Archive for July, 2012
Security boss admits Olympic job in shambles
(AFP): The head of private security giant G4S agreed under questioning by MPs Tuesday that the firm's failure to provide enough security guards for the Olympics was "a humiliating shambles". Chief executive Nick Buckles said he expected the company would eventually be able to supply 7,000 of the 10,000 staff it had promised. An extra 3,500 troops have already been drafted in by the British government to plug the gap. But he insisted that he would not resign over the scandal and said that G4S, one of the world's biggest security firms, would still claim its £57-million management fee for the Olympics contract.
He admitted that the firm had taken on the Olympics contract to boost its reputation rather than for profit, but agreed when the committee suggested that reputation wasnow "in tatters". Amid mounting pressure for him to quit his £830,000-a-year job, Buckles insisted he was the best person to see the contract through.
The staffing shortfall only came to his attention on July 3, Buckles said, adding: "Day by day we started to realise that the pipeline and the people we thought we were going to be able to deliver we couldn't."
He said G4S only raised it with the government on July 11 when it was sure it would not be able to fulfil the contract.
It emerged Monday that in addition to the military support at least eight police forces have had to deploy extra officers at Olympic venues across Britain — reportedly after employees of G4S failed to turn up to work.
UK expert offers insight into Cayman budget
(CNS): A UK economics expert has been offering advice to senior civil servants this month in the wake of government’s failure to produce a budget for the next financial year. According to the latest minutes from the Deputy Governor’s Office, Richard Holmwood, Economic Advisor in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, spoke briefly to chief officers during a meeting on 7 July about the Cayman Islands government’s 2012/13 budget and the expectations of the FCO. The minutes show that during the meeting, public sector bosses also discussed cutting official travel in an effort to reduce operating expenditures and help government balance the books and gain UK approval.
The deputy governor’s regular meeting with public service bosses was focused heavily on the current work to pull together a government spending plan for 2012/13. According to the minutes, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson thanked members of the Expenditure Review Committee for their hard work. The committee was established to give ministers advice on cost saving measures that will allow the government to present credible and sustainable budget.
The chief officers also discussed potential cost saving initiatives, including a reduction in official travel and the use of government vehicles. The civil service bosses will be reviewing all proposed official travel and consider whether it is necessary and what benefits it will have to the organization, the minutes show. The discussion resulted in a decision on the Portfolio of the Civil Service drafting an official policy on travel.
The deputy governor also requested that the policy governing the use of government vehicles be reviewed to determine if there are any costs saving opportunities and that chief officers need to consider additional initiatives and share their suggestions with him.
As government continues to grapple with ways of reducing its operating costs, Manderson revealed that the budget for the next financial year is to be approved by early August and he indicated that all chief officers must be available for Finance Committee around this time.
Following Premier McKeeva Bush's failure to provide a budget before the end of the 2011/12 financial year for the UDP government’s final year in office for this term, he was forced to bring a motion to the Legislative Assembly asking for approval for a stop-gap emergency two month spending plan.
Bush, who is responsible for producing the budget in his role as minister of finance, was criticised widely for the considerable amount of travel he did during the lead-up to the time when the budget needed to be completed and approved by the UK.
In the end the government’s proposed spending plans for 2012/13, which was a deficit budget that included an overdraft facility and new long term borrowing, was rejected by the FCO. The UK hadmade it clear that the CIG should not engage in any new borrowing and should, by this financial year, be showing a surplus.
Because the budget was forwarded to the UK at the eleventh hour, Bush ran out of time to review the spending plans to meet with the FCO’s approval before the year end.
Government was forced to ask for an interim spending plan of $127 million, which was voted in the Legislative Assembly in the last week of June without any scrutiny by legislators.
See the minutes from the deputy governor’s latest meeting below.
Auditor general defends his work
(CNS): The auditor general has described his office as "the watchdog of government spending” working on behalf of the people of the Cayman. In the face of the mounting criticism and insults hurled at him by the premier, Alastair Swarbrick has declined to comment directly but has stated that his office is committed to open and transparent government and would continue its work regardless without fear or favour. In an explanatory piece posted on the office’s website, Swarbrick, who has been described as a "hit-man" by Premier McKeeva Bush, spells out what the audit office does and why. Having been in office for two years, Swarbrick is now being subjected to the same type of abuse by the premier as suffered by his predecessor, Dan Duguay.
Not only has Bush insulted Swarbrick regularly, but he has also accused him of “bureaucratic harassment" and preventing government from doing its job.
In his piece explaining his role, however, Swarbrick denies getting involved in the political process.
“We are politically neutral and therefore do not comment on government policy,” Swarbrick states. “The only time we discuss the role of politicians is when they cross the line into the implementation and administration of policy, which is the role of civil and public servants as mandated under the Public Management and Finance Law and the Public Service Management Law."
The mandate of the Office of the Auditor General is to report on whether government has used public money properly, economically, efficiently and effectively, and to support the Legislative Assembly in its role of holding government managers to account for their use of public money.
Stressing the independence of his office, Swarbrick states that the work his team undertakes is impartial and objective and based on International Auditing Standards.
“The freedom to determine the content, timing and publication ofreports is a fundamental principle of an independent audit office,” he pointed out. “It promotes transparency in the use of government resources and enables our objective findings to be made available without any political interference or manipulation.”
Pointing to the importance of ensuring the timely release of his reports, as delays can make findings obsolete and erode accountability, he said that they are all subject to a formal clearance process with the relevant officials and legal advisors to ensure factual accuracy before they are made public.
Supported by a United Nations resolution backing the independence of public audit offices around the world, Swarbrick makes it clear that he intends to continue with the work of the office and to protect its independence regardless.
For more about the auditor general and this office go to www.auditorgeneral.gov.ky
OMOV, a layman’s point of view
One Man One Vote (OMOV ), in my opinion, will not be the panacea that will solve all our problems. What it will do is it will cause a slight, but very important, power shift in three areas of politics in Cayman. This shift, in all cases, will be in favor of the people, the electorate. The first of these areas is the balance of power between the politicians and the people.
In recent administrations we have seen our elected officials, once they are elected, seem to forget the people and do as they please with little or no consultation from the people. As if the attitude is, you elected me now leave me alone, if you don’t like what I do talk to me in four years.
They seem to forget that they were elected to do our will, not their will. With the smaller one man constituencies it will be harder for the politician to hide behind the numbers, passing responsibility back and forth. They will know who elected them and there will be no question in the minds of the voters exactly who they elected and who they need to, and can, hold accountable. This will not be a larger power shift towards the people but a significant one. It will be a shift that a politician who truly wants to work for the people will welcome and that the ones who are in politics for their personal gain will fight with all their might.
The second area is that of allegiance or loyalty. We are all aware of what many call the ‘coattail effect’, when a candidate slides into office on the coat tails of the party or stronger party candidates. These are the politicians that generally you hear little from but they are always there voting the “party line”. Who do you think they owe their CI$ 100,000.00 paycheck to? Who do you think they are going to be more loyal too, the people or the party/leader with the “coat tails”?
I think we have seen over the years it is the coattails in both cases. OMOV will help to separate these individuals from the party a bit and pressure them into answering to their electorate, thereby forcing them to be stronger representatives. Some fear this will weaken the party system; although that might not be a bad thing, I do not believe that will be the case. In fact it may make them stronger and in a good way. It will do this by giving us stronger leaders across the board. Not weak ‘yes’ men.
Once again, from this aspect a politician who truly wants to work for the people will welcome this change and the ones who are in politics for their personal gain will fight it with all their might.
The final shift will be a shift in importance, a shift in the balance between the importance of the party and the country. OMOV will, over time, cause a shift in the mindset of the elected officials. Since they will be moreaccountable to the people they will look to use the party to help the country. Now it seems they have been using the country to strengthen the party. The country is and always should be #1, not the party. Once again from this aspect also, a politician who truly wants to work for the people will welcome this change and the ones who are in politics for their personal gain will fight it with all their might.
Many are saying all is fine, “it’s not broke, we don’t need to fix it!” (Not so many years ago in history the ruling class said that about slavery). But if we do not make the change now it will break, and if it does it will not be easily fixed. The time is now. It has been talked about and kicked around over the years and many respected individual s over that period have endorsed it. Today individuals and organizations from all aspects of Cayman life are supporting it. I ask you to look at who it is opposing it; have they proven to you by their leadership that their main priority is the wellbeing of the people for the Cayman Islands?
One Man One Vote will not change things overnight. What One Man One Vote will do is to cause these slight balance shifts in the favor of the people. This will give us a stronger government, stronger more receptive political parties, it will give us stronger representation. It will empower our representative to work on our behalf and mandate them to do just that. It is about a slight shift of power in favor of the people. I can only surmise that those who oppose it do not want to give up any of their power, and that by itself speaks volumes.
Agree or disagree please vote July 18th. Let’s make sure we have a true read of the wishes of the people.
To those who agree remember: the only thing that can defeat us is apathy. Please take the personal responsibility to be the one to push it over the top. Make sure you vote Yes on July 18th.
Related point of view:
Why we needed One Man, One Vote YESTERDAY
A response to “Now is Not the Time for OMOV”
by Darlin’ and Sweetheart
Last minute push for OMOV
(CNS): With the time for campaigning almost over, supporters of the OMOV campaign are urging people to go out and vote ‘Yes’ on Wednesday. Given the high bar the government has set in order for the 18 July referendum to carry, anyone who stays home will be indirectly voting ‘no’ even if they support one man, one vote and the principle of equality in democracy. As they make the last minute push to persuade people that apathy will be this ballot’s biggest enemy, the OMOV campaign has made arrangements in each of the electoral districts for transport to take people to the polls if they have no means of going under their own steam.
The opposition leader and head of the PPM said that, with the bar set so high by government after it hijacked the campaign, which had been led by a groundswell of grassroots support for equity in the community, people cannot be apathetic about their vote. The referendum will only carry if 50% plus one of the entire electorate vote ‘yes’, regardless of the percentage of turnout.
The greatest challenge on Wednesday will be the turn out,” said McLaughlin. “Voters ought not to be intimidated or frightened by the premier and his cohorts as they have a vested interest in preserving the current system as it has served them well and they are relying on it to secure themselves in office at the next general election. The UDP is not interested in the best system for Cayman but the one that they believe is more likely to see them re-elected,” Alden McLaughlin told the electorate on the eve of the historic referendum.
Ezzard Miller, the independent MLA who spearheaded the original petition for a referendum on the subject to take place in November, urged everyone to go to the polls on Wednesday and make sure that they carry someone with them and vote “yes”.
“It is very, very important that people come out and vote in order for OMOV to win the day,” he said, adding that anyone who had any difficulties getting to the polls could call one of the numbers posted below to get a ride to their local polling station. “If you stay home your vote will be counted as a ‘no’," he warned. “Be part of history and be one of those 7,583 people needed to bring about democratic change.”
Miller said that throughout the campaign the supporters of one man, one vote and single member constituencies have been consistent with their message and educating voters on the reasons why they believe OMOV is more democratic and equitable.
“By comparison, the government has changed its position over and over again in relation to this critical issue as members of the front and backbench offer different ideas and opinions from day to day,” he said. “The UDP is not interested in true democracy but manipulating voters to vote straight.”
With considerably less resources at its disposal and relying entirely on private cash to fund the campaign, the OMOV team has worked on campaigning door to door and holding small meetings to explain their position. Bo Miller, one of the committee members, said the campaigners would continue Tuesday as member try to persuade a few more voters who are still unaware, unsure or undecided to vote ‘yes’ before midnight, when the election law prohibits further campaigning.
“We are still optimistic,” Bo Miller added. “And we intend to make the last push on Tuesday and take the campaign on to the streets.”
Anyone needing a ride to the polls on Wednesday 18 July can call the following numbers:
NS — Ezzard Miller 327-5757
EE — Arden McLean 916-0630
BT — Al Suckoo 916-1689
GT – Barbara Conolly 916-5419
WB – Woody DaCosta 916-2470
PPM Office — 945-8292, 945-1776, 926-4717 or 916-5419
Check CNS throughout Referendum Day on Wednesday for crucial updates on the voter turnout across the six electoral districts, which will be critical to the overall result. Once the count starts, stay close to your computer to check for the live results.
Inmates get spiritual support from female chaplain
(CNS): Cathy Gomez has been appointed as the new prison pastor, officials announced Friday, a key position that has been vacant for several years. Gomez’s will provide pastoral counselling for inmates, to assist them with inter-personal issues, and to work with families and other members of the community. Although her focus will be on spiritual beliefs she will also play a part in the management and rehabilitation of her new captive flock. Gomez has been providing volunteer counselling and spiritual guidance to inmates and their families since 2006 and she says she became drawn to prison ministry during a counselling practicum in the prisons.
“For the past six years I have felt a calling from God to do His work in this particular environment,” said Gomez, who started in her official capacity as the chaplain for the Prison Service on 3, July 3.
Gomez is working with male and female inmates from the Northward and Fairbanks prisons, as well as the young offenders in Eagle House.
As part of the rehabilitation process she acknowledges the problems resulting from crime and recidivism. “Crime is a great concern to all of us, and I believe that deep, spiritual change is the most meaningful answer for individuals,” she said. “Through genuine remorse forgiveness, and reconciliation, rehabilitation efforts will be enhanced and the recidivism rate will hopefully decrease.”
Relating that she has seen many inmates turn their lives around, she said several have become lay-preachers, and others are dedicated to evangelism, locally and overseas.
“There is much work to be done in the areas of forgiveness and reconciliation, and I am confident that the inmates, prison staff and the entire community can work together to make a real difference.”
Music has been a primary tool for her volunteer work, and Gomez formed and conducted the prison’s Voices of Hope choir for three years. She now hopes to revive the choir although many of the former members have now been released.
Prison Director Dwight Scott said welcomed Gomez’s appointment as chaplain. “It is a role that provides a great opportunity to touch, in a positive way, the lives of individuals incarcerated, and will indeed enhance the rehabilitative effort of the service.”
A veteran civil servant, Gomez served for more than three decades in healthcare, in both the clinical and administrative areas. In 2008 she obtained a Master of Arts in Pastoral Psychology and Counselling from St. Stephen’s College in Canada. This followed a Master of Science degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of London in 2003.
Following the sudden loss of her own job as a senior civil servant in 2006 and understanding the impact of job loss, she published a book Coping with Sudden Job Loss: Experiences in the Cayman Islands some two years ago.
Corruption warning issued
(CNS): The supervisor of elections has issued a warning to the community about bribery and corruption in relation to Wednesday’s referendum on one man, one vote. Kearny Gomez said that encouraging people to vote on polling day (18 July) is acceptable but activities that constitute corruption are offences under the elections law, as he urged voters not to accept ‘gifts’ from anyone asking them to vote one way or another or to refrain from going out to cast their vote. Gomez said elections infractions would not be tolerated and offenders will be liable to prosecution.
“The Cayman Islands has always been considered to be a law abiding jurisdiction and the fact that a Referendum is around the corner is no exception. Persons who may be deemed liable for committing election offences are members of the public who give or receive 'gifts' in exchange for votes," the elections supervisor said. “Members of the public, in particular are urged to refrain from receiving any 'gifts' such as money, food, or any other items in exchange for a promise to vote or refrain from voting for a particular answer as such individuals may be committing an election offence and may be liable to prosecution.”
Anyone convicted of an act of bribery, treating or undue influence under the Elections Law (2009 Revision) may be liable to a fine of two thousand dollars or to twelve months imprisonment. Those convicted under the law are also barred for five years from being registered as an elector or voting at any election, referendum or by-election; or being elected a member of the Legislative Assembly, or retaining his seat as a member.
Meanwhile, officials are also reminding liquor licence holders that alcohol cannot be sold or given away while the polls are open on Referendum Day. This restriction applies to retail as well as wholesale establishments, hotels, bars and restaurants until one hour after the polls close, which means no liquor can be sold between 7am and 7pm.
For further information the public may also log onto the Elections website.
Pleasure yacht sinks in North Sound
(CNS): Ten passengers including two infants were rescued by a department of environment vessel at the weekend when a yacht sank in the North Sound. Police confirmed Monday morning that they had received a report shortly after 5.00pm that a 52 foot motor yacht was taking on water off Bobby Cay. Although the Joint Marine Unit began making its way to the location, a DoE vessel that was nearby was first on the scene and was able to safely remove all of the people from the pleasure boat, which is believed to have been taking visitors from the Ritz Carlton on a Stingray City excursion.
Sources tell CNS that the boat is The Lady T and the owner has made arrangements to have the vessel removed by a salvage crew.
Cuban refugees repair boat in Frank Sound
(CNS): Updated 3pm — A wooden vessel carrying thirteen Cubans has departed from the Frank Sound area immigration officials have confirmed. The boat reportedly arrived in Cayman waters in the eastern districts at around 8:00am this morning, 16 July. The men aboard the 20-foot motorized wooden craft undertook their own repairs on the vessel while in the ocean as the group of refugees intended to carry on to another destinaiton and therfore did not seek assistance from Cayman officials.
Dart has say over cash
(CNS): Although government has said the money Dart Realty Cayman Ltd is donating to the public coffers as part of the ForCayman Investment Alliance was to go directly to the Treasury, the deal signed in December reveals that the developer gets to approve how government spends the cash. So far, Dart has given government $5 milllion and the premier’s office has announced two programmes that will use the funding. The first is to assist Caymanians at risk of losing their homes through mortgage arrears, and more recently his office announced a grant programme to help those unable to make important safety repairs to their homes.
According to the deal signed between Dart, the National Roads Authority and government, the cash donation forms part of the acquisition by the developer of crown land, but the agreement allows the group to have a say in how the cash will be spent and how it is promoted.
Clause 117 indicated that Dart will be entitled to a plan detailing how government intends to spend the cash it has donated in respect to education, parks and housing before the money was given to government and clause 118 states that the publicity for these projects will be coordinated between government and Dart.
North Side MLA Ezzard Miller, who received a full copy of the agreement from an unknown source last week, said that this was yet another clause in the deal that raised serious concerns over the influence Dart now had on public spending and the political process in the Cayman Islands.
“While Dart is giving government money as part of a land deal, it is also expecting to influence how those funds are spent, so it is clear that the developer is involved in the political process,” Miller said. The independent MLA pointed out that it is highly unusual for someone in the private sector to be able to influence how public money is spent.
Despite being described as a donation, the $5 million is part of what is expected to be as much as $20 million once the full ForCayman Alliance agreement has been signed between the government and Dart, which relates directly to the land that the investor will acquire as part of the overall deal.
The full agreement, once signed, will include the swap with government for the George Town landfill in exchange for land in Midland Acres, where it proposes to build the first phase of a new waste-management site, as well as the land in Barkers in the district of West Bay and the controversial strip of the West Bay Road.
According to comments made by Dart CEO Mark VanDevelde, the delay in the signing of the main agreement relates to the review by PricewaterhouseCoopers, which, he says, the group disagrees with. Speaking to The Journal, VanDevelde said Dart takes issue with the way PwC has assessed the value of the land that Dart will receive as part of the deal.
“We have a fundamental disagreement with the methodology they have taken regarding the land uplift, but even considering their approach to take the uplift, they still found it to be value for money,” VanDevelde said in the interview.
Like the NRA agreement, which was not made a public document, the PwC review has also been kept under wraps and Miller has challenged the Dart Group and government to release this to allow the people of Cayman to judge for themselves whether or not this controversial agreement will benefit all the people of Cayman and not just an elite few.
See related story and full agreement: