Wally takes on builder’s law

| 05/05/2009

(CNS): Already considered a serious contender for one of the four seats in the George Town district at the General Election on 20 May, Walling Whittaker upped his game yesterday in a bid to attract more votes when he called a meeting of small sub-contractors and warned them that theBuilders Law would put them out of business, but if they elected him he would repeal it. Whittaker said the new law would add such onerous burdens to small contractors that they simply would not be able to trade.

To a packed room at the Reliable Industries showroom, Whittaker launched an attack on the law in which he stated that most of the people there would be facing more red tape as the law had created more hurdles for them. Worse, he said, was the creation of a board made up of their competitors to whom they would have to answer. He asked the audience why they should have extra layers of bureaucracy when many were already meeting these requirements under different laws and regulations.

“Your Trade and Business Licence will be no longer valid,” he said. “You will have to apply to this new board made up of your competitors for a different builders licence. Contractors who have been in business for years will have to take an exam set by a board and administered by an institution of their choosing.”

He said contractors would be limited in the work they could do and the law created unfair differences between civil contractors and residential trade contractors. Whittaker described the law as misguided and the aim to improve standards could have been achieved differently. “I haven’t seen any buildings dropping on people’s heads, so I think you know what you are doing. This is a bad law for your industry.”

Whittaker warned the law would lead to domination of the market by large general contractors as the small contractor would not meet the requirements to trade. “The barriers for entry are too onerous for you to meet, so you will fade away. This will drive up cost of housing for all the community,” he added.

He said the new board would be able to prevent small contractors from being licensed. “They can decide you can’t have a licence based purely on the economic  situation. They can refuse you your license based on things you’ve done in the past. You have to show your  board your finances and your competitors will decide if you can stay in business,” he claimed, adding that the board would also dictate to contractors the ownership of shares, they could not move shares around unless the board said so, nor would the contractors be able to start spin-off companies unless approved by this board.

“Your competitors are deciding if you are competent but who decided they were competent to decide if you are competent?” Whittaker asked, adding that their only course of redress if they did not like the board’s decision was through the Grand Court.

Whittaker told the increasingly disgruntled crowd that the law, although not implemented, was already passed and would come into effect once the eighth board member had been appointed. He said, however, that he would fight for its repeal but the best way for the contractors to fight the law was to create a small contractors association where they could pool labour and resources while dealing with pension and heath issues collectively. He said pooling together would see them able to protect themselves from legislation like this and their interests, as he noted that the Cayman Contractors Association (CCA), which was in support of the new legislation, had failed to do that.

Hitting back however, Steve Hawley, president of the CCA, pointed out at the meeting that Whittaker had grossly distorted the facts about the law and that, as it introduced levels and categories of contractors, all the personsin the room would be able to choose what type of licence they wanted with graduated requirements. He explained that if a small contractor was hoping to pitch for a Ritz size contract then indeed he would have to meet certain criteria, but this would not be the case for a small trader’s licence.

“If what you said was true then this would indeed be a horrendous law,” Hawley said to Whittaker. He also called Whittaker out as being on the original committee that wrote the law but who had never turned up for meetings. Whittaker denied being invited despite his name being on the committee list.

However, the crowd of subcontractors clearly felt that the CCA did not have their interests at heart and one contractor pointed out that with some 18 members out of an industry of up to 400 that was not surprising.

Hawley also admitted that the only actual builder on the committee of 13 people who created the law was the president of the CCA, which had begun with Ian Pairaudeau from McAlpine and then himself when he became the next president.

Tommy Bodden, a well known and respected local contractor, defended Hawley and the CCA as he said the reason why the membership was low was because it had very high standards. He explained that the new law was designed to protect the customer from rogue companies and the idea that it favoured general contractors was misplaced as it was to protect small business too.

Hawley tried several attempts to explain what the inaccuracies were that Whittaker had presented but he was asked to stop his explanations by Whittaker (and on one occasion Ezzard Miller, independent candidate for North Side, who was also there)  as he said it was his meeting and if Hawley wanted to explain why he felt the law was good he should hold his own meeting.

However, Hawley did manage to explain that the two main thrusts of the law had been to address the problem that too much business has been locked up with big contractors and give opportunity for young Caymanians and small business to break into the sector and attempt to address the problem of fronting. He said the law was also to raise standards and eliminate rogue contractors to ensure the honest man got the job and not just someone with 40 work permits.

Whittaker responded saying that could all have been achieved through other means, adding this would be the first of several meetings he intended to hold with contractors to help them establish an association and to begin a serious campaign to repeal the law which he said was a piece of garbage.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Election is nigh….Let us just be proud of the ones that have had the courage to stand to try to help this country, and wonder why each of us with our big mouth comments, didn’t run. My God, would you ever encourage one of your children to pursue politics after reading all of this over the months? Let’s at least respectfully give them each their say, and go and vote YOUR conscience. We can do better. If any of you can do so, then it only takes 1,000 bucks to put yourselves out there and letus know what you have to offer. See ya next election. I can’t read these nasty comments anymore. Sometime, me included, just go too far.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I agree with you it would have been more appropriate if he had referred to it as a pyramid scheme which defined as "a non-sustainable business model that involves the exchange of money primarily for enrolling other people into the scheme, often without any product or service being delivered".

    In the case of our pensions it appears that the only thing that is missing is there is no exchange of money for enrolling other people.

    pensions scheme..pyramid scheme it all sounds the same to me

  3. Anonymous says:

     A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to investors from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors rather than from any actual profit earned.

    Boy…it sounds like Wally wasn’t too far off in his description! LOL

  4. Anonymous says:

    I would like to take it that a bit of political fever was responsible for a slip of tongue where it was stated by one of the still leading candidates in George Town,  Wally, that " pension plans here, are a legitimised ponzi scheme". They are not.

    Up ontil now the candidate commanded my attention and critical support. I have now been redflagged.

    If pensions are a legitimsed ponzi scheme, the implication is that the legal frame work, auditors, boards of trustees, bankers, international investment houses, financial instruments are questionable and complicit. It implies that money is taken from one and allocated to a recent other. 

    Of further concern is this. The integrity of our entire financial service community is brought into question. Each of the afore mentioned components represent critical segements of the financial services industry that underpin pension. 

     A discussion can be had regarding pension. If the premise for such a discourse commences with the supposition that pensions are a form of Madoff monopoly, then it moves from passionate discussion to legal briefs on financial impropiety, get out of jail cards, and holding the barriers to staving of a rush of redemptions.

    I invite the candidate to come back to centre on what was said.

    He is correct on the proposed contractor law, and the negative implication to small business. (room for discussion on the other side of the hall included)

    He is dead on, regarding what is not feasable (waste to energy) as to the redevelopment of Seymour Drive waste facility.

    He is speaking to a crying need for vocational training.

    Intelligent people who want to vote are listening. 

     

     

     

  5. Anonymous says:

    GO WALLY! You’ve got my vote!!! 

    • Anonymous says:

      As far as I can tell the support is just not there for Wally to be elected, maybe you should just vote for the PPM instead!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Vowing to vote only for independents is a silly as voting straight for the parties. 

    You have to consider each person for what they stand for and by that I don’t mean voting for someone just because they are new or have new ideas.  You have to analyze those ideas.  Just because a candidate states their opinion (even with why or why nots) on matters doesn’t mean you should buy what they tell you hook line and sinker – research what they are telling you, get a second opinion and consider both sides of the argument.  Apply your mind!

    Mudslinging is part of any political campaign! That’s just about a fact of life.  You cannot discount candidates because of that.  You can discount them because they are saying nothing or because you don’t agree with what they are saying but you as a voter have the responsibility to do your own homework on the candidates’ proposals.  Even if there was no mudslinging and there was pure straight talk, you need to check out and verify what they are saying.

    Similarly, don’t vote simply for change.  I’m sure you’ve heard of jumping out of the frying pan and into the fire.

    Unfortunatly, having done my "homework "on what Wally is saying, I have come to the conclusion that Wally is not what we need for the job.  Using the building law as an example, the governmentis responsible for balancing the interests of all (big contractors, small contractors and consumers).  To isolate this law to the small contractors alone is biased and short-sighted.  Many of Wally’s suggestion are contradictory or don’t meet that balance:  thinks there are too many work permits but wants to continue to develop our economy, wants the environmental law as is but wants land for Caymanian owners, etc.  To me, these are all very strong indications that Wally does not wish to strike a balance in our society and you never know when you may be on the other side of his position which could be dangerous.  Wally either doesn’t understand the need to strike a balance or he is merely saying what he thinks the vulnerable voting public want to hear.

    Wally does not have my vote as I think his policies are detrimental to the people of the Cayman Islands.  However, I’m not telling everyone not to vote for him, I’m telling them to make an informed decision. 

    Young Informed Caymanian

  7. Anonymous says:

    To poster “Submitted by Anon (not verified) on Wed, 05/06/2009 – 11:51.”

    Funny how you chose the leading independent candidates in each district in an attempt to link them all with the UDP. Your theory still makes no sense because if that was the case then why are people like Elio and Jonathan saying that Independents have no plan. Elio and Mac said themselves at a meeting in prospect that the only people that are with the UDP are the ones that you see on the UDP signs. Pretty much throwing a direct Jab at anyone who thinks that any independent candidate is with the UDP.

    Your theory can’t work for Theresa either because the UDP couldn’t even offer a full slate in Bodden Town so if she was REALLY linked with them then she would fill the slate and secretly endorse another independent candidate.

    Sorry Buddy, all independent candidates are in fact INDEPENDENT! I believe that even Ezzard will surprise you because you haven’t heard him endorsing the UDP in a while have you!?

    I’m voting for Wally and Bo in George Town because I am tired of UDP and PPM. We need fresh educated faces in the LA!

    • Anonymous says:

      How can you speak for all the independent candidates? Do you understand what a fail safe mechanism is? 

  8. Anonymous says:

    BobRivers- comment 17:25

    What information in his past record goes against the man he is portraying himself to be today?? Please please tell as I am quite interested to know!! Are these policy positions or personal stuff??

    You see I’m a young Caymanian who will be voting for the first time and would not want to be misled. I’ve met with Mr. Whittaker as well as other candidates but based on his policies and the solutions he has given, I am in favour of voting for him. Remember everyone has a closet with their past ills so if it has to do with personal stuff, I’m not interested.  I want to hear about his solutions or as a matter of fact the solutions being offered by all the other candidates. I Don’t hear none so Mr. Wally’s my choice now.

  9. Anonymous says:

     

    As an ardent, long time supporter of the PPM, I give credit where it’s due and must admit that I am impressed with the young man Walling  Whittaker.  I have watched him in the public eye for some time and to be honest, I am a little disappointed that he did not join forces with our party.  He handled himself quite well on Crosstalk and I even gave him the edge over Kurt. His passion to do work for the people is evident and I believe he will make a great politician.  Notwithstanding my allegiance to the PPM, I too want someone who will make a positive change to government, therfore Mr. Whittaker will get one of my votes. 

    • Anonymous says:

      we need more leaders and less politicians and like you already said MR WHITTAKER would only make a great politician not fit to lead

  10. Pale Rider says:

      Ezzard,

    I have two words for you…..SPELL CHECK!!

         

  11. Anonymous says:

    Party supporters seem scared that Wally might come and shake things up in George Town… and that’s exactly what we need.

    We need people like Wally, Eddie, Burns and Bo to end the party politics in George Town.

    George Town Voters THE PARTY IS OVER! I’m voting straight alright, STRAIGHT FOR INDEPENDENTS!

  12. Anonymous says:

    The question of whether wally is UDP is completely rediculous!!!!

    Why would the UDP want people to vote straight but at the same time support Walling? You all  make no sense! If he wanted to join the UDP I’m sure that Mac would gladly replace one of his student candidates (Jon Piercy or Pearlina) with him. Especially since CNS and everyone else in George Town knows that Wally looks to have a better chance than those two! 

    • Anon says:

      "The question of whether wally is UDP is completely rediculous!!!!Why would the UDP want people to vote straight but at the same time support Walling? You all  make no sense!".

      It’s called political strategy. A fail safe mechanism. The UDP senses that a substantial portion of the Cayman electorate has become disillusioned with the political parties and will vote for independents instead. It can only capture some of that vote if it fields an ‘independent’ who, if elected, will then say in order to achieve anything for his constituents he must ‘work with’ or join a party. This may also be the case with Bernie in WB and Theresa in BT. Ezzard has already let the cat out of the bag.

  13. Young Caymanian says:

    I’m apalled and a bit confused at some of the comments here. How can a formal civil servant be seen as someone who has done nothing for this country? What has Ellio ever done for his country? What has Jonathan Piercy ever done for this country? What has Pearlina ever done for this country? What has Dwayne Seymour ever done for this country? And as a matter of fact what has Lucille, Alfonso or Osbourne Bodden ever done for this country. I once worked with Mr. Whittaker at the labor office and I bet you all don’t know that he was the first person ever in the Cayman Islands that tried to implement vocational education that all Candidates are now asking for. And it got started in 2003 but after Ivan the project was scratched.

    It’s just obvious that the party’s supporters are trying to attack the leading independent candidate in the district. I have listened to all the Rooster 101 and Chamber of Commerce debates and I have heard Mudslinging from both parties but none from independents especially in the case of Mr. Whittaker.

    As a young caymanian I ask you posters to realize what you’re doing. If you want to attack a candidate attack him or her on the issues not personal attacks. And you all wonder why young people don’t like to be involved in politics. Because you all make it so unhospitable. Wally is the first candidate in the entire Cayman Islands that i have heard, that has held any meeting based strictly on the issues and he’s being attacked! WHAT DO YOU WANT!?!?

    • Anonymous says:

      Correction "I am applled and a bit…" James Manoah Bodden was the first politico to initiate vocational training at ICCI in the early 80’s (marine traning school).

  14. Anonymous says:

    Anyone who knows the real Wally is very much aware that he will do absolutely nothing to help Caymanians IF he were to be elected….Wally is all about helping Wally no matter how great his promises to do otherwise may sound….simply ful of bull—- and promises!

    • Anonymous says:

      Wally and Ezzard – two arrogant peas in a pod. Two drowning men grabbing at straws. As far as Ezzard goes its only every four years that he makes an appearance of trying to help people. Most of the other time he doesn’t even speak to most of the people in North Side much less help them. He should have stayed in his "retirement" from politics.

  15. Caymanian to the bone says:

    Very interesting post/comment. Ezzard

    So he Steve Hawley of all people, should not be lecturing/disrupting Wally’s meeting especially if a copy of the law was distributed for all to see and read.

    What should happen Ezzard, is that the profits from Phoenix Construction (Steve Hawley Company) and from the pockets of all board members of UCCI that allowed the "Not so Dr. Sayed" to go on a personal spending spree with UCCI (CI Govt) credit card, pay back every single penny that Sayed spent on his personal European globe trotting vacation purchasing furniture, trips to the spays, jewelry etc etc.

    Only in the Cayman Islands can certain people from a- far get away with so much Bull S — — — — and we the honest and hard working Caymanians and residents alike, have to pay for their criminal activities.  

    CAYMANIANS, WE NEED TO TAKE BACK OUR COUNTRY, IT’S GONE DOWN A SLIPPERY SLOPE THESE LAST 4 YEARS.

    IT’S TIME FOR A CHANGE CAYMAN, ITS TIME FOR A CHANGE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

     

  16. Anonymous says:

    When the rest of Cayman is trying to defend our financial services industry, Wally gets on the radio and refers to our local pensions as a ponzi scheme.  How stupid can you get?  CIFSA can save their lobbying efforts if this is the kind of crap our own candidates are going to talk about us. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Wally’s reference to the local pensions as a ponzi scheme shows that he knows absolutely nothing about and just running around with a few sensible sound-bites he copied from his early efforts to join the UDP.

      • Anonymous says:

        I could not believe it when I heard Wally Whittaker’s comments about pensions being a ponzi scheme.  This statement is simply meant to create controversy by a man who clearly does not understand anything about the subject. Wally Whittaker is a strategist and his strategy is clear.  He says what will create controversy and represents these statements as facts.  People, please educate yourselves.  Wally Whittaker is looking to be elected.  He is looking to say what you want to hear and what will get him your vote.  Educate yourselves, people, before you vote for Wally or anyone else and know the truth for yourself.  Don’t believe that Wally Whittaker is going to tell you the truth.  At the end of the day, he is looking to get elected which is in his best interest.  The real question is whether Wally being elected will be in the best interest of the Cayman Islands.  If you educate yourself, you will know whether what he says is true or false. 

  17. Steven Segal says:

    go wally go

  18. Ezzard Miller says:

    Dear pale rider,

    I am so sorry you did not have the confidence in your submission to sign your name, but understood yourself that your comments had no merit so you called yourself pale rider an appropiate name as your comments contain no substance of fact.

    It is devoid of any factual reference to the law and regulations to contradict what Mr. Whittaker said is wrong with the law, intresting neither could Mr. Hawley, instead he sought to insult Mr. Whittaker even before he got started by interupting his presentation and calling him a liar even after Mr. Whittaker had made it clear before he started his power point presentation that he would allow questions at the end of his presentation.

    Mr. Whittaker on the other hand was so confident in what he was going to say that he distributed copies of the law and regulations to those present and urged them to read the law and regulation themselves, hardly a smart move by someone hoping to mislead a group of intelligent people. Mr Hawley on the other hand made no such guesture of good faith, instead made a blatant attempt to embasass Mr. Whittaker by wrongly accussing him to have been a member of the committee who drafted the law in full knowledge that Mr. Whittaker had not attended the meetings and this was confirmed by a another committee member sitting beside me at the meeting.

    By the way the local attorney prersent at the meeting and much more capable of understanding and interepting the law confirmed most if not of what Mr. Whittaker presented in his presentation. 

    Mr. Whittaker as a civil servant when this committee was established could not speak out against this proposals publically or as most other civil servants under the PPM administration even speak his mind at the meetings, had he attended.

    Anyone who does not have the self confidence in his own competencies to sign his real name really does not have the authority to challenge my role, nor do I need to explain it to him or her, suffice it to say that my track record of speaking out about injustices particularly against Caymanians is better than most, during the last 30 years

    It was obvious that Mr. hawley was intent on disrubting Mr. Whittakers meeting and preventing those who had responded to Mr. Whittakers invitation from hearing the truth and actively participating in the meeting, so I simply stepped up to remind all that this was Mr. Whittakers meeting and that all persons should address their concerns, opinions and questions to him and not to mr. hawley, and when he interupted me who had gotten permission to speak from Mr. Whittaker by raising my hand, I suggested to Mr. Hawley that he should not interupt me while I was addressing the chairman of the meeting Mr. Whittaker.

    mr. hawley if he had a genuine altruistic reason to support this law could have had the same meeting many months earlier through the same method Mr. Whittaker used instead he chose to use the media to pressure his PPM government into appointing the board so he could enforce the law by making the false claim that the law would prevent a little old lady from getting riped off.

    I have seen an e-mail from Mr. Hawley that he sent out in March 09 that names the board members who he conveniently could not remember at the meeting yesterday so here they are Al Thompson, Steve Hawley, Gordon Mclaughlin, Derek Farrington, Martyn Bould, Barry Bodden, Danny Owens and Buck Grzizell – nice selection of the "Old Boys CLub".

    The e-mail further suggest that Kirt was to have aproved this board in time for a first meeting on January 6, however it appears that tone person backed out and the Board was not appointed but Mr. hawley in his typical altruistiic way of looking out for Caymanians goes on to point out that if the person would only acept for the purposes of getting the board approved by cabinet then they could continue to meet as he sits on the UCCI board that is short three members and barely quorate – no wonder the country suffered the Saed embarassment.

    Signed D. Ezzard Miller 

    • Anonymous says:

      For Ezzard to say that civil servants under the PPM couldn’t speak their mind made me laugh out loud. Ezzard, bro, we remember when you were in power (deliberately stressed because that was how it was) how not only could they not speak their mind-they had to speak yours, or else verbal abuse, bullying, expressions of contempt.

      We shall not forget!

  19. Anonymous says:

    Comment 18:59

    Better late than not at all and here is the perfect arena to point out the inefficiencies of Government and its laws. He’s got your attention and has given solutions . Where are the other candidates? He is not afraid to stand alone even if his opinion differs. Party members or should I say YES men dont have this luxury. If its not in their script then they’re tongue-tied!!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Wally, you have my vote and you have done what other politicians should be doing instead of pointing fingers and slandering, you are at least trying to educate us. He didnt make this up. READ the law!!

  21. Anonymous says:

    I thank Mr. Whittaker for highlighting this law as it is a  very important issue. How is it that theCCA which has a mere 18 members as guesstimated by their president, dictate to the 350 – 400 other contractors as to what the law should state without getting the input of the other contractors?

    Why didnt the CCA call a meeting like Wally, before putting the law in existence? The CCA wrote a letter to him in the Compass and he only called the meeting to defend his position and enlighten the small contractors as to all the red tape they would encounter with the new law.

    Mr. Hawley was NEVER invited as a guest speaker but took it on himself to try to justify the "BIG" contractor’s bullyism.

  22. afraid of guns and cameras says:

    Wally has been flirting with both parties for months….Back and forth…..

    But he hasn’t broken a sweat. Blah,blah.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Why are you all attacking wally for now pointing out the issues with the builders law? Do you want a politician who sits down and says nothing when they see clear issues with a proposed bill?

    And to say that this is rhetoric? Get a dictionary because I really don’t think that you know what the meaning of that word is. You must think that because a candidate is not holding a meeting where one slings mud it must be nonsense.

    I’m going to vote for Wally because I’ve yet to hear him sling mud at anyone and he constantly sticks to the solutions. Show me another candidate who can stand out on their own and say why they oppose a bill.

  24. Fed UP Caymanian says:

    THANK YOU WALLY………………I am indeed pleased to read and hear about this meeting that should have happened many ions ago. In fact, I CONGRATULATE Wally for taking on this thanksless task as by addressing this Law he has touched at the very nerve of the PPM- the fact that the PPM has in the past 4 years been all hell bent on making sure the big man survives while the little man continues to be oppressed. It is very suspicious to see that only ONE larege contractor attended this meeting- so it begs to ask the question if the Law was really written for the intended purposes or was it written to appease the McAlpine and Phoenix companies whilst stomping on the small businesses.

    This country has had some of the best carpenters, contractors, plumbers, masons, electricians and so on. Persons that built this country WITHOUTgovernment beuracracy as is with this Law yet at the 11th hour this is passed on the basis that as according to the LOGB "we dont want to see the same thing happen as did happen after Ivan".

    I am fed up of persons who claim to be God’s answers to this country’sroblems claiming to know all- yet at the end of the day, their knowledge and opinion is as about usless as an ice cube on a grill. Like Wally has said, let the PPM, the CCA and the PPM supporters explain to the citizens of this island how they intend to burn water as has been expressed by the PPM as the answer to the landfill. Far fetched and hopeless to say the least.

    What the CCA SHOULD be concerned with is the number of Caymanian contractors and construction workers that are without jobs- ESPECIALLY at the infamous North Side school. At the same time they should also seek to know what companies are in operation at these seem schools as it has come to my attention that there are companies employed on the site which are owned by Government employees. And yes these employees are working within one of the regulatory agencies!! Maybe the CCA should address this, along with THEIR Government to see excatly what if any issues of un-ethical and immoral behavior arises from this. And I am not suggesting there is- but at the same time I think it warrants some investigation.

    Wally- you can hold your head up proud. CONGRATULATIONS…….You would have my vote if I could vote in GT- but I am in WB and will be voting UDP!!!!!!!!!!!

  25. Anonymous says:

    I beg to differ with the opinion that Ellio is a powerhouse and will be powerful in the LA if he were to be elected.

    Ellio has been noticeably quiet for most of this campaign and really represents no real issue expertise for the benefit of the country.

    Can he stand up to McKeeva Bush, I doubt it.

  26. BobRivers says:

    As a small contractor on this island – i can tell you that Wally will not get my vote. I do not feel as if he is genuine enough and is only saying and doing what it takes to get into public office. And also there are alot of information in his past record that goes against the man he is portrying himself to be today. He had many an opportunity to help Caymanians in the pass – way not then, why now?

  27. Pale Rider says:

    Sorry Anonymous,

      I guess My statements were taken out of context….I am a Caymanian…don’t let the name fool ya…I am not knocking local contractors…I am not knocking a law that protects local contractors…I believe Cayman should first and foremost be for Caymanians…I was questioning Walling Whittakers decision to hold a meeting whereby he basically invites a specific group of voters, presented skewed facts in an attempt to whip said group into a frenzy, and invited someone to attend that meeting as a speaker, and then when that person tries to refute some of the innaccuracies which are being spoken, gets told to, basically  " Shut up,  it’s not your meeting.  IF you want to set the record straight, then hold your own meeting".  THAT is what my comment was meant to address….and if you think for one second that Wally is "Looking out for the little guy", then I suggest you contact some of the employees who worked for him when he was the head of various governement departments and get a true feeling for how this man conducts himself with regards to the people he is supposed to be representing!!!  I think you will be enlightened!!!    How do I know????  I used to work in one of those departments…  If this is how he conducts his campaign now, imagine howhe is going to be if he actually gets elected….And to set the record straight….I am not PPM or UDP…matter of fact, both parties have disappointed me with their performance in the last 8 years.  This may in fact be the first time since I began voting that I choose not to vote due to the lack of qualified or suitable candidates who actually seem to give a DAMN about what REALLY matters in Cayman!!!!

  28. Anonymous says:

    I am so proud of Walling and Ezzard for making the effort to try and stop this jaggernaught called a contractors law. How quick everyone is to comdemn Caymanians who try to stand up for Caymanians in terms of protecting jobs. We hear the call of xenophobia as soon as a Caymanian opens his mouth. Nontheless we have a special interest group like the CCA lobbying Government to hurridly pass a law that one could only call the "Elete Contractors Protection Law". These special interest people who are only looking out for themselves to the detriment of small contractors.

    This new law will do NOTHING to protect customers from unscrpulous contractors, especially if the contractor is one of the "Elite" ones that will set the standards for the others.

    I speek from experience as a customer that was ripped off by one of the contractors that are listed on the yellow pages under the name of Cayman Contractors Association. Upon speaking to the President of the Association, Mr Hawley, he told me that they could NOT bring any penalty to bear against the offending contractor, notwithstanding the fact that I have an arbitrators award against one of the CCA’s marque companies of $78,000.00 which the contractor refuses to pay after 18 months, or even take my calls.

    Mr Hawley seemed far more interested in expouseing the virtues of the new Contractors Law and his claim that liscencing will prevent this. I see nothing in the law in terms of penalties or fines if a member is in breach of the law or common ethical practises. Indeed what the new law will do is to certify anyone who can get a liscence from them as "honest contractors" as they claim that this law will eliminate dishonest contractors. my question is, what is the route through the Contractors Law that a customer can get recourse, or get paid back when they are ripped off?

    First of all I ask anyone reading this to try to get anyone from the Contractors Association on the phone number listed on the phone book under their name. Surprise, surprise that number is for one of the Elete contractors. I was then given another number for the secretary, which surprise is the number for another Elete contractor who gave me a number for the vice president …… you know…. another Elete contractor.

    To the Cayman Contractors Association I say, you will never attain the credibility necessary in order to be the protector ofthe customers and the keeper of liscences of "good contractors" until such time as you have the backbone to clean up your own house and not let members be a part of your organisation who are unscrupulous and thieves. You have the power to do this now, without a new law, it is your organisation.

    Show some good faith by trying to clean up the mess created by your members who rip prople off by expelling them. Do not allowing members who have gone out of buisness under one company name for their own protection to just continue to do buisness and rip off people under a new name while a memberof CCA . Instead you chose to lobby candidates even before they are polititions to protect your special interest..

    • Anonymous says:

      WOW I can just imagine the fireworks in the LA with Wally, Ezzard, McKeeva and Elio. Better get a few more fire extinguishers in there. Seems like all four of these have the same attitude ie My way is the only way, I am smart and you are ignorant,  don’t you even dare disagree with me.  God help us.

  29. Builders Bum says:

    Better start looking for something else to do folks because construction can’t keep going the way it has been for too much longer, guessing there is already a bit of a slow down. So be prepared for further increases in unemployment. Don’t worry about the big companies, they will pack up and move on to the next willing land mass and take their jobs with them. Then the wanna-be construction companies can continue on their mission to build shoddy, dangerous and non-approved tenement yard type homes, such as the many we still see going up, some in close proximity to sitting Ministers homes.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Just because somebody is challenging something and (what is seems on the surface) supporting the "little man" doesn’t mean this is the right thing to do or that he is right.  Why is this issue all of the sudden so dear to his heart during election? What about the poor "little" man that has gotten ripped off by some of these contractors.

    This is a vote buying exercise and nothing else. If it would be such an important issue for Wally, he could have met with the CCA and tried to come to a conclusion, but of course it is much better to shout, jump and scream in front of a crowd acting all important and trying to impress..

    While he is trying to help the "little man" on one end, he is screwing the "little man" on the other end…….

    Ask how many people out there who have gone through the building process have had problems with their contractors?

    • Anonymous says:

      Wally is just looking votes. If he cared about the Builders Law why wait until now to speak out?

      Wally is just trying to play on people’s emotions, and has no substance – sheer rhetoric!

       

      • Anonymous says:

        Wally had every opportunity as Director of Labour to sit in on the Builders Law meetings and chose not to do so but sent a representative from the Labour office. If he felt that his input then would have helped the "little man" why did he not attend those meetings and make a difference.

        The builders law will not hurt the "small man" as long as he complies with the laws of the cayman islands ie. health, pension, overtime, vacation etc. As the person in charge of labour Wally had every opportunity to enforce these benefits due to employees. The builders law will make it mandatory and have checks and balances that the "small man" will have to comply with to be in the business. The "big boys" have to comply with law so why not the "small man". It will give the industry a level playing field and should bring the standards up so that the consumer will have some recourse for unscrupulous contractors – big or small and likewise employees with have some recourse. How does Wally intend to address the issues of non compliance by the construction industry with the labour laws/health laws/pension laws – remember the labour laws etc are not only for Caymanian employees but for for ALL employeesand the days of slave labour are long over.

        Wally is just using this as a political platform to incite the contractors into a frenzy as he pretends that he is genuinely going to help them.

  31. Anonymous says:

     

    Formation of Government.

     

    Dear follow countrymen,

    Let me bring to light a simple but very important issue that has never surfaced from either the PPM or UDP.  I myself is a party supporter and has played an intricate part of the formation of one the major parties.  The issue I bring to light is “the process and formation of the government”, this process takes place after the national voting is over and the results are issued.  If one or none of the party’s don’t have enough seats to form the government , then amongst those winning the seat the fight begins for the “formation of Government” each little group gathers around and starts the squandering, negotiating and throat cutting for who should be a part of the new government.   Each little group will start calling individuals and making offers, each individual will decide which group is making the best offer and therefore they derive their decision, of course in search of power that is.  This pathetic process can go on for hours, sometimes days before a conclusion is reached.   In each party’s constitution the power supposedly lay in the hands of the people, well if that is case, why has both party’s failed to include this issue into their own party’s constitution or better yet “the new draft constitution”?

    Since both parties claim to be open, transparent and fair then why don’t they allow the people to cast a vote for the makeup of the government “ministers’ and whose to become the “Leader of Government” during the national election?

    If this process is allowed than that’s what I would call true open transparent government that really is willing to put the power in the hands of the people.

    Even though this issue I speak of will not take place this election no matter how much we beg for it, we may still have a chance of having it included into our new constitution, come this election I urge all to not vote for the new draft constitution and demand that the “process and formation of government” be included in the constitution.

     

    For “a better way forward” let’s “not stop the progress”

     

     

  32. anonymous says:

    Thank the lord some one is willing to take on these issues . Red tape is killing industry in Cayman  . Every day a new road block is put in place by kurt  tibbitts  ministry  left hand does not know what the right hand is doing. just look on the PPM logo its a hang mans noose geting tighter every day  14 days to go lets get ready to get them out.

  33. Anonymous says:

    I for one are not symphatetic to most of the small contractors. In my opinion, it is about time that some sort of regulation and rules are implemented. Based on my experiences and the experience of my family members and friends, there are too many small contractors out there, a lot of  them who do not have the first glue of what they are doing. After Ivan, I called the number of the people who I usually had come to wash my car. I was told they are no longer in the car wash business, they are now doing construction! Wow, I felt bad for the poor little fellow who fell for them trying to get their house back in order. A lot of these contractors are just greedy,  ripping off people left right and center via poor management of funds given to them, take short cuts in the construction process which often only shows years later, the workmanship is often crap, their appearance to work is usually unreliable and the completion date contemplated at the beginning is never met, not even close! A lot of them have people on work permits and do not provide them with a full work week, leaving them fending to ensure they can earn enough salary to pay their expenses. They are now just moaning because times are rough and they actually have to compete for their business where before they were so greedy that they didn’t want to take on any small jobs or took on too many jobs at once!

    Before you all reply – please, ready the above carefully. I said A LOT of the contractors, not ALL of the contractors. As far as I am concerned, the ones who know what they are doing and have gained a good reputation should not fear for anything. They will continue to get good buisness and they should have not problem following the regulations set out.
     

  34. noname says:

    Good Job Mr. Walling Educate your people from the evil doers.

  35. Anonymous says:

    Well done Mr. Whittaker. It is about time someone spoke up for the little man. In all the places I have traveled and worked; Cayman is the only country where competitors are allowed to regulate each other.

    Previously, small contractors were denied work permits to keep their businesses from growing. Now that work permits are a major source of revenues for the Government they have to find another avenue and it appears that this law is the street that they want to go down.
     
    I am a visitor to your island and I have come to love and respect the people of these islands. It is sad though that the Caymanian people are losing their sense of identity in their own country and rather than unite, they are dividing themselves more along political parties.
     
    As an American, I am happy to see more and more Americans move from being a registered Republican or Democrat to that of an Independent. What we have already tried and are now moving away from the Cayman Islands is moving to. Go figure  
  36. Anonymous says:

    Thank you Steve Hawley for being there at the meeting to challenge misinformation.  Just wondering where was Mr. Whittiker when the law was being drafted, debated and approved at LA.  The law was not passed overnight like in a banana republic.  Did he make any objections/ concerns at that time.  Why now???  Answer is obvious.  If he felt that there are clauses in the law that are not good for the small contractors, he should have raised his concerns in the public domain at that time.  He is not being proactive to the situation.  Being proactive should be a great qualification for a good politician.  Otherwise people would suffer.  I think he has failed in this test.  I suggest he should pick another hot issue for discussion.

  37. Anonymous says:

     The candidate has discovered an important wedge issue of significant importance to 65% of trades and builders segment of the current unemployed.  This issue will attract a little over 45% of his votes in George Town.

    It appears that Cayman tradesmen and small contractors are being calculatedly regulated out of business under some guise of ‘standards’ requirements.

    While there are legitimate concerns as to skill quality, the Hawley et al are certainly using a sledg hammer where a rubber mallett would do. The quality concerns affect too small a group to invite the penalty of selective banishment, which is what it is….the reality of confronting out of work, hungry and qualified Cayman work men and small business people escapes them. There is a price for this disenfranchisment for which we do not want to pay.

    The big contractor fronted by the well heeled smart set are realising windfall to the demise of a big picture melt down of a people accostumed to taking care of their families while building community. Stop that and you start a war…a war the smart set cannot win.

    Who will have the political gumtion amongst us to create Caymanian only occupation zones? It has been forced on other jurisdictions precisely because of the success of a mighty few with limited vison and great means to relocate after fires have been lit and Rome burns.

    I have some important disagreement with the candidate on matters of pension. He is wrong to the point of slander.  But this is an area of mutual thinking.

    The candidate is earning his salt by throwing down anchor. The rulling party is already a casualty to a policy lock out of the small Caymanian Contractor. 

  38. Anonymous says:

    Quite impressive, a politician who is not only willing to that they oppose a bill but why they oppose that bill as well.

    I haven’t seen anything like this from any other candidate so far

  39. Pale Rider says:

    "Hawley tried several attempts to explain what the inaccuracies were that Whittaker had presented but he was asked to stop his explanations by Whittaker (and on one occasion Ezzard Miller, independent candidate for North Side who was also there)  as he said it was his meeting and if Hawley wanted to explain why he felt the law was good he should hold his own meeting."

     

    WOW!!!   This sort of behaviour should be a wake up call to ANYONE who is even remotely thinking of voting for Wally…..Do you want someone who spouts skewed information and then has the audacity to STOP someone when they try to rebut those false facts???   Kinda sounds like a dictatorship doesn’t it????     This man is saying ANYTHING to try and garner votes….This is clearly an example of "tell the people what they want to hear"…..DO NOT be fooled by this….One also has to question Ezzard’s motives here as well…

    • Anonymous says:

      Hey Pale Rider , you make your self quite clear, you and your big money contractors come here and put the little man out of business and want to take over, where were you when the houses were built in the 60s-70s that withstood Ivan, those were not shoddy contractors my dear they were honest men willing to give a good days work and earn their pay. The poor Caymanian go to work for you pale face ones you get $50.00 -$60.00 bucks and hour and a good working caymanian get $ 10.-12.00 dollars, You are the ones that sent the cost of building up, the cost of doing business, when I hear people complain about the cost of items here in cayman, remember that a lot of these businesses are not caymanian owned, they are expats and the money do not go to the locals.

      So the Hawleys are none other either, come to cayman live here a few years get rich and want to own the birth rights and you, you caymanians you gave them that right by selling out for a few green back dollars. I tell ya all hold on to what you have, no matter how hard itgets, we can still plant our farms and catch crabs and get a fish or two .

  40. Anonymous says:

    Some other George Town candidates better take notice and wake up to the fact that just because they are party members that does not insure a seat in the LA.

    Provide some answers to the country’s problems instead of pointing fingers and blaming the other party.

    Lets hear more solutions.