Well, I have got my just desserts. In my Editorial of Nov. 11th titled “Deaf Ears”, I complained no one was listening. I said, “Our paid politicians ignore the editorials. They don’t care what we say. Only one time did our premier write to me concerning something I had written and we gave his comments prominent place. I applaud the fact he did it.”

My editorial of Nov. 8th titled “Tell Me the Old, Old Story” did not fall on deaf ears. It certainly upset our premier, Hon McKeeva Bush as he attacked iNews Cayman and me in particular in the L.A on Thursday (17) when he hit out at critics regarding the limited period of time given for the public to consult over the UK’s proposed 2012 White Paper on the relationship between Britain and the Overseas Territories.

The paragraph Mr. Bush took exception to was this: “A case in point is the review of Britain’s relationship with the overseas territories and how our premier has handled it. Hon. McKeeva Bush knew about the required public consultation in March and did not announce it until October. Why? There has to be a reason. The membership committee’s formation was executed BEHIND CLOSED DOORS! The matter was not even brought to the Legislative Assembly (LA) for debate. Now there is a mad rush to conduct the meetings and as Opposition leader, Alden McLaughlin, has said, “People do not have the opportunity to understand the issues that matter, never mind go on to make a constructive contribution. People are being deprived of a proper opportunity to make representations.”’

Mr. Bush opened his attack by saying “Mr. Colin Wilson also jumped on the misinformation bandwagon with an editorial in the November 8th edition of the I-News, in which he accused me of not telling the country about the public consultation until the eleventh hour.” He then quoted the whole of the preceding paragraph concluding with, “I table a copy of that editorial. Madam Speaker, if people are being deprived of the opportunity to make representations that is not of my doing. Let me make it perfectly clear Madam Speaker, the public consultation process on the UK’s relationship with the Overseas Territories is not an undertaking by me or the Cayman Islands Government. This review and consultation is at the behest of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The Cayman Islands Government through the Cabinet Office facilitated that survey of local views, but it is the FCO that initiated review of the White Paper, and the consultation has been placed within the time-frame set by them. It is the FCO that decided when to announce the public consultation, it is the FCO that drew up the questions to be asked, it is the FCO that is driving the entire consultation process. I could not announce or begin the consultation process without the Terms of Reference, which the FCO has determined.”

Mr. Bush supported his point by quoting from a news release sent by the Governor’s office dated 28th Sept., a letter from Minister Bellingham dated 9th March (Mr. Bush said, “This letter does not make any mention of a public consultation. The letter detailed the three strands of the OT strategy and it says the Foreign Secretary plans to present the thinking outlined in the letter to the National Security Council ‘this spring’), various statements he made in the L.A., a quote from Rt. Hon William Hague (UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs [FCO]) and another letter from Minister Bellingham dated 16th Sept. which was the first time he was asked to obtain responses from a consultation process that includes as many people of the Cayman Islands as possible by November 18th.”

Mr. Bush was not finished with me there, saying: “As for Colin Wilson’s editorial, Mr. Wilson should know that good journalists research their story to get the facts, and, they have an obligation to get both sides of the story – something he obviously needs to practice. I consider myself a student of history and I believe that there is good reason why news reports should be as accurate as possible. That editorial is likely to end up in an archive somewhere, and sometime in the future someone will read an editorial that distorts what actually happened.

“In his editorial Mr. Wilson referred to the UDP Government as “the most secretive of any administration I have known in the thirty years I have lived here.” Madam Speaker, I’ve been around politics since I was 17, that is longer than 30 years, and I know much more about the modus operandi of governments over the years than he ever will. This Government is the most secretive administration in 30 years? That is a gross misrepresentation to say the least.”

Finally, Mr. Bush mentions our ‘ACE’ reporter, Tad Stoner during another blast: “How can Mr. Wilson call this Government the most secretive administration when his ace reporter Tad Stoner often talks to me personally and is able to quote me directly? We may not always give Mr. Wilson the information he wants by his deadline but we do make information available to the public. All I ask is if someone is going to criticise the Government, then at least get the facts straight.”

First of all let me thank Mr. Bush for responding, although I did not expect my comments would be tabled in the L.A. It certainly prompted the most calls I have ever received from the public, most being strangers. The editorial he is so upset at was not aimed at Mr. Bush personally. It was aimed at all the sitting members of the L.A. who in their election speeches promised transparency and open government. In every political election rally I have attended with my wife, Joan (Watler) Wilson (the publisher of iNews  Cayman), every candidate has shouted this. I referred especially to George Town MLA, Ellio Solomon, who was oft outspoken on Rooster’s “Crosstalk” against the previous PPM Government for being “secretive.” He correctly said, “people have a right to know.”

If, and I am not doubting Mr. Bush, he is correct and he did not know until 14th September, why has he waited until now to correct the statements made in the L.A. by MLAs Mr. Ezzard Miller and Hon. Alden McLaughlin that suggested otherwise and we reported. Why didn’t Mr. Bush make known his disappointment at the timetable the FCO had set and his government was “still fighting to push back the date for agreement on the paper to June next year as the UK aims to bring it forward”? I would have applauded him. We report what we are told by MLAs. Aren’t they all supposed to be informed?

Good journalists certainly do research their stories to get the facts. We pride ourselves we do this. If no one returns our phone calls or refuses to answer our questions we can only report what we have. That is the problem with people being secretive. This newspaper has ALWAYS published both sides and will continue to do so. I am grieved the Premier hinted we don’t do this and I take great exception to his statement “someone will read an editorial that distorts what actually happened.”

Mr. Bush has known me a long time and should know better – I have never ever distorted facts!! I am not perfect by any means and I have made many mistakes. When I am wrong I say so. I am not afraid to do that. I never have been. When this newspaper has erred we say so. During the seventeen years I was in charge at CITN-Cayman 27, has Mr. Bush ever known me not to say I am sorry if the TV station was wrong? Did I ever distort any news story we aired? In fact I stopped many a story going out that I was “not happy at its contents.” As for checking facts I am puzzled at Mr. Bush’s very first mention of our newspaper in his L.A. speech: “The I-News of November 3, 2010 reported that the Member for North Side at a public meeting on November 2 said, quote: “I am disappointed with the secrecy that has surrounded this effort, and that fault lies with only one person: the Premier. He has known since November 10. Why has he not conducted this publicly?” Unquote. I lay a copy of that news article on the table of the House.”

Perhaps Mr. Bush would like to recheck his dates. The dates stated do not add up. For a start iNews Cayman (I expect he is referring to our Cayman iNews as there are others publications with the same name) did not start publishing until May 2nd 2011. Even if the year is wrong and he meant 2011 how could we report something on Nov. 3rd that wasn’t said until Nov 10? I wish we had that capability. As Mr. Bush said news reports should be as accurate as possible . Shouldn’t the same be said to statements made in the L.A.?

Thank you Mr. Bush for setting the record straight. I do not have your years of political experience here or your insight. I place on record you do return our Ace reporter’s calls in a timely manner that we cannot say for all politicians or their representatives. I think you will agree we do not distort nor misrepresent your statements. I hope this relationship continues.