Big pay outs despite cuts
Posted on Wed, 08/22/2012 - 09:05 in Politics
(CNS): The premier is likely to face further criticisms in the coming weeks not just from the opposition benches but across the community as the details of the operational expenses in the Appropriation’s Bill are explored, including $10.5 million to the Turtle Farm, $1.5 million for the hurricane shelter on Cayman Brac and some $4.5 million to the premier’s Nation Building Fund. Although there is still no word from the UK regarding the budget tabled in the Legislative Assembly on Monday, the debate on the Throne Speech and Appropriations Bill will begin this afternoon at 4pm with the leader of the opposition’s reply to government, which will be followed later in the week by Finance Committee.
At that point members of the legislature are meant to quiz ministers and their senior staff on operational expenses to ensure the public is receiving value for money. But with the clock ticking on the need for the bill to be passed into law by Friday 31 August, McKeeva Bush in his role as chairman of the Finance Committee is likely to ensure questions are cut short.
There are a number of payments in the bill, however, that are likely to raise the alarm, given the current climate of austerity, which government will be required to justify, not least because of the crisis that has ensued over the last few months with the UDP government’s final budget.
The documents detailing the annual plan and estimates, purchase and ownership agreements are not yet available to the public because of the failure of government to meet the FCO economic advisor’s framework for this year’s budget until the eleventh hour.
This government is aiming to collect the most revenue of any administration in the history of the Cayman Islands since they are not able to borrow to cover any government expenditure and the UK has requested a substantial surplus at the end of this current financial year. But the UDP administration is spending a considerable amount, with core operational expenses at $531 million, which is still higher than previous years.
The budget debate could last several days before the legislators begin their detailed examination of government spending in Finance Committee as each member of the LA is allowed to speak for as long as two hours. The debate will end when Bush gives his reply to the MLAs' contributions. Speaking on Monday evening, the premier warned members that the House would sit late until the job was done.
At this stage, however, although government has set the legislative process in motion it is still waiting on the UK’s approval of the budget, which was presented to the FCO this week. The final and critical step in making this financial spending plan law is the governor’s assent to the bill – something that won’t be forthcoming without agreement from the FCO.
See Appropriations Bill below.
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How much of the Nation Fund
How much of the Nation Fund is earmarked for Charles' fight at the casino?
the people of Cayman Brac do
the people of Cayman Brac do not need a hurricane SHELTER! the hurricane shelter wud be used maybe once a year or so. the shelter would only have 1 use .... ONLY 1 use and that is to make ppl safer which isnt bad but yu are spending all this money for just a SHELTER... no i propse that we need to get our money's worth... we in Cayman Brac need to build a new school and also have a recreational gym where ppl can play basketball,netball,dodgeball, volleyball yu name it. The kids in Grand Cayman get a new school why are yu forgetting us... yu can also use that gym/school for a SHELTER.. yu see Mr. Mckeeva i have come up with many uses and yu have came up with one.... idk if yu r reading this sir but i wud like to say agaiin we in Cayman Brac DO NOT need a Hurricane Shelter
I can never understand why
I can never understand why the groups that professes to minimize thier earthly experience and materials through organized religion so they can enter into thier heaven, are the ones getting all the promotions, nicer cars, nice trips, where nicer clothes. Wouldnt God want humble and pure people as a witness to how thier 80 years on earth is worth nothing for thier inifinity in heaven. Or is it all just another mass con job..looks like our society still rewards those who are the most persusive(the best car salesman), not the ones trying to even out oppurtunities for all and provide scientific solutions -solar panels would have been a nice start.
Who owns the churches (i.e.
Who owns the churches (i.e. land and building(s)), God?
Why would a church need protection from an "Act of God"?
Most w-bayers will continue
Most w-bayers will continue to support keke because they don't have a mind of their own to differenate good from rubbish, What a sad case in WB! We can only hope & pray that these people eyes can be open soon before(Fidel Keke) drives this country deeper in the ground!
Caymanian
Why do you people keep up the
Why do you people keep up the daily disrespecting of the Cayman people. I just hope the people from west bay realize what outsiders are doing to this country. Remember Mr Bush is a West Bayer. He may not be perfect, but who is? But he has built West Bay into a City. Very beautiful from one end to the other where you can get most things without having to come to George Town. Do not pay attention to people who continue to breath hate among you and your leader. As far as I am concerned Bush is doing an excellent job, and you would be stupid to change him. I think it is disrespectful of others to call your leader names, and try to make West look like fools. Stand your ground West Bay, and do not let them enter your gates with nonsence.
06:31, you have it backwards,
06:31, you have it backwards, can you, Mac and the rest of the UDP supporters in West Bay stay there and keep out of the rest of the islands business since you have it so good?
Better yet, since Mac is so buddy buddy with DART, why don't you get him to dredge a canal right across the road at the WB fire station that seperates you all permanently from the real world and you can all have your independence while the rest of us move forward, do the right thing and propser.
Ohhhhh thank God ! Pastor got
Ohhhhh thank God ! Pastor got a new BMW! In the name of the lord amen!
If that is true... I'm gittin
If that is true... I'm gittin me some reeeeligion!
This man is cwaaaazzzzzy!
This man is cwaaaazzzzzy!
What? Mac is still up to no
What? Mac is still up to no good!? Whata surprise...new government can't come soon enough!
yea , and what your soon come
yea , and what your soon come government going to do when the UK wont approve their budget? sit and suck their thumb? your soon come government still wont be able to borrow any money, thats the instruction from the UK. I guess you will throw all your CS under the bus.
No, we'll be eating carrots
No, we'll be eating carrots and milk
!7:12, just sit down thee
!7:12, just sit down thee thinking that we are going to get a new government next year. No we are not. We will get one or two add on's but we are going to get the same Government back again. WHY? Because that is what the people of Cayman wants. Think that Mr Bush is a bad Premier? Change him for some of those wannabe power hungry whatsitnots and see if dog does not eat all of your supper.
My friend, you think you
My friend, you think you speak for "the people of the Cayman Islands" but I'm afraid to inform you that you are just one of a few very lonely voices who still blindly and doggedly support MCKeeva. Hardly any of the people of the Cayman Islands want this fool any more, most of the people of the Cayman Islands want him gone for good as Premier.
The Laffer Curve is the pin
The Laffer Curve is the pin in McKeeva's "hope balloon".
The expected revenue from the fee increases will fall short; after all, this place is full of experts who make a very good living by legally avoiding taxation.
Yeah but there is still the
Yeah but there is still the "trickle down effect" of debt.
Are we surprised? When is
Are we surprised?
When is this stupidness going to stop???
How much can we sit back and take from this government?
You haven't said how much for
You haven't said how much for the Government travel budget, I heard it as near three million dollars.
CNS, can you not find out
CNS, can you not find out this information, if so reported, it's a disgrace
Funny how one hears about
Funny how one hears about official travel from foreign sources. I just read in "Boxing News" that the Premier will be attending the Rosado-Whittaker fight at the Sands Casino on Sept. 21st.
Bet he'll be taking his ATM
Bet he'll be taking his ATM card again!
Any cameras around the ATM
Any cameras around the ATM there?
The Nation Building Fund is a
The Nation Building Fund is a disgrace and a slap in the face of every Caymanian, Expat and visitor to these islands.
The fact that this was not the first thing to be cut shows everyone plain as day what the premier's motives and priorities are.
14:40 Yes we know his
14:40
Yes we know his priority is to help the poor unfortunate ones.... and you have a problem with that!
Since when was Mac "poor and
Since when was Mac "poor and unfortunate"? He is helping himself bigtime and spreading a few little crumbs to his voters. Politricking people like you unfortunately.
You fool, nobody has an issue
You fool, nobody has an issue with setting money aside for the members of the community that need it. But it has to be done properly, with records and accounts and making sure it's allocated by honest people without personal agendas.
NOT put into some murky slush fund to be allocated at the whim and discretion of McKeeva Bush asnd only McKeeva Bush without transparency or accountability.
He could literally withdraw $100,000 and spend it at a Vegas casino and neither you or anyone else would know. That's WRONG. That is inviting misuse and if McKeeva really wanted to use that money for things that everyone would approve of he would make it transparent. As long as he refuses to allocate that money properly we are entitled to assume the worst- that he is using public money to buy voters.
Well that's just it. He
Well that's just it. He isn't. He's helping his friends and attempting to manipulate poor people to vote for him by spending money on them. He has no pity for them, just ulterior motives for his own personal and political gain in the long run.
You're not poor if you refuse
You're not poor if you refuse to get a job and just wait around each month for your social services check - that's called laziness.
What aspect of the NBF is not covered by another sector of Government? Scholarships covered by Edu Dept., Elec bills and rent covered by Social Services, so what exactly is the NBF for?
I guess robbing Peter to pay
I guess robbing Peter to pay Paul is quite all right with you . Can't you teach thse "poor" how to make a living instead of giving them an entitlement to support them for the rest of their lives...it will never end.
If the good Lord did not want
If the good Lord did not want the Nation Building Fund for the Cayman Islands, then He would not have picked Mr. McKeeva Bush as Premier and Minister of Finance.
God works in mysterious ways. Get used to it.
Oh my gosh, now Mac is
Oh my gosh, now Mac is ordained by God????? ROFLMAO!
Lord help us!
Lord help us!
My God! I never knew our
My God! I never knew our Ministers here in the Cayman Islands were picked by a celestial body, we must soooooo special!
So (as he appointed himself Minister of Finance), McKeeva must be "the good Lord"?
Well they do say the Lord works in mysterious ways, and you can't get much more mysterious than McKeeva!
A group of bible thumping
A group of bible thumping criminals work in an even more mysterious ways, since all their extraordinary benefits seem to be justified by a mythical hero that professed all thier earthly materials wont ge them into heaven, yet the earthly benefits keep coming. How much longer does socieity have to deal with this massive con.
The Brac doesn't need a
The Brac doesn't need a hurricane shelter, it needs a new high school. We survived the worst hurricane in 75 years with shelter for everyone, no deaths, only minor injuries. Stop work on the Hurricane Hilton now and hire an architect to turn it into a high school.
Obviously folks, we're still
Obviously folks, we're still caught between a small rock and very hard head!
Hopefully, buried somewhere in the budget, is some funds earmarked for the purchase of a social conscience for this buffoon and his cronies.
oh look!! almost found that
oh look!! almost found that 20 Mil the UK wanted to cut form the budget! good Job KiKi
Is this really the "Better
Is this really the "Better Way Forward" we were promised in 2009....where is Norman Bodden, Robbie Hamity, and all the distinguished Caymanians that hoodwinked us in 2009? An let's not leave Ezzard out of this he was Quasimodo UDP too.....everyone blames the PPM and Chuckie but we had a far better Government in 2009 than this bunch. The PPM didn't vote for these guys so all you voters that voted for them and the "independent" candidate for Northside if you want to blame someone look in the mirror.
I agree with you 11:56 in
I agree with you 11:56 in questioning where Mr. Norman, Hamity et al are now and also pointing out that Ezzard Miller threw his support behind the UDP last election, however, at least Miller has now made his posiiton known since observing and experiencing the UDP's actions. To suggest that PPM and Chuckie were a far better government however is laughable. You forget their track record it seems! As far as I am concerned neither the UDP or PPM are worth my vote or worthy to be given control over the management of my beloved Islands. I hope and pray that capable, honest persons of integrity will step forward as independents next election to give voters another option, and that Caymanians will have the good sense to vote for them, as opposed to the party politricks and the players now destroying our Islands.
Mac wants to talk about
Mac wants to talk about schools and we've been paying $10m to the Turtle Farm annually. Frank Sound school will cost $120k a month to operate with no new posts created. If we hadn't been paying for his follies, vote-buying, poor ideas, overbudget West Bay improvement schemes for years, we'd have had the money for a Frank Sound school in each district. Hell, we could have paid for another whole school if it wasn't for the Turtle Farm alone, something that had all the charm it needed when it was the way I visited it as a child.
Short memories and thick skulls will sink this place. As a Caymanian, I can't throw my lot in with people like Mac. It would be personally irresponsible of me to do so. Long term, I'm leaving this place. It's the only logical thing left to do. Bermudians had four centuries of slow development for their brains to mature before they became what they are. This country rapidly outgrew the abilities of most of its people. Sad but true.
For all those who are waiting
For all those who are waiting for 2013....please wake up!!!
Do you think PPM will be ant different?
Have you forgotten the mass expenditures that started the ball rolling (3 - 60 million $ schools, new half filled GAB building, the list goes on).
Opposition leader Alden responsible for majority of that.
What needs to happen is a complete overhaul of both parties or even a new party of people who are interested in balanced books and not lining own pockets, their legacy, or worried about which cronies the HARD choices will affect.
Only then will the Cayman Islands be able to move forward
It's true... there's not a
It's true... there's not a leader to be found in the whole lot of those holding office. You need a new set entirely. Good luck finding that.
There ae other things in
There ae other things in there too that could easily be cut:
"Services to farmers - $1.95 million", what is that exactly?
"Miss Cayman scholarship - $45,000". Really?, we're still using tax-payers' money for this sexist nonsense in the 21st century?
"Ministry of Finance - tourism and development - $380,000." what is that for?
"Radio broadcasts - $1 million" why are the tax payers financing a million dollars worth of radio broadcasters? I would like to see someone try to justify that!
"Cayman Brac farm wells - $50,000" what is that?
"Spaying and neutering cats and dogs - $18,000." I can think of some people we should be neutering, never mind the cats and dogs!
Actually the last 2-3 miss
Actually the last 2-3 miss cayman winners were NOT given scholarships government reneged on the contract pleading poverty
I am guessing they were'nt
I am guessing they were'nt Bayers then
Keewa goin need a nice
Keewa goin need a nice wacation afta all dis hawd wurk. $50,000 Gowament Funds should cowa it.
Nah enough. Make it
Nah enough. Make it 100,000. Cronies and relatives got to go too.
McKeeva Bush needs to step
McKeeva Bush needs to step down now! Never have I seen or heard such blatant ignorance, pigheadedness and downright stupidity.
We the people of these Islands need to send a message loud and clear that we won't stand by and allow this one man to single handedly destroy everything this Island has stood for.
Let us rally together and get him out...if not today or tomorrow then in 2013.
All of the other UDP cohorts, enjoy the view in the LA and those salaries for these last couple of months...You will never represent me or these islands again if we the people have anything to say or do with it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
P.S. Why is the RCIPs taking so long on three investigations? Are they out of money again or do they not have enough staff to get it down? Mr. Baines, why are you so quiet about these? Can we the people who pay you find out when you will be able to address these three issues??
Also, I wonder why it is that even though he is being investigated for Financial Irregularities, why isn't the UK having anything to say about this?? Is there another undercover investigation going on that we need to know about??
Mr. Bellingham/FCO I implore you to do as you must to rid these islands of the UDP tryants so that we the people can have hope of progressing to a better and brighter place for us, our children and future generations.
If the investigations were to
If the investigations were to move swiftly, the likely hood of criminal prosecution would be high. With only a few months to the next elections this will continue to be swept under the rug. Let an old dog live out his days is probably the approach on this one (or three!). Btw has anyone heard anything further on the last DUI charges of the other member? Hmmm..... how about the charges prior to that one???
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