May_BVC

34 35 BVM: What are your administration’s goals for the future? Minister McTaggart: “Over the next two years, education will be a huge priority for us.We are trying to significantly raise our game on technical and vocational education and training; also con- tinuing to improve educational standards in our schools, with a view to having more people quali- fied and better able to integrate into the working environment. And for those capable to obtain university level education, making sure they have the resources to make it through a local or inter- national university program, because we support both for tertiary education. “With regard to reducing crime, we’re putting more police on patrol and rolling out a commu- nity policing program. From 2018 to 2020, we’ll be adding 75 more police officers to our service, trying to focus on long-term prevention of crime and investing in youth diversion projects and oth- MINISTRY OF FINANCE & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - CAYMAN ISLANDS er measures to cut back the level of recidivism. “We’ll continue to pay down debt when it ma- tures and develop significant operational surplus- es to fund capital investment plans and provide for contingency against future economic drops. We have more than six months of government spending in actual reserves set aside for a rainy day. Overall, that fiscal responsibility is giving businesses the confidence to invest in Cayman because they know the government, the country, the economy is much safer, and they can invest with confidence. “We’re trying to make sure that everyone in our local economy, particularly Caymanians, benefit from this growth; that they’re able to secure the proper employment opportunities. I didn’t de- liberately sugar coat anything here. I’ve been a career accountant in public accounting and, hon- estly, what I see here in Cayman is truly a success story.”