Mac: PPM can’t deal with ‘huge problems’
Cayman Islands Opposition Leader McKeeva Bush (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): The opposition leader has said that the country is “beset with huge problems” that the current government does not know how to deal with. In a statement responding to Premier Alden McLaughlin’s New Year message, McKeeva Bush disputed claims he made about economic confidence and suggested that the Progressive administration has done nothing at all to improve the lives of most Caymanians. Repeating claims that the 2013 election was a “sham”, he derided the PPM for their relationship with the UK.
Bush said that what economic development there was at present started during his administration, as he questioned what the premier had done to usher in confidence. Referring to his removal from the office of premier, he derided former governor Duncan Taylor and suggested that both McLaughlin and the former leader of the PPM, Kurt Tibbetts, were hoping for a knighthood by doing exactly what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wanted, while he (Bush) had suffered for standing up to them.
“If I had agreed to all the things that the UK wanted me to do which the Premier is now doing, I would not have had the false charges on me,” he claimed. “Calamities such as Same-Sex unions and other so-called Human Rights which make us no better off. Beneficial Ownerships and the many changes to Financial Regulations which puts us at a disadvantage and our competitors, better off.”
Bush accused the government of neglecting mounting social problems while keeping a few PPM supporters happy.
“Family issues are causing social decay which will not be solved by Tammy Chisholm’s ‘spin’ of the issues,” he said, referring to the premier’s press secretary. “Social Services are not now effective with policies which are only concerned with giving a few dollars. People must stand in line from 4:00am to deal with social issues for which a few hundred dollars are given.
“Huge conglomerates – easily play the role of ‘taking and taking’ while their employee’s fortunes seem dim. Because benefits that should be paid are not. Is all that termed Progressive or is it Regressive?” he asked rhetorically.
But the bulk of Bush’s message was not just a critique of the PPM, and the premier in particular, but his own removal from office and his subsequent trial for abuse of office for using his government credit card in casinos. Bush was acquitted of all counts in October 2014 but not until he had been removed from office and fought the 2013 election campaign with charged hanging over him.
Agreeing with the premier that he did not want to go back to 2012/13, he said elections should be about upholding democracy and “not the ‘sham’ that began with ousting me as the [sic] countries democratically elected Premier”.
No – we don’t want to go back to 2012 – 2013, but neither do we want to continue down this rotten road where you as the leader do not have a plan nor answers to our problems and where our people continue to be poor and yet poorer,” Bush said in a statement clearly signalling the start of his bid to return to office.
New Year Message from McKeeva Bush, Leader of the Opposition, 9 January 2016
Category: Politics
After all the years I have been coming to Cayman I find it hard to believe that Mr Bush and Mr Alden are still the only ones people keep voting back into office over and over again. They are both playing you all, and have a good game of tag team going on who gets to bamboozle the country for the next four years.
Why don’t you guys just vote for someone else ? If you want out of the party politics use vote for the one that are independent who will speak their mind instead of heading to the master which party member have to.
If either the PPM or the UDP or whatever they decide to call themselves get voted back in next year you all will only have yourselves to blame.
The ppm should make the turkey their parties national symbol after all its how they get votes and put their supporters right to sleep with the tryptophan for exactly 4 years till the need them. This year they improve it with a $50 dollar CUC voucher impressive mann !
You actually did very little to change the subject there buddy.
You might not like the messenger old Boy! but it doesn’t make it any less heinous or ominous what is really going on this little island. Who else could or would speak out about it, That is question you need to ask yourself, surely not those bound by benefit or sworn to an oath of silence??????
Perhaps you might try substantiating your ominous allegations old boy, or do you have forged documents to prove your point too
Not that lucky Anon 422pm but i have a pretty good idea where every ppm minion and lodge cronie and their relatives are installed in government and on the various boards and commissions and what their role is and what they did to get the party elected. a full understanding of what exactly political patronage and a Hypocrite looks like. Yes the same very hypocrites who complained about the previous government’s corruption and conflicts of interests. “Who’s love of country” are prepared to enslave the Caymanian people just to hold on to political power. Sorry!no forge documents just sound judgement and good sense and not a political minion and heckler bought and paid by either political party.
Ok yow you really want to know about the secrecy ask every Minister in the PPM if they are members of a Secret Society and then come back and tell us what”s that all about.p, most having joined right after being elected. They should not hide it for it can be proven.
Redemption coming. Selah.
Ha Ha Ha. Just when you almost had us convinced they were the worlds worst criminals. Lord have mercy.
Daaaam. Man you guys shore hanging wid some baaaad company
Desperation is a b*itch.
Boy oh boy. So much smelly bull crap in your’s and the two comments below smells exactly like the man’s own ca ca do do. Na ga help ya now doe boss. Na today bo bo. Please dont be alarmed at the amount of apparent support for these three comments folks. It is obviously just as fake as the man himself.
We have a problem folks. God knows this is evidence that West Bay should not even be allowed to vote in the next elections. Let us pray He will see us through this.
For those who are trying to sell us that our politicians are honest just because they do what the UK says is both sad and defies good reasoning and common sense especially when we look at those giving orders themselves are mired down and steeped in terrible corruption every time we turn around.
The kool aid is working. The kool aid is working. The kool aid is working.
Yes, NUTTIN you should think. When mama and dada tell us not to smoke and drink and they do. Is that bad advise, think not. If we comply we will be much better off than mama and dada, wa ya a say.
The PPM and honesty cannot go in the same line yet their subtlety with their immoral and criminal misconduct is you are right, no so blatant anon 830am it is shrouded and mired down in nepotism, cronyism, incompetence conflict of interest. The real problem is those who govern here are more than willing to allow or ignore and turn a blind eye to what is very obviously going on, so long as their agenda and wishes are carried out to the detriment of Cayman and its people . So try hush about honesty
The kool aid is working. Perhaps you might try substantiating some of your ominous allegations?
Ok den. But can we please try love of country and education and professionalism and integrity?
“PPM can’t deal with ‘huge problems’” huge problems = Mac and co.
They can’t deal with little problems either.
The one single word that the PPM will forever outshine mckeewa with is honesty. And honesty is THE single most important word in politics, Cayman. There are other words that make small mac look like sh*t alongside the PPM, words like ‘love of country’, and ‘education’, and ‘professionalism’, and ‘integrity’, but the one single word honesty takes the cake. I pray this country NEVER forgets the things mckeewa ‘accomplished’ for Cayman during his last four years of ‘running’ this country.
Hey mac, da you buyin all dem computers for this thumb downer?
Boy, now you’ve REALLY pissed the dude off…
Mckeeva, please go away. You are part of the problem.
the fco are the reason some order has returned to the cayman government finances….
caymanians have not got the ability to manage/govern themselves…….
So says some idiot expat.
Do you dispute the assertion that if it were not for the fiscal responsibility framework imposed by the FCO that our finances would be a disaster? Or is it just the fact that you assume that an expat made the comment that annoys you, irrespective of the message?
Do you dispute the fact that intelligent, educated Caymanians have been very wrongly and idiotically accused of not having the ability to handle their own affairs?
Where do you want to start 9.59? Dump, Cruise Berth, Education Policy? Immigration Policy? Policing…give me a clue and it goes way back in time…
The very sad fact is that every government on the face of this earth has problems like ours to deal with and most of them have a lot WORSE problems to deal with. People like you who do absolutely zilch but your very best to complain and disgrace the decent people who are doing their best to improve things are not helping those situations. In the very remote chance that you may have some CONSTRUCTIVE solutions to the problems we are facing we would be most happy to listen to those rather than your baseless crucifiction of our elected government.
Is that a new recipe for crap pie Fred?
Go on then. If you think the ingredients are crap, tell me what’s untrue about the assertion. Do you honestly think, given our history, that without the. FSD we would now be in surplus and making small inroads into our huge debt burden?
I can tell you we most certainly wouldn’t be there with mckeewa at the helm.
I can also tell you that I am in full agreement with your anonymous friend that the majority of our problems “go way back in time”. We FINALLY have what I do believe is an educated and responsible government and It is IMPERATIVE that the Cayman public not be blindly misled into ridiculing them as a means of regaining power by the very ones responsible for perpetuating and multiplying our national problems. This has happened in this country before and if we are to continue to move forward it MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO HAPPEN AGAIN. Please let us leave the past behind us and start supporting, not castrating the people we have elected to serve this country. They are more than likely the best we have ever had, which I regret to admit is not necessarily saying an awful lot.
truth hurts….address the issue…
Thanks to the PPM..
How about giving discounts like Panama to people over 60 yrs of age? That would help with the ridiculous cost of living in Cayman. Start here first.
PPM making Bush look like a prophet. Building a new cruise port will make things worse.
Mac tried several times to build a cruise port, the Chinese deal would have been a disaster for Cayman. Thank God the UK govt. saw through the deal and saved us.
Please!!!…. Not a disaster for the UK tho, China investing millions over there, hypocrisy at its highest …… Talk about that
Yes 11.52 in a controlled and transparent fashion…transparent, here? With Mac? Give me a break…
You mean the new cruise port that the UK had to stop mckeewa from signing a contract with the chinese on?
Steady on – 4.48 am will be calling you an idiot expat for saying dangerous stuff like that.
Signed, dazed and confused.
Well he is correct PPM clueless on how to sort out major issues this country has!! #2017 #elections
Unfortunately mckeewa is clueless-er. Losing tens of thousands of its money in Las Vegas casinos does not fix a country’s problems.
It feels weird to type this but Big Mac is right
Who is big mac? Did you mean small mac from west bay? That little guy that just got out of court for gambling out half of the country’s money?
This is a perfect example of how people twist thing around to benefit themselves. So now Mac gamble away half the countries money. Funny the case showed the yeah he used a CIG Card but every penny was actually paid back, bad call on his part but there was no theft and nothing done against the policy at that time, using those cards and paying the money back was normal practice by CIG employees back them.
This is just still a political witch hunt and false comments like this just confirm that fact.
You can best believe that PPM supporter will try their best to still use this get their boys back in office again, because there’s nothing else they have to put on the table other than just trying to make the people believe that are better for them than Bush..
Agreed. Bad call on his part. Very bad call. Period. Full stop. End of story
Very bad call. Then even worse call to say lexpenditure was on bodyguards and limos, then change and admit it was personal – and only then repay it. Without commenting on why you should be up all night gambling when on “official” business. All of which of is the morality and judgement we would want from a leader in our government ?. OK, now end of story.
If there is one thing that ‘big’ mac never, ever is it is right.
Perhaps you should THINK about why it feels weird.
Because he/she knows that McKeeva is no better than the rest but on the other hand telling the truth about this PPM government….. You got it now?
Not yet.
Yes, it should feel weird. Persons with addictions are inherently unreliable, untrustworthy and prone to dishonesty. This is not something open to reinterpretation. Addicts need, first and foremost, to seek professional help to help them address their addiction.
I wish the independents would vote him out as opposition leader. Pick anyone else.
He is back, hold on to your seats ladies and gentlemen. Alden, Mac gave you 3 years to do what you said you can do (make caymanians better off). But that didn’t happen! Did it? Now mac is gonna show you how it’s done.
Mckeeva supporters, it’s time to start warming up.
It has been a wonderful period of freedom from corruption and vindictive manipulation….long may it remain so.
I’m warming up my friend…… Cant wait for 2017 to put my right hand on the regressives
So far the odds are looking like about 5 to 1 against both of you losers.
Yes 7.28 because he did so well last time…wake up Muppet!!
If either of our political party leaders truly cared about this country and its people, both would step aside and allow for new blood to take up the reins.
Honestly, I would be embarrassed and shamed to be a part of a played out ping-pong game wherein the only thing agreed upon by all sides is that the game is but one big mess right now.
Translation guys: You have failed the people of the Cayman Islands.
Thank you for your efforts, however you have inflicted more than your fair share of damage respectively. Kindly walk away.
– Whodatis
*Lastly, in a spirit of decency and statesmanship, walk away without binding the country to major expenditure, e.g. a $200 – $300 million cruise berthing facility. Let the new blood decide that matter with the rest of us. Please.
Actually, it would be disrespectful and ungrateful of me to not acknowledge and thank the gentlemen for their positive contributions to the country to date. There have been high points for which both political leaders and parties should be proud.
However, it is my humble, strong opinion that the Cayman Islands is in need of a major political overhaul. The world has changed quite a bit since many of our lawmakers first took office, and common sense suggests it may be time to let go.
Gentlemen, be confident in the positive aspects of your leadership thus far and rest assured that younger Caymanians will take up the torch and carry them forth within their fresh leadership. After all, isn’t that what succession and legacy is all about?
Thank you for your passion, energy and contribution, but a good leader knows when comes the time to take a seat.
– Whodatis
Oh god, just shoot me.
7.21, you will have to go the Trump God for that, no weapons allowed in heaven
PPM can’t deal with the huge problems you left them with Mckeewa? You spent forty percent of your time gambling (losing what wasn’t yours to lose) in casinos, another 40 percent chasing the chinese to sign a contract that thank Almighty God the uk cared enough to stop you with, and the remaining 20 percent you spent in Cayman bending over for Mr. Dart. Now you’re asking people with brains in their heads to let you help again? ARE YOU NUTS mckeewa?
Revolving door politics.You gotta love it.Same old same old nothing different from either side and we are going to have an additional member in the House.Why for goodness sake do we need another member?More money for salaries.Methinks they need to cut back not add on and 12 members would be about right.When are we going to go back to a November Election?.Both parties have had the extra months that was done after Ivan so time to to go back to normal(That’s going to be a hoot)Nothing normal about our politics!!!!!!
Either way I reckon Mr.Bush’s days are over. He’s a man very much of the past, not the future.
A man of the sordid past.
As to Alden’s challenge of fraud against McKeeva’s allegations of evidence of the Premier’s collusion with Duncan Taylor et al, where does that case stand? All has gone quiet. Has Alden disproven Mac’s allegations or is Mac actually holding “the goods”:
CNS – update us please!
Guess why mac is now clutching at even more straws to topple Alden. I hope Cayman is awake.
your udp was decimated at the last election due to their abysmal performance in government……..
ppm are a spinless do nothings that are keeping busy doing nothing…..
I wan my seat back wey dey tek from me fi gamblin out half dey money n trowin way da odda half.