MLAs deserve their pay, says premier
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin has confirmed that there is no plan to cut the salaries of politicians in Cayman as a result of the current COVID-19 pandemic. He said the people in his team “were working harder than they ever were before” and they have bills to pay like other people. While ministers in other countries have taken pay cuts as a gesture of solidarity with those now in financial distress, McLaughlin saw no reason to reduce local MLAs’ wages.
In response to the CNS question, which has been asked by many of our readers, McLaughlin said he was not sure why ministers and MLAs should be singled out for pay cuts.
However in New Zealand, a country the premier has followed closely through the COVID-19 pandemic, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other ministers there have taken a 20% pay cut lasting six months to show solidarity with those affected by the coronavirus outbreak. Similarly, Austria’s ministers plan to each donate one month’s salary.
And politicians all around the Caribbean are also accepting reductions in their pay packet at this time. Nevis Premier Mark Brantley has announced that he will forego his entire monthly salary for the foreseeable future, while ministers of the Nevis Island Administration have all agreed to a pay cut of 10% for the next three months, starting in May 2020.
All Bermuda’s politicians have taken a 12.5% pay cut. Cabinet members in Saint Lucia have agreed to a 75% salary reduction to help tackle the COVID-19 economic crisis. In Aruba, ministers and their advisors, members of parliament and directors of government-owned companies will forgo 20% of their salary, while other public servants are taking a 12.5% pay cut. Salaries are also being reduced in the the other two Dutch Caribbean countries.
However, here in Cayman McLaughlin said that cutting pay for public sector workers in hard times was, in his experience following the 2008 recession, disastrous. Cutting the pay of members of the Legislative Assembly alone would not have any material impact in a budge of $850 million, he added, as took offence to the idea that politicians should be treated differently.
“I am no different, if I get cut I bleed, if I get COVID I get sick, I eat or pay rent or a mortgage like everybody else, and that is so for every single minister or MLA,” the premier said. “They all have families; they all have obligations; they all have commitments,” as said, claiming that politicians were no different to anyone else.
The premier also rejected the idea that local politicians were well paid and said that twenty years after leaving his law firm he was earning less money today than he was then in actual dollars, never mind inflation.
“For people who believe somehow that this is a cushy job, you’ve got another think coming, and it’s seven days a week,” McLaughlin added, with a nod to the recently announced election date for next year.
Although pinning down the exact pay of each of the current members is not easy, the speaker, the premier, the deputy premier and other cabinet ministers are all on the civil service salary scale at grade B. This translates into a range per year of $158,400 to $179,196. The leader of the opposition, deputy speaker and other MLAs are considered grade D, with salaries ranging from $109,932 to $130,668.
But government MLAs receive more than those in opposition to cover the work they do as councillors, while all MLAs are given a constituency allowance on top of the regular benefits. Given the opaque nature of exactly how much they each receive, if MLAs followed the lead of Ardern and take a 20% cut, this would be around CI$150,000 per month in total, or just under CI$1 million in six months.
See the press briefing on CIGTV below, set to start with the CNS question and the premier’s answer, where he explains why he does not feel politicians’ salaries should be cut:
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Category: Politics
Why don’t he be honest and tell the Civil Servants that they will receive a pay-cut after the election….
I am a civil servant. Where is your evidence for this?
It’s probably coming…prepare now
Yesterday’s press briefing took this event to a new low.
First of all, it was obvious from the time that Ms Ledger asked her first question of the Premier that he didn’t share Dr Lee’s welcome back! And when she asked the question about the possibility of a pay cut for Ministers and MLA’s, it was obvious that he didn’t see it coming, even though he should have if he or those who advise him are following the news from elsewhere.
Secondly, while we are now 2 months into this saga, and while his government expedited arrangements to allow everyone (except public servants) to raid their pensions because they might need that to survive, we have not heard anything from the Premier of his distinguished Minister of Finance as to the likely impact of all of this on the islands finances. Not a word! This is OUR government. We hired him and his crew to be custodians for 4 years. Their performance in this regard has been absolutely atrocious. We don’t have a clue of what the future looks like for CIG financially.
He and his merry crew are obviously free to take the position that there is no need for them to show any empathy for those who have had their earnings reduced or decimated. Clearly their position is that they can’t live without less than their full salary + whatever else they earn from other interests.
But what irks me is Alden’s blatant intolerance to even being questioned about anything that suggests that he should be taking a course other than what he wants to take. As I have said before, we are blessed to have Wendy to ask these questions; we can’t expect Radio Cayman to ask them can we now? Your job, Mr Premier, is to answer us. We don’t need you to be questioning Wendy. We don’t need you to bring civil servants into your answer when they weren’t in the question! And if you have been making such a financial sacrifice in politics, you clearly could have got out – a long time ago. You still can!
And while I’m here, let me say that I think that it’s well past time for Gov Roper to volunteer at a soup kitchen or find something else constructive to do. I’ve heard enough of him parading as some super travel organiser, and we all know after him saying so for 32 times that he agrees with everything that the Premier says.
The National Hazard Management Council has an ‘evacuation cluster’ charged with dealing with emergency travel, we’ve been running an airline for over 40 years and have lots of idle airline resources, and there are idle travel agency resources out there. We also have a veteran Director-General of Civil Aviation who can liaise with his counterparts in other jurisdictions. While there is a role for your office to play in trying to access airports that are closed, we didn’t need your office to play ‘travel agent’ and set up new arrangements. Air bridges are no different from flights no matter how many times you refer to BA operating air bridges and everyone else operating flights. Pop in once a week or 10 days; you don’t need to be there EVERY time there’s a briefing.
And yes, I have no issue with you wishing the sister of the Director of Hazard Management a happy birthday. Just do it from your office, not form the podium of a national emergency briefing.
Perhaps one of the reasons why Alden balked at the question was because all his attention has been focused on getting the COVID situation under control. Ms. Ledger was doing her job in asking that question on behalf of the public, however it detracts from the situation at hand. I’m sure that Alden is well aware of the pay cuts being undertaken by other political leaders and he sees it for what it is – politics. He’s most-likely focusing on suppressing contagion, not making this a political issue.
Another thing for you to consider is, if he takes a pay-cut and directs all MLAs to take a pay-cut, then all civil servants would be expected to follow suit and take pay-cuts as well. Considering that the government is the largest employer of people in Cayman, that will undoubtedly have great negative economic effects on a whole swathe of people especially during these times and beyond. So even though I’m not his fan, kudos for him for thinking in the longer term in this respect – it has nothing to do with empathy and everything to do with pragmatism and fiscal responsibility.
As for the Governor, protocol dictates he HAS TO PUBLICLY be in solidarity/agree with what the Premier says especially in a crisis. Or, put another way, he has to be politically neutral and speak/move on the advice of his ministers. Remember, he represents the queen, who herself has to be politically neutral. His role, as representative of her majesty, is to be consulted, to encourage and to warn the Premier and his government about certain courses of action that he takes. Also, consider this: the travel agents, the Director General of Civil Aviation, and “idle airline resources” you mentioned do not have the diplomatic bargaining power of getting other countries to open their borders like a Head of State has. So it is necessary for the governor to be directly involved in making those travel arrangements.
Please, let’s not make this crisis a political issue. Let’s focus our energies on getting over this crisis so we can return to some semblance of normalcy sooner rather than later.
– a paper Caymanian
so lets just call the civil service what it is…a caymanian social welfare programme financed by the private sector!…
get real and wake up to the facty that this place is facing economic oblivion….the civil service should have been slashed years ago
Yup
🙂 have it your way…
Be careful what you wish for…
– a paper Caymanian
Yep, particularly on the Brac where the majority of the people are employed by the Government and jobs are tailored to suit the person.
@A Paper Caymanian
There is NO epidemic of C19 in Cayman. Not now, not in March or April. There is nothing to suppress!
The economic crisis was created by Premier’s irrational fears that were not proportional to the situation.
So he should focus his energy on getting over this crisis. And he could have started with showing solidarity.
Do you even consider that the suppression efforts put in place did their job?
Well said. Thank you.
The birthday shout-out would have made more sense if he had mentioned that the sister of the Director of Hazard Management is herself the Director of the National Gallery and the recognised authority on Caymanian visual art. Both are incredible examples of ‘new Caymanians’ with all the civic qualities we value, and they gained this ethos from their parents. My family has been friends with theirs for decades. Birthdays are bittersweet during this time – that family is very close but has been split apart by Covid, like most of us, with lots of adult children running separate households that can’t mix. I completely understood where the Governor was coming from in giving that particular shout-out and I think it was well deserved and appropriate.
“MLAs deserve their pay.” Oh really??? Does anyone honestly believe that???
The way the Unity Government has rigged it, half the room isn’t allowed to participate!!!
Yes, because at the end of the day they give at least one third of it away to their constituents as well as those further away. I hope that this pandemic teaches some of us to not spend every penny but save something for a rainy day.
Lol. Where are the receipts???. I’d love to see that. And especially if it’s voters that don’t support ppm.
Yes, a cut in the MLA’s Salary would be a spit in the bucket, but it was about making a gesture and sharing the pain. How many of them are double dipping, that is receiving a salary and simultaneously receiving a pension?
There are children. because they are no longer in school, have lost the only good meal of the day. A private company is leading an initiative to purchase 600 laptops for Govt. pupils who do not have the ability to distance learn. Go ask the Principals what they could do with that “small” amount of money.
Just think what a 10% salary donation to the various Food Banks could achieve!
There is a world of difference between a mandatory pay-cut and people voluntarily donating to charity. For all you know these same MLA’s are doing just that and they don’t have to declare whatever acts of charity they are doing. And when you think about it, doesn’t the Bible say when doing acts of charity, to do it in such a way that not even your left hand knows what your right hand is doing? In other words, conduct charity in private.
– a paper Caymanian.
Yup, no one knows what I donate except me and my bank account.
I agree. I am bothered and question the motive behind every act of kindness or giving always has to be publicized. Soup kitchen sponsored by first name and last name. Why??!! I understand why Americans do it as they can claim tax deductions but sickens me to see others having their names blasted everywhere for others to know they donated something.
I mean, it really is unbelievable what the person who
destroyed people’s livelihoods is saying: but…but I have a mortgage to pay….
WHAT ABOUT PEOPLE you forced to poverty and destitute? How are they going to pay their bills? What are they going to eat tonight?
Is this man intellectually stupid?
I am dumbfounded.
I deserve my pay too, but due to the draconian rules put into place and comically slow reopening process, I’m not so fortunate.
The “we’ve got bills/a mortgage to pay” excuse I heard out of his mouth is laughable. Doing it for the mortgage is the “Yuppie Nuremberg Defense” which wouldn’t be so tragic if thousands of Caymanians, Permanent Residents, work permit holders, and their families are unable to pay their own bills and mortgages due to the slow reopening process
Either take the pay cut and join us in all the pain we are enduring, or expedite reopening our economy so we all can pay that mortgage! I think Alden’s worldview and priorities would quickly change if he went hungry like so many of “his people”
Exactly.
I thought we were all riding out the hard times together? I’m pretty sure that alden called people who wanted to enjoy their pool “spoiled brats”. He went after James Austin-Smith during a press conference instead of informing us about our livelihoods. If I’m not mistaken his monster of health can’t even answer a simple question about why his wife and a personal trainer were allegedly breaking curfew.
They didn’t earn all of that money. They are spoiled, dysfunctional, and will continue to keep you from making money as long as you don’t touch theirs.
Vote Stallden out.
Why are you proposing that just MLA;s take a pay cut? Others will be calling for all civil servants to have their pay reduced. It seems unfair and hypocritical to me for anyone propose a reduction in pay for someone else if it does not affect them to an equal extent. Yes many people have lost their jobs and need help but to suggest that help should be given by someone else and not yourself is cowardly. I would propose a 15% temporary salary tax for everyone in Cayman earning above a certain minimum wage. I bet a lot of those people calling for civil servants to take a pay cut will not be so keen to help the needy when they are the ones expected to provide the help.
It is because of Premier’s orders people have lost their livelihood. He should offer his salary to assist those in need if he is a highly moral person who truly relates to his constituents and to demonstrate solidarity. All MLAs should have done it already.
He appears to be bewildered by the word solidarity. But the higher you rise the harder the fall.
It would cost twice as much as that to put it in place and then to audit it
He will get his paycut May 2021.
And the start of a massive pension right after.
Now would be a good time to ask each MLA to outline their accomplishments and to detail what they have done to earn their salaries.
A great deal of time and Caymanians’ money was expended towards a port the people don’t want.
Yeah, that’s about $9mln which is small change on what this regime routinely farts away. There are much bigger wafflings with the “developer” community. Big sections of the NRA deal from 2016 remain undone. Tens of millions in duty waivers for development that really didn’t come at the promised pace. Approvals expedited for hotel plans that don’t exist. Eyesore properties laying waste on main thoroughfares without penalty. Several full time government subsidy projects that haven’t been scaled back at all. Schools started almost 20 years ago, laid to waste. The list goes on and on. There is no territorial plan beyond the next election round.
Ha! Good luck with that! Our MLA doesn’t even post their contact info!
The Minister of Health discovered what a pipette is…now that’s got to be worth at least a months salary?
I remember that part lol!
Nothing to see here. Move along. Another red herring.
Yep. My thoughts exactly.
As usual Caymanians lose the plot and fall for the bait.
Ask yourselves which person on that podium today is being paid the most- even more than his own Prime Minister? Let that sink in for a second.
Yet the same question wasn’t asked of him? Why not?
FYI- Many public servants in the UK make way more than the PM.
And just so you don’t lose the plot all together…we the people of the Cayman Islands pay the salary and benefits of everyone who works for the Cayman Islands Government from the top to bottom.
Let that sink in….
Now wait and watch as the justifications pour in.
Caymanians live in a totally unreal world economically. While in large parts of the U.S. and Canada politicians take pay cuts we carry with no financial concerns because we are so affluent. No sacrifice required.
That is because Canadians pay a hefty income tax.
The time for income tax is coming here next year if a vaccine is not developed. No other way out if this economic mess.
You do know duty and tax are one in the same? Do try to keep up.
That doesn’t matter.
Translated to: “Hey you, people down there, you be patient, you’re suffering for the greater good. Oh and don’t forget to support meals on wheels and keep paying your employees and don’t ask for rent and stop complaining that you’re without a job and if you need money go raid your pension and damn it be grateful! … I work way too hard to give up my pay. Do as I say, not as I do.”
MLA’s outrageous salaries for doing nothing are a national disgrace.
https://cnslocallife.com/2016/11/pay-grade-top-government-officials/
Watching Alden today and listening to his reply to this question it made me feel like he really doesn’t care anymore. He wants his full pay as he heads to his last year as Premier along with his nice pension. That’s it. While many are jobless and can’t pay their bills…….
He knew his days were numbered last election where he had to actually trade ridings with Marco….it has been a pillage ever since….Caymanians he has been the most destructive leader you have had…be sure to point him out to your kids as the one that sold their futures.
SERIOUSLY? More than Mac???? You’re on crack!
He is the one saying landlords should cut rents…… they have bill and mortgages too. Double standard for sure but not surprised. The gesture of pay cuts itself would have spoke volumes.
Stay the course Mr. Premier.
10:19 pm, I happen to like the job Alden is doing, even though there are aspects that some people point to as not being so great. But that has not affected my admiration for his tough decision making and focus on the most important concern that we need to work at right now—the health of the community.
However, this issue under discussion has nothing to do with his Job performance.
It is about a simple matter of showing that you really feel the pain that all of this is causing people.
At least you have a job. At least you have the respect that comes from feeling that you can provide for your family.
Losing a job is one of the most psychologically painful things you can go through.
You have probably never experienced that, but you could At least try to show a little empathy.
What these other country leaders are doing is making a gesture of care for the people. But that comes from the heart.
the usual shambolic performance by alden…..
So Alden is making “less money today than he was then in actual dollars, never mind inflation” (with the emphasis on “actual dollars”).
So even if you can believe that, in his argument he is subtly acknowledging the huge difference in perks, such as free health care, big pension, and various generous allowances, etc., etc.
In other words, the salary is only one part of the deal. it is worse that we think.
The Premier been overheard intimating he suffered financially by going into politics. Lookout for the rich consulting contracts after politics.
the civil service is a sad pathetic joke that is being paid for by every private sector employee.
howmany reports have proven their incomptence, over-staffing and under performance???
and as the private sector is getting wiped out with zero government help…..they still refuse to reform and cutback.
time for the chamber and tourism association to petition the fco for immediate external help.
1. I think that lawyers are overpaid, anyway. So nil argument.
2. Yes, I do believe that Cabinet ministers are very well paid. I don’t know anyone who could seriously disagree with that.
I am glad that they are finally working hard — that is what they are supposed to be doing; so, again, nil argument.
I think you lost the case, Alden.
Only downvoted because lawyers work very hard, the schooling that goes in to becoming one is labor intensive and takes a long time to work up the ranks to even get paid that well.
I’m not a lawyer but I get it.
Public figures like actors, musicians and politicians get paid too much.
lawyers got to school for a very long time and it costs a fortune if you got to a good school, but many of them are overpaid proofreaders essentially.
Some
Got to school?
Look, without them you’d be in a dictatorship right now.
I agree totally with 10.14 Without the the private sector there wouldn’t be a civil service.
90 percent of Civil servants Are being paid in full for doing absolutely nothing so as far as they are concerned they are happy for this lockdown to go on forever.
As it’s stands i have had zero pay for 3 months
Government should be careful that there will be no business left to prop up their civil service. If they continue this very hard line approach
I’m glad that Alden and everyone on that bench can pay their bills and mortgages
Because I can’t
Thanking us for our commitment to this lockdown can only go on for so long.
Solidarity in reducing the civil service pay by 25 percent would have gone along way
But I guess votes count
90%? What planet are you on? Let’s count the services who have not had a day off….
Police
Health
Prisons
Fire
DEH
NAU
HR teams
Port Authority
Monetary Authority
CBC
District Administration
Education
GIS
Family services
Radio Cayman
Legal department
Courts
Still think 90% are at home Doing nothing since this crisis began?
Be fair when your criticize. It’s really hard to hear this narrative go unchallenged knowing how much people are actually doing.
Check out the government gazette and the ministries. The above you quote is 10 percent
hahaha… nah today bobo.
i have now lost confidence in the governor as he continues to share the platform daily with such ignorant buffoons as alden and jon-jon
Think about it.
MLA salaries are essential funding sources for small handouts to voters.
Cutting MLA salaries is equivalent to cutting the campaign and vote buying budget. Election is a year away.
People calling for MLAs to take a pay cut are of the mistaken view that the MLAs care about the people.
MLAs care about power. Votes are necessary to get power for another term.
Money helps get votes.
It is a lot of money.
Base salary for an MLA is CI$110,000.
Ministers base salary is CI$158,000
Premier probably makes CI$180,000
No pension or medical deductions.
Each $25 and $50 handed out increases the odds of getting a vote from a poor or desperate person.
These fat cats don’t even have to pay $10 towards the indigent whilst everyone in the private sector does out of their medical insurance premiums.
cns…keep asking this same question everyday but keep listing out the countries where thier leaders are taking pay-cuts.
Yes and remind him they are CUTS not LAY OFFS like in the private sector.
Then ask whats happening with the budget because 166M surplus isnt going to cover the 800M he mentioned yesterday for CS/MLA salaries/expenses unless my math is terribly flawed!
Where does he think we are going to replace lost revenue for continued govt expenditure? More incentivized private spending aka economy boosting by letting us further raid our pensions??while simultaneously warning us to only take it out if we really need to?
The $1M that purported to be saved by the MLA Pay cuts isn’t even a drop in the bucket.
no-plan alden is so out of touch it is not funny.
he has no problem destroying the livelyhoods of the vast majority of private sector workers….just as long he can pick up his big fat cheque every month and go back to his no-mortgage mansion with live in help.
well done cns and keep asking the awkward questions…their childish ignorant responses tell you alot about them and thier caymankind culture.
‘McLaughlin said he was not sure why ministers and MLAs should be singled out for pay cuts’
nobody should have to be singled out Mr Premier, there are values such as humbleness, modesty, humility, rectitude and even probity, – recognising it was ‘your people’ that put you there affording the ability to earn that income, – just like it can be taken away.
There’s so much more in the article demonstrating how removed our Premier is from ‘his people’ but…, help ! someone else have a turn please.
you do know that MLAs dip into their own pockets to help their constituents right? so taking away from them won’t help the matter.
with various forms of assistance being made available to the public from the public coffers why should they take a pay cut?
if there were austerity measures all around now that’s a different thing.
All a MLA’s ??
Political sponsors are paying for goods and services for most constituents including most third party expenses and have been doing so for years on behalf of politicians. It is happening today and includes current Cabinet and elected members that are owned and controlled by corporate cayman, financiers and big business as an exchange of favors.
The deep state in Cayman is real and drives how decisions are made and policies created because they have the resources to pay on behalf of politicians who believe the best chance of getting elected or re-elected is buying political support of voters in their district. This is a form of corruption that must be investigated by the authorities under the anti-corruption laws. It includes elected members, public officers, civil servants, private citizens and businesses.
Using monies or having bills and projects paid paid for that are referred to as donations include housing and roofing repairs for constituents, COVID 19 related expenses, distribution of chickens, turkeys, ham, beef during the festive season and loads of marl or top soil appearing in your yard during campaign season are goods and services paid for by businesses, sponsors and developers who then in exchange for such quiet generosity and support get the benefit of political favors, development agreements and concessions from CIG in return.
These are examples of corruption and ‘gifts’ that are well known and accepted by the current administration and all mla’s which is common practice in Cayman politics.
Yea they do dip into their pockets, in most countries they’d be investigated for vote buying.
handing out a one use mask isn’t really much help…SMH
Yes, just before elections they dip into their pockets. Anywhere else in the world it is called vote buying but not here.
Jinx!!! 🙂 I’m glad others see the truth.
No chumpin way theses we are paying theses kids 100+K plus a year to do nothing.
Yo come on this crap is criminal they belong in prison.
This is thievery! People making less than 1,000K, hourly wages the same as it was my grandfather was catching turtles and there wasn’t one pave road on the island.
“I am no different if I get… I eat or pay rent or a mortgage like everybody else, and that is so for every single minister or MLA,” the premier said. “They all have families; they all have obligations; they all have commitments,” as said, claiming that politicians were no different to anyone else.
OK you inconsiderate arrogant boy, we have families that can’t pay to feed their children, can’t pay there mortgage, small business shutting down.
So you can’t go a few months with out pay, what about your savings makin 100k of the island for years and years.
You make more one 1 year than some people do over 10 years in cayman. THIS IS ROBBERY
Honestly I am baffled and speechless.
I am struggling to believe that Alden’s pay as a lawyer was over CI$180K twenty years ago. He wasn’t at one of the big firms, or an equity partner as far as I am aware. Of course, he is passing lightly over some inconvenient truths such as the fact that most MLAs may hold the job title 7 days a week, but are hardly active don constituency or legislative assembly business full time – hell, they are not even prohibited from running side businesses, and how many times does the LA even sit in a year?
And as for his rhetorical question about comparison to other countries, how about the UK where the ordinary MP earns CI$82K, and the Prime Minister CI$155K – both significantly less than in Cayman, but with way more responsibility. Even rocket scientist Dwayne Seymour gets pid more than a US congressman.
9:34 pm, that is likely before taxes.
There are no taxes
FYI He was an indeed an equity firm at Charles Adams Ritchie and Duckworth.
Why did he leave?
To stand for election. He could not be a full time MLA and a full time equity partner.
In the days before a transparent path to Caymanian status many remedials were given partnerships to satisfy the Immigration Board and get status for the real fee earners of the firm.
And it’s because of dynamics like that there are any Caymanians with money earned professionally at all. We all know the Brits/Canadians/Aussies/Kiwis would keep it all for themselves if they could as it’s ‘too good for us’. They have to be forced to share.
Yes no native born is good enough.
Why do you racists still live here?
Some nativeborns are good enough but someone who couldn’t pass four O’Levels in one sitting isn’t one of them
There is no doubt that some of the MLA’s, including the Premier, are working their tails off right now. Unusual times call for unusual measures. Let me say I think that Alden and company are doing a fabulous job right now. But I do think that a temporary salary cut would show solidarity and a humbling necessarily to form a “ we’re all in this together” coalition.
It is disgusting how the general public think that they can dictate how Government is run. So Government should provide for residents including expats but they should take a pay cut during this Pandemic! Yeah right. Most MLAs take their money and give it back to the ppl in our community.
The Cayman Islands is not New Zealand or any other Caribbean country whose Government is struggling probably due to budget deficits before Covid-19. I especially loved how the Premier posed the question as to why there is a notion that MLAs are so well paid.
Perhaps the Partners at law firms could have taken a pay cut before they “temporarily” dismissed their 4 staff members from the onset of this Pandemic.
9:14 pm, you sound a little bit out of touch, to put it diplomatically. They are not providing for residents and expats out of their own pocket.
They may give a handout but I don’t believe they are reaching very deep into their pockets for anyone.
This has to be one of the all-time most ignorant comments I’ve seen on CNS. I’m still laughing. ‘Most MLAs take their money and give it back to the ppl…’ Oh…dear… now I’m crying laughing… So, so naive. Well, unless you were one of the recipients of XXXXX’s election year refrigerators… Still laughing…
You sound like a civil servant. Very out of touch with the pain many persons are experiencing with loss of job or reduction in wages. The Government have done an excellent job. However Alden keeps saying he knows what people are going through. Knowing is one thing but empathizing is another.
Saying “It is disgusting how the general public think that they can dictate how Government is run.” is pretty moronic. Do you know who the government works for??? You must be a civil do nothing service employee who gets off having an attitude when have to actually be of service to the public. You sad fool.
The public sector has always given the most to charity. It’s easy to find out if you do research.
So the Premier believes he and his cohort of cabinet ministers, the Speaker, (currently known as Mack in the Box), and the Deputy Premier, governing or misgoverning (depending on your point of view) a total population of 67,000, each deserve to be paid more than the British Prime Minister who is responsible for governing a population of 68 million. Exactly how many days a year does the L.A. meet and what do the members do for the rest of the year, I have not heard one word from my GT member since he was elected and called him 5 times for my facemasks without success until I ran into him at his place of personal business.
The Premier and his cohort may be working a bit harder currently, under Covid, but they are all vastly overcompensated for what they normally do. To say they are no different to anybody else is laughable when they are all paid these inflated salaries. They are certainly very different to Boris Johnson.
Taking a pay cut is not realistically about the amount of n=money saved. It is about showing solidarity and true connection to the Voters. A subtle but real reflection they are making sacrifices in these dire – and soon to be worse – times. A sign they are not above us but in it together WITH US. I can almost guarantee that not even half of the MLAs have a mortgage. Yes they have utilities. But they have hefty salaries, nice investments and nest eggs, and at the end of the day, they get benefits for life that go on long after these challenging times for them and these long hard hours. Talk is cheap. Actions speak louder than words.
Today they leader threw out cheap talk and his actions, or lack of taking a cut, spoke a whole he’ll of a lot louder. I have been and will continue to be a supporter of the leaders in these trying times. I have not agreed with every move and may have vocalized a bit but at the end of the day, I am not second guessing them or putting them down. They are doing a good job in uncharted times. We have admirably low transmission rates high testing. Mistakes have been and still will be made. But our results to date have been envied by others.
But true leadership for the long term is shown by setting examples. I am not perfect but like my employees I have taken a pay cut. Not just a larger amount but a larger percentage. If we all do our part, however small, it is a true reflection of our character.
Now, to be honest, what the leader did today is create a MASSIVE opportunity for the opposition to lead by example. They can take their pay cuts and show they are true voices for the people. Or they can be the same, and then when the time comes for re-election we all need to look long and hard at how ALL OUR LEADERS AND OPPOSITION WERE ABOVE US AND ABOVE SETTING AN EXAMPLE.
I truly hope consciousness will kick in, because I can tell you one thing, when this is all over, my x will be going to the ones that truly showed they were in this with us and even if only symbolically, showed they shared our pain.
Oh, and a last note, if the premier had come out today and said yes, he would take 10-15% cut like many others in the region, I would have been happy. But if he or any other chooses to react after this outcry, they better be prepared to take a lot more than that or I will view it with serious cynicism.
So sad to see the true colors when the chips are down. #notreallyinthiswithus
Dear friend.
One impact of an electoral system which allows 200-300 people to decide who gets in, you have made it possible for anyone to get elected.
You have more grass roots Caymanians who have mortgages, kids in school, elderly parents to help etc.
These days we have fewer professionals, established business people or those who are of old family money or retirees from the top of their industry running for election.
Love them or hate them, to argue that the majority of our current crop or politicians all have it made in the shade financially is rather unkind.
Some of them could barely keep a job outside of this gig. So please be honest and fair. We don’t want them on the take. Give them a fair salary so they can do a good job for us.
If things become dire then everyone will have to take a cut not just symbolic BS.
Irony is if they had taken a cut, half of you would be on here saying they are playing politics and it’s easy to take a paycut when you are getting something under the table. Go figure?
That is what is so sad about this situation. So many of these elected representatives would have a very hard time keeping a real job outside of their current gig. Yet they are our best and brightest. Very sad.
President Trump has not taken his presidential salary since elected. Has he been successful in demonstrating all you mention above?
LMAO, SMH
Nobody knows for certain that Trump has not taken his salary. He makes things up all the time and is accountable to no one. He is above the law.
Not to mention I can also say that America has nothing to do with Cayman so stop talking about Trump
2:49, How many companies does Trump and his daughter have registered here?
If tourists do not come from America it will be because of Trump’s lack of action on testing and tracing with the virus in America.
Of course, he will blame it all on the Governors.
Wasn’t it strange that the public chat went down after that question was asked 🤣
did you also notice how flustered he became
Sorry I missed this part.
Show of solidarity???
Let’s be effective in decisions … not show solidarity. Heck does that help???
Find something practical or pragmatic…
Tired of CNS.
Let me leave that there…
You sound like you tired of smoking ganja…
And yet you are right hereon CNS…why you so fool, fool?
Thanks for your typical uneducated response.
A haiku that doesn’t know to ku
“Deserved”?! As a reward for pushing all of us into poverty and acting like a Devine dictator?! Man, this guy is so out of touch with reality! It’s disgusting!
In touch enough that you and your family are still alive and healthy.
You are so ignorant.
In converted currency, Alden’s salary is more than Boris Johnson and Donald Trump’s and they pay considerable income tax to boot.
That’s just not true. The US President gets US$400,000 per year, plus allowances of US$100,000 (non-taxable), US$50,000 and US$19,000 for travel, expenses, and entertaining respectively, plus free housing, free transport, etc and happens to be a billionaire currently; the office is usually held by multi-millionaires anyway, and the political system the position exists in is greased by so much money nothing matters anyway. The UK Prime Minister earns a little less than the Premier, but only because the pound has halved in value in 12 years and people in the UK are stingy and angry at the government. When the UKPM’s salary was last set (as opposed to incremental rises over time), it was worth over US$300,000. That job also comes with free housing, free transport, a vacation house, etc. Pounds go a lot further in the UK than CI dollars do here – I know because I’ve lived there. Occupants of both roles have everything they do during official duties paid for. In short, neither of them still has a CUC account to worry about, and they earn quite a lot of money. Also, their responsibilities may be greater, but they have armies to help discharge them. If you were Alden and Dwayne was your backup and you needed his help to win your job for another 4 years, I think you might want to keep collecting your full salary too. I was proud of Alden today. It is for this specific quality, his refusal to apologise for the crown lying heavy and allowing his ego to get in the way now and again like a human being, that I sometimes admire him. With not many words, he explained why politicians are no different. He took the double standard that while pay cuts are bad for everyone else, politicians with bills to pay too should be lining up to take them, on head on. If I left law to take the crap that he does, I would take every penny for it too, and I’d have them get a proper flag for my car.
What’s the minimum wage in those places? Think about it.
Something seriously wrong with this picture on our island.
You wasted all that time just to say this?
Absolute BS. The US president is paid $400k per annum. That’s the salary. Not the benefits etc…
Amazing how shallow these keyboard warriors are. Make your point but don’t make up facts.
So unbecoming.
12:18, Do you know what the income tax is in America on $400,000? Check it out.
You do realise that the Premier pays no income tax.
Obviously you don’t fully understand that we live on 3 dinky islands with a population of only 67,000 people.
Really believe that so many Caymanians have no idea what is going on economically in the rest of the developed world.
Doesn’t change the fact that the US president still makes and keeps more than the Cayman Islands Premier. Which debunks the original post to which I responded.
Stop making up facts and stop supporting lies just because you dislike someone.
No doubt your salary will be considerably more than your counterparts in other parts of the world.
And Trump hasnt been taking his salary even before Covid
But making millions in the underbelly of his presidency
The most corrupt American President of all time. No one else is even close.
Obama beat him hands down.
And he is totally above the law. Just wait till November when he refuses to give up power because “the election was rigged”.
Every weekend Trump goes golfing at one of his golf resorts his company makes a few hundred thousand per day as all of his entourage stays at his resort. A gift from the American people to Trump Corporation.
Corruption at its finest.
Pigs at the trough…..
It is the greatest train ever and they don’t ever want to get off. Can’t blame them. Once in the train one never wants to get off.
What else would you expect the great one to say. They don’t give a hoot about any of the populous, just themselves and their special interest friends; the rest of us are just good enough for votes and then that’s it. As for working hard, this bunch wouldn’t know hard work if it smacked them up side their big inflated heads. If it’s so bad Mr. Premier, why are you still around and seeking more power?
If they took a cut, the government schools would not be begging the private sector to feed the kids missing out on school meals. Why should the private sector be funding this & the soup kitchens?!?
Based on your math I can see you probably went to a Government school in recent times…
PLEASE repeat this statement again loud and clear! Well said. Exactly. Many of us even with pay cuts HAVE been helping those in need especially the public school meal programs.
I had gained some respect for Alden over the past 8 weeks. Yesterday I lost it especially his reaction when asked. He seemed appalled and disgusted and shocked. Those 3 tell me the man is disconnected from his PEOPLE.
It’s unfortunate that the Premier made those comments about their salary not being much. They are civil servants and while if the range of 150 + is accurate, it may not be alot compared to those in senior private sector jobs, it certainly is to the poor sod that only makes 25-50k a year. Some idea of what poor people make should be the one of the first thoughts in a politician’s mind. Shame.
The more responsibility, The more you get paid…Isnt that obvious? Some people are such snobs.
So because they are finally doing their job full time they should have all of it? What about all the back pay from doing nothing any other year?
I know you’re either an MLA or get handouts “buying wotes” from one, so we won’t take your arrogant comment to heart.
While I agree that the more responsibility you hold, the more you should get paid…accountability most certainly comes with that responsibility and there are very few in govt that are held accountable for their actions
The Premier and his yes men operate with the same ethics as the Speaker McKeeva Bush. They all enjoy and look forward to the big pay check and ability to double dip. Different rules apply for all politicians McLaughlin is a disgrace and proves it every time he defends the madness that happens under his poor leadership in politics.
At least the road to economic collapse won’t have any potholes with all the paving going on!
What a surprise! Did anyone really think that anyone in the government would share the pain?
Let’s not forget that they have just allowed themselves and all civil servants to have a pension pay rise as well, google it
Forever feeding at the trough.
What pension pay raise did they give themselves?
Are you referring to the cost of living adjustment they got in January?
Civil servants on a whole have usually been paid less than their private sector counterparts. While I agree there are some civil servants who are being paid massive salaries that does not not measure up to their contribution or value, on average civil servants make less.
Reading some comments now and in the past, I get the feeling there is some deep-rooted resentment toward civil servants from the general populace, not sure why.
They are always being ridiculed and painted with one brush as lazy and overpaid when there are some hard-working civil servants, most are not compensated fairly for their contribution, qualification or value.
The resentment comes from a lack of performance and inconsistent service quality. Customers (the public) suffer with a monopoly when it comes to Government services.It is not an apples to apples comparison.
Civil servants have ZERO deductibles for pension or healthcare, have higher vacation, a ridiculous time in lieu policy and a culture that does not value high quality performance.
If Civil Servants were productive, efficient, offering high quality outputs with good customer service the public would endorse a bigger raise.
Some of them do. I cant fault Alden and all the work he has done but why the hell is McKeeva still being paid!? After his disgraceful behaviour this is unacceptable. People have a lot of negative things to say about Wendy which I think is unfair. She asks the questions others are too afraid to ask. Good on you Wendy! These questions need to be answered!
Alden McLaughlin is so full of $hit!
you certainly hit a sore spot there wendy, I thought he was going to stroke out….. You must be very brave or ……. finish the immortal words of the MoH ROTFL !
What the hell does our pathetic governor do in response? Raise a militia. Oh yes, something evil this way comes.
Can’t take pay cut now. It’s election time, need them moneys to buy them wotes.
I simply cannot bring myself to believe a single word this man says.
When he opens his mouth, I just think of all of his victims.
My only solace is that this man will face Almighty God as an individual with no corrupt system to protect him.
The double dipping on salary and pensions, housing, drivers, bodyguards and other perks are grotesquely insensitive to the preservation of our public funds. It’s not their money and we are not their subjects. Quite the opposite.
Laughable
No it’s more like utterly disgusting and shameful; like listing to Austin Harris this morning on Radio Cayman