Topic: Government
EDITORIAL – Major (but not terminal) problems arise at new airport
In the instance of Saturday’s breakdown of systems at the new arrivals hall, there was no “single point of failure.” Indeed the ostensible problem — long lines of unhappy tourists — was, in fact, simply a manifestation of a multitude of operational mishaps — many of them emanating from bad (or nonexistent) planning, others simply from bad luck.
EDITORIAL – Teen pregnancy: A social condition Cayman can’t afford
It’s a rare occasion when the Compass Editorial Board praises declining scores in our high schools. But the reported 44 percent drop in Cayman’s teen pregnancy rate is something to celebrate (albeit, with a fairly large caveat or two).
Electronic license plates
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – Paying homage to Cayman’s essential ‘invisible’ giant
With continued good fortune, perseverance and high-quality education, we have no doubt that Cayman — energized and enabled by our financial services sector — will not only build on our half-century of success, but will surpass even those “miraculous” accomplishments.
EDITORIAL – ‘Brexit’ and ‘blacklist’: Cayman stuck between the UK and the EU?
The “real victims” of divorce are often the children. We hope that doesn’t hold true for “colonial children,” including the Cayman Islands, in the context of England’s protracted separation from the European Union, known commonly as “Brexit.”
Letter: Everyone plays a part in waste disposal
Whilst fingers point to local government, accusing it of not doing enough, surely everyone, including tourists, should be playing their part in disposing of waste responsibly.
EDITORIAL – When withholding the truth has consequences
As representatives of the public’s interest, government’s first impulse must be to tell “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”
EDITORIAL – Drive, drag or tow: Derelict cars have got to go
In many cases, these vehicles can present clear safety hazards, as they are being left for days or weeks alongside (or even on) some of the busiest stretches of asphalt in Cayman, including the Esterley Tibbetts Highway and West Bay Road.
EDITORIAL – ‘Matchstick homes’: A clear and present danger in Cayman
To prevent future conflagrations – and possible deadly tragedies – officials from relevant departments must step up to ensure that every dwelling in these islands is safe for human habitation.
EDITORIAL – Two leaders, opposing sides, shared priorities
Premier Alden McLaughlin and Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller may sit on opposite sides of the Legislative Assembly, but in their New Year’s messages, they appeared to be singing from the same hymnal.
Will: We do not need government to remind us that smoking kills
The strange, meandering path of tobacco – a legal commodity that is harmful when used as intended – to the present began in contradictions.
Christmas message from Her Excellency The Governor
I would like to thank all the people of the Cayman Islands for making me so welcome when I arrived and for making my time here truly such a pleasure. It has been a privilege to experience the culture and tremendous sense of community that you all share.
EDITORIAL – New Year’s Eve music ban must be overturned
Unless Cayman Islands officials act swiftly, this New Year’s Eve won’t just end on a sour note — it will end with no notes at all, thanks to government’s negligence and an archaic law that prohibits public music or dancing on Sundays.
Letter: No New Year’s Eve music or dancing? Live with it
I am one musician who is more than happy to stay home on New Year’s Eve, and I’m very delighted that some old traditions still hold strong in these islands.
Government is duty-bound to explain its decisions
Public authorities must give reasons even without being requested. Good governance requires this.
Government help
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – Owen Roberts remodel: Giving a new ‘wing’ to Cayman air travel
Cayman’s air travelers have received an early Christmas present with the opening of Owen Roberts International Airport’s new check-in area.
EDITORIAL – Tired of waiting for government? Take the initiative …
We have an abundance of tools, resources, expertise and willingness to take on Cayman’s tough problems. We just have to stop “waiting” and start acting.
EDITORIAL – Pension ‘exodus’: Bad idea, worse execution
We imagine that Moses’ leading the Israelites out of Egypt was a more orderly affair than Cayman’s “pension exodus” – where hundreds of expatriate workers are packing their bags and leaving, so as to avoid being swept up in last year’s changes to the National Pensions Law.
EDITORIAL – Excellent teachers: The secret to excellent schools
Like a good businessperson, a good teacher desires only a couple of things: First, adequate resources. Second, for government officials to get out of their way, and allow them to flourish in their chosen vocation.
EDITORIAL – ‘Trash talk’ from our local legislators
“Cash-for-trash” has a certain ring to it but, frankly, we don’t think it adds up to wise public policy.
LETTER: Do not give in to to EU’s ‘naked ambition’
Premier Alden McLaughlin, Minister Roy McTaggart and Mr. Saunders deserve to be commended for standing up for Cayman’s financial services industry
EDITORIAL – Two Compass stories that readers may find difficult to believe
Sometimes even we have difficulty believing some of the stories we print in this newspaper (no wisecracks, please; we’ve already heard all those jokes). Two prime examples appeared last week:
EDITORIAL – ‘Paradise Papers’: Paging ‘Dr. Phil’
As the Cayman Islands financial sector faces a perhaps existential threat from European regulators, left-leaning politicians, and increasingly irresponsible journalists, our country’s response has been underwhelming, if not blasé.
Short payday
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – Rejecting ‘prejudice’: The day our premier spoke for all of Cayman
Are some individuals in Cayman “better off” than others? Of course. Is almost everyone in Cayman – to a man, woman and child – “better off” now than they would have been in Cayman’s economy of 60 years ago?
Also of course.
EDITORIAL – Speech in the Assembly: Curbing bullying, bluster and ‘blah, blah, blah’
When he called for restraining defamatory, irrelevant and erroneous speech uttered on the floor of the Legislative Assembly, Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush was 100 percent correct – in half of what he said.
EDITORIAL – Medical cannabis: Sober reflection on drug law
Our country seems to be of two (or more) conflicting minds about ganja, and whether its use should be tolerated, discouraged or punishable by prison.
EDITORIAL – Immigration: Government’s third largest revenue source
The bottom line is, government has no business treating the “immigration business” as a cash cow for the public coffers.
EDITORIAL – The ‘Bermuda Papers’? Journalism, hacking or financial voyeurism
In anticipation of the sound and the fury that will no doubt define international news coverage of a data breach at Appleby law firm, here are a few of our thoughts on the matter of “leaks,” “hacks” and offshore exposes under the guise of investigative journalism.
Low moral fiber
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – ‘Political advocacy’: Cayman takes its case to Washington
Cayman Islands officials acted wisely when they hired Baker Botts law firm partner Jeff Munk to represent our country’s interests in Washington, D.C.
EDITORIAL – ‘I’m pickin’ up good vibrations’: Ah, there’s the rub
The primary issue is the assumption that government should police personal morality – a dangerous notion, at best.
Letter: What about the eastern districts?
If this is a government of national unity, then make sure you use that “unite” part to help the East.
EDITORIAL – A fresh start possible for Immigration
The new immigration chief must have the expertise, talent and drive to drag the immigration department out of its current difficulties and shape it into the efficient and effective government service that Cayman expects and deserves.
EDITORIAL – Freedom of Information a poor substitute for free flow of information
Government service is different from private sector employment. It is not work done for profit, product or pure self-interest. It is work undertaken on the people’s behalf, using the people’s money, to preserve society’s common interests.
EDITORIAL – An ideal leader for Cayman’s Education Council
Education leaders merit “honor roll” recognition for their inspired selection of Ernst & Young’s Dan Scott as chairman of the Cayman Islands government’s Education Council.
Debt Recovery Unit
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – ‘Barkers rangers’: Pruning back big government
Barkers’ infamous “park rangers” have become “lone rangers” — striking out on their own to form a private landscaping business. In so doing, they’ve made a small stand against government growth and scored a victory for free enterprise.
Advisory Council
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – The DVDL: A department that failed ‘its inspection’
If Mr. Dixon needs more resources — people, money or whatever — let him make his case to the sharp-penciled “budgeteers” in central government. What he cannot do is simply ignore the mess in the department he oversees.
LETTER – Liquor board erred in licensing gas stations
Irrespective of the very important issue of what the law says concerning Sunday sales of alcohol, I still maintain that two separate cabinet orders currently exist and that the Liquor Licensing Board was wrong to grant liquor licenses to gas stations in the first place.
EDITORIAL – Immigration consternation
A complete “rethink,” and likely revamp, of the entire immigration apparatus is in order — from management and staffing to policies and processes. “Musical chairs” at the board level is not nearly enough.
Where’s my check?
Today's editorial cartoon
LETTER – Human Rights Commission: Our efforts to help Cuban migrants
Ordinarily I would not trouble to respond to inaccurate stories in the press; however, on this occasion you have unfairly maligned the staff of the Commissions Secretariat and undermined the work of the Commission. The record should be set straight.
EDITORIAL – Liquor Licensing Board: Unfinished business after Mr. DaCosta’s departure
The departure of acting chairman Woody DaCosta from Grand Cayman’s Liquor Licensing Board was inevitable, considering the drama of mismatched minutes and conflicting statements that has been playing out in the public spotlight for the past several weeks.
LETTER – Human Rights Commission: Our efforts to help Cuban migrants
Ordinarily I would not trouble to respond to inaccurate stories in the press; however, on this occasion you have unfairly maligned the staff of the Commissions Secretariat and undermined the work of the Commission. The record should be set straight.
EDITORIAL – Conservation Law: Revisiting an ‘unnatural disaster’
The salient question in our minds is whether lawmakers should overhaul the existing law … or scrap it completely and start over.
Premier is correct: sections 41 and 43 of National Conservation Law are ridiculous
The provisions of sections 41 and 43, in my opinion, do not meet the test, mandated by the Constitution, of a reasonable balance between protecting the environment and development for the benefit of the Islands.
EDITORIAL – New Ombudsman: ‘Smart,’ ‘tough,’ and facing a challenge
Ms. Hermiston can expect to face some resistance from entrenched interests, politicians, regulators and civil servants who may be perfectly content with “business as usual.”
Letter: Think before approving changes to our shoreline
Let us work together — building wisely for the future, as our forefathers built up Cayman — from the Islands Time Forgot to the financial leaders of the world.
Old news
Today's editorial cartoon
Fire services review
Today's editorial cartoon
Public sector growth
Today's editorial cartoon
EDITORIAL – Liquor Board needs to come clean on mismatched minutes
The draft minutes appear to have been either edited or altered to “rewrite” the narrative of what actually took place at the March meeting. The changes are so extensive that we can draw no conclusion other than they were purposeful.
EDITORIAL – Work Permits: Pick your category, pick your price
The absurdities might be comical if they did not engender such serious consequences. Consider the costs to companies to comply with the system, or the costs to taxpayers as government attempts to administer and enforce it.
EDITORIAL-Auditor General: A watchdog that could use more ‘bite’
Auditors do not win popularity contests. And yet, we must confess we are inordinately fond of auditors and, in particular, Auditors General such as Ms. Winspear, who do, if not God’s work, certainly ours, meaning the people of the Cayman Islands.
EDITORIAL – What should Cayman do about Jackson Point?
We don’t know (but rest assured, we are looking into) the magnitude of the disaster that could have occurred if firefighters had not been able to control Sunday’s blaze.
EDITORIAL — Testing our commitment to quality education
Recently released testing results from the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre are troubling enough for us to sound an alarm that should alert –...
EDITORIAL: The power of Cayman and Brexit: Who knew?
There is much about the Cayman Islands we consider “world-class” – our beautiful beaches, peerless hospitality, our many contributions to the global economy …...
NEW: Ministry assignments announced
The new ministerial assignments have been announced.
Gov’t to report budget figures every 3 months
The Cayman Islands government will begin publicly reporting how much money it earns and how much it spends every three months, beginning in January 2018.
EDITORIAL – The ins and outs of government’s cash flow
Several recent news stories have suggested that government is shifting its tactics toward people who owe it money. Good. Not only are the receivables overdue, so is the need for policy change.
EDITORIAL – Cayman education: Divided schools lead to divergent futures
Quality education is the only ticket out of poverty for far too many. It is the passport not only to well-paying jobs but, even more importantly, to a rich, fulfilling life.
EDITORIAL – Civil service: Judges are not HR managers
The threshold for dismissal of an employee is not equivalent to criminal charges, convictions or prison terms; rather, it is an independent standard set by the individual employer that, in general, can be described as “acceptable professional behavior.”
Officials: Cayman Airways provides value for money
Cayman Airways will continue to need significant funding from government as long as it is required to serve unprofitable but strategically valuable routes like New York and Dallas, the airline’s CEO Fabian Whorms said last week.
EDITORIAL – Cayman’s new anti-corruption ‘Dream Team’
On occasion a government announcement hits our inboxes carrying a certainty that, in this case, this group of individuals will have a significant impact on the workings of the public sector.
Gov’t to end ‘paper shuffle’ by 2019
By the time non-Caymanian residents who stay in the islands at least eight years have applied for permanent residence, territorial citizenship and Caymanian status, they will have given a copy of their passport to immigration or to police at least a dozen times, assuming they are successful in each step of the application process.
EDITORIAL – Dressing up our illegal beach vendors
As regular readers of this editorial column are aware, we don’t normally advocate for the nationalization of a private sector industry. But hear us out …
EDITORIAL – Bad vibrations for Cayman’s beach boys
The Cayman Islands government has drawn several lines in the sand on the subject of unlicensed beach vendors. Political tides, it appears, keep washing those lines away.
