(CMR) Chief Fire Officer, David John Hails, has received a cash payout of CI$48,415.15 from the public purse for accrued comp-time dating back to July 2016.
In an oddity the most senior member of the fire department staff is being criticized for submitting detailed overtime records for amounts ranging from 15 minutes (.25) to upwards of 24 hours at a time; totaling 834.25 hours.
Recently the Public Accounts Committee questioned the payout at a hearing on Wednesday 16th January. We understand the usual civil service policy is that comp-time be reimbursed to the employee as time in lieu off or accrued time and not cash payouts.
For a salary position that is currently being advertised at CI$128,000 many find it astounding that any additional funds would be paid outside of that salary for time worked.
Cayman Marl Road as received the actual time-sheet records from the government Time Recording System and note that all of his time submitted appears to be have been “verified” and approved at an average rate of CI$58 per hour.
As previously reported last week Hails will be leaving his post tomorrow after being in the position since February 2016. His appointment was been froth with controversy as he became the first non-Caymanian Chief Fire Officer and it became clear that government has not clear succession plan in place for the department.
There were numerous controversial issues during his tenure including the acquisition of a rescue vessel that was not suitable for the waters surrounding the Cayman Islands. Additionally, he has only had roughly three staff meetings during the first two years of his tenure; and only as a result of incidents that needed urgent attention. Additionally, he has gone through at least three human resource managers and a few temporary ones.
It is further alleged by exclusive CMR sources that he often went on courses to up skill his own qualifications to the detriment of his staff because he did not come fully qualified for the post initially. Some persons have even questioned his affiliation with the training company that he utilized to come to the Cayman Islands to provide training to the fire officers here.
The full report can be viewed here:
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