Seminar organisers from left: Monique Frederick, LC class member/moderator, Reisan Moiten, Planning Committee member/mentor, and Lise Baril, LC class member/moderator
2. Panellists Jan Liebaers of the Information Commissioner’s Office and Wendy Ledger of Cayman News Service pictured with Steve McIntosh, 2014 LC Chair (far right)
3. Leadership Cayman group at Seminar 1, Media In Our Community. Seated from left: Ms. Norma McField, Director, Radio Cayman; Mr. Jan Liebaers, Acting Information Commissioner, Information Commissioner’s Office; and Ms. Wendy Ledger, Founder/Writer, Cayman News Service
The first seminar of the 2014 Leadership Cayman (LC) programme took place at Appleby Trust (Cayman) Ltd. on February 4, 2014. The seminar entitled “Media in Our Community” was organised and moderated by LC class members Ms. Monique Frederick and Ms. Lise Baril. Class members were mentored in the process by Planning Committee member and past graduate of LC, Ms. Reisan Moiten.
A captivating guided tour of Radio Cayman kicked-off the seminar followed by a delightful dinner provided by Grand Old House. The session was sponsored by Tower Marketing (Seminar Sponsor) & Appleby Trust (Cayman) Ltd. (Venue Sponsor) and the purpose of this seminar was to learn how various media operate and the influence they have on both the business community and our personal lives. It also aimed at discussing how the media could enhance the socio-economic well-being of the community.
The organising committee decided to invite a diverse group of panellists representing online media, radio and the Information Commissioner’s Office. The invited guests for the evening were Mr. Jan Liebaers, Acting Information Commissioner, Information Commissioner’s Office; Ms. Norma McField, Director, Radio Cayman; and Ms. Wendy Ledger, Founder/Writer, Cayman News Service. After Ms. Baril introduced the panellists for the evening, the group split into three breakout sessions where class members had the opportunity to speak openly with each of the three seminar panellists. This was very interactive and the discussions focused on three main themes: Freedom of Information, Freedom of the press, and the impact of social media on the dissemination of news. Class members were also afforded a better understanding of the opportunities and challenges that each of the representative stakeholders in the media industry encounter.
Mr. Liebaers said “I am very grateful to the Leadership Cayman organisers for inviting me to take part in the first seminar of the year. I thoroughly enjoyed the very interactive approach of the breakout sessions and panel discussion, and it was a pleasure to discuss the role of Freedom of Information and the media in Caymanian society with such an interested and interesting group of individuals. I wish them and the Leadership Cayman programme all the best!”
Ms. McField commented “It is always great to interact with members of our community and be able to share with them what we do at Radio Cayman. The participants were a great group of people who showed interest and were very engaging with really good questions. Leadership Cayman should be commended for undertaking this initiative because the media also depends on interaction on many levels by businesses and the community as a whole.”
Both class moderators were very enlightened and felt the seminar was well received by all.
Ms. Frederick relayed “The dialogue with our diverse group of panellists was enlightening and thought provoking. I am grateful for the panellists’ eagerness to participate and their contribution was very well-received by all class members. Ms. Baril added “We were very fortunate to be able to attract such well respected and top calibre leaders within the media industry. It was fascinating to hear their opinions and experience as they have seen the industry grow and how media has shaped the way we capture, process and share information.”
Ms. Moiten who mentored the team was very pleased how everything turned out “I am very pleased to continue to be a part of the prestigious Leadership Cayman Programme. The ‘Media in Our Community’ Seminar was extremely insightful and enlightening. The discourse was lively and I would like to say congratulations to Ms. Baril and Ms. Frederick for their sterling efforts. In closing, many thanks to our seminar sponsors – Tower Marketing and Appleby for their support.” Mr. Steve McIntosh, 2014 LC Chair, was also pleased with the seminar proceedings and thanked the panellists for their invaluable time and candour with the group. The seminar ended with a vote of thanks by Ms. Frederick.
The second seminar of this year’s series will focus on Criminal Justice and will be held on Tuesday, February 18.
The Chamber is currently seeking seminar sponsors for this year’s programme and would welcome all to visit www.leadershipcayman.ky for further details. The Chamber and Leadership Cayman team acknowledges all sponsors: Major sponsors Dart Enterprises Ltd. and Cox Lumber; and seminar sponsors to date Deloitte, Tower Marketing, and KPMG.