FFR still bogged down in LA
(CNS): As the premier presented his third version of the Public Management and Finance Law (PMFL) amendment to bring the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility into law in the Legislative Assembly Wednesday, Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin took the opportunity to attack the UDP’s record in office. This resulted in a tirade from Premier McKeeva Bush against McLaughlin during a long response on the bill, which has still not reached thevote. Members have yelled at each other over the FFR for a week but have still not voted on the final version of the PMFL, which includes the entire agreement as an appendix. While three UDP backbenchers have stated their intention to vote ‘no’, the opposition has offered its support following indications from the UK that the latest draft is acceptable.
McLaughlin said that, as the FFR was a government motion, the potential backbench revolt could be perceived as a vote of no confidence in the government. He spoke about Bush being “forced to eat his words” during last week’s U-turn over the FFR and the negative impact the situation over the last few months has had on the country.
“If the premier and his government are not ashamed and embarrassed about how this played out, I am downright embarrassed,” the opposition leader said during his debate on the new version of the law. “This makes us all look as though we are playing at some Micky Mouse parliament,” he said as he pointed to the waste of the LA’s time, with members debating the bill at length last week only to come and find, when the House returned, that the premier had “contritely” brought yet another bill.
McLaughlin said the members now had a new and different bill before them to debate but that finally it complied with what the premier had committed the Cayman Islands to with the UK a year ago, enabling the opposition to vote in favour.
With the possible loss of at least three votes, the premier may need the opposition’s support to pass the FFR into law as demanded by the UK. UDP backbenchers Cline Glidden, Ellio Solomon and Dwayne Seymour all said Friday that they were not going to support the bill because it would prevent the advancement of the local economy.
However, despite needing their votes to avoid whatever threats the UK’s OT minister made to Bush, he did little to court the opposition leader’s support when he launched a full scale attack on him. Bush accused McLaughlin of attempting to paint him as a “crook” in order to oust him from office.
In an effort to defend his record, the premier said it was not his fault that none of the proposed government projects had got off the ground to turn the economy around as promised. Bush said people were deliberately trying to stop him from getting anything done and continued to claim that all of the problems were down to the PPM’s over spending.
He refused to accept that the UK was imposing the FFR on the Cayman Islands Government because of concern regarding the process of procurement under his administration and insisted that it was the mismanagement of the PPM that had resulted in the imposition of the FFR. Bush said it was those “monstrosities which we cannot afford”, as he pointed to the new high schools instigated by the opposition leader when he was education minister.
Bush accused McLaughlin of doing everything he could to "paint me black” and also railed at others about the investigations. He denied all wrongdoing and said all he ever did was try to help his people. He said that some were bringing “trumped up charges” against him but in the long run, even if he lost the battle, he would win the war as one day the truth would come out. “I’ve done nothing,” he said.
Facing up to the obvious fact that the allegations regarding three police investigations against him will be forming part of the 2013 election campaign, Bush said he may not have the time to campaign against those efforts to smear him because he would be busy doing the work of the country. But, Bush said, there were a 1,000 independents running because "the people don’t want him … no one wants him; that’s why he has to paint me black,” the premier said of McLaughlin.
“No matter how much they believe McKeeva is bad, no matter how much theytry to paint me crooked, I am not. But the only way they can succeed is to convince the people and ruin me,” he said. “I have made mistakes in my life but committed no illegalities … those who write things to damage us … and they will continue because I stand up to them …and take my name and scandalize it … I stand against them and those who would sell their grandmother to be premier,” he said.
Bush said he was not concerned about the general election but that he didn’t have any ”good PR”. He indicated that when the UDP has its party conference in January, he would let the people know where he stood as he hinted that he may be willing to step aside for good people “coming up behind him”.
However, it is not the first time that the premier has indicated that he may have had enough of politics or be tired of the job and he has usually returned fighting, denying any intentions of voluntarily stepping out of the political fray.
Bush’s tirade lasted the best part of Wednesday afternoon before the House was adjourned until Thursday, when the premier is expected to conclude his response to the debate on the PMFL amendment bill, which includes the FFR, and finally put the document to the vote.
Category: Politics
Presenting 3 versions seems to be par for the course for this government. Didn't another minister recently present 3 versions for a recent incident? My memory escapes me what it could be, but….
Momma alwaystold me, when you hear more than one explanation for the same thing from the same person, none of them are right.
Honourable Premier………. you KNOW you have to pass the FFR. Only you know what are the exact consequences of not passing it, however wecan guess.
Just pass the damn thing. Your actions are the cause of us being in this position, and your options are nil. Pass it and then — and only then — can we, the people who pay for your whims begin to help repair the damages done. It might've been something you could have negotiated way back when, but that was not the choice you made. You've left us in a position of no choice. Pass it.
I had some friends over at my house that was visiting the island a few nights ago and the tv was on the new comedy channel, (comedy international tv20). They asked me why I was watching a mock parliament channel and I told them that it was real, they said 'yea right' but insisted that I keep it on this channel as they said it was the best entertainment they had seen since they arrived on the island.
MICKY MOUSE: I beg to differ with Mr. McLaughlin"s comment about a Micky Mouse Parlement.
Micky Mouse and its parent company Disney and in good financial standings and thier company directors and CEO have all thier ducks in a row.
Mr. McLaughlin should have said, the UDP could not even run a Micky Mouse operation.
BB
mickey mouse wears a udp wristwatch!
Nothing new here… more Mac denials, excuses and whining…is this news?
I feel like I been reading the same article on CNS for months, just different topics
Embarrassed yet? When will we learn all they do is waste money and pretend to care. It’s a game for them.
“Pot calling kettle black” is the best way to explain our MLA’s and 2 groups pretending to be political parties
Mac Bush needs to just resign or give up leadership and Aldon Mclaughlin is not the answer for the future. Anybody who is prepared to trade one bad leader for the other and still get the same type of results doesn’t understand or want a change for the better. Cayman needs change and solutions which the udp or ppm cannot provide.
The UDP and PPM have led cayman to this point whereby the FFR is mandated by the FCO. Both should be embarrassed as both are irresponsible and reckless with our funds while have the same type of bully for a leader. Did anybody watch them on citn27 last week’s Panel? Mirror images of each other no clue no shame and no answers on the way forward for cayman.
PLEASE STEP DOWN
Mr. Bush will you please do the Country a favour and step down!! You are an embarressmest to this country and its people. It seems like the parliament of this Country has become a CIRCUS, members behaving like school children, shouting at one another,and blaming others for the problems of this country instead of trying to solve the problems and do the best for the Country. Imagine debating three different versions of the FFR only to have to return to the original version. Why waste the time of Parliment ? Please do the Country a favour and STEP DOWN !!!!! As for me and my family I would not waste my time to vote for any Member of the present Parliament for in my opinion none of you have done anything for the people of this Country since taking office.
My 5 year old son could do a better job. As leaders of a people you represent Caymanians to the world. Now they all know just how lazy and incompetent people can be and still have a job.
We keep forgetting that our whole nation does not amount to more than a small city in the US or other countries.
What small city is spending itself dry on grandiouse bureaucracies like Framework for Fiscal Responsibility, and Freedom of Information.
Can the citizens really afford these boondoggles?
Is this not somewhat ridiculous?
Yes. But in those small cities they have state and federal legislation, and beurocratic institutions, to take up the slack. Cayman's challenge is that we, being a Small Island Developing State (argue semantics all you want, thats the practical status) has to implement all of these beurocracies or we will flounder from a lack of good governance.
The other option would be closer ties to the UK. Essentially becoming a small city within the UK. Then let their national legislation take up the slack for us. We wouldn't need FOI, we could use their FOI law instead. And the EU regulations. Wouldn't that be fun? <sarcasm>
Except many of those small cities established and ran themselves before the "state and federal" institutions "took up the slack." This included running their own courts and police forces, which Cayman does not do even now. The big difference is in education and leadership.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.” Joseph Goebbels ( Hitler’s Propaganda Minister)
This my friends is leadership! McKeeva still on the PPM blame game, XXXX, Mary losing control of the house and the beat goes, on and on. Putting Cayman in a third world state of mind. May 2013 can't come fast enough for me.
Why do we continue to pay for bickering school children ?
We need new blood leading this country! Not the same old politricks of yesterday!
Thththththththththat's all folks!!!!!!!!!!
The balloon idea in downtown George Town is starting to look feasible given all the hot air coming from the LA.
This article will ensure that Mac will call you first, when making a public anouncement….
"People have got to know whether or not their President is a crook. Well, I'm not a crook. I've earned everything I've got." – Richard M Nixon.Nov 17th, 1973.
"the advancement of the local economy" = "hair brained scheme of dubious provenance that are rushed through and end up costing the public purse vast sums". As in "The Cohen deal is an advancement of the local economy" or "The cancellation of the GLF deal and the payment of millions in compensation is an advancement of the local economy".
“I’ve done nothing,” he said. Straight from the big man himself. The truth shall set you free (free from being premier that is).
It was obvious all along that once the premier was made to bring the "agreed" version of the FFR to the House, which is a version that he does not agree with, that he would have his government vote against it. That is his order & they have to obey. It will be interesting to see which ministers vote 'no' to it, but my guess is that they will do as Bush tells them & vote no (while he votes 'yes' but he willget what he wants & that is that the FFR will not pass). He will say that he was told to bring the FFR to the House & even though he voted 'in support' of it he cannot tell his UDP colleagues how to vote (but we know the truth that he really told them to vote "NO"). It is now past time for Mckeeva Bush to resign, for the good of his country.
see ya mac daddy,,,,