PPM steers through mammoth LA agenda
Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly
(CNS): The Progressive-led government managed to steer through a significant amount of work last week during a legislative sitting that had a mammoth agenda of bills, motions, questions and reports. Despite its wafer-thin majority, government remained in control, and with broad support for most of the new legislation across the benches, the PPM survived to serve another day, reducing the likelihood of an early poll.
The Legislative Assembly ended on Friday afternoon, slightly sooner than planned after Premier Alden McLaughlin was called to London to attend British Prime Minister David Cameron’s anti-corruption summit and deal with pressures regarding the offshore sector.
However, McLaughlin lauded the work members had done over the two-week session, even though some bills and motion were put off until the budget session later this month. He said he could not recall a more productive meeting in his 16 years serving as an MLA.
“We started with 19 bills, we’ve deferred one but passed 18 bills,” he said, as he thanked members and staff. He also noted that the House dealt with nine private members’ motions and three government motions, and more than 50 questions were answered by members. The education bill, which was scheduled to be debated this session, was the one piece of legislation that was deferred until the next meeting.
Before the end of this month, the LA is expected to be back for that meeting as well as the government’s next major test — to steer through its first ever 18-month budget. The premier will need to count on his full team to be in their seats for the votes throughout the often long and gruelling hours of Finance Committee to ensure that government will get through its final year in office, despite its now very small working majority.
If it makes it through the budget meeting, the odds for an early poll will shrink. With just a few controversial bills planned this year, if McLaughlin can hold the PPM ranks together and keep Tara Rivers, the one remaining C4C member on the government benches, bound by the collective responsibility of Cabinet, the government should make it through to the scheduled dissolution of the parliament, which is just over ten months away.
have you all every stopped to consider before flying off your mouths about the education bill being put off until next meeting? obviously it’s because the enormous importance and giant amount of discussion it needs a lot of time to comb through, so that obviously is why it was put off until the next meeting where it can get a lot of time devoted to it’s discussion. It’s so serious it cannot be rushed through and that is why it was put off. Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that out.
Do your homework….. the Education bill has been pushed on the back burner for years because no one is capable or wants to tackle the 400 lb Elephant in the room!
i bet you in the next meeting which is to be in a couple weeks, they are going to devote alot of time to the education bill. Watch.
Of course the Education bill got the push off again! Fixing the public schools in this country would produce intelligent voters and citizens that would demand qualified leaders. Of course then the MB and Ard MCL would be cutting bush alongside of their Brethren and we can’t have that now can we?? Lord help us!
I hear that the recycling depots are shutting down after the end of this month, I mean the supermarket ones. So my guess is we will have to revert back to the old days, just trash it and see the mountain grow. What a shame and disgrace, this ppm government sent out a RFP what ever happened!
When is our Government going to pull their socks up and deal with Mount Trashmore, stop ignoring the stinking pile of sh*t and deal with it, then pat yourselves on the back!
Those damn civil servants produced 18 Bills. When will they ever get credit. Mount Trashmore is being progressed in accordance with best practise. There is no easy quick fix.
Gone are the days of starting projects without a plan.
Who builds a house without a plan…who develops a solid waste programme without a plan.
I sincerely hope that the Premier realizes and is willing to admit now that the people who left his Caninet,Party, left because of the way he treated them by not supporting their opinions, not listening to their ideas and treating them as outsiders. It had nothing to do with them not being supportive of the Government and he should not have been so afraid of them not doing the right thing. They are matured enough to carry out their mandate with or without the support of The Party System. Their positions have always been trying to do what is best for the Cayman Islands. If the premier and his select few would learn how to listen and collaborate and realise that they had ” something important” to add they could have saved themselves a lot of sleepless nights and restless days. I respect people who can come up with original ideas and suggestions,have solid ideas and not afraid to speak up, and stand up. I wish we had more of them around.
If the PPM were to tell the people the truth , trust me the Premier wouldn’t have to call for an early election or have to dpecnd on Hon T. Rivers; the people would forcibly remove. Them from their positions. The truth will soon be played out listen carefully to the. Crap they are going to tell us on their return from the UK. Read between the lines of their official palaver. The end is nearer than you. Think.
The.End.Is.Very.Near.When.You.Put.Full. Stops.Everywhere.
Jah D. That is so true.
That new tax deal they just signed today spells the end for the financial industry, the government try to keep things under wrap so the people will no panic, with this new agreement they will have to freeze the accounts of these tax cheats and send the money back to its respective country . As I am writing this money is being transferred out of Cayman by the millions those tax cheats worked hard to steal that money and they will not risk it bein seized by the new tax commsion that is now formed in London.
Cayman made some good money from this dirty money that people hid here years ago. .
They can set a new law to stop expat from a refund but how will they stop these tax cheat from transfering the billions out???
Cayman had its chance on top of the hill
On to the next tax heaven.
I guess your pay cheque came out of the dirty money and you would not want to sully your country with it ( wherever that is). Better leave it here with the rest of the dirty money to seem to know so much about.
What a great job. We have to move that much work every day of the year. What could they achieve if they had to work like us?