Officials remain mum over Choudhury’s suspension
Premier Alden McLaughlin and Governor Anwar Choudhury
(CNS): Following the surprising news Wednesday that the governor has been suspended from his post and called back to London for an internal investigation, it has become apparent that Anwar Choudhury faces more than one complaint ,which appears to have originated before his time here. However, officials have revealed no further details about the matter. A short statement from the governor’s office largely repeated the comments made by the premier from London, stating that Choudhury had been temporarily withdrawn from his post “to allow the FCO to investigate a number of complaints against him”.
Deputy Governor Franz Manderson will be the acting governor until the investigation has been completed.
Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller issued a short statement about what is currently said to be the temporary removal of the governor, saying that they had been given the news today.
“This is an unfortunate turn of events following the most promising start to Mr Choudhury’s tenure as governor since he arrived here in March,” Miller stated. “We are not aware of any of the details surrounding this matter and hope that the investigation will be swiftly completed. The appointment of Deputy Governor Franz Manderson as acting governor ensures the continued good governance of the Cayman Islands,” he added.
CNS spoke to a number of people in and around government today but none were prepared to go on the record about the issue. However, one overriding sentiment was that, given such a public removal of Choudhury, even if the complaints prove to be unfounded it may be very difficult and uncomfortable for him to return to office.
Category: Local News, Politics
I drove by Governor’s Square earlier earlier today and I saw Mrs. Choudhury trying to cross the road.
There was nobody with her to help. It is a simple observation.
If I was an employee in the Governor’s House and I knew that the Governor was away, I would have held her hand to cross the road.
This lady is a Bangladeshi probably and as such, not used to operating without her husband, bless her.
Wickedness is happening now and decent folk are getting screwed. I hope the Governor is reading this.
Sir, please come back soon.
As a Caymanian I hope Mrs. Choudhury is ok and has a good support system. We have always been warm and generous to our guests and we continue to hold the Choudhurys in the highest esteem.
We hope he returns and that this will all be behind them very soon.
I don’t really know why the article suggests that he would find it difficult to come back even if the allegations were unfounded – I think this is a strong assumption to make, especially as there are so many other people who have had unfounded allega
tions against them who have just stepped right back into office and carried on. I feel that the Governor should do this too, and stand up not only for himself but for everyone who is unjustly accused of things.
Never mind the unfounded allegations! What about those who step right back into positions of power when they have gambled government money, paved driveways for votes, used obscenities at senior staff and used racist comments to those who are only doing the jobs they are paid to do?
9:46 am.
You obviously have the inside scoop on this matter to deem unjust treatment.
So we would gladly have you share your information with
us so that we can all determine whether the Governor is accused unjustly.
According to the Compass it appears, albeit more like rumored, that the complaint was created here in Cayman by his own office staff and a few high level government officials. IF this is true, and I repeat IF!!!!! Then next election, the whole lot of them should be removed for fresh blood. They saw him as a threat because he was wanting to institute change and reform to make us better and it threatened their little kingdoms. IF this is true, shame on them and shame on us if we vote them back in.
8:26, agree. If this is rumor is true, I just can’t imagine what could have moved the Governor’s staff to take such action. And why would they have had so much clout with the FCO to actually achieve the recall?
Continues to be very baffling — and I hope that the FCO realizes that they owe the Caymanian people an explanation as to what has gone on here.
IF. If your aunt had balls she would be your uncle.
It is interesting that there have been no denials out of the Governor’s Office. I would have thought that they would have contacted the editor by this to say that the rumor was incorrect.
I must admit, I find it utterly amazing that so much can be written, in the total absence of any facts on the matter, but that’s the nature of CNS posting, 90% speculation and BS.
Hang in there Gov! As long as you have done nothing wrong, Cayman has got your back!
I just hope that the UK doesn’t destroy your reputation with their “secretive” operation. so much for their transparency!
You could always do an FOI to the UK Gov or write and ask the British press to sniff it out.
lol..There is no transparency from the UK …that is only for the Afro-Caribbean colonies to comply with…
What the F*** is an afro-Caribbean colony???? You need to direct your concerns to somewhere in Africa, not the UK
For the changes that he will make has the government members scared what may become whos ruling who but yeh wat is fair fear fare…wateva
Isn’t it funny how the UK politicians are always claiming that we are secretive and that we need public registers and shouldn’t allow anyone any privacy yet investigations like these and Tempura and others, mum is the word…
We need to start preparing ourselves Cayman! This people only mean ill will towards us!
If you actually believe that then get out on the streets and get knocking on doors to gain your “freedom” from the oppressor. But you wont will you?
Sad days if it was “don’t come eeya wid dat or I’ll slap ya” complaining. He needs to leave too, – from long time!
I just hope our Governor reads these comments, he needs some good news.
The posts and raging rumours of the Governor’s removal being due to influential Caymanians pushing back against a supposed clean-up attempt by Choudhury is laughable.
That would translate into the British government penalising their appointed representative and bowing to the wishes of this overseas territory known as the Cayman Islands – something which has never happened and in fact has almost always been an opposite energy.
Nevertheless, the nonsensical rumours have taken up traction and the word on the marl road is mucky and slippery – luckily the strongest proponents thereof are the ignorant and intellectually dishonest.
– Whodatis
Sorry Who, but you remind me of Obama. Very slithery tongue and full of agenda.
You have taken a very simple message and spun it into a tapestry of confusion.
Choudhury will be vindicated. The feedback from his peers is valid. He really wanted to make a change.
Please stop your shit.
You mean Trump, not Obama.
No, I said Obama and I mean Obama. Trump is not intelligent enough to deceive you.
Which is why I trust Trump and never did Obama.
What you see with Trump is what you get.
9:11 trump is a good President, his economy is growing, unemployment is the lowest since 1970’s, Interest rates is raising and getting peace for the Korea’s and you talking bad about him, that tells the world that you are NOT very smart period.
Dunno, something about a racism-endorser, misogynistic, White, (born) rich, xenophobe, senior citizen as the President of the United States of America in 2018 does not square well with the purported ideals of that supposed “great again” country.
– Whodatis
*P.S. The economy grew fastest and unemployment was never lower in the USA back when certain races and colours of people were enslaved, dispossessed and bred like animals.
So, you may want to adjust your markers of what makes a successful nation of people … and you know – those 3/5 beings as well.
CNN and the rest of the lying fake news media has you bamboozled! No sitting president has ever faced the level of outright hate, lies and deceit as is directed at Donald Trump, and yet he is still being quite effective at his agenda of MAGA!
I pity the fool that can’t think for himself and just spouts the party line with no facts to back it up. Even the former black “slaves of the demoCRAP plantation” are waking up and realizing they have been duped and kept poor and dependent by the party that created the KKK!
Makes me proud to know the majority of you look up to President Trump. I pitty the rest of you sore loosers.
Go read the deal with North Korea before you shout your mouth off. North Korea won!
Couldn’t give less of a rat’s ass re who I remind you of, mate.
My observations were simply on the rumours running rampant out here on the ground and on this forum.
Opposition thereto suggests you and others believe that the UK is, in fact, weak and naive to the point that our local power-shifters were able to manipulate and run circles around the FCO and British government.
(That would be the definition of “bad governance”.)
Feel free to believe that if you wish though.
If true, then we really have no business being a British Overseas Territory.
Can we do a swap out with Nigeria, perhaps?
– Whodatis
This is total BS as usual. If someone here has made a serious accusation against the governor the UK is obliged to investigate. Depending on the nature of the allegation they may have no option but to recall him. I appreciate in your bizarre world no Caymanian can ever do anything wrong and everything is the UK’s fault but the simple fact is we don’t have a clue if this is even about Cayman, let alone who complained or why or if it was politically motivated. Give it a rest tedious troll.
You are not very smart.
Again, my original post was re the rumours running rampant – not my opinion or guess of what is the nature of the actual complaint against the Governor.
Your relentless condemnation of my posts in this thread translates into support for and belief in said rumours.
Unless of course, you are yet another CNS contributor with an erection for anything contrary to absolutely anything re Whodatis … even if that requires a feigned misunderstanding of the point being made?
Say it ain’t so, Joe.
(smh)
– Who
*Furthermore, if the UK-implemented measures to safeguard “good governance” by way of an appointed (i.e. non-elected) Governor can be easily circumvented via a “serious allegation” in the territory, then we really need to reconsider our political affiliation.
Did it not occur to you that these influential Caymanians pushing back against a supposed clean-up attempt by Choudhury could have easily instigated fictitious accusations via their influence over staffers within the Govenors office itself? This would force the hand of the UK government to suspend the Governor whilst these frivolous accusations are being investigated. Even if he was found not guilty the damage to his reputation would be done and the proverbial shot over the bow exercise a roaring success.
No Caymanian has influence over British staff in Governor’s office and no Caymanian person is employed there or at Govt house. If complaints came from there it would be the British staff complaining especially since the social scene that Helen Kilpatrick created is now over.
Influential Caymanians? Who are they? You really believe that the UK would listen to any complaints from anybody in position here…Look at what the last Governor did to Mckeeva and the only thing they did to him was reward him with abetter position.
The UK is not for us folks..The sooner we realize that the better…This Governor came here and immersed himself in Cayman’s society at all levels and promised to help us in many ways..
I would say if anyone is complaining, it is coming straight out of the staff in the Governors office. He is not following the uselessness and cocktail partying as Helen and others did and they don’t like it…
Speaking of intellectual dishonesty, welcome back
“it has become apparent that Anwar Choudhury faces more than one complaint ,which appears to have originated before his time here.”
Not sure where CNS got the above information regarding the complaints originating before his time in Grand Cayman.
The Cayman Compass cites multiple government sources indicating the complaints had been made internally within the Governor’s office in Cayman.
So which is it?
Anonymous 9:15 am , I agree with your question, so which is it . If you look at the Russian investigation here in the USA , you wouldn’t think that had been started long before 2016 presidential election , but they are trying to make everyone think it started in and during the election . That’s how they do those kind of things . Better known as modern day political mafia .
“Here in the USA”? Are you not even here in Cayman, so-called “West Bay Premier”?
11:03 am , I am , and I have a lot family in West Bay , and I am still West Bay Premier .
Maybe someone should ask the Premier if he rather have Mr Manderson for Governor , or have a new Governor . Just to get his opinion on this matter .
@ WBP Does the Premier’s opinion REALLY mean anything?
What would it matter? Stop stirring crap..The governor is appointed by the UK not the Premier..
The question is whose feathers did he ruffle the most; the FCO’s or Cayman CS…
You are all so gullible. Just because he’s friendly, wears silly suits, likes to party and has said some strong words about the civil service, it doesn’t therefore follow that he’s a “breath of fresh air” or a “people’s governor” or similar guff. In reality I suspect he’ll be like all the rest of them: quietly effective in office but instantly forgettable following departure. That’s their job.
So a man given a new job tries to get to know the people that he will be managing and all you have to offer are some disrespectful slurs?
You have not even bothered to look into the real issues.
Either you are part of the establishment that he was trying to address or you are just an ignorant jockstrap. Which one is it?
You miss the point.
In that case, the point was well disguised. Enlighten me, Einstein.
CNS , can I ask you to please keep digging into this investigation matter to keep the public informed , because this is very mysterious and needs to be exposed publicly .
It is eye-poppingly hypocritical in this day and age that Cayman, which after all pays for this man, is treated in such a high-handed manner by the UK and the governor’s office. Whatever happened to transparency and all those other virtues that HMG bangs on about to its dependent territories?
The people of the Cayman Islands have every right to know what’s going on and what the accusations against our governor are. Can you imagine this being kept under wraps for more than five minutes in the UK, with its ferociously aggressive press?
One has to ask what the purpose of Forbes and the rest of the governor’s office really is if not to keep us informed. Blue-water sailors, the lot of them: smiley and anxious for happy publicity when things are going well, but suddenly surly and tight-lipped when rocks are sighted.
Look, this is not the UK being highhanded and having double standards (not in this case at lease). If someone is under investigation the nature of that investigation cannot be revealed until such time as is appropriate i.e. innocent until proved guilty. You have people being removed constantly in the Cayman Islands from government jobs and left on required leave whose reputations remain intact. If you suddenly found yourself in your workplace being investigated, would you like the nature of that investigation to be made public before or after the investigation?
I agree, this man was a breath of fresh air and I for one had great hopes he would make an excellent Governor based on his actions to date,It’s a shame the FCO couldn’t just have announced he was recalled for consultation as now they have ignited all sorts of rumours.
The problem was he is a Governor who is trying to do too much for the Island. The old guard is not happy that he is exposing their years of mismanagement and corruption in government
I wouldn’t put it past the powers to be to manufacture his exit given his aggressive plan to reshape the Cayman government and civil service.
Something strange is going on here. Suspect that Gov. Choudhury was not “towing the line” bigly and had to be recalled for further doctrination. He certainly came across as genuinely caring of the people of the Caymanian people. Sad…was so hopeful.
Exactly.
So he makes it clear he’s going to set a fire under the Cayman public sector and you assume it’s the UK that have knobbled him?
Wow! Just as he announced his intention to reduce Cayman’s bureaucracy and red tape! Hmmm, seems like some powers don’t want the BS to change!
I think this decision was made a lot higher up the food chain..
My guess (and it’s only a guess) is that this is either a complaint about his “personal conduct” or due to a breach of some other Civil Service rule. The fact that there has been no announcement regarding this in the UK indicates to me that it is, at this stage at least, being treated as a purely internal disciplinary issue within the Civil Service. If it is found to be untrue, then we will likely never hear what it was about, just that the investigation has exonerated him.
It’s also worth remembering that “complainants” can have personal and political motivations too and also that diplomats, like the Judiciary, are held to a very high standard of personal conduct, in order to preserve the integrity of their respective services, meaning that any and every allegation will be investigated thoroughly.
Thanks for the edumatcation. We’re all stupid, we have no common sense and can’t think for ourselves.
Lol, brush that chip off your shoulder. My post was in response to the many comments saying it’s all a fix, somebody’s got it in for him, we want to know what’s going on… , we have a right to know etc. etc.
If it’s a purely internal issue, then no, you don’t have a right to know, that’s the way it works in the UK. If an allegation is shown to be false, then the individual has a right to privacy (and in fact anyone revealing details without the individual’s consent could be subject to disciplinary or even legal action themselves). If the disciplinary action is minor, such as, for example, repaying incorrectly claimed expenses (shown to be in error, rather than fraudulent), you may also never hear the details, only that the matter has been resolved internally.
Once the investigation is complete and IF the complaint is both sustained AND is of a non-trivial nature, THEN you may get to hear the details.
Not saying that the matter may not be serious, just that we only get to find out at the appropriate time.
Good grief…the island can’t catch a break..
If the complaints are unfounded, why would it be so hard for people to recover from false complaints? I’d gladly welcome him back. Best governor in years!
I was particularly interested in his stance on reforming the judicial process. After over 3 years (42 ‘mentions’) of ‘baseless persecution,’ 3 attorneys and $30,000+ in fees, my case was dismissed for ‘no case to answer!’ Where is my compensation for being wrongly railroaded for over 3 years and bankrupting my family for NOTHING??
Bring back our ‘people’s advocate governor!’
Best governor I can remember for a long time… a real people’s governor. Hope all ends well and he does return. I get the feeling he would still be welcomed here in Cayman no matter what.
Need to know basis and we the people don’t need to know. Just follow blindly old boy.
I hope this turns out to be nothing more than accusations. For once, the UK sent us a decent governor.
I have a feeling that did not like how he was getting comfortable with the “locals” or his genuine concern for Cayman, its people and for getting government in shape.
I’m sorry to see this happen to him and wish him only the best!
Maybe they did not like the pressure he was applying and his plan to burn the bureaucracy in Gov’t and within the civil service. Maybe he was stepping on toes, maybe, just maybe he did not trust the information he was getting…
He wasnt even here for a few months how would you know hes the best govenor yet? Just because he says he has plans doesnt mean hes a good candidate.
With pessimism like that it is no wonder things are slow to change…The man was out front and putting together a team to get the job done…Tell me of another governor that came here and did that…Helen was here for years and did nothing but sip tea and eat sconces with her English friends spending our money on cocktail parties…At least this one got involved with the people and not just those that run in high circles…
Helen knew how to throw a party, that is for sure. Not sure about the scones, but the vol-au-vents sure went down well with the gin.
Perhaps we bumped into one another at a function? I think not.