Mac defiant in mystery letter

| 03/11/2012

_DWJ6512-2.jpg(CNS): In a letter claimed to have been sent to the FCO on Tuesday regarding the FFR and other areas of concern for the UK, McKeeva Bush is defiant regarding his position and the British government’s attempts to rein him in. The letter, addressed to OT minister Mark Simmonds and released by Bush’s office, is dated 30 October but the governor’s office has confirmed that neither the governor nor the OT minister had ever seen the letter until it was released to the press on Friday. In it Bush tells the UK that Cayman can be led but not pushed and makes it very clear he will be doing things his way when it comes to the FFR and the cruise port, despite the UK warnings. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)

The ‘mystery’ letter, which never reached London, was released to the press with, as is customary, the exception of CNS on Friday evening. However, the Governor’s Office has confirmed that was the first time any UK official had seen the correspondence.

Alongside the letter was a short statement from Bush saying he had responded to the overseas territories minister’s letter of 1 October, which is a claim contradicted by Mark Simmonds in his 2 November letter. Mac's lack of response was cited as the reason why the British minister sent a warning to Bush to meet his commitments on the FFR and to stop the talks concerning the cruise berthing facilities in George Town with CHEC.

Bush said he wrote the letter “following discussions over the last several months, and leaks to certain reporters” as he pointed to Simmonds' 2 November letter released via the Governor’s office. “Attached is my response to the letter dated 1 October from Minister Mark Simmonds MP,” Bush claimed.

In it the Cayman Islands premier shows no sign of bowing to pressure from the UK to transpose the FFR into law exactly as he signed it or to even consider halting the talks with the Chinese firm, CHEC, regarding the port. He also holds no punches in his criticisms of the current governor.

“So far, the only ‘help’ coming from the present Governor – has been to keep our economy flat, people unemployed and unable to pay their mortgages and lose their homes – all of which has exacerbated the rise in the level of crime at gunpoint,” he said, adding fuel to the flames of an already poor relationship between the two men.  “If that is the FCO’s idea of good governance, it is not mine. Nor would it be the concept of the International Bodies, nor to build the confidence locally or in the international arena that you speak of.”

Bush was defiant over the port when he said stopping the project would cause “hundreds of people not to be employed”, which he said would stop economic growth and result in a loss of revenue for government. The premier made it clear he was going ahead with the cruise port development as was and outlined what he believed were the selling points of the proposal, adding that the auditor general could not be the final arbiter and stating that KPMG was more competent.

“It should be noted that over the past seven years there have been more than ten separate proposals on port development in Cayman. This provides the basis upon which KPMG is carrying out their value for money analysis. What has been done thus far and continues to demonstrate a rigorous ‘value for money exercise’ with clear processes and procedures. I have communicated to you, the Governor, and the public that it will be sent to the Central Tenders Committee for final review,” he wrote. “There is no Government guarantee for the project. CHEC pays off the existing Port Authority loan and there is only a 1.5% – 3.0% interest rate applied to the investment.”

Bush added that, although he had noted the UK concerns over contingent liability, “Cayman has not got this far through the micro-management of the FCO,” he told the UK minister.

Talking about FFR, in the letter supposedly written on the day Cabinet met to pass the altered version of the law, Bush he was an “honourable man, and I speak for an honourable government, that represents honourable people”, as he made it clear he intended to pass a law that would be different from the one he had signed and agreed.

“The Bill which transposes the FFR will meet the necessary requirements to which we are committed. The provisions will be based in sound practical application of the relevant principles. One document is an Agreement; the other will be a Law; the two documents cannot be identical,” he wrote. Bush stated that Cayman could not afford the collapse of its “entire structure of budgetary obligations under the weight of unwieldy processes” or to tie the hands of legislators.

Making it clear that he would be doing things his own way, Bush told the FCO minister that the government of the Cayman Islands may be led but was more difficult to push.

“I think you will find that we stand by our convictions, unless and until proven wrong, (even if that must be in a court of law which I will not hesitate to undertake); hence the frankness of all my dealings with yourself to date,” he said, adding that the interests of Caymanians came first.

Although this letter is dated 30 October, given the content of Simmonds letter on Friday, it is evident that the two letters either crossed, that Bush’s letter was lost on the internet superhighway or it was never sent on the day it was dated.

Regardless of when or if theletter was sent, the defiant tone would probably have solicited the same response from Simmonds as published Friday and leaves the Cayman and UK governments at what many are already suggesting is a very worrying impasse.

Vote in the CNS poll: Should McKeeva Bush resign now?

See related story: UK-lays-down-law-to Mac

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  1. Anonymous says:

    A picture is worth a thousand words…

     

    The photo of Mac that accompanies this story is priceless.

  2. Baldric says:

    An “honourable man, and I speak for an honourable government, …"

     

    Stop!! PLEASE stop before I need a team of surgeons to sew my sides together again!

  3. Anonymous says:

    I cannot believe the good people of Cayman elected someone to be their prime minister, minister of finance, etc.  who has no secondary education whatsoever.  He's a good politician = that's it.  He has no formal training in finance or how to hold office in good standing and communication.  It is an embarassment to see how he behaves, the "words" he uses in his vocabulary and his treatment of the governor.  I hope the Caymanian people can see past his "gifts" to the residents of West Bay and that he must be replaced before the UK takes away your local representation and local governance.

    • Anonymous says:

      The good people of Cayman did NOT elect McKeeva to be their prime minister, minister of finance etc. WBers elected him as an MLA and the UDP MLAs elected him as Premier and he appointed himself Minister of Finance.   

      • Anonymous says:

        Faulty Constitution – the rest of Cayman should not be held victim because West Bayers sent 4 grazers to parliament. Change it and let all Caymanians vote for Cabinet separate from District Representatives.

    • Anonymous says:

      Everyone is always kicking out on McKeeva's education, yes, he has no secondary education but neither did, at least, 2 United States of America Presidents.  However, it takes a man/woman of high moral standards, integrity, lots of common sense, a visionary, and a man/woman who knows when to listen and shut up and then put that same common sense into practice for the good of his country. McKeeva has nothing to his credit but a big mouth and a corrupt and greedy mind, therefore, his intellect is always in question, but give credit to the many great men/woman that were not able to get an education but significantly impacted the history of our very existence and that was from the time Jesus dwelt among mankind and personally selected the 12 diciples the majority of whom were illerate. 

       

  4. Anonymous says:

    Love the photo. It kind of sums it all up in a way that words could never do!

  5. Anonymous says:

    There seems to be a bit of a disconnect between the premier's difficulty in getting his mail delivered and the recent award lauding our postal service. Has anyone else picked up on this?

  6. Unpopular Truths.. says:

    Is it just me or did anyone else laugh when they saw the picture after seeing the headline?! LOL.

    • Anonymous says:

      07.06 here. No, anyone with a sense of humour (i.e. most people) would have picked up on it and laughed their heads off!

  7. Anonymous says:

    how much more evidence do we need  to show that caymanians are not competent to run their own affairs?????

    let this put a stop to all independence talk gibberish for at least another 50 years…

  8. Anonymous says:

    uk…please save us form local politicians……pretty please…..

  9. I need a leader says:

    Dear PPM,

    I know you are in the process of restructuring the party in preparation for next year's election.  I hope the outcome of that work will be beneficial.

    With regards to crediable opposition to current government policies– policies that seem to be leading us towards an imminent course of destruction, I need you to answer the following questions:

    1.Are you a party of action?  

    2.Are you resourced to organize and execute a demonstration that will rally concerned citizens and encourage them to publicly condemn the Premier's lack of good governance as outlined in MP Mark Simmonds' letter.

    3.Are you comprised of leaders who can end the FCO/Premier stand-off? (I fear our Premier has the smaller gun)

    I hope you have answered yes to the questions above.  I hope you will execute the kind of actions we need right now.  As the opposition government we need you to intercede on our behalf as you were elected (and paid) to do.  We need your bravery and we need you to take decisive steps to disarm the Premier before he gets Cayman killed.  And no, we cannot wait till 2013.

    Signed,

    A concerned citizen who needs a leader now

    • Anonymous says:

      Sadly,

      1. No

      2. No

      3. No

      We all live in hope. Please, can somebody save us from this man with a big mouth talking foolishness in phantom letters?

    • Anonymous says:

      I believe this is a game and not even a masterful game of Chess as clearly I don't see an advantage for the Premier or the Cayman Islands (with non compliance). Rather this is a game of "Chicken" played by the Premier.  I will bet my bottom dollar before the end of the day the Premier will rescient his position and acquiesce to the UK.  But like Custer our Premier must make his last stand, unlike Custer he will not share the same fate.  There will be no casualty of the Cayman Islands.  Please Mr. Premier, do not rage against the dying of the light, please go gently into that good light.  

  10. Truth says:

    This only shows the fact that talking intelligently to an idiot will only make the fool mad.  All he hears is no, no, no and to a spoiled little kids brain this means another tantrum is in order.  Time for the adults to take over and bring the Cayman household back to something sustainable before it is too late.  The "forever honorable premeir" fifth grade fool will not ever have the ability to do any better than he has already shown everyone.  It ether just goes down hill from here to Caymanian bankruptcy or someone with a real education and some experiance in a working government model starts to make things right.  If the UK will not step up and step in Cayman as we know it will soon turn into just another failed third world country with no hope of a better future.  If I were the UK I would wait a while more and let Bush dig a bigger hole for himself and the Caymanian people before taking on the chore of cleaning up this mess.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Mac is like the Kardashians…post an article about him and you get pure negative comments and just like the Kardashians, with good or bad publicity they never go away. I'm begininng to think Mac will only go away by his own choice. Keke do us a fava nuh? SMDH

  12. Say Wha? says:

    If anyone actually thinks that this letter was written by Bush himself is two sandwiches short of a picnic.  This letter is by NO means a masterpiece, but it is far and above anything that Keke could ever put together.  I doubt Keke could even spell half of the words contained in this letter.  Should you agree with me, say WHA. 

  13. Anonymous says:

    Let’s get it over and done with. Bring in direct rule from Whitehall for 3 years, sort out and root out the corruption, sort out the budget fiasco and hand it back to a new generation of politicians.

    • Anonymous says:

      Direct rule by a group of people that have been trying to get rid of our financial industry for decades….are you crazy ?? Or an English expat?? Silly idea.

      All we need is the good Caymanians to stand up and take Premier and all UDP out. At same time take PPM out with them. These folks have all been wasting the last 4 years and delivering nothing to us.

      • J says:

        I agree take out all these false promises and replace the entire LA with new and more sensible people who can run this island effectively. from my point of view seems like all we as young caymanians and caymanians in general  are getting in this life are lies, false promises, blame shifting and defiance of most nation focused ideals

  14. Anonymous says:

    One does wonder why Mac loves CHEC so much, maybe he can let us know how they won a contract the never tendered ofr?

    Hang on it's CHEC the company recently highlighted for bribing elected officials to get contracts.

    HIs Hands are clean. He must have a tonne of Purell!

    • Anonymous says:

      One does wonder  why David Cameron ( UK priminister) has all these Chinese companies investing billions, in the UK.

      Maybe Mr. cameron  can enlightenMakeeva, on how to do this without going through any tendering process.

      Maybe the UK can enlighten us on the rising tide of financial penalties among britian's banks has continue to swell.

      Which are being investigated on fraud and corruption charges, who are not prohibited from understaking world bank -financed contracts….like they did with CHEC parent company.

      RBS is under investigation by U.S and UK authorities over its interest rate rigging scandal.

      Barclays under investigation for Libor-fixing scandal.

      HSBC fined 1.5 biillion pounds for money laundering for the mexican cartel, Iran weapons and the assistance to transfer  money to Syria's atrosities.

      These are our honorable British people, and bankers.

      Maybe you should direct them to the Purell factory. 

  15. Anonymous says:

    surely the letter could not have been lost of or still in transit, after the deputy premier when galanting off with her entorourage to pick up the postal bronze medal?

  16. Anonymous says:

    The worst part of all this is that  Bush swears his actions are for the love of his Caymanian people.

    • Anonymous says:

      One of his many tools to keep the gullible voters in line

      especially the churchers — they love hearing scriptures, rhyming and shouting

       

  17. Anonymous says:

    Dear UK

    I am Caymanian, and Bush does not speak for me although he says he does.  I am tired of his dictatorial way and I am not in favour of colonial rule, but I am figuring it is the less of two evils, therefore please remove him and govern us directly until the corruption is cleaned up.

    Thank You

    One pissed of Caymanian

  18. Anonymous says:

    "Like the U.K., Cayman too wrestles…".  

  19. FCO Desk Clerk says:

    I would like to acknowledge that we are in receipt of correspondence from the dufus. As he has told you on many occasions, we the desk clerks run the FCO.

    It is our job to read all incoming correspondence and, once we understand what the correspondence is about, produce a summary and pass that along with the original correspondence to the Minister.

    We are still waiting to hear back from the code-breakers at Bletchley Park who have been hunkered down with the chief grader for the CXC English exams.

    This is unofficial, but they are hoping to crack the code (with assistance from Agent Foolio) before the end of the year.

  20. Proud to be a CNS Troll says:

    The UK need to be put in its place. You go Mac!  I would go straight to Parliament and put the FCO and bloggers here in their place. 😉

  21. Loopy Lou says:

    An "honourable" man keeps his promises, and does not renege on them after the deal is down.  An "eternally honourable man" keeps his promises for ever.  Mac is neither honourable nor eternally honourable.

    • Anonymous says:

      8:18

       

      Why would  you want Mac to be honourable and sign this stupid FFR. I believe you have enough common sense to understand that this agreement is to destroy the Cayman Islands.

      Scums  like you, are  wishing for the destruction of these Islands, because you can"t have your way, and because of that particular reason, you want it destroyed.

      • Anonymous says:

        Mac signed the FFR last year. He is now expected to pass it into law. He is attempting to put the provisions in the law so it doesn't correspond exactly with the FFR he signed. Got it?

        The FFR is intended to protect Britain's interests since it has contingent liabilities if we cannot pay our bills. However, it also protects us the people of Cayman from McKeeva's recklessness since we have to pick up the tab first.

        I am an 8th generation Caymanian and there is no one more patriotic than I. There is nothing patriotic about supporting McKeeva in this. In fact, taking into account his most recent actions, I regard him as the single greatest existential threat to the stability and well-being of these Islands. A true patriot would want him eliminated from the political scene never to return.    

  22. Anonymous says:

    Sometimes it is better to remain silent than to speak and remove all doubt.

    • Son of an English teacher says:

      Good comment but the actual quote is –

      Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
      Abraham Lincoln – 16th president of US (1809 – 1865)

      • Anonymous says:

        tsk tsl  Son of an English teacher, have you ever heard of paraphrase?

    • Anonymous says:

      The uneducated idiot does not know he's a fool, because he keeps being kissed up by the rich and famous in our land.

      Richard Branson is now his new best friend. These people are his enablers, and the more they pander to his ego the more dangerous he becomes. His adoring fans should stop and realise that their association with the man disgraces them as well.

       

      • SKEPTICAL says:

        Branson knows on which side his bread is buttered, but in normal circumstances I suspect he would cross the road rather than acknowledge bush in public.

      • Anonymous says:

        Do you believe Richard Branson his new best friend is going to abandon Necker Island to hang out with the premier at Camana Bay, I think not? Sir Richard Branson was asked as a matter of fact begged to come to Cayman before you go about  spouting rubbish that you know nothing about know the facts.  Many people (the "Rich") in Cayman who aided and abetted the Premier know what will happen to them if he should fail/fall.  They are very worried and will do anything to have him stay in power.  Sir Richard Branson is no more friend of the premeir that I am his bff.

         

         

         

         

         

         

         

  23. Anonymous says:

    This letter must be a fake. No-one would be so stupid and arrogant to write it.

    • Anonymous says:

      Even the letterhead screamsthird world dictatorship. Compare it to that of the real boss at the FCO.

      • Anonymous says:

        I quite sure the addition of the golden laurel branches to the coat of arms was approved by the "Flags and Heraldry Committee".

    • noname says:

      Only one person is as stupid and arrogant to do this.  And he was voted in to be the leader of the Caymanian people by the Caymanian people.  Now it cost everyone here moremoney for  even less service and respect is something only talked about as a joke.  Caymanian voters have shown everyone just how gullible and stupid they can be.  If they ever want to be treated with respect they have a lot of catching up to do.

      • Anonymous says:

        Bush was not voted in by the Caymanian people to be leader if the Caymanian people. He was voted in by the WB electorate to be an MLA and by his party to be Premier.

        The majority of Caymanians do not want him as Premier. It is ignorant to insult Caymanians as a whole over McKeeva.

    • G.T. Ninja says:

      McKeeva IS that stupid and that arrogant. After all the embarassing  bullsh¡t that we have witness this man do in his term as premier (and in the past) how can you possibly say this letter must be fake?

      It has arrogance written all over it and the signature is signed "stupid". Whoelse could it be but McKeeva?

      No education. No morals. No qualifications. No concern. No scruples.

      It's McKeeva alright. And his mutts in his party have their thumb prints all over it.

      Caymanians better grow some balls and develop some intelligence come next election.

      The next Caymanian I hear talk with an air of arrogant understanding of the US elections while they sit by and let this pathetic abomination of a politictian and a party stay in power, I'm gonna start slapping faces in public.

      This letter is no JOKE. This is NOT FAKE. This is real!

      The Caymanian mentality of Ol' Boy and Ma' Friend and Who Ya' Mama and How ya' daddy… needs to be erradicated from important decision making such as choosing who will run our country.

      I'm sick of this bozo, his clowns and his fanbase. I'm sick of all of you.

      We young Caymanians are going to do our best to vote these traitors of our community out.

      We tried with OMOV. We won. But we were robbed. But there is no hiding from us next election… and after.

      Don't unpack that suitcase Bush. You're gonna be going away for a long time after the next election.

    • Anonymous says:

      The question is, who would be so stark raving mad to fake it.

      • SKEPTICAL says:

        Richard Parchment – would you risk losing a cushy job like his by refusing to follow McKeewa’s instructions ?

  24. Anonymous says:

    no words to explain. he gone and done it now!!!! how bad was this rap fior the tci. we going lose a whole bunch of inwestment due tu he instability. i hopin all dem people lookin conch realise dey suppose only take ten,    an the lobsta next mont. beeta hope pleny a dem around. we goin back wompas

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Wrong on the investment. Corruption has been scaring much of it away.

  25. Anonymous says:

    And I quote CNS:   " it is evident that the two letters either crossed, that Bush’s letter was lost on the internet superhighway or it was never sent on the day it was dated."

    I can just imagine Mac chastizing Richard:   "Oh no, Richie boy, not again !  How many times I ga have to tell you, if I give you a letter to send off, make sure send it off the same day !   What's so hard bout dat?   You meking me look real inefficient now, man!   Cha! 

    • Anonymous says:

      We've seen this same conflicting timetable from the Premier before…remember cancellation of GLF supposedly based on discussions with the Port Authority board but send prior to the discussion?  How about those confusing covers for Real Estate consulting fees to Mr. Thomas? Guess it was easier to change time stamp on fax machine than on the "internets".

  26. Anonymous says:

    "I believe KPMG who is doing our ‘value for money’ test, to be much more competent in these matters, who’s responsibility it is to audit a project once it has been started."

     
    Shouldn't it be "…in these matters, whose responsibility it is…" and not "…who's responsibility it is…"?
    • Anonymous says:

      He can't speak, and you are expecting him to be able to spell?

      • Anonymous says:

        That’s cute, but pay more attention to semantics rather than grammar, that’s were you can deal the death blow. Criticizing spelling is just pecking…something that may even cause just distracting noise that will camouflage the true incompetent actions we are all trying to expose.

  27. Peter Zufrie says:

    You would have to be the most blind, deaf, dumb and stupid, brain-washed, Kool-Aid drinking KeKeite, to believe:

     

    a) that for Keke's almost 30 years in the House everyone in Cayman and the world has hounded him and he's an innocent victim for 30 years and everyone else has been wrong about this misunderstood man;

     

    b) that there wasn't a good reason why he was kicked-out of Executive Council in 2000;

     

    c) there isn't any good reason at all why he's subjected to three investigations by the Police;

     

    d)  a letter was sent to the FCO on 30 October but the FCO never got it and it could never be the case that the letter wasn't written and sent on 30 October;

     

    e) if it did exist, Richard Parchment forgot to send it;

     

    f)  that Richard Parchment placed an electronic signature of KeKe on the infamous Stan Thomas letter, without instruction from someone; and

     

    g)   that he's a Christian man who doesn't even think about casinos any more let alone play in them!

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      The only reason he and all the men of the same ilk get any with all thier shortcomings is because they all belong to the same club with the same blessings from the church…and the church will forgive anything to collect thier 10% and thier free remodeling projects.

  28. To: FCO says:

    zzzz zzzz

    will the British high and mighty government do something already!  Its been years now you have made complaints and did nothing!  Are you waiting to take us over like TCI. I hope not, because that would be immature when you could have done something within our government from long time! 

  29. Anonymous says:

    Perhaps Mac's trustworthy new Deputy Governor could talk some sense into his head. He claimed that he was glad to finally have a Deputy Governor he could trust when Donny departed so maybe he will listen to the Franz .. just sayin …

    • Anonymous says:

      Franz is giving out prizes and making gongs for the civil service. He has been a huge disappointment.

  30. hammock says:

    I simply don't get it. Whats in it for him? Why is he going down this road? When the History books are written in the future, this will be seen as the time when under your 'guidance' ( and I use the term rather loosely ) Cayman became a 'failed state' and another country had to come in and restore the rule of law and good governance. What a legacy to leave for the future generations of this beautiful island.

    • Anonymous says:

      He probably wants to get independence and be the founder of a new state ( although it will likely immediately fail and after his death be annexed by a neighbor). He is going to stir this up as a racial and colonialist issue and has created thousands of non BOTC Caymanians who have never sworn any allegiance to the crown to help him.

      • Anonymous says:

        I hope Independence is not what the Premier and his handlers want behind the backs of Native Caymanians.  No "caymanians"  grantees of status or BOTC is going to vote my country into indepencence, or will any person with birth of opportunity vote for any Native Caymanians.  This is the one time in the history of the Cayman Islands that we will go dig up our generational bones and take them to UK to show how native we are and that the majority of Native Caymanians do not want independence from the UK.  No status grantees is going to speak for me and mess up my country and then run off to their country of origin when my islands are destroyed not in this lifetime.  If it comes to THAT,  take your financial industry, houses, investments and everything that you came here with but leave my country "British".  I am not afraid to go back to well and cistern water, mosquitos, swamps, thatch rope and whompas but I am not willing to go Independence from the UK.  Let it be known we want NO INDEPENDENCE FROM THE UK.  I will take direct rule by the UK any day over Independence. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Follow the money!

    • Anonymous says:

      What's in it for him..?..do you really need to ask that..?

  31. Anonymous says:

    I don't know what Mac's next move is going to be, but I'm guessing it will probably involve overseas travel to a location without telephone service.

  32. Anonymous says:

    This is an astounding state of affairs and I am embarrassed that the electors of this country were stupid enough to elect someone of this caliber to represent us. I hope that Mr. Simmonds and the FCO deals with this situation as it should be done and puts him in his place for once and for all.

    • Anonymous says:

      Actually it was in large part the electors of other countries that helped the electors of a small republic to elect him. The position of Caymanian electors is more fairly reflected here.

    • Anonymous says:

      The electors didn't make Mac Premier, the UDP MLA's did!

      And…..only the UDP MLA's voting against him in a vote of no confidence with the opposition can remove him.

      They chose to leave him in place in TWO votes of no confidence brought by the PPM. 

      Remember that in May 2013!

  33. Anonymous says:

    so similar to the letter to Stan Thomas regarding second bill for getting zoning approval, there is again a date discrepancy…must by UK and Stan Thomas's fault

  34. NeoSurvivor says:

    I feel sorry for the Premier.   

     

    I wish he would do a complete turnaround and make every effort to operate in compliance with all the rigors of office of which he is bound.    I wish he would reverse his pattern and elect to effect positive change from within the borders of our tiny nation, and not attempt to garner unvetted agreements with entities outside of our nation thatare not compliant with the terms of the FFR, and our own internal policies and procedures. 

     

    I don't feel that sorry.    The candidate that can convince me that they will work hard to do that which is best for these three islands will win my vote.   Mr. Premier, I it's too late for you.    I am sorely disappointed in your performance.    

     

    You are not welcome at my fire, but if you are hungry, I will feed you, because that's what people who care about their country do.       

     

     

  35. Anonymous says:

    Bush is Cayman's Boris Yeltsin. Watch out for your Vladimir Putin.

  36. Anonymous says:

    This is so disgraceful. All of this international embarrassment just so McKeeva can keep doing development deals under the table and spend without account!

  37. SKEPTICAL says:

    How can a letter get “LOST “. Anything of this importance would surely be sent by courier, private or commercial, with a written acknowledgement of receipt obtained. We are now in the realms of the denial by a child that they have been stealing from the cookie jar, despite the obvious crumbs around the mouth – OR the excuse to a teacher that the family dog had eaten their homework. Does bush really imagine anyone believes that the letter was actually sent when he said it was. How easy to retrospectively “create” the letter once he has discovered the likely stance of the FCO. it is insult to the intelligence of the Governor, the FCO, but most importantly the people of the Cayman Islands.

  38. Polly Tricks says:

    This letter is clearly not intended for the FCO.  It is pandering to the West Bay electorate.  It is an embarrassment, if the man only had some concept of what shame means.

  39. Anonymous says:

    MadMac strikes again!

  40. Chris Johnson says:

    This letter has obviously been backdated and fools no one. In this day and age letters between Governments are sent as attachments to emails. Having said that there is no proof that Bush either has a computer or knows how to use one. Certainly Chancy the gardener to the US President, who reminds me of Bush to a certain extent due to their common horticultural background, was unaware of email facilities.
    On a more serious note the remarks of Bush on our Governor’s position are rude as well as being outrageous. It is totally unacceptable for the meglomaniac to make these disparaging remarks about our Governor. He is disrespectful of anyone in authority as well as those who stand in his way or challenge him. He has tunnel vision, cannot formulate a constructive argument, a necessity in politics and demonstrates that he is incapable of handing his position. In England we have a phrase ‘ thick as a brick’ which is appropriate in this situation. Any remake of One Flew over the Cookoos Nest must have him in a star role.

    • Polly Tricks says:

      It was clearly written without being reviewed by anyone with any education in the English language.

    • John Evans says:

      Great comment Chris

      Where I live now in a very rural area of England it's 'thick as s**t' but the logic is the same.

      Based on this letter, Mark Simmonds (who I hope to meet shortly) has proved a worthy successor to Henry Bellingham and seems intent on following his predecessor’s 'kick ass and take numbers' approach to the Cayman Islands.

      This is all being watched by the media in the UK with great interest and it's going to make some great stories as the saga unfolds.

      • SKEPTICAL says:

        John – keep us up to date on Simmonds agenda.

        • John Evans says:

          Will do.

          Based on the email I got this morning it's being worked on – I just hope that's not FCO-speak for 'soon come'.

          In any event don't be at all surprised to see me back on island for the election. I'm due a vacation in May 🙂

  41. Anonymous says:

    That letter was written in such a bizarre style that it could have been a rant on CNS – I loved the capitalisation of the mysterious “International Bodies”. Steve McField must fancy a chewbacca defence in the World Court!

    • Anonymous says:

      Those "International Bodies" are identified in Sheldon Brown's latest  thrillers.

  42. Anonymous says:

    KEKE YOU REALY LOOK BOBO IN THIS PICTURE!

  43. Anonymous says:

    It is clear that somebody has written this letter for Mr. Bush. It looks like an attorney's work. XXXX I worry whether Mr Bush is aware that when Cayman goes to hell in a hand basket because of the destruction of the Cayman/UK relationship at his hands that these types of characters will be on the first flight to their manors on the outskirts of London. They have made their fortunes, this probably explains the rush to display an arrogant, pompous and unhelpful tone on a not infrequent basis. The tradgedy is that the people that he proclaims to protect have no place to go and will suffer for his ignorance and unstatesman like behaviour.

    • Anonymous says:

      Right on….the life boats on the good ship Cayman are only for the first class passangers.

       

      Everyone else goes down with the ship if and when it founders.

  44. Anonymous says:

    This man has gone to far this time, he will be the ruin of this country. I call on the other UDP members to remove him before it is too late. The UK will not allow him to carry on as he is and if Cayman wishes to remain self-governed those in power need to remove him and get us back in complaince with the laws that govern this country before it is too late. We can not keep breaking the laws and think the UK will not take action. Far too many cases have been shown were we are not following the proper procedures in government. If the others in UDP are scared of him or agree with him, they need to follow what the UK wants. If they do not, they will find themselves unemployeed when the UK takes over or the voters vote them out once and for all.History will judge us all and history will not forget who turned a blind-eye. Be warned!

  45. Mack de Knife says:

    Show them your real power Mac called Mr Simmonds private cell number and beg him for a little time and not to push you down in front of your UDP supporters which should now number about 10 or so people left. You have simply given away, squandered, morgage and dispose of what little support you had left Mr Bush your foreign and Uncle Tom Caymanian advisors no longer need you nor your baggage. So just like an old bitterCayman lime here comes the Big Squeeze and out you go with some ridiculous title as Cayman and its future is past to the most ruthless Pimps to do as they feel like with this place and its people, all because you and your followers and the PPM loyal simpletons "Did it Your Way" and the problem with that is the Caymanian people have always been the ones to suffer the blows, which them and their children are going to be feeling for a very very long time.

    • Anonymous says:

      WTF does that mean?

      all because you and your followers and the PPM loyal simpletons "Did it Your Way" 

      • Anonymous says:

        All 15 of them…lets get rid of the lot!!….that’s WTF that means!!

  46. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Premier,

    Show us the proof.  I assume the letter was sent by email, show us the date and time it was sent.  If it was sent by courier show us the receipt.  If it was sent by airmail or surface mail then that could explain why they haven't received it as yet.

  47. Peanuts says:

    Note his TV station is to start on Monday in time to film his demise. How in in the name of God, can we undertake to start a usless piece of garbage such as as TV station, at this time when we are broke? Must be to put his press sec back in a TV job.

    • Y U T E says:

      The premier knows that he going down & he is hell bent on taking us all down with him, this is very worrying.

    • Anonymous says:

      This station will provide comedy footage for the car crash documentary into the last days of MacMissick Bush. It will our own little piece of North Korea. Ellio with his media experience and 80s haircut can present “illustrious deeds of our eternally honourable leader”.

    • FUUDP says:

      UDPTV; A propaganda plot perscribed by power hungry punks promulgating pain in the posterior of the people for the purposes of putrid pestulence and the pilfering of the pie.

  48. Knot S Smart says:

    CNS really has a sense of humor: " it is evident that the two letters either crossed, that Bush’s letter was lost on the internet superhighway"…

    I wonder if the same person that sent the second Stan Thomas letter clarifying what the payment was for, is the one who also sent this letter?

    • Anonymous says:

      I am very unhappy with this state of affairs. I see nothing good coming from this impasse. And we are just weakening perceptions of the Cayman Islands in overseas audiences — from which comes our bread and butter. We cannot afford to be so defiant and “independent.”

      There is a saying — when your head is in the lion’s mouth, tek time when you pull it out. Another is that honey catches more flies than vinegar.

      This is a huge departure from our traditions of restraint and thoughtfulness. If we have to abandon qualities that have stood us so well I’m the past, then at least let us try some effective strategizing. But then that would take skill, wouldn’t it, now?

      • Northern Alliance says:

        Wise advice however, I think this will come far too late. The wheel's are in motion already.

    • Anonymous says:

      …We should also ask who writes these letters for him…

  49. Anonymous says:

    the combination of arrogance and ignorance of mac is astounding……

    • Anonymous says:

      The letter seems a fake as no  in authority can confirm that it was sent to  the FCO, I am not sure what is going on here.  On the other hand I really hope that the Premier did not write and send that letter to the FCO.

      • Anonymous says:

        14;50

        You can bet your ass he did. you just dont want to admit that Cayman has someone like Mac, who has the balls, who can stand up to your all bullying British Government.

        You all can put Makeeva down as much as you want, but we Caymanians will stand by him to flush people like you down the sewer where you belong. We are not going to let you destroy what it took us decades to build.

    • Anonymous says:

      As Caymanians, we should all be so fearless in what we stand for.

      There comes a time when you have to stand and fight for what you beleive is right .. and for the Premier, the time is now.

      Kudos to him, at the end of the day  all must be well with his conscience, knowing that he did not bow to the  pressure of the British but stood for what he beleives is right.

      • Son of an English teacher says:

        Pity you can't spell worth spit. It's 'i' before 'e' except after 'c' = believes.

  50. Anonymous says:

    thank god i'm not caymanian….i would feel very embarrassed

  51. Anonymous says:

    Oh dear, he's gone and done it this time. The red coats are coming for him.

    • Anonymous says:

      The white coats should be coming for him…

      • Anonymous says:

        Lifted from Wikipedia –

        Delusional disorder is an uncommon psychiatric condition in which patients present with circumscribed symptoms of non-bizarre delusions, but with the absence of prominent hallucinations and no thought disorder, mood disorder, or significant flattening of affect.

        Sounds familiar?

         

         

  52. Anonymous says:

    I wonder which Caymanians are really stupid enough to think that the UK cares whether we sink or burn to the ground.

    WHY SHOULD they?  England had never been there for us, in the past present , and now wants to take over our future?  NO.!! Caymanians you are a bunch of Uncle Tom's still wanting to use and hear the words MASSA YES MASSA.

    Try and stand tall and get some sence, UK did nothing for us, and will never do nything for us.  I support the Premier in his decision, Stand up to them yes.

    • Anonymous says:

      Idiotic comment!

      The UK does care if you sink, thats what the FFR is all about. They are ensuring that the kind of governance you have had inflicted upon you does not continue.  It should not be necessary to force your Premier to agree to Financial Responsibility, it should be his first wish as well as theirs, regrettably, he has shown time and again that responsible financial management is not his way, the examples range all the way from First Cayman Bank, through contracts with the Cohens, and now the Chinese debacle, and thats just skimming the surface.

      All the FFR measure demands is that he follows rules relating to spending your money that are standard to all respectable and responsible governments. What you should be concerned about is not why the UK is demanding this, but what are the motives of this man in trying to avoid it!

      Imagine, the FFR requires among other things that he follows due process before awarding large contracts, now why would he want to avoid that? Why is he dealing with an organisation that is regarded as questionable at best? no, I dont know either, but we could bothhazard a guess!

    • JJTA says:

      Is Cayman between a rock and a hard place? Yes we are. The institutional corruption, profiteering, racketeering, manipulating,  widespread greed induced lunacy, clearly evident complete and utter lack of integrity, and wholesale pimping of the Cayman Islands and her people (the good, the bad, and the ugly) are what have created this and you, you asinine creature, stand with the likes of the very worst and most deleterious charlatan there is? William McKeeva Bush is, without ashadow of doubt, the most worst enemy that Cayman has to deal with and he is and clearly always has been unworthy of holding any position within the political arena. This ludicrous support of such a character who has such a wretched lack of character and prances about like a naked emperor, self entitled boss hogg, dictatorial and socially cannibalistic, demonic pot bellied pig is what has landed us all here. That the UK, for better or worse, has finally lost patience with this troglodyte is not surprising. What is surprising, and to the detriment of the Cayman Islands, is the dereliction of duty that has allowed the FCO to allow this to continue for so long. Good governance my back foot.

      You talk of Uncle Toms? Open your damn eyes and realize that many of the worst offenders islandwide are of mixed African descent. They utilize the divide and conquer tactics that their very own ancestors suffered from the implementation of and you stand with them? If it is this socialist dictatorship which you want then I assure you we are all in for seriously hard times ahead, if you have the mental capacity to figure that out. Has the TCI fiasco taught you nothing? I suggest that you are most probably one of the ones most guilty who wishes to escape justice by sending your entire country and people to hell for your own mortal survival. You ever listened to the words and the meaning of the words of Robert Nesta Marley? The exponentially negative consequence of colonialism from the standpoint of a conquering nation is world history and it is arrogant and ignorant individuals who play right into the hands of those, both domestic and foreign, enemies of any place and/or people and I accuse you, Sir/Madam of being one of said individuals.

      At the end of the day, our collective issues with our status as a BOT are not being dealt with properly, judiciously, wisely and/or righteously by whom you wish to say you stand with. This purposeful national lobotomy of which you are clearly a sufferer of cannot and will not be accepted by any authentic, honest and sane Caymanian and whether it be on the computer or the battlefield, I assure you that I will resist you and the likes of those you so idiotically stand with until my very last breath escapes my mortal shell.

      • Anonymous says:

        The is the best comment I have ever read on CNS. Thank you for posting it. Love the reference to the Morlocks.

        • JJTA says:

          Thank you and you are welcome. I had to research what a Morlock is to see the correlation and it certainly is there and somewhat disconcertingly so. Reality, however, remains far stranger than fiction.

    • Judean People's Front says:

      Right on Brother!

      Let it be said that we are all backing you apart from one, who has a bad back.

      They didn't give us anything apart from the political stability, law and order and the aquaduct.

      What else have the English done for us?

    • Anonymous says:

      You have a prfest right to yur opinion. But, you are dead wrong. Travel around the Caribbean and see what we will look like in 10 years without the UK.

    • Dred says:

      Looks like a few of us do. To be honest we do not believe Big Mac cares either because well…huuummm He's been GIVING US away to anyone who wants a piece and where not that he's been trying to destroy our base, don't believe me?

      Well let's see what teh record states shall we……

      1) We are known to be a tax free jurisdiction and he is the first leader of our country who has proposed DIRECT TAXATION which would have lead us down a very slippery slope to destruction of our economy FINANCIAL industry. So financial industry he attacked.

      2) Ooh he wanted an Oil Refinery for Cayman. Yeah that would have done a nunmber of our environment.

      3) He supported the Mega Quarry, yep another move to destroy our coast line and the next hurricane would have clean our clocks and pipes also.

      4) Wait there's more. For Dart Aliance – The others attacked us from the outside in and this one is from the inside out AND don't forget let's give away our Public Beach cause we don't need to protect this.

      5) Now he wants to GIVE AWAY CAL to an Airline company having issues with the US where 80% of our toiurist comes from. Where will this lead us? Well bye bye tourist comes to mind.

      6) Cruise Berthing….what can I say about this that has not been said. He only wants to deal with the worst FIRM ON EARTH. Everything they have touched smells of CORRUPTION.

      7) Now he wants to damage the fragile relationship with the UK by going on his word in agreements and prepping us for Independence. You do know this is where this TYRANT is taking us right? He wants INDEPENDENCE. This TYRANT needs to be stopped or PUT DOWN and NOW!!!

      You can go on blindly loving this man for destroying you and your country. He puts your people out of jobs and then makes them empty promises by telling them of FANTASY jobs which he NEVER DELIVERS ON.

      This is the WORST LEADER THE CAYMAN ISLANDS HAS EVER HAD AND SECOND PLACE IS NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!

      Although PPM is not a GREAT Choice he makes them look like our SAVIOURS with his line of BS that he daily spews.

      Let's go back at the PPM for a second. YES they made mistakes but if you are to believe UDP you would see that they claimed a 25M surplus SOOOOOO their mistakes are now BEHIND US. Why does he keep blowing that pipe, does he like to blow pipes ooh yes, for his WB rats to follow.

      All UDP followers are just stupid now. If you are following this BAFFOON there is nothing else I can say. You are deft, dumb, blind and stupid all wrapped into one.

       

      Dred out

    • Rorschach says:

      Foolio, they let you play on computa again???

    • Anonymous says:

      I certainly hope you're not suffering under the illusion that McKeeva cares whether we sink or burn to the ground.

    • Anonymous says:

      Sorry there was an omission on my previous post. It should have ended

      My eternal Honorableness and bigshotworldtravelerness Kee Kee

    • Anodarass says:

      We can take you on the 'Fishing trip' as well …. lots of space in my boat.

    • Anonymous says:

      you are obviously getting a piece of the action…guess what…it i not nearly as big as the Premier's….I am sorry that the UK needed to be involved but our current government is no better than that of T&C…through his rants, never ending travel, Big Mac and every member of his party has made the Caymans and it people look like a bunch of monkeys. Keep travelling Mac and Juju and keep embarrassing the people of Cayman

    • Anonymous says:

      grow up! everyone answers to someone.

  53. Dred says:

    UK. I want to tell you exactly what I would like to see you do….

    1) Call for an early election so we can set term back to November

    2) Press for MB charges to be laid

    3) Restart all MOUs in play – namely CHEC and For Dart Alliance…

    Let's Cayman back on track

    • Anonymous says:

      I'm in agreement with this comment 110%.

      Caymanian ready and willing to vote our nightmare OUT!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Well, now that we have a firm grasp of the obviouse, let us prepare for what is to come…direct rule.

      It is clear to see that this Premier would rather have the UK come back and take over, as oppose to any "opposition" forming the next Government.

      Why I wonder? What would make one push for such an outcome?

      Things that make you go hmmmmm.

    • sweet dreams says:

      Dream on Dred