Arden takes aim at trickle-down economics

| 31/12/2019 | 52 Comments
Cayman News Service
Opposition Leader Arden McLean delivers his 2020 New Year Message

(CNS): The opposition leader has said that he and members of his team reject the government’s policy of relying on trickle-down economics because it is not benefiting the Caymanian people. In his New Year message, Arden McLean said it was time the economy was built by expanding opportunities for local people rather than depending on investment from overseas. He said the current badly managed economic growth had been fuelled by inflation.

The opposition leader also noted the premier’s admission that his government has failed to address the problem of costly and inaccessible healthcare for many people.

“While I welcome the premier’s admission of the failure of his government, it still does not address the problem that many Caymanians are still without adequate health insurance and many Caymanians are retiring with inadequate health insurance at the time in their lives when they need it the most,” he warned.

The problems in education, the failure to collect garbage, unprecedented traffic troubles, the indebted position of too many local families, the marginalisation of Caymanians and the erosion of the middle class were also on his list of concerns.

He did, however, recall the hope he expressed in his Christmas Message that the recent demonstration of people power over the referendum would help to unite and integrate the country. The opposition also offered to work with government to form a committee to create a national strategic plan to address many of the issues which concern local people.

Watch the opposition leader’s New Year Message below or read it in the CNS Library


Share your vote!


How do you feel after reading this?
  • Fascinated
  • Happy
  • Sad
  • Angry
  • Bored
  • Afraid
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: , ,

Category: Politics

Comments (52)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Voters need to understand that there are uncalculated added costs to society due to the inefficiencies of mismanagement and/or systemic corruption. That’s where the so-called trickle, is more like an unchecked fire hose nozzle at 100 psi. Without Standards in Public Life Law enacted, all of our senior public officials are free to carry on and do what they and their predecessors have done without any fear of reprisal, whistle-blowing, occupational exposure, fine or arrest. That’s what corruption is.

    14
  2. Anonymous says:

    I wonder who actually wrote this message.

    26
    3
  3. Anonymous says:

    The wide scale corruption and nepotism that is at the root of trickle-down economics is not something that will be easy to tackle. I am not saying that we should not try to achieve some level of fairness, however, the truth that needs to be acknowledged is the fact that the system is rigged and that trying to bring about positive change will most likely result in more pain and suffering in the short to medium term.

    30
    2
  4. Anonymous says:

    In 2006 he had the opportunity to lay the groundwork to fix the dump, install a WTE plant and create a workable recycling facility on these islands but he did nothing. The Canadian head of solid waste management at the time was an expert in these fields but his advice was ignored. During the post-Ivan scrap metal tendering fiasco he was offered an option that would have created a permanent recycling facility here – I saw the proposal, spoke to the author and viewed a DVD of a similar operation in the Cook Islands – it was completely ignored, the documentation wasn’t even acknowledged. When it came to power supplies this ex-CUC employee had a mantra that was, ‘There’s no substitute for diesel.’ Has anything changed since then? I don’t think so and that’s what’s wrong with the LA now – too many dinosaurs trying to run things.

    78
    4
  5. Anonymous says:

    Bla Bla Bla Bla

    27
    2
  6. Anonymous says:

    I drool at the tax revenue potential from regulated cannabis as Canada has proven. You all don’t realize how many of my guests be asking for a dispensary to buy herb

    17
    13
    • Anonymous says:

      Not sure where you’re getting your news, the international top news story on Canada’s adventure has been extremely cautionary and anything but successful. There, decriminalization and bureaucratic regulation only served to deepen the entrenched illicit producers and distributors who have since EXPANDED their stranglehold on the industry at half the cost. Canada will have to deeply subsidize pot if they want to beat-out the mafias and immune First Nations that are at the heart of it all, or ramp up marketing to young people, in opposition to the whole reasoning for decriminalization. Meanwhile, those few vetted as “legitimate” growers are sitting on over a year’s worth of production that they can’t move. Not sure why anyone would drool at that social or economic scenario, unless they had some kind of drooling problem.

      33
      9
      • Free trader says:

        The problem is the Canadians have created such a bureaucracy to handle Canabis that no-one can profit from it.

        19
        • Anonymous says:

          which is a good lesson in why big government is bad. Socialism is the enemy of the people not the solution. Mixed economies, while having more disparity, do offer better options for the bulk of the population.

          15
          4
        • Anonymous says:

          Legitimizing illegal grow-ops using banned pesticides would be better? A race to the bottom more like. The lesson from Canada is that entrenched illicit distributors don’t fold up their tents when prohibition ends. They have no restrictions on what they can sell, zero overhead pricing, and enjoy wide public acceptance as the distributors of choice! If not weed, something else. We would not be able to do it any better here.

          • Anonymous says:

            I only disagree with the last line of your post. If we legalized local production (and consumption thereof) that might be able to undercut the cost of imported product, e.g., local vs imported tomatoes and mangoes, in season. (I don’t suppose freshness is an issue, is it?) Especially while keeping illegal imports illegal (added costs to their product).

            • Anonymous says:

              How do we supervise the provenance of what is local? Who decides and certifies, against the backdrop of corrupt gov’t, police, such a permeable border, and active transshipment laneways? How much do we spend on that? Those are costs too. Longterm, it’s cheaper for each of us to cultivate the type of personal reality that we don’t need or want to get high to escape. #goals

        • Anonymous says:

          I think that is the point.

  7. Anonymous says:

    How in the world did we come to believe that adequate health insurance is more important than salubrious environment. Nobody, I mean literally nobody sees that! Did we all lose our minds?

    Toxic dump, incinerator without filters, mosquitoes control chemicals, overcrowding, stressful commute, absence of safe bike and walking trails, dilapidated private septic tanks, noise pollution, never ending applications of herbicides, pesticides, insecticides make Grand Cayman “a mad scientist lab” and residents its unwitting guinea pigs.

    What the F this government, future governments are going to do about it? They don’t even see the picture! No freaking insurance, adequate or not, would give your health back to you. And all you have of value in this life is your health. Once it is gone, nothing matters!

    Pure madness is happening on this rock.

    42
    • Anonymous says:

      I’ll take the dollars for 3 years and then it’s back to the real world for me.

      12
      6
      • Real world my a@@ says:

        Yeah, back your “real world” of the privileged class of European descendants, institutionalized racism and sexism, and out of control gun violence and terrorism. You can have your “real world”.

        3
        5
        • Island Dreams says:

          What are you talking about ? Have you been on a plane and traveled yet?

          • Real world my a@@ says:

            @ Island Dreams – Yes genius, I’ve traveled the world in my 52 years of existence on earth. I’ve lived in the US and UK for several years each. Now I live here. Because life is BETTER here. Isn’t that why YOU are here? What are YOU talking about??

  8. Anonymous says:

    A true leader – please be our premier

    7
    76
  9. Anonymous says:

    It’s easy to criticize when you have no other option to present. Useless as always.

    29
    11
  10. Caveat Emptor says:

    Arden McLean is an ignorant, blowhard xenophobe and has yet to demonstrate that the opposition under his leadership can be a realistic alternative to the Unity coalition. He double crossed Ezzard Miller allegedly because of the proposed constitution amendments but agreed with all changes and proved he cannot be trusted.

    He reminds me of an aggressive loud version of Alden McLaughlin because it’s all about him. Like the current Premier he is legend in his own mind. His new partnership with McKeeva Bush will be dangerous but thankfully the king makers in corporate Cayman will never allow Mr. McLean to become the next Premier.

    In 2021 Cayman needs new leaders that are educated with proven track records of achievements and success. The country cannot afford the immaturity of Tara Rivers or Jospeh Hew as the next Premier they have failed as Cabinet ministers and have been nothing more than yes men for Premier McLaughlin.

    However, Cayman cannot have the likes of Arden McLean lead it as Premier. He represents the same type of old guard career politician desperate for power and to settle personal scores that has created a desperate situation over the past two decades for its people.

    74
    6
  11. Anonymous says:

    It’s that time of the electoral cycle when all the politicians and wannabes are jumping on soapboxes and bandwagons and making more empty promises to assure the future of their fat cat salaries and perks, that WE pay for them to waste.

    38
  12. Storm warning says:

    There are few substitutes for trickle down economics. Where government could effect a positive to its citizens in Cayman is the ownership of part of the profit making engine. Not only should we drive and maintain the engine we should be profit makers. Ask China 🇨🇳 f she waits for a hand out from businesses. She owns the businesses. A bit over the top maybe, but we should own a hotel, our electric grid, and a gas station. Just add and balance.

    11
    12
    • Anonymous says:

      Yes because Government does everything so efficiently. All they would do is lose money and raise taxes to subsidise the losses. Great plan.

      17
      1
      • Anonymous says:

        How about we take 200 million, build a hotel, put the property in a Trust (REIT) to the benefit of the Cayman Government, then lease it to a 4/5 star hotel chain. No bureaucracy, efficient management, local jobs, and money in the coffers as an icing on the cake.

        5
        4
        • Anonymous says:

          Great idea if you have a financially astute government that understands how to operate the public purse responsibly. Until then, with the CIG mentality, they will just see it as more pocket more money to spend recklessly. What we want them to do is learn how to manage the money they’re wasting now, before giving them any more.

          18
  13. Anonymous says:

    He not the same one that has sown the seeds of division?? He who speaks with a forked tongue

    36
    2
    • Anonymous says:

      The economy is booming and Caymanians that truly want to work are working and seeing opportunities at every level. The 1,400 or so unemployed Caymanians aren’t going to get anyone elected next time around but hey Arden, you keep focusing on that group and preaching your wannabe socialist message and see how far that gets you next year. You used to be a good man but you are so envious of Alden it’s turned you into a bitter old fool.

      15
      8
      • Anonymous says:

        No, but a middle class continually feeling that they are slipping into poverty (economic and social) will. The out of work didn’t vote for Trump, or Brexit (both votes premised on the assumption that those countries could do better than the then status-quo).

        Note> Not a Trump/Brexit issue, just examples of middle class wanting change from the ‘good times’ previous poster feels should be good enough for Cayman.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Arden all of the issues you mention have been around and building for the entire time you have been an MLA. Do not pretend that they are new.

    46
    2
  15. Anonymous says:

    How about underemployment of your people for the sake of record work permit fees? WORC is no more than a distraction and illusion…they seem focused on streamlining the process for abuse of the regulations..

    29
    5
  16. Anonymous says:

    Whilst I applaud you for your desires to addressed the issues you raised. However, I’m saddened that you now wish to piggy back on CPR’s recent referendum for the new port. Why is it that it took the collective efforts of the CPR’s and the National Trust legal injunction to push forward on stopping this madness. I ask the question, why did it take these entities to push forward, isn’t it the opposition role to oppose? What would have happen if the CPR wasn’t formed? I really believe the opposition is always behind the 8th ball, no pun intended but I’m calling you all out!!

    51
    7
    • Anonymous says:

      He reluctantly jumped on the bandwagon once he saw the power of the people. Thank heavens for Chris Saunders

      13
      19
    • Facts says:

      Whether they oppose or not, the government has the numbers so win the vote in the LA that’s what makes them the government. The opposition can only oppose and hope that one or more govt minister will go against the majority which in Alden’s dictatorship of sheep will never happen, except for Bernie Bush of course.

      11
      3
  17. Anonymous says:

    When the Leader of the losers speaks no one listens.

    44
    15

Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.