PPM seeks answers on long list of UPM policies
(CNS): The Progressive opposition members of parliament have submitted 15 questions ahead of the meeting of lawmakers next week seeking answers on a number of major public interest issues. Topics include the government’s slow progress on the design and implementation of a new public transport system, the number of road fatalities, the status of plans for a controversial third undersea cable, and when the long-awaited mental health facility will open.
Parliament had been scheduled to meet on Monday this week but has been postponed until Friday, 5 July. The Cayman Islands Government was hoping to bring controversial amendments to the National Conservation Act and needed more time to allow for the 21-day public consultation. However, the Cabinet members appear to be struggling to come up with the amendments needed to achieve its aims, which have so far not been specified.
No bill has been gazetted and no draft of the proposed changes has been circulated publicly. So despite the postponement, the government will not be able to meet the statutory period for public consultation on this bill to be brought for next month’s sitting.
However, the backlash and broad public opposition to the CIG’s attempts to gut this law could spell trouble for the UPM if it uses its powers to waive that consultation period to force through changes without even the limited public consultation period of 21 days. So far, none of the proposed changes have been detailed or justified, and pushing through unpopular amendments could further damage the public perception of the UPM administration.
If there are no more delays, the opposition has plans to press the government on a whole range of issues in its list of parliamentary questions to the relevant ministers and the premier.
Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart will ask Social Development Minister André Ebanks if the new Department of Financial Assistance is meeting the performance targets that he had set for it, and ask Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly why the national anti-gang strategy and action plan has not yet been finalised and implemented.
McTaggart will also ask Planning Minister Jay Ebanks what has happened to advance the housing initiatives since private members’ motions regarding incentivizing the private sector to build affordable homes and bringing back the government mortgage guarantee programme were passed by parliament some eight months ago.
The previous tourism minister, Moses Kirkconnell MP, will ask the current minister, Kenneth Bryan, when Cayman Airways will receive a third Twin Otter, the only aircraft in its fleet that can land in Little Cayman and is used for routes between the three islands. He will also ask when the SAAB aircraft, which flies between Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, will be upgraded.
Barbara Conolly MP will be seeking answers on the status of the new long-term residential mental health facility, and what plans are in place to bring Caymanian patients being treated in facilities overseas home. As shadow education minister, Conolly will also ask the premier, in her role as the current minister, several questions about improving education.
David Wight MP has submitted two questions that are both very topical and of high public interest. He will ask Health Minister Sabrina Turner if there are sufficient public hospital beds given the rapid population growth since the pandemic. He will also ask the premier when changes will be made to the relevant laws to make pepper spray legal for personal protection, as agreed in parliament.
Wight was the architect of a private member’s motion filed in September. All MPs in the House, both government and opposition, including the current premier, supported the motion except then-premier, Wayne Panton who voting against it.
However, its is well known that the RCIPS does not support wide public possession of these types of noxious gas sprays, which are illegal to possess in the UK. The failure of this government to act on this motion might be because Cabinet has failed to secure the support of the governor.
See the full list of questions below:
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Category: Politics
You the same!
Child literacy is in the crapper.
Sir Alden and JuJu wrecked a great education system that they both benefitted from.
Healthcare and Insurance are a major Scam Industry.
No luxury taxes imposed on Millionaire residents.
Police who we can’t trust to hold a message.
Bloated and vacuous world crass Civil Service.
The Cayman Islands Ministry asks people to weigh in on PlanCayman, again
https://cayman.loopnews.com/content/progressive-raise-questions-about-anti-gang-strategy-minimum-wage
It would really be nice if we could provide Affordable homes, condos or apartments for Caymanians
https://caymannewsservice.com/2023/12/ministry-asks-people-to-weigh-in-on-plancayman-again/
A few months ago, American Broadcasting CBS News Media published news that almost 50% of Americans cannot afford a $400 suprise medical or automobile exoence
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nearly-40-of-americans-cant-cover-a-surprise-400-expense/
Resulting in one of the worlds leading automobile companies “Ford Motor Company” announcing Ford Trucks for $8,000 at a significant reduced cost
https://youtu.be/UnEv9f9lVbU?si=6F7OeWs_wiuDuPRD
Suggesting that large companies like Ford Motor Company are also experiencing financial strains and difficulties with possible reduced sales because almost 50% of Americans cannot afford new vehicles and as a result have had to re-think and re-evaluate the affordability and sale of there vehicles, which suggest that we should be re-thinking and re-evaluation other alternative affordable cost options and approach for our local housing, apartments and condos
In the Cayman Islands, suggestions was made to re-development Dog City and the condemed Randyke Gardens Apartments, in-addition to the Affordable Housing property that was built next to the Cox Lumber Store by Dog City where the first Affordable Homes were initially built, that could be re-developed possibly knocking down the existing homes and building Multi-Store Apartments or Condo complexes on multiple floors to provide existing home owners and there families an apartment or condo and selling the other affordable apartments or condos to low and middle income Caymanians to repay the cost to build them
New Multi-Store Affordable Apartments or Condos could have a pool or pools and possibly other amenities like:
A Gym
Net Ball Courts
Basketball Courts
Squash Room(s)
5-A Side Football
Monthly Strata Payments are part of the expenses in owning an Apartment or Condo and so is Building(s) and Yard Maintance, in-addition to Home and Life Insurance
Home and Life Insurance is a bank requirement for a bank mortgage and are usually included and paid monthly by making Monthly Strata Payments
If Cayman Islands Government Builders & Developers “PWD” Public Works Department, “CINICO” Cayman Islands National Insurance Company & the “CIDB” Cayman Islands Development Bank could engage themselves into a mutual agreement to build Affordable Apartments/Condos for Caymanians at cost, that would only include the cost of building materials and labor, eliminating the regulor construction contractors builders profits; and selling these apartments or condos at the building cost, hundreds of Caymanians would be able to own there own home, apartment or condo with a viriety of sporting athletic activities, an Affordable Day Care Center(s) with an after school home work Child Care Center
These Multi-Store Affordable Apartments / Condos could be built in each district in the Cayman Islands of:
George Town
Bodden Town
North Side
East End
West Bay &
Cayman Brac
for low and middle income Caymanians earning less than $2,000 or $3,000 per month
These Multi-Family Affordable Apartments / Condos could also include a covered seating Food Court(s) like what is in the US Malls with Multiple Food Vendors selling local food like Turtle, Oxtail, Conch etc…. to Chicken n Chips and Jerk Chicken for Caymanian families may have a comfortable mixed use living development to live in
A proper Day Care and an After School Home Work Child Care Study Area/Center ran by our government with three or four retired teachers that could assist or help Kids-At-Risk or our At-Risk-Youth
Single Parent(s)
Affordable Studio One Bedroom Apartments / Condos built by our Government Developers PWD, CINICO & CIDB and sold at the building cost of materials and labor only
One Bed Room / Two Baths
400□
Kitchen / Dining & Living
400□
20′ * 40′ = 800□ @ $85□
40 yr Mortgage – $68,000
Interest Rate 6%
Appx Monthly Pmt $425
Monthly Strata appx $300
Single Parent(s)
Two Bedroom Apartments / Condos built by our Government Developers PWD, CINICO & CIDB and sold at the building cost of materials and labor
Two Bed Room / Two Baths
525□
Kitchen / Dining & Living
525□
35′ * 30′ = 1050□ @ $85□
40 yr Mortgage – $89,250
Interest Rate 6%
Appx Monthly Pmt $471
Monthly Strata appx $300
In-addition to proper After School Programs in each Multi-Family Complex could also offer Summer & Christmas Child Care Programs with PWD Maintaince Staff providing a Public/Private Partnership with the Government to maintain the apartments or condo premises
5-A-Side Football
A great constructive, productive wholesome leasue & recreational past time
https://www.goalsfootball.co.uk/
I still remember when we had 5-A-Side Football Tournaments in the Cayman islands, where un-explained tempers flared that saw lots of fights and arguments pushing a lot of players away from such a wonderful, wholesome and cheerful program to stop playing the game
https://www.corporate5scup.com/
Scrapping or dis-solving a very good constructive and productive cheerful & eventful leasure & recreational past time
In-addition to the above, 5-A-Side Football, Basketball & NetballTournaments could be properly structured and organized with corporate sponcors for retired child care at-risk-youth government teachers to provide school kids with wholesome and pure constructive and productive Crime Free Easter, Christmas & Summer Athletic Sporting Programs at each Social Housing Apartment or Condo Complex
Fix the Ernie Smatts land. CIG purchased it for $6m then knocked down income producing cottages and left nature to take over. You cannot see Kenny’ sign anymore. More still GOV fenced it off so the land cannot be used by the public. Why is that? CIG is hellbent on acquiring land on the sea and then do not use it.
What a bunch of wasters.
all ready to sell to big daddy D.
So… no one asking about National Conservation Act changes, which tells us they are all on board as predicted.
Fix the Dump
caymanian mla’
s don’t do accountability.
and roy…maybe ask yourself and the rest of ppm what you achieved after 8 years in power.
just another day in wonderland….
We are doomed. We are not represented. We cannot affect anything. Electors have no power. I will not enjoy watching my beloved Cayman degrade into commonness, no different than the corruption everywhere else.
But as usual nothing on the largest economic problem of failed pension scheme. Sooner or later the government will be paying for it. Worked all my life with a pension of 300k and I get a lousy 1200 a month, because the government makes laws to prevent me from getting any more!
This is Hilarious, Opposition can put forward 100 questions instead of 15 and it would be the same result, i have watched these proceedings before and basically all the respondent has to say is that the question has to be looked into, information gathered and answered at a later date by the Government or more frequently not in the position to be answered at all. Politics is a joke, but not bad for them at 20k a month on average
Remember it was Moses that bought the worn out Saab planes .
Saabs have served us well..thank you Moses.
You obviously don’t fly to Cayman Brac that often..
Right now there has only been one Saab for months and that is broken down more than it is flying..
Yeah, thanks Moses for two antiquated pieces of crap.
Any progress buying a glass crusher to enable glass recycling? No one interested in asking? Thought not.
serve the rich is all politicians nowadays…ZZZZZ
Because the rich are helping us all and our great leaders know it.
The public should and must be consulted on any amendments to the National Conservation Act. How we protect our islands for future generations matters to us all.
There can be no justification for rushing through amendments on a law passed 10 years ago.
In fact, we see no justification for these proposed amendments at all.
Say NO to any amendments to the NCA by signing the petition here:
https://www.change.org/DontPaveParadise
I have a question I would like put forward by one of the MPs to ask.
How much public funds has this administration approved to pay members of the Boards of Statutory Authorities, and how has the Government determined value for money for these payments?
In a nutshell, the UPM has been very-very busy straitening up all the messes left from others so at this time they cannot answer these questions, but just be patient and all will be worked out. I do not see anyone asking Honorable Seymour anything but as he has been doing a top notch job with immigration and sham marriages, I can’t wait to see what he has in store for the environment when he takes control of that portfolio.
8:55 Are you really talking about low bar dumb dumb that does not come to work? What a comedy skit!
But Jon Jon collects a really good paycheck!
LOL