Scott made WORC boss after years acting in role

| 24/03/2023 | 40 Comments
WORC Director Jeremy Scott

(CNS): Jeremy Scott has finally been confirmed as the director of Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC) after acting in the job, on and off, for almost three years. Scott was originally recruited to WORC as the deputy director but was appointed as acting boss in the middle of the COVID lockdown in May 2020. Although Scott was replaced by a rotation of acting directors a year later, he returned to the acting role early in 2022.

Scott, who has 26 years of service with the Cayman Islands Government, was appointed after a long recruitment process, officials said. Chief Officer Wesley Howell said he was delighted that Scott had been confirmed as the director. 

“I am confident that he will continue leading the organisation to great accomplishments. Mr Scott worked his way up from the most junior levels in immigration department and is well-trained and experienced to lead the WORC department forward,” Howell added.

Scott began his career as an immigration officer. After he was promoted to senior immigration officer, he became the assistant chief immigration officer in 2010. In that job he managed operations and investigations in the Enforcement Division and often acted as deputy chief of enforcement as well as deputy chief of border control.

Scott also spent a short time as acting director of boards, overseeing the various bodies that make critical decisions on work permits, residency and status.

Officials said that Scott joined WORC as soon as it was create as the deputy director of compliance, and has experience with laws and regulations relating to Caymanian status, permanent residency, business staffing plans and general working facilities. He also has experience in leadership roles that will be very valuable to the job he now officially holds.

“His leadership in compliance and involvement with customer care has allowed him to become well rounded in all areas, making him an ideal choice to lead the department,” officials said in a press release.

Scott said he was grateful to be able to carry on leading the organisation, which provides an important service for the economy and people of the Cayman Islands.

He said that acting as interim director for intervals since 2020 had “afforded me the opportunity to build strong working relationship with my colleagues where we have overcome many challenges, achieved numerous successes and celebrated wins collectively”.

Scott said WORC would remain focused on “promoting employment opportunities for Caymanians whilst equally ensuring economic prosperity for our Islands”.

Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said Scott’s vast experience with the immigration department made him a great fit. “Having worked with Jeremy for over 15 years, I can attest to his exemplary character, strong work ethic, passion and commitment to the job,” Manerson added.

Meanwhile, WORC’s new minister, Dwayne Seymour, pointed to section 55 of the Constitution, which prohibits political members of government from interfering in the recruitment of even the most senior civil servants, and confirmed he had no role in the selection process.

The same constitutional provision would also have prohibited Saunders, the very recently departed labour minister, from being involved.


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Comments (40)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Congrats Jeremy! I pray God’s wisdom as you fully take on the leadership of the department.

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    • Anonymous says:

      He already is the leader of the department. This just confirms his tenure.

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    • Anonymous says:

      yealong time . pray tell who isdeparamentally accountable for the updating of the PR status tests?. cant hear aword on that. just saying people in WORC being celebraged and promotedand nary a word on who is to be fired ( well ona know thats a nonsense word in our civil service)for the slackness.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Get your staff going on those RERC applications. People have been waiting far too long without a clear answer.

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  3. Anon says:

    Yeah J, time to start denying some of these PR applicants, that only suck the country dry and mean no good for it or it’s people.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    so everybody has complained about how horrible WORC is, but say the person who has been in the acting director postion for years is the right person for the job…. tell me how that nmakes sense.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    A good man for the job. Congrats and the best of luck Jeremy. Sorting the mess out is a chance to make a name for yourself that will take you far.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    As a civil servant Mr. Scott is limited on what he can do. Like all other civil servants they must go by the directives of the person in charge of their area – ie an elected politician, often with little relevant experience that is put in charge of certain portfolios.

    So while I agree Mr. Scott may be the right choice as Director of WORC, I really would like to see him significantly and expeditiously reduce the backlog of residency applications.

    WORC is short-staffed and can the leadership actually say that morale is good within the department???

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  7. Beaumont Zodecloun says:

    Jeremy Scott is a good man. I shouldn’t have to point that out as though it’s a rare thing, but….. it seems to be rarer than it should be.

    Jeremy would be great for the country as a member of Cabinet, possibly even Premier. How do I know? The young man is not prone to lying, is quite intelligent, and has compassion for those around him. That is enough. More than enough. Quite possibly more than those who currently hold MP positions.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    WEPS to da world!

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  9. Good luck says:

    Poison chalice. Good luck J.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Jeremy is the best choice by far and has proven himself to be the best and most stable leader WORC has had since its inception. I am proud to work under his leadership.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Work? Do you guys actually do any? Just wondering given the enormous backlog in handling everyday business.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Great. Who will start processing the residency application backlogs now that there are no more obstructionist excuses that stand in the way of tackling them? Let’s get on with that work.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The Government should amend the law that only persons married to a Caymanian can get PR instead of approving so many Caymanianphobic people who live all day on their keyboards posting anti-native commentary on local news sites.

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      • Anonymous says:

        What you propose is unlawful. The Cayman Islands are a dependent territory of the UK and party to UN charters on basic civil and human rights, including the right to a lawful path to citizenship. If there are Caymanians that seek to obstruct that path (repeating errant Kurt Tibbetts policies of the past), they are (a) not serving the territory’s agreed interests, and (b) on course for termination for cause, and setting us all up for other legal problems and costly settlements.

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      • Anonymous says:

        All these sham marriages are the root cause of the problem. Only some (but barely any) are legit.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Its a great way to getting to stay and evade paying work permit fees. Until they come up with a better plan that’s going to continue. CIG can’t see their noses for their faces.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Three years of rubber stamping record numbers of permits…ignoring immigration laws that were intended to give Caymanians priority in their country….yep he’s perfect for the job.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Caymanians have every chance to get a good job. Blame your leaders for the terrible public schools and zero trade schools. Any Caymanian that is willing to work hard does well. Prove me wrong by naming one.

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    • Anonymous says:

      What is strange about the response to your comment is that I feel most the downvotes are by people trying to pull up the ladder behind them, whilst at the same time, agreeing with you which is almost the exact same opinion.

      Expats are white remember, immigrants aren’t. As bigoted as it is.

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      • Anonymous says:

        “Expats are white”. To save you the embarrassing lecture, please look up the word ‘Expatriate’ in the dictionary to see what it REALLY means.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Also look up ‘immigrant’. Jeesh!

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        • Anonymous says:

          I think you may have missed his / her sarcasm.

          They are satirising the trope that one immigrant is different than the other based on the colour of their skin according to the bigots of the world.

          You absolute spanners.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Congrats Jeremy, you’ve earned it based on merit, dedication, commitment and intelligence. Too often persons are promoted purely on tenure but that isn’t you. Best wishes Bracker! Now get on with leading this organization!

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  14. C says:

    Congrats Jeremy. Please continue to do your best in this challenging role. We are proud of you.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    It’s about time someone with reason and wisdom held that position!

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Congratulations Jeremy! Great choice and a wonderful person.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    Congratulations Jeremy, Cayman Brac is proud of you.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Jeremy was trained by DG and OC. He will do just great.

    I am so happy this appoitment was mads from within the Department.

    Well done Civil Service and Jeremy.

    Now if John John can sort out the disaterous immigration boards the department will be just fine.

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    • Anonymous says:

      there shouldn’t be boards. they should operate every working day to get the process going again.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Immigration boards???? Without foreigners like me you wouldn’t have anybody to work in hospitality, tourism, construction, retail shoppes etc. And without foreigners like me renting, buying groceries, paying utility bills, paying rent, buying land, building houses – well Cayman would be a third world country.

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    • Anonymous says:

      John John couldn’t sort out a piss up in a pub. Jeremy on the other hand will continue to do a great job.

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