Letter to the Governor
Please accept this letter as an apology on the behalf of the vast majority of Caymanians I have spoken with and heard comment from (The Silent Majority) that we have been deeply embarrassed by the behaviour of McKeeva Bush as a Caymanian and even more so as a premier, supposedly representing us.
We believe that, although you may have known all along, you can now see that McKeeva did not represent the majority of Caymanians in what he said or did. He was able to continue to wield power largely because of his manipulation of the issue of ‘One Man One Vote’ over the years, which allowed him to operate with a minority of support from voting Caymanians.
Over his period of power, McKeeva has made many decisions that we have been very much against but have been unable to prevent. In this most recent term, he has cost the country millions of dollars as a direct result of his decisions and actions. I am sure we do not have a full understanding of all he has cost us, but cancelling the port project started by the PPM and the costs associated with that, the whole Cohen fiasco, the cancelling of the GLF port deal and the associated penalties are some of the issues which have cost us unnecessarily. We are sure we will continue to see issues come to light that will end up costing us even more.
We are very concerned about what he may have tried to commit these Islands to that we may not be aware of as yet. We have no way of knowing what these may be but a recent example would be the attempted deal with the Philippine Airlines.
Of major and urgent concern to us is the ongoing Dart deal in which he was instrumental. While none of us would try to stop Dart from investing in Cayman, we believe (especially where concessions are being sought from our government) it has to be done in a manner which is beneficial to both the Caymanian people and the Dart Group. From the little information we have, it seems obvious that McKeeva did not get a fair deal for the Caymanian people. We have not been allowed access to the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, but from all accounts it did not find the deal to be fair and we are sure it looked at the issues raised by many regarding, amongst other issues, future concessions which were to be given to the Dart Group.
Probably the most urgent issue is the closure of a stretch of the West Bay Road. This brings absolutely no benefit to the Caymanian people. The new road that Dart is building will open up his landlocked properties in that area and make them more valuable. While the new road will benefit the Caymanian people as a bypass road to ease traffic to and from West Bay, it also benefits Dart by increasing the value of his holdings in this area. The closing of a stretch of the current West Bay Road benefits no one except the Dart group.
We therefore urge you to use all your powers to stop the closure of this stretch of West Bay Road. If McKeeva has bound us in some way, we ask you to stand firm and fight it, even legally if necessary, as you are our last chance to stop it. It is Crown land and you will have to sign transfers of ownership if that is the manner in which it was planned. We ask you to refuse on our behalf to do this. We understand this may require public funds being utilized if it becomes a legal battle and we have been very upset with the wasting of public funds over these recent years, but we feel very strongly that this is an issue worth fighting for, especially when compared to some of the wasted funds in previous cancelled deals.
Category: Viewpoint
I disagree!!! The road closure will benefit other people!! With the new resort planed for the site there will be many jobs and opportunities for small businesses ( restaurants, watersports etc. ) if it wasn’t for Dart or the Ritz (not Ryan) Cayman wouldn’t have much of a tourist product to speak off!!!
To make such a comment, I don't believe that you are a Caymaninan or have this Country at heart. so I diagree with you, it is because of them that the middle class tourist that use to come to Cayman can no longer afford to. And it is people like you who have distroy this country with greed. Just remember it was us the Caymanians that built the Tourism Industry and made Country the safe and friendly place that YOU now enjoyed…Just remember that this is OUR Country and we have the right to the beach and roads. Please i beg of you, if you do not like the people wish, please move on and out as your kind and others like you are not needed or wanted. We just want what is ours.
I support this person an their leter to the Governor apologizing for the ill-mannered, rude, crooked, corrupt X-Premier and his many embarrassing other features. I am hoping and praying the Wesy Bay Road closure deal will be investigated thoroughly as I am sure this has inno way been a legal process nor is it anywhere near fair in its benefits for Cayman and Caymanians as it is beneficial for the Dart Group. I will stand an fight to have the new road dug up if we don't get it halted before the investigation can take place. Crown Land simply and I state LEGALLY belongs to Cayman….NOT DART.
I pray ever day for the Cayman Islands and hope that the islands will remain tax free forever. I give thanks for the USA everyday and hope that they will continue to grown and keep corruption at a minimal in government.
This letter is a sad digusting political disgrace in seeking somekind of opportunistic advantage in this bad situation. Its absolutely disgusting!
If there's an apology to be given, its for this pathetic political pandering and utter slimyness.
(Insert colorful indentifying metaphor here)
Answer the points, you illiterate ranter.
Who knows if dealing with Dart is good or bad for Cayman. However.. looking around at other countries he has dealt with.. he usually comes out on top. So I'd beware. Aside from that I don't believe it's the deal itself that most concerns people and pisses them off. It was the way it was negotiated in secret and the way in which the full details are still not being made available. And, of course, most people wouldn't trust Bush to go to the corner store and bring back the correct change. Nowadays what we have is a trust deficit…no one trusts big developers, no one trusts banks, no one trusts politicians. And can you blame them? What we do trust are our own eyes but, like children, we are not allowed to open the "presents" until we're told. Some presents we never asked for! I have watched this whole thing take place….selfish idiots destroying the world's finances, politicians without a clue, economies being treated like a casino and the environment treated like a trashcan and I wonder when we're going to take it back. We do have the intelligence for that and do we have the will? As for the Governor, the topic of this thread, he's alright I guess. But all he really did was watch a burning Bush. Then "rush" to put out the fire when it was embers. And I don't feel like thanking him. Because who got burned? But I wish I had his job.
Very good post.
It is the secrecy that angers people, what was the deal?
What was given away?
Who else (Bush?)benefitted, dont tell me he gave away these rights without some quid pro quo.
Maybe the whole thing will benefit Cayman, but if you dont know what is being done then get suspicious.
As I said elsewhere, this is a test for the "new" lot, this secret dealing was not good enough before, how are they going to react? Maybe they are as guilty of the same secrecy, and if so then why?
Dealing with Dart is always good look at all the good that he has done and brought to the Cayman Islands and every where that he has gone the man and his entities are the model of success. Dart has done more for Cayman that any other investor in this country for a long time. He is now a Caymanian so if he did not have Cayman's best interest at heart he would not have applied to be Caymanian. He already owns about 60% of the islands why would he want to destroy the islands when he would be in a position to lose the most?
Never thought I'd hear people who live on a Caribbean Island and who DON'T live in Miami say it. But now I have…. "What a beautiful job of paving!"
I agree he has done some good but Camana Bay has left many buildings in George Town empty, taking away rental income from people who really need that to survive. I understand that he or his company is actively trying to persuade tenants in the GT area to locate to Camana Bay which will mean more people losing their rental income. Not exactly the best business practice in the world is it?
This and not to mention the millions in vote buying given to the churches
Welcome to Crazy Land
Hmmmm….. Still can’t hear from PPM whether they support this FCIA deal or not…
Is that why they not asking the New & Different Juju Caninet for answers, to release KPMG report, anything?
You are NOT speaking for the majority of Caymanians, Status Holders,Residents, WP Holders …Iquanas, or Chickens in your protest on NOT closing the "small fraction" (yes small fraction) of the WB Rd. Or for your general anti-Dart sentiments. Though, I can't disagree with you on some the other reasons to "beat up" on the former Premier.
No. The person clearly did not infer they did speak for Status Holders, Residents, WP Holders, Iguanas, Chickens or otherwise – just for Caymanians. But just for the record, this British Ex Pat WP Holder totally agrees with the poster of this article, and questions the legality of the entire project andFCIA.
You, no doubt, are supporting the project because you just want to see the dump moved from your back yard – even though you probably moved there after the dump and therefore was aware of its existence before choosing to live next to it, unlike those less fortunate souls in BT who are now having it forced upon them without any choice or consultation whatsoever.
Lets face it, what's right is right and what's wrong is wrong, even if the right thing to do isn't your personal preference due to your own personal circumstances.
You forgot to add "Whats third world is third world" But Only us not third world edumacated can tell.
Former premier. The most glorious two words ever uttered by humankind.
Agree on all points, and let me say what a relief it seems to read these words that mirror those that have resonated in my own mind.
I would only add that I believe the dump move was (and possibly still is) being moved forward recklessly without necessary study for the same reasons as outlined above — deals made with government that benefit the few to the complete disregard of what is best for the country.
If the government does not have the funds to complete the dump project, then it becomes somewhat transparent the motivations of moving the dump rather that mitigating it in-situ; moreover, if it is moved, then we are left with a still existing environmental problem at it's current site, and an incomplete project at the second site, which will likely extend the environmental impact and cost the country far more in hauling cost, despoil a rural community and cause the country to incur millions in completing the project. Who does this benefit? Mr. Dart and his enterprises.
Capping a dump doesn't make the expenditures nor liability go away, it just makes it pretty for the adjacent landowner.
At the very least, we should have a genuine and impartial study done on the problem and the project retendered within the guidelines of the FFR.
Boo.
As a self-respecting Caymanian born and bred, I would never open a letter to the Governor, with an apology.
What, pray tell are we apologizing to this man for exactly?
And on a related note, why don’t you direct your questions to your MLAs, in particular, Julianna, Cline, Dwayne, Mark and Rolston?
They, as Caymanians, as MLAs employed by us – owe me and my Caymanian son – answers!
Caymanians made the mess, stop begging other people to fix it for you! Demand it from our politicians- aren’t they our fellow Caymanians??
On the contrary, I think we do owe both the Gov and the UK huge apologies for the reckless actions of the exPremier and other MLAs that WE elected. I think WE have to admit that WE made a mistake and a huge error in our judgment of what Bush and others would do for us and Cayman.
What is the point of directing anything towards our MLA's? Do they ever listen and when they do don't they only offer us lip service? Do we ever really see any action followed through? Do we ever stand up against them and tell them we're not putting up with this any more? Would they even listen or care or do anything if we did? They do indeed owe us answers, they should answer our demands, and they should indeed be the ones to fix this mess for us, but I for one have given up hoping that any of them will do the right thing – my last thread of hope in them faded yesterday when I saw the entire WB Road project was still underway.
At least the Governor has tact and diplomacy, and I can only pray that he will draw sufficient attention towards this so that the whole fiasco can be stopped at least while it is fully and properly investigated, and proper guidance given by the UK.
Shaddup
Oh my god…..really? We have not been allowed access to….but from all accounts…
I don’t know what I’m talking about and have no facts to support my argument, but…….
Oh sit down.
So is it a benefit or not?
I’m so confused….
Yes its a huge benefit to Mr Dart and his ever growing bank account and investments – nobody else (except those who want the dump out of their back yards too, who have been quick to forget good principles, and don't really care whether its right or legal, so long as the dump goes away).