Alden: Damage already done

| 06/08/2012

alden 17 (240x300).jpg(CNS): The leader of the opposition has joined a growing group of people who fear that the damage may already have been done to Cayman’s reputation over the proposed implementation of the payroll tax and general uncertainties surround the UDP government’s inability to balance the public books. In the wake of the latest discrepancy between a group of business leaders claiming the premier has withdrawn the proposed expat tax and the premier’s denial that it is off the table, PPM leader Alden McLaughlin said he hoped Wednesday evening’s meeting would provide some clarity over what has already proved to be a harmful proposition.

“The PPM has decided to postpone the protest meeting against the tax for this evening in light of the weekend’s events but I have grave concerns about the uncertainty between the business group’s statement and the premier’s own comments about whether or not the damaging payroll tax is still under consideration,” McLaughlin told CNS Monday.

The opposition leader said it was unbelievable that during the last year of the United Democratic Party’s administration it could not produce a budget.

“That can only be inattention and sheer incompetence on the part of the premier in his role as finance minister,” McLaughlin added. “We look forward to this evening’s meeting, where we hope some clarity will be brought to the matter and government will move swiftly to produce a credible budget. This whole situation has done immense harm to Cayman’s already damaged reputation and the longer the uncertainty prevails the more it will further harm not just the reputation but the economy as well.

The PPM leader said this position need never have arisen if the premier had begun to address the operational deficit problem from the start and listened to what the UK has been saying, as well as the local business community, and above all taken heed of the Miller-Shaw report and what it said was wrong with Cayman’s public finances.

“If he had listened, the economy wouldn’t be at this point,” McLaughlin said. “But he has persistently claimed that he is turning the economy around and produced pretend budgets for last three years and now, unfortunately, the chickens have come home to roost.”

Turning his attention to the latest news Monday morning that the premier had written an open letter to Bermuda's premier, Paula Cox, which had appeared in the Royal Gazette this morning, the opposition leader said he was astonished.

“I am quite frankly shocked and embarrassed that the premier of the Cayman Islands would write what is such a personal affront to the premier of another overseas territory and to compound it making it an open letter,” he said. “I am not sure what he is trying to achieve by creating ill will between the overseas territories but he needs to get beyond the point where he believes every comment and criticism is about him personally and then resort to insulting the source,” he added.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Category: Politics

About the Author ()

Comments (44)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. anonymus says:

    I personally think the PPM should disband themselves and all run on their own merritts wich are not many there to begin with. I would like to see all independant candidates against the current UDP in the next elextion. We need to have sufficant time to properly investigate and listen with attention of each and everyone. Those we know will deliver what they stand for. having a group of INDEPENDANTS, work towards the food for all the people living in the Cayman's and Willing to do what's right about another who don't pull his or her  way in the L.A.

    That would make it very difficult for anyone else to try and keep us uniducated, barefoot, ashamed and hungry not to mention Do as I say not what I do and it could assure the UDP of slim chances int he next election. I feel PPM has lost much and electing members won't do anymore . Make the Leader in any man have a chance to present itsel . We voted against parties for one man one vote and guess what, while we did not win it proove that persons preferred qualified, honest, with track record and at what.

    • Anonymous says:

      PPM disband so they (old faces) can run???  How about having fresh new people run as indepedents?

  2. Expat- Sad about it all says:

    At the end of the day the very rash actions of the last two weeks have created more of a problem than anyone could have anticipated for the Cayman Islands. 

    I understand that in an effort to get the budget approved by any means necessary i.e. offering up the expat dollars to appease the FCO, the current administration may have acted in haste with the expat tax.  However  it was a poor decision to make the announcement without brainstorming with some of the brilliant business minds here in the Cayman Islands for an alternative.  I mean Don Seymour, Jude/Dan Scott, Taron Jackman etc and the like and no one seems to have been consulted on such a huge decision before now?

    Now people in Cayman and the outside as well are uncertain about being/coming or investing here. The confidence has been shaken and it will not returned as quickly as it was dashed away. And at the end of the day Mr. Bush and his administration seem indecisive and volitile!  The long term affects are unknown but the sentiment for most is a sense of uncertainty and its sad.

  3. Anonymous says:

    Were I to be a PPM member I'd be having serious misgivings over Alden's ability to be the next premier.. He's a "serial grumbler" and has proved himself to be an incompetent by the fiasco that we witnessed when he attempted to be the minister for education. You all remember "the professor" from the UK that so impressed Alden (who knew so much about education because he's been to school, presumably)  that he invited him over to experiment on our kids with his theories? And that's not the only piece of nonsense, as we all know (and are still paying heavily for). Alden as premier? Now, that's got me real worried. Bush is a continuing disaster and a blight on our country that needs removing asap, no question. But an individual with a train-wreck of a record like Alden as his replacement? Come on, man.

    • Anonymous says:

      Alongside Bush anyone, including Alden, looks great. We didnt see a train wreck until we got McKeeva as premier/finance minister. He didn't just spend too much on schools, he has stumbled from one disaster to the next and embarrassed this country with his every utterance. Alden is the lesser of two evils.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Everyone saying the PPM need to offer solutions: if we can't find out what is going on in government, how can they?  If the government doesn't even have its own financials, how can the opposition party?  What is the use in generating ideas without the information to know if they are feasible?  What is the use in generating ideas that will be ignored by the government?  Some questions for you all to think about.

    What Alden very often is, is 100% absolutely right on the spot about what Mac's problems are, and where Mac goes wrong in his thinking, and he diagnoses it all well here.

    • The Devil's Advocate says:

      We are truly caught between a rock and a hard place. 

      Yes, Bush & the UDP need to go (and not quickly enough), however the PPM Govt did NOTHING to fix these very same issues of poor governance when they were last in office.

      Their UNCHECKED spending-spree (mostly in Alden's own Ministry) are a MAJOR factor in our current Economic / Buget issues.

      Couple that with a Financial Secretary who cannot tell the difference between 18 & 81, and it is little wonder WHY we are in the pickle we now find ourselves.

      Government IS a Business, and needs to be run as such in order to grow a country.

      What we NEED is a Fresh Crop of Intelligent, Successful Business Leaders, who have NOTHING TO GAIN from being in Politics, but to give back to their country and people that has given them so much.

      Let us give just 5 years of our lives back to our Nation, so that we can preserve and ensure a brighter future for our children ….

      …. before these idiots destroy us all.

      • Anonymous says:

        Unfortunately – and I say this as a Caymanian – we aren't good at doing things other than for gain.  Wealth came to us too quickly.

  5. Anonymous says:

    He's right.  Because of the carelessness of McKeeva I will never invest in these islands.

    It's not worth it given the loose cannons Caymanians vote for. 

  6. Anonymous says:

    I dont think so….by scraping the tax it has shown the world that we can come to other alternatives and decisions and are a democratic society. I would have though the Mitt Romney and negative news articles written in newspapers and posted on the web would be more damaging. In my opionion I do see more stay over tourists on Island this summer. Just need to get our advertising on cue with upcoming winter season and Pirates week starting from now so people can plan a vacation. if DOT can campaign to get those flights coming in more full (especially Cayman Airways from the new routes).

  7. Anonymous says:

    With all this crying about income tax, people tend to forget that the PPM have very serious flaws as well.

     

    The school projects proved that they are seriously incompetent project managers.

     

    I am not confident that they are capable of leading the country out of this economic mess. They also are guilty of gross overspending.

     

    I bet that they will campaign hard against the tax but secretly hope that McKeeva implements it before the election. Then the PPM, assuming they win, will quietly leave the income tax in place after a few cosmetic name changes.

     

    The PPM also wants more revenue because they do not want to seriously tackle the government's overspending habits.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry to tell you, but you are sipping on that UDP kool-aid. How anyone can continue to accuse the PPM of gross overspending when, 1) the PPM delivered 3 years of surplus budgets and 2) XXXX, is quite frankly beyond me. Let me remind you of something: THE UDP CHANGED THE LAW SO THAT AUDITED FINANCIALS WOULD NEVER HAVE TO BE PRODUCED TO SHOW THE TRUE POSITION AT THE END OF THE PPM TERM. The PPM have come out against the tax idea and are too intelligent to ruin the economy the way the UDP has. And before you bring up overspending again, let me remind you that they spent money on infrastructure NEGLECTED by the past UDP administration. The PPM have said many times since the Miller-Shaw Report that the government needs to implement the spending cuts in order to get the situation under control. The more I think about this post, the more I believe you're a rare breed of UDP troll with a bit of savvy…

  8. Anonymous says:

    The sad point is that this is only the icing on top of the cake, Cayman's reputation has been dying a slow death for many years. Unfortunatley endemic corruption, a self serving culture, ridiculous and unfair immigration and business policies and an isolationist attitude that has revealed racist, xenophobic and intolerant attitudes towards expat workers has already damaged this islands credibility around the world.

    Cayman needs to take a long hard look at where it came from, where it is now and where it see's itself in the future. For a small country founded and built upon the backs of immigrants and expat workers, you have catastrophically failed the values of your forefathers and your moral duty to welcome all those who choose to make this island their home.

    I sincerely hope that common sense will prevail and those who believe that they can continue to live off the loyalty and diligence of expat workers and foreign residents without making a contribution to their own society stop their stupidity. If they do not, the future is looking very bleak indeed and the Cayman Islands as we have known them will cease to exist.

  9. Anonymous says:

    The first step to re-building confidence in the country would be for the people to dealsuch a political blow to those that brought this idiotic idea forward that no sane politician would ever consider it again.

  10. The lone haranguer rides again! says:

    Thank God we still have England to stop these idiots who we elected from completely destroying the country. The other bunch is just as bad. My six votes in Greorgetown in the next election will be going to anyone who is not currently elected, anyone,!

    • Anonymous says:

      What a sad comment that is on the voting public! You chose to elect idiots??? Well if that is so you get all you deserve, unfortunately the rest of us thinking non-voters have to suffer the consequences too. Please don't just  vote for "anybody but the existing bunch", educate yourself on the policies of those standing and find out what their qualifications are for the job and more importantly critically question them beforehand, otherwise you may just get another bunch of self-serving idiots.

  11. Circus says:

    Cayman is in a conundrum:

    The UDP and the Mac have to be removed but there are very few people that see any leadership qualities in Alden.   Therefore, it looks like there will be a coalition government and Ezzard will be the next Premier.

     

     

  12. Anonymous says:

    Typical Alden……..waiting for others to act before he can chime in……he's either following Ezzard or the private sector but never leading. Isn't his title "Leader"……you can't lead if you don't have someone thats willing to follow.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Alden, I want to forgive you for the part you played in our indebtedness, but can’t. Here’s why. A true leader would find opportunity in Mac’s disgrace, not say the damage is done. We have lots going for us and if Cayman can’t find a leader, England. Will.

  14. Honourable Absurdistani says:

    Alden is correct that a sizable amount of reputational damage has been done by this ill-thought out payroll tax that the Dishourable MacShambles Bush thought he could ram down the throats of the community. However, I would like to hear of solutions that the PPM is proposing if they are to help us out of this crisis. Alden, we're still waiting…

    That said, the Dishourable MacShambles has spectacularly failed to instill the confidence needed to get our economy moving again. Rather, his reckless propositions and failure to produce a credible budget have damaged confidence and further stalled our economic recovery. To compound this, the introduction of additional fuel taxes (his opening shot at our economic recovery) was a death knell in itself.  The accompanying endless PPM/Governor/AG/UK blame game, hypocritical actions of asking others to do more with less while initiating endless jaunts to exotic locales with an entourage "in search of attracting investors" have led to no positive results.

    Unfortunately, the main result of Mac's ignorant bleating, has been a breach of the confidence of our islands' guest workers, and unfortunately most critically, a breach of investor's and business people's confidence in what was previously a very stable  financial services jurisdiction that was stalwart in its belief of no direct taxation. The polarization and division of our community caused by this proposed payroll tax which Mac is seemingly unwilling to relinquish (and which was originally put forward as a finalized deal despite the lack of consultation with the key stakeholders) has painfully and severely damaged our community and economy. The real estate sector is already bleeding but the true fallout (the damage to our economy's internal organs, if I may) is yet to manifest itself.

    The neglect and destruction of our economy continues under MacShamble's watch with the current leadership consistently showing that they are either unable or unwilling to consult with stakeholders that will be directly and indirectly impacted by their incompetant proposals. The have produced a string of broken promises (turning around the economy etc), failed to cooperate with local businesspeople and the UK, and negligently squandered away our money while we have all suffered. Case in point, while the current budget crisis continues they travel to Jamaica to party and celebrate that nation's independence.

    • Street observer says:

      Outburst female supporter. The outburst of hate and venom emitted by the woman on the Premier's platform at West Bay against those who oppose the 10% tax is a real turn off. The Premier should not have people like this on his platform. She sounded so divisive and hateful that i lost my respect for the UDP and possibly my vote. A couple more people like these will help determine the outcome of next year election. If I were the PPM this would be recorded and used in next year election campaign to give an example of the people the PM have around him. Lets hope she is not an advisor on policies.

      • Anonymous says:

        "Outburst female supporter" certainly does not represent this West Bayer. I am embarrassed every time they show her venom on TV. She is in fact a recipient of $3000 per month as a "park ranger", paid for with our money out of the so-called nation building fund. 

  15. Anonymous says:

    Alden, what would really help would be if you and the PPM offered up some solutions. You getting up on a platform criticisizing  McKeeva but having to solutions from your party or yourself is completely useless in my mind.

    It appears that both you and McKeeva have no clue and both should step aside and allow some new blood to make decisions.

  16. anonymous says:

    The actions of the Premier are very predictable.  Anyone who has studied controlling, abusive personalities would be surprised if he acted differently.  For him it is all about power and those who do not agree with him will, predictably, be run down and denigrated.  Every thing he does is about staying in, and building control. 

    His manner of treating people reinforces this.  An example: by referring to someone as a "little girl"  he is subconsciously stating that he is a "big man".
    All about control and power.
    Folks, He has to go for the good of your community.

    • Anonymous says:

      Narcissistic Personality Disorder is also dispayed by the Premier

  17. Anonymous says:

    When Kurt resigned there were many well wishers saying nice things about his service, retirement, and time to be spent fishing in North Sound. I heard him say he is seeking reelection. I think a fair deal would that if Mac and Elio stepped down, Kurt and Alden retire as well.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Mr. McLaughlin – now would be the perfect time for the PPM to put forward a very clear plan about what you would do should you gain power next year.  Propose a budget.  Propose legislation that puts proper checks and balances in place.  Propose budget cuts.  Pull out the Miller Shaw Report and draw upon its wisdom.  Put forward a convincing case that the PPM could not only get the country out of this terrible situation, but can remedy the reputational damage done and lead this nation back to its former prosperity going forward.  Put it in factual statements and hard figures. Leave the rhetoric, the drama and empty promises behind. Be brave and be willing to accept that not everyone will like what you have to say.  Give the reasonable voter some hope that there is an alternative.

     

  19. Anonymous says:

    Alden, all you do is wait for some new moves from the premier's side to react and be in the news yourself, you still continues to refuse to say what your plans are to help the economy and balance the budget, Get together, swallow your egos and for once come up with something creative and effective….but then again you are a laywer ! Both should step aside !

     

  20. Not a Fan At All says:

    That Government need help from the Private Sector on matters of finance is more reasons why we should have had in the Constitution, a provision where the Premier must choose a qualified Minister of Finance. In the U.S. and other countries, the President has his own cabinet whereby he assigned his portfolio to secretaries. Perhaps, Alden/Kurt and others who authored of this Constitution, can explain why so many checks and balances were not included in it.

  21. R.U. Kidden says:

    Hey Kids.  Can you say, "Banana Republic"? 

  22. Anonkymous says:

    I hope that the PPM turns out in force to this meeting. I am over them waiting to see how the public reacts before wading in. Grow some and stand up for this country!

    I would also like to like to see a healthy representation and vocal commitment by EVERYONE who opposes this foolishness! Don't stay home and expect your opinion to be voiced by someone else. The UDP brings their zombies in by the truckloads and then sits back smugly content that there is a "majority" of support for their causes.

    If you OPPOSE it then show up and SAY SO! Do NOT let him insult you. Do NOT let his zombies intimidate you.

    Hot air! The lot of them.

    The UDP knows that the power is in the #'s – let's finally swing the #s in our favour by being there and being outraged!

    • Cay101 says:

      Ezzard should be THE LEADER OF OPPOSITION

      Not Alden!

    • Anonymous says:

      There has been so much dusgusting name calling by locals & expats alike.  Such low standards are not good publicity for tourism.  Where has the friendliness gone?  Not the Cayman I knew. Who changed it?

      This hostility needs to stop now.  It is also bad publicity for the Cayman Islands.  We were known for being friendly so all this bashing is stupid as you are also contibuting to the demise of the Islands.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Too little, too late Alden you should step down also

    • Anonymous says:

      McKeeva has made it too late, not Alden.

    • Anonymous says:

      How can TWO no confidence votes be too little too late?????

    • Anonymous says:

      You didn't do anything for this country when you were in office before so don't start critizing now (even though you are correct) the damage is already done and it cannot be fixed!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      I couldn't agree with you more Mon, 08/06/2012 – 13:22!  Whilst we may not always agree wiht the Premier, this joker has done little, if anything, to help the situation. He and his party always seem to sit on the sidelines and guage public reaction before they have anything to say and I am as sick of them as I am of the UDP and its rubbish.

    • Local says:

      Alden is a loser!

      And that explains why Kurt put him as leader after his spending spree that has us in this mess.

       

       

      • Anonymous says:

        Couldn't agree more. Alden's moaning and groaning mark him down as a real loser. He provides no solutions (I guess because he hasn't got any, truth be told) and appears to be reckoning that because Bush is such a disaster he'll be a shoe in come the next general election. But a little girl, sorry, bird told me that there are moves within the PPM to dump Alden and elect a proper leader to be the next premier. I pray that is the case. We need a viable alternative to Bush, and in my book Alden falls woefully short in this regard.