CS bill ‘blew’ budget figures
(CNS): The hefty personnel costs for the civil service have again been blamed for the delay in government’s plans to deliver an annual budget. The premier said Friday that the LA date was pushed back because of the battle it had to bring the numbers down to fit the limits set by the UK on the CS tab. Speaking at a press conference about the latest phase of the public sector cost cutting exercise, Alden McLaughlin said although the budget submitted to the FCO now meets the parameters, the challenge had been getting it to that point because the limit for government personnel is fixed at $241 million. Faced with a need to fill 174 vacant posts and 17 new jobs, “It just blew the budget by $8.6 milion,” he said.
“We had to get that back in line, not just to get the numbers right … but we have to have some degree of flexibility over the course of the year to fill positions and hire new people, so it means we had to push the numbers down even more. That’s been the great challenge of this budget,” the premier explained.
“On all other fronts … all the numbers came in really, really good. Revenue is up above what we had proposed and expenditure is what we planned and paid down debt …,” he added as he indicated that government’s net debt ratio, cash reserves and other requirements were on track.
The premier said the troubling aspects remained the cost of the civil service and as a result, just over a week away from the anticipated Budget meeting, he said government was still waiting for the OK from London.
Having contracted Ernst and Young to work with the civil service to focus on the possible merger, amalgamation and privatization of public services to enable government to become more efficient, more effective and streamlined without creating major job losses was a major challenge. But, he said, his government was committed to seeing it through.
McLaughlin said there had been an “explosion over the course of the past decade” that had “created immense pressures on expenditure”, which all government had, and would continue to, grapple with.
He said the growth in public sector personnel costs was largely down to the Public Management And Finance Law and the Public Service Management Law, which had required a proliferation in numbers of personnel as each government entity was obligated to take on its own human resource and financial accounting functions from what was once a more centralized system.
That was, he said, “when the numbers exploded through roof” when the laws took effect, during the time the previous PPM government was at the helm, he had conceded.
McLaughlin warned that the attempts to manage costs to date were now unsustainable. The austerity measures, working with huge numbers of vacant posts and other challenges were impacting the delivery of services, such as police, immigration, prison, fire and many more. He explained that the personnel requirements meant government couldn’t give public sector workers the 3.2% cost of living allowance back.
“We think they should get more…but it is because the personnel costs are just too high and we have reached the ceiling,” he said. “It’s not just salaries but the health care …and long term pension commitment,” he added.
McLaughlin pointed out that if the numbers were allowed to continue to grow, the ability of government to pay decent salaries, give raises and provide the generous benefits would be compromised for all government employees. Regardless of who was elected to government, the premier said, the challenge will remain until it is properly addressed.
“What’s going to happen is that benefits will be eroded and decent salaries compromised,” he added, for everyone on the government payroll.
McLaughlin said he was determined to put it right and find the right way to contain costs, preserve benefits and reasonable pay and to stabilize the situation for civil servants who have been faced with uncertainty over the last five years or more over pay, benefits and jobs. He said government was going to create a sustainable civil service that was the right size and able to provide the right services.
Franz Manderson, the deputy governor, explained why phase five of the rationalization process, in which government had enlisted the professional help of EY, was different to many that have gone before.
He said this would examine not just how government could perform the services better but who as well how services can be delivered through mergers and amalgamation, partnering with private sector or privatization. It would also, Manderson said, conclude with “recommendations and a road map for implementation.”
The other factor that the deputy governor noted of specific importance was the political support from the elected arm of government.
“It is Important to know that this exercise is different,” he said adding that he believed it would be a “tremendous success”, not just because of the joined-up approach, with both his office and that of the premier’s committed to the process, but that the elected arm of government would be directing the policy decisions.
“If government wants to privatize or amalgamate it will be my job to make it happened. Once the elected government makes the decisions we will carry them out and make sure staff are treated fairly and equitably,” Manderson added.
Although government has not yet stated what areas are the most likely to be targeted, civil servants and the broader public won’t have to long to wait as the EY’s $155,000 plus expenses review is expected to be completed before the end of June and from that government will begin the process of implementation.
McLaughlin made it clear that there are no preconceived ideas and anything, with the exception of the judiciary, was possible in any public sector entity.
Category: Politics
The problem is not the number of civil servants but the cost of the civil service. You and I both know of a few people who are looking for work and would gladly work right now for $250 – $400 per week = CI$1,000 to CI$1,600 per month, or even a part-time job to improve their dignity and help pay some bills around their house.
But, when you go to some government departments and authorities, they turn you away stating that they cannot afford any more people.
Yet, the Managing Directors of the Port Authority, Monetary Authority, and Maritime Authority each make between CI$16,000 and CI$20,000 per month!!!! They are being paid certainly more than Cabinet Ministers and the Deputy Governor, yet they are answerable to to the Ministers.
You mean to tell me they can't operate comfortably on CI$10,000 or CI$12,000 a month? And don't forget their Deputies and Managers who make only slightly less than CI$16,000 per month.
Watch this…. ultimately it will be blamed on the UK government.
Whodatis, thats your prompt.
The bait has been set, get ready for changes bingo. Top prize this month, a George Foreman grill or a year's subscription to "Nationalism" monthly.
If everyone would take their seats, he will be here shortly.
If this premier, the previous one or the one hat may come thinks that not raising civil servants pay is the answer to government's financial woes they are sadly mistaken. When workers go behind year after year without a cost of living" adjutment as the cost of living rises and income stays the same we are heading down a slippery slope; in fact, they may as well believe the American rhetoric that America will be fine as soon as tax neutral jurisdictions such as the Cayman Islands do not exist. Let's give it a few more years until those retired persons show up at the doors of the government with nowhere to live because they cannot work any longer and cannot afford to rent or purchase food, en we wil start to understand better, but it may be too late.
16;59
I feel your pain, but you should check out the private businesses. At least the CS have a steady flow of salary, they know what they are getting at the end of the day.
Take for instance the builder's trade, Governement has given every subject from the North a Trade"s license to run the local builders out of business.
I head they have now changed the name Grand Caymanian, to Grand Canadian Island!
We the local contractors have been out of work for years, while the new fronters are overflowing with jobs.
Some of us have completly shut down, and others scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Dear "If This" …. If this government dreamed pay schedule is so inflexible for your lifestyle, then update your certifications and improve your lot by applying for a job in the better paying Private Sector. Any civil servant who can show a self starter attitude, low or no sick days (sorry, my HR says average sick days per year should be 4 not 10 for a well performing worker.) come to is with your community efforts on your CV and we will hire you over an expat per the law. Your future should not be locked into a governemt job. Take the steps and teach your children to go for the brass ring.
The lack of political will by either party to deal with the civil service elephant in the room astounds me. Neither party has mustered being re-elected for consecutive terms. What is their political risk? Nothing. In fact, the country may reward them for making the hard choices(aka reducing the size and benefits for the Civil Service) and re-elect them.
I don't get it…
Can you count? Because both the UDP and PPM can, and they see the numbers of Caymanian votes employed by the CS. Just for laughs, look up the percentage of Caymanians employed by the CS and giovernmet authorities, then compare it to the total number of voters. Turkeys voting for Christmas comes to mind…..
So did all of our noble politicians volunteer to take pay cuts to bring the budget to where it should be?…
Too busy being noble.
That's right. Cutting the MLAs pay would save $8.6m p.a….Zzzzzz
I agree there is a lot of fat to be trimmed starting with the Authorities and so many overseas "contracts" that include expensive shipping rates of personal items, airfare, full health-care benefits for all family members who arrive with the foreign government worker, and oh those perks! Gee, all you need is a 4 year degree and a little BS and we will toss our own aside and hand you a housing allowance!?!
Really…. We need an audit of non-critical jobs that should be tagged for "succession planning." Franz??? These are middle management posts, not rocket science or advanced degrees.
If we are talking about the civil service we really should recruit from our local base the best we can without these silly appointments of NZ overseas human resource managers (CIAA) and I am really sorry to say, but a very large white collar middle management in every department are from Jamaica and the UK ( heavy expat placements where locals have applied and been denied are : Lands & Survey, General Registry, IT, HSA, Port) in turn, more pressure need to be put on the private sector to hire locals for more than receptionists and lip service!! (Doesn't anyone else see the rise of successful recruitment expat agencies directly impacting the failure of locals to break into a financial services job?)
Good succession planning will help to groom our university graduates, send costly expat workers home with our thanks, and I think could trim the overall costs of Civil Service by over 5% without blinking an eye.
I'm a Caymanian and would love to see Caymanians hired, but the reality of it is many of our young Caymanians are flunking school, selling drugs and not caring about education. Then the older Caymanians who may have qualifications do not realize that their qualifications are now almost "outdated", these days it takes continued learning to get hired; not saying the expats who get hired have up-to-date skills, but the businesses in Cayman find that their international exposure poses a great asset. No Caymanian can deny that this small island breeds small mindedness; in order to succeed today one must be above and beyond anything else out there; and hate to say it but the expats "out there" are above and beyond mainly because of experience beyond our shores – in particular for the private sector finance areas. Finance has gone global thanks to technology, therefore finance companies are preferring people who have been internationally exposed and who can bring some insight to the table even if it is just the latest hype happening in Dubai, beining "stranded" in Cayman crying unemployment and holding your 10 year old CPA designation doesn't cut it! Get online, read the news, research the latest accounting and CRM software, walk into the next interview KNOWING YOUR $H!T, not just what they taught you in school a decade or more ago, but the fresh, new, ever-changing details that occur daily! THIS is the difference between the expat and the Caymanian, the expats do not settle for what they were taught and expect to reap rewards from it, coming to us from developing ever-growing countries they are keen to develop and grow too, whereas Caymanians have been raised to think, "you get your schooling and any job you want should be yours and if they don't hire you that's cuz they hate Caymanians and prefer expats!" Stop pounding nonesense into children's heads, granted there are many worthless companies out there that do try their best to keep caymanians under foot (and it is easy to figure out the ones that these are); but there are also many companies that would prefer to save a few thousands and not have to submit a permit.
Its more than a few thousand saved by hiring Caymanians, it is litetrally hundred of thousands. Every business would love to save on these work permit fees if there were equivalent local talent, but there simply isn't. As you have rightly pointed out rather than looking inwards on how Caymanians can imporove themselves they look outward for others to blame and make up nonsensical reasons, such as they are hiring friends etc etc. Unfortunaley this has the effect of alientating their position even more, and makes it a lot more difficult for those hard working Caymanians to break throiugh the stereo type which the whingers help create in the first place.
Sadly, it's true of youth in all developed countries–lazy, entitlement culture. That's why we see, for example, the U.S. becoming more Latino and Asian.
Well said. We need to raise the bar and be as good as anyone else globally before we ask for the jobs. For this I agree! But I have also seen really great community minded Caymanians with all the overseas degrees and up to date industry $$ certificates (paid out of pocket not by employer or govt) passed over by those small minded people you speak of.
Agree we need to groom our children on a global level and for those who think civil service is easy pay, we need to change that mind set. For the spoiled teens doing drugs, time to shape up! Parents demand better please.
Winston campaigned on schools integration with expats like the old days and I could not agree more. Open the doors and let our children interact instead of compete with the global expats- heck, we may learn something from beyond our shores and better ourselves too.
The answer is to have better local talent and get back to zero unployment for locals.
13.04 – one of the most succint and well written posts I have seen in a long time, well said.
Yow bredren if they won't even let you in the door or "if" they interview you you never hear back from them, then what then. Know your shit ya say, well breds it's a lot of stink shit out there and not facing the realities of foreign control is not going to make it better for you who are employed and those who are coming out of school and those returning home with "up to date degrees" and the older ones as you call them still remaining unemployed. Translation all a we together as one group of unemployed people.
So their you have it. Written proof that the unemployable exist.
I gave you a thumbs up, then noticed you messed up with the use of 'their' and 'there'. Oh the irony.
13;04
Bull shit!
The expats out there have no more experience than the local buildres. Matter of fact, most of them know jack shit about building!
The reason they are taking all the jobs in these islands…the colour of their skin. This is the most racist territory that exist.
From the begining of time Caymanians have had this prejudice against their own. Thats where the crab-in-the- bucket mentality comes from.
We, the local builders have built 5-1/2 miles of development on the seven mile beach, and many other projects, from as far back as 1970 untill the late 1990s.
We have the ability and experience, so what is the excuse?
Then came the younger leaders, who had the greedy power to start letting in foreign builders. Today, they are rampant on these Islands
Now today we have over 100 local builders out of commission. The Government did not care about these people, they virtually distroyed them.
Well written post MEM, the reality is that soon the economic bubble will burst and then what? I am sure that educated Caymanians like yourself will find it easy to secure employment in the global market place and will do very well for yourself beyond these shores.
I totally agree, the perks that some these expats get could almost make 2 peoples salaries.
They also do two peoples work.
Also stop handouts to Macs thousands of status grants and their children, Macs turtle farm, Macs housing trust, Macs legal fees, then start on the civil servants and their salaries.
Succession planning in the Vicvil Service is nothing more than lip service. Its all about image, good sound bites and catchy phrases. Other than that, its who you know, not what you know.
Caymanians are too laid back for their own good.
Look at all the senior civil servants, Chief officers, deputies, CFO's their deputies, the judges and statutory authorities and government owned companies like Cayman airwAys. The non-performing high earners should be the first ones to be let go not those at the lower levels who barely make 2k per month. Look at the pension payments for the big shots, MLA 's and everyone else before you cut people out of work. They are trying to distract from the real issues and protect the top end. Franz Manderson and all the big shots in government need to lead by example and cut their own salaries by 15% then MLA's need to cut their salaries by 20% after years of giving themselves pay raises.
…Everyone at the table, but yet again, the Civil Service Assn. is missing in action!
Pooor ‘representation’.
Sorry Mr. premier you can't get away with at excuse about budget being blown. Tell the people what are all the functions representing the total number of persons who have "blown the budget". Also tell us how many of them are mission critical and why. Lastly tell us why you think we should believe you, for we know that this is all a ploy to get more funds, to curtail the unemployment situation which is increasing .just like ya did in the previous administration of the Ppm. Money alone does not solve de problem bredren ya need to take your time and think things through, time running out though. Where there is no vision the people will perish. If ya can't stand the heat , you know ya just can't blow it out right?.
And Nother Ting: I guess you miss the good old days of the UDP ,right?
I don't miss any government bredren, for there have been none in the past 12 years without any vision, without any balls without any savvy as to where and how to carry this country. What I miss is the opportunity that we did not embrace of having a thriving employed local labor force , what I miss is not being able to see our own running the majority of these firms, what I miss is the peace and tranquility of yester year. What I miss is that we Caymanias are no longer in control of our financial and domestic political destinyYou understand I hope.
20;09
You missed the unions. you were told that was the only way to curb the politician's greed. It works in all civilized countries, where the people have the balls to stand up for their rights, not just blow hot air!
You guys talk too much!
Hear, hear. The fire service is a total waste of space not to mention millions of dollars. Every fireman I know had another "real job".
For years the civil service has been a dumping ground for the unemployable and the well connected. Time to clean house.
All the while driving out the middle class of expats with silly high fees. Hey, why not? History is for nerds. It is no different than Mac’s logic. Econofools for whom the big picture is drawn in crayon. It worked great for Jamaica in the 70’s, guess we’re next.
Wow !!!!!! What a surprise after hiring and employing every political lackey and cronie and installing would be waanna be candidates and dont forget keeping and installing inept incompetent and corrupt loyalist or the good ole bye's network on every board commitee who are renown for fleecing government by any means they can, What do you honestly expect and all the while preaching "Good Gower Nouce" and Trans parentzy and practicing neither
"Good Gower Nouce" dwrcl
I think it sounds like a lot of people are finally starting to wake up.
Seems the Premier has pushed the Civil Service under the bus again. It's that time of year I guess … budget time. We as Joe Public need to wise up!! Go through the new budget when it comes out and see where the fluff is located. Can we continue to afford to assist privately run charities with public funds? Should they assist without assistance from the government? The Civil Service Association put forward some goods suggestions in 2009. One such suggestion was to cease the automatic renewal of contracted officers as their contracts came due for renewal. Another well-known one was the re-centralization of HR and Finance functions … one HR office and one Finance office. It's been 5 years since the Civil Service gave up their 3.2% COLA. I think they have realized it's not going to come back. According to a front page article in the Caymanian Compass some of them have acquired a second job to assist with their lost 3.2% COLA. Many of them have taken on additional duties at their present Civil Service posts as support posts have been cut. Perhpas we as Joe Public need to hear from the Deputy Governor what suggestions he has taken on- board from the Civil Service Association and his Chief Officers, Deputy Chief Officers and Assistant Chief Officers. Minister Rivers just gave a one-year report. Maybe we should ask the same of our Deputy Governor.
True!
The civil Service Assn is the Rip Van Winkle of Cayman!
Freeze hires, wages,overtimes,no new contracts, cut jobs so that you can convince the civil servants that they are lucky to have a job. Then give bonuses to department heads who successfully meet their budget objectives by firing a bunch of people..Guess it was a blessing in disguise that they were wasn't successful in getting a job.
Government departments and Statuary Authorities have been quietly given the green light to recruit or keep some of their temporary and work permits workers,despite the PPM government's hiring freeze.Bosses of eight agencies and departments have pleaded for the jobs of the work permits and temps and that some of them have been given permission to hire.There were fears for the public service's 200 temporary workers – many of whom are women, low-paid or junior employees – when the freeze on renewing their jobs was announced in may before the election.Under the ''interim arrangements'' for public service recruitment, any hirings, or renewal of temporary jobs, have to be approved by the Minister of Labor.People have to realize that public employees are the reason for this mess which the PPM has created. They should come clean and tell people what are the extra expenses which are giving them the surplus numbers he's reporting. This is all smoke and mirrors to turn public opinion against public employees. After the negotiations, things will magically turn around and money will flow just before the next election. Any public employee who votes PPM in the next election is a fool.We are now at the stage in this administration where this crowd knows their shelf life is at an end and they're just working for themselves and taking care of their friends.The problem is at the top.
Of course he's not going to let anything happen that will hurt his civil service vote on his watch.
Let it go Alden! Its the country's survival or your votes!
This is so much more BS from Alden and the PPM here is a starter Alden get rid of Bryan and Taturm neither are worth what they are being paid. Next amend the PMFL to re-centralize personnell and Finance save 4 million give back the police their 23 million cut last year. Stop the cruise dock Moses already spent twice as much as Mac and no nearer the dock, cancel the EIA save 2 million. Cancel E & Y contract save 0.1 million utilize the vacant glass house save a million in rent.
The civil service internal review aided by the private sector recommended saving of 30 + millions implement them stop talking ACT. Combine ICTA and ERA save 0.5 million ad be more effective.
I could go on bu PPM will not listen
I hope the government will put the garbage dump up for sale I believe that the private sector can do a better job of providing that service. I would not want to see the water authority up for sale. Many of the lower and mid management positions in government which are held by non Caymanians should be made redundant, far too many non Caymanians are employed in the public sector while there are unemployed Caymanians that can fill these positions. Government need to get rid of so many HR and Accounting positions in government and go back to a centralized system when it was more efficient and less costly to operate. Treasury was able to do a better job than all th input and ouputs and accounting proccdures that only creates a mess and incomplete reports. When the Public Service Commission Board was responsible for the hiring process there was a better balance of workers. Government is spending more money when they can least afford to, get rid of the waste do more with less. It is high time that government get some of its able body people off the dole of social services and put them in jobs that are being held by non nationals.
Just like the government trying to sell the million or so tires at the dump, there were no offers.
Some day the government will be expected to actually solve a problem.
The CS is an albatross around the necks of the people of the Cayman Islands…
Double Dipping MLAs should be the first item on the agenda.
What a bunch of hypocrites.
How about not hiring any new people and getting rid of a lot of the existing ones? That would avoid the need to fiddle the books at the last minute.
Stop the madness. Merge fire, police and paramedics into one entity like they do in parts of the US. Close any aspect of the turtle farm that does not breed and raise turtles. Stop flying a medium range jet 90 miles. Stop feeding foreigners with no right to be here from social services. Be brave and lead your country like you were elected to!
Alden, listen to 00;54
The comment makes alot of sense.
Be the first politician to go down in History do the right thing. Should you not win the next election because you stood for the only thung to pull us through…dont worry, you will be knighted for saving this country.
Solutions? If you're not willing to make cuts then you must become more efficient and find NEW revenue, simple. Work smarter the money is there!
For over a decade we have been promised Daylight Savings Time… *Every single election: This weekend the cruiseship passengers complained (on the radio this AM) that they had to leave the island by 2 o'clock in the afternoon? Does anyone else want tonight's sunset to be at 8 o'clock instead of 7 o'clock!?! An Extra early-bird "sitting" for restaurants for dinner?, one LESS hour of using our CUC lights or air-conditioning when we get home? 1 extra hour with our kids or taking a walk!? (I could fit in some fishing.). The upside $$ to our personal economy and well being is great. The Tourism campaign is catchy, "Cayman: NOW, an extra hour of sunshine added daily Free,"
For real economy numbers – We lose 2 hours a day with New York and 1 hour London every day, please tell me how this INCREASE in working finance hours cannot help the country!?! Economists: this is up to a 25% productivity INCREASE- I work with Bahamas and Bermuda too and this is their distinct "edge" over Cayman. International business would welcome this change.
If we are not willing to make CS cuts, then at least be more efficient with what we have! And for goodness sakes, until the evil ERA takes away our sun (it is not under a diesel contract with CUC) let's at least maximize our tourism and financial sector economies with this extra 1 -2 hours a day of money making time??
Daylight saving is an impossibility. It would disturb the sleeping pattern of the cows.
Not really. Cows would just wake up an hour earlier.
They would just be more grumpy.
The extra hour of sunlight will fade the curtains and the carpet/area rugs.
– 08:16.If you really want to see the sunset at eight o'clock,simply turn your watch ahead by one hour.Don't expect me to adjust mine
As of today I am appointing myself [GFCM] Governmental Financial Crisis Manager and I will pay myself the exorbitant fee of Ci$1.00 for doing this, [my first] Government Financial Crisis. and I will not need any assistance from any accounting firm, or financial experts, thus saving The Cayman Islands the first CI$155,000.00.
Next I will start with the top officials in Government including MLAs. beginning with all those making: CI$200k or more. Notice I used the word "making" not "earning"! We will cut their salaries by 20% which still leaves them with $160K, or $3,076.92 per week, plus the wife's salary to live on. You now see where I'm going? Next anyone making $175K to $199.9K it's a15% cut, $150K to $174.9K —10% cut, $125K to $149.9K — 5% cut, $100K to $124.9K — 3.2% cut, $75K to $99.9k — 2.5% cut, $50k to $74.9K — 2%, which still leaves them with a weekly minimum salary of CI$ 942.30 per week. There will be no cuts in salaries below those listed above. Savings from these cuts in salaries will, on an annual basis save the public purse approximately, [drum roll please] a whopping CI$15,250,000.00 + $155,000.00 making it a total of CI$ 15,405,000.00
Now please remember that we have saved this amount without cutting any employees. Now if we were to start cutting some of the family members etc, those unnecessary employees we could probably double the amount above. But lets see where we can cut some more with-out anyone having to loose their job. Lets start looking at some of the waste within the system. Gas Gate is still alive and well. Re-introduce time clocks in every department! This will most definitely save us money. Have monthly departmental meetings to boost moral and hear the complaints of the workers. This is one way to let the staff know that management is concerned about them.
Next ! Put a freeze on hiring. We already have enough dead wood in Government to start another Mount Trashmore. Implement the whistle blowers law. It's badly needed. There must be a stop to the nation building bull shit. It's a waste of the peoples money. Give that money to deserving students to assist them in their education. Lastly get rid of positions like assistant to the assistant deputy chief officer these positions are there for who knows what.
I could go on and on but I'm only being paid a dollar, which after doing this piece has worked out to be about 50c per and I've been paid by myself.
Oh my, isn't this person a fixer.
Just some problems with their brillance though.
The very first point in the above posting makes reference to those "making" $200K" and above.Problem is that there is NOBODY in Govt that makes $200K per year – not the Governor, not the Premier and not the Speaker. I believe that most people understand what is being suggested by distinguishing between "earning" and "making" in the post.
Problem # 2, how do you take away 2% from someone "making" $200K because of kick-backs or legitimatey earning extra $s by their private sector efforts?
Problem # 3, you can only get to your $15+ million reduction IF the number of persons are known at their different "making" $ level. It is a multiplication and then addition to get to your $15+million.
How would you know how many people are at the $100K "making" level etc? This type of info is needed but, how would you have that level of info? You don't work for Govt, do you? So, what you made an "educated guess" on the number of people at different "making" $ level?
Sorry, your reduction of $15+ million is not properly demonstrated by your analysis, you need to tell how many people there are at different $ levels – only then you can get your $1 of payment.
I cant believe you actually took the time required to read that moronic garbage, none of it made any sense. Well you deserve recognition for adressing the fool!
Hunnie, you better do your research, because I can assure you there are people who work for Government making a CI$200,000+ a year. Do your homework, then comeback with some real facts. I will let you figure it out on your own, but believe me you got heads of Statutory Authorities making CI$30,000 a month(do the maths), SHOCKING I KNOW. :-/
We have at least 4 or 5 public posts that makemore than 200k. To make matters worse these entities loose money.
CIMA does not lose money.
@ Bleeding Teeth:
I bet you're one of those assistants, to an assistant, to a deputy chief officer mentioned in the
comment by UHUHUH! ARE YOU?
The salaries and the number of employees in government are readily available if you know
how to research them. Why don't you take it upon yourself to rework those figures based on the
correct numbers, [since you think the numbers and the criteria in the comment are incorrect],
Then, show us what figures you arrived at. We would all love to know!
@ Bleeding Teeth:
I bet you're one of those assistants, to an assistant, to a deputy chief officer mentioned in the
comment by UHUHUH! ARE YOU?
The salaries and the number of employees in government are readily available if you know
how to research them. Why don't you take it upon yourself to rework those figures based on the
correct numbers, [since you think the numbers and the criteria in the comment are incorrect],
Then, show us what figures you arrived at. We would all love to know!
At a time when the PM of UK Mr. Cameron is trying to break away from the very expensive EU human rights laws we have just started to dig ourselves into this law that is going to place further burden on the government.
Does that make sense?
How many people will they have to fire to fill these 191 positions?
Sorry, but I know of at least five white collar middle management jobs that were handed to expats when really qualified locals (from the private sector) applied. So trim the overseas hires and this would be a start. Airfare, freight for moving possessions, health insurance for expat spouses and children, housing allowance. It all adds up
Govt HR should aim for succession planning to fill jobs with locals. A better goal for all concerned. Building on this, there should also be career paths for university students and mentoring plans. HR Planning required
We already have too many cops and firemen sitting around fulfilling so called "legal" establishment requirements even when they are not actually doing any work. Just dont fill these posts and stop creating new ones! The public always wants more services but they want them to be paid for by "Gernment"….not realising it is US!
God knows what will happen when politicians cannot blame a law or the UK for the growth of the civil service. For example, they will say we need 18 new Immigration posts to do what is necessary (no attempt to make the service work more efficiently with existing staff of course). Then blame it later on PMFL or PSML or human rghts or FOI.
While I do believe that the personnel cost are high, it is nothing compared to the MILLIONS that this Government and previous Governments have pissed away!!
Look at the 14 million on housing in WB? Has the 6 million from M. Ryan been collected?!!!, and the list goes on and on.
If the governments of this country had not wasted money on pet projects, political vote pleasing or reports we would not be in this mess!!
Alden. With a customs department having to now record and administer 5,000 categories of goods and immigration officers having to administer thousands of different work permit fee categories – of course the civil service is big and you have vacant posts to fill!
Just simplify, simplify, simplify. Everything is so unduly complicated and can be so easily made simpler to administer and enforce. Why is that not the approach? It is surely part of the solution.
I agree and hopefully Customs will implement some new methods. They look like they are getting their act together so I for one will give Samantha a chance. Innovation and simplification by automation I hope!
Fire 10% of the civil service. Now.
The only problem is that the private sector would not make room for the 10% (no one ever has a work permit renewal denied if a qualified local applies, that is an old myth we tell our children to get good grades) so the 10% would end up costing more with social services.
The better long term solution would be to actually teach our youth to excel and enter the private sector and hire locals instead of middle management expats. Give Caymanians a chance, we did build this economy and the myths against our own people need to be dispelled. Caymanians are hard workers- give us a chance!
Would you not tell your children that no-one ever gets a work permit renewal declined to encourage you children to get good grades as that would make them more qualified rather than encourage them to rely on a passport as a qualification?
Huh?! Clearly you did not read the part about telling our children to EXCEL so they can enter the private workforce. As I said, it is a myth that qualified Caymanians are hired… Our children are going to have to have the private school education, overseas university, and be better than the rest to get the job. Thus, our own country now has an unemployment problem and bloated civil service. The only answer is to make the next generation qualified for the private sector so the inequality goes away.
Except that many who are already well qualified are being pushed aside to make room for more imported kin.
In other words: More demotivated civil servants and more money for the rich.
Don't be fooled people, there is plenty of money. It all a question of allocating money based on priorities.
The priorities are advisers, friends,contractors and politicians themselves.
If KPMG needs 2.5 mil. it is there. If you need a 50$ raise, then there is no budget.
I have a a point for the E&Y review….ever see the cashiers at the GOAB? Behind the same window there are 4 cashiers – each for a different department. They each read books while waiting for someone to come to them. Could easily be one cashier shared between departments!