Chief Officer Eric Bush to lead Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure

Grand Cayman, 30 May 2022 – Commencing on Tuesday, 7 June 2022, the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure (PAHI) will welcome long-serving civil servant Mr. Eric Bush, who will join the Ministry team as Chief Officer, transferring from his post as Chief Officer in the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (IISD). 

Recognising an area of need within the Civil Service of the Cayman Islands, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson announced the personnel shift within the senior leadership team which fills the vacancy following the retirement of past Chief Officer Alan Jones who retired in July 2021 after a career of 31 years of service.

“Through my role as head of the Civil Service, I am committed to maintaining the agility of the public sector to continually evaluate and adapt to the needs of the Government. The placements of our Chief Officers helps us effectively deliver strategic outcomes that progress the business of government in the most effective and responsible ways,” shared Mr. Manderson. 

“It is undeniable that we have many distinguished leaders throughout the service with many years of senior level experience in many different areas, and the flexibility of the service allows for us to ensure these qualified persons are able to be placed in varying areas of need, such as with Mr. Bush’s transition to PAHI.  It is critical to the success of the service that we remain open to working in new ways while continuing to achieve high levels of performance as we serve the people of the Cayman Islands.” The Deputy Governor also extended his thanks and appreciation to Deputy Chief Officers Tristan Hydes and Leyda Nicholson-Makasare, who ably led the Ministry since July 2021.

The Ministry of PAHI currently has several projects of critical importance to the Cayman Islands such as Government’s road infrastructure projects, investment in technical vocational education training/apprenticeship programme and the submarine cable (sub-sea) projects, all of which will benefit from the strategic guidance from Chief Officer Bush as a senior leader.

Since joining the Civil Service March 1999, Mr. Bush has served in several leadership capacities including as the Chief Officer of the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (ITIAMA), and the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (IISD).

While serving as the Cayman Islands Representative to the UK between 2016 and 2019, Mr. Bush pursued an integrated approach to fostering external relations with British policymakers and opinion formers. He laid the foundation for numerous initiatives that elevate the profile of the Cayman Islands in conjunction with its heritage, culture and economy – and this work established a wide array of relationships that benefit Cayman’s people. 

One culmination of this work was in June 2019, when the Cayman Islands hosted the Overseas Territories International Trade Summit in conjunction with Lord Ahmad, Commonwealth Minister for H.M. Government. Another key initiative was the Commonwealth Climate Growth Fund, formally announced by Cabinet in September 2021.  The establishment of the Cayman Islands “Young Chef Young Waiter” competition, announced last week, was another.

Recently the Ministry IISD staff registered some of the highest scores on the 2020 and 2021 Civil Service Engagement Survey – numbers that profoundly reflect how Mr. Bush’s distinctive attributes of strategic thinking, leadership capability and a commitment to empowerment translate into management of staff and delivery of outcomes.

“While the world around us changes, the Civil Service must continue to be dynamic and innovative to fulfill the vision of our elected leaders. I am honored to continue to serve the people of the Cayman Islands, in a new capacity as Chief Officer of the Ministry of Planning, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure,” stated Mr. Bush. 

To ensure the continuity of successes within the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (IISD), Ms. Tamara Ebanks will take the helm as Acting Chief Officer for the Ministry.  Ms. Ebanks had been seconded to the MIISD from her post as Deputy Chief Officer within PAHI and will continue to advance some of the key projects initiated under Mr. Bush’s tenure which commenced in 2019.

Background information on Chief Officer Bush 

Mr. Bush joined the Civil Service of the Cayman Islands Government in March 1999, starting as a recruit in the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, where he served for six years. 

He has served in several leadership capacities including as the Chief Officer of the Portfolio of Internal and External Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (ITIAMA), and the Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development (IISD). 

During the Cayman Islands’ response to the Covid-19 pandemic, Eric led the “Support Services” for the Government’s National Emergency Operations Centre. In May and June 2020, he coordinated and served as the Deputy Chair of the “Strategic Economic Advisory Committee” (SEAC), a collaborative consultation across the public and private sector that delivered robust policy priorities for the Cayman Islands to emerge from the economic consequences of Covid-19.

Using the insights of SEAC, Mr. Bush and his team delivered a comprehensive innovation, investment and social development strategy, complemented by a global marketing and communications strategy, which has been nominated for 2021 “Brand of the Year” by the Cayman Islands Marketing Professionals Association.  

Between May 2021 and May 2022, Mr. Bush led his senior and core Ministry staff and Heads of Departments in developing strategic plans and commencing implementation of two-year division “roadmaps” for the newly formed Ministry of Investment, Innovation and Social Development.