PPM: Bush sounds desperate
(CNS): The country’s premier is grasping at straws and undermining the credibility of the jurisdiction with the constantly changing announcements over development projects, the leader of the opposition said this week. Following McKeeva Bush’s recent switch of focus from the East End Seaport to the development of an oil refinery and the dredging of the North Sound for a channel, Alden McLaughlin said the premier was sounding desperate. He said the opposition was very concerned about the announcements regarding the channel and the party was opposed to dredging the North Sound as there are real fears about the loss of the Sand Bar. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
“I understand, given the economic hardship that we are facing, the premier feels the need to get a tangible project off the ground to create some stimulus for the economy. I can even sympathize with that, but these grand announcements from month to month are undermining the credibility of the jurisdiction,” he stated.
McLaughlin added that the premier’s comments that one project after another was due to start before the end of the year were unrealistic as, he added, it takes months and months to get major projects of this scale off the ground and to suggest he can go from an MOU to construction in under nine months on these type of public/ private partnerships was not only implausible but some of the ideas were downright dangerous.
“There is a danger of the government jumping into a major project in the near future as a desperate measure, which could have very serious long term irreversible implications for the country,” McLaughlin warned. He said the issue of dredging was of particular concerned and that at the very least there would have to be an independent environmental impact assessment undertaken because one controlled by government when a policy decision has already been made would be likely to reflect that position.
The new opposition leader added that he was not fundamentally opposed to dredging for its own sake as he said there have been times when it has proved to be successful but, he said, the idea of a channel in the North Sound has always been considered as a very risky proposition.
The premier has recently stated that he intends to dredge the North Sound to create a channel that will allow mega yachts to pass through to a new marina development as it has now become necessary. The project is believed to have been proposed by a group of Chinese investors and will included the creation of two islands, which sources state will be a mile in diameter.
McLaughlin said that the opposition party was not just opposed to this or other projects for the sake of it as, he noted, the PPM supported the development of cruise berthing in George Town and also believed the special economic zone and the proposed science and technology park was a very positive proposal which the opposition would support. He also said the PPM was not opposed to Dr Devi Shetty’s proposed hospital, and although in terms of sheer magnitude there were some reservations, he would like to see the development of medical tourism, but said he still had no idea if it was likely to come to fruition.
Despite offering support in principle to projects that he said could benefit all Caymanians, he said the party remained opposed to the East End Seaport, which along with idea of an oil refinery just did not sit alongside the concept of a pristine tourism product. He also said the announcements regarding the oil refinery were fantastical, and despite claims of it being a state of the art facility by those who have proposed the project to government, McLaughlin said he would still have to be convinced that such a proposal could work in the Cayman Islands.
“The premier is grasping at straws in order to inject some confidence into the economy, which is understandable, but the constant announcements with no action will not help in the goal of attracting investors,” McLaughlin warned.
Is it a good idea to build an oil refinery on Grand Cayman?
Are you in favour of dredging a channel in the North Sound to accommodate mega yachts?
Category: Headline News
It’s certainly not that the UDP can’t afford the fridges and windows…Hell they might even buy you back your house and two cars if you lose.
An Opposition Party first and foremost duty is to expose weaknesses of the ruling Gvt and if you read correctly Alden’s speach he admitted that these are challenging times adn that he understand the much needed boost. However I agree with Alden that when we see so many bright ideas coming out of the blue such as Oil Refineries, channels, nearly proven future catastrophe if the Imparato project is allowed to occur. However I feel like a fish in a barrel not knowing where the next hook, line and sinker is to come from. We are sent different signals but we don’t know which one is real. Only after thefacts decision made by 1 person. No consultation whatsoever. I am certain that Alden and the Party are ready to start preparing themselves WE will be consulted. As far as I am concerned I believe it’s time to get serious and demand more from our Gvt. Apart from Mr. Adams (who helps people and does his best to be available) where is the rest of the members of Gvt. that were elected by the people and are supposed to be FOR the people. I have Faith that we are smart enough to read between the lines.
I do wish a THIRD OPTION party arise! It will once and for all sort out the desparate UDP and PPM parties! Am I hearing Chuckie, am I hearing Libertarian, am I hearing another party on the horizon… Both Alden and the Premier are worried and desparate!
Was in Chicago during the recent election for Mayor (that’s a pretty big job). If the candidate who finishes first in the election does not have more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election the following week of the top candidates ensues.
The only way a third party would be viable here is if this was the case.
Preferential vote!
You are darn right about that 08:03 They are both worried, but at least the Premier is throwing out bait with fishing line to catch fish, even if he is not catching anything. Alden and Arden and PPM and some cross country Back bencher who is sitting on a fence post is only making up sent and has no fishing equipment.
If they cannot come up with a plan of what they can do better, I say do not listen to them. They only want to get back in power, and then six months after you all will be saying the same old same old “Take them out” Please stop and think what is any of them doing to make progress in Cayman. What exactly are they doing, except complaining along with one big bunch of Poor people Movement. They aint doing a darn thing. It is better if we give some Status Caymanian invester a chance, because they would atleast try and secure their investment. We need a change.
Do not make the mistake that so many others seem to be making in believing that ANY idea is better than NO idea. That simply is not true.
Do you understand that there is a difference between speed and velocity? Going fast (speed) is one thing. Going fast in the right direction (velocity) is a very different thing.
The Cayman Islands need a leader who can take this country at a reasonable pace in the right direction. Who is that person?
ALDEN IS RIGHT
Our dictator is a desperate leader who is only interested in a one man rule of the country and has sold out his people for the foriegn developers. He is so willing to accommodate the developers but totally unwilling to listen to his own people.
When the country voted for this totally uneducated individual who has absolutely no business or professional qualifications or experience whatsoever, you all got what you wanted, a dictator and the destruction of our democracy under his despotic rule. Thank you voters and supporters of the UDP for we have you to thank for our loss of rights, loss of true democracy an the destruction of Cayman under this man.
He is now really desperate because he is running out of time to pull off an actual real capital project for the country and to secure the big pay off for himself. So desperate in fact that he cares not for what the people want for their country only what he can get out of his last term in office.
ALDEN keep up the pressure from early campaigning and step up to the plate to stop this madness under the reign of this dictator. Stepping up to the plate means stopping him destroying our country, stop the oil refinery, stop the east end port and stop the dredging of north sound. However as a true Caymanian representing his people we need to support and promote the sea port in GT, the airport expansion, the completion of the schools, the environmental clean up of the dump all projects initiated under the PPM, and also the economic zone and medical tourism which will be good for our economy if they ever evenuate and get off the ground.
PPM….UDP we are doomed under both of them
The PPM had 16 years of previous governments poor governance to clean up. At least they tried. The fact that you are not stuck in traffic everyday like before, is due to the PPM. At least they tried to get the schools built. Something no one else had done for years. I hear that John Gray is absolute chaos. Students coming up to final exams failing when they were doing well before. Sorry, you can’t blame the kids for everything. Teachers do not have a photocopier or a printer or anything else. Whilst the kids at Clifton Hunter have everything they need and teachers have their own printers. What is going on. All our kids deserve the same opportunities when it comes to education. The careers officer who is supposed to work at both schools does not venture into John Gray very often so the kids are missing out on very important information for their future. Perhaps its because there is just too much for one careers officer, I don’t know. I’m not pointing the finger but whatever the problem is, its the children who suffer. I know there are problems with the attitudes of some of the kids too but it is certainly not all the kids and parents fault. There is no reason why our kids should be leaving school not being able to read and write. I was at school a long time ago and this just did not happen unless the child had learning difficulties and even those kids were helped properly. The PPM were also not jettingaround the wold with friends and family wasting our money. I still believe they left money and that some creative accounting was used to paint a much darker picture. YOu certainly cannot tell that the country is broke the way some people are living a life of luxury and jetting around the world. We have no leader. We have a dictator who sneers at his own people and tries to embarrass them when they ask intelligent questions. I hope and pray we have a change of leadership in the next election. If not, I’m out of here. I can’t take the senseless crime going on with the Police unable and unwilling to deal with armed crime when they can only use a stick to defend themselves. How much longer do you think tourists will come here if they are being held up at gunpoint. I have also heard of several other serious crimes on tourists which have not made it into the press and we all know how good Cayman is at shoving the dirt under the carpet.
For the future our next grandoise project will be – The South Sound Cays!!! (Mac Island #4) with the erection of a Parliament for UDP surrounded with the Shaddy Hospital, The Oil Refinery, a Mega Yacht Harbour, an Immigration Department, a Crime Prevention Office, two five star hotels, a casino, one large shopping centre, airport and extension of CUC and Water Authority. Fifteen Minutes from the Capital, George Town by boat or Private plane come and enjoy our new Island, You will never leave it, just have your cash or Credit cards that will be processed throught our “GET RICH QUICK” Bank in New York.
This was our last resort because things are so bad in the Other Islands -Overcrowding, crime, Too many guns and becomig not too safe for us.
Am tired of people posting about the hole/debtPPM left the government in.
If they did where is all the money coming from now and to my understanding I don’t see it being spent here on the Island.
We all can see what the PPM Government used the money on and we all have, will, and reap from them, even our children and their children will do too.
I know that the UDP Government is in power and that Mr. Bush is our leader, but where is the rest of the UDP Team on the propose projects? I would like to know if they all agree with Mr. Bush because you don’t even hear them. Is it a matter of saying "Go over there and wait until you have to say "I".
Bodden Towner who is taking notes my friends…
So Alden, Inquiry minds want to know. What are your (PPM) plans/solutions for the country’s recovery???
You should know by now that Alden doesn’t have any plans or solutions except to attack the current government.
Alden please prove me wrong and give a solution or 2.
Instead of voting thumbs down respond with one or 2 of Alden’s solutions to the country’s problems if you are intellectually honest.
Alden’s major solution for the time being is getting rid of the UDP. A very major solution indeed.
Mr Alden needs to grow up and act like a leader, not what he is doing.
It definately will not win him many additional votes to get into power. So please look at the larger picture- where
Cayman stands today and how it proposes to adapt to the rapidly changing business climate all over the world including our neighbours.
Our old business model might not be appropriate in this climate and cahnge will be necessary in our views.
Alden is just trying to disguise the old approach.
Mr. Bush does not only sound desperate, he is desperate! And it is NOT Mr. Alden that needs to grow up and act like a leader, it is Mr. Bush that needs to do so, desperately!
Alden & PPM are winning the next election. Watch and see! They are honest and trustworthy and do things in the interest of this country. Nothing like what we are getting now. Can’t wait for the next two years to pass!
I bet you my house,my two cars and my land(in Little Cayman)that Alden and the PPM is gonna get another whipping come 2013.
10:04 I am on board with you too,. I will bet my domino table, in East End, my old cadalac in South Sound, my leather bealt in Honduras, my wife and children in Jamaica, the parrot in Savannah, the dog in West Bay my cat in Bodden Town and my felt hat in the Phillipines they are not getting back in 2013. Cayman is fed up with all of them..
Is it mere coincidence that the majority of you PPM dissers don’t know how to spell, or is that proof of your total inability to make an educated choice about anything? Come on now, we KNOW you HAVE to have a frig…er.. fridge SOMEWHERE. Were you trying to hide that from us, or is that what you are referring to as the dog in West Bay?
You really should be thinking a little more of your wife and children. Matter of fact, you probably should even teaching them how to spell. Oh, can you say how much that felt hat in the Philipines cost you? That would certainly help us decide whether to challenge you. By the way, did you leave your leather ‘bealt’ in Honduras because you couldn’t afford to import it? Oh, and one more question, if I may: Are you a REAL or a UDP contrived Jackass?
Alden and Kurt and Arden looked at the outdated school buildings and education system, and the 1970’s Glass House, and the road system that caused motorist to spend so much time and wasted gasoline sitting in traffic. And they decided : Why cant one of the largest financial centers in the world do better than this?
So they built a few badly needed and modern schools – because young Caymanians finally deserve the best, an Administrative Building that all Caymanians should be proud of, and a road system that relieved the traffic problems.
They looked "at the larger picture- where Cayman stands today and how it proposes to adapt to the rapidly changing business climate all over the world including our neighbours".
That is so much better than the funds currently being wasted touring the world with friends and family, handing out our funds to political cronies, telling the world how broke we are, then a few months later, how rich we are, selling our country with no benefit to us, destroying our environment and dont forget the nation building fund for political supporters.
THANK YOU Alden, Kurt, Arden and the rest of the PPM.
And Al – Pay the naysayers no mind – They cant walk in your shoes…
Attention Cayman! Wake up! McKeeva Bush works for you. You are his boss.
You hired him to work for you when you voted him into office. If he is doing things you don’t want him to do then let him know. If he continues to do these things then fire him by not voting for him next time. You have the power to do so. If you don’t want a channel in the North Sound or an oil refinery in Cayman then let him know your wishes. You do not have to give reasons why you feel the way you do. Your wishes are all he needs to know. He was hired to carry out your wishes, not to debate with you or question your motives.
Blah Blah Blah …same old politics…same old Alden,,,same old McKeeva..
Where is the fresh blood and action men(no not Arden again)…tired of hearing from one side and complaining from the other side. how about getting something done to kick start our economy.
Everyone sits down and complain. Our economy is going to hell in a hand basket and we need to do something. Sitting around throwing blame at each other is simply politics at its best. I am tired of it because while these two fight, my country flounders and suffers and is slowly dying.
McKeeva, you are the leader, the one they call a dictator. They are already calling you it despite the fact I have seen you do anything dictatorial. How about doing something like getting one of these high profile such as the cruise ship dock started! If you are the dictator they claim then just do it and suffer the consequences. I have a feeling it will do more good than harm.
Alden, you need to find something constructive to say rather than just trying to find fault with everything. There must be something good in the Premier’s many projects that you can find some common ground and the two of you work towards that for the betterment of the country.
Politics as usual are causing us to die on the vine here Cayman. When are we going to stop these divisive politics and try to do something that will benefit our country. This foolish one up man ship and grandstanding does nothing for me but make me angry. These are big grown men charged with taking care of our country and it s time they find something they can agree on.
As us Caymanians say…Unna try so do something nah!!!
The Premier is trying to find ways to stimulate the economy through unproven and potentially devastating means. We as the voting public must remember two things. First, the quickest and easiest way to stimulate this economy and produce jobs and growth is to reduce or eliminate duties, fees and taxes. For example, if the Premier were to eliminate the duty on the fuel used by CUC, and force them to reduce their rates accordingly, we would all have more spending power and a reduced cost of living immediately. It would hurt government revenue in the short term but the stimulation would result in true long term economic growth and prosperity. Then when things get flowing again he could slowly and carefully collect duties and fees where necessary to balance the budget. We cannot keep borrowing from the future. It won’t last long.
Secondly, we as the voting public must remember that we vote politicians into office to represent our wishes, not to lead us or tell us what we want or need. We know our wants and needs and expect them to follow our wishes since that is what we voted them in to do. It is not government’s purpose to create jobs for the public. Government’s purpose is to create a healthy economic environment that allows the public sector to prosper. Our high duties and fees are currently preventing this prosperity and must be reduced in part or in whole to kick start the jobs and growth we need. We need politicians like Mr. Alden who get it.
well said alden…at least the ppm are now starting to act and sound like an opposition (unlike the previous 2 years with kurt!)
Oh my! You’re not just dreaming….you’re actually in a coma! Poor thing!
Despite my dislike for some of the things McKeeva does, I wish that just for once Alden would come up with something productive and useful to say. Where are his solutions, It was his government that got us where we are today? Sad to say for him even he did have a decent solution most people would look at it with scepticism simply because he and his party lacks credibility.
McKeeva needs to start doing at least one of these projects because while he, Alden, Austin, Gilbert and Ezzard consistently argue nothing gets done and no one benefits but Hurley’s Entertainment. We are all going to starve to death if we don’t get up off our butts and stop the fighting and get going with something to revive the economy of this country.
I am tired of all of these politicians, recycled politicians and wanna be politicians doing what they do best, absolutely nothing!! Remember while Nero fiddled, Rome burned.
What I want to know is why does CNS allow people to call the premier a dictator repeatedly on this site and to be fair he was democratically elected just under 2 years ago AND hardly anything he says he is going to do ever gets done. This is hardly the definition of a dictator.
On the other hand, the new leader of the opposition made a statement recently about a former politician in the PPM and I quote ” party politics requires teamwork, cooperation and compromise all of which to be frank he is supremely ill suited!”
Now this former politician wants to start an alternative to the party system. Could this be the dictator in the making?
How can someone be Premier of Cayman when only one district voted for him. He should be ruler of West Bay and no where else, cause no other part of the island voted for him.
aben’t you heard of elected dictatorship? The fact that you were elected does not mean that thereafter you stop listening to everyone else. The fact that it doesn’t get done as he flip flops constantly just says that he is an inept dictator.
If this is the mental level of McKeeva’s supporters no wonder we are in trouble.
Clearly your problem is that he is not listening to YOU, but he is obviously listening to somebody!! I doubt very much that the Premier came up with the proposed Exclusive Economic Zone, the Shetty Hospital etc himself. He stated he wanted to vitually eliminate the rollover so if he was a dictator why didn’t that happen?
With all the turmoil in the middle east after decades of autocratic military rule, I can understand why the term “dictator” is the new flavour of the month.
Puleeese!! People were calling Mac a dictator long before the uprisings in the Middle East. We really should follow their example and get rid of Mac!!
He is not listening to the Cayman public generally. He is listening to the billionaire cronies but then gets confused about which one to listen to. Just to be clear: McKeeva did not come up with these ideas, he just happened to be the Premier at the time. The Shetty Hospital was Dr. Shetty’s idea.
13:36, well said. It is the most sensible thing I have read for a while. If the people of Cayman will notice, is that these PPM well wishers is only talk, talk talk, put down, and put down. Besides what Gilbert needs to do is stop siding in with them. . Austin has always been playing fiddle. Ezzard please, we were putting some hopes in you, but you have to stop and smell the roses. We do not want to hear anything about what could have been done. Since you all object to everything the premier brings to the board, where are your solutions. You all do not have any thing to say positive and doing absolutely nothing but complaining. Just a bunch of Nay Sayers, with no solution. You all are going to get a big shock in 2013. People, including PPM and UDP and Independent are having private meetings together for a better Cayman, and the main topic is, We do not want to hear complaining we want to see results.
If someone’s about to kick me in the *****, I don’t need to come up with ‘solutions’, I just need to stop him from doing it.
He IS saying something productive and useful. He is rightly pointing out that McKeeva’s scatter gun approach is counterproductive. If what you mean is that Alden should formulate his own policies for govt. then obviously that is a pointless exercise since he is not in govt. and the govt. isn’t listening. He is performing the proper role of the Opposition – to hold govt. policies and governance generally up to scrutiny and make them accountable.
Reckless actions are often much more dangerous than no action at all. That is not leadership.
Surely you are not so naive as to believe the UDP propaganda that all our economic woes are due to excessive spending by the PPM. There are are many factors why we are the situation including the policies of successive governments and in particular the UDP govt.
Thecountry has no other choice but to suffer under bush rule. We need sound reasoning, we need someone we can trust, we need someone with the ability to lead, we need Hon. Alden.
Woa, Alden sounds like a reasonable man here! Calm, measured, and weighing both sides of the opinion.
I am not a PPM guy, but I may haveto reconsider if they have someone like this at the helm.
At least McKeeva Bush is thinking about investments that could boost Cayman’s economy even if some of them sound far-fetched and are probably entirely unrealistic.
At least he is thinking and talking about it…
What is Alden McLaughlin thinking and talking about ?
Undermining and demoralising the current UDP Government to get back in power and then what…..?
Public borrowing to spend on projects to keep his supporters happy ?
The UK has ruled out all public borrowing for the next 3 years and probably longer.
What plans to improve Cayman’s economy does Alden McLaughlin and the PPM have, should they regain power in the next election ?
I am a supporter of neither party but I do understand economics and clearly McKeeva Bush does as well.
What does Alden McLaughlin understand ?
13:11….Cayman could make more money from an efficient well lead government than 3 combined Mr. Bush real estate deals / projects.
Did you actually write “..understand economics and clearly McKeeva Bush does as well” ? … wow I feel like you must delusional or highly medicated. If Mr. Bush knew economics he would know that the way to stimulate an economy in a downturn is not by increasing cost but by decreasing them and encouraging people to spend and invest. I wonder if you are living as comfortably as Mr. Bush, why you can make such a comment, I assure you the rest of us are struggling to make ends meet.
Alden understands that McKeeva understands nothing.
He’s not only desperate, he’s delusional at times as well, Oil refinery XXXX.
Why would anyone want to refine oil here in Grand Cayman, when I read in the Wall Street Journal a few months back that seven (7) refinery in Texas were shut down and put up for sale.
McKeeva has a way of spinning things a certain way, but I’m glad that the Caymanian people final see him and his government for what they are, XXXX politicians who don’t give a shit about the common man on the road.
How about BUSH and ALDEN sounds desperate! Both are making it worse for everyone! I dread the day to see PPM or UDP back in!
See the proposed Development plans here…
http://www.hurleysgroup.com/files/portdev.pdf
Now we see why negotiations with Dart (supposedly?) broke down.
It seems like the plan is to move the dock from Harbour Drive into his own backyard and completely choke Kirk and everyone else in town out of any cruise ship business.
This plan is about 25 years old.
30 years old to be more precise.
The individual that conceptualized that development back in the early 1980’s had the foresight for the country then, and they still do now.
They did not produce the illustrations that were uploaded to the Rooster website, but I know for sure the illustrations were based on their concept.
And when this plan was brought to the people of the Cayman Islands back then there was an angry backlash of public opinion against it, much as there is today.
It was a bad idea then. It is a bad idea now.
I really wish the new leader of the PPM could put forth his views in a less confrontational way.
Why do these politicians need to add these childish insults to the discussion?
Apparently the new leadership of the PPM is not employing new tactics in moving the country forward.
Grow up Alden.
What childish insult?
It’s not an insult if it’s TRUE!
I absolutely agree with you.
We need to get certain vital aspects of our economy revived and going again, one of the key aspects being development/construction. Putting several projects on the table and planning ahead is the right approach.
Not all of projects will go ahead, out of those that do notall will commence at the same time either but when several are progressing can you imagine the scale of activity taking place locally and the injection of funds derived from this activity moving through the varies sectors of our economy.
A question for Alden again. What is it you would do that would be so drastically different?
Not only desperate but gone plump mad. What is he thinking about, all these projects are only going to destroy our beautiful Islands. May I suggest that the Premier stop talking garbage, and invest some money on our tourism products that we have here already in the Cayman Islands, like enhancing the Botanical Park, Pedro St. James Castle, Turtle Farm, and Stingray city etc. these are the things our tourist are interested in, let’s bump up what we have here already. Stop constructing so much offices and shops and concentrate more on planting our own food so we don’t have to rely so much on the USA, don’t tell me we can’t do it, I say YES WE CAN. Right now I know of Americans who are stocking up on tin foods because they believe there will soon be a food shortage. Let’s do more for agriculture and help assist our farmers.
I disagree with the New Party leader on one point. The man in question is not clever enough to be desperate. He changes his mind from day to day as if we are not listening to what he has to say or there is no stability factor. His thoughts and actions are the only ones that count. The other UDP member’s ideas are irrelevant and people are very much aware of this simple fact of one man rule. Thisis why support is eroding reaching the tipping point and the stooges will be heading for the life boats real soon. The oil refinery is the last straw and will take them (UDP) over the cliff.
Boy I wouldnd’t wanh no body dis me like dat!
Hi guys,
How is it that Alden puts his face forward only when it makes him look big opposing the Premier’s efforts to clean up the debt the PPM left here?
ALDEN SAYS NOTHING ABOUT CREATING JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE!
He’s not the right one for the job. McKeeva needs another term to finish the
Shetty Project that will create thousands of jobs for Caymanians.
.
Tell me what did the PPM do to make Cayman any better. I want to know. If someone cannot write positive things that PPM have done please shut up because all you are doing is making things worse for them.
People are just tired of the negative responsive attitudes looking power. Do you really think that by knocking UDP that you are doing anything to help PPM? No. I was really considering to support PPM, but when I read each day the vicious attacks that their supporters make so profoundly, I changed my mind. It is disgusting. Talk about positive things and get up off your behinds and do something to make perople want to support PPM against UDP, right now people are hating the PPM attitude, dont you all know that. Do you read any of these negative responses comming from UDP, even if they are spinning wheels.
wha??!!!!
I am glad you asked, I’ll be kind and just stick to answering your question. The following are 11 of of the important accomplishments of the PPM May 2005 – May 2009 Government:
(1) Built the roads on which you now probably drive to/from GT and the Eastern Districts or to/from West Bay everyday (unless you can walk to work). If that’s nothing then drive only on the old roads!
(2) Improved/upgraded/renovated all and I mean all Government owned sporting facilities including district facilities. Remember the condition they were in after Hurricane Ivan and stil in at the May 2005 election? Especially notable improvements include the new football field in George Town with the special turf and seating, etc and what about the Dalmain Ebanks boxing Gym, spear-headed by Alden McLaughlin then Minister of Sports.
(3) Introduced and implemented the FOI Law — some of you have used it.
(4) Reduced the roll-over period in the Immigration Law passed by the UDP from Two Years to One Year and allowed Key Employee applications at any time before the 7 year roll-over (despite what Gordon Barlow would have us think) and streamlined the immigration law to make its working clearer and fairer.
(5) Put much needed investment into Education which had been historically starved of investment and not just in buildings, in staff that Rolston let go and then claimed weren’t there! Developed and implemented the National Curriculum, another thing that Rolston would like us to forget was in place before he became Minister of Education.
(6) Provided the Police Service the funding they needed for staff and equipment including patrol boats and the helicopter which would have been here a long time ago if the Police commanders had not botched the purchase. And yes, violent crime did actually go down during the PPM administration, though I’ll be amongst the first to admit that it is a never ending battle!
(7) Conceptualized, planned and started building the new Government Administration building. Readers are very familiar with this so I need not elaborate further. But I challenge the Government to invite Kurt Tibbetts as a key participant in the opening ceremonies.
(8) Improved health care coverage for veteran and seaman, something which even the UDP Government is wise enough not to reverse.
(9) Introduced the GGHAM mortgage down payment assistance and low cost housing with real Concrete and Steel, not Tin walls.
(10) Lowered stamp duty for Caymanians on land purchases (and BTW G. Barlow, that’s for all Caymanians regardless of how they became Caymanians).
(11) Last but not least, brought in a new constitution which was democratically approved by a majority of the country’s electorate in the country’s first ever referendum. The constitution contains some very useful checks and balances some of which we may need to use in the near future!!!
Can’t Touch That!
Anonymous For Cause, you couldn’t answer that question any better, everything is accurate and well detailed. I’m not a part of any party, and thanks for reminding them of the good PPM had done for these Islands from 2005-2009, compare to what this Government has done in their first two years.
Clueless! Clueless!
You are so VERY right Alden. Its like McKeeva is grasping for straws in his desperation to say he has done something. Every man that dangles the greenbacks to him, he becomes led. He says he cares for these Islands, but all he has in mind is to destroy it, with these outrageous ideas. He does not take the poposals to the people, he just announces it in a public forum. He goes off and make all these promises to these Investors and then comes back and decides that its good for us, without asking us the voting public what we want , what we would suggest and what is best for us etc etc. He is disgusting and should be stopped in his track. He reminds me of a runaway train. Alden I implore you and the other oppositions to keep revealing to us, the voting public, all of his stupid intentions. You guys are the action team, who would analyze things, impliment things and do the right things. Yes at a cost, but it is always benificial to the Caymanians, not the rich man and its of long term benefit to ALL in these Islands.
And I’d need to feel a lot more than desperate to ever vote PPM with Alden McLaughlin at the helm! I’m praying for a third party to be formed to give me a real alternative come next general election.
I am going to miss Kurt, and I will only cast a vote for him in PPM no one else. Aldin is too arrogant and self centered. He is the ruination of PPM. Kurt was a gentleman. Sorry I cannotsupport PPM with Alden leading.
God willing, and some effort on our part, you shall be given a viable and reasonable choice in the next election.
Alden, your opinions are irrelevant until such time as the fence is repaired. At this point, there may very well be an East End Seaport, Oil refinery, Cruise ship dock and dredged North Sound all before one corner pole is put back in to the ground on Crewe Road!
We understand… and we excuse you.