Investigate Government & Police Complaints
We will try to resolve your complaint by gathering the facts, hearing both sides of the story, and making recommendations to address any unfair treatment or unreasonable decisions.
Talk to the O.
The Ombudsman is an impartial and independent office of Parliament that acts as the Cayman Islands’ guardian of fairness, transparency and accountability.
Government Complaints
If you are dissatisfied with a Government decision or feel you were not treated fairly and you have tried to resolve the matter through the government's internal complaint process unsuccessfully, you may make a complaint to our office.
Police Complaints
You may make a complaint about the conduct of a police officer at any police station or directly to us.
Freedom of Information
If the Government has refused to disclose records you requested, you may appeal the decision to us. We will hear your appeal and decide whether the records should be disclosed.
Whistleblowing
If you are concerned that your employer is acting improperly, you may disclose the improper conduct to us and you will be protected against any detrimental action taken by your employer in reprisal for your disclosure.
Data Protection
The Data Protection Act gives you control of your personal data, and protects you against its misuse in the public and private sectors.
Being investigated?
If we receive a complaint, disclosure or appeal, we will inform you as soon as possible. We will provide you with details about the issues and you will have an opportunity to provide a detailed response.
What we do
Information Rights
We will review your appeal and decide whether the information must be disclosed in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act. We will investigate your complaint about misuse of your personal data and decide whether a data controller is in compliance with the Data Protection Act.
Whistleblowing
We will investigate your disclosure and decide whether it qualifies for protection under the Act. If you suffer a detrimental action we can make recommendations for compensation for any reprisal.
Outcomes - Selected Case Summaries
Categories
Complaint of Improper Conduct Supported
Whistleblowing | 31 October 2019
A whistleblower made a disclosure of improper conduct outlining concerns with the actions of a senior executive in the public sector. Most of the concerns could be described as an overstepping of authority and the use of intimidation. Following an extensive assessment, nine specific allegations were directed for investigation by the Ombudsman. This investigation involved the first ever interpretation of the Whistleblower Protection Law, 2015 (the Law). We reviewed numerous internal documents, examined best practices of other jurisdictions and interviewed 10 people as part of the investigation.
The Ombudsman found eight of the allegations ultimately did not rise to the threshold required for improper conduct but that collectively those eight revealed broader administrative concerns with the operations and good governance. In the case of the ninth allegation, the Ombudsman found that the actions amounted to intimidation and constituted improper conduct as defined by the Law. The Ombudsman made several recommendations to address the concerns about administrative and governance matters which would also have the benefit of minimising the opportunity for improper conduct (harassment) in the future. To date the report has not been formally acknowledged and there has been no response or action taken as far as the Ombudsman is aware. The Ombudsman has reported the matter to the Select Committee to Oversee the Performance of the Office of the Ombudsman pursuant to s. 9 of the Law.