Statement from North Side MLA Ezzard Miller on developments regarding the proposed Community Enhancement Fee

Monday, 6 August 2012

I have noted with interest the efforts of the business community this past weekend to assist the government with certain recommendations for the budget that would do away with the Premier’s controversial Community Enhancement Fee.

I commend the private sector group for its intervention, which as we understand it, resulted in the Premier’s indication that he would drop the Community Enhancement Fee as a revenue-raising measure.

Like the rest of the community, I await further announcement from the Premier that will provide details about what fees are recommended in lieu of the Community Enhancement Fee and what progress he is making to finalize the country’s 2012/2013 budget.

Despite the efforts of the private sector group over the weekend, we note today that there is still a lack of clarity and no small amount of confusion coming from a subsequent statement from the Premier.

This is disappointing, but hardly surprising.  Sadly, it is in keeping with the frightening level of incompetence that the Premier has discharged his responsibilities as the Minister of Finance.

Given his actions and announcements over the past week that have shaken the financial industry to its very core, damaged Cayman’s international reputation and created further instability and division in the community, Mr. Bush should be asked to step down as Finance Minister. I call upon all right-thinking members of the business community, Caymanians from all cross sections of society and those of us in political leadership to demand of Mr. Bush that he removes himself from the Finance Ministry, to prevent further damage to the Cayman Islands.

For the Minister of Finance to be allowed to make such an unnecessary and reckless departure from our traditional revenue sources to a form of income-determined tax is in my view grossly detrimental to this country and he should be required to re-assign the Finance Ministry.

Equally, the Financial Secretary for allowing such a shift in policy should have to resign, since in the absence of a definitive statement from him that he did not originate or support this income-based fee, I have to assume he agreed with this procedure.

Coupled with the UDP’s incompetence in managing the country’s affairs, we are once again witnessing their continued wasteful spending, even while they have no qualms about putting further financial burden on the people of this country.

The Premier can find the time and money to spend in Jamaica this past weekend, and while I congratulate Jamaica on its 50 years of independence, I find it difficult to accept that our premier had to be there at such a crucial time in our budget preparation.

Similarly, the Minister of Sports can find the time and money to take a big entourage to London to attend the Olympics, while his government has plunged the country into uncertainty and anxiety.

This incompetent UDP government needs to get serious and produce a credible budget, instead of making ill-conceived policy announcements to stir up controversy while they jet around the globe, as distractions from the real issues.