Public auditor joins Forum to talk on procurement

(CNS): The increasingly thorny issue of procurement in relation to public-private partnerships will be a topic on the agenda at the upcoming Chamber of Commerce conference the Future of Cayman Forum. Cayman’s Auditor General, Alastair Swarbrick, will be joining a panel discussion with Tristan Hydes, Deputy Chief Officer, Ministry of District Administration, Works, Lands & Agriculture and one of the chairs of the forums driver groups about what has been a particularly controversial area for government of late. The session will be moderated by Simon Conway from PwC Cayman who is a director in the Cayman Islands Advisory Team and has worked with government advising on such projects .

The discussion will focus on Good Practice in Public Private Infrastructure Partnership (PPP) and will open a series of breakout sessions on the topic of building a better infrastructure. Swarbrick has been critical of government in recent reports when it comes to procurement and the need to follow process.

“I am confident the Future of Cayman Forum will provide the right platform for informative and useful dialogue that will allow for better strategic planning,” Swarbrick said. “By having both public and private sector representatives working together we can formulate a more comprehensive picture for the road ahead.”

The public-private sector Future of Cayman initiative started with the first Forum in 2010, where business leaders and top Government officials created a five-point, multi-faceted strategic focus for the economic development of the Cayman Islands, culminating in the release of the Future of Cayman Strategic Report in July 2011. 

Stakeholders in the public and private sectors identified five “drivers”, indispensable components of Cayman’s ongoing success. They proposed a public-private partnership to: Develop Talent, Create a Business-Friendly Climate, Diversify the Economy, Enhance the Quality of Life, and Build a Smarter Infrastructure. 

More than 100 volunteers have been working in various driver groups and subcommittees since 2011 to implement the objectives and action items for the five driver groups.  In October, a Future of Cayman Report Card was release, documenting the implementation of many of the driver group actions.

The upcoming 2012 Forum, open to the public, will include participation from senior management from both the private and public industries, focusing on just two of the original five key economic drivers – Develop Talent and Build a Smarter Infrastructure. 
As well as an in-depth analysis of the two drivers, the Forum will commence with incoming Chamber of Commerce President, Chris Duggan, as well as Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and Premier McKeeva Bush, is expected to  deliver the closing address.
Manderson spoke on the importance of creating a unified front to help motivate the economy.

“Increasing global competition means the Cayman Islands must draw on the resources of both the public and private sectors to help shape its path forward,” he said. “The Future of Cayman Forum is an important gathering of professionals that allows for the pooling of these resources, culminating in the creation of plans and action points to give Cayman’s economy forward momentum in a sustainable and effective manner.”

The Future of Cayman 2012 Forum is a non-profit, all day, interactive event.  Registration costs CI$150and includes conference materials and full access to a welcome breakfast, opening session and remarks, selected breakout session, lunch, coffee and networking breaks, closing session and address, cocktail reception.  For further details, sponsorship information and to register, please visit the Future of Cayman website at www.futureofcayman.com.