Governor’s new chief of staff arrives from FCO
(CNS): Christine Rowlands, a diplomat with 30 years experience, has completed her quarantine and started work in the Governor’s Office as she prepares to take over from Matthew Forbes, who leaves at the end of this month, as chief of staff. Rowlands was most recently working in London as the deputy head of the Latin America department at the FCO. She has also served the UK in Washington DC, Kuwait, the Netherlands, UAE and Brussels.
Forbes, who has been in the Cayman Islands for more than four years, will be heading back to the UK for a home-based posting working on the overseas territories.
During his time as the head of the Governor’s Office, he played a key role in the acquisition of the two RCIPS helicopters and securing 25% of the cost from the UK. He has worked closely with Hazard Management Cayman Islands on disaster management issues throughout his time here and was deployed to the British Virgin Islands with the RCIPS after Hurricane Irma in 2017. He also studied part-time for an MSc degree in Risk Crisis and Disaster Management while he was in post here.
Forbes was instrumental in establishing the local regiment and more recently played a pivotal role in acquiring the COVID-19 test kits from South Korea. He has also been the main man in organising the British Airways evacuation flights.
“Matthew has been a superb head of my office and everyone on our islands owes him a debt of gratitude for his outstanding service over the last four
years. I am grateful for his support to me when I arrived at the end of October 2018 in challenging circumstances after the early departure of my predecessor,” Governor Martyn Roper said at a farewell event for Forbes held Wednesday.
“Matthew has great drive, energy and determination to deliver practical outcomes to improve the lives of people. He has shown the very best public service ethos and customer service. He has helped deliver significant results in a wide range of areas. I am particularly grateful for his work on COVID-19, where his contribution on testing was genuinely game-changing.”
Premier Alden McLaughlin added in a release Thursday that Forbes has played a key role in assisting the two administrations he has led, helping with the development of the Cayman Islands Coast Guard and the merger of the customs and the immigration departments.
Category: Local News
Question about the picture for outgoing chief of staff.
How many people believe that the Governor printed and framed that picture? At his level I would assume a staff member went out to get this gift, would really like to know who was the staff member responsible for putting this together.
This lady is going to get her eyes well and truly opened on this rock.
Mr. Forbes apparently didn’t know a Regiment cannot be lawfully started without a Law/Regulation. He only needed to check the only other 2 Regiments. Was he pushing for record formation of the Regiment before he left? Huge strategic blunder.
I hope one of Ms Rowlands tasks is to ensure a Bill get debated in LA and passed into Law. So the well needed Regiment can lawfully operate and run by locals.
So the coast guard is also not in effect? Stop giving wrong advice.
No she should disband the Matthew Alden Royal Cayman Islands Army.
Better ways to spend money.
Nah, Governor can enact that without Legislative approval..He doesn’t break any laws.
Yeah, but not really Caymanian then.
If you see me in the streets of London, you will NOT smile with me.
For the LAST time, If you see me in Cayman, I prefer a straight face and do what you feel you have to do, than a fake smile suggesting “all is well” them “do what you feel you have to do”.
Oh but London is different. Good!! Leave ALL the difference there. Leave Cayman unique.
Still love and Welcome you.
Take a look at the picture of him and Governor in Compass and zoom in on the gift… look right under the word Superstar… what do you see? “It’s all going to sh*t”… not so subtle about how he felt about his time here
These guys are not just here to be figure heads. Watch them carefully!
Geezum peas! Did you look at that pic, if not, go!
HOGO!?
I’ve walked out?!
I’m not playing anymore!?
Who made this poster?
So at no time over the past four years has anyone in the Cayman Islands not said that?? Think you probably need to context it, as I can think of many times that is the most appropriate reaction.
Sounds like this Forbes dude was really good at spending other peoples money!
Was no one able to rein him in?? oh, waaaait a minute. Never mind. It wasn’t necessarily our money so…
Maybe Governor Choudhury tried? See where that got him..
Or perhaps he was just good at getting on with his job. Mostly other peoples ideas that were put into action. Quite a revelation for the Cayman Islands.
Welcome, and buckle up Christine!
Welcome!
Welcome, Ms. Rowlands.
We hope you will enjoy your sojourn with us.
Good riddance to him. I dealt with Mr Forbes on occasions and he was rude and condescending. Frowned upon anyone who didn’t sound like him. Good bye!
Welcome Christine to the Island!
Are you suggesting that he engaged in conscious &/or or unconscious bias? Did you try to report your concerns to the governor directly? I am getting a completely different impression from this article.
Typical colonialist. Just go home if you don’t like it.
That’s what they are suggesting (rightly or wrongly). Farewell articles, like eulogies, never tell the whole story. (Nor arguably should they.) And for subtle bias you’ll find its often easier to move along and get along than try to fight it out. Save your energy for the fights that really matter: the obvious bias backed up by empirical evidence. Those fights are hard enough.