“Once again, the government is making it difficult for Caymanians to secure employment in their own country.

“We reject the commissioner’s rationale that transient groups in the community should have representation in the police force, particularly in view of the role of cultural awareness and knowledge in maintaining public safety and effective policing.”

The above is from a statement issued last Friday to the media from Leader of the Opposition, Ezzard Miller.

This was in answer to our Police Commissioner Derek Byrne’s request to recruit foreign residents for entry-level positions to the RCIPS.

With the police recruitment campaign that has just been extended, the Commish wants to abandon the long-standing policy to limit eligibility to Caymanians and permanent residents, even though there has been 82 applicants so far.

Miller said he didn’t think it would be difficult” to select 15 from a pool of 82 to fill the initial training class. In fact he recommended that the class size be expanded to 25. This would give more local people a chance to serve their own country, he added.

However, Acting Governor Franz Manderson has backed Commissioner Byrne.

He said none of the applicants so far have been determined as “suitable candidates” but are people meeting the minimum criteria.

“The recruitment process,” he said, “which includes comprehensive testing, vetting and an interview process, will determine how many applicants are suitable candidates, I join the commissioner in encouraging Caymanians to use the extension of the deadline to apply to join the RCIPS. Having spent the first 28 years of my civil service career in a law enforcement department, I can testify to the great job satisfaction of knowing that you are working to keep the Cayman Islands safe, whether it is removing unscrupulous persons from our islands or arresting persons who seek to interrupt the peace and tranquility that our islands are known for.”

The RCIPS has taken great pains to make clear that no vetting has been done as yet to see if any of the applicants received meet the ‘suitable candidates’ criteria.

I, therefore, take Miller’s side on this.

Surely, it would be better to check this batch out first before going down the road of political football matches and recruiting outside the Caymanians and permanent residents pool?

Please let me know your thoughts?