Mac blames bureaucracy

| 09/03/2010

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman headline news, Cayman politics(CNS): Roadblocks and bureaucracy are holding up important projects, the premier told the country on Monday evening during an address to update the public on government finances. He also blamed the opposition for attracting bad international publicity with meetings, petitions and marches. “With all the agitation being hyped up by the opposition, we will lose all the chances of turning around the economy,” Bush said. He also said the opposition to divesting the new government building would have serious consequences. During his address Bush said government had no choice but to cut public sector salaries and benefits in order to reduce the anticipated deficit of $62 million.

Although revenue predictions have declined by more than $70milllion, Bush said that a report from the financial secretary showed that revenue measures implemented in the October budget were working, but he did not explain how this was so. The problem, the premier stated, was that government expenditure was really high. “Too high and we must cut,” Bush told the nation.

“I recognize that any cut insalaries will hurt but it is better than losing jobs. Nevertheless, I know that any cut will hurt all concerned,” he said, adding that he would be approaching the private sector to help the civil service by asking the supermarkets to give 10% reduction on their grocery bill twice a month, asking CUC to give a 10% reduction, for Cayman Airways to give 20% on needed travel, the Water Authority and the water company to give a 10% reduction, and he said he would ask the banks to cut interest. “Everyone needs to help at this time; that is the way we can make some changes,” he said.

During his half hour address, as well as pointing the finger again at the opposition for causing the financial problems that the country faces, Bush expressed his frustration that government plans to reignite the economy were being hampered by bureaucracy and what he described as “road blocks”.

Speaking about government’s determination not to use the new Government Administration Building to boost the treasury coffers, he said this would now cause further hardship.

“We made the decision that there will not be a divestment of the new Government Administration Building because of the ruckus by the PPM, but this decision has adverse consequences,” Bush warned. He said the forecast operating bank account balance for government of $21 million was based on the sale of the GOAB. Without the sale, government would be looking at an overdraft of around $38 million at the fiscal year end, some $15 million over its current limit. As a result government would need to borrow around CI$112 million in the upcoming financial year to complete the new Government Administration Building, road-works that can be linked directly to the building, and to complete the two new high schools.

The GOAB was also having an impact on this year’s figures, Bush explained, saying that the government would now need to find this year’s payment on the building. “The non-divestment of the building has resulted in a material reduction of approximately CI$97 million in our bank account balance,” he added.

Bush said, however, that there was still hope to divest the sewage system. “The divestment of the sewer system that is presently owned by the Water Authority remains a viable proposition and government wishes to proceed with haste now, but carefully, with this particular matter,” the premier said, stating that if government was allowed to get on with its proposed projects, people would have jobs, businesses, money and government would receive additional revenues, reducing the need to cut civil service jobs.

He said government had to move quicker on the cruise ship berthing facility and the new sewage system, amongst other things, but he said “pure bureaucracy” was preventing government from moving ahead. “The government machinery, government systems and government workers’ job is to ensure that work is done to help people,” he said, taking aim at the administrative arm of government. “That is what government’s job is. But when people are out of work and there is no money to do anything with, how are we going to help our people to get jobs and feed their families if their elected representatives can’t do their jobs because of bureaucracy?”

He said it had been over eight months talking about the projects and they needed to be done. "The sewage system needs to be built because we are destroying ourselves with the waste that is going into our water system and the sea. We don’t see it but it is hurting our people and theenvironment,” the premier told the people, adding that the project would employ up to a 1000 workers, and government was not funding it but receiving additional revenues.

“We need the support of the Water Authority on this and we have been at this for 6 months or more. It is time that we actually get to the point where an acceptable company is chosen and to commence the project to expand the system and get our people employed,” Bush stated. “The cruise port is another project to safeguard the cruise industry and protect a key contributor to our GDP. This project will bring additional revenues and businesses. We must now choose the contractor and start the work!  Even when a contracting company is chosen, the commencement of work will take some time. But government now need to at least get to the point of starting the work.

“The bureaucracy has taken 9 months to get us to this point, but we have not yet gotten to the point of starting the projects – not one bag of cement poured, not one hole dug, not one cement blocked laid. People, it is time to start work but hurdles are constantly being put in the way of the government!he exclaimed.

He also accused the opposition of making noise about government not meeting with them on the budget, but the premier said they had offered no alternatives or solutions to the problems they had left the country with. Bush said the civil servants would find the savings as they know where the money is being spent, but the opposition would not know so they cannot help.

“In fact, you the people just kicked them out because of their mismanagement and the bad situation they have created for these islands. Now they want to tell us what to do with the budget?” Bush asked. “A new budget will be presented at the end of April. They can put forward their detailed suggestions then, as they should. If they have any idea on how to do it better, they can also put their details on paper and give it to us, and if it is something not being done and make sense then I will consider it, but I will not take the budget to them at this time. The opposition have already played too much politics.”

The premier went on to say that the people should not allow the PPM to mislead them into doing the wrong things, and everything the UDP government was doing now was in the best interests of the country.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Face reality, The PPM is the one that gets the country in this mess. I could not envision them running another term, have you ever imagine what the Cayman Islands would be like had they been in for a second term.

    THEY HAVE MADE SUCH A BIG MESS AND UDP IS LEFT TO CLEAN UP THAT MESS.

    It is pathetic ..Chales Clifford of all the people wanting a Public March. It is expected of him because he had only his personal interest at heart (wanted to be seen in the spotlight)  and not the Caymanian peoples interests.

     

    All the members of the PPM need to stand aside..there is just no working together here…there objective is to sink the country further.

    The premier is at least trying his best… something the PPM Should have been doing instead of squandering Government funds and sending the country into the biggest mess ever.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I wonder when the Barefoot Man is going to make a song on MacKeeva and his PPM Blame game? Barefoot?????

  3. Anonymous says:

    Ok let me see if I get this straight.. it’s difficult to keep up with the ever changing stories from the Premier.   He is now going to approach utility companies etc to give the civil servants a break cause he has decidedon a whim and without very much thought that salary cut is the answer to the country’s problem.  So when the companies can’t meet their obligations because they are now giving breaks to some 3000 civil servants… then what????  I am sorry, but this country is gone to hell in a gas tank, hand basket whatever term you want to use. 

    "Where there is no vision, the people perish"  Proverbs 29:18

    • Anonymous says:

      I doubt these companies will freely give out these discounts without some sort of trade-back to recover the monies lost.  In other words, the civil servants get reductions on all their household expenses, and the private sector workers get to pay for all of their own household bills, plus (through indirect taxation) the civil servant discounts negotiated by Bush too.  This is all sounding very familiar… like how the tax payer in the private sector pays the civil servants pension and health insurance contributions in addition to their own…. nice (not)!

      I don’t agree with cutting the salaries of civil servants in the lower pay scale.  I absolutely agree that the MLA’s and those in management positions should take a drastic pay cut… more, much more than what is offered on the table now.  But I do think its only fair that civil servants, like everyone else in this country, pay their own healthcare and pension contributions. 

      Private sector workers, contrary to common opinion, are often paid around the same, if not less than civil servants on the lower salary scales, and already suffer enough hardship without being expected to cough up for civil servant contributions.

  4. Wake me when it's over says:

    "Forget the PPM.  Can WE take a peak at the budget??"

    "No!!"

    "Why not??  It’s our budget and you just said we’ll all have to work together."

    "It’s a secret budget."

    "How are we supposed to work together if we don’t know what we’re working on?"

    "I’m working on balancing the budget and getting roadblocks out of the way!!  That’s all you need to know!!!"

    "Well then.  Can you give us…some idea… of what was in the report you asked them to do… for us…. about our finances?  It’s kind of a roadblock for us."

    "No!!"

    "Why??"

    "It’s a secret."

    "If we can’t see what’s in the budget. Or see the report. Or have any idea where to start

    Is there some other way we can work together?"

    "Yes!!  Stop asking questions!!!!"

    • Truth sucks says:

      Let’s face it, Mac is keeping it all secret for one big reason.  He is painted into a corner.  Through his fault or not – although if he acted 6 months ago, we would possibly have moved forwards instead of back, but either way, he is in a corner.  There is nothing he can do that won’t seriously p!$$ off some of his support base.  So hold it all secret, don’t let anyone see or have a chance to comment – take it all to Londan where HE KNOWS they are going to impose some SERIOUS rules and guidelines.

      He is only hoping that you and me, Joe and Jessica Public BUY THE FACT that the UK forced it on us.

      Truth is, if they had seen even the slightest move in the right direction, they would have edged us on like a fractious child coming around.  Instead, we stood around, acted like we knew it all, went backwards, and now need a good lickin’.

      Although the UK are going to force it on us, it is our own government’s lack of action over the past few months that brought it on.

      Stop blaming others, quit the "I don’t want to upset anyone with my decisions" and make some tough calls, suffer the licks and then any self respecting Caymanian will stand by you – me included – and I am not even UDP.  I just want STRONG, DECISIVE leadership.

      If I wanted the flip-flopping of the last few months, I would have pulled a fish out of water, threw him down and watched him jump around – our current leadership is no more decisive!!!

       

    • Anonymous says:

      The budget is not secret, it was delivered by the Hon. FS last year, the reality is that this is all there is, the Hon. FS can not produce serious consistent numbers for the next year.

      The report is another issue….

  5. A Bodden says:

    PPM Leaders, Asume Your Responsibility

    I am a PPM Supporter And Will NEVER CHANGE! If you know that you overspend then just say so because everybody make mistakes and you are only human beings. But I understand your intent for our country . My problem is that if you messed up and trying to cover up then you are no better than the UDP.

  6. rampin-n-ravin! says:

    Mac’s ramping-n-raving continues.  When will he come to the realisation that everytime he opens his mouth there’s some non-sencial idea that drips and ozzes out one side and a few days later then another non-sensical idea drips-n-ozzes out the other side that contradicts the first dripping and ozzing.  "The matter of the fact" is what really, really offense me, what really, really insults me, and what really, really degrades me is that HE is considered a Caymanian. Now when all is considered, the general international and locate perception made by most, is that all of us are like him.  This is where I have to give thanks to God for Jesus and great parenting!! Now when I consider the following statement, I read with disgust at the lack of professional behavior he lacks… “A new budget will be presented at the end of April. They can put forward their detailed suggestions then, as they should. If they have any idea on how to do it better, they can also put their details on paper and give it to us, and if it is something not being done and make sense then I will consider it, but I will not take the budget to them at this time. The opposition have already played too much politics.”

  7. Beachboi says:

    There certainly must be a section of the Constitution that would allow us to remove the Premier from office if he is found / determined to be mentally incompetent.  WELL THAT IS THE CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This man has competely lost his mind!  By this statement I am not suggesting that he ever had one!!  I will not go further as everyone before me has pretty much echoed my feelings.  I dont care who will take his place buy McKeeva Bush has GOT TO GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      i agree, but don’t you know who the deputy premier is?……zzzzzz

  8. Anonymous says:

    Hey how come they get a dscount on Cayman Airways? Us private sector workers don’t get any discounts? Despite already being paid way less and having to cough up for health insurance etc. And to be fair we work a lot harder and have a lot less job security.

  9. Mindshift! says:

    I kinda feel bad for him, because this economic crunch is so unforeseen dueto Cayman living the good life for so long and he and his cabinet are clearly out of their depths. I wouldn’t want his job right now, but I know what I would do if I had it, I would get some really really good advice from some very smart people who have gotten themselves out of messes like this before. Fact is, Mac is a business man, but the CI Gov has never been run like a business but more like a make work and make job project (no offense intended to civil servants)

    I agree with the previous poster and homeowner who said that property tax is doable. It is, though no-one will like it, but what are the alternatives? What happens if this budget is not approved? Do the Brits march in and take over like in Turks? That would be very bad for business, and frankly, that is why we are all here, indigenous or exotic, we’re all here to make a good living for our families.

    Expect the worst and hope for the best!

    To all those CI original posters out there who claim that expats can just go home when the s**t hits the fan, easier said than done when you’ve been here most of your adult life, got house, work and spouse here and home is where the heart is, even if ya can’t vote! My feeling is we are all in this together, come hell or high water ;o)

    • Anonymous says:

      Businessman??

      I didn’t realize that McKeeva had ever been involved in a successful business. Which one would that be?

      McKeeva said that it didn’t take a high school education (of which he does not have) to run a country. Seems to be proving that wrong…

      Scary

  10. Anonymous says:

    Here’s a thought for everyone that came from a discussion I recently had…

    How about dropping import duties to 15% for 6 months.  After that time has expired then increase them back to 22% or even higher to 25% or somewhere there abouts. 

    This will be an immediate incentive for business and therefore increasing overall revenue.  It’s the same sort of thing people in the business world do everyday… if you want to sell a lot of an item you drop the price for a short period.  This results in more product being sold than if it had remained at an average price. 

    Imagine a developer trying to decide where to build next and they look at us and see this new attractive incentive and start to spread the word on how good of a deal it is; we will certainly have another building boom. 

    The other side of the coin is that everyone is sharing in the bailout.  It is certainly unfair at best that Civil servants should bare the responsibility of the costs when everyone uses Police, Fire, Medical, road system, schooling, etc.

    This is spread evenly and will grow the economy again. 

    My 2 Cents!

  11. Anonymous says:

    If the Government and the Opposition would work together in developing a solution instead of the present practice of working towards solutions separately and then arguing with each other which is the best solution, and whose fault it is for our current situation, there would be no road blocks and bureaucracy that the Premier is complaining about as we would all be working together on the same problem.  I guess the only problem with this is one party won’t get the credit for fixing the problems.

  12. Anonymous says:

     

    Here is McKeeva’s Problem which is now our problem.
    He says:
     
    "The government machinery, government systems and government workers’ job is to ensure that work is done to help people, That is what government’s job is. But when people are out of work and there is no money to do anything with, how are we going to help our people to get jobs and feed their families."
     
    It is flawed thinking by the Leader of Government to think or say out loud that it is government’s purpose to help people by employing them when they are out of work. THIS IS SOOOOO WRONG! Government’s purpose is not to be a giant employment agency or employer of the masses. Government’s purpose is not to own airlines, tourist attractions and insurance companies. Historically, governments are notoriously bad at operating businesses. This government is no different. Every single for profit enterprise owned by government here from Cayman Airways to Pedro Castle and the Turtle Farm is a disastrous failure and waste of money and will continue to drain us all dry until we remove these albatrosses from our necks.
     Governments’ purpose is to make sure that societies’ basic needs are met with regard to transportation, communication, utilities, education and health. The private sector will naturally take care of things like tourism attractions, airlines, etc if not over taxed or overly regulated. A free market economy is the solution here. When governments try to take control of peoples lives it usually results in societies like Cuba, Venezuela and other socialist type governments where one man DICTATES to the rest of us what is good for us. Mckeeva needs to understand that less government is the solution and that if allowed, capitalism will correct and bring back a balance in our society. In this case, less really is better. Less civil servants, less pay for unskilled labour, reduced electricity and insurance rates and less duties and fees. All will make for a more streamlined cost effective economy. McKeeva needs to re-think the purpose of government and realize that one of thedefinitions of insanity is to repeat the same action over and over and expect a different result. His basic political view of how the world works is flawed and until he makes some changes to his way of thinking, we can be sure that not only will nothing change; things will get really bad very quickly.
     
     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      But, why is it up to what or why he thinks? Isn’t he a part of a Team/Party of supposedily smart educated people ? I have to agree that he has the makings of a dictator. I have always felt this way.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Yea Yea, it’s never McKeevas fault.

    Always quick to cast the blame elsewhere – TYPICAL!

    Whatever it is, be it, advertising of the sale of the GOAB in the papers or on the Government website,or everything else, it is never McKeevas fault, give us a break.

    You can fool some people some of the time BUT you cant fool all the people all of the time!

  14. Voice of the People says:

             The PPM Apology March( The Priceless event should be live on CITN and  can you please wear the color red that identify your time in office as the darkest time in Cayman history with massive wasteful  spending and record budget deficits)

    1-The PPM government had to know that their excessive borrowings could result in increase in taxes and duties and sale of public assets in order to comply with the requirements of the financial law and meet repayments and interest payments on these large loans.They must also known that the  two massive and very expensive schools and administration building would be unfinished and the new government will be faced with further large payments to be made to complete these unfinished buildings.

    2-The PPM government did not make public any credible plan on repayment of these borrowings.What is the PPM’s solution to the financial crisis they caused????Why did they not follow the advice given to reduce the cost of and do these projects in affordable stages and within government’s means?

    3-As if the last PPM government has not already hurt Caymanians and their children enough,Mr Charles Clifford,former PPM government minister,now proposes a public march.This will further hurt the Cayman Islands image and its people.

    4-I suggest that what Mr Clifford should organize is an APOLOGY MARCH for the last PPM government ministers to walk to the Government Administration Building and apologize to the Cayman people for the excessive debt that their government borrowed during the four-year term and do so one for month until the debt is repaid to an amount for the local public management and financial law to be complied with.

  15. Anonymous says:

    “We made the decision that there will not be a divestment of the new Government Administration Building because of the ruckus by the PPM,"

     

    If that is true, it is time for Mac to step down.  He is obviously too weak to do what he believes is right for the country.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh please !!! Truth is he forgot to read the law – funds from the sale of government assets can not be used for debt !

      But lets blame the PPM again… the same old blame again.

    • Anonymous says:

      This about says it all.  Blaming the PPM "ruckus" for his inability to do what isright. Sounds like a strong leader to me. Afraid of a "ruckus".

       

      Where are the other elected officials are they afraid to speak up. What is the hold over them?

  16. Marek says:

    I posted this on another blog here on CNS but it should be here as well.

    We have a $500 million outstanding loan balance and are running losses of $75 million a year. At 5% simple interest weare racking up $25 million in interest payments on that debt…

    To operate in the black and pay this debt off in ten years would require additional annual income of approximately $150 million …

    That’s simple math and those are simply the facts. Cutting costs by $9 million (while admirable) isn’t going to put a dent in a $150 million problem.

    Income tax, is out of the question. You could kiss our banking industry and half our population goodbye.

    Lotteries are just plain silly. PLEASE everybody stop saying lottery…lottery…lottery… there are only 50,000 people here. Remove all that are too old, too young, too poor or have personal reasons for not getting involved. NOW, take the remaining number and divide by two for households… at BEST you would have 5-6,000 weekly players spending perhaps $10 a week… it would take FOUR MONTHS to get to a million bucks … assuming 100% of ticket purchases went to prizes. 

    Property tax, is unfortunately the only practical way to solve this problem.  We can/could/should agree/approve a property tax of 2% provided that these funds were used for the sole purpose of paying off the national debt and that once this is accomplished the property tax is repealed.

    This solves ALL our problems. Government is funded, UK is happy, we all save money in the long run… all projects get funded and completed.

    In ten years… we would be the only totally debt free country in the world.

    By the way, by paying off the national debt. We are not paying $25,000,000 a year in interest payments… that savings then become excess income that can be used for so many good local causes. Education, housing, social activities, historical properties, housing for the poor, health care and more.

    We could cap the property tax at $25,000, we could exempt all senior citizens or homes that have been with the same title for more than 25 years.

    Between all the business properties and private homes this would be a tax base of perhaps 20,000 properties… meaning ‘average’ annual taxes of about $6,000… 70% would be well below that number, with the remaining 30% being above that number.

    As a homeowner, I am willing to contribute 2% a year forten years … to pay off the national debt, to support the building of our schools, the retention of the new government office building and making The Cayman Islands the only debt free country in the world.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Do you really think that once there is a tax that the government will rescind that tax, EVER? We already pay taxes, it’s called duty. The Turtle Farm was Mr Bush’s idea wasn’t it. 65 Million borrowed to build and loosing $400,000.00 – $600,000.00 a month. Come on, sell it or close it.

    • If only. says:

      Conceptually a great idea, but a couple of questions –

      Who is going to do the valuation?  Based on what?  Price paid?  If bought within the last 5-8 years, I would hope so since most real estate has stagnated in that time.  If the value was good enough for Lands and Survey at the time, don’t let them wild to over inflate values as they try and use this as a revenue measure…

      How would we enforce collection?  A lot of Caymanians are land rich and cash poor and will be crying out that this will force them to sell out to cover the costs…

      How would we guarantee the government of the day will honour the repeal in 10 years?  If they can arbitrarily change employment contracts for every civil servant at the stroke of a brush now, who will force them to do what no country I have ever heard of do…  Repeal a tax.  Once that source of funds is tapped, it will not be turned off – if anything, as the easy money is realised, the tap will be turned on a little more at a time – 2% becomes 2-1/2% and the arguement will always be – but it is so much less that everywhere else.

      Well, the zero % we have now is also a lot less and I don’t believe anyone would honestly expect things to play out in the very reasonable, rational and quite honestly, well thought out plan you proposed.  

      But I live in hope…

      Also, would businesses and individuals be subject to taxation at the same rate?

      Since the waste management fees are the most delinquent, I guess we could repeal them and roll that into the destination of these revenues, at least then everyone would be paying for their garbage collection – too many deadbeats think this is a right, and they should not pay…

      Well done on the proposal – with luck it will lead to constructive suggestions that can be used to fine tune it.

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Here is a previously posted reply as well.

      In the real world, giving the government more money is like supplying drugs to a junkie. The solution lies in insisting that government uses the existing resources wisely.  

      It is naive in the extreme to think that a new tax would by used next year or the year after exclusively for a current objective. No government is going to be constrained to using any form of tax revenue for a purpose agreed by a previous government. Under our law no future government can be legally constrained to follow an agreement on the use of tax monies made by a previous government. A property tax designed to pay off the national debt would likely end up being a property tax funding some future politician’s private jet and royal palace or corrupt deals designed to benefit a politician and his cronies.

      Anyone thinking that a future government will be able to resist the temptation to use the taxpayer’s money on ego boosting or self-serving deals (Boatswain Bay comes to mind) needs to think again.

      What does our current Premier do when confronted by the dire state of the country’s finances – he spends hundreds of thousands on himself including improvements to his personal property and hiring personal servants all at our expense.

      The only thing for certain is that if there is a property tax of 2% introduced this year, then in 5 years it will be 5% and the country will be in more debt than ever. Why would anyone expect that politician’s who cannot constrain themselves to live within available resources today, be willing to show constraint if we give them more of our hard earned money.

       

  17. anonymous says:

    PPM, PPM, PPM, PPM, PPM Zzzzzzzzzzz….He goes to sleep blaming PPM and he wakes up blaming PPM.  9 Months later and he still Flip Flopping and blaming PPM.  Now he wants PPM to put their suggestions forward on paper for him to steal their ideas and put it in his April budget and say that its UDP budget.  People of the Cayman Islands you need to kick this man out of your Government, as he has no solutions but to build a dock, sell your building and cut your Pensions and salaries. Then after he spends your money he expects YOU the people to pay for his expenses.  All Mac wants is more money for his pocket and his travels, he is the one going on the International market scene and telling the world about Cayman’s internal problems.  He tells them we are broke and he tells them that they don’t need any Cayman Partners to start up a Company here.  He is the man destroying these Islands for the love of money and rich friendship.  MacKeeva is a Flip Flopper and is too rational and helter skelter, he scares me.  He has NO new ideas.  Get rid of him now, before he completely destroys our economy and run everyone that means us well,out.

  18. Young.KY.female says:

    Hmm 20% Cayman Airways discount, huh?  Clearly he knows that this is a huge cost.  The real question is: who determines what travel is "needed?"

     

    • Well, duh... says:

      For a start, every MLA and their kin are automatically enrolled…

       Seriously, though, force a money losing airline to give discounts to save the residents so that Government can finance it and continue to bleed out the yin-yang on this old albatross?

      Seriously, why not have government give everyone $75 in cash to use as they wish – necessary travel or not…  Same thing, right?

      Besides, in most cases, this necessary travel is to go shopping overseas that only cuts out the local retailer who then has to cut his costs – or possibly, your hours…

      DOH!!  No offence to you – thanks for bringing up the obvious and allowing the train of thought to go on…

    • Anonymous says:

      I was thinking the same thing… if anyone is making money it’s CUC and if anyone isn’t, it’s Cayman Airways.  Right now McKeevas travel bill is keeping them afloat! And the government owns Cayman Airways! He’s effectively adding to the problem – who has to bail out the airline when they’re failing? The government! So essentially, he’s taking out a loan with interest by asking them to give them a discount = more debt.

      Perhaps he should look more into changing the laws that surround CUC and their ever-increasing price hikes.

      And I really don’t care who he employs in his own house or what renovations etc he wants to do to it, but it should come out of his salary! Businesses give allowances for fitness, maybe childcare even but come onnnnn…. 

      Let’s be honest, neither party is the solution – Cayman has come too far in the private sector to be run by the same old politicians who never really had to do much before.  But not collaborating simply because it’s a "he said, she said" game and they’re both afraid of who will get credit is embarrassing and pathetic!

      And to admit there’s a crime problem is no closer to proposing a solution! Why isn’t anything being done? It’s not the task of the police force to pick up on those who have fallen through the cracks due to failed parenting. There need to be more solutions!!!!!!

       

  19. Anonymous says:

    Everyone is to blame except the "Village Idiot" huh ?

     

     

  20. Lachlan MacTavish says:

     Party politrics, finger pointing, for the good of the party, its the other parties fault…..time to stop politicing…..we really have history changing serious issues. Why do we need huge capital projects when we are in crisis. We have no income, we have no way to service debt, we will be borrowing more money soon. Why a huge dock for a few. Projects…we don’t need projects to change and survive we need new structure and income streams, we need to spend less, reduce the CS and privitize and shut down red money pits like the Turtle Farm…….I noticed crime has been ignored again.

  21. Anonymous says:

    OMG when is this man going to stop. Mr. Bush what  in the world are you thinking my question is ARE  you even doing that? Lets cut the Civil Servants pay and then i will ask for a discount for them .How in the world is this going to help these people and there families please explain because all this is doing is making things worst for the people of this Country. Ok Mr. Wil from Chambers what is your solution to this one are you going to give the Civil Servants a Discount too? Honestly i wish England would step in and take this country over because this will not stop till they do. 

  22. Bureaucracy says:

    Bureaucracy blames Mac

  23. Anonymous says:

    We need to grow the economy. Further controls and immigration restrictions will not reduce the number of Caymanians unemployed, will push more business away and there will be more redundancies, mainly of expats but Caymanians will be affected.

    If the population continues to dicrease the economy shrinks and unemployment of nationals grows no matter how strict immigration is or how the rollover is applied. Does anybody know how many people have left in the last year?

    If anybody thinks that the business that went away is purely because of the global downturn and will magically return, then they are simply wrong, the retoric of this country is becoming less and less welcoming to foreigners. Companies are looking to other places.

    I do feel sorry for the all of you, in the end expats have their country to go back to, Caymanians will be left to leave in the mess of a shrinking economy or be forced to live the life of an expat as they have no choice but to migrate, and then will see the reality of it.

  24. Anonymous says:

    ouch.. my head hurts after reading such nonsense…

    another bad day at the office for maceeva as he constantly flip flops about every issue

  25. Anonymous says:

    ???…

    so private companies are going to offer discounts to civil service? they won’t being doing this out of the goodness of their hearts they will just add the 10% back on elsewher and we go back to square one: the private sector subsidising the civil servant of this country

    how come nobody comes to the defence of the people in the private sector who have lost their jobs in the last year or likemost people who still have jobs but have had the salaries reduced10-15%?

     

     

     

  26. Anonymous says:

    focus on racism towards your country men

  27. Anonymous says:

    CNS – thank you for this detailed report. I took the time to watch the televised presentation last evening and found a lot of it completely incoherent. Seeing in print what was said last night scares me.

    I don’t support either political party, but I think that somehow we need to get a new Premier. I am terrified that the person who appeared on TV last night is the one that is going to negotiate with the UK on behalf of my country.

    Last night’s speech was not made up of off the cuff remarks. It appeared to be our Premier attempting to read a prepared speech from a tele-prompter. He gave me no confidence that he had any idea of the meaning of the numbers he was trying to read out.

    A few days ago I recall the Premier saying to the country that the new government building had never been for sale. Last night he said that it was only because of the intervention of the PPM that his government backed down on their intention to sell the building. He can not even keep his own story straight.

    The Premier said that the reason nothing is happening with this government was the bureacracy. I suspect that what he meant was that things like the Constitution and the laws of this country which are designed to protect the interests of all of the people are getting in the way of deals that will benefit a few.

     

  28. Baya 4 life says:

    I think he should stop work on his personal house which is being paid from Govt money.  that is a good start there.  I think the people wouldn’t have a peoblem if it was the peoples permier house but it is his personal house.  once he is out of Govt then he will have nice place paid for by the people money.  and he said he is doing a job for us the people.  come on….please….