ACC finally meets with new face on board
Norman Bodden, MD of Bodden Corporate Services and a Director of Bodden & Bodden, Attorneys at Law
(CNS): Well-known local businessman and one time politician, Norman Bodden OBE, has been appointed as the newest private sector member of the Anti-Corruption Commission, officials have told CNS. He joined the police commissioner, the acting auditor general and acting complaints commissioner at a meeting on Monday, the first time the ACC has met for some time. A spokesperson for the Commission said Bodden was appointed on 1 December and more private sector members will be appointed shortly. The ACC is expected to meet again next month.
Concerns have been raised, however, that neither the ACC nor the RCIPS Anti-Corruption Unit is receiving the support or the resources they need to tackle corruption in Cayman. It has been almost a year since Leonard Ebanks and Sir Peter Allen, the previous non-public officials appointed to the commission, ended their tenure and their seats have been vacant since then.
The board, which was created to scrutinise allegations of corruption before officers in the ACU take up investigations, has also been impacted by the departure more than one year ago of the last complaints commissioner, Nicola Williams, and more recently the auditor general, Alastair Swarbrick, last September. Neither of those posts have been filled, though Garnet Harrison is acting auditor general and Bridgette Von Gerhardt is the acting complaints commissioner.
Despite claims that government is taking corruption seriously, the ACC has been neglected for the best part of a year and the funding for officers on the ground remains tight. Over the last year, the ACU officers, Richard Oliver and Anthony Hill, have been knee-deep in the massive CarePay case, in which Canover Watson was recently convicted of five corruption related charges, and the two officers are understood to be continuing related probes and just two other officers were added to the team in the 2015/16 budget.
The unit is limited in its ability to fight what many believe is significant corruption, which is not just an issue for the local community but Cayman’s position overseas as well.
The passage of the anti-corruption law and the creation of the ACC was as much about demonstrating to the world that Cayman was keeping a close eye on corruption, which could have a negative impact on its position as an offshore financial service centre, as it was about local concerns of corrupt politicians and high-ranking officials.
Category: Crime, Government oversight, Politics
A perfect pair of safe hands if the politicians want to give the impression of high level scrutiny of corruption but be safe in the knowledge that very little would ever be likely to happen. The recent Auditor Generals have shown how much impact an outsider can have in improving longstanding endemic problems. Perhaps more outsiders on the ACC would be a big help, but the powers that be would be too scared of that.
Glad to see the appointment but I always ask myself why one needs to be already successful to get nominated to any of these posts? Gov’t needs to start to appoint regular Joes and give people a more inclusive feeling. Besides; it would make corruption that much more difficult if all types of different people were appointed: not just the upper crust who may have got to that crust after eating a pie of corruption.
If you read the law members of the commission must be retired lawyers, judges, policemen or JPs. That is unnecessary restrictive. At least Mr Norman is a man of integrity and can be trusted.
An Ex politician on the ACC why is it only me and Anon 803am that see there is some seriously wrong with that.??? Corruption never has been compulsory.
Congrats to Mr. Norman, this is a great appointment. Maybe now we will see the main person (or persons, or did I say person) behind most of the serious corruption in Cayman being brought to justice. This could spell the end for “Teflon Don”
An excellent appointment. His integrity and character throughout his life in these islands speaks for itself! Congrats Mr. Norman. What a life of service and stature in this community!
But he won’t do anything and his family have very strong political links. A terrible choice.
To all those that have nothing but negative and nasty comments about this appointment you all are truly pathetic! This man is a legend in the local community of these islands; a man of integrity, dignity and has worked extremely hard to be where he is today!
This is a man who rose from the depths of poverty in these Cayman Islands to a position of high ranking status; hard work he put in himself!
He never took from people, never used people and yet all his OWN Caymanian people have to say is nasty and bitter remarks! Shame on you all!
When he served for approximately 3 terms in the LA (in a time where they were not paid to be there!) he did his job! Can we say the same for the last 20 years of our representation in the LA? ***crickets***
Congrats Mr. Norman. Those who truly know you only have wonderful things to say in your regard as your character continues to speak for itself. This man is not selfish, is not deceitful and is not someone who can be BOUGHT!
He is truly one-of-a-kind; it’s so sad our own people don’t know who our real heroes are!
God bless.
Mr. Norman’s is a good man but his daughter Sherry Bodden was the Chairperson of the UDP. It looks like a lot investigations being done by ACU involve the UDP. She was McKeeva Bush’s attorney for his outside business interests. How will ACC deal with these close family ties and the perception of conflict of Interests?
When you say a conflict of interest, it is not really one if the person involved says it isn’t. Take the Minister of Tourism for example. He is taking decisions on the pier that could result in a massive financial benefit for his family. But he made a speech and told us all that he loved his family very much but it did not affect his decisions so there was no conflict of interest. So as long as you say there is no conflict of interest it is all OK. That is how the process works. Quite simple really.
Yes it seems the ho wobble gambler has nothing to fear.
A great choice in Mr. Norman. A true man of integrity. Congratulations as this is a great step forward.
An excellent choice for the ACC to have a man like Mr Bodden on board , now I think that we will see more corruption case’s brought to court , and this would show the world that corruption is not tolerated in Cayman Islands.
Again congratulations Mr Bodden and take the Islands back, we know that you can do it.
Same old cronyism. It is always someone who is ‘connected’ or well known. Why not accept nominations for ordinary upright citizens, because they are out there and can act without biased or pre-conceived notions.
Its a small island, everyone is connected!
You would probably moan too if the position went to an expat.
A broad sweeping statement presenting opinion as fact, and contains a judgemental statement about the original poster is not a cogent argument. For the record, I am a Caymanian with no political connections or family ties to anyone in government, and would have no objection whatsoever with an expatriate having this position.
That is how a jury is constituted, with ordinary people. The ACC is not a jury.
Wish we had more like him, the best of Cayman.
An excellent appointment in Mr. Norman Bodden, a man of integrity.
An excellent choice. A man of undoubted integrity and greatly respected in the business community, this appointment will surely boost public confidence in the ACC.
And no doubt the same things were said about a certain young Caymanian leader award that was recently convicted. I have nothing against Mr Bodden, I don’t know him, my point being is that sweet words achieve little, it is actions that count and the ACC has lots of work ahead to clean up corruption in the CS and SA’s. Corruption is not about taking money, moral corruption is rife in Cayman. CS and SA leaders that believe entitlement comes with position.
I know you never just compared Mr. Norman Bodden to freaking Canover Watson! Could never be! You are nothing but a damn fool! Like the old people always used to say “you can’t fix stupid”.