Cabinet Office
Cayman Islands Government
What We Do
The Cabinet Office - Bringing Government Services Together
Cabinet Secretary, Mr. Samuel Rose leads the response by his office to decisions concerning governmental policy in the weekly Cabinet meetings, which he attends as a non-voting member. Since many of the policy areas discussed in these meetings have application across Government, the Cabinet Office includes a number of sections and departments whose work has cross-governmental scope.
Strategic Management
Administering the authority’s operations at the organisational level; developing business plans and corporate policy; setting long-term goals and objectives; evaluating the agency’s overall performance and progress towards established targets; managing programs to improve business processes and ensure consistent service delivery; preparing or revising laws and other regulatory instruments that affect the authority’s functions and responsibilities; obtaining legal advice from external sources.
Key Staff |
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Samuel Rose, JP Cabinet Secretary Tel: (345) 244-2253 Email: samuel.rose@gov.ky |
Kim Bullings Clerk of the Cabinet Tel: (345) 244-2209 Email: kim.bullings@gov.ky |
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Robert Lewis (Acting) Director of Special Projects Tel: (345) 244-3602 Email: robert.lewis@gov.ky |
Deborah Webb-Sibblies (Acting) Director, Policy Coordination Unit Tel: (345) 244-2206 Email: deborah.webb-sibblies@gov.ky |
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Ian Tibbetts Director of E-Government Tel: (345) 244-3614 Email: ian.tibbetts@gov.ky |
Meloney Syms Protocol Coordinator Tel: (345) 244-3612 Email: meloney.syms@gov.ky |
FOI Management Staff | |
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Kim Bullings Information Manager Tel: (345) 244-2209 Email: foi.cab@gov.ky |
Meredith Hew Information Manager Designate Tel: (345) 244-2210 Email: foi.cab@gov.ky |
The Information Manager is responsible for implementing the Freedom of Information Law and responding to FOI requests. To learn more about FOI visit www.foi.gov.ky.
Cabinet Office Units
The Cabinet Secretariat provides administrative support to Cabinet and the National Security Council.
The Policy Coordination Unit monitors international policy developments and provides technical support and advice on these to Cabinet.
The Immigration Appeals Tribunal holds weekly meetings to hear appeals against Immigration Department decisions concerning work permits, Caymanian Status, permanent residence, business staffing plans or appeals for political asylum.
The Freedom of Information Unit (FOI Unit) facilitates and coordinates the implementation of Freedom of Information by providing advice, assistance and training to public authorities and promoting awareness across the whole of the public sector.
The Protocol Unit advises government on the handling of local and foreign dignitaries.
The Cayman Islands London Office supports the extension of all Cayman Islands Government activities in the United Kingdom and Europe; act as a contact point for and provide consular services to Caymanians (especially Caymanian students) and other stakeholders in the United Kingdom and Europe; promote a better economic, social, cultural and political understanding of the Cayman Islands; gather and disseminate information; develop and maintain strategic links; facilitate inward investment opportunities by seeking out and providing accurate information to potential investors; represent the Cayman Islands in the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA), the EU Overseas Countries and Territories Association (EU OCTA), and at other official or ceremonial events.
The e-Government unit is tasked with overseeing the Government's transition towards the online provision of most services. Currently work is being done to identify existing online services and how the infrastructure and processes used to support these can best be evolved to provide a platform for timely and efficient implementation of future in demand online services.
The Constitutional Review Secretariat (CRS) was launched 1 March 2007 to restart the constitutional modernisation process in the Cayman Islands with a view to achieving national consensus on areas of constitutional reform upon which the Cayman Islands Government could negotiate a new constitution for the Cayman Islands with the United Kingdom. Having completed their mandate, the CRS closed office in November 2009 and is no longer operational, but the Cabinet Office maintains control of their records and their website is still active. Closed in November 2009.
The Public Affairs Unit is no longer operational, but the Cabinet Office maintains control of their records. Closed office in June 2011.
The Temporary Housing Initiative unit oversees the provision of temporary housing for low-income persons who lost their homes in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan in late 2004. It also supports the personal and professional development of its adult clients and offers extracurricular programmes for their children. Closed on 30th June 2013
History
The Cayman Islands (Constitution) (Amendment) Order 2003 was presented for enactment by the House of Commons 24 June 2003, renaming the former Executive Council the Cabinet and creating the new government post of Cabinet Secretary and associated responsibilities. The Order also formally established the offices of the Leader of Government Business (now the Premier) and Leader of the Opposition and the Electoral Boundary Commission
Organisation and Functions
The Cabinet Office coordinates the weekly meetings of Government ministers, National Security Council meetings, as well as special local, regional and international projects arising from these meetings. It includes the Secretariat, which primarily provides administrative and technical support to the Premier and to Cabinet and National Security Council meetings and projects; the Policy Coordination Unit; the Immigration Appeals Tribunal; the Protocol Office; Freedom of Information Unit; Radio Cayman; the Public Affairs Unit, which closed in June 2011; Temporary Housing Initiative, which closed on 30th June 2013; and Constitutional Review Secretariat, which closed in November 2009 following the passage of the 2009 Constitution.
Finally, the wider portfolio comprises two public authorities which maintain separate Publication Schemes: the Computer Services Department and Government Information Services.
Functions of the Cabinet Office include:
- Secretarial and administrative support for the Premier, the National Security Council and the Cabinet, including—
- Coordination of the collection and dissemination of information regarding the proceedings and decisions of National Security Council and Cabinet, and
- Preparation of National Security Council and Cabinet submissions, ministerial briefings, responses to Parliamentary Questions, speeches and presentations;
- Advise Government entities on policy development and implementation best practice.
- Administrative and secretarial support for the processing of—
- Appeals under the Immigration Law (2013 Revision),
- Appeals under the Trade and Business Licensing Law (2007 Revision),
- Appeals under the Firearms Law (2008 Revision) and Firearms Regulations (1999 Revision),
- Tax undertaking (exemption) certificates to exempted companies, trusts and limited partnerships under the Tax Concessions Law (2011 Revision), Trusts Law (2011 Revision), Exempted Limited Partnership Law (2011 Revision) and Exempted Limited Partnership Regulations (2002 Revision);
- Liaising with the portfolio’s units and other government agencies concerning policy development, coordination and implementation (the main remit of the Policy Coordination Unit);
- Public affairs advice and services and promotion of public engagement with policy;
- Providing advice and support to government agencies with responsibility for protocol services;
- Facilitating the further administration of Freedom of Information and coordinating the development of Data Protection;
- Providing critical infrastructure support and management of government’s information technology assets;
- Providing for a well-informed populace through the communication of information relating to the activities of government agencies, including support for proactive and responsive communication between government agencies and the public;
- Human resources management;
- Financial management; and
- Strategic management, including policy development, coordination and implementation across Government Ministries and Portfolios.
More information about the nature and scope of the activities of the Cabinet Office, as well as ownership performance targets and budgetary outputs, is available in the annual budget statements. An organisational chart is also available that explains how the Cabinet Office fits within the purview of the Governor, Premier and other Cabinet ministers and members.
Cabinet Office Units
| Location and Hours | Matters Handled |
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| Cabinet Secretariat Box 105, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town 4th Floor Government Administration Bldg Grand Cayman KY1-9000 Tel: (345) 244-2208 Fax: (345) 946-1652 Website: www.cabinetoffice.gov.ky Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm |
— Arranging and providing secretarial support to National Security Council, Cabinet and subcommittees — Advising on Cabinet meeting procedures — Support services to the Premier — Office of the Cabinet Secretary — Tax exemption certificates — Trade and Business Licensing appeals — Firearms appeals — Administration and Human Resources |
| Policy Coordination Unit Box 105, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town 4th Floor Government Administration Bldg Grand Cayman KY1-9000 Tel: (345) 244-2206 Fax: (345) 946-1652 Email: deborah.webb-sibblies@gov.ky Website: www.cabinetoffice.gov.ky Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm |
— Monitoring and reporting on international policy — Provision of technical advice to Cabinet — Policy development, coordination and implementation across Government Ministries and Portfolios. — Advise Government entities on policy development and implementation best practice. |
| Public Affairs Unit Closed office in June 2011 Website: www.cabinetoffice.gov.ky |
— Public affairs advice and assistance — Coordination of public relations and community services — Development of strategies to promote and monitor public engagement with policy |
| Immigration Appeals Tribunal Box 105, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town 4th Floor Government Administration Bldg Grand Cayman KY1-9000 Tel: (345) 244-3607 Email: iat@gov.ky Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm |
Administrative and secretarial support for the processing of Immigration Appeals
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| Constitutional Review Secretariat Closed office in November 2009 Website: www.constitution.gov.ky Email: foi.cab@gov.ky | Oversight of the 2007 constitutional reform initiative, which culminated with the passage of the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009 |
| Protocol Office Box 105, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town 4th Floor Government Administration Bldg Grand Cayman KY1-9000 Tel: (345) 244-3612 Fax: (345) 947-5712 Email: protocol@gov.ky Website: www.cabinetoffice.gov.ky Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm |
— Advising government agencies on protocol — Ceremonial Event Management — Protocol intervention and airport liaison |
Last Updated 2017-01-13
