Young Caymanian gets job inside governor’s office
(CNS): A local civil servant has become the first young Caymanian to start a new employment initiative inside the Governor’s Office. Renita Barnes recently began a six-month to one-year secondment working with the UK representative’s team here as the corporate services and media officer. Barnes secured the special job following a competitive internal recruitment process. This is the first time a scheme of this type has run in the governor’s inner world providing a unique opportunity to learn about the relationship between the UK and the Cayman Islands.
Barnes joined the Cayman Islands Government Civil Service in July 2019 as an assistant in the Protocol Office, where she gained wide experience working with numerous ministries and departments preparing her for this secondment.
“After less than two years in the civil service, being proposed for the secondment position in the Governor’s Office was nerve-wracking and very humbling,” she said. “Before applying I reflected heavily on the immense impact it will have for the growth of the relationship between the Governor’s Office and CIG, and the importance it will have for young Caymanians working in the civil service. With this experience I hope to develop more understanding of the services provided as well as the interaction and exchange between the Governor’s Office, the government and the public. More importantly, to gain a deeper appreciation for the Cayman Islands as a British Overseas Territory, its regional presence and the significance of its relationship with the UK.”
Governor Martyn Roper said his office was always looking for ways to innovate and improve the way it works.
“The Head of my office, Christine Rowlands, saw an internal promotion as a fantastic opportunity to offer a secondment to a talented member of the Cayman Islands Government,” he said. “In working with us Renita will develop an in depth understanding of my role and what my team does to support both me and the Cayman Islands Government. The knowledge Renita gains will stand her in excellent stead as she progresses in her career, and will help ensure she brings the insights afforded by this novel experience to bear on future roles. In return we will see our work through Renita’s eyes and use her perspective to help us on our improvement journey.”
While Barnes is the first to get the inside track on what goes on behind the scenes as the governor and the government navigate the balance between their interests, it is not expected that she will be the last, as officials said they hope to continue the programme.
Category: Government Administration, Jobs, Local News, Politics
Renita you will make all of us proud. You are a phenomenal human being and truly dedicated to serving others.
They can spin this all they want but Mr Roper unpopularity with many Caymanians is the motivation behind this ! It’s going to take more than this to fix that dear Sir! Stop your recolonization program. Stop the displacement of and discrimination against Caymanians in the workplace Stop ignoring blatant corruption by those in your political and economic favor.Stop allowing overdevelopment destroy our land and marine environment. Stop pretending to be acting in Cayman interest when you clearly not Sir! Stop allowing every Tom Dick and Harry to come here and undermining Caymanian rights! Finally start standing up for Cayman like Governor Thomas Russell did !
You realise that our elected politicians are to blame for all that you are complaining about…
What utter BS about Roper, Topaz. Speak for yourself.
6.51am Caymanians are always blaming the Governor about something or other, you however, blame him for all our problems, that takes the biscuit!.Your Premier and your politicians run the country (expats are excluded) so the blame for all your whingeing falls squarely on the shoulders of born Caymanians.
Try thanking him for bringing in over 100,000 Covid vaccines courtesy of the British taxpayer so that every Caymanian can be protected against Covid.
Congrats!
So many wonderful things are happening in our world class civil service. Well done Governor.
7.37pm At last he got something right.
Enjoy that koolaid.
This is Franz’s idea – he is world class.
The Governor just isn’t.