s.26Procedure for appointing chief officers of ministries and portfolios
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Section 26Part 6 — Personnel Arrangements for Chief Officers

Procedure for appointing chief officers of ministries and portfolios

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When there is a vacancy or an impending vacancy in the position of a chief officer of a ministry or portfolio, the Head of the Civil Service (with the assistance of the Portfolio of the Civil Service) shall appoint a new chief officer in accordance with the requirements of personnel regulations and the following procedures —
the Head of the Civil Service shall, following consultation with the Official Member or Minister responsible for the ministry or portfolio to which a chief officer is to be appointed, define the duties of the position and the qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience required of the appointee in a job description;
the Head of the Civil Service shall then notify the vacancy in such manner as enables suitably qualified persons to apply for the position;
upon the closing of applications, the Head of the Civil Service shall prepare a shortlist of suitable candidates for interview consisting of at least two persons who, in the opinion of the Head of the Civil Service, have the —
qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the duties required for the position in a highly competent manner; and
integrity to carry out the duties in a politically neutral manner;
in placing persons on the shortlist, the Head of the Civil Service shall take into account only the attributes set out in paragraph (c) and, if the Head of the Civil Service is of the opinion that no candidate satisfies all the requirements of paragraph (c), he shall re-notify the vacancy under paragraph (b) as if it was being notified for the first time;
all candidates on the shortlist are to be interviewed by a panel chaired by the Head of the Civil Service using a comparable interviewing approach for each applicant; and
following the interviews, and after consultation with the Governor, the Head of the Civil Service may appoint the candidate from the shortlist that in his opinion best satisfies all the criteria set out in paragraph (c), and where, after applying the criteria, two or more persons rank broadly at the same level, Caymanians shall be given preference.
The Head of the Civil Service may reappoint a chief officer who has reached the end of a fixed-term employment agreement and such reappointment shall be made in accordance with the provisions of personnel regulations relating to reappointment of civil servants who have reached the end of a fixed-term employment agreement.
The Head of the Civil Service may reappoint a chief officer who has attained the normal retirement age for civil servants and such reappointments shall be made in accordance with any provisions of personnel regulations relating to reappointment of civil servants who have reached normal retirement age.
The Head of the Civil Service may appoint a civil servant to act as a chief officer when the substantive holder of the position is absent or when the position is temporarily vacant, provided that —
in making the acting appointment the Head of the Civil Service appoints the person with the best mix of qualifications, skills, knowledge and experience from amongst the persons available to act; and
the requirements of personnel regulations are complied with.
The Head of the Civil Service may transfer a chief officer of a ministry or portfolio to another position in the civil service where, in the opinion of the Head of the Civil Service, it is in the public interest to do so.
Before effecting a transfer under subsection (5), the Head of the Civil Service —
shall consult with the Minister or Official Member responsible for the ministry or portfolio for which the chief officer on transfer is working; and
shall, where the chief officer on transfer is to occupy a position other than that of chief officer, consult with the chief officer of the ministry or portfolio to which the chief officer on transfer is to be transferred.
Where the chief officer on transfer is to occupy the position of chief officer in another ministry or portfolio, the Head of the Civil Service shall, before effecting the transfer, consult the Minister or Official Member responsible for that ministry or portfolio.
In appointing or reappointing a chief officer, the Head of the Civil Service is to ensure that an open and fair employment process operates.
In this section — "chief officer on transfer" means the chief officer who is being considered for transfer.

Defined Terms

chief officer on transfer

Referenced By