Premier seeks 8.5% cut to this year’s budget
(CNS): Civil service bosses have been told to cut spending by around $47 million before the end of the year. With just four months left of 2023, Premier Wayne Panton, wearing his finance minister hat, has called on public servants to save cash as operational expenditure climbs toward $1 billion. He told CNS this wasn’t a reaction to a crisis but a proactive move towards an achievable 8.5% budget cut.
Panton said he circulated an internal memo earlier this month asking government employees to help rein in spending by around $47.1 million for the rest of this year. “What I want is to proactively manage spending rather than leaving things to chance,” he said Tuesday, following reports the memo to chief officers and others in government had been circulated.
“We are not in a crisis or in any real danger of breaching the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. But spending is increasing and we don’t want to just hope that everyone will spend wisely but to remind them that this is public cash,” he added.
Panton said the request for everyone to pay closer attention and look for cuts was about prudent fiscal management and achieving financial targets that will ensure compliance with the principles of fiscal responsibility.
“This is exactly what a finance minister should be doing,” he said. Since Cayman does not have a centralised overview of public spending, it is important for each chief officer and their chief financial officers to keep a close eye on the level of spending within their ministries, he added.
If spending remains as the first six months of this year, operating expenditure will exceed CI$1 billion for 2023, the premier warned, and with even more growth in expenditure expected next year, it was time for tighter spending controls.
The budget for 2024 and 2025 is expected to be presented to parliament later this year, and Panton is keen to get the message out that the pace of public spending must be reduced now and next year.
He still expects revenue to be higher this year than in 2022, but he said it is important that the government maintains a healthy surplus and cash reserves so it has the money to support social programmes and to steer the country through whatever lies ahead, from pandemics to storms
A recently released Cabinet meeting summary revealed that $3 million had been transferred from the government school meals programme. However, Panton confirmed that there would be no reductions to this initiative when children return to the classroom next month and this important and successful programme was not under threat. He explained that the original budget allocation was far more than what was actually being spent and the money was needed elsewhere.
He said that “hard decisions will have to be made”, and everyone in government had an obligation to make sure spending targets are not overshot, but seeking cuts would help ensure that the budget remains on track.
Panton acknowledged that the government does not have a great track record at forecasting and often overestimates what is needed, but once the money is budgeted, people will spend it. He said there was room in the budget to make cuts without impacting services and start working towards more realistic budget forecasting with a tightening-up exercise.
Responding to the budget cuts, former finance minister Chris Saunders (BTW) said the premier should have addressed the spending issue earlier in the year because the clock was now running out. Speaking to CNS on Tuesday, he said he sent an email to Panton around 12 January, “copied to all members of the PACT Government, regarding the expenditure targets for the 2023 financial year. It took him more than a month to respond to my email.”
Saunders was ousted from office in March and has since been raising the alarm from the opposition benches about government spending and unsustainable revenue. During the debate on the strategic policy statement in April, he argued that the forecast financial performance of the government was problematic because of high public spending and because of where the money was coming from.
He told CNS said that in addition to the extra revenue from tourism this year, 33% of the positive results for the budget at the halfway stage this year was from work permits. “In short, tourism and work permits accounted for 80% of the positive variance to budget,” Saunders said, as he questioned what would happen if the US went into a recession. “How long can we keep depending on work permit revenues?”
He said the current revenue model is unsustainable and expenses are out of control. “There’s a culture that needs to change within the government,” Saunders told CNS. “One of the first things I did as minister of finance was implement a policy where any variable expenses over $5,000 needed to be approved by the relevant minister.”
While this irked some people across government, Saunders believes the situation is serious and has to be addressed. The Strategic Policy Statement had predicted that spending would not reach the one billion mark until 2026. “Sadly, they are now three years ahead of schedule,” he said.
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Category: Government Finance, Politics
Just remove new Brac school and new West Bay police station and new Central Station
Stop giving these “ friend” contractors a free pass andstart charging correct duty . Close turtle farm job done
how about you start by reverting the raises you gave yourselves
This!!!!
Off to a great start at Savannah Primary this morning. Way to cut unnecessary expenditure guys!
Building a new airport should not happen,that makes no sense.
look who is suggesting it
Yes 6:26pm. Exactly, this is the same person that is so proud of offering “snacks and lunch”, laptops et al in schools…and guess for who?? The Government is sitting back and allowing any and everyone to come in , bringing and sending their children here by the plane loads why…? because “everything is free” (just to attract VOTES). Such wicked b…..ds. May God help the Cayman Islands – we are in a dreadful mess.
Has Waynecito cleared this latest move with his Handler, Señor McBeater?
One short “come-to-Jesus” meeting:
Wayne – “Franz, please get it done ASAP!”
Franz – “Will do Mr. Premier”
That’s how it should be!
The reality:
Civil Service – “Mr. Manderson, please don’t hold your breath!”
9:39
you have made it clear that you have no idea how the Civil Service works.
leave our DG alone! you have no idea who you are talking about.
Pohan
You and Franz are in denial about many things and a large part of the problem.
Keep kissing a$$ and you might end up as one of his Chiefs or POCS lead POS.
There is nothing world class about Cayman’s civil service especially the leadership and management.
#worldclassmyass!
😂 😂 😂 😂
free money making solutions to accompany civil service reductions:
allow sunday trading
bring in weed tourism(to protect the fine caymanian christian ‘heritage’, only tourists and expats are allowed purchase)
bring in casinos at top hotels (to protect the fine caymanian christian ‘heritage’. only tourists and expats are allowed)
treble all traffic fines
treble duty on cigarettes
implement any recommendation of miller-shaw or e&y reports.
sell loss making cayman airways
sell loss making turtle farm
sell goab
double stamp duty for non-resident property purchasers
Turtle Farm, Cayman Airways. Job done, you’re welcome.
Can really see we have moved on from Covid. We used to be so happy to have Cayman Airways
Now given go ahead for just consulting fees, in millions, yes millions, to start process for a $100,000,000…(Hundred million !) …..NEW PRISON..!
We don’t need a new prison.
We don’t have $100,000,000 to spend
Who is pushing for this .?
Who has a lot to gain..?
Progressives and their benefactors…
AGAIN?
Prison is UDPact project
Why do CIG Statutory bodies hand out educational scholarships? Why are all scholarships not centrally handled by the Education Department? CIG Statutory bodies should hand over profits to the central government…not take on functions of other departments.
Same goes for sponsorship and donations. The Water Authority minutes list donation requests. See
https://www.waterauthority.ky/documents/pdfview?file=333rdWABMeetingMinutes7December2022_1679671770.pdf
Stop the duplication and waste!
I’m taking a wild stab here, but my guess would be CIG Statutory bodies require the scholarship recipient to return and work for them, whereas the general CIG scholarship recipient doesn’t have to make a commitment to anyone.
Everyone who receives a CIG scholarship is required to work in Cayman after completing their study abroad.
Wrong.
Maybe start by taking some of the losers off welfare! Lots of baby momma’s around here. Make the men start paying.
Deh ain’t losers bobo, deh wote.
don’t improve the airport and you save twice that much.
or subsidize the minimum wage towards 10$ an hour.
how about you stop foolish spending like $35,000 for a Wishing well for Scranton Park. the budget was approved in 2022. why are we required to make cuts now. civil servants are struggling to implement projects required by government because we constantly have to make cuts.
Wayne cutting civil service spending? Oh dear – he’s toast now.
Mr. Premier
I beg of you and all of our elected representatives – make the Civil Service abide by the same immigration rules as the private sector.
Make expatriates in most positions have to get work permits. Make departments have a “demographic” balance to prevent too many of a particular foreign nationality dominate a particular workplace. Make the Civil Service have adequate training and mentoring programs designed and intended to enable Caymanians to excel in a wide range of roles. Control the number of dependents Civil Servants are allowed to bring in from other countries. Control the benefits (including free education and healthcare) those dependents are entitled to. Make all (but the most senior) Civil Servants subject to Term Limits. Make them qualify for PR OR leave within 9 years. Stop guaranteeing people free health insurance for life on the basis of 10 years’ service.
Walkers wouldn’t be able to afford such benefits, and neither can we!
The exclusion of the Civil Service from many of the rules that the private sector must abide by is at the root of many of our problems. It is irrational, unwarranted, and MUST stop.
That step alone would reduce the governments expenditure by the margins you seek. And then some.
It is also probably critical to our very (long term) survival as a functioning society and economy.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE MR. PREMIER AND MP’S.
Unna can give yourselves a pay raise… so do the right thing. Immediately reduce your salary/benefits package by 8.5% minimum.
Looking forward to seeing that announcement on CNS tomorrow or Friday…… then again I probably have a better chance of winning the Florida Lottery.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE MR PREMIER and MP’S.
Can any of the public really think or say that people like the Premier, the 2 Sister Islands MP’s, the longest serving member from West Bay – they cannot afford to voluntarily give back a meager 8.5% of their Salary/Benefits Package???
So Mr. Premier instead of publicly bitching and complaining about needing to reduce spending, expecting to take it from the majority of those it affects most (I am talking about wage grade earners and those not in the Senior Management brackets) – start by taking it from those, like yourself, who may or may not have a “big eye” that goes along with a “big salary”.
Ever since the partisan politics of assigning a name to a political party our beloved country has gone in reverse – you Mr. Premier are part of the problem and solution. Spend more time with the solution part.
God Bless You Mr. Premier – i do hope you prove me wrong about reducing all MP’s salaries/benefits packages.
Kenny Beach under pressure.
Too many snouts at the trough have drained the coffers!
Prime example is the CIG Anti-Corruption Unit! The genius expat leader decides to generously create a brand-new supervisor position, but guess who’s the lucky recipient? Yup, you guessed it – his dear old buddy, who just so happens to be his partner in his little side business! Now we’ve got a manager, senior investigator, and the brand-spanking-new supervisor overseeing a whopping team of three officers. No wonder there’s absolutely no cash left! Truly a shining example of financial prowess and integrity!
Well said, an anti-corruption investigation in the anti-corruption unit seems like the only viable open ! #worldfarce
Lots of jobs created on a golf course and at the 19th hole.
Got this idea in his dream last night…. LOL
Can start with Bernie’s swimming pool for one.
We are now reaping what has been sown for years with an expensive bloated inefficient bureaucratic civil service which sets the bar very low in expectation for the service provided to Cayman and its people.
Managers are just focussed on building their little empires, lining their pockets and providing opportunities for their friends and family irrespective of whether they can do the job. Anyone raises their head and questions what’s going on get pushed out and so it goes on. CIG is corrupt to its very core so don’t expect anything to get better anytime soon.
There needs to be an arrest and prosecution. Aspects of the Maladministration appear to have potentially crossed into the realm of serious crimes at Common Law. They are not all by accident. Some appear willful.
Why are the police so silent?
Is there a point at which ineptitude becomes complicity?
By way of example, when can we expect an investigation into any of the most clearly egregious of the Cabinet status grants? If anyone wants to know the root of so many of our issues, there would be a good place to start.
Wayne, have you spoken to your Education Minister about this?
ssssshhhhhhh
Not to worry, based on everything the Premier has ever said during his campaign for election and whilst in office the exact opposite ends up happening. So in effect after the dust settles CIG will most likely have increased it’s expenditure by at least 20% by year’s end. After all they are salivating at the trough anxiously looking for an excuse to eat that fictitious surplus swill.
wayne obviously realising the that cayman economy is a house of cards….
#worldclassmyass!
😂 😂 😂 😂
So funny yet so apt!
Just get rid of Cayman Airways, Turtle Farm, OffReg and about 6 MLAs. Problem solved.
Oh, and make sure Kenneth is one of them.
one small step for man, one giant leap for caymankind.
well done wayne (can’t believe i’ve said that).
now aim for 10% reduction next year.
Over the past several years is have been in countless meetings both public and private with a great many different departments in our government. Everyone from Planning, Ofreg, Nau, Education etc and they all say the same thing always when confronted with the perception of poor performance: “we need more resources”.
I have been doing this enough that I’ve met with departments asking for resources several years ago, then they get the resources, spend them, and still deliver the same poor product; only to meet recently and be told again, “we need more resources”.
Per capita, CIG has one of the highest spend per capita (not THE highest) in the world for what most people would generally consider mediocre at best service. Looking at countries with higher spends you’ll see a list of places with far more quality services and true world class education systems. Bearing in mind that most of those countries also have insanely large military spending budgets which can equate to a very large proportion of their spend. Remove military and I’d bet Cayman is in the top 5 globally.
Civil service does not deliver value for money and is not commensurate with the HDI for the Cayman Islands. That happens because they are not held accountable from the top to the bottom.
The one other thing all these departments have always said when criticized besides needing money is that effectively they have bad apples in every department that they can’t/won’t fire and hence the entire department gets nothing done because there are too many bad apples sinking the ship.
The one thing Saunders said that’s correct is that this is not sustainable. CIG spending and opacity will be the downfall of this country eventually. And it starts with leaders at the top making unpopular decisions for the good of the country.
Excellent comment. A major issue is the tendency for CIG to recycle bad managers by either moving them out of departments they’ve performed appallingly in, or even worse, promoting them out.
Will the Ministers/MPs do any of the following:
1- Return ALL CIG owned vehicles and use their personal cars?
2- Pay back to CIG, 50% of the cost of fuel that they have used this year for personal benefit?
3- Take a pay cut of at least 10% for the remainder of their tenure?
4- Cease all un-necessary travel to Barbados, Bahamas and Jamaica and other places? Use ZOOM for meetings- its cost effective!
5- Stop hiring spouses, significant others to man their offices.
6- Contribute 50% of utility cost for their offices, considering that 50% of the time they are never there or if they are, time is spent doing personal business?
When Wayne Panton can get his jack-asses to do one or all of the above, then the time will be right to seek other cuts.
Cut the freeness for all in education…. bam problem solved!
Does this affect the Cropover party for the Barbados flight? Don’t be offering me no free flight if there isn’t other goodies attached to it!
Why do we have Saunders then Wayne making a mess of our budget when Curwell could have done the same thing for less than half the price?
These are the most important things the Premier said: “Panton acknowledged that the government does not have a great track record at forecasting and often overestimates what is needed, but once the money is budgeted, people will spend it. He said there was room in the budget to make cuts without impacting services and start working towards more realistic budget forecasting with a tightening-up exercise.”
Give us a reason to hope. I think most of us could detail a list of ten items or less that we think is most important to the sustainability of our environment and economy. I wish there were an avenue that mattered where the electors could do so.
Our only recourse is the clunky and difficult-to-establish People’s Referendum. For this reason, I urge everyone who qualifies to get registered as an elector; if a referendum is created, your registration will not go into effect for several months. I believe it is six months, but not positive. Get registered everybody. It is literally all we can do to make our wishes known.
The Civil Service has always suffered from bloating despite frequent so-called slimming programmes. I sugest the Premier instructs Mr Manderson to reduce his army by 8 1/2%, killing two birds with one stone.
The 🤡 show continues.
1. Expats can’t engage in politics: even if they have status, they can’t stand for election. If they don’t have status, they can’t risk annoying people and losing their work permit.
2. No capable, hardworking and intelligent Caymanian would sensibly enter politics here because that would cripple their life chances. Being trapped in any location is a risk, particularly a tiny island like Cayman. Any sensible Caymanian will therefore pursue a profession which gives them global opportunities, e.g. IT or accountancy. By such choices, the top e.g. 50%+ of Caymanians self-select out of politics.
3. This is why Caymanian politicians are so uniquely awful (specifically: definitely incompetent, probably corrupt, often criminal). They have effectively excluded anyone decent from power. This then exacerbates the problem identified at (2): capable, hardworking and intelligent Caymanians see the direction of travel, and are determined to keep their options open, focusing on global skills not local politics.
4. Cayman is presently incapable of self-government. Expats should be allow to both vote and stand for election. Four examples of incompetence/corruption demonstrating this fact: https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/03/premier-admits-widening-of-caymans-economic-success-gap/comment-page-1/#comment-587383
So what you’re saying essentially Realist is, Caymanians go and do your thing and we’ll take charge, – sounds like a win win
I see you’re back with your pro colonialism drivel again 🙄
Please share with the class which country has competent people in government with no corruption. with your level of IQ i think you would be a great politician.
Before you cut anything, cut the Politician’s compensation that they gave themselves, tor put that on the ballot.
Expats like you should be assisted to the runway and loaded unto a flight to return to where ever it is you obviously dont want to return to. Why does none of ya’ll want to leaveeee? i mean its like pulling teeth, but yet you always have the most negative comments to make on CNS! its pathetic really.
With all due (or not) respect “realist”, please put your name if you feel this strong about your points. Please stop spoiling for all of the good natured, fun, enjoyable and the very best intent expats immigrants who are living and working in the Cayman Islands.
Sounds as if you are describing politics in just about every nation if I am to be frank.
Adding while editing your comments please share which country as an expat/immigrant lowed to vote and or stand for elections without being an actual citizen? I know they U.S. permits citizens who have obtained coyizenshop for certain numbed of years, but there again that as only certain offices. England also permits but again only for certain seats, and citizens must be from Commonwealth Countries and have British Nationality. HOWEVER look at the population and geographical size of these countries for example. The Cayman Islands though is extremely small in comparison, HAVE MORE THAN ENOUGH INDEGINOUS AND GEBERATIONAL CAYMANIANS, to run and hold of office AND MORE THAN CAPABLE of SELF governance–as long as everyone sticks together AND THINK OF OUR PEOPLE. Otherwise we have always and always will have open arms to immigrants/expats. We MUST put out people FIRST and center because our PEOPLE ARE THE BRAND. The Brand which brings people to those shores.
our politicians are the very same politicians over. of time that has made it possible for you to either be visiting here and or work and live here. think about that for a minute please. I often wonder how so many expats/immigrants can criticize our islands and our governance so badly but yet they still want to remain in our islands. leave that to us because this is our islands and we’re the ones that are entitled to criticize.
Cayman capable of self governance? You nearly had me until that. Quality banter from you with that.
Dear Patricia,
Sorry for the slowness in a response: I only check the site irregularly, as I’m on holiday in Europe at the moment. I like Cayman: I have status, my children will be Caymanian once they are old enough, and I think it’s a great place. I work with many great Caymanians I get *extremely* frustrated with your politicians though. That often colors my writing; I don’t mean to cause offense though, even if I’m blunt. As to why I do not think that any expat can safely comment critically on events in Cayman under their own name, I give you two a couple of examples in other people’s words from the my time here so far:
“to be taken into consideration is a peculiar power that Caymanians are reputed to have over the rest of us on Island. I am told that it only takes one Caymanian, any Caymanian, to have a word to the, ever fascistic, Department of Immigration to have a foreigner’s visa cancelled and have them thrown off the Island within forty-eight hours. It doesn’t matter the reason or the individual complaining – a single complaint from a Caymanian and you’re gone.” “Cayman Islands – What the brochures don’t say”, from July 2005: Part 1 – https://h2g2.com/entry/A4503665 and Part 2 – https://h2g2.com/entry/A4503683. < For the avoidance of doubt, I am not endorsing all of the comments in those blog posts. Some are quite rude, e.g. about inbreeding – the person writing it was a physician practising here, and his view was probably skewed by his exposure to narrow problems.
For a concrete example, see the experience of Gordon Barlow:
“Cayman hillbillies try to curb freedom of speech. Heads are rolling in the Cayman Islands after another comical attempt to curb freedom of speech on the island.OffshoreAlert has been told that several Immigration Board members are facing the chop after a letter was sent to expatriate Gordon Barlow threatening to take away his Permanent Residency because he was writing letters to the editor of the Caymanian Compass and making other public comments deemed to be undesirable.”
https://www.offshorealert.com/cayman-hillbillies-try-to-curb-freedom-of-speech/
“When we first came to Cayman in 1978, our biggest shock was discovering the fear among expats of summary deportation for speaking out of turn. The Chairman of the Caymanian Protection Board was in effect the chief censor. Not all that much has changed since then, unfortunately. It's instructive to visit our local news website Cayman News Service (accessible via Google) and to see how few commenters dare identify themselves. At least 95% sign "anonymous". Isn't that something, in a British colony in the 21st Century? My blog-post "Confessions of a Subversive" (Archives, October 2012) tells of my own experience as Manager of the local Chamber of Commerce. I had just enough friends in high places to keep me from deportation, but I spent the next two years (after being removed from the job…) being stamped in as a tourist, month-to-month. My 12-year-old son's residence permit was cancelled, and reinstated only with the help of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office in London. Heavy manners, as we say here! As I said, not much has changed since then. Any intending expat who expects to be allowed to criticise any government policy will get a "culture shock" in short order!” Gordon Barlow 18 September 2015, https://archive.is/CO7qu
“…the islands have a clannish culture. “When I opened up the chamber of commerce, that was a revolutionary act,” says Gordon Barlow, a resident of the islands for 35 years. He says that Cayman, for all its modernisation efforts, remains a small community dominated by special interests. “One thing you have to bear in mind is that there is a fairly strict unwritten prohibition on free speech here,” he says. “Any expat who is out of line can be thrown off the islands …or any resident can get an expat thrown off the islands. You write an anonymous letter to immigration, or you whisper to your cousin’s cousin and boom, they’re off the islands.”” Financial Times: Frustrated investors are pushing Cayman for greater transparency but few expect rapid change, 7 August 2013, https://archive.is/qWPma
I don't know Gordon well, but I did admire him during his working life for investing time and effort into trying to help get a more effective political system here. As he warned: “The bulk of native Caymanians will continue to fight a defensive war to withhold full civil rights from long-term immigrants, and proper human rights from transients. The bulk of immigrants and transients will continue to be united in this war, striving to achieve those civil and human rights… There is a third option … It would require that Cayman become a non-tribal democracy with full civil and human rights for all and no discrimination of any kind…” http://archive.caymannewsservice.com/2009/01/02/cayman-at-the-crossroads/
The attitudes he faced continue. See for example the experience of EPACI (Expatriate Association of the Cayman Islands), which was howled down with threats and abuse during covid: https://www.caymaniantimes.ky/news/the-panel-discussion-secretive-online-pro-expat-group-labelled-divisive – https://caymanmarlroad.com/2021/10/14/ex-pat-association-threatens-cmr-claiming-concerns-over-being-outed.
Hopefully that explains why most of us keep mouths shut and watch in bemused silence as Caymanian politicians destroy their people's own future.
By way of example of what is so frustrating: the dump, the public 'transport system', Kenneth Bryan's new personal Cayman Airlines' new route to his Caribbean tourist board meetings in Barbados (but no money to restore the pre-covid evening Miami flights which used to be so useful for travellers coming home to Cayman), 1 in 4 children in Cayman starting primary school overweight (https://www.caymancompass.com/2023/05/03/1-in-4-kids-begin-primary-school-overweight), the number of MLAs who have beaten women, XXX’s drunk-driving cover-up, Saunders' transparent attempt to introduce garrison politics, 2021: “Almost 60% of Year 11 students miss 2021 exam targets*, 2023: “Only 27% of all students…reached the expected standards in all three core subjects of reading, writing and maths.” https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/05/report-shows-school-leaver-results-drop-from-peak (https://caymannewsservice.com/2022/04/almost-60-of-year-11-students-miss-2021-exam-targets), the Economics and Statistics Office (ESO) August 2022 that banks and trusts are moving off island: “Banks & Trusts: The total value of international banking assets domiciled in the Cayman Islands declined by 12.9 percent… Similarly, international liabilities domiciled locally fell by 13.0 percent…" (https://www.eso.ky/UserFiles/page_docums/files/uploads/the_cayman_islands_annual_economic_repor-7.pdf, page 27).
I don't blame intelligent, honest and hard-working Caymanians for not getting involved in politics: I picked my job to look after my children, and any Caymanian with sense will do likewise, which means being internationally employable. That does, inevitably, however mean avoiding local politics. That mans that you are led by the dregs. Ultimately, even though I have status, I can go home: most Caymanians aren't as fortunate, which is why I highlight the problem.
The fact that you say your children are not Caymanian despite you being Caymanian is ignorant. Make the application!
The fact that you are now Caymanian and still call somewhere else home, is offensive.
Tune in to what is really happening, and help build your community.
You suggest that Cayman’s politicians are worse than those in the UK, USA or Canada? Surely you jest.
The country is run by the Civil Service. Not by politicians. The Civil Service is mainly staffed by expatriates in leadership positions. Not by Caymanians.
10:36 the all seeing simpleton infatuated with their own relevance.
10:36 you routinely cite ‘corruption’ as the underlying reasoning for propelling expats to the polling station and Govt benches but allow yourself to be asked this,
1) outnumbered approx 3-1 where does the majority of the wealth lie amongst the population in the Cayman Islands
2) by what means do the majority of candidates use from when they begin to run for a position and up until elected ? (and to an degree after)
3) who (and of course their promoters) has the better ulterior motive for gaining such a position
4) do you think there’s enough development going on in the Cayman Islands
5) does cronyism exist now in Cayman Govt, and do you think with quasi elected expats this might disappear ?
I agree with you in that corruption at least its financial element may be reduced, but that’s only because of propping up expat Officials who would be simplistically be on the immediate payroll.
Relax your keyboard 10:26, you’re naive and if not, manipulative. 💸💸💸
Yes, after giving themselves and the ineffective, do nothing, always in meetings which lead to nothing, complicit in bullying, largely underqualified, paper pushing upper echelons of the Civil Service a.k.a groups A to D a 16% salary increase from 2021 with everyone else left to suck salt through wooden spoon, NOW its time to save money ?!?! …
Make it make sense !!! The PACT is WHACK
They’ve just agreed a massive back pay arrangement for port workers, which the old board and Port Director Joseph Wood had rejected as unwarranted.
The new UDP board has members with political ambitions which will not be hurt by meeting the workers demands.
After all it’s just government money right..?…Right Wayne..?
Why not 49.8% mr Premier what hell is 8.5% going to do ?? That must be rate of salary increase for the senior leadership already over inflated monthly salaries ? 8.5% Whoopie doo Did you ever notice how our government absolutely thrives of Failure.
Cutting the outrageous amount of vehicles would probably make the 47 million!
This is the best thing Wayne has done since being elected!
They won’t hit this target but it absolutely needs to be done. Everyone in CIG living high off the gravy train.
Chris had plenty of time to do something and in that time he did absolutely nothing. So to now give Wayne grief about “waiting too long” is the pot calling the kettle black.
Chris Saunders is now trying to seem relevant!!!!! He was there 2+ years as Minister of Finance and did jack-shit other than talk more than a drunken sailor in a bar. He was useless at Digicel, useless at HSBC- so goes without saying that he is fairly useless now. Chris, just hush talking and spewing hot air, cause the more you talk and cry crocodile tears, the more irrelevant you are.
Heard someone refer to him as Sound Bite “Chris” – best description yet!
Too Little to late! They now realize “Socialism” has a price tag!
socialism is not your problem, your problem is the government takes a lot of money from you and you get nothing from it. socialism would help you with it unless you just keep wanting to lying their pockets of course.
Socialism works until you run out of spending other peoples money. (Margaret Thatcher)
The buck literally stops with Franz Manderson. What will Wayne Panton do about his friend’s management style and all the excuses for a bloated yet expensive civil service?
Probably give him one of the Franzie awards we have around here.
How many civil servants on suspension, required leave and the CIG anomaly of the mysterious ‘disappeared’ civil servants on full pay but not doing work.
Need a full audit and accountability for appallingly poor managers and waste of public funds to cover up for the poor management
Thank you MP Saunders for trying to address the uncontrolled spending by a runway civil service in size and costs. This is the legacy of DG Manderson and his hand picked collection of Chief Officers, deputies and CFO’s. This will contribute to the accelerated decline of the country.
Ministers determine duty concessions…. free lunch… free laptop… free phones… free house… etc and no Chief Officer wants to go against Ministers
The time has come to fire or retire Franz Manderson and all of his key people that are directly responsible for the incompetence and poorly management civil service. No more excuses.
put a leash on ‘Spendy B’ Mr Premier and you’ll double it.
I would like to know what they spend on fancy SUVs and gasoline. And could you please finish one road before starting another
Hear hear! Far to many expensive trucks being bought for exclusive personal use under the guise of ‘government vehicle’.
And salaries like $200k for bosses of useless SAGS like Ofreg who also drive these vehicles at government expense.
47.1 million must be the amount wasted on unnecessary road works including paving private driveways, expenses in the form of rent and other services to cover ‘imported poverty” through status grants, handing out funds nilly- willy at NAU at the behest of politicians etc.etc. just a short time ago he was patting himself on the back over a huge surplus now he is panicking over cutting costs. What is really going on?
By the way – why does this stuff never seem to warrant an arrest?
Commissioner?
Just figure on +KYD$65,000 for a generic U.S. origin pick-up truck or a bit less for an SUV, but not a whole lot less.
More a question is what they spend keeping Waynes Range Rover on the road? He would have got a lot more respect from the electorate by being driven about in a 5 year old Tahoe and spent a whole lot less on maintenance & upkeep of issues on that British piece of junk. But just because it is that ( British..) and let’s count how many are driven about here [ when they actually do run], you just gots to keep up with the people on the street. Caymanians interpretation of image always gets skewed the wrong way. On one hand you have people that can actually afford an exotic motor car, but do try to drive a more practical vehicle. On the other hand you have folks living in a T1-11 shack & driving brand new bank financed trucks & SUV’s.
Better yet, let him use his own car. He can afford it better than most. Wayne do it for love of country!