Alden calls for solidarity
Posted on Tue, 02/21/2012 - 08:24 in Politics
(CNS): The opposition leader has pledged the support of the PPM to the various groups opposing the West Bay Road closure and the proposal to move the dump, warning that the deal was only a symptom of a more frightening problem. Alden McLaughlin called for solidarity and the need to stick together, despite the disappointment over the rejected petition last week. He pointed to the success of the protests and demonstrations which had stopped the “crazy idea” of the East End port and the dredging of the North Sound. The PPM leader said the efforts to fight what was happening were part of a bigger fight for a better kind of governance. (Photo Dennie Warren Jr)
Speaking at a public meeting in George Town last week, the opposition leader described the current administration as “completely clueless” and “flailing about” for the last three years “trying to find some magic or a miracle” to fix the economic problems of the country. He said government was just coming up with one “idiotic proposal” after another, but the real problem was that government didn’t have a plan, despite the manifesto produced during the 2009 election campaign which promised wonderful things once elected.
“They are operating without a flight plan; the captain has lost contact with air traffic control; he is flying blind and the plane is running out of fuel and there is not a runway in sight,” McLaughlin told the audience of some 250 people that had come out in opposition to elements of the Dart plan. The proposal, he said, was the only thing the UDP could come up with to try and fix the economic woes of Cayman.
“The reality is their only economic policy has ever been to sell the country’s assets and use the money to buy votes,” McLaughlin stated. “That has been their economic policy ever since they took office.”
He said this was clear to see by the various policy proposals the government has come up with since the election, including the proposal to sell the Government Office Accommodation Building, the plan to sell the Water Authority and this plan to gift land to Dart.
The opposition leader pointed to the more than $4 milllion given to churches under the nation building plan and, more critically, to the $5 million they had taken from the Dart Group even before the main agreement regarding the ForCayman Alliance has been signed. He said it came down to government selling assets and buying votes in order to do the same thing all over again.
McLaughlin said that once the previous UDP Cabinet had granted status to the owner of the Dart Group, the country was no longer able to control what he did because he was now as Caymanian as anyone else. Power and influence was now concentrated in the hands of one very powerful family, the PPM leader told the crowd, which was not just buying property and businesses but dictating policy, as illustrated by the ForCayman Alliance deal.
However, it was not the Dart Group that people should be blaming, which, after all, was merely seeking a commercial advantage, and it was obvious that Dart would want to move the dump from its own backyard, McLaughlin said. If it could find a government “absolutely stupid enough" to move it to the people of Bodden Town’s backyard, why wouldn’t they go along with it, he asked rhetorically, as he laid the blame at the hands of the current UDP administration.
“I don’t beat up too much on the Dart Group for what they are doing. The people we need to beat up on are those that you elected to the Legislative Assembly who are betraying you,” the opposition leader said, adding that this was where the pressure should be applied.
Despite the disappointment of the petition, which had more than 4,000 signatures but was cast aside by government because a dozen or so of those signatures were from visitors or children, the people should not give up, he said.
“We have to continue to do what we are doing,” he said, as he called for solidarity in the protests despite the disappointment. “We must not lose heart. We must build this momentum. We must stop this craziness.”
McLaughlin added that the country needed a government that would listen to what the people said and pay attention to the rules and follow the law. Cayman needed a government with integrity and “a premier who is not under criminal investigation”, he said to wide applause. Cayman’s reputation was already at stake and the people had to send the message that they would no longer stand for it, the PPM leader urged.
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Caymanians and their leaders
Caymanians and their leaders only seem to good at fighting among themselves, this why they will never get anywhere or get anything done unless someone gives it to them or does in for them...
With every word spoken these
With every word spoken these guys give the UK reason to believe that Caymanians are not able to handle thier own affairs.
still waiting for any ppm
still waiting for any ppm alternative plans.........3 years and still offering nothing.....
btw...udp are the terrible too............
Alden keep up the fight for
Alden keep up the fight for the petition and for the complete change and over haul of the leadership party system in our country.
IMHO the problems in our country have been allowed to grow through poor leadership, poor decision making, no long term strategy, corruption, greed, conflicts and the use of being a politician as the vehicle for private wealth. We have allowed this to happen over the past 2-3 decades by turning a blind eye and accepting favors that range from a washing machine, a hundred dollar bill to partnerships and the possibility of millions of dollars.
Due to short sighted visionless leaders we have crime, shootings, robberies, out of control driving, graft, conflicts, cronyism, poorly educated youth, immigration laws and policies that create whole scale imbalances, debt and on and on it never ends.
The Dart's ARE NOT the issue. As you know I believe this well entrenched group can be very good for Cayman IF the right leadership is working hand in hand with them. The present leaders have no vision and cannot turn the country around because their conflicted leadership model will not work any longer. It has milked Cayman dry.
The past power politicians of Jamaica, Bermuda and The Bahamas lead their countries into ruin. Read these words.....the same thing is happening to your country right now.
Get the petition done Caymanians. Do something positive for your country, your children and yourselves. One man one vote, get rid of the one man one party which will continue to destroy Cayman as we know it.
IMHO the activists against the WB road should unite with Alden. But unite first to change the system that allows willy nilly decision making. Have a system and leadership that does not make foolish decisions.
Lachlan MacTavish
The pots are cursing the
The pots are cursing the kettles here
One man one vote is the way to go.
Elect an Independent government with an Independent member Premier.
Party politics is our doom. Forget it.
The PPM knows "everything
The PPM knows "everything about everything" and does "nothing about anything" except throw the country in enormous debt and 81 million in deficit !!!!
The trouble is that we have
The trouble is that we have only Bush's word that there was ever a $81m deficit since it was never audited. It strains the credulity that we could have moved from that position to a $20m surplus by June, 2011 (a difference of $101m) in the middle of a recession without massive cuts in spending. Revenue has not increased by $101m. On the other hand if it was that easy then the deficit was not such a serious issue after all.
Actually the Auditor General
Actually the Auditor General says he can't find the $69,000,000 that Chuckie spent....so its not only Macs word.
He probably can't find the
He probably can't find the hundred million that Mac wasted on cruising the globe and penalties and law suits and 'nation building' either, or the hundred million that the PPM wisely spent on schools and roads and an administration building either. That's because its been spent, silly.
It seems you have a reading
It seems you have a reading disability.
Too bad you know nothing
Too bad you know nothing about anything and cannot possibly prove your points.
Anything to get
Anything to get re-elected..eh Alden...
It's the season!!!
Anything to rescue your
Anything to rescue your country and it's people (even the stupid ones) from the gates of hell. Press on Alden.
I am absolutely sick of
I am absolutely sick of complaints and finger pointing. Dart this Mac that. what I want to hear is bright and sensible ideas for solutions. I have no more patience nor will I give any support to politicians that run their mouths and do nothing.
UDP, PPM nor the Independent from up North will get my Vote, they are all useless. And they are collectively running the Country into a hole..
What we want to hear is
What we want to hear is bright and sensible ideas for solutions.
And who really got us into
And who really got us into this mess. Oh ya it was the PPM. Make a move
UDP and the proof will be in the pudding in May when you get re-elected.
Too bad that three years and
Too bad that three years and tens of millions of wasted dollars later and in spite of their wondrous campaign promises the UDP still cannot get us out of the mess they accused the PPM of getting us into in order to get themselves elected. I most certainly hope the Cayman electorate, quite apart from the above, is not stupid enough to re-elect a political party with a leader with a serious criminal investigation hanging over his head.
These are the most sensible
These are the most sensible things Alden has said in a long time.....in fact I havent heard much from him in a long time except tfor back when he said that he thinks we need to accommodate people who have been here a long time and make them all citizens.......I will need to get a much clearer definition of how he plans to resurrect Cayman if he got elected again before he will get my vote...I am with him on these petition issues however.....thank you for making a stand finally Alden.
Oh my Lord here comes Alden
Oh my Lord here comes Alden running up from behind the crowd yelling follow me, follow me I will show you the way.
Alden you and the PPM should have led the way from the beginning. With 3 representatives in Bodden Town the people of that district should not have had to take on this Anti-Dump campaign all on their own. Now after they have gotten the people excited about this up comes the PPM from behind again shouting follow me, follow me.
No wonder The Chuckster left unna and Arden is hanging out with Ezzard most of the time but sitting on the PPM fence because he can't quite bring himself to leave the party.
You are no Leader Alden thats why no one is following you. Look behind you. There is no one there. You are now following the people as indicated by their invitation for you to join the people's meeting last week in George Town !
Give it up Bro ! Country first !!!
In tough economic times the
In tough economic times the last thing we need is political wrangling, and thats what been going on here since they introduced parties in this country. What we desparately need is solutions, means to feed and educate our children, we need jobs people, plain and simple. The truth is i believe Cayman will benefit from this WB project; the litte road diversion wont kill or hurt nobody what we need to concentrate on is that this project will bring a much needed shot in the arm to an very sick economy. As much as people go around talking about Dart he has proven to be a very good corporate citizen; just take a look at Caymana Bay it has added so much to the prestige of these islands; the people who opposed that project were very mistaken and I suspect that this time will be the same. I support the government on this 100%.
With respect to the dump, its time to do something i believe we can all agree on that. The dump is over grown, its already an invironmental hazzard so what do we do? people we are broke, the government do not have the luxury wasting money studies i mean how many more of those do we need? the way i see it its a win win situation for everyone to have Dart deal with this; it should be capped and moved, Bodden town currently has the best land mass to accomodate this plain and simple.
Lets get this done.
Alden had best not only
Alden had best not only suggest solidarity but he better practice it also by embracing Ezzard Miller in the fight to dispose of Mckeeva Bush & the UDP from government. The most important thing to do right now is to get rid of Mckeeva Bush as premier, & the best way to do that is work in solidarity with Ezzard Miller & all those that oppose Bush, including the various concerned groups. It is very important that Alden Mclaughlin works in unity with them, especially Ezzard Miller, to rid Cayman of the UDP & Bush. Yes, solidarity is needed, solidarity against Mckeeva Bush! Anything less will not do.
Sorry, my trust is long gone.
Sorry, my trust is long gone. Are they now all of the sudden throwing themselves behind those various groups because they think it is the "popular" thing to do, or are they really looking out for the country. Who knows anymore - unfortunately most policitians don't do anything without an ulterior motive.
You got that right- sit on
You got that right- sit on fence until you see where the crowd is then jump off. Pure Alden.
Can you imagine Alden wants to keep the dump in His district rather that fixing our biggest environmental disaster? Did he ask us george Towners? NOOOO!. just looks like it is an easy political position at moment. Alden jump once please (on the other hand I hope he realises all those Bodden Towners does not actually vote for him, we do)
One man- One vote....'if you relect me I will change it"..Jump Alden, Jump now. I see you are waiting to see how many votes Ezzard and Arden get first. I am sure when they reach 5000 (and they will) you will be right on centre stage. SAD, SAD.
You nailed that 15:53. Fence sitting 101
Actually I am not sitting on
Actually I am not sitting on the fence at all because I don't think the party politics works in Cayman. My vote will go to someone who runs independently because in my humble opinion, we got ourselves trapped by thinking PPM and UDP are the only options.
If Alden felt so strongly about the dump, why didn't they do anything about all of this when they had the opportunity to do so. I clearly remember all the promises made during their election campaign that to sort out the dump was top on their list. They had four years of investigating and spending money to do so. What came out of it? Absolutely nothing!
Mark, Dwayne, Ellio, McKeeva,
Mark, Dwayne, Ellio, McKeeva, all of them are representing no one else but Dart and those who have the bucks! Talk about Democracy! 2013... here we come!
CNS: "McLaughlin added that
CNS: "McLaughlin added that the country needed a government which would listen to what the people said and pay attention to the rules and follow the law."
So that means Alden, if you get in, you will listen to and represent the people, and have the laws and the Constitution change in order to ensure that that happens? Are you serious? :o)
Of course he is serious.
Of course he is serious.
Alden is in a situation where
Alden is in a situation where there are a few crowds of protesters going in different directions and he is trying to herd them into one group & direction and then run to the front of the crowd and pretend to be leading them.
It is too late to be believable.
Keep up the pressure Alden,
Keep up the pressure Alden, we will occupy OUR West Bay Road if necessary.
Remember that Mac gave Dart and thousands of others IRREVOCABLE status.
Signed: Third Class Caymanian who got status the right way and is proud and grateful for it.
If the PPM were willing to
If the PPM were willing to put it in writing that they will change the law to immediately bring in tough anti-corruption laws and to abolish politicians having conflicts of interest if they were elected then I might start listening to what they have to say. Without guarantees of those changes, everything else is just self-serving noise and politrix aimed at the gullible.
i AM A CROSS BREED PPM &
i AM A CROSS BREED PPM & UDP so I have the opportunity to know what is going on in both parties. Mr McLaughlin Opposition Party, I would like if you would kindly elaborate to the people in truth what the PPM did while they were in power. Please tell this country how PPM left the country broke. But mind you I strongly believe it was done deliberate because you felt that you all would not have been getting your seats back. YOU WERE CORRECT. It happened. .................I was there, I know what was done, and I was like every one else only thinking about our power, not thinking what would have happened to the country.
There are still a few PPM members and representatives, which I can safely say are good people, but the majority is all about having power, not even money but "The Power"
Some of you could not even stand the heat in the kitchen so there was resignations, changing of chairs and falling outs. While watching both sides I had the opportunity to see the face and tail of the coin, and Truly speaking what ever that is thought about the Premier, I still feel that he has been, still is, and in future will do a much better job than anyone else in the house right now.
Its just an uphill battle for the Premier's position, nothing more. I have read your comments carefully, and you know, and I know, that 95% of it is wild talk. Mr McLaughlin, you are not yet ready to fill the Premiers shoes, neither is Mr Miller. My suggestions is that you all take a few moments and consider the damage that is being done to Cayman. The frustration of the people. and the forever mudslinging in the HOuse. It is down right disgusting and shows nothing more than a big fight for the throne. It is so obvious, that sometimes it is better that you all do not say anything. Most of UDP and PPM members have been in some scrabble with the Law before and had to be under investigation of some sort, so no one in the house Kettle can call the Pot Black. Unless the Legislative Assembly acknowledges the power of love the House will never be at peace. Have a good day gentlemen.
Who you trying to fool? This
Who you trying to fool? This is no "cross breed PPM/UDP" in you. From beginning to end that was a UDP rant. And there is no comparison between a Commission of Inquiry for disclosing confidential documents to expose corruption and a criminal investigation into apparent corruption.
you say that you is crossbred
you say that you is crossbred between udp and ppm, but all you did in your post was attack ppm and glorify the premier.............. why not be honest and say from the start that you support the udp.
PPM Did nothing? This is
PPM Did nothing? This is LAUGHABLE!!! PPM built schools, roads, the new govt building, got a new consitution passed, redid all the football fields and the track, did things according to the law (no hint of corruption during their term) and many other things.
The UDP on the other hand has spent millions of dollars travelling and on maids and what not.
Let me hear the backpeddling now.
i'm no udp fan...but ppm
i'm no udp fan...but ppm brought us to bankruptcy and to edge of direct taxation
Would you like to try proving
Would you like to try proving your accusations?
can't be proven due to
can't be proven due to caymankind accounting in government.....that doesn't mean it didn't happen!
I hope you're not suggesting
I hope you're not suggesting that means it did happen. If it can't be proven it doesn't exist. Plain and simple. End of story.
It also can't be proven that
It also can't be proven that little green men from Mars landed our roof tops last night. That doesn't mean it didn't happen! Come to think of it I think I heard a thud...
Built which school? , you
Built which school? , you mean the half finished, can't done billion dollar Clifton Hunter, helicopter pad roof school that sent the country broke. Lol.
Yes, the one that the UDP
Yes, the one that the UDP have been unable to finish for the past three years for throwing our money out of the window. After all if McKeeva can run our country without an education why on earth do we need a silly thing like schools?
Oh PPM DID alright but they
Oh PPM DID alright but they never PAID!
Most of the land for Arden's roads is still not paid to the Caymanian landowners 4 years later. The Schools- Not complete yet- no money to do so. The GOAB- finished but UDP had to find the extra $50M to do it. The Elgin Avenue expansion in front of GOAB- PPM had not reserved 1 cent for it. Anyone can SPEND $350,000,000 but not everyone can figure out how to PAY for it.
And UDP...(just so you all dont hit the thumbs downs too quickly)...UDP has done nothing at all. Nothing Done and Nothing spent. The travelling really pales in comparison to the $125M schools alone or the "lost and unaccounted" $69,000,000 from Chuckies Ministry alone.
Both are political parties who are more concerned about the next election we Caymanians or the state of the Treasury. Let us get back to when independents were in the house. They ALL had to speak their minds and ALL had to take a position. They ALL were accountable and thus we did not have $1,000,000,000 worth of debt before the parties came.
Both parties should be ashamed. PPM and the UDP. Stop silly sound bites. Silly comments. Objecting for objecting sake. Lets get to work. Fix crime, education, unemployment, child pregancy, fix our bloated civil service and stop running away investors. Give Caymanians opportunities and incentives. We voted you all in and we will vote you ALL out.
I disagree that the UDP Govt.
I disagree that the UDP Govt. has not spent anything. They have wasted millions of dollars by breaching contracts and having to pay damages or reach settlement and they have nothing to show for it. They have given away millions on 'nation building'. They have wasted money by ignoring the expert advice and trying to cut some funny deal with Cohen and we have nothing to show for it. They are wasting $9m on the Hurricane Hilton on the Brac. They have frittered away hundreds of thoursands on needless overseas travel with huge entourages. The only reason they haven't spent more is because the UK won't let them. You really can't compare expenditure on needed infrastructure with reckless squandering and getting nothing in return.
Even as the UDP spent $4M on
Even as the UDP spent $4M on dock claim to GLF, Spent say $2-3M in travel, spent $4M on nation building, spent $6M on Hurricane Hilton, spent $400K on Cohen that all still only adds up to $16-17M. Round that out to $20M for stuff we do not know of. That is still just 25% of ONE of Alden's Schools. Even the design fees for those schools was $6M and that all went overseas.
You are correct the UK has not allowed UDP to spent and that is a good thing but when you compare UDP spending over last 3 years to PPM's $350M over the previous 4 years hands down the UDP will win that argument every day of the week.
And ps: Spending on infrastructure IS GOVERNMENT SPENDING. We have no way of knowing if the KM or the TOM JONES contracts were "value-for-money". I mean do you really think ONE high school should cost $80M? The PPM could have wasted money in those contracts too - even more than UDP has in all of your list.
I am not UDP but just putting some real balance to your comment. Vote Independent next time and Vote for One Man/One vote now to make that possible.
It was reported in the press
It was reported in the press that the amount spent on the Hurricane Hilton was $9m. I don't know where you got $6m from. And just for the record the Cohen debacle cost us $450,000.
http://caymannewsservice.com/headline-news/2010/07/20/9-million-shelter-brac
http://caymannewsservice.com/politics/2011/08/24/mac-lost-ci450k-public-cash
Let's review:
1. It is silly compare these needless expenses by the UDP govt. (when we were already in the middle of a recession and told we are broke) with expenditure on NEEDED infrastructure. You seem to forget how in 2007-2008 we were screaming about how the terrible traffic jams were using up too much of our time on the roads, increasing gas consumption and pollution. The roads benefit us. They are there for us to see what the money has been spent on. This is entirely different from having to spend $4m because you deliberately breached a contract in circumstances that strongly suggest XXXX. The need for new schools, more roads and a new govt. admin bldg had been recognised by the previous UDP govt. (who preferred to spend $65m on Boatwains Beach instead which costs us $10m+ per year to run) but failed to build them.
2. The only reason the UDP didn't spend more during this term was because the UK would not let them.
In those circumstances it is ridiculous to say that their respective records of spending shows that the UDP has been more prudent with our money. They are as bad as each other in that department.
Agreed. It's like saying it
Agreed. It's like saying it is worse for you to spend $500,000 on a beautiful new house than for your wife to spend $50,000 on gambling (and losing!) simply because the first amount is bigger and all of it is spending.
CAYMAN UNITE and battle the
CAYMAN UNITE and battle the PARTY Of BABYLON. Get rid of Nimrod too.
Alden, i think that while
Alden, i think that while solidarity against these UDP project is more than necessary, I am overly confident in saying that we need "solidarity" against the SOURCE of these 'PROJECTS of ATROCITIES'(POAs) in the making. This source comes from one man or Political Party who are strinking up these deals and apparently acting as the 'GATEWAY' for such projects to be approved and carried out. Without this man/party, these POAs would not likely occur at such levels of blatancy and DISREGARD for the country/People who are supposed to be REPRESENTED.
Case in Point - Cayman Enterprise City and the COMPLETE LACK of representation of the Caymanian people by the Premier to have not negotiated and secured a SINGLE JOB for a ONE Caymanian within this proposed Sector of our Economy. I say thats the last clear message from the Premier to the Caymanian people in saying "I don't give a flipping damn about the Caymanian people".
People, here we are fighting against these projects one after another. As a People, it is long overdue that we FULLY open our eyes in the LOGICAL and obvious circumstances and events that are attached to these POAs and take the correct action to REMOVE the source of such.
SOLIDARITY, People... SOLIDARITY! Do it right,.. Remove the Source of these problems!!
My family and I were going to
My family and I were going to be voting for the PPM in George Town at the next election. Now that we know they intend on leaving the landfill at it's present site however, our votes will be going elsewhere. Couldn't really care less about the West Bay Road issue. It's not going to change anyones life either way, just misguided emotion over a piece of tarmac in reality.
Way to go Alden.
Way to go Alden.
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