Draft policy created on ‘moonlighting’ civil servants
(CNS): The government has come up with a draft policy which will cover the controversial issue of work that civil servants do outside of their public sector employment. The policy was discussed on 29 October at the regular meeting of chief officers, according to the latest minutes released by the deputy governor’s office. The draft document has not yet been made public and it is not clear what limits will be placed on public sector workers having second jobs or owning businesses. Under the anti-corruption law the issue of conflicts of interest, real or perceived, could cost government workers their jobs at best or, in some cases, charged with a crime.
Although government workers are permitted to have other gainful employment, they need to declare that work to their department heads and must obtain permission.
The minutes also reveal that the civil service heads discussed the general reform strategy for the civil service, for which the deputy governor has said he intends to consult widely throughout the service.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson also gave an overview of his visit to the UK and said he would like to provide other CO’s and senior members of government with the opportunity to visit the UK to meet with their counterparts in various agencies.
See latest Minutes of the Deputy Governor and Chief Officers’ Meeting for 29 October below.
Category: Local News
As was outlined in a Compass article a short time back, most of the Civil Service earns less than $3,000 a month! They dont deserve salary cuts!
It's those Yes -Men and women at the top that are sucking up most of the "benefits".
Having reviewed the minutes, I am disappointed that there were not prayers to conclude the meeting. You can never have too many prayers in this sort of meeting.
Many civil servants cannot make ends meet on their salaries alone. The problem is not civil servants who have private businesses or other interests. The problem is when civil servants conduct their private business while they are on government time. There should be a crackdown on that. In Cayman Brac most civil servants have private businesses. But no one is getting rich. Everyone is trying to survive. When government can control the escalating costs of gasoline, electricity and food, civil servants might have a reasonable standard of living without resorting to second forms of income. Stop begrudging the little guy of his desire to get ahead.
Let us not forget that the Cayman Brac civil servants make approximately 1/2 of what their counterparts in Grand Cayman make for the same amount of work and responsibilities. While the civil servants took a 3.2% pay cut, the Grand Cayman civil servants got a 3% raise to offset it and the Brac civil servants did not. Food, gas, and electricity is higher on the Brac than on Grand. Is this fair to the Brac civil servants?
Really? But, Cayman Brac gets lots of concessions that Grand Cayman does not and I wonder how much Cayman Brac contributes towards GDP every year?
We get a building concession that has been shrunken down to the bare necessities of building. Big deal. You must think we’re a bunch of half wits over here that don’t work and spend all day drinking. Xenophobic dumbass. SMDH.
The first person to get those kind of jobs should be the people with NO OTHER JOB OR BUSINESS and as I understand there are a lot of those. If you have a business or a second job you cannot tell me that this does not interfere with your Government job. Also, you cannot tell me that there are many civil servants who have very lucrative businesses that could well afford to give up their government job but they don't because they can get paid by government while running their businesses from government offices. That's one of the reason why nobody ever answers the phones in government and even then when you leave a message does anyone phone you back? Of course not! Times are tough now and those with two jobs should be willing to share with those you have no job at all
We need to reduce civil servant numbers. An effective way of doing this will be to ban all other paid work undertaken by full time civil servant with such work being a ground for immediate dismissal and loss of all accrued benefits. This rule should also extend to MLA's. In addition a full public register of all shareholdings and employments of direct relatives, ie spouses and children should be maintained for all civil servants. This will discourage the corruption that is so prevalent in modern Cayman at all levels.
0507 Yes I agree civl servants need to be reduced. So I do hope the government begin by removing all of the expatriates civil servants so Caymanians can get a job.
…and lets keep the same slackers in middle/upper management that caused this whole mess…makes sense to those who have a hard problem differentiating effect from cause.
So government has the nerve to cut civil servants pay cutting their income short.
Now, they ar trying to hinder civil servants from working a little extra part time inorder to make ends meet?
Are you lawmakers gone crazy or what? Igts time to cut your own salaries, you are making more than a US Senator! this should not be.
Get a life.
No one is forcing civil servants to stay in their job. If you don't like it, please do everyone a favour and resign. Or are you one of the civil servants who simply is not up to a job in the private sector?
Real estate consultants who work inside the government are if the perfect spot to manipulate government decisions and thus enhance their bank balances. When they are high enough on the totem pole they can sell planning approvals without fear of retribution.
With such a high cost of living in the Cayman Islands, and cuts to Civil Servants pay who have not received a raise or increment or not entitled to bonuses, what do people really expect?
That Civil Servants must not have a decent future too, especially since the majority and not the select few at the top are grossly underpaid.
To poster 9:53, it's not only our politicians that are double dipping, but hundreds of CS are also double dipping, drawing pensions monthly and receiving salaries as well. Time for some of these to go home and retire and give others who needs work a job, but it seems these folks don't have any conscience at all, they are being greedy and grabbing as much as they can while so many people are hurting, and can't find work.
Poor Caymanians, the Previous Government would not stop hollering for UK to come in and FCO to come in now, Poor Caymanians have to be kissing the Ass to sell a peanut on the street.
The previous Government is to be blamed for all of this red tape and if they are voted back in power, I would say we need to take what we get. Dont put them back in.
We obviously need all the red tape for the kind of people who run their private business whilst they are "at work" being paid by us! The policeman who used to go in uniform in a squad car to check on his private parking lot sealing jobs is a case in point. I need permission from my employer to have another job so why shouldn't this apply to civil servants?
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, you are a God send to the Cayman business, what took you so long?
Actually, they already require this you ignorant ass(es)
REQUIRE THIS???? Pleeeeaaassse – it is never enforced.
I sure wish CNS would give us the option for that "Idiot" rating. This 11:42 comment really deserves it.
I hope our MLAs and senior government officials are included in this because most of them are moonlighting in a BIG way. Many of them profit from having government business and tenders going out to their own companies without going through any proper tendering process, and many MLAs and government officials spend more time doing their own work for their own businesses when they are supposed to be at their desks and doing work for the government on the public purse. All of this is clear conflict of interests and abuse of the public purse and should not be allowed at all.
Evidence is needed. Names, contracts, dates, details. Just spouting off about what you think is going on without evidence is heresay, not fact.
It might well be true, but come forward with the evidence.
It is true and much of its on public record. All you have to do is see who is connected to the companies that get all the government contracts…. should be pretty easy to prove… after all, its obvious already to most of us.
I whole-heartedly agree!
Agree as well. Hopefully the policy will also cover the "double dipping" issue whilst they are at it. They opened the can of worms!
Would it apply to ministers?
For example, say, a minister used his position to influence a rezoning application, say, for financial gain, would that be moonlighting? Well it can hardly be said to be a part of the duties of that servant of the public, would it be ok if he alerted the CIG to his involvement in this out of office work? What if he doesnt tell CIG of this extra curricular work, would it be legal for him to gain financially from this work? Would it be misleading, or perhaps considered less than honest? Could he be prosecuted?
Just curious.
What about MLA,s having business overseas? Would that apply to Members having shares in the Cedar Garcia Hospital in Cuba. Just wondering.
"Could he be prosecuted?" Of course not, as long as he had clean hands and pure heart.
This is a good thing to prevent conflicts of interests and reduces the risk of corruption. It will also reduce the income of many civil servants promting one to ask what considerations are being given to that issue?
Maybe if they had normal working hours they wouldn't have time for a second job, and some of our unemployed would have jobs.
Una do realise that the statement you're thumbs-upping is completely illogical, right?
This law is long over due, now to the issue of politians double dipping with pension and salary. Mayb these civil servants who has second businesses will retire and free up space for the unemployed. The will either hav to quit or but more effort into their day job which they have been slacking on for some time…..long over due I say…
More pathetic minutes of inconsequential discussion.
From the notes we do know there was alot of "praying" ,well wishing, and congrtualations. Thats all that matters, that we have christians who know the art of sophistry and obfuscation. Didn't read any problems being addressed, so there must not be any…
There should be one simple rule – no outside employment because it's impossible in islands this size to avoid conflicts of interest.
Would that apply to the private sector as well? I mean, if I can have a conflict of interest between my job as a receptionist and my job as a night receptionist, which of the two is conflicted?
That's up to your employers to decide.
I'm private sector. My boss has a simple policy – If you work for me, you work for me alone and if you go work for anyone else you can work for them because I don't want you. That's in my contract of empolyment.