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Managing refugees too costly, says premier
(CNS): The Cayman Islands is struggling to keep pace with the resources necessary for dealing with illegal migrants and refugees, the premier told a regional audience Wednesday as he opened the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees Caribbean Region Pre-Ministerial Meeting which is taking place on Grand Cayman this week. Despite the difficulties he still lauded Cayman as a progressive nation when it came to meeting its international human rights obligations to granting asylum. But Alden McLaughlin also described the challenges surrounding the numbers of Cubans arriving in Cayman when faced with budget constraints.
“As many of us in the Caribbean region have found, the cost of assisting and processing refugees has increased significantly each year,” the premier told the representatives gathered at the Westin. “As a Government, we have a duty to ensure that the legitimate needs of our own people are met; so we must strike a balance.”
McLaughlin said with Cayman Brac sitting just over 100 miles from the southern coast of Cuba and all three Islands in the path to Central America the per capita rate of illegal migration here exceeds that of most other countries, including the United States.
“The cost of receiving, processing, detaining and repatriating illegal migrants was over US$1 million in the 2013-14 financial year. The cost for providing assistance for asylum seekers and refugees also exceeded the projections during the 2013-14 financial year,” he warned.
Since Cayman entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Cuba no refugees from that country have been granted asylum here. But he stated that immigration staff were well trained to deal with the applications.
“The screening for migrants who have a valid claim for refugee status is a key role that the Immigration Department performs. Staff have been trained in international refugee law, leading to the revision of policies for the reception and processing of migrants,” he said.
But the premier noted that the Deputy Governor will lead a delegation to Cuba nest month with the aim of negotiating a new Memorandum of Understanding with the country that speeds up repatriation.
Speaking about the meeting and the follow up in Brazil later this year he said Cayman was keen to work with its regional neighbours on strategies and practices, “that can help prevent risky illegal migration from being attempted in the first instance and practical ways of dealing with the processing, custody and repatriation of illegal migrants,” he added.
“For those who seek refuge here fleeing from persecution in their own country, we have adequate and proper legislation that allows them to apply for asylum,” he said.
The meeting on mixed migration and protection of refugees and stateless persons, which is taking place at the Westin on Seven Mile Beach will help set the agenda for the December meeting in Brazil.
See the premier's full keynote address below
Alden commits to OMOV
(CNS): The premier has made a commitment to the country’s voters that they will all have just one vote in single member constituencies when they go to the polls in May 2017. In an official announcement Wednesday, reversing his early U-turn on the PPM’s electoral promise, Alden McLaughlin said that the decision had the full backing of the Progressives and other government members, despite earlier comments about his concerns that he couldn’t carry all of them with him on the issue. He will now bring a motion to the Legislative Assembly next week to set the wheels in motion for the electoral reform, which will begin with a new boundary commission.
Although two previous reports and recommendations from boundary commissions failed to result in any change to the country’s multi-member constituencies and inequitable voting, McLaughlin said that this time the report would lead to an amendment in the law before the next election.
The premier pointed out that the significant increase in the electorate numbers since the 2010 Boundary Commission, a growth of more than 20 percent in registered voters, meant that another commission had to be established to ensure the most equitable boundaries for the new constituencies while at the same time giving due consideration to the historical districts.
McLaughlin pointed out the exceptions and that while equity of voter numbers would suggest that North Side and East End should be one constituency, and the same for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, constitutionally the Sister Islands had the right to two representatives and the historic boundaries of the districts of East End and North Side would not be overturned.
He did make it clear, however, that there will be no exception for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman with one man, one vote in single member constituencies so the Boundary Commission will confirm the boundaries of what will become two constituencies across the Sister Islands.
The commission will be tasked to decide all of the boundaries for what are likely to still be 18 constituencies. However, McLaughlin aired his continued concerns about even numbers and said it may be that the new boundary commission will consider whether or not there should be an odd number.
McLaughlin denied that his recent reticence over the implementation of OMOV was an “about face” but said the debate in government and his own party was not a rejection of equitable voting but about the best way to achieve it.
But in the end no voting system is perfect and the idea of ‘at large candidates’, which he said was working well in other small jurisdictions, may still suit Cayman but it would require a change to the constitution and take much longer to implement. Moving to a simple OMOV system in SMCs, he said, could be achieved in much less time.
Based on the timeline of the work of previous Boundary Commissions, McLaughlin was confident that a new report defining the new boundaries and the necessary changes to the elections law would all be made within a year, leaving plenty of time for a public education campaign well before the next election.
He said that there was no doubt that that agitation by the independent opposition members had pushed government to deal with the issue now and his said in the end it was the right thing to do as it should not be a distraction and he was happy to deal with it. Recognising that it might not be high on the list of public concerns, he said it was still important and something he had been trying to get done since 2002 when the PPM was first formed.
“For me those of us that have been around for a while, it will be quite a watershed,” the premier said.
Watch video of press briefing on CNS Business
See the premier’s presentation below and the motion which is being brought to parliament next week.
Former governor has ‘meet and greet’ with premier
(CNS): Former Governor John Owen is visiting the Cayman Islands, according to the office of the premier. Although no details were given about the visit or any clues as to whether this is a formal visit or a vacation, he apparently visited Premier Alden McLaughlin on the afternoon of Tuesday 12 August "for a meet and greet". Owen served as governor from 16 October 1995 until his retirement on 5 May 1999, after which he continued to pursue a variety of business, civic and charitable concerns. His distinguished career in business and in public service led to the award of an MBE in 1979.
Premier gives cash towards costly primary school trip
(CNS): Year 6 students from John A. Cumber Primary School in West Bay received a cheque for a $1000 from the premier’s office recently to help cover some of the expenses for their school trip next month to Washington DC. The trip had caused some controversy among parents earlier in the year as a result of the $2,700 price tag per child, which was beyond the pockets of most of the parents of the 90 students invited. It was later reduced to around $2,300, when the trip was cut from seven to five days and after teachers agreed to pay their own costs.
According to the premier’s officer, 21 children are now confirmed on the excursion to the US capital, which was described by the education department as providing “first hand learning opportunities” in the “political capital of the Western Hemisphere".
The premier agreed and said he was happy to be able to help the young people expand their minds. While in Washington, the students will stand where Martin Luther King made his pivotal speech, go to the Holocaust Museum and tour the Vietnam Memorial as well as participate in other activities.
“They are going to an area that is steeped in history and I hope they have a good experience and learn much,” Alden McLaughlin said.
Since the trip was confirmed, the Year 6 students from the school have also engaged in fundraisers to help offset the pricy tickets.
See related story on CNS:
Premier alleges abuse of office by former colleague
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin took his former political party colleague Arden McLean to task last week as tensions between the two men continue to increase. Winding up the budget debate on Wednesday evening, McLaughlin accused McLean of abusing his position by using his contribution to the debate to angrily attacked government regarding his nephew, who had been refused a job with the RCIPS as a trainee helicopter pilot. McLaughlin said the independent member for East End had done the House a disservice when he had “chosen to air his family’s laundry” on the floor of the Legislative Assembly.
“I have never heard anyone use their position as an elected member of this House to seek to further a member of his own family. It is an abuse of office,” the premier said, adding that had the Standards in Public Life Bill been in effect, McLean would have fallen foul of that law.
During his contribution last week, McLean had become exceptionally emotional and angry when he related the story of his nephew, who had dreamed of becoming a helicopter pilot ever since he was a young boy, and having gone overseas to study and train, he had applied to the RCIPS to join the air support unit.
However, McLean said he was disregarded as he was told he did not qualify and was given a list of companies to apply to from the ministry. McLean said it was an appalling state of an affairs when a young Caymanian had studied long and hard to follow that dream and qualify in his chosen profession to be turned away by his own country. McLean said that in the end his family member had gone to Jamaica, where the Defence Force there was helping the young pilot with further training and more flying hours.
Talking about the wider problem of young Caymanians being marginalized, McLean spoke of and the need for government to address the issue of those returning from college and training overseas not being able to find opportunities and the vicious circle of employers wanting them to have experience when no employer was prepared to give them a chance to gain experience.
McLean said he hoped his family was not being discriminated against but when he began trying to secure work at home he was rejected. McLean described what happened to his nephew as an abomination. Aware that he is not yet a qualified pilot, Mclean said he could not believe that the RCIPS could not offer him an entry level job where he helped on maintaining the chopper and support work and flew with the pilots to increase his flying time.
The East End member said the budget meant nothing if “our own people are not a part of it”, pointed to the mounting disillusionment of young Caymanians and the pressing need to remove the stumbling blocks placed in front of them.
As he wrapped up the debate, McLaughlin said he had to address the member’s allegations as he said that his nephew was assisted to look at numerous other possibilities, from training with the military in the UK or helping him find a commercial placement. The premier said the vacancy for the helicopter pilot with the RCIPS was for a fully qualified helicopter pilot and McLean’s nephew did not yet have anything close to the flying time required.
McLaughlin read from a lengthy memo which outlined all that the ministry of home affairs had done to try and assist McLean’s young nephew to find a place where he could increase his flying time and work towards joining the air support unit with the RCIPS.
He said that the ministry was also trying to find funding to help Darren McLean increase his flying hours or find training. The premier also said he had been invited by the Unit to join come along and fly as an observer but the RCIPS cannot take him on until his flying hours have increased.
The premier was also clearly angry that McLean had made such a public issue alleging that nothing had been done to help the young McLean in his dream. McLaughlin said the member knew full well that he was not involved in any kind of conspiracy to keep his nephew from his lifelong dream of becoming a helicopter pilot.
“Nothing could be further from truth and he knows in his heart of hearts that it would never cross my mind. He knows my advocacy for young people in this country; he was part of same party and administration as me for years … What he did … was wrong by any measure,” the premier said, adding that government was continuing to assist and he needed to set the record straight as the country was not being told the truth about what had happened.
Premier warns against complacency
(CNS): Although experts are predicting a quieter than average hurricane season, the premier urged residents not to be complacent as the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season opened this weekend. Even in the quietest of seasons, just one storm can wreak havoc and Cayman’s size and location makes it vulnerable, regardless of expectations. In his message to the country Alden McLaughlin warned people not to be lulled by the forecasts, stressing that hurricane predictions are merely a best estimate of expected hurricane activity. All residents are being advised to stock up and ensure they have an evacuation plan, regardless of what the weather throws at us.
As Grand Cayman faces the ten year anniversary of Ivan and cayman Brac the sixth anniversary of Paloma, those hurricanes serve as a reminder of the dangers.
“It will be ten years this season since Grand Cayman was slammed by Hurricane Ivan in September 2004 and six years since Hurricane Paloma devastated Cayman Brac and parts of Little Cayman and it is my fear that we are becoming complacent in our preparations,” McLaughlin said in his message. “We saw in Hurricane Ivan that storms can be fickle. I remember well watching the track with Ivan and being more concerned about our Sister Islands and our friends in Jamaica. Then it wobbled. I dare say, the majority of us on Grand Cayman were not prepared; after all, it had been 16 years since Hurricane Gilbert and some 70 years since Cayman had felt the massive blows of a killer storm in 1932.”
McLaughlin urged all Caymanians and residents who know how to prepare for the season to reach out to newcomers who have moved to these islands who don’t know about hurricane preparations to help them get ready.
“If you do not yet have a personal hurricane plan, please get one in place. Be certain that you have your hurricane supplies and, if you live in a high risk or vulnerable area, plan your escape route to the nearest hurricane shelter. Government preparedness cannot be a substitute for personal preparedness. We all need to be ready so that we can survive any storms that come our way and be in a better position to do any necessary rebuilding,” he added.
Both government and the local media will be closely monitoring the weather in the region throughout the season and CNS will give ample and regular warnings of any impending storms based on local and regional sources and the from the National Hurricane Center in Miami.
The latest predictions are that the 2014 season will see only nine named storms with just three reaching hurricane status. The first named storm for the Atlantic season if, or when, it comes will be Arthur.
Premier ‘wowed’ by amount of work PPM has done
(CNS): A report of the government’s work in its first twelve months in office was presented to the Legislative Assembly on Thursday by the premier, who said even he wassurprised by how much the Progressives led government had done its first year on the job. “I knew that we had accomplished much since our swearing in exactly one year ago to this day, but I must say I was a little overwhelmed when the report was placed before me. I thought to myself, wow, we have done a lot in our first year,” Alden McLaughlin told his parliamentary colleagues as he presented the report. The premier went through what he said were a few the highlights, from supporting the private sector to new laws and policies.
As he concluded the round-up, he said the PPM had promised to put government and the Cayman Islands back on the right course. “I think that we have done much in our first year to restore confidence and right the good ship Cayman.”
He said that the government could take satisfaction having done so much but they also realised, even more so now than at the start, “that there is so much, much more to be done”. However, he said the PPM administration was ready for the challenge.
“We have proven that we have the determination, dedication and self-discipline and we’re more than willing to make the effort,” the premier stated, adding that he looked forward to delivering an even more impressive report on the second year.
See full report below.
Alden: PPM working hard
(CNS): The premier has said that, contrary to the “detractors”, his government has been working hard and has seen a remarkable increase in government revenues in the Progressives’ first 12 months in office. During his policy statement at the opening of the Budget meeting on Monday, Alden McLaughlin told the Legislative Assembly that he would be presenting the PPM government’s first year report to members today (Thursday 29 May) on the anniversary of its election. He claimed his government had stabilized government finances, paid down debt, improved revenues, mended bridges with the UK and successfully promoted Cayman on the world stage. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
He also pointed to immigration improvements as well as the passage of the National Conservation Law and the Standards in Public Life bill, though many months have passed since their historic passage and neither law has actually been implemented. McLaughlin said that changes to the Animals Law to be addressed by legislators in this meeting would pave the way for the NCL to be properly enacted but he did not say when the much anticipated ethics bill will come on line.
McLaughlin said that phase two of the immigration policy reform was underway and would focus on the work permit system. But again, he did not say when the next wave of changes to the legislation would be before members.
During his policy statement the premier said the PPM had lived up to its campaign promise to restore confidence in Cayman and his government would build on the “foundation of sound and responsible management” of the country’s economic affairs.
“Despite the claims of our detractors to the contrary, what this government has been doing is working,” he said. “We have achieved a remarkable increase in government revenue in our first year in office and our intention now is to keep that momentum.”
He said the PPM had set ambitious but realistic budget targets last year, which were surpassed. Making a dig at the previous administration, he queried why the UDP was not able to improve revenue more quickly given the number of fees that were increased or introduced during its term. McLaughlin pointed to the “better money management” of the PPM that had built on the fees introduced by the UDP. He also claimed a reduction in unemployment as recorded by the ESO, though the local workforce is still facing significant challenges regarding employment.
Reviewing the plans for the coming budget year, he said that the face of government was changing.
“If there is one thing the global recession has taught us … we cannot continue to do things in the same old ways without courting disaster,” he said. “Change to reflect different times is inevitable and it is better for us to manage the change ourselves than to have it administered to us as bitter medicine by others,” he said.
Focusing on the theme of “stabilize, prioritise, energise”, he said that would be government’s road map for the country as he claimed to have dealt with the first two in the first year and would deal with the third this coming year.
He said he did not expect everyone to agree with every decision the government made but he asked people to get on board and help create an environment in Cayman where people are able to find jobs and raise the families in a happy safe environment.
The debate on the government’s Throne Speech, Policy Statement and Budget Address will begin this morning at 10am with the opposition leader’s response followed by members’ contributions. McLaughlin said the House would be working until 7pm each evening until the debate was concluded and the Finance Committee had completed its scrutiny of the government’s spending in the detailed Appropriations Bill.
See premier’s statement, throne speech and appropriations below.
Premier outlines plans for GT
(CNS): Among the goals the Cayman government has for the new financial year is the rejuvenation of George Town, which the premier has said is linked, but not tied, to the cruise port development and will start this coming autumn. Outlining various government objectives in his policy statement at the opening of the Legislative Assembly budget meeting Monday, Alden McLaughlin said government had put together a team that is looking at the revitalization of the downtown area of the capital in keeping with the PPM’s election campaign promise. With road works already approved, the team is examining how to bring back business, and the premier said planning zone changes would be made to enable, among other things, residential development.
Hoping to turn the capital back into an economic hub, he said there was no reason why it should roll up its sidewalks "as the last cruise ship sails over the horizon each day".
The premier said that while this project would take into consideration the development of the forthcoming cruise berthing facilities, he regarded the project to re-energise the capital to play an important economic role, as any proud capital should, as independent from the proposed new port.
“Once government has the team’s recommendation, public consultation will follow with the aim to start implementation by the fall of this year,” he said, adding that government was aware of the lack of parking spaces in the city. “Plans are in the works for improved parking as well as a new park and a market at the former Tower Building site.”
That crown land at the heart of the downtown George Town area has been out of formal use since the building was torn down after it was destroyed in Hurricane Ivan in September 2004. For some time it was used as an unofficial parking lot but during the last United Democratic Party administration, then premier McKeevaBush announced that it would be turned into a Christian Heritage Park. Although a groundbreaking ceremony took place In April 2011, the project was abandoned shortly afterwards due to budget constraints.
The capital has been badly hit by the decline in cruise ship calls, the closure of businesses and a drift towards Camana Bay as a central point.
McLaughlin made it clear that he wanted to reverse the decline and make George Town more relevant, not just to visitors and Caymanians but to all those who make Grand Cayman their home.
“The Progressives-led government believes that it is of critical importance that the downtown not be allowed to die but that it regains its once pre-eminent status as a hub of economic, commercial and social activity,” he said, adding that government would propose legislation to amend the development and planning law to ensure the capital is re-developed with a modern Caymanian feel throughout.
“We want to be able to draw new restaurants and businesses back to George Town and for property owners to have the ability to eventually refit some buildings for apartments for residential use or develop new living spaces. It is our plan to make George Town more pedestrian-friendly, with wider sidewalks, trees, benches and one way, or no traffic,” McLaughlin said.
“During the different phases there will be the added benefit of new jobs, companies getting contracts and new businesses encouraged to start or move to George Town. It’s all about enhancing the experience of the capital,” he added.
Premier warns MLAs to serve
(CNS): The country’s leader urged his Bodden Town team to make sure they serve the needs of their constituents, otherwise they would not be returned to office. Premier Alden McLaughlin said thatwithout the Bodden Town members the PPM was unlikely to get a second term and that he knew very well how easily the voters would turn against their representatives if they do not believe they are working hard for their interests. Speaking at the opening of the new Progressives’ constituency office in the district, the PPM leader urged the people in Bodden Town to use it and if they didn’t find any of the four MLAs there he wanted the people to let him know.
“Representatives come and go and when they do not measure up the people remove them,” the premier said. “You are entitled to access your representatives and I know that if they do not serve you well, you won’t put them back and we won’t get the next government.”
Pointing to the importance of constituency offices, he said that the PPM headquarters and George Town MLAs office was always a very busy place and unless he was not on the island he did everything he could to be at his MLA surgery on Thursday afternoons to meet constituents and deal with their issues.
McLaughlin said it was one thing for members to perform well when they were in the Legislative Assembly but the voters need to see their MLAs and the members need to address constituency issues and serve them properly.
McLaughlin said that eleven months into office things were going well with his government, of which many, although exceptionally well qualified, were novice politicians. Like any other job, he said, these newcomers to the political arena had to learn how to do the job, and although there had been some bumps along the way, he was still very happy with how things had gone.
“We have never had a more professionally qualified and broadly experienced group in the Legislative Assembly before,” he said. “If we don’t do well it is no one else’s fault and we must make sure we don’t disappoint those in Bodden Town and across the island who helped us get into office … I am conscious of how easy it is not to do enough he said, I’ve felt it before,” he added, ahead of the official opening, as he askedfor feedback from the constituents regarding their representatives.