Statement from the Ministry of Home Affairs in Regards to Publication on Prison Service

Following the recent ruling by the Gender Equality Tribunal involving Her Majesty’s Cayman Islands Prison Service, and certain media coverage that misrepresented the facts of the case, the Ministry of Home Affairs wishes to correct a number of inaccuracies contained in an article published by online media house.

In the article it was wrongly reported that a former female manager at the HMP Northward, was given preferential treatment or special favors by Prison Director Neil Lavis due to their prior friendship.

The Ministry would like to make clear that the Director did declare the conflict in the appropriate manner to both Ministry officials and to interview panel members before the employee interviewed for the position. All involved parties were well aware of Director Lavis and the employee’s friendship and the Ministry is satisfied that the situation played no part in the hiring process.

It should also be made evidently clear that Director Lavis was not responsible for setting or approving the salary for the employee, as that was signed off by the former Chief Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs.

We would also like to dispute the assertion that the employee was employed by the Security Centre after leaving the Prison Service. The former female manager has never worked at the security company and is currently living in the United Kingdom.

The Ministry asks that the false information and erroneous reports against Director Lavis be corrected.

END

EDITOR: iNews Cayman did NOT report the above false information