Purpose and Work of the Office of the Complaints Commissioner

Purpose and Work of the Office of the Complaints Commissioner
Dec 03, 2014
Complaints Commissioner Ms. Nicola Williams
Purpose and Work of the Office of the Complaints Commissioner

The Office of the Complaints Commissioner (OCC) is an independent body that investigates, in an impartial and confidential manner, complaints made against government entities and other matters of wider public importance in order to ensure good governance.

As Cayman's independent authority for tackling complaints against the public sector, the Office of the Complaints Commissioner is led by the re-appointment of Complaints Commissioner, Ms. Nicola Williams.

Biography of Commissioner Nicola Williams

From 1.1.2014

Member of the UK Association of Women Judges.

Since 30.3.2012

Accredited Mediator, London School of Mediation; member, CIAMA (Cayman Islands Association of Mediators and Arbitrators).

4.11.10

10.5.13 - Vice-President of the Caribbean Ombudsman Association (CAROA).

23.10.09

Appointed to the judiciary of England and Wales as a Crown Court Recorder

17.8.09

Appointed as Complaints Commissioner for the Cayman Islands

1.4.2004 – 31.3.2009

Commissioner, Independent Police Complaints Commission, London

1.9.01 – 31.3.04

Board Member, Police Complaints Authority, London

Called to the Bar 1985. Ms. Williams has 16 years in private practice in a number of fields in the High Court, Crown Court and Court of Appeal, specializing in Criminal Law. This includes three successful Commonwealth death penalty appeals before the House of Lords sitting as the Privy Council

  • Legal expert on BBC World for the OJ Simpson trial verdict in 1995
  • Part of a delegation sponsored by the British Council, lecturing Turkish police inspectors on Human Rights
  • Three times listed as one of the 100 most influential Black people in the U.K (1998; 2007-8; 2008-9)
  • Winner, Cosmopolitan magazine Woman of Achievement Award (Professions)
  • Author of the legal thriller, “Without Prejudice”, published in 1997 in both the U.K. and U.S.

Presenting papers and speaking at a number of conferences, most notably:

  • International Funds Conference, Grand Cayman, January 2010 (paper on transparency)
  • “Confidentiality – A Key to Integrity”, Caribbean Ombudsman Association Conference, Curacao, November 2010
  • “The Principles of Public Administration and the Role of the Ombudsman” – Centre for Justice conference, Bermuda, March 2012
  • “Ombudsman Confidentiality in Small State Jurisdictions” – UCCI International Conference, Cayman Islands, March 2012.
  • “Delivering More With Less” – 10th World Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute, New Zealand, November 2012.
  • Speaker on whistleblowing issues at the UCCI Conference