No royal gongs for Caymanians In honours list
Foreign office minister Henry Bellingham meets McKeeva Bush, Premier of the Cayman Islands, in 2010
(CNS): No Caymanians were awarded honours this year in the annual Queen’s list. Almost 1,200 people from the UK and the Commonwealth were given some kind of royal gong, including a knighthood for the former overseas territories minister, Henry Bellingham, believed to be the one who put a stop to the UDP government’s planned cruise port partnership with China Harbour Engineering Company. Actor Barbara Windsor, star of British comedy classic films in the Carry On series and the soap opera East Enders, was given a damehood for her services to charity as well as entertainment.
The list includes a number of controversial names: Australian Lynton Crosby, who headed up the Conservative election campaign, was knighted and the CEO of the Anne Summers sex toys empire, Jacqueline Gold, received a CBE.
A number of charity campaigners were recognised for their work in the LGBT community.
Category: Politics
It’s times like this when we need the option of getting a Jamaican university to award you the title of “Doctor” in return for a large sum of money.
Gov.Taylor made the awards meaningless when he gave away a gong to his black tie dinner host for posing in front of Miss Lassies house.
Currently there are too many “high profile” issues involving the Cayman Islands:
The Jeffrey Webb FIFA fraud issue which he as admitted to
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The poor financial governance (within Government departments) as per the Auditor Generals’ report
The blatant human rights abuse in regards to acknowledgement of gay marriage and the LA members who incite hatred in name of Christianity
Etc etc etc. need I go on?
These are the issues that the wider world sees and only brings The Cayman Islands into disrepute on the world stage. Whilst many good Caymanians do good work and probably do deserve some sort of “gong” it is never going to happen until the Government gets the their own house in order, deal with the issues for the world to see and stop the cronyism that makes up the high profile roles within government or supporting agencies. There is so much conflict of interest that these “issues” are bound to re-occur time and time again.
Cayman Islands wants to be a first world economy then behave like one!
You are correct Debbie, CIG did appeal to the committee to seek people of Integrity for this award, maybe we have none suitable.
1/6 at 4am is mostly right. From my knowledge, it is actually the governor who solicits and makes recommendations to the UK and that office issues notices inviting the public to propose names. But any resident can make a recommendation to the Governor. And while I am sure that cabinet members have made recommendations, strictly speaking their recommendations should carry no more weight than anyone else’s. In fact, ideally, these recommendations should be apolitical and I woukd think that proper protocol should require that members of the government make recommendations as private citizens and not in their official capacity.
Relax everyone. No gongs were awarded in either Bermuda or the TCI this year although Michael Misick must have been a strong contestant in TCI. As pointed out by Mr Anonymous the public nominate their choice which more recently has resulted in one or two sound awards.A small committee reviews the merit of the suggestions before forwarding them to London. My problem is that sometimes the backgrounds of nominees are not properly checked out and we know who some of them are, many not being very Honourable..
I recall them handing out MBEs to senior civil servants a while back, the vast majority of whom had done precisely nothing other than their jobs – it was a total joke. At least that practice appears to have ceased. But in truth, the U.K.’s “honours” system is laughable in today’s world, but completely in line with the country’s stark raving mad nature.
Nice choice of words stark raving you mean corrupt!
We have enough gongs around here already to be quite honest.
Uaaaah no Caymanians made the Chumocracy list in the UK what a shame eh? oh well the PPM still have time, they haven’t quite sold out everything yet but they keep eluding and dangling the companies Beneficial owner list. I guess we’ll know when that transpires cause we will see who receives the old royal nod eh Wayne Al ?????
Ah 7:28 if only you had been the beneficiary of higher intelligence…
It goes to show what the UK think about the current Premier and his government. I am happy to see that not one of them or senior civil servant received any award, especially those civil servants who have been building their individual empires and the DG who stupidly undertook to reduce the civil service by over 300 in three years. How stupid.
12:40 ahhh such hate … what happened the DG didn’t promote you? I read that the civil service numbers has decreased. All I can say is that the civil service is much better now than it was 5 years ago. Lets see how the numbers are after the EY recommendations have been implemented. of wait maybe the DG should just cut 300 teachers or policemen…. another stupid post with no solution.zzzzzzzzz
The UK honour system is out dated and filled with corruption ! you only need to walk pass the palace on investiture day to see the types and nature of the people this thing awards and attracts. It perpetuates that class system that unfortunately those long staying Britishers in Cayman crave, maybe its their way of defining who is really British vs who is not.
Anyone with any social conscience would decline being a member of such a group. Be it there are 100,000 of thousands of these” honors ” out there in circulation. I’v alway respected Ezzard Miller for saying no thanks to his O.B.E. many years ago.
Remember Desmond Seals had an M.B.E. my he R.I.P.
I don’t think being in a group that has rewarded, convicted criminals and child molesters is something to aspire to. I’d say leave the “little day out” at the palace to the sweet nice tea ladies who get their M.B.E. for making school lunches …. For most of the ex government ministers who are awards these honors like Bellingham, it only so he can put it on letter head or website to impress potential clients in the hope of getting lucrative contracts to “advise” 3rd world nations and misguided oversea territories …
Ann Summers sells lingerie panties and bras. LOL bout sex toys SMH you ppl here suppress your sexuality way too much and sex toys isn’t controversial. Well it is here where I guess such a God fearing country fill with all Caymanians people bound for the raptcha ( the ladder will drop at Spotts Dock from heaven ) by then only Cayman kind will be left here – all driftwood will get roll over or sacrificed in hurricane season so the Hurricanes head to ungodly places like Jamaica.
Go fix unna laws and step into this century bout unna wanna be on Queens list? Only list Cayman on is : Country without Human Rights ; PETA ; Ostrich Roll (head in the sand and bonkeh up )
Whodatis has no interest in joining that “honourable” society of alcoholics, war criminals, racists, crooks, and pedophiles.
(If anyone is confused, examples of the aforementioned can be swiftly provided. Granted, there is the odd decent and likeable individual e.g. David Beckham.)
So, though I do appreciate your consideration poster, I’m good, thanks.
– Whodatis
It is “paedophile”. Just because Americans lack a decent school grounding in Classics so they cannot spell words of Greek etymology does not mean we all have to descend to their level of written English in British territories. There are things in the world that separate the wheat from the chaff. This is one of them.
Bad day at the office? What’s a little diphthong between friends?
Wow, what kind of thong is a diphthong, 1:13? I haven’t seen one of those let alone slipped one off.
Yes poster, because the spelling of the word in question was what truly mattered in my comment and the grand scheme of things.
Quite certain you are well on your way to your honour – I suspect you would fit in nicely over there.
– Whodatis
It is about standards. It is about education. It is about breeding. It is about class. Actions like yours send messages about you to the reader. What you exemplify is that there are good substantive bases for that view. Those that act as you do are often narcissistic ignorant little upstarts who are more trouble than they are worth. Picking up the small initial clues as warning signs at an early stage helps prevent larger problems later. I for one would not promote anyone who lazily defaults to the spell check of “American English” or worse still thinks it is acceptable outside the US. You go on and fight the system, one inane troll at a time.
Zuss Kryste!!
You should focus less on spelling variations and more on getting laid.
– Whodatis
I don’t share your problems, W. But really that was a very weak response, you are just not pulling your troll weight any more.
A person with class would not be ranting about breeding.
I doubt you are speaking from first hand experience.
Twit.
You are being out trolled
Also, the chaff refer to themselves in the third person.
Pathetic…
“Wheat and chaff”? Sounds like you chafe instead.
Thanks for not adding “talented footballer” to Beckham’s description!
Oh dear! no more to give or sell out to our Colonial Masters thus no more rewards or titles to hand out to those local idiots who do. Caymanians have now simply rendered themselves totally and utterly useless.
The majority of honours were given to senior civil servants. Unfortunately, the civil service has gone to the dogs and it is a clear indication of the UK perception of their incompetence.
A crying shame that the powers that be did not find it convenient to recommend at least one of two for royal honours. But then again I guess that is what we have come to expect from the current bunch of politicians.
Sorry negative posters you don’t get to criticise the government for this one unless you have actually nominated someone. The light bulb question that should be asked is. Did public care to nominate anyone? Wow you negative posters keep me entertained with your negative comments. One day that light bulb will go off…..It has to
Hint hint there was an application process for the public to nominate persons .
The whole thing got reduced to nonsense when Taylor gave a gong to a man for inviting him to black tie functions at his house. Should have checked the man’s background first.
It is just civil servants giving each other awards for showing up for work.
what about all of caymans ‘heroes’ celebrated on ‘heroes’ day????
In a small nation with so many national heroes, this does come as a surprise.
“Heroes” in that context is not being used in the ordinary English sense. It roughly translates to “well known person who did their job and who by honouring the incumbent politicians can hope to win a wote or two from their families”
Nothing for Whodatis or Tone Loc from BT? Our boy Jeffie? Nothing?
We don’t need ya fool fool award bye
I feel really honored you remember me Just Askin but buying loyalty from idiots who contribute little or nothing to positive outcomes for our little world by handing them some title which they frequently abuse or misuse to fund their greedy and selfish endeavors is really sad!
Surely Mr. Eden deserves one for services to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transsexual Community.
Maybe Mr. Webb should get one for services to the Cayman Financial Industry.
Or a global one for services to football.
The people who were instrumental in the LGBT debate should not have been left out of the Rxxx Gongs.
Was this photo taken just after Mr Bellingham told Mac:
“We will not entertain such idiocy as the dock you propose with China Harbor!
Now smile for the camera and pretend you just won the Jackpot in Las Vegas!!!
I am actually ok with no awards for Cayman. For too many years I have cringed at some of the selections One of the emerging phenoma deviating from the original purpose has been awards made for doing one’s job. Royal honours are really intended to recognise dedicated community service. True, I would feel comfortable with an award to persons at the end of sterling performance beyond the call of duty in challenging and critical roles such as Chief Justice. (We actually do have a Chief Justice who is not only extraordinarily hard working but who has also steadfastly guarded the independence of the judiciary from incursion by either the executive or political branches.) Where such service involves great personal sacrifice over a lifetime in professions, such as the law, where one can potentially make millions by going into private practice, I would be the first to support. But alas, in a lot of cases the rationale seems to be very thin.
But alas, in a lot of cases the rationale seems to be very thin! Wow, your final line says so much ………substitute cases with judgments and you might be spot on….ask the Court of Appeal!
To the 4/1, 9:36 pm: if you are implying that there have been any striking rash of over turns of judgments by the lower courts, then you would be dead wrong. The judges here in Cayman do an extraordinary job and that is actually reflected in very few reversals or adjustments. Suggest you do some research.