Bush says budget is done
(CNS): The Cayman government has gone as far as it can, the premier has said in connection with this year’s budget and the proposed "expat tax", despite indications from the governor that the budget negotiations are not finished and in the face of protests from across the community, including Caymanians. A memo circulated to civil servants the morning after the premier’s announcement that he would be taking 10% off work permit holders' income and making civil servants pay for health insurance and pensions also indicated that officials were still working on the government’s spending plans and proposals were still being developed.
The introduction of an expat tax, however, has shocked the community. Following the announcement bloggers on CNS broke all records when they posted over 800 comments on the first news report about the issue within the first 24 hours. A Facebook page was also created by a local work-permit holder which has now garnered over 9,000 members, who plan to protest at Bush’s public meeting on Monday evening.
Although the tax is aimed at foreign workers, many Caymanians are also outraged at the proposal, not just because they recognise the impact it could have on the economy overall and the unique nature of Cayman but because they are aware that Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin’s comments regarding this tax being the “thin end of the wedge” are correct and they are also at risk.
McKeeva Bush denied this when he took to the airwaves again on Thursday evening with another statement in the face of the national backlash against his proposal. He said McLaughlin was misleading the public about the tax (which Bush continues to call a ‘community enhancement fee’) when he suggested it could be extended to Caymanians.
“Everyone knows that I rejected VAT, income and property tax and payroll taxes across the board in 2009. I still do,” he said despite the proposed introduction of an expat payroll tax. “His suggestion is nothing but him trying to gain points from this situation, this financial mess with the FCO in control, that he created,” Bush added.
However, the premier failed to point out that the reason why the FCO is still having to approve the CIG’s budgets three years after the PPM administration broke the parameters of the Public Management and Finance Law is because the UDP government has continued to borrow and has not presented a genuine surplus budget, despite promising to do so. If Bush had presented a budget without a borrowing requirement ,either long or short term (including the overdraft), the FCO would not have needed to approve it.
But because Bush’s final budget in his role as minister of finance still contained both long and short term borrowing, the first spending plan was rejected. The premier now says it is the FCO that is forcing him to introduce a new source of taxation, a point denied by sources in the UK. Bush has also denied having any plans to target Caymanians in the new income tax proposal.
“If I had any intention to hit Caymanians harder than they are being hit already, I would have included them in this proposal,” Bush said on Thursday night in face of the most widespread opposition to anything he has ever suggested. “They are not included – for all the reasons I have stated many times. A VAT tax would be disastrous for these islands, so would property tax.’”
Bush will be holding a meeting this evening at the Mary Miller Hall in Red Bay to talk about the proposal at 7pm.
See Bush's statement below and civil service memo.
Category: Politics
I've contacted Mr. Henry Bellingham and have gotten this response from his P.A.
The following e-mail address: PSBellingham@fco.gov.uk is the correct address for Mr. Bellingham at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office.
Share with him your ideas and concerns. Make it known that something must be done!!
I have an idea to balance the budget. Lets start a one man circus starring Mr. Bush. At $25 admission for tourists, $15 for expats, and the special price of $10.00 for Caymanians we could be reporting a surplus in three months. We could feed him on expired mou's and enjoy various shows by playing recordings of the names Ezzard, Mr Dart, Stan Thomas, Mr. Ryan, Aunt Sookie, Mr Bellingham, Mr, Swarbrick, CNS, FOI, and the opposition. Rewarding him with chinese sweets and extra pensions would also guarantee crowd pleasing performances.
Canda collect 40% of your salary! How about going there instead? And not to mention USA lol!
Really?
Good grief.
Firstly, in the US low income citizens basically end up paying little to no tax at the end of the day.
20K could and would be low income/ poverty level.
And secondly, ……….
Nah, forget it. I’m tired of trying to get posters like you too see the truth. Go read a newspaper or get a copy of Politics or Government for Dummies.
You really don't get it do you?
As has been stated many times on this forum, taxpayers in Canada, and to a lesser extent, the US, receive real services for monies paid to government, not limited to health care (Canada), free education and unemployment insurance. Very different situation. I already pay nearly ten thousand dollars a year to send one child to school and several hundred dollars per month for health insurance, and my employer pays a healthy fee to government for my work permit. I also pay the same hidden duties as you on everything i buy on island. I would not mind paying a ten percent tax to help the local economy if it were not being administered with so little foresight by an inept govrrnment who will only waste it on projects not supported by most Caymanians anyway.
OK, I'm in Canada and earn a reasonable amount of money (mid range of 6 figures), and I don't pay 40% – my overall effective tax rate is about 26%. Canada has a graduating tax that goes up in percentage depending on what you earn, starting at 0% and going to the highest rate of 39% for earnings over about $128,000. The first segments are much less, so the overall effect is rather lower than what you say, plus there are a lot of helpful deductions and strategies (lawful) to trim that back. For all that we get literally world class free services like health and education, and my money stays in my pocket for that. That and my dictator has a better sense of humour than yours.
Not to worry my friends. The government couldn’t even collect garbage fees so they scrapped it. Enforcing this tax will be an insurmountable task for the CI government. After all, it has been years since they were able to produce their own financial accounts for the CS, so the thought that they would be able to manage this huge tax system is laughable.
Menace to society
Capable of
Knocking-down and destroying
Everything Cayman has stood for since King George III proclaimed us tax free. He has now
Embarrassed the islands, citizens, and residents alike, with his
Very uneducated and
Asinine ideas.
For the Love of God, RESIGN.
You would probably find out that money is sent overseas to support their families and because they know that they will be rolled over after 7yrs.
Those might be two glaringly obvious factors but clearly you live in La Lal Land wiith Mac.
Ummm okay – one of the dumbest posts EVER.
Billions being sent to Jamaica? Philippines?
Most people keep their money here to avoid taxes in OFF SHORE ACCOUNTS.
Go rent The Firm.
Is the Firm really your source of informationof what happens in Cayman? lol.
Yes, but when they leave and a lot will, where will that "give back" money come from? ps I left the island and glad that I did.
what do you think is the purpose of a work permit? where do you think that money goes???
you think the money made here came from here? we exist because of companies investing here. your mentality would suggest that that money doesn't belong to us and we should be giving back to the US..etc. for giving us business. but then when Obama wants to searchout illagal accounts here, everyone wants to cry about it.
i am a born and raised caymanian too, and people will leave if this tax is implemented. only then will you even realise what the term "leftovers" can really mean.
why the hell are so many caymanians so IGNORANT. we all need each other to keep this place going. ingnorance is hurting YOU more than anything
Born, but not raised properly.
Personally I think it is time for Caymanians to give back to Cayman rather than the take take take. Free healthcare, free pensions, free fuel, free fridges and ovens, free paving of driveways, paying no duty at customs, free education, free flights on Cayman airways
The list of freeby's goes on and you contirbute nothing.
If it wasn't for all the work permit fees from those expats, Cayma would have been broke long ago.
It will be much worse for you if this tax goes through. Think about it for a minute without hate…and without politics. This will remove a significant amount of money from the island. This will reduce rental incomes… This will give money to govt,, that would have been spent elsewhere… When have you ever seen any govt. Be more effective then the private sector? Um…. NEVER, in any country.
yeah damn those expats for coming here and bringing business, spending money on island and rentin your slumlord apartments. I thougth that attitude was gone but I guess there are still a few of you in the trees.
I was brought up in Eton, this person was eaten and brought up!
This is a really interesting comment. In the fifties and sixties Caymanians were employed at sea but spent many days working not just at sea but in other countries. They sent their monies home to sustain their families and to commence building homes that frequently took months and years to complete. This was the way of the day and they should be proud of their achievements.
Now Caymanian 16.29 you have a problem with non Caymanians sending money home. Well my friend have a good hard think about the stupidity of your remark and withdraw it. We will forgive you.
Good Lord!!!! This is THE MINISTER OF FINANCE!!!! What do you mean you cannot put together a budget!!!!!! If it is so far beyond your meger capabilities, remove yourself from the position and allow someone who can do it to take the job. But wait a minute, they may not okay my Nation Building Fund or my bulk television order….
He did his best…didn't pay bills for the last two months of the fiscal year…what minister of finance can do better? Sure they paved an entire ilsand, jetsetted like a rock star everytime that donkey faces Auditor General used one of dem big words, paid millions in penalties so he could get HIS contracter in for port, sent everyone on international gala including cell phone conventions in europe and gambling in Panama.
If this goes through there will be an exodus of Expats. Expats that are needed. Yes I am Caymanian. There will be increased fees in the financial sector, again. The property prices have stopped increasing ever since the roll over. This will be a death blow to the financial and property markets. At least we will still have tourism…oh wait the million plus crisis ship visitors will be gone because our inability to build some frickin docks. How hard is it to implement some sensible solutions rather than nothing for 3 years, no cuts to spending and now a hail Mary? Mac you are a joke. The opposition has come up with no solutions, they just sit their silently with their thumbs up their a$$. Pathetic. Government is a joke. Lining their pockets and screwing Cayman. Caymanians complainimg about expats. They took our jobs! Give me a f$$king break…you sit at your padded government job with your thumb up your a$$ gossiping all day and not doing anything. You are guilty of doing nothing to help your country. You don't love Cayman XXXX! If this actually goes through Cayman is done. This is so sad and so preventable if our leaders would grow a pair! Weneed some REAL LEADERSHIP! Get Mac out and new blood in!
This has to be the best post I've read on here in a long time. I salute you poster.
McKeeva is a political genius and Alden, Ezzard, and all their cronies are scared stiff of that man.
They, as well as every human being on the face of this earth, have every right to be.
I'm more scared of what he is doing to Cayman and how much more we have to endure.
And no doubt you are a genius too!!!
There ain't much funny about what's going on here, but you got a laugh out of me for that one, that's for sure.
Cayman's Government (PPM / UDP) over the Years: Borrow / Spending / Borrow / Spending / Borrow / Spending / Stop….. 2012 and onwards: Tax / Spend / Tax / Spend / Tax / Spend / Tax / Spend…… a new era
Bush says budget is done. People say Bush is done. We all say Cayman is done.
Colour me confused. Bush says the budget is done, FCO says they await budget detail. Presumably everyone sits around twiddling their thumbs until the money runs out end of August? Who will blink first?
I can't do that it's someone else's responsibility. I didn't do that because it's someone else's fault. Look at my record so far. I've done all I can!! Without doing anything. Is that my fault???.
The budget is not done, Cayman is done.
We nah done we got dart !
More like Dart got us… by the b@lls.
When HE'S finished with us we will most certainly be done.
Poor McKeeva; he simply does not know what he does not know. The same applies to the people who vote for him.
The only hope for Cayman is anew generation of leaders, hopefully competent and ethical.
Yeah and I just saw a squadron of pigs flying across West Bay.
LOL, when the Premier's concept of finance seems (and for obvious legal reasons I stress SEEMS) to many observers to be based on the concept of, "Two for me, one for you," there doesn't appear to be much chance of any budget being 'done' to the satisfaction of the UK government in the foreseeable future.
I pay 12k in work visa fees for the privilege of working from home on the internet…. if the government thinks I will continue to pay them this fee on top of this tax good luck to them. I inquired about residency in Panama and I am sure I am not the only gringo from Cayman who contacted them this weekend.
Enjoy Panama then.
Cayman Airways now have direct flights to Panama – Have a nice flight!
To have a tax so to prevent my family from losing their government jobs – hell ya! I support the Premier 100% Cayman will still grow and continue. It so before and will always do. Those who love us, will stick around.
Earth to you…. Earth to you!
You and many others and simply deluded.
Cayman is f**ked, up the creek and with no paddle.
A Caymanian.
stick around and pay money to a country that potentially will ask them to leave after 7 or 10 years, no rights, not being able to vote and never being accepted by Cayman?
Ground control to Major Tom?
Those who love us will stick around? What reason are expatriates being given to love us exactly? Our discrimination against them? This proposal to tax only them, which makes parasites of us? Our government’s ineptitude, which creates instability, uncertainty and a great deal of risk for all who might choosevto come here? Or perhaps the growing expanses of concrete spreading over our once beautiful island, and the shady deals allowing developers to put it there? Ten years ago, they had plenty of reasons to love us. Now?
I think our leader just talks the talk. He nah walk the walk. All he got is our vote, but he nah be gettin mine agin.
I have a few concerns:
When will the 10% income tax start?
Who will collect it?
If the budget is done, no protest will stop it from going forward.
I wouldn’t worry so much about the budget being done
Those who think this won't affect Caymanians are wrong. Any Caymanian business owner will find that some employees will struggle with this new tax and look to them to make up the shortfall. What about the employers who have lured people here because there are "no direct taxes"? The new employees will feel ripped off.
Caymanians are also outraged because it is inherently unfair.
The tax proposal will only create a mess to the local economy. I recommend that the Premier needs to understand and listen to what the people are saying. Read all of the comments that are mounting and keep coming to the related article on CNS. Let us not be selective about this proposal. Everyone should participate for the growth of the country. Let us not forget that the island has a high cost of living, it will be painful if the implementation will just be for few. Why not spread to everyone?
The last resort we can choose is by implementing an indirect taxation that is being suggested by Mr. Miller where everyone can participate in the game so that the economy will not collapse if the number of expats will dramatically drop if the proposed tax has been implemented.
I agree with mr miller in his statements that there are several other alternatives to easily make up the budget gap and other options should be explored further.
Although i do believe that if MAC were to Introduce casinos it would solve our country’s debt problems for good. Simply by charging a licensing fee and taking a share of profits we could see a huge budget surplus in a matter of years and we would never have to worry about a deficit if correctly managed.
Only stipulation is caymanians cannot gamble! (similar to Bahamas on paradise island)
This would also create jobs.
New stream of revenue. In the short term and long term.
Create a new industry with huge potential future growth opportunities.
#budget
That’s kind of funny what you said about ‘ if correctly managed’
ALL TAXES ARE INCOME TAXES!
No matter what it is called, or whom a tax is levied upon, the increased cost of paying any tax is always passed down the food chain to the consumer. No matter if it is a directors' fee, fuel tax, increase in import duty, increase in work permit fees or community enahncement fee, all of these eventually come out of the general publics' wallet in the form of higher prices and higher cost of living.
We are in a double recession. The first began when the Hurricane Ivan re-building boom came to an end and the over 1 billion in insurance payouts had been spent. We were then hit with double or triple insurance premium increases which further hurt our spending power. The second recession began in 2008 with the George Bush bailout of Wall Street and the mortgage crisis which affected all countries of the world. Instead of easing fees and taxes this government has continually increased nearly every tax, duty and fee it could since taking office. This is exactly the wrong way to deal with a recession. As we can see, we the public are worse off now than 3 years ago and so is government. Eventually, there will be no choice but to abandon these ruinous economic policies and reverse the increases in order to relieve the stranglehold this government has created. Our growth is non-existent and may even be negative as people and businesses leave for greener pastures.
Another disguised income tax is when the Premier tells Civil Servants that they will be paying their own pension and health insurance. But he says he will not cut their pay. Well he just did by making them pay a portion of their income. This is in effect an income tax on Civil Service or a cut in pay. They will have less money to spend on gas, food an living expenses which means less revenue for government. It is a vicious circle which comes around to bite governemt in the end and the rest of us as well.
Wealth trickles up, poverty trickles down.
Funny how ordinary folks can grasp this basic economic principle, but politicians can't. And they rule – go figure. We have to change this, we have to get uneducated, incompetent politicians out before they are the ruination of all of us.
This, apparently, by our Premier's own words, is the best that he can do. Fine. I accept that, and urge you all to accept it as well.
This proposal (now an edict) will doom us as a nation, doom our economy, and ruin our tourism.
In the course of my life, when I've been unable or unwilling to rise to the occasion — particularly when being presented with beneficial alternatives — I have stepped aside to allow those with vision, training and intellect to do the job I could not. That is what responsible people do.
This posturing about the e-vile FCO is more window dressing. You've had a mediocre run, Mr. Premier. Please, for the good of the country that raised you and trusted you, step down and allow those who can take theCayman Islands to the next logical level to prevail.
I will pray for you, and hope that you look deep within yourself and do the right thing while there is still time to effect positive change.
The big new schools will suck up a lot of the new budget.
I say – give them to the private schools association to manage – at reduced school fees for the masses.
Surely, the quality of education would improve as a result.
How I know Caymanians are outnumbered, just look at the ratings of these comments here and the comments made on facebook in the group "Expats & Caymanians Unite." If it was us being unemployed by the hundreds, would they unite with us… No they won't, instead call us lazy and "Caymanians go home!"
we will be employed by the hundreds if this passes!! get a clue!!! who cares what other people are saying. this will destroy our businesses and we won't have jobs – even if we were qualified to take the ones that will be available when everyone leaves.
There are many ratings against you because there are many smart Caymanians.
I would like to know why Mac has decided not to have existing Civil Service staff contribute to their pensions as well. Is it because that would mean he contributes as well? Firstly, if he is going to tax expats only then tax ALL EXPATS including the ones employed by CS. Why not introduce the tax according to salary levels as every1 is struggling to keep up with Cayman's high cost of living. Let 10% be the maximum and start out 2% from 20k-35k, to 50k 4.5%, to 70k 6%, to 90k 8% and anyone earning over 90k will pay 10% with the option of this taking the place of their pension contributions or in addition to if the person sees fit. I suppose this would lead to all kinds of sudden salary reductions (on paper). It's only fair that the CS pay both pension and health percentages as we in the private sector have to (Caymanian and expat alike). I do not agree with this taxation as I do not see what good could come of it but there isa good chance it will happen and if so at least make it fair. I'll be truthful and admit I'm happy this won't affect me "FOR NOW" as I could not afford to give away 10% of my salary and I will feel for the expats who genuinely can't afford it either if it comes to pass. Every1 has a choice at the end of the day…suck it up and pay the 10% or go somewhere that might have more financial appeal.
The tax is constitutionally sound.,
What is direct discrimination is hiring 35000 work permit holders sitting in jobs that Caymanians are duly qualified for and are denied.
HRC need to come clean and defend Caymanians who are being discriminated in their own country being denied ther RIGHT TO WORK IN THEIR HOMELAND!
Fine, have my job….I work for the HSA, I’m sure there must be dozens of unemployed Caymanian Doctors and Nurses waiting to take my place….you idiot
its actually more like 22,000 permit holders and no Caymanians CANNOT fill MOST of those jobs. Can we do a better job filling SOME of those jobs?–definately.
Suggest you go back to Law School and retake your exams. You failed miserably on your opinion as to both the constitution and discrimination, and likely many other things as well.
The current Finance Minister has taken us as far as he can go, which is to say, well out of his depth and to an unacceptable extreme. Those occupying that chair ought to be able to read contracts and balance sheets – and have the ability to discern between polar opposite deficit and surplus; debits and credits. As the Donald would say, "You're fired".
What is a balance sheet and wot doesit balance?
Good question Morse. Ask the Minister of Finance. He must have approved the Balance Sheet of First Cayman Bank where the credits exceeded debits by millions of dollars. Pity the Regulators could not understand the words in the audit report before the auditors got fired. Now we have HSBC debacle, truly we live in extraordinary times. I would not have missed them for anything.
Don't ask me. Am no financial expert.
The Donald my goodness now you over the deep end, talk about a loser try that one.
NO DIRECT TAXATION! CUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING!
NO MCKEEVA!
RESIGN!
RESIGN!
RESIGN!
Mr. Premier do what you have to do, leaders are born not made. Show people what you are made of. Stop listen to people who does not mean you or our country any good. Just do what is in the best interest of the country and its people, be it cuts in expenditure or taxes.
For the best interests of the country he need to step down and stay down.
That is all.
"A Facebook page was also created by a local work-permit holder which has now garnered over 9,000 members, who plan to protest at Bush’s public meeting on Monday evening." Lol.. I dont care what anybody says, but you shouldn't protest in another man's country when you dont vote or participate in their politics? This is Cayman's home. You are the guest! But if you don't like what we have made into law, you can always leave and someone else can fill your place. You want to call that discrimination? Be my guest. If you were to go to the U.S. and work, do you think you would get by without having to pay their fees and taxes?
I am a Caymanian and am a huge supporter of the page and the cause and personally know of dozens more like myself. And protests occur in different countries all the time when it relates to discrimation – you just may not have heard about them recently since discrimation through politrix is pretty much done with everywhere else!
Even with this mentality, go ahead and dislike the expats all you want. Our country will crumble without them whether we like it or not. Ignorance is UGLY.
As long as I am forced to pay the taxes, I will protest.
BUT If I went to the US to work, I would certainly not be subjected to taxes aimed only at expatriates. This tax is discriminatory, unfair and alienating. As an expat working in the Cayman Islands I am repelled by this tax mostly because "the principal of the thing", although I fall into the lowest possible income bracket of those who will be taxed so it will have a profound impact on my standard of living. The high standards of living enjoyed by Canadians, Americans, CAYMANIANS (etc.) are all attibutable on a great level to the efforts of "foreigners" who came and invested their capital, labour, consumer dollars, etc. Canada also has a massive deficit but the thought of such subjective taxes being imposed there is absurd and unfathomable! The implementation of this tax is insulting and extremely shortsighted!
If someone were to go to the US, that someone wouldn’t taxed MORE than the rest. The system applies evenly to all. You’re missing the point entirely my poor friend.
Native Caymanian men or people on a whole have lost their guts they have become too compromised. Greed has taken then over and they will do anything to get an invitation to a cocktail party or to hang out with some wannabe that is nothing in their country of origin. Long gone are the Caymanians of the era of yesterday like the great JM Bodden that would give you 2 options take it or leave it. But when people won't or cannot stand up for what is right they will fall for anything.
What's the henry bellingham e-mail address again? This is one serious Caymanian ready to flood his inbox with alternatives. I would put together a private fund to bring him down here to investigate the nonsense that is occuring!!!!!!!!
bellinghamh@parliament.uk
Cayman says "Bush you are done". May 2013 can't come fast enough.
You say dat now, but when you get a new fridge or driveway, you'll bring him back.. No UDPor PPM for me, prure independants i'm voting for, plus i don't live in WB, so i've never got a new fridge. lol
Um I wonder if the Premier tax Caymanians and not expats, would they be so apt to protest and stand side-by-side with Caymanians? Would they be so willing to hire them? Sorry just had to bring that up
Here’s the thing; whether there is an additional 10% tax or things remain as they are, it’s the caymanians that get the money. Get the schools. Get the handouts. Get the ‘scholarships’ . Get the gas. Get get get. And even though you are just pulling a scenario out of your hat, I would still be willing to bet tha a good share of expats would AND DO stand by you and support you.
I was fired from my first job here on-island for pointing out to my employer that the work they were giving me was not suited to the skills I had been hired for, and could quite easily have been done (much cheaper I might add) by a school leaver.
I stood beside Caymanians at the East End protest. I stood beside Caymanians at both protests in town. I would stand beside you if the Premier taxed you and not expats, and I will always stand up for what I see is right – whether it affects me or anyone.
My fight is not with Caymanians, its about what is right and what is patently wrong. I do not discriminate. Never have. Discrimination, both positive and negative exists here at the highest levels of government, and it disgusts me.
I also beleive that expenditures need to be cut.
The free rides on cayman airways that have gone on for decades are outragious and need to STOP! The subsidies to Boatswains Beach (Mac's creation) needs to STOP! The "Nation Building Fund" (again Mac's creation) needs to STOP! Double Dipping (collecting both a huge salary and huge pension) needs to STOP! 8,000 persons on Social Services…needs to be drastically reduced!
The lawsuits (caused by ineptness and not following; due process/the law, needs to STOP!)
And STOP giving away huge concessions to developers/people who are clearly taking advantage of your inept Govt. and GREED.
Mr. Miller has provided some very good ideas for raising revenue and reducing expenditures. Please try to put aside ego and take an objective look at these!
Cayman's future is now precarious….STOP the waste!
And any "community enhancement fee" if still needed must be bourne by the entire "community".
A Caymanian of many generations….and a Civil Servant also!
I have heard this 8,000 figure before with regards to Social Service. Help me with my math here, is it 5,000 Caymanians in CS? If so, that's 13,000 out of 15,000 voting Caymanians. So does that mean that their are only 2,000 working Caymanians in the private sector? Our numbers are messed up. Even if it's 20,000 Caymanians, 8,000 getting money from Social Service??? We need a serious clamp down on that. I bet that some of those drive new cars and shop in Miami. They are robbing the future of Cayman. For all the Civil Servants double dipping, you are stealing our future. For the few bad apples that collect your pay check from Gov't and don't do a lik of work, you are stealing too. No more free ride!!!
Gov't, stop the spending!! You have increased revenues for the past 3 years and killed our economy. Now you want more which will be gone in no time.
For the Caymanians that think we don't need ex-pats, well, I hear they are giving fishing and boat building classes at Gov't house.
The truth of the matter is when you peel back the layers of the onion there are no more that 5,000 natives of these islands and the sooner people accept the fact the better. Cayman should have kept it real but this is exactly what the government get for that "Mass Status" grant. I welcome the day when Caymanians are sent into townships. Most Caymanians are too blind to see something need to open their eyes.
And in other news from the Premier's office….cows can fly over the moon.
If you believe the Premier when he says Caymanians are safe from his tax in the future, I have a bridge to sell you!
I don't think the lower people like gardeners, domestic helpers, making lower than 20,000 should pay tax. Think of it, this expat tax will be hitting those who are making a substantial amount of money. Those making lower, I always see them in the supermarket, circulating our money here on the island. Those living the high life, I see the businesses rent their apartments and give them free car and they send they big cash over seas. Hence what is so wrong with taxing them. If they go anywhere else they will have to pay tax. Its sad for some, but no one told them to come here and expect to receive free stamps for everything. Hard decisions have to be made and I would prefer expats tax than see many layoffs and my own Caymanians rooming the streets without any work. Expats can always leave here and find work very easy. They have a home to go to, but here is our home!
The majority of people seem to think Bushwill turn to Caymanians after taxing expats. I disagree. I think he will tax companies next. But which company will stay in Cayman and wait for that to happen? If he can state in July 2012 there will be a new tax (call it what you want) on expats within 1 month, what makes you think he will not do the same to companies? All the multi-national companies that watch Goldman etc move jurisdictaions without any negative impact on their business will make that decision and start moving business out as well.
Move where to? lets begin with Mars, then Monaco, Bermuda, BVI, USA, Canada, Phillipines, Jamaica, Honduras, Cuba, Panama, Hong Kong, Singapore or better yet the moon! You're trying to hard to scare people all the countires list above you have to pay taxes with the exeption of Monaco and I know that there is no Company in Cayman that will move office there when they are running from the costs here. My company will move to Mars best option!
How can you believe one who constantly lies and twists the truth to his own advantage? How can you say you are against Income Tax and then try to introduce what can only be described as Income Tax on a discriminatory basis against one segment of the community? How can you have the gall to stand there, say you have done all you can do and still call yourself Premier? Yes you have done all you can do – to ruin Caymanian people and the future of Cayman, that is.
Do the honourable thing and step down Mr Bush. Nobody wants you playing Monopoly with our money any more and nobody wants the majority of your hair-brained schemes which will only send Cayman to its doom after you have finished your term so that you can then effectively wash your hands of it and blame someone else as usual.
just like the discriminatory fees imposed on poor money transfers by Jamaicans, Honduranians, filipinos, etc. who use money transfer services to send a portion of their paycheck to feed their families back home or pay their children's school fees. Instead of charging a few cents on the dollar for the large international wire transfers that take place daily by the rich people and their accountants or lawyers in offshore companies, or regular wire transfers conducted by businesses generally each day, they chose to take it from the little working man who many times can barely rent more than a little hut to live in, if not share it with 10 people in order to survive. No, tax the little man, but no the big man. Just like when Dart, Shetty, CEC and all these fine developers get the biggest concessions and waivers, but poorest individuals or small entrepreneurs don't get any. Grandma always said "donkey says the world is not level." Or as in our case, "donkey-face people say the world is not level".
Whatever happened to that $312 million that this Govt received from the HSBC bond underwriting issue in December 2009 – 2010?
You could always make a FOI request if you really want to know the answer.
I agree that you need to tax the expat, but I think 10% is too high. It should be alot lower. But I don't see any wrong with taxing them because other places have taxes for government revenue, and if we get more cuts here, the businesses will have to close and go. So I think it would be a good idea
A true leader doesn't ask others to do what the leader is not prepared to do himself. Are you a leader?
"The premier now says it is the FCO that is forcing him to introduce a new source of taxation a point denied by sources in the UK." Even if its true that they are "forcing" him, I would not want to see 500 to 700 civil servants made redundant because of their reckless spending and mismanagement of funds. Think of the negative social and domestic implications that would damage our society. I can see why they had the CCTV camaras installed. They knew this was coming and it would cause social tensions. If they cause so much to be redundant at once, unless their is some place for these 500 to 700 to go, will could be looking at an increase in crime and government handouts, which will increase cost. But I understand they are talking about also cutting the handouts. The Premier says he has no other reasonable alternative but to tax. But does it have to be an expat one?
The FCO have already confirmed that whilst taxes have been suggested before, they have not forced the Premier's hand on taxes this time around, they have asked him to reduce operational expenditure within the government. This is not news to anybody, the Miller Shaw report was produced a long time ago and made that fact plain. However, the Premier prefers to ignore good advice and make others pay for his mistakes later. Please do not be fooled. This expat tax is all of the Premier's making, not the UK's.
9000??? Huh, if 10 percent of them show up it will be a nightmare for Bush – he barely gets 90 people (or 1 percent of that 9000) to show up at his meetings these days.
He gonna need all of his supporters there tonight, and I bet they will be playing that broken record again "It's the PPM fault", oh how UDP supporters love hearing that one.
Wonder if Ellio will be there on stage, i mean after Mac on TV recently dissed him and his idea of a national vote?
Why does Glidden Mouth Champion (GMC) stick around after Mac dissed him too and removed him from negotiations with CHEC?
Has Mac named his preferred candidates in GT yet? Was one of them to be Mr. Edlin Myles?
Joey Ebanks for sure… some big ass kissing going on there!
Is tha ‘Joey $50,000.00 bar tab turtle farm’ Ebanks!
The same one throwing vitriol against expats on social forums – way to go in choice of future politicians, especially after the Turtle Farm debacle.
Between Joey and the Jordanian I dont know who got the smoother lips…
If this tax should come to pass, never in the history of these Islands, will we lose a significant component of our culture – the culture of being a tax-free country from the days of King George III. Mr. Premier, this must not come to pass! There are other alternatives that can be made. Put aside party politics and united the country for once in your life! If this tax pull through, over 200 years of our tax-free status and the clientele we have achieve from our hospitality, will go down to the gutter! The spirit of our forefathers will have no rest! This would be a travesty for this little offshore centre!
The simple truth is taxes or no taxes; reduce expenditures or not. Cut civil servants jobs and welfare or introduce taxes. Bermuda and BVI two of our compeditors both have payroll taxes and they are doing just fine.
Really? The budget is done. So where is the copy for public review?
Let's have some facts in black and white. Enough with the political grandstanding and rumor manipulation through the media.
Is that well done, medium done, or half cooked?
Shame the discriminatory tax is illegal so the UK can't approve it . . .
I believe both Bush and the Governor are telling the truth. On one hand, Bush would think completing 3 of 10 things represents overall completion. What he really is saying is that's the best he can do. That, he has no more abilities in him and he has thus finished the exercise. On the other hand, the Governor and the rest of the world know something is only complete when 10 of 10 items are done.
And the rich get richer and richer.
the governor has stated the opposite on rooster this morning……
its time for every resident to demonstrate and march against this shambolic administration
He's abdicated his responsibilities, too bad he won't abdicate his position.
Let's all go to Red Bay tonight and let him know what we think about his absurd proposal!