CIG finally appoints much-needed vet board
(CNS): After failing to appoint the necessary Veterinary Board for almost seven months, officials at the agriculture ministry have finally appointed new members. The ministry said the board had lapsed for so long because of “difficulties in finding willing individuals to serve”. However, this led to a backlog of vets waiting to receive the necessary licences to practice.
According to a release, the recreation of the board has allowed the new members to begin addressing the pending applications and help address what has become a serious shortage of veterinarians in the islands. Several have now been approved, while some have been differed pending receipt of additional information. The letters and certificates for the approved applications are currently being prepared, which will allow the much-needed vets to start work shortly.
The new board will be chaired by Acting Department of Agriculture (DoA) Director Brian Crichlow as an ex-officio member. Other members include Dr Brendan Lee, Dr Olivia Benjamin and Dr Tiffany Chisholm, who were all re-appointed from the previous board alongside new member Justin Woods. The recording secretary will be appointed by Crichlow.
In accordance with the Veterinary Act (1997 Revision), the Veterinary Board’s mandate includes the registration of veterinary surgeons and animal health assistants, regulation of the training of animal health assistants, and the appointment of examiners to conduct examinations of those applying for registration as veterinary surgeons and animal health assistants. The board is also supposed to ensure that the highest standards of professional conduct and ethics are maintained in the veterinary field.
The largely re-appointed board was formally notified on 26 August and will serve for three years. It’s not clear why, with only one new member, the ministry left the profession without a board for so long, creating a recruitment crisis that put animal lives at risk and businesses in trouble.
In a recent article in the Cayman Compass, a number of vets said they had been forced to reduce practice hours and cancel surgeries to cope with the chronic staff shortage after one clinic had new recruits in place for months while waiting for the government to appoint a board.
Last week, Kman Vets posted a message on social media announcing that it would have to limit its opening hours.
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Category: Government Administration, Politics
Glad to see the drunkards & nut jobs were not selected or given the opportunity to sit on this board .
Eh…?
Another so-called advancement and yet Cayman Brac is without any vet.
Example of wutlessness:
All the tripe government spews about encouraging traditional agriculture and there is no one here to care for the medical needs of livestock.
Another example of wutlessness:
Not to mention the many animals suffering and dying because if there is a medical emergency the poor animal has to be shipped off to Grand Cayman for vet care. The visiting vets from Grand Cayman go to the Brac on an irregular basis.
Yet more wutlessness:
Oh, and another thing…! While on that subject: The government spews tripe about spaying and neutering cats and dogs so to keep down stray and unwanted animals. But guess what? The visiting vets no longer do spay and neuter on Cayman Brac.
And yet another tale of wutlessness:
Please allow me to relate the pathetic role of government in the matter: Years ago we had a person employed by the Agri. Dept and he acted as what could be called a Veterinary Medical Technician. Melvin by name and we Brackers all know him and we appreciated the job he did saving many peoples’ pets as well as traditional farmers’ livestock. But, the wutless powers that be of the day kicked Melvin aside like a mongrel dog because the powers that be back in the day said he was “not qualified”. Not qualified… because Melvin did not have a fancy education and a piece of paper.
Well…to that excrement I can say this with all the confidence in the world: Melvin was a damn hell of a lot better that what we have right now, because what we have now is animals suffering and dying because we have NOTHING right now. Melvin did a good job with the limited resources that he had.
Oh yeah…after months of him trying to cut through the CIGBS they finally allowed an American vet to practice here but the very nice man comes here for only 6 month of the year to escape the cold weather in Murica.
Not everyone on the Brac with pets can afford the bill to send a pet with a problem to Grand. They have to pay for air transport and boarding on top of the medical bill. And who the hell but the well off will send their pet to Grand for spay or neuter? On one hand the wutless government whines malarkey about stray cats killing birds, but the same government maintains a system in which people cannot get their cats spayed or neutered without incurring a big bill.
It is a damn shame what is going on in Cayman Brac in regard to animal care: and all the fault of wutless gub’munt policy. Wutless, I seh…WUTLESS! Wutless like grounded airplane: no good on earth.
Let’s stop pussyfooting around. We should all paws and reflect as why this has taken so long.
Congrats on new vet board I see certain looney toon members weren’t appointed. Well done CIG!
☢️When are they going to conceive Radiation Act? It was enacted in Bermuda in 1972.
They keep adding facilities and services that use radioactive materials, yet there is no law regulating the use of radioactive materials in the Cayman Islands.
Yes, veterinarians use radioactive materials for a variety of purposes, including imaging and therapy.
What Regulatory authority has an oversight role over the use of ionizing radiation in veterinary (as well as in healthcare facilities, diagnostic facilities, pharmacies, airports, cargo facilities)?
☣️☢️🆘
How radioactive materials shipped to, transported locally, stored, used, disposed of in the Cayman Islands? ANYBODY KNOWS???
There’s not a word about the use of Radioactive materials in the Veterinary Act (1997 Revision).
Does any governmental agency have radiation monitoring equipment?
Cayman Residents should buy portable electronic dosimeters (at least). Otherwise they could be exposed to high radiation dose on a daily basis and not knowing about it.
Another roll of tin foil in your cupboard should be sufficient. Fortunately, the only way for dangerous materials to reach Cayman is by shipping, and there are a whole lot of checking by competent foreign authorities before anything is shipped to Cayman.
Sorry to be so blunt, but You must be a village idiot.
🇧🇲https://www.gov.bm/sites/default/files/radiation-act-1972.pdf
🇬🇧
https://hullrad.org.uk/SITE2016/legislation_IRR/
🌊🏄California
https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CEH/DRSEM/Pages/RHB-LawsAndRegs.aspx#:~:text=Radiation%20Control%20Law%20(RCL),radiation%20machines%20and%20radioactive%20materials.
🌴Florida
https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/radiation-control/statutes.html
🇦🇺 Australia
https://www.legislation.sa.gov.au/__legislation/lz/v/a/2021/radiation%20protection%20and%20control%20act%202021_4/2021.4.un.pdf
🇩🇪 Germany
https://www.bmuv.de/en/law/radiation-protection-ordinance
Yes, nearly all countries incorporate the International Commission on Radiological Protection’s (ICRP) concepts into their radiation protection regulations and operations. The ICRP is an independent organization that provides guidance and recommendations on radiation protection.
🇰🇾New policy coming on medical use of radiation
https://www.caymancompass.com/2024/07/25/new-policy-coming-on-medical-use-of-radiation/
“The Ministry of Health, responding to Cayman Compass queries on plans for the increased medical use of radioactive materials for diagnosis and treatment of patients on the island, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nick Gent has drafted an advisory guidance note which is currently under review by an external expert.”
👆🏼
this sounds like a joke or even an insult to people’s intelligence.
👇🏼
It will end-up like that:
“While the DEH has provisions in place to monitor the construction and operation of incinerators, the official explained that the regulations do not include the “guidelines indicating what pollutants one should test for [🤣 🥲]”. In addition, the DEH does not have the “necessary equipment to allow for adequate monitoring of such emissions at this time [🤣🥲]”.
As for when the DEH will be able to test for these emissions, “It is hoped that (the department) will be able to do so in the foreseeable future.”
https://cnslocallife.com/2018/09/emissions-incinerators/
Let me guess… you or your company just happen to be selling portable electronic dosimeters?
This government is a mess.
I think the point is… “This Mess…. is not a government”
Unpopular opinion. There are far too many strays on island. it’s time to trim the herd.
Things have to be at a crisis level for these people to act. People in Cayman have no idea of the sheer negligence and lack of caring of offficers in these Ministries. It is not only the Minister although in this case it must have a lot to do with the dunce head Minister Jay.
If you are licenced in a Commonwealth or G7 country and are in good standing what is the delay?
“World Class” Government and Civil Service, is the problem.
Criminal Maladministration. It’s a thing at Common Law. But we don’t do law. Common or otherwise.
When will CIG finally decide on the licence to supply water to West Bay road/West Bay. Cayman Water has been operating for years without a renewed licence.
Operating any trade or business without a license is an offense, isn’t it?
According to the Trade and Business Licensing Act it is, except fishermen selling their catch, and farmers selling their produce.
Don’t worry this is OfReg’s responsibility and we should trust that they have the appropriate legal transitional arrangement in place with Cayman Water. Although, can’t seem to find anything on their (OfReg’s) website….
And yet they trade on the stock exchange
Ridiculous that these clinic’s had to wait so long and with the shortage of vets in the world they are only allowed to recruit from a few countries. The board needs to open up the countries allowed so the clinic’s can recruit from other places making it easier to find staff.
HOW ARE EXPATS EXPECTED TO EARN PR POINTS?!?!!?!?!?
Helping humans instead? That would require interacting with the natives.
At least someone cares about the animals. I’m a “native” and I prefer the animals myself. After all, the real “natives” are the animals not the humans.
There’s no son or daughter of a minister or MP qualified as a vet, so what’s the rush..?
Exactly, the board is used by to prevent new competition entering into the market- even to prevent charities from hiring vets! Its unlawful and has to stop!
Cayman has gone to the dogs!
A very pawpular opinion these days.
One of the inherent problems with these government boards (and there are many problems) is that you have people from the businesses regulated by the board who are charged with approving or declining matters relating to their own competitors.
And what exactly does the non vet board member in this case know about owning and operating a veterinary service business?
More civil servants per capita than anywhere on the planet BUT CIG can’t function without politically appointed Boards for everything.
CIG failing at every turn to do anything efficient.
Civil servants don’t have to be efficient.
They get their fat salary and benefits for just being there, Costs and deadlines are irrelevant as there is no accountability, and serving the public is considered demeaning.
Entitlement rules the day.
Don’t be ridiculous. They don’t have to be there.