I wrote editorials only recently on statesmanship, working together, and being too big to fail. Just a few days after these editorials appeared in iNews Cayman we have examples of exactly what I was saying.

First we have Premier McKeeva Bush showing us his idea of statesmanship by announcing he has written to the Anti-corruption Commission about MLA Arden Mclean. Mr. Bush has accused Mr. McLean of not paying his power bill for over a year during the time he was a cabinet minister with the then PPM government and was negotiating a licensing agreement with CUC. Our premier said McLean had admitted on radio recently that he did not pay the bill and if this was true, it meant he had used his office for personal gain.

I can only liken it to little children when one says to another, “You didn’t let me play with your ball and I’m not letting you play with mine.”

To make matters worse, Mr. Bush said he would be asking for anti-corruption enquiries into the opposition leader, Alden McLaughlin, and another PPM member. He did not elaborate on the details.

This is in retaliation to the PPM’s claim of the premier’s corruption and the ongoing police investigation into financial irregularities over his dealings with developer Stan Thomas.

Of course Mr. McLean swiftly came back telling Cayman News Service the country was in trouble if this was the best the premier could do to “deflect from his own criminal investigation.”

PPM leader, Alden McLaughlin has warned that legal action against the owners of the Ritz Carlton Grand Cayman, could pose a threat to the Cayman Islands reputation and tourism industry. Only yesterday (9) iNews reported from an interview we had with the developer of the Ritz-Carlton, Michael Ryan, saying “it was business as usual.” Mr. McLaughlin said that if the Ritz Carlton was to close it would be detrimental to business and Cayman’s standing.

While the PPM leader said the outstanding $6 million duty was also of significant concern to government, it was very unlikely the public purse would now recoup that debt, but the hotel closure could be even worse. He also confirmed my fears that Mr. Ryan’s debt to Government is unsecured. The premier has admitted that Mr. Ryan, who is also the owner of a number of other companies linked to the hotel, had ceased making payments on a debt to the public purse of some $10 million, despite there being more than $6 million still owing! This despite Mr. Bush saying in 2010 there was little risk that the money would not be returned when he told the Legislative Assembly that Ryan was seeking a new payment plan.

Don’t we all wish we could be that big we must not fail?

As for all of us trying to work together to get this country out of its present mess that is just a pipe dream. The country is divided and there is a complete lack of good leadership. The main question is who can throw the most muck, how strong does it smell and how long will it stick?

However, help is on the way. As iNews reported the other day the Bush Army is to be created. Mr. Bush says he wants to create a Cayman Islands army although he terms it a ‘disaster defence force’. He said it was a long standing goal of his to create Cayman’s own special cadre of personnel that would work alongside the RCIPS in special circumstances, such as in the wake of a hurricane or other emergency situations, to protect the public.

Hmm. And who will be in sole command of the army (sorry, I mean disaster defence force)? It is usually a premier and he is the Commander in Chief. In most African and Caribbean countries this commander will wear an army uniform weighed down with huge medals, a peaked hat with a huge badge and gold bands, and a long symbolic baton carried under the right arm.

And this commander will strut around looking so proud. He will inspect his troops (sorry, his defence force) on parade who will be carrying loaded rifles whilst the police, under a different commander, will have pepper spray, handcuffs and maybe (if funds are available) tasers. This army, of course, is only there to work alongside the police.

Our premier said this would happen when government finances improved to “help build our nation.”

So we have this to look forward to when we get back on our feet. Don’t we already have a Cayman Islands Cadet Corps? The last time I saw this mainly youth organisation in training it looked just like an army. If you go onto their website: www.cicadetcorps.ky you will meet the Cadet Corps officers and cadets wearing army style uniforms and commanding officers with titles of ‘Major’ and ‘Lt. Colonel’.  There are links to other cadet corps and associations around the Caribbean and one actually with the title of ‘Army’.

Mr. Bush took me to task in one of my editorials saying that whatever I print also goes on a website to be read by the whole world and can damge this country. He is right. Is he also saying we in the media shouldn’t report the things he is saying because it might have the same effect?