Grand Cayman – Monday, 5 December 2022

Deputy Governor and Head of the Civil Service, Mr Franz Manderson, has issued an Administrative Circular to all Public Servants to guide their activities and decision-making during a Period of Election Sensitivity (PoES).

The Deputy Governor’s Administrative Circular has been formally supported by the Cabinet, with their approval for the Circular to be gazetted and extended to Statutory Authorities and Government-Owned Companies (SAGCs), in addition to the Civil Service.

A POES begins at the time that Parliament is dissolved, and lasts until a new Government is sworn in (approximately 2 months). The Administrative Circular is intended to promote adherence to the Public Servic e Values, empower public servants to continue to serve the public and the Government of the day during a PoES, and to reduce any uncertainty as to what they should or should not do during such periods .

While personnel guidelines and recommendations regarding Civil Servants, Statutory Authorities, and Government Companies’ (SAGCs) participation in the electoral process have been in place for prior electoral periods, they have focused largely on Public Servants’ private activities. This new Administrative Circular provides guidance, which has been mutually agreed by the elected and administrative arms of Government, as appropriate guidance to be observed by Public Servants in the conduct of their public duties.

The Deputy Governor’s guidance to Public Servants on conduct during a PoES complements Cabinet’s own guidance to Cabinet Ministers and Other Official Members, contained in the Cabinet Manual issued in July this year.

Premier Wayne Panton JP, MP welcomed the new formal guidance, and underscored the expectation that it will be observed by all public servants:

“As part of our ongoing commitment to good governance and transparency, as a Government, we are always working to improve our procedures and promote the best practices. This includes the new election sensitivity guidance, which serves as a vital addition to the Cabinet Manual, and outlines the standards of behaviour which Cabinet members are expected to abide by,” said Premier Panton.

“This formalised guidance further underscores the requirement for particular care and dis cretion to be taken by all public servants during a Period of Election Sensitivity. Leading with the Cabinet Manual, we are proud that the Civil Service has been able to establish this important guidance document. I thank the Deputy Governor and members of the Cabinet for supporting this guidance, allowing us to avoid hindrance or unduly restricting our Government, so that we may continue essential business as normal during this period,” the Premier added.

The Deputy Governor’s Circular addresses issues of public expenditure, the making of public policy, public appointments and public announcements during a PoES, and also provides guidance and practical solutions to assist Public Servants in the following areas:

•   serving the public and Government of the day, and supporting Ministerial responsibilities;
•   the benefits of transacting business well in advance of a PoES;
•   the deferral, where possible, of negotiations or consultations;
•   political impartiality in media communications, public statements, and announcements;
•   best practice for dealing with requests for information;
•   the use of Government resources for political purposes; and
•   what to do, if they have concerns.

Mr Manderson expressed his gratitude to the Cabinet of the Cayman Islands Government for their support of the guidance provided in the Administrative Circular:

“I am grateful for the partnership with Cabinet to address this important aspect of good governance. This joint approach between the elected Government and public service reinforces, with clear and specific information, how Ministers, Official members and all Public Servants should conduct government business once Parliament has been dissolved and an election has been called,” Mr Manderson said.

Mr Manderson also thanked public service members for their compliance with past guidance on conduct during a POES, and expressed his confidence that this new guidance will be similarly well-supported:

“We appreciate the support of all public servants to continue to conduct the core business of Government during a Period of Election Sensitivity, whilst striving to ensure that their actions do not unduly fetter the discretion of any new Government, or influence the outcome of the democratic process, in accordance with our shared values of professionalism, integrity, and passion, as a World Class Civil Service.”