Election signs damage brings wide condemnation

| 05/05/2017
Cayman News Service

Vandals damage Tara Rivers’ campaign sign

(CNS Election) UPDATED: As the election campaign heats up and the candidates sling mud at opponents as well as trying to press home a mixed and confusing bag of policies, it’s hard to find much agreement on anything, even in some case among the rank and file of party supporters. But one thing that seems to unite the candidates and the electorate is the condemnation of the vandalism of signs. Several candidates on all sides have now seen their signs damaged and voters are taking to social media to call out the vandals.

Tara Rivers is the latest candidate to have one of her signs on the road into West Bay defaced, but she is not the first and is unlikely to be the last. The criminal damage of signs during elections is not uncommon and has happened in every election over the last two decades. While it is sometimes the work of opponents, disgruntled voters or even drunken fools, people commenting on social media have pointed out that whatever the cause, voters should use the ballot box to express their displeasure and not vandalism.

Rivers told CNS Elections that was clearly making an impact in these elections. “It’s very unfortunate that some people feel it necessary to resort to such behaviour,” she said. “If anything, I am even more determined and committed to win my seat in order to continue to work to turn the country around in a positive way.”

Rivers has reported the damage and CNS has contacted the police over this incident for comment and to find out if any investigations into the vandalism are underway or if any arrests have been made. It is understood that earlier reports of damage to CDP signs were also reported to the police.

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Category: Campaigns

Comments (15)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    The most offensive thing is the wording on the poster in the picture, which is obviously untrue.

  2. Anonymous says:

    UDP…..CDP…..whatever you call yourselves, you are a disgrace to the district of West Bay. More murders occurred in this district between 09 and 13 than the entire country. And this was when we had a so called Premier who was first elected member from West Bay. But where was he, flying around the world racking up frequent flyer mileage, gambling, and pillaging to counties money. Can the voters not wake up and vote all his cohorts out and leave him to go George Town alone on the 31st May.

    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t like it? The voters should have petitioned to change the constitution 6 months ago. If there was hustle, you could do it now – postpone the election two months and allow real candidates to run. What are you waiting for? Who is going to do it for you?

  3. Sharkey says:

    To those who thinks by seeing the Candidate face on the billboard that reminds them to vote for that person, that’s wrong. Make time to go and listen to what that Candidate has to say about how he or she would work to take you and the country forward. Listen and watch for HONESTY AND SINCERITY in their speech. But listen very carefully because Politicians always promise and never fulfill their promises . Vandalizing anything is wrong, and don’t harm or stops a Candidate from winning.

  4. Renita Ebanks says:

    This is the people speaking up in a different way! Best open your ears and your eyes. Cayman people fed up!

  5. Anonymous says:

    Shame on whoever did this.

    I can tell you West Bayers are not voting fool fool anymore. Velma was the start and now Bernie and Capt will be voted out too. Mac is also in trouble with the Lion.

    We going to eat and drink them out then vote UDP out. You won’t embarrass us again. Mac under your leadership we have become the murder capital of Cayman. Shame on you.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you think Mac should be given a government credit card again. You are a CDP fool fool

      If you refuse to accept that under Mac leadership West Bay has become the murder capital of the Cayman Islands. You are a CDP fool fool.

      If you don’t belive that this year’s CDP candidates are the worse in the CDP’S history you are a CDP fool fool.

      If your dad takes you to school because you are both in the same grade. You are a CDP fool fool.

      If you are not frighten to death of Bernie Bush being your education Minister and John Jefferson being your Minister of Finance. You are a CDP fool fool.

      If you are not scared of the very thought of Denniston Tibbetts being elected to office you are a CDP fool fool.

      If you have even considered that tommow will be better under the CDP ..You are a CDP fool fool.

      If you believe that we should gamble with our future and vote for the CDP and their oil refinery, Chinese dock, kill the dump contract, entourage overseas trips, and credit card fiasco… you are a CDP fool fool.

      If you didn’t know that Dr Frank Ellio Gilbert Cline Rollie Mark John John Kurt Edna Alden who were all part of a Mac government but then turned and ran against him ..you are a CDP fool fool.

      Oh and if on the 24th you are too drunk to vote. You are a CDP fool fool.

      • Anonymous says:

        10:39. Very powerful. West Bayas wake up.

      • Telekinezis says:

        And on the 24th if you dont go vote and a govt isnforced on you by the UK what you say…

        Let me guess oh ifnya dont wote tou dont got no say….lmao said all the people who voted and got reamed this past 4 years…

        Disembrace this govt come feed me lifestlye and feed youtself you starving sheep.

  6. Anon says:

    I don’t think the campaign signs are ego-based. The purpose is to stay at the forefront of your constituents’ minds. The signs are effective in that regard as people drive by them everyday.

    For some voters, it’s the only how they know or notice who is running, sad but true. Take me for example, I don’t watch television, listen to radio, or have social media – so those advertising channels never reach me. The campaign signs on the other hand help me a lot by keeping the candidates on my mind. That and the mini-van with the megaphone driving on every road announcing when the public meetings are so that I can go.

    The signs are working so let them stay.

    • Anonymous says:

      What special magic does that sign convey? What are her ambitions for re-election? Her website doesn’t say anything about what she plans to do, why she is running again, or why anyone should vote for her. It obsesses about her frankly underwhelming past achievements. No expressed plan at all, accept, presumably to keep collecting a paycheck and perks. When does her campaign start? Not that any of the other candidates are any better…

  7. Anonymous says:

    See, here’s how I know I couldn’t be a politician. I would have laughed it off, I’d have posted it on my social media and said “those eyebrows don’t suit me”, or “me before I wax my moustache”. I get it, we have to be serious and yes vandalism is bad. I’m just saying they all seem so uptight, have a laugh.

  8. Anonymous says:

    I don’t think the presence or absence of these traditional expensive ego-based campaign signs makes any difference whatsoever. This is money that could have been used on modern and more practical campaign media. Results or non-results speak for themselves. I would argue that if anything, the defacing of the sign will give it more impressions than it would have had previously garnered, and that is probably good for Tara.

    • My heart is pure and my hands are clean says:

      For real! I’m more inclined to vote for the candidate with the more modest campaign ads. I definitely wont be voting for the ones who have flyers littered all over the place. I’ve found them jammed in my front door, under my windshield wiper blades. All that crap does is annoy me!