Miller poses tax alternatives
Posted on Fri, 07/27/2012 - 17:14 in Politics
CNS): In a broadcast address to Cayman on Friday night Ezzard Miller posed a number of alternatives to the premier's plans to tax foreign workers. The independent member for North Side said direct taxation would “kill the goose that has been laying the golden eggs for Cayman” and offered a number of other ideas. Miller suggested McKeeva Bush scrap his Nation Building Fund, introduce a legalized lottery and to take 2 cents from the spread on US-CI transactions. He also said that Bush should address the culture of dependence and reassess the 8,000 people collecting government welfare.
Miller called on the premier, once again, to re-centralize government functions with amendments to the Public Management Finance Law and the Public Service Management Law to cut operational expenses. He accused Bush of failing in his role as minister of finance and suggested he re-assign that ministry to Rolston Anglin.
But as well as criticising the premier's performance and his latest tax idea, he offered a number of solutions. The independent member said the problem with the budget wasn't the sustainability of revenue but the un-sustainability of the patterns of expenditure.
“How can you possibly rationalize the selling of the police helicopter, without consultation with law enforcement, to save $1.5 million while retaining your $4 million Nation Building Fund to influence votes,” he said. “I believe most Caymanians would prefer to use one third of your Nation Building Fund to fight crime rather than give it to churches to build edifices unto themselves at great cost to our local social environment.”
Answering Bush's complaint that the opposition benches don’t offer any solutions he proposed that government reduce the 4 cents spread introduced by banks in 1968 on the US-CI dollar exchange to 2 cents and collect it from the banks into governments revenue.
“This will have no negative effects on the local economy or personal income streams, if anything it could have a small positive effect by reducing the cost of living by 2%,” he said. “The government will collect much more revenue from this than from your community enhancement fee with no additional cost or further increase in the civil service numbers.”
He also suggested legalizing the local numbers lottery game and charge a 25% license fee, which would, Miller said, also generate much more income than the community enhancement fee and not require additional civil servants to administer.
Miller called on Bush to find the hitherto lacking political will to cut the civil service by amending both the public finance and the public service management laws to re-centralize government finances to reduce the number of human resource staff.
“Mr premier, don’t continue to dismiss these cost reduction suggestions on the weak allegation that Caymanians will loose jobs. There are adequate jobs in the private sector occupied by work permit holders that these Caymanians can get if you are willing to cancel the work permits,” Miller stated.
He added that the short term loss in work permit income would be outweighed by the long term gain in the reduction of the civil service and improved administration, accounting and management.
Miller called on Bush to return to the drawing board over the budget and the new pay roll tax, as he pointed to unjustified expenditure as the source of the government's problem, and not revenue sources.
See Miller's full statement below.
| Attachment | Size |
|---|---|
| Ezzard Miller's response to premier's tax on expats 27th July 2012.doc | 18.72 KB |
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Come off the beach and rental
Come off the beach and rental local apartments with your 10% pay cut. You can afford that now.
How has no one mentioned the
How has no one mentioned the increase in registered office fees?! They were supposed to increase a couple of years ago and did so by a very small amount. $1,000 extra dollars per year is nothing to these corporations and yet it could bring in $30M in NEW and FREE annual revenue for the government. And that is conservative! Taxing people who live work and spend money here is recycling our own funds and for deals that no one agrees with.
Taxes are appropriate for countries where you can see the benefits! Where are they here?!
Charge everyone a garbage pick-up fee and a recycling fee! This is on par with first world countries. And our garbage is much more of a problem! This will not only reduce the amount of garbage but create opportunities for new businesses and streams of revenue.
I won't even get into the idea of cutting funding to the churches. As backward as it is I just don't see those cuts being approved by McKeeva. The UK needs to draw the line and make it mandatory.
These are ideas that are miniscule in thought and would have a major impact on the budget. There are dozens of other ideas that could have a greater affect. To say there are no alternatives is beyond ridiculous.
I am one Caymanian extremely disappointed in Mckeevas lack of acknowledgement for alternative solutions. Even if you have an ignorant respect for expats, this tax will hurt Caymanians the most, believe that!!!
I will be at the Mary Miller Hall tonight at 7PM. Although our peaceful approach will surely be met with hostility, we need to be heard. Caymanians especially - I urge you to come out and see how this man really treats the people who make this country tick and hear the dozens of alternatives (if he lets us speak) that we have to offer. Don't be blinded by your selfishness, it is in your best interest to gain the knowledge and stand up for your country!!
The culture of dependence has
The culture of dependence has been developed over many years and like a struggling addict, we are not going to kick this one quickly.
It is going to take some well thought out planning to empower the "addicted" locals to stand on their own two feet. Those that are fit and able need to be given another chance to learn skills. Skills that can be transferred into something that can contribute to the economy.
Standing in a line with a hand out is damn disrespectful to the rest of us who are actually trying to make a go of this life. Yes, some of us are struggling too, but I'd rather fish or throw a few seeds in the ground.
Now one would think that the
Now one would think that the government could be collecting a substanial amount of money but NO...instead Dart can bring in imports at no charge and collect taxes/fees from the proposed hotel for 30 years. and government wonders why their in deficit... Mr. Bush talks about the UK wanting us to make revenue well dont u think thats revenue?
I'm honestly sick of these politicians as well, its all bout them and their greed not about the people. i just wish we had some sensible individuals that would step forward, ones with an accredited degree because some of them MLA's that have seats in the Legislative assembly i have to wonder about...no sense at all n if they think they do it must be common sense their talkin about and even that isnt common to them
Government spending is $500
Government spending is $500 million a year. How come that's not enough to run the place? Bush's three years as finance minister amount to $1.5 BILLION in spending. Forget cutting the Caymanian civil service and welfare payouts. There are plenty of other ways to stop pissing away money and balance the budget--but they all involve someone's business deal or patronage job. Your leaders are looting the place and will not stop.
Where is the PPM and it's
Where is the PPM and it's alternative solutions???? Alden, Arden. Kurt and Tony...wha happening??
Ezzard, The purpose in
Ezzard,
The purpose in allowing individuals to play the lottery is so that government services
will benefit from it in revenues to help fill the public coffers.
1. The Lottery license should be set at a hefty fee.
2. There should be a percentage fee paid to government from the lottery winnings.
Ofcourse not as high as the uS, if a man wins 1 million in the US the govt. takes at least $400,000 almost half of the winnings. This is ludacrous. We need to set the fees on winnings much lower.
However, we do need to do something about this illegal gambling.
Wha happen is they have no
Wha happen is they have no say, it's whatever Mac wants or thinks to do and his bunch just goes "Ok Boss, we wote yes" and off it goes. How many times have stuff come out and after the fact is when the opposition - both PPM and Ezzard have to say what they feel after the fact because they weren't made aware of it prior to? Seems like a rgular thing these days. This seems to have been covered in the party politics post a few below.
Excellent proposals by
Excellent proposals by Ezzard. This points out a major problem that the UDP has in that they go out and make changes without consulting anyone. Why was Ezzards ideas not heard of before now. Why go and aggravate a significant portion of society without getting input from all politicians.
There is an interesting point though.
Dont know how much you are going to cut from the cs. There has been a significant outcry for it. Lets say you cut 500-600 jobs (And I dont know how extreme you are talking).
Where are those people going to get jobs/money to feed themselves?
Note that our unemployment rate is fairly high right now as well as we have seen an increase in crime.
Are the departments going to be able to function properly without them?
I know that all the private sector thinks that all of the GOvernment departments have access lazy Caymanians but just about all departments have been cut with the notable exception of police.
Note also if you are considering a lottery then casinos cannot be far behind. A casino would be another alternative to generating funds.
Anon 12:36 Mr. Miller and the
Anon 12:36 Mr. Miller and the UDP are not the same.
There is a huge difference between their positions.
The UDP Government is proposing direct taxation.
Mr. Miller in contrast is proposing a number of viable alternatives to direct taxation.
I agree with Mr. Miller's approach on this issue and encourage all to propose alternative solutions to direct taxation.
One thing I think back in the
One thing I think back in the day which was a HUGE difference in how the Governments were able to get things done was that there wasn't this party politics garbage. Sometimes I feel it should be gotten rid of all together cause all we end up with is the leader of X party having a bunch of dead weight puppets in there to vote for whatever their leader want to do whilst and as long as they collect their check and possibly get their palms greased in the process through their Govt. intrests like thie security companies which the Govt. uses, real estate or construction companies that they end up getting used for Govt allowed projects/developments and such just to name a few.
With the party politics it has turned out that nobody in the leading party sill stand up against views/ideas that their leader wants even if they think it's total rubbish. Back then it was all independent, maybe friends to one another but still you would have proper debate and consulting amongst the leaders/ministers for their respectable responsibility and the back bench and decisions would be made more transparent and bipartisan for the betterment of the country. Now a days it has been proven time and time again that the puppets of whichever Govt. that's in will not stand up against their leader with injust things and whetever that happens or is proposed just is allowed to fly.
Key example look what happened back when McKeeva was cought up in the First Cayman Bank scandal, they stood up and he had to resign or was made to resign. Look at all the crap that has went on on both sides when rubbish antics happen now - nothing! Why? Because none of the leaders cronies have the balls to stand against the leader whenever the opposition brings obvious bad dealings/decisions so therefore it's just allowed to pass and continue as just another day in the office. So judging from history when we faired allot better off than these days ever since the party politics came about, I feel that if we went backwards and demolish the party politics garbage we would have a much better off Govt. who are not affraid to stand against one another for the betterment of the country.
Even more to back this up is who has been the one to bring the most of the bad Governance issues and stand against bad policies/decisions being implimented? The ONLY INEDPENDENT member of Govt.! He has ruffled the most feathers in there and in my opinion and is the most honest one of the lot who brings the best things to the table for the betterment of the country. Imagine if we went back to how it was with all members of Govt. being that way?!
Now can we have a referendum for that plz, and this time properly and neutrally educate the country as to the pros and cons of both sides and also show our history's track record for this, AND this time count the decision from the votes that come in so the decision is not swayed by rogue votes?
Well said - why is everyone
Well said - why is everyone not seeing it like this
It was about time that Ezzard
It was about time that Ezzard Miller laid his cards on the table so to speak and in doing so, he has revealed a lot about himself.
Ezzard Miller and McKeeva Bush are two peas in a pod, albeit at different ends. The pod that they share is one of selfishness, the rest is just a display.
Neither McKeeva Bush nor Ezzard Miller represent the way forward for these islands Why is it that not a single politician has come before the country with a voice of empathy and humility?
All we hear is ranting and raving, criticism and empty rhetoric. The people of North Side know all about Miller. Likewise the people of West Bay know all about Bush.
Let all the politicians that are still alive today line up tomorrow outside the Legislative Assembly and let us elect someone to award each one of them the "Badge of Treason."
I have watched you all turn paradise into hell over the last 40 years with your ignorant, selfish, money-centred policies and God willing, I will live a little longer to see this hell that you have created turned back into the paradise that you have so obviously hated and are not worthy of.
I know of no politicians that currently hold office who in the eyes of their decent, God-fearing forefathers (going back a long way) who are worthy to be called Caymanian. Not a man-jack among you. Read this tonight when you lay down upon your silken sheets in your cool bedrooms and remember that the cry of your people who punish under your harsh rule.
I am an expat. I have loved this country since childhood and dare say that I am more Caymanian than the whole lot of you.
Shame, Shame, SHAME on all of you.
Ezzard is on the right track.
Ezzard is on the right track. CIG needs to tread *VERY* carefully.
We already HAVE taxes in the Cayman islands. These notions that Cayman is a tax-free Country are false.
-- If you add up work permit fees (6-10% of income),
-- 25% on imports
-- 42% on cars and 7% stamp duty on homes
-- electricity (4-7 times the cost in North America due to fuel duties paid to governement by CUC)
-- mandatory pensions that everyone knows, won't be there in the future
-- overpriced telephone and communication services
and the dozen "fees", "charges" and "services" I'm forgetting to list, you will quickly see that there are significant double digit annual charges here. Florida is starting to look pretty good because the administrative headaches of operating from Cayman, the innefficiency hurdles that small business people have to live with, quickly make it "not worth it".
Government is always talking about diversifying away from tourism and finance. Well how can they say that and then tighten the screws to the point of not making it worth it to operate from here as an entrepreneur?
Cayman Government: You can't have it both ways. It would be a mistake to look at the investments of the DART group (the only big investor of its kind in Cayman) and latch on to that like a drowning person and say this will continue in the face of ever increasing charges to operate from here.
Dart is not investing here anyway. I know Mr. Dart. He loves it here and is building a legacy. You don't build a project with the quality of finishing and grandness of scale like he has done here if you are simply looking for a naked return on investment. There are farrrrr better ways to "make money" in this world than building a giant city in the Cayman Islands. This man is building a legacy.
Too many people in Cayman point to these projects as proof he is somehow making money off the Cayman people's backs. Well that is the mother of all uneducated statements. This is outside money coming "to" Cayman. And we need more of it.
As I said at the beginning. Government really needs to think carefully here. You have gone to the well enough times.. and it is starting to get muddy at the bottom. We need to cut the size of the civil service and handouts here. It will be unpopular. Crime will go up. Maybe resentment by locals against the rich too. It has to happen. Because the government needs to decide what flavor of disruption it wants. Do you want crime and unhappy voters now, or do you want less of everything you take for-granted later?
If these charges come into effect we'll see lower overnight visitor counts, less consumption, less of everything the government wants. It will start with a trickle and accelerate like a tidal wave.
Look at what the roll-over did. We have lower home prices than any developed island in the Caribbean. Nobody is committing to the island because of the instability that it engendered. Imagine what direct taxes on-top of that would do. We have a flat economy, in spite of the voracious spending by government. Direct tax will amplify that.
If you want an undulating plateau of new expats and different faces that's fine. Somebody will always view this as a better alternative than the place they came from, but you will get less long-timers, less people committed, less entrepreneurs. And I can assure you the new faces will spend differently than those which are here today. They will stay shorter. They will make less local connections and contribute less to society. Do you really want a world where there are no entrepreneurs here? Where only the most mercantist established rich people come to operate, to save nickels?
We absolutely NEED to cut the size of government and spending. It is a cancer. You can't have a society this small where 10+% of the people directly and indirectly work for their government because they are either not educated enough or the economy not diversified enough to absorb them. Long term social problems are at the door coming home to roost. But it would be FARRRRR worse to institute a direct tax because that would stop growth as businesses like mine scramble to change course and move elsewhere. A decline that would be more visceral and would uncomfortable for Caymanians and Expats than anything previously experienced.
I am an International business person here. An expat. A permanent resident . Not as big as Mr. Dart, but large enough. I do not need anything from government here, in fact less Government would be better because they are largely in the way of the small entrepreneurs I know here now. We could use a much more simlified immigration system, that is in place but out of the way of business. Let the people in and it will float all boats. I would like to do more in Cayman, I too like it here. But loose talk like this makes it incredibly hard for me. I can not keep my staff as happy here, tolerating the autumn hurricane evacuations, the already high costs of air travel and accommodation for families. All the assorted fees I pay (and in 25% dearer C.I. dollars). It's not me. It's my people. They can't afford it.
An addditional 15% (10% for the employee and 5% for me) will see me dramatically shrink my footprint here. The invisible efficiency costs that I loose here, coupled with an additional 15% tax, start to make my whole presence here not worth it. I have been here more than 10 years and have had a good run. I would like to stay. I like to think my presence here has been good for the islands and its people. Folks generally seem to think well of me. I can't keep doing what I do in the face of ever increasing soft costs. It just doesn't scale with additional taxes.
I will remain anonymous due to the size of the community here. I just want to make my comment in peace and don't want to chat about it afterward, so I appreciate the opportunity to remain anonymous. That said, you can take what I've said here as the sober truth. Call it a reflection of the broader community of investors whom I've spoken with, who share my views and are having the same discussions internally.Many people on this forum
Many people on this forum will understand exactly what you've said both expats and Caymanians alike but the problem arises when you examine who is making the decisions you feel are so bad. McKeeva Bush is an ignoramus. Crude, rude, and completely out of his depth. Does he care what havoc he creates by shooting and speaking from the hip? Not at all he's already cashed in. It doesn't bother him in the slightest how much financial hurt is caused by his irrational budget fumbling he's been collecting a salary and a pension while mollifying the people with endless dictums and preachings. He will NEVER win another election and his political career is over and he knows it. The problem is in the sinking ship which is Cayman it will be Premier first, then cabinet members, then women and children.
It was a sad day for Cayman when they let this bozo be Premier.
Income Tax was introduced in
http://www.royalgazette.com/a
Congratulations UDP members
Congratulations UDP members and supporters!!! You have managed to change the culture of the Cayman islands and start what will be an end to it’s prosperity. For those of you who were bought by invitations to global galas, convenient government appointments, churches, refrigerators and paved parking lots I hope it is enough to sustain you and your children in the same way your leader and party members have taken of themselves. If not perhaps you can keep comfort for a while in the naive illusion that this is temporary or does not effect you.
And I would also like to congratulate the prosperous Caymanians who got rich by virtue of being Caymanian (come-on really you aren’t millions of dollars a year) during the times of prosperity but didn’t step up when your country was in need.
Again Congratulations in changing the prosperous Cayman Islands that your forefathers created.
Maybe we should just tell Kee
Maybe we should just tell Kee Kee that he can have his casinos and then he will shut up and sit down.
What an astute
What an astute observation...well done. You are absolutely right, that's exactly where all this is heading.To be fair,and like it or not, it's a hell of a solution to raising revenue without tax increases.
Casino licences will not get
Casino licences will not get you the $50m needed.
its not the licence
its not the licence fees...its govts piece of the action thats attractive to countries that invite casinos
What does that mean? Govt
What does that mean? Govt would tax winnings?
Public Service Review was
Public Service Review was started from 2009
http://www.gov.ky/portal/page?_pageid=1142,5394427&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
I was a member of a committee that was set up to review the Public Service. In the reviews there were proposals to save hundreds of millions of dollars over a three year period. What happen to these reviews? I know that one of the main members of the review committee was the Director of the NRA whose contract was terminated. In my opinion they played politricks with it and if they had implemented those savings we would not be in mess we are in now. Every year we were hearing that we had these surpluses, what happen to it? If I did not pay my bills or contribute to my pension I would have a surplus also. We can no longer manipulate the figures to make us look good because we we have the FCO that knows that we were cheating. What happen to the 3 year strategic plan? We knew 3 years ago that we were going to have to pay on the principal plus interest on the loans; that we had to build a juvenile remand centre; that we had to pay to complete the new high schools; that we would have recurrent expenditure when the high schools were completed so why did the Government not save money when they knew that we were going to have these large expenditures?
Without proper scrutiny to
Without proper scrutiny to what should be the solution for an ailing government deficit to levying payroll tax to selected few will only open a window for RAMPANT CORRUPTION in the government. Instead, concentrate more on the reduction of unnecessary allocation of government budgets and expenditures. The Premier should know the domino effect of this tax proposal and check if it's healthy to the Cayman economy. This proposed tax won't do good in a short term, neither in a medium term or even in a long term to Cayman.
Soon, collection from work permit fees will decline dramatically since the tax proposal is undesirable and unattractive for expats, who help the local economy. The proposed tax rate almost compete to the tax rates in their home country. At first glance, the proposed tax rate might not be comparable but we need to be reminded of the HIGH COST OF LIVING in the island. Obviously, expats will weigh in the HIGH COST of renting a house, paying utility bills, budget for everyday needs, and sending kids to school, which are deciding factors if they will pursue another opportunity who can GIVE BACK BENEFITS to the value of the money they paid. A decline in the number of expats is surely a threat to small and medium scale businesses in the island who survive and rely mostly to them, therefore, a negative impact to the economy.
In no time, everyone will be subject to the proposed tax due to TAX EXPANSION.
An INDIRECT form of TAXATION where everyone can participate like the alternative proposals as mentioned above would probably work instead of the proposed direct taxation by the Premier. Under indirect taxation, everyone will have a share to the growth of the economy which will give major benefits to Caymanians.
NO TO SELF INTEREST AND START TO SERVE THE COUNTRY EFFECTIVELY.
Corruption is the elephant in
Corruption is the elephant in the room.
Incompetance is the 800 pound gorilla.
It is time we talked openly about these things so that they can be addressed.
The first step that needs to be taken is to first admit that you have the problem.
And yes, I know it is very difficult to deal with. The corrupt ones do not play by the rules (obviously). They lie, cheat, plant false evidence, use shredders, blame others, and generally keep the waters well muddied so that no one can see their dirty little secrets.
Rooting out corruption is a difficult, messy, and painful process. It must be done or Cayman will end up being another Jamaica where tourists frolic behind well guarded razor wire and the average Caymanian live in destitute poverty (they might even be forced to go off shore to the Philippines in order to work and send money home).
Mr. Miller you have a point.
Mr. Miller you have a point. I am a low paid government worker and this is my first time and last time commenting here. I will be straight with you_ All direct taxes are not good for the country, and I think our leader Premier Bush is well aware of this. However, if we were to cut the staff of civil servants into the hundreds and cut off people who are being support by social services, the estimate will be into the thousands. That would create more crime I believe and social unrest. But note.... an expat can always go home, Mr. Miller. As Caymanians this is our only home, where will we go when we're unemployed and no social services to take care us? Just think about that for a moment please. The UK is telling the Premer this is the wise way to go so they can approve the budget. I dont like it, but if its the better way, what will you have me do?
Leave the island and find
Leave the island and find your own place like I did.
"As Caymanians this is our
"As Caymanians this is our only home, where will we go when we're unemployed and no social services to take care us?"
I am tired of hearing this, so one more time - if you are Caymanian you can get a full British European Union (EU) passport which allows you to live & work anywhere in the EU which means most of Europe including England.
Live and work anywhere in the
Live and work anywhere in the EU? so why are you here my friend?
Are you saying that Caymanians should leave go to the uK to make room for Expats?
That seems to be your message. Caymanians should have stayed and not leave Cayman, then we would not have this problem on our hands.
Do not accept the UK's white paper that is full of tricks, like offering British citizenship to caymanians. Its a trick for their English people and other excpats to occupy Cayman inorder to push through the liberal ideologies of the Bill of Rights they will try to force on us at some point in the future. But we are ready for them.
Oh yes, we are. Its best foreigners go home and leave Caymanians alone. too small for so many people, the infrastruture is straining to make the budget. Too many people here on work permits and too many foreigners loafing around not working.
Who says we want to go there
Who says we want to go there though? LOL Your precisely missing the point in that statement.
Go get trained in something
You see, i know this is an
You see, i know this is an expat.. There is no more discrimatory people in Cayman than the expats. Now you want us Caymanians to "unite" with you?? What a joke.. The dollar is higher than where you come from, 10% is nothing close to the 40% you have to pay where you're from. If i go to Canada or the United States to work, do i not have to pay tax? Yes. Does that give me the right to vote? HELL NO! Pay the 10% and shut up..
The credit card is maxed out:
then understand this, an
then understand this, an unfair tax will lead to many expats going home and they will not be replaced. Then the government will not need all these civil servants as there will be nothing to do and less money to pay them.
Then you will be trying to get jobs abroad or on the boats again and cayman will no longer be your home.
I am Caymanian and retired. I
I am Caymanian and retired. I have seen some hard times in my long life and I understand your concerns but I don't believe that the FCO has said we must have direct tax. I heard the Premier on the radio saying that what the FCO required was there to be sustainable finances for the government, just like there has to be sound finances for every home. That is common sense.
It is too easy for the politicians to say we don't want to make tough decisions and to blame things on the FCO. I think that there are many other options to direct tax and I think that Mr. Miller has come up with a couple of good suggestions. I think we all need to put our heads together and find solutions.
In Finland the penalties for
In Finland the penalties for speeding tickets are based upon income, the more you earn the stiffer the penalty. Recently the head of Nokia was given a speeding ticket of over 100,000. This is definitely an idea worth considering by our government to enhance current revenue streams. Just think about all of the pillocks at the accounting firms that cruise around Cayman in their high performance vehicles.
And suped-up Hondas would be
Thank you Mr. Premier for the
Thank you Mr. Premier for the unneccessary global publicity we are now being subjected to. From Los Angeles to Malayasia the news is spreading that your government could not balance its budget and is so derelict of ideas that it has resorted to implementing taxation. Global Spotlight on you now!! Still time to retract this foolish tax and for once listen to Ezzard, who is a real Caymanian, instead of the listening to that group of self-interested "cayamian" lawyers and finance guys who are filling you full of BS and will sell you out quicker than you can count to "only three"?
http://in.reuters.com/article/2012/07/27/cayman-tax-idINL2E8IRBUW20120727
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/07/taxes-cayman-islands-budget-foreigners.html
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/cayman-islands-mulls-income-tax-on-foreign-workers/980858/
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2012/7/28/worldupdates/2012-07-27T224251Z_1_BRE86Q1KX_RTROPTT_0_UK-CAYMAN-TAX&sec=Worldupdates
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/27/cayman-islands-income-tax-expatriate-workers_n_1710021.html
http://dailynewsglobal.com/cayman-islands-proposes-income-tax-on-foreign-workers/
with lots more to come this weekend.
I'd say that article in
I'd say that article in Forbes was the coup de goo...
And now in China....I wonder
And now in China....I wonder if those Chinese developers are reading this:
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/business/europe/2012/07/30/349204/Cayman-Islands.htm
Thank you so much for the web
Thank you so much for the web sites about the Cayman Islands imposing taxes on expats. I for one is happy that the world now knows that we have a country to run at first world standard and if you choose to come here to work and there will be a community enhancement fee to pay the free ride and lunch is now over. Thank you Mr. Premier the best decision that you have made since the 1980s the world will now realise that we have a leader in charge and not just a figure head and a conduit for big business and the Chamber of Commerce.
The Cayman Islands have not
The Cayman Islands have not implemented any income tax and people should speak the truth. Stop the scaremoungering, there is no income tax in these islands for Caymanian or Expats. The Premier said they are considering a "community enhancement fee" on expats what in that says income or payroll tax? Again expat community and so called "Caymanian" collaboraters stop the lies speak the truth.
A Tax by any other name is
A Tax by any other name is still a tax
What in that says income
What in that says income tax? The part that says expats will pay 10% of their income so Bush can waste yet more money on more shite. Look up the definition of income tax. He can dress it up and call it what he wants, but that's what Bush's so-called Community Enhancement Fee (more like his personal enhancement fee) equates to in plain English.
Finally some intelligent
The elephant "inside the box"
The elephant "inside the box" is corruption (at all levels in this "christian" culture, eg government real estate consultants down to the gasboys ).
The rhino "inside the box" is incompetence.
Fortunately, there is a young generation of ethical and competent Caymanians. I sincerely hope that they step up to the plate to replace the current generation of politicians.
Unfortunately the earliest we can expect to see them is probably 2017. The current generation will do a lot of damage between now and then.
I am really curious how the majority of Caymanian voters will vote when they are presented with a clear choice between corruption/incompetence and ethics/competence.
Yep, pure posturing.
There is a much simpler,
Major media, Reuters all over
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