Fears grow over CHEC costs
(CNS): Following comments made by China Harbour Engineering Company on Wednesday regarding the costs it incurred during the talks with the Cayman Islands Government over the cruise port, concerns grew Thursday that the public purse may be looking at another major payout. Although it is not clear what agreement the CIG actually entered into with CHEC, if, as the Beijing based firm has claimed, there is a framework agreement, opposition members believe that this could leave the local government vulnerable to legal action by the Chinese company. Given the precedent set by the GLF payout, the tax payer could be footing another painful legal bill.
Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin said Thursday that the statement from CHEC was “a not so subtle message to the government that CHEC is not going to go away quietly”, and it was obvious that the firm was seeking compensation or reconsideration by the UK for them to get the contract.
In a statement released on Wednesday afternoon, CHEC said it was disappointed over the turn of events regarding the government’s announcement that it would be putting the cruise port project out for competitive public tender. Zhongdong Tang, CHEC’s regional boss, said the history of its involvement and costs had not been fully considered.
“The negotiations between the Government of the Cayman Islands, acting through the Port Authority, and CHEC resulted in the execution of a Framework Agreement (FA) in March 2012,” Tang revealed. “CHEC has spent a vast sum of money to pursue site visits, design works, geotechnical evaluation, financing options and other preliminary matters associated with the port project. CHEC also incurred significant expenses developing a detailed design for marine and other upgrade works at Spotts Dock.”
Pointing to “proprietary and commercial data” produced by CHEC and shared with the negotiating team, Tang said the firm “strongly believes that it should not be subjected to the possibility of any other entity being able to use its data”, as it requested all efforts be made to protect and preserve its exclusive intellectual property rights.
Although the Chinese firm fell short of threatening legal action and implied instead that its preference was for talks to continue, it was quite clear that the firm was stating its claim.
Concerned that the company was spelling out the choice — reconsideration or compensation — McLaughlin said he did not know if government ever received the $3 million advance from CHEC with regard to the refurbishment of the Spotts Dock, but if it did that money would obviously have to be paid back.
Whatever other representations had been made about the contract or exactly what the company was expecting was also a mystery but McLaughlin said he was not sure how strong a claim would be. The firm, he noted, had to have been aware of what the UK was saying and the need for certain procurement practices to be followed under the Public Management and Finance Law.
Independent MLA Ezzard Miller also raised his concerns about the situation and queried what exactly government had already signed with CHEC. While there has never been a public announcement of a framework agreement being signed between the two parties, CHEC is now claiming that such an agreement exists.
“CHEC has made it clear that they either continue to negotiate over the port or they want money,” Miller stated.
In the Legislative Assembly on Thursday morning, East End MLA Arden McLean also accused the premier of putting Cayman at risk of having to make cash settlement with CHEC in the same way that it had with GLF Construction. Premier McKeeva Bush was heard off mike to say that if that was the case then the UK would have to pay.
However, Miller pointed out that Bush was completely incorrect about that and of course it would be the Cayman people that would end up footing the bill for yet another of the premier’s mistakes.
Miller noted that while Bush had misled the country earlier in the year when he said that the CIG would not have to pay the US$3 million to GLF, some time later Minister Rolston Anglin had to admit on national television that the GLF settlement had come out of public coffers.
During the debate on the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility, McLean raised several concerns about the CHEC fiasco and the potential payout because the premier insisted on continuing down the road as far as he did with the Chinese firm, despite warnings from the UK.
“Has government considered the provisions in those agreements? And if they have reviewed them, what are we going to have to pay these people?” he asked.
During the debate McLean also drilled down through the history of the port talks as a result of an FOI request he had made for the Port Authority Board meeting minutes. The East End MLA revealed that Cabinet, not the port board, had selected DECCO from the shortlist of four firms following the evaluation of the expressions of interest back in 2009.
He pointed out that CHEC had responded to the early invitation for expressions of interest but had been ruled out by government’s own sub-committee, which was made up of the four UDP back-benchers, Cline Glidden, Eugene Ebanks, Ellio Solomon and Dwayne Seymour, as well as then port chairman, Stefan Baraud, and board member at the time, Woody Foster. When the DECCO talks fell through, the port started talks with GLF, which was said to be the next company on the list that the sub-committee had recommend.
McLean demanded that the premier explain to the people how it was, given the situation Cayman now faced, that CHEC, which had been rejected by the premier’s own backbenchers and had met only one of the five criteria listed during the evaluation process of qualified bidders, had jumped from the bottom of the listto the top.
The House was adjourned following McLean’s contribution and the FFR debate continues in the LA on Friday morning and will be broadcast on the government’s new TV channel.
Related article on CNS:
Category: Politics
Still… if PPM or Opposition had fear so much the repercussions of drawing out from this deal, why did they opposed it so much and wish for the UK to step in to stop it from happening??? Now it is over 7 years and we don't have any reliable port to develop the country or safeguard if there comes another recession! We waited too long and by Opposition with the UK opposing development, how can they now complain about the cost of breaking the CHEC – UDP deal?
IT SOUNDS LIKE THIS IS ALL ABOUT REALLY POLITICAL SCORING OF POINTS!
OK let's see:
Cohen $500,000.00
GLF $2,000,000.00
My Church $2,000,000.00
Ryan $6,000,000.00
Tom Jones International $10,000.000.00?
For Cayman $40,000,000.00
CHEC $20,000,000.00?
Unnecessary and unfruitful travel over the past three years $10,000,000.00?
All those people that have been wrongly removed from their jobs so one single man can have his way destroying our country $10,000.000.00?
Lawsuits we don't know about yet $10,000,000.00?
Are we having fun yet Cayman? Are we wondering why we don't have a (real) surplus or a (real) budget or audited financials, or any financials at all Cayman? Are we wondering why crime and our monthly utility and food and fuel bills and everything else on earth in cayman is so high , Cayman? Are we wondering why we have record unemployment and unrest in our country and why our economy continues to plunge into the abyss, Cayman? Are we wondering why we are about to be placed under direct rule, Cayman Are we the laughing stock of the entire world yet Cayman? Is it REALLY possible that one man can single handedly cause so much damage to an entire country while being under triple police investigations, Cayman? Are our beloved mac puppets ever going to wake up Cayman? Why on earth can we not remove this man from our lives and our affairs forever, Cayman?
In May the next government needs to look at legal options to recoup some of the money from the individuals of the past administration for gross mismanagement!
The fact is McKeeva Bush is the elected premier of the Cayman Islands – elected by Caymanians that voted. If those same Caymanians are disgusted with how he is carrying on and want him removed then please can they do something about it! I don't know enough about local politics to understand how they would remove him, perhaps by going to your local representative and demand that he be ousted or else no more votes for that representative…..is that the way?! Otherwise if everyone is happy with how things are well so be it….
I did not vote last election but in truth would have voted for Big Mac after the indecisive administration of the PPM…I had no idea what the UDP were capable of but there was a sign when two of the party members didn't properly declare their conflicts but were still allowed to run and win.
Mac was not voted in as premier by the Caymanians who voted. The UDP MLA's voted to make him premier and CONTINUE to keep him as premier, despite the fact that the Opposition has brought TWO votes of "no confidence" to the LA. They and only they can remove him by voting with the Opposition.
al tee going to be way overstocked with fridges and washin machines this chrismas
Surely any lost costs could not be more than, say, an apartment at the Ritz?
What will the "FORCAYMAN ALLIANCE" co$t U$ ($$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$?).
I believe that this was the plan all along. You have to remember who you are dealing with here. Maybe just a means of removing money from the goverment with another out of court payout. WHO WILL GET THE MONEY?
All I can say is, you couldn't make this stuff up if you tried. Not in the wildest fiction novel, would anyone imagine that what is currently playing out in Cayman, would ever happen in real life. If you think the movie "The Firm" gave Cayman a black eye, wait till this story draws to a conclusion. Unreal. Surreal. If it were not so tragic, I would find it entertaining.
So true – everytime I hear of McKeeva Bush I think of The Firm!
keke is costing us to many $$$$, always losing money by having him in house. GOTTA GO BOBO!!
WP BRACA
Mac should be, and let me use his own words, "tarred and feathered" for this mess !
$$$$$$$$$$$$$ ++++?????????????
The Great Calipsonian "SPARROW" sang a song some years ago about life and politics! And in that song there were lyrics that went something like this.
YOU CAN PUT A HOG IN A PALAGE, BUT IT STILL REMAINS A PIG!
So before we go to the polls IN 2013, just remember all the trauma we have endured in the last four years! Therefore we "MUST" make damn sure we don't vote for any pigs.
Because a "PIG IN A PALACE" is the same as "OLD SCRAGGLY BUSH" in a Glass house!
So keep your eyes and ears open and you're bound to find out if any "PIGS" have tossed their hats in the ring, and when you do lead them all directly to "MOUNT TRASHMORE" because after all they must feel " MORE AT HOME" where there's "GRIME & SLIME and everything that rhymes with "CRIME".
WHO KNOWS? One day we may even hear of some in North Ward doing "TIME".
Are you calling the PM a pig? I hope you are just drawing an anology. Because if the answer to the question is in the affirmative , I do not think CNS should allow such insolence on this public media. You must be able to argue with your greatest enemy and be diplomatic about it.You don't have to demean him as a human being. You can see diplomacy in debates e.g. Lawyers in a court argue vigarously against each other points of view without insulting each other's dignity. He might not be the greatest PM, but he deserve respect for the very office he occupy.
What weighs four hundred pounds and blissfully wallows in his own shit?
It is obviously an anology. Anyone with an unbiased mind reading the comment can see that.
Goodness, "allow such insolence"? My dear, should CNS or any other media outlet not allow "insolence" I'd be seriously worried. Short of libel (as proven in a court of law), in a democracy one is free to label anyone ,anything, anytime. As for the "PM", well, respect is a two-way street. You give it, you get it.
Pig, pig, pig. They get paid by the public they should have to listen to what they public says or quit.(like they would).
Maybe a certain person will have to use their 'payment' (payoff) to pay CHEC back, that would only be fair.
If Mac acted without authority then surely he personally is liable & can be sued by CHEC &/or CI Govt.?
CHEC should pay!
In fortune cookies!
Getting used to that burning sensation now……
That’s called syphilis… And they have pills for it now !
Just of the money saved if THE PREMIER didn't cancel the GLF contract for no reason to hire a company who did not even tender for the contract.
the "Honorable" Mr Bush should be held personally responsible for all damages for GLF adn CHEC.
If not for him, the dock would have already have been built. Maybe he can pay up with an of the acceptance fee from CHEC
Enough is enough. When are the sensible people of Cayman going to take the neccesary steps to stop this man. In my humble opinion , he and he only should be responsible to repay this one.
Early elections , new premeir, but for God's sake not Alden.
Well said! I could not agree with you more "Anonymously!!!! Sat, 11/10/2012 – 20:22"!!
Why not? Alden has a brain. And an education.
Again I ask: How can the people have elected a person such as Bush who has no formal education. I've heard that he didn't even finish high school! This is what happens when you have an uneducated person in-charge. Plus he's not only the premier but the Minister of Finance and Tourism. It is clear that the only finance that he cares about is his own. Doesn't the LA have the ability to impeach someone. Can't someone in the LA ask the UK to impeach him and the others that have been put in power by him. I feel very sorry for the Caymanian people. At least in the US, there are about 15 degrees of seperation between the corruption and the corruptor–it's pretty clear in this and all of the other circumstances where the corruption is.
Bush should be sued for misfeasance in public office to pay for any financial implications.
Who get to keep the 3 million?
The Chinese, CHEC, seem to be saying that they paid out money to have designs and other stuff done, while in talks with the Premier.
What guarantees or indemnities did the Premier give to CHEC during these negotiations? If he really did say off-air that the UK will have to pay, then that may confirm that CHEC will be owed money from CIG.
We need to see this Framework Agreement too. Will the good, concerned citizen please deliver to Mr. Ezzard again?
Yeah, the one who apparently delivered / mailed the Dart Secret Deal to Ezzy who sent it to the press and had the RCIPS all up his A$$ for it. Will that good concerned citizen please stand up? Please stand up? Please stand up and do it again?
Chief negotiatior Ellio says the words "agreement" and "understanding" look very much alike in Chinese, and he though he was negotiating a MOU.
He neva hear a Rosetta Stone or wha???
Why is everyone blaming the Premier or the Government?????????????
It is painstakingly obvious that the United Kingdom should be the ones to PAY for this, as we now have no Port deal because of THEM!!! They threatened direct rule and now we had to back out of a deal. There is no one else to blame but the UK, let them pay for it! And as I can see, it is the Oppostition and Independents that pushed the UK to force the Premier to back off of the Port deal and push through the FFR!
Let Alden, Ezzard, Arden and the UK pay the Chinese for the broken agreement!
What would be better?
1. Go into a deal with a company based upon 1 mans biased (and possibly bribed) decision. This could cost the country millions for many years.
2. go into a deal with a company who was tendered and came out best in the slack guidlines that exist. break deal and pay them 3 million.
3. Delay 1 due to point 1 obvious flaws. Tender the job again and follow international best practice guidelines for a best value for money deal. possibly saving the public millions upon million of dollars. leave option to sue man 1 for breach of responsobility of office & possible criminal charges.
Remeber what Gov'd decide $$'s will always be leaving your wallet to pay for it.
Somebody's been at the Kool-aid again. Foolio……is that you princess?
Why didn't you just come out and start your post by saying, "What I see happenin…" everybody know this is you…
Kool Aid drinker.
The Premier is the one who entered into this transaction in breach of the Agreement with GLF which has already cost taxpayers $4m and in breach of the FFR which he, not the Opposition, signed with the UK. No one pushed the UK to do anything except the Premier. He is the one who failed to put this out to public tender since that it how it was won by GLF in the first place but instead preferred non-transparent dealings. He should be held personally liable.
Ah no, rather the lone cowboy who thinks he can do everything he pleases and he rules the wild wild west and answers to no one, should pay it and him alone ! Be glad it was stopped before it was too late, as you would be paying much more over the long run if it had not been stopped at all ! It is better to remain quiet and be thought a fool, rather than open your mouth and remove all doubt !
Either this is Foolio disguising himself again, or this is someone who was on the gravy train which suddenly dried up for you. Boo Hoo, I feel so sorry for you – NOT !
WOW! Really? Its the UKs fault your all soooooo Caymankind?
Are you really that naive? ask yourself why Bush would cancel an existing contact to build the dock , incurring an expense of millions to choose a company who didnot even tender for the contract. A company that as been accused of bribing officials for contracts.
So yet again, he will point the finger at the UK and anyone else, when the only person to blame for ignoring the proper process and getting this far down the line in negotiations with CHEC is Mr Bush himself. And yet again, as a result of his repeated failure to follow proper processes, the public get to foot the bill for his foolishness just like with the Cohen deal and GLF.
Tax payers should not have to pay for government mistakes.
Mistakes are accidental. This was deliberate. The money should come direct from Mac's pocket. The public have had enough of paying for Mac's incompetence.
Sorry you all. Mac gambled everything he was given, as a finders fee, out.
The people of Cayman elected that man, then why should their taxes not pay for their mistake?
Actually, if he DELIBERATELY REFUSED TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE U.K.'s wishes and went on to commit malfeasance while in office, he can be impeached / charged and forced to pay the costs. There is a difference between a genuine error of judgment, and an outright deliberate act of rebellion against the U.K.'s wishes. The man signed an agreement in Nov. 2011 with the U.K. to implement the FFR law into place, then proceeded against the U.K.'s instructions and undertook further negotiations with CHEC and signed an FA with them in March 2012, which by the way, the public has yet to be informed of. So this was no mere accidental error, and I think if the U.K. AND CIG were both to take it to court, the judge may very well rule that the man's assets should be seized to pay these lawsuits. But hey, what do I know, I can only proffer an opinion.
Taxpayers have and always will pay for the mistakes (and some not mistakes!) by governments. Even today, a Member of Parliament in the UK is in the news for spending 180 pounds on coffee……who paid for it? Yes, the taxpayer. Will there ever be a day when we see these people who are voted in by the public start respecting the public and realise that when in government, it is not THEIR money to spend as they wish and on themselves!!!!
Tax Payers put these morons in charge so they have to pay for their mistakes because it is the tax payers mistake that they are in control.
We voted them into power to REPRESENT US…..We gave them our proxy to run the country how they SEE FIT….This is our mistake as much as it is Mr Bush (or at least those of us that were dumb enouhg to vote for him in the first place
The quality of representation is reflective of the intellect of voters.
Hey, that's not fair. Americans also elected George W. Bush.
And your point is?
Following your logic thatwould be damning for the intellect of Americans.
If I lie to you about a product Im selling to you, its fraud and its my fault. If a politician lies during elections, its the voters fault for electing him?
Actually, a minority of tax payers elected the government!
The UDP MLA's made Mac premier and allow him to do whatever he wants. We didn't make him premier. ONLY the UDP MLA's by voting with the Opposition in any of the votes of "no confidence" brought by the Opposition can remove him and they chose not to. They are as guilty as Mac and should be punished accordingly. I have NEVER voted for ANY UDP candidate and never will and I object to being painted with those who did support them and continue to support them.
Do remember that not every tax payer in Cayman gets the luxury of voting, or having any say at all in how their taxes are spent. Voting rights have nothing to do with paying tax in this jurisdiction.
…or indeed in most jurisdictions.
Speak for yourselves. I didn't vote for him or any of his puppets. Unfortunately, we have a bunch a people that can be easily bought with appliances. Some are so dumb that they can even be bought for a plate of food. And it's not like they are starving; they are just too greedy.
Regrettably, taxpayers do have to pay, and equally regrettably, they are paying not for their mistakes, but for the voters mistakes in letting these lunatics run their country and fill their pockets. The saddest thing is that in Cayman the taxpayers are not, for the most part, the voters, and whenever you get this imbalance, you also get bad government. The Cayman Islands are one example, two centuries or so ago another imbalance caused a revolution, no taxation without representation was the battlecry!. Dont worry, this is not an incitement to revolution because in this case there is another option. If the voters go on making the same idiotic response, the taxpayers will move on!
So, voters, remember, a fridge is for a couple of years, but a bad government might last longer!
Since most of the "Tax" is payed by non voting expats I would have to agree. The idiots that voted these idiots in should have to pay their fair share. Fire everyone in CIvil service and start over.
In the event that CHEC sues the government who will be held liable? I hope not the people of the Cayman Islands but rather all those who signed off on the deal and the government members that were part of the negotations. The members who went to China as part of the team and deal should be held responsible for this fiasco. This deal should be enough for the UK to remove everyone involved and replace them with members of the LA that are not tainted by the CHEC deal.
If the Premier can go behind everybody's back and sign these agreements on his own, thus putting the islands in the position of having to pay these fees, then what is to prevent the country from suing him (with him paying cost ) for his reckless irresponsible actions?
He has created so much unconventional problems in these islands why don't we the people be a little unconventional and take him to court?. Can I get a response from some legal mind out there (except sacred vessel)?
We should be able to bring a class action lawsuit against him if he was in breach of procedures and regulations in relation to procurement. I see no reason why he cannot be held liable for his actions. This is my opinion but I am not a lawyer…
What a mess. Hopefully if this comes down to a settlement, that CHEC will have to provide documentation showing reasonable costs on all disbursements claimed, and that if suspicious circumstances are identified that the RCIPS will investigate.
if??? We all know there are SUSPICIOUS circumstances but in thesame token our janitors don't investigate UDP but they do like harassing independents. That rug they like to sweep everything under is our next Mount Trashmore (or Bush)
Mac will ruin all of us, he needs to be removed NOW.
We had no say in the matter, there was no transparency, so in fact "We" owe nothing. Let Bush and his lackies pay for it! I'm done paying for their "mistakes".
-Pissed Off Caymanian…soon to be Canadian!
Once again, the "Honourable" Premier's business acumen is about the play a major role in the financial stability of the Cayman Islands. The litany of errors in his good business judgment is second only to his trips abroad. One can only wonder what kind of financial penalties are contained in his MOU with PAL should the U.S. aviation authorities not fall for his "back door" attempt to get that airline into the U.S. by using CAL as a "front."
Thats what happens when fools are given the task of spending public money. They do it foolishly every time. Maybe next time don't choose an idiot. Hopefully the UK stays in charge of finances at least until they can show all the many incompetent and non performing civil servents how to do acceptable record keeping.
If the LA didnt approve this agreement, in this case they didnt seem to even know about it, then it is difficult to see how the Premier could commit the Islands to it. Further, it is difficult to see how CHEC could reasonably believe that the Premier could personally commit the Islands to it without reference to the LA!
No doubt he didnt see it that way because he has for some time treated the LA with contempt, and the Islands purse as his own. Maybe now even West Bay voters will see the need for Fiscal responsibility, the need for due process, if only to protect the public purse from their first elected member! I hope they see it now, because he certainly wont!
Great, another fine mess Bush has gotten the country into.
CHEC can now put in a bid at a competitive rate, and win the contract on the open market. If they're good enough, they'll win, and everyone will be happy, except for those who allegedly stood to gain by conducting matters of public interest in secret. All these shenanigans have cost the GT merchants years of delay and huge losses. Caymanians by now should be sick and tired by of cleaning up the huge bills left in the wake of Bush's mismanagement: 3 mil to GLF, 6 mil unclaimed from The Ritz , 1 mil in that loan fiasco, in addition to the endless drain of the Turtle Farm. That gurgling sound isn't the seawater pumps operating, it's the sound of $200,000 flowing down the drains each week, a sum of 10 million dollars a year. And to pay for the results of this serial corrupt ineptitude, they have the arrogant and mean-spirited nastiness to impose a 2% tax on the money that Fillipinos send home to support their families. I don't know what the UDP say in their prayers when they go to church on Sunday, but the God I know would want to toss them out of their government-subsidised temples as Jesus did with the money changers.Corruption stinks like rotten fish and the smell has crossed the Atlantic and got up the noses at the Foreign Office. The UDP is so used to the smell, they've ceased to notice.
Agree with everything you said, exept to note that CHEC wants to build a micro-city adjacent to the cruise pier, under their control, to finish destroying native Georgetown businesses. They also want a 50-year obligation of fees, regardless of whether the pier produces additional visitors.
When this project is retendered, it should be on the basis of no more than two finger piers, and no micro-city. We would be fools to obligate our children's future under this scheme. If it means that we cannot afford to build it otherwise, then that is better than giving control to a foreign investor.
I would like to expand my business. If I cannot afford it — meaning, make the loan payments on my own, based upon my profits — then I can't expand, simple as that. I don't know why CIG doesn't understand or embrace such principles, but I can guess.
"Coz if they embraced such principles, it would mean there would be nothing in it for them personally? That is just my guess.
"…CHEC…had jumped from the bottom of the list to the top."
It would be tragic or laughable (I don't know whether to cry or laugh) if the Cayman Islands Government had to pay CHEC its costs to date (plus legal fees if they have to sue) if the costs included a 10 to 15 per cent kick back to the premier.
If the premier's hands are clean and his heart is pure, let him open all of the books and emails and prove it.
Haha, him not dat dumb, to document it all in "books and emails". What you tink all dem trips to China was for? As the Great Helium said, the U.K. has enough spies in Cayman. So I tek dat to mean that dem politicians nuh fool fool (even though they do look fool fool in person with weird haircuts, lately-come goatees and all). Secret negotiations in person was probably more like it, like the secret FA him done signed back in March 2012.
CHEC would have been aware that CIG had signed the FFR agreement with the UK in Nov. 2011and that this FFR would undoubtedly affect their ability to secure a contract based on the "process" they were following with the Premier. They cannot plead ignorance that they didn't know the U.K. wanted the project brought back in line with international bidding standards and that the U.K. would not allow the project to continue in the fashion that the Premier was handling it, as the U.K.'s wishes / requests were publicized in the news from Nov. 2011. So if CHEC foolishly went ahead solely on the Premier's word or any signed agreement with him, and continued to spend money on this proposed project, they have only themselves to blame for taking such a huge risk while fully well knowing that neither the Premier or his Cabinet had any mandate from the U.K. to be signing any such agreement on behalf of the Cayman Islands. If one is fully aware that the "process" being followed was not in line with proper bidding standards as stated by the U.K., and one continued along regardless, then how can one try to claim the costs they incurred? Even if such a claim has to be paid, then the Premier's pocket should be forced to pay it himself, not the taxpayers of this country.
CHEC will not only wish to claim back project development costs, the recovery of finding paid for the redevelopment of Spott's and the down payment of agency fees and corruption money paid out for distribution will also need to be recovered. The Chinese will not take kindly to being double crossed by politicians and the big man will now meet his match. He has no clue who he is dealing with in the grand scheme of international busness.
Yep. The chinese mafia is said to be the most feared one on earth, I hear. Not saying that this company is anyway associated with them, mind you. Am just repeating what I heard in a movie about businesses in Chinatown.
The best thing that could happen now would be for this government to resign. It has proven to be the most incompetent these island have ever seen. I was walking on the road the other day and saw a dog sitting on the edge of the road. I asked him if he was UDP and he snarled at me. I thought to myself, "Wow! Not even the dumb creatures want to be associated with the UDP!"
At this point I don't even want them to resign. I want them dragged from the LA kicking and screaming, hog tied and beaten with Ozzie cowcod. But hey that's just me speaking.
It’s a small price to pay for our great leader!
Actually it's a great price to pay for our small leader.
Let Mac and folio pay for it
Our first Premier is our worse. He and his party are finished in politics.
Many of us wish that such was the case. Unfortunately, when he starts making campaign promises and blaming the world for his failures in 2013 there will be hundreds of voters in line drinking the kool-aid. There are many fools that that will put him back in office!
Status Cabinet Grants of 2003 x 5 now what do you see, UDP over the top. That is party legacy they will never be voted out of office wait and see. That was a signed, seal and delivered deal the UDP will never be defeated in any elections in these islands again.
You know the sad part is that he is our worst and best right now but even if we picked a bumm off the beach we couldn't do worse than we have. He even inspires me to run and trust me that says a lot more about him than it does me.
No joke, right?? Even Kirky make more sense sometime than this bunch..
Then the PPM come to power, piss us off, then the UDP get voted in again. Wake up, we've been through this already.
I say we give the Chinese two passports, McKeeva dressed in his Chairman Mao pyjamas, and chief negotiator Foolio and call it even. If they demand more, then throw in Capt. Whogene and John John's fish tea recipe to sweeten the pot.
And while at it, if they still want more, throw in JuJu and her bodyguard and maybe the two of them can go improve the postal system over in China so that we can send them postcards from time to time and they get it quick and know that we still fondly think of them and how glad we are they are not with us.
Mac is a visionary! Adding that clause to the FFR would have saved the country a bundle! You don't think he was expecting the CHEC deal to fail? Nah…
You are being sarcastic right? Visionary….like Cohen and Cohen kind of visionary? like Refinery kind of visionary? like Mega Quarry kind of visionary?
If he is a visionary I taught Nostradamus all he knows.
What he is would never make it cross CNS filters. I want him to either retire or BE RETIRED. Personally if I were a politician I would revoke his honorable title for what he has done the Cayman Islands during his time in politics name the bank fiasco, the status grants and then this term where there are simply too many items to mention.
Maybe we should build a wall of shame near the dump and put him as the first inductee.
You forgot :
First Cayman Bank
Initiation of the Ritz-Carlton
“ForCayman” Alliance (aka NotFor Cayman)
Expat Tax
Civil Service Pay Cut (reinstated, and lovingly cut again)
Hell, I’m sure I forgot plenty more!
Since he was directly involved with the CHEC deal that is hardly being a visionary. Obviously the purpose of the clause was to cover claims by CHEC whose deal could not proceed under the FFR. The UK knew that as well. He should be made to pay personally.
Having absorbed this and many blogs on the subject I find the subject interesting indeed. Now let us assume that CHEC take legal action. In the discovery process an awful lot of documents will be made scalable in court. The big question is. Can either side afford the discovery process? I suspect not. I do not believe there will be a lawsuit from the Chinese but you may just wonder why. Just food for thought.
Next time i see you in the pub (if you still frequent any) I am buying you a glass of wine.
You are very welcome and then I will give you my full opinion.
We get where you're going Chris Johnson but the end result will be 'reached a settlement out of court", trust me that's how the payout will be made.
A law suit would most likely not get to court until the new Government is in place. So maybe things would come out. The new Government might not be as quick to settle.
If Mac makes a quick settlement, before that, it would speak volumes would it not?
But Chris willthe Chinese call his bluff. I mean how much do they fear the exposure Vs McKeeva?
My belief is they may call his bluff especially with the investigations he is under and force him to pay them off much the way he did GLF.
I believe in the end he is more fearful of the discovery than they are. What can we do to them? What can we do to McKeeva? The table is not exactly the same level.
I hear you, BUT…CHEC's parent company has already been sanctioned by the World Bank who will not do any business with their group nor lend any money to any entity or country involved with them, and their "ban" status will get even worse on the international scene. Their parent company cannot afford any more bad publicity or black marks against their reputation, like what they experienced over the Bangladesh's prime minister's son who was convicted as having accepted a bribe. Plus, the Chinese Government is actively going after thousands of their own politicians and civil servants and people for acts of fraud, and although this company apparently has ties with the Chinese Government, do you think that if there is very bad publicity in the international news, that the Chinese Government won't be forced to do something about this group? Trust me, they also don't want too much controversy surrounding them in the international press. My feeling is, if CIG (forced by Mac), pays a settlement out of court to make CHEC quietly go away, then CIG in turn, should partner with the U.K. and take Mac to court on charges of malfeasance while in a public office, seize his global assets, and use those assets to reimburse CIG's coffers, i.e. the taxpayers money.
Chris I am leaving this one up to you guys.I am so fed up with all the BS that is being passed around and everywhere one turns more BS is discovered.If all of this had been done "by the book"all would have been well(but preferably not withCHEC)Not sure why his knibbs does things the way he does but lets hope we dont have to pay out yet another chuck of peoples money to settle this one way or another. Time will tell as the saying goes.What goes around comes around.