years work. Better keep working on this MER.
who cares.???..dust off the miiler shaw report and read it out loud!…..zzzzzzzzzzzzz
When Obama and Clinton became Presidents of the United States they worked with the Republicans and the Democrats alike. Their concern was the business of the Country, and where they could draw their expertise in making a better USA. Obama was wise and took as his Vice President a "Republican" that stands by him through thick and thin – Can we not take this as an example, by work along with our people!!!! Politics looks at one side and the Civil Service another.
I am puzzled, astonished and suprise to know that these intelligent, outstanding Civil Servants do not have a role in the shaping of their country.
Please, check your facts.
so basically the former cheif secretary, mac and the current chief secretary and the governos were all present when this was happening and the gvernemnt shifted a bunch of civil servants around with the result that 3 of them became out of a job? if so can someone explain why were the 3 civil servants that replaced them promoted artehr than keeping the status quo?
Different people see different things or perhaps are more likely to disclose what they see.
some persons were moved from other departments to work in the ministry of finance. why could they not have found a way to therefore place these women in those othere government departments? if you look at the people working in that ministry now it is clear that at least 2 of the senior persons who got positions were working in other minstries and departments so what happened to those vacant positions?
she could be head of the tax information authority office or at least working with the attorney doing that now. or she could also be one of the 3 chief officers in the ministry of finance. one does finance (i think that is basdeo guy) and the others do tourism and development.
she should have been given the job that was given to dax basdeo. it was probably won fairly by dax but it should never have been advertised in the first place as she is qualified to do it.
Iam hoping that all the disgruntled (whether personal or otherwise) will remember this when the next election comes around. Let us stop trying to figure out the Premier and his cohorts, but put our energy and expertise into convincing educated, smart, honest people in our country to run against them. I know this for sure, I nor anyone of my immediate family will not be casting a vote for anyone of them (UDP)no matter which district they are in. We did'nt do it last election and certainly will not do it next time around.
On another note, I had an epiphany momemt recently concerning all the MOUS being signed and nothing coming forth from them – I think the investors probably have great interest on the onset , but after spending time talking with the Premier they are left flabbergasted and start running in the opposite direction as fast as they can. I just hope he does not exhaust all the legitimate business prospects who would really want to do business with us and when we sweep them out of the house we will be able to seriously work with these folks. Younger educated honest smart Caymanian please start making your plans. Give us an alternative!!
Another huge UDP Government disgrace. The greatest mind in the civil service is sidelined by Mac and George McCarthy.
"The greatest mind in the civil service"? Say wha????
Since you are hard of hearing, I'll say it again, the greatest mind in the civil service.
What a waste of important resources. Mr. Premier informed/instructed the then Chief Secretary that he could not "wuk wit" Ms. Drummond so she was sidelined. I think it was more that her intellegence & integrity would have over shadowed all of the consultants & ministers combined. Imagine leaving out the primary technical person involved in the earlier tax treaty negotiations when this Govt. continued the negotiations with other countries. I guess that is why we got so little in return. Interesting that other countries have expressed interest in this lady assisting them, but our leaders fail to use her expertise!
To both of you ladies, please do not quit as your country needs you.
These people work with Government and are living the time of their life without working and yet some ex-government employees who work over 30 years with government can hardly put food on the table or meet their medical expenses
And some persons in government never reduced their salaries as promised. Those same persons also receive a salary and a pension. Old info, I know, but a situation which does not need to be forgotten.
You obviously do not know Debbie or you wouldn't make that comment. She is a highly intelligent, honest, ethical person who is a career civil servant with an amazing work ethic. The last thing she would want is for people to think she is enjoying herself. She would much rather be working, even if she has to "wuk wit" you know who.
It is interesting how you try to make these ladies look like the criminals. Their careers was taken from them in an unprofessional manner thats why they still recieve pay. They are not in the wrong here.
This makes no sense to me. Why are we paying people to stay home and watch days of our lives, while at the same time, there are so many needs around us? Maybe I'm just a simple person.
The erosion of the institutional backbone of the Civil Service is a worrying matter and has been for some time. If this situation is not addressed, the stability of government will be undermined and the country will not be far behind.
Our system of government requires an elected arm and an appointed cadre. They both have different but equally important roles to play. With the new Constitiution we now have a stronger political system, unfortunately we may have also weakened the civil service at the same time.
I do however support many of the new provisions in the new Constitution that bring greater checks and balances to public service and the instutiions that support democracy.
Try to see tings my way,
True I just keep talking till I can't go on,
You must do tings my way,
Or run the risk that your job will soon be gone.
We can wuk it out
We can wuk it out.
OUTSTANDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Would be nice if Cayman Finance showed that their organisation had a bit of integrity and advised the Premier to re-instate Deborah instead of over paying financial consultants that support him politically.
Caymanians should be demanding an answer and end to this fiasco.
The people should be demanding the removal of the Premier.
These talented women have full grounds to file a law suit as their career is being damaged by their forced leave.
According to public reports they have done nothing wrong.
It appears that they were placed on leave because it was assumed that they would not work to carry out the mandate of the incoming UDP administration.
If this was indeed the case, it is wrong to place them on required leave. They would have to first fail in carrying out their duties and then be dealt with for non-performance.
This is what happens when procedure is not followed; once again our leadership has opened us up to the possiblity of costly and very unecessary lawsuits.
Keeping them on the payroll = keeping them quiet.
I don't know about you but that would work just fine for me.
If they file against CIG in the Courts their salaries will almost certainly be stopped.
Old proverb, "A bird (or salary) in the hand is better that two (or a civil settlement) in the bush."
why bother blaming mckeeva anymore……i've moved onto the continuing failure of the governor who has failed every day for 2 years to ensure good governence of these islands…..
time for a march to the governors house
Actually there seems to be scope for blaming McKeewa for what he has done and is doing and the Governor for what he has not done and is not doing.
I believe George McCarthy made those decisions, probably instructed by Mac.
Why are they blaming the premeir, because he made the call to put them in their current position. As for the Governor, historically speaking they have not but heads with the head politician. For the Governor to fix the problem he would have to clash with the premeir. Not going to happen.
I am very concerned about the message to the Civil Servants. Was this a case of the premeir putting his people in these top positions, or were the ladies not performing to standard or their replacements deserving.
YOU two do not worry. just take your four(4) years vacation. IN 2013 we will get rid of this tyrant we have as nightmare, not premier. if you are honest this goverment do not want you around them
Really. The head of the Civil Service cannot clarify why the people of the Cayman Islands are paying thousands of dollars to civil servants who are not actually working?
The common men and women of Cayman are sooooooo f***ed.
This is how Mac and McCarthy struck absolute TERROR in the civil service. Now, not a single civil servant will make any decision without Mac's say so. A sad time Cayman. A country divided against itself.
Now the entire civil service has been reduced to people they can 'wuk wit'. As a result, even when an action is clearly not in the best interest of the country, civil are INTIMIDATED and will not speak out but share quiet look of disappointment and disgust among themselves. We can't really blame these civil servant, after all they too have mortgages and school fees to pay.
The Art of War: By cutting off the heads of so many top officers Mac was effective in sending a strong message to the entire civil service to do exactly what they were told or they would face a similar fate.
Their status Is "collateral damage", the same status us the rule of law now has.
Their example shows clearly why at least certain politicians should never be allowed to select the civil sevants who will be in a position to see what they are doing.
Civil servants who demonstrate honesty and integrity areunacceptable to some politicians.
Polytrix requires people dey can wuk wit. .