Moxam’s leak claims earn CS a warning
(CNS): Public sector workers have been indirectly told to plug leaks after CNS reported claims made by Johann Moxam that information was being leaked from inside “their own shop” about government’s proposed port project. Deputy Governor Franz Manderson sent an internal memo to civil servants after he saw the media report about leaks. While civil servants were not specifically cited as the source, they were reminded about their duty of confidentiality.
Moxam said he had constantly received information from inside government as well as from inside the Progressive Party because the government is handling the entire cruise port project so badly and turning its own people against it.
But Manderson said civil servants had an obligaiton to “serve diligently the government of the day… in an apolitical and impartial… way.”
The civil service boss said that government staff should not give out any information unless authorised to do so or under under legal frameworks, such as the Freedom of Information Law.
But he balanced his warning about keeping a lid on government business by pointing out the obligation that public sector employees also have regarding whistle-blowing over wrongdoing. However, he said that whistle-blowing should only be done through the Office of the Ombudsman.
See the full memo below:
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Category: Government Administration, Politics
And to think we lost representatives like Mr. Panton
and Mr. Archer…. I hope Cayman is now paying attention to the conduct inside of the LA…
The truth must be kept from the people. The port must be built. Lodge members need their benefits. Why can’t these pesky moaners go away, shut up and just get ready to pay the costs of this white elephant for decades to come?
CIG loves pretending they willingly offer information all the while stiffing FOIs and ignoring the media when they reach out for comments or quotes
If the Government held weekly press briefings or if elected members held monthly constituency meetings things wouldn’t have to be leaked, there would be open dialogue and a firm relationship between those governing and the governed
But instead of taking into account the issues that people have with the current system the government is now trying to obfuscate and pretend they don’t know the issues that people have been airing for years
Was it not Alden and his merry band who ran in 2017 on transparency and accountability? Where is Austin Harris’ bombast for accountability, I couldn’t find that man in the past 2 years with 2 hands and a map
They are nothing but charlatans, The CIG always attempts to operate in the dark because they can’t handle the scrutiny that comes with operating in plain sight
Everything is done behind closed doors, everything is hush hush, everything is confidential and sensitive and cannot be disclosed
What we have is a micro-nation on the scale of a town council acting as if it is a international superpower with state secrets and national security risks
So in a nice way he is saying keep your mouths shut for we cant let the public know what is going on
Moxam and Sandra should really do better. I hope both of you will offer the civil servant who gets fired for leaking info a job.
To my fellow civil servants I suggest you listen to our DG. Leaking info is not going to support your family when you get fired.
If you see something wrong report it to the Ombudsman.
If exposing a crime is punishable worse than the crime exposed, you are being ruled by criminals.
There should be an internal whistleblowing policy the CS can follow as opposed to going to media and “mob rule”
2:14 is wrong. and yes there is a policy and law on whistle blowing. The fact is integrity is integrity. Exposing wrong-doing is a good thing, but we see all the time that if you carry out that process illegally or incorrectly it nullifies the result. If we become criminals in order to fight crime then all we have done is added to crime. On top of that the requirement to have a non-political civil service is one of the pillars of a stable society. Especially when your country is this small, it is imperative that our civil service is above reproach on how it handles political matters. We are too small to continue to operate unethically. There is always a bigger price to pay when we do.
Good philosophical argument on ethics. I agree with you in principle, but … this is Cayman, where ethics don’t apply to those in power (which includes the Lodge ilk). Sometimes in war, you have to go commando and put ethics aside. And let’s be honest – a non-political civil service? You do realise what percentage of the electorate public servants and their immediate family members constitute, right?
Yes! Let us bomb the village to save it! (Better use Napalm, just to be sure you saved everything.)
3:10. Read the article there is such a law and policy.
2:14. You simply don’t get it. All the DG is saying is that civil servants should expose the crime to the correct authority not CML or anyone else.
Just Another Day in Absurdistan
Civil Service got more leaks than the Balboa
The fact that the DG had to issue such a memo to the CS is a terrible inditement on the ethics of some.
I may not agree with everything that my employer does but it is not up to me to sat so. If I care that much I should quit.
What a sheep mentality
The cCvil Service are like the Water Authority, awash with leaks.
A news article about government trying to stopping leaks based on an INTERNAL memo – the irony.
Is this email not a leak in itself….. a leak about leaks…
It’s all very leaky if you ask me.
CNS while I respect your “comments that dare to be posted will not be posted” policy, it is evident that you have a bias for Moxam and crew.
Two comments posted at 11 am yet my comment from hours prior criticizing CPR group is no where to be seen.
Don’t be like CMR.
CNS: I’ll answer this one (warning, it’s very dull). In order to moderate the comments as quickly as possible, I go through them as they appear to me, which is newest at the top. Normally, this makes very little difference as I try to keep up with them or moderate in a batch. However, today has been a crazy day and I keep getting distracted with urgent matters. I’m going through then now and apologise to people who commented this morning. I’ll put the earlier ones at the top so they get posted asap. Mea culpa!
I see it now. Thanks. I fully understand about today being crazy.
Happy Monday N & W
Guess he did his informers an injustice? well that should plug his info and the leak
Instead of sharing all the facts and correct information with the public our Premier the Deputy Premier and Deputy Governor are more interested in stopping leaks.
They have all benefitted from the system and know well that leaks and information sharing is common within the civil service and local politics.
The Unity gov’t is a Coalition government of PPM, CDP and so-called Independents (who won last election). Which party line are CIG staff required to be 100% committed and loyal to, under threat of termination, and how can that possibly be construed as apolitical? Staff are already authorized and obligated to be transparent with the public they serve – ahead of any regime du jour, or errant policy that contaminates good governance. Standards in Public Life Law needs to be enacted ASAP as a top priority. The foul eggs have long been rotting the carton and they MUST be tossed.
1) Not ‘committed and loyal to’. Expected to do your job fairly and squarely, i.e., neutrally, regardless of the party in power. In fact being ‘committed’ to a particular approach is bad, since when the PiP changes the CS has to change tack as well.
2) Transparency =/= leaking information. Leaking is going to someone and saying ‘here, but keep it quiet’. Transparency means getting a request for information and answering it fully and swiftly. (Or better yet posting/publicizing the information proactively, if its interesting.) Transparency is a good thing. All leaks do, because they tend to be incomplete, vague, etc., is muddy the waters.
Caymankind bobo
We revolting against the corruption that runs these islands.
Mr. Manderson, no disrespect, but these are probably some civil servants who are sick and tired of the powers that be lying and misleading the public. Civil servants are still humans and still have their own minds and opinions (hopefully) . Perhaps they are getting sick of making these people look good. Civil servants are always between a rock and a hard place and sometimes the rubbish they are forced to come out and say when they know the true story can get wearisome. Don’t be too hard on them- the majority of them are decent people!!
1:09 I agree! So go ahead report the matters to the Ombudsman. That is exactly what the DG is saying.
The Port process/non-process shouldn’t be privileged and redacted. It should be completely transparent, fully in the public domain, and as Franz suggests, “Apolitical”. That it is most certainly not, and that Franz feels he needs to double down on what the gov’t elite believe (incorrectly) is their privilege to obscure decision-making and procurement details from the people funding their mistakes, is exactly what is wrong with this regime and perpetuates the culture of poor governance in the Cayman Islands. Clearly nobody wants to enact the Standards in Public Life Law either!!
Alden Moses and Franz needs to go!
You can add Governor, Attorney General and Speaker to that list…
10:43 you better pray that doesn’t happen. Especially Franz
There are many leaks in GOAB no matter how much they try to cover them up. How do they expect us to them? Look at the foolishness they do and lies they tell the public.
The ppm ship is full of leaks and sinking!
So the civil servants don’t have freedom of speech?
9:15 Of course they do. They just don’t have freedom to betray their employer trust.
You think a Super market would allow their staff to leak their mark up percentage to CMR? Think!!
This article is based on an leaked internal memo….oh the irony
What leaks? According to this same group CHEC was confirmed due to under the table bribes.
Mr. What about the promise of “Open and avvountablegovernsnce:?
PPM has become the most secretive government
World Class
haha…serves you right franz…
you are in charge of institution whiuch never holds anybody accountable for their gross incompetence or laziness
now it comes back to bite you….
8:55. Really!! Then why are civil servants in court for corruption and civil servants are being fired. You need to get updated with your info.