Top spots filled on university board
Lemuel Hurlston, Chair UCCI Board of Governors (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): Lemuel Hurlston has been named as the new chair of the UCCI Board of Goverors following the recent resignations of both the former chair, Sheree Ebanks, and the deputy chair, Linford Pierson. Andrea Bryan will take up the deputy chair’s spot and the Cabinet has appointed another new member, Stephen Watler, who will serve as the nominee of the Caymanian Bar Association.
In a release Wednesday, officials said Hurlston retired as the Cayman Islands chief secretary (now the post of deputy governor) in 1995 but two years later became Managing Director of Montpelier Properties (Cayman Limited), a position that he still holds. He has served in leadership positions on many public sector entities, such as the Water Authority and Work Permit Boards. He also recently chaired the Education Ministry’s Minimum Wage Advisory Committee, which delivered a comprehensive report to the Cabinet containing recommendations for a minimum wage regime for the Cayman Islands.
Andrea Bryan, Deputy Chair UCCI Board of Governors
Describing the appointment as a privilege, Hurlston said he looked forward to “serving the needs of UCCI as a member of the Board of Governors and to the best of the Board’s combined ability”.
Andrea Bryan, who has been on the board since October 2013, began her career as an educator but climbed the ranks of the civil service, retiring from the post of permanent secretary (chief officer) for the Health Ministry in 2006.
Stephen Watler, an attorney who specialises in investment funds, is currently an associate at the law firm Maples and Calder. Nominated to the Board by the CBA, he is also a member of the Cayman Islands Law Society and the Law Society of England and Wales.
Stephen Watler, member UCCI Board of Governors
The college recently published its viability review, which suggested a number of ways the UCCI could reduce its running costs by over a half million dollars. The board will be instrumental in working with the college president, Roy Bodden, and faculty to implement what could be drastic changes and cuts to both staff and classes.
In addition to the chair and deputy chair, membership of the UCCI Board of Governors includes representatives from the Ministries of Education and Finance, the legal profession, the information technology and telecommunications industries, the accounting sector, and the human resource profession. The president of UCCI is also a member by virtue of his office.
Category: Education, Local News
Same people over and over again and anyone who isn’t a crony never gets appointed.
8:01@ 2/04: I agree that we recycle the same persons, but I do not agree that there is no fresh blood among the so-called “eligible” Caymanian sector. I know there are worthy Caymanians out there (and while I don’t want this to break down into a Cayman/expat debate, there is a good reason to select Caymanians who are plugged into and understand local culture and needs). But why we seem to feel we must appointment former civil servants or political hanger ons is beyond me.
Lem is a really good man. He wasn’t even 50 when he “retired” so he has lots of energy and is contributing to this country’s development.
This irony by Anon 8:06 pm, 2/04, intended or otherwise, was not missed. Made me smile, Anon; in fact deserves a good guffaw.
Nothing wrong with these particular appointments but it does reinforce the point that all the various boards in Cayman are, year to year, administration to administration, serviced by a very small number of persons who are on various boards, commissions and tribunals at the same time or if they resign from one they are immediately appointed to another (the first two persons are cases in point). This is of course because the dreaded expats are usually excluded from these appointments which makes the eligibility pool very small.