With apologies to Dave Martins and his hot jumping song “Pirates Party”

Yes, the whole of the Cayman Islands are waiting for the premier’s public meeting Wednesday (8) at The Mary Miller Hall by the Prospect Playhouse, Red Bay at 7:30pm.

At this meeting Hon. McKeeva Bush will reveal the “robust and credible alternatives” that had been identified and did not impact poorer Caymanians.

Whilst nothing officially has been revealed about these alternatives, speculation has been high in the media what they may be.

Reading behind his very short press release on the subject when he thankfully announced his controversial ‘Community Enhancement Fee” was officially “off the table” it said he [Bush] has (he believes) “the commitment from the private sector supporting revenue measures that will not impact the poorest people and will enable him to remove the tax on earnings of work permit holders”.

This could mean:

increased work-permit fees on the financial sector,

increases on the whole of the financial industry,

property fee for condos in tourism zones.

I feel there are going to be a few more surprises.

I expect there will be an announcement that a new budget proposal has been sent (or about to be announced) to the FCO in London.

When the final budget will be presented …

The whole Island is waiting…….