Local inequality subject of CEO panel debate
Ingrid Pierce, Global Managing Partner of Walkers
(CNS): Walkers’ Global Managing Partner, Ingrid Pierce; the premier’s senior political advisor, Roy Tatum; local businessman and author, Paul Byles; and consultant Tom McCallum will be discussing the widening inequality gap this week at the annual Cayman Economic Outlook conference. The premier’s State of the Nation address and the panel debate usually draw the crowds to the day-long annual seminar, which is sponsored by Fidelity, and this year the sustainability of the Cayman model will be under the microscope.
The conference takes place at the Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman this Thursday (5 February) and starts with the registration at 8am.
Recruitment expert Steve McIntosh will moderate the panel discussion with the four panelists, who will be asked a number of questions based on submissions to the conference organisers. The panel debate is set for 2:45pm but before that Premier Alden McLaughlin will be delivering a State of the Nation address.
Although his predecessor, McKeeva Bush, took the opportunity to use the CEO (formerly the CBO) to make announcements, often controversial, about future plans, in his first conference address as the country’s leader last year McLaughlin used the platform as a recap of previously announced government plans and there were few surprises. But although he highlighted the revitalization of the capital as a key project that would start before the end of 2014, and despite a commitment by government to get the George Town facelift underway, the project is yet to begin.
McLaughlin has faced a considerable amount of unexpected political controversy in his government recently, as well as dealing with the continued phenomena of jobless growth faced by Caymanians.
Another spate of violent crime, the well-publicised Ozziegate affair, problems with the management of the enforcement agencies under his watch, such as the recruitment of a murderer to the RCIPS and the suspension of a number of senior immigration officers, have all been unwelcome distractions from the Progressives’ efforts to improve the local economy and get public finances back on track.
Despite the less than favourable press coverage in recent weeks for many of the departments within his portfolio, McLaughlin will be looking to make more positive headlines Thursday. He may reveal the status of the Dart talks with the PPM government over the controversial NRA Agreement as he had indicated recently that those talks were very close to a positive conclusion.
There are a number of areas of national importance that McLaughlin may choose to address, from the creation of the Electoral Boundary Commission to pave the way for one man, one vote at the next election to the progress on the government’s rationalisation project. The expected changes to the immigration law could also be on the agenda, as well as the progress of the public-private projects that the PPM is depending on to boost the economy and solve the unemployment problem, such as the cruise port development, the airport and the plans for a major mixed-use development in North Side, with the extension of the east-west arterial. Whatever the subject, however, McLaughlin is likely to talking to a full house when he delivers the address at 9:30am.
In between the premier and the panel discussion, Fidelity has secured a number of speakers who will be examining what lies ahead for Cayman. David McWilliams, economist writer, journalist, lecturer, broadcaster and documentary maker, has written four bestsellers and he will be talking about the world in 2015, while Mike Walsh, a futurist and author, will be talking about how to design a business for the modern world. Aaron Dignan, described as an author and digital strategist, will talk about responsive organisations and Pamela Meyer, a fraud detection expert, will be telling the audience how to spot when they are being lied to.
Oh, please, anonymous of 9:48 pm, 4/2: those viewpoints of which you speak are a mix of history and personal biases. There is certainly nothing original in his ideas. I am glad he dropped out. Nothing personal against him, but I have heard him speak.
Very sorry to hear Roy Bodden “dropped out of the panel discussion” on the “widening inequality gap”. Can you share the reason why he dropped out? He is an eloquent independent thinker with a huge depth and wealth of knowledge, insight and experience of a variety of issues in Cayman both in the present day and from a historical perspective. His viewpoints are interesting and enlightening. I don’t necessarily agree with everything he says, but it broadens my thinking and helps develop my understanding whenever I have the opportunity to hear him speak. Any chance he will share his views on the topic via CNS even if he isn’t attending as part of the panel?
So we have four men on a panel discussing inequality… You couldn’t find one reputable women to be on the panel?
B) wrong type of inequality (unless you pursue the point that gender inequality leads to more women being victims of economic inequality, but that’s like talking about a paper cut when your arm is broken)
A) the first person named on the panel, and the only one pictured, is a woman. But poor CNS has fallen victim to inattentive readership and typography. (Yes, I saw the ‘four men’ line you’re referring to.)
CNS: The article was updated when we were told that Roy Bodden had dropped out of the panel discussion and that Ingrid Pierce had taken his place.
I see that “anonymous” has shamed the organizers to slip in a woman. Obviously, the inequality of women in the workforce would be a key component of this discussion.
I have to say that other than integrating the panel, Ms Pierce seems to have done us a favor by squeezing out the president of UCCI who was originally announced as part of the panel. I seriously wonder whether many of his ideas are properly researched or whether he is simply spouting biases.
I hope too that this change will give a more balanced perspective on the Expat/ Caymanian debate.
As Caymanians we have to understand that we are not entitled purely on the basis of our nationality (and, yes, I am Caymanian), but that we have to become well qualified and work hard at acquiring and honing skills.
At the same time, attitudes need to change on the other side. I am admittedly fatalistic in my view that the tension will always be there as long as we maintain our current political status. I know that this perspective will get the hackles of some persons up, but it is the truth. We will have to determine as a country where we will make the painful sacrifices.
Overall, However, I am pleased to see young Caymanians moving into the professions and climbing the ladder. And I urge parents to instil in their children that success is not about “luck” — it is about education, training and hard work. The opportunities WILL come once we take the bull by the horns and dedicate ourselves to building a stronger Caymanian workforce.