Bush blames woes on PPM

| 28/06/2012

(CNS): The premier spent well over three hours on his feet berating the opposition on Thursday morning as he closed the Legislative Assembly debate on the motion for government’s stop-gap emergency budget. McKeeva Bush pointed the finger at the auditor general, whom he described as “a hit-man”, the governor and the FCO as well for preventing him from getting things moving but above all he blamed the PPM, and the party leader in particular, for his difficulties with this year’s budget.  During his response to yesterday’s debate Bush revealed that government expected to collect $75 million in revenue over the two month interim budget period.

This coupled with the $25 million overdraft is expected to cover government’s bills from now until the end of August. Government’s stop-gap emergency budget, which was approved by the UK, called for $102 million in spending and a $25 million overdraft facility.

The UDP government gained approval from the Legislative Assembly for the short term spending plan with the government benches voting yes. The opposition benches, including the independent member, abstained from the vote, indicating their disapproval but recognising the need for government to pay its bills.

In his response to Wednesday’s debate on the motion the premier revealed that his government was now engaged in a serious cost cutting exercise and he would bring the full budget for the 2012/13 fiscal year in a few weeks. He pointed to increases in liquor licensing fees and a possible 5 cent glass bottle tax on alcohol imports as new revenue raising measures likely to appear in the new budget to pay for the hospitality school.

Bush also announced plans for a new private sector development that was being posed by an unnamed investor that he said would create a new mixed-use town  with shops, restaurants, a cinema, a hotel and condos, straddling the districts of East End and North Side. He gave very few details but said the investment was worth around $300 million and the mystery developer required no special concessions.

Despite the issues associated with the port and the FCO’s difficulties approving the project until it is in line with international best procurement practice, Bush insisted he was continuing with his discussions with China Harbour and the Chinese firm was the best partner. He revealed that McAlpine, DECCO (Dart’s construction company) and Hurlstone Construction would all be working with CHEC on the project. (See more on this in separate CNS article).

Much of the premier’s speech was focused, however, on the shortcomings of the previous administration and its failure to manage the country’s finance. Although he was reading from a formal address, much of the speech was not from the script and saw Bush impassioned and animated as he yelled across the floor at the opposition benches, and took aim at CNS and the auditor general.

Bush said the mismanagement of the previous administration, which demitted office three years and one month ago, was the reason why he could not deliver a budget. It was they, he said, who had handed the power to the UK to approve the government’s budgets and control what he did. Instead of offering solutions, the premier said the opposition was “gleeful” about his inability to bring a full budget presentation before the year end.

As he railed against the regulation that he claimed was stopping him from getting anything done, he accused the opposition of enjoying the problems this bureaucracy was causing. “They are using that to be gleeful and sitting down eating carrots and drinking milk,” the premier said.

He pointed to the pressure the FCO was placing on him to follow international best practice and said the British were being “unrealistic” when they expected a small jurisdiction like Cayman to follow “some UN ideals” or World Bank standards.

Bush was particularly scathing about the auditor general, implying he was in some form of alliance against his government with the media, especially CNS, and the opposition as well, which he said was all “palsywalsy" with the auditor general and “brown nosing” with the governor and the FCO. Bush described Alastair Swarbrick and his audit office as “nothing but a hit-man” and revealed that he was suing the public auditor but did not reveal on what basis he was doing so.

Despite the major problems the UDP government now faces in trying to reduce operational expenses by a significant amount, Bush claimed that his government had made a turnaround in public finances. He then went on to say that the current budget crisis could be a major turning point as people would begin to understand that government can’t keep “spending and spending and borrowing and borrowing”.

Budget crisis aside, he told the Legislative Assembly that the country was “poised for better times” provide that the PPM and the North Side member didn’t get in power. “They think I’m weakened but I’m not,” he said at the end of his three hour plus address.

A much shorter scripted version of the speech delivered by the premier in the LA is posted below.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    He very simply and very obviously does not have sufficient intelligence to come up with any other excuse for his countless failures and screw ups.

  2. Anonymous says:

    What did you say? Repeat it!  Let's repeat everything you have said in public, to the public, to the people…….and everything the public have not heard.  You do not rule and will never rule again!

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    It has been 3 years since the PPM were in power.

     

    3 years should have been enough time for McKeeva to get things back on track as he promised.

     

    He has failed. He should resign and pass the reins to someone else in his party (please not Mr. Foolio).

  4. Anonymous says:

    WHAT A DISGRACE!!

    Yes, he can stand on his feet for 3 hours in the LA and berate and black-gard everyone in House (yea, everyone (no exceptions) gets a share of his paranoia) but see him when he goes to Church – he can't stand for a short 20 minutes of Worship (I guess that's because everyone is singing and he can't hear himself).

    Pathetic creature!!! and to think he goes all over the world on our $$!! what a sample of representation.

    • Anonymous says:

      if you go to church with him, your church probably got a nifty chunk of change from him

  5. Anonymous says:

    The U.S. has a habit of arresting folks at immigration. When's the gambler heading up north for his next fix in Vegas? Hopefully very soon.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh Lord please! Can we tip them off that he is a one man weapon of mass destruction? Now that would be bureaucratic harassment.

  6. A Former UDP Supporter says:

    Mr.Bush, kindly go home tonight and don't bother coming out your house for at least ten years. The nation will be very grateful and we can all get a break from listening to you blowing your mouth off talking nonsense. Thank you very much.

  7. Sad Caymanian in exile says:

    Give me a break, Mac! Your nauseating nonsense is becoming overbearing. Deal with the issues instead of giving Caymanians exuses after excuses. You promised at the last election that you had what it takes to give Cayman "a better way forward". I am sure Caymanians remember your UDP's election slogan. But the way things have turned out it has been a bitter way forward in every sense. You are behaving like a man who is drowning. Next election, we will end your political career.

  8. Anonymous says:

    This man is so used to being surrounded by idiots that he thinks everyone must be one.  What has Cayman done that god would send Bush to do what he does best best to them. O wait.  Thats right.  Treat "others" the way you expect then to treat you.  You reap what you sow. What you have not truley earned will never be truley yours. Cayman will be a good lesson for the rest of the world.   Take it away Bush!

  9. Anonymous says:

    just when you thought things could not get any worse…… i wonder what nexts weeks blunder will be????

  10. Anonymous says:

    It's your concessions Mac that we're worried about, not the alleged developer.

  11. Anonymous says:

    I am Donkey Face

  12. Thunder Storm says:

    "Run that by me one more time

     

    To make sure that I've heard you right

     

    I hope you dont expect me to belienve that line

     

    I may be crazy but I aint dumb

     

    Cuz I know a LIE when I hear one

     

    Would you run that be me one more time!!"

     

    Mac, this is no longer the PPM mess, you've wasted millions and we've received nothing valuable nor positive.  WE have YOU and YOUR GOVT to blame.

     

    You may be right that PPM over spent but at least, they spent it on schools, govt building and roads – all which we can account for and use today.  All that stays within the country and in the hands of our people.

     

    Its past time you to shut up and stay home while we try to clean up your mess, if we ever can. 

     

    Dear God, we're going to need you more than ever – please send miracles!!

  13. Anonymous says:

    We can all be sure of one thing: the UDP members won’t get back in at the next election. They are as hopeless as the Premier for backing him after three long years of non-sense.

    • Anonymous says:

      I really wish we could be sure of that but I doubt that is true. Their supporters will largely continue to support them because of what they gain or hope to gain personally from them being in office regardless of the harm to the country. 

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Three years of no sense and no action. Check CNS in Sept 2009 to read about the following promises he made to the people:

      1. Intention to sell government assets;
      2. Channel in North Sound with full marina for Mega Yachts;
      3. Privatization of Sewage System creating 1000 jobs;
      4. Cargo Port in East End and Cruise Ship Port, only in George Town

      Has anyone noticed what he has achieved?

      Answer: Nothing.

    • I AM SORRY FOR YOUR THOUGHTS says:

      10:09 don be tuu sure of your comments.  Beside since you are so bold to comment such a thing you tell me who?  out off all 15 of them can tacke McKeeva"s Place.

      TELL ME WHO?  i challenge you to this answer and I will get back to you with good Political thoughts that will make your head spin.  Ok, Please tell me one.  I am waiting.

      • lil' nicky says:

        Your head will spin when you see the line up of young, educated Caymanians in the line up for the next election. There are many people WAAAAAY better than McKeeva. OMOV will help make the playing field equal and give the younger and smarter generation a chance. McKeeva is crusty relic of a time when a certain generation of Caymanian where utterly gullible and uninformed. We, the younger generation are standing up and standing firm. Go sit down and hush. Talking foolishness about how McKeeva is the best we’ve got. We didn’t vote for him. West Bay did. If I could vote for Premire he sure as hell is not qualified to run my entire island. If west bay wants him… then they can keep him. But the rest of us are going to make sure is goons don’t get in so they won’t be able the choose him as leader. Goodbye to the Unscrupulous Dictatorship Party.

      • Anonymous says:

        I'm not anonymous 10:09 but I nominate my 5 year old.

      • SKEPTICAL says:

        My dog could do a better job of running this country – anybody/anything would be better than this ignorant, uneducated, arrogant WHANABEE political leader. If it was a criminal offense to impersonate a government leader, bush would be doing 25 to Life..

      • Anonymousey says:

         To I am sorry for your though. Mr. Adams for one. he has helped many without fanfare and is a gentlenan. Politics aside I have found him to always return when posiible and is prepared to help anyone from any district. Not just G.T or W.B. He would know who would be best in which Portofolio. No I did not say FOLIO who is a clone of you know who and has his own aspirations and definatly not those of even the ones who elected hi. A good Leader is one who leads by example appoints the right perons based on their experience and capabilities, honest and for the people. Now if we could only convince him to stand up and tackle the Bull by the horns we definatly would be much better off. We are all confuse about our Politricks and cannot see outside the box BUT we have to start somewhere. And tell me this (" I am sorry for your thoghts "), can it get any worst then it currently is ? HONESTLY ?

      • Anonymous says:

        We promise to listen if you learn to spell and write properly.

  14. Bat Hat says:

    What a nasty unpleasant arrogant man.

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Describing the Auditor General as a hit man is going a bit far. Even Dan Duguay did not get that title. Where did you go wrong Dan? So we have an uneducated Minister Of Finance making puerile remarks about a highly qualified individual performing his job as best he can in circumstances where the Minister has not kept proper books of account and which are frequently unauditable. This reminds me of First Cayman Bank where the auditors took management to task before being fired for telling the true. Sound familiar?

      All this rambling of MacMisick is an attempt to divert attention away from the real problems facing the country. Without detailing them because they are frequently noted in CNS, they include total incompetence of the current Government to run the country let alone produce a budget. More disturbingly it is a cheap way of forgetting that three investigations continue into the affairs of mr bush. There has been no mention of the progress of these investigations. Is it because there is no money in the budget to complete them? Oh I forgot the recipient of these investigations is the person in charge of the budget.

  15. Knot S Smart says:

    So when is he leaving for another round of travel?

    I know Greece needs his help with their financial woes…

    And which group will go on this junket?

    • Anonymous says:

      Greece New York needs his help teaching kids not to call people names!

  16. Anonymous says:

    Would someone please arrest this guy for past abuses of power. He can plead insanity and no one will argue

  17. Anon says:

    Did anyone else notice the quiet closing of 5 Island company stores today?

    Tropical Trader (under Margaritaville), Passman on Cardinal, Passman on fort, Cheeky Monkey on Harbour, Duty free in Flagship, and Pirates Grotto on Cardinall Ave.?

    If Mr. Big Britches can’t make it fly with millions at his disposal, and Mac in his pocket,
    how on God’s green earth do our so called leaders expect us little guys to survive.

    • SKEPTICAL says:

      Closed permanently – or perhaps just for stocktaking which might tie in with a June 30 year end. Admittedly a bit of a stretch for an explanation, and well spotted. If permanently, what a tale that tells.

    • Wannabe auditor says:

      How many stores again? Are you the Minister of Finance?

    • Anonymous says:

      Add to that 24K Mon's closing as well….SAD, that these companies are closing and all because of UDP's incompetence in handling the economy properly.

    • Anonymous says:

      They don't.  Belive your eyes and most definitely not your ears.   This is true with Caymanian leadership and voters.  Little guys to them is collatoral damage.

  18. Thunder Storm says:

    We certainly have a NO CONFIDENCE VOTE here!!!!

     

    This time the Premier and his govt has taken themselves out.

     

    Maybe the governor is now passing the order for a "new takeover passe"

  19. Dred says:

    Can someone let Mr Bush know we no longer are using LPs we have moved to CDs now. This story is STUCK.

  20. Beachboi says:

    It pains me greatly to say this but it seems as though those of my fellow Caymanians who do not feel "bought" by McKeeva simply do not understand why it is that he is not fit to occupy any position in our legislature.  It baffles me that this man continues to get elected to public office.  In my opinion he is an unconscionable fool and has spent so much time in the past three years going on "vacations", paid for in part by me, that he is not aware that Cayman is "burning".  XXXXXX  All I can do is cast my vote against him and the rest of his disgraceful followers, but I fear that it may not be enough.  So sad to see what he and the UDP has done to this country.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Child

  22. Sick of the Blue Sky says:

    If this were any normal work situation, this man would be sooooo FIRED. 

    Fired for bad attitude and poor performance.

    A reference letter?  Are you kidding?.

    Stop the  blame game and do your job!

    If ya can't …den GET OUT!!!

    End of story.

     

  23. Anonymous says:

    Why the H#@@ don't the UDP stop blaming PPM about this financial mess?  You cannot give away money freely and spend freely and travel freely for 3 solid years and expect to have a profit.  All those changes Rolston made to the schools, just to put his footprint on the schools also cost a h#@@ of a lot of dollars.  Then you all went and start suspending people and still paying them salaries for no reason at all.  Those trip, where all the friends gets to go on, those parties where all the friends get to go to, those scholarships just for the friends children and so on and so on.  They ALL cost money.  Therefore, I am asking all you UDP elected people including Ms. Lorna Bush and those 3 on the radio this morning and especially the leader, STOP blaming others, especially the PPM.  You were the biggest contributors to these Islands demise.  You are to blame more than anyone else. You guys are failing your Islands and its people.  You have single handly turned your people in to welfare recipiants.  Yes you have made Cayman a welfare state.  Stop it!! ….if you can.

  24. Anonymous says:

    It wasnt me! Shaggy's famous song, and he was caught in full flagrante with no excuses, still claimed it wasnt him when he had no excuses!

  25. Anonymous says:

    Every podium opportunity reserved for this leadership gets contaminated by these rants.  Here again, another 3 more hours wasted regurging the same old yarn, during a period which is supposed to be devoted to national business…how does the Speaker of the House not call the House to order?  What will it take?!?  Totally useless the lot of them!

     

    • Hush Nah! says:

      TYPICAL! Blame! Blame! Blame! Blame! Blame! Always blame others! TYPICAL! Try growup nah!

      • Anonymous says:

        Lash out at them Mac, you hit them and their supporters right where it hurts.

        its a pity there wasn't a law that would allow you to  take them in the city square, and lash them with the tambrind switch, or call Ossie with the cow cod.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Carrots and milk sounds disgusting to me, why would they be doing that anyway? Who eats carrots and milk together? Do you Mac? Is that what you nibble on while you pace up and down concocting these schemes and conspiracy theories in your head? Poor Mac, how very sad.

    • Anonymous says:

      He probably had carrots and milk on some usiness class flight somewhere!

  27. Truth says:

    Hopefully now Caymanians all can see what the rest of the world has known for a long time.  They have given the reins of power to an idiot.  With all of the expected results.  And they are still not smart enough to get it back before it is to late.  Like it or not the UK is Caymans only hope of having a future. I'm sure the UK knows that they will have to fight the very fools they are trying to save.  From themselves.  Some things are not meant to be saved.  Some are.  which are you?

    • Anonymous says:

      Well said 10:34. Thank you! I could not have said it better myself.

      • Anonymous says:

        So all you drinking the PPM  juice have a short memory.

        The UDP had to replace the PPM that sank the public purse in 2009!

        The Premier is working double time to bring big business to the Cayman Islands

        to put people back to work since Alden and Kurt's government left the country broke and busted.

        NOW YOU IDIOTS WANT TO REPLACE THE UDP WITH THE PPM AGAIN?

        All your ducks 'not in a row!

        • Anonymous says:

          09;47

          They must be smoking some bad shit, why  would they want  put that government back in. What are they offering their people as jobs.

           They are very good at keeping them with out jobs and money, by trying to kill every project the UDP try to bring to the table…can"t caymanians see that, or they just going down the hate road?  

          You guys better smarten up and get behind this administration to get the economy going. That is what sensible voters do, make sure their government create jobs…so you can pay your bills and feed your children.

          You cant eat all that bull shit being spewed out by the oppositions. And don't think for one that these promising investers are going to work with them, after the way they rediculed them.

          Look at the dump for instance, we Caymanians wanted to remove that dump…, i can remember as far back as  1983, but we had not the funds to.

          Now Mr. Dart offer to take it and trade for a site that was destained to relocate the facility since 1998 by one of our own local environmental engineer. And what are some of us saying.. and brainwashing the rest…."Mr. Dart knew when he bought his property the dump was there. Now all of a sudden, we changed our minds…we dont need to relocate again. Do you see how hateful we have become? this is what the good book speaks about…. envy, jealousy, ( one of the deadly sin. cause of evil thoughs and deeds) and so much contemp for this man.

          • Anonymous also says:

            UDP = Uncle Darts Party!  Caymanians as we know them can kiss Cayman goodbye.  That is unless we stop Mac and take the government back for the people!

             

             

          • Anonymous says:

            Okay, we get it.  You must be Dart's "Employee of the Year."  Now give it a rest.

          • Anonymous says:

            If I were a Ugly Donkey Party supporter I would very simply be ashamed to make a public statement in their defence. It seems like shamelessness and illiteracy are the two main qualifications of being a UDP supporter.

  28. A young Caymanian says:

    After THREE long years and you still have a problem with PPM get a life and grow up guys, all you guys do is talk #BS!!! 2013 need hurry up come cause i dont know what this country going to under your government, you all need reality check from the leader got stright down.

  29. Anonymous says:

    After THREE years UDP still talking #BS! they all need a life from Mac go stright down, 2013 need hurry up roll in no jokes!

  30. Anonymous says:

    Bleh…

  31. Anonymous says:

    "and revealed that he was suing the public auditor but did not reveal on what basis he was doing so."

     

    OH NO! Here we go again, more of the people's money wasted as the office of the Premier uses public funds to sue the office of the Auditor General who also uses public funds to defend the suit

    • Anonymous says:

      What is ridiculous is Mac using government money to sue anyone that bothers him.  These people are just doing there jobs.  Can we get some government money and sue Mac since he cannot seem to do his job?

       

  32. Kadafe says:

    What a horriblefail. He promised us at the beginning of his (reign) he promised us a surplus in 3 months and here now 3years later we still in deficit and still blaming the ppm!

  33. Anonymous says:

    The Chuckster needs to come and take Mac out again…….for good this time ! Alden is too soft for the job and Ezzard is a lone wolf that Alden continues to undermine.

    Our country simply cannot afford for McKeeva Bush to get re-elected to Premier again. We have one final chance to get rid of him Cayman. Will we do it this time ? Are we ready ? Lets Just do it !!!!

  34. I Care says:

    Hera is an Idea for Govermnet to CUT cost over night, take away all the fringe benifits , credit cards, Cars, drivers, housing allowance, coctail parties, paid vacations, etc . These awards are for individuals that actaually WORK. Cut all MLA's wages by 50% and freez it for 10 years then we will see how many of our politicians really have the country at heart instead of POCKETS.

    The bunch of them are a wast of time .

  35. Anonymous says:

    Breaking news!!!! Budget Notes minutes release….

    Sept 1 – Dec31

    1-Government programs and department to be cut could save 100 million

      .- Fire Services make it voluntary -could save 20 million

      .-National Gallery needs a new vision and goals.Labour costs make up about 90 percent of the Gallery's total costs,meaning some job cuts  could not be avoided and can be manage by the ministry of education -could save 25 million

     .- Cayman Airways these recommendations are on pay parity,salary restructuring and recommend introduction of productivity related pay.-could save 15 million

     .-Cayman Turtle Farm selling the assets to private enterprise .-could save 25 million

     .-Employment Relations Department  and Immigration Permit board could become one to help with the unemployed -could save 5 million 

      .-Social Services the list need to be review,serious cuts to be made and it can say what people can do with their money -could save 10 million

    If we don't make budgetary decisions by assuming some maximum size of the budget,then,what should we do?The answer is simple:we should make decisions on a program-by-program basis,just like a business is supposed to do.It invests in every opportunity that it thinks will be worth it.

    That's the attitude we should have today.If there's a program that the Caymanian people,through our democratic system,agree will be provide benefits better than its costs,we should do it ,independently of the existing expending level.And if there's a program that isn't covering its costs,we should kill it.This is obvious,but instead Cayman islands seems locked in a debate about the total Goverment spending level and the total budget bill.And that's a recipe for bad decisions.

     

     

    • A. Pastafarian says:

      I like your budget ideas.  If you run for Premier or even MLA, I will vote for you.

  36. Anonymous says:

    Suing the AG for telling the truth about lies?    The AG works with numbers and tangible, measurable functions, unlike his accuser.  

    Mr. Bush, when everybody around you seems to you that they are crazy and confused —  it's you.

  37. Fed up with McChavez says:

    I hope everyone that reads CNS reports see what we have really been enduring for the past three years. It is most unfortunate that there are 2 special persons wrapped up with this illiterate madman.  Mark and Mike have been trying to do their job, even while dodging the thumb of McKeeva and his henchman Elio (Foolio).  Cayman needs to sit up and take notice immediately.  During the past 3 years the cost of just food alone in the countrey has tripled with the quality has dropped.  I now have to pay over 600.00 per month for the same quality food that I paid just over 200.00 4 years ago.  Is that the fault of the PPM.  They have the gross minority in the LA and even when some of the smart members of the UDP know the premier is wrong, they still vote with him.  This makes the two particular ones I am thinking about as bad as he is.  They used to have ideals and stood up for them, now they sit back and allow this uneducated madman lead them around bythe nose hairs.  I support those two, but I am rapidly wondering if they have the balls to do something about him and his D.D. minister and his parking lot paver deputy.

  38. Anonymous says:

    Never has a whining nincompoop tried so hard and so unsuccessfully to blame others for his own personal failings. His refusal to accept responsibility for his own failures is not only becoming legendary, it’s become his trademark. I am filled with regret for Cayman, who must be very ashamed these days.

  39. Anonymous says:

    Max;s confidence has exceeded his competence.  Mac was so sure that he could be Minister of Finance even though he has no  technical training and  theen he just continued to  spend, spend, spend. He has failed to put in place any policies that would constrain cost. He has acted inconsistently by embracing a no-direct-tax position while increasing a socialist expectations though numerous hand-outs. Now when the numbers show the sum of his action, and even he can now see his inadequacies, he thinks he can avoid the negative spotlight by blamimg the PPM.

    In addition, he has lined the upper echelons of the civil service with various puppets who would not question his actions. He has failed to properly fund and staff the anti-corruption unit and thereby inhibited their ability to hightlight corruption.The only gatekeepers we have to put the brakes on Mac are the Governor and the Auditor General. Given the last-minute changes in the recent  UK\\s white paper, the Governor appears to have something happening in that pipeline. However, in typical Mac\\s style to blame someone else, the Auditor General is being branded as a 'hit man' for doing his job.

    The Auditor General is the only effctive gatekeeper we appear to have and we desperately need him to continue doing his job.  We need to stand up and defend this man and make it clear to Mac that we want him to 'LEAVE OUR AUDITOR GENERAL ALONE TO DO HIS JOB.:

  40. Peep Peep says:

    I am so glad that mystery investor no.273 is going to come along and solve all our woes.  I mean we have not head before from our  Great Leader about great schemes involving foreign investors which fell apart.  Maybe this investor has paid his consultancy fees up front.

  41. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Bush, the buck stops with you as the all mighty dictator so the woes of the country are the result of your wastefulness, an absolute fortune that you have wasted and squandered of the country's money with more waste to come as youn deperately try to buy votes with you give aways. You are a laughing stock and an embarrassment to a once wonderfull country with a great reputation until you came along to take us down the road to Turks & Caicos. I am sure your friend Mr. Misick will have a room for you in his exile excaping prosecution in the DR.

  42. Anon says:

    What does ‘eating carrots and drinking milk’ mean?

  43. Anonymous says:

    Go get that $6m from Ryan! That will be a great help for shortfall than $500k you trying squeeze from businesses

    • Anonymous says:

      But Ryan is my buddy, rememba?

    • noname says:

      Too funny!  Still trying to get money from "others" to fix your overspending.  Better to just suck more out of the businesses that are still making it in Cayman.  They are your last hope of funding Bush's "feed my people or else" Budget fiasco.  Cayman, your lack of intelligence is showing.

      • Anonymous says:

        "Trying to get money from "others"…". Err… That money is OWED to the Cayman Islands government.  It is never unintelligent to have your debtors pay their debts to you when you can't pay your bills. The post had nothing to do with sucking more out of businesses that are still making it in Cayman.

        Did you people actually read this post before giving it thumbs up?

        • Anonymous says:

          Who told you it was owed? Bush?  Has anything he told you in the past 5 years turn out to be the truth? Do you people actually think for yourselves before believing what comes out of his…………………. never mind.  I just answered my own question.

          • Anonymous says:

            Obviously you have not been following the news. Quite to the contrary, Bush acted as if it was not owed because Ryan was his buddy. He stopped requiring quarterly payments to be made as they had been under the PPM govt. You defeated your own point.

            Ryan says it is his bankrupt companies that owe the money. Bush failed to obtain a personal guarantee or security for the debt when Ryan stopped paying.

    • Anonymous says:

      We should get the money from Ryan but it cannot be used to help correct a shortfall this year as it has already been accounted for in the year the goods were imported. It would help with cash flow but it cannot be counted as income again.

  44. Anonymous says:

    Mac you are becoming redundant with this silly PPM blame game,Caymanians are tired of it now,everyone in Cayman knows that the PPM is responsible for this mess but for goodness sake stop playing the blame game and get on with the running of the country.

    • Hold Up says:

      How is the PPM responsible? Didnt MR Bush announce that we started this year with a $25M surplus? if thats the case how can he say that the huge deficit at the end of the year is the fault of the PPM? Its all the UDP mismanagement that has led us here, not the PPM.

       

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Did you say 'becoming' redundant? 

    • Anonymous says:

      This post must surely have presented something of a quandry to the typical PPM reader. I mean, on the one hand it criticises Mac for continuing to blame the PPM for the mess it left the country in financially, whilst at the same time it clearly states this as a reality. While time is said to heal, I'm not sure it can be said to possess the ability to make us forget. Mac is, in my opinion, absolutely entitled to blame the PPM for its financial recklessness, particularly in light of its refusal to admit to it. The question is, can they be trusted to do any better next time round?

      • Anonymous says:

        Both you and Mac are trying to deflect from Mac's incompetence. This is Mac's mess and the PPM's failures are irrelevant to to it.  

    • Anonymous says:

      The PPM is not responsible for the current budget mess. This is Bush's 4th budget. A budget has to do with the coming year's revenue and expenditure which is a matter for the current govt. alone. Bush applied for the job and got it. If he cannot manage the job then he should resign in favour of someone more competent.

  45. Anonymous says:

    Poor man. He doesn't know what he doesn't know.

     

    Sad.

     

    The honourable thing to do is resign as he has failed to do what he promised.

  46. Anonymous says:

    Say what does McKeeva and Rolston have in common? Answer – They both fell asleep behind the wheel. hahahahahah

  47. Thunder Storm says:

    aaaaaaaaah man, grt over your self!!!

     

    Governing a country is NOT a game of marbles!!!

     

    Its besr you stick to what you know best, ie the game!!!

  48. St Peter says:

    St Peter asked the new arrival to give three reasons why he should let him into heaven.

    'I took money from the devil worshippers and gave it to the churches.'

    'I took money from the devil worshippers and paved peoples parking lots.'

    'I took money from the devil worshippers and gave it to old people to fix their house.'

    And how did you manage to balance the Budget?

    'How you expect me to balance any f%@#g budget when you have the PPM and Alden eating carrots and milk, and Ezzard asking damn questions, and the Auditor General is a Hit Man, and the Governor and the FCO is conspiring against me, and the Police have 'tree' investigations'

    St Peter gave him that look and said ' My son I'm afraid you are not yet ready to receive your wings'

    Go back to earth, stop your idiotic traveling all over the place, stop your double-dipping, give your salary  back to the people, and balance that budget.

    And oh. Get that money back from the churches before they take it to hell with them…

     

     

     

  49. Mon E Ting says:

    Well I be turrtle's cousin. The chickens come home to roost at last.

  50. Anonymous says:

    Face the music Mac.  You asked to be elected to fix the country's finances and you got what you wanted 3 years ago.  Why are you still crying foul?  It has been up to you for three years to take the corrective action, but all you have succeeded in doing is compounding the problem.  You are now the laughing stock of the country and a symbol of the UDP's competence and inability to do the job at hand.  You and your UDP colleagues need to retire for good.  You have nothing to offer this country.

    • Anonymous says:

      The question I have, though, is does the present leader of the PPM based on his disasterous performance in his party's last term in office. We need stable leadership, not fame-seeking-at-any-cost (to the public) bravado.

      • Anonymous says:

        What was the question? Based on your obvious inability to construct a meaningful sentence I doubt you would understand his answer whatever the question was.  

      • jsftbhaedrg says:

        Alden's last shot at leadership for this country might have been disastorous, but there isn't a word in the dictionary to describe Mac's regin over the last 3 yrs. And thats the bottom line.

        If you cannot fathom that, (i) you are lying (ii) you are one of the most ignorant persons on this island or (iii) you need to pull your head out the sand and get some laser surgery for your eyes.

    • Anonymous says:

      What a relief. They don't have any more hardships to offer the country.

  51. Anonymous says:

    I am reminded that it is best not to argue with crazy people. Kind of a problem in this situation though.

  52. Anonymous says:

    Where is he getting $75 million from in the next two months?  Everyone keeps saying this is the slow time of the year for revenue.

  53. Anonymous says:

    holy hell………….. time for marches and demonstrations…i'm seroious!…it either that or it will be a mass exodus……

    gov taylor…remove him now!

  54. Knot S Smart says:

    Alden Mc Pacquio?

    Its time to take him into the Tea Room to discuss this budget like gentlemen.

    You know? Like you did with Elio sometimes back…

    • Anonymous says:

      I've decided it's really not worth my time. I mean, Elio is still yapping away like he never even had a broken jaw. 

  55. Anonymous says:

    Can someone please explain the milk and carrots comment? I might stop laughing long enough to read a response.

    • BORN FREE says:

      What a surprise! Bush is blaming the PPM! Three years into their administration he is STILL blaming the PPM? He should try put on some pants, or grow some balls & take responsibility for HIS mess! Apart from all his travel he hasn't done anything more than blame the PPM since becoming the premier, or a pitiful excuse of one!

      • Anonymous says:

        it wasn me.

      • Anonymous says:

        He is pointing the finger at everyone else but look at his third finger in the picture!! Where is it pointing at – right back at him!!!!  Lol.

      • Anonymous says:

        Now I understand exactly what the Jamaican people mean by "EM-BAR-RAS-MENT

      • Far Canal says:

        Thing is he does have balls, of the brass variety.

    • Stiffed-Necked Fool says:

      Kiss me neck back!

      How is it that everyone ELSE is to blame, no matter how many times the people are changed! What I mean is, the previous Auditor General questioned certain things done by MacDictator and his Government and his contract was not renewed, and this Auditor General is also questioning certain actions of MacDictator and his Government. Come on, is it that all Auditor Generals are wrong in their findings?

      I want to know, can it be that the PPM, The Govenor, The UK and all those that point out the wrongs of MacDictator and his Government, are the ones that are wrong? Give me a break, but he knows he can do as he wishes and there is no consequences and this will continue until we ALL stand up and do what we have to do!

      Let's free Cayman from the Dictator, not for us, but for the future of our Children and Grandchildren.

      There are a few people out there who make their living by having this Government in power, but while a few prosper there are tens of thousands who are suffering and it will get worse if we stand by and do nothing!

      Let's start by voting YES on July 18th so that the powers of Politicians will be put in the hands of the constituents, where it belongs!

    • Anonymous says:

      Another one of the Premier's brilliant malaprops! I collect them. Although Ezzard has said some beauties, McKeeva is still in the lead. 

    • Anonymous says:

      It means the chinese are dangling carrots and someone is tempted to drink the milk.

  56. Anonymous says:

    McKeeva does not know what he is doing as the job he has is far above his competencies so all he can do is to blame the PPM.

    • Chris Johnson says:

      Of course he blames PMM. He has no original thought in his head. I am impressed with the idea of his employing Hurlstone Contruction on the port job. As the former liquidator of this fine company any contract is welcome as it provides further dividends to creditors. Thank you the Minister of All Tings.

  57. Anonymous says:

    You cage an animal, corner a wild one, and what do you get?

    MAC!

  58. happy days again says:

    After three years he now admits that his Government has been spending & spending and borrowing & borrowing. And then he wants to sue the AG. 

     

    TALK ABOUT BALLS! UH, UH, UH.

    • Anonymous says:

      What's that saying…''all smoke and mirrors''

      He's always trying to divert everyones attention to someone else…to take the heat off

      himself..Suing the AG. just because he doesn't like what the AG is doing and saying…He doesn't know how to fix this all now so his only solution is to

      sue..sue..sue…

       

       

       

       

  59. Anonymous says:

    I am not a health care professional but the Premier sounds more and more irrational each time he speaks.  Perhaps he should be examined to determine fitness for office.

     

  60. Anonymous says:

    Can you read Mac? Have someone read you the Miller Shaw report.

    There is a deficit when current expenditure exceeds current income. 

    It is all to do with operating expenses not past building of schools, Vehicle Licensing, Bodden Town clinic, roads, new Glass House…………

  61. Anonymous says:

    I hope someone changed his pampers during that episode! 

  62. Libertarian says:

    The UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Premier, appear to have the same goal. And that aim is the opposite to what they are suppose to do for these islands:  to ruin the reputation of the Cayman Islands and slow its economic development. Whether monies or transactions are involved, we don't know. One thing is for sure, the public is confused with the way these actors of the play, contradict themselves all the time. PPM appears to be the right side now, but the two-party system was originally set up or planned so that when one party didn't get in power, the other would benefit from it still under the notion of opposition. The deal is that every four years, they would interchange their roles. Next year the PPM will either get in or the UDP will get another four years. It wouldn't matter to PPM because they would still get pay and benefits for being opposition. And both sides know too well that the more they act and make this into a drama, is the more the public will be unable to see the deals they make under the table. Have you notice that all entities in the political sphere over these islands including the Governor, ends up performing some dance that is contrary to the development of this country? They all suppose to be united in economic development, because such development is crucial to businesses and jobs being created and lower cost of living. McKeeva Bush (center of stage character) appears to be one of those actors involved with the hold up of the process of developing our economy with his many flip-flops with projects like the cruise berthing facility. But then you see Alden quiet like he is waiting for his turn to do the same. Then you have the Governor with rule and regulations and you can't do this and you can't do that. So much "hold-ups" from these actors, it is rediculous. Then you have the commenters and critics in the news and on the airwaves. It seems they are all about confusing the people and making "divide and conquor" into real life. Nothing positive and everything divisive, and amazingly, they are prepared for when Alden gets in because they will be supporting his opposition to have people against him too which for all you know could be McKeeva Bush. You see how they work interchangeably – yet nothing in unison towards bettering the country and its economy?  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see that since the two-party system was crystallized in the Cayman Islands, it created a divide in which caused many not to unite on very important economic issues. That is because it was designed I feel to be that way. They shook hands but the don't want us to see that. They already have plans to oppose each other and keep in the same faces and policies. All they think about is themselves. Cayman, we all know what is important and what has to be done. The UK know it. They knew it when they took over TCI. But to restore small islands like TCI look how long it took them to start doing it. You would think they would be able to run small islands and establish a true democracy and economically develop the islands. But they "choose" not to do so. Nothing is holding them back. It was plan that way.   

    Our businesses including our small businesses and the financial powerhouses on this island are key to our development. There are many pirates I say, wanting the whole pie. It is sad, but true, and we shouldn't just sit down and allow these politicians and elite persons to cause us to pick sides, fight each other, and do whatever they want to our industry. Cayman, let us unite and stop following the con artists!  We are better than them. How longare we going to watch this drama and realized that is what it is – a cover up, a show. Meanwhile, we are being robbed. 

    • Danonymouse Man says:

      The public is confused??? Speak for yourself.

      • anonymously says:

        hmmm… he does have a confusing point… not enough transparency to the public and so many special interests involved

      • Libertarian says:

        I am speaking for myself

  63. SKEPTICAL says:

    ” PALSYWALSY ? HIT MAN ? THEY ARE USING THAT TO BE GLEEFUL AND SITTING DOWN EATING CARROTS AND DRINKING MILK ? “. Not the usual vocabulary of parliamentarians.
    Maybe it is time for the Rubber Room at the Funny Farm ………….

  64. biker says:

    Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but while campaigning for the last election, didn't McKeeva and the rest of the UDP promise the public they would "fix" the government's financial woes if they were elected? And wasn't that the "BIG" reason they were elected?

     

    Well, three years of "fixes" and guess what?

  65. Anonymous says:

    While I can certainly agree that funds were mismanaged, wasted and abused by the PPM, with excessive projects such as the High School in Frank Sound being one of the most excessive, the UDP has been no different as they have continued down the same extravagant path and added to the countries financial irresponsibilities.  MacBlamer is a waste himself and needs to be qucikly recycled.  He has no business sense, in fact he has no sense at all except a sense of entitlement and self importance.  I for one cannot wait for One Man One Vote so we can hopefully return once again to some semblance of democracy here instead of the ignorant, uneducated, corrupt dictatorship we have now.  Take some responsibility for your mismanagement failures and acknowlege your incompetence bushman and step out of the picture.  Thats what we need and want from you….not more of your bashing and blaming others for everything.

    • Did says:

       Did the PPM really fail ? They contracted to build 2 multi purpose buildings not just schoold and had already paid most of the bill when the UDP took over the cost of each school shot up by $40M each, where did these additional costs come from? In the long run when you look back you will be thankful the PPM built the schools and the roads, they are physical assets and at least we can identify where money was spent, witht he UDP we have no clue where the money is going or has gone!

       

       

  66. V says:

    Sounds like Gilligan took the LA on a 3 hour tour to try and explain why the UDP ship is lost.

    By the way – “…eating carrots and drinking milk.”?

    What does that mean?

  67. Anonymous says:

    This man is crazy let's see his hotel record for trips on Government business.

    LOL LOL LOL  We will never see that !

  68. Anonymous says:

    Mac, hello get a clue you  it has been under your RULE for how long !