There is good and bad in most situations, although, sometimes with a bad one, it is hard to find the good. ‘Ugly’ is not a word I like to use hence the dot, dot, dot.

I am referring to the publicity this newspaper did not seek but got in the UK tabloids and on UK television and radio over the weekend (8/9)

Our exclusive interview with Merseyside’s Chief Constable Jon Murphy, when he told us that his trip to the Cayman Islands was “not a jolly,” made front page news with a photograph of our website showing the interview and headline, along with photographs of Jon Murphy and two other of his officers. Unfortunately, the photos showed him, in particular, along with the other officers having a wonderful ‘jolly’ old time on a boat, tanning themselves on the beach, snorkeling and wading with flippers in the sea on Seven Mile Beach. Unknown to anyone, a Daily Mail (UK) reporter was here along with an undercover photographer they had hired, and has given a totally different impression.

The ‘good’ is it gave this newspaper publicity we could never have paid for. Our web hits have gone off the roof. One of our reporters was interviewed at 2:30am (Sat) by Sky News UK (you can get the link to this on our website should you wish to view it). More publicity for us. And what about our Islands? Excellent. It showed our wonderful beach, our superb water, our warm sunshine, our stingrays and how everyone coming here even to work can find time to relax and have fun. Absolute paradise. If I were in the UK and wanting a place to visit in the sun, the Cayman Islands would be the number one choice after viewing all those photographs. A most splendid free advert!

The ‘bad’ is coming so soon after the same UK newspaper had shown the antics of the UK special police investigation team headed up by Martin Bridger during Operation Tempura. Then there is Jon Murphy’s statement to the UK media that the RCIPS paid for the visit in full. When this country is borrowing money to meet our debts and trying to save money with cuts in the public sector and Government projects. With people living here with rising unemployment, rising costs and lowering incomes. His statement is a real slap in the face to us. It does not appear we are going to get value for our dollar. The blogs, BEFORE this event, spoke about ‘another load of UK police coming here for a jolly good time.’

The missing word perhaps could be ‘naïve’ because I am kind. (Yes, I really am!) Our publisher, Joan Wilson, has commented publically that she can find no wrong in these officers taking time off to relax after a long flight from the UK. Our reporter said something similar on Sky News. I have just got back from the UK and my first two days back here felt like I was firing on one cylinder – yes ‘Jet Lag’ is horrible.

I cannot speak for our Commissioner, David Baines, but it was not a surprise to us here at iNews that a Daily Mail reporter was here. That he was not aware one was following him around with a photographer is surprising. Did he not even consider it might happen? It certainly showed some naivety to ‘entertain’ his guests in such a public place on his own boat. Perhaps he doesn’t read the blogs? I dislike them. But I have to confess I read them. For the good the bad and the really UGLY ones!