Budget delivered without OK
(CNS): The premier spent more than three hours Monday evening delivering a rambling and unfocused budget address that offered very little detail on how his government will spend and raise cash in the forthcoming financial year. He revealed that civil servants will be losing their 3.2% cost of living allowance once again and that 24 new revenue raising measures would be introduced. He railed against the UK, which he accused of constantly moving the goalposts on the budget, which it has still not approved. Government hopes to raise almost $650 million in revenue during this financial year and will be spending around $530 million if the plan is eventually approved by the FCO.
Despite the obvious problems facing the UDP administration and the worst budget crisis in the country's history, the premier took no responsibility for the problems but attempted to claim various successes in what will be the last budget address of the current government.
Check back to CNS for a full report on the budget address.
Category: Politics
where in Gods Green earth can this man cut anyone salary with out getting and approval from England regarding this Budget. Mckeeva u have lost your rockers big time.
That Nation Building fund is "only" dispersed to the supporters of the UDP, they can just walk in to the Premier's Office, ask and a cheque is immediately issued. He said its for Scholarships, but its for his every day supporters. Anyone else that applies the legal way, are given the run around and given excuses that due to budgetary restraint, we cannot comply to your request. Imagine, those hogs who are always at the trough, its their children that are getting the funding for everything, tuition, housing, living expenses and more. Some of those hogs are getting funding to send their high school children overseas to school and It doesn't matter what area of studies they are doing, even when their studies are not beneficial to the Islands, they will get funded. That is why that Nation Building fund should go through the proper processes, because a lot of abuse is taken place with it. The child that is studying and doing something beneficial for these Islands, cannot get any funding. Its pure discremination taking place with the distribution of these funds. Mr. Auditor General you need to urgently look into this matter. I know of a few students to this day, applied and cannot hear words from the secretaries or the Premier's office about their applications and some of these children are already overseas and are living on bread and water. Our own Cayman Children are being suppressed by our Education systems. On the other hand Children that went to Private schools, has two parents making high end salaries, their children are who are getting the scholarships. Our Cayman kids whose GPA fell a little below the 3.0 are left to hang. A major investigation is needed here. Any parents who can afford to send their children away, should do just that. The struggling parent/s should be the ones who get the scholarships for their children. Some children are not A & B students. History shows that a C student, becomes real leaders in their careers. Just Saying!
Even if the fund is being used for the most noble and praiseworthy purposes imaginable, you still must have a fair and transparent system for allocating it. You can't just have one man writing checks at his discretion and no reporting. It is totally, 100% contrary to every principle of good governance.
Even if the Nation Building Fund is being used correctly, the Anti-Corruption Commission should be all over this and the other murky schemes purely on the basis that they're not being done above board and are an open invitation for corruption to occur.
this man said he don't have no right to fire people but he have the right to take our $$ when he want! what is the differnce & what is the job of the Civil Service Assication any how? they said when they wanted to take our $ a few weeks ago was against the law, why your not standing your ground now Civil Service Assication?
caymanian
McKeeva we know that you don't like Charles Clifford because he ousted you in 2005 but as you are now a drowning man grasping at straws perhaps you ought to consider Mr. Clifford's constructive recommendations in his Viewpoints article for you to reduce your expenditure and balance the budget.
I don't believe that most civil servants earn huge salaries. $3,000 or $4, 000 a month is not very much to live on especially if you have kids, a mortgage and especially if you are living in Cayman. How about the Premier and other ministers give up their double dipping, cut all the perks they give themselves each month and take a 25% salary cut. Maybe civil servants should contribute to pension and insurance going forward but are you really going to take 3.2% plus health insurance plus pension from a salary of $3000 pm and expect someone to be able to pay their bills and feed their families. Times are really hard for some people in Cayman. I have a good job, good salary but have not had a pay increase in 5 years because of the recession. I am finding it harder and harder to manage so can only imagine what its like for plenty of others who earn less than me. I'm not a civil servant but I do feel for those earning less than me with 2, 3 and more kids to feed. The biggest cuts should come from the higher earners. Phase in contributions towards health and pension but it should be done carefully so as not to place more stress on those already struggling. Immediately look very closely at the gas cards and put a stop to all travel for ministers unless it is absolutely necessary and no more entourages. No more $71,000 for 2 nights in Panama, etc. etc. The cost of living has increased tremendously since the implementation of 25 cents per gallon of gas. Food, electricity, water and everything else have been impacted and every time gas prices goe up in the USA we are affected almost immediately but when the prices go down, ours stay high until we start complaining. Only the rich are getting richer around here. The rest of us just have to keep tightening our belts and praying for good leadership and MLA's who care about the people – all the people here – its hard for most of us. Caymanians and ex-pats alike.
Just noting an interesting idea that I don't think has been touched on before or at least not recently….
That is that the Premier has never governed under a time of severe economic recession. His governance is between 1988-current which represents mostly boom periods for the Cayman Islands and the global economy. That said, at the upcoming elections persons should consider his ability to lead during times of duress.
I believe what the CI needs is a leader who confidence and fortituted is unquestionable! Last night, I believe Hon. Premier started to step in the right direction when confirming the CI was in a good financial position for the future. However, his attacks on confidence between annual budget presentations is a cause for worry. Clearly, many laspes in judgement have occurred and this is highlight by the recent reversal of the COLA pay cut.
I beg the voters and all residence (voting & non-voting) to urge all to vote on the issues and not based on the colours red and green but on the issues.
"The premier spent more than three hours Monday evening delivering a rambling and unfocused budget address that offered very little detail on how his government will spend and raise cash in the forthcoming financial year."
Nice editorial comment and probably true (I wasn't there) but not strictly a news report of an event.
PCC guidelines in the UK state, 'The press, whilst free to be partisan, must distinguish clearly between comment, conjecture and fact'. This looks like a comment/opinion to me rather than fact.
It's been posted elsewhere that CNS has clearly decided to take sides in the political arena and I have no objection to that because as far as I can see you have made the right choice. Just one request – be honest about it.
CNS: Observe and report – Different context, same principle.
Sorry CNS, but I agree with this poster. Your report claims to have "observed" the premier delivering a "rambling and unfocused" speech. This is not impartial, you are instead publishing your own opinion as to the quality of the speech, not reporting on the feedback from others. If you articlehad said something like: "other attendees described the budget address as rambling and unfocused" that would be a different story. You would have been reporting on the views of others which is totally fine, but this is smells too much like your own opinion, rather than unbiased reporting of the opinions of others. How about instead reporting back on the feedback of the other politicians to the speech?
CNS: There is a point where the incoherent delivery of the premier's speech is as much of an issue as its content.
OK – CNS can quote me – I watched the address on television and it was rambling, incoherent and unfocussed.
The only times he made sense was when he was quoting someone else
How's that?
It appears McKeeva has lost it, so let's take a moment to consider howmany other people are contributing to this mess by allowing it to continue:
For example the other UDP ministers who have said nothing. The anti-corruption commission whose silence has permitted the apalling spending practices to continue. Those senior civil servantswho just keep using and abusing their Gasboy cards, knowing the country is in the state its in, and knowing that we know what they're up to. What about the managers at CINICO who have not responded to the auditor general's damning criticism? RCIPS for not doing anything about the theft of public money via illegal paving and the ongoing great gasboy robbery? The owners of the land that was paved- did you ever think of voluntarily paying up to help your country? No? What about all those other MLAs who are double dipping on their pension and salary? Or those civil servants who have been off work on full six-figure pay since the UDP came to power- how do they look at themselves in the mirror knowing they are nothing more than a burden on their country's limited resources? The entourages that party all over the world on government money, the civil servants that spend all day on BBM. The list goes on and on.
It's easy to blame Bush, because a true leader would have done something to stop the looting, but this whole fiasco was made possible by people who care more about lining their pocket than they do about the welfare of this country.
Just today I was at the court house and I was the only person waiting in line for almost 5 minutes while the clerk/cashier was on her bbm. She did not acknowledge me (she was looking down at her phone typing the entire time) I had to ask her for assistance yet these are the type of ppl collecting pay checks every month from Gov't and are quick to complain when they get no raise or have to relinquish their 3.2% AGAIN! For workers like her it should be 20% deductions. Trust me my experience today alone at the courts office just to pay a seat belt fine was horrific. The run around, no parking and time wasted was punishment enough to make sure I secure my seatbelt whilst driving. So thanks RCIP…you served some purpose in this regard. I still can't fathom why the courts are clogged up with all these minor offences. Speeding tickets/ seat belt fines should just be ticketed and you go in and pay your fine. If you do not pay then that warrants a trip to court. There is NO NEED for shit like this to go before a judge!!!
An unrealistic budget was not given approval??? What is going on here?? As the premier said "it is some sort of conspiracy!". To test that theory… he will now work harder to make an even more unrealistic budget… and if that isn't approved…..Then there is more evidence of an even larger conspiracy!!! In order to understand this you must be able to follow his thought process. And if you don't…..YOU'RE part of the conspiracy!!! We wouldn't know any of this without his insight. Get it??
Dear Civil Servants,
It is 3.2% reduction now, for the short term, or a 25% chance you lose your job very soon. What do you want?
Yours inquiringly
Duty Payer
yes we loose 3.2% again. and we are NOT hiring civil servants. FACT.
Diddums. You are overpaid and overbenefited. Stop being greedy.
But one can assume they are overbenefited.
In summary:
1. Mac wasted 3 hours of everyones time (and money, let us not forget), for a budget that is not approved and unlikely to be.
2. So when it is approved (hopefully before Christmas) he will have to waste 3 more hours of everyone's time and money.
3. He is railing about the UK actually asking him to do what he agreed to do. LESSON-If you shake his hand on an agreement or sign a deal, it dont mean a damn thing unless he benefits from it personally.
4. We are no further forward and time is running out.
5. He finds himself under pressure (his own making) and is clearly cracking up
If I were in UK's position I would refuse any further extension of budget unless Mac does what he has agreed to do originally. That will be tough on those who work hard and are paid by Government, but not so tough for those who just idle and have other jobs.
Maybe if that happens, those who have other jobs would do the decent thing and leave the CS without compensation??? You know who you are, and actually so do most of us.
they are cutting our salaries but hiring more contrac rcip & probaly giving them free bees, something is wrong here KEKE! can you please answer to your people?
CONCERN CAYMANIAN
why would anyone want free bees? Especially if you are a cop? Maybe if you were a beekeeper.
It could not have been a serious budget address or presentation because none of the official members of the Legislative Assembly was there, it was probably a budget address rehearsal – come to think of it, NOT EVEN THE BUDGET WAS THERE!!
I see another two-month interim budget coming.
When it comes out finally in detail, look carefully at the Cabinet travel budget in excess of $2million. What a joke.
How CIG paid- in USD or Cayman Dollars? Budget? in USD or Cayman dollars? CNS can you please clarify.
CNS: Cayman $
Is budget in Cayman dollars or USD????
So let me get this straight. Bic Mac announce that he was taxing the expat 10% and all hell broke loose….so then he say oh expats I sorry forgive I will go get it from my Cayman people instead by taking 3.2% from their salary…..hmmm interesting expat win and poor Caymanians worse off then they were before. Now for me that is good enough reason to vote out the hold UDP crew
Anon 0826 it is because the CS is seen not as a critical piece that runs the Cayman Islands but more as a cancer. The CS are branded as lazy, overpaid, uneducated staff. Thats a very big broom because the CS has many members that are hardworking, underpaid and highly educated. Of course we have those that fits into their description as well. But until this branding of the CS is resolved the CS will always be viewed as a problem.
Note that the CS salaries were cut and nothing was said. The 10% almost brought Cayman its first war. The elected politicians see quite fit to cut the CS as they see fit while leaving there pet projects still on the board see solar panels, vote retreval project etc.
Cost of employing ex pat in government fees,increased by 10-35%. Ex pat no longer gets pension benefit (as I understand), so 5-10% reduction in salary. Add in that some (but not all companies) will have to deduct fee increase from salaries or face going bankrupt then you see how much favour the expat gets. Precisely none. Nobody bitching about that right now, suggest the 3.2% across only 20% of Caymanians (maybe less) is not the worst thing. Dont understand why you looking to score points, this is bad for all Cayman, expat of Caymanian
Anon 1207 I know of a friend that went to get a job in a private sector firm. The position offered 100% coverage health and pension. Now I am not going to say that all expats get that. They dont because I know of people that do have to pay. But you give the opinion that the cs are the only ones getting these paid for them. Please tell the entire story not just what satisfies your needs.
Who cares if they take away their 3.2% living allowance? They receive free health care, free pension and a majority are way over paid for their positions anyway.
Here is the bottom line. The UK is never going to intervene. The TCI experience was just too much hassle. So all the UK is interested in is ensuring that the UK is not exposed to excessive financial risk as the effective guarantor of Cayman's indebtedness. Once it is happy about that then then rest is up to Cayman which wanted more self-rule and is now enjoying the results of getting what it wanted. So if you think there is a white knight on the horizon, there ain't one.
You are definitely right about concerns that a budget screw up will leave the UK picking up the tab but quite wide of the mark on TCI.
The TCI takeover, which kicked off under Labour and was then handed over to the Tory/LibDem coalition, is widely regarded as the FCO, backed up by DFiD, finally doing something right for a change.
The FCO isn't well known for doing a good job when it comes to looking after OTs (remember the Falklands?) but TCI hasn't cost the UK taxpayers a fortune, it hasn't (unlike like Operation Tempura, the Levers' Tribunal, the Aina report and currently Stuart Kernohan's claim) ended up with embarrassing headlines in UK newspapers and it should restore democratic rule to the islands shortly.
I'd say that if anything the relative success of TCI actually makes UK government intervention more likely. I hope it never happens but if Duncan Taylor arrived back on island next week with a couple of plane loads of troops and/or police it wouldn't surprise me at all.
Amazing that they are willing to take 3.2% from people who make low pay but do NOTHING about the Gasboy cards issued to very highly paid civil and public servants. Absolutely disgusting. You dont even see those high earners turning in their gasboy cards they just keep getting a free ride while others struggle.
I agree – that is a disgrace. All cards should be recalled immediately and then new cards redistributed to only who need them. Same people stealing gas are the same people making noise, while the lower paid CS have their heads down getting on with the work.
What is also very annoying is that they would cut salaries of civil servants by 3.2%, which would be about $7m, but would not cut one cent from the Premier $10m 'Nation Building' Fund… now that's madness. ALL of the things that the Premier claims his fund is for is covered by other Government depts which have already been allocated funding.
Does this mean they are going to take 3.2% of the basic salary or to take away the whole living allowance which is a great deal more for most annually?
So they get salary AND a living allowance?? Your salary is what you live off of. Well most of us do.. salary is not your pocket money left over
To the victors go the spoils. To the losers, well, Caymanians will find that out soon enough. Better prepare if you can. Expats can and will go where they want because they have skill. Caymanians have thrown away what they had and can't leave. Hmmmm.
He officially and publicly demonstrated his uneducated rabble rousing icompetence. What an embarrasment to our people this man is. Mr TaylorPLEASE restore control before this madman and his UDP cronies destroy us all.
Why would the UK WANT to step in this huge pile of steaming Caymanian crap? Past investigations have just shown that it is way too deep to get anything done with a shovel. It would take way to much time, money and effort to put Cayman Government right. They could bill Cayman but I think they have already figured out that would be a poor call. Better to just let it run its course and stay out of the way. The longer they wait the less they will have to fight and the easier it will be for Caymanians to accept the UKs help. Besides, why spend a grand fixing a hundred dollar car. Lots better cars out there if you just looked. Time is on the UKs side.
Mac rambaling incoherently without approval? Yeah all is right in the world again!
Just for fun, let us take an objective look by the non-liberal/pro business Bloomberg press, as to how Iceland has fared comapred to the UK after a recession.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-08-13/imf-says-bailouts-iceland-style-hold-lessons-for-crisis-nations.html
Clearly, an austerity budget is the way to go (not). BTW, I do want the CS budget to be cut but, now is the worst possible time for the middle class and small business.
The important points that you may have missed in the Bloomberg story were that Iceland's government imposed capital controls thus (theoretically) preventing the flight of money (their own peoples life savings for example) that was already in the country and their currency devalued itself against the Euro by 80%, increasing the cost of all imports, reducing the price of their exports, such as their tourism product, and reducing the price to an outside investor of all of their immovable assets such as property and local businesses. The ratio of expatriates to Icelanders is probably fairly low so most of the population stuck it out.
In the late sixties / early seventies, shortly after independence, the socialist government of Jamaica did the same two things. Jamaica's middle class did not like the political future they were looking at, mostly had somewhere else to go and they went, in their thousands, on one of the four flights to Miami every day, just as Michael Manley told them they should, taking their money, entreprenuerial spirit and educated children with them. Many of them came here to these Islands' wholesale benefit.
The vocal minority of Caymanians have been telling the expat half of the island's population that they should go these last several years. So we have capital flight, in the way that many expats send most, if not all, of their diposable income home, rather than spend it where they believe they are not wanted.
I haven't heard the "D" word uttered here yet but if we applied capital controls I'm pretty sure that would be the end of our financial industry.
If we got rid of the populist but ultimately self destructive rollover policy then we might reverse some of the capital flight.
If we embraced the skilled and educated expats as we used to, welcoming them to stay as long as they like and providing them with Status and the right to vote when they have stayed long enough and shown their committment to our society, then we might find our economy turning around even more quickly.
But that would take courage and faith wouldn't it.
Iceland is interesting, but really doesn't have much to do with the situation in Cayman, which is really more of a constitutional crisis than a real financial crisis.
the flip-flopping continues……
civil servants should not feel too bad…. the pay reduction will probably be off the table in a couple of days….zzzzzzzzz
Well, Mr Bellingham is on vacation so wjaty do u expect him to do? Wait on him and his
return?
The budget should have been complete from April. We are now two months into the budget year. It’s the government’s fault the budget is just being done. If they had spent less time joy riding around the world there would be no need for this now. Premier McKeeva Bush, Julianna O’Connor Connolly, Rolstan Anglin, Mike Adam, Ellio Solomon, Mark Scotland, Dwayne Seymour, Capt Eugene and Cline Glidden are the reason it’s not done–nothing to do with Bellingham. They need to stop blaming everyone.
Actually, yes.
Mr. Bellingham put time aside to review the budget in April and May when the draft budget was due.
If you remember, at that time McKeeva was at parties in Panama and Jamaica when he should have been home working on the budget.
Yes wait….Bellingham has waited for 4 months for UDP Government. It’s the government’s incompetence showing here. Get folks like Bo Miller and the other independents in the house. They have the capacity to solve this situation and get Cayman going again.
how about submit it on time!
,
We can all agree that there is way too much manipulation of the truth on some local news tabloids leading our young people astray on a daily basis.This is misrepresentation of the truth.
Local and international critics must acknowledge that we have long been aware that the Cayman Islands is a competitor of the UK in the financial industry. The UK has financial issues themselves because of their own acute and gross incompetence, struggling with their own budget. They are not capable of presenting their own sustainable budget for the UK! So the fact that our Premier is doing a great job in doing his best to present a budget that is sustainable for the Cayman Islands is no small thing. The problem most of you need to be aware of is that the UK is extremely envious of the Cayman Islands abilityto operate a financial industry independent of the UK, that is the envy of even the United States and the UK not to mention other Caribbean territories.
Rest asured the UK does not mean the Cayman Islands much good.They recently gave Greece billions of dollars in bail out monies. The UK has not given the Cayman Islands one red cent! So how are they qualified to judge our budget when they have not acted as a responsible mother country? There are sentiments of prejudice against the Cayman Islands coming from the UK against the Cayman Islands success and they are making every attempt to destroy the economy of the Cayman Islands, then ultimately force us into independence after they have destroyed us as the UK has a long history of total destruction of their colonies that have great economic success, then drop them off at the dump.
Do not be deceived; The UK Representatives smiling faces do not reflect how they really feel about our economic success, inwardly they are as dead mens' bones, awaiting our destruction and failure.
It is time to revisit the constitution one more time and look closely at the Bermuda model wherein the constitution can be advanced as far as that of the island of Bermuda making our own internal decisions without UK interference.
Eventhough the UK has sworn there will never be another Bermuda amongst its teritories, should we liase with the EU stating the numerous counts of abuse from the mother country, our case should be heard, and the EU put the necessary pressure on the UK to do whatever is right in the interest of her territories.
I urge the Premier to stand up strong to the UK and do whatever is necessary to keep the country afloat if need be appeal to the European Union in regard to this continual abuse of rejection of the budget and bring this saga to an end, it is prefabricated and a UK conspiracy.
LOL Very funny – lost on some::)) Mr B should have come to Cayman for his vacation::))
In August? Only a masochist would vacation in Cayman in late August.
The budget may have been approved::))
Yes and can you imagine they still hiring more civil servants?
And not for any low paying positions either……..
If this budget is passed its time for the civil aservice association to grow some balls and call for a general strike.
There are hundreds of ways to save money without cutting salaries of thos most likely to suffer.
start with the double dipping, turtle farm, hurricane hilton, entorages etc.
In any other western country the associantion would put a strike to the vote.
get real…..everywhere else in the world civil service number are bing reduced AND salaries are being cut…..
I agree but the point is simply there is no need to cut salaries when the pork belly stuff can be cut
a civil service strike???….I'm not sure most people would notice……
It is the last nail in Cayman's coffin
Don’t be silly. I absolutely do not support this government, think they should step down but this has no potential to be the nail in our coffin. Our country is capable of servicing our debt which is very small compared to GDP….our country of 33,000 Caymanians can generate over $600m in revenue in the year…our dollar and economy is stable…tourism is the best it’s been in half a decade….no coffin and certainly no nails.
What we need is to change this government ( in fact get rid of all 15 of them next time), put in smart independents and get a government that will work for US not themselves. That’s all. Hopefully now people will realise they have been fooled in the last two elections by UDP and PPM. Those two parties have increased our national debt from $70million to over $600m through partisan politics, $100m schools, Partying around the globe, and Nation Building Slush funds
Cayman, please vote for people who can actually get the job done, who will look out for Caymanians first. It’s really that simple to fix.
Who and when is going to interviene? Surely the governor will have to say something now?
I would imagine now that the UK will now intervene and suspend government – Mr Bush, this will be embarrassing for you now. You seem to think you can do EXACTLY what you want and when without consulting your cabinet or anybody for that matter. Suspension of government = no more salary for the MLA – you silly little man – however, you have probably done your country a great service now.
Who – the UK is going to take over as they did in the Turks and Caicos. Just watch…
When – that is the million dollar question. Looks like the UK will just continue the set up of the down fall by letting Mr. Rambling and Rolling Big Mac go on and on until they swoop in and save our little nation *sigh*
(CNS): The premier spent more than three hours Monday evening delivering a rambling and unfocused budget
Say it isn’t so!
it was so bad….. his fellow members spent most of their time on their blackberies…… isn't that right cg????
I don't understand why Mr. Manderson went along with the throne speech if the budget was not approved. wasn't that what was holding this hold process up?
what is going on? is the govt taking 3.2% from those who are making more than $3000CI? CNS can you enquire on this? thanks.
According to Mr. Manderson's memo, it is ALL civil servants.
Now im gonna take Plentttyyy sick leave!!!!!
Yeah, and they wonder why some of us come to work at 9 and leave at 4:45. And they want you to work overtime too?? I dont think so!!
The fact that Mr. Bush is only digging himself deeper into an intractable quagmire is evident to everyone. But it is not for CNS to use subjective and loaded language to try to tell readers what to think. For instance
"Despite the obvious problems facing the UDP administration and the worst budget crisis in the country's history, the premier took no responsibility for the problems."
Sentences such as these make you appear unnecessarily partisan and undermine your credibility. Just stick to the facts. They speak for themselves
CNS: Observe and report — Different context, same principle.
I fail to see your point. This is the worst budget crisis in our history, The Premier accepts no blame and the UDP has done little if anything right since taking office. So please tell me how this is not factual? Maybe you just have a dry sense of humour and I took you too literally, My fault.
As a civil servant (not in mgt) no one consulted me on this cut…
But, I'd be happier (even now) to give 1 of 2 percent more IF those of us who make less than $3,000/month were not affected — which is the majority of the civil service!!
Many are living day to day..
Surely as a civil servant you had to see this coming?!! I don’t understand how you can be willing to give one or two percent more of a 3 1/2 percent cost of living increase which did not materialize?? Yet I still applaud you for being willing to give up 3percent of your present salary. All the rest of the highly paid civil servants should be falling over themselves to commit the same and even more to avert even far more stringent cuts.
The crux of the matter is that the standard of living in the Cayman Islands must fall, for absolutely everyone.
I agree with you that this will hurt the people at the bottom of the economy more that those at the top.
The 3.2% cut is fair. The civil service must do their part to help dig the economy out of the abyss. However, there should be a much bigger cut for the managers at the top of the civil service who are grossly overpaid for what they do. A 10 or 15 per cent cut for anyone making over 75K to 80K per month would be reasonable.
The MLAs should lead by example and give themselves at least a 25% cut in pay immediately. Their pay package, for what they do, is obscene (especially the Premier and the Minister of Finance).
Good grief! I can't believe his family has not insisted on amental health assessment. Does this man have to inflict physical harm on himself or others before an intervention? I am actually feeling sorry for him. Doesn't anyone care?
I hope the UK will let this be the end of the Cayman Islands worries.
There's something not quite right, that's for sure. I just never know what to expect when the premier starts on one of his rants, some of his utterances are really quite strange, to put it mildly, and I wonder if the governor should insist that some kind of professional assessment be undertaken. It's not uncommon for people to start to unravel under enormous pressure. At the very least he surely needs a break away from it all to relax.
One can only imagine the paranoia and fear: accusations of treasonous agendae, FCO zombies conniving with the Governor, Devil Worshippers, and Donkey Faces – not unlike a Hieronymus Bosch triptych. This man needs help.
All Cayman should have been subjected to a mental test and intervention when we sat down in 2004 and let the government of the day destroy this country to the point of what it is today. With the stroke of a pen we increased the population to well over 10,000 people this is the direct result of this foolish action. Now we must all face the music not only the leaders alone. I can't wait to see the final results this is just the begining, yes greed has its price. We could not see the big picture because we were so blinded by greed, more people would bring more job, business opportunities, more rentals, more money and we would all be living like millionaires. The reality we got more yes, more people and more problems.
Utter rubbish!
The economy has shrunk because people have left, actually they were pushed away. It's not because of the long overdue grant of status to people who had been here, some for decades, as indentured slaves.
The "nowherey" generation are those peoples' children, many born here, that grew up with thesocial stigma of being on the outside with nothing to look forward to for their future.
Government's failure to provide better education for all of the island's children and the reinforcement that being Caymanian is a qualification for guaranteed work is also to blame for the entitlement attitude that is now evident on our less well educated underclass. That is the crop that was planted after the Caymanian Protection Law of 1972 and that we are now reaping. We have "protected" Caymanians to the point where many of them can't compete, not just with expats, not even with themselves.
It is also rubbish to assume, as many posters appear to, that the 2004 grantees and their children have any particular allegiance to the UDP. They are just as much interested in progress of their adopted home as any person born here.
The construction industry has traditionally employed those Caymanians that have been failed by the education system. Unfortunately, its just about flatlined and will contune to be so whilst there is lack of investor confidence. The island needs projects like the new road to West Bay, the renovated Marriot, the Dr. Shetty Hospital, the CETC and the rebuilding of the Hyatt (or knocking it down, whichever). Yet the vocal minority on this website continuously bash the investors who are still here.
So that is our problem. Many people can't tell which way is up during a recession, but one things is for sure, increased protectionism isn't the right way.