Ombudsman Cayman Islands |

Message from the Ombudsman

The year 2022 is best described as a “reset” year. It commenced with a number of staff vacancies created by the loss of several key posts during 2022 and from the previous year.

The hardships created by this unprecedented knowledge-drain also created an opportunity to take stock of the Office and determine whether, as is, it could sustain future growth. There was a clear indication that the Office was gaining public trust by the increased number of enquiries received in 2022.

The vacancies in both Divisions had cast light on the stagnation-effect the organizational structure had on both staff development/ succession planning as well as on the ability of the Office to take on more work. The problem in the structure was that staff were “pigeon-holed” into each of the 5 respective areas of law governing the Office, gaining experience only in that specific area, and making the sharing of knowledge next to impossible. With the Office down to almost half its staff complement, there was limited or no ability for staff in different practice areas to help each other.

The solution appeared to be in doing away with the divided-up practice areas and provide cross-training within the respective Divisions. This would create development opportunities for staff as well as prepare the Office for continuity of operations in the event there was another instance of widespread vacancies. Equally important was the ability to succession plan, something that had not been done to date in the life of the Office.

By the end of 2022, the vision for a new organizational structure was being formulated; new job posts were created, evaluated and graded with 3 staff members transitioning into the newly created posts. All other staff will transition early in 2023 with the expectation that a more comprehensive organizational restructure will be developed by mid-2023. No new headcounts are expected to result from this exercise.

The “reset” also provided an opportunity for the Office to review its policy and procedures, most of which were outdated or still in draft form. It also brought the introduction of the Government’s new HR system, “My-Vista” creating a new way for staff to manage everything from setting and reviewing performance targets to managing personal leave. New amendments to the Data Protection Act were submitted for the consideration of the Attorney General in July of 2022 while other legislative changes were still only in “discussion” mode, mainly due to lack of staff resources.

The year brought steep learning curves to most staff but it required all of us to adapt to new processes, new staff and what I hope is a new beginning to a better way of working at the Office. Change in any organization is a challenging prospect and is not always met with enthusiasm or support.

However, our staff is to be commended for rising to the challenge, being open to change and embracing the opportunities whilst still managing fuller workloads with less resources than the year prior and doing it all with minimal service gaps in our deliverables. It has truly been an achievement and each staff member should be justly proud. I am certainly proud of them!