Budget delayed until 6:30
(CNS): Updated Friday 2:50pm — The budget presentation has been delayed a few more hours and the premier will be now be delivering the 2011/12 Budget in the Legislative Assembly at 6:30 this evening, officials have announced. As a result of needing to get UK approval, time is ticking for government, which must have all of the appropriations approved by Finance Committee before the end of this month. The start time, however, is outside of the regular hours of the House and will require a suspension of Standing Orders. The late sitting has raised concerns from Ezzard Miller, the MLA for North Side, who says he has written to the speaker to complain about the unorthodox start time and the lack of notice.
Government was forced to delay delivering the actual budget presentation following the Throne Speech by the governor last month as it waited for the FCO to approve the document, which, as a result of the levels of spending on civil service personnel, had raised concerns, the premier has said.
It is not clear what government has had to do to gain the UK’s approval but officials said government had spoken with the FCO representatives yesterday morning.
The Legislative Assembly sent out notice on Thursday evening that the country’s parliament would be sitting Friday afternoon in order for the premier, in his role as finance minister, to deliver the long awaited annual government spending plans for the next financial year.
Government is expected to deliver a plan with a small deficit, despite the three year plan calling for a $10 milllion surplus, with an aproximate 7% cut in spending on civil service costs.
In the wake of the news that the House would be reconvening at 4:30 pm on the eve of a public holiday weekend, Miller wrote immediately to the speaker, boycotting the sitting in protest.
Noting that as he is not a member of the business committee, he said he was not informed of the meeting until 6:14 pm Thursday when he received an email from the deputy clerk on behalf of the speaker.
“I find this notice to be totally unacceptable, both in the period of notice given and the time of 4:30 when it is scheduled to begin,” Miller said.
He pointed out that the House had been adjourned for longer than seven days and the meeting to deal with the Budget had been postponed on four separate occasions. This suggested that while the budget presentaiotn might be in the public interest, it could not be urgent.
“I will not be attending in protest to the disrespect being shown to the minority in the House,” he added.
It is understood that the premier will present the budget but the meeting will be adjourned before the debate begins, giving the opposition members time to consider the documents before offering their position.
Category: Politics
I don't kown! I don't Know! I don't know where I'm gonna go when the volcano blow, don't want to live in no tax jurisdication, no crime ridden islands, no 100K population oh I don't know, I wonder if they will give me the island in South Sound.
Welcome Welcome, one and all to the B-a-n-a-n-a Republic.
From 1st World to 3rd World.
Civil Servants must be quite pleased with the budget yoyoing on and off. Looks like some scatterbrained plan.
According to the Caymanian Compass online today, Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, has stood at the Queen’s side for nearly 60 years. He is recognised the world over and has become the longest serving consort whoin British history. But he has told the BBC that he had to work out for himself what his role was “by trial and error”.
“There was no precedent. If I asked somebody, ‘What do you expect me to do?’ they all looked blank. They had no idea, nobody had much idea.”
So if the top people in the mother country have no idea and fly by the seat of their pants, what can we expect from our MLA's who have no training themselves. Can they look to the UK for expert guidance or local senior civil servants many of whom themselves are clueless and need to be retired.
Really hard to find someone to support here:
1) UDP: MIA leader avoiding transparency in all government dealings.
2) PPM: Couldn't make a single decision during their administration, almost bankrupt a country with extravagant spending and put financial industry at risk by ignoring the convenient scapegoat policies of foreign governments.
3) Independant: With xenophobic base economic ideas that will have all of us back working as wreckers plundering ships and he can't be bothered to make a late meeting as traffic will really suck.
Does anyone know if there is anything in our legislation giving power to "none of the above" or "blank ballot" voting?
solution = direct rule for 2 years
Contract out the administration of the Islands to the private sector, and give the population drop-in referendums quarterly so they can vote to fire the administration every 3 months if they don't perform. Have the UK supervise the contractor, to ensure that it is being done for the best interests of Cayman and Caymanians.
You see, the basic problem is that there just isn't the talent pool on-island to form an effective government (there are talented people here to be certain, but they are not standing for office). That can't be fixed, so you have to go outside the pool.
I bet the Dart Group could form a division to administer the Islands effectively, and he wouldn't need a massive office building to run it. I'd say 10 of his current staff could do it, working on it one afternoon a week.
Further budgetary delays?
Great uncertainty?
Pressure from the UK?
Restricted from further "borrowing"?
Imparato declaring his full intention to "press on" with his proposal by way of a presentation to government TODAY (of all possible days)??
See where I am going with this …?
The timing of all of this is very suspiscious indeed.
I wonder if a "deal" is not being hashed out behind the scenes – hence the ongoing chaotic developments of the past 48 hours?
Only time will tell … I sincerely hope that this is just my imagination running wild – I would actually love to be proven foolish in this particular regard.
To CIFUBAR
I prefer CISNAFU
I think we're on the same page …
CISNAFUBAR
And the nominees for the Cayman Arts Festival Prize for Fiction 2011 are:
1) MacKeeva Bush for "2011/2012 budget".
2) Joe Imperato for "Environmental Impact Assessment"
3) Steve McField for "Closing Speech VIII – Sacred Vessel"
Listening to Mr Bush quote JFK, "ask not what your country can do for you…", is nauseating. Mr. Bush, ask yourself what you can do for your country. And answer us why you have never taken the pay cut that you promised you would. Hypocritical hyperbole.
The thought of the Premier quoting JFK reminds of a joke I once heard:
The prime minister and his finance minister of a nearby caribbean country were taking a helicopter ride over their country's largest city. The finance minister reached in his pocket and threw out $15 and said "That will make one poor person happy". The prime minister counted out 15 different notes and threw them down to the city and smiled "That will make 15 poor people happy".
The helicopter looked back at them and said "Why the two of you dont jump out of the bombo cloth helicopter and make everybody happy?"
Lucky for us in our case we would just need one person to jump out of the helicopter!
"Ask not what your territory can do for you, but whether your country might come over from London and take the Premier's toys away . . ."
Bush wins. I'm already drunk and I just don't care anymore. He can do what he like. I give up.
me too. Bartender, another beer.
I'm in, make mine carbon monoxide and laughing gas.
Come on guys, what did you expect. 4:30 is lunch time for BIG Mac!
In all seriousness though, the running of this country is a joke. That is a shame since there are so many good and kind Caymanians.
Well, run then!!!! I have been here from 1980……Jim Bodden days…..Mac is doing an excellent job!!!!!!!lllLove and admire and respect him……I have seen no one raise their head above the pack, that could reduce the deficit during the worst financial crisis our generation has known…..If you can do better, then please do….respectfully.
Mr. Bush must learn to have more respect for the "mother country." He must try to understand that, whether he likes it or not, he is the Premier of an overseas territory and is subservient to the British Government. The Premier chose to ignore, with arrogant distain, the recommendations of the Miller report with respect to executing signifcant cuts in the size of the civil service, and he chose to lodge a budget that did not address this issue; that was obviously going to be unacceptible to the UK. Whilst the Premier may be able to bully his comrades in the LA and the people of Cayman with his despotic style of leadership, perhaps this episode will make it dawn on him that if you treat the British Government with utter contempt you'll get your wrist slapped and come out looking like a real plonker.
Thank you Mr. Bush…..I travel…..I see what is going on in other countries. We are so, so lucky…..Shame on Mr. Alden, I have a memory like an elephant. I know why were are here. Doesn't mattter much now, the past is the past , but I see through Mr. Alden. How dare he try tomake us forget. It's fun to spend money,like he did, but not fun to dig out. I won't let him near my checkbook, thank you.
New in theathers now!!!!!! The Delay Part 3!!!!! Starring BIG MAC!
part 3???…that was 2 weeks ago….
Wu Wu Wu Weeeee going down boys, get ouuda de way and let me to my life boat the women and babies can swim
Tick Tock, Tick Tock.
He looks like he has done a "Rooney".
I would wiremoney out of Cayman this afternoon if you can to avoid the risk of paying taxes. The timing of this budget is suspicious.
We're doomed either way. Gross incompetence at the "leadership" level (and I throw up just a little using that term) has destroyed Cayman, and it's just wobbling before the final fall.
My money went north the first time he mentioned transfer taxes, and it hasn't been back since.
Obviously, you do not have the interest of the Cayman Islands at heart if you would like people to transfer funds out of the Cayman Islands. Fortunately, for people that have money in the Cayman Islands we have FAITH in the country and especially the current government and will continue to spend and invest as this is one of the best countries in the world to have your money in. I take comfort in the interest the UK has taken in the Cayman Islands to ensure its success. The Cayman Dollar is strong and will continue to be that way in the foreseable future. I also want to take this opportunity to commend the Dart family for all that they have done for the Cayman Islands, we are blessed to have them here.
Anybody who has faith in the current government is delusional, plain and simple. The international joke that is the CIG couldn't possibly inspire faith in a rational person who is cognizant of what is going on here.
"The Cayman Dollar is strong and will continue to be that way in the foreseable future."
The Cayman dollar is pegged to the US dollar, which is falling like a rock with no change in trend in sight. You clearly are talking out of your butt.
It is true that Dart needs to be thanked for being here. I'm not sure why he is, but I am grateful.
Obviously he is here because there is no income tax (at least not now, never know what might arise in the future) – why else would he be here?
McKeeva when you cut those poor Caymanian CS's, remember what you will be creating. Social Services will be overwhelm with the influx and crime will escalate. Make sure the CS's that you cut this evening are those persons on Work Permit. They still have a home to go home to, the Caymanians have no where to go, so they will be a burden to the Government in one form or another. If you cut their salaries, cut those massive projects you are about to embark on. Like no Hurricane Hilton on the Brac, No Massive docks and read my lips, no new schools. Just finish the schools that are already started. Think Caymanian McKeeva, for these are the people that put you there and you will have to live amongst them.
…….and how do you propose to pay for these salaries? Cash inflow is less than cash outflow.
you know, its all very well our constant complaining and harassing, etc….dont get me wrong, i'm at a total loss as to how we've managed to fall so quickly into this quagmire of ineptitude…..but if we stand back for a moment and take a real look at the state of the nation here……we're so divided….locals vs locals along party lines (mostly)….and then locals vs different types of expats (majority)….and then types of expats vs types of expats…and on, and on……we need leadership and guidance out of this horrible social climate……the current elected officials have nothing to be proud about, none of them are doing anything to help diffuse the simmering tensions….everyone is too blinded along partisan lines to think objectively…..it's appalling, and quite terrifying……..where will it end up? probably with serious increase in crime (we'll find someone to blame), and probably with total backlash against current govt in next election (and we'll blame them)….probably with zero economic stimulus at grassroots, bottom-up (and we'll blame someone)…..none of thisis good…….ifKurt was behind the EE Port, would there be as much objection? you betcha…but from the exact opposite side…..this doesnt mean i support the EE Port, but i think its indicative of how divided a nation we are….we've got real problems, and they all come back to one thing….we dont have any money to throw around like we used to, and combining that with the rising cost of living, we're in a perfect storm…..i bet if there was no economic crisis, most of us wouldnt even be reading these blogs, most couldnt care less about any development..we'd all be too busy filling our SUV's and our bellys as we surfed the good life……and we all want to get back there, but we need to start from somewhere to do it……and sometimes, we need to hold our noses, look the other way, and pick the best option from a range of very poor choices…..if certain politicians are going to benefit from certain developments, who cares anymore? the bigger picture is that we need stimulus…..nothing is black and white….there is bad with good…but the focus must be on getting us up off our knees, and if it stinks a little (or a lot), thats a small price to pay for getting us going again……someone will lose out (whether its a few dive sites in EE, or some wrecks in GT harbour, or whoever)….but the end result must bewhats best for us as a people…..and like it or not, financial relief is whats best for us people…..without it, we can't do anything…..we currently have 3 or 4 mega developments on the table in varying forms…and all we do is try to stop them……..it doesnt make sense, we can't keep swimming against the tide because soon we're going to run out of strength and then what? it really is that bad out here…..we need to get going again Cayman….we don't need to do it foolishly, we can do it under real scrutiny and pressure…..but we need to move up and on…..times change, so must we……
i was reading but ran out of breath, can't you just give us a break
"Get us off our knees"?….
dat nah wha Ju Ju en Mac Mac tell us ee good fe we….
Fool fool: A person who is so dumb he thinks he is smart all evidence to the contrary.
Fool fool country: A country that is so dumb they belive a fool fool is smart all evidence to the contrary.
The only way Cayman changes for the better? Stop doing what fool fool says to do and do what a REAL smart person says. HELLO
MILLAR report.
Or not because of fool fool rules. I bet not.
RE: Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 06/10/2011 – 08:32. EVERYONE SHOULD go to bottom of this thread and read what this person posted. This is very true. We have a government that was trying to engage in a business proposition with a company being investigated for BRIBERY and that wasn't the reason our government broke off its engagement with this company. That company realized that we were not like India YET. I can just here the comments back in China comparing our backwater government to India but they didn't realize the people still have some Say. Our Say is in jeopardy folks and it slipping away. We must find a way to consolidate and take a stand against our criminals on the street and in office. It's not about expats and Caymanians…it is about good vs bad
Big Mac is going to drop a bomb, guaranteed.
and don't expect the white coat to handle the gas chamber, because when mac begins to bomb, it settles there for months. i can see poor miss mary now
You maybe right about the bomb, BUT can we wait for him to resign 🙂 we must let our voice be heard.
No dredging north sound, no shetty hospital, no east end hole in the ground AND no MAC
You want a bomb…..wait to you get wind of what concessions have been granted to the developers of the technology park and for anyone who is going to work in that "park". It is an eye opener.!!!!!!!!
who cares…it just another sham budget after weeks of cooking the books…
So he thinks our memory span is just 3 days, present it when we all finish work for the long weekend and by the time we come back Tuesday we'll have forgotten about it. Don't underestimate us Mr Bush!
Right, Big Mac hopes that the long holiday weekend and feeding the masses at another parade and back-slapping honours ceremony will make us forget what he slips in at 4:30PM on a Friday? Thankfully we still have an open press and they will cover this.
My question is…What is Big Mac doing from 8:00AM to 4:00PM today? Be creative with your responses!
Watching Travel Channel
Scrambbling with his croonies see how much money they can get wired out today in a mass exodus. You tink he fool fool, his money safely in an offshore bank account!!!! LOL!
It's totally irrelvant what time of day it is presented. A pile of crap and lies is still a pile of crap and lies (also known locally as "schemes") whatever time of day it is.
Wasjust thinking to myself, my mother always told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say I shouldn't say anything at all. She died a very unhappy woman.
Happy Friday everyone!
4:30 on a Friday of holiday long weekend, when these guys only do a couple hours of real work every week. Oh no, they are going to miss their flights!
Do not paint them all with the same brush.
50 cents says he's late
You got 50's #? Hook me up, was hoping he would do a concert for us.
not that 50!
I'll take that bet, but if I lose you'll have to lend me the 50 cents.
time are tough
that's the easiest 50 cents you ever made. congrats on the spot on prediction.
thank you, thank you… like shooting fish in a barrel.
Damn it! Your cheque is in the mail
He's hoping everyone is already at Happy hour so the bad news gets filtered away. Maybe his 'surplus' isn't as big as he claimed it would be!
During Happy Hour you would call that a Slurp-Plus
More politricks and another abuse of process by the Premier?
4:30 on a friday. I cannot help but thinking when a past employer used to pay us at that time hoping we would not all make it to bank that day. Actually if you did make it and was one of the last you were out of luck. I wonder what surprise awaits us on a friday @4:30 in the afternoon just before work let's out. Wathever it is, I'm certain it will give us food for our thoughts over the weekend. Of course I hope I am wrong and it will all be fine and we can jubilate and who knows maybe Prince Phillip gave us a gift for his birthday ? but that 4:30 on a friday ,,,,, ! Michel Lemay
Are you serious?
4:30pm? This man really believes we are brainless!
He is hoping that we will have forgotten it over the long weekend, well we got news for him.
Come on Cayman, wake up to what this man is planning with his every move but I suppose as we never do anything and he just does as he pleases with no one doing a thing, he has every right to consider we brainless – please lets prove him wrong!
I don't think people appreciate how dangerous our politicians have become.
There seems to be more comments on expat issues than when our government is negotiating with a company that is being investigated for bribery. What does this say about our values?
Is it possible that there are no expat issues, but only issues that are Cayman's? What happens to the expats happens to Cayman, just like what happens to Caymanians.
Actually, it says more about what information is available to us. I have no infomration about government negotiating with a compnay that is being investigated for bribery. Aparently you do. So spill. Then we can talk about that. Otherwise I'll go back to talking about Caymanians and expats, which I do know about.