Premier says statements not contradictory
The Cayman Islands government will pay for a settlement reached with the construction firm that was previously in talks to build a new cruise berthing facility in George Town.
Education Minister Rolston Anglin confirmed Friday that Cabinet had recently approved the settlement with GLF and, as part of that agreement, government would pay “less than $3 million” to the Italy-based contractor. .
“Bottom line: We have written the cheque and we are moving forward,” Mr. Anglin said.
That statement appeared contrary to one made last month by Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush, regarding the situation with GLF – which was one of four companies to enter into negotiations with government over the new cruise port since 2008.
“Not only have we agreed [to a settlement], but these sums will not be coming out of government’s coffers,” Mr. Bush told the Legislative Assembly in December.
The Caymanian Compass contacted the Premier’s office Friday for a response to Mr. Anglin’s statements. Saturday evening, the Premier indicated his previous statements had not been contradicted by Mr. Anglin.
“Government settled the matter and paid the settlement on time,” Mr Bush said. “Government will recoup the cost of the settlement from the sale of intellectual property related to the building of the cruise ship dock.”
Mr. Bush did not elaborate about what intellectual property would be sold.
GLF was spurned in April 2011 as the potential builder of the cruise port in favour of China Harbour Engineering, partly because Premier Bush said he did not believe the Italian company could secure financing necessary to construct the berthing facility.
China Harbour and the government are still negotiating details of the proposed George Town cruise port. A deadline on those talks has been set for 31 March.
Please see the full story in Monday’s Caymanian Compass…
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I hope it didn’t come out of the Environmental Protection Fund…(the 40 million collected for conservation).
Perhaps it came from the Nation Building Fund, which we know is personal rather than government.
Guys,
Mr.McKeeva Bush said something completely different even the governor came public over a month ago stating that Government would not be paying the debt to GLF.
I am completely baffled!
This government has mad to many terrible decisions – let’s vote them out and send them to a day job like the rest of us.
Baffled
We’re in debt, we’re incurring debts and yet somehow the Government is able to write cheques.
We can only, all, speculate where this money is coming from.
Article Quote: ‘Bottom line: We have written the cheque and we are moving forward,’ Mr. Anglin said.
Cheque Amount for GLF is approximately 3 million dollars!
Money source is unknown.
Article Quote Headline: Cabinet earmarks 1M for park, monument
Jubilee Park, Christian Heritage Monument to open in June.
Article Quote: ‘While the Park, Monument and Heroes’ Walk is a nation-building project, the money is not coming directly from the Nation Building Fund.’
According to the Office of the Premier, The funding was created by means of Cabinet using Section 11(5) of the Public Management and Finance Law.
What does this mean?
Cheque amount to be written for this project is approximately up to 1.5 million dollars.
Money source is unknown/vague/confusing.
Total for the above is approximately 4.5 million!
The GLF debacle can’t possibly be paid from the Nation Building Fund; because, ‘it is money that has been appropriated from public cash and the money is given to what the premier defines as anything that contributes to nation building.’
Poor business negotiations,with GLF, does not contribute to nation building, rather the opposite if we’re down 3 million….therefore, in theory, the money couldn’t(?) have have come from this fund.
On the other hand, the Jubilee Park (Christian Heritage Monument) et al, a Nation Building Project is not receiving money directly from the Nation Building Fund even though it is considered such.
Completely Baffled, by definition, a Fund is a sum of money that has been set aside and earmarked for a specified purpose.
So, at this point, I’m Baffled.
The Park project can have use of the Nation Building Fund but doesn’t!
Environmental/Conservation projects want the use of the Environmental Protection Funds but can’t!
In all this confusion of money allocations and money sources I have only one question to ask.
Where did, and will, the money come from to pay the, roughly, 4.5 million?
Banana Republic, does Cayman Investment Alliance, deals made between government and Dart, ring any bell? If those funds are coming from some elite person on this island, all I have to say is God Help Us when we are obliged to pay back that person. How much of Cayman will you sell out??
Talk about the sublime to the ridiculous! The assertion that these sums will not be coming out of government’s coffers was good news considering the dubious circumstances under which the GLF Settlement arose but now we are advised that not only is CIG in fact paying for the GLF Settlement but that revelation does not contradict the initial assertion that it wasnt! I think that attempt at spin has him dizzy! One hopes that he had no contribution to the intellectual property purportedly being sold to fund the payment otherwise we would have to settle another dispute as to its value!