Premier plans to ‘just chill’
(CNS): There was no talk of politics, ministers behaving badly, cabinet reshuffles or any reflection of the recent political turmoil and ups and downs of the past year in the premier’s message on Christmas Eve. Alden McLaughlin said he would, however, be enjoying the opportunity provided by the holiday for quiet reflection and the chance to “just chill” with his family and friends. Urging people to be charitable and not get caught up in the commercial aspects and frantic activity of the season, he asked people to take time to experience the “peace that is Christmas, seek out those who are less fortunate and help them share in some small way in the magic of this time of year”.
See premier’s full message attached.
Category: Politics
Typical platitude of a statement – spend most of it with a cut and paste mini-sermon sprinkled with biblical quotes and hope the complete lack of content is sufficiently hidden.
If that is the case then the phrase "just chill" should have been edited out. It exhibits poor taste and poor use of the English language. Is it that difficult to use proper English rather than slang in order to address the country?
Alden chillin! Please tell me something new!
Alden chillin.
All these no good pieces driftwood should be deported back to dey homeland AAAAAARRRRRR!!!!!! Big Up Da Oz, boyz from Dallus BT
08:16 Troll! Troll! Troll! Troublemaking Troll!.
My wish for 2015 is that CNS (and all other media outlets) would spare us reports on what Mac and Alden have to say.
Mac is a national embarrassment after the exposure of what he was doing with our hard-earned money. The fact that he wasn't convicted by the courts does not change the fact that what he did was wrong, wrong, wrong. Spare us what he has to say please.
And now Alden has shown us that he too either doesn't know wrong from right, or is ignorant or powerless of what to do.Any parent or teacher worth their salt would know how to discipline in such a situation. But not Master Alden. So spare us too his utterances. Thank you.
What do you propose he do about it? Subsidise it like Cayman Airways?
Not true. I just booked a direct flight (via Nassau as usual) for May 2015, leaving and returning on a Friday. They had options available for travel through the US but the direct was the top of the list.
Not true – they still have the direct London flights on Tuesdays for sure. Not sure what other days they're doing them.
Rather than "just chillin'", should he not be noticing that Britisn Airways are no longer sell tickets for a direct London flight in the New Year?
BA pulls out in March. Just had a look at the BA website. Seems you can book online for the regular Tuesday/Saturday direct until the end of March. After that, looks like you have to take the BA to MIA and then AA on to here.
No more weekends at Atlantis! Mac would never let this happen.
Can still find flights all the way up until december next year on the BA website. Its not going anywhere from the sources at BA either, maybe a change in aircraft and flying to Gatwick now tho after 2015.
Gatwick is awful.
No Mac wouldn't because it's the easiest way to get to the slot machines in the Bahamas.
Anon 1049 they are just changing the type of plane they use. nothing more.
Incorrect…… flights 252/253 with BA are still there….whe you getting that info from?
Try booking from late March onwards.
Nope like i say you can book next year no problem, just tried September…. Looks likeits now Mon, Tues, Weds and Friday. Saturday has gone i think, the day they didnt come here and went to Provo, that flight now goes to Gatwick
Bermuda flights are still direct.
He doesn't care. Gowment pays for his tickets.
Fool. It has always been cheaper to fly to London through Miami than directly on BA.
And that's not how you spell "government". Alden knows that and you should too.
I was curious about this myself but after checking the BA site today it appears that their schedule has been updated now. Flights are showing Mo/Tu/We/Fr each way via Nassau. This is a change from the previous Tu/We/Fr/Sa
Politicians are like sperm
Only1 in a million turn out to be human beings
Hey Alden,
I would like the people selling fish on the canal down prospect drive removed please. I can almost live with all the other illegal businesses, wave runner rentals, boat repairs etc, but I dont want a fish market near my house.
Yours truly,
A Voter.
Hear hear!
I agree. How about SOME kind of enforcement Alden? A fish market on a private street? Can Planning enforce the residential zone? Mr Pahdoohie, please earn your pay cheque and work with RCIP to shut this down.
Alden, you have been chillin since you got in office! It is time for you to EARN your pay cheque. If you do not sanction Osbourne Bodden, you will lose your voters. If you do not listen to the voters you will no be re-elected.
There are many valuable paper Caymanians who have eanred their rights here annd deserve leadsership that is not xenophobic and riddled with party protectionism.
There are a LOT of us voters in the Prosepct area and we are paper and blood so do not ignore us or YOUR JOB!
And as far as the boat ramp and boat repair businesses go, please shut those down too! DCI there are no Trade and Business licenses for these and DCI needs to work with Planning and the RCIP to shut these down!
Speaking of Planning, the LPP in BonnieView Estates Prosepct is also under appeal to remain a park, where is our !%£*& enforcement?
Many voters on Marina and Prospect Drive
09:01.Please show a little respect ,if you want respect.
Heck he's been chilling since he was elected.
Driftwood, like elephants, never forget.
Neither do "Angry Birds" forget – apparently!
He can't quote the Bible while ignoring the principle behind the Good Samaritan parable by sticking by Ossie. Hypocrite.
He is chilin….geez someone tell me we aren't in oz anymore…….this is the premier of a country..and he is chilin….two more years of this incompetant government, we are in some serious serious problems!!!!
Well, just for today, Happy Christmas!! Let the discussion start Monday again. Nothing will change.
Maybe it is an idea for all mla's todonate their income to the less fortunate people, since for most of them their 100k+ income is peanuts compare what they rake in with their businesses.
Don't forget: Poverty is a result of wealth.
I ham taking a brake for the christms. To hall you Merry readers and contributors, Merry Christmas hand a happy knew hair.
12:45.This is showing poor taste.
Hon. Priemier, thank you for your Christmas Message, and I am happy to know you chose your family to "CHILL" with. This is your time to forget about the Politics and re-live them – With all good wishes for the Christmas, and prosperous New Year 2015.
Reverend Billy would be proud check him out on YouTube.
Chilling maxin and relaxin….meanwhile Big Mac is out on the boulevard planning his return
Nothing this man has to say is of interest to me any more. The only words that could positively make a difference is sacking, rootimg out the entitlement culture, zero tolerance on racism and most of all accountability. Thank goodness you only represent a particular type of Caymanian with a siege mentality. This piece of driftwood came to these shores 45 years ago and I have contributed to building it into the financial centre it is today. You Sir are a disgrace.
You came here after our forefathers laid the ground work, and that was for you to make it your home. Tourism and finance existed before you came here, and you heard about the Cayman Islands and drifted here to share in the financial wealth. Great offence is taken when you have highlighted the "Caymanian siege mentality" this is not true. The Premier was brought up to fear god and man, and a peace person to whatever he approaches, Caymanians are not Hostile, and he is not from South Africa. Probably you don't even associate with the Caymanian community!!!!
Truth be told your forfathers left Cayman to make money.
Some smart ones from jamaica that moved to cayman to practice law figured out how to get people to put money here to hide it from the tax man basically enabled them to rip off there home countries of what their governments were due.
The tourists like my father came to cayman to see the land that time forgot because you had nothing and that was fasinating
Allthat said the biggest problem cayman has is the people from third world countrys instilling there primitive mentality on your people.
From Jamaica?? How did they get into this? Jamaican attorneys here were mostly criminal defence attorneys and prosecutors and had very little to do with the financial industry. Was Bill Walker from Jamaica? Or Arthur Hunter? Or Jim McDonald?
Charles Adams brought his family here from jamaica and started the banking industry
Finace in Cayman pre 1969? Dont think so. And what have you got against South Africans?
Sorry, I thought the financial sector moved here when the Bahamas went Indedpendent and drifted here since.
I am Caymanian, worked hard, got involved and love my adopted country. But i have seen that entitlement culture first hand even in my own children so please don't deny my life experiemces.
You raised your children; they should learn responsibility if taught. Parents can accept some blame for this mentality and its global.
Your forefathers laid the groundwork for a country through hard work and mostly perseverance (don't forget about the large number of Caymanians that emigrated to the US in the 1950s). What you say is true about tourism and finance existing before 1969, but both were on a VERY small scale. Anyone who came here then didn't come here to share in financial wealth because it didn't exist then; they helped build this country just like your "forefathers".
As for the "siege mentality" comment he makes, it's a poor choice of words, but I know what he means. I see it all the time in some Caymanians, particularly a segment of the hardcore PPM supporters.
What kind of god you do believe, since we need to fear it ?
Don't you understand how the world works ?
Did we awaken you?
Who mentioned a 'god"?Are you the troll god?
Godfearing people do not live by the rules of the world nor how the world works its failed Babyonian system that will never rise again! Babylon has fallen and will not get up!
@11:11, I'm not sure how much groundwork you think had been laid by 1969. I think you had Barclays & RBC here and telephones had just come in. Less than 10,000 people and not that much else. In some ways those were the good old days but to say that someone who came here 45 years ago just took wealth and didn't help build anything is ridiculous.
08:18.How about a little bit of Christmas cheer.
08:18. Since you are commenting on an article about something Alden said ,means your first sentence is a lie; makes it hard to believe the rest of your comment.
I wish him the gift of leadership, being able to distinguish right from wrong and growing a pair but that is just not going to happen.
This piece of driftwood that you hate will be enjoying Christmas with fellow driftwoods who came here 150years ago.
They are all dead and gone, and they must have came her on the Kirkpride or the Merico.
You came here 150 years ago. What are you – vampires?
No, pirates.
I think you missed the joke. In any event Pirates were not around 150 years ago.
Turtles.
"Christmas is one of my favourite times of year, it gives an opportunity for you all to forget how spineless I was in dealing with Ossie. As I gaily toss the Ernst & Young report on a roaring fire, I cast my eyes over to Mt Trashmore and think, you did well, another year with nothing done about that. So while I plot to make sure that single member constituencies does not happen at the next election, please use this time to forget all about what Ossie did. Remember to forgive at this time of year, especially Ossie, and that applies especially to all you Xxxxxxx driftwood".
Unless they are f*7^ing driftwood, of course.
YES.. “CHILL”!!! LOL. Does the premier and Ozzie remember we pay their salaries and we will NOT! Chill.
This is disgraceful and so disrespectful from the premier to try and get us to forget about this matter.
next election is going to be very interesting, I have money on it that a majority of the PPM will not get back in!!!
I can smell a vote of no conveniences comong from Mac in the new year!!
Vote of no conveniences?? What – they want toilets at the L.A.?
He meant "no conscience"
No, I think he really meant a vote of no "confidence".
On what possible basis could there be a vote of no confidence (which is what I assume you mean), especially coming from Mac?? Such a vote is reserved only for the gravest circumstances not just because you don't like the govt. or its policies.
Unless they are f*7^ing driftwood, of course.
Country and Western here we come!
Wow, what a leader we have! With all the crap that is going on – crime out of control, Ossie out of control – this his response. Unbelievable!
Well at least mckeewa finally seems to ne under some form of control. Dats a hell of a lot to be grateful for folks.
Thank you Mr. Premier for giving us a sobering Christmas message reminding us what Christmas is all about. Can we all put politics aside for what this special time of the year represents. I believe that enough points were made regarding the unfortunate situation that occurred @ the Health Ministry recently which is sad. This is not an excuse for anyone to continue on and on and on at this time. Let’s remember what Christmas represents : ” Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men”. Luke 2:14. And they (sheperds) came with haste and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.( V-16). And the sheperds returned , glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.( V-20). To all our Family, friends and to each and everyone we wish All you a Blessed Christmas filled with Love, Peace and Joy and a Healthy, Prosperous New Year 2015. God Bless, Michel, Doris and the Lemay family.
10:49.Thank you Michel,Merry Christmas and all the best to you and yours.It is really amazing that some posters have given thumbs down on such a positive comment from you.
The "unfortunate" incident was not only abusive but threatening and the birth of jeasus should not be used to sweep something under the carpet.
If he wasn't afraid to take appropriate action when needed there would be no need to set aside politics for the holiday.