CIG unveils new border control and coast guard leaders
(L-R) Robert Scotland, Charles Clifford and Leo Anglin
(CNS): Government has confirmed that Caymanians will be heading up the Customs and Border Control Agency and the Cayman Islands Coast Guard as the two new units begin to take shape. The current collector of customs, Charles Clifford, will be the director of the new border agency, which will oversee both the immigration and customs functions at the ports and airports; former police superintendent Robert Scotland will be the new coast guard’s commander, and the former leader of the RCIPS Joint Marine Unit, Leo Anglin, will be his lieutenant. While there is still a lot of work to be done at the two new agencies, Premier Alden McLaughlin, who made the announcements on Monday, said they would be up and running in January.
Speaking at a press briefing, the premier said the coast guard, which will ultimately remain answerable to the police commissioner, will nevertheless be operationally independent with its own team of around 40 officers. It will have dedicated resources to allow detection and interdiction of boats arriving in Cayman waters with drugs and guns, as well as illegal immigrants. Its officers will also have the ability to board and search vessels in local waters and make arrests.
“The idea of our own coast guard began to take shape under the Progressives-led administration in the last term of government,” McLaughlin said. “We committed to it in our manifesto and today we are publicly putting our dream into reality.” He added that there had been “a lot of behind the scenes work to get us to this point”.
The coast guard will also take on search and rescue operations, which had been a major motivation to create the new agency after a report in 2016 into the loss of five people at sea, including two children, found that the Cayman Islands sea rescue capabilities were severely lacking. That led to another review by the UK Coastguard last year and an agreement from the UK to send expertise and assist Cayman with the creation of its own coast guard.
As the coast guard takes on border security at sea, the new Customs and Border Control Agency will take over managing the collection of customs and immigration at the air and sea ports using what Clifford has described as a much more intelligence-lead approach.
The premier stated that the border agency will be “tasked to uphold the law in relation to customs duty, landing and entry, asylum and border control”.
Government staff from all of the relevant existing government entities that will feed into these new agencies have been involved in specialist joint operations, and the training of the future teams continues for both agencies. Police Commissioner Derek Byrne said that while some of the new coast guard staff will come from the existing ranks of police, immigration and customs, there will also be new recruiting directly to the agency.
Officials said that now the three new chiefs, who were recruited through a competitive process, are all in place, the real strategic work can begin, and there is expected to be a significant period of transition, especially for the Cayman Islands Coast Guard. The border agency will be staffed by existing customs collection officers and the immigration enforcement officers and staff dealing with the non-work permit elements of that department.
There are still a number of issues that remain outstanding, such as where the new agencies will be based and which ministry will have oversight of them, but officials said those details would be revealed over the coming weeks.
The aim now is to focus on recruitment, training, implementing strategies and acquiring the necessary resources for the two separate entities, which, as they evolve into the fully fledged agencies envisioned, are expected to provide an improved quality of service, as well as safety and security for Cayman.
Category: Border Control, Coast Guard, Crime, Crime Prevention
Not a bad move, Cayman do need this. besides the Cayman Islands maritime Borders are tool (Loose) so hence the thought of a good move such as this and we should all see this in a positive light and allow due process because a Unit such as this the Cayman islands Coast Guard, will need all hands on Deck meaning People from all walks of Life with a positive Input in safe guarding these Beautiful Islands and in doing so, it would need all the Expertise and Experiences. this will also serve as an Historical reminder of those Great Caymanian men who served on the high seas and help to make Cayman the great Nation that it is today. so lets just reserve our negative comments for later as this unit is not fully functional as yet. so until then lets be optimistic.
Did the government or anyone in government get a blue print of how a real professional Coast Guard unit is set up / works ? Or are they just going to create pieces and put them in and see if it works . Sure sounds like from they talked about it at the opening .
Now you can blame these guys for anything and not Alden
I hope they are going to have a volunteer branch for the coast guard (similar to Special Constables in RCIPS) since alot of civilians take part in search and rescues? Charles “Not Today Bobo” Ebanks has been at the forefront of these operations over the last 10yrs risking his life along with others.
Wait a minute the job for Commander of the coast guard was advertised but no job for the Lieutenant was advertised, isn’t this one off the issues of Port Authority giving jobs without it being published and that is where Leo is coming from ummmm.
Same frigging thing I said! Good spotting 1:58 I thought I was the only one that saw that blatant pattern.
The first thing that caught my eye was the quantum of manpower for the planned Coast Guard Unit – 40 officers! About time, as the present Marine Unit has been totally starved of manpower while the Caymanian public howl with anger every time they are unable to respond adequately to emergencies. Secondly – Robert Scotland is a very fine officer with an excellent record of service, as well as highly intelligent and capable officer of equal integrity, who at one time headed up the RCIP Intelligence Unit, a valuable credential!
Leo Anglin is a very bright young officer who was given accellerated promotion some years ago, and not so long ago headed up the existing Marine Unit, so he is no stranger there.
I am also not appreciating the usual negative moaning and groaning about the selection process not being openly advertised. Personally, I would not do it any other way than the way it has been done. Specially selected personnel for a very special and critical responsibility!! I expect to see good results at long last.
They were the same ones in charge when the 5 went missing you being in the marine unit for a couple of months dont give you the experience you need to run the coast guard.
Yeah, the drugs and guns in cayman are NO stranger either….next.
The commander post was advertised however where was the advert posted for Lt commander, both persons listed as commanders are police officers, therefore this was not of fair opportunity but that of police control again.
Both are X police officer.
X Men? Great-let’s see ’em kick some butt
I see they posted their biography but can we also see a copy of the job advert to compare.
Give the government a big hand of aplause, the best thing that is done in years .
10:44 get a life and be happy that these fine caymanians were promoted. If after reading the article your first thought is to cross reference their CV’s and job advert then you live in a messed up world
2:24 – 10:44 probably has more a life than you hence why they ask that sensible question. It’s normal questions that one in private sector would ask because managers have to be accountable for their decisions. It’s not about not being happy for these guys it’s just that Cayman has seen enough scandal to recognize when a story line is heading in same direction.
10:44 has a point!
Good news…nice to see a great story on Caymanian succession…I heard they are being trained by British Coast Guard? Is that correct anyone?
Wonderful! Yes, there will certainly be growing pains, however I believe this is a much-needed step in the right direction. I hope the unity looks as good in reality as it does on paper. At the very least, this step should reduce some of the duplication of efforts that occurs. Well done!
Before I’m accused of tearing down Caymanians let me say that I’m fully supportive of my fellow Caymanians advancing into senior roles that will allow them to help chart the course for the future of our country.
What others and I do not subscribe to, is putting Caymanians, who are ill-prepared and highly likely will fail because they lack sound management experienced from the ground up and have been tested and for a sensible period that can be measured.
Apart from Clifford, Robert and Leo bio’s speak volumes and in the case of Robert was loaded with hyperboles. Not mention poorly written which the CIG communications office should have vetted before publication.
Both gentlemen have been placed on accelerated paths during their time with the Police Service that was widely published in the media only to quit when the going get tough. Robert will be doing his third tour!
Commitment, dedication, loyalty are some of the basic values of good leadership that the leader will need when faced with unusual adversity and challenges and to garner the confidence and respect of subordinates not just because they were anointed to these positions.
I hate to say this but these appointments were well known in the public even before the sham competitive process took place and is at the core of an institutionalized corrupt system rooted in cronyism, tribalism and loyalty not to the constitution and country but to secret societies and secret oaths.
For the sake of our beloved Cayman Islands, I pray that they succeed and that they won’t jump out of the fox-hole as the first shot is fired.
unreal….read e&y reports or miller shaw.
or just read about the mess at the port authority….or any other number of government agencies.
we are living in a ppm wonderland where they have more money than sense.
…and they were voted out last year!
If you don’t think we need a Coast Guard, you are the one in denial. I applaud this move and believe that the numbers may have to grow over time, as we clearly have issues with drug, gun and people smuggling here. I just hope they have some big guns to protect themselves.
Spot on 10.58 am it is high time to give the Coasties the firepower to match the existing threat on the high seas, and stop treating them as land based, urban scenario law enforcers with 9mm peashooters and “long arms”. 9mm is definately not rifle calibre, and absolutely useless on the ocean unless it’s close quarters engagement. Try shooting an attacker on the sea at 50yds with a 9mm!!
You might as well unzip your fly and let go with your fluid waste!! LOL.
The existing Marine Unit vessels have properly engineered fixed gun mounting stancions on them, so bloody well use them now for some realistic heavy calibre hardware before we lose an entire crew to Columbian international traffickers!
Colombians, Jamaicans, Caymanians, Americans, Haitians, Belizians, Hondurans…lets not discriminate here
My apologies 3.35 pm! Yes, they do come in all nationalities!
So proud to see high archiving Caymanians being appointed to these key roles. So many good things are happening in our civil service.
Corruption routed out. Caymanians being promoted. All financial accounts in order. Customer service improved!! No wonder the DG haters are in mourning.
Corruption routed out, financial accounts in order and customer service improved. Which Cayman are you living in, or are you under that 7 mile beach sand? With regards to corruption, we need a lot more ploughs in place, as we are barely at the tip of the iceberg. Customer service Hmmm, visit GAB, just observe. Then post an honest comment on CUSTOMER SERVICE.
Excellent appointment, good men, I wish there was a woman in the mix, maybe government can find one to fill another senior post to even things out. Otherwise good. congrats to all three
the very last thing cayman needs is women being put into jobs due to their sex….
How about that steamroller lady?
Yes lets give out jobs on the basis of gender not qualifications! Give me a break zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Please don’t show your ignorance, It goes without saying, if a woman is selected hopefully she would have the proper qualification. For the few women in senior positions in government , I do believe they are just as good as the male counter parts. No need to be negative
Actually they just end up in cat-fights and spend time plotting each other’s downfall. Sorry but true. The men do things differently but on the whole more effectively.
Form a special female team, and give them jumbo straws to help them perform what us guys do naturally at sea – pee overboard when required, as most boats do not have a ladies room!! LMAO,
Just another day in our world class civil service. Congrats to all.
Well done
Congrats gentlemen. I am so proud of what I’m seeing in the civil service. Only highly qualified and capable Caymanians are being promoted and in record numbers. These appointments are going to make Cayman safer. A world class civil service.
Another election promised delivered by the PPM. Congrats Premier. I am proud I voted for the PPM.
Congrats to the Commissioner of Police for recruiting Scotland and Anglin back to the police.
6.42am I quite agree that “only Caymanians are being promoted and in record numbers. As for the rest of it, that is questionable, as we have a large number of non performing Caymanians in senior government positions, retained simply because they are Caymanian.
Sounds like a great area for those Caymanians to join if they love the water, Bracka.
Especially if we bring our rum and do a little turtleing and out of season conch