CIG runs up $8.6M travel bill
(CNS): Between 2009 and 2012 the UDP government ran up a bill of at least $8,576,554 on travel and hospitality expenses, a new report from the Auditor General has revealed, but because of poor record keeping the true figure is unknown and could have exceeded $10million. Alastair Swarbrick, said he couldn't be exact because of the very poor management as well as what appears to be a laissez faire attitude to the public purse when it came to travelling by both ministers and civil servants. Despite the constraints on government coffers at the time, Swarbrick and his team found travel expense increased during these three years by some 10% and well over half of the cash spent on travel was run-up by the Finance and Tourism ministry.
The report, which concentrated on core government, reveals it spent over $7 millionon travel and a further $1.5 million on hospitality. The two ministries running up the biggest bills were the Ministry of Finance, Tourism and Development (MFTD), led at the time by former premier and current opposition leader, McKeeva Bush, and the Ministry of District Administration, Works, Land and Agriculture (DAWLA), which was led by Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, who is now speaker of the House. These two ministries represented 70% of all travel and hospitality expenditures incurred over the audit period.
Although government has now implemented a formal travel policy which addresses some of the incidents reported by Swarbrick, the government auditor said much more needs to be done as he found such serious shortcomings and problems implying abuse by both civil servants and politicians.
Individuals received expenses twice, per diem rates varied widely for the same trips, documentation for expenses was missing but requests were still paid, advances were never justified with receipts or any other evidence and written off, ministers were signing off on their own expenses and in many cases there was no formal justification for the trips made, the OAG found.
In the first three years of the United Democratic Party administration civil servants were extremely lax regarding travel expenses and the documentation to support these costs was completely lacking, the report reveals.
“I have concluded that official travel and hospitality expenditures were not managed effectively and efficiently, leading to the high likelihood that the Government mishandled significant amounts of public resources,” Swarbrick said.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday morning, the auditor general said that “no one was managing the shop” and raised his concerns that after four years the issues he raises keep being repeated and that nothing gets done.
“I found that there was an absence of well-defined policies and ineffective or absent procedures and controls. Any policies that were in place were inconsistent across government and officials were left with significant, if not complete, discretion with regards to how travel and hospitality expenditures were incurred. Monitoring and reporting of these transactions by management was virtually non-existent,” he added.
Swarbrick explained that the poor management of the records prevented his team from completing as thorough an audit as he planned, limiting its scope and preventing him from arriving at any exact figures. He said the lack of documentation to support expenses hindered the team’s ability to provide more or detailed information on how the expenses were managed or quantify or how much was mishandled or wasted.
Swarbrick listed a catalogue of shocking disregard to public money, from lavish Christmas parties and presents for people, buying booze for various hospitality events, including dinners, and social functions without any clear link made to business objectives and consideration given to value for money. Although personnel regulations in the public sector state that liquor cannot be reimbursed as travel-related expenses, in one example Swarbrick said the DAWLA spent $29,480 on three Christmas parties, which included a booze bill of $6,373, while at the MFTD, five entertainment events, including three Christmas parties, a special function, and a birthday party, also clocked up around $6,000 at the bar.
The government auditor also pointed to his concern that in some case ministers had approved their own travel claims for payment or did not provide support for their expenses but the chief financial officers paid the expense claims regardless. He said one ministry wrote off $167,000 for travel advances issued between 2003 and 2009 to a senior officials but he said there was little evidence of significant collection efforts being made.
During the three year period of the audit there were significant financial problems with government coffers and public debt Swarbrick noted. While government was trying to cut spending, including reducing the number of jobs and cutting salaries of public servants, travel costs were increasing.
“During the same period, we noted that travel and hospitality showed an upward trend of 10% over time,” he said as he raised concerns about the serious disregard for the use of public funds, adding that there was a high likelihood government mishandled significant amounts of public resources.
The auditor general noted that government has taken an important first step in acknowledging the serious shortcomings in the management of these expenditures by introducing a travel policy. But, he said, it still needs to develop the necessary practices and procedures to manage public funds and make sure they are not misused by public officials.
Swarbrick makes some eleven recommendations but many are similar to ones he has made in other reports over the last four years and by his predecessor for some ten years before that.
See the full report below and check back to CNS tomorrow for a more detailed look at some of the questionable issues surrounding the audit’s findings.
Category: Politics
I can tell you how to cut out the riff raff fiddle faddlers (sounds like a name Mac would use).
Have them use their own credit cards and turn in the recipts for reimbursement. This works 2 fold; everthing can then be scrutinized and nothing is paid unless there is a receipt and an approval for it.
You better bet that those receipts will be turned in since they won't get paid without them.
Ths is how major companies deal with it. I do not see why the government shouldn't follow suit. This would make them accountable and they can get points on their credit card.
There. That was easy to solve.
t’s time for us prople to insist that the MLA rules change!
WE should be setting their salaries + terms of employment. Not they themselves.
With double dipping; expenxe accts; absenteeism; handouts: schoolyard behaviour; conflicts of interest….
It’s time to grab this “Bull” by the horns”!
Here is your smoking gun, Cayman. Evidence of the fleecing of the Treasury under the previous administration.
I don't see the problem, someone steals from you they are charged, taken to court and their guilt or innocence is determined ….See you in court Mac and JuJu…it's that simple.
Ground ALL of the suckers until next election.
They can affort to pay for their own double-dippin, part-timing flights!
And for the flights of their tagalong 'Office Sertas' as well.
This kind of behavior will not stop unless this community cry foul and demand an investigation into this injustice to the people of these islands. We have paid taxes, lost our jobs, sent home early whilst these politicians in a place of trust abused and manipulated their powers so we can work harder to appease their foolish habits.
The guy on the street with a beer in his hand at 6.00 am in traffic doesn'tseems to be a bad idea considering we are just working to fatten the politicians coffers!
Chief Officers and Chief Financial Officers are not responsibilities in relation to their obligations under the Public Management and Finance Law and Public Service Management Law. Start holding them to the fire and the beans will get spilt!
I agree 1000% with UHUHUH, beautiful letter and every word true. Why should we have to pay for JuJu to have a companion and sleep overs. It's time that Justice is served. Let them pay one way or another.
Did the head of the Postal Service have to stay in Qatar for 22 days because a package was late arriving?
Everyone should take the time to read this report. It is reveals some astonishing things. For example, when the Postmaster General went to the postal conference in Qatar (for reasons that are not clear) he/she stayed TWENTY-TWO nights in a hotel there. That is one long conference! JOCC claimed $250 per day everywhere she went and her….um…."executive aide" was reimbursed over $30k for staying in a hotel on the Brac. I'm not saying it happened, but how easy would it be for him to stay with her and come to an "arrangement" with the hotel about sharing the fees? $250 a day when she also had a govt credit card and (apparently) the services of a transportation company? What did she spent the $250 on? Where there is potential for abuse there is probably abuse.
Likewise the two unnamed ground transportation companies that received $400,000 for their services without any supporting documentation, and the "rental" money paid to host prayer meetings in West Bay. Normally churches don't charge you rent to pray.
One thing is clear: the speaker and the leader of the opposition need to respond in detail to this report and justify themselves, and not just by ranting about "witch-hunts" and conspiracies.
I guess we'll have to budget to rent prayer space in the future. Our Lord is a terrible money-manager.
I'm thinking a prayer bus could cover both and save the government a ton of money 😉
We take our young men who we have failed horribly, and put them in prison for selling a little weed. “This is all they know because we didn’t give them a fair chance” yet the real offenders who are in positions of trust continue without consequence to cost tax payers millions. There might not be a body in Cayman that can bring justice to these XXXXX, but I can I promise you all that you will pay dearly for your crimes oh yes you will. I hope you saved some of those millions for security because you’re going need it.
When people complained about or dear Speaker defecting over the fence to join the Grand master Flash and Dear Leader Kim Jonny Mclaughlin she was grant blanket immunity and welcome with open arms and embraced by the Party of Sheep Da PMM with their Drunk & or very blind sheperd. Even Mothers representative and benevolent 1 (Da Gov) convienently or deliberately turn his two blind eyes and ignored the hard truths about what was going on because it fit in with mother's interest or her big plan$$ 4 the Cayman Islands. Now we down the road with those (Wayne & AL ) who have played ball and given away everything to Mama for and overdraft and loan extension ,We now have found that a huge pothole which has infact turnout to be a very large pit is blocking or path to Hell and now we are calling upon Mothers trusted enforcer( RoyalCIPS) to fix the pit or the problem which they let happen in the first place. What a bunch of SICKOOOOOO try Hush and put up 2 more national heros statues in the Square. Before you do it ask yourselves this, who is worse those who commit these terrible avaricious and outrageous acts against the public's money & trust or those who are incharge who let it happen or complicit by their own silence or inaction or deliberate and insidious strategies and policies to achieve favourable outcomes which serves their nasty little interest….. All the while preaching and ramming down or throats good Governance and Transparency. And all u loyal fools running round crying about the poor look around and see who is suffering in Cayman?????
It makes you nostalgic and hoping to see Ellio back inthe House. Wait, he was Big Mac's chinese/spanish interpreter on all those trips ….scratch that thought.
I'm no accountant but housing these people at $64K a year sure seems to make sense fr a financial standpoint. You know, 'you gotta spend money to save money' is I thnk what they say.
People of the Cayman Islands, these things have happened and will continue tohappen, all because the "Cancer of Corruption" has spread, throughout that "dysfunctional body" we refer to as our Government. A cancer that is rapidly destroying every fiber of honesty, integrity and morality that existed there-in! But I would warn the guilty ones, which include all those who could have done something to control it, but stood by and watched as it spread from one vital organ of our Government to another, while our so called leaders became more and more obsessed with the ease in which they could become wealthy, and eventually became so addicted, that they too fell into a trap, which is spoken of so plainly in The Holy Bible! Something called "The Love of Money".
We have gradually begun to see some of the consequences of such an obsession! We have begun to see the results of greed and avarice, such as the neglect of family, the sudden increase of homeless persons, the apparent lack of concern from the religious community who are gradually losing their flock, all because they too are so preoccupied with that one obsession, that they seem unable to find time, even to spend with their family, or to hug and talk with their kids, letting let them know that honesty, morality and integrity are the most important stepping stones to happiness in this life! We all hear of those who neglect their spouses [the mother of their children] while publicly embarrassing themselves and their family, by the blatant display of attention being showered on those whose sole purpose and objective of being with these men, is, to reap the benefits of such an immoral association. Because, they too have been bitten by that bug called: "The Love of Money".
Let us hope for that day, when we the people realize, that there will be no change for the better "politically" until each of us willingly admit to ourselves that this "cancer of corruption" has only come about because we have let these men and women dictate to us what they intend to do with our money, without the simple respect of asking us about our feelings on their proposals. We can no longer, sit idly by and watch as they turn this island into a welfare state, while we say nothing! We "must" pass the "one man one vote legislation" ASAP. We must forget about the party system and elect men and women of honesty, morality and integrity" who will put country before self, men and women who truly love this island and it's people. Men and women that the people of this island can truly trust and respect, or this cancer of corruption will continue to spread, and everyone on these Islands will have to pay the price in the form of, The Uneducated, The Unemployed, Poverty, Crime and Disease! All because of what? "The Love of Money".
A CANCER which manifests Itself, in a form called: CORRUPTION!
You really should send this in a letter to the Compass. In terms of content and style it is eminently suitable. I liked what you did with inverted commas and capitalisation. Edgy. Powerful. Helped get the message across. You REALLY "must" send this in as a letter.
Well, good luck getting a letter published in that paper nowadays. It's presently little more than a mouthpiece for a certain developer and/or those geezers up north at the Washington Post spouting off on stuff relevant to the U.S. public, or at least some of them. It's turned into a joke of a newspaper, sadly.
It's kind of fancy pants.
I don't know UHUHUHUH sounds like you are saying the solution is nothing less than fixing the whole of society. A laudable goal but if we focus on that we lose sight of the acute issue here: shocking abuse of public funds by the leaders of the UDP, both of whom continue to hold prominent political offices.
Until we can instill proper values, morals and ethics into society (and evidence suggests we have lost that battle with the current generation, and arguably the one following) then we at least have to make sure there are consequences for greed and abuse when it happens. When it is no less than the country's leader and deputy that is making a mockery of us for their own personal gain then we have to hold them up for all to see and make an example out of them for the benefit of others who might be tempted to do the same.
We can't afford to throw up our hands and say the whole world has gone mad and close our doors. We have to keep our eye on the specific offences by specific people and make sure they are held accountable.
Third world politicians ……. for how long?………. hey you keep voting them in
Caymankind
I agree we keep electing politicians who given time become disrespectful of their constituents, eventually becoming corrupted. Just let me say, this isn't a trait of only Caymanian politicians, but rather a behavior exhibited by all politicians world wide. Look at the recent scandal events in the Canadian Senate, the scandals that were uncovered in the British Parliment. Scams and swindles are uncovered on a regular basis in the US, whether governmental or private, the defense and the health industries as arguably the worst offenders. Greed is a human condition, been with us since the dawn of time. The only defense is proper laws and guidelines. Should we be angry when people we elect in good faith betray our trust? You betcha we should. There needs to be guidelines, limits placed on what is allowed and acceptable.
on big difrences, herewhen a scandal is uncovered, the guilty party gets a bonus and relected to office in a few years
Yes, it does seem that way. How long has it been since the biggest hog in the lot was found stealing from the people? What has been done about it, besides electing him to office again. Is there no justice for the people of the Cayman Islands? It's all going according to the Golden Rule.
Cayman is certainly kind to thier polititians…
That's because they are so very good at what they do.
Ya mean stealin?
SKEPTICAL at 20:19 – "Lifestyles of the rich and infamous" has come up with a solution to the problem of local TV being incredibly boring no one wants to watch it or pay for it. A new program – "lifestyles of the rich and infamous" – a behind the doors expose of exactly what our politicians do with all this money! See the Internal Affairs team chomp their way through $22000 of turkey and ham, the $13000 party at the Turtle farm, the Cayman R&I going wild in Panama on taxpayers money, the Deputy Premier New York shopping spree with Very Special Assistant struggling to carry the shopping, the hotel suite so that the Deputy Premier could have her VSA on hand for those private consultations – Paris HIlton eat your heart out.
Hmmm I wonder….. Could this have anything to do with my work permit being over $14,000.00? Hmmm. Give me my money back you deranged trough sucking xxxxxs
$12000 on booze. $22,000 on turkey and ham!? WTF, take away self rule now Gov, these children have only ended up selfish and spoiled.
Sad day to see this waste. Throw the bums out.
You have to admit they’re both very big turkeys.
I was at immigration last year at Christmas time and through the window at one of the stations you could clearly see 3 or 4 gift baskets, and I thought hmmmmm
And we still paying JuJu $175,000 PA to sit and wear a silly wig!!!!
And a firkin
This is where the problem begins. From the time that we allowed to let the Politicians give thmselves such a big raise every cat puss dog and bitch tried to get in the arena. It is not for the love of Country but the love of that thing called EASY MONEY.
The only way you can pay for this, and the turtle farm, and the seamen, and the mortgages and groceries, and the free health care, and the airline, and the bs government jobs, and the grandiose construction–is expats and tourists. Good luck. Try to let the golden goose live.
Now tell me how much Mac & Julie have traveled in the last year on the government's dollar.
Also can you say who is the girl that she brought from Tonga? Also who paid for the ticket from Tonga? All we commoners bring our helpers from Ja so if she is her helper what is so special about having one from Tonga. Is she here on a work permit or she was granted Residence?
Knowing the UDP they probably gave her and her entire family status.
As a teacher, I am constantly harrased about not being able to manager better our books to students because our managers keep reciting we are constantly in a "streamlining" phase and need to make cuts.
It is pathetic that managment can not think of a simple plan to reuse books to save a couple thousand here and there, and I am about to puke when I hear about these million dollar non-neceesary travel expenses where managers are never hed accountable.
Is there no "public prosecutor" in the cayman isalands that we the people can turn to.
Jeez, what do you teach?
I think I know where you are teaching. Is it the same place where at a recent meeting one of thier do nothing Deans actually stated that a teacher that nobody liked was shown to be most liked from students evaluations of teachers, so we will not focus on teaching, instead we will focus and reward and promote only people who attend many dinners and banquetes related to the community and churches?
That place gets more "christian" and more "clubbish" each year. Dissing a teacher for doing a good job because the Deans pet christian teachers arn't farinig so well. I'll bet they are cooking up a budget cut story so they can get rid of you and the shame you bring to thier poor performance.
It does not get any more third world then this. Good thing they made a law making themselves "honorable for life" or they would be anything but.
Those two should resign. But no, I'm sure it will be swept under the rug again.
Not what I heard. Not this time.
Good – no statue for Ms Julie then hopefully!!
Make them pay it back. DWL. Fat chance anyone will do that. The problem is the usual one – nobody is ever truly accountable for this kind of waste.
And the postal service worse than ever.
The Postal Service is anemic.
The Postal Service is not anemic. The Postal Service anaemic. It is not the American Postal Service and the Queen appears on the stamps.
We'll tsk tsk. Or is that tut tut?
Truth be told. All of Cayman's problems stem from older, yet immature, incapable and inadequate Caymanians (on the whole) being put into positions of power at the expense / neglect of the education of the young innocent Caymanians.
If court proceedingd don't result from these revalations there is no hope for the people of the Cayman Islands.
I am willing to bet that Juju will slip right through this unscathed!
Just wait and see. I don't know what deal went down because she is better than any non stick frying pan I got!!!!!!
Court proceedings for what? When was being stupid or incompetent a criminal offence? All this audit shows is that nobody (including Mr Swarbrick who was Auditor General while all this was going on) put in place any rules or safeguards to keep travel expenses under control.
Absolutely disgusting. Is there anything a private citizen can do to have these greedy people removed from the LA?
Yes there is someting we can do….Next election remember UDP and MacKeeva and Ju Ju have costb us millions wasted on ntheir selfish junkets,…so just don't vote them in.
Why wait until then if you already see problems occurring?
Stop voting for them
Yes, our politicians have been uncaring, insidious, deceitful, arrogant, greedy, disdainful, and dishonest, possibly guilty of graft, nepotism, fraud, extortion, malfeasance, profiteering, vendibility and no doubt other things I can't think of right now. What can we do about it?…. Nothing, but there are high-up officials that COULD do something about it…….. Why don't they?
They are. You'll soon see.
As much as I despise McKeeva, he was travelling to get investment into this country….we needed it then and we still need it now. So the government spent $2.5million per year….out of a budget of $600,000,000….to get money into the country….actually its not a bad investment. Wake up silly folks…THINK!!!
But he only came back with lawsuits?
…at the public's expense.. again!
You are an absolute idiot.Is you McKeeva?
Its what they spent it on that's the problem. For example, over $22K in turkey and ham Christmas gifts, lavish birthday parties, 5 day shopping trips to New York etc etc – none of which would actually generate a cent in investment. Perhaps you need to wake up.
Oh, is that why he was traveling?? BTW, why do you despise him then?
Where is the "Idiot" button!
I am thinking. He achieved nothing, nada, zilch. Except of course for himself and his groupies.
Think what fool – how much new revenue did he generate. Al he did was create situations where Cayman became liable for damages and expenses for breach of contract.
Complaining about Government on CNS isn't going to change anything. The only thing we can do is help ourselves. After many years of government changes, things generally stay the same, and people complain about the same issues. It's time to start growing our on food and EDUCATING ourselves with the vast amount of free credible information on the internet. There needs to be a reform of how things are handled 'higher up'. Unfortunately this change only comes about when things fall apart and we are left to pick up the pieces.
Growing our own food?
Growing our own food?! How about we roast a few big fat PIGS!
Seems like all these stories re wild spending and things being done with very little if any thought behind it is like an ongoing epidemic.People of the Cayman Islands when are you ALL going to say enough is enough?.How much more proof do you need to be shown by our hard working Auditor General that there is a lot to be answered for by our previous Govt and in fact many former govts maybe to a lesser degree.Are we so complacent in our going about our daily lives that we just accept what is going on and just move on like nothing is wrong with this scenario?Wake up people and get some balls and tell your Reps that enough is ENOUGH!!!!!!!!!
I think a big part of the problem is that a big share of the money these pigs are stealing comes from non Caymanians. No big deal.
What a stupid, divisive comment.
Divisive, if you say so. Stupid??? Not so. I think it really is the reason this stealing goes on and on and on… How do YOU explain it?
I guess it is necesary for Goverment to do travelling from time to time, but at the cost of $8M it is a lot for a small island. One question here is, did we get value of money out of these trips? or was it really just a good old time on the tax payers backs? lets face it all governments do this.
It is alarming the money the Government waste…… really . If CIG needs to do this must travelling I would look at ways to reduce this becasue it is a lot of money. I am not a member of any party but that of being a concern citizen. Mr. Archer please tighten up that string some more if you can as I do beleive you are doing a good job thus far.
Trust things will soon be in order
I think any Caymanian who votes back in ANY of the current or PAST Government officials are morons. There have got to be some forward-thinking, contemporary leaders, these dinosaurs have been in office too long to understand the world as it is today and the demands it proposes! I was doing some reading on Monaco last night, and while we'll never be as wonderful a country, they thrive on tourism and financial industry the same way, have a 0% unemployment rate and enjoy the highest standard of living in the world. I think if our Government officials want to take a trip and learn something they better make and appointment with the officials in Monaco and get some tips, tricks and ideas because they are obviously incapable of finding their own!
Thats because in Monaco, you are either royalty or family to royalty or work for them. No middle class to be found. You are eitther wealthy or scrubbing gold toilets. Simple.
For God's Sakes!!!! Are you crazy??? Do Not send that bunch to Monaco!!!
Your Excellency, Madam Governor,
I'm afraid with these findings and the outcry of the public, the crown has not choice but to seek prosecution. HEADS MUST ROLL.
Why would we be any different from a UK political scandal of the same exact form?
This is clear as day and requires immediate suspension and legal action.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_parliamentary_expenses_scandal
Christmas parties, booze, and boyfriends, take your pick: They are all the SAME as the 2005 UK Scandal…
REDICUULOUS travieling the world over on all expense trips while there people stay un-imformed and un -empowered and have to pay for there own Tertiary Education becaue the Govt say they have " No money"
Us caymanians are so struggling to keep our head above water working and going to school and juggling family that we dont even see what it is going on until it hits the headlines
That's just part of Caymankind. It will not change until we have honest politicians running
the show. "Honest politicians" is an oxymoron, so it may be a while.
W ow traveling is expected by any which Governent. However, travel not substantiated by receipts and indication of purpose is a serious matter. Perhaps some of you learned folks could as swear these questions: . I understand that the travel overseas by all Ministers has to be approved bytheGvernor, who has to know where each Minister goes and the purse of the trip; if so are there not records that show the submission and approval. Second question , isn't there'a trAvel expense format ad process inscribed in the policies of the Civil Service and Cabinet . Why did it take so long for this issue to be brought into the public domain?. Aren't the Departmentsand ministry processes audited annually? If so then what happened that 4 years malfeasance is reported two years after the fact. Why is there no culpability being cast on the Deputy agovernors in place during the period who should know that the processes were lacking in control and reporting measures.
it is good to clean up house, but let us not sweep part of the dirt under the rug, and expect t that it will just disappear. Lots ofculpabiitytogoarpund.
Learning to spell Ridiculous would be a good start for your tertiary education?
R-I-D-I-C-U-L-O-U-S
Repeat 100 times and remember
Simmer down Ya'll. Any of you spelling trolls not understand what the person meant with the incorrect spelling?
But Julie is a PPM member now remember.
Alden was so anxious to try to show the Governor that he had a full hand of cards that he grabbed her up, told her she could have the highest paid and easiest job (Speaker) if she would just 'be mine'!
Yes exactly. Try to figure this one. You would think that it would have been different. Same old same old. Very disturbing is all I can say.
This is why I can't understand all the angst to get citizenship here. Think people!
Julie is not a PPM member. The Speaker of the House cannot be a member of any party.
Please stop trolling and know your facts before you defend PPM
The former Premier and former Deputy Premier under the UDP Ms. Juliana O'Connor-Connolly is a member of the PPM:
http://centos6-httpd22-php56-mysql55.installer.magneticone.com/o_belozerov/31115drupal622/politics/2013/05/28/alden’s-top-job-now-official
http://www.cayman27.com.ky/2013/05/28/oconnor-connolly-joins-ppm
http://www.compasscayman.com/story.aspx?id=124640
It will be intriguing to see how the PPM navigate the latest scandal and political minefield considering they knew of her multiple abuses, attacked the UDP for the reckless spending yet rewarded her with the position of Speaker of the House and invited her to join the party which she gladly accepted.
And who is PAC Chairman?
This is why I call those crying out for UDP and how much they do for the people idiots. You foo fools now look at this. While you in darkness cussing PPM & CUC think about how much more wisely we could have spent 10 million dollars.
$6000 on drinks! does the government have a drinking problem? ah boy.
Well, they represent the general population.
Self gratification. That's what your representatives a're doing with their time people, traveling the world first class, staying in nice hotels, taking limos everywhere and dining in the nicest restaurants they can find. And they are taking all their friends who they put on the public payroll, then burning the evidence and claiming it was all in your interests. They do not care about your interests. There is no benefit to you, and they don't give a damn about that or about you.
All they care about is where their next lobster and champagne dinner is coming from and which hotel they'll be staying at and how good the shopping is. When these people (and we know who went on those trips) tell you all the amazing things they'll do for you if you vote for them do not listen. All they really want is to get back onto that nice gravy train with their friends.
So what else is new?
The current government does not fly first class.
Yawn We all knew this didn't we?
However, if there was an elecion tomorrow Mac would sill get back in. Dem WBayers love their golden son. AND still hopin summa dat money gonna trickle down to dem.
I don't believe this. You mean to tell me government officials took trips just because they could for no apparenrreason? And that they claimed for expenses they couldn't justify? And signed off on their own reimbursements? And it looks like they wasted millions of dollars at the expense of the public? I'll be damned.
And all the while saying "weez broke!"
Here is a fix! …Since it seems it is costing the Tax Payers on average $250,000 in travel expences per year for each MLA, and only costs us $64,000 per inmate at Northward Prison. Why don't we just put all the MLAs in prison and save $186,000 for each true criminal? Wake UP People!
Sounds like a good fix to me!
That Archer boy gonna put a stop to that though. He's not one that's gonna skin upwith any C/Servants or ministers on his watch.
and they don't have money for the Education of our children. I say we dock those two pay for the rest of their term and use it for the department that needs it the most: Education. If they get back in office continue docking their pay.
Take it out of their pensions.
And so what is new. We all know that this country is run by high ranking civil servants either by what they do or do not do as the case may be. Any civil servant who does the right thing and stands up to their Heas of Department, Chief Officer or politician is put on paid "required leave" and in some of these case the department they work for is shut down for an indefinite period of time. Fraiz Manderson puts out fancy press releases saying "oh no, never again will this happen on my watch". What a bunch of crock it has happened again on his watch even from within his own office. Please someone do an FOI request to see just how may persons are on required leave say for the past 10 years and from which department and for how long they have been off.
7:30- You are so wrong- It has not happened again under Mr Manderson watch" Any civil servant who is now on required has been set on leave for a justified reason- example criminal charges, gross misconduct, or is being investigated for misconduct. This was not the case with the two former civil servants- come on please try and get the facts before you comment.zzzzzzzzz
Regardless of the outcome of this audit I believe from the bottom of my heart that nothing will be done about it.
Alas, the sad truth.
This travelling has been going on for much too long by not only Politicians but Civil Servants. What kind of business is conducted on weekends? That is the famous time for travel while the poor spouses are left at home. Alot of them sit down and plan what kind of excuse trips they can have. Whatever part of the world they want to visit they make surethat they identify something that relates to their job discription that might be going on at the time of their visit. Caymanians are just waking up now but this has been going on for far too long. Just tell me what was the purpose of the famous C Bracer Politician trip to Honduras. Isnt that where her daughter in law is from?
Julie and Mckeever should be charged for abuse of office.
How can PPM try to make political mileage out of this when they rewarded JuJu with the Speaker of House role knowing she abused the country's coffers with sojourn's around the globe with her boyfriend in tow?
They prevented her from causing further mischief.
She still flying about to today paid for by us.
I'm always skeptical when I hear any official "especially Cayman Politicians" proclaiming their Christianity and their Love for God. Then you hear things like this :
DAWLA spent $29,480 on three Christmas parties, which included a booze bill of $6,373
And not a word of "chastisement" from our religious leaders. CI$6,373 on booze. How much did she spend on food?
But in her defence, no funds were wasted on clothing or make-up.
This is ridulous. We have Caymanians without electricity and water who paid for these trips and entertainment while the past administration "partied" away our money and children's future, with nothing to show. They should have to repay every red cent and not be able to hold office again.
So – why do we have high-paid Chief Officers, Deputies and CFOs who are just rubber stamps for the elected govt, instead of having the spine to do the right thing?
It’s them (not the minimum wage, no cost of living, average civil servant) who are bringing the service into disrepute – and financial ruin.
HE – please do something.
No one else will!
Politics needs to be outlawed. These people have proven themselves unworthy.
Maxium two terms……… One in Office and Onein Prison.
and there's your cost of living folks. welcome to Cayman bobo, have a nice day.
Thats is less than 1 million each for the MLA's not bad it coulld of been more
Except it wasn't spent evenly by the MLA's, most of it was spent by two people and you need to learn to spell.
We should lay off on the spelling. The CNS website sometimes seizes up in the comments section and makes it bloody hard to get anything in or to correct a misspelling if you do notice it.
Besides who amongst us has not had a typo in an online post and what does your snarky comment add to the discussion? Nothing, it just takes away from your very valid point that we continue to get robbed blind by a handful of people.
I think that people need to think about where the funds for their new appliances and other handouts actually come from. The politicians have not yet mastered the ability to spin straw into gold so they need to steal the money from somewhere.
The spelling doesn’t bother me at all but, “…… it could OF have been more”.
Unforgiveable! There is no verb, “to of”.
Look. I need a fridge. And a washer.
And I ga get it from my fav'rite guy Big Mac no matter wa unna say.If dey ga live large then dammit gimme my fridge n washer I vote fa dem again.
lmao. Dey wa keep travelin' like dat? Then pay up fa yuh vote. Isnt dat how's it's done here in our lil slice of paradise?
Wow.
How many mortgages could have been saved, how many roads fixed, etc etc but instead a lot of people cavorted all over the world, what would have been the impact on Caymanian Society if this money was put to good honest use here at home.
Caymanian voters we should be ashamed of ourselves that we continue to allow this crap to happen.
West Bay voters especially should be ashamed of themselves.
Unfortunately WB voters are too stupid, they will still vote for these muppets again.If we add up travel expense alongwith all the botched contracts that we have had to pay out on, McKeeva Busgh is personally repsonsible for about $100M of our coubntries debt. Yet he claims he has done something accoridng to his last rant ion the LA. XXXX
Saving mortgages should not be a priority at any time. Why should the state interfere when individuals incur debt they cannot service?
Lifestyles of the rich and infamous, at the expense of the country. Any claim by the then premier that his travel was necessary to promote Cayman, can only be justified if specific economic benefits and increased revenues, gained from that travel, are quantified in detail.
Skeptical do not give Bush a hard time. Cayman benefitted by his travels insomuch he could not do any more dodgy deals at home. By the way what did happen to the Cayman Airways/ Phillapines airline deal? Another skeleton for the AG to uncover. Talking of skeletons when they all are finally uncovered can they be donated for research to the Shetty Hospital. Perhaps some of the UDP politicians can donate their brains in due course. All in th interests of science.
Should be a good market for those UDP politician brains…uniquely wired and never been used!
The McKeeva Bush / Julianna Govment! A scourge the Cayman Islands will never recover from. Successive Governments can only hope to manage the fall out.
Prosecute them…why wait…?
So now it is clear to see why Mac an de crew increased import duties and all of the government fees…
So we took peoples lively hood by sending them home early, cutting salaries and benefits, taxed us yet the government loosely spent $10M on travel and parties. Isn't some crime committed here commissioner Baines or madam Governor?
People why do we take this?
Did he check both of Paul's passports?
Can we have details of who incurred each expense and why? No excuses for incomplete records, just give us what you have please.
"Swarbrick explained that the poor management of the records prevented his team from completing as thorough audit as he planned, limiting its scope and preventing him from arriving at any exact figures."
deliberate with out a doubt !!
Is this not corruption? Why do we even have a Police force? I know it is not to enforce the law!
The Police exist to provide travelling companions, like Paul. Wasn't he an illustrious law-enforcer?
Can't say I'm not surprised. They can afford to travel the globe, yet funding the completion of the John Gray High School is just finally getting budgetary recognition.
Madness.
I hope no one thinks this is new, reprehensible as it is. It goes back many years. I give you the following initials of Tourism officials and another Minister from the past who spent like drunken sailors when overseas and paid scant attention to why they were there overseas.. And when I say "drunken" I mean it. I am a former civil servant who would love to be a whistleblower but no way! . Here are the initials for those who were always eating and drinking on the public purse in the past – and in a HUGE way. XXXX
So that's Xavier Xylophone losing his seat next time round…………
Alas, 8:45, CNS censored the initials.Can't blame them really. But think back 35 years (or more) and come forward from there and think about some of the Members/Ministers and one or two well known hard drinking senior civil servants from those times who were always off island.