Bush on Cayman sales trip
(CNS): With the UDP government focusing on attracting new business and inward investment back to the Cayman Islands, the premier and his delegation are embarking on a tour of five major world cities to spread the word that Cayman is open for business. With an eye on the investment management community, a key message that McKeeva Bush plans to deliver is that the jurisdiction is making immigration policy more business friendly and that Cayman is welcoming investors to come and settle on the island and make it their home.
He explained that government will be participating in a series of networking events targeted primarily at investment management professionals, starting in London and including New York, Hong Kong and Singapore over the course of November.
“We will be telling these audiences about some new initiatives that will help make the Cayman Islands even more attractive to international business, such as making the immigration process quicker and easier for financial services firms and offering a dedicated service to help investors who choose to locate their businesses in the Cayman Islands with the practicalities of finding office space, relocating their families and securing staff,” Bush said at the press briefing last Thursday.
Speaking to Reuters when he arrived in London, Bush said his main concern was to explain plans for making the islands an easier place for financial services personnel to live in. Bush said he would like some of the 8,000 plus hedge funds that are registered in Cayman to be more than just brass plaques.
The trip will also be about promoting the quality of business in Cayman and the usual battle to dispel myths. Speaking to the local media before he left for the UK after the Constitutional celebrations on Friday, he said his goal was to uphold the Cayman Islands’ position as an international business centre and increase awareness of the jurisdiction generally, including as a tourist destination.
“We cannot stand still while the local economy faces challenges, so I have tried to move quickly and decisively,” he said. “The government is convinced that it must move aggressively with policy changes to enable the economy to not only recover but to show sustainable growth over the short to medium term. Improving inward investment is one of our policy objectives and this is the rationale behind this important initiative. We must be out there telling world about the good points of Cayman and not leave it up to rumours and scaremongering.”
Bush said he didn’t like teleconferencing and doing things by BlackBerries and said he felt he needed to do things face to face as he justified the overseas travel.
Meanwhile, when talking to Reuters at the weekend Bush also said that he was not concerned about the latest news over a possible bank transaction tax. “That’s an old hat. I have been hearing about it for 25 years. It’s just not practicable. It will not work,” Bush told the international news organization. “We have looked at it and we do not think this is something that would work.”
Category: Headline News
As soon as McKeeva opens his mouth the intelligent and powerful of the world will run as quickly as possible in the opposite direction. Can you say Banana Republic?
I DISAGREE WITH YOU. Mac is a very handsome man,friendly and full of good common sense. Not to mention how well attired he can be . XXXXXXXX Its time that you all stop being jealous of Mack, because you know what he is no business with the bunch of you loosers, Mack will continue to excell as long as he is breathing the breath of life. You know why , because he obeys the Commandment. L0ve your neighbour as thyself. Mack has helped too many on their way and he will continue to win. I do nor predict that all of the other Districts will be as lucky, but whoever runs with Mack in west Bay they seats are insured.
I agree with you!!!!. Our new Premier the Hon. Mr. Bush knows how to help he’s people! He will bring the business to Cayman and get us out of this mess.
If we all stick with him we will all make money, he has helped us in the past and by casting his bread upon the waters he has had it returned ten fold, we will do the same.
I recently heard a joke on Mack from a famous Cayman Bracer. Someone was asking this Brac man what he thought about different people. He had different opinions on each one, finally he was asked what he thought about Mack, he quickly replied " AAAAH THATS MAN AND WITH BIG PLANS". Even an old man ready for the grave could see the good in Mack.
So the vendor leaves the stand, the fish is not even put on ice and he goes out into the town for a week to sell the fish. The whole time he is away, the fish is rotting and is starting to stink to high heaven, where am I going with this you ask?
Mr. Bush and Mr. Jefferson is suppose to deliver the country’s strategic policy statement to the Legislative Assembly in 1 week. Both are away on this world tour leaving instructions to cut 10%, no policy, no strategic directives, just cut 10%.
Ask the PPM about just instructing percentage cuts, albeit they only asked for 6% when they were in, but ask them how that worked out for them. This lack of leadership and lax attitude is crippling this country, the very fish he is away trying to sell is at home spoiling and by the time he brings the customers back (provided he finds any), no one will be interested in buying said fish as it will be so far gone, you’d die from consuming it.
Ministers, focus, please, your job is to lead the country, you do that by making sensible plans and following those plans. I cannot fathom how you would prioritise traveling all over the world over sitting down and setting the strategic direction of the country for the next 3 years.
I did not elect you into office to see how many airline miles you can rack up, I voted so you could run my country, is that too much to ask?
You are very right 11/10/2009 – 21:20. How in God’s name can policy and directives that it appears were not finalised be peddled around the world in this way?? You are so right, in your analogy of rotting fish. Sad and scary.
Well, thank God somebody is doing something. Kurt and his bunch sat on their asses here hanging out in bar rooms rather than going out and looking for investment in our country.
Give the man a chance. Hopefully it will be the PPM eating crow if it works but I am sure the PPM machine is working on ways to undermine anything that is good for the country.
All that glitters is not gold, I hope we all remember that.
You damn right he is doing something, he is wasting our money at a time when things are tough & we cannot afford any fun & games by our leader! I wish to hell he would stay over there, Cayman would be a better & safer place for it!
"undermine" as in the same way the udp undermined anything that was good for the country when the PPM were the elected government? I wish you pathetic udp puppets & cronies would stop with this foolishness "kettle calling the pot black"! una complained about EVERYTHING between 2005 & 2009 & now that the shoe is on the other foot you cannot take the criticism! Well my poor little crying udp followers, if you cannot take "the licks then get out of politics"!!!! & for GOD sake stop complaining & take una licks like a man (or get out!!!!)
Wake up!! You definitely asleep at the keyboard…..
I am a Caymanian and the Premier’s comments to the local and international media concerns me.
Does he honestly see relaxing immigration policy and making it easier for foreign nationals to come to this country to work, while displacing or preventing qualified Caymanians from gaining employment, to be the answer to attracting inward investment to this country? Quite frankly if this is what he is peddling then he is wasting this country’s money on this major tour! Does he and this administration have a clue as to what they are doing?
Incidentally, could someone please let us know where the funding for this expensive trip is coming from? This is a coutry that our now premier quite recently declared broke and I believe we should be told where these funds are coming from!
I couldn’t agree more. One would hope that they have a better plan than just throwing the gates of immigration wide open for anyone who wants to set up shop. I think any intelligent person would realize that there is much more to it to move a business than immigration issues alone.
But then, we know who we are talking about…
UDP voters – I hope you are happy because you got what you have been asking for. Just don’t come crying when you have been brushed aside and your country is run by foreigners……
"…while displacing or preventing qualified Caymanians from gaining employment…".
It’s always the same ignorant comment: expats only take jobs from Caymanians.
If there were an equally qualified Caymanian [fill in the blank, be it doctor, lawyer, accountant, whatever] then your immigration department won’t let the expat in. It’s not like the expats are in charge of Immigration!
What you are really saying is that you don’t make the grade for the top jobs, but you want it anyway. Didn’t go to med school? That’s OK, you’re Caymanian – be the doctor. Didn’t make it into Cambridge or Oxford? That’s OK – be the legal adviser to the top financial institutions of the planet…
Oh wait. Patients won’t come to you? The Fortune 500 aren’t beating a path to your law office? Right… that pesky problem of client expectations.
Oh well. Do it anyway. There’s always Jersey, the IoM and those places for the likes of CitiGroup, Goldman and Deutsche Bank to get what they need. Maybe even Canada or Ireland?
The clock is running out Cayman. The same old noise will get you the same results you’ve been getting: economic disaster. Think this level of unemployment and crime is bad? Wait until another 30% are out of work and looking to buy a gun.
Decide now: do you want to see if you prefer having international businesses and people here instead of watching the Cayman recession turns into a wholesale economic collapse, or would you rather try to bring in more business, money and people now and not watch the wreckage from the front row?
The choice remains yours. Just keep an eye on where you’ve been to predict the future results.
Ok ok….where is Mr. Chuckie in all of this ?? He’s the only one that can handle McKeeva the way he needs to be handled……..straight up…..no holds barred and pulling no punches…..that’s the way to do it.
Kurt, Alden & Arden are too soft….yes Arden is only full of mouth and when its time to dig his heals in he runs away ! Anthony sits on the fence constantly with his baseball hat & slippers and would never dare offend McKeeva or Delroy !!!
Ezzard will challenge Mac on ocassion but as we heard on the Rooster show recently when Ezzard was being negative about the commencement day ceremony and the new Premier……he made a complete 360 turn when Mac called in to the show and suddenly it was a soft & cuddly Ezzard & Mac moment……aww….how sweet !!!
Of course non of Mac’s UDP puppets has the courage to challenge him.
So Mr. Chuckie we hear you’re been giving the UDP their honeymoon period and that you’re back on the stage in a few weeks.
To that we say….hip hip…….hooray……..the honeymoon is about to end and Mac’s feathers are about to be ruffled once again like only the Chuckster can ruffle them ………Yeeaaahhhh !!!!
Can’t wait for this !!!
Has he taken anyone from CIFSA with him ? I sincerely hope so as I dont know what experience our leader has with regards Investment Companies / Legal firms – it would be prudent to take along a big hitter from these industries
Please let The Premier carry on with his duties and watch as the investments start pouring in and Cayman regains it’s posture.
I tell ya, with unna…. Damned if ya do, and damned if ya don’t.
If it na white sugar, it brown sugar… and if it na brown sugar, it sugar cane juice… but if it were left to the bunch of you… we would all be salt.
Unna na sick of cutting your nose off to spite your face?
The Premier will bring prosperity back to these Islands and unlike the previous group, he’ll spread the wealth.
…now, that I have t’rown my corn (this post), I sit and await the hens in the coup to go crazy (in response to said post).
" I’m saying cloop, cloop, cloop… cluk, cluk, cluk "
PS. Please don’t UDP or PPM me, I’m not about either of them… You may, however, recognise me by my Political affiliations: GCM, CYB and LYB.
Please Bracker Dan, go cluk, cluk, cluk somewhere else because you sure don’t cluk cluk too well here. If we are BANKRUPT as your leader says we are, then why in hell is he spending hundreds of thousands of $$$$$$’s that we don’t have? Now Bracker Dan does that make sense? If we don’t have it WE DON’T HAVE IT, so why make it worse? And you can be sure of one thing besides the cluk cluk cluk, this world tour holiday trip is not necessary! Ever heard of advertising? It does not take your leader & a bunch of his friends, family & cohorts to travel around the world to promote us, & no matter how you may try to defend this foolishness, IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE IN THESE DIFFICULT TIMES (we are bankrupt!).In good times it would be questionable, but in these dark difficult days your leader should be more considerate, & he should be more cautious how he wastes OUR money!
Now Bracker Dan, please go cluk cluk cluk back in your corner, because even you should know that to throw away OUR money on vacations when we are BANKRUPT will NOT bring prosperity back to these islands! By the way dan, where you went to school? (probably the same place mckeeva went, & didn’t finish either)!
Anonymous Tue, 11/10/2009 – 17.48, don’t you know Bracker Dan is on the 5 City Vacation trip so he feels it is necessary and not a waste of money even though Cayman is bankrupt, and you wont hear no complaints from anyone who is enjoying themselves at Caymans expense – Especially Bracker Dan! By the way Dan, you ever been to the Brac? Wink, Wink.
Obviously this conversation with the likes of you has only served to blind you further by your emotions.
I am a Caymanian. I am a Bracker, and I work my hardest to better myself, my family, my community and my Country. I have initiated seminars for our youth, helped our Senior Citizens and even sponsored the Meals on Wheels programs on Grand.
What have you done lately, besides complain, feel sorry for yourselves, and attack your own?
Have YOU, ever been to the Brac, much less Little Cayman? I highly doubt it, and if so, when? Too long I suppose.
How many of you have attacked me, so far? Seven, eight of you? Yet I stand firm.
You wish you had my countenance, bless your souls.
Bracker Dan, a Lion amongst the jackals.
PS. that’s 3 Love now, still my pose.
Your ignorance is my bliss.
That said, my answer to your reply is merely for my own amusment, as I’ve learned that life is reciprocal. However, I beg you to re-submit a reasonable response with proof of said expenditures, claims of vacation and the rest of your over-hyped babble. I trust this time you will have learnt to form proper sentences, and in congruence to their application, the correct placement thereof, to manifest what we the educated call, paragraphs.
So much things to say, with so much lack of thought behind them, that the best you can do is to insult people and regurgitate the words of those that are lost in their own self-pity, jealousy and envy. The engagment of your denial intrigues me.
Remember, what you put forward, you shall receive no less.
Again, your ignorance is my bliss.
PS. "you just draw bad card"… 2 Love… hang on to that double 6, it’s still my pose.
Hey Dan, you accuse others of "insulting people"? Is that really you Dan? Everyone of your postings is about insulting the PPM & their elected reps. And please try refrain from all that "funny" talk because you are not impressing no one but yourself, you sound SILLY! I understand that you are visibly upset because that poster put you in your place, but try not to show it here by wasting our time with that fake "talk" of yours! Thanks Dan, stick to what you know, & please, from now on try & practice what you preach & not insult others with your petty whinning & complaining! Thanks
Hope Mac gives you a lot of proof to show how much prosperity he brings back to these Islands. Somehow I believe you just might be in for a shocker when you come up empty handed! Now on the other hand, you most likely will find a ton of proof to show prosperity being brought back to ‘certain special individuals’. Good luck!
It would be interesting to check how many weeks (I don’t even talk in daysanymore) Bushy has spent off island since the elections, compared to how many days he has spent on the island! And wasn’t it Bushy that was continually preaching to the world that Cayman was bankrupt, & had the world & world press laughing at us? This man, sorry, premier seems to be confused. What a sorry example of a leader! Either that or he is in need of a lot of holidays (maybe he missed all the free travel & lovely free food when his UDP were out of power).
Exactly!
Too many people on this website are too quick to turn everything into a PPM v UDP slanging match… half way down the page some numbnut has launched into a full on anti-YUDP rant!! What the hell has that got to do with anything?
McKeeva is trying to do what he can to bring new business to the Island, and the companies he is targetting will not directly compete with or take anything away from existing Caymanian businesses. He should be applauded for this.
I’m just praying that he leaves the Deputy Premier home to run the ship whilst he’s away (excluding her from trips overseas is why she was made deputy, right?)
Before I get accused of being a supporter of one party or the other – I’m not. I voted for people, not parties (there’s a car bumper sticker for you)… I don’t think it’s anyone’s business but mine who I actually voted for, but I’ll tell you it was 2 UDP, 1 PPM, and an indepenent (in GT)
So what you really saying is you voted for the UDP…..well you got the Government you voted for…..sure hope you happy now! cluck cluck….
Bracker Dan, I really dont know who you trying to fool but it not working, and infact I dont know who you trying to talk like because whoever it is it not working, but we can see right through you with all your posts – "PS. Please don’t UDP or PPM me", because Star you are UDP through and through but I also would be ashamed to admit it.
Hey Bracker Dan, I know you are enjoying your 5 city trip but please think of GCM, CYB and LYB and come home so no more of Caymans money will not be unnecessary wasted -I will not ask you to stop the "cloop, cloop, cloop… cluk, cluk, cluk" as you are a chicken!
zzzzz
Its amazing the kind of hate that is being churned in this country; people need to really take a deep breath and look at things from a mature point of view. Mckeeva is simply a better leader than Kurt, whether you agree with that statement or not, he is not afraid to stand up when he has to, he is not afraid to go out and promote his country if he has to, and even though I do not agree with him sometimes I respect his leadership style. Kurt is a good man and he has made a great contribution to this country but he is simply not a leader, PERIOD…. the fact of the matter is, even the staunchest PPM supporters agree with me.
Kurt is not the best of leaders, however neither is McKeeva. They are on two different ends of the spectrum.
McKeeva’s "leadership" style is that of a dictator. He shoots before he looks, and if anyone disagrees with him they must be "haters" and he’ll ignore them or tear them down by whatever means neccesary…that is NOT the discription of a leader.
So what is on the other end of the spectrum? I guess it is good ole " can’t make a decision, I was mislead Kurt. Give me what you define as the dictator any day!! At least I know where he stands!
…I’m sure you don’t know what direction Mac is going to point and shoot that shotgun though!
Better hope he doesn’t aim your way next!
Ignoring a big percentage of the population and some advice received from the players in the Financial Industry is not leading. Running a mouth before switching on the brain is not leading. Threatening professional people and conducting himself in an unprofessional manner is not leading. Being selfish and arrogant is not leading.
I think it is called being ignorant and a bully.
So your idea of a good leader is someone who is dictatorial and does not respect any one?
Sorry! I am a staunch PPM supporter and sure as hell don’t agree with you for one second – and none of the staunch PPM supporters I know agree with you either. But ummmmm….let me think again….actually you could really look at McKeeva as the better leader – if you want to follow someone blindly down a path of self-destruction then for sure he is the better leader! Take your pick! I sure going stick with Kurt…
Well if all the foreigners in Cayman left tomorrow I would be so happ!
Don’t be stupid. There are many good foreigners who make this a better place.
Then who would you blame for all our troubles? Including your poor spelling?
"Happ!"…. errr?
This is just an act of a "circus clown-ism"…..its amazing these leaders. I think the leaders and the people in general need to stop talking about outsiders coming and taking over, outsiders coming and taking over..What if tomorrow all the foreigners, meaning people who were born in a different country decided to leave Cayman, think about it..what would happen….I dont know what to say about the leadership here, but it sucks…
Wasn’t the Cayman Islands suppose to be bankrupt? I guess the PPM is going to have to clean up the mess that the UDP is going leave us in………………..Again!
The Titanic is sinking but the Band plays on and on.
Oh good Lord help us if PPM has to clean up the UDP mess. Remember the mess the PPM put our country in. Surely you jest, because why would we send in the clowns again!!
I am very skeptical as to what he is saying to those people over there. If what he is saying over here is any indication, you can rest assure that he is completely selling out Cayman now to the competitors and making himself look like and A%@. McKeeva think about you people and give them a chance before inviting the outsiders to came and take up residency her.
O wow !!!….the second round the world tour in 6 months each costing our people at least $300,000 ($600,000 total) but yet our rudderless and confused Leader (oh sorry Premier….Is he King yet ??) just told the world that we are bankrupt !!!!
He has such credibility…..my God !!!!!
London – maybe they shouldn’t let him in….
Hong Kong – aahh yes, those suits…..
Singapore – appears to be his favourite place….
New York – visit the Statue of Liberty…..?
The Singapore leg of the trip might be his first. I was of the opinion that he was only repeating what he heard about Singapore. As one who knows Singapore very well I found some of his comments amusing.
Hope he takes a good look at what they did with their natural Harbour before he ventures off into developing Cruise ship Ports and Cargo Ports here.
Exactly!
every country in the world is competing to get forigin investment including america and your are all cursing Mac ? hello wake up. $ out and Nil $ in we all starve.
Maybe the negativity expressed towards BigMac is less to do with this trip and more to do with the track record he has established in the short period since he came to power. Anyone considering relocating their business to Cayman will do their research. They will not have much difficulty in identifying that:
He and his party have demonstrated by their actions that they are capable of ignoring or changing the laws of the country when it suits them to do so. I would cite their blatant disregard of the election law and constitution with respect to election of Mark Scotland and Dwayne Seymour, their willingness to amend the Pension law to exempt local employers from the need to fund non-Caymanian pension contributions and their bypassing of the CTC in awarding the port development to Dart.
He and his party are prepared to change without consultation long established and fundamental concepts within our society. Here I cite changes to the legal aid system, in contradiction of relevant third party advice and which as a consequence brings a significant element of the legal system within the influence of politicians.
He and his party were unprepared to address a fundamental cause of Cayman’s financial problems, namely the bloated nature of the Civil service. Bush initially proposed budget cuts of $90m for the Civil Service and delivered $5m. The shortfall was made up in large part by increasing taxes in various forms on the types of entities he now wishes to attract. This problem has not gone away and nor has the threat that future action to address it will be more of the same, ie increases in taxes on the financial sector rather than reduction in spending by government.
He and his party established a slushfund ( and I do not know what else to call it ) and shrugged off criticism by simply bullying their way through.
He and his party have threatened to sue the Auditor General for merely suggesting he will do his job. He has also threatened to sue the UK and one must reasonably assume threaten our relationship, despite the fact that continued BOT status is probably a pre-requisite for any potential investor to consider establishing a business here.
Add to these specific points the more subjective issues of expat/Caymanian relations on the island and a spiraling crime rate and you get an image of Cayman which is far from attractive to the target audience.
Would you relocate your business to Cayman once you identified these recent developments?
Finally, I am neither UDP nor PPM. As an expat with status I do not consider either of these to represent my interests, except in the most indirect of ways. I am an individual whose personal interests are closely tied to the success of Cayman and who therefore wishes only good for the country, but I am beginning to second guess myself as to whether or not I have really done right by my children.
I with you on this on O’Really!
Agreed. Unfortunately the way McKeeva is going about it will not bring in $$$. He has managed to make Cayman look very unstable to the rest of the world and nobody wants to invest in an unstable environment, especially if there is any sign of independence in the future. A good leader has to acknowledge when something out of his league and he doesn’t know what he is talking about. A good leader needs to see the big picture and consider the impact of certain things way down the road. Doing a road show advertising that you have relaxed immigration laws is unfortunately notthe solution to the problem. Please tell me that he has other things to advertise than that!
I’m not UDP or PPM but a truthfinder – McKeeva is real embarassment for these islands.
And why would you say that – would you care to expound on that statement or are you just letting off steam because you can
Here are a few hints…
He warns a country that he is ready to fight their policies
He lets everyone know that he wants independence from that country ..soon
Then he travels there to get business…come on
In his inaugural speech he makes reference to how the girls looked at him (in front of his wife)
He is inarticulate and shows it every time he opens his mouth..he has done more damage to this country than any investigations could do!
(By the way did you notice he was wearing the medal he was awarded by the UK how hypocritical can you get!)
EXPOUND? Wake up Star, there is no need to expound on that statement as everyone Caymanian or those of us that have Cayman before pocket, can see why that statement was made and its true, BUT there is plenty steam to let off STILL!
Folks when times get tough the tough get going. When business is slow you don’t reduce your hours you extend them and get more aggressive. Way to go McKeeva tell the world what an incredible place this is to live and invest.
I guess we could always give control back to Kirt and crew and have them finish the job. Hope you have your fishing poles ready.
Yow Buddy, you one of the people on this "delegation"? You have to be to to make those childish remarks!
Assertiveness yes! Agression, no!
In this case we are dealing with neither, we are dealing with ignorance and lack of knowledge of an industry. Trust me, they will laugh about this big time!
Sitting in Cayman hoping for the next investor to come off Cayman Airways is a thing of the past. People in the Private sector are traveling almost everyday to promote business here and bring work to their companies.
I believe it is only correct that the Government get out and “pound the pavement” also. Now, who the Premier takes on his trip and his itinerary should be known so we can see if it is a joy ride or if it is money well spent.
The Cayman Islands are just one of many “Offshore” countries that are out selling their wares. Even jamaica recently had a delegation out looking to create an “offshore banking centre” next door (modeled, as they said , off the Cayman model!!) If we do not keep getting out there, we are lost.
Please keep this man off the world stage. He is an absolute embarrassment to our country.
When will Rolston, Mike & Julianna "see the light" and walk across the floor, join Ezzard & the PPM and remove this dictator from power once and for all.
Talking about his hardships growing up in Cayman without electricity etc……so what….. most Caymanians from his era had to endure the same and they don’t have the chip on their shoulders that he has. They were just grateful for the opportunity to learn from their experiences and to appreciate what they have today.
Commencement Day was suppose to be about the new Constitution and the future of these islands XXXXXXX
Wake up Cayman !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Have you gone mad! The PPM in power again is a pipe dream! They were a one term government. They need to get rid of their leadership and then we may look at them again! Really now do you think Mike, Rolston and Julianna would lower themselves to join the party that the people ousted.
Get rid of Indecisive and Misinformed Kurt, Arrogant Alden and Lame Duck Anthony and maybe there maybe some resurrection from the ashes. Until then, our memories are not that short, and we will not and cannot afford to have the PPM in its current make-up running this country.
OMG, your nose is so brown its unbelieveable! This is the most ignorant and pathetic post I have ever read and I am truly sick. How can anyone lower themselves when they are at their lowest in the UDP and its leader, and talking of short memories it seems you dont have a memory AT ALL! You put names to some of the PPM members which you obviously got from your UDP members because they are fully suited with all of them. Now go back and "cuddle-up" where you belong but please wipe your nose so it wont be so obvious!
Has Kurt woke up yet. He was asleep at the wheel for four years.
OOOOOOHHHHHHH NO, not so fast, we do not want no mike or julianna, no way! My GOD, no way, to have adams or oconnor-connolly walk across the floor would be as BAD as mckeeva doing so! We DO NOT WANT NO mike or julianna! NO WAY! I think we could work with Rolston & Ezzard, I think they could work with the PPM, but NO WAY to mike & julianna. Did I mention NO WAY to mike & julianna? NO WAY! WE DO NOT WANT THEM, THANK YOU VERY MUCH! NO WAY! nooooooooooo!!
Crank up the PPM propanga machine! Here we go team, one more Mckeeva article. Let’s see if we can out do the postings on the last one!
Go Team!!!
What does the "propanga machine" do?
If McKeeva’s supporters are this illiterate is it any wonder they elected him?
I believe the "propanga machine" is connected to " McKeevas juggler!!"
So on Friday Bush lambasts the UK with his usual delusional ranting and now he’s over there begging them to come live in his country??!! Too funny…
Not only does Premier Bush have his usual suspects of cronies doing his bidding but now I see and hear he has a new generation of yes men and yes women in his Young UDP movement coming up. I would like to know who exactly these YUDP members are? I am sure they are the younglings of his already glamorous party. members and not one regular Caymanian who could benefit from any such group. McKeeva talked about youth and bringing them up in his speech but why preach to the choir. The young people I am sure in his YUDP group are either rich, have good jobs or family wealth to back them up. When are you going to concentrate on the young people that really need help.
Thank God for the PPM
Rome is buring and the Premier is travelling! WOW Get use to it, this is the type of leadership we can get use to.
Write this down he wont last until 2010 end as premier I predict a "non confidence" vote 8 to 7 by Nov 2010.
Get your pampers ready UDP.
I am afraid that a no-confidence vote of 8 to 7 will do you no good. In order to remove him you will need 10 to 5.
Well! It looks like the Premier Badge has converted the Preacher of Doom to the Preacher of Gloom.
"Come to Cayman on condition that you train someone up so we can kick you off the island. Don’t expect to stay or ever have free speech or the vote" What a sales pitch.
If you think Cayman’s Immigration is anything, look at the Channel Islands. You would not even get a job there, or certainly never hope to purchase there, so in the bigger sense you are darn lucky in Cayman. At least you can do “anonymous” blogs like I can and you can own property as well.
Anyway, I sincerely thank you for your contribution to our economy and your expertise (assuming that you have some legitimately). I absolutely do not have any problems with the roll over policy. We are too small a country to keep absorbing non-Caymanians. We made an immigration mistake in the early 1980s which allowed our Island significant changes. Correcting that is critical. We need expats here and we will do so for the foreseeable future, enjoy the sunshine while you are here and the hospitality of most of our Caymanians. I know some are filled with anger.
While I have no problem with any expat here and really welcome you all, I do so however without malice or without concern of your ultimate departure – we simply cannot keep you all.
Have you ever been to the channel islands?
I lived there and worked there for years and have many friends there now. I own a couple of properties in Tenerife and my brother owns a number in Lanzarote. Buying was easy. House prices have been falling there recently as they have all around the world, because of the economy, but unlike here, when the global prices recover so will property prices there.
I can’t see that happening here as the prices are going to keep falling and falling, primarily because very few expats would risk buying property knowing they will be kicked out in 7 years and will undoubtedly have lost money on their house, especially after stamp duties.
Most other countries are generally more welcoming to investments and investors regardless of where they come from and that does include europe.
Erm….since when were Tenerife and Lanzarote in the Channel Islands? They’re in the Canary Islands, aren’t they?
Mac will fix the real estate problem too, but it will take some doing. Once the world realizes that Cayman is open for business once more, and the recession winds up, it should be back to the good times. The only things that can kill this Island is the PPM and a failure to reel in public spending. We just need some stability for a while to give people comfort.
Mac and his rocket scientists are working on the issues, and I have faith in the future of the Cayman Islands.
Tenerife & Lanzarote are in the Canary Islands not the Channel Islands, they consist of Jersey, Guernsey etc, and it is impossible to buy in the Channel Islands unless you are a millionaire.
Money aside, you can’t buy in the Channel Islands unless you were born there and lived there for a certain period of time (years). If you leave for too long that right to buy property is stripped from you.
But as long as you have accommodation you can keep your job ..no role over…and in time you can buy…and yes I have been to the Channel Islands and yes I know people who moved and now live there!
Apparently you have not been there either. I’ve always felt that if you have to lie to prove some point, then the point was probably crap to begin with.
You are so wrong!
If can find someone willing (ie like a greedy Caymanian here) to sell you the property you can buy. Once you have somewhere to live then you can look for a job and you (if it has not changed) can work there as long as you have the job.
Ah, it looks like world-wide tour part deux has begun. While I was hoping the guvna would had made the trip to London as well, I’m quite overjoyed to learn our "illustrious" Premier has beat him to the punch in departing Cayman (too bad it wasn’t a one-way trip). And lo and behold, the clouds have broken.
AND I THOUGHT WE was BROKE??????
Bushy has been telling the world that we bankrupt, but he & his friends can go on an extended 5 city vacation at our expense!
He refuses to fund such historic & important events like the Miss Cayman Pageant or pay civil servants because he says we are bankrupt, but he can waste money travelling, staying in 5 star hotels, eating, driving in limos & pretending it is work? This does not make any sense & is VERY VERY SELFISH! Oh, but he’s the new Premier, who are we to question him? THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING, PLENTY MORE TO COME, but that’s what you all wanted, that is what you all get! TAKE THAT!
Any promotion that he claims to be doing on this trip could be done from right here in Cayman, but this is another trip for his "delegation" (better known as friends) to use Caymans money to travel the world having fun EVEN when he claims Cayman is Bankrupt. I hope the people of Cayman gets use to all the abuse we are going to see in the next three years as this is going to be a very familiar activity. But what is going to be more disturbing is the UDP supporters and cronies (who will also be part of a "delegation") will get on sites like CNN or Cayman Cross Talk (as AH is a cronie) and defend all the travelling done by these very large groups of "delegations".
Can anyone put a stop to this man who is spending Caymans money unnecessary despite the claims to the world that we are BANKRUPT. I know without doubt that it wont be his cowardly UDP members who will stop McKeeva from doing as he pleases even they all KNOW it is to the detrement of the Cayman Islands but right now they are having their "15 mins of fame" so why will they try to put a stop to the destruction of our beloved Isles Cayman.
yeah well he better make immigration more efficient and make it e asier to get permits otherwise the business he has here will continue to leach out. On his tour will he be telling the people about the fingerprinting of foreigners on work permits, the collossal inefficiencies of immigration, the general anti expat attitudes. Mm I guess not!
Anti-foreigner sentiment is a hundred times worse in the U.S. than it is here. Listen to right-wing radio or read Rush Limbaugh’s blog for 5 minutes if you want to hear what real hate sounds like.
In Cayman, there is a small group of dedicated squeaky wheels that call the radio and write on this website. Just like in the U.S., the silent (but vast) majority of Caymanians, many of whom share some of the frustrations expressed by the "nationalists", don’t buy the mindset.
They know what would happen to Cayman if the foreign businesses close up and all the foreigners go home. This place would go 100 years back in time – just like has happened in Iceland over the last 12 months. Icelandic bankers are now going back to fishing – and it happened lightening quick.
Most people of intellignence, that don’t have their own agenda, understand that it could happen here as well.
Hey Anonymous Mon11/09/2009 – 20.40. are you one of the "small group of dedicated squeaky wheels that writes on this website", that you are talking about? Talk about "Pot cussing Kettle Black", good one Star!
Thank you very much. The only commentary worth reading. I dont know how and when we Caymanians learn to hate so much. I am surprised that some of these people who mouth off even have the sense to log on to the web.
The fact of the matter is that they hate Mr. Bush. I was one of those people who supported the PPM in the last election and watched as they destroyed this country. Never again. At least with Mr. Bush I know what I am getting.
You knew what you were getting and STILL voted for him?! Are you insane?
The PPM did not "destory" the country. That is UDP political rhetoric that you have fallen for. The UDP has done more to damage this country in the few months they have been in office than the PPM did in 4 years.
I, too, wonder if the previous poster is insane…how can anyone knowingly vote for that erratic, self-serving dictator and think it’s better???
PPM had to clean up the mess UDP left in 2005 and bring this Island back to how beautiful it is today just right after Ivan and the removal of the UDP and it have nothing to do with hating Mr. Bush but it’s about the mess UDP is going to make again and PPM got to do the house cleaning all over again and while they do the house cleaning all u ungrateful Caymanians would come from under una rocks and start again saying PPM is over spending like always and never really looking at the big picture for the reasons why they have to spend, UDP mess is one of the reason since una spend so much time under the rocks instead of coming out and see what is really going on.
To the poster of Tue, 11/10/2009 – 06:59, I cannot believe that you have the nerve to say "that they hate Mr. Bush." Wasn’t it Mr. Bush who promoted hatred during the recent election campaign? Wasn’t it Mr. Bush who encouraged hatred by another nationality on his own people, all in the name of votes? Wasn’t it Mr. Bush that encouraged Jamaicans to hate Caymanians by constantly telling them that PPM hated them? Remember, this is the Cayman Islands, & Caymanians have to come first, we have to love Caymanians first, but wasn’t it Mr. Bush who encouraged others to hate us? PPM is definitely NOT anti foreigner, & PPM does not hate anyone, but what the PPM does do is LOVE CAYMAN & CAYMANIANS FIRST, & does not promote the hatred of anybody, & does not encourage anyone to hate their own people! And you have the audacity to talk about "they hate Mr. Bush"??? It is Mr. Bush who has promoted & encouraged hatred in these islands, & if you do not believe me, please check out Mr. Bush’s history & more recently please check out his recent election campaigning, & most of his speeches since the elections!!! Now that is where you will see hatred, & pleanty of it!
Blimey! I am impressed – an educated voice of reason. It is nice to read posts like this. Thank you
It is obvious that you know nothing about Rush Limbaugh, you obviously don’t listen to him nor do you visit his website or ever read his newsletter (he’s not a blogger). Rush is not anti foreigner nor does he spew hate or does he have one racist bone in his body (surprise!), despite what the media may have spun your way to brainwash you and demonize him. Do not judge him if you don’t listen to him.
His program director/call screener that has been with him for many years, is a black man, as is many of his close friends are also and I bet you thought he was a flaming racist didn’t you?! You keep listening to the left wing propaganda against him on CNN, MSNBC, NBC, CBS, ABC etc., always intentionally taking him out of context to advance their leftist agenda.
I would advise you to listen to the people they constantly demonize, seek them out, listen to what they’re saying to get them all bent out of shape. People like Rush, Glen Beck, Fox News etc. are giving you the facts in these most dangerous of times. The radical left can never debate the facts, instead they just seek to silence all opposition. They turn unsuspecting brain numb robots against those that seek to expose them and their agenda, with the truth.
If Rush wasn’t speaking the truth and wasn’t so highly effective he would beirrelevant to the state controlled media and the powers that be that are trying so hard to silence him. He has 20 to 30 million listeners that attend the" Limbaugh Institute for Advanced Conservative Studies" (his radio show) 3 hours a day, 5 days a week for the past 21 years and he is worth every cent of his 400 million dollar contract! He must have a really excellent show don’t you think? His listeners trust him and know he’s being truthful to them and can depend on him to put all the madness into perspective. Tell me of any other person in the world who has that kind of freely dedicated following? His show is audited monthly by an independant auditor and his latest accuracy rating is at 99.3%.
I would encourage you or anyone else to sign up on his website rushlimbaugh.com and become a 24/7 member, judge for yourself and quit taking marching orders. It’s the best $50.00 a year I have ever spent! As a member, I’m able to stream him live on webcam anytime I choose and from anywhere (yes Cayman too) and never miss a show! I can promise a real awakening and eye opener for you if you take my advice, you will experience true Excellence in Broadcasting.
If not, then go ahead and stick your head back in the sand, continue to spew the second hand lies and misinformation, the liberal left loves it when you do that .. as do our very own Hugo Chavez (Mac) loves it when you help him spread his propaganda here to enable him to one day have ultimate unchecked power in an independant Cayman Islands of which he seeks. Once we have been destroyed by him, the UK will gladly relenquish the power to him. Mission accomplished!
I can’t believe that is what you took from this discussion.
Nobody here cares about Rush Limbaugh, you moron. Go to a U.S. site if you want to argue all of the Democrat/Republican nonsense. The poster was simply making a point about the right wing and anti-foreigner sentiment in other countries like the U.S.
The only that you have proven here is how obsessed Rush Limbaugh followers are about promoting their idol. They will take any opportunity to ramble on about this clown.
I have read each of the posters views but did not get anything but PPM rhetoric and hate. I wonder if there was another Party system if it too would be so anti everything or everyone that do not agree with them. This is one party that is doing nothing for the country but rant and rave and cast the blame, they cant even admit when something is done right or someone do a kind act, it must be met with anger and animosity. We will never get ahead here if this continues, please try to work together to bring this island back a little to what it was, I dont think it will ever be the same but give it a try.Stop the fighting and the hate.This is not the only country that have expats working , by God we have our own Caymanians doing the same in another mans country, thats what built these Islands.
PLEASE 07:15, give us all a break from your selfrighteous garbage, because can you please tell us all who was more "anti everything & everyone" than Mackeva Bush & his udp puppets when PPM were in government? I hate it when people such as yourself complain about people who criticize the udp as if you & the udp did not do the same thing & worse! The udp is one party FOR SURE that did "nothing for the country but rant & rave & cast the blame"! OMG, the udp have done little more than CAST THE BLAME since they got into power! You udp puppets are so hypocritical! As you quite rightly said, this country could never get ahead because all the udp did for the past four years was "rant & rave & cast the blame" & it has continued since May 20th! UNBELIEVABLE! Try not to be so hypocritical you little puppet girl on a string!
Hey backstroke, why are you so hypocritical? You seem to have forgotten that the very same things you are accusing the PPM supporters of doing, the udp elected members & supporters did the very same thing BUT WORSE! The udp is nothing more than udp rhetoric & hate! Have you forgotten? The udp was nothing but "anti everything & everyone" when the PPM were the government! And as for "rant & rave & cast the blame"? WHERE ARE YOU LIVING? All we got out of the udp for the past 4 years was "RANT & RAVE" & all they have done since the elections has been to "CAST THE BLAME"!!!! Where are you living? In the land of hypocricy? You should not criticize others for doing what you do, that is generally know as the "kettle calling the pot black" & there is no one better than Mckeeva Bush & his udp cronies/lackies at "ranting, raving & CASTING THE BLAME" so please do not be so childishly hypocritical!