Left to right: Kurt Walton, Deputy Commissioner, Royal Cayman Islands Police Service; David Simpson, Managing Director, The Simpson Group, Martyn Roper, Governor of the Cayman Islands; Jackie Doak, Director, Kenneth B. Dart Foundation; Richard Hew, Readiness Committee Chair, R3 Cayman Foundation

The Simpson Group has pledged a donation of US $1 million to the R3 Cayman Foundation (R3), requesting that up to US$500,000 be designated for national security projects to benefit the Cayman Islands. Specific measures are being identified by His Excellency the Governor Martyn Roper in collaboration with the elected Government and relevant law enforcement agencies.

The donation of US $1 million has been matched by the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation, with the US $500,000 security-focused donation being matched pursuant to a new pledge related to this donation and the remainder being matched under the original matching pledge of CI $4 million from the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation. The Kenneth B. Dart Foundation has also pledged an additional CI $1 million to match future donations to R3 to support its ongoing mission.  

Based on a recommendation from the R3 Readiness Committee, the first programme funded by the security focused donation is acquisition of imaging equipment by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. The equipment will also be used by Customs and Border Control.

“This generous donation from the Simpson Group speaks to the R3 Cayman Foundation’s Readiness mandate by enabling preventative measures to mitigate the impact of emergencies and disasters on the Cayman community, which would include measures to mitigate the impact of violent crimes both under normal circumstances and in post-disaster situations”, said R3’s Readiness Committee Chair Richard Hew. “The Simpson Group donation is an example of how R3 donors can direct their financial contributions to be used for a particular area of focus that aligns with R3’s objectives while leaving it to R3 to determine the most efficient and effective mechanisms to support that area of focus for the benefit of the community.” 

David Simpson, Managing Director of the Simpson Group said, “The security of the Cayman Islands is of paramount importance to all who live or visit here, and we are grateful to be able to support His Excellency the Governor in efforts to contribute to the overall safety and well-being of the Islands.  

As Principal for R3, Governor Martyn Roper has certain oversight powers under R3’s constitution to ensure its good governance. R3 has asked the Governor for his advice on additional programmes R3 should support to enhance the national security of the Cayman Islands. Support for enhanced radar coverage of Cayman’s territorial waters is also being explored with the Cayman Islands Coast Guard.

Since its inception in May 2020, R3 has donated to more than 30 local charitable organisations and governmental departments and authorities that provide emergency preparedness and relief for natural disasters and societal crises. R3 was seeded with a CI $1 million donation from the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation which pledged an additional CI $4 million in matching contributions to those from other philanthropic foundations, corporations and individuals.  

“The R3 Cayman Foundation has attracted donations nearing the original matching pledge of CI $4 million by the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation,” said Jackie Doak, Director at the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation. “Inspired by this latest gift from the Simpson Group, the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation has raised its matching pledge with conviction that the Cayman community will continue its dedicated financial support of the skilled non-profit organisations that provide crisis support services.”

The match of the Simpson Group donation increases the Kenneth B. Dart Foundation’s total commitment to R3 to CI $6.5 million.