Port boss officially fired

| 29/11/2018 | 61 Comments
Cayman News Service

Port Director Clement Reid (Photo courtesy Cayman 27)

(CNS): Clement Reid has been formally fired as director of the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, officials from PACI have confirmed. In a brief e-mail statement, Acting Director Joseph Woods said that “by mutual consent, the employment of the port director, Clement Reid, was terminated on 23 November”. Reid had been on paid required leave since May. “The board extends its appreciation to Mr Reid for his many years of service at the Port Authority. No further statement will be made in relation to this matter,” Woods added.

Reid’s termination comes in the wake of a catalog of scandals surrounding mismanagement and misuse of public funds at the authority. The issues came to light with the publication of a report by the auditor general earlier this year. Reid was accused of breaching recruitment practices, spending over $130,000 decorating the port offices without approval, allowing staff to go on paid leave to work for the former opposition leader, and of turning a blind eye to the theft of boat engines, among other allegations.

Initially, it appeared the board was willing to give Reid another chance, despite stating that the auditor’s findings appeared to amount to gross misconduct. However, when the details became public, he was suspended from his job while further inquiries were made.

No details have been revealed about what the internal investigation into the director revealed or on what terms he has been fired. A recruitment process for the post of PACI director is expected to begin soon but in the meantime Woods is expected to remain acting as director as well as continuing in his own job as head of port security and cruise operations.

With four other senior managers sacked in August and another, who was accused and cleared of sexual misconduct, now on extended sick leave, the management team is spread thin as government continues negotiations for the proposed cruise berthing and extended cargo facility in George Town. If the project goes ahead, PACI would be at the heart of the Cayman Islands’ largest and most controversial capital project in history.

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Comments (61)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    very sad. A very decent family with good and Godly up bringing. But the higher a monkey goes the more he shows his ass.

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  2. Cayman X says:

    One voice if it’s not a nationality thing as you claim can you explain to the Caymanian people exactly why the same action is not taken in the ministry of Health and infact I will go further and say why certain high official are so eager to defend others for their misconduct in office???No such support was certainly afforded to those subordinates under them.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    join NAU line…

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  4. Lo-Cal says:

    All they are doing is clearing all UDP appointments to make way for a PPM appointment to control the purse on the port project. This is how the real pirates of the Caribbean operate.

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  5. OneVoice says:

    Why is this a nationality thing? it is simple, if you are corrupted or unable to do your job effectively and efficiently, you should be FIRED regardless who you are, where you come from, what colour you are etc. He did not do his job or got caught so he is out . Yes it hurts more when it one of our own, and I would say the same for any Country where their own nationals disgrace them and their Country, it not only here.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    king tut taken down?

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  7. Anonymous says:

    So now please tell us what is the justification to also NOT FIRE MAC THE LA SPEAKER?

    MAC was the cause of some of Mr. Reid’s problems.

    To not fire MAC is a violation of the Constitution section 16 1nd 19!

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  8. Anonymous says:

    His employment was “terminated by mutual consent”?? What does that mean?

    Is that the new terminology for a settlement? Was he was paid off to leave? Was he paid off to “retire”?

    Errol you have muddled this one up again.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Golden handshake and the fixed term contract paid in full.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This is not apart of the topic but hey when ya’ll going to give port staff the 5% geez health authority got back pay from january and port cant get a dollar extra?
      That is so wrong by all means.

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      • Anonymous says:

        The Health Authority just received a 5% Cola increase in November not January and the one before that was 2015. HSA salaries are way below par where off loading a container at the Port can fetch you $5k a month. Foolishness talk what you know.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It generally means a great deal of public money saved in not having to go through long and very expensive court battles.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Not every case is related to any misdeeds of the civil servants. Some Boards are corrupt and if a Director chooses to challenge them, he/she is history! Lodge expectations are rife throughout statutory authorities!

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  10. Anonymous says:

    “Fired”? Only in Absurdistan, Mutual consent and a cheque cannot be described as “fired”.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yes that is so true. A far better description should have been given for the separation of employment. Example: It was mutually agreed that Mr. Reid’s contract would not be renewed at this time, and the parties also agreed that he would separate from the Port Authority going forward to allow the process for a change of leadership to take effect.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Nice guy from a good family but something went seriously wrong along the way. Not sure if it was the work environment or if a sense of entitlement developed.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe he was challenging decisions and asking too many questions? None of that will be tolerated by any government in Cayman.

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Why is it that Caymanians in position, always letting us down

    Caymanians please make your people proud, we are counting on you, remember we are
    now the minority in this struggle.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Lol! Struggle! Caymanians, just by being Caymanian, are afforded unique advantages and opportunities in this country that other nationalities in their own country are not given gratis. It’s just a case of being too stupid or bone idle to take advantage of them. And if you’re stupid, blame the local schools run by…wait, that doesn’t fit the narrative.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Like I have said before we gripe and complain about Caymanian not getting the high jobs and we give them it only to here few short years down the road they fired..How much is this now???? TOO MUCH IN MY OPINION …..

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Unemployment is at at an all time high.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Why dont we see this type of accountability in the private sector. Customer service in the private sector is awful and we are always being ripped off.

    Also why do we want to know people personal business. Why people get fired is not our business.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You have obviously never dealt with customs, immigration or the licencing department.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Riiiight…. get a clue. Maybe you are the problem, I never have issues with the private sector unless it’s an entitled Caymanian at the desk or on the phone.

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    • Anonymous says:

      9:33…….. Are you joking? You don’t want to know about it when your representatives are stealing from you?

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    • Jotnar says:

      It is when we pay their wages – and for th severance deal. Private sector – someone else’s money, and no publicity because it’s not a taxpayer issue. But you just go on using the “someone else is worse” excuse for justifying public sector incompetence or corruption.

  16. Preston Foster says:

    It’s just the same old, same old we’ve been having for years………. and it isn’t over, unfortunately. It’s real CAYMANKIND!

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  17. Anonymous says:

    It gets much better, Bobo. Rumor has it that Clem Clem was handed a walk-away cheque equivalent to two years salary. A FOI request and publish should be forthcoming… Here we go again!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Why is everything a secret when it’s our money? Wasn’t this government suppose to be transparent? They won’t answer any of the public’s questions. This, the port project, the cost of the new planes…….just a joke at our expense. Wake up Cayman. Meanwhile our youth are suffering…..sadtimes .

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    • Anonymous says:

      A lot of employers end up paying out their employment contract obligations as it ends up cheaper than going through court proceedings for wrongful dismissal (breach of contract) where the damages are virtually limitless. The employer does the math and cuts the cheque which is cheaper and less messy than public court battles.

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  18. Ron Ebanks says:

    I am happy to see that unethical civil servants can be fired , but then again , wasn’t he appointed by the Speaker ? I hope that all other unethical civil servants that are on pay leave for years can be fired too . Then I will say that the government is ethical .

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  19. Anonymous says:

    ‘However, when the details became public’ = a cover up that got righteously and royally blown. This is why having a free and unfettered media is so important.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    So every week or two it would appear someone is fired or put on leave, or being investigated for corruption within the CIG
    and the public is left completely in the dark every time
    Shameful

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  21. Anonymous says:

    Ah boy, these ol’ greedy ass Caymanians, spoil it for the rest of us. Some of us would do an exemplary job given the opportunity to shine in these high-level position, but after these type of unethical performances, we’ll never get the chance. Sick of unna.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Oh my darlin’

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