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(CNS): Inflicting hardship on civil servants is no way to help Cayman out of the recession, the PPM has stated and called on government to cut operating expenses and downsize the public sector over time. Moses Kirkconnell pointed out that cutting pay will be disastrous for Cayman Brac’s economy, which is dependent on public sector workers, and called on the government not to take the money from the pockets of his constituents. During the public meeting on Tuesday evening, the PPM team all spoke in support of a need to reduce operational expenditure but said cutting salaries was not the way forward.

(CNS): The planned public protest against government which was scheduled for Saturday, 13 March, has been cancelled. The demonstration had been organised by Charles Clifford, the former cabinet minister, who now says he has lost the support of his colleagues in the PPM for the march because of government’s turnaround on the sale of the new government building negating the need to protest. Clifford, however, states that what he sees as the damaging changes to immigration policies must still be protested, but without the organisational support of the party the demo won’t go ahead.

(CNS): Following a number of reports to CNS that customers were being asked to give financial deposits, CUC have confirmed that a review of their customer accounts has led to some people being requested to supply a deposit or increase the amount held on account with the power supplier. One person complained that although they had been a customer since the 1970s and had never once missed a payment, the power firm had written to them demanding a $2,000 deposit, which they found excessive and unnecessary.  In a statement to CNS, CUC said it had a policy of requiring deposits from all commercial customers.

(CNS): The former education minister has said that the premier knew that this year’s budget was over ambitious and would never balance. Alden McLaughlin said McKeveva Bush had presented a “pretend budget” to the Legislative Assembly in order to ease the pressure from the UK. Accusing him of lying to both the people and the UK about the expected revenue, the opposition MLA said at a public meeting last night that the leader of the country had placed the Cayman Islands in an even more precarious position so that he could beat up on the PPM. McLaughlin said Bush had put too much pressure on business with fee increases and undermined confidence with his false declarations of the country’s bankruptcy.

(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier will be meeting with the UK government this week to discuss the Miller Report and the state of the country's finances. Following the revelations in his address to the country on Monday evening that the government will need to borrow again to balance the 2009/10 budget, McKeeva Bush will also need to seek permission from the FCO’s Overseas Territories Minister Chris Bryant. The last time Bush went to London seeking UK approval for borrowing he was told the UK wanted to see direct taxation, and while he was eventually granted permission, it was based on a number of conditions, including a balanced budget for this year. (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)

(CNS): Frustrated by government’s refusal to convene an emergency Finance Committee meeting as he requested, Ezzard Miller, MLA for North side, is taking on the budget single handed. Convinced that there are numerous areas in spending that government could cut more easily than the salaries of civil servants, the independent MLA says that he will be examining the budget documents line by line to see the exact details of each appropriation and attempt to cut unnecessary expenditure. Miller told CNS that he believes this is what government should do first before taxing public sector workers.

(CNS): A member of the US Coast Guard crew currently visiting the Cayman Islands became the victim of an attack when he came ashore from his ship, CNS understands. Police have confirmed that George Town detectives are investigating an attempted robbery which left a sailor with head injuries in the early hours of this morning. About 2:10 am the 21-year-old American sailor, was walking in North Church Street with a friend in the Burger King area when a man jumped out of a side street, struck the victim on the face and demanded cash.

(CNS): Roadblocks and bureaucracy are holding up important projects, the premier told the country on Monday evening during an address to update the public on government finances. He also blamed the opposition for attracting bad international publicity with meetings, petitions and marches. “With all the agitation being hyped up by the opposition, we will lose all the chances of turning around the economy,” Bush said. He also said the opposition to divesting the new government building would have serious consequences. During his address Bush said government had no choice but to cut public sector salaries and benefits in order to reduce the anticipated deficit of $62 million.

(CNS): Threatened with significant pay and benefit reductions, members of the civil service have planned a meeting on Monday evening to hear the details of the government's proposals from officials from the ministry and to offer their thoughts on those cuts and other cost cutting measures the public sector has been asked to make. According to a memo sent senior civil servants following their meeting with the premier last week, it is unclear whether there is still a window of opportunity to offer alternative solutions or whether the cuts are happening from this month.

(CNS): Police have confirmed that a woman was threatened with a gun after she accepted a ride from a driver this morning on her way to work.  The George Town woman is now recovering after she jumped from a moving vehicle when the driver pulled what was believed to be a gun. No shots were fired but the woman was injured when she leapt from the car. The female hitchhiker described her assailant as short and stocky with a light brown complexion, short hair and a Caymanian accent, driving a small red car.

(CNS): Although McKeeva Bush has promised to release the report prepared by James Miller III and David Shaw following his return from London next week, the content of that report is already being leaked and early speculation suggests it will be a tough pill for the community to swallow if the government chooses to follow its recommendations. The report suggests the CIG need to dramatically cut the number of civil servants as well as sell government assets and privatize public services. CNS understands that the report does not offer many new revenue raising options but recommends that government focuses on drastic spending cuts without new fees or taxes.

(CNS): The leader of the opposition has called on the premier to release the Miller Report to the public and sit down with the opposition to present a united front for his visit to London this week to discuss its contents and address the expected deficit for 2009/10. Kurt Tibbetts told McKeeva Bush that he had missed an opportunity for members of the legislature to come together and thrash out a joint plan which included working with the opposition and the independent member, but says there is still time for a consensus approach and for Bush to take advantage of the experience of the opposition bench before meeting the UK.