Mac says people must give something to get something

| 14/09/2010

(CNS): The country’s premier has said that people need to make sacrifices in order for the country to improve its economic fortunes. Speaking to tourism stakeholders last week at an industry lunch, McKeeva Bush berated the community when he said everybody wanted something but no one was prepared to give anything. He said some people didn’t recognise the importance of the cruise industry but it was very important and government was focusing on the need to turn cruise visitors into overnight guests.  He said the cruise project was essential and if “we are going to have to lift some piece of coral out of the way” then that’s what would happen. “To get something we have to give something,” Bush said.

He said his government was dedicated to an integrated tourism industry as research had shown it was fragmented and there was an absence of a defined brand for Cayman. “When we took office last May, we knew immediately that turning around the tourism industry would be one of our biggest challenges as well as one of our biggest opportunities. We knew from the outset that we wanted to develop collaborative, practical solutions with the full engagement of our private sector partners,” he said. .
 
Bush noted that there were still those who remained unconvinced as to the importance of cruise tourism to the economy but he said statistics from Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association’s (FCCA) for the third quarter of 2009 and estimates of the fourth quarter indicate that a record 13.445 million passengers cruised the Caribbean in 2009, an increase of nearly half a million (440,000) over 2008. The industry’s growth is led by the Caribbean region, which continues to rank as a dominant cruise destination, accounting for 37.02% of all itineraries in 2009.
 
Of the 1.45 million cruise passengers that called on Grand Cayman during the 2008-2009 cruise year around 90 percent disembarked, he revealed. “With an anticipated 214 vessels expected to call on our islands for the remainder of 2010 (between Sept – Dec), the forecast is for 575,626 passenger arrivals to our shores,” he said. “According to the Department of Tourism’s 2008 exit survey report, the average spend per cruise passenger was US$101.13 per person, which is marginally higher than the average spend across the Caribbean of US$97.26 recorded by the Business Research & Economic Advisors report (BREA) and I should point out that this calculation does not include pre-paid tours.”
 
He also stated that 35% of crew members disembark and spend an average of $108.81 per person on items such as jewellery, cosmetics and clothing. Crew personnel visiting the Cayman Islands spent $21.8 million during the 2008/2009 cruise year, the premier said figures had shown.
 
“Based on these statistics, there can be little doubt as to the value of cruise tourism to the Cayman Islands economy. But even so, we cannot realise the full possibilities and benefits of cruise tourism with our present facilities,” he added. “The need for cruise berthing facilities as part of the overall development of the Cayman Islands tourism infrastructure has been talked about for some seven years now and this government is committed to ensuring that the talks will lead to action.”
 
He said the berthing facility is a critical necessity as government had been repeatedly advised that ships in the Oasis class will not place destinations on their itineraries that don’t have berthing facilities. “Most of our Western Caribbean competitors such as Honduras, Montego Bay, St. Lucia and Ocho Rios already have walk-on cruise facilities and our Islands are at a competitive disadvantage the longer we delay in addressing this issue,” Bush told stakeholders.
 
“The development of the cruise berthing facility will not only ensure that the mega ships will include the Cayman Islands as a port of call, but it will provide a seamless disembarkation experience for passengers, which in turn will improve their overall view of the destination. This is the kind of experiential difference that influences whether those visitors will choose to return to the Cayman Islands as stay-over guests in the future,” the premier stated.
 
He said plans had been completed to launch a programme aimed at converting cruise visitors to stay-over guests. “This is a two-year pilot programme which will be spearheaded by the Department of Tourism to help to stimulate the local economy.”
 
Bush admitted there was still an incredible amount of work ahead with regards the tourism sector but he said he was committed to it. “Tourism is a bridge to a better quality of life for the people of the Cayman Islands. We can create opportunities for our young people, as well as our more mature citizens. There is a place for almost everyone in tourism – whether an artist or an accountant, a dive master ortaxi driver,” he said.
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  1. Anonymous says:

    The people should give HIM what he deserves.  The XXXXX boot.

    But because he is the premeir caymanian he is safe from being held accountable to anyone on Cayman.  The people have what they deserve.

    Pay up or leave!

  2. West Bayer says:

    Yeah Mac? Fah real? Well how’s this….

    The people who ONCE voted for you are still waiting on the promises you andyour goons guranteed!! Such as….FOOD TO EAT!!

    You only care about RYAN/DART ! But, strangely enough you all have something in common – all four letter words that people use to cuss with in Cayman!!! 

  3. cayman guy says:

    hey you guys!!

    why dont you listen to your leader?? he only wants you to give up something to get back something how hard is that? make a sacrafice for ur country!! there are lots of stuff to cut back on to help out the country!! maybe the $10 – $15 a day for gas that we have to pay since he raised it? ok how about getting another job!? so that we can spend less time at home raising our kids?? hey what the heck we should give up the job too?!! we only working to eat and live anyway not to save so there u go !! one more to give up! while u at it too give up the light and water!! the house too heck!! so maybe when we have given all that we have left maybe then we can he can build a nice place for us to live then and take care of us maybe that is what he wants his little lambs!!cause even the prisoners are livin better than us! maybe we should all go to prison at least they got t.v and ac and cooked food and they dont have to work no sa!! not even clean up road or build parks !homes for people or nothing!! sounds nice to me! lets waste the skill and pay from somewhere else lets waste waste waste!!  ok ok ok i’ll stop now!!! let me lead by example the way a leader should!!

    i have a lot of stuff i can give up! lets start with my 24 hr personal chef?

    or the maid that cleans that im so lazy to need ? ok how about giving back the police force my personal driver that takes me anywhere even around and through the gate to my plane who is customs? what about my 24 hr security?? no i think i need that one to run away the poor hungry that i have driven out of all they have! so there we go people there is a list of stuff that your leader is asking you to give up for the good of the country we can start there then when we have given them up maybe we can fill up his plane with gas and his pcket off to las vegas while we cant even go to the dentist!!!

     

    there u go people start giving up thoses things!! they need the money to waste on something else not our kids future on college or something!

    maybe more court cases!

     

    🙂

  4. Talk the truth says:

     

    Oh the world will sing of an Cayman King
    A thousand years from now
    And not because he passed some laws
    Or had that lofty brow
    While bonny good King Richard leads
    The great crusade he’s on
    We’ll all have to slave away
    For that good-for-nothin’ Bush

    Incredible as he is inept
    Whenever the history books are kept
    They’ll call him the phony king of Cayman
    A pox on the phony king of Cayman!

    He sits alone on a giant throne
    Pretendin’ he’s the king
    A little tyke who’s rather like
    A puppet on a string
    And he throws an angry tantrum
    if he cannot have his way
    And then he calls for Mum while he’s suckin’ his thumb
    You see, he doesn’t want to play

    Too late to be known as Bush the First
    He’s sure to be known as Bush the worst
    A pox on that phony king of Cayman!

    While he taxes us to pieces
    And he robs us of our bread
    King Richard’s crown keeps slippin’ down
    Around that pointed head
    Ah! But while there is a merry man
    in Robin’s wily pack
    We’ll find a way to make him pay
    And steal our money back

    The minute before he knows we’re there
    Ol’ Rob’ll snatch his underwear
    The breezy and uneasy king of Cayman
    The snivellin’ grovellin’
    Measly weasely
    Blabberin’ jabberin’
    Gibberin’ jabberin’
    Blunderin’ plunderin’
    Wheelin’ dealin’
    Prince Bush, that phony king of Cayman
     

  5. Anonymous says:

    What do I have to give to get a Ritz Carlton condo?

  6. Anonymous says:

    You got to laugh that the man has still the galls to continue and allocate all blame to others.

    I have one word to say ……BOATSWAINS BEACH!

    Ring a bell? Who’s brain child was it? How did this all pan out again?

    Yeah – that’s right – the name needed to be changed back to Cayman Turtle Farm after millions of $$$$$ have been spend to rebuilt and rebrand, just to figure out it wasn’t going to work……

    And we the people are to continue and pay for the unprofessional, thoughtless and childish ideas dreamed up by this government?

    Please!

  7. Anonymous says:

    I heard this week of one company that implemented a 5% pay cut for all employees, as well as, made 10 people redundant this week. How much does government want them to give back? Pretty soon there won’t be any companies left in Cayman to give back.

  8. Jonathan says:

    Down with McKeeva Bush, he is the absolute worst person possible to be at the head of this country.

    • durrrr says:

      if only that were true!

       

      if we’re picking from the current members of theLA, all of the followingwould be worse than McKeeva in my opinion:

      • Mr Rolston M Anglin, MLA
      • Mr Cline A Glidden, Jr, MLA
      • Capt A Eugene Ebanks, JP, MLA
      • Hon D Kurt Tibbetts, JP, MLA
      • Mr Ellio Solomon, MLA
      • Mr Mark Scotland, MLA
      • Mr Anthony S Eden, OBE, JP, MLA
      • Mr Dwayne Seymour, MLA
      • Mr Moses I Kirkconnell, JP, MLA
      • Mrs Juliana Y O’Connor-Connolly, JP, MLA
      • Mr V Arden McLean, JP, MLA

      Hazzard would probably about the same, which leaves Alden and Uncle Mike. I’d be perfectly happy for either of them to take over, but I can’t see it happening before 2013 (if we’re going to stick with party poltricks, those two should be the party leaders in 3 years time – it’s time we made changes from the top down).

      • Anonymous says:

         Please don’t insult the rest of the MLA’s.  None is worst than McKeever.  And Moses next to Julianna please.  He’s an educated man with common sense.  She’s missing one of those.  

  9. Anonymous says:

    And does Mac say anything about when the people will finally get something?

    Cayman islands.  Where what you get is not worth what you give.

    • Anonymous says:

      Our birthrights were taken away and given to some undeserving persons. Some who are the same or close relative to those that are committing some of the serious crimes. How much more can we give????

  10. Anonymous says:

    Stop all the pathitic complaining already!  Mr. Bush is doing a great job makeing sure all his people has jobs (with no worries about cuts),his bank account grows bigger each minute of the day while he spends as much as possible, and insuring that he and his family visit the world first class while accually gettingpaid for it!  The fact that he is doing all this at the expense of everyone who did not vote for him just shows his loyalty.  Get over it!  If you want to get value for your money then you need to go live somewhere else or marry into his tribe.

  11. How dare you Mr Bush says:

     

    OK, so unlike many others on-island I am not living beyond my means. I have no luxuries, own no home, have no credit cards or loans.
     
    ·         I’ve sacrificed my annual pay rises, bonus and paid overtime for work;
    ·         I’ve sacrificed more of my personal time to do overtime at work for free (because I don’t want to run the risk of losing my job);
    ·         I’ve sacrificed my own home to go and live in shared accommodation with people I really rather would not like to have to share with – but I have no choice because I can no longer afford my own apartment;
    ·         (Unlike you Mr Bush) I can no longer afford a Christmas tree and/or decorations in my house and/or yard at Christmas;
    ·         I have sacrificed yet more of my meagre salary to pay for the ever-increasing cost of goods and services in the Cayman Islands;
    ·         I sacrificed my car and now travel by bus;
    ·         I sacrificed buying lunch and started making my own at work;
    ·         I sacrificed many of my favourite eating habits to eat mainly rice and beans, pasta and anything cheap as my minimal earnings dictate;
    ·         I pay all of your existing indirect taxes; I pay extortionate amounts for medical insurance that isn’t worth the paper it’s written on;
    ·         I pay similarly extortionate amounts for a pension that I can only hope I will end up getting;
    ·         I sacrificed any kind of vacation for the last 4 years;
    ·         I sacrificed (unwillingly) the ability to buy new clothes for work because I can no longer afford to.
     
    But now Mr Bush, now I have nothing left at all, you say I have to sacrifice more? Do you want me to sacrifice my soul? Is that what it is? Because there’s nothing left for you to take… and boy you take plenty and sacrifice nothing. How about you sacrifice your leadership for someone more befitting to run a country? Now wouldn’t that be something?
     
    XXXXX
  12. anonymous says:

    He said the cruise project was essential and if “we are going to have to lift some piece of coral out of the way” then that’s what would happen. “To get something we have to give something,” Bush said.

    I hate repeating what you say, but do you realize some piece of coral could lead to a lot of corals?  Do you realized the damage you will be causing overall to this Environment?  McKeeva do you ever care?  This little 2×4 Island is being destroyed daily by you and your rich buddies, ALL for the love of money.  What will be left for the indigents of these Islands? Have you ever considered to leave things as is and concentrate on the Air arrivals?  We are NOT South Beach or Las Vegas McKeeva.  We are the small Cayman Islands that are in danger of being hit by Hurricanes, more than any other Caribbean Islands.  What else do you want the people of these Islands to sacrifice for you and the rich people.  Do you know you will not enter into the Kingdom if you continues on this destructive, Greedy path?  Are you fa real?!?!

  13. Anonymous says:

    I think we are making a  hell of a lot of sacrifices, but this should start from the top. remember that 30% pay cut the premier was going to take and the other MLA’s 20%, this would be a good place to start, because even if the berthing facilities are going ahead it’s going to take a long time before we get any return on that.

    Here are a few suggestions have all cs contribute to health and pensions, and get rid of the long serving ones, retire them. As a small business owner, if I were to contribute any more I will have to close the doors, work permits fees, annual business fees, increase in gasolene and the high cost of living, my standard of living has dropped and I am about to drown. So Mr. Premier I suggest you start at the top and make some sacrifices yourselves. God help us & Bless these Cayman Islands that I love so much.

  14. Anthony Montana says:

    Yes, everyone must make sacrifices….except for the Premiere.

    All animals are created equal, but some animals are more equal than others.

  15. Rabble Rouser says:

    I’m glad to see Mac is finally considering a new career, as a comdian. I will not be following his White Collar Comedy Tour however.

    I gave 3.2% of my salary, what have I gotten in return?

  16. Anonymous says:

    This is ridiculous to ask people to give anything up. We the Cayman people and the residents of these islands are the only ones that have made any form of sacrifice. We are the ones that have had our salaries cut, lostour jobs, and lost of homes. We are the ones that have to make sure that we stay within our monthly budget and do not exceed it by a penny. How dare you Mr. Bush and your fellow lackies say that we need to give to get. WHAT HAVE YOU GIVEN? You ALL (PPM AND UDP) are so greedy that you are collecting your large salaries and your pension while the rest of the country has to take pension holidays to pay your blasted fees and survive. Then we have Ms. Bush on the TV talking about Cayman People were blind to the resession. I believe it is our Government and all of you money hungry people who tag along with them that don’t realise we are in a resession and it is time to stop taking from your people. Mr. Bush and the Government need to give up all of these people who are so called consultants to the Government and the Private Sector these are the people who are playing both sides and bleeding this country dry and then we will see how far we get ahead!!

  17. anon says:

    are you figgin kindin me- he wants us to give something if we expect something in return. how about you and your government give something. you want everything from everyone and give absolutely nothing back.

    jobs and expenditure are being cut all over the island in the private sector, and the only thing gov have done is a tiny pay decrease of 3 .2% but at the same time increasing fees across the board.

    People are leaving in their droves taking their money with them.

    cut the civil service, cut benefits, cut fees and cut gov spending. lead by example – or at least follow the rest of cayman!

    seriously, this is effin ridiculous. its ok though – it’ll get so bad soon that the UK will have no option but to take control as they did in the TCI.

    UK dont take too kindly to Dictators!

  18. Culture Saver says:

    Classic case of politician’s short sightedness in regards to economic development. Most of the comments made here are correct and common sense. We need to change the development structure with long term planning to increase overnight tourism, bring in educational facilities (universities, medical and the like), and in doing so reduce government expenditure. It is possible, but quick fixes such as giving away sovereign rights of the people and government (and future revenues) to the guy that shows up with the most money, will not help the long term issues. Why don’t we bring in a group of long term economic planners from both sides of the economic spectrum to get some educated input? Listening to developers and bankers is only getting a one-sided view, which has proven time and time again to not work for the local population.

    What about a private/public partnership on the cruise dock which requires the developer to ‘sell back’ the berthing facility over a 10-20 year time frame. The developer makes a reasonable profit for a relatively short period of time, the country gets the development now, a portion of the revenues immediately, and owns it within our lifetime. That’s what long term financing for countries is for. Not to make the weekly payroll as we are doing now.

    If no one bites, then maybe it’s just not such a good idea….. let’s realize Dart only does things that will result in extreme one-sided deals that make a ton of money regardless of culture, local peoples, or local business.

  19. anonymous says:

    McKeeva Bush!!  You need to start giving up something, your people have sacrificed everything for you and your rich friends.  It is time you give back to your country and people.  Do something about those fees and finish our schools first.  Now you want to destroy our environment more.  Why do you think crocodiles are swimming along 7miles beach now, its because your rich friends has destroyed their environment, so they needs somewhere to go.  Stop destroying our Islands!!  leave us something for God sake!!!!

  20. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Bush wa you say u got to give something to get something? ok my question to  you is what have you given away this time because as far as i can see there isnt much left for you to give away becasue not even birth rights are left. Becareful what u say because you have a lot thats going to bite you where it hurts and god knows it aint much left to be bite. How about Ritz Carlton start by paying them fees that they owe this country since they have been given so much.

  21. MonkeySee says:

    Sad comment on tourism: just met up with some friends off the cruise ship and I was saying that it sucks cause of the rainy weather….they responded, "Well, despite the best beaches on our cruise route, Cayman is the most boring stop so it didnt matter that the weather sucked!" 

    Being the ambassador of Cayman that I try to be when speaking with friends from the US I tried to play up a stayover vacation instead but alas….that doesnt seem to be in their plans in the near future!

    They also commented that I was one of the few Caymanians that they saw!!  They went in to stores where it was all Spanish (said it felt like home-Miami) or Filipinos and Jamaicans.

    Sigh….

  22. Anonymous says:

    The continuing hogwash about converting cruisers to overnight tourists!!! It will NOT happen. It has not happened anywhere else so what makes him think that Cayman will be any different.

    This has nothing to do with cruise tourism. It is purely to satisfy the needs to Dart and his cronies to gain control over every econimic aspect of these Islands. Now he will shut down even the richest local shop owners.

    What will happen when Dart decides that he has had enough of Cayman and pulls up his anchor and sails off into the sunset to conquer some other unspoiled location? Who will we turn to then? Big Mac and his cronies will all be living in their gated communities overseas living off the spoils!!!

    And, yes, it is now very obvious that the whole idea of the dock at East End is simply to get the fill material/aggregate to build the Dart Dock. Where else would the amount needed for the 8 acre site would come from? Unless, of course they dig down Cayman Brac!!! 

  23. Anonymous says:

    As an annual stayover visitor in Cayman for almost 20 years, I wish the government and prominent real estate agents would pay a little attention to retaining me as a guest, and less attention to pleasing the cruise passengers.  We rent an oceanfront condo and a car for 2 weeks, patronize your restaurants daily, utilize watersports facilities, taxis and shop regularly for groceries, fine items and alcohol.  In summary, we spend much more money in Cayman than any cruise passenger does yet our presence is ignored and we are held hostage by the cruise ship schedule. We are respectful of the Cayman values and do not parade through Georgetown in bathing suits, do not cram stores to buy cheap souveniers and do not engage in public drunkenness.   I have witnessed the demise of older, charming and moderately priced accomodations along Seven Mile Beach only to have them replaced by concrete jungles which cater to the wealthy.  Current government officials and prvate developers have sold the soul of Cayman to woo the very rich and the cruise passengers, neither of which can say that they were or are in touch with what Cayman used to be.  I, for one, do not want to see the overdeveloped Camana Bay or the higher rising structures on my Caribbean island vacation, nor it it appealing to see abandoned hotels along the main tourist strip.  I could go to Miami, afterall, and see the same thing.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Yeah we know Mac, we gave up the not so good leadship of Kurt and got you in return. What a prize we got

    • Jonathan says:

      A one legged donkey would be more preferable as a leader of this country than McKeeva Bush.  Insurrection is what is called for in a nationwide vote of no confidence in him and his cronies.  Leaving McKeeva Bush to run this country for the next three years is a death sentence for the Cayman Islands. 

      • Pending says:

        The death sentence that this country was handed down was given a long time ago when we voted a garderner into the political arena and then left him there to cut the grass in whoever’s yard he chose.

        We are now just seeing what exactly he has been up to and the results of it.

        Three years doen’t mean a thing when the damage has already been done.

        • Jonathan says:

          Wether or not a man was a gardener or a garbage man or graduated high school has nothing to do with his/her nobility and character.  What is needed is someone with a love of country at heart and the ability to make decisions for the future of the Cayman Islands without the decrepid mentality of a pimp.  Some of the best people on earth cannot read or write and yet still they exhibit the qualities of a good person.  Education is a tool and it can be used for good and for bad, that is a decision that is made by the person.  We will not be wise to alienate any honest form of gainful employment.  If McKeeva Bush were a Harvard graduate or whatever and he did the same things he has done he would be just as unacceptable as he is now.  The consequences the Cayman Islands are experiencing have been a long time in coming.  It is the results of the gold rush mentality with a wanna be Al Capone at the helm.  The culture of corruption in this country has left the Cayman Islands with the structural integrity of a termite ridden tree.  Idiocy is not the soveriegn territory of the uneducated.  To keep people in a place of ignorance does however make them easier to control and those who would deny others knowledge for their own evil purposes are the enemies of all mankind and I have history to back me up on that.  A man of the soil is not to be equated with the likes of McKeeva Bush because regardless of his last name I would not trust him to cut grass let alone run the Cayman Islands.

          • Golden Acres says:

            Eloquently said by Jonathan, someone who obviously feels hurt and disappointed by the level of misleadership of the Premier. Failure has nothing to do with where a person comes from but everything to do with how XXXXX he has used the people who gave him the opportunity to improve his situation in life and to serve his country.

            From what we read and from his glaringly unwise decisions, it seems that this Premier does not have at heart the best interests of the Cayman Islands, financially, environmentally or otherwise. He seems not to have a view of what Caymanians want. We want our small islands to remain uniquely "us", which attitude has attracted the right kind of tourist for decades . We want progress but not any any cost.

            Clearly the Premier’s wants are not on the same page as the Islands’ wants and heartfelt desires. There is no confidence in his leadership and he should step down.

            In four years, much can be torn down or much can be accomplished. XXXXXX He has fooled many people into thinking that he can do a good job but, sadly, every time he is given the opportunity to serve, he oversteps his bounds and lets the power go to his head.

            He was removed from the House once and he should never have been allowed to run again again, to represent the people whom he had betrayed.

             

      • Durrrr says:

        What about a one-armed man?

  25. Anonymous says:

    How about you lead by example… Mac why don’t you give up your condo(s) at the Ritz ?  How about you and bunch of jokers, stop traveling the world on our dime ? Too much to ask ?  Ok… let start smaller… how about you pay your own electric bill ? Supply your own Christmas lights? Or pay for your own housekeeper/chef?

    I don’t see you stepping up !

  26. Anonymous says:

    In other words people must give something so he and his voters can get something.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Mmm, I wu wu wu wonder what the Ritz has been givving to be getting such be ben be benefits? wu wu wu Wonder if I have such things that I could giwe? ..

  28. Paradise Lost says:

    Cruisers have not been thrilled for some time with GC.  High prices, crowds, very little Cayman culture, difficulty getting around, etc, etc, etc.  I have spoken to many cruisers and to a man, not one is interested in coming back for a stay over holiday. 

    If this is the philosophy they are holding to, then they are doomed to failure.  

    If they are really serious about putting more stay over butts on the sand at 7 Mile, start by reducing airfare.  High airfare usually turns a potential visitor off right from the start and they begin to look at other locales.  Cracking down on crime should also become a priority. 

    Grand Cayman, at one time, could boast about safety and tranquility.  Not anymore. 

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree completely about high airfares. Why should it cost almost the same to fly from London to Miami as it does on Cayman Airways from Miami to Cayman. We are lucky now to fly BA direct to GC. I have spoken to many American friends and their flight costs to get down are outrageous!!. Cayman must open up and get competition on the route, because as sure as eggs are eggs, if you don’t, when Cuba opens up your stayover business will take a huge hit!!.

    • peter milburn says:

      I agree with you 100%.My thoughts from way back on this topic.We think things are crowded now wait til 2 mega ships plus 2 others hit the docks at once.Talk about a mad scenario!!I have said for many years that the ships need to come in every day of the week.Maximum 3-4 at any one time.Only THEN will we see the folks wanting to come back as stay over visitors but only  with reduced airline costs to get here.Some of the shop owners I know would be better off with reduced numbers,but all through the week.I have spoken to some others who seem to think that the more ships daily will bring them more revenue.I say they are wrong and cannot possible give the shoppers good service when they are so over whelmed with people.

                 We Shall See How This Pans Out.

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with you 100%. Lower the airfares!

      I am currently looking into booking a holiday for 6 nights in Dec. from the Northeast U.S.  

       Cayman is pricing out $2485.

      Aruba AI is $1684.

      Jamaica AI is $1550.

      Cancun AI is $1420.

      All the same dates of travel. Hmmmm…not sure where I will end up, but I know the best deal is not in GC. I just picked those other islands for comparison, but I could get three meals and all drinks included with those other choices. (All 3 star hotels)

      Lower the airfare, Cayman!!  We will come!!

  29. God Loves Everyone says:

    I’m so embarrassed for Cayman. Can you imagine what people must think when our Dear Leader saying ignorantthings like "lift a piece of coral out of the way". O Cayman! Woe betide us!

    • Anonymous says:

      Coral in George Town, Whistling Ducks in Cayman Brac, mangroves everywhere, the man is on a rampage against nature.

  30. whistling duck says:

    Bush: "To get something we have to give something"

    So if we give you our land and precious coral reef so you can build a cruise berthing facility to bring tourists here, because we need the money, what happens when Dart the developer and majority shareholder decides to play Immigration on us and close down the dock when he feels like; or what happens when he decides to take away much of the tourist business from George Towners by building his own stores and outlets in the way of the local businesses? 

    We have no say, Mac!  You are pulling the strings!  I feel you are about to sell a great deal of our birthright away to one wealthy man who has his own interest over the Cayman people!  You should have included more developers other than Dart in this project.

    So yeah… "To get something we have to give something," but apparently "you" are doing it for us, and as a man don’t say that you are incapable of making hugh mistakes! This project sounds good at the beginning but may not be so well at the end result… and I am sorry for being so negative

     

  31. Anonymous says:

    My company is tired of giving to the government. Our work permit fees have doubled and we are facing redundancies because of the high operating costs. I know of another company in Cayman that made 10 redundancies this week (Caymanians and Expats). Government needs to wake up and realize that they need to address issues in regards to the ever increasing government fees and the cost of doing business in Cayman. Local business operations are as vital as the tourism industry.

    When business operations are reduced and Caymanians and Expats are made redundant it puts more stress on the local economy. When expats leave because of redundancies it tickles down to other business entities. Government doesn’t collect 20% duty fees, work permit fees, vehicle fees, etc… Grocery stores lose revenue, CUC takes a hit, property owners have to reduce rents and other small businesses lose customers.

    CIGov wants a bearthing facility, but at what cost to the environment and the people of Cayman. Government can’t even afford to complete the schools they started. I can’t spend more money than what I have in the bank, so why does the CIG think they can get away with being irresponsible in their financial matters.

     

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      ‘…..lift some piece of coral out of the way’ is the cost to the environment and the people of Cayman.  Why not just lift this piece of 2 x 4 out of the way….

  32. nauticalone says:

    Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah!….i am sooooooooo sick of hearing this XXX rhetoric. Why don’t you lead by example and "give something" Mac?.. rather than take, take, take.

    I believe that most would support the cruise port project (in GT)if you and your Govt. were more transparent….but we will not allow another port in EE.

    Stop blaming others for your abismal failure at effective leadership!

  33. Pending says:

    Exactly what is Bush and his band of merrymen giving? We all know they are definately getting…

    It seems everyone else on the island has to give up something except Mac.

    • Anonymous says:

      He should follow his own words of advise!

    • anonymous says:

      You have a nerve. The people need to make sacrifices

      Mr Bush when are you going to lead the way in making the sacrifices?

      I beg to differ. You alone need to make sacrifices you have accumulated way too much you forget you were dirt poor at one time and now money and power has gone to your head.It is a shame.

      Stop giving tax breaks to your rich friends in exchange for taxing the people.

      Mr. Bush you have actually taxed the people to pay Mr. Ryans Bill. This is disgraceful.

  34. Pending says:

    What makes Bush think that passengers of these crise ships are going to want to disembark when there is no enterntainment for them to experience at night, it is expensive to eat out and there is crime that is not being addressed?

    At the rate that things are going at now, by the time these docks have been built in town, the Cayman that once was , will all be but a distant memory.

    • Anonymous says:

      As will be the beach….. (which the port shall probably cause to be eroded).

      • Lachlan MacTavish says:

         No long term thinking as to what is best for Cayman and only half a plan. Build the big dock but the town, infrastructure, roadways, beaches, attractions cannot handle mega ships. So when you think what’s "long term planning" it means GT has to be reconfigured, West Bay Rd needs to have the back lanes completed, we will need double decker buses and on and on. For 20 years politicians have spoken about cruise passengers becoming stay over tourists. That argument should be laid to rest. Finally I assume "integrated tourism industry" is the new PC spin for "tourism authority". The private sector has tried to work with Government on a TA or ITI now for over 20 years to no avail.