Civil service boss defends employee award to cop
(CNS):The deputy governor has stood by the civil service employee award that was given to a police officer who was openly criticised in court by a Grand Court judge after a criminal case collapsed as a result of what were described as very fundamental issues relating to evidence. Franz Manderson has also defended the point of the awards, which he said were designed to encourage excellent performance in the civil service. Notwithstanding the turn of events relating to the 'Punch and Play' case, in which the criticisms were made, Manderson said that in the end others had been prosecuted in the case and that there were “any number of factors” that may contribute to a case coming to an end.
“The Cayman Islands Government constantly strives to make service improvements and to develop employees’ performance,” he said about the employee awards in the letter to CNS. “With this goal in mind, the Deputy Governor’s Award programme was launched in 2012 to acknowledge and encourage excellent performance in the civil service. Award candidates are nominated by their Heads of Department, based on their performance in relation to civil service values and service targets."
Manderson said he did not “wish to participate in an exercise of finger pointing” but said the officer was put forward by her managers for her exceptional dedication and hard work. “Even in the isolated scenario which you have identified, efforts by the combined prosecutorial team lead to the majority of persons being successfully prosecuted,” the deputy governor said.
He added that seven people were charged in the Punch n Play case and four were successfully prosecuted and Fosters had obtained restitution.
“In the case of one additional person, the prosecution exercised its discretion not to pursue the matter further. Finally, whilst the case against two defendants was unsuccessful, there are any number of factors that impact the outcome of a case,” he said.
Since its inception, Manderson said, the DGA programme has highlighted the performance of many worthy civil servants who have continued to provide exemplary service for the public and for their co-workers.
See full letter below.
Category: Local News
Okay, sometimes things go pear shaped with a case, letting a clearly guilty person go free. It doesn’t mean this specific investigator is at fault. Although, I do think our police are more than a few fries short of Scoobie-Doo.
CNS. Why didn't you tell us the whole story. So this officer arrested 7 people – 5 were convicted and 2 got off on a technicality. Why didn't you tell us this. Thank you Mr Manderson for standing up to injustice once again. Don't do not deterred. We all know you are doing a great job.
CNS: The only convictions related to these cases were as a result of guitly pleas. The case in question, in which the judge (not CNS) raised his concerns in open court, was the only allegation which went to trial.
Was this punch and play a game of chance that is outlawed in the outdated Gaming law? If so how did the police not Prosecute the real offenders.
There is a secret exemption for businesses owned by wealthy local families.
"Any number of factors" ??? Did Franz think before he put pen to paper or is he just simply too arrogant to accept the facts? I think both – The Judge clearly stated the reasons for the case comming to and end after 3.5 Years and it amounted to the sheer incompetence of your "CS employee of the month"! But who would fool themselves that Franz would read the verdict or be interest in the outcome God forbid, someone might actually have to be penalized. I wish i could say i'm shocked at the deafening silence of our POLOTICIANS (because we certainly shouldnt be classifying them as leaders) at all of this absolutely unacceptable performance! These people are intrusted with task which are crucial to the stability of a civillized society! If you all dont vote out these dinosuars who have latched on to the power base without empowering the people, then Cayman Islands is doomed! What does that Governor do exactly?
She is doing nothing and collecting her salary. What the hell would you expect? Same old, same old, what a laugh!
Harass, control and manipulate.
One rises to the level of their incompetence. Sorry, Franz, but when you find yourself in a hole, STOP Digging…everyone if the CS KNOWS that these awards are nothing but touchy-feeley, feelgood, blow smoke up your arse, awards that amount to nothing more than a popularity contest…and in the case of this Defective, er, Detective..anywhere else in the First world, someone who displayed this level of incompetence would be put on foot beat for the remainder of their presumably short career…and for those of you yammering on about it's only one case and she shouldn't be judged on one case..YES, your entire career CAN be boiled down to ONE case..it can make it or it can break it..
4/7 folks! That's what we should be striving for! 4/7 convictions which the DPP did NOTHING because of guilty pleas, and the ones that the RCIPS and the DPP had to actually EARN their paycheck on they f*** up! But that's our definition of successssssss!
Three years and GENIUS didn't think to make contact with the company that issued the tickets to get the master sheet of which tickets were the actual prize tickets?? REALLY?
Watch some CSI to learn police work. Sheesh.
Its not what you know, its WHO you know. The secrete to success in the Civil Service. Ask any Civil Servant and they will tell you that is the truth.
I'm not sure which is more disturbing, the award or the grammatical errors in Mr Manderson's letter.
I'm curious, what grammatical errors are you talking about?
If you can't see them then your command of English must be as bad as his.
There are two obvious ones in the first two paragraphs, both of which would have been picked up by a proper spell check.
Do you mean incorrect use of quote marks and using the number 7 rather than the word seven?
Well spotted. There are more further down.
Assume my command of english is bad, please point out the errors. Thanks.
Typical expat comment. Can't see the forest for the trees.
Typical flamer with limited imagination.
Franz being Franz. Vacuous defense of the indefensible. The civil servants love him because he has talked a lot and achieved nothing to sort out the mess.
No matter how you cut it Franz the RCIPS have a poor record of good service – or a great record of poor service.
The four were successfuly prosecuted because they pled guilty – otherwise they would have walked away free.
wow, just wow. so clueless at the top, and what of the fact that the "punch and play", that is to say, a "game of chance" or "gambling" is illegal in Cayman!
You say that now;bet you would accept that $2500 prize without hesitation ,even though you say it is illegal.