COs asked to cut costs and increase revenue

| 09/04/2012

government building.JPG(CNS): In latest short record of the meeting of civil service bosses with the deputy governor the minutes record that the civil service is examining cost reduction strategies used by other British Overseas Territories to see ifthey could be relevant to Cayman. Ahead of the budget for the 2012/13 financial year, cost cutting in the public sector is likely to remain a key factor as government strives to balance the books. The minutes also revealed that chief officers are being asked to develop revenue increasingideas as well as cuts. According to the meeting’s record, public sector bosses had also met with Lord Blencathra, head of Cayman’s London office, who explained the office’s role as a resource and information centre.

During his visit to the islands he had also encouraged chief officers to contact the office on any issues where input from a member of the UK civil service or government may be needed. The London rep also spoke about local students in the UK and asked that they register with the London Office before leaving Cayman Islands.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Cut the costs and raise the revenue – Big Daddy has some serious travel plans and nation building driveway paving to do.

  2. Truth says:

    In other words you now want civil service bosses to start doing the job they have been getting payed for now instead of all the past years and you now expect them to somehow do that.

    Good one.

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    It is NOT the duty of civil servants to come up with ideas to increase revenue, but rather to implement the policies (without fear or favour) dictated by the elected government that will (or should) increase revenue.

    Considering the abysmal track record of the current government to increase revenue, and their skill and dedication towards increased spending, it is easy to understand why the Chief Officers might want to make suggestions for increasing revenue. Afterall, it is their pension and retirement benefits under threat.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Cutting back on government budgets requires skill and finesse with a fine-honed scalpel, not hacking away with a rusty machete.               

  5. Anonymous says:

    Yeah Mac, good luck with that. They will do what they did with Kurt & Al, say "yes, Minister" and make no cutbacks.

    • Anonymous says:

      Hey, whats good for the goose….

       

      The same ppl that were in charge of the budgets then are the same ones he is asking to cut back now, but that is beside the point.

       

      The real point is, this request for spending cuts is just a smoke screen. Behaind the scenes the ministers are asking and instructing civil servants to get this and that done ASAP BEFORE ELECTION in May next year. EVERYTHING has to be done by April 2013, or at least well underway, contracted, or spent!

       

      Bodden Town will see numerous projects beginning very soon.

  6. Anonymous says:

    One obvious place the CO's can save money is to sell the police helicopter

    We happened to be on Tiki Beach yesterday watching the Cat boat races.
    And so was the police helicopter.

    I counted at least 3 round trips, each lasting perhaps more than an hour.

    You could say that the Cat boat race was well observed yesterday.

    The copter also supplied a lot of noise to the event, totally ruining the
    atmosphere of the race.

    No doubt, the police officers aboard enjoyed the race.

    However the Cayman citizens suffered the cost of perhaps three helicopter flying hours,
    at an estimated $1500.00 per hour, not including the salaries of the police aboard

    Is there no better purpose for this money to be spent?

    • Anonymous says:

      The police helicopter was probably involved in trying to locate whoever stabbed a man at Royal Palms.

  7. Anonymous says:

    Insist that Government agencies currently renting office premises give notice to terminate their arrangements with minimum possible penalties and move into the new Government Admin Building.

    • Anonymous says:

      What is amazing is that the new Labour and Pension enforcement and what is the new Human Capital Development Agency (whatever the heck that is supposed to mean) both of which are supposedly looking after the interests of Caymanians being employed have moved to the plaza at the Elgin Avenue roundabout!!!!  Uhm hello????  The lovely new Governent building is only 50% occupied and two agencies that used to be one have now moved in to the same building (it's bright and shiny and new too) and are paying rent instead of moving in to a building designed to house government agencies…..sigh….wait lightbulb just went on above my head, they are helping get Caymanians employed by renting buildings owned by Caymanians who employ let's see….hmmmm, themselves and their ex-pat bookkeeper and ex-pat secretary????

  8. Anonymous says:

    "Chief Officers are being asked to develop revenue increasing ideas, as well as cuts".

    so…cut off your own arm (take a pay cut) OR cut off the arm of the private sector employee….

    wonder which way they will lean???NOT to say I have lost any faith in the system or anything….just sayin'…

    Joe…the tax payer! (he just keeps on giving…bless him)

  9. Anonymous says:

    Well, not appointing absolutely totally useless, redundant (the Cabinet Office should be doing the job) positions like Chief of Staff for the Premier (naturally he has to accompany him on all his foreign travel along with the existing entourage of freeloaders) and paying civil servants to stay home and do nothing but collect $25k a month (Montoya and Drummond) would be a beginning towards reducing Chief Officer costs.

    And, Chief of Staff, where is the Infrastructure Report you were apponted with great fanfare by the Premier just after the Election to come up with????? Poor old Cayman.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with some of your post but yourcomments on Ms. Montoya and Ms. Drummond are inaccurate and unfair. Their jobs were taken away by a minister who refuses to work with them, they do not want to be paid to not work. They don't earn $25K a month either.

      • Anonymous says:

        14;37, I didn't mean to suggest that Ms Montoya and Ms Drummond were at home because they wanted to be. I know why they are there and it is NOT their fault, but the Premier's and his government's. My post was unclear. Sorry. As regards the $25k, perhaps that also was unclear. I meant that that amount was about what both of them together are earning, ie around $12500 a month each. I'm sure that's close as both are on the C salary scale. Bottom line: no insult to those ladies was intended, both are bright and committed and should be at work.

  10. JUST A THOUGHT says:

    Well if the civil service has to cut more cost, me might as well begin to eat dirt.

  11. Anonymous says:

    zzzzzzzzz…….just read the miller shaw report!

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree, the Miller Shaw report offers a lot.

      But one thing, if and when there is major cost cutting taking place in the Civil Service, I hope the public will adjust to the drop in the level in actual services offered.

      Remember, Government is in the business of providing services to the population. So, cutting back means "cutting back".

  12. Anonymous says:

    How about the British government stop insisting that we grant security of tenure to thousands of persons who cannot maintain themselves let alone their children who are being invited in on a red carpet of free healthcare and education!

  13. Caymanian/Expat family- all one says:

    Step one- Stop Julianna & Co from going to retail cell phone trade shows. Cut the travel budget and insist these overpaid blowhards actually show up and work in an office for 20 hours a week instead of showing their face on Sunday morning and dissapearing again for 6.8 days.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      20 hours a week? That’s 4 hours a day.

      However, having civil servants work for 20 hours a week is still an achievement

      • Anonymous says:

        While I understand that it is easier to paint everyone with the same broad brush, whether it is "lazy Caymanians" or "non-performimg Civil Servants", please understsnd that some of us do put in more hours than the required. And no, no overtime or comp time.

        Yes, there are those who drag their feet, but please understand that there is also the opposite.

        To suggest or imply that everyone is the same is totally ignorant and shows a lack of knowledge.

        Still got nothing but love for ya though! 

  14. Anonymous says:

    Miller-Shaw Report, thats all you need.