Archive for August 21st, 2012
Miller boycotts budget speech
(CNS): Following the premier’s decision to present his government’s budget to the Legislative Assembly Tuesday evening before gaining official UK approval, the independent member for North Side boycotted the proceedings. MLA Ezzard Miller said he refused to participate in the Throne Speech and Budget Address, which had not received agreement from the FCO’s OT minister, Henry Bellingham, as it was yet another example of the premier's continued circumvention of due process. With the government benches carrying the majority in parliament, Miller pointed to the futility of attempting to object to the proceedings in the LA when all eight UDP members “would simply follow in lockstep” anything the premier does.
As a result, the MLA simply walked out of the Legislative Assembly before the speeches were delivered as he said he could not be a party to further abuse of the system by Premier McKeeva Bush. Miller pointed to the memo circulated by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson an hour or so before the LA session opened.
“It is rather curious that the Premier, having cancelled several previously announced dates and times for convening the LA to present the budget, today makes the choice to present the budget without final FCO approval,” Miller stated, adding that he had become aware of the statement from the governor shortly before proceedings were due to start which made it clear the premier was delivering the budget in the knowledge that the OT minister had not, and may not give, his approval to the plans.
“I decided not to take part in the process because this is yet another example of the premier's continued circumvention of due process by ignoring the provisions of the PMFL and the FFR, which he signed with the FCO,” Miller said.
“I will, however, return to parliament … to debate and make my contribution on behalf of the people of North Side and this country. Hopefully, the premier, will by then have made the necessary adjustments to get FCO approval on the budget,” he added.
Miller missed a long and repetitive presentation by the premier, in which he said he had decided to bring the budget before getting official approval as there had been indications from the FCO that they would accept the latest reductions in operation expenses. He said these had been reduced to $531 million.
Bush said that Bellingham was “off” (the UK minister is understood to be taking his annual leave) but the Cayman government could not wait any longer to begin the budget process so he had made a decision to deliver the budget as he expected it would be approved.
Deputy Governor Manderson indicated in a statement released before the start of the LA that while the budget had not yet received official approval, the FCO had no objections to the Throne Speech being delivered.
Although Bush made his speech and gave some fleeting references to the spending and revenue measures contained in the budget, there were no documents to support the presentation. However, he said these would be delivered to members on Tuesday, though he did not indicate when the appropriations bill and supporting documents would be available to the public.
Warnings issued over 9th depression of season
(CNS): The National Hurricane Center in Miami began issuing warnings onTuesday morning in connection with Tropical Depression 9, which has formed east of The Lesser Antilles. Experts predicted that the weather system, which was travelling toward the west at around 20 mph, would become a tropical storm sometime today. At 7am local time it was located about 645 miles east of Guadeloupe, and although it currently poses no threat to the Cayman Islands, on the current forecast track it could be in the northwest Caribbean by Sunday.
The NHC said winds are currently around 35 mph with higher gusts and strengthening is expected over the next 48 Hours when it will become TS Issac.
Go to the NHC website for more information
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.