UK asks for overdraft cut

There is a general consensus that the civil service is overpopulated, that it is inefficient, and that it's one of the biggest expenditures this country has. I say why haven't we had our Beloved Auditor General review or recommend a review by a local team of experts drawn from various disciplines and affiliations to conduct a review of processes and services and provide Government and the people of the Cayman Islands within a six month period a report of where we are and where we need to be. The reason for not wanting to consider the Accounting firms, is that we have had them make reviews and reports for years which have been terribly expensive ,in many cases not followed and in others have decisively said what Government wanted them to say. We need to stop blustering on issues, we need not be rabble rousers and anti government policies if we can offer positive crticism with respect and willingness to participate physically in the process of making this country better. To those who day to day sit and devise words of anger,hate and diviseness ; remember that you are not helping to make it better but making others here and abroad distance themselves further from this country and you are assisting in creating an environment ripe for violence and chaos. Use your voices positively and not hastily. Respect and you will be respected. May God continue to watch over and Bless these Islands that "He has founded upon the Seas"

Well said. However, if anyone seriously believes that the UK wouldn't impose direct rule over this government then please think again. It may not have been pretty, but the TCI intervention has produced some remarkable results in such a short time, including bringing the economy back from the darkness of huge deficit and endemic corruption to a position firmly in the black.

Great Britain has never really ruled any of her dominions by flooding a country with officials, the establishment was never big enough to allow such a direct hands on approach. Rather, she did what most successful empire builders did and utilised the the home peoples to rule themselves under British direction. A case in point is India, a vast country which could never have been policed by the British alone, it relied on Indian civil servants to administer British rule.

In the modern era, the same modus operandi still functions, although with a much higher degree of independence. In the case of a more direct administration, most government tasks would still be undertaken by the domestic civil service but there would be much closer monitoring and a degree of outsourcing to ensure probity and compliance.

In reality, that is exactly what has happened. This is only the first step, if Cayman doesn't come up with the goods, further controls will inevitably follow. Don't be surprised if some government tasks are out sourced to the private sector and job justification measures are introduced. Like it or not, the deficit and borrowing levels will come down and a degree of pain will accompany it until the CI government controls its spending and raises its productivity. The vast sums of money that are being allocated to such a small community and population have got to be stopped.

Dont be riculous, how can you liken the Cayman economy to the UK, there are arguments for easing the British austerity, but they simply dont apply to Cayman. Your economy is almost totally driven by others doing  business in your jurisdiction. That business is very mobile, and will not hang around if you make it uneconomic. so the fees they pay to your government to cover your overspend cannot be raised indefinitely. You have no choice but to get real on your spending because already, business is beginning to move. To think that a 1930's Hoover type of Government spend to stimulate your economy will work is plain idiotic. The worst risk is that Bush, having promised to appoint a budget committee will simply appoint his cronies, and ignore the promise on borrowing, then you are down the tubes!  

Yeah, fiscal responsibility.

From what Mac said he knew the conditions all along he just chose not to share them with the people.  It looks more like a case of Mac is revealing more each day not the UK is demanding more  each day.  That is if we can believe the Premier.