Bush must pass all FFR, says Miller
(CNS): North Side MLA Ezzard Miller has said he believes the premier must pass the entire Framework for Fiscal Responsibility into law as he is not in a position to pick and choose what he likes from the document, which was signed by McKeeva Bush last November. Speaking to CNS in the wake of Wednesday's controversial announcement by the premier that not only had he not committed to a specific date for passing the FFR into law but he was also not necessarily agreeing to the ratification of the complete agreement, Miller said the premier would not have a choice in the issue.
The outspoken MLA accused the premier of contradicting himself as it was Bush who announced to the Legislative Assembly that the FFR must become law by the 30 September as a condition of the budget approval last month.
“Someone needs to remind Mr Bush that his signature is not on page three of the fiscal agreement but at the end of it and he needs to understand what that means,” Miller stated.
He pointed out that Bush's reluctance to sign the document was late in the day, given that the former FCO minister Henry Bellingham, the FCO director Colin Roberts and Cayman Governor Duncan Taylor had all stated that the agreement was binding from the point Bush signed the document last year.
“Once again, the premier has placed the entire Cayman Islands in an embarrassing situation with the UK. It has to be remembered too that this document, which the premier signed under duress, was as a result of his government's failure to meet any of the UK's previous requests to get the country's finances in order and the continued mismanagement of public funds by this government,” Miller added.
The premier’s claim that more time was needed for discussion with the private sector over the details of the FFR was, Miller said, ”ludicrous” and “disingenuous", considering the legislation that is consistently pushed through the parliament with little or no consultation.
"Everyone has known about the FFR for almost a year and very few people disagree with document, given that it is designed to improve the management of government funds,” he said. “Everyone in the LA supports it and few, if anyone, in the private sector have complained as it should lead to more prudent public spending, something the private sector has been clamouring for.”
The North Side MLA said that Bush's continued reluctance was related to his fears that the major private-public development projects with Dart and CHEC could be undermined by the FFR.
“Clearly Bush sees this agreement as a threat to the ForCayman Investment Alliance with the Dart Group and his plans to develop the cruise berthing in George Town with CHEC. Having read the agreement I cannot see how either proposal would comply with it,” Miller added.
The premier's revelations that he had told the new FCO minister that he would not be bringing the bill for the FFR to the LA until 5 November and may not pass the entire document has elicited no response from the governor. A spokesperson from his office indicated Thursday that Taylor would not be making any comment on the issue. CNS has also contacted the FCO about the premier's announcement and the UK's position regarding the conditions attached to the budget approval and is awaiting a response.
Related articles:
CIG has 4 years sort debt (November 2011) – documents attached
Mac may reject some of FFR (September 2012)
Category: Politics
Our Premier is so arrogant that he thinks he can sign a binding document and reneg on it whenever he wants. I have never seen a man that is responsible so unresponsible. We can do better then this. He has to stop traveling so much and resign.
Please, he is a christian man with christian standards, you need to put things in perspective and walk a mile in his crocs.
If McKeeva represents – as Premier – the best Caymanians have to offer, it was only a matter of time before their governments screwed it up…
Premier is the highest office in the land, your most respectable citizen
So before posting your next gripe on CNS, take a looong hard look in the mirror, Caymanians –
did you vote for the most qualified person?
or did you 'spite vote' somebody?
Or did you just do as you were told n 'Wote Strait" without bothering to do your own assessment of the candidates?
Or did you vote for him because you feel like you could get 'sumthin off him' for yourself?
Why did you not vote for the educated, professional candidates?
With a degree of higher studies at least; 7+ years private sector business experience
If educated people cannot solve the countrys problems, you cannot expect the uneducated and inexperienced to do so
Why do you elect the poorer quality candidates at each election??
the lowest common denominator !
Caymanians as a whole did not vote for him either as an MLA or as premier.
Keep sending a fool to do a mans job. Stay disappointed,
Mac's froreign travels are meeting destinations. He conducts all his deals outside Cayman , therefore the need for frequent travel.
When the Premier says he needs to consult with the private sector he wasn't referring to the usual sector, but his own private sector, the one which contains his special interests. And calls the shots for him. Perhaps that's why his whole tenure has been so confusing. People have assumed, as I guess they're entitled to, that the Premier was representing the entire island. He didn't see it that way. Where and how he could obtain votes for himself was most important. Secondly, how comfortable he could make himself whilst having the opportunity to see the world, Followed by the financial considerations of important people, the rest was preaching, bombast, and rhetoric. And a complete waste of time.
A great summary of what most see as the truth…..I believe some good people initially supported him but now all that is left of his followers are people who share the characteristic of greedy self interest with no concern for the fellow countrymen. When you go to the polls don't forget that every member of the UDP is equally complicit and allowed this man to devestate this country for his own enrichment.
Poster 10:10
I belive every human being is important.
I have to agree with Mr. Miller here, on all the points he said in the above article.
When is the Governor going to declare 'Fail' on the LOGB and appoint someone fiscally responsible for these islands?
I would like to re-post what I said last November after Mac signed the FFR.
So I am reminding the public to keep on hand a good supply of salt for when the UDP Govt says anything.
Two old time sayings sum up
Two old time sayings sum up my confidence in this Govt:
1. Take what they say with a grain of salt.
and
2. There is not enough salt in Turks Islands for the first one.