Governor agrees to JPs supporting MCA expert
Police Commissioner David Baines accompanies Governor Helen Kilpatrick on an inspection of RCIPS officers on parade
(CNS): Following the debate in the Legislative Assembly Monday at the special meeting called to deal with two private members’ motions dealing with police issues, the governor has taken on board the call from members for two local JPs to support Andrew Jenkins, the expert from the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency. However, Helen Kilpatrick said she would not appoint an independent team to review the police methodology of administration because the person best placed to do that would be the new commissioner when he or she is recruited.
The governor also noted that, as part of the job, the new commissioner will be required to establish succession planning for the promotion of local officers within the RCIPS, though she did not commit to having a local commissioner within four years, as the MLAs had requested.
In a short statement to the press released by her office, Kilpatrick said she believed that Jenkins, who arrived in Cayman Tuesday, was coming from an independent agency but she said she would invite nominations, one from the premier and one from the opposition leader, for two JPs to work with him — a compromise arrived at in the LA and supported by all members.
Offering her sympathies to the family members of those individuals that were as lost at sea on 6 March, the governor said she remained committed to an independent review of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s response to the tragic incident.
“A suitably qualified person has been appointed to lead this review and to report to me on its outcome,” she stated. “Earlier this month I was able to confirm that the Maritime & Coastguard Agency in the UK have agreed to assist the Cayman Islands in this regard. The MCA have appointed Coastguard Commander Andrew Jenkins to carry out this review, which will commence later this week.
“I am satisfied that the MCA are a body that is independent of the Cayman Islands Government, the RCIPS, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Governor’s Office. However, in response to the motion, I will invite the premier and the leader of the opposition to each nominate a justice of the peace to work with Commander Jenkins to ensure that the review is independent and meets the needs of the Cayman Islands community. I remain committed to making the findings from this review public.”
The governor was not quite as accommodating about the second motion as she was about McKeeva Bush’s request for a public and independent enquiry of the search and rescue operation.
The second motion, brought by Arden McLean, called for a top down independent review of the entire police service and how it is managed and governed, as well as a commitment to appoint a Caymanian as the commissioner within four years. A redrafting of that motion, which the East End member agreed to in consultation with government, also resulted in unanimous support in the House. However, in her statement the governor did not commit to either point.
“The new commissioner of police will be best placed to conduct a review of policing methodology,” she said. “I will request that the Cayman Islands Government support the incoming commissioner with any resources needed for the commissioner to add independent experts to his or her review team.”
She added, “Succession planning for Caymanian officers is already required in the new commissioner’s job description.”
Another critical report by the FCO of RCIPS which is run by the FCO which will only serve to employ those handpicked by the FCO to fix the problems its called Colonial Rule. Ain’t that right Tempura Larry!!!!! What a mess this little place is in boats bought by the government can’t or won’t leave shore because shallow water marine officers are too coward to go out in “rough seas” to do their duty?????
Hey ,,, you could always do it yourself. Just sayin…
Not sure what the investigation is going to achieve other than encouraging drug runners not to take their family members with them on a trip.
You are classless and insensitive pig for those comments. Disgusting
Besides calling the contributor names what about the truth or falsehood to his statement?
Not really, it is just someone who is pointing out an unpleasant truth.
So because they are known for drugs, but went on a fishing trip, like the other 40+ boats that day who were in the Wahoo tournament, they didn’t deserve to be rescued?
What would you say if it had been one of the other 40+ boats who got into distress you piece of sh*t? Has that not registered with you yet? It could have been your loved ones!
Judging form your heartless comments, we could do with you going missing, don’t need people like you in our society. You are one of those people that has a whole lot to say when the people you talk about are not around anymore, and hide behind anonymity. Your time will soon come, what goes around, comes around.
Unfortunately they were bound to be drowned during the many long hours the family waited before calling the police. Unfortunately the family presented the media with inaccurate claims that they had called 911 earlier than they had and got everyone riled up. Unfortunately the weather got worse after the wahoo tournament and for reasons unknown the boat never asked for help even though it was on one engine. Its no wonder its so hard to get Caymanians to become officers.
My God, what an inhumane comment. You, sir/madam, in my opinion, would surely have been in your element in pre-WW2 Germany. Where is your heart towards those two poor children who lost their lives? Do you ever think of the sheer panic and horror that went through their minds as they were thrashing helplessly against those waves? I pity you.
Imagine how difficult it would be to recruit a new Commissioner if you had to tell all of the candidates that a report that would probably be critical of the RCIPS would be completed and published during the early part of their tenure? How would that person conduct their own assessment of the problems and implement them? No one would take the job. The Governor should have put it this way because this is the truth. A new commissioner is not best placed to do a review but we aren’t going to get a good one if there is a review happening.
Succession planning in four years, the MLA’s are presuming the role will go to an ex-pat? The problem is in this whole scenario that there is a qualified officer in the top four positions of the RCIPS now that could take the job who is Caymanian born. If he does not apply, that will speak volumes for the politicisation of the role and how it has viewed as the poison chalice. Morale of the RCIPS must be at the rock bottom, and it’s nothing to do with the police leadership.
So the local JP’s will be experts at marine search and rescue and fully qualified to comment?
Best sailors in the world. In the blood. World famous. Nothing to do with offering services for less than US union rates. No way that was the reason.
Hmm…offering a financial benefit to another for one’s own benefit? Where have I heard that before? Oh yes, that IS what the Cayman Islands is world famous for. We’ve just been getting better and better at it over the years. Now run along and snark on something else.
Of course, it did my back in at the end.
They may not be experts, but everyone in the Caymans is qualified to comment… even me, but nobody wants to pay me for it.
Double talk haha you haven’t really studied the Colonial History in these parts.
A very disappointing decision. Would have been better to have declined and let the MLA know its place.
No! Tempura may soon finally go away, so we need a new scandal to mull over for the next 98 years. Imagine the possibilities! Both JP’s disagree with the expert and accuse him of a cover up. Or The Mac JP accuses both the others of a cover up (almost guaranteed anyway). Any number of possibilities…conspiracy theory paradise!!
Madam Guv just flexed her muscle with the second motion and told 17 MLA’s to “piss off” as neither she nor the FCO will be dictated to by the representatives of the people of the Cayman Islands in the LA on how to manage the RCIPS. Looks like it will be led by a Brit until FCO decides otherwise or Cayman gains independence from colonial rule.
And so it should be a Brit. British territory needs British head. National interest is more important than regional positive discrimination.
Ya ma!
Pit bull I am so glad you are still alive and pissing.
I don’t take credit for the fine work of others, but I certainly do agree with the sentiment. Tally-ho, toodle-pip and Rule Britannia!
I have never been for colonial rule but it surely couldn’t be worse than what we’ve had for the last ten years!
If you knew anything about your homeland, that’s the deal with Justice and Defense. Now, if we needed some defense (for example, Venezuela invading as it needs a distraction from home problems) then I am 100% sure you would not object to a British head of armed forces taking back the Cayman Islands. And if you believe that the 17 elected representatives have your best interests at heart then you really need to stop smoking that stuff.
You have to find one first.
This going to be interesting if the review does not deliver what some people want and the JP’s disagree with the Commanders take on the situation. I see this as delaying the process by making it a political football. Only in Cayman.
Hey it is the right thing to do. We should not be preempt ing the results of the review.mthe addition of the two appointees to assist in the investigation creates a balance. I would hope that the persons appointed are persons who know our waters and navigation are of sound and unbiased integrity and are not of the cadre normally used by both sides of the political divide.You all know who these so called high appointees have been in the past don’t ya , think it over. Selah.
only in Cayman?? lol, read some news bobo, pick a country…
Ok I stand corrected
Yes, it will be interesting if the non-experts wheeled in for political point scoring in a pathetic pre-election push disagreed with the experts.
This is a great collaboration between our MLA ‘s and the Governor.
Cayman wins!
I have to say the Governor is good, sorry great at double talking!!