Cayman: Cert. Hon. Recipients Receive Honours

Grand Cayman, 9 May 2022 – Recipients from Grand Cayman and Little Cayman, who were named in the 2022 New Year’s Honours, received their awards at a wonderful and moving occasion for many recipients and their families at Government House (Thursday, 5 May) evening.

            The honourees were recognised for their outstanding contribution to the Cayman Islands in several fields. Thirty-six out of 40 recipients from both the public and private sectors received their Certificate and Badge of Honour awards in person from His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper, OBE and the Premier, Hon. Wayne Panton, JP, MP, announced by Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE, Cert. Hon., JP.

            After a melodious musical prelude by the Cayman Arts Festival Elite Ensemble, the Deputy Governor welcomed the gathering. Cayman Islands’ noted baritone, Mr. Rudy Myles, Cert. Hon. led in the rendition of the National Anthem. He also sang the National Song at the close of proceedings.

            In his welcome remarks, the Deputy Governor noted that the awards, this year to an unprecedented number of persons, were a fitting recognition of these individuals going well past the call of duty in their service to the Cayman Islands.

            The Deputy Governor also thanked their family members for their sacrifices to enable the awardees to perform admirably, for which they often had to spend many long hours, weekends and holidays away from home. However, those sacrifices were not in vain, he observed.

Lauding and thanking the awardees in his opening remarks, the Governor alluded to the long history of the awards, dating back to 1926 and said, “Today they are still awarded locally by Governors in five British Overseas Territories – the other four are Bermuda, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands and St. Helena. They are for members of our community who, by their loyalty and meritorious conduct, have provided services of exceptional benefit to the people of the Cayman Islands.”

            The recipients who are members of the community from all three islands “are a shining example of service, commitment, integrity, selflessness and sacrifice,” the Governor reiterated.

            Due to the remarkable contribution of so many people towards Cayman’s successful management of the global pandemic, he had for the second consecutive time made a large number of awards than has been the practice in past years, he underscored.

            “Many of the individuals being awarded today were involved in the early operations of Travel Cayman, played key roles in developing the Government’s Phased Reopening of the Borders Plan and delivered the Public Health response,” Governor Roper explained.

            Others being awarded were for their services to the financial services sector and the media, the Governor added.

            The ceremony was organised by CI Government’s Protocol team, headed by Director of Protocol, Ms Meloney Syms.

            The entire presentation ceremony, which was a by-invitation-only event, can be viewed on the Cayman Islands Government YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhPpG1LJ0pg or https://bit.ly/38eF0CJ.

Photos by Bina Mani, GIS

His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper lauded and thanked the awardees in his opening remarks.

His Excellency the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper and the Premier, Hon. Wayne Panton presented the Certificate and Badge of Honour to Inspector Roje Williams of the RCIPS.

Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson welcomes the gathering.

Chief Officer in the Ministry of Tourism and Transport, Mr. Stran Bodden receives his certificate from the Premier.

Nurse for Little Cayman, Ms Charmaine Coore with the Governor and Premier after receiving her honours.

Director of the Department of Communications, Ms Oneisha Richards, with her medal and certificate received from the Governor and the Premier

Mr. Jonathan Smellie from the Health Services Laboratory genomics section receives his honours.

Mr. Jude Scott received the Badge of Honour from the Governor and the Certificate from the Premier, Hon. Wayne Panton for his services to the Financial Services industry.

Mr. Timothy McLaughlin-Munroe from the Health Services Authority with the Governor and the Premier after receiving the honours

Director of Radio Cayman, Ms Norma McField, a recipient from the media, with the Governor and the Premier

Director of the Cayman Islands Red Cross, Mrs. Jondo Obi, an NGO recipient, with the medal and certificate she received from the Governor and the Premier.

Ms Vicki Wheaton from the Cayman Compass with her awards