I wish to thank Mrs. Florence Goring-Nozza for taking time to set out the concerns in her recent letter published in a number of local newspapers. I write in response to clarify certain misunderstanding and misinformation contained in her letter.
Firstly, this consultation is not a UDP initiative, nor does it seek to serve any special group(s) of the society.
It needs to be clearly understood that this review is a UK driven exercise and not an Overseas Territory’s one. The FCO has made it clear that anyone with an opinion whether a citizen of an overseas territory or otherwise may participate in answering the set of questions posed and posted on the FCO website.
The Governor’s Office website and the Cabinet Office website are intended to widen, and in no manner restrict, the range of choices for all persons, Caymanians and non-Caymanians, wishing to participate in the exercise. As Mr. Bellingham stated in his letter dated 16th September, 2011, to the Honourable Premier, “I want this consultation process to include as many people in the Territories as possible”.
Secondly, the review seeks to take public input, comments and opinions, not for the purpose of policy making, but rather for the purpose of determining the priorities that could shape the future relationship of the UK and its 14 overseas territories.
The results of all input whether from one website source or another, will be acknowledged and taken into account when the FCO frames the agreed new strategy between the Overseas Territories and the UK.
We are participating in a process which is scheduled to be completed in 2012.
Lemuel Hurlston
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Dear Mr. Lemuel Hurlston
I write in response to your answering letter to Dr. Florence Goring-Nozza’s letter to yourself and do apologise for refraining from having my letter published, which would entail revealing my name, at which time is not something I wish to do.
Hopefully, you will read the forum respnses and thus read this comment.
With all due respect to you, sir, you have not answered Dr. Goring-Nozza’s questions and concerns which are…why is Premiere McKeeva Bush being allowed to conduct a seperate survey on this debate when, as you have clearly pointed out, this debate is for the information of the UK Government and FCO in garnering as many responses and as much information as possible, ON THEIR DESIGNATED WEBSITES, from concerned and interested parties.
I have had my say on the FCO website…so has Dr. Goring-Nozza and her concerns regarding local political involvement and quite possible, tampering with the responses as coming from the Caymanian people are quite legitimate, given the total distrust that the current Premiere now commands in Cayman.
The UK and FCO requesting this information is meant to be totally independent and objective and free from local political involvement or influence and with this seperate survey being conducted through the local political process, the entire exercise could be seen to be compromised or tainted in some way, local politics being what it is.
In being totally forthright in my opinions and response to your letter, I will clearly state that the biggest risk involved here is that Premiere McKeeva will use this process to push his stated agenda of independence for the Cayman Islands from the UK as the wishes of the Caymanian people and…
His agenda has been made clear by his words on this issue and related ones, on more than one occasion, including being repeated in this very news source.
The only power that Cayman’s voting population has over Premiere Bush’s ACTIONS is to ensure that their opinions are not misused in any way by him until they can speak at the POLLS in the next GENERAL ELECTION…
These are the only opinions that Premiere McKeeva Bush needs to be hearing from the Caymanian people when that times comes.
Dear Mr. Lemuel Hurlstone,
I want to thank Firey for supporting my letters of concerns of the possibility of the Caymanian people being disenfranchised in this UK white paper survey process. People like Firey is much need to stand up for what we believe in without fear.
Mr. Hurlestone, my letters in no way shape, form or fashion are tailored to misinform anyone as you are well aware. As a former Deputy Governor of the Cayman Islands you will appreciate that my letters are indeed a Flag of Caution to the Caymanian people seeing that they have lost so much confidence in the government of the day. The FCO’s office is the supreme architects, trustees and overseers of the UK’s white Paper regarding their initiatives of Partner for Progress and prosperity for the OT’s. Nowhere does the UK advise directly to the citizens of the territories that they should respond to the Governors website, nor the Premier’s website nor any other website. The citizens of the Cayman Islands for the past two years have been crying out to the powers that be to mend their ways of bad governance, and numerous requests for transparency in our cabinet. The premier himself is in hot water with his own problems having the auditor General’s microscope pointed at him. Government has not at all been listening to the various requests to not remove the rollover police, nor conceded to the 3,000 or more citizens who signed a petition recently in protest of the government ocean front land being swapped for inland parcels of a much lesser real estate market value. The land belongs to the people, and this government does not understand that if they object, plans should be scrapped and the developer must acquire land the same as everyone else, PAY FOR IT The joblessness and unfair hiring practices that currently exist where businesses are unregulated, and Caymanians whether degreed, skilled or unskilled or not, are disenfranchised from the partnership for prosperity that the UK talks about. Maybe we need to ask the UK exactly what is their interpretation of partnership for prosperity and for who will enjoy the sweet of for so far Caymanians are Indians on a reservation, the educated, the not so educated, the red, yellow, black and white all are being left behind when the prosperity train taking on everyone else except and Caymanians.
Mr. Lemuel Hurlestone, my concerns as a citizen of these islands is an obligation to my community and I would be less than responsible to remain quiet as I clearly understand the risks involved in the manner in which this UK Whitepaper survey process in this region is being handled. It is no wonder you were met with little response. People are waking up and smelling the coffee, and its time governments come clean and begin to develop for Caymanians instead of seeking input from x-pats who are the majority and who came to these islands to work and not to govern. Its time the Cayman Islands government including the Work Permit Chairman and the immigration Director explain to people coming to this islands to take up working positions that it is not in the interest of the people of these islands for them to get involved with our political process and that we expect to speak for ourselves where our future is concerned whether we remain a British Territory or go Independent God forbid. It is time to end this eternal outside interference into our political affairs.
In addition, seeing that the Premier has lost so much support of recent I have a duty to the people to warn them and caution them of the dangers of submitting their responses on the Premier’s website and even the governor’s website because we are still getting acquainted with our governor we really don’t know who he is as yet, time will tell.
The UK needs to hear from Caymanians who were born here and those with filial ties, not anyone else.
Caymanians are outnumbered, x-pats are the majority, I submit to you Mr. Lemuel Hurlestone, just what kind of survey do you think the x-pats will submit to the UK? Would it be in your best interest, my best interest of their own interest? As it was mentioned on yesterday on Radio Cayman or rooster, a lady cautioned our people to take note of what is happening to Cayman, there is a difference in being a born Caymanian living in the Cayman Islands and having adapted the Cayman Islands. There’s a difference. The interests are different as well.
We welcome people to come here to work if we need you to fill a position, but when it comes down to our political process and making decisions about where we as Caymanians want to go, that is a right that the Citizen of these islands must enjoy no one else.
We can not go to anyone else’s country and try to rule and reign there bullying our way through, and we can not allow it to happen here.
God bless the Cayman Islands.