Miller challenges governor on evidence of corruption
(CNS): The recent comments by the governor, Stuart Jack, that people who think there is no corruption in the Cayman Islands are deluded has, not surprisingly, incurred the wrath of the MLA for North Side, Ezzard Miller. The independent candidate has challenged the UK’s representative to bring his evidence of corruption and put it on the table. Miller has also condemned the governor’s constant comparisons of Cayman to the Turks and Caicos Islands, which he noted as a veiled threat and something it seemed the governor wished was happening.
Responding to the recent statements by Jack in the wake of Auditor General Dan Duguay’s report on the costs of the investigation, and discussing his own private members motion with regard to the Special Police investigation Team and their operations, the MLA said on Rooster’s morning talk show, Crosstalk, on Tuesday that he was not corrupt and he would not stand idly by when the governor insinuated as such. Miller said the governor could not expect to make wide sweeping accusations without being challenged.
“It is beginning to look as though there is something deliberate about these things,” Miller said. “The fact that the whole system the police and judicial administration have been called into question but crime is mushrooming, and all we hear from the governor is the need to continue with the investigation because everyone is corrupt — the criminals are enjoying the holiday.”
Miller noted that the police are reluctant to take action as they are caught in a situation of not knowing who is being investigated or for what. “We don’t know who in the police service is under investigation or what for, so there is a reluctance of rank and file, but I don’t blame them,” he added.
The private members motion which Miller has asked the government to consider will be discussed in the Legislative Assembly on Thursday, and Miller hopes that he will be able to persuade the government to file a law suit in the UK to recover some of the costs of the investigations and hold the governor, the FCO and the senior investigator, Martin Bridger, accountable.
“This is not just about recovering the money,” Miller explained. “It is necessary in principle to let the UK know that we are not going to let their unilateral appointed master to do these things and not question it. This will demonstrate that Caymanians are prepared to stand up to him.”
Parliament, he said, needed to make a statement to the UK government to demonstrate that the people of this country are not happy.
He also noted that the governor’s remarks that those advocating independence should come out and say so may have been pointed at him, but he said everyone in this country knows that Ezzard Miller is an advocate for independence. “But what I don’t want to happen is for the UK to manoeuvre us into position where there is no other option but independence when we are not ready.” Miller said, as he has for many years, that Cayman needs to set a date for the future which will put the country on a path to release it from the “shackles of colonial administration".
The governor issued a long public statement on Thursday evening denying culpability regarding the special investigations and offering his continued support of Operation Cealt, indicating his conviction that there is corruption in the RCIPS but not offering any evidence.
Less than 24 hours later the Daily Mail, a UK tabloid with more than 4 million readers, published an exposé on the Special Police Investigation Team (SPIT), further undermining the credibility of the investigations. So far, the governor has made no commentregarding the pictures of SPIT or the content of the article.
Category: Local News
My vote for Ezzard for the Premier. We need someone with a backbone to represent us.
Your vote is also a vote for independence. Good luck with that.Ezzard has been preaching his anti-expat mantra for 20+ years so I’m not sure why you think this is anything new.
Mama I’m coming home….
Ezzard is becoming an increasing self-publicist with little substance to his constant stream of sound-bite friendly comments. He got his job with a mere 200 odd votes and this makes him little more than the voice of a small parish council but comments like his resonate and harm Cayman greatly in the wider world. This man will cost hundreds of Caymanians their jobs in the medium term. His comments about IP fees show how out of touch he is. Ezzard Miller is the pied piper of George Town.
However he is doing a much much better job than any other MLA got more than 1000 votes. I have seen other back bench members just like dead woods and they are there to take home more than $10,000/month for doing nothing. Eventhough, I do not like his stance on independence, you can see that he believes in and acts on his own principles without fear. In the near future, Caymanians will get a chance to see whether he follows through on his priciples/policies/opinions he has expressed in the past on immigration and development. Right now he and Arden are the only 2 memebrs with backbones in LA who are fighting for Caymanian values and rights. We all should support and encourage these 2 patriots. I wish, an independent minded political group without any party affiliations will emerge under these 2 guys in the near future to unify these beautiful islands. Right now the party system is destroying the country with divisions. When we did not have paties, the country was always unified with the winning group for the next 4 years. Do you see that now ?????
Good luck with your financial services industry after independence. PS IF Mr Miller (poster on this site and MLA both) are right about UK and its "lost" OTs why are Jersey and Guernsey both ok?
Be careful what you wish for!
Look around at any other Caribbean island that has gone independant and see which one has prospered from that move….NONE!
I think Ezzard…and all of us need to stand up to the Governor where necessary…and also to stand up to anyone where necessary. But in a level headed way, not this overly emotional way that is now happening. How about standing up to Mac too? I support his motion to attempt to re-coup at least some of the cost by suing the UK…but not to seek independence. Can we really trust our Political Leaders to do what’s hounourable? I think not!..
We need to ask ourselves why? Is it so that a few people (the rich and Poltical Leaders) can than do whatever they want…with NO ONE at all to question them?
Independence will NOT help the average people of this country…it has not done so anywhere else in the Caribbean…
This current Governor will soon be gone. Let’s not paint all British (or any other) people as trying to ruin us…let’s attempt a new relationship with the new Governor and move forward….Not towards Independence….that move will truly ruin Cayman.
People:
INDEPENDENCE?
WITH WHAT???
No military
No other major industries, but solo tourism and banking
No constant revenue base
No friendly assocaition with our neighbors, such as, Jamaica, Cuba, Honduras, et cetera…
Allegations of corruption
No country to protect us if a cold war begins
I DON’T BELIEVE IN INDEPENDENCE!
WE SHOULD REMAIN WITH THE UK and STRIVE FOR SELF-GOVERNANCE IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HER
Peace
When I look around I see the Bahamas & Barbados. No saying that we should go independent mind you.
"Ezzard" and "level headed" in the same breath??? No, I don’t think so.
What a mess you are out of touch, I can name a few Caribbean countries thats doing pretty well after gaining independence fromEngland.The Bahamas along with world class Barbados is two fine examples,yes those islands have their problems but so do former colonies such as the US,India and Australia.Stability is the key and once Cayman start to prepare then it can work well,we must all remember that independence is inevitable and its better to get ready now than to wait for the last minute,we cannot live in mama’s house forever,Caymanians against independence need to face reality and start preparing from now!
Nicky, your comments are true at 13:12.
I think when we post comments on your site (myself included) we all should be very careful that even if we are justified to criticize or make some rather "firm remarks", we should make a clear distinction that it’s not everyone from one nationality whom we are referring to.
I do believe most Caymanians whose comments are"very firm" in nature, does not necessarily mean that they dislike all British, Jamaican, Canadian, American etc etc.
As you know, Caymanians are probably the first and only nationality in the world that would criticize each other so harshly, at a moments notice.
I suppose we are a unique "bunch of natives" as they say.
I remember when I was growing up in Cayman, it was considered "very foul" to make a strong comment to an outsider, even if you were justified to do so.
I would contribute most of the "unfortunate outbursts" that Caymanins make, mainly to the fact that we have developed as a nation so rapidly in the last 35 years or so, we feel as if we have become a native minority in our own country.
On the other hand, we as Caymanians need to pay more respect for the many countries that helped develop us (Brits included) to where we are today.
I agree fully with what McKeeva Bush is saying, we need to be a more receptive group of people to those who visit our land to work, to invest money and call the Cayman Islands home.
At the same time, outsiders need to respect our way of life, our culture and don’t attempt to override us with what they are accustom to, from their own country of origin or wherever they arrived from.
In my opinion, a good example of a group of people who work and live amongst us whom are very respectful,courteous and polite, are Filipinos. Very rare do you ever hear of them getting into problems at work or in their daily lives. As for them isolating themselves amongst one another, perhaps if we invited them into our way of live more than just working for us, we would see a difference.
As Obama once said, "We are a nation of immigrants, can we all just get along together"
I say kick the current LOGB out and put Mr. Miller in!!!
We are being destabilised intentionally. the British have done this with every colony that they have lost. they would never allow us to walk away with dignity, they need to destroy our ability to support ourselves before they let us go. It’s like getting a divorce. No one wants to see their spouse walk away in a stronger position than themselves so they do little things to destroy that person and weaken them. If the UK lets us walk away untouched we could possiblythreaten her one day on some level or worse yet, prove to the other OTs that they could do the same thing, that we really don’t need mother….I once met an Indian man who said "I would rather clean toilets that work for an Englishman" – It took me a while but now I see his point…cleaning toilets wont get your hands as dirty…and its honest work in comparison.
CNS (Nicky): I’m English. Don’t you think that insulting Brits collectively is as silly as insulting Caymanians collectively? Nations are made up of people – some good, some bad.
Also, Northside MLA Ezzard Miller would like to note that this Mr Miller is not him.
Ignorant & Racist – should run for office
Let’s invade Poland as well!
I am sure that if your theory is true about destabilisation, your comments have truly helped the process gather speed.
I am sure your efforts, possibly unbeknown to yourself as to how helpful, will be truly rewarded!
So sit back and lay low, stash the secret morse transmitting equipment away in the attic for the time being and wait for further instruction.
I am going to get some "Team Ezzard" t-shirts printed – any orders?
And then I am going to move to North Side so I can vote for him next time.
Finally – a Caymanian representative truly representing Caymanians – and speaking with frankness and confidence – in the old school style of our MLAs.
I may not have always liked him, but right now – only Ezzard is saying what needs to be said.
I bet you "LOTTO TIME" haha. that if all the members of the house expressed their true colors as Mr.Miller have done, the Governor would think twice before he or mother country attack us. Yes, Mr Miller will feel the winds of the windy Britts, they will attack him, his family and anyone affiliated with him but we all know that he can take it.Boy North Siders you all made a good choice there, can we clone him.
He is correct in saying that the Uk destroys the OT that come up against her and leaves them in such dishevel that they never recover again, look at South Africa,Sri lanka so many others that she have destroyed. My father and all the elders of this Island beleived that the mother country was everything, they didnt care that she was bleeding us,destroying our name in the financial world they just knew that she is our mother country so respect was due.Well I am 60 years old, and I do not have ANY respect for her, her Governor,her FCO,Senior Inspectors etc,etc, until they stop destroying us. They are a bunch of wolves in sheep,s clothing.
Come November 6th. 2009 we should be making Ezzard Premier as it seems he is the only one with the cohones to stand up for the Caymanian people against what seems to be a definate plan to hold a big stick over our heads.
Ezzard Miller has bigger balls than my "Jersey Bull" and my "Senepol Bull" combined !!!!!
I admire the man for taking the FCO and the UK "Colonial Masters" to task.
I say, as soon as we get our asses out of this mess and become financially boyant again, let’s seek independence from the UK.
Why stay a British Overseas Territory when all the UK wants to do is drag you down, chew you up and spit you out.
When Ivan hit us in 2004 when we needed their help most, what did we get from them ?? A couple of bundles of tarpolin and a few bottles of expired tetnus shots. Now that is what I call "Motherly Love" !!!!!
Thank you sir.