According to an article by Cayman Compass writer Brent Fuller published Monday June 8th under the heading “Premier calls anti-corruption editorial ‘treasonous’”, Compass co-publishers David and Vicki Legge “were placed under 24-hour protective guard by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and flew to a location in the United States on Saturday”. We understand the Legges flew off on a private Learjet but that has not been confirmed.

The article does not state the reasons for the protective guard nor why they left the island although the inference is they were scared.

This was after Premier Alden McLaughlin’s speech in the Legislative Assembly (to the Financial Committee) last Friday (5) where he slammed the Compass’ Editorial of June 3rd. (See iNews Cayman story published Fri June 5 “Cayman Islands premier slams ‘Compass” Editorial” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/cayman-islands-premier-slams-compass-editorial/

The Editorial that caused the Premier’s ire and virtually members of the whole House was entitled “Corruption: An Insidious Creeping Crime”. It was largely about ‘the ongoing FIFA corruption and bribery scandal and took a stance against various reports of corrupt acts in the country, including those that have been alleged in U.S. federal court indictments against former FIFA vice president and Cayman Islands resident Jeffrey Webb’.

“It is a credit to the tolerance, civility and propriety of the people of the Cayman Islands that the publisher feels that he can with impunity continue to systematically undermine the foundation of harmony which undergirds this country,” McLaughlin said. “But on Wednesday the Cayman Compass stepped over the line, way over the line. In an editorial that is as disingenuous as it is self-righteous and hypocritical, the Compass declared that corruption is too common in Cayman and went on to sweepingly accuse the entire Cayman Islands of being culturally steeped in corruption.”

“…for Mr Legge and his editorial board to insinuate that the very core of Cayman is based on corruption, and that corruption is interwoven into our culture, is an allegation that as Premier I will not allow to go unchallenged,” McLaughin continued. “I would never be one to say that things in our islands are perfect; we have our issues like everywhere else. Nowhere is perfect and without its problems. But let’s examine what Mr Legge and his editorial board said on Wednesday when he deliberately painted the entire Cayman Islands, and everyone living here, as being a place and a people that are entirely corrupt.

“The editorial stated “…perhaps, when it comes to identifying corruption, people in Cayman truly don’t know it when they see it — because they have been culturally steeped in it.” Note – he says ‘they have been culturally steeped in it”. I guess that is intended to convey that those at the Compass are immune to the corruption virus.

“The editorial further infers that with virtually every single everyday transaction, and some less commonplace ones – from vehicle inspections, to work permit approvals, exemption from development regulations, voting, to millions of dollars in bribes for sporting events – that “lurking behind the scenes are shadows of impropriety, influence, and inscrutability”. I note however, that the Compass is happy to accept advertising dollars from all the supposedly corrupt entities or persons who inhabit these Islands and presumably the salaries paid to Compass employees are also derived from inscrutable and possible corrupt sources.”

Four times after that the premier used the words “Surely the Compass [or editor]”

Then he produced this classic missive:

“Mr Legge must know that his editorial board’s reckless abandonment of the truth can set us back and make our job and the job of every financial services provider and investor in these Islands even harder.

“But the sad fact is that he does know what the reality is – he knows. And so because he knows, the Compass editorial is not only reckless, it must be interpreted as a TREASONOUS ATTACK on the Cayman Islands and on all the people of Cayman. It is a direct attack on everyone who lives here, who works here, who invests here, who has a business here, who serves on public boards, who works in the public sector, who works in financial services, who works in tourism. And it is a full frontal assault on the many businesses which pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to the Cayman Compass every year in advertising fees.”

It finished with the words of Merle Haggard – “When you’re running down my country, man, you’re walking on the fighting side of me.
“They love our milk and honey but they preach about another way of living
“If you don’t love it, leave it, let these words that I’m saying be a warning
When you’re running down my country, man, you’re walking on the fighting side of me”.

Brent Fuller’s article quotes from David Legge’s reply to the premier: “He pays homage to the principle of “free speech” and then adds a “but …,” Mr. Legge said. “Mr. McLaughlin should know, but apparently does not, that when it comes to free speech, there is no ‘but ….’

“It is true that ‘free speech’ and a ‘free press’ are governed by certain statutes, most notably defamation. We expect Mr. McLaughlin will become much more familiar with those statutes in coming days.”

After McLaughlin’s speech MLA’s and committee members pounded the tables and shouted out in indignation but approval at his speech.

East End MLA Alden McLaughlin called for a motion moving “no monies be spent out of the people’s money with the [Cayman] Compass for any advertisement from government.”

The motion was carried.

We have not been able to determine whether the Cayman Compass publishers had received threats on their lives.

The whole of Brent Fuller’s article can be found at: http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2015/06/08/Premier-calls-anti-corruption-editorial–treasonous-/

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