Lame-duck Cabinet keeps spending public cash
(CNS): The minority UPM government has shown no signs of letting up on critical decision-making, such as spending and policy, including the drafting of various amendment bills that may not pass, given that the administration lost its mandate to govern back in October. The lame-duck Cabinet, comprising just five ministers, had two meetings in January, during which the members juggled cash from ministry to ministry to spend on projects such as Scranton Park and the new Cayman Brac high school.
Many of the ministers’ policy decisions are not supported by the majority of MPs. While some draft amendment bills will go before parliament and additional spending will eventually require parliamentary approval, the reallocation of cash and some policy decisions, such as the purchase of land, are being made outside of the democratic process.
The brief summaries of Cabinet meetings that are published do not clearly show how much money is being spent where and on what. However, some of the line items described are clear. For example, the government has increased spending on scholarships by some CI$4 million for this year, over and above the nearly $22 million already allocated.
The day after a regular Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 14 January, where millions of dollars were approved, there was an additional brief special meeting where the five ministers approved an increase of $2 million for Tourism Support, which covers promotional and advertising activities. While it has not been spelt out, it’s understood that the money is being used to promote the referendum bill and the minority government’s pitch for a vote on a non-existent cruise berthing project.
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan also persuaded his colleagues to approve CI$1.9 million for Central Scranton Park in his constituency of George Town Central. This is in addition to the $2.4 million already approved for the 2024/25 budget.
See the Cabinet notes here.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Government Finance, Politics
Time for another civil servant pay rise
My vote still for sale!
“The Adeptus Ridiculous: Emperor, Forgive Us, for We Live in Absurdity
Ah, Cayman, a jewel of turquoise waters, vibrant coral reefs, and a population of 80,000 souls who seemingly live under an unspoken oath of silence. The Emperor, if He graced this island with His presence, might not find heresy in the form of Chaos Cults, but He’d certainly uncover a festering nest of degeneracy, corruption, and nepotism. A world where the truth isn’t hidden, but rather whispered about in corridors and bars—because speaking it aloud might lead to an Inquisitorial visit from the Ordo ‘Sweep It Under the Rug.’
In a community so small, you’d think transparency and accountability would be as natural as sunshine on Seven Mile Beach. But no. Here, the machinery of governance operates like a poorly maintained servitor, leaking oil and spewing sparks of inefficiency with every movement. The Adeptus Mechanicus would have scrapped it centuries ago. Instead, Cayman’s leadership has retrofitted this decrepit machine with a patchwork of family ties, cronyism, and backroom deals—always ensuring the gears turn just enough to keep the illusion of progress alive.
And what of the people? The populace, despite living in the shadow of Mount Trashmore’s toxic fumes and breathing the figurative exhaust of mismanagement, prefer to avert their eyes. Fear and apathy reign supreme. Fear of retribution for speaking out. Apathy, born of the belief that no amount of outrage will unseat the entrenched power structures. It’s as though the island itself has become a microcosm of a grimdark dystopia, where hope is a currency long since devalued.
Nepotism here is not merely a byproduct of power; it is the power. Public service jobs are distributed not by merit but by bloodlines, friendships, and whispered promises made over bottomless cups of tea. Contractors are coerced into hiring ghost workers—phantoms who haunt the payroll but never the worksite. Costs spiral, timelines stretch, and the island earns the dubious honor of having some of the highest cost overruns in the Caribbean. Projects that should take two years drag on for five; five-year plans morph into twelve-year odysseys.
Meanwhile, the political elite perfect the art of vanity projects. Fully funded, these endeavors are less about public good and more about securing loyalty from their contractor allies—ensuring the wheels of patronage remain greased with taxpayer money. And who presides over this spectacle of absurdity? The Adeptus Arbitrarius, the Governor herself, who bears witness to it all with a serene grin, perhaps savoring the irony of a system unraveling as her tenure nears its end. After all, why disturb the status quo when the impending economic collapse can conveniently be someone else’s problem?
And let us not forget the environmental atrocities masquerading as progress. The rallying cry of “Pave the Reef!” is not just a slogan—it’s a manifesto for the systematic erasure of everything that makes this island unique. Mount Trashmore leaks its toxic blessings into the ocean, while cruise piers and dry docks are planned with the same reckless enthusiasm as an Ork engineering project. The National Conservation Council fights valiantly, a lone Tech-Priest trying to halt a planet’s descent into the Warp, but the forces of destruction seem insurmountable.
Cayman deserves better. It deserves leaders who view its natural beauty and cultural heritage not as obstacles to bulldoze but as treasures to preserve. The silence must be broken. The apathy must be shattered. And the machinery of governance must be reforged—not with the rusted parts of nepotism and corruption but with the alloy of merit, transparency, and genuine accountability.
The Emperor demands it. And so must we.”
God save the King !
JohnJohn’s Ministry exceeded the budget for Pirates week and wanted Cabinet to take away money from CBC to pay the outstanding bills. The same Minister who refused for years to pay pensions and insurance for his employees. This lot are devoid of shame.
Well, Well Andre and the quitters really showed them! How can anyone even thing about electing him as the leader. Although that’s just a smoke screen as the Wayne$$ is the one in charge anyway. They all get a new multi-million dollar house and stay loyal. Well Kenny now has a five million dollar park for all his cronies – one has to wonder why so much $$ and who’s palms were greased in the process. Stop this Sh*t show and stop it fast before they do more damage than they have already done.
He aligned himself with Ozzie “Driftwood” Bodden.
So nope.
And the governor sits and grins ..
What should she do, 10:10? We don’t want Governors who stop us doing what we want to do, we made that clear by cutting as many of their powers as we could. We are wearing long pants now not short ones so there’s no use blaming anyone but ourselves for our useless politics and politicians. We got ourselves into this.
…the brits will do nothing…(on purpose)…..
Lots of paper there. Are we sure they can all read, or does someone need to read it out to them?
There is also this pretty cool thing, created maybe 30 years ago, pretty sleek now. Its called a laptop.
None of this spending approved by voters, whose money they are misappropriating. Voters need to stop them, if they care.
Did you know that Cayman Brac has more public toilet blocks than anywhere else in the world?
Just a few short months left in her tenure and the representative from Cayman Brac East is putting yet another toilet block in Watering Place.
Meanwhile the drive from Watering Place is becoming more and more hazardous, as Water Authority continues tearing up the main road, heavy equipment tracks digging up the lanes and an infinite amounts of bumps and potholes being created.
While I will be able to go and pee in a new toilet block soon, it will be a bumpy ride. LOL
Anyhow, cheers …. to another new toilet block!!!
….meanwhile the electorate sleeps!!
Wake up people!!!
Can someone explain how the cabinet can only have five ministers but the constitution at section 44 requires there to be six ministers.
April 30th can’t come soon enough…
Hope everyone now realizes that a candidate’s Character and integrity matter more than gifts and self serving promises.
If a man has been charged and found guilty of deception or drug dealing, that is who he is.
Use public money (and maybe your own) to buy a few votes, get elected, vote yourself a salary and benefits package of tens of thousands per month, travel the world for 4 years, rinse and repeat.
It has to end.
We need a complete re-write of our Constitution and other laws to prevent a repeat of this farce which allows a small group of horse-trading politicians elected by a few dozen votes in tiny constituencies to control the fate of this country. Until that happens we will see nothing but rising debt and fatter politicians.
Correction – Lame duck Cabinet keeps trying to buy – the election
Perhaps I stand to be corrected, as far as I am aware Cabinet on its own cannot approve _Additional_ expenditure except for emergencies. Doesn’t the additional expenditure have to be taken to Finance Commitee?
Throw them all out.
CO Eric Bush’s lame defence of the Auditor General’s damning report on spending, and the many related issues revealed in the Finance Committee of Parliament this week, shows that CIG finances are in deeper troubles than we could even imagine.
But. No fuss or protests there.
And where’s the Brodcast Copy of that meeting that was aired on Radio Cayman this week?
The ducks are certainly quacking and it’s costing us a lot of money.
And exempting themselves from planning permission for a lot of projects.
As a citizen, I want more say, MUCH more say, in how the funds — which come primarily from us — are spent. I do not feel represented with this government. I have not felt represented for quite a long time. I think that must change. We elect people based upon the promises they make, and then once elected, they recombine into a way which often doesn’t resemble their promises. I am right pissed off about this. I work hard, and my wife works hard, and we are falling behind, and soon might fall under.
No worries, though, my pension will eventually kick in and pay us $1200/month, which won’t even pay our health insurance.
We need a renaissance of process; we need politicians who will dedicate their lives toward the betterment of the people, and not the increase of development that does us no good.
I am right pissed, and I have a right to be right pissed, because I am soon to be broke, through no fault of my own.
Every single UPM member should lose this seat in the next elections particularly the Remier from the Brac and the maniac from GT Central they are completely out of control.
Wow, what an irresponsible last gasp attempt to buy votes.
Hope the next government will have the courage to clean up and bring some fiscal responsibility to the benefit of the community.
please Spend some on early education/LITERACY $$$
eg.
Give students an Education Bone for good grades..
$500 for each A
$400 each B
$200 each C.
They get 10% of their Primary school total in CASH at graduation, they
they redeem the rest in Scholarship Value upon high school graduation.
…idiotic……
They realize that none of them will be re-elected so its a free for all!
Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan also persuaded his colleagues to approve CI$1.9 million for Central Scranton Park in his constituency of George Town Central. This is in addition to the $2.4 million already approved for the 2024/25 budget.
Follow the money!!! I’m sure he’s getting his fair share of this while public beach looks more and more 3rd world every day!
Has Jay spent the entire infrastructure budget on North Side? Not saying North Sider’s don’t deserve nice things, but the rest of the island is being neglected completely!
$26 million for scholarships? Seem to recall the scholarships are something like $25K. That’s over a 1000 scholarships. How many students do we have studying overseas that need tax payer support and can make the minimum GPA requirements? Seems a pretty high number given the public schools pass results, and you would think anyone who could afford the private schools is either an expat or doesnt need tax payer support. Or is it a worthy idea that has been turned into another way of distributing tax payer cash to friends? A sudden increase of $4 million just before an election makes you wonder.
First plan of action for whichever government gets in should be to scrap any plans of a $50m school in Cayman Brac. Julianna’s mental state should be questioned for thinking this is a reasonable price. Could build a school for all of those students for $10m with a nice profit.
Add the $200Million new Prison resort and $8Million consultants fees to the list of cancelling waste.
More like 70 millions at least and that is without accounting for the electrical works ,the plumbing and of course the eternity it will take on top of that to qualify the building and the extra man hours to be generously poured in !
You could send the students to the best world famous schools for a fraction of the cost and given most of the teachers will most likely come from different islands you WILL need to provide lodging on top of that well unless you want to fly them daily !or host them in the trees !
So that school isn’t anything but a future white elephant, sitting empty, devoid of students, teachers but costing dearly to maintain due to its remarkably remote location !