Bush calls for ‘better balance’ on population growth

The Cayman Islands needs to find a “better balance” between economic success fuelled by population growth and the values and wellbeing of its people, former Premier McKeeva Bush told global political leaders at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association in Ghana this week.

The West Bay West MP said Cayman was experiencing the “best of times and the worst of times” as a result of the sharp rise in the population.

Bush, who during a decades-long political career has advocated for growth as a means to create economic opportunity, said it was “time for a reset”.

He said Cayman’s rapid growth from a “fishing village” to having the “highest standard of living in the Caribbean” had brought significant benefits to Caymanians.

But he said those gains were now being eroded by the pressures and stresses of a “growing metropolis”.

Citing traffic, cost of living and impacts on health and education provision as well as the environment, he suggested the islands were becoming a victim of their success.

“Far too many negative impacts are hitting local people very hard,” Bush said in a speech during a panel on the impact of population increases on small jurisdictions.

“While I support growth, I am one for balanced growth where our people get more out of it,” he added.

Cayman has grown from a population of about 10,000 in 1970 to about 83,000, according to the latest Economics and Statistics Office data for 2023.

Bush acknowledged this had an impact on Cayman’s “cultural mores” and ‘Christian traditions’, saying he wanted growth that prioritised people who would “fit in” with the islands’ values.

Bush, who stepped down as Speaker amid allegations of indecent assault, which he is fighting in court, is currently a backbencher with the PACT administration.

In spells as leader of government business and premier he supported a strategy of incrementally growing Cayman’s population.

And he defended that approach, saying that without income tax, value added tax or property tax, Cayman had to find other ways to fund its billion dollar annual budget.

But he said Cayman had not done enough to upskill its people enough to allow them to take advantage of the growing economy, though he said this was changing thanks to investment in scholarships and training.

He added that compromise was needed between the needs of the economy and the negative impacts of growth.

“Yes, we’ve grown fast and now it is time we reset with a better balance,” he said in the speech Sunday, a copy of which was shared with the Compass.

Bush has also spoken about Cayman’s challenges with climate change and the new draft policy to fight some of the anticipated impacts during the conference, which brings together delegates from around the British Commonwealth.