Premier to reveal plans for PPM’s remaining term
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin in LA (Photo by
Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): The premier will be delivering the annual Strategic Policy Statement in the Legislative Assembly during the meeting which opened Wednesday. With the recent changes to the Public Management and Finance Law, government will deliver an 18-month budget next spring to cover the PPM-led government’s remaining time in office. This extended budget will pave the way for a switch in the financial year to align it with the calendar year and multiple-year budgets in future. The policy statement will set out what government plans to do in that next budget, which will take it through to the General Election.
The Progressives and their Coalition for Cayman partners have some 16 months remaining in office until the parliament is dissolved ahead of Nomination Day for the May 2017 national ballot, which will be conducted under the reformed voting system of ‘one man, one vote’ in single member constituencies.
Ahead of that poll the government will be seeking to address some serious challenges that it still faces in order to increase its chances, in that new election landscape, of securing a second term. Local unemployment and the way the immigration system is impacting it, increasing homelessness and visible poverty, the perception of rising crime and the difficulties within the criminal justice system, as well as international pressure on the offshore sector are just a few of the issues the government faces.
The premier has spent a lot of time recently repeating the mantra that the PPM administration is a government that gets things done. While it has had some successes in moving things forward, the reality of change on the ground for the common man is still elusive.
The cost of living remains high, local unemployment has recently increased again in the face of what was predicted to be a steady fall, and while government has improved its ability to report on public spending, the improved transparency is revealing more problems in government to the public. The government may be moving ahead on a number of public capital projects such as the port or the dump, the cruise berthing plans have polarized the community and the progress on waste-management is still not visible in the community.
In addition, civil service reform is taking time and a number of promised pieces of legislation designed to improve governance, such as the whistleblower legislation, have not been passed and the standards in public life bill appears to have been abandoned because of objections from private sector individuals who populate the government’s board system.
Category: Elections, Government Finance, Politics
If you gave this bunch a road map they couldn’t find their way home. SMH
First they would have to hire consultants in order to plan how to read the road map.
Then they would have to work out which route might secure them the most votes even if it is a stupid route.
Actually they seem to be getting home quite well WITHOUT a road map. Not sure we’ll ever be able to say the same about mckeewa.
PPM bloggers hard at work. They are in power yet why are PPM supporters always thinking of McKeeva?
Where exactly is this alleged plan? Looks like FCO finally taking a good look and realizing that PPM has no plans on how to deal with major issues like post retirement benefits.
The full programme of plans are:
1. Ignore difficult things as much as possible.
2. Ramp up crass vote buying measures even at the cost of more social division.
3. Talk about doing things, but no do anything.
Allow voters to set MLA salaries n benefits?
To do that then they wouldn’t have any money to give to you beggars. Have you considered that
More fairy tales from PPM
you mean like the airport upgrade that we have been waiting decades for.
We’ll see. We’re understandably a bit skeptical when we know that 20% of that CIAA reno budget is still an accounts receivable from CAL.
Backing out of the standards in public life bill is a big mistake. It will cost the PPM my vote in the next election.
As long as we continue to elect politicians, we will have trouble. I propose 4 years without politicians and let’s see how we get on without these parasites. No more stupid law after law after law, no more kickbacks, no more broken promises and no more ridiculous fees and duties. I heard Alden McLaughlin talking on the radio yesterday. It was cringeworthy listening to him explain “multi-year budgeting”. The poor lady had no clue what he was droning on about and then he shifted gears and went into his explanation for the soon to come “Whistleblower Law”.
When a country needs laws to protect those who tell the truth, we have found ourselves on a slippery road. Surely truth underpins everything?
Have you ever told a lie?
Never when the direction of my country was at stake, but was I watching the game when I said I was at work? Yep, sometimes.
yawn…..they can’t even change some speed signs on west bay road……zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Or have the illegally dumped derelict heavy equipment with the NRA logos spray painted over removed from across the street of their own headquarters.
the spineless ppm have ducked every tough decision so far…nothing will change in the last 18 months….
Secure as many votes as possible irrespective of the consequences and the greater good. Praise be to Allahden!
Oh, and keep talking the talk about our children and their education.
Signed: a caymanian and voter! Lest we forget.