Early election still on cards
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin in LA (Photo by
Dennie Warren Jr)
(CNS): The challenges presented by the government’s wafer thin majority means Cayman voters could still be voting in a general election much sooner than May next year. The PPM administration’s problem was highlighted last week when the speaker called a special meeting of the Legislative Assembly. With two of its members overseas, the government was not able to command a majority — which was the first taste of how things could be for the PPM over the next 11 months until the official Nomination Day for a May 2017 poll.
Premier Alden McLaughlin has not ruled out calling an early election, but when CNS asked him if there had been any discussions with the governor about a November 2016 election, he indicated that a poll in November, when he was already facing challenges in April, was probably not going to help. Neither confirming nor denying that he may be seeking an even earlier date for the general election, McLaughlin said he would do what was best for Cayman.
“I will always do what I think is best for my country and its people. That has always and will always be what guides my decisions,” he told CNS.
Government now has a majority of just one on the floor of the Chamber plus the speaker, who only has a casting vote and can only vote to support the status quo. As a result, McLaughlin could have significant problems passing legislation if he cannot ensure that all nine of his voting government members are present in the LA for important debates and votes.
The special meeting of the LA called last week was requested by the opposition MLAs to debate two motions relating to the police, but without a majority in the House, the premier would not have been in control. The government members boycotted the meeting, leaving it without a quorum and it did not take place, thereby dodging potential political embarrassment. However, McLaughlin is not out of these political woods yet.
With 14 pieces of legislation to steer through the LA when it opens Monday, McLaughlin is going to need the full commitment of his eight party colleagues and Tara Rivers, his one remaining non-party member, throughout the entire sitting. Rivers, as a member of Cabinet, is bound by collective responsibility and would be forced to step down as education and employment minister if she voted against any government position. But failing to be present at the moment of voting could be equally damaging for the premier.
If he makes it through this meeting unscathed, he then faces the prospect of steering through his government’s last budget — and the first to span 18 months — before any general election, early or otherwise, can take place.
If McLaughlin was forced to call an earlier national ballot, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson has already confirmed that it will be under the new voting system of ‘one man, one vote’ in single member constituencies.
Well, let’s do it!
I hope and pray my vote, and campaign efforts, help clear most the PPM Government as well as the recent “Wanna-Be Independent Members”.
I am ready to see the bench cleared. Time for Alden to return to his private sector roots…Suckoo to return to Blue Bison…Tony Eden to retire [it’s time!]…Kurt to retire to his farm…Tara to find “sustainable employment” in the private sector…Wayne Panton to explore to globe with his multi-million $$ retirement funds…Eugene to retire from his political “shadow member” career…etc., etc., etc.
AND to absolutely not accept the former political misfits that campaigned tirelessly for the UDP Party!
WE also need to find “new homes” [outside of government] for the COs of the Ministry of Lands/Planning, COs of the Ministry of Health including Dept. CEOs/Heads, and Execs of CIMA!
LOOKING FORWARD TO A CLEAN SWEEP!!!!!!!
There is no excuse for not passing the final OMOV legislation during the upcoming session. Your choice PPM what will it be: Political suicide or passing the legislation?
I suggest the five independent members and the three members of the opposition give Alden his wish for early elections. Give Alden and his blind followers in the PPM a taste of their own medicine, “do unto them as they did unto you” boycott the next meeting of the Legislative Assembly, and the budget session. No Budget no Government.
Make Alden carry out his vailed threat make him call the early elections he wants.
RID THE COUNTRY OF THIS REGRESSIVE GOVERNMENT.
Let Alden join big mac as not being able to complete four years as leader.
Agreed, call his bluff……. lucky to win his own seat back….and that’s going to be a lot of luck
Mr Premier the Cayman Islands is not ” my country ” it is the country and the people.
I think that if you stop your arrogance you would not need to be calling for a early election .
Joey Hew is probably only PPM MLA to get elected only on basis of party and connections to businesses.
The GT mute Joey Who?
I am PPM. If Anthony Eden or that silly Suckoo fellow put themselves up for election in my constituency under OMOV, I will not be voting for them.Too much 19th century unintellectual bible loving and gay bashing. The world has changed and it is especially sad to see a young dinosaur like Suckoo trying to woo the elderly “Christian” vote.
No problem. I know many people that will vote for them.
Yea go ahead and vote for Wayne and Ossie, the proverbial “tits” on the bull. What are they doing ? Ossie can’t stay on the island long enough to get any work done, and Wayne …. someone needs to file a missing persons report on him. Give me Tony and Alva any day. At least you can find them. I also respect the two of them for standing up for our cultural beliefs and our Christianity. Any self-respecting Caymanian with an ounce of pride for their country will do the same. As for you…?
Your statement “Too much 19th century unintellectual bible loving and gay bashing. The world has changed and it is especially sad to see a young dinosaur like Suckoo trying to woo the elderly “Christian” vote.”
Tells me you are one of those who think that the outside world must be allowed to come in and corrupt our little paradise. God bless both of those men for standing up and I pray they will continue to do the jobs we elected them to do.
Wow. You are incredibly ignorant. “bible loving and gay bashing”. Isn’t that what Christians are SUPPOSED to do? If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything as a great leader once said. Just because America is ruining the world with it’s gay agenda doesn’t make it “progressive”. It’s not 21st century thinking, it’s 400 BC thinking. The Romans promoted homosexuality as acceptable behavior prior to Jesus walking the earth, and even then, people rejected it. Therefore, Anthony Eden and Alva Suckoo choosing to hold fast to the NATURAL order of things should not be scoffed at. It should be honoured, admired and respected.
The Premier is like my 5 year old daughter, when he doesn’t get his way he cries wolf. I previously leaned towards PPM but now I’m neither. I no longer believe that any sitting government should be able to steam roll their agenda through with no possibility of stopping it. Nor should they be ignoring the oppositions requests. They were all elected by us for us, but as it is when one side has the majority it’s actually elected by us but for them. We all know who calls the shots when it comes to election and it sure is h$ll is the Premier!
I meant isn’t the premier.
Election should be today!!
It’s going to be a big deal as to exactly which district you get to run in. Little sections of George Town are going to vote differently than the whole place together. Same for West Bay and Bodden Town. There is bound to be infighting over who gets to run in the safe seats or have to run in the tossup areas, not to mention whether you have to run against a strong opponent or a weak one. The day candidates have to declare which seat they are going to run for will be very interesting. There will be last minute manuvering at the filing desk as people try to figure out who’s running for their desired seat and may change their plans at the last minute. Some people may publicly announce in advance and others not. I’m surprised not to hear of any polling going on since the two parties really need to figure all this out to maximize their success. For independents its easier, just pick the place you are best known and liked, but if support is scattered all over you may be screwed. This going to be a lot more personal than a UK election. Next time may be clearer but this one is going to be full of surprises.
The clear message beneath all the early election signalling is “We will do anything to avoid implementing OMOV”!
If the ppm do not implement OMOV they have zero chance of reelection. It was the most important campaign promise
A promise to a politician is like pie crust.
And the five minute attention span of most voters is why they always get away with broken promises.
Dear God, please not the vindictive corruption alternative to the PPM.
A campaign promise and a dollar still won’t buy you a cup of coffee
The whole concept of Cabinet “collaborative responsibility” is flawed. It ensures that private crony agendas get autocratically ramrodded through using LA majority, discourages open debate and attendance, and ensures that the opposition windbags (we must pay huge salaries and pensions to) have the democratic utility of a row of steaming meat sausages.
Not necessarily. It also ensure compromise. If any cabinet member doesn’t wish to stand by the agenda they always have the fail-safe option (but not necessarily the cajones) to resign as a Minister.
The alternative, cabinet members able to openly disagree and disavow “government” decisions (before, during or after the fact), or otherwise not even pay close attention to what was happening, would be a leadership vacuum filled with chaos, standstill and endless horse trading.
Personally, I’d take collective responsibility.
On the other hand it ensures adherence to a clearly expressed manifesto.
whats the difference?…this do-nothing lame duck administration had dodged every hard decision since elected……
Not true! They decided to do Day light savings! oh… Never mind.
Early polls or not the PPM are out and the next government will be a new coalition. If Kirk Tibbetts does not run Alden cannot carry the coat tail riders like Roy McTaggart Marco Archer and Joey Hew as there is no guarantee he is safe
Roy got elected on his own merits, and Marco will get re-elected on his own merits.
Marco has done a good job I think. Hopefully OMOV will get him back in the postion
wait a minute. wasn’t that dude the 3rd elected member for GT
excuse me GT voter what coattails are you talking about for alden. he continues to get on the coatails of kirk tibbetts. if kirk does not run shut down the ppm not like they getting back in anyway