Premier heads to London to meet array of VIPs

| 21/02/2020 | 107 Comments
Cayman News Service
Premier Alden McLaughlin and CO Eric Bush

(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin is flying to London today, Friday, for what officials said was a series of very important meetings, including a first visit with Baroness Sugg, the new UK overseas territories minister, as well as the Prince of Wales and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s chief of staff, among others. Issues such as this week’s EU blacklisting, Cayman’s potential involvement in more trade, and keeping up a partnership with the UK government are expected to be on the agenda.

In press release from his office the premier explained why he had arranged the visit.

“These meetings are important because Cayman continues to stand strong in the world and we need to continue to champion good relations with the UK,” he said. “I am also looking forward to meeting Baroness Sugg to ensure we have a close working relationship and continued cooperation with the United Kingdom. Too, I believe it is important that the Cayman Islands and the UK work more closely on trade issues.”

While in London, McLaughlin and his delegation are also expected to meet with UK government ministers and parliamentarians. Outside the political arena, McLaughlin is also going to meet senior officials with the City of London Cooperation.

The meetings, which were organised by the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, are part of the ongoing engagement strategy and partnership with the UK government and the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.

The premier will be accompanied as usual by Chief Officer Eric Bush and Senior Political Adviser Roy Tatum, as well as by senior members of the financial services industry, including Dan Scott, Alasdair Robertson and Kevin Lloyd.

Officials have not said when the premier is expected to return. The trip comes just a few weeks before a Cayman delegation will be heading to London in any event for the annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) meeting, which was delayed from the usual end of year slot in November because of the UK election and Brexit. It is understood that it is now set for March.


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Category: Politics

Comments (107)

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  1. Cayman Sabotage says:

    Meanwhile back home crime running rampant US deportees an foreign criminals and members of parliament committing violent crimes scumbag foreign backed developers destroying the environment. one hut set up to houses those who unfortunately get infected with Coronavirus absolutely no preventive measures are put in place at both ports of entry because we need that dollar to pay for these foreign advisors and our local stooges lavish trips overseas. So our dear minister and his idiotic govt advisors are going to wait and see who is the first nationality to bring the virus to these shores! yes all is well in lalala land Eh Alden you tell dem so in London Deh and make sure to mention Domestic wiolence is a local custom and except means of expression if you having mental problems you can beat up who you want so long as you write a letter filled with lies you believe to be true. And just where is our beloved Governor and his trusted sidekick Sancho Forbes no doubt fondling their egos and looking for the next photo op looking busy with the Kman Regiment! Please spare us and do your friggin jobs protecting these islands from threats ,corruption and criminals arriving here from overseas and in govt.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Well things are fine back home…left his best man in charge.

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  3. Anonymous says:

    I Have worked in GT jewellery for decades. All the time customers want a a real Island experience, local food, local culture. What can we offer them? Nothing. We got rid of the local flavor in GT, when government sold out the Cardinal craft market. Now tourists cannot even pee anywhere in town. So sad. And govt wants to spend big ass dollars on a port?! The cannot even manage a potty!

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Alden, your people are not ready for the modern business world. Better to lead them back to turtle stew and making rope. Maybe this time make it out of hemp. You need to try and balance the future and the past. Give them time to change.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    All aboard the gravy train. Leaving soon. Space at a premium.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And what a fantastic gravy train it is. I am trying to get on the next train for Monaco at Easter.

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  6. Gideon Battle says:

    Corruption is rife and politician beating wife and girlfriend even bar manager picking up licks round ya shootout central Georgtown jealousy issue Governor he not worry bout a ting Black list nor environment or traffic Lodge Boyz off to London erryting kriss! innah Cayman.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    If only they had taken Mac….

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  8. Anonymous says:

    They may have been summoned to report to the
    Mother Land…

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    • Anonymous says:

      The Queen can’t take the colonies anymore with BREXIT so the children are all going to be kicked out of the house. Problems ahead.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Urgent message for Alden. Paging Alden! Could the Premier please report to Northward where he and his government credit card are needed to post bail for a colleague?

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Blah Blah Blah!!!!#!!!!!!!###!#### I could scream so loud that it would wake the Queen up every morning for the next year.

    As one wise old Caymanian once said “This is pure rubbish your honour pure rubbish.”

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Well, at least we know he wasn’t at Coral Beach last night…..

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  12. Anon says:

    Can Airmiles Eric enlighten all of us on his credentials in the Finance Sector?.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    And what are they doing about getting us off the blacklist. One of the biggest screw ups ever. Not a word. No apology. No accountability. What a disgrace. Just continue to waste our money while many of us are struggling

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  14. Anonymous says:

    Not sure how well Cayman is represented but lodge is well covered.

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  15. Anonymous says:

    Another wasted trip on the back of tax payers. What is the point of having a London office? Mr. Ebanks are you not competent enough? If not, the close the London office. I’m surprise no Dart conglomerates on this trip? Wait they would learn of all the money he has and how much taxes the UK government is loosing.

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  16. Anonymous says:

    This would be a joke if it wasn’t so sad. #voteno

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  17. Anonymous says:

    We should listen to the” National Vote” request, this is probably the best solution for your Islands. Personally I seen and heard many talented candidates from different districts that I know, can and will, work towards a more transparent government. Don’t be swayed by the current government. They should be ashamed of themselves of bragging about “billion dollar budgets” and not paying attention to world affairs. Overspending yearly and not putting aside to reduce the cost of living. Cayman should have billions in reserve.

    Whatever happen to Mr. Archer, Mr. Panton, Mr. Clifford,…..Mr. Saunders seems to be a very smart and respectful representative also that would work with them….the government only tighten the noose around the peoples neck by having OMOV. A National Vote would allow the people to vote for ‘one candidate’, up to ‘nineteen’, from any district ….the best nineteen wins and are held accountable to the people. Thanks.

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  18. Anonymous says:

    Stay there!

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  19. Anonymous says:

    A meeting with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s chief of staff, Dominic Cummings? That should be interesting because Cummings’ brief is to recruit ‘weirdos’ to sort out the UK’s problems. Gonna be a bit of culture clash there.

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  20. Ego Trips says:

    Alden McLaughlin and Eric Bush shouldn’t be negotiating with anybody after the EU “Blacklist” debacle they messed it all up and are not respected locally or international.

    Thankfully, they did not take Tara Rivers along on this junket to compound Cayman’s embarrassment.

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  21. Anonymous says:

    “Cayman continues to stand strong in the world”..geez Aldart isn’t even trying to justify his extravagant travel any more. I hope the truth is he is more comfortable going out in pretty much any foreign country than he is in his own country that he is destroying.

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    • Anonymous says:

      What absolute B.S. Work more closely on trade issues? What is he talking about?
      They must think we are all very stupid. Maybe we are, but not this Bobo.

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    • Anonymous says:

      4.45pm Antibot.Don’t you ever get tired

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      • Anonymous says:

        Not as long as our politicians keep making decisions out of self interest with complete disregard to the Caymanian people and their futures.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Obviously you would rather they do nothing which suggests you would be an even worse representative of the people

          • Anonymous says:

            I would sooner they visit Brussels than London. How many trips did they have to London last year? But never one trip to Brussels.

            We don’t have our priorities correct.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Don’t you ever get tired of being fed B.S. 9:47? I sure do.

    • Anonymous says:

      ‘Leadership is not rank, privileges, title or money. It is responsibility.’

      By management guru Peter Drucker

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  22. Anonymous says:

    Our MLAs are puffed up city councilors
    The idea that they jet off every couple of months with full fledged delegations for 15 minute chats containing mostly pleasantries with people who we all know have much more important things to be doing is laughable

    anything to put on the show of actually being respected right, just like here, the photo op is really all they are concerned about
    Alden and co will show up suited up for the groundbreaking ceremony and then absolve themselves of the blame when the project goes tits up

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  23. Anonymous says:

    Will anyone notice?

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    • Anonymous says:

      One less car on the road in the morning traffic I guess

      We should all be thankful

      The PPM is solving the traffic problem, one wasteful and extravagant overseas trip at a time

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      • Anonymous says:

        Well at least two cars as Roy is going too. He and Alden aren’t car pooling – save the combined transport for cycling and overseas trips.

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        • Anonymous says:

          ol Repeating Roy…Aldart tells him the pension isn’t in a deficit and Roy says the pension is healthy cause everyone isn’t retiring today…to hell with his years of accrual based accounting and what those stupid actuaries say.

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        • Anonymous says:

          What are Roys credentials to be a political advisor? He worked at a big bank here before his appointment.

  24. Anonymous says:

    I think he has many more pressing issues here……….of course he and his buddies are going on a trip. Register to Vote people.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    aka Boondoggle!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Does Deputy Governor still publish Government travel expenses on the Government website? Officials ought to be open about their spending for these trips.

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  26. Anonymous says:

    No confidence.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    Just think how better these meetings might have been if we weren’t on the blacklist. Thanks Alden.

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  28. Jus Askin says:

    I understand the other issues, but what do we have to trade with the UK? What do the UK want from us?

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  29. Anonymous says:

    He would be smarter going to Brussels to do some lobbying regarding the financial services sector. He seems to take a lot of trips to London and Monaco but when has he ever visited Brussels?

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    • Anonymous says:

      We have an office in London that should already be doing this stuff. That’s the whole point of staffing that office!

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      • Anonymous says:

        If the financial services issue with the EU is a big issue, which we know it is, he should go to Brussels to lobby not just send bureaucrats in London to go there. Monaco is obviously far more important than the EU. So don’t wonder why we are on the EU blacklist.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Staffed by the son of Ezzard….one of the employees…

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      • Anonymous says:

        Low level bureaucrats in London knowing nothing about the financial services sector will get us nowhere in Brussels. We need some big guns lobbying for us there.

        Can’t CIG hire Wayne Panton on contract and have him negotiate on our behalf?

        We need Caymanians with expertise lobbying for us in Brussels.

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    • Anonymous says:

      No point going to Brussels.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Hat in hand.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    This would be a good time for the Baroness to remind the Premiere of his obligation to pass legislation on equality for marriage/civil unions. Only a few weeks overdue.

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  31. Anonymous says:

    They are going to inquire about those civil unions. And we will say?

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  32. Anonymous says:

    I hope they understand that he doesn’t represent a large number of us!

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    • Anonymous says:

      He does if you elected him and supported his party.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Both PPM and CDP lost their mandate last election. The majority of Cayman voted for Independents, that sadly squabbled so long and hard, that they couldn’t put forth a government. That’s why we are in this jam. PPM do not have a mandate or even popular support, which is why they spend millions on suppression campaigns using international media influencers.

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        • Anonymous says:

          Ask Ezzard and Arden why it didn’t happen. Crabs in a barrel – they both wanted to be Premier so they picked up their marbles and went to their corners and refused to answer their phones.

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        • Anonymous says:

          3.05pm You are wrong. Independents did not get the majority of the votes.Independents received 6492 out of a total of 15721. Even if we include Tara with the independents the total is 7026 out of 15721.That means that the 2 parties received 8695 votes without Tara, or 9229 with Tara. Now we know Tara was never truly independent but rather she was not a party member but aligned with PPM. If we want to go by seats won then CDP won 3 seats, PPM won 7 seats which equals 10 seats for Parties and 9 for independents. But since Tara was always aligned with PPM that gave parties control of 11 seats out of 19. So no the majority of voters did not support independents. You might not like it but thats the fact of the matter. Just the facts

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          • Anonymous says:

            CDP – 3
            PPM – 7
            INDEPENDANTs – 9

            9 is bigger than 7 or 3. Only by ganging up like schoolyard bullies did the combined parties get in.

        • Anonymous says:

          I never understood the illogical argument that Caymanians voted in independents last time and the PPM and CDP grabbed power. After every election every member elected have the obligation to not only form a government but form one that will last for four years. This is more easily accomplished with a party structure and more difficult with independents. We have seen this after 2017. And since then we have seen Alden maintain the coalition government and in doing so has provided stability to Cayman.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Excellent comment 4.18am. Because some are unhappy that independents did not form t They never miss a chance to dump on Alden and the rest of his team.he Govt they have engaged in a campaign of negativity towards the current Admin.

    • Anonymous says:

      2.10 He doesn’t if you are one of those obsessing on gay marriage

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