Speaker blames red tape for closing his charity
McKeeva Bush, Speaker of the House
(CNS): Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush is blaming a law implemented by the current government, of which he is now a member, for closing a charitable foundation he established over twenty years ago. Bush said he “can’t put up with the bureaucracy” of the legislation, which is intended to improve transparency in the charity sector and ensure that Cayman is compliant with the Financial Action Task Force recommendations. But Bush told Cayman 27 that he did not have the money to meet the requirements of the law, which he described as too burdensome.
The law was originally passed in the Legislative Assembly by the last PPM-led administration but it was not implemented until January of this year under the new Government of National Unity. The law requires charities and non-profit organisations to reveal where their money comes from and how it is used in order to prevent terrorists, financial criminals and money launderers using charities, foundations and non-profits as fronts for their crimes.
The law requires charities to register with the new Registrar of Non-Profit Organisations, make annual returns and keep financial statements, and in some cases make changes to their constitutional documents.
Bush claimed that he did not raise funds for the foundation but paid his own money into it when he was able and then used the saved cash to help people. But he said he was now closing it down and would do what he could to help people more directly.
See the Non-Profit Organisation Law, 2017 in the CNS Library
Category: Local News
The saying goes: the pig that the rock hits Squeals the loudest.????
I would like you all to donate to my charity. It has no name, I cannot tell you what its for but here is the account number and code 6666666takeusforfools.com
I will not be giving to your charity. Where is the transparency hahahahahahahaha
Where is your name Transparent?
You didn’t give before and there have been people I wouldn’t accept donations from.
God always helped me to give people from every spectrum in this island from students to handicap and the elderly,the very purpose of me forming a foundation to help those in genuine need.
I don’t publish who I help nor what they needed !!
The few people who have given me to assist in the Past to help worthy needs have always requested for their names not to be made public.
There is nothing to hide except that the bureaucracy that you seem to cherish under the guise of wanting transparency, is just too much for me and I can help people as I’ve always done
So for you who hate me can’t beat me at the polls then get out and do some good for people!
Bureaucracy under the guise of transparency? No it really is the transparency that we want. Bureaucracy (a minimum of it – I was on one of several committees of lawyers that drafted the law) is how we get the transparency. The purpose of the law is preventing the use of non-profit organisations for illegal purposes including corruption.
Too funny.
Mr Bush is truly an angel, he has always given freely to the poor and recognising that they have always voted for him.
This is really too funny.
If you can lose 250.000 in a casino, I am sure you can get your charity organized.
This man lost all credibility.
He realizes that this is his last time around, next year you will hear I retiring from politics.
So you really think you have that kind of knowledge?well I don’t think so Ron Ebanks!!!
$250,000 a month at one point…on a fixed salary of what?
Ok, just read the law. McKeeva apparently told Cayman 27 “But Bush told Cayman 27 that he did not have the money to meet the requirements of the law, which he described as too burdensome.” No where in the law states you need to meet a requirement except the following.
13. (1) A non-profit organisation with a gross annual income in excess of two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars and which remits thirty per cent or more of
that gross annual income outside of the Islands shall have its financial statements
reviewed in accordance with internationally accepted standards on review
engagements or such other review engagement standards as may be prescribed.
Only other mention of monetary figures are the penalties so what exactly was he talking about? His reason has no basis except he doesn’t want anyone to know the details behind his “non-profit”. This makes me wonder what exactly it is Mr. Clean Hands and Pure Heart has to hide? Someone should subpoena those records before the next BBQ at Busy’s else those records might mysteriously disappear with a hint of honey BBQ and mesquite.
Carrots & milk
Nothing to hide and never ever did!!
Why don’t Real smart persons like you(if you exist) add your name since you want to accuse and be so insulting and if what you say have 1 iota if truth!!! Talk about credibility!!!
The truth must really hurt , when you have to bend/ stoop so so so low .
Everyone that cared to know about It obviously did.
So what does insinuating the way you have,get it?you or anyone else!! Except to insult
But please please join the transparent Line and write your name!!!
Hi Hands are so clean, and his Heart obviously so pure that he has no need for transparency. We should all just believe that. If you believe that you need to be in the LA with the rest of the nutters.
This is exactly why charities (non-profit organisations really) were required to register. The fact he shut his ‘charity’ down rather than disclose its finances should ring alarm bells at the Anti-Corruption Commission and RCIPS.
Since you think there is something wrong be a good citizen put your name to it and call police and Acc
It’s always easy for “no goods” like you you to hide who you are (if indeed you do exist”) behind anonymity, but can’t be so transparent and responsible to go to the police about me shutting down my foundation because of the trouble it will give me to operate ?!!!!! Ha!!!!!
Mr. Bush , you would have been better off , if you had just kept your mouth closed, and shut the charity down quietly . I have many doubts now .
If only you knew who wrote that comment. I spoke out against you many times in the past when you had power and were using it to destroy Cayman. Unfortunately you got to use that power and we see the results every day. Now my field of work prevents me from using my real name to discuss politics. I don’t have to use it to call you what you are.
HA-HA-HA-Ha-Ha-ha-ha! Ha-a-a, H-a-a-a! aaah -ha-ha-ha-ha! Ha-Ha-Ha-ha-ha!
Clearly the time has come for the Cayman Islands to set in law a time limit as to how long an elected official can serve in these islands.
Yep, 4 years max and they should actually turn up and do something for all but 16 weeks in that period.
Nope.
Not a good idea and as long as I’m around anyone who can offer themselves aught to be able to.
The public must always be able to choose who they want!!
The bunch of you already messed up the process already with omov.
He was on “For the record” talking about it and other things this morning but he quick time ran off before people could call in and question him about it
As usual the government cowers from the people asking the pertinent questions
They will only appear on shows to read their talking points and announce their photo-ops and “achievements”
Did his charity issue credit cards.
“Where it comes from and how it is used ”
I can see that being an uncomfortable question.
“Bush closes charity for lack of money “. Is there no shaming this man or indeed many of our other wayward politicians. And who is it that keeps these low life in power, it is us the people. We can be bought off with a driveway paving, fridges, a couple of hundred dollars here and there, top soil. The list of how easily we are bought, hoodwinked and lied to is “the never ending Cayman story”.
Mr, Bush please tell:
1. Do you support implementstion of the Standards in Public Life Law as now writtem?
2. Do you support a revised Election Law that would require disclosure of all contributors yo s candidate?
Yes I do!!!!
This move will only slow down good intentions to assist the needy people of our islands. The good man that has nothing to hide will now be burden-down with keeping books, producing financial statements and the list goes on. A good deed should not be punished. Could it not be simpler for the Donor to state his name and how much he is donating to the charity. All these records should be kept by the organization that received the money. This should be an open book for government to inspect and audit at their expense. They need the information so they should pay for whatever they want to see and not the organization who is trying to do a good deed.
Well aren’t you a good spinster?
The new laws aren’t hard to follow if you’re legit.
Would CNS please refrain from publishing that photo every time an article mentions the Speaker it gives me chronic indigestion for the rest of the day.
My God!!
That shows just how small minded hateful and screwed up your mind is!!
We’ll burn burn burn!!
I have til 2021 to wear the speakers gown and wig!!!!
I think the wig is a bit too tight on pool ole Macs head!
Absolutely no pity for ya or your ‘charitable organization’. Be careful how you treat others. Karma is a bitch.
I wonder what he has to hide? He says he puts his own money in to the “charity” then why is it such a secret? We don’t tax money here Mackie. Uncle Sam’s or Auntie Elizabeth not going to send a tax man after you.
LMAO!! Look at the 12-15 of his cronies down-voting the comments making fun of his ‘charity’!
Perfect!
1:30P on Wednesday.
Check again later this afternoon…. And again after 5P when the others make it home.
Hahahahaha
Probably going to be a few young bartenders looking for alternate means of support
One word explanation for this – ‘Freezers’?
The cost are minimal. In fact if you register before the end of this month I believe there is no fee for processing the application. After that all you have to do is make an annual return of financial activity which is very straight forward and all charities should already be maintaining the necessary records. XXXXXXX. Nothing changes….
Bye bye washer / dryer charity! I am in tears!
I think by “red tape” he means transparency.
Don’t forget it also means “Accountability” too.
Call in the ACC!!
I hope they show up with the tazers!
Wouldn’t be the first time his door is kicked in
or that he is forcibly removed from office
How’s your own medicine taste now Mac, made you pucker did it? Well you ain’t gonna be spitting this one out. Get used to the taste just like us who work for a living do, you might even get to like it.
Cayman has in the last three decades afflicted itself with the same type of Incompetent Politician Syndrome in successive governments that has damaged much of the Caribbean. It feels like they all become what they campaigned against and when convenient they join forces with their political nemesis in order to survive or maintain power at all costs. Principles are secondary to political expediency.
We used to be different and successful as a country. Now our people are on the brink of third class citizens. Unfortunately, the politicos figured out that voters are more reliable when they have to beg for handouts.
The Politicos (Elected and Non Elected gods) seem committed to following the blue print of neighboring failed states where corruption is acceptable, crime is out of control and the majority of the population are deliberately kept uneducated and beholden to elected gods and dons the equivalent of business leaders in Cayman.
There is a reason why this government refuse to implement and give substance to the Standards in Public Life law.
Just Another Day in Absurdistan
In fairness to Mac I don’t think that he is the only person or organization in Cayman overwhelmed by this law.
Really, then they shouldn’t be running charities with income of over $250,000pa. Here’s an idea – hire a book-keeper!
The “red-tape” of routine disclosure and procedure is clearly a big hurdle for the entire LA, who dither on enactment of the Standards in Public Life Law from four years ago! Not a single MLA calling for more transparency!
The size of USA IRS is going to be a joke to Cayman , if all these monetary policy /laws keeps up . You know something is wrong when Bush can’t afford it .
LOL
Awww…
‘The law requires charities and non-profit organisations to reveal where their money comes from and how it is used’ and ‘make annual returns and keep financial statements’. That’s hardly a major imposition on a small charity is it? Is it the cost of doing this or what it might reveal that’s the problem here? I bet this won’t be the only ‘charity’ that folds following the passing of NPOL.
Thanks Jeff Webb. Now if we could only see CIFA books?
Thank the Pines as well.
And the Tennis Club
Well now he knows how the rest of us feel. Just think of the small businesses that had to close down due to bureaucracy and law changing that the small businesses could not keep up.
The law requires charities and non-profit organisations to reveal where their money comes from and how it is used … you really think he would want to reveal this information?
Why would anyone close down a true charity?
and why would anyone find it difficult to say where their money comes from and how it is spent. Baffling but then we are talking about a man who has no qualms about using a goverment credit card at the casino.
Ah….Suffering from Transparency Allergy…no one is falling for this spin. The red tape should be on his mouth…
Real reason: Mac does not want to produce accounts or clarity of where the money goes.
Great law change.
Or where it comes from
Hey now, stop it or he’ll blame CNS again for personally accosting his flawless character. Said no one ever with a straight face. I know you’ll censor this CNS but you have to admit it was funny.
For years mckeeva has had his supporters believing that he spent his personal money to assist them with paying utilities, groceries,, painting their houses, , fixing roofs and buying school books/bags/pencils etc. This is supposedly his main charity. I am sure he keeps his personal accounts balanced, what is the problem here? Surely this shouldn’t pose a problem for anyone with clean hands and a pure heart.
Who knew that this foundation existed? I’m a voter in Mr. Bush’s constituency for more than 20 years and this is the first I’ve heard of it. What is the benefit of a charitable foundation of which the public – potential donors – has no knowledge? Sounds more like a personal savings plan!
Extremely ironic I would say. As CNS reports, the Law was not implemented until this year under the so-called “Unity” government. How did Mr. Bush vote on this bill? Yes? No? Abstain? Seems like he always has spoken up in the past, so why was he virtually silent on this issue before now?
Mr. Bush claims that he did not have the money to meet the requirements of the law – so CNS what exactly are the monetary costs associated with registering?
Let us presume that Mr. Bush is collecting pension, gets the Speakers salary and has income from his real estate company. If he is unable to afford registration then what the hell do you expect from the majority of other foundations, churches, charities???
Signed
Money Laundering in Charitable Foundations?
So he does not like transparency in what he does with his money, eh? What a shock.
He is not the only one in the LA that fears transparency it is worse than cancer to this government. Look at the cruise dock and airport projects as examples of transparency Unity style.
Ahh, the clown speaks.
The tide is changing , pissing the wrong west Bayer off now .
Some West Bayers need to be pissed off on a daily basis.
Seems the tape got a little too red for Mr. Bush!!! Seems like a simple, straight forward way to prove where the funds are coming from!! But what are we hiding now? Hmmm? Always something up his sleeve, or should I say up his red tape?
Double Dipping Honorable Overpaid Speaker MLA’s talking about laws he and his government brought into force just imagine all the things we now have to go through without their big salaries and perks
welcome to wonderland. read it, print it…says it all you need to know.
Yes it is always difficult when you have to account for money.
Hmmm if you did not raise money from the public then your “Foundation” is not a “non-profit organisation” and the new NPO law would not apply.
So Mr Bush this is clearly not about bue- bue- bureaucracy! Rather it is a good example of your typical bovine scatology!
Brilliant comment.
I think, 8.40, you will find that it is “buwockwassy”
I guess Mac never thought that he could save money. Then give it away to help people.
Most people who donate to charities do that. Maybe the problem is Mac wants all the credit. Does that surprise anyone?
Which charity? First I’m ever hearing about a Mackeewa charity. Must be the gambling charity. This man really takes us all for fools.
Maybe campaign giver , but not charity giver .
Again let me cut through the political double speak:
“I have no intention of revealing or disclosing the source of the funds for this “charity” or keeping records to show where it is allocated along with proof of said allocations”
Red tape means that there is a ” source of funds” form to be filled out.
And I have no intention of telling anyone what my charity is called.