Onchocerciasis Cayman
Onchocerciasis or African River Blindness Disease is caused by parasitic flies biting humans and infecting them with worms that cause itching and eventually blindness. In some ways there is a similarity with our river of bureaucracy especially at the Customs department where increased complex regulations are frustrating economically overwhelmed business owners.
Many of those selfsame entrepreneurs must feel like biting off their voting finger with the continuing debacle of wedding dresses and a department seemingly intent on driving businesses into bankruptcy.
Until the business sector begins to press the government beyond mere calls for redress, those blinded by the parasitic flies buzzing around them will continue to display the commercial myopia that is driving small businesses especially to ruin.
The business community is the backbone of economic progress in these islands not overfed office holders feeding at the trough of over regulation instead of the healthy salad of simplification.
Unfortunately our commercial leaders are renowned for their conservatism and prefer whispers at cocktail parties over demand for a recall provision in the Constitution.
They are as powerless as their customers except CUC.
Barren Africa has substantially dealt with this disease by medication originally developed for canine heartworm.
To stand mute is to endorse idiocy.
Category: Viewpoint
I love "just commentin'". Who u is?
Simply put, and without using any metaphors, the new tariff law was enacted by morons and is being perpetuated by a government of biggger morons, and it is being tolerated by a populace of even bigger morons. (There! Did I leave anyone out?)
I registered my tablet at the airport but
why did the officer turn on my computer and look at some things inside ?
i couldnt tell what they were looking at or doing but something isn.t right
Find alternative means for income. Get creative govt. stop increasing company fees and bank fees. Duty on the little person, hog wash. Tax the unhealthy. Tax the fatty food. Actually charge the criminals. All must pay a fine plus. Increase speeding fines. Implement petty drug fines plus jail. Actually enforce the littering fine. Car exhaust fumes. Charge fine them. Loud music, fine them. Cameras at all lights. Run a light, fine in the mail. Don't pay that, summons for arrest plus an increased fine. Have police sit at the bars and charge each drunk driver 500 minimum on the spot. That would clear the govt budget alone. Drive through west bay and pick up all those drugs boys, fine them.
Don't charge law abiding citizens. Charge the criminals!
Way too many Ego driven comments. Mr. Polack was simply saying that the new requirements by the Staticts dept that the Customs Department have been instructed to enforce is not worthwhile. The complaints are from everyone who have anything to do with trading. Mr Archer is the Minister of Finance who has responsibility for this, and as such must rethink the aims and value of going this route. I spoke to Custom officers and I am told that they find the system a waste of time, they too are disgusted with the whole affair.
What's wrong with forgetting the duty upon entering the island. If you can fit it in two reasonably sized suitcases and it is not for commercial purposes you can bring it in. Or put a time limit. If you are out the country for 24 hours to 36 duty is x one month x 3 months x.
However, I feel unless it is for commercial use then don't charge. To ensure smooth transition at the airport, have all suitcases go through x ray machines and have the drug dogs. This can be done before the suitcases come out and only the ones that need searching will be. Everyone else can go home happy.
Why are so many persons complaining about a law and process that has been in place for quite a long time? Longer than either political party has existed.
This is how our country collects taxes. Unfortunately if you think that there are not MANY amoung us that will evade these taxes at every opportunity then you are sadly mistaken. Even with increased vigilance by Customs they probably still miss 25% of the new dutiable items being brought into the country by residents every day.
The comments about visitors(tourists) are just pure drivel as the law only applies to items that will remain in the country for longer than any tourist usually would.
FYI: The new customs tarrif law came into existence 22nd June 2012, not exactly what I would call "quite a long time". If anything the fact that the new tarrifs are still a problem in mid 2014 would lead to the conclusion that copying what the rest of the world is doing might not be the best idea in the long run, especially for a country or territory that relies on importing almost all of the goods sold there. No one here is able to give a credible rationale for enacting the new tariff.
wha?! don't understand half of what he said!
It was trying to be clever, it came across as as if it had been written by 14 year old trying to impress teacher.
You all took the words right out of my mouth!
Brilliant writing Peter
What is so Brilliatn about that drivel. I would rather register my electronics than have to stand in line trying to explain that I took it with me. Seems to me that all of those king size suitcases filled to the brim and their owners sailing through customs without paing one penny to Customs is over. About time. Honesty is the best Policy- those who do not have anything to hide raise your hands.
It would very poorly written. Awful style and a thoroughly over-extended metaphor. It was redolent of some of the more crazed old Compass letters from years gone past. The worst thing is I bet he felt proud of the metaphor when he finished writing.
Not good communication at all to convey a central message. If you are going to communicate to an audience, you should never overuse figurative words. In fact you leave everyone having his own interpretation of what you said. This is not good communication at all. I certainly don't understand what he posted.
"It would very poorly written" (???!!!)
Huhhh? Wha de hell do dat mean? (Shakin head an' rollin eyes to God and sighing)
OMG! The Writing Style Gestapo here on CNS must consist mainly of primary school children. This forum is always good for a grin. (Holding head in hand)
Here's a tip 14:21: if ya gunna play Writing Style Gestapo and critique someone's comment based on writing style, I would suggest you proof read your own comment before you hit the "Save" button. Ok? Otherwise ya might just look stoopid.
I think I would rather be guilty of using an "over extended metaphor" than be guilty of opening my comment with "It would very poorly written". Ya know? (grin)
Ok, 14:21…about your comment, all I have to say is this:
(…ok…ok…wait for it…wait for it…)
"It would very poorly written". (ROTFLMAO)
(Of course you can always write back and tell us it was all a joke, for which we would all heartily thank you for the laughter you inspired.)
I database of electrical equipment ownership will not be at all abused or used totip off any thieves, right? Just like there are no corrupt police officers, right?
Where does this end? Do I have to Register my watch, a 50th Birthday present from my wife, wedding ring? Thank God I don't have any gold teeth!
The only possible explanation for this article is that there was a bet made to get "onchocerciasis" into a viewpoint. The parasite reference is a distraction rather than helping make the point.
Ummh, no, makes perfect sense… Customs are the parasitic flies, biting the business owners; meaning causing them all kinds of grief.
Thanks for that. You really helped me understand the point he was making.
My pleasure. I can explain it to you much s-l-o-w-e-r next time should you need help again.
Poor soul. A life untouched by sarcasm.
Is it time for your medication?
No thanks, I have an IQ and education considerable higher than you do.
"Considerable higher", huh? Your IQ is so high that you need a backhoe to dig for it. Take a few days to think about it and get back to me when you finally get it.
It was the devils of autocorrect. That can be explained easily. The use of the word "huh" cannot be account for so simply. Although, I must admit I did notknow what a "backhoe" was, probably because my exposure to such blue-collar terms is very limited. I suspect your expsore is less limited.
The first was the devils of autocorrect? Ok, sure, sure if it makes your fragile ego feel better. What about your second – "account for"? Ooops… Must be that damn autocorrect again. Except that there is no autocorrect. And yes, my "expsore" is less limited, you are so right again. By the way, what happened to autocorrect on that one? That's ok though, keep bragging to the world that you have a higher IQ and education – you're one little sad puppy; someone will eventually adopt you. Now please go fly your IQ on a kite, I'm sure you'll impress the village idiot (no relation to you).
A "backhoe" is a hoe dat, for sum money (or occasionally drugs) will let ya…uhh…ahhh…
(Naw…on second though, I'd better keep it clean and not say anymore. Use your imagination.)
How would you know that?
First, statistically both points are virtually certain. Second, you failed to identify sarcasm, which is always a marker of the dullard. Third, your writing is just so monosyllabic and Anglo-Saxon and that can only be driven by limitations not choice.
You are making the mistake of thinking I was the original poster. What statistics are you referring to?
Ummmm…actually, I think the poster was ignoring your sarcasm and using it to score a point but you were too dull to understand that.
Exactly.
I am afraid that that sentence is not properly constructed. So much for your superior education.
Says the person who writes sentences that lack verbs. One poster made a typo, you, on other hand, have only ignorance to fall back on.
I had to write and voice my outrage at the foolishness of the Customs changes. Just what they are trying to prove or who is behind this foolishness I am not sure but I suspect it is the Archer government finance people who need to squeeze more money out of people to feed the insatiable appetite of an out of control government.
Customs has always been a necessary evil but with the wedding dress disaster and the revised coding system and now with the required registering of electronic the word foolishess is not strong enough to voice my outrage.
Customs follow the laws set out by this government so blame Mr Archer for these unnecessary changes, is he a Mason?
We were thought that Laws were created to protect society, and to maintain order. It seems,however , that this does not apply in the Land that "time has caught".. We are in a time warp we cherish the old and the new most definitely zooms over our heads, escapes us because we have forgotten or were never taught to think critically and our heads are fuzzy.
Is there empirical evidence that shows that the increased number of tourist arrivals along with the local traveling populace have imported such a high number of technological apparatus that the Government is forced to now have all traveling residents register their tech material? Or is it that intelligence has shown that millions of dollars of equipment has been brought in people's suitcases and our bad screening, no screening or dysfunctional equipment has failed to detect infractions. Or finally is it that we are being so hard pressed to meet the Financial Targets that we have told our Civil Simple Servants to bring in the bacon by any means, just do it!. How long ago was this law created, what has caused SOMEBODY to find this law and blindly pass edicts without realizing that yet another bureaucratic nightmare is being created.
My fellow Citizens, Time na longer than Rope, because if the rope is choking us, killing us then we have no more time, say we dead. And Oh remember Common sense aint common.
Dread on Dread
Peter Polack needs to update his sources of information .Herefers to "the continuing debacle of wedding dresses" which has long since been addressed by Government.It seems like he misses home a lot and wants to pay income tax ,(afterall this is fairer to the middle and lower income households ) since he seems reluctant to pay Customs Duty; or does he want us to reduce duty to the point that Government is unable to survive and the Cayman Is then become more like his native land? I just do not understand the ungratefulness of some people ;they come here and are able to have a quality of life that they can no longer enjoy at home ,then they reward us by trying to turn our homeland into their old homeland.Go figure.
Ha ha ha ha ha…Listen buddy, I doubt Peter wants to pay income tax. All he's arguing is that the Customs department is making life increasingly difficult for business owners. As an aside, Peter has done more for the Cayman Islands than many Caymanians. Maybe you ought to thank him for looking out for your rights as a citizen of these islands.
I am trying to shut down my business as fast as I can.
I have listed to sell my 2 homes & 9 cars
gotta go soon before there is nothing left
theft is out of control in my operation and red tape by this BS government is out of control
immigration wont give permits and takes months to get the $ back My friend that works at immigration told me back in march that they were not going to issue new permits till caymanians get jobs. She wasn't kidding We have had 11 turned down so far Saying there wasn't a genuine need shownwe didnt get any $ back yet
In the meantime 4 new locals we hired were caught stealing 3 only worked 2 days and some others just did not show up after they were hired so its not like we dont try
I have on a positive note I have opened up a new business in honduras
and will set up shop soon in miami.
I will miss cayman and to those others that i employ sorry when i just dont show up for work in the near future you will know how i feel Ha Ha
22:13.With your obvious disrespect for and dislike of Caymanians I'll have to say that you have already stayed too long.Just go,your attitude stinks.
Yes my attitude sucks
Wrong I have a caymanian daughter I love everyone even those that steal from me ,business and the coworkers
Yes my attitude sucks
My Business makes plenty of money spend all of it locally it has very little to do with the money but the absolute pain caused by people towards others on this island.
My 9 cars and trucks are used for the most part by workers whom dont take care of them
I paid for them not the business
My business feeds lots of people
I see familys torn apart
I see cost of living out of control
I see good people being attacked
I see too much hate between men
I see govt attempting to destroy everything
Peter is feeling the same pain I feel.
You are in denial or something is just wrong with you
By the way nice hateful post from you and you dont even know hateful it was
You are absolutely correct!
Peter – thank you for a relevant viewpoint!
Glad I don't work for someone as angry and self-righteous as you. You also sound terribly nouveau.
By the sound of it you operate in a blue collar enviroment. No loss to the economy if your business moves as you do not seem to be adding anything and others will move in to take your place, perhaps with a better attitude.
15.59 You react as most Cayman people do, you assume that 22.13 is anti Caymanian because he doesnt want to employ any more. Now look at his evidence, from the 4 he did employ, he had theft, late attendance, partial attendance, and no show. This may be an unrepresentative sample, but it is fair comment, add to that the sad work ethic of a large proportion as I have seen, you should get a bit more honest with yourself and blame instead the people that instilled this feeling of jobs by right and need to work for them optional.
It was not prevalent in the previous generations that left their Island in search of work, so it has to be a recent mood change, thats what is to blame, not the wish to employ outsiders per se!
And people wonder why this place is f++ked?
How about thanks for the investment, for hanging on longer than most and enduring the theft and entitlement culture?
There are more in the same boat. I know of several business persons who are desperately trying to sell their personal homes first. Once they have been sold, the businesses then go.
Once the businesses go, locals, expats lose jobs and landlords lose rents, etc. At least one of these businesses cannot and will not be replaced locally.
looking to buy a cheap car u have 9?
I guess your business was very profitable at 1 time or maybe like all the short sighted people around here you took all the profits out of the business to buy cars and houses…
Bye-Bye!
The sad thing is that immigration genuinely believe by refusing permits they are going to assist Caymanians into employment when it will have the opposite effect.
Sir/Madam, I am quite sure you along with your nine cars will not be missed. I own a business and havent had your problems. Could it be an attitude problem! I look forward to your reports from Honduras, and may you have better luck in Latin America and Miami. It would be very hard to return after you burn this bridge.
You dont own a business, I have many friends that own local businesses and they all have the same problems some even have it worse.
I have an attitude problem So what,
I will be missed, and I can stay as long as I want so that bridge thing I can burn all that I want.
If really wanted to cause problems I could do that also, I have that magic stuff called money the evil paper garbage the island has sold its soul for
I really just want this little island to check themselves and stop heading down the path of doom
You are obviously blind and part of the problem the island has
I bet its allways someone elses fault in your eyes
and by the way I made millions in florida and spent it on your rock fed your people and improved your lives.
You all wanted educated fools in top positions and to run this country. Ya all forgot common sense prevails!!!
Joker, there is a difference between "common sense" and "good ole' Caymanian common sense from the sdacred wessel".
The Acting Collector of Customs Samantha Bennett and this PPM government are serious obstacles to this economy it feels like everything that they have touched has been one disaster after the other. How many more complaints do they need to hear to realize things are not improving the latest requirement to register your IPads, mobile phones and laptops proves that things getting from bad to worse. What in the world are the decision makers and government thinking? Who is thinking up more and more ways to frustrate businesses, all residents and why?
The stupidity must end now they are driving people out of business and either don't know or don't care.
Excellent post Peter. But we must also not forget to include the nwda. Government is dictating to companies who they can hire and fire. This is not a good situation that employers and companies are finding themselves in
Most of those expats who came here with one suit of clothes are the ones who are dictating, and hiring their own. Cayman Islands made them what they are. Now for them, it is " Divide and Conquer". When are you going to put us on the reservation?
There is a job in the paper right now. It is a work permit application. The bank used to be a retail bank. The job an 'associate director' director position. The person lined for the job, from her bosses home country. All new hires, from the bosses home country Canada. Interviews are conducted for the sake of the work permit application process. Not the only position up for grabs. How do I know this? In the interview it was outright said that he only wants his former colleagues hired.
16:32.Since you believe that paying duties is stupidity ,why don't you offer to pay income tax (say 30% of your fat salary) in lieu of import duty payments
The latest crusade against personal computers, IPADs, cellphones etc. is just a huge "make-work" project when you consider the Unpaid Duties plus Interest owed by Michael Ryan et al.
I guess its easier to bully the little guy.
You need to ask Mckeeva Bush why he never collected that!
If anything was collected it certaintly didnt come to Government!
He can also explain why there is no chance of collecting that now as well!