Divestment a matter for CIG
(CNS):The overseas territories director has said that it is up to the Cayman Islands government to decide what it can privatize and it will need to make a decision about what services can best be delivered in the public sector and which can be divested to make deeper cuts in public spending. The senior FCO civil servant, who has responsibility for the overseas territories, said that while the local government’s fiscal position continues to show signs of improvement, the government has to stay on track to meet the fiscal trajectory. The current financial situation also means that the private sector will in the future have to do more of the work that government currently does.
“A constrained fiscal environment means that the private sector will have to do more of the work that government has done in the past,” Dr Peter Hayes told CNS during his brief visit to Cayman this week. “In line with the White Paper, the UK Government remains committed to providing technical support as may be necessary to help Cayman reform its public sector and deliver on its infrastructure investment programme.”
He said that the UK would not be directing the Cayman government to sell this authority or privatize that service. The OT boss said it was up to government to make those decisions but some soul searching was needed about what could be divested. But, as with many other places, cuts had to be made in public expenditure.
Hayes said this issue was on the agenda during his visit and it was clear there would be areas that would not necessarily suit divestment but there were ones that would. He said the UK would assist the CIG where necessary to help make the decisions and with the process. Hayes said the FCO would help to share best practice during the decision process as well as during the divestment but in the end decisions would need to be made.
He said there is sometimes an assumption that what government does is somehow free. It isn’t, he noted, and if government can’t afford to deliver the services that are needed the private sector had to fill the gaps and it would be a question of finding out which services can be delivered more efficiently by the private sector.
During his brief visit to Cayman Hayes also received a plaque with the Cayman Islands crest from Premier Alden McLaughlin. Included in the packed agenda was a visit to the Mission House, a National Trust Historic Site.
A reception was also held for Hayes at Grand Old House during the visit, which was to follow up on discussions between the premier and the FCO during his London visit last month.
Category: Politics
I have been following some of what has been said about the divestment of funds and tearing down our Premier. XXXX you do nothing but tear him down and want to see him fail in everything he does. If he is supported instead of harassed in this and other media, he will do a lot to bring back the Cayman Islands we knew and loved before it was almost destroyed by his predessor.
Yes, but what about some fact checking on his made up stats?
Divestment = CS Layoffs = Vote loss
There's the mathematical proof that divestment can't happen in our current political environment.
Just like OMOV it will not happen v\\because they do not to give the the poewr to the people they want to assure they keep it.
How about tryvestment? That could work to. You know if they actually tried instead of sticking their heads in the sand…
How naive is the OT minister? This government is incapable of making any hard decisions when it comes to cuts. Alden is too weak.
Let him be weak. When the FCO tells us we have to indroduce taxes, then he will listen.
The Cayman government is not the government of a "nation". It is an incestuous very small town where corruption is tollerated from the very top to the very bottom (gas boy cards worth $40 per fill up).
The rule of law does not apply here. The rule of "who you know and who is in power" applies.
Spoken like a (runaway) small-town boy!
You homesick bo-bo?
You jealous that we have a place to go to when Cayman goes to the dogs?
Not at all.. and take all your precious assets with you (you'll need them to balance your rotten personality).
Nah just sick of the so called intelligent ones from foreign who could not make it in their own damn yard and want to come and tell us what to do. Time coming yow, time coming fe ya.
And yes you would know right. Red is what I am seeing and arrogance. Just you wait.
time to privatize cayman airways, turtle farm and NRA
I think you will find privatising liabilities will be a very succesful plan.
Or just Cayman period.
Maybe a pizza instead of a reception at the grand old house would be an option to save ?
Once you fire civil servants you create more pressure on social services.
Get the money where the money is : Casino's, lottery, lealize marijuana, tax properties above 1 million, tax real estate brokers, laywers etc.
DON'T TAKE IT FROM THE PEOPLE.
It is the local Government's decision to make until they refuse to make thedecisions and then it becomes the FCO's decision. Does Alden et al understand that ?
Divestment is not a decision that should be taken by a handful of spineless, self-interested people.
It should go to a national vote.
In the deeper recesses of my mind, in a far away land, a long time ago, I hear this faint word repeating itself over and over again…..democracy. Let the politicians work for their money. Contact your districts, hold meetings and engage your people. Tell them what you recommend and why. Then let them decide and then you vote the MAJORITY, NOT your pocket.
If this idea of democracy eludes you, then move aside.
I am Chocolate Thunder and I approve this message.Actually, I am not really Chocolate Thunder. Choccy is a cute little chicken that was abandoned by her mother and adopted by my 6 year old daughter. But if these politicians keep riding roughshod over us, I promise you, in 2017 there will be another name on the ballot, Chocolate Thunder – George Town.
He can't do much worse than the current crop. At least he makes a noise. I haven't heard a thing out of the George Town politicians in months. Where is Joey Hew? Earn your check, son. Being on the square isn't enough. Kurt, hello!!!! I can't even remember the others. Sounds like a bad one night stand.
The UK minister probably has no idea how the Government lacks the spine to take any decision which might impact on Civil Service jobs.
Alden lacks the spine to do anything that might jeopardise him seats at the next election.
Ah, Dr Hayes, a couple of things you need to understand.
To divest anything to the private sector, requires a highly paid civil servant to give up his salary, his pension, and his ability to allot jobs to his friends and family.
Then, it presupposes that either, civil service personnel lose their jobs ( their salaries, health plans and pensions), or the private contractor is willing to take them all on with their existing packages.
Add to this the need for the minister to feel it is worth his while to part with his department, and I think you will see that those supposed to progress this scheme, the civil service, and the ministers are going to sit on their hands. Its a nice idea, but its not going to happen!
Lets see how long they can sit on their hands before the taxes arrive!
No one thinks government services are free. We just don't think that the public will pay what they cost. Take school or garbage fees. Some wil pay others wont. In the case of the garbage they'll just dump it somewhere. in the case of their kids … well, same thing I guess. – If divestment were a real solution the UK would have divested its schools. But it hasn't. (They tried chaerter schools for a decade and then moved on.)
So, anything thats not a monopoly/utility/necessity (Wate Authority) that the government has that anyone thinks can be run at a profit, i.e., is suitable for divestment? Toll roads anyone?
I said it for years, toll road. we have over 50,000 vehicles on our roads.
$1.00 per use.
Do your maths see if you dont come up with approximatly 25 million per year. thats more than enough to build and maintain our roads.
Instead of adding tolls they increased the registration fees. This was dumb, a one time fee per year. Made it hard for the majority to find at one time to pay.
No wonder we got so many unlicensed vehicles on the road.. they are not collecting money for.
Do you see the current traffic promblems?! do you really thing a road toll will make that problem better? LOL
But if your water bill were tide in with your garbage fees now don't you think it would get paid? Let's get creative.
So you're going to privatize the garbage & the water company but as a single entity? To a single bidder? That would be an interesting monopoly to have. People have to buy your water and they have to pay you to take away their garbage. Sounds like an arm of government to me. Just costing people more because now they're making a profit.
Just tighten the FFR and force divestment. Alden's mob are very dangerous when it comes money, chocies and future elections.
"Alden's mob"? Hahaha. So would that make "Mac's brigands"?
Shame crap and ego, different colors.
Mob? You must have a special dictionary. I doubt that we have had a govt. which had the decorum of this govt.
Are you kidding? Then it shows how little you know about decorum or the behaviours of successive governments over the years. This gang nor those before them could even come near to walking in the shoes of the likes of Dr. Roy McTaggart, Sir Vassel, Capt Charles, Mr. Norman, Mr. Jefferson, Mr. Benson. All men of integrity, or even Mr. Linford Pierson or Mr. Truman for that matter. These recent ones are all alike.
Mmmmm…you should leave a couple of those off that list of men of integrity. LOL.