New Yorker to head up government’s job agency
(CNS):The agency tasked with helping the significant number of unemployed Caymanians find jobs has taken on an expert from the United States to help get what many still consider a dysfunctional unit working more smoothly. Facing myriad problems since its transformation from the old jobs unit, the Nationla Wrokforce Development Agency (NWDA) has been operating without a director, and despite tight controls on civil service recruitment, the ministry said it was important to fill the job. Following a competitive recruitment process the post has been given to Brian Holland, an expert from New York who has more than 20 years of workforcedevelopment experience.
Officials said that the position required a strong background in workforce development, strategic planning and policy development. Holland holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Master’s Degree in Urban Planning from Columbia University and has two decades of experience working in both the public and private sector.
Holland said he was excited to create and enhance economic and educational opportunities for Caymanians so they can participate in a globally competitive workforce.
“I welcome working with and developing partnerships in government, businesses and educational sectors to ensure NWDA meets the needs of job seekers and employers,” he said.
In the wake of the Ernst & Young report which recommends divesting just about every government entity, officials said that Holland has also written an academic paper on models of public-private partnership as well as other papers on the development of workforces.
The ministry hopes Holland’s knowledge will help it engage the private sector in initiatives such as the National Apprenticeship Programme and other public-private partnerships aimed at engaging the private sector, local educational and training institutions and other stakeholders as the government addresses the human capital development needs of Cayman.
Holland also has experience at a national level providing subject matter expertise on community, economic, workforce and youth development and educational issues. He hashad the opportunity to gain experience providing technical assistance on data analysis, partnership building, policy research, and programme design and coordination. His expertise in these areas will support the work to be undertaken by the ministry as it continues in its efforts to position the NWDA to play a vital role in driving the human capital development agenda of our country, ministry officials said in a release.
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“The demands of the NWDA have developed and accelerated since my arrival at the agency in late 2012,” said Lois Kellyman, the agency’s manager of employment services. “I came on board keen to contribute to the agency, fully aware of the challenges we faced as we carried out our mandate. I am excited that we have filled the post of director. I look forward to having a full complement of staff and working together, with Mr Holland’s leadership and support, to fulfill the vision of NWDA.”
Acting Chief Officer Christen Suckoo said government would be looking to ensure that local talent would benefit from the recruitment of the new boss.
“As the NWDA and the work it carries out is new to the Cayman Islands, the ministry is pleased to have recruited someone with the wealth and diversity of experience as held by Mr Holland. In addition to carrying the work of the NWDA forward, Mr Holland’s responsibilities will include the training and development of local talent within the NWDA to ensure that a succession plan can be realized for the department. With a background in teaching at Columbia University and Johns Hopkins University, Mr Holland comes with the requisite skills to ensure the employees of the NWDA have ample opportunities for training and development.”
Holland will be engaging in a two month induction involving a full handover from the deputy chief officer with responsibility for NWDA and will assume his post on 1 December.
The NWDA, which falls under the Ministry of Education, Employment and Gender Affairs, was established in July 2012 to help prepare Caymanians to partake in and benefit from the local economy. However, since its creation the demand and complexity of services required has increased substantially with the rise in local unemployment and ever increasing pressures from imported cheap labour.
Although government claims the agency has responded to the challenges it faces, there are still significantcomplaints about the failure of the agency’s systems and that it is still not functioning as it should to help unemployed locals find work. Despite the creation of new lines of communication between the immigration boards and the agency, Caymanians regularly complain that the thousands of positions held by permit holders are still not available to them.
While the NWDA has spoken about assisting job seekers to address their own barriers to finding work, they are still encountering many barriers erected by employers and the lack of enforcement of both the labour and immigration laws.
Category: Uncategorised
Complainers: who hires expats: Caymanians. Who stamps work permits: Caymanians. But it's the expats fault. I guess 2 + 2 = 5
Well I have not seen any adverts for a "lady for the night", but plenty expat hold that job…March people march..
The post above are accurate, fo rthe reasons below:
1. We can't trust our own as we don't like each other.
2. Sometimes we need a foreigner to shakeus up. Unfortunately, after one winter without snow, a few cocktails parties and a visit to Seven Mile Beach – he has no incentive to leave.
3. The only time he is leaving is with a Hurricane theat. Why would he want to leave?
4 Dr. Tasha kows nothing about Labour Economics. She might know some stuff for her Doctorate, but Labour Economics is not one of them.
5. This position does not need any highly qualfied person, with X years experience that we do not already have on this Isand -Caymanan or Expatriate – as the ittle children on the AT & T ad. says to adults – "Its not that complicated"!
6. This position requires a background in the field, a desire to do the right thing and politiicans to support their decisions and stop worrying about re-elections.
If you do the right thing, people will re-elect you.
Government is totally unnecessary.
If Government is serious about the employment issue – then every work permit application should be posted on line. (Date received, Employer; and Position)..
Wow you may just have created a job…
For you posters criticizing who they hired for the post. Sometimes you need someone from the outside tohold a key position to defend Caymanians. The reason being, ever heard of the word – CRONYISM. We have alot of that in Cayman. Sorry but alot of our own will sell out our own people for the big businesses here. It is just like in the RCIP, you need some Police from overseas because the local officers are too influenced by their own people. So you need a mixture. I welcome the new post!
Hey! 08:48, I guess that's why we had such great luck with Mr. Said at UCCI, because he was someone from outside! But thank God for Mr. Roy Bodden who came in to save the school!
I don't know why some of us here, who I refer to as "foo-Fool Caymanians" all think that foreign nationals are better for the job.
Well UCCI is hardly a success story.
Actually, on second thought, I look forward to Mr. Brian Holland proving his worth and skill by swiftly finding a Caymanian replacement for his position asap subsequent to his arrival.
So which Manager will understudy him?
Do they have a track record that shows initiative, drive and efficiency in getting things done?
Such qualities are very important for such an important agency.
No, the current NWDA Managers are in the pocket of big business and that was the problem.
You cannot take a career civil servant or Immigration HR employee ans expect them to stop doing favors for the big firms and buddies on the Boards.
Mr. Holland needs a named successor, but it has to be an honest enforcer of the law, not a person who bends the rules. This successor will not be popular, but I cannotr see it coming from the current staff there.
the absence of thought by the posters is sad…. this is NOT a work permit. Government workers does not require work permits. This job was advertised and the best person was chosen… isnt that what we wanted??? Don't I read how no one in the civil service can do their jobs?? so why not bring in outside expertise… seems like the only right thing to do.
Ah boy … similarily to the NWDA – I give up.
wth?
I know! You would thing they would set an example to the private sector to follow.
Yes, but unfortunately that would have required both logic and common sense.
Unbelievable, what about all the qualified people already registered for jobs at the same agency..
Dear Dr Tasha, I have been registered for over a year with the NWDA and have a university degree (and student loans to pay off.)
Your department has not given me ONE lead and I see jobs in my area of expertise advertised by private sector firms. I go after these jobs and they are granted every time to an expat.
I hope your new enforcement officers will help get you some teeth, but perhaps you should ask for all registered job seekers to come back in and refresh your memory that we ARE LOOKING FOR WORK.
They are not woried about you or me, ifwe get a job or not, just like they are not interested in helping our students to complete their educational qualifications. This man will show all of them up – if the LAWS HAS THE TEETH TO PROTECT HIM AND THE JOB SEEKERS. Just watch and see how the coin spins in getting this job started and completed. One thing he needs not to be any of their buddies, just get the job done, in the best interest of the our Caymanians.
Oh so you have scrutinized their qualifications, their work experience and their effectiveness against this mans qualifications, work experience and effectiveness. Be quiet.
It would be nice to know if any Caymanians actually applied for this position..Or if any are qualified for it..
Submit aa FOI request and find out.
Are you seriously suggesting that someone local who was qualified would not have had a bite at this post? If so you I think would be sorely mistaken. Also qualifications alone are not enough. Experience is of equal importance and a proven track record.
Why dont the majority of you say whats on your mind really!!!This is an idiotic move on the part of our present Govt and a slap in the face of the people of these fair islands.
Agree Mr. Melburn.
C4C Peter, they were obviously the worse choice for Cayman and the people behind C4C knew Tara, Roy and Winstion will get away with any B*S* so unless we look behing the campaign financing etc and see who the puppet masters are we'll keep getting this type of result.
Too bad the PPM didn't have guts to say no to Roy, Tara and Winston, makes me wonder if PPM has now been taken on by C4C themsleves but they had a chance this year and eally messing it up.
Do we know if C4C members had anything to do with Mr. Holland's appointment by wa of personal contacts?
Actually I think this is a good idea. Less chance for cronism. He would have no alligence to any business and can act independantly. I mean come on really, is there a Caymanian qualified. Maybe they have the credentials but if they were connected to any other preious version of the department or related training and employment services before they obviously worked in failing department. Dunn be foo
I am pro Caymanian for hiring, but could not agree more. The cronyism and "crabs in a bucket" mentality is the true problem.
Mr. Holland will be able to enforce the LAW without bias and "who ya know and who ya for."
Good move to bring in a non-political person, but a warning to you Mr. Holland, your own key staff are hiding the truth from you. Work permit waivers, systems that fail, statistics that are "cooked." Hopefully you are smart enough to not listen to the whispers in your ear and make your own way. You won't be popular, but you will be right.
Good luck, you haven't seen anything yet.
We, as Caymanians, are our own worst enemy! Perhaps this gentlement will follow the law and not act by favour. We need to keep him away from the contaminating forces that will definitely be at play. Perhaps he will have the guts to investigate where investigation is warranted, regardless of who the perpertrator is. Let us give him a chance.
This person is thinking along the same lines as I am, and I hope he will follow the laws!!!!
Perhaps they need to do the same thing with Employment Relations. Remove some of the Caymanians there and put in some expats.
If he does , then his contract will not be renewed no matter how good he is.
This has confirmed my thoughts all along – WE ARE NOT RESPECTED OR WANTED IN THE WORKPLACE, NOT EVEN BY OUR OWN PEOPLE. Tara you and the rest of Governmen responsible for this mess, should all be ashamed of yourself. There really is no hope!
I am confused. If this gentleman was the best person for the job, then so be it. I think though he will have his work cut out. He will have arrived with great plans to change things and wonderful asperations. However, he will learn in time that the elite in Cayman are not for changing and the biggest challenge to ordinary caymanian folk is rich caymanian folk.
I agree. It is not expats we should be worried about but our own well off Caymanians who have a hold on this country like no other. Both parties are part of a system that ensures they and their own are looked after and they do not care a jot about us.
The downfall of the working class Caymanian is the ruling class Caymanian. Stop the renewal rubber stamps and give your university grads a chance and your own people that do work hard a chance.
It is the white collar firms that keep the qualified locals out – too sad.
Is it true that Mr. Holland is a close friend, or an acquaintance of, Mr. Mario Ebanks director of the NWDA? I think the public should know.
Mario does not work for NWDA…..he is in Labor. But you might be correct that he is a friend….who knows. Maybe this is another ego trip of pounding ones chest trying to prove something is being done similar to the fiasco last week of name an shame. Before you dothat, make sure you get a successful prosecution. I will give the labor office it's due that it does have some success with the limited and grossly inadequate labor law we have but come on naming 1 or 2 companies for the sake of trying to prove and uncertain point is not the best way forward.
They seem to have got one thing right this time " will be engaging in a two month induction involving a full handover from the deputy chief officer ".
Caymanians do not get such luxury, they are usually thrown into the deep end to sink or swim, but we always give special treatment to foreignors.
This place is on a downward spiral.
Stop giving businesses a hard time if the "National Workforce Agency" can't even find qualified Caymanians to fill its top job!
Is that not the TRUTH…. unbelievable
If a caymanian were hired, you would then see a true exodus from the Cayman Islands with Caymanians cheering. and in 10 years, this place would be a perfect place to film a new MAD-MAX film.
A bad pr move by minister rivers who is out of touch
Tara Rivers- An expert WAS needed! Ms. Ebanks-Garcia was not the right leader for the job.. (She is too political, period.)
Yes, more locals need to be registered, but we did not trust the staff that is there now.
Good you have an expert in there now who won't be subject to the silly internal power struggles and current fiefdom that is preventing the NWDA from being a success!
An objective professional is just what is needed, but do not forget your local talent too. There are many HR Managers with excellent experience, advanced degrees, and the deisre to succeed. Use them and recruit the honest ones.
Tara, you had better walk the walk, and talk the talk!? Welcome Mr. Holland. We hope you succeed and implement policies that will stop the rubber stamping of work permits and your own staff from granting work permit "waivers" to the Business Staffing (er um Stamping Board.)
Enforce the $20,000 fine for whitholding qualified Caymanians applications, pressure the Work Permit Crony Board to stop approving all white collar work permits without a NAMED LOCAL SUCCESSOR to be trained for the role. Number and track the positions, not the people (what an absurd method- you can never track statistics of a moving target? Track the jobs not the people on permits.)
Stop the big financial firms and banks from hiring carte blanche expats and focus on succession planing and training. Mr. Holland, we have talent, we have University degrees, what we don't have is the chance or opportunities.
We used to have a zero unemployment level and companies clamoured for hiring locals. Our entire financial industry used to value locals, but now there is an "us vs them" and even our own HR Managers pas over their own because their bosses are promised any expat they want with their crony buddies on the Boards.
Stop CEC from rubber stamping work permits and their lip service to locals- there are so many holes in that bucket that we cannot swallow a drop of that ju ju water.
Welcome Mr. Holland, but Tara take heed!!! This had better be a 2 year work permit for Brian Holland and he should start his succession planning next spring. We are watching. You have a grace period to clean house and get the NWDA working without big business corruption steering the Boards, (much needed- ask any qualified Caymanian who has complained to the Business Staffing Board and…. Hallelujah Ms Gourzong has retired- all valid complaints to that woman were completely ignored.)
Mr Holland, you have your shot….but make no bones about it, this is NOT your next 7 year work permit path to PR to Status role. Fix the NWDA, but insure an Ethical HONEST LOCAL is running that department in 2017.
More to the point is the default position used time and again. Put someone into a position they are wholly incapable for many reasons of making a success of. We don't fire them, we just add another layer by bringing in someone who we hope can. Well I hope he can and wish him success where success is almost impossible because of patronage, people being scared to speak up and an organisation that needs root and branch change but he will never be allowed to do that. What does it matter what nationality the person is who does the job. The only thing that matters is that we somehow get our young people into jobs they are capable of doing and that they have the desire to do.
I am sorry but I have to say how rediculous this is on so many levels and only goes to further show the problems we are having right here in our country.
Can anyone tell me why a foreigner had to head up a company trying to get our locals back into jobs? Am I the only one seeing how wrong this is?
It’s obvious why a non Caymanian has this job. There were not qualified Caymanians available to fill it. Negative CNS posters- you complain about how poor this Dept is performing – you say changes must be made- the dept must improve – now when the Government does exactly what you ask for you shoot them down.
Let’s find out how many of you the Negative CNS posters AKA the smartest people in the world- applied for the job-. The answer- none. Why because you will rather sit back and complain. Zzzzzzzzzzz
Probably from all the bad PR from hiring immature and incompetent caymanians to positions where they did not perform or copied off thier colleagues a bit too much, or threatened thier employees with law suits and resorted to politricks to keep thier unearned salaries.
Maybe because it is a failing organization.
Simple the Caymanian there is nit up to the job. Its a failing organization, period.
Why not just take the highest qualified unemployed Caymanian and give them the job? 1 success right off the bat!
Very curious to see how a New Yorker works out in a position of authority down here. Wadrya nuts?
Funny
Am I reading this Correct, we have now hired someone on a work permit to find jobs for Caymanians? I guess his deputy and secretary will also be on work permits as well. Boy we are a smart bunch of fools.
I say for every expat he brings in, a local successor must be paid on staff to be trained. Like for like and match for match. We cannot keep importing "experts" to Government and allowing the 7 year contracts to continue. Franz and Tara- What is the succession plan?
Teach a man to fish, not "buy" frozen fish sticks!
PPM…….PPM……ZZZZZZ……PPM…..
LOL. Let's see if I get this straight. We Caymanians complain about not getting hired and shady hiring practices and favoritism to ex-pats for local jobs. What does the government do? Hire an EX-PAT to run the Cayman workforce development program!
Irony worthy of a rundown skit!
LOL
So let me get this straight….. the board that was soley created to get caymanians jobs that expats have, hire an expat? ironic, dont you think… a little tooooo ironic… ya i really do think.. its like rayyyyy rayyyyy
Not really! The organization is in crisis. It is not working under local managers. Do you want more of the same or do you actually want the NWDA to do the job it was created for. Who cares who is running it as long as the job gets done.
Oh the irony… Just about sums up the NWDA. If you cant find a good enough Caymanian to head it up how can you expect to find work for the rest ?
Does anyone else see the humor in the national workforce development agency's inability to HIRE a director?
There is no irony as they just did!
Another PPM mistake a round peg for a square hole will the Ministry please tell me what a master degree in public admnistration and urban planning has to do with work force evelopment and human capital development in the Cayman Islands..
Human capital development in Cayman should require full knowledge of the local labor and immgration laws not how to layout townships in America.
Just another expat who the PPM can blame when nothing good happens for Caymanians.
I need you to read what the report says, oh, and try to understand what it means. First of all, Tara is not PPM. As far as I know, she is an Independent, so before you continue with your Nit-picking, Stop tearing down the Progressives. You, obviously prefer the UDP, who pro ed try much bought supporters.
Really??? Why are “specialist” always brought in when there are enough people right here with just as much experience to do the job I can only imagine the transition package allowance that was paid to bring him here. Smh I will say it again the whole complete bunch of idiotic chief officers managers need to be the first to be “cut” they have NO leadership skills, a bunch of educated fools are running this Govt. I’m dreading the future of these islands.
The Chief Officers only think of their own political path and ARE the problem. The only way this man will succeed is if he listens to none of his current staff – They "Cook Da Books" Mr. Holland. Your Stats are WRONG and Tara's "success" is all smoke and mirrors. Look behind the curtain Mr. Holland and double check the stats yourself. The staff has made up half of the numbers, oh my!!
You are walking into a powerful work permit waiver machine. Every week the waivers go into the Business Staffing Board and permits are approved without question. To succeed Mr. Holland you are going to have to shake up all that has been going on under the radar. Trust only yourself and not The Chief Officer or the Minister, they have been playing the political game and "Cooking Da Books." You can trust Winston and he will tell you what lies under the rug. Do whats right. You won't make any friends, but decide if you are going to join the game or actually fix da problem?
Good luck. Maybe you can fix da leaky boat Cayman before she sinks?
No Caymanians to fill the post? Well let's help that he will get the local support that is required for him to be successful. As we have seen in the past qualifications DO NOT equal success especially when you don't have the worker bees in your dept. behind you! 🙂
HIP HIP HOORAY to the GOVERNMENT FOR HIRING AN EXPAT TO RUN THE NWDA.
Why not just come straight out and tell us Caymanians that you dont give a rat's ass about us?
Bunch a jokers …
Good luck, sir. We need the help.
How ironic is that after beating up on local buinesses for not hiring locals? That said, hiring the most qualified applcant for this job regardless of nationality, is the right move.
This is a great example of where Caymanains sometimes benefit from the hiring of a fully qualfied expat in a leadership role. Much better than the past practice of an unqualified Caymanian with political connections getting the job and causing every one under them to suffer.
NWDA staffers should expect a new level of performance management and accountability.
He is not and wont be the last expat that has something to offer, from the PR point of view, at this moment, was a bad decission, but, once, and i trust that will happen, the unemployment rate goes down the public opinion will change. godspeed….
Hear Hear! The days of work permit waivers and Business Staffing stamping are over? anyone else wonder why the Secretary to the Staffing Board retired the same day this guy was hired.
You hit the nail on the head with accountabilitiy. The staff is wrong at the NWDA. Stop trying to coach gardeners for job interviews and focus on training our University grads to get into the jobs that are held by expats and renewed automatically for 7 years and then PR is granted.
When the big companies stop getting their PRs, maybe they will bring the local hire numbers up?
The goal is to have all locals (that want to work) a job and the tools to succeed. We need to pressure the recruitment firms to source locals instead of the frustrating funnel of work permits. HR is the new IT? How many locals you got at YOUR firm working in IT? How many locals do YOU hire? Ooooh, the new HR is the old HR and it ain't local.
You couldn't write this script! So the job of getting Caymanians a job goes to an ex-pat, taking the job a Caymanian should be able to do. Not funny enough (if it was not so serious)
So what nationality is Ms Garcia?
Canadian/Caymanian. Capt Bryan is she papa, 10:55
Surely one of our 2,000+ highly qualified and unemployed Caymanians could have filled this role? How hard can it be? I know several Caymanians that have a college degree and can't get work at the top. This is exactly the kind of high paying job they would like to have.
nope, been caymanian, having a college degree and not even been smart will qualify a person for this job. I have a college degree, a master's degree a phD and a doctorade (I have a job BTW) and i wont be able to do that job, want to know why? because is not my field of expertise. plain and simple.
All those degrees and you still can't spell? Priceless.
A phD and a doctorade? Wow! What collage or universarity did youz get them?
This is why we have an expat in the job. Of course, we might not know where is degree(s) came from either.
A Ph.D is a doctorate. Your grammar, punctuation and spelling are atrocious for someone with so many qualifications.
Sorry to say that having a college degree does not necessarily qualify you to do a job. Yes I too would love this "high paying job", I too am a graduate but that does not mean I should get this job.
Haha … how ironic
Oh yeah, all those barriers employers keep putting up. I'm sure Smoothie King is just running rings around officials to keep qualified Caymanians out of those sweet smoothie making jobs all held by ex-pats.
Either that, or no one applies, because they only want the kind of easy, well paying jobs for people with no qualifications that do not exist.
I suppose totally unrealistic expectations bordering on clinical delusion are a barrier in a sense.
Wny use an American when there are plenty of Brits available?
Please, no more Brits. ENOUGH.
A little reminder: The majority of Caymanians would prefer to remain an overseas territory of Britain rather than become independent. Why? Because at least then there is some scrutiny of process which may service to mitigate some of the worse excesses of cronyism and corruption. And before you hit the thumps down button note I said MAY
So let me get this straight – Our Gov't couldn't find a qualified Caymanian to head up the agency that is responsible for finding work for Caymanians. Priceless!
Oh they did and it made no difference hence the need to bring in an outsider. Everyone keeps whinging about how NWDA is a croc of rubbish, so why not just this once think positively and hope an outside can achieve that which the locals could not.
So the PPM couldn't find one local person to help local people find jobs.
Ah boii.
No surprise here Tara wouldnt have it any other way. Gotta be a foreigner
Now let's put the CO Education position out there to find best person for job not just perception of nepotism and political favours. The CO in Education and Employment should have at least teaching and labour management experience.
Hilarious! We take on a foreigner to solve our unemployment problems despite hearing constantly about how many brilliant Caymanians there are out there looking for jobs such as this one.
So this person is training one of the many suitable Caymanians that are available, right!?
They are all out of work on an island that already has in place a system to ensure that hireing a Caymanian is easier and cheaper then bringing in a worker. They are all out of work because they can not perform. For many of them it is too late! Nothing will help them. For some of them getting the training to become a good worker would be the best way to help them. For the many many Caymanians just getting out of school creating a culture of working hard and getting the skill set needed to do the kind of work they want to do for the rest of their lives is the most critically important thing they can do for themselves. This responsibility rest directly on the shoulders of the parents. Not the Government. If you are a Caymanian parent and you have not brought up your kids to be a responsible and hard working part of Caymanian society then you have failed them and they will have no chance of competing in the job market against Expats and skilled Caymanians. Bad parental examples are the reason for Caymanian unemployment problem. Good parental guidence is the ONLY fix. Especially now that the Civil service has been given notice that they will now start to be held accountable for poor performance. The days of getting a job and keeping it without doing it are comeing to an end.
Typical of Cayman!
So if he couldn't make in New York New York, why should he make it anywhere?
The success or not of him making a go of this job will be down to the quality of the people around him, how much he can change hearts and minds and innovative thinking. But wait, if he doesn't succeed you can blame the "foreigner" that should make everyone happy.
In this instance a professional from outside WAS required, but I do hope there is a succession plan for a local to fill these shoes when the department is successful.
Work permits need to be tracked by the job not the person applying. What a silly system to track people ( that 50% leave during their career life cycle) instead of numbering the job and the company. Simple Database Analytics can fix these woes.
All work applications should flow through the NWDA prior to Immigration to see if there is a local match- If a qualified local matches then the private company can keep the expat 1 additional year while training the local with a succession plan. It could not be simpler. (Sorry employers for the extra salary- you must start to look for locals instead of rubber stamping your renewals.)
The NWDA has had zero effect on the Business Staffing (Stamping) Board or The Immigration Work Permit Approval Board. These meetings should be public so if a local feels strongly they are qualified they can publically apply and be heard. HR sweeping local applications under the carpet (yes, recruitment firms too!) can no longer be tolerated.
The public should be pleased that an outsider has come in. The buddy-buddy crony work permit approval system can now be fairly challenged without favoritism and "who ya know."
The irony. The department tasked with geting Caymanians into jobs occupied by expats finds it necessary to hire an expat to lead it.
Sounds like a good hire. I just hope he's not stiffled by lack of resources and lack of support.
The bright ones have a tendency to find solutions and come up with brilliant plans only to have them shot down. If this happens to Mr. Holland, his drive and enthusiam won't last long and he'll end up back home because of frustration with this place.
All the best anyway, Brian Holland. You can't do it alone and I hope government officials understand that and give you all the support that you need, becuase ultimately it boils down to putting locals back to work, which is what this country needs.
Holland will be their (ppm) scapegoat in the end! WATCH.
I wonder if that poor guy, as a foreigner, really knows what he's getting into.
He definitely does not other wise he would be safely tucked up in New York, being supported in whatever role he did, trying to make a difference. Making a difference in Cayman is impossible.
Did they have to register this job with themselves first before they hired a work permit holder?
Due to all the complaints I have heard about the staff of the NWDA there could not have been anyone there capable of doing this job and I suppose all Caymanians with that level of qualification and experience are already working. I don't know much but I suppose it is better to give the gentleman a contract for 2 years or so, put someone to understudy him than to hire someone who can't cut it and continue to get the crappy service that I have heard all of you complaining about on Rooster.