The controversial decision to appoint an ex-pat, Jan Peters, by the Cayman Islands Airports Authority (CIAA) to the position of Chief Human Resource (HR) Officer has rebounded back into their laps.

With no political interference whatsoever (Heaven forbid) in their ruling, the Cayman Islands Immigration Board has denied Peter’s work permit.

The concerned group of Caymanians with some of the local press getting behind them complained vigorously and gave already the perception that even experienced and qualified local professionals are being overlooked in favour of ex-pats.

Despite Peters, who was former head of HR at Department of Tourism, and was not only the best candidate according to the persons who actually interviewed all the candidates but was willing to recruit and mentor a Caymanian understudy to take the post before the end of her two year contract, the knives were well and truly out.

To make matters worse, there was a past workplace colleague of Peters from her time at the DOT who knew how good she was at her job on the recruitment panel. You see, Peters, when she was at the DOT actually did successfully train a local for her job and the CIAA board was therefore confident she could do the same with them. She had a track record.

Now there was the hint of collusion from the ex work colleague added to the witch’s brew.

Worse still for Peters, there was a Caymanian who on paper was more qualified and we all know letters baffle brains. I have a string of letters after my name I don’t now use but I would never presume they make me more qualified for a position over someone who doesn’t. The proof is in the eating of the pudding not from how it looks on a piece of paper.

Amongst the other candidates who were interviewed (and please note I said interviewed) “there were several local human resource specialists who appeared to be qualified”. And one, of them, has an MBA (Master of Business Administration)! Wow! That’s impressive. I am a Chartered Manager (MCIB) – perhaps I should have applied? This candidate I am referring to also holds a professional HR qualification and surely THAT is the one that only matters? She also has 13 years experience in HR.

Peters also has a professional HR qualification and a very impressive CV but did not do as well on her assessment as the MBA candidate who was runner-up for the position.

No more should then be said. Obviously the MBA Caymanian is the best person for the job.

Why should we waste time on actually interviewing anyone for a job anymore? All of us can do it, especially if we are reporters. That makes us even more qualified. And if we are “concerned Caymanians” we know even better.

Perhaps Government should now proclaim that all government bodies cease interviewing anyone. Appoint a group of “concerned Caymanians”, throw in a couple of reporters, perhaps include one or two “very concerned MLAs” and they will decide. They will check who have the largest number of letters after their name, check how many years they have been in the job and if they are Caymanian to boot decision done.

That would only take half hour, tops.

No one then will ever be concerned again the right person has the right job.

I can even hear the cheers.