Civil servant PA completes premier’s office line-up

| 09/08/2013

(CNS): In the wake of the news revealed on CNS this week about political appointments to the premier’s office, an official press release about four new staff members has now been issued. Kristy Watler, who is the only civil servant from the group, is now Premier Alden McLaughlin’s personal assistant. She will work alongside the contracted employees Roy Tatum, who has been appointed as senior political advisor, Kenneth Bryan, who is the new political assistant, and Tammie Chisholm, who has taken up the press secretary’s post.  The office said this completed the team that will be working directly with the premier in his new home affairs.

In the release McLaughlin said that while the general election was in May, he wanted to take time to ensure he picked the right people for his team.

“I feel confident that this group will help government in its mission to work for a better tomorrow and get the Cayman Islands back on course,” he said. “They will be strategic in helping civil servants continue to do excellent work for the government; shielding them from political matters. Our goal is to form a seamless, transparent government where those elected can work hand-in-hand with the civil service to restore our country’s reputation and standing, not only with the UK, but here at home and globally,” he added.

While Tatum, Bryan and Chisholm are all political contracted appointees, Kristy Watler is a civil servant who previously worked in the finance ministry. As McLaughlin’s PA, she will aid in maintaining his appointments, calendar, events and travel.

Detailing the political appointments, the office said Tatum will manage the office of the premier and act as liaison between the political realm, the public and the Progressives Party and will maintain regular contact with the premier, ministers and councillors, as well as the civil service. A former senior manager and department head at Butterfield Bank, he is a member of the Progressives Executive team and has been active in local politics for more than a decade.

Kenneth Bryan has been named political assistant to the premier and he will provide administrative, logistical, research and policy support to the senior political advisor and the premier. He will also assist with recommendations on press matters as well as helping the premier maintain contact with constituents. Bryan worked for four years as a television reporter for CITN, before stepping down to become a Progressive candidate in the 2013 election.

Chisholm, who is the new press secretary, will be the spokesperson and media liaison for the premier and work as part of a team responsible for communicating the premier’s message and reactions to local and world events. She is the former editor of The Caymanian Compass, where she worked for 10 years, but she has worked in the media for 33 years. 

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  1. Anonymous says:

    He should have kept that Parchment guy. You never know when you're going to need someone who is willing to say "yes, I logged on to the computer and sent that email".

  2. Anonymous says:

    Gov uses our money to fund a huge GIS department but Alden needs a press secretary? Does not compute.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Get the Deputy Premier to post his appointments now please – as he too has made appointments without advertising the positions

    • Anonymous says:

      These are not temporary political positions and so obviously would not be advertised. I appreciate that the concept is new to Cayman and so is not well understood. Hopefully the linked article re political appointees in the UK will enlighten you and other readers.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_advisers_(UK_government)

       

    • Anonymous says:

      The following is extracted from the Code of Conduct from the UK for political advisers to the elected government:

      "Special advisers are temporary civil servants…They are exempt from the general requirement that civil servants should be appointed on merit and behave with impartiality and objectivity so that they may retain the confidence of future governments of a different political complexion… Their appointment ends at the end of the Administration which appointed them or when the appointing Minister leaves the Government or moves to another appointment…Special advisers should not use official resources for party political activity. They are employed to serve the objectives of the Government and the Department in which they work. It is this which justifies their being paid from public funds and being able to use public resources, and explains why their participation in party politics is carefully limited. They should act in a way which upholds the political impartiality of civil servants and does not conflict with the Civil Service Code. They should avoid anything which might reasonably lead to the criticism that people paid from public funds are being used for party political purposes".

      I hope that this clarifies matters for everyone. 

      • Anon says:

        If they should not use government resources then explain why they have cells being paid for by the government.

        • Anonymous says:

          It would help you finished reading the whole sentence:"…for party political activity".

  4. Anonymous says:

    The same old PPM even worse now chauvanism, cronyism, favoritism, nepotism and to top it off Hypocrites:- crying down and criticizing others for the same thing you are doing.

  5. Kim ll Fun PPM leader says:

    Unnah try hush and run along to dey little meeting on Saturday at Mary Miller Hall so unnah can get re programed and hear their political officers Brainwash the rest of  the PPM hoard. Where the New progressives shall preach the same old values nepotism, cronynism, favoritism  and some home cooking and Likker to make it feel good. We all knew this was coming some just did not think it would be this soon or their political wing would have done the smart thing and phase these little tings in slowly hopefully Tammi can put a little spin on this mess! all hail our great & dear leader!!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Did Chisholm write all those anti Aldin editorial rants under duress?

  7. Anonymous says:

    What is a political assistant? What does he do? and who is paying him … us or Alden?

    What are the qualifications for a political assistant why does a political advisor need an assistant? … enjoy your four years of employment. Same Shit different A—holes 🙁

  8. Anonymous says:

    Winston , Roy and Tara stop supporting these rascals .Please get out and become th opposition.Alden got you three and Julia in there to muzzle the opposition. Thanks to Ezzard and Arden we still have a voice.

  9. Anonymous says:

    He has the right to choose party loyalists for these positions and would be crazy to do differently.

  10. The lone haranguer says:

    Brand new Civil Servants, beautiful, do not stop the party, we are nearer to the goal of employing every able bodied Caymanian to do Gods work in the CS let the foreigners make it and we can then take it, perfect.

  11. Anonymous says:

    What a joke!! only appoint that make some sense is press secratary.  But then again that doesn't make sense either since McLaughlin said he didn;t need any of these ppl that is why he got rid of the other ones.  Wait till the driver comes along.

    • Anonymous says:

      I am sure Alden wont need a cook, security, and payment of his utility bills.  Someone else did.

  12. Bean Counter says:

     

    The taxpaying public has every right to question these blatantly political appointments because, let me see, oh yes, our taxes go towards paying their salaries.
     
    As for the Premier's supposed political savvy, he was reelected solely because he hitched himself to the most potent political force operating on this island. Kurt D. Tibbetts (aka McKryptonite)!!!!
     
     
  13. Jack So Nimble says:

    Yep Alden you just lost my support! You are no better than Big Mac…..

    • Anonymous says:

      So quick to judge..no wonder this country is in a mess

    • Anonymous says:

      I guess all those corruptions charges can't make you see the difference between Alden and Mac. You must be REALLY blind.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Word on the street is that PPM is striking deals on the quiet – awarding contracts etc- on various projects just like UDP did. PPP you are worse than UDP. We knew they were corrupt. But you get elected on this anti- corruption platform and now you are dipping into our money to do all the things mac did!!     shame on you alden kurt moses… better get that wall up to six feet around your house alden and kurt or you'll have egg and worse on your face . Bunch of crooks – all politicians.  Word on the street was you will do more the same – ppm you just did yourselves in. We will not take this non-sense and wait for another 4 years. March on the streets we will. You slimy incompetent fools.

    • Anonymous says:

      Suppose we give them a chance to see what they will do before condemning based on "word on the street", aka rumour? 

    • Anonymous says:

      To:Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 08/09/2013 – 05:28.                                  What street is that?B.S. Street or Bunch o' Lies Street?

    • Anonymous says:

      I could be mistaken but I kind of get the impression you are not exactly trusting of our representatives on the whole.

  15. Anonymous says:

    NO COMMENT????????????

    • Anonymous says:

       

      PPM should fund these political appointments not the people of the Cayman Islands because they are Civil Servants who are supposed to remain apolitical.
       
      in fact any political party in power should fund positions for their buddies or seek donations from financiers and supporters for those positions to drive their party policies. Why is the public paying for friends of the Premier? This is no different from how the udp made appointments for  its faithful
       
       
       
    • Anonymous says:

      Congrats Ms. Watler! It was well deserved. 

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, congrats Kristy! You will be a wonderful PA. Very proud of you as a young, ambitious Caymanian wife and mother of 2! We need people like you around those making decisions to keep them up to date with what the average person(s) on this island are going through. Keep up the hard work and God bless you.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Oh my!

  17. GTMan says:

    Kenneth Bryan collecting salary and pension as a political assistant is going to cost us (the taxpayers) a lot. Seriously? At least let the job be open for outside application and be advertised. Don't appoint it to your running mate just because he's jobless and didn't ascend to the assembly with the PPM.

    • RVT-D says:

      20:53 Not sure what the fuss is about. For these contracted posts to support the Premier’s office, the Premier needs to make sure that the support staff of his office actually support him. Advertising the jobs will not necessarily ensure that the most supportive staff will be hired. This situation is not unique to Cayman’s heads of state or any other head of state for that matter.

    • And another Ting says:

      LIsten detractors of teh appointments, these peopel are Caymannians.  IT is better to have them employed than to bring in English POlitical advisors who will continue to subjugate us to consider their interests first.,  People need to understand that this is the way of the POlitical world, as I have heard one politicia of long ago say "Winner takes all" in party politics.  Thank God we have not and hopefully will never go the route of a complete change of CIvil servicants when a new Party takes over.

      So to all of ya yagoons, those two men have Families to feed, and they will provide the much needed assistance that Governments need i(outside of teh Civil service) in researching issues and possible solutions for Policy decisions.  

      Good Luck Gentlemen,  save ya money, for 4 years goes fast. 

    • Anonymous says:

      When Jonathan Pierccy lost and he was given head of Trade department, Alden was all upset.Now Alden is in charge and does the very same thing.What a mess.Another Syed.  

      • Anonymous says:

        I didn't hear anything about Alden being upset re Jonathan's appointment.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Now i know we gone!

  19. anonymous says:

    The team is fairly young, yet experience. Hope they do a great honourable job in respect of our Premier and our Country. Well done Alden.

  20. Anonymous says:

    If anyone will know how to spin, Chisholm will.

  21. Anonymous says:

     

    cronyism
     
    The appointment of friends and associates to positions of authority, without proper regard to their qualifications.
    • Anonymous says:

      19.53…in an island this small, that is an easy allegation to make.

  22. Anonymous says:

     

     

    We did not vote for Bryan what makes you think we want him on our payroll ? The political party should pay his salary since it's a political post!

    • Anonymous says:

      The political party did not pay for these posts under McKeeva's administration and does not pay them in any other country.

    • Anonymous says:

      Byran is a young Caymanian who put in long hours working for causes of the PPM.  He gave up his job at the TV station to do this.  Thank God that is one young Caymanian emloyed.  He will do us all proud.  I think it is a good and faithful Caymanian team picked.