PwC gets $89k contract to help PACT with sustainability goals

| 13/03/2023 | 55 Comments
Consultants, Cayman News Service

(CNS): PwC has been identified as the consultant company chosen to help the PACT Government align its policies with the UN Sustainability Development Goals. The contract, worth just over CI$89,000, was awarded at the end of last month and will run for twelve weeks. During that time, the consultants are expected to facilitate discussions around sustainability both in individual ministries and across the entire Cayman Islands Government.

At the end of the period toward the end of May, PwC is expected to advise Cabinet on possible targets under those goals that should be considered as the priority areas of focus for the remainder of the government’s term.

Premier Wayne Panton, who has responsibility for sustainability, and has pushed the concept as an overarching policy aim of the government he leads. But two years into the administration, he has admitted that the goal to grow the economy in a sustainable way was a delicate balance, and the government isn’t always getting the balance right.

He recently said that the government is working on a sustainability agenda, but development has largely continued unchecked and the population has soared to unprecedented levels, putting pressure on infrastructure and the natural world. The long-anticipated climate change policy, which was expected last September, has still not been unveiled and the proposed development plan remains under wraps.

The successful consultants are expected to take a broader look at the concept of sustainability across all of government’s 22 ministries and portfolios and familiarise them with the framework the UN goals are based on. An overall summary of the findings from the discussions, with the recommendations and a final report of the overall conclusions, will be delivered at the end of the contract.


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Category: Climate Change, Policy, Politics, Science & Nature

Comments (55)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Tell me its not the same company that recently recommended government sell its various authorities and government buildings then rent back.

  2. Anonymous says:

    The sustainability plan should be to sustain the woke PACT government.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Cayman Sustainability Chair forfeits USD$111,250 in public money to have unversed accountants transcribe UN Sustainability Reports that they can’t read, or understand.

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  4. James says:

    Stretch it out another year and then promise it for “our next term”. wake up people. we want change. we went accountability. we want transparency. we aren’t getting any of it here.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Voters still need to petition to change the Elections Law, to amend eligibility requirements to exclude many of the same recurring deficient pool of would-be MPs. Disqualifying those with any pending criminal charges and/or convictions from positions of public trust would be a good first step. Until that happens, we can expect self-serving, lying, opaque, and corrupt governments. They will never self-sanction, or bar their own enabling colleagues. Voters have to summon their own agency to trigger those amendments through the petition mechanism.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    This is an excerpt from the Ministry’s report:

    “Beach profile changes from past hurricanes have caused losses of loggerhead and green turtle nests. In the future, further beach erosion, flooding, temperature changes and impacts on food resources are all expected to affect turtle nesting and breeding patterns. Sand temperature affects the proportion of male to female turtles that hatch, which in turn affects future reproduction rates. Flooding affects the survival of turtle eggs and hatchlings, beach erosion reduces the areas available for turtles to breed, and changes to wider ecosystems may mean that there is less food available in the future.”

    According to said report, this is one of the top 3 risks facing the Cayman Islands with respect to climate change. OK, while that might be accurate, I say a bigger threat to the turtles is the CONSTRUCTION OF MULTISTOREY HOTELS AND CONDOMINIUMS ALONG THE ENTIRE STRETCH OF THE TURTLE’S NESTING GROUNDS.

    I literally did that for free without having to be a scientist or professional, sit in a 3 day conference, or, anything else. Can I please have a piece of the $89k consultancy fee pie?

    And perhaps more importantly, the construction will continue so ‘eff dem turtles’ anyway.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Make all the alternatives to plastic duty free so the public can afford and become s part of the solution.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Why has the govt. not yet banned single use plastic, especially as so many alternative sustainable options are already available on the island – there are so many biodegradable cutleries available, including th edible cutlery!
    Small steps go a long way!

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    • Anonymous says:

      In Consumer Ecology terms, for each innocuous 1/3lb burger patty, consumers choose to deplete 660 gallons of fresh water, contribute 20lbs of atmospheric CO2e, forfeit 300 ft2 of land, and contribute to growing number of expanding ocean dead zones. Sanctimonious plastic choices don’t matter much, if ignoring the more important diet audits recommended by IPCC. Use whatever fork works best at that point. I suggest carrying a metal one that won’t break, and then wash it. But for those that can’t read these published Assessment Reports and Mitigations, please spare us the selective ecological outrage. Or, go here and learn what the planet-killing issues really are, from hundreds of full-time scientific experts: ipcc.ch

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      • Anonymous says:

        as you type this comment from your smart phone (minerals and metals mined by 1) slave labour and 2) industrial machines powered by fossil fuels) which was built in a factory (also built much in the same way) then transported (by ships that pollute the world, disrupt nature migration patterns, propelled by internal combustion engines) then packaged (using plastics, styrofoam and other non bio degradable materials) when is warehoused (which was built by same machinery and perhaps slave labour and destroyed natural habitat) and then displayed on a shelf in a store (burning unnecessary amounts of energy) with money you earned from a job (dear God we are now getting into energy consumption of data centers) that perpetuates the entire cycle. Now, realize that same process is repeated for every single thing you eat, wear, drive, consume (whether for necessity, pleasure or greed). The point is, there is so much virtue signalling and “do this and do that” but when it comes down to it, will you actually do anything to prevent it? you might and bravo for that.

        to put this into context, recently in the UK there were thousands of people protesting and parading for “migrants rights”. they put people in the crowd to canvas the area and ask those protesting/ parading if they were willing to house a migrant in the next week as the government was running out of resources. Do you know how many of those protesters took in the migrants? 0.

        I don’t have the answers to the world’s problems but all this virtue signalling sint the damn answer.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    I agree with every single comment here.

    Mr Premier, put a halt on throwing away the public’s monies. Like all other governments, these reports are for looks in neatly stacked three ring binders on some Minister’s book shelf.

    Use the ‘expertise’ within the government. If there isn’t none, then you do it yourself. You an educated man. I am quite sure you have done some research in your capacity as an attorney.

    Stop wasting our monies!! Enough already!

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Someone in IT should let Wayne’s handpicked Ministry team know about this thing called “The Google”.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    I guess it was just PwC’s turn, we have had EY reports, KPMG reports, none of them have any expertise outside of audit of financial services.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    How about approving the status you all have stalled before wasting more money on these useless reports.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yeah, it is like numerous reports on traffic and roads. As if they are in a business of collecting these reports.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Full-time Sustainability Chair, paying 6 figures to have someone else report on the other reports they won’t read. You can’t make this stuff up.

  12. Anonymous says:

    yawn…another report that will be shelved and ignored….what does anyone expect from no-plan-pact?
    this is the sound of a another useless government kicking the can down the road.
    just another day in wonderland…..zzzzzzzzzzzzz

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  13. Anonymous says:

    This is the real world. Adjust your business model, even if it costs more money. If you do not, be prepared to die, along with the dinosaurs.

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  14. Anonymous says:

    The government is top heavy with people that should be experts within their areas of responsibility. However, the government always seems to need to hire external experts to do the work that the government experts should be able to do. Would the government not be able to save a lot of money by eliminating the internal “expert class” and just using external experts as needed?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Especially when all PWc are doing is facilitating meetings and setting out what the UN goals are – al of which could easily be done by our world class civil service. World class, but cannot even do some basic research, collect what information any of the other ministries have on their own goals, and then organise a set of meetings to brief and inform the ministries on government policy?

      Mind you, it will make no difference at all when the Premier cannot even persuade ministers in his own cabinet to adopt policies consistent with governments stated policy. You would be better off giving Kenny and Jay the $89K and ask them to toe the line – tho I suspect $89K is a drop in the ocean compared with the benefits of supporting development.

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  15. Another “Waster Wayne” Boondoggle says:

    So CIG is paying PwC to produce a picket fence report to literally put in the path of a runaway development freight train. Population growth is unsustainable, current rate of development is unsustainable, not having adequate municipal solid waste and wastewater infrastructure is unsustainable, average ground slab elevation of all commercial and residential development and roads is unsustainable, cruise tourism and expected stay over tourism numbers are unsustainable. The list goes on. This report isn’t going to look good but of course will be softened so as not to hinder further mega developments.

    Why can’t the Ministry of Sustainability & Climate Resiliency do what they’re paid to do? Oh wait, I get it they’re paid to hire consultants just like OfReg. What ever happened to the report produced in conjunction with Cefas & UKCEH? Will this PwC report echo the findings of the climate change impacts already identified clear as day decades ago? Why not sponsor new Caymanian graduates to do a thesis project on this at least they have real vested stake in their own future here? And CIG might get some innovative feedback they might not otherwise get from a canned professional study.

    I hope PwC know the their audience and write the report in such language so that our kindergartener Cabinet members can understand it. Don’t forget to include pretty colour by number pictures too and throw in some freebie PwC monogrammed pens & crayons so they have something to twiddle while trying to comprehend it.

    This boondoggle is so idiotic when almost every week we hear CIG allowing more slash and burn of more natural habitat, even protected areas at that. What’s another $89k down the pisser when they’ve already wasted millions on previous ignored consultant reports collecting dust or shredded?

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    • Anonymous says:

      excellent comment. Thank you

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    • Anonymous says:

      Finger scrolls back to CNS Main page/ clicks on : “CIG gets failing grade on managing public cash “.

    • Anonymous says:

      “…hope PwC know the their audience and write the report in such language so that our kindergartener Cabinet members can understand it.’

      Smack On!

      A meritocracy and good leadership are keys to success. Neither meritocracy nor good leadership found in Cayman.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Can we petition the Governor for early elections ?

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    • Anonymous says:

      to elect who????
      direct rule for 2 years while a new raft of political candidates are selected/vetted based on qualifications, experience and integrity. then we have new elections.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This is a total waste of money. First off the UN is nothing more than a bunch of globalists who think they are the smartest people on earth and you are dumber than a box of rocks and know what’s best for you. They want nothing more than to control every aspect of your life. Secondly, do you think China or India give damn about sustainability, think again. Nothing will ever happen with this report as CIG has demonstrated time after time. Example, the consultant who was going to fix airport arrival congestion on Saturday’s. How’s that working out🤔 Take the money fix the radar (Broken again), fix the airport parking ticketing machines (Broken again and a Cayman traditionI I might add) and buy a glass crusher. 🤡🤡🤡

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    • Anonymous says:

      You might first petition to change the Election Law eligibility criteria to prohibit criminals. Too hard.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Waste of money! Stop destroying the environment by laying more asphalt and concrete!

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  18. Say it like it is says:

    Anything that needs brainpower the Civil Service hands over to consultants, generally accounting firms. This leaves them more time to devote to their personal business ventures which they run on Govt time. Only in Cayman.

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  19. GT Voter says:

    Another report that will not be read and gather dust on the shelf.
    1. How about sorting out the dump?
    2. A ban on importing vehicles older than five years.
    3. A ban on importing disposable plastic and Styrofoam products.
    4. Reinstate glass recycling.
    5. Plant more shade trees.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You don’t even want to see how much Govt spent on consultants for the dump. Sickening amounts of our money!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The “environmental fee” that govt charges on imported vehicles is backwards. They charge it if the vehicle is worth less than $12,000. Well there are a lot of really efficient vehicles that you can buy new for less than $12,000.

      They should be charging this environmental fee on anything older than 5 years (or x years…whatever they choose). Or vehicle engine size. Value has nothing to do with it!

    • Anonymous says:

      Great comment

  20. Anonymous says:

    Wow – I’m shocked to see a govt contract go to an audit firm that is not Deloitte.

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  21. Pay attention says:

    Civil service needs to be held accountable and we need to get rid of the ignorant and corrupt.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    If I had a dollar for every expert report that govt paid for and ignored I’d be a multi millionaire.

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  23. Big Con says:

    The continued doling out, by governments around the world, of consultancy contracts for every thing under the sun, is said to result in the infantilization of the civil service. It’s a vicious cycle. The more they rely on consultants the less they know how to do. It’s great for the consultants of course…

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  24. Anonymous says:

    i wonder if all the waterfront developments are concerned about rising seas and UN agreements. Why is Cayman is throwing itself into this. We dont have thousands of factories here polluting the worlds air. This is just another way for Government to waste or money while pretending to care about the environment.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    What the actual blue hell? THE OAG points out that this PACT administration is barely holding parliamentary meetings, but we spend 89k to be given yet another document to see how we can tie ourselves to UN sustainability goals HALFWAY through the PACT term??? Which means what chance of implementation will this report actually have? Will it be another EY report on civil service rationalisation – does anyone ever ask what happened to that report that was mean to pave the way for reimagination of the civil service? Make it make sense!!!

    Wait, and dare I point out this is the same administration that wants a REFERENDUM on matters like gambling and ganja, and wants the people to tell them what a National Development Plan looks like? What will this government actually achieve with what’s left of their term. I say we don’t wait. We can’t afford this ineptitude and incompetence by PACT. Way out of their depth, two years of absolutely nothing substantial to show. Early elections now!!!

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  26. Anonymous says:

    89K!?

    All we need to do is stop importing assholes and plant more trees. Stop tearing up the mangroves and stop building sea walls that cause erosion.

    That saved us 89k. You’re welcome.

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  27. Corruption is endemic says:

    This is a waste of $ and time.

    Surely there must be someone in the Gov’t that could work on this. Because if there isn’t it won’t matter how great a report arrives from the consultants… nothing will happen.

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