Who is being antagonistic?

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August 7, 2012

Dear Sir,

This is a response to Cayman Islands Premier McKeeva Bush’s letter to The Royal Gazette.

Dear Sir,

You chastised Bermuda’s Premier Paula Cox for being “antagonistic” towards you and the Cayman Islands. Whilst I am no fan of the current government and its dealings here in Bermuda, I cannot see how you can call our leader ‘antagonistic’ when your statements seem far more along the lines of insinuating things about the island of Bermuda. In looking at the press of your own jurisdiction it seems you are causing quite a stir with your taxes on expatriates there and you are reported to be under police investigation. Sir, have you ever typed your own name into Google? Mostly all the links that you are taken to have the words scandal or corruption tied to your name. Just to paraphrase Wikipedia:

“In late 2010, the Cayman Islands police opened an investigation to relating to alleged financial irregularities dating from October, 2004, and that investigation is ongoing. The Governor of the Cayman Islands, Duncan Taylor, has declined to appoint a commission of inquiry whilst the police investigation is carried out. In April 2012 the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service confirmed that Bush is the subject of three ongoing investigations, including the investigation revealed in late 2010. Two of the investigations are related to financial irregularities and the other to ‘involvement of the Premier in the periphery of a recent incident where quantities of explosives were imported to the Cayman Islands without the necessary permit’.”

You also have been the subject of review by Miami-based newsletter Offshore Alert as well as by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. In your letter to The Royal Gazette here in Bermuda you said: “Cayman also has its competitors — but I don’t attack their leaders. Hon Paula Cox — the Cayman Premier is busy working. What are you doing for Bermuda? My advice is you should stop attacking me and use your energy to move the good islands of Bermuda forward.”

Whilst one can make claims against Bermuda’s leadership here, you do not see us on the attack against you or your jurisdiction. Again, it is your statements that are the antagonistic ones. Do not try and throw smokescreen up to distract people in your jurisdiction from your faltering. So what is it that you are doing? It seems you are just taking heat off yourself. So before you again decide to further embarrass the people of the wonderful Cayman Islands, please remember this: “Don’t throw stones in glass houses”

We as island nations should try to work together during this time of economic crisis, not bicker like schoolyard children.

ROBERT DAVIES

Devonshire

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