KT waits on ICTA report
(CNS): Following a number of questions this week over the recruitment practices of public authorities and the particular revelations about how two posts were filled at the Information Communication and Technology Authority (ICTA), the minister responsible has ordered a full enquiry into the issue. The minister with responsibility for the agency, Kurt Tibbetts, told members of the LA on Monday that government was taking the situation seriously and he was waiting on a report from the board, which had held an emergency meeting at the weekend. Depending on the outcome, he promised the independent members that there would be accountability.
The troubles started when North Side MLA Ezzard Miller questioned ICTA Director David Archbold and eventually forced the authority boss to revealed that two recent members of his team had been recruited tovery senior positions by circumventing the mandated recruitment processes for public sector jobs.
The two men, one of whom was given the post of deputy director with an eye to taking over Archbold’s job when he retires, appear to have been hand picked and then the jobs moulded to fit their qualifications. Contracts were offered and signed by the men, one of whom had been a previous board member and the second an overseas candidate, before the submission deadline in the advertisements in the local press had expired, making a mockery of the process.
The issue raised considerable concerns in the country’s parliament, and updating members, Tibbetts said he had instructed the chief officer in his ministry, Alan Jones, to meet with the board chair to update him on what happened, relay the significant concerns of the LA and then to instruct him to investigate the matter and deliver a report before the end of Finance Committee, which is expected to conclude Wednesday.
The minister said a meeting had been held on Saturday, then a letter was sent to Archbold instructing him to send a full report in relation to the hiring of the two men. Depending on that report, the board was expected to recommend further action.
“I want to make it clear that I, the premier and the government take this seriously and we will be discussing it in Cabinet tomorrow,” Tibbetts stated. He confirmed Archbold’s post is appointed by Cabinet, via the board and chair, who are all responsible for recruitment, but the final decision will be made by Cabinet guided by the facts and recommendations of the board once the investigation was complete.
Answering questions from Miller about the transgressions of the director when he came to parliament and misled members, Tibbetts said it was important government got to the bottom of the whole matter first, but action would be taken. Miller said, however, that if it wasn’t, he would use the law to call the director to the bar and answer the charges directly to members, who would then decide his fate.
Category: Politics
The UK has advertised 800,000 jobs abroad without advertising them in the UK. Most countries advertise jobs abroad without advertising them within the country, why should it be any different in Cayman?
Anon 1404 so you are telling me that the jobs were not even intended for the local people regardless if they are qualified or not. Moreover what happens if there is an expat on the island that might have the qulifications and want to change.
Sounds as professional as I have discovered the private sector to be. Hell we should list your companies right in with the Government Departments that you spend so much time criticising.
Ummmm… because that is what the LAW requires?
http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/800000-uk-jobs-advertised-across-europe–and-foreign-jobseekers-even-get-travelling-costs-8734731.html
You people like to misrepresent the facts to make Cayman appear backward.
1. The jobs were advertised within the EU (not "abroad" generally). Subject to certain exceptions, EU citizens have the right to live and work in any country within the EU. The UK is a part of the EU Common Market. Cayman is not a part of any common market.
2. You 'forgot' to quote the complaints about it in Britain:
"It comes at a time when Conservative business minister Matthew Hancock is urging UK firms to employ young British workers rather than better-qualified immigrants. He said firms have a responsibility to ensure young people from the communities where they are based are given the opportunity to get a job and get on in life".
Yet when Caymanians make identical comments we are told that we are xenophobic and in the 'real world' anyone should be able to compete equally with any other person for jobs anywhere.
The stench of hypocrisy is awful.
Tings gone very quiet on such a serious issue.
Don't mean to be rude but where does it say that it is illegal to sign a conditional contract with the expat prior to the end of the advertising period? If the contract is conditional on receiving a work permitand the advertising has happened before applying for the permit, with no Caymanian applicants who are qualified, then has any crime been committed?
Maybe we are all not understanding the law?
The law requires and expects all reasonable attempts to recruit locally be exhausted before seeking to employ a foreign national overseas for a position in Cayman. If the foreign national overseas has been pre-selected, it tilts the playing field firmly against any local applicant.
What a bloody joke
Smoke and mirrors they are hoping that we will forget about it by next, stay on it Ezzard.
Please give Hon. Minister Tibbets time to sort it out. I bet you that HE will get things done, once he has the facts. The soon come game is over along with UDP. Thank you very much .Hon. Ezzard Miller for picking this matter up and paying close attention becausen as they say ……. We will have to eat the dog becausen he not going to eat our supper. All the Confidence in you Hon. Kurt Tibbets. God Bless, Michel
CNS – please can you make it clear that the deputy in question is in fact a Caymanian – something that you failed to note in your report.
The deputy is Caymanian.
It was the process – not what the nationality of the successful candidate is!
Or is everything – XXX – ok if the person who benefits is a Caymanian?
What a mess.
Given that the position is a senior one then it's more than likely that they only had one prospect with the experience and qualifications needed, it's part of succession planning and pretty unlikely you would get a random better qualified individual to take the post.
But wait just a minute? The "hand picked" deputy director is a caymanian. Correct? So he was recruited and trained up to take over from the retiring director??. Sounds like sound succession planning to me?
And we have a problem with that?
The process speaks to a breach of fiduciary duty of at least one Director, the beneficiary. Where was the advertisement for the job.
one poster earlier wrote this
The most important fiduciary duty of a Director is the duty of loyalty. The concept is simple: the decision makers within the company should act in the interests of the company, and not in their own interests. The easiest way to comply with this duty is not to engage in transactions that involve a conflict of interest. We often call these "self-dealing" transactions. The concept is that the directors are dealing with themselves, and may not reach an agreement that is fair to the company.
Where is the Chairman of ICTA board on all of this? The board has been silent about this.
I applied for a position advertised by Cayman Airways on the day the ad was placed in the paper only to be told they were no longer accepting applications. After arguing that point and getting an interview i found out that an expat had been hired months before on a twmporary and they were now applying for a full work permit. Icomplained to the NWFA and immigration only to get lip service and to be told that thwy had spoken to Cayman Airways about it. I found out that despite this they still granted a full permit . After receiving his work permit, this gentleman resigned because due to previous health issues Cayman Airways health insurance would not insure him. Now they have seconded a Caymanian from another department who could have been offered the job instead of the expat, in fact he worked in this department for years and should have been promoted but had to transfer out of that area just to move up in the company. Now has been given the position as "acting" most likely until they can find another expat.
It is a crying shame to see how Caymanians are treated by their own.
There are reasons I suspect 12.18
XXXX
firstly, these people are referenced as witnesses and I dont understand why they are not made to take an oath.
Minister Tibbetts is very wise in getting the report before committing Government to a course of action regarding Mr. Archbold. Based on what was reported on CNS earlier about the issue with Mr. Archbold in Finance Committee, it really isn't clear whether Mr. Archbold was deliberately attempting to lie and mislead Finance Committee, or whether it was that he did not know the sequence of events until he went and got the documents about the hirings. On the face of it, it doesn't look good either way, but still it's best to get all the facts together and then be able to make a well informed judgment. Just sayin'.
The article says that Mr. Archbold denied that the offer had been made before being advertised. If indeed he did not know, then he should have said that to Finance Committee instead. At the minimum he was being reckless about the facts.
You forgot to add that we should always, without fail, take everything we read on CNS as being the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
Well, let's include a caveat that this was accurate reporting by CNS. According to the Compass "Authority Managing Director David Archbold told the finance committee that he was aware of the new hires, but did not know about the contracts being signed prior to the expiry dates of the advertisements. Depending on how it was said this might convey the meaning of ignorance of the fact, or, alternatively a polite denial of the fact. Perhaps it is just me, but I don't find a statement that the MD of a public authority did not know that the Authority was making a job offer to an overseas person before the job was advertised credible. Of course, there will be a paper/electronic trail to determine the truth of even that statement.
Now we can all get to see what "accountability" Means in Caymankind speak. Hopefully it means more than "honorable". And if it doesn't then why would anyone take anything Cayman leadership says as 'truthfull"?
Thank you Kurt, A new day dawns in Cayman!! Way to go PPM!!
I would not be getting too excited until we see what comes out. Things sometimes get lost in flurries of self interests
Self interests? In our politicians?? Heaven forbid! (But then, that's CaymanKind.)
Self interest has no place in Ethics, period. The end does not justify the means. Our politicians need to start enforcing the laws instead of bending them.
Well – don't jump too soon – Kurt has been known to take the "soon come" approach, and we need to see if he will actually remove Archbold and demand a proper process for his replacement,
Well then, "we the people" will have to remind him every day if that is what it will take.
@ 21:00, I didn't roll my tongue into my head but I definitely rolled my eyes to the back of my head knowing that finally, someone brought this out and now I am sure there are quite a few left shaking in their boots in anticipation of who will be next! im tuned in!
This is Kurt we talking about. All we will get out of this entire episode is a "kep the hope" speech. NOTHING will come out of this. This is still colonial alive and well Cayman we are talking about here.
Enlighten us! KT said Cabinet will deal, ok, but seems according to EM that the LA or finance Committe can overrule Cabinet. ? ? WHO or what is in charge!
Yes, please let us see what is the definition of "Accountability" and its meaning in Caymankind!!!!!!!