From Young Caymanian Leadership Awards

YCLA Revokes Award granted to Canover Watson

George Town, 10 February, 2016 — The Honorary Board of the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards (YCLA) today announces that the YCLA Award given to Mr. Canover Watson in 2007 has been formally rescinded, by decision of the Board and the Foundation Directors.

Mr. Roy McTaggart, Chairman of the YCLA Honorary Board, says, “We regret that this decision was necessary. However, the YCLA Award is a distinction that the recipient carries for many years – a badge of honour that implies they will uphold the highest standards of personal and professional conduct at all times, not simply for the year during which they carry the title. To receive the Award is to demonstrate that one has the character and moral fibre to serve as an example – at any age – to the younger generation.

Unfortunately, Mr. Watson’s recent conduct is clearly unbefitting of a YCLA recipient, and it is for this reason that we have retroactively revoked the 2007 Award.”

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About YCLA

The YCLA is a programme of the Foundation (YCLF), which in recent years has expanded its activities, notably with the Young Caymanian Speakers Bureau, training seminars, and online initiatives. In addition, the YCLA has been more active on a year-round basis, spreading its positive messages to the youth and becoming more involved in the broader community. With these developments, more help was needed by both organisations, and several outstanding young leaders have stepped up to assist, in keeping with one of the past themes of the YCLA Awards celebration, “A New Generation of Leaders.”

Support for the YCLA includes loyal sponsors who have been with the programme for years, and new sponsors.

Canover Watson

Canover Watson, who was a member of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee, was last week found guilty of five charges related to his time in charge of the Caribbean nation’s Health Service Authority (HSA), according to the Cayman Island’s Anti-Corruption Commission, which had led the investigation.

He was sentenced to seven years in prison in the Cayman Islands.