CPA members reveal interests
(CNS): The extent to which several members of the Central Planning Authority are involved in development and construction has been revealed after the planning department granted a freedom of information request by CNS. The request for the members’ register of interests was made following a recent Public Accounts Committee hearing where the director of planning and the chief officer in the ministry revealed its existence.
Bending to public pressure for more transparency, the CPA is now publishing full minutes of its meetings and decisions as well as its agendas. It is also now allowing the public to attend meetings, and in another step forward for transparency, has open up the formerly secret register.
Given the significance of this board to the wider community, the revelations about the interests that members have in the development sector and construction, especially the chair and the deputy chair, will allow the public to hold the authority more accountable. People can now see for themselves where the individual members may be either indirectly or directly benefiting from the decisions they make about major projects.
The board has come in for criticism over the years from the public and past auditor generals, who have pointed to the fact that the board is too heavily weighted towards construction. Despite advise from the previous auditor general, Alastair Swarbrick, that then planning minister Kurt Tibbetts reconstitute the board with a more balanced set of people and include people from the conservation sector, the minister ignored that advise and retained the bulk of the members.
Given the opportunity to appoint a new board after the members had served their three-year term, Tibbetts retained the chairperson, A.L. Thompson, who is not only the owner of the largest hardware store on the island but, as is shown on his register of interests, an extensive landowner and investor in numerous development projects and companies. Tibbetts also reappointed the deputy chair, who, like the chairman, is directly involved in the construction sector.
While government must seek to appoint board members who have the relevant experience, there has been long-standing public concern that this gives a green light to appoint cronies who are willing to serve in order to exploit the role for their own ends. While the ROI for the authority is now in the public domain, the government’s long-awaited standards in public life legislation, which will require full disclosure from everyone who serves on government boards, is still to be implemented.
Category: Local News
Makes it easy to understand how some businesses are successful. Pass a few plans then send your salesmen out to make sales.
“allowing the public to attend meetings” ??? CNS, perhaps you could attend the next meeting and report on how that process actually works?
The Public Authorities Law should have applied to all Boards and Committees of Government not just to the Statutory Authorities & Government Companies!
Yes, clearly some of these Government boards and “hi-falutin” committees are comprised of private sector persons who have little understanding of good governance and personal integrity. Even more concerning is that the some of the senior civil servants who serve as secretaries or provide secretariat services to these entities do not have the cajones to stand firm and provide the guidance necessary. Just look at the recent debacle with the Liquor Licensing Board! The DCI should have raised concerns to the Deputy Governor from the moment official records of a properly constituted meeting was changed so significantly. The DCI and senior civil servants on that board should have stood firm!
“What’s the agenda for today?”
“Item 1 : we are asked to approve your development”
“Oh I had better sit out this one”.
“Item 1 is approved”
“Item 2, you approve my development, I’ll shuffle over here for a minute”
“OK, Item 2 is approved.”
Complete impartiality is needed to protect the ordinary people. This body is riddled with development-favouring conflicts of interest, those conflicts being consistently against the interests of those that do not own large amounts of land or a development company.
Uncontrolled building, you sell them the roof I sell them everything else. No conflict at all.
The CPA has so many conflicts it is a joke. Moreover everyone seems to be in the construction business. Is this essential? Answer NO. At one stage a very good lawyer sat on the board but resigned when the board would not take legal advice. Many local business people know about construction as they build their own homes and shops. Why are there no paper Caymanians on this and other boards? There is an abundance of talent out there that are happy to give their time pro bono.
As to discretion of the board on setbacks, that is another joke. XXXXXX
Readers will recall that after substantial criticism from the AG in their report, precisely nothing happened. With the advent of the Pageant Beach monstrosity the stables need to be cleaned out.
Have you noticed that the declarations completed all make reference to the OAG (Office of the Auditor General) not CPI? Looks like they borrowed the form from the OAG and didn’t make any changes. How legal are these declarations?
A.L. Thompson should resign immediately! BOYCOT ALT’s until he steps down!
That guy and the rest of them all need to go. Just a good old boy network!
Well done CNS. You are providing a valuable public service and your perseverance is a shining light in Cayman’s murky world. Keep it up!
As long as any side of the political spectrum acts without people questioning them, then you get the guverment you deserve. Don’t care which side you’re on. Don’t excuse them because it is your favorite party or friend. corrupt cheats deserve to be removed from power.
Of the all the board that needs changes… the CPA needs a complete overhaul. Talk about conflicts of interest! Let’s see if this government of unity makes any changes to this board! But then again… the PPM lead government is running things so don’t hold your breath. As they are all in it for themselves.
Fundamentally, the “Standards in Public Life” Legislation, like other deliberately stalled agenda items, will not be implemented so long as the voting public fails to vocally demand or petition a deadline for compliance. The ACC certainly has not done so. The Governor’s Office hasn’t, nor has Deputy Governor’s Office. It really makes you wonder.
If this is not a shame, nothing is.
Just window dressing so that the chairman and deputy can continue in their positions
Nothing new revealed.
One of the most conflicted board in Cayman. Job well done Kurt Tibbetts and the rest of the PPM jokers.
typical crap