$10m spent on nation building
(CNS): The premier was very reluctant to give details on how $10 million which has been appropriated to his ministry over the last three budgets has been spent. The money has been allocated to a new line item termed ‘nation building’, which the country’s leader says covers a number of different things. When the opposition leader pressed for some transparency on how the public cash had been spent over the last two years and how it would be spent in the coming year, McKeeva Bush accused Alden McLaughlin of wanting to know so he could embarrass people. The premier said the money was being spent on churches, scholarships, leadership programmes and various other projects defined as nation building.
The money, Bush said, was being processed through the finance department and was all above board and it wasn’t him “that was writing out the cheques”.
The premier explained that the ‘nation building’ financial allocation was created to finance programmes that would help to promote leadership among young people, foster talent, build on the country’s moral values, help those in need, support volunteer organisations, to encourage those who may be at risk to raise themselves above difficult circumstances and many other worthwhile projects for the betterment of Cayman.
It is about enhancing positive social growth and providing a flexible response system for the government to help those in need of assistance in special circumstances when they presented a worthy case, the premier added.
Bush described the money as a grant system that was being allocated by his office on a case by case basis depending on merit. However, he refused to be drawn on exactly how the substantial sum of money had been spent, despite questions from the opposition leader.
Alden McLaughlin noted that the amount which the Finance Committee was being asked to vote on for this fiscal year was over $3 million, in the last financial year it was $4million and in the first year when the premier introduced the new allocation around $2.8 million had been appropriated. He said there had, however, been no transparency or accountability regarding the money, which was coming from the public purse.
McLaughlin said that normally the kind of payments the premier was describing were allocated under ownership or purchase agreements where the recipient programmes, church groups or volunteers were held accountable for how they used taxpayers' money and explained in detail the goals and ambitions of the various projects.
He also queried why the scholarships that the premier said were being funded under the allocation were not being handled through the normal channels. Bush stated that 27 people were receiving scholarships through the nation building programme as they had not qualified through the usual routes because the students in question had special talents but not necessarily the academic grades. He said two of the recipients were very talented musicians.
The opposition leader pointed out that the scholarship secretariat normally provides vocational scholarships for gifted students no matter their academic situation, as he pressed the premier to explain exactly where the $10 million was being spent and offer the public some transparency and accountability.
The premier said that aside from helping churches with their buildings, after school programmes and scholarships, some of the money had also been spent on Barkers national park.
Despite the leader of the opposition’s persistence, the premier refused to detail the names of the organisations and the amounts given and said he had already explained where the money was going and that it was being handled properly.
McLaughlin suggested that the premier supply Finance Committee members with a detailed report breaking down the grants and awards. “Given the amount of the allocation, can the committee be provided with a report so we can perform our proper function of scrutinizing how money is being spent?” the opposition leader asked.
The premier insisted it was not normal to detail all of these kinds of grants and he would check how things were usually handled. “I’ve told you what it’s being spent on,” Bush said, adding that it was going through the accountants at the ministry. He accused the opposition leader of not liking the creation of the programme and him being in the position to do what he could, but Bush said that as long as he was in a position to help people he would.
The opposition leader noted, however, that what he didn’t like was the fact that he, the Finance Committee and the public could not see how public money was being spent.
For details of government'sspending plans go to www.bmu.gov.ky or click here
Category: Politics
I would like to point out that I am quite dissappointed in how our government is spending money on this country. I'm not saying it is not being spent the right way. What I'm saying is that there is some unecessary spending taking place. For example, is it really necessary to grant someone a scholoarship just because the can dance, sing, or play an instrument. I understand that people have talents and they want to show these talents off. But in my opinion it is not necessary to fund it just because the certain individual has a gift or a talent. Scholoarships should be given to individuals with academic acheviements, individuals who have the potential to shape the world or even this country in the future. Anybody can sing, anybody can dance, anybody can draw, etc.
How about putting some of that money into research and development. Cayman might be limited in resources for such dreams however something simular to it won't do harm. What I am really getting at here is stop spending money on idle things and think of ways to spend it to recieve a better outcome.
So you are one of those with your nose in the air, thinking that only individules with acadimic achivments are allowed to shape the world.
You are the kind that look down on the lesser educated individuals and think they have no place in shaping the world, no wonder we can't get ahead.
Yes no wonder we can't get ahead, because we have 'individules' with very poor 'acadimic' 'achivments' trying to lead us. It's called the blind leading the not so blind. McKeeva can you get those schools finished pleased, instead of blaming the PPM for getting them started…Oh,sorry, I almost forgot, Mac's not going to be around much longer.
This really deserves a thorough investigation!
It seems logical that if Mac had credible answers to the legitimate questions put, then he would/should answer them. It is NOT "your" money Mr. Premier….it is the money of the people of the Cayman Islands!
Mr. Governor/UK FCO/Attorney General/Auditor General….should not you very highly paid "professionals" do something here to ensure "Good Governance"?
Or are you waiting for a complete TCI scenario?
Woof!! Where's my money??
I'm afraid it woofed.
TEN MILLION DOLLARS. THIS MONEY could have done a lot for caymanians. but you will be surprise on the result if this is investigated. all we need to prove where the money went is for the treasury dept to produce copy of cheques, since he said that he was not writing any cheques. I will suggest that if this money is found we build a mental institution and ADMIT EVERY UPD MEMBER IN IT.
With all the good intentions of this money I just hope the receipents would build a shelter so that the many people that are becoming homeless due to no fault of their own (i.e. foreclosures) will have some where to sleep at nights.
Better yet the government should provide homes for there people 10 million dollars will be able to give every Caymanian a house so that they don't have to sleep in carparks as is now happening but maybe our elected members don't know about this or care to know about it like they do everything else until it is no longer hidden from public view.
What UDP call Nation building I call reelection grease. Steve Wonder can see through this.
You only need to know the people the Premier is connected to, to understand where he is taking the Cayman Islands. The majority of his advisors/friends are unscrupulous individuals who have taken their countries down that rocky path.
TCI, Michael Misick gave away crown land for $1 to expats for large developments. Dudus Coke was sheilded and protected by the highest person in the land. The people of certain countries, who were instrumental in there political destruction are the advisorrs of our XXXX leader. The cow-bells will be ringing again, do you remember that occurence?
When are we going to make our representation to the souvereign lady to have or paranaha removed and clean the pool? It is disgusting to listen to the other MLAs, who blow their horns and sound so stupid trying to defend the Premier with his ideas, which are to the detriment of our islands and people. Everytime he has a brain waive, he gets a shock, then a bad dream, then and announcement that cannot work.
Time for a change, not an hand out. Hard work pays. Government is not a sperm donar.
Spent on churches? How many churches in Grand Cayman and how much was given each church? Alot to repent?
Dem fridges keep comin'… Soon da whola wes' bay gwan be col' like de artic…
The economy must be really bad if Govt needs to be donating money to churches! Although I have not heard of any churches in Cayman ever closing down or going bankrupt.
I know a lot of small businesses are closing daily and people are losing their jobs, and their homes, and their businesses. This is a direct result of the Govt increasing import duties and all other fees to stimulate an economy that was in recession.
And just a short time ago Govt was broadcasting to the world that the country was bankrupt.
So to solve that problem we spend 10 million building more churches, and we are going to give one of the richest billionaires in the world $45 million?
Is this normal thinking?
Or is this like schizophrenic behavior?
Great turnout at the public beach rally this afternoon. So manyheavy equipment operators and people who don't have jobs were there. this place is in a mess and the economy needs stimulation now before more people lose their homes and business. we should support at least some of these proposed thinga. we cant do all but there has to be some merit in at least some of them. alden do you have anything to offer? we need solidarity in this place. we need you guys to stop fighting and lets get things going.
They out of jobs because the person they are supporting increased taxes and fees and crashed the economy! Some people really have no intelligence!
Now you talking s***, what rock you been sleeping under? the economy crashed from 2008, obviously, you have been doing good, not to notice it…Mr. Intelligence
What Government was in 2008? i Can remember people going over to the Brac looking work, right after paloma.
The economy crashed in 2008 Mr. Intelligence.
CNS..Sorry pseudonym should read "Big Mac"
…… pants on fire
It's clear now why the laws for "The Commission for Standards in Public Office" have not been forthcoming….nor are of urgency by this Govt. !!
The Premier is doing good with the 10 million he did not keep any of it for his pocket if he had the bunch of you haters would have all kind of investigations on him so just shut up and leave the Premier alone.
sounds like you got a little honey from de honey pot
I feel sorry for you. Nuff said.
I feel sorry for you. Nuff said.
How do you know?
Thats what you and YOUR Premier would like us to do, but it wont happen and all will be revealed very soon!
Either you are clueless or like the Premier think everyone else is. There are a lot of ways to use public money for personal gain without actually keeping any for yourself. For example you could spend public money giving a relative with no apparent qualifications a position as say Florida liaison in a really silly location like Tampa.
I am not saying there is anything wrong with how the NB money was used but the people have a right to know. By the sounds of it you have first hand knowledge of how at least some of this money was used and possibly are even a recipient. Why not tell us what you received and why you received it over many equally deserving others? Did you perhaps receive it for schooling so you could learn how to use punctuation such as periods to separate sentences?
Not saying he did. Just want to see how OUR money was spent. The Premier has to remember that he is accountable to the people for spending our money. He needs to be open and honest to the people of this country. We are not children and he is not our father. He is our servant.
"A hope dey trip up n pop dey mout".
That was reportedly the response from your Premier to a civil, valid request by the Opposition for more information into his XXXX deal with the Cohen group. That deal was also described by the UDP as "Substance over process" It fell apart, so we got neither.
He responds to every request for transparency with anger, ridicule, threats and other bullying tactics unbecoming of a self-professed Christian. He reminds me of a five-year old having a tantrum.
Who are the haters?
Is that you, Mr Premier??
We're trying. The problem is he won't leave US alone.
We don't need Dan Duguay or anyone else to clean up this country what we need are morals and morality back into this society. Caymanian have become a greedy compromised bunch of people who care nothing about honesty, decency and truth. Money and social status have become our God. Until we decide to become a moral society again only the good Lord can help us. We need to stop with this garrison politics or else in less than a year we will be no better than those countries that are known as Banana Republics and Lawless, we might even make it to the most corrupt list.
Too late.
Don't you get it?? Mac doesn't care – he's going to do whatever he wants – he knows nobody is going to stop him. And I can guarantee one thing – he'll be back in office after the next election! Unna don't learn!!
Money for the churches now that's just wrong. A church has two hundred members out of that two hundred members seventy five members pay 10% tithes .
Pay check ; $2,000.00 x 10% = $200.00 x 75 members = $ 15,000.00 per month. $180,000.00 per year. Plus the offering pan being sent around during services.
Wonder if these organizations said to the members due to the bad world economic sittuation pay 5% tithes instead of 10% ?
Wasn't "nation building" one of the euphamisms used by Sani Abacha when the treasury of Nigeria was looted and the money moved to private bank accounts?
Can you comment Governor; is this "good governance"?
We can't hear you! Speak up please!!!!
Shhh! You will wake the Governor up from his slumbers.
McKeeva Bush is a champion for the under-dogs in this society. He helps those that are down and out. Maybe that is why he is so disliked here; this country is only for a certain class of people. McKeeva Bush has not forgotten his struggles and he continues to help those who are struggling. Keep it up Mr. Premier. Remember not everyone has access to the internet and the blogs. Many of the people that you have helped and who appreciate you may not be on here blogging but that doesn't mean they don't exist!
He is the champion of those whom he can give goods to in exchange for electoral support. He does not want to see such persons being able to stand on their own financially as they would not be dependent on him anymore.
Can you call some of the persons he is a champion for, eg Dart, Michael Ryan, underogs in society?
Oh please. Name names. If you know he is a champion of the underdogs, and the underdogs (as you put it) have no internet, then as you do have internet and seem to want to be their spokesman, please give us some clear examples of how he came to be their champion.
Be warned however, that in other democratic societies gifts and promises by politicians in exchange for votes is unscrupulous and illegal and certainly doesn't make anyone a "champion".
how much did you get?
not unlike a certain ex mayor of Washington DC
You sorry big mouth. Next thing you know Mac will be increasing our utility bills to buy computers so all his sorry supporters can get on the internet to embarrass Cayman even more.
Look at the coins in your wallet, some say "One Nation Under Bush" and the others "In Bush We Trust".
Seriously people, we need to elevate the level of discussion on this forum. It is really becoming too petty. It does not matter what the Premier puts forward it is simply shot down without proper examination to see if it something that could help this tiny, emerging nation. We have myriad problems and I don't see any of these naysayers putting forward any workable alternatives.
Of course nation building is important and I know that many good programmes have benefitted by it. The premier is giving financial assistance to youth, perhaps some of the not so fortunate who can't get help from the Education Council's biased scholarship board! Only children of doctors, lawyers, teachers get scholarships; that does not mean that there are not many smart, less-privileged, young people who need a helping hand. The premier has also assisted many cultural programmes to try to get Caymanians to understand who we are and to develop a sense of pride in ourselves as a people. If he is getting expert advice from Jamaica in this regard, then I say he's doing the right thing because you cannot find a people anywhere on this earth who have more love and pride for their country. I can only hope that one day Caymanians will feel the same way about this, our Island-home.
Personally, I have never asked, needed or received as much as one cent from Mr. McKeeva Bush; however, I think that if I were genuinely in need and sought assistance, he would not turn me down. He is like that and I wonder if it is because he assists 'grass roots' people why he meets with such opposition. Cayman is a very segregated society; the 'haves' of Cayman look down upon the 'have-nots', and that is our own people to which I refer.
Listen to me fellow Caymanians, this division, derision and hate is not helping us one bit. I would venture to say that it is having a bad effect on our image. Let's offer the Premier our assistance; let's pray for him; let's empathise with him – he has suffered a serious loss that money cannot replace and he didn't even have time to grieve.
Let us make sure that there is not an outside influenece that is trying to stir up all this discord in our Island. Some people we think may be our friends might just be fooling us. Notall mothers are good ones either; they don't all look out for their children. Have you been following the Casey Anthony trial? Not all 'mothers' are good to their children. Now that we are grown up, perhaps we should leave our 'mothers' house and try it alone. I think we can make it, if we just unify for the good of this emerging nation.
I pray for these Cayman Islands, my beloved home.
You have a very good point, it is important that Caymanians are in touch with their history and it is a great idea to promote that and if there are programmes that will help those less fortunate, I believe all will support those. BUT, the Premier was asked what these programmes were and he refused to answer, he should be proud of his accomplishments in that regard. Such arrogance.
There are many problems on this island, Yes, and we would all like to help solve them. There are people who are very knowledgable and could come up with great ideas to help Cayman but they have not been asked. We do need to come together but when the Premier is telling us what he is going to do for us as if we do not even have an opinion is not helping. His having respect for the people of these islands and creating a spirit of cooperation will go a long way to get the help and support he needs.
Finally, a bit of common sense has entered this debate. Please understand that the forces against us are just rejoicing at how we are falling apart. If we feel that the Premier is on the wrong track, let's approach him and talk to him in a decent manner. Bring some suggestions to the table if you do not like his own. He's just a man – you might be surprised at how easy it is to talk to him when you have the right approach. It is only human to want to defend one's self and family.
You need to keep up. All approaches have allready been tried and he has shot them all down yelling and screaming, blaming, pointing fingers, like a little spoiled kid and still…No Answers. No audited financial reports, hence no more respect, no more asking politely, no more faith, and most important no more confidence. Enough is enough. He is done.
From one Caymanian to another, you are an articulate person and so should know that demanding accountability from politicians only becomes divisive when the politicians refuse to disclose where our money went. The refusal to account for public money spent justifies all the derision that the Premier has received and plenty more.
When the Premier provides independently audited and verified accounts clearly specifying where the money in this slush fund went, and it is shown that the money was spent on the deserving and not his cronies, and that this was not just a vote buying exercise at public expense, then maybe your point would have credibility.
I agree with Anonymous12:31 100%. All that is needed is transparency….. the truth! Where did the money go? We have a right to know.
And if you were in that need and went, cap-in-hand, to your kind Unca McKeewa and he helped you out with some funds from his $ 10 million, would you feel obligated to vote for him ?
Or would you just be returning the kind favour he afforded you ?
SMH !
You stated, "Education Council's biased scholarship board!"….which is an outright lie.
ANY Caymanian who wanted to pursue university got scholarhips, and to top it off they didnt' even need to report their grades back! Why do you think that clost to 70% of those that got scholarships received less than the GPA REQUIRED of them. This govnerment has been giving so much money out for them it is laughable.
Are we to presume that this is how the political rally on Saturday will be paid for then? In pretty much any western country this "process" would create such pressure from the press & public, a politition would need to step down.
It's rumored that the big beautiful soon to be church in the Bodden Town area received over a million dollars in "public funds", now we know where that money came from if it's true. Taking the food out of the mouths of the children who go to school hungry. Is that the Premier's idea of "Nation Building"? He should be ASHAMED of himself if it is the case.
What difference will any of our comments make when he doesn't care what the people think or want?
BT has more churches than it does blades of grass these days. What it doesn't have is adequate hurricane facilities, which is quite disgusting for the fastest growing district in Cayman. Isn't it odd how the Brac gets dedicated and quite luxurious hurricane facilities while BT gets yet another church to be utilised as a hurricane facility also, hence the money being used from the public purse. And given that there are many religious denominations island-wide, its quite arrogant and ironic to assume that all would want to shelter in a church whenever there is a hurricane. It would have made far more sense to utilise the money to provide dedicated hurricane facilities for the (huge) district and ever-growing population of BT. I for one, am offended and disgusted at how shabbily the government and our own BT MLA's disrespect and take for granted BT and its people. The historical capital, BT deserves far better.
It should be considered an act of treason to accept money from [or] to support this man and his party, be you man, woman, child or church. His cons (XXX)… far out weigh his pros.
On a side note: he's also the Minister of Tourism right? So why on earth is he doing a demonstration in a high traffic tourist area?
It's bad enough that we have to listen to the nonsense he spews from what seems like any avaiable orifice on his body, but it's going to be utterly embarrasing for the poor unsuspecting tourist to be on the beach and be within an earshot of this man and his rabble rousing.
I believe there a many struggling people who need jobs but it's discusting that he would play on the hopes of those who are down by using them as pawns in his non-sensical propaganda agenda.
This "Nation building" is full-scale XXX
I'm so fed up of him, his party, his supporters and his greedy buddies.
What da'ras is wrong with my people? Why did you vote him back in? Short memories, short sightedness or short attention span… which one Cayman? Which one?
Maybe we as Caymanians are as easily bought… as we are sold. 🙁
Mark & John John, wha happen to us man. We need some nation building money too up here in BT.
I need a washer too, you all need to secure your votes too.
How many votes can you buy for $10 million?
Lets see… if I can give a church a good amount then the pastor's job is to convince the congregation to vote for me…
How many churches are there in Cayman and Cayman Brac? Well we are a bunch of christians here…
I think I will run for election!
But wait! I dont have $10 million. So I wont win the election..
Silly me. I forgot the tax paying morans already elected me. So I will just tax them all and give the less bright ones some tokens…
Then they will keep electing me……….
I could even become the premier someday.
We the people need to "build" this fool and his fries out of office ASAP. He should never hold another post again in his life. I say let banish him to his fortified fort in WB and leave him there.
Everyday I get sick in the stomach reading of all the covering up this fool is getting away with, soon he will be on his knees any if history is correct.
The Lord always has ways of humbling people who are not straight.
Way to go PPM, People they will back in charge before you know it, thanks to all your support and they absolutely deserve it because they ran the country right. They always made the best financial decisions and had the Caymanian people’s best interest in mind with every choice they made, when they were in charge our economy was intact and would still have been if they were still running things because they knew how to make good financial decisions. They left the country in such good condition and it’s a shame how the UDP have screwed everything up. When the UDP took office we had no debt, no unemployment and every Caymanian was wealthy now look what the UDP has done to our economy
Soon the PPM will back in office to return the economy to the great shape it was in when they were running things.
18:53 you have got to be smoking arsenic tainted grass mixed with gasoline and rat poison,i am in no way defending the UDP cause they are causing us to suffer also but it was the PPM that got us all in this situation in the first place.I suggest you check yourself into a rehab center because you have some serious,serious issues,i wish you all the best and hope you have a speedy recovery.
18:53 says "when the UDP took office we had no debt, no unemployment and every Caymanian was wealthy now look what the UDP has done to our economy"……….CNS you are the only one who can get in contact with this person(anonymous @ 18:53)…….please please help this individual before it's too late,i am in a state of shock at this moment and i cannot even elaborate on what this insane person is saying…….for God's sake CNS please get this person some help!
I was trying to be sarcastic …..But I guess a lot of people took it serious. What kills me is the amount of thumbs up it got…I didn’t think for a minute that anyone could really beleive this….
I hope the people tha thumbed this up understand the it was meant to be a joke, becuase the what the PPM is…What a group of sore losers…They can care less about what happens to you as long as there agenda is met…
I hope the people understand that you and McKeeva and the UDP are, unfortunately, not very funny.
Holy Cow – is this the slush fund Alden referred to two years ago? How did he not monitor this before now? Oops, I guess they were sleeping again or on break……..
I'm a relocated Caymanian, living permanently abroad, and everyday I thank my lucky stars that I got out of Cayman just in time…
A little bird whispered in my ear that it was time to leave and in short shrift my ticket was bought, belongings packed and it was bye bye Cayman.
I care very much about my country but there are some battles one just cannot win…
Dealing with a McKeeva Bush is one of them.
Make no mistake, McKeeva Bush is a very dangerous man.
Having grown up in Jamaica, I know political patronage, bribery and vote-buying when I see it…
This $10 million slush fund(it can't be honestly called anything else) reaks of all of the above.
No politician hands out gifts without expecting something in return.
The case of Jamaican Prime Minister and JLP Party leader, Bruce Golding and Christopher 'Dudus' Coke should sound a strong warning to all Caymanians.
Nation-building, in Bush's language, means 'I give the govts money to those who ascribe to my idea of what the nation should be-in other words, 'vote for me' and your share of the $10 million is guaranteed.
That this money is being distributed secretly from his own ministry is all the proof I need to label this for what it is;
Political corruption has never been the norm in Cayman until this UDP party was voted into power but I can tell any Caymanian who has never lived outside of Cayman, it is becoming the norm more every day under McKeeva Bush.
If this man and his political party is given a second term in office, he will certainly destroy the Cayman Islands as we know it.
Caymanians now need to be careful of the demon of political violence rearing its ugly head in the next election and guard against this because this is the next logical development in this process.
As much as I love the country of Jamaica as my second home, I would hate to see what has happened to Jamaica, happen to Cayman and I can tell anyone with a clear and honest conscience..
Under McKeeva Bush, it is already happening.
18:18 how do we know that you are sincere in what you are saying? were you really born in Jamaica? are you really living overseas now? are you a pro PPM supporter? Anybody can post bogus comments here on this blog site called CNS,the funny thing about it is look at how many thumbs up you got,right now there could be 20+ CNS lunatics giving thumbs up to a fraud,maybe just maybe!!
UDP = Unscrupulous Destruction Plan
There is nothing United or Democratic about the policies or tactics being used by the current, so called leader, of government business. He is acting against the best interests of the country and he isn't listening to the people.
So many favours are given to wealthy investors but the Premier should immediately grant the Caymanian people just one favour: RESIGN
"a grant system that was being allocated by HIS office on a case by case basis depending on merit" for people with "special talents but not the grades"
WTF?
translation – McKeeva's personal vote-buying kitty
Nothing less than a list of recepient's names with sums allocated will do, Mr. Premier.
Since when did Cayman, a fly speck on the map of the world, become a "nation"??
Churches? ****ing Churches? What????? That is a simple 'buy a vote scheme', grateful congregations will vote for the 'higher power' that allocated monies for their churches. That is absolutely ****ing disgraceful. When are we going to stand up against this BS and actually make these elected morons serve us, the way their massive salaries says they should? What a complete joke.
Watch out Cayman, the US has already started bombing Libya and Yemen, deal with these ignorant fools or wait for the surgical strikes.
Yes, yes, wishful thinking I know, but come on. How long is this Alice in Wonderland crap going to continue?
….. how do I get a piece of the cheese? I am a "NATIONAL" or a-a-a-ah citizen of this "NATION". How can I get some of that $$$chedda$$$ to "BUILD" my portfolio Mr. Premier?
It's no wonder the Opposition Leader and FCO 'desk clerk' have basically been summarily dubbed as troublemakers.
Anyone in government (any government) who understands and commits to accountability and transparency would hang their heads in shame if this situation was attributed to them.
What makes the Premier think that under any circumstances he has EVER explained his actions to the satisfaction of his fellow citizens? He maintains the myth that his word should be taken as spoken, and yet we all know how his 'word' vacillates, tremors around his version of the truth and changes directions with the tides of events.
All governments have their moments of backtracking on issues for whatever reasons – but this member of government in particular has a long-term, proven history of avoiding the truth at whatever costs and treating his fellow citizens as if we were all mindless, uneducated and stupid enough to swallow his bs AND THEN (!) berating those would dare to question him.
How dare he behave – no sorry – govern in this way!
I think you have a typo – Mac meant $10 million for Nation(al) Paving as in paving the Cayman National Bank parking lot in Cayman Brac. This is why the PPM fought so hard to have this ambiguous line item in the budget. They knew it would be used to buy votes.
LOL, my typo was that it should have read "this is why the PPM fought so hard to NOT have this ambiguous line item in the budget, sorry about that.
Seems like each day I turn on my computer there is something else to write about.My typing is sure as hell getting better thanks to our Premier.Thank you sir!!!Now its nation building!!!!What else are we going to hear next? I guess that will be the new Bell Tower in G/Town.Another huge waste of public funds no doubt.The continued bashing of the opposition is really getting old Mr.Premier.I think you need to take a rest and recharge your batteries for the next part of this amazing puzzle that you are putting together.Funny how he can give the folks that plan to do the march as such at East End tomorrow so much grief and how it shows up badly in the outside world but he can go ahead and do his own at public beach.I wonder what that will really prove?That people will come along to taste the food that is being provided?Bus service included too?.I bet that many of the folks going to East End tomorrow will swing by and help him eat the food as an after thought.Who is going to pay for all this food?Part of the Nation building fund?I think that our Premier is considerably worried about his political future the way things sound.I may be wrong but time will tell and I hope he remembers that "time is longer dan rope"
Such a shame that we cant all work together for the betterment of this country!!!!!!!!
I've taken 3 political science university courses and I'm still mind-boggled at how the opposition didn't know about that.
I agree with Alden, why aren't these so-called scholarships funded through the education department who hands out scholarships every year? If they don't have the grades then CREATE another section for of scholarships, based on talents or vocational practice. You can't just hand out money, it has to be transparent and due diligence needs to be down, records kept. How else do you know if they are actually making an effort or taking advantage of free money? How does the government get the money back if the recipients decide to just not go to school anymore, or practice anymore? Where is accountability?
Let's move on to the churches and parks. There's so many churches that believe me, you don't have to fund them all. They do just fine and if they don't, we'll find another church. If they need funding, then they can apply.
Here's a thought, Mckeeva. Create a government initiative program that provides funding for local not-for-profits under a certain criteria; show a need for it and i mean, bank records, members, bills etc. Then have them meet criteria in order to recieve the second half. Carrot and stick. Oh look, then we have a paper record of where the money went. Oh look, then we know who has received funding. Oh look, we can mico-manage spending. Have a cap on your spending, don't make exceptions. When it's gone, it's gone. We have no money, remember?
XXXXX
Overturn this government and have a call to vote.
Call it what it is, a slush fund for Bush. It is 10 million of the peoples money circumventing standard protocol. If the people of Cayman vote this type of representation in again the country will continue to flounder into a Caribbean banana boat.
Bush no longer has any credibility, except with his most diehard and beholden supporters. So when he says " …he had already explained where the money was going and that it was being handled properly" he does not have the respect required for this to be taken as a given.
Similarly when he says " … that as long as he was in a position to help people he would", only those select few who are directly benefitting believe him. The rest of us are left scratching our heads and wondering at the face of the man!
Bush do not have any credibility with them either! They are along with him for a ride!
All I am seeing is potential nation destruction….
Mac, the Governor and Auditor General should be forced to come clean on this. Round em up, ship em out to the drop-off and have all three walk the plank with concrete boots on if we don't get full transparency on public spending.
When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves."
Matthew 27:24
Bring back Dan Dan the audit man.!
Every single day this man embarrasses Cayman more and more!
Opposition and Independent members; please keep up the preassure!
And Auditor General….where you at?
And Gubna….your office has been quick this week to say that UK approval is NOT needed to sign a Deal with the Chinese Govt. Co. (that is being investigated for bribery at that), what say you and your office about accounting for spending taxpayes monies?
It is easy to be generous with other people's money.
"Nation Building" sounds like an honorable cause, but the process by which it is executed immediately sounds off alarm bells.
Even a rookie politician would have enough common sense to distance himself (or herself) from such a process by way of a transparent and acknowledged committee made up of a broad variety of individuals from each and every electoral district (n-a-t-i-o-n building).
This entire thing stinks to the high heavens.
Not a good look at all Premier Bush, by now you ought to know better and I am quite certain that you do.
What really gets me is that this $10 million is separate from the other millions wasted on luxury travel and contracts for cronies. The country would be in much better shape without all this waste.
Are you surprised? You people have let this man create this country in his own image for the last thirty years. At least it is not my generation who have the blame for this. We will, however, have the responsibility of making a REAL nation out of it, once all the money is gone.
They had better protect this man's grave 24/7.
That's a heck of a lot of fridges…
Jus' sayin'…
The Caymanian people deserve this government. We are experiencing the very same policies that they practised when they were in power from 2002 to 2005 but the public's memory is indeed short. The 10 million dollars that was given away during the last two years is but a drop in the bucket that will leave the treasury of this country during the lead up to the next elections. So beware my fellow caymanians this is just a test to see how much they can get away with and there is alot more 'Nation Building" left to be done.
Lying by Omission.
In McKeeva's Televised speech he said,"GDP is projected to rise by 0.9% for this year". In the next sentence he says, "Inflation is projected to be 1.9%. The part he left out and should have said was, " This results in a negative 1% growth of GDP. That sounds bad and is bad so of course he didn't say it. 1% of GDP is about 10 million dollars. Add that to the 10 million for "Nation Building" and now GDP takes a 2% hit or loss of 20 Million Dollars.
Remember, the Dart plan contributes 5% per annum to our GDP. McKeeva has already spent 2% of it and not one job has been created.
We should demand that the title "Minister of Finance" be replaced with "Minister of Spending and Deceiving".
Don't know who wrote the speech but it lacks transparency and honesty in what it left out. The impression is one of deception.
UCCI's entire annual funding from the government is less than $4 million per year.
This 'nation building' funding should go to UCCI and let them educated more Caymanians in an efficient manner or choose from amongst there most talented who should get scholarships to go abroad to top universities and conferences.
With $4 million UCCI educates 1,000 students each year.
With $7 million the Premier gave out a few music scholarships, sent a few teens to leadership conferences and funded a church building. Great.
If he sent 20 Caymanians to Harvard, Princeton, Oxford and Juilliard (which I think was the initial justification for the budget allocation) I wouldbe overjoyed and not complain. But clearly this has not happened.
It is becoming more and more clear why Mr. Dugauy's contract was not renewed.
We NEED Dan Duguay back!!! Right now too…That's why he got rid of that man, because he would not stand for this. My God McKeeva, you got to do better than this. Which nation are you building? The UDP Nation?!?! Where is the money?….We need physical and paper evidence now.
We've applied SIX times to the National Builders Fund for assistance with our preschool and afterschool programs and have yet to receive a response. We fund partial scholarships for many single parents out of our own pockets. SIX times and not even an acknowledgement. People tell us we're in the wrong district… It's so SAD.
It is very sad and I see that the budget will cut aid for school lunches. There were kids going to school hungry before the recession. I can only imagine how bad it is now.
Next year's entire budget will likely be reduced to one line item for the Ministry of Finance – the line item will read – $700 million for "whims of Minister".
Enough is enough. What happened to the no confidence vote.
Do the UDP MLAs not understand that if they don't stop agreeing withthe premier their political careers are over with the next election.
If you don't have the money you don't spend it and go further into debt.
Someone has to step up and do something before the Cayman Islands turn into Dartland.
well said about the vote of no confidence….no wonder we have a nonsensical politicians…they are are never held accountable by the so called 'journalists' on island……
anywhere else in the world the press would be having a field day with this shambolic sorry excuse of a government…..
Great job Alden,keep up the good work………….could you also find out about the $69,000,000 thats unaccounted for under Mr Charles "Chuckie" Clifford and his ministry,thank you very much and may God bless you.
What exactly are you talking about?If you have a point to make, state exactly what you mean. No one understands your riddles.
Based on the thumbs down, it appears Mr. Bush can use a computer.
he has an iMAC
Any cash left for a BBQ this weekend?
The Premier seems outraged that past government spending went unexplained AND seems outraged when asked to explain spending by HIS government.
This man seems the very personification of hypocrisy.
Can we make an FOI request for the details of this one?
Yes you may make an FOI request for the previous years' expenditures. You may also ask for budget information (output statement) from the Ministry which would have been submitted when asking for the money this year!
Thanks I will do that and let CNS know when I receive the info.
It's a worrying development when the Premier thinks he can unilaterally use public money on whatever he likes without oversight or accountability. That's a bitg stride away from good government towards banana republic corruption.
It is even more worrying tht the powers that be would consider amending the Public Finance Law so as not to produce accounts, documentation and supporting evidence for transactions for the last few years- this is exactly the sort of thing it will cover up and we would be none the wiser. What else is out there that will cause embarrassment?
$10 million would have gone a long way toward better education and job training for all Caymanians. $10 million would have gone a long way toward getting some of the unfineshed never ending school construction (if you can call it that). $10 million would have gone a long way to pay of a debt that was takden on so Bush and his kind could have their first class 5 star jet setting mini vacations, expensive security, and self serving pension dipping, home utility payments and over expensive paychecks. But instead you have a slush fund that just builds things for friends of bush. Good job Bush. But only as far as you and your friends are conserned. Too bad everyone else has to pay for it.
So if the Premier indicates that he does not want to reveal the details of where this money went to the Legislative Assembly as the opposition could use the information to embarrass "people", the details must be very interesting because so far I have seen nothing that could embarrass the man.
Nation Building??? More like "district building" in specific WEST BAY! Certainly sheds light on a lot of things doesn't it! Share the wealth nuh….Mr. Premier!
Careful Alden. You're upsetting our transparent premier again.
I swear….this man gets brighter by the hour….NOT!!
I will take the comment "McKeeva Bush accused Alden McLaughlin of wanting to know so he could embarrass people" to be an admission that if the public knew how the money was being spent, it would be embarrassing to the UDP government.
More unreported, unregulated spending on who-knows-what by a government that is "broke".
For shame.
Valid question considering Consultation included what appears to be a nepotistic appointment of Florida liaison and paving in the Brac showed incredible favoritism. Will we see similar examples in this list? Is it Nation Building or support for UDP Building? Screw embarrassment….the people have a right to know how you are giving away their money.
Nothing more than the Premiers cash kitty. Money that he extracts from the taxpayers, with which he can steer votes in his favor and manipulate the economy to his own ends.
He could even be spending it on himself, for all we know.
The nation's taxpayers mustshut down this kitty immediately.
Mr. Premier national building is good and at a cost of 10 million this is excellent as there is only about 10,000 or less indigenous Caymanians. So there should be absolutely no need for churches, scholarships, housing or any other social programs for Caymanians for the next 10 years atleast.
Maybe my defination of nation building is way off and nation building in this case means we are building Cayman for other nations. As I see it Caymanians get little or no benefit from this national building money. I would suggest that the government use this money to pay off some bills.
Face it my fellow Caymanians. The Premier is anything but well read. This is what we get for having placed this man in the top position. I would be willing to wager McKeeva's salary that the UK is giving him enough rope to hang himself. This man has a couple of very humane and smart ministers. I hope they do not allow him to tarnish their names and reputations. HOPE! HOPE!
Nation building my a@@. These are hand outs. How is this legal? The man is accountanable to us tax payers. Its our money NOT his. And he has the audacity to speak of moral values. I wonder, is this the reason his fellow ministers support him through thick and thin, not right and wrong?
Nation building of all his inner circle and supporters. Follow the money and you will not be surprized who received all the handouts of our money.
THIS NEEDS TO BE AUDITED AND INVESTIGATED.
You just cannot trust this man – if the money has been disbursed correctly why is it so difficult to respond to the opposition's questions with details???
Alden,
Keep up the pressure on the Premier — day-in and day-out. We all know that if you can pull the plug, there's a great deal of financial scum ready to stain the basin when the water finally drains away.
Those are really nice words for buying dem votes eh! My church of the Holy Rastafari inna tennament yard needs some Dolla$$$$$$$ Who mi call sa?
This is the sort of disgraceful nonsense that Mr Bush does which discredits some of his other praiseworthy efforts to move the country on to a better financial footing. How do we know that paving parking spaces on Cayman Brac isn't "nation building" if we are not told how OUR money is spent?
This absolutely reeks of corruption. The governor needs to intervene.
As Premier, Mr. Bush must consider himself a "Nation Builder."
Did the people of Cayman get good value for the money?
This sounds like a good job for the Auditor General.
Audit?
That's not the way it is done in Cayman.
Where is the auditor General? We get no reports anymore. Bring back Dan.
If the list was released, it would have to show the amounts beig paid to those men from West Bay who for several months now have supposedly been working as "Park Rangers" in Barkers national park.
That aside, how dare you Sir, how dare you believe that you can take 10 million dollars of our country's hard earned tax money and give it away at will with no transparency or accountability.
These are the moments I will remember when I am next at the polls.
ffs…….. any comment mr governor??????
governor?????…any comments????
I ask the premier this, How do I get on that list? How do I get funding for a wheelchair accessable van for my son who can not walk? How do I get money for a multi disciplined therapist that will afford him every chance to acheive to the highest level he can.
Please don't tell me social services, as that is a road that directs the family unit to poverty prior to help. Don't say HSA/CINICO as they only do the bare minimum necessary which is far below the suggested needs by professionals out side of the government systems.
Oh Mr. Bush how do I get my son on your Christmas list? Do I need to move to West Bay? Do I need to pledge my vote? Do I need to open another denominaton of some chruch? Or do I simply need to ask for help from my government as my son is an 8th generation Caymanian that can not get what he needs in his home country!
Please do contact me as a fraction of a percent of the funds discussed could change my sons (and families) stars.
Regards,
Kent McTaggart father of Brandon McTaggart
You are a Great Dad, Bro.
May God Bless you and your precious family.
Mr. McTaggart,
The party system has created cronyism and personal power that is out of control. Your situation saddens me and I pray for you. All of us in this country are now under Eastern Caribbean type politricks and at the mercy of the voting block of civil servants.
McKeeva Bush is modeling his power after Dudas Coke, nothing better.
to 08:49 The saying goes you can do as much as you want – but not as long as you want. the power is in the people's hand – not he premier. wait fo relection -lets see how many people will use their powers on that day.
The current government was voted in by the general population. Since then there has been no election in which a "voting block of civil servants" would have a chance to operate. The civil service has been victimized by this administration as much as the private sector and I suspect the next election (providing the tyrant allows it) will be a landslide against the UDP.
Not even…..
At least Dudus made sure he clan was alright and well comfortable.Even him da ole' crab better dan backbushkeeva!!
Please don't let my situation sadden you, be saddened for our home land that simply cares more for the almighty dollar than they do for their own citizens. Be saddened for the fact that Cayman as we knew it, is gone, and will never return, EVER!
I agree that the party system is not the right model for Cayman, as I also believe we are way to small of a jurisdiction to have district voting. What happens in one district absolutely effects the working of the rest, and therefore the governing body should be voted on in its entirety by the whole voting population.
I pray that Cayman will grow a back bone and put not only their names to their posts and words, but also their faces to their right of protest. We need positive change and we need it yesterday!
How can anyone give a thumbs down to this post or flag it as LOL?
Whoever you are – GETYOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR A**E AND GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That thumbs down person was probably the premier himself!!!