Mac blamed for bad press

| 10/09/2009

(CNS): The leader of the opposition said yesterday that the leader of government business had damaged Cayman’s international image through his political posturing. Kurt Tibbetts suggested that in McKeeva Bush’s bid to undermine the previous government he had caused panic. At a specially convened PPM press conference on Wednesday afternoon at the party’s headquarters, Tibbetts also defended the last government’s financial management and said that their capital development programme was not the primary source of Cayman’s current financial troubles.

“In his determination to discredit and demonise the past administration which I led, he has painted a picture of hopelessness and pessimism which has invited the international media to conclude that the country is bankrupt,” Tibbetts told the press. He added that Bush’s comments regarding the economic challenges facing Cayman had generated the negative publicity, which was an “inevitable result” of his numerous statements characterizing the country as bankrupt. “He must accept responsibility and cannot escape accountability for the consequences of his reckless acts.”

The opposition leader went on to defend the PPM’s financial management and said that the performance of the PPM administration over its entire time in office was being judged entirely on the outcome of the 2008/09 fiscal year. He said it was being unfairly held responsible for the present economic challenges that the government faces, despite what is being considered as the worst ever global economic recession.

“The reality is that there are several factors which have created the dilemma which the country faces. The issues span more than one government and more than one term,” Tibbetts claimed. He said that, aside from the economic crisis, over the four year term the PPM administration had to inject some $27 million into the Boatswain’s Beach and pay a $15 million bill incurred by the governor in his endeavours for good-governance. He said the PPM assumed office eight months after Hurricane Ivan had struck Grand Cayman and spent millions rebuilding. Following that Hurricane Paloma cost government $9 million in 2008.

He said the UDP administration had lost and wasted money during its previous term, including what the auditor gGeneral concluded as $1.6 million in unnecessary financing fees for the Turtle Farm development, $4.4 million in overpayments on the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal project, and around US$14.5 million in questionable payouts and spending on the ill-conceived affordable housing programme, as well as the forced write off of approximately $50M of government’s Ivan insurance claim from Cayman General Insurance.

“Despite these challenges, the PPM produced and operated within budgets with healthy operational surpluses in each of the three years preceding the 2008/09 fiscal year,” Tibbetts said. “Even in the final year of our term an operational surplus was initially projected.” He added that his government had also grown the country’s reserves to the highest level ever. “Even the present government has had to concede that reserves stood at more than $90M at 30 June, the end of the 2008/09 fiscal year. These reserves are more than sufficient to cover the operational deficit for the 2008/09 fiscal year.”

However, he conceded that the debt had doubled to a record level but he said it was all relative. Tibbetts explained even if the annual cost to service the debt for capital projects was as much as $18 million it did not account for the massive deficit. He said the projections for government revenue, which turned out to be flawed, had been much higher at the start of the financial year than at the end, and operating costs were also considerably higher than expected.  He said that his government had tried to reign in spending and if the higher echelons of the civil service had made the effort and called the meetings back then as they had now, the deficit may not have been as bad.

“Mr Bush has devoted a disproportionate amount of time and energy over the past few months to attempting to characterise and define the former PPM administration as spendthrifts and poor money managers,” Tibbetts stated, claiming it was not true and the record reflected that.

He lamented the blame on capital projects, which he said were necessary due to the failure of previous governments to work on the country’s aging infrastructure. He then noted the irony following the massive criticism that Bush is now planning a number of major projects through Private Financing Initiatives, which he said would not be free.  

“One thing is forcertain: all government projects will cost the people of these Islands real money. There is no such thing as a free lunch,” the opposition leader observed. He criticized PFI as merely a way of deferring payments on what is in reality an off balance-sheet loan to the government at higher than usual interest rates. “It also presents much greater opportunity for improper dealing and preferential treatment of the contractors involved,” Tibbetts warned and called on Bush to make public the details of arrangements for the PFIs and selection of contractors.

Tibbetts said that Cayman was facing challenging times and the PPM was willing to work with Bush if he was to put party politics aside, but he did not think that would happen. He said the dilemma for Cayman was that operating costs continued to grow and the more successful Cayman was the more people expected better public services.

He said he believed that when the economic crisis in the US was over, Cayman would rebuild its revenue and, if it found a way of reducing the cost of running government, the longer term issues would be addressed. In the short term, he said, the UK should be persuaded to allow the Cayman government to do what just about every government in the world is doing – borrow.

“We urge the government and in particular the LoGB to continue to press the UK in this regard. We entreat Mr Bush to continue the more reasoned tone and rhetoric he has employed in the past few days in relation to these issues,” Tibbetts said, adding that Cayman, contrary to earlier impressions, is not bankrupt.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I used to support the UDP on these economic issues but I cannot after the Ritz fiasco.

    Either Mac has a completely different set of technical advisors compared with when he successfully dealt with the threats posed by the EU in 2005 or something has gone terribly wrong with his ability to understand issues.

    As I see it Mac has 2 options – either admit he is in over his head and resign so that Rolston can take over or admit he took bad advice and needs new advisors – somebody is clearly producing an idiotic script for him to read from.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Is it true that Mac and some of his Government are going to be flying to London to take part in a global financial conference that is to be covered by the worlds media 

    its one thing to make stupid remarks on the island its another to do at a major event in front of the worlds media 

  3. Anonymous says:

    I was disappointed with the blame game card played by Mr Tibbetts and the PPM. The real danger of Mr Tibbetts’ position is the he has learned nothing from the massive capital program and seems to have little to no understanding of the relationship of said spending to the cost of running the government and debt servicing.

    This lack of awareness poses the danger of the likely senaro that with the PPM returned to power it could happen again.

    • Anonymous says:

      Mr. Tibbetts and the PPM did not play a blame game card. That was clearly played by Mr. Bush and the UDP. The PPM had no option but to respond with the facts as they did. The problem is that if people are misled to believe this was merely a PPM issue then it could happen again. People will think our finances will be secure so long as the PPM is not in power which is a dangerous delusion. What you should have learned is that the capital expenditure didnot cause the financial crisis but you are clearly not listening. Mr Bush is giving the  impression that the capital expenditure has to come from this year’s budget and is causing the operational and budget deficit. That is false. What it did do was to increase the national debt and to increase by several millions of dollars the monies allocated to debt servicing of the capital expenditure. It appears that you do not understand the debt servicing issue. Particularly in the case of the Govt. Admin Bldg that debt servicing may be justified if one compares it to the cost of Govt. paying rent for office space for various govt. depts.

      The real issue arises when when there is a massive decline in actual revenues from the previous year of some $40m and the expenditure is increased by various items over which you have no control, e.g. repairing damages after Hurricane Paloma and the waste of public funds on the various ill-fated investigations to the tune of some $10m. The situation is exacerbated by grossly inaccurate revenue projections. 

      Some of the lessons are as follows: 

      1.  Recurrent expenditure rather than capital expenditure is the real issue. We need to find ways to reduce recurrent expenditure. One of these is that civil service needs to become more efficient and reduce waste. Stop the politicization of hiring and firing decisions and instead do so on the basis of merit.  This does not negate the fact there may be extravagances and waste in capital expenditure as well which should be eliminated. For example, a project manager should have been hired by the Govt. for these projects.

      2. There needs to be better collection of existing sources of revenue. For example, residents should have the good conscience to fully declare the value of the good purchased when returning from abroad. Customs officers need to ensure that bags are checked thoroughly to eliminate duty evasion. Enforcement of collection of garbage fees which should be increased in any event to better reflect the cost of providing the service.   

      3. We need to broaden and diversify our revenue base so that we are not so vulnerable to economic downturn. It is akin to having a diversified portfolio of stocks with varied risk and return profiles as opposed to investing in one or two volatile stocks. The portfolio will still decline in value if there is a market correction but it will not be nearly so dramatic as where your portfolio is concentrated in two volatile stocks. Note that this completely differs from the PPM philosophy that our model should continue unchanged. So this is not about supporting the PPM vs. the UDP it is about learning the right lessons from this crisis.  Do not dismiss the facts because they are not politically convenient.  If we do not learn from history we are doomed to repeat it.      

              

    • Anonymous says:

      They shamelessly ommitted the fact that the terrible press lately (suggesting the demise of Cayman) has had as its singular genesis – the letter from the FCO which said no to increased borrowing and strongly suggested that we introduce taxes.

      Any new govt has an obligation to tell the public the state of financial affairs of the country that they found when they came to power. Kut did the same thing in 2000 when he said Truman had left the country broke.

      The only people who really believe this propaganda is the party faithful. 

      • Anonymous says:

        No, that was not the "singular genesis". Add the reckless comments of the LOGB and the desparate Ritz Carlton meeting. In case you have not noticed the Richard Murphy article on here specifically cites what the LOGB had to say.  Pretty obvious that someone advised the LOGB of the impact of his words and he came out make a statement to try to undo the damage he had done.  He simply does not understand the impact of his words internationally as the leader of the government. The man is a loose cannon. Much as most of us would like to see the PPM demise, he needs to be more responsible.

        Anyone who does not understand has been blinded by UDP party propaganda. 

        • Anonymous says:

          I did not read anything in the international press about any meeting at the ritz carlton,did you? No of course not!  The international press reports stemmed from the FCO letter.  Are u living on this planet?

          • Anonymous says:

            You are a real dimwit. The letter itself reflected a bad move on McKeeva’s part. Second, the Guardian cites the inability of Govt. to pay civil servants salaries and cuts in benefits – something gained directly from the LOGB’s comments, not the FCO letter. Third, the Richard Murphy piece is not merely an article on CNS. The Tax Justice Network does have a voice internationally. 

            I am on planet earth all right, but you are clearly in ‘McKeeva world’ and seeing his every act through rose-tinted spectacles.     

        • Anonymous says:

          Hear, hear! Both Mac and Kurt need to engage their brains before their mouth! They both contributed to the financial crisis we current have and cutting civil service wages won’t help much. What they need to do is cut the wastage and weed out the unnecessary posts throughout the service and the various agencies.

    • Lachlan MacTavish says:

      The financial crisis is so important that as a voter I can no longer support any party or any elected member right now. No matter who the elected members are should they stand up and address this issue head on, logically and not tied to party lines and politics I will support them whole heartedly and would hope that other voters would do the same.

      Would someone please come forward….let us know what you are doing.

       

      Lachlan MacTavish 

      • Anonymous says:

        Tony Travers appears to be flying the flag however he does not appear to have the support of the Govt  which very much limits what he is able to do 

         

  4. Anonymous says:

    As a CPA and mayb the smartest 1 from the UDP..nope sorry Eilio is he have 2 degrees…. Oh no sorry he lied about that…

     

    Anyway.. Rolly should understand that it only makes Economical sense to build a humongous school now rather than it being overcrowded within a year and have the demand to build another school again…..this population is not getting smaller ..we have  new paper Caymanians every day in addition to providing for the Natives….. so I applauded Minister McLaughlin for his long term thinking. like he said UDP built teeny weenie Prospect primary and in a year it is over crowded our kids can’t have a music and arts room because those rooms had to be used for classrooms  it was built too small..the schools Minister McLaughlin built will last us forever and serve as strong hurricane shelters

     

    • Anonymous says:

      I used to think CPAs had sense, until I saw this post.

      • Anonymous says:

        boy you stupid… the poster is talking about Rolly… maybe you should learn to read and then you could be smart too.  LOL!

      • Anonymous says:

        So you no longer think Rollie has sense?

  5. noname says:

    "can some 1 calculate all this wasteful spending"

     

     

    He said that, aside from the economic crisis, over the four year term the PPM administration had to inject some $27 million into the Boatswain’s Beach and pay a $15 million bill incurred by the governor in his endeavours for good-governance. He said the PPM assumed office eight months after Hurricane Ivan had struck Grand Cayman and spent millions rebuilding. Following that Hurricane Paloma cost government $9 million in 2008.

    He said the UDP administration had lost and wasted money during its previous term, including what the auditor gGeneral concluded as $1.6 million in unnecessary financing fees for the Turtle Farm development, $4.4 million in overpayments on the Royal Watler Cruise Terminal project, and around US$14.5 million in questionable payouts and spending on the ill-conceived affordable housing programme, as well as the forced write off of approximately $50M of government’s Ivan insurance claim from Cayman General Insurance

     

     

     

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    KT do acknowledge that that they spent money but if you successfully passed year 3 anyone could understand that The PPM Govt. spent money to build  needed infrastructure and a downturn hit the economy which sharply reduced revenues and led to an operational and budget deficit. And as a proud PPM supporter let me apologise for KT not offering solutions such as a National Lottery (sell our island to the devil just a tad bit more) or I’m sorry he didn’t propose to dredge out our lil rock for a mega yacht facility for the rich….hmm and I’m most of all sorry he didn’t think of things like  privatizing our National Airline…selling Govt assets…Oh yeh we definitely need a new airport  and the perfect spot is EE!

     

    What a brilliant man mac is..are you ppl for real this is the change you wanted?

  7. Deeply Worried says:

    Sounds like Private Financing deals (PFI) are conduits for corruption by politicians. They can bypass all governance procedures currently in place in dealing with government contracts.  They do not need to be approved by the Central Tender Committee. However, in the end all liabilities fall on the Caymanian people by way of off balance sheet liabilities.  These off- balance sheet liabilities are to be blamed for the collapse of the financial markets around the world along with venerable investment banks in Wall Street. Mr. Jack, you will have to increase the staffing levels at the Auditor General office to deal with impending onslaught of these PFI deals in the near future.

    God bless Cayman.

  8. Anonymous says:

    To the poster of the comments below- I say to you that it appears your an arrogant and ignorant limey. The Cayman Islands has given and done more to the UK than the UK to us. But hey- you are in Cayman draining us in the same manner. I say catch BA headed back to England ASAP and we will ship your belongings on the next available ship. You are truly obnoxious, ignorant, arrogant, self-centred and dis-respectful. You probaly have never eaten or dressed this good EVER in your miserable life.

    This comment is directed at the propoganda distortionist that wrote the follwoing post:

    Hey get it right, the English citizens are only here to commit murders, rapes and burglarys, or so you reckon. Even though 99% of crime is cause by Caymanians with little or no moral substance.

    Actually the british are really here to live in the sun for a few years, to drain the country dry, line pockets with tax-free cash earned by stealing a job which is a ‘true caymanians birthright  – a good job, regardless of their lack of education or skills)’ then they send all the tax free money home and then scarper when the island has completely gone to the dogs, disease ridden, bankrupt and overflowing with our trash left behind.

    At least you all had a few years of blackberrys, 4×4 driving and alcohol before you have to get back to making rope.

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      And you’ll be following shortly with your rabble, on a different BA flight, once things go topsy-turvy here.  Hang on to that British passport that you have hidden somewhere in your closet – and don’t forget to brush up on God Save the Queen!  Cheers mate!

    • Makam says:

      Stupid, obnoxious, bigoted Caymanians like you get the rest of us who have been out in the real world a bad name. "Jobs by birth-right" what an ignorant statement, our fathers and grandfathers went who went to sea earned their positions with skill, hard work and determinarion! Idiots like you spend a few comfortable years at school / college and then expect to walk into mangers job.  I worked for my position you do the same and stop whining.

       

      To CNS: I appreciate my comments may appear strong but I will be interested to see if this message is posted or are we only allowed to "slag off" Ex-pats?

      • In haste is sometimes a waste says:

        Hey Mak:

        Dont think you read that post too well, the "Caymanian" you ridiculed was actually responding to the previous poster’s comment that made the reference of "jobs by birth right"

        Re-read.  That’s whats wrong with us now, so quick to jump on each other.

         

  9. Anonymous says:

    McKeeva and Obama now have something in common.  Last night in his address to the nation, Obama said that the previous administration had left the country in serious debt.  McKeeva laid it out like it is and also said the same about the PPM administration and Kurt now says that McKeeva is causing panic!!!  Can’t believe these jokers. That press conference served to confirm that I made the right choice when I ditched the PPM and voted for the UDP.  Kurt and that bunch need a wake up call.  They left this country in shambles and can’t even acknowledge it.  Now they blame lower level civil servants for leaving things undone. What happened to oversight Kurt? Take some responsibility man!  What is the point of having all these half-built projects if the country is broke? I believe they should lay off the sauce for a change andproduce actual solutions instead of being a hindrance to this government.  Their arrogance urks me even more now! Their supporters should demand their resignation.  They are doing nothing anyway – not even being a good opposition.  NO MORE PAYCHECKS FOR PPM MLA’s! RESIGN KURT!

    • Lachlan MacTavish says:

      We had suspected all along that the accounting and spending was out of control. Then we had the word from the LOGB. We have no money, we need loans. There was a flurry of positive action. The LOGB demanded action and interaction with the private sector to solve the financial crisis. He was leading us. Tim Ridley had some good options. Tony Travers was addressing the world media. Some local associations reacted. Then the LOGB fired the first round and pointed the finger. The PPM fired back….not us. Time to stop. This is a very serious problem. Hurricane Ivan was solved with all politicians joining hands with the private sector. Well guess what, this financial issue is worse than Ivan. Ivan could be solved in a couple of years. If this issue is not addressed now with action then our children and our children’s children will be paying the price. Time to stop the petty politics on all sides, time for leaders to stand up and take action.

       

      Lachlan MacTavish 

      • Anonymous says:

        Well said, Lachlan. I am disgusted with the over-politicization of the issue. That is not the way to unite and solve the issues.  

    • Anonymous says:

      "NO MORE PAYCHECKS FOR PPM MLA’s! RESIGN KURT!"

      To the person who posted the above comment I want to join you on that one. We should start a petition and then follow up with a March to DEMAND these actions.

      As a former PPM member I am so terribly embarrassed at the huge EMBARRASSMENT that the party and its LEADER in particular, have become.

      We the electorate need to show them that we HAVE LOST CONFIDENCE and cannot afford to pay them any longer while they hang "OVer the Edge" drunk and blubbering day after day and night after night.

      Kurt, you once said that when you could not represent your people any longer they wouldn’t have to ask you to leave, you would do that on your own.

      KT that time has arrived – do the honourable thing, my man and you may still muster a little speck of respect from people like me and many others who feel this way.

      • Anonymous says:

        Speak for yourself bubba…….you sound just like all the other UDP supporters I know….lost as hell in all of this!

      • Anonymous says:

        Charge the PPM government for malfeasance in office. Let all the fact come out in the trial. Remember when the PPM wanted to charge the UDP for this and that…

    • Anonymous says:

      OMG!! You need help…..follow ya leada leada leeda….follow ya leeda! Mac going take una down a real sorry road……then he goin sail off into da sunset on his mega yatch and leave unaa sorry selves behind…..good luck!

  10. Anonymous says:

    All of it is a result of past governments who have bled the country dry. All of them! No matter UPD or PPM. All of them!

  11. anonymous says:

    The PPM have got to be in the top 5 worst political parties ever in Caribbean history!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Only if the UDP is in the top 4.

      That is pretty silly. The PPM Govt. spent money to build badly needed infrastructure and a downturn hit the economy which sharply reduced revenues and led to an operational and budget deficit. Are you forgetting when we were screaming that govt. had to do something about the traffic jams on the roads and the overcrowded schools? They were not perfect but far from the worst in Cayman let alone the Caribbean. Bad politicians in the Caribbean are steeped in corruption, steal from the public purse, arm their supporters with guns etc. etc. You people are really getting carried away from reality.      

    • Anonymous says:

      And you have got to be in the top 2 most blinded judges of political parties!

  12. Anonymous says:

    A tax on the takings of bars in North Side might go a long way to curing our financial woes.

    • Anonymous says:

      Not as much as not getting a benz jeep 2 months in office would have helped!!

  13. Anonymous says:

    poster @11:16,if you were able to vote and didn’t,then you should have no say whatsoever,after all if you are truly Caymanian to the bone you would have voted, if even for an independent.Thats one of the problems now,people not using their democratic rights.Then have the gall to say they love this island.no vote no say,thats only a cowards way out.

  14. Anonymous says:

     

    The PPMneed to go back over all the speeches that they made and the  comments about "not on my watch", "only God can stop me’ etc. The people do not forget, UDP are you listening, we do not forget, so now Kurt dont look to us for sympathy, we have had enough of your bull crap, if you cant be construtive and try to assist the present government in building back our reputation then sit to hell down. That frank sound school is a total waste of the tax payers money a monstrosity that cant pay back for what it cost.   Alden should be made to stand in front of it daily so that the people can shout  to him " God did stop you, the people voted you out."

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Whoever heard of a school paying back for what it costs (at least not in monetary terms)? The schools will not be stopped.

      Please recognize that Boatswain Beach was a total waste of tax payers money ($62m) that will indeed never pay back for what it cost since so far it has cost us $30m in subsidies and counting.   

      The present govt. appears tobe doing its best to destroy our reputation by the reckless comments from the LOGB that has sent the international media into a feeding frenzy. You can be constructive by telling him to shut up.

        

  15. Anonymous says:

    To all those posters who keep barking about the reckless spending by the last Government, the PPM Administration, with the exception of the Heroe’s Day fiasco planned by a few Civil Servants, there really was no reckless spending. Had it not been for the Government constructing the New schools and the New Government Adminsitration building, many many people would have been unemployed in 2008 and now. There was no other bigh construction projects underway at that time.  Spendin on these two projects were in fact a major stimilus package by the Government to the Cayman Ecomomy which has kept the remainder of Cayman economy going for the last half of 2008. Spending on roads, in my opnion should have been much higher as Cayman is 25 years behind in our road system. Even Cayman Brac’s road system is ahead of Cayman’s!.

    Lastly please focus on recurrent expenditure and you will see who is responsible for the expenses increasing faster than income. This has been like this for 12 years and nobody wants to even mention this. The new constituion will definitely give elected members more accountability, whether it is the UDP, the PPM or whoever.

  16. Joe says:

    Yeah for Mr. Tibbetts making a come back from where ever he went.

    We need opposition and now is not the time to give up. I ask the PPM or UDP to fix out problem with the bad press, put England in her place and get the money that you all so call need, lets face it england wants what we have if that was not the case so much of the English citizens would not come here to work. 

    The are trying to hurt us by sending a Governor to destroy ever thing system that we have even though they needed to be looked into.  When that did not work they assisted Big Mac in saying we were Bankrupt, looks folks we are right now we are the fifth largest in the finance industry England is not there as she wants it. 

    PPM start speaking go along with what is right for the country and her people and fight against that is not.  

     

    • Anonymous says:

      HERE! HERE!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Hey get it right, the English citizens are only here to commit murders, rapes and burglarys, or so you reckon. Even though 99% of crime is cause by Caymanians with little or no moral substance.

      Actually the british are really here to live in the sun for a few years, to drain the country dry, line pockets with tax-free cash earned by stealing a job which is a ‘true caymanians birthright  – a good job, regardless of their lack of education or skills)’ then they send all the tax free money home and then scarper when the island has completely gone to the dogs, disease ridden, bankrupt and overflowing with our trash left behind.

      At least you all had a few years of blackberrys, 4×4 driving and alcohol before you have to get back to making rope.

      • Young.KY.female says:

        Actually the stereotype of the "reckoned" criminals are the Jamaicans, Hondurans and Phillipinos.  Your second paragraph is really what we know the Brits are here for.  And you might as well sign your name as you’ve used this last line at least half a dozen times in your posts on this site or have seen it written and thought the poster was accurate in this comical statement.  I don’t have a blackberry and the stereotypical car is actually a huge truck (if you can afford it) and otherwise a Honda. And I don’t think you’re stealing our jobs and do think the majority of Caymanians are uneducated, but I’m tired of reading your posts. 

        The stereotypes against foreigners are ignorant and pointless for the most part so recognise it as such and leave it be.  If you’re going to live here why not just laugh at the fact you DO get to sit in the sun, have the best jobs and leave the trash behind and respect the country and it’s locals instead of re-posting the same garbage hoping to get approval from fellow foreigners.  I have sympathy and hope for all of my fellow Caymanians and if you’ve learned anything by being a repeat poster on this site, pointing out their flaws doesn’t educate them anymore.  Be humble.

      • Anonymous says:

        Such a loser you are! At least we have rope making…..wonder what awaits you back home? Social Services? I understand the English are quite good at standing in that line for Government handouts……

      • Anonymous says:

        I don’t think anyone has suggested that English citizens here are committing murders, rapes and burglaries. 

        It is obviously rubbish that 99% of crime is committed (assuming that is what you mean by "caused") by Caymanians.  That only reflects anti-Caymanian malice. Most of the crime is unsolved so how can you even begin to make that statement?    

  17. Anonymous says:

    What a useless bunch!! One would have thought that the PPM would have come out with constructive criticism and suggestions as to how to solve the problems they caused our country. Instead, what do we get, a press conference on how bad McKeeva is and how he should stop talking bad about them! What about the majority of the population that are saying the same thing?

    Ultimately these guys are responsible for the situation we are in. They did not heed the writing on the wall and continued to build monuments onto themselves. Even the Bible says, though shalt not have any other gods before me. Kurt do you remember your infamous words after McKeeva asked you to plan for the recession and to halt the spending. If I remember right  they were "not on the kindest of mornings."  Well I don’t think that on the kindest of morning the people of this country will ever afford you that opportunity to say that again. 

    This is what we get after months of them drinking themselves silly at Over the Edge. What a waste of time and energy. These guys need to resign or give up a significant portion of their salaries to help the people of this country!

    • Anonymous says:

      Obviously either you didn’t isten to or understand anything they had to say. If you did you would have understood that the capital expenditure did not cause the financial crisis we are in.

      The PPM were spending on roads, schools and the govt. administration building – all vital infrastructure. McKeeva spent $62m on Boatswain’s Beach which has a negative net worth of $8.4m which so far has cost the country $30m in subsidies to keep it afloat (and counting).   That is the sort of crap that put us in deficit. Was Boatswain Beach a monument to your god? 

      Many in population have been fooled by McKeeva and his distortions of the truth. E.g. "when we left office the Port Authority had $7m in its bank account and now it only has just over $2m and we don’t know where the money went". Fact: there was $6m in the account and most of this represented receipts from insurance payout for damages. Naturally the money had to be spent to repair the damages and $6m did not represent the norm while the UDP were in office. Yet he deliberately misleads the people with his politricks and the gullible buy into it. It showed me just what a dangerous fella he is.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yabba dabba do!! obviously you did not listen or perhaps you’re not able to comprehend what was said at the Press Briefing yesterday much less the entire situation we are currently facing…..perfect candidate for the UDP party you are…..

  18. PPM = Failure says:

    Yesterday was a typical PPM press conference… A lot of excuses and no solutions.

    Can anyone find any solutions in this article? Did anyone listen to the conference and here Kurts solutions to our financial situation? It was to pressure the UK to let us borrow more money…. Someone needs to tell kurt that we tried this and they told us NO!

    "He must accept responsibility and cannot escape accountability for the consequences of his reckless acts.” – Someone needs to tell kurt to listen to his own advice.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Well! I must admit that I am now confused more than ever before.

    The present LOGB and The Financial Secretary says that we are in fact unable to pay our Bills, (In any language that means we are Bankrupt)

    The past LOGB says we have reserves and are not Bankrupt, meaning that he either knows where the money is hidden or is still living in his dream world.

    It is true the Mr. Bush’s rhetoric is making us look real bad, but is Mr. Tibbetts denials of the facts making us look any better?

    Why dont we solve this problem by having the Auditor General intervene and give us the real facts.

    • Anonymous says:

      We are not bankrupt or insolvent. So long as the Govt. has options to pay its debts, for example the so-called private financing deals and private sector partnerships and taxes, it is not insolvent. 

      Tibbetts was referencing the currency reserves (which maintain the value of our currency and cannot be used for expenditure) which as at June, 2009 was $96.5m.   

      Bush is a loose cannon, plain and simple.  

      • Anonymous says:

        Try explaining that to Mr. Tibbetts. He thinks it is money that was available for spending.

  20. Well Said Mr. Tibbetts, Mac is an A**. He needs to get over this Political Party war and work together for a better future of this country.

    I AM NOT A PPM OR UDP GROUPIE, JUST GET THIS BELOVED ISLAND BACK IN SHAPE. PLEASE!!!!!!

  21. Anonymous says:

    Well Finally, Kurt emerged from his cocoon??? while I am pleased with his return to the lime light I am not so sure I agree with the content of his speech. By the way Kurt much of what you had to say was the same old political posturing you are acusing the LOGB off. In my opinion the leader was right for bringing these important issues to the public; even if it risk some bad press; this is beyond the leaders control. What about the bad press cayman received as a result of our grey listing; which offcourse happened under his watch, did not hear any mention of that. Finally, he refuses to accept responsability for the reckless spending; they simply were imprudent and irresponsible with this countries money. This is solely the blame of the past Government.

    • Anonymous says:

      There was no real bad press about grey listing and it did no real damage to us. All the UK Overseas Territories were grey-listed. All the grey listing in the world could not do the damage that McKeeva has done in a couple of months. Someone needs to put a muzzle on him.     

  22. Amazed says:

    What?!?!  No nay-sayers today? 

    Could this be the end of the UDP and PPM vocabulary wars?!? 

    Yeay!..

  23. Derreck says:

    Whether you support PPM, UDP, or neither one I think we can all agree this was probably the most sensible and balanced bit of rhetoric from any of our politicians since campaigning began for elections.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Bla bla bla bla bla !!!!

    Ken Jefferson told them repeatedly to take it easy with the spending of public funds, PPM replied, "It’s your job to make the money and it’s our job to spend it, hush your mouth Ken"

    McKeeva repeatedly told them (PPM) from last year to stop spending the public funds as if they had won the Florida lottery, due to the ongoing world recession which was going to hit Cayman hard in the summer/fall of 2009. They repeatedly replied, "You only want to STOP OUR PROGRESS"

    PROGRESS, WHAT PROGRESS ???

    Civil servants don’t even know if they will get their monthly salary for September 2009, that’s PPM PROGRESS !!!

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Ken Jefferson needs to go. He gave unrealistic projections of revenue, failed to implement the cost cuts ordered by the Cabinet last year November, failed to produce audited accounts and says he presented a false budget to the LA. If those aren’t grounds for a firing I don’t know what is.  

  25. Anonymous says:

    Excellent PPM!

    Spend all the money. Blame bad advice from advisors. Forget that you were warned about spending so much. Blame Mac for telling it ‘as it is’.

    And what about your role in this mess again?

    Jokers.

    • Anonymous says:

      Joke Joke…..yes, you are a joke!

    • Anonymous says:

      The financial crisis is not about building two schools and a govt. admin building. If they had not been started we would still have a crisis at htis point. What you need to face up to is McKeeva’s role in this mess. Look at the tens of millions that he wasted in a loss making project.   

  26. Well said Mr. Tibbetts.. Mac is an A**.. he needs to get over this political party and work with the PPM to help this country better itself.

    I did not vote in the election so i am not a PPM fan Or UDP..  And I am Caymanian to the BONEEEEE!

  27. Anonymous says:

    Mac is a very dangerous man who is so power hungry and hell bent on destroying the PPM that it matters not to him that he is destroying the country in the process. But he doesn’t care about that because he would love nothing better than to rule over the banana republic which he is attempting to create.

    We better stop him now……Caymanians our passiveness needs to stop now !!!

  28. Any says:

    I blame these two rocket scientists (Bush & Tibbets) for the situation we are in.

  29. da wa ya get says:

    Mac DID cause all of this bad press.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Kurt if shameless!

    This is the man that said on the ‘best of days’ he would not curb spending when the opposition at the time (and many responsible members of the media) warned that the global economic crisis would eventually affect Cayman.

    Absolutely shameless – the PPM needs a new leader for sure.