Mac at Jo’burg CPA too
(CNS): The opposition leader was absent from the Legislative Assembly meeting Wednesday, as well as the speaker and education minister, as they were all attending the CommonwealthParliamentary Association (CPA) annual meeting in South Africa. McKeeva Bush said he was in Johannesburg to chair a forum on taxation and he would be submitting a report when he gets back to Cayman. Bush confirmed that both he and MLA Winston Connolly had been chosen by the local CPA branch to represent the Cayman Island at the regular annual meeting but said Connolly did not attend. The UDP leader revealed, however, that Minister Tara Rivers was also at the event but the local CPA executive had not chosen her and he did not know who had.
Bush said that as a member of the CPA and one of its vice-presidents his attendance at the meeting is paid for by the Association, which is granted its funds by government.
“I was asked by the international CPA in London to chair the forum on taxation,” he told CNS via email on Wednesday. “I did that and will make a report on it when I'm back. Winston Connolly did not attend. And Tara Rivers came. But the ExCo of the CPA did not choose her. So I don't know who did,” he added. “At the time when I was chosen to attend no date had been set for the House of Assembly to meet.”
Bush explained that his arrangements were made and his costs paid before the government announced the House meeting. The opposition leader also said that his wife was also there but he had personally paid for her to travel with him.
Rivers had not intended to be a part of the delegation, which also includes the Speaker of the LA, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, but Bush said he was told at a later point that she would be attending. He said that the executive of the local CPA, of which he is an officer, which is responsible for choosing the Cayman representatives at the meeting, did not choose her. “I don't know who did. But she is here attending the meetings here in Jo’burg with me,” he added.
Although CNS has contacted the premier’s office for clarification on whether Rivers has gone in an official capacity and what costs, if any,are being incurred by the local treasury as a result of the trip, but so far there has been no response.
See related story on CNS here.
Category: Politics
The PPM is not learning from the excesses of the UDP and McKeeva Bush and will soon be disgraced and criticized for wastefull spending on Governement paid jollies and junket trips living the good life just as McKeeva so often did spending more than half the year off the island. Miss Rivers you are a disgrace for you have a job to do and should be home working for your people who elected you into office and not enjoying the good life with JuJu, and McKeeva.You are judged by the people you hang around with and neither of them have good reputations or ethics. the Premier and the PPM need to nip this in the bud early before it gets out of control. This is an embarrassment for both the premier and Government.
Mac and Juju using frequent flyer miles again, next trip will be in Siberia for the Save the Siberian White Wolf then off to Mars for the International Space Conference of course Paul will be there. Tara already jet setting well hopefully it’ll help create new jobs for Caymanians in South Africa yet I think she went like Mac and Juju to see the wildlife.
It staggers belief that I am paying for an individual currently under criminal investigation for alleged wrongdoings whilst in office, and slated to appear before the court, to travel abroad to represent me. It's astonishing, even for here.
TOTALLY agree. sickens me actually.
Dear CNS,
I would just like to say thanks for bringing this to our attention. How difficult is it for the premier's office to clarify this issue? Do we have a premier or a dictator? I am shocked at how this government is panning out, promising us change and giving us nothing but the same old bullshit.
Why is it necessary for us to be in South Africa hobnobbing with dubious dictators?
Alden, Cayman is a democracy. The people are tired of government wasting their money. Try and listen to the voices of those who elected you to serve them.
Can you not just step up to the plate and give us something to believe in? We elected you to set us free from tyranny. Do not become a tyrant.
So Winnie didn't grace them with his presence? Dunno if that was smart or silly. Time will tell but Ta Ta quickly jumped into his spot!
You know I voted for the PPM and drank their kool-aid. After hearing the Premier on Rooster this week i realized I had made a big mistake. All the promises that were made re getting Caymanians back to work were all false promises. Not only are they not helping their own people they are hurting them even more by allowing employers to run the country and decide who they will keep and who will go. Meantime Caymanians are lining up to collect welfare so they can pay their bills. PPM you have really disappointed me and now I hear Tara, Ju-Ju and Mac are all off in South Africa. What the hell for? Tara has been on the job 2 mins and now she is travelling to SA. Should she not be here learing how to run her ministry? Do you have to wonder why the crime is sohigh? A bunch of incompetent fools, no common sense what so ever and no balls to stand up for their own people. Employers holding gov to ransom. What a damn joke. I will never vote for another party again on this island. One is no better than the other!!!!!!!!!!!
Think how I feel. I'm an expat that pays your welfare, with no hope of ever recieving anything back!!
Anywhere in the world that you work where you are NOT a permanent resident or citizen that will be the case.
When I worked in the US my taxes went to pay welfare etc. for US citizens.
The same thing happened when I worked in Canada.
So, what is your point exactly?
i was just a little grumpy. I'm okay now.
Even if you are a permanent resident here you have no vote,and so no say, A Caymanian residing in the UK not only has a vote but also,providing that 10 support his nomination, he can stand as a candidate in a General election to become a Member of Parliament. How is that fair ?
Because the UK has a population of some 62m million while there are about 20,000 Caymanians who would actually be entitled to vote in the UK if every Cyamanian became resident there. In other words, it makes no difference at all to the outcome of the UK elections if every Caymanian resident in the UK votes. Incidentally, mere residency does not give one the right to vote in national elections in the UK either. One must be a British Citizen, Commonwealth Citizen or Irish Citizen.
Your question is so self-evidently stupid it beggars belief anyone would actually ask it.
You're here aren't you? You are already receiving something back.
Why would we send a man currently facing serious criminal charges on any official business? He should be on the shortest leash possible until he finally faces justice.
Yeah. What's up with that?
I am with McKeeva on this one. What is Tara Rivers, an Parlimentarian of 100 days doing at a CPA meeting all the way in South Africa. I know Mac and JuJu loves to spend our money stupidly on lavish travel, but Tara is no better and is awful quick to get on the gravy train. I hope she has the decency to pay for her trip as I likewise hope that Mac and JuJu dothe same this one time.
So is Winston Connolly not also a parliamentarian of 100 days? It would have been OK if he had gone? Clearly, the workings of the CPA is something that new parliamentarians should be involved in.
You have not even found out the basis on which Tara is there or whether she travelled lavishly at all and yet here you are making these comments to declare that she is no better than Bush.
You mean you're accompanying Mac? So what's the purpose of your trip, and who's paying for it, damn it!
Shame shame shame. Why did Ju Ju attend?
Haha what a ting, nobody knows
She is learning all of the tricks about politics and globe trotting from two of the very best. FOI the frequent flier miles then confiscate the passports.
Say what??? What on earth is the PPM government doing sending McKeeva Bush on a conference anywhere to represent the Cayman Islands? Are they mad? Didn't we have enough of him in the past four years? I do not understand the PPM, they never learn from their mistakes. McKeeva Bush? Come on PPM, do better than that for GOD's sake!!!!
The PPM Govt. did not send him anywhere. Read the article.
Born Free the CIG did not send him, the Parliamentary Association did. Bro its tough out of the wild isn't it?
But aren't they the mistake party?
LOL that picture says everything about them they cannot believe we are paying them to waste money and fly around the world shopping with Julie
Really? I just think Keke is rather photogenic
he always reminds me of Kramer from Seinfeld.
Have the PPM learned nothing of the reasons why the UDP was ousted? So disappointing they have chosen to waste public funds on these conferences that are of no value and bring nothing
oh come on Mackeeva…get over it…she almost beat you too in West Bay- that says alot. We needed some brain power there to represent us also.
I am so sick and tired of hearing about these people flying off on the "conferences". While I understand the commitment that comes along with being part of the commonwealth, this is nothing more than a free vacation for some of these same people who HAVE DONE nothing for the people of these islands!!!! Julianna?!!! WTF has she done? besides move all of NRA equipment to the Brac (anything being done about that Alden? or is that part of the "jump ship" deal she secured), waste waste waste, that is all we have gotten from this lot!!! And I am sorry to say that it will continue, or at least until Caymanians get it through their thick skull that this practice of recycling these so-called politicians is only harming themselves.
Ya know? I think William Eden is rolling over in his grave.
It is time to take the toys AWAY fro these children and impose a Custos again. I would WELCOME UK rule as I know we would at least make our budget and stop wasting money.
Think about it, We can fight human rights abuse right to one office (and www and blogs insure people are heard for goodness sakes all the way to global news!)
One office please and no more politicians. We are only 60,000 people and should simply have a city council per district not these big headed self serving blow-hards!
I want direct rule and a dozen paid accountants to write the cheques. Not these fools leading me down the destruction of independence.
Less government please.
She should be here in Cayman opening the schools, speaking to the kids and teachers and introducing herself properly to parents as the new education minister! But however, this time chosen to be away, goes to reflect her priorites. JUST KEEP WINSTON IN FOR GOOD! She is another POLITICAL HEADACHE!
Mac advisor to the commonwealth on tax issues?? Fox guarding the chicken coop or what???
Blimey three blind mice on a shopping trip for trinkets hide the government credit cards. $ame $hit different day
Tara is learning all the tricks from Juliana. Dear God help Cayman.
Mac chairing an international forum on taxation………….really?
From the sublime to the ridiculous.
To quote Herman Wouk:
“The West Indian is not exactly hostile to change, but he is not much inclined to believe in it. This comes from a piece of wisdom that his climate of eternal summer teaches him. It is that, under all the parade of human effort and noise, today is like yesterday, and tomorrow will be like today; that existence is a wheel of recurring patterns from which no one escapes; that all anybody does in this life is live for a while and then die for good, without finding out much; and that therefore the idea is to take things easy and enjoy the passing time under the sun. The white people charging hopefully around the islands these days in the noon glare, making deals, bulldozing airstrips, hammering up hotels, laying out marinas, opening new banks, night clubs, and gift shops, are to him merely a passing plague. They have come before and gone before.”
The white man came first Herman. Why don’t you Americans understand this. The Caribbean development history is no different than your own.
White man was first to where? Not anywhere in the Caribbean . Go check your facts before stating nonsence.
I hear the sound of woosh, again. Some people obviously do not understand the point Wouk was making in his book.
Deep breath. Yes, yes, we do get the don’t stop the carnival stuff. But I was just correcting the common assumption (persistently made by Americans, including Wouk, who was clearly writing from that perspective) that everyone from the “islands” must be black. So to clarify that narrow point for you and Savannah Resident, yes there were a few Amerindians here and there (although not here) but the white discoverers quickly worked them to death and then brought over heavy lifters from Africa. Okay?
"'Yes, yes, we do get the don't stop the carnival stuff."
'No, no, you obviously don't get the don't stop the carnival stuff. However to avoid getting into a probable endless back and forth I'll leave it at that. But I'll leave you with a clue or two:
"The West Indian" refers to the locals on any particular Caribbean island, not determined as any particular creed. That is your interpretation and not Wouk's words.
The White Man" refers to any foreigner coming to any particular Caribbean island, flashing the cash and taking some form of control of enterprise and the locals becoming to an extent dependent on it, for whatever length of time. White Man does not in itself refer to any particular creed but is a generalising noun for those foreigners regardless of creed.
Fyi Wouk lived in the USVI for about 6 years so he was not talking from some remote uninformed viewpoint. Oh and yes I'm a deep rooted West Indian, and a white man, shock horror.
Actually, I think we are on the same page!
BTW, if you want a rather more interesting and intellectually challenging read try Far Tortuga by Peter Matthiessen.
That may not be true in those islands which Caribs and Arawaks inhabited but it is certainly true in Cayman that the first settlers were whites.
I hear the sound of "Woosh".
rightbover his head!
CNS …. Any progress on that 'WTF?' button?
read the book
Same old , same old Mac & Ju Ju seeing the world first class on our $. Shame on you PPM & C$C this should not have been allowed. Forget the report, what good has attending CPA annual meetings ever done for Cayman?
Must be a slow news day!
C4C and UDP seems to have The Premier over a barrel. Mr. Premier extending an olive branch is commendable but you are coming off as being a weakling!! Heck you a treating them better than members of your own party and co-campaigners. WE ARE WATCHING YOU KEENLY!!
CPA's Patron is Jacob Zuma. Must be learning a lot.