Within the Ministry of Commerce, Thais Ducent is well-respected for her thorough knowledge of the business licensing process.

Mrs Ducent used that understanding to guide entrepreneurs through the relevant procedures and paperwork, in her role as a Business Services Officer with the Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI). As a result of her work, she received the Chief Officer’s award as the Ministry’s top employee, and moreover the Deputy Governor’s award as the top employee in the Cayman Islands Government, for the month of May.

Mrs Ducent was presented with her certificates on 3 August. During his presentation,

Deputy Governor Franz Manderson said she delivered exceptional service to her clients, especially in regards to the third annual Small Business Expo earlier this year.

‘It is clear that Thais undertakes her assignments with a passion, as she is well-organised, methodical and pays close attention to detail’, he said. ‘She was named most efficient by her department in executing her duties, especially in a supervisory role for the expo, which has been labelled the most successful to date. She kept staff and vendors alike equally informed on all matters and pleased all stakeholders by producing a well-run and coordinated event’.

DCI officials estimate that 700 people came through the doors at the Family Life Centre in April for the one-day event.

The Ministry’s Chief Officer Dr Dax Basdeo said aside from the expo, Mrs Ducent has performed consistently well in assisting customers with their licensing needs.

‘Each member of DCI’s staff has key roles in fostering a positive business environment, and they regularly go beyond the call of duty to assist the public in licensing their local commerce activities’, he said. ‘In Thais’ case, her technical knowledge, communication skills, and approach to customer service are outstanding.

‘However, she also understands the spirit of DCI’s activities, and not just the policy and legal guidelines. This is what makes her an exceptional staff member; and she certainly deserves both the Chief Officer’s and the Deputy Governor’s awards’, he said.

In June of this year, Mrs Ducent moved from DCI to the Ministry, as the business services officer post that she filled was renamed as Ministry of Commerce Policy Adviser.

She still works closely with DCI, however, and she says assistance from her DCI colleagues continues to be vital to her success.

‘I am so grateful to have received these awards, especially knowing that I work among others who are equally deserving of it’, Mrs Ducent said. ‘I consider it an honour to serve in my role, and I am proud of the work that I do.

‘My colleagues have been a huge blessing; I am indebted to them for supporting me and making it easier for me to get my job done!’

Mrs Ducent was nominated for both awards by DCI Director Ryan Rajkumarsingh, who pointed to her teamwork skills as a deciding factor.

‘DCI is a small unit that thrives on the cooperation and commitment of all our team members,’ Mr Rajkumarsingh said. ‘Despite facing daunting tasks, such as coordinating the expo, Thais did an exceptional job of managing resources and coordinating our activities so that we could deliver exemplary service to our clients’.

IMAGE Credit to Matthew Yates, MFSCE.
Photo caption (Thais Group): Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and Chief Officer Dr Dax Basdeo present Thais Ducent with her awards alongside (from left) Department of Commerce and Investment Director Ryan Rajkumarsingh and Deputy Chief Officer Tamara Ebanks.