Travers tells Obama how it is
(CNS): Stating that efforts to explain Cayman’s position in the world of global finance have so far been less than effective, the new Chair of CIFSA Anthony Travers says he has written to President Barack Obama to tell him that Cayman’s continued success is important to the success of the US as well. In an open letter to the US leader, Travers tells him that Cayman is gravely concerned about his remarks erroneously suggesting that US corporations in Cayman are “engaging in tax fraud.”
Travers told CNS that given the misperceptions that characterize the debate on international funding of United States financialinstitutions, a letter to the president explaining Cayman’s position could help clarify the situation.
“Evidently, efforts to date to draw the correct distinctions have been less than fully effective. It is understandable, given the manner in which tax optimization and tax evasion have been conflated and the Cayman Islands and Monaco have been conflated, that onshore policy makers do not appear to fully recognize that Cayman is a fully transparent offshore financial centre that is responsible for funding trillions of dollars into the United States markets,” Travers said.
He added that while it was in Cayman’s interest that the flow of international finance continues, it was also in interest of the US.
“We want to emphasize to the president that there is crucial element to the Cayman Islands story that does not appear to be on the policy makers’ radar,” he added. “We also wanted to make it clear that the financial industry in Cayman remains willing and able to cooperate fully so that any continuing United States concerns may be met.”
Since taking up the chairmanship of the Cayman Islands Financial Services Association (CIFSA), Travers has been considerably more outspoken than any of his predecessors and has also taken on a new PR firm to tackle the continued problem of negative perceptions of Cayman overseas. Since the announcement earlier this year that government and CIFSA would be working together to tackle the fall-out from G20, Cayman’s appearance on the ‘grey list’ the jurisdiction’s relationship with the OECD and other international pressures, there has been considerably more evidence of the two parties working separately.
In a recent letter to the leader of government business on behalf of CIFSA, Travers made it clear he was at odds with the government’s potion on how to address the problem and demanded immediate changes to local legislation. Travers has now confirmed that he will be taking his own trip to Washington in the next few days to engage directly with the players on Capitol Hill.
However, government told CNS this morning (Wednesday 6 May) it supports CIFSA’s attempts to reach US. political decision-makers. "Part of that involves acknowledging the differing — but complementary — approaches that governments and private sector organisations employ," said Minister Alden McLaughlin adding that CIFSA had informed government of the letter and offered the chance to be a part of it.
"While the messages in CIFSA’s letter are similar to what we have conveyed in Washington, we had to consider their approach based on the fact that governments communicate with each other differently than a private sectorapproach to government. Governments rely on diplomatic channels and direct discussions with political and government leaders, as well as those who influence them," he added. McLaughlin described CIFSA’s decision to place ads with open letters to the US president as "another channel," better suited to a private sector lobby but the goal was the same.
In his letter to Obama, the CIFSA chair states that merely because US subsidiaries are registered to do business in Cayman they are not engaging in tax fraud.
“We believe that Cayman-based corporate subsidiaries operate legally and transparently and are aware of no information to the contrary. The Cayman Islands has a low tax rate, just as do Ireland and other jurisdictions.That is not a bad thing; it certainly is not the basis upon which to suggest illegality in the form of tax evasion,” Travers writes, adding that the system provides a competitive advantage in global trade, but not fraud, evasion or artificial avoidance.
He states that CIFSA recognizes that the tax deferral policy is a matter for the US Government to determine, but that it was important to note that for over 20 years the Cayman Islands has been a model of cooperation with the United States. “We have worked cooperatively on every international initiative from the United States, the IMF, the OECD and the FATF to create a financial regulatory structure that is robust, accountable, transparent and fair,” Travers tells the president.
“Notably, there has not been a single bank failure in the Cayman Islands during this financial crisis and none of the financial recklessness that has brought about much of the current global crisis occurred in or involved the Cayman Islands. Rather, to the contrary, the investments which flow from the 12,000 companies involved with the United States have provided trillions of dollars of international investment to US financial institutions at a critical period, and have done so in a fully transparent manner.”
He cites Cayman’s tax information exchange arrangement under the European Union Savings Directive (EUSD) with all 27 European countries, the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty with the US and the US Tax Information Exchange Agreement and the plans to secure additional information sharing agreements. “We are eager to work with your Administration to take further steps as necessary to promote transparency and tax law compliance, “ he writes. “We hope you will provide us the opportunity to provide you and your Administration a fuller description of the efforts the Cayman financial industry has taken to promote transparency and accountability.”
The full letter is available at: http://news.prnewswire.com
Category: Business
It amazes me that so few of us are self-educated to the true underlying nature of this issue. (I say "self-educated" because you will NOT find this information in any school-book or CNN / FOX / MSNBC news report!)
This entire ordeal has NOTHING to do with the "USA".
Instead, it is for the benefit of the (non) Federal Reserve Bank – which by the way is NOT a "federal" or even "public" company!! It is in fact privately owned by a tiny elite who are the true "world leaders" in play today.
The U.S. President is NOT the greatest power in America. MONEY holds that title! And guess what…the (non) Federal Reserve Bank "owns / creates" that MONEY and in turn the(non) Federal Reserve Bank is owned and controlled by another organisation that no-one seems ot be able to concretely identify.
The American media powerhouses shy far away from such issues – therefore we know that the two sides are in cahoots with each other. Now, the owners and controllers of the US/Global media networks can be more or less readily identified – so it is safe to assume that those fellaz and the money fellaz are "friends" at the very least. (Read a book, do some historical research and connect the dots.)
It is important to also note that the USA / Fed. Rsrv. does not stand alone in this story – as a matter of fact the story begins long before the "USA" even existed! Britain of course is a player in this story as well – however, to break all of that down requires far more time and bandwith that is available to me at the moment..
In the last decade the greatest proportions of global finance/capital/money has filtered further and further away from the "tradtional" and intentioned entities. As it has grown so has the fury of the initiators of the (Anlgo/Euro-American centralised banking) system.
Therefore, to see (President) Obama standing behind the podium and stroking the emotions of ignorant Americans by telling them lies that countries like ours are responsible for the current state of the world economy, and that he is implementing these new laws in an effort to secure tax revenue for the betterment of all the AMERICAN CITIZENS is a source of great amusement for me!
Only, it is no laughing matter.
Cayman, we are in the deadly crosshairs of an organisation – far higher and more powerful than Obama and the US Cabinet – that has proven to be relentless, cruel, and unrepentant when it comes to achieving their goals. They are hell-bent on resructuring "their" banking/money prowess to the balance to where it was in yesteryear.
Good luck to us all…we’re gonna need it!
CAYMAN ISLANDS BUZZ WORD IN THE WHITE HOUSE
Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Little dot in the Caribbean. Got everybody,s attention All eyes on us, Should they call us grass skirts and tatch roof now>
As far as I see it Cayman has always been standing on her two feet, and the amazing thing is that many of us do not realize that it is pure jealousy why we are being targeted. For Pete,s sake Caymanians, try to stand tall. Some of us need to go live in other Caribbean Islands to appreciate what we enjoy here. But most of us do not care about each other. Expatriates are nicer tp us than our own, some of us will not even look you in the eye when talking to you. I always thought if you cant look me in the eye you are not honest.
Let us be the BUZZ< BUZZ of the white house. I do not know who else USA wants to criple. Poor little Cayman Islands with a population of 55,000. people. Every can of pork and beans, sardines, toothpaste, water, shampoo, flour and pispot, Bathtub and toilet and the list could go on and on and on, we buy from USA. AL Thompson and Cox alone makes companies in USA feel rich with purchases. So how in the world can they want to rock this little island with just Tourism to live off is beyondme. The bible however speaks about a City. I will say no more.
After reading this long-winded letter, if I was President Obama I would place it in file 13 (the d!n garbage!!!). I can see why philosophers find that mankind’s greatest strength and weakness lies in our hope. Do we really think this letter will pull the strings of emotions for man who is head of an Administration that intends to topple our financial system?
Please, the viciousness of capitalism supports usurping powers of the great and getting rid of real competition; and needless to say the Cayman Islands is competition to the US as well as so called developed countries. Cayman poses a great threat to these jurisdictions on the mere fact of our tax neutrality and efficacy. We provide companies to make money for themselves and not tax them to sustain our politicians lofty lifestyles or to bail out financial companies that should be allowed to go on the path of failure.
Funny how they can say that when in their own country they have a state that functions like an offshore jurisdiction, with less compliance to International standards which we adhere to. The same Obama and Levin that sent the GOP to Cayman last year vindicated our financial system of being robust and in compliance with International standards. They need to take a look at Delaware that is very much an offshore jurisdiction, that does not require owners of companies to state their full name and background with origins of wealth and etc, and to me that is a caveat that would allow and facilitate tax evasion in their own country.
After all is said and done, this demolition of offshore tax havens has always been the rhetoric of Demorcrats, that benefit from the same system that they purport to be tearing down. And life is so funny, what we appear to be doing is further from the truth of what actually is, so as I said before, the bark is more intimidating than the bite.
Yes it’s amazing that there are really still places/centres that authorities and bankers do not bother to ask for names of company shareholders/owners thus allowing fraudsters and money launderers to open bank accounts and move assets (Nevada, Wyoming, Leichtenstein and Somalia). Count 80,000 such shell companies formed one year alone in Nevada, home to Las Vegas, casinos and gambling. Maybe the US Administration could go after the real fraudsters. The US-based shell companies set up in these places are already on the IRS’s radar so there is a head start.
http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13382279
Clearly Cayman is the buzzword in the White House’s PR spin for mainstream US media. Unfortunately reality isn’t that important these days. It is clear that Cayman needs to get out of media attention…it needs to be moved somewhere else and fast. Hopefully Tony Travers brave effort will help and close the reality-perception gap. There is really no need for Cayman to be a scapegoat.
Rather, to be more constructive in these perilous times, a bold analysis of whether this is the market the founding fathers had in mind and a sharp return to fudiciary responsibility is What is really important. The economic mess will only be getting much worse…
Replying to "Yep – that should do it!" 05/06/2009. Other than speaking English I don’t talk like any American (most American accents grate on my eardrums), I spell like the British ("center" looks strange to me), and guess what, although I may not be able to find Caymanian restaurants in the US I can certainly find many Caribbean restaurants. When I visit US I can meet Caymanians, and other people from around the world, who have taught your kids and given you the medical care you need. Your points were silly and easily countered.
Americans really need to get down from their high horse. In this globalised economy the US no longer holds the hegemonic power they once did. Exports? What exports? The US imports way more than it exports, it’s why your trade balance is in a major deficit. You claim the US is the "master of commerce and economy"? Please, the US needs China to by up its massive debt in order to survive. US auto makers have lost to those from Japan and South Korea. Most "American" products are made in China whose manufacturing output runs miles around the US’. Although most of the products Cayman import may have come through Miami they certainly were not made there or anywhere else in the US. Brazil’s agricultural industry rivals the that of the US. The US has to import the best minds from around the world because its own citizens aren’t the best academically. So please tell me what is so great about your country? Oh yeah, its military. Spending massive amounts on weapons while its own citizens are hungry, homeless, and sick. Second to its military the only thing the US is great at is exporting its cheap commercialised cultural crap, like Britney Spears, fast food, and Hollywood. So wake up, the US cannot survive on its own any more than Cayman can.
"Yep – that should do it! A letter to Obama from someone who is a nobody in the eyes of the US government. When is Cayman going to learn that you have to serve the master of commerce and economy- THE USA. You talk like us, spell like us and when I come to Cayman I can go to a US operated franchise like Burger King and Wendy’s. I can meet Americans, educated your kids and give you the medical care you need.
Cayman would be nothing without the USA and its exports to your country so you had better shape up and conform to our requirements or lose out altogether"
Don’t wait for your roll-over – pack your bags and get the hell out of here now. Leave the Cayman Islands to the more civilized members of the human race, which for the record includes our American friends who are NOT arrogant people incapable of understanding things beyond the borders of the USA. Please note that we don’t speak like you or spell like you, and we have educated our own under a Cayman version of the British system, not the American.
As a de facto American ambassador through your publication, you are not doing your country any favours.
Can I assume a similar type of letter shall be going to Gordon Brown , I would sincerely hope that the UK take on board the points Tony has raised .
Thank you Mr. Travers for speaking out for us. Please don’t let these detractors stop you from speaking out. We have had a government that has sat idly by and let us get into this mess. Somebody had to do something. Thank you for having the courage to do something.
I applaud you wholeheartedly.
With great Caymanian thanks!!!
Yep – that should do it! A letter to Obama from someone who is a nobody in the eyes of the US government. When is Cayman going to learn that you have to serve the master of commerce and economy- THE USA. You talk like us, spell like us and when I come to Cayman I can go to a US operated franchise like Burger King and Wendy’s. I can meet Americans, educated your kids and give you the medical care you need.
Cayman would be nothing without the USA and its exports to your country so you had better shape up and conform to our requirements or lose out altogether
Refer to: YEP – THAT SHOULD DO IT!
Give us a break please stop enjoying our white sand beach, collecting our tips and having the adaucity to say Cayman would be nothing without the USA. OMG how can you be so ungrateful, We do not get anything from USA for free, last time I heard we were paying. You see, just like I said, before we have many weeds in our potato patch and need to be weeded out.
Mr Travers is a distinguished gentleman who had the guts to approach the situation for the people of Cayman. What is wrong with trying, and furthermore all those who have said mean things like who elected him LOGB, should consider he is trying to do some thing to save our A—es. I do hope that one day I can see Men Like Travers run for office in Cayman, I am sure Caymanians would be treated better.
Mr. Yep-that should do it. Remember one thing, in your Miami Herald or New York times you do not see or heard of any Caymanians telling you that "USA, would be no where without Cayman" So BUTT OUT of our affairs and mind your own business. Collect your tips and take your roll over like a man. NUFF SAID.
"Yep – that should do it! A letter to Obama from someone who is a nobody in the eyes of the US government. When is Cayman going to learn that you have to serve the master of commerce and economy- THE USA".
President Obama has presented himself as a new kind of U.S. leader – someone who is willing to listen even to his enemies and not to regard anyone as a "nobody". He has acknowledged and rejected U.S "arrogance" in international affairs (something you obviously support). If he is willing to engage with Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro why wouldn’the take the time to listen to a friendly territory which has signed up and honoured various treaties and agreements with the U.S. in relation to disclosure of information, most recently the Tax Information Exchange Agreement in 2001?
"You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time."
Quote of Abraham Lincoln.
"The smartest people in the industry aren’t necessarily eligible or, alternatively, looking to be politicians. Political leaders do not have to know everything, but they need to surround themselves with people who do. "
Yeah, I think we’re talking about the same thing. The smartest people in the industry are unlikely to want to be politicians (why would they? – no, don’t answer that), but they sure can take positions to run those areas for the politicial, subject to the elected official’s policy calls.
For example, the US Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Commerce, and the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, etc, are all appointed because of skill etc, and are not elected. I bet some in Cayman would serve if called…
Yes … I’M NOT A CRAB … You said it more Correctly. This guy,, " Anthony Travers" is he trying to brain wash the world now with his technoligy and Smarts to win over Obama ?
The parts that I really not same to understand is… As many times as the Cayman Islands Government has been caughtup in the delema here with our Financial tower being torn down with all the wrong doings, why do they insist on trying to Cover it up…?
Or, do we all think that Obama is now scaremongering us Caymanians with this talk, like our Government do with the Constitution being shoved down our throats. And,,, is there NO Reason for Obama to get on this band wagon and see what the Cayman Financial Towers looks like?
Well isnt it the way the PPM and the UDP generated this format of Financial buisness to be ran in the Cayman Islands that has now put us into this greetings of Obama and his parties? So like…. I’M NOT A CRAB has put it so plainly to you readers and posters here…..
"As a famous judge said (paraphrasing): "If you try to operate on your own kidney, you’ll botch the job. If you try to put a filling in your own teeth, you’ll botch the job. If you try to act as your own lawyer, you’ll botch the job; this plaintiff has." Similarly, if you want to run the financial services industry of the Cayman Islands, you’d better be the smartest person on the island IN THAT INDUSTRY. "
To top all that off here is another good quote by Martin Luther King…. You can fool some of the people all the time, and fool all the people some of the time… But you cannot fool all the people all the time…
Only For Caymanians
Thank God Mr Travers took the initiative to defend Cayman Islands financial industry. All election candidates (and some Caymanians too) think all they have to do is "take care of the small man" and he will stay in office. Wake up! We are in a new world and candidates and our leaders are now required to have financial and economic experience, coupled with international relations, if they are to lead the Cayman Islands. I suggest that they begin to groom candidates now to get these qualifications and exposure so they can be in a better position to lead our country when the next election comes around.
Yeah – crabs in a bucket! For shame…
It’s OK if you can’t lead – not everyone can, but don’t pull us all down because of it. Instead, get behind a good leader and push for all you’re worth! Bring all your friends and tell them to push too, and smack anyone not pushing in the head with a wet fish.
Otherwise, dog will eat your supper, your lunch, that beer you were saving for the weekend, and everything else you have to be grateful for.
And the "First do no harm" bit… [***rolling eyeballs***] … he needed professional help supervising the financial services industry of the Cayman Islands. That isn’t something an average person can make up on the fly, and shame on him for not letting the professionals steer that.
As a famous judge said (paraphrasing): "If you try to operate on your own kidney, you’ll botch the job. If you try to put a filling in your own teeth, you’ll botch the job. If you try to act as your own lawyer, you’ll botch the job; this plaintiff has." Similarly, if you want to run the financial services industry of the Cayman Islands, you’d better be the smartest person on the island IN THAT INDUSTRY. A non-professional will botch the job.
’nuff said.
"Similarly, if you want to run the financial services industry of the Cayman Islands, you’d better be the smartest person on the island IN THAT INDUSTRY".
The smartest people in the industry aren’t necessarily eligible or, alternatively, looking to be politicians. Political leaders do not have to know everything, but they need to surround themselves with people who do.
As someone who is not one of "the Caymanian people" but who is very interested in ensuring that the offshore industry is protected, I am glad that Mr. Travers is able to make an intelligible case on behalf of the jurisdiction since the Government’s best efforts – particularly the "first do no harm" offensive – were pitiful.
"I am trying to recall the election where we elected Mr. Travers to replace the LOGB, The F.S. & The Minister Responsible for the Financial Industry, either or all at once. Since when has Travers become the official voice of the Caymanian people?"
The last time I looked the LoGB, the F.S. and the Minister responsible for Financial Services Policy were elected to look after the governing of the Cayman Islands and are not in the business of running the private sector financial services industry.
As Minister McLaughlin exlained in the article, ""while the messages in CIFSA’s letter are similar to what we have conveyed in Washington, we had to consider their approach based on the fact that governments communicate with each other differently than a private sector approach to government. Governments rely on diplomatic channels and direct discussions with political and government leaders, as well as those who influence them." McLaughlin described CIFSA’s decision to place ads with open letters to the US president as "another channel," better suited to a private sector lobby but the goal was the same.
Mr. Travers, obviously, does not fashion himself the "official voice of the Caymanian people" but rather the Chairman of the Cayman Islands Financial Services Association. As such, he is "considerably more outspoken than any of his predecessors and has also taken on a new PR firm to tackle the continued problem of negative perceptions of Cayman overseas." It is about time someone has.
Good grief.
"Can you please identify what our current government is doing about the obvious and critical challenges facing Cayman right now, as we debate this? Anything??? Anything at all?????"
Sure, he sent an email or something to London asking "Please don’t hurt me" (or "do no harm" or something equally pointless).
"I am trying to recall the election where we elected Mr. Travers to replace the LOGB, The F.S. & The Minister Responsible for the Financial Industry, either or all at once. Since when has Travers become the official voice of the Caymanian people?"
Mr Travers is picking up the ball that all of the possible people you describe have left unattended. You complain when one of Cayman’s leading people steps up to fill a hole that for whatever reason Cayman’s leaders can’t or won’t fill? Would you prefer that everyone stand around until the financial services industry in Cayman collapses for want of active management? Can you please identify what our current government is doing about the obvious and critical challenges facing Cayman right now, as we debate this? Anything??? Anything at all?????
I submit that the appropriate thing to do is to be very grateful that we have Mr Travers, and Mr Ridley and all like them, who will step up when needed, and say thank you to them.
I do agree with one thing you say though – If Cayman is looking for world-class leaders to carefully tend to Cayman’s financial services industry in these troubling times, there stand 2 of them in the persons of Mr Travers and Mr Ridley. Recruiting them to leadership roles would be an extremely positive step toward maintaining Cayman’s leading position in the off-shore world. If our leaders don’t want to deal effectively with Washington, at least they can recruit those that will.
Perhaps next time Obama will focus on one of USA’s own low-tax jurisdictions, like Delaware, Alaska, or Nevada…but, probably not.
Better yet, have Twyla give him a call on his cell
Post the letter on the wall of Obama’s facebook page.
While I am happy that the private sector is getting engaged rather than concentraging on their major objective — making money — I am skeptical that they will be any more effective than prior efforts.
Obama is already aware of the importance of the offshore centres to international finance — he was reported as saying so much at the recent G20 conference in the UK.
However, he is going to do what he can to fulfil his campaign promises — and try to plug loopholes that are perceived as facilitating his citizens’ dodging the tax man.
The question is how worried should we be? We have seen initiative after initiative that have fuelled fears here. My belief is that the US’ current initiative may in the long run not have that much impact. If the current tax agreements are not sufficient deterrence for tax avoidance, then one (from an admitted position of ignorance) wonders whether tax centres such as Cayman are not merely convenient buggiemen that pose no substantive damage to US tax revenue streams.
In other words, how effective can the US be in plugging loopholes so that it inhibits legitimate movement of funds around the world?
I don’t think anyone can answer this question right now — and admittedly I may not know enough to be as perceptive as I need to be in this arena — but I just feel that we should wait and see. Don’t press the panic buttons yet.
It was Mark Twain who said: "Lots of trouble I have had in my life, most of which didn’t happpen."
You tell him Tony T cause cousin Aldon busy trying to get his job back (no chance of that) Obama will be so relieved that he does have to feed and listen to him and the LOGB at the White House WHOOOOEEEE vieeew what a relief no more fishing stories and dominoes and turtle soup. Cayman is in an injector seat of an aircraft that has been hit Triple A and is now about to be hit by two surface to air missles and the pilot is Drunk and thinks it fireworks celebrating him doing a fly by. Sadddd man real sadddd
He will read it. I sent him the link
Very well said Twyla! I have seldom seen a better concise comment on the Born Caymanian/Caymanian Status Caymanians issue. Too often it’s hate and jealousy on the one side and arrogance and contempt on the other.
Tony Travers (we were law partners for many years and I hold him in the highest reagrd) and CIFSA are to be congratulated on this robust campaign to explain the role of the Cayman Islands as a financial services centre. His letter, although addressed to the US President (who will sadly not get to read it), should be noted very carefully by the Cayman Islands Government, the private sector, the community as a whole and the candidates running for office here. It is sending a clear message to us in Cayman as to what we have to do to survive and flourish!
I SUPPORT ANTHONY TRAVERS,
and any Caymanian who have on a good thinking cap should support his move too. Most of the time we want to put down foreigners who have Caymanian Status, but it is high time we embrace them for their knowledge and understanding, and should realize that we have many expatirate Caymanians who have made Cayman their home and know more than we know about alot of things.
Yes I agree there are some we do not need, but dont you have weeds in your potato patch?. Pluck them out so the potatoes can grow. Read Mr Travers Views, and you will understand why he is a sensible man, and doing the right thing. Bless.
I agree.
I am trying to recall the election where we elected Mr. Travers to replace the LOGB, The F.S. & The Minister Responsible for the Financial Industry, either or all at once. Since when has Travers become the official voice of the Caymanian people? If he wants to be, please ask him to run for elected office. He is out of order! I hope he is prepared to hang around and take the credit for "sorting-out" this delicate matter (maybe he will be elected in the next election?) or suffer the consequences of damaging international affairs by interfering in offical business.
You my friend clearly don’t work in the Financial Industry. The government seems to be quite laid back in dealing with this situation now as they are all too busy with their campaigning.
I commend Mr. Travers for his letter. At the end of the day if Mr. Obama get’s his way with all of this, Cayman’s Financial industry will fall and along with that umemployment for many people including me. I don’t know about you but me and my children depend on our offshore financial industry. You are clearly caught up with the politics of Expats vs Caymanian BS that I hear everyday!! What a sad little person you are! Maybe you should move to the US and support Mr. Obama in his campaign to destroy what should be your country.
Hooray to Mr. Travers for taking on the US Government and letting them know what our Cayman Islands is all about. He certainly have my support!
I am trying to recall the election where we elected Mr. Travers to replace the LOGB, The F.S. & The Minister Responsible for the Financial Industry, either or all at once. Since when has Travers become the official voice of the Caymanian people? If he wants to be, please ask him to run for elected office. He is out of order! I hope he is prepared to hang around and take the credit for "sorting-out" this delicate matter (maybe he will be elected in the next election?) or suffer the consequences of damaging international affairs by interfering in offical business."
Nice comment Mr. Government Representative. Bunch of contrarians who do nothing to improve the situation. Bunch of crabs in a bucket.
You should be thanking Mr. Travers for actively pursuing solutions instead of playing the usual political blame game.
We do not have to be elected in Government to do all we can for our Islands. Does it take one person to build a House, NO. It takes the contractor, Supervisors, Block Layer, The person to help pass the tools, cabinet maker, plumber, electrican, the painter and so on. This is what the Cayman people needs to understand that our LOGB is not the Cayman Islands, he is one person with the other ministers behind and there is soooooo much to be done and they can only do so much at a time. I think we need to know that what ever the Gov did these last four years, is what we the people voted for and we had no night mares. The Cayman people are now building the Gov Building and we will save on rent for the years to come. We need to continue and we will see the fruits of our labour in the next couple of years. After election, I think all candiates are to come together and put their plans on the table and decide what will do Cayman good and for the benifits of the people.
I"It is not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.