UK peer to visit Cayman
(CNS): The British Conservative peer who was appointed director of the Cayman Islands London office will be visiting the jurisdiction with three MPs from the all parliamentary party group for Cayman next month. Officials from the finance ministry said Lord Blencathra will be arriving next week and will have some 35 meetings while visiting the islands; the three MPs will be arriving the following week. The meetings cover both the private and public sectors, and span subjects such as business and commerce, biodiversity, tourism and culture, and Cayman’s political and legislative system. According to the tory peer, the visit will enable him to deliver a positive message about Cayman in the UK.
“By the end of our visit we should all be in a much better position to reinforce a very positive message about the successes of the Cayman Islands in the UK Parliament and media,” Lord Blencathra said.
Before being appointed to the UK’s House of Lords, David McLean represented Penrith and The Border for the Tory party from 1983. He was handed the peerage after he stepped down from his political seat due to ill health.
His appointment caused controversy both here and in the UK when opposition Labour MP Maria Eagle queried how a serving Conservative peer could have been appointed as the representative for Cayman, which is opposed to further regulation of what she called offshore tax havens, when there was a push in the UK for more regulation of such jurisdictions. She also noted that in opposition the UK prime minister had raised concerns about the “potential scandal” relating to lobbyists.
Here in Cayman many questioned how a former UK politician could deliver Cayman’s message successfully.
The peer also criticised Caymanians, who he said were writing negative things online as he said they were undermining efforts to promote the jurisdiction’s financial services sector overseas. In December Lord Blencathra told CNS Business in an email interview that his aim was to keep selling the positive messages about Cayman, again and again and again.
“But it cannot be done if it is undermined by things said and written by Caymanians,” he said, adding that he was saddened by negative comments on the web as the internet is read not just by local people but by politicians and global financial players as well.
“What appears on the web and the reality are poles apart but observers sitting thousands of miles away might be fooled into think that life is awful in Cayman,” said the new director of the London office.
The three members of the Cayman Islands all party parliamentary group who will be joining McLean on his visit are thegroup chair, Conservative member Graham Brady, who is also chairman of the 1922 Committee, along with opposition Labour MP Brian Donohoe, Deputy Chairman of the APPG, and Andrew Rosindell, Conservative MP for Romford.
APPG are informal, cross-party, interest groups that have no official status within the UK parliament and have no powers or funding from it. They act as a forum for contact and discussion with members of parliament and for action on behalf of the Cayman Islands.
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Category: Politics
Is it me or do these two separateand recent statements sound like they were written by the same person??
Lord Blencathra: “These critics should spend a few weeks in winter in the poorer areas of Birmingham, Wolverhampton, Tower Hamlets in London, or Glasgow and then thank the Good Lord for their blessings,”
Premier McKeeva Bush: “While Cayman has experienced a spike in crime recently, it is still much more secure than many other places. When all is said and done, we have much to be thankful for.”
The UK Press will follow him here. I can't imagine what will come out of it, but it can't be good.
It will be very good. I can't wait.
I'd love to watch Mac deal with a gaggle of UK journalists. Talk about out of his league 🙂
Hand these fellas some machettes and tell them they need to get to work on Darts new by pass to West bay, a few days down in that bush will surely make dem understand wha going on ya and call Ezzard to take their picture chopping down all those wonderful mangroves that those birds the UK wants to protect live and nest in. He wont be complaining about anything after dem mosquitoes whelps start to swell up and itch him.
Oh, forPete's sake please hush. All that old bush down there no one is recognizing it until someone wants to build. Look at all the Cayman trees that Dart has put Caymana Bay. Grow some at home on your property instead of selling it them.
As for the Lord this and Lord that who is comming here. What they probably do not know is that England did nothing for Cayman as far as I could understand. So why the big interest in Cayman now that we are independent in our minds. Just leave us alone to make some decisions with out breathing down our backs.
I wonder what your position was on the 'Ironwood Forest' which has also been promptly forgotten about. That bypass was genuinely necessary infrastructure. Come to think of it, have we just accepted we have no problems with our roads? Compared to the other initiatives this government think worthy of supporting, traffic remains a drag on our economy and it needs to be addressed.
whilst you are at it … decide what you are going to do with your British Passport … you don't want them breathing down your backs now do you?
18:58 Sorry to dissapoint you, but I have not applied for a British Passport. Why should I need it? I do not want to go to England to live, because they are all wanting to come here, so something must be wrong over there. I do not need it to go to USA, so why do i need one?
You have not dissappointed me in the least, so there is no reason to apologise.
I hope you have un restricted entry on your move to the USA when the proverbial 's..t hits the fan' during the transition to the Independence that you seek.
More gov’t $ gone to waste again!!!!
KeKe probably heard that you can get a peer for about 100,000 and thought that was a better deal than even the Chinese were offering. I wonder when he will figure out that what he is getting is not that kind of pier.
See here – Mac said he was gunna get some peers down at the Port to tie the cruise ships to. He's the first one to arrive and although he looks kinda puny if Mac has signed a contract with him you just know that he is good value for money. Somebody pass him an anchor.
"The peer also criticised Caymanians who he said are writing negative things online as he said they were undermining efforts to promote the jurisdiction’s financial services sector overseas".
90% of the negative things written online are not written by Caymanians but by disgruntled expats. The thumbs down will be among the culprits.
And you know this as fact because
A. Your Caymanian.
B. Bush told you this is so.
C. You can tell who is Caymanian and who is not by the way they write.
D. You really don't know but don't care who knows it.
E All of the above.
C is plainly obvious.
You can generally tell who is Caymanians by what they write. For example snide remarks about "Caymankind" are not written by Caymanians but by disgruntled expats.
So you choose B?
I am Caymanian and a product of the John Gray High School, but long before I entered there I knew the difference between "your" and "you are", so please don't get uppity with us whilst displaying your (note proper use of your) own ignorance.
I doubt it. We are too busy doing our job and having standard lunch breaks to get involved with this 'non world shattering' headline!
LOL. You just proved my point and disproved yours!
I don't understand how he can be referred in the press release as the DIRECTOR of the Cayman London office when I am sure I saw in the press after tha labour peer maria Eagle asked her questions he was converted to a consultant. This was confirmed to me by Ezzard Miller who showed me a copy of an FOI response from Mac Ministry to a a submission he made on August 11, 2011, that Ministry is really on the ball when it comes to FOI responses.
The response clearly states that the Lord is a consultant appointed by Cabinet, so my gues is that the position of Representative that wasformely occupied for many years has now been converted to a consultant position to avoid the scrutiny of the House of Lords.
Typical UDP employment policies anythink to prevent a Caymanian getting the top job.
This was a ridiculous (and illegal, not in accordance with the Public Service Management Law) appointment by Bush (who doesn't give a monkey's about such things but no worse than his deputy paving driveways in Cayman Brac. We must do better than this one man government style.
Anon 18:43
I don't understand your jargon about Mac and the Public Servance Managment law. my understanding of the the hiring of Public Servants has to do with the appointed Government…
Poor Mac, gets the blame for everything. He is like christ amongts the Scribs and Pharacies, you all hate this man so much that you would crusify him in a second….sounds like we have enough talibans in these Island to Kill and destroy.
And let me get this straight about our deputy Premier. I went over to the Brac in January of this year, and saw no driveway paved. what a bunch of lyers! What i saw, were some instituations, churches and businesses parking lots, paved. Now I want to thank Julie for doing some improvement to the brac…it really looks like people are living there now.
the photo looks like Robbin Williams. clean your OWN yard before you want to clean mine!
Yes anon 10:17 it is absolutely outrageous and ludacris that a Police service run and controlled and dominated by them with a budget of a small country is letting this terrible crime situation to occur and all we can hear everytime is they need more and more Police from overseas when recomendations state other wise. Now here comes Santa Claus Here Comes Santa Claus down Santa Claus lane,No doubt when the natives get restless man with white hat and red cape will come and smoke peace pipe with Big Chief hopefuly not with what they have at Northward's Whitehouse though. Yes you loyal subjects hail my boy up for me after all he is here for you to gribe by appointment. A nd when he returns to land of the great white hope he will tell of tales of Fine wine & spirts fine beaches happy businessmen and no worries for our big chief so long as he pays his homage and UK Bills and complies with Her Majesty's wishes and to hell with those pesky natives driving their fancy cars and unpaid mortgages. There it is Cayman Lord Blencartha and friends report in a Nutshell. CRime crime we saw no crime our man in Cayman has it all under control just needs a few more friends from the UK to assure his security.
"…letting this terrible crime situation to occur…"
The police did not "let" crime happen. Crime in Cayman is a symtomof a broken culture.
There is a difference between causing something to happen and letting it happen. Our broken culture has caused it to happen. The ineptitude of the police has let it happen.
… and a fear of any confrontation in the past.
Just another junket for the British taxpayer to waste his hard earned income on. Can't the Governor and his staff provide any information the British Government needs?, they are here permanently and are far more suited to provide the information these sun worshipping twerps are seeking.
I thought Ezzard and Arden were going to England to set them straight.
Hi,
Lord Casablanca,
I am insulted and offended that you are so judgmental, biased and hopefully not prejudiced. Come off your high horse and apologize ’cause you are wrong for blaming Caymanians for all the comments in the forums.
As you are well aware, we are miserably outnumbered and your government appearing to be careless or unconcerned in the UK, is allowing the Cayman Islands government to bring in cheap labor on work permits, while Caymanians are 3000 people jobless, humiliated and disenfranchised, losing all dignity and pride, while 20,000 xpats on work permit sit in our jobs that we are qualified for. Hope you will do your job and fix that problem by reducing work permit mills and put Caymanians back to work. Hope bad publicity induces some action on the UK part to reduce the over population and put Caymanians back to work, and stop the over development madness.
Caymanians and Xpats are making comments, not just one nationality.
That’s not fair.
He sees you when you're sleeping
He knows when you're awake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake!
Ooooo! You better watch out!…
Geez! That is NOT a Santa outfit! It is a vestment worn by important U.K. officials. Besides, Santa comes in December. And…he has a beard.
Hey there Little Red Riding Hood
I'm going to get you if I could…..
I hope they are coming to learn our system and not to copy it and take away our business. The UK and the USA cannot understand our success, all they know how to do is to tax businesses out of business. Cayman BEWARE they are coming to take away…….don't teach them…everything.
"Your business" is aimed at feeding off other people's business. That is the whole point of exempt companies which are central to half of Cayman's economy and which are designed to conduct their business in other countries. There is no "business" in Cayman to take away.
There is the lucrative 'Tortuga rum cake export market' that could leave Cayman without a sole export if it was ever lost!
Yeah, and that was started by a Jamaican (now Caymanian) enterprising individual. It is the only "business" they have that is produces anything worth mentioning and exporting. Everything else Cayman feeds off, is from other countries.
Actually that is based off the recipe of his Caymanian wife.
I hope he goes around in the red bathrobe while he's here
They don’t need to come down to find out that Cayman is still a parasite feasting on promoting tax dodging.
If you feel that way then leave.
Yep …. over ten thousand have and not looked back!
Yes, no need. Ignorance will tell you that.
Are the "negative comments from Caymanians", really negative comments, or just simply the truth about how Caymanians are worried for their country. I am an ex-pat, and have lived here many years, and the current state of Cayman worries me too. Its terrible when I do not feel safe to go out at night for fear of being held up by a gunman or worse. Its terrible when I feel threatened approaching my front door when its dark. Its terrible when there seems to be so little done about the crime on the island. Its terrible when Cayman is being run/managed by a government that appears to be corrupt (judging by their actions). Its terrible. But I'm not sure Caymanians and ex-pats alike are writing negative comments, just comments of concern. Its a shame that the UK peer would view the comments so negatively rather than try and do something abou these problems.
He’s already a mouthpiece for McKeeva is why
Will he wear his "Pomp & Circumstance" get-up? That would be so cool!
Is he bringing that Santa Claus / super hero cape with him?
With 35 meetings planned over two weeks, I hope he can find a few minutes to meet with my "Dress Up and Act Silly Group".
He must be one hell of an actor if he can spend two weeks here and still deliver a positive message on his return.
After all that McKeeva has done to us, the last straw is to have a false Lord visit.
He better pick up a copy of the new "Cayman Dictionary" as well as the "West Bay Dictionary" if he is planning on spending two weeks with Big Mac.
Mac is going to ahve a serious case of "flusteritis".
Maybe not, he will be on 'his' territory now:)
And there is no end to who the trough can accommodate. Are you going to assess value for money on this one Mr. Auditor General?
zzzzzzzzzzz