Mac vows 3 months to success
(CNS): During a television address last week the country’s premier said he was putting forward “specific measures” to address the country’s declining economic fortunes. McKeeva Bush told the public that he was confident that within 90 days of the TV broadcast (16 September) Cayman would be back on the path to success. Bush listed a number of proposals that were being considered to improve the economy, and after a period of consultation he said he would deliver another public speech revealing which proposals government intended to implement. The premier did not reveal the exact details of the measures he had spoken about but said government would encourage new business to invest here.
"I am confident that within 90 days of today, Cayman will be back on the path which created its success. It will not be complete, no, but we will be moving forward," the premier stressed.
He spoke about strengthening incentives, changing immigration policies — including a contracted rollover period — assisting small businesses and speeding up the offshore licensing process as part of the solution to the current economic difficulties. He also announced the formation of some more committees to examine the situation.
Bush said that government had contracted Jude Scott to oversee the implementation of various projects and initiatives it was considering, and heads of departments across government were being asked to deliver “statistics and information” to the Ministry of Finance to assist in the monitoring of economic activity.
Acknowledging the struggle, and the challenges his government was up against, the premier spoke about the increasing global competition the country now faced in the financial services sector. He said Cayman had to compete, not just with financial centres in the Caribbean, but centres that have been established in the G20 countries. “The failure to recognise the competition … and to adjust our internal policies to remain competitive is one of the main causes of the severe economic conditions which we now face,” Bush said.
“In the past, we were able … to encourage businesses, foreign investment, and retired persons to come to our Island …. We were at least in the top 10 places in the world which were being considered when companies, businesses or persons were considering doing business … Recent independent studies have indicated we are no longer even on the radar by very important internationally recognized organizations,” he revealed. “We have failed to implement our immigration policies in a manner which allows the continuation of growth in our major industry.”
The premier pointed out that while the registration of mutual funds, banks, insurance companies, financial institutions generate tremendous income for government, the more important benefits came from these institutions doing business in Cayman and creating local economic activity.
Recent immigration policy had encouraged people to leave Cayman, the premier suggested in his TV address He said this was based on a mistaken belief that the jobs would still remain in Cayman. “Young Caymanians unfortunately were encouraged to believe that our country could do without foreigners and that money would continue to flow. This has proven to be a very serious and costly mistake. It has caused severe suffering among our people and our businesses.”
Bush pointed to the same mistakes made by neighbouring states in the past, where poor immigration decisions made over 30 years ago were still negatively impacting those countries. “Wise persons learn from the mistakes of others by having in the forefront of their minds and their decision process the history which created those mistakes. Our Government has no intention of carrying these mistakes forward,” Bush added.
He said government was turning its attention to newpolicies to stimulate growth and jobs and it would be holding a series of meetings over the next couple of weeks to “obtain input and solutions” from the people and to implement solutions “to grow our economy and enhance the lives of our people.”
Bush also spoke about the importance of encouraging people and businesses to relocate to Cayman and to conduct their business on the ground here.
Category: Headline News
OK, McKeeva, your three months is up! Pray tell us what – other than laying out the framework for selling out the country to foreign interests – have you accomplished? Can any Mackites out there tell us what of admirable import has this man achieved?
Signs of Success
1. Finished the fence around my yard.
2. Put up my Christmas lights.
3. Reduced unemployment in the country by hiring a cook, driver, and security guard.
4. Stimulated economy and improved bottom line off all private sector utilities by increased use of water and electricity.
5. Increased load factor of Cayman Airways by taking large entourages on frequent trips abroad.
Why are my critics unable to see the signs of success that are right before their eyes?
What’s McKeeva going to do, rob a bank?
He is a waste of our government resources.
You know if the Premier pulls this off, it will be a big blow to his critics, especially the ones at CNS who started this COUNT DOWN
:o)
thats a big if…….
mckeeva will just announce another ist of proposals that he is working on just like he has done for the last 18 months……..(nothing has been achieved in the last 18 months)
90 days almost up… nothing to show but indigestion and even more crime.
Good going MacBSerator.
CNS did not start the countdown — McKeeva did!
PS — not sure if you are aware but he didn’t pull it off. His countdown finished and not one damned thing has gotten better – things are worse across the board!
That is ridiculous.
CNS did not announce a 90-day study, with a speech detailing the measures the Cayman Islands government would take to improve things.
McKeeva himself announced it. He announced it in a September sppech. He said "90 days".
CNS was not alone in the countdown. Cayrock also did a countdown — until Cynthia and Snap went off the sir.
Honestly … before you post remarks, you really ought to make sure you have the facts.
And if no one HAD counted down the 90 days, would it be all right that McKeeva had, in fact, named that period of time — and then failed to deliver on the promise?
And what exactly will happen when once again nothing happens? Will McKeeva even be on island? The world looks and makes up its own mind about what it sees. Here in Cayman talk is very different from fact.
So, I gotta know; Was that the speech last Tuesday?
“Young Caymanians unfortunately were encouraged to believe that our country could do without foreigners and that money would continue to flow. This has proven to be a very serious and costly mistake. It has caused severe suffering among our people and our businesses.”
YOU WERE THE ONE WHO STARTED IT!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU WERE THE ONE WHO ENCOURAGED IT!!!!!!!
YOU ARE THE ONE WHO HAS MADE US SUFFER!!!!!!
YOU were so pig headed, you would not listen to the people when they said you will hurt Cayman with this roll over policy..
YOU ARE THE PROBLEM WITH CAYMAN!!!!
LISTEN to the people Mr Bush, LISTEN to them, ASK them what they want not what you want, this is OUR country just as much as it belongs to you, the difference is you have plenty of money, the most of us don’t and when you make these HUGE mistakes, WE are the one’s who get hurt, NOT YOU!
Right! Keep asking him to listen to you and not himself. Now ask your self "How is that working?" Get rid of him and all those like him or get used to it. O wait. Your already trying as hard as you can. He is still more powerful then all of you put together.
Take a leaf from Canada – In the 1990’s the then newly elected Liberal government in Ottawa slashed spending from 16.8% of GDP in 1993-94 to 12.1% in 1999-2000, reducing its deficit from $42 billion to zero in three years. Comparing it to the UK current situation for example – Canada was about to enter an economic boom when it started cutting back, interest rates were falling and federal government had a much more limited remit to start with than the UK but there are lessons to be learnt.
Much of Canada’s reduction in spending came as a result of headcount losses, with 55,000 government employees – around of quarter of the workforce – losing their jobs. Attractive early retirement schemes and an innovative job-swap program allowing those who didn’t want to retire to change positions with those who did helped delivered savings across all departments and avoided in the main the kind of union action we may yet to see in the UK.
The other main focus was to undertake a thorough re-evaluation of what should come under the remit of the federal government which was done by Alternate Forms of Contracting (AFCD). One project was the maintenance of all government-owned businesses which was previously been done by state employees. The restructuring affected around 1,500 people in all; around 550 of whom were transferred to the private sector. The whole era was less focused on cutting back on what range of products and services but more on cutting back its programme spending. The footprint of the federal government was shrank; departments made smaller in terms of personnel and also shrank the programme and services of the individual departments. There was a logical hierarchy of analytic questions department were forced to go through. If you wanted to keep a programme alive you had to have a compelling set of answers to those questions.
Inevitably, there were examples where – in hindsight – the cuts went too and programmes had to be reintroduced in some for or another. The centralised buying facility for all federal government departments was all about going for low-cost procurement. It wasn’t about solutions buys. The industry was advocating very strongly that you had to get better buys for your dollars. Well, you may get the cheapest PC on the desktop buy you’ll just pass somewhere else the cost of servicing it and your overall costs will go through the roof.
They said one thing you need to be careful about is not to treat your suppliers as partners. The key thing is that you should successfully negotiate and manage contracts. You should work closely with both industry associations and suppliers to establish how things could be done more effectively. The worst mistake you can make when you’re in the government is to thinking that you know it all, the fact is you don’t. The emphasis was very much on competitive tenders rather than negotiating deals with existing suppliers. something the UK Government has hinted at doing. Hammering suppliers to reduce cost was tried later and it was a disaster. You either have a competitive process and accept that will yield you the best market price or you have a negotiated process. The two are quite a big difference.
Working closely with suppliers was also a pivotal at a regional level but ultimately purchasing can only be part of the solution. If you create a true competitive environment then it will give you what it can but it won’t give you 25 per cent or anything close to that. The real savings are going to come from getting out the business and getting somebody else to do it faster and cheaper.
Excerpts from a freelance business journalist.
CNS: "McKeeva Bush told the public that he was confident that within 90 days of the TV broadcast (16 September) Cayman would be back on the path to success"
Yet titles the article: "Mac vows 3 months to success"
This is misleading. Wasn’t the Premier referring to the "path to success"? Isn’t there a difference between "success" and the "path of success"?
And I know how to retire by the next 90 days. I am going to win the lottery.. Oh My… There is no lottery in Cayman…. Oh well…. I guess the world’s economy should rebound by Christmas….. So no need for me to worry……
Problem solved. I am with Mac on this one!
What is Mac up to? According to his press secretary he was attending a summit at the UN.
Bruce Golding, PM of Jamaica which is a member of the UN, did address the UN, and as a special guest at the Premier’s Inaguration, I am guessing that he went to the UN so Golding could look out and see another sugar-head boy from the Caribbean in the crowd.
http://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20100923/business/business1.html
It is simply Outrageous what is going on with this overseas travelling by our politicians two extra weeks in Africa can you imagine at a time like this and you know they travelled first class. Have they know conscience.
I was playing dominoes with the Secretary General of the UDP last night and he wants me to point out that the Premier did not say "Simon says" before making any of those statements.
How can our deputy Premier can justify her two extra weeks in Kenya with her security boy at taxpayers expense at a time like this with the terrible hardships that the people are having to endure. This is a blatant disregard and spit in the face of people of this island, who cannot even pay their bills. I am not surprised at the arrogance of our politicians though. We always get the raw deal. I know i want the pictures of this Kenyan Safari since we picking up the tab. I going to get my paper work from this deal FOI style.
I have a proposal which could benefit those in need like me. I would like the Premier to appeal to the banks to waive all loans i.e. mortgages, car, personal loans for at least 3-4 months; inclusive of those that are delinquent but not behind more than 2 months to be fair. This would entail those leasing apartments or houses to have a waiver of rent for the said period also. It would only be a temporary ease to our pockets but for many this is just what is needed to catch up. Everyone I’m sure has accepted that CUC will not give a break while Water Authority remains questionable.
so this means we have 3 months till the next sham budget?
Face worn out and spat on by the stresses of Caymanian society, McKeeva is a true leader and will do well if given the support and time to accomplish his policies. The PPM and Chuckie had 4 years and did nothing. So at least give the UDP a chance to make a difference. It has just been 2 years now. The Shetty Hospital, the Cruise Berthing facility and the other aims of pumping revenue into the country should be on everyones top priority.
A born Caymanian that is not blinded by politrix
Peace
I have it on good authority that Mac has agreed to sell the Brac to the Chinese while on his recent trip. This will save GC by clearing our debts and getting rid on a massive drain on revenues in one fell swoop.
No deal unless theChinese take Ms Oconnor as part of the deal.
What!
A new Premier in 90 days!
That is the only way he can promise us any success.
But he would have to take his whole crew with him to make sure it is a complete success.
idiot
I really wish that I could trust Mac. Though I believe somewhere deep inside, his underlying intentions are to see Cayman do well. The problem is his actual plans of action never seems to measure up to Cayman actually doing well.
Jude is an excellent individual but if I was him, I would humbly decline. What’s the point of advising someone who’s mind is already made up?
The political machinery attached to Mac comes with alot of strings. He is squealing in pain because those strings are being tugged on really hard. All the campaign promises need to be made good on now.
Oh I wish I could take a peep behind the screen to see what it is that is really driving this plan to stir up fear amongst the masses.
And if we could see who stands to benefit directly and indirectly from the initiatives that he is so desperate to implement would we really be surprised?
I believe Dart stands to benefit. The Bahama Mama proposal could just be "Call it bluff for Dart to have his way its the last tug at the premier coat tail letting him know the Guys with the money is WHO RULES! not the people.
Behind the scenes.
I hope you have a job for me when I return for school Mr. Bush and for the others who will also be coming home in the next few months.
a BS for an MDposition might not be available.
CNS – can we have a "Countdown to Success" clock on the site. I can’t wait to see how different things will be in 90 days time. Now this IS going to be fun . . . .
CNS: Good idea. The countdown is now above Viewpoints.
. and fades into "Comedy Comments"
Nice!
It is even better than that – "Comedy Comments" precedes X days to success!!
Situation on the ground will never improve!
What wisdom can do for a man ten rulers can’t do for a city
Ala Akbar
And for a modest fee Mac will also help you pick the winning numbers for the Florida Lotto.
Dr. Albert Schweitzer once said that an optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere. The pessimist sees only the red light. But the truly wise person is color blind.
I’m sitting here going through in my mine all the damage Mac and the UDP has already caused with their radical policies, please get ready people for the next 3 months which I predict will be more of the same UDP propaganda and blame game.
Mac you believe the hospital, cruise port and possible cargo port in East End are picking up steam in the next three month? You are wrong and everything will come back to haunt you just like the First Cayman Bank fiasco, status grants, immigration fee increases, D. Howell, etc. Stop having those nervous breakdowns – you bring it on yourself!
Where do you get your advise from? and you keep making the same mistakes over and over, you said we have to learn from our errors, but you keep goingdeeper in your own SxxT.
I can say with fair amount of certainty the next three months will be crucial to the island’s future environment, this government is hell bent on pushing their agenda through before the new conservation law is passed, by this time it will be too late, the damage will be done at who’s expense? It will only benefit him and his cronies?
When this new law come into place it will finally have teeth, but by this time as I have said it will already be late.
Yeah…we got Change…Change in our pockets.Do not be fooled again by this man. You really think if Obama can’t fix the economy he can?
The fee increases you have implemented are the reason businesses are leaving Cayman, Mckeeva.
Instead of having some balls and trimming government expenditure you have chosen to kill the golden goose and drive business away. But Im sure it was all Kurts fault right? Cant believe I voted for your party. Never again!
You must act now not in three month time! To many families are driven off Island which results in less money circulating in the local economy.
The word is UBS is moving rolled over staff to Toronto to do the same job they did here over there. Thats families leaving to benifit Canada instead of Cayman – Those jobs are never coming back!!!!
I think that McKeeva has just announced that there will be elections in 3 months time!
I am a caymanian by birth in my opion i think that the roll over should be trop all togather I also think that the visa should also be put to one side if you all was not so high in to your selfs you would see the damage this has and is doing to our Island the jamaican’s was the only exprates that use to shop here and take home. They were here like forever and they never troubled any one all they did was to try to make a better life for there family back home but becasue they are black we dont want them we want other nations but the other nations brings in there own ways of life they pray to false Gods unlike the jamaican they pray to God as we do but no that is not what we want we want clour and hair well, well it comes with a price this Island will not get any better it will get worse untill you all can take your noises out of the air and look into the mess that ROLL OVER AND VISA has done to Cayman I know many of you will have smart comments to say but before you start typing please think clearly and remember where Caymanians are coming form most of us has a jamaica disendant somewhere down the line this Island is not for caymanians it is like every other country from God we are all on borrowed space
As a born Caymanian (public school educated, then university) – your writing, grammar, spelling and punctuation is atrocious and an utter embarrassment. Please do not declare yourself Caymanian because this only makes us look stupid. Your writing is so poor it will confirm every negative stereotype against Caymanians.
Please look into a basic writing or remedial English course.
Yours in service,
"are" atrocious would be better…shouldn’t throw stones when living in the proverbial glass house…tsk, tsk
Even leaving aside the spelling and grammatical errors that was a really ridiculous post but this part takes the cake:
" but becasue they are black we dont want them".
That is a libel that you are spreading on your own people if you are indeed as you say a "born Caymanian". The visa issue has absolutely nothing to do with skin colour and everything to do with our national security, in the same way as it has to do with the national security of the many countries and territories which have imposed visas for Jamaicans – Anguilla, Bermuda, Canada, Turks & Caicos, UK etc. etc. Are we supposed to believe that every country in the world that imposes a visa is motivated by racism against Jamaicans?
Whether we have Jamaican ancestors (not "disendant") is entirely irrelevant to the issue.
The Rollover applied to every nationality equally so there is absolutely no basis to claim racism on that count.
There is no reason to believe that rollover and visa have created the "mess" for Cayman. There are plenty of other factors which are clearly beyond your comprehension.
What you say? You trying to tell us that Jamaicans don’t try to bring in their way of life & impose it on us? What? Are you being serious? And as for them being treated different because they are black, that is too foolish to even respond to, you are just trying to cause trouble, you bad little girl you. It seems that it is ok with you for the Jamaican authorities to impose their laws & regulations on your Cayman people but you think it is wrong for Cayman to impose our laws on Jamicans? Are you sure you are Caymanian? You said it all when you said "this island is not for Caymanians" & that is because of ignorant people like you. I believe that the roll over policy was put in place by the UDP government to try & prevent too many foreigners coming here to work & become Caymanian, & the Visa was put in place by the PPM in an attempt to keep the criminals out of Cayman. Is that wrong? Is it alright with you that Caymanians must get a Visa to visit Jamaica? Why not complain about that also, girl? Caymanians must get a US Visa before visiting America, I don’t hear you complaining about that, ma child. Instead of complaing about safeguards being put in place to protect Cayman & Caymanians, you should be happy that sucessive governments are doing things to try protect you, that is if you are in fact a Caymanian, but I doubt that.
Caymanian by birth – and semi- illiterate by request!
Perhaps it is better to be someone who has difficulty with their grammar than to be someone who is cruel and rude with their words. Every single person is entitled to expressing their opinion. This rude type of remark will likely send those who are trying their best, back to silence out of embarrassment and shame. Please try to allow everyone speak their piece for we all have value.
Couldn’t agree with you more. We want to hear from everyone. Posters should not be discouraged by mean-spirited criticism and vulgar displays of literary elitism.
Very well said. Most of the time, whether the spelling and grammar is good or not, the message is there and clear enough for all to see – except those so shallow that as soon as they see a typo or grammatical error they completely lose track of the topic in hand. Sad. Very, very sad and shameful behaviour. I assure you we don’t all think we’re above anyone else. Some of us still know how to be humble… thankfully.
Why don’t you pull out a dictionary and a thesaurus before you start embarrassing yourself?? Jeezumpeetum………..
Really?? How?? Is he going on a 3 month leave of absence?
whats he mean by "success" here exactly?
Success – in decieving the people further probably – based on the current UDP record of loose-lip, shoot from the hip, back-peddle, revise, shout, point fingers, radio silence, blame the press, blame the PPM, blame the recession, point finger, travel to sign more meaningless treaties approach.
These kind of comments give me a headache. We have heard all this before. How will things be improved. What new initiatives have been introduced to stop the erosion. When I see hard stats on less crime, Cayman’s position in the international banking community up (BTW I remember when we were in the top 5 in the world), stay over tourism up, bloated CIG down, jobs up, new income streams for the CIG, living costs down for the middle class, just then I may start to begin to think about being a believer. In the most basic terms all I see right now is a country that is being used by people to make money for themselves and their associates with a blatant disregard for the majority of the residents.
Geez he’s going to sell Cayman to Singapore!
Of even greater concern "Geez he’s going to sell Cayman to Singapore!" should be what may be put up for sale to China in return for their "help" !!!
3mos to "success" – like how he was going to balance the budget in 1 year with a $5m surplus. That one really worked out.
Lol – how do you announce "specific measures" but do not reveal any actual details?
Another failed Mac-gic trick!
Ladeees en gentlemens! Step right up for as the Mysterious Mac-gician attempts an amazing display of ledgermain and prestidigitation!
Give me stregnth.
Oh please! Those three months should have started immediately following the election.
FLIP FLOP!!! FLIP FLOP!!! I hope McKeeva Bush resigns from Finance and Tourism and give somebody else a chance to get it right. All this roll over policy scheme was the Flipflopper doing, anyway.
A nice picture of Mckeeva, a Caymanian born leader. Glad that he is talking about reducing the roll-over policy to 30 days. He is really a great business-centric character and I feel means well for the Caymanian community.
LMAO… Hahahaaahaaahehehehohohoaaahell. That’s a good one.
Like the MLA pay cuts, I don’t believe a word that comes out of his mouth.
Can the UDP please muzzle this man. Very embarrassing……geez !!!
LMAO…….well Ole Bush if you can pull this one off in the midst of a global financial meltdown, there are many governments around the world that would like to hire you as a consultant.
Of course you would need to bring along your key advisors : Miss Bush, Mr. Scott, Mr. Byles and the JLP defectors who are advocating the same system that they have fleed from !!!
ROTFLMFAO……….what is the term Bill O’Reilly uses……Pinhead !
CNS HEADLINE
BUSH PREDICTS HIS RESIGNATION ON WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 15 2010. BAREFOOT MAN TO BE SWORN IN…
barefoot man could not be any worse!
I would rather listen to big mac, bare foot sucks!
Maybe the plan is much simpler than some others propose. He declared that things would be better in 90 days. Maybe he has purchased a 90 day subscription to multiple large lotteries in the States and he is hoping to win big money (in the Government’s name of course). Then he can pay off the debt without having to work at cost saving measures…
What do you expect from the man? You can only do so much with a very limited education.
It is so easy for us to see faults and make negative statements, what we need to do is to come up with solutions to fix the problems. He must be given credit for at least trying.
Get real now! he is not being paid to "try" he ran under the pretense that he coudl captain this ship, we dont want to hear about "trying to steer around the reef".
Are you blind? Do you not see the countless suggestions coming from the public right here on CNS and the press generally each and every day? This is the people trying to be heard, trying to let Bush know how they feel and what they want, making suggestions and even pleading with him to see sense. And yes, it is so easy to see faults and make negative statements when your views (in a supposedly democratic society) are filed in the bin and instead we are castigated by the very man who is supposed to represent us? He has the solution in his possession, and has had it for months. Its called the Miller Report. Yet he refuses to do anything about it.
Yes he’s trying… he’s very trying. And its gone on too long. The only thing I give him credit for is the Clean Up crews last year. I simply cannot give credit to anyone who utilises the public purse in the manner of an irresponsible fool with a limitless credit card.
The Premier has worked hard, and has every day to deal with the time-wasters and his critics. He has a few more years left, and I strongly believe he will do a better job than what the previous government accomplished
somehow he is doing worse than the people who sleepwalked us into a recession
this is a testimony of his incomptence
at this point the only promises that would believe coming from him is how he gonna raise prices!!
ha 3 months good luck this coming from someone who cant even focus on getting a solid school system in place for the kids to get a proper education and help for college etc! you know to invest in the kids is the best way forward for the future so they dont all be illiterate and theives !!
3 months from today Sister Julie shall return from her Safari in Kenya with a Ma Sai tribesman to work some "bush" magic on our economy. I know that will work for sure?
CNS, I think you made a mistake on the headline – shouldn’t it read "After over a year of travel at the Caymanian public’s expense, Bush finally agrees to come to work…"
NOTE: I said "come to work" not actually "DO WORK" – it would be very ungovernmental to break that sacred vow…
Proproganda, red tape, magic tricks and still waiting for a miracle.What about mass prayers at the court house steps.
Thanks for the kind words and motivational talk Mr. Bush. I am wondering however, since you have mentioned the small business, how exactly are you going to do this?
Are you going to abandon your current path? The reason I am saying this is because , to be frank, you have not really helped. In fact there are those who argue that you have in fact made things worse! While I am not suggesting that you have in fact made things any worse, it is hard for one to come to any conclusions that Government has fostered a "small business friendly environment."
With the drastic fee increases, the intimidating threats from your ministers on their agendas-namely pensions and the insecurities and in some anger management issues-lending to our already grim outlook-please explain how does this help?
An good example would be: A 1 year break in pensions. Outstanding, most agreed with this (employee and employers) because they needed the money for increasing food bills, utilities and so on. But then threats and intimidating promises followed on the heel by your minister. This does not lend to good leadership.
I regret to say this especially when we have no other option. God knows PPM, except for Moses Kirkconnell cannot run the show, much less the country. I am confident that if Moses was a UDP and Minister things would be different. The Deputy-Ms. Oconnor-Conolly has done extremly well for the Brac-even with all the headaches and hiccups. Maybe I’ll move to the Brac.
We are asking for your help. our business is failing simply because of no cash. If I can provide a salary and health Insurance to my employees, it means that they are in a job, paying and buying which means money is circulating in the country, However, if I cannot pay pension-can’t afford to and I’m being threatened, I must lay off many employees-which means less money circulating. Please choose your method carefully. Let’s put some empathy in pratice.
I am certain that anyone with a working brain will see little to nothing done that will improve the perception that Cayman is no longer a viable place to do business. But it is a great place to get robbed at gunpoint and at the workplace, killed on the roads, and treated rudely by the local undereducated (true) Caymanains.
In 90 days FROM today:
will permits still be ridiculously and unjustifiably expensive?
Will anything at all be done about key employee status that is favorable to the Key employee?
Will anything be done about the gun crimes, murders, pension thieves, lack of faith in the local policemen?
will anything be done about the bloated civil service, money sucking life style of the jet set Premier and his tribe,or the complete lack of accountability or even records of government spending (stealing) from the last 6 years?
This IS the picture of Cayman today in the eyes of the rest of the world.
And now the very people that have painted this picture are going to fix it in 90 days.
Good one.
Couldnt have said it better Joe ! I know at least 2 companies that have left due to the crazy doubling of work permits.
decrease permit fees
increase policing to lessen crime as what biz wants to move here with all the gunfire going on ?
Scrap rollover
Force companies to pay Pension and Health and fine them heavily if they havent.
Re visit CUC and look for lower costs there (or reduce their 15% guarantee profit)
Listen. There’s no need for you to continue insulting Caymanians. GET OFF IT!!!
Similarly, there is no need for Caymanians to broadbrush and insult expats.
I am so tired of hearing this crap, I had to reply to your post before I could finish reading it because I became incensed at your arrogance.
Is it really insulting to be insulted by rude behaviour? No one really likes to be treated with disrespect Caymanians and expats alike. I am sorry if I offended you by being offended by my treatment on Cayman. I was just tired of having to deal with this crap. When and if there is anything to return to on Cayman I promise to try and be more patient and less offended.
I agree with you comment "….in 90 days FROM today…", but why do you find the need to insult Caymanians? Do you think that is helping the situation? Really. Stop it. You’re not 5 years old.
Why? Experiance. Try living in an expats shoes on Cayman for a while. Don’t like the rep? We would love you to change it.
CNS, you forgot to mention Mac’s intention to "remove the beaurocracy" that is stalling the implementation of changes and policies that he (the UDP Govt.) wants to put in place?
CNS: We have already covered Mac’s views on this. See Mac berates bureaucrats
Does this mean that Bush is planning to resign?
CNS: "Mac vows 3 months to success"
I wish him luck. If everything pulls through what he and his team has vowed, it will really make them shine, despite his much flip-flop. I always say time will tell
Good Luck Mr.Bush, get things straighten up, get the old policies back in action.scrape roll over, invite business, tourism, improve health reforms.,,it will work..definately.
Umm, how will this "definitely" work? if he is still holding round tables to get new ideas, that means there are no concrete plans, and certainly none that can get results in 90 days
This will work just like the status grants! Only people getting screwed in this deal will be the Caymanians again so I guess it doesnt matter… We are always going to be the red head step children.
Recent immigration policy has encouraged persons to leave Cayman? How can that be? Last year the Premier appointed Sherri to conduct a comprehensive review of immigration policy.
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/headline-news/2009/07/23/immigration-law-undergo-another-review
Fourteen months later he is saying immigration policies are still to blame, but it will be fixed in three months? Was Sherri inept, or like the MLA pay cuts he couldn’t get support from his own party for the changes?
Pull the other one McKeeva McKeeva Bushi.
Well done Mac, you reduce that roll-policy, travel, market the Cayman Islands, and bring business back here. I support you 100%
Mac’s new rollover policy is actually his travel itinerary; go away for a month and then come back.
after 15 months of inaction (consultation) we will now have another 3 months of talking and then maybe an anouncement about possible implementation…..what a joke!
who cares…….. this deadline will be missed like all others by this government……
Didn’t he say the same thing over one year ago? Yet things are worse now! Mckeeva Bush has made so many promises & broken them. He made this same promise soon after being elected & he has only made the situation much worse! Don’t hold your breath on yet another empty promise.
I don’t think it is because our Premier has intentionally broken promises. The truth is he has come up against major roadblocks with every single thing he has tried to achieve. Enough is enough!! Let the man do the job he is there to do and give him some support instead of all this nay say – or we will end up with an empty island with only a few old timers and complainers with nowhere else to go and nothing to do. Our young people will have no choice but to leave in droves in order to find any work!!! Wake up!!! The writing is on the wall and it is very clear. If we don’t support our premier and current party – we will very likely never get another chance. If you look at the whole picture – the world economy of which you are a part – is in desperate straits NOW – not 3 years from now. All of them are fighting for survival. If we continue to complain and do nothing – we WILL miss the boat. To be honest, I truly admire the man for his fortitude. He has not given up on us. Most leaders would have given up by now. He has had no choice but to go over, under, around and finally through the mountain to get to the other side. PLEASE… if you truly do care about our island, give them some support already!!!!!!
Are you for real?
If I was collecting his salary, pension, getting all my bills paid by govt and travelling all over the world on someone else’s expense, I would stick in too. After all, all he has to do is continue travelling and not read CNS.
Oh please!
I think we all contributed to our economic decline, and besides Mac came in after PPM, and they didn’t do such a fantastic job