(CNS): The country’s premier has taken another swipe at the bureaucracy that he says is hampering his efforts to get the country’s economy back on track. He described the bureaucracy as “silent, passive non-compliance” and a “dragging of feet” when people were opposed to government projects. Although he did not call out the civil service directly, he implied that it was within the government mechanism that he was encountering the problems that prevented him from getting what he wanted done. McKeeva Bush raised the issue at a George Town public meeting on Wednesday night as he talked about the current state of the economy and efforts to turn things around. He warned the audience, in which there were a number of public servants, that he was going to stop it. (Photo Dennie WarrenJr)
“In government there is a lot of bureaucracy. Believe you me, I have never seen as much bureaucracy as I am seeing now,” he said, adding that while sometimes it was good to have bureaucracy as it ensured transparency and best interests of government and the people, too often it was used as a barricade. Bush said there was a series of hoops that politicians have to repeatedly jump through to get a single project done.
“Sometimes bureaucracy is used as an excuse for the dragging of feet because someone doesn’t agree with the project or doesn’t want to see the project accomplished,” the premier told the audience gathered at the newly renovated George Town Peace Hall. “It is what I have heard referred to as a silent, passive, non-compliance from the people paid to advance the policy of objectives. It’s a dragging of the feet that prevents us from making positive progress.”
He said that he should not be standing there talking about getting a waste-to-energy project going in the near future; he should have been giving a progress report on a job which had already started months ago. However, bureaucracy had held the project up, he claimed. It was just one example he gave, adding that a number of things were being “deliberately bogged down”.
“I wish I had gotten more done in the past twelve months … but I am not going to stand for it any longer, not when people are out of work and losing their homes,” he warned. “We were given a mandate and that mandate must be carried out.”
He said he was not afraid of losing elections as he had lost them in the past and it had made him stronger. Bush added that he was now going to apply pressure in order to get things done though he gave no indication of where that pressure would be applied.
“We don’t have time to play games simply because someone doesn’t agree with a policy decision, or because someone doesn’t trust someone else, or because someone doesn’t want to see someone else get the work,” the premier complained, adding they were using their positions to stand in the way of projects and slow them down. “The economic situation is deadly serious. The world is not going to wait for us to get our act together or feel sorry for us. What has to be done must get done.”
He said doing everything at a snail’s pace would be to the country’s detriment if not to its total destruction as money wouldn’t come in and bills and salaries wouldn’t get paid. Too many are going to get hurt, he said.
Asked by a member of the audience what he meant by "the bureaucrats" and for more details and specifics on who was holding things up, Bush said that was perhaps a question he really did not want to answer but he said, “Let’s say we are going to something about it.”
I think that the following recent research explains Mac’s feelings –
New Element Found – Administratium
AMES, IA—The heaviest element known to science was recently discovered by materials researchers at IPRT/ISU. The new element, tentatively named Administratium, has no protons or electrons, and thus has an atomic weight of 0. However, it does have one neuron, 125 assistant neutrons, 75 vice neutrons, and 111 assistant vice neutrons. This gives it an atomic mass of 312. These 312 particles are held together in a nucleus by a force that involves the continuous exchange of particles called morons.
Since it has no electrons, Administratium is totally inert. However, it can be detected chemically, since it impedes every reaction it comes into contact with. According to its discoverers, a tiny amount of Administratium caused one reaction to take over four days to complete; the normal reaction time is less than one second.
Administratium has a normal half life of approximately three years, when it reaches a critical morass, at which time it does not actually decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which neutrons, vice neutrons, and assistant vice neutrons exchange places. Studies have shown that the atomic mass usually increases after each reorganization.
Research at other laboratories indicates that Administratium occurs naturally in the atmosphere. It tends to concentrate at points, such as governmental agencies, large corporations, and universities. It is always found in the newest, best appointed, and best maintained buildings.
Scientists point out that Administratium is known to be toxic at any level of concentration and can easily destroy any productive reactions where it is allowed to accumulate. Attempts are being made to determine how Administratium can be controlled to prevent irreversible damage, but results to date are not promising
Doom and Gloom!!.
After doing some research on this element, I have gathered that according to more recent research done by another group of scientist from around the globe, this element has been in existence for centuries, but revealed that the atomic components had not all been discovered and associated collectively until now, therefore had not yet been given the scientific name as we now know it – Admistratium.
Research by this group of scientist have also revealed that Administratium has now been discovered abundantly in the Cayman Islands since May of last YEAR.
After sharing this new data with other scientists who have made the initial discoveries, these teams studying this element have collaboratively issued a report saying that there is much cause for alarm. New data reveals that levels of Administratium in the Cayman Islands having an atomic mass of 312.987321amA & boiling point: 9469*F, when compared to that of Unranium having an atomic mass of 238.0289amU & bp: 6904*F, the numbers amount to a staggering certainty for catastrophic disaster to occur here in the Cayman Islands caused by the newly discovered Administratium warned WeAre MacPhobia, lead scientist at the AntiUDP Research Institution in Nowayout.
In a global alert, scientist are rounding up resources for research to find a mechanism to somehow neutralize or to eradicate(if possible) this threat of total destruction. Siting the dire need for the Cayman Islands, MacPhobia of ARI requested that the CI Government be contacted to ask Cayman’s participation in the funding of this highly critical and most needed research; the response concludes that the Premier has declined ARI’s offer.
In light of the Premier’s refusal, MacPhobia warns of looming disaster of unparalled proportions for the Cayman Islands.
An independent group in Cayman has setup a bank account for funding and is now ready to accept your pledges!!
What’s YOUR pledge?
Article by IRON CLAD
Bureaucracy is holding up the waste-to-energy-project? Word on the street is that the real holdup is being unable to decide which of the two UDP factions will get it. One is a close personal friend of the Deputy Premier and the other is a big source of UDP funding, and he says there will be "hell to pay" if he doesn’t get it.
JuJu wrapped her arms around this more than a year ago xxxxx
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/headline-news/2009/07/02/logb-outlines-national-plan
That decision has been made. There is an individual on island now as a "visitor" who is in fact working with the people that will be receiving the contract. He is an x government employee.
work permit?
To summarize: Mac does not like having to follow the rules.
The people who created, aided and abetted and nurtured this hoard of bureaucrats and their system of constant constipation now cry foul now thats justice!!! XXXXX Stop employing and installing political henchman and cronies would be a good start Dear McKeeva…….
There is a somewhat simple solution to ‘getting projects moving’ as Mr. Bush wants to do and that is to make these large projects public referendums. If the people get the opportunity to vote on what they want moved forward, then there can be little blame on the politicians that carry out the people’s will. That is the basis of a democracy. Democracy does not mean you get to vote every four years, and in between you are at the whim of whoever told the best lies during election time. We need to demand referendums on all major issues and law changes. This creates informed debate on important issues and warrants responsibility on the citizens to be actively involved.
Good democracy is slow democracy. It is not meant to be fast and furious. Scare tactics into bad policy making is the real country and economy killer, not thoughtful debate on major issues by all parties involved.
just get it done mac, the dock, the dump (privatise), the stupid turtle farm (which you built) get some casinos, let cruise ships stay over night, finish those schools and educate your people !!!
Cut salaries for YOU and all MLA’S, cut CS, cut staff (and all the free tickets) at cayman airways, get rid of rollover……….
enforce pension and health law’s
i am sick and tierd of paying for all those looooosers !!
“or because someone doesn’t want to see someone else get the work” & “people losing their homes”..????? Mr Bush there are people who are in business who consider strongly that the colour vehicle they drive maybe a determining factor of their political affilliation & it possibly being a factor on them getting work for the business they are in. In the past Mr Bush,just a bit ago,it is still spoken of today,you have been pro-active in doing exactly what the first quote reads,on a large scale with huge companies,that have been with Cayman so long it’s a shame. Lets see whether & how well feet will be “draggin” with the motion of Caymanian only jobs introduced by Mr Solomon. People in this country cant get a job or be paid adequately because the foriegn work force is eatin up all the corn. Get that done,galvanised,anodized & copper coated into law,then we can build anything “you” want to build once all the people are ok with it.Promise.. And amazingly the ecomomic problem will go poof… Someone with such large exspansive ideas should really live in a vast sprawling country,simply to have such ideas & display of a serious lack of conciousness considering the size of Cayman. Caymanians are obviously impacted easily by anything done in Cayman & you know that sooooo well..but i’ll pretend it’s not,ok?.. Oh lastly it was slighty irkin that Mr Ryan was a bit perturbed by CNS’s article. I truly respect his pro Caymanianness,truly,but NO Caymanian can give the excuse of economic downturn with meeting their bills.That’s the point.
I for one am just happy that this pension scandal; where over 600 THIEVING EMPLOYERS stole….. oops ARE STILL STEALING peoples money, is finally over! I would like to thank first of all our government, our law makers, and especially our National Pensions Office for making this all go away. And of course (fanfare please) THE THIEVES THEMSELVES for lining their pockets with ill gotten gains. I can only hope some of them were able to maybe coerce a little sex out of some of the victims as well, because as we all know 10% of some of the lower wage earners income is not a whole lot of money to steal.
In conclusion, once again, THANK YOU ALL and I am looking forward to continuing to do business with your very clever companies. May God continue to bless you.
"I am not going to stand for it any longer, not when people are out of work and losing their homes,”
Yes Mr. Premier but you’re not. Either one of them. And.. you collect $14,000/mo. plus a pension, car and driver allowance, plus household allowances and personal allowances, plus benefits.
We can feel your pain. Don’t lose any sleep. Sleep easy.
In your Ritz condo.
What a laugh! Civil servants are now saying their inaction is a mode of political statement! No, laziness is not a political act. Cutting the wages of the civil service would only drive the good ones into the private sector. Rather just cut numbers by 20%-25% and pay the good ones a bit more. The civil service is not a social security replacement, and that is particularly true for most of the jobs handed out on the Brac.
Let’s understand bureacracy. There’s bureacracy that we all face i.e. long lines when you are clearing things from customs or licensing your car.
Then there’s bureacracy politician’s face- i.e. when they want to award a contract/circumvent a tendering process/ignore certain rules which go totally against all the laws, policies and procedures, for which Civil Servants will be blamed, investigated or considered derelict if they don’t adhere.
Which one do you think the Premier is complaining about? Have you seen him or any Minister suffering in any line recently?
Everybody knows that the PPMs core support is actually in the civil services, hence the reason why they will not lift a finger to help this government even if it means the country will have to go down the drain. Mckeeva is well aware this and if I was him I would do everything in my power to removed half of them from the service; there crying about pay cuts, what they should do is start earning there pay checks. These projects are badly needed to jump start the economy, this hatred and vindictiveness will only come back to bite them in their ..s
Train the trainer…
Years ago i worked at a resort that experienced explosive growth over a very short period of time, not unlike the growth of the civil service over the last few years.
Our company was out of control. Promotions and new departments and titles were announced weekly. We were in reaction mode, putting out fires and trying to solve problems today instead of planning to avoid problems the following days.
We needed help and fast. The new President of the company (who used to be the equivalent of a dive master here) had enough sense that the culture would not create itself. We needed direction, goals, a budget and accountability.
The contracted management trainers taught us through a series on monthly meetings, time management, to-do lists, internal and external customer service, and as supervisors, how to train.
Wouldn’t it be amazing if the civil service had a culture of knowing what their A1 priority was when they got to work in the morning, how to use a Blackberry to the maximum of it’s time management capability. That they can not spend money they do not have, need to plan expenditures for next year and that yes… some might not be approved.
Or as the article in Grand Cayman magazine states, what if everyone just answered the phone?
You civil servant traitor.
I’m going to tell Jimmie on you!
Quote of the night came from Big Mac when he was questioned about the damage to the reef to make way for the cruise ship port… wait for it….
"If you wanna get a omlette you gotta break some eggs."
LMAO! What a guy… maybe he was hungry? Was his personal chef not on hand last night?
Wow….9:22
Thanks for beingthe one to say what everyone thinks. So many in the private sector are losing jobs or receiving pay cuts…..and the civil service complains.
I see many of the civil service doing nothing daily….. Wednesday mid afternoon, 3 NRA employees watching TV in ALT’s for over an hour, another maroon government van with a fella sleeping in the parking lot at the same time, also two DEH vehicles in lot for over an hour….what are they doing?
Wonder what the civil sercice has to say about these fella’s!!!
And what about those ladies earning the big bucks to sit on their butts at home…..do they have no shame?
This is what the general public sees and forms opinion based on that….don’t even get me started on how painfully slow immigration is now that Franz has left!!!
Jenna is right, Inaction is their way of protesting and putting their feet down. If anyone didn’t know, that civil servants are actually not allowed to sign petitions against the government or submit a complaint against or to the government publicly, they are suppose to remain "neutral" which in a civil servants case is another word for being oppressed from their freedom of speech or rights to it in the government, which is wrong,so in a way I don’t blame them for not budging and giving him the silent treatment.
I believe that should be changed. Civil Servants are people too,they live in this country and are affected by the decisions the Government makes negatively and positively and deserve to have their voices heard in these problems. Alittle constructive criticism from their own employees might actually be good for them,build better communication amongst them and understanding.If they can’t tell you something is wrong, then your led to believe everything is good. That is the wrong way to run things. But unfortunately the rules are shut up and just take it, you have no choice or say even if what I decided for the country is wrong or will negatively affect you. If you work here, you are on my side, whether you like it or not.
AHA!!!! So now it makes sense!! A large number of the "negative" comments on CNS must be from Civil Servants who can only voice their opinions anonymously without fear of reprisal. I really hope they know enough to do so from their home computers / internet connections – and not while at work. Logs of all correspondence (including anonymous internet) that are made from a work computer can be set up and monitored or traced by your employer. They have every right to do so as the computer belong to them.
From your comment, I can only gather Cayman does not have any data protection laws as other countries do. Because had that been the case an employer would have to forewarn he employee(s) that their computer usage was being monitored beforehand, e.g. in their contract of employment of company handbook. Companies must similarly inform their employee(s) of monitoring of email usage by way of an official email policy. If they state no personal emails, then they are entitled to read anything. But if they allow their employees to use their work pc for personal emails also, when monitoring email usage they must not go into and read anything that they can ascertain from the title or first few lines is personal. Regarding telephone usage for personal calls and cellphones in the office, this is often dealt with in a similar manner.
Simple things, might be good to implement here perhaps so everybody knows where they stand? Suggest similar policies prohibiting usage would be an excellent idea in government.
Mckeeva Bush criticized Kurt Tibbetts & the PPM for EVERYTHING during their time in government. According to Mckeeva Bush it was NOT the recession nor was it the "bureaucracy" that was to blame for the tough times during the PPM administration. Oh no, all blame according to Mckeeva Bush was on Kurt Tibbetts & the PPM administration. Yet since the UDP won the elections all we can hear from Mckeeva Bush is to blame the PPM for the even greater problems that the UDP is putting this country in. Things are far worse now & times are far tougher now under this UDP administration, & all Mckeeva Bush can do is blame the PPM.
Mckeeva Bush must have realised that the people are tired & FED UP with his broken record of "blame the PPM" so what does he do? He embarrasses himself even more by stupidly blaming "bureaucracy" as if every government hasn’t had to deal with the same thing. He blamed PPM & Kurt Tibbetts for everything, but now that he has been a total FAILURE after more than one year he blames everyone & everything BUT HIMSELF! What a JOKE he is. A drowning man will cling to straws, & he now realises that his time is running out.
I would just like for once that I didn’t have to live from paycheck to paycheck while you people who run the country can just live without a worry.
I can no longer afford to buy little things for my kids like I used to instead I have to pay CUC this whack of money for a "fuel charge". Somebody do something about this!
I am seriously considering getting lots of candle and battery operated lanterns and maybe some oil lamps too, ’cause this is ridiculous. Shame on you CUC, shame on you politicians, shame on all of you who look down on us the less unfortunate!
Water is about the cheapest thing going right now and I’m ready to kick CUC to the curb as they take 1/3 of my paycheck. I want one of their transformers as I have paid for this in full over the past few years.
You MLA’s drive around in your Mercedes, BMW’s and whatever else while we poor folk have to catch the bus to work, depend on social services to provide lunch for our kids at school and you don’t care at all.
Get off your hiney and do something!
Read Roy Boddens book and pay attention to his comments about being a politician has become a road to personal wealth. The present economic situation in Cayman has been 2 decades coming. The politicians and power brokers realized around Mr. Jim’s / Houston investor era that personal wealth could be the big bonus to being elected. Since then being a politician and personal wealth has taken a front seat to representing the people. It was going on during the "good times" we just did not want to see it because everyone was making a good living. Now that hard times are upon everyone except the wealthy and the wealthy elected members can what we have allowed to happen. We let this happen by making poor decisions at election time and as a result the middle class and down and suffering very much and will suffer for a long time unless, the voters decide they want a change for their country come election time.
I’m curious … how much is your CUC bill?
Whoa! I haven’t work in room this tough since I opened for Milli Vanilli at The Hyatt in 1990!
I do not like to see McKeeva upset.
When he is upset he does not smile so much.
Let’s remember, it’s his glowing smile and radiant warm personality which makes it such a joy to have him around.
Please do not be nasty to him. We all have mothers and are somebody’s children – McKeeva included.
He is desperate to try and do the right thing. Let’s keep McKeeva smiling – he’s brilliant at it.
Making me laugh again! You are so sweet:)
Well… the man has worked hard and was able to negotiate alot of things since the time of coming in office. I have not seen anyone like McKeeva, who has stood up to so much criticism from other people and death threats. He is the Premier with still a great following of supporters
Unless you’re being sarcastic – you are in la-la land space cadet!
Great following of numb skulls more like.
Everytime I think I’ve heard the most ignorant thing I can imagine, along comes Big Mac to prove how wrong I was! Please, please, please let’s get rid of this guy and elect someone with a little bit of education, commonsense and compassion for others and the environment to run this country. And, if Civil Servants are the ones standing in the way of Big Mac and his "glorious" agenda, thank God for Civil Servants!
Mr. Bush I guess you have learned your lesson.
DON’T MESS WITH CIVIL SERVANTS SALARIES,
WHILE REFUSING TO TAKE A PAY CUT YOURSELF
WHILE ALLOWING RYAN TO WALK AWAY WITH 450,000 DOLLARS OF OUR MONEY!
WHILE EXPECTING TAX PAYORS AND CIVIL SERVANTS TO REPLACE IT BY SACRIFICING OUR JOBS AND SALARY!
I guess you’re ready to graduate now from the Civil Servant’s Boot Camp!
Smart politicians and elected governments do not tamper with civil servants, they are a powerful force to be reckoned with. You don’t seem to understand that you have asked them to make sacrifices you nor your friends are willing to make!
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT BIG MAC
A KISS ON THE CHEEK?
PAY DAY MUST COME AFTER A WHILE!
Has anyone ever thought that inaction is civil servants’ only way of protesting what goes on?
Not really. Because we saw the same inaction before Mac got in.
I agree with your comment but would like to add that ever since I can remember the civil servants have been muzzled.I think this is wrong and they should be allowed to voice their opinions just every other voting member of this country.or any one else for that matter.Where does Human rights step in to this equation?Should this not be changed for that very reason so that they can all have their say without fear of being relieved from their position in Govt?
But, Mr Milburn, can you seriously imagine the managing partners of Maples, Walkers, Applebys, Mourant, Campbells, KPMG, Ernst and Young, Deloitte, CUC, etc etc allowing their employees to speak out and publicly comment on and even criticise the way the firm that employs them is being run? I have a spouse in one of these firms and friends in others and I can assure you it simply would not be tolerated -at least not more than once. This is a point many civil servants themselves fail to bear in mind.
Civil servants retain their jobs when political directorates change. In other words they have security of tenure (more than the private sector, I assure you!!). They have good salaries, excellent health and pension benefits. All this is in return for doing the work of whatever government the voters elect, and doing it to the best of their ability. Mr Bush is no different from every single leader of Government we have had, at least as far back as Mr Benson and Mr Truman. They have at times ALL complained about what they saw as the dragging of feet of the civil service when they felt their policies were not being implemented fast enough – or at all.
You ask where Human Rights come in to all of this. I don’t know. I think Cayman is going to face the swallowing of many pills it finds bitter to swallow, when human rights standards really begin to be implemented here.Your question would presumably be something like "is it permissable to prevent civil servants from openly and frankly expressing their views on the government of the day?" Here are another two: Is it permissable to advertise jobs as "only Caymanians need apply" and "is it permissable to compulsorarily levy taxes ("duty") from all residents, while at the same time denying the right to vote in general elections to the majority of these residents so taxed?"
With respect.
Sometime soon most people will just stop attending meetings called by the Premier. It’s always the same, blame someone else.
The Premier said that he would cut his own salary by 30%. Can he tell us which foot-dragging civil servant prevented him from doing that?
The Premier bypasses the Central Tenders Committee anytime he feels like doing so. A prime example was awarding the contract to build the new cruiseship pier to DECCO because it had to be done in a hurry and the CTC would have put up too much red tape and caused delays in this all important project. More than a year later, can he tell us which civil servant is holding up this project?
These are but two examples of a very long list. XXXXX
Blog 10:01, If you had so many questions and you sounds like a big mouth too. Why did you not go and ask ALL those questions yourself?
I’m 0verseas, you’re there. If I were there those that know me are well aware that I would not hesitate to pick up the microphone and go to town with it asking him those questions and more.
It goes to show people do not mean what they say. You or someone else yesterday claimed you would ask the Premier some HARD QUESTIONS in that Town Hall Meeting. Did it happen?.
Where is the report. What did you ask and what was his response. Did you let him shut you up? .
I would say that if you watched it on TV you would have known, or if you were actually there, that he didn’t answer any of the questions put to him.
Instead he tip toed round the subject and read off a pre-printed document that held material somewhat related to the questions being asked.
He got all hot and bothered as always when someone asks something he didn’t like or know the answer to.
NONE of the questions answered by Mac addressed the questions being posed to him.
Those on the panel that did answer some questions were the only people who addressed our concerns.
Does anyone feel any better informed because of that meeting?
I THINK NOT. Typical Mac.
If what he wants to do is bad, it is good that there are some ‘brakes’ being put on otherwise he will continue to sell the whole Island before we realise what has happened. Just because it is ‘what he wants to do’ does not make it the right thing to do as we have seen time and time again.
I hope that for once an announcement becomes reality!, go ahead Premier. Everybody calls you a dictator anyway, but reality is that absolutly nothing has been done in almost 2 years and we are seeing the country further and further down the tubes.
I hope you crush bureaucracy and for once start doing things and being a real dictator if that is whatis needed to get as moving. Then at least you will win or loose the elections based on the results of what you’ve done, and not loose them for sure because nothing has been done.
This country does not need further empty announcement, needs real action now!
At the opening of the Premier"s Town Hall meeting at 8-00pm he mentioned that he would not speak for too long.I think he asked for questions at close to 8-45.pm.Pretty short for him I guess especially being a politician..I did not hear anything really new last nite and felt that there is still a lot of "unknown"information that is being held back.I hope that in up coming meetings he will be more forthcoming as the public wants to know what is really going on behind the scenes..I would add though that these meetings are a good idea but would hope that the public is not "footing"the bill on any of them but having said that maybe there is something in the "budget"to cover such things.The next few weeks or months will be VERY interesting as more things come to light.
Whislt I agree with your sentiments I would point out that ‘money in the budget’ is the public’s money and therefore the public are "footing" the bills for these meetings, as indeed they are "footing" the bill for everything else any government department does.
Sorry .My sarcasm was missed on that point.My fault.
Never apologise for another’s failure to recognise sarcasm. Such failure is indicative of a failure to transcend the literal and to critically contextualise commentary. Such people are dull and unimaginative.
OOOh so very caustic, so very arrogant. You think you come across as clever, but from your comment, you just come across to most of us as an asshole. There was absolutely no need for that.
x An ExPat
TEACH HIM SOME RESPECT.
The next time he has a Town Hall Meeting DO NOT SHOW UP!
iT prove he is no more viable and can not be re-elected.
when GW Bush left office in 2008 HE WAS NO MORE VIABLE!
People wanted HIm out. That’s what’s happening right now to Big Mac.
Stop atteding his meeting s and his ratings will go down. Why go out to listen to someone who is not listening to you"
Moving things forward by making positive changes in a democracy requires strong leadership skills and a certain amount of charisma. Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King, Ghandi and Nelson Mandella come to mind.
Positive changes are never easy but they are possible given an atmosphere of trust, goodwill and win-win negotiations. Positive changes require skill, good luck, patience and a tremendous amount of hard work.
Threats have no place in a democracy, they are are usually the tool of choice for dictators.
New leaders are required. When is the next election?
Please don’t mention McKeever in the same paragraph or even page as these great men above. See, I won’t even list their names.
I don’t think we have anyone in the Cayman Islands of their caliber.
It follows that if a leader instills confidence then all things follow that are necessary and there is no constant struggle. Leading is not blaming everything and everyone and that’s about all we’ve seen. But, in the statement "lost elections before" is the real problem with the state of things, because it implies this will go on forever. In other words "it will either be me blaming someone, or someone else blaming me, and those are your choices." Huh? What makes politicians think we aren’t sick of this gong show by now, and what makes them think they’ll get another chance? Politics is not an exclusive club and we’ve seen the results. We’re living the results. Bureaucracy is not in the way, the lack of planning, vision and keeping commitments is. No wonder It has lead to confusion and apathy. Civil servants can feel it because the public does. Where is the promise of limiting pension and health insurance benefits and therefore cutting costs in government? Somewhere on a back burner. Forgotten. Where are the accounts from departments that are YEARS late? And… where is the reduction in salary for the Premier and MLA’s?
We’re in dire straights alright but shoot the messenger is all I’m reading from this. Mr. Premier we can’t borrow anymore money. We have to make do with what we’ve got and first of all reduce costs. Who’s in charge of that but the Minister of Finance?
No doubt the bureacracy is pretty appalling in the CS, butthis isn’t really what Mac is leading up to.
Sounds like he is getting ready to push through a couple more of his pet projects, regardless of due process or consultation (or indeed public objection?), and is going to lean on any Civil Servants who believe in proper governmental procedure.
It’s not my fault. It’s the faceless bureaucrats.
And if it’s not them it’s da PPM.
> “silent, passive non-compliance” and a “dragging of feet”
Mac that sword cuts both ways. You revel in the current system. Think about the benefits to your best friend at the Ritz whose "application" to have duty payments restructured. Let’s not forget that he has stopped paying pending the results of the review. Mind you, no approval was made for him to stop making payments.
> It was just one example he gave, adding that a number of things were being “deliberately bogged down”.
Yep, like the Ritz situation and others that benefit Mac’s cronies.
This is what has the private sector been saying for years and now he is finally realizing it, wow what rock has been under, might I suggest he starts with the Immigation and planning departments and get these working far more efficiently, then perhaps we will be more appealing to investors and companies.
If the Island has lost 20% of its reidents why is the goverment not having to cut 20% of its employees? Better to just rise taxes on everyone else to pay for freinds and family to surf the net and talk on cell phones in new buildings.
All those big mouths who went to the Town Hall meeting.
Did you let Big Mac Do all the talking or did you stand up and face him with some real hard questions?
Did you have the guts to ask the viable questions regarding the recently passed law removal of the right to be silent and right to an attorney that will hurt us in the long run?.
Did you ask big Mac why he watched Ryan flush 430,000 dollars of our money down the toiled in front of him the premier?.
Did you ask him why he now wants the tax payors to replace that ;money on behalf of Ryan?.
Did you ask BIg Mac why he now wants to fire high paying or middle manager or supervisor level civil servants to put that money back. Because that money was in the budget (for borrowing in compliance with the world bank lending policies ) and it now has to be found ?
Did you ask Big Mac why he would rather see civil servants unemployed and have Ryan walk away with our money?
Did you ask Big Mac why he let the country down?
Did you ask big Mac why he’s blaming us for his actions in letting Ryan get away with owing us almost a half a million dollars in fees?
Did you ask Big Mac if he and Ryan planned to take that money out of the salaries of the civil servants, cut their pay and fire some of then too!
Did you ask him why would he stoop so low to hurt the people?
DID YOU?
Well……. DID YOU???
I watch the meeting last night, and I could say that most of those questions you laid out, the people had asked. My question to you is, where was you when the people had Macdinejad sweating and stammering all over the place? Let me guess, under a rock. People like you who don’t attend or watch any of the political meetings, comes out of nowhere and ask the people, if they had ask the Macdaddy or Macdinejad or whatever you want to call him, those kind of questions. My next question to you is, why you never ask Macdindad yourself some of those questions you laid down? The answer would be, that you was under a big rock!!!
And what about you? DID YOU??
He is right of course….Cayman is over-regulated and inflexiable in far too many areas (immigration being just one) which has the overall effect of stifling growth, developement and progress.
I saw the broadcast on television lastnight, and I was so disappointed with the way the Premier conducted himself. He seemed to want to argue with the public and voice HIS opinions more than he wanted to LISTEN to the CONCERNED PEOPLE and ANSWER the questions they had! To the REST of the PANEL, thanks for RESPECTING your OWN! you all had a very different approach. How can you as the country’s leader tell a member of the public when she asks you a question that you can provide no answer to her question at the moment???!! Well BIG MAC, I am sure CAYMAN wants to know, "Where does this bureaucracy come from"? Who comes up with these plans or changes? Who gives you these orders tofollow through with? or do you make them up as u feel? GOD bless Cayman.
Just one point about Bureaucracy…
Bureaucrats (managers of the Public Service) have more information than elected officials about what they are doing and what they should be doing, and it is possible that they might have the ability to implement policies or regulations that go against the public interest. Elected officials which make the policies or laws, interest groups which provide information and the funds, may not be well administered or administered altogether by the government bureaucrats, who are suppose to carry out the policies. Hence, it is important that there is good relationship between them and the general public – the entire system is codependent on each other
I understand his point but with a grade 9 education I would not be too quick to let any of his plans through without all the proper checks and balances being taken even if this results in delays.
It is funny though as even Big Mac is sick of the inefficiency of dealing with the Government. Now you know how everyone else on this island feels.
I am a civil servant. He is correct in what he says. Inaction is much easier than action and we have a lot of civil servants who prefer to do nothing and blame it on "the system".