Shomari joins Shetty team
(CNS): The man credited with turning round Cayman's declining overnight tourism figures will be taking his talents as a marketing wizard to Dr Devi Shetty's Health City in East End. Shomari Scott, who is leaving his current government post as director of the Department of Tourism this month, will take up his new job as the hospital's marketing director at the beginning of January. And not unlike his previous position, where he brought in visitors, Scott will be tasked with bringing in the patients. Gene Thompson, the local partner on the project, said he was "ecstatic" that Scott had joined the team and he was one of a number of locals that he hoped would fill many of the hospital's non-medical posts. Scott joins Caymanian Judy-Ann Ebanks, the HR director on the management team.
With less than three months to go until the hospital's grand opening on 25 February, Thompson said that the recruitment drive was now moving full steam ahead. He said he was "excited about the talented Caymanians we now have in the team", which he said was part of the ongoing commitment to recruit local people.
Although Scott has not yet begun his new job, he said that like any marketing role it would be about identifying the customers and then using the right tools to let them know about Health City Cayman. He said he had wanted to join the team as he believes that medical tourism will become Cayman's third economic pillar and wanted to be at the start of it all. He said he was sold on Dr Shetty's vision.
"I think the model for transformation in health care in the the west is going to begin here," he said. Scott also pointed to some similarities regarding issues of airlift and the related tourism element for patients post-operation, as well as their friends and family. "I will make sure the world knows about Health City Cayman," he added.
Dr Devi Shetty, the man behind the ambitious project, is not currently in the Cayman Islands but the local team is in the process of identifying and interviewing for more key posts. Thompson said the leading doctors and senior medical staff will come largely from India, while senior and specialist nursing staff is expected to come from North America.
With around 140 jobs to fill and few medically qualified Caymanians, most of the clinical staff will have to be recruited from overseas. Thompson said that they still hoped to fill some posts with qualified locals but the Health City had also agreed not to poach what few trained and qualified local healthcare professionals there are here in Cayman that are working with either Chrissie Tomlinson or the HSA.
However, with plans for extensive training and a schools programme to try and encourage young Caymanians to start on the road to a career in medicine, Thompson is hopeful that as time goes by local people will be working at the hospital in every area.
In the meantime, he said, there were high hopes that non-health related posts could go to locals, as was the case already with key posts going to Scott and Ebanks. Having a local HR manger, he said, was a great start and would ensure that recruiting locals would remain front and centre for the facility once it is open, as it has during construction.
There are still many posts at the hospital that do not require medical training. Thompson urged people to visit the website and submit applications for the numerous jobs, and he hoped that at least 25% of the 140 employees would be from here.
During construction the project maintained a highly localized workforce, averaging in excess of 65% Caymanians on the site during the life of the development. As a result of waiving the requirement of a clean record, Thompson said the project was able to employ some highly skilled workers who may have been overlooked because of old police records and they have completed a two year long job in less than a year.
"When you give people a chance they will perform," he said.
Thompson said that from the beginning Dr Shetty and the rest of the team committed to using local people and services and they would continue to do that once the hospital opened.
Category: Health
Cayman's tourism product is woeful and in decline. Just book a cruise and disembark here, or you can fly in to an expensive hotel and eat the even more expensive food. Hopefully, your nostrils won't be assaulted by the dump.
Cayman's leadership has dragged this country into hell. Shomari is not to blame, he inherited a corpse.
Not moving the dump to Bodden Town was a massive mistake, but politicians were more interested in winning elections than doing the right thing.
I do not live anywhere near Bodden Town, and I disagree with you in opinion. However, I commend you for speaking the truth about what was planned rather that the sugar-coated euphemisms that others offered up when you say "moving the dump to Bodden Town"
Hopefully we will soon experience an influx of good curry restaurants!
Good luck Shomari.
Please continue to use your education, intelligence, skills, experience and contacts to develop medical tourism here in Cayman, and always remember Caymanian participation at as many levels as possible is of paramount importance.
We are proud of you.
Hmm.The hospital GTH has some great medical staff but lets get real. The admin sucks, from making appointments, registration, payment and so on. You cant even get people to answer the phone half the time.And where do the admin staff hail from???????? I can't see Mr. Shetty putting up with it.
There are no jobs listed on their website. Another farce. Hopefully Judy will keep her principles and not be influenced and if hand is forced I trust that she will have the courage to walk away.
Promises are comfort to a fool. These are our two token Caymanians. All other top positions will be filled or have beenfilled internationally, according to their website and fro Gene himself.
There is a blurb under the 'careers' section which states: "As we are committed to offering opportunities to our local community, we continue to wecome applications from Caymanians, Cayman Status Holders and Cayman Residents with the Right to Work. Please send your resume and cover letter to: info@healthcitycaymanislands.com"
That doesnt really fill me with a warm, rosy glow about the prospects for local employment. Send a resume for which job? No contact person?
At this point, I just hope that Health City Cayman Islands doesn't cost us all a bundle. IF they can become self-sustaining, then they can grow.
Interesting to note that if you go on the careers section it says "Currently, all positions for International applicants have been filled".
What does that mean? Do they all have their Licenses? If so, what was the process? Did all the Licensing Councils approve their credentials?
Somehow, I don't think so.
Guess where they are all coming from?
Judy Ann is a star, a wonderful person and lovely lady. She will be a huge asset to Dr Shetty and his venture. Mr Scott on the other hand is credited with an 'overnight tourism' success. Well whoopee, perhaps if he'd pressed for more hotel accommodation, fully inclusive resorts and a relaxation of the ridiculous monopoly stranglehold that isCayman business law, Caymans tourism product would be worth a whole lot more.
We need less condo accommodation, more European and Asian tourists and more package holidays. Cayman is so far behind the rest of the Caribbean it is becoming embarrassing, and Mr Scott certainly hasn't helped.
Shomari was Director of Tourism, he didn't exactly have unfettered powers, neither was he responsible for policy. Basically he did as McKeeva directed. He gave scholarships to whomever McKeeva sent to get the scholarship, and he organized trips to wherever McKeeva wanted to go.
So are you saying McKeeva was responsible for his success???
It will be many more jumping ship lol! Bracka
Shomari and Judy-Ann – an all Caymanian team – now we know it will succeed. Didn't Judy-Ann work for Chrissie Tomlinson for many years?
The underlying tenor of your statement, that nationalilty and success are linked is frankly offensive. Shomari was born in Jamaica anyway.
I agree. This mindset is one of the biggest hindrances to our progress. One will succeed because they have specific qualities like being a hard worker, dedication, professionalism, people skills, etc. Being Caymanian, or any other nationality is irrelevant.
I suspect the post by 19:00 that you are objecting to is ironic – a fact that 19 people recognised.
That is fantastic news. Congrats Shomari!
The hospital is extremely fortunate to have on board someone of Mr. Scott's calibur! He is such a dedicated and incredibly bright professional! So happy to hear that his talents will continue to be directed toward positive benefits for the people of the Cayman Islands. Best wishes to Dr. Shetty and Shomari Scott!
16;16
I agree, Mr. Scott is an incredibly bright professional, and will be a great asset to this hospital.
I give kudos to both him and Judy Ann for being professional, which is what got them their job at shetty's. It also comes with hard work, ambition and dedication.
Seems like we lack much of that here.
I will correct that, kudos to all our Caymanian professionals that share the same accolades.
To the rest of you, educate yourselves, be assertive, ambitious and work hard. With these achiements, no one will be able to walk on your Island and take away your jobs.
Shomari and Judy Ann, just get on being the professionals you are and ignore these black crabs.
All Caymanians have and had the same opportunities to get to where you are today.
I must ask this question, when did the Cayman Islands Government cease the medical training, locally???
There were training going on right here at our local hospital, as far back as 1970, I can remember our graduating classes had up to 10 or more graduates. I think we are going backwards.