EVEN MORE CONFUSION:

Press statement from group of Business People following Premier’s release at 7:04pm Sat (4)

Following the release to the media Saturday morning of a statement authored by several prominent Caymanian business leaders declaring that the “Community Enhancement Fee” was being withdrawn by Premier McKeeva Bush, several media outlets have suggested that the Enhancement Fee was still on the table and the business leaders may have “jumped the gun.”

The media reports appear to have arisen from an interview with the Premier conducted by a television reporter and included information subsequently repeated by other media outlets.

The business group disagrees that it has jumped the gun and is unable at this time to explain the discrepancy between the news reports and the clear understanding it has with the Premier who approved (in writing) the press release before it was issued.

CONFUSION:

Further to the statement below from a group of business people, we received at 4.59pm Sat (4), a press release from the Office of the Premier:

Following a news release by a group of business people announcing their meeting with Premier McKeeva Bush regarding the proposed Community Enhancement Fee, the Hon. Premier made the following clarification.

“The proposed Community Enhancement Fee will only be withdrawn if alternative revenue measures that do not affect the ordinary Caymanian can be implemented. An announcement in this regard will be made on Monday night (6Aug) at a public meeting at the Mary Miller Hall at 7:30.”

The following statement was released Saturday morning, 4 August 2012 by a group of business people:

We, the undersigned, requested a meeting and subsequently met with the Premier to provide an alternative solution for revenue measures to the proposed “Community Enhancement Fee.” We were advised that if we were able to provide sound, viable alternatives, the Premier and the Government would be prepared to consider these alternatives.

We are pleased to say that after many hours of careful review and input from most sectors of the business community, we were able to propose alternatives that are acceptable to the Premier and the Cayman Islands Government in lieu of the “Community Enhancement Fee.” We support the Premier and his efforts to meet the parameters set for the budget.

We recognize that in order to reach this point, it will require all areas of the economy to participate and contribute to the revenue enhancements, and they should not be borne by any single sector.

Clearly the proposed Community Enhancement Fee has created polarity and division within our community, and this has caused us great concern.

We are a welcoming diverse society that recognizes the contributions of Caymanians and expatriates alike, and we are confident that the new revenue measures will provide a way to share equitably the responsibility of providing revenue to the Government.

The Premier has committed to making a public statement on Monday night at the Mary Miller Hall agreeing to suggestions – proposed by us and others – and removing the Community Enhancement Fee from further consideration. At this time, he will provide details on the new revenue measures that Government is considering.

Our purpose is making this brief statement at this time is to help relieve the anxiety that presently exists within our community.

Respectfully yours,

Woody Foster
Brigitte Kirkconnell-Shaughness
Roy McTaggart
Dan Scott
Al Thompson
Gene Thompson
Wilbur Thompson