CPR reaffirms grassroots status
(CNS): Activists behind the campaign for a people’s referendum on the cruise port project have stressed their origins as a grassroots movement, as the premier and deputy premier continue to push the false narrative that the campaign is really a commercially driven opposition to government policy. In reality, CPR is a non-profit organisation formed by ordinary people concerned primarily about the negative environmental and socioeconomic impacts of the project.
The money that CPR has spent, all donated funds, on promoting the referendum and opposing the port is a mere fraction of what the government has spent from the public purse on promoting its policy to press ahead with the project.
Speaking on For the Record on Radio Cayman Monday morning, Premier Alden McLaughlin and Deputy Premier and Tourism Minister Moses Kirkconnell both implied CPR was backed by commercial interests and those opposed to government. While the premier accused CPR of misleading the public about the port, he and his deputy had no reservations about portraying the activists as wealthy lobbyists with hidden agendas.
CPR is supported by dozens of volunteers who share concerns and have committed their time, talent and passion largely to saving the marine environment.
Johann Moxam, one of the leading members of the campaign and one of only a very small number of the volunteers who has made no secret about future ambitions in politics, said the premier often tries to distract the public when the truth makes him and his Unity government look bad.
“This is what we have to come expect: he deflects rather than answers truthfully. This latest diversion to question the amount and source of our funds is yet another example,” Moxam said, as he accused the leader of having no credibility on this issue.
He said the government leaders are overconfident; they believe they are above transparency and have made the mistake of thinking “voters are dumb, greedy or asleep” because they did not expect anyone to question the expenditure on this project, which even the cruise lines have admitted is not essential to keep Cayman on their itineraries.
The governor revealed to CNS yesterday that there are no campaign finance rules for this referendum, so the question of spending has become another major political issue in the ‘David and Goliath’ battle that CPR and government are now engaged in.
“CPR Cayman is reliant on donations from the community to fund our public education efforts in the referendum campaign,” the organisation said in a statement responding to the premier and the tourism minister’s appearance on Radio Cayman. “CPR Cayman is not a ‘commercial campaign’ as alleged by the deputy premier. To date, we have spent less than CI$12,000 on radio, internet and cinema advertising costs, compared to the government, which has spent over $250,000 before the referendum date was even set.
“This significant discrepancy in advertising expenditure highlights the importance of the inclusion of campaign financing provisions in the Referendum Bill, which the Government has regrettably chosen to exclude,” CPR stated.
The government has run more than 4,000 pro-port ads on Radio Cayman pushing the project, which the premier and tourism minister have persistently claimed is widely support by the public and for which they have a mandate because they were elected to office having run on a platform that included building the cruise piers.
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Category: Local News
None of this will matter when the next weather/ocean event removes all of their garbage.
Go check the real facts, Adrien Briggs admits to funding the start up of Save Cayman and CPR to protect his Tender Business. all starting to come together now.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/10/15/port-opposition-details-expenditures/
Good to know. Thanks. If and when CPR chooses to make public the names of their donors I will be taking my generational Caymanian money and spending it with those businesses. Especially during the holidays. I certainly won’t be darkening the doorstep of a certain company’s stores for perfume, Swiss watches or jewellery across from the dock this Christmas!
Good for you Antonio !
Thanks so much for contributing Adrien and for being honest that you did. The Cruise Port supporters gets access to an unending amount of the governments(our) money.. Kirks, Tortuga, Dart and the like who all stand to benefit don’t have to put in one dollar. We the people are paying it for them.
This is such a corrupt and autocratic government..
Amen, Antonio..I second that. The government is spending our money without regard and then complain about one contributor…Would love to see what the Kirkconnells, Dart , Tortuga and the rest of the jewellery stores have done to support the government coffers…me thinks not much…they spend our own money against us..
Fine with me. I’m glad someone did it. If it weren’t Adrian it would have been someone else.
You fools that think this is all about Adrian Briggs are stupid and ridiculous. He’s got plenty of other ventures of income if money for the tenders were the issue.
So let’s just say the tender staff numbers are 30. The balance of CPR supporters are EVERYONE ELSE!!!
LOL You really think that the 5K + that signed that petition are concerned for Adrian Briggs and his tender staff?
Ignoramuses trying to convince other ignoramouses…
Not sure why it’s a revelation that someone who owns a dive shop business is involved in a campaign to protect dive sites. It would almost be bizarre if he wasn’t. I have to say that now knowing just how little funding CPR has and what they have managed so far, I am heading for their donation site.
12:45pm I like this comment. Very well said.
Ah, the Dart CIG mouthpiece you mean?
I suppose Adrien Briggs also paid to have 5000+ registered Caymanian voters sign the petition for the referendum (which occurred before CPR was running any ads btw)
The government and the desperate port supporters are now going to jump on this as some indication of a conspiracy, after spending a quarter of a million dollars of the people’s money they have the audacity to act as if they are the paragons of virtue?
I for one would love for all sides to disclose where they get their money because I am principled and believe in transparency and openness
We should start with the $509,315 the PPM spent in the 2017 General election I for one would love to know what persons or more likely businesses gave them that much money
https://portal.elections.ky/files/downloads/ge2017/Candidate-Election-Expense-Return-Report-Summary-May-2017-General-Election.pdf
Until then Alden has no leg to stand on in terms of criticizing other groups raising money
He essentially wrote the playbook when it comes to taking money from undisclosed sources for political purposes
The only thing “starting to come together” is the fact that the pro port side has nothing to do and nothing but time to do it with
Grass roots you mean Maiden Plum. P.s only a Caymanian or a long term resident will understand this.
Here we can see by this individuals grammar that he/she is both unintelligent and voting yes for the port.
I think there is a correlation…
You sound like Hillary calling the majority of US voters deplorables again
6:35, There you go again. Get over it with Hillary. We get it, Trump won and now he is going to be impeached as the most corrupt President in modern American history.
Hillary didn’t call the majority of US voters deplorables, you FOX News-watching dimwit. The majority of US voters voted for her, which is why she won the popular vote. Hillary called some of Donald Trump’s voters deplorable, and if you’ve spent enough time in the soft centre of the U.S. and witnessed the bigotry and hypocritical hatred of those who aren’t straight, white, Christians – Trump’s so-called base – you’d know she was right.
The majority? Surely you mean 46%.
10:38. CNS isn’t grammar school. Clearly you don’t know what maiden plum is.
My jam is made in plum. Does that count?
Who cares what Aldone or any of his ppm minions think or say here is a little bit of info they now leaning on a certain church for support and installing siblings and ppm cronies and disciples to influence members and church people how sad eh Al trying to prostitute the flock now? boy you and mac are just alike only difference is your last name. Big Up CPR
Cayman Sucka Free? Wow why all the hate?
Thank CPR and Mr. Moxam for setting the record straight. The Premier must be really worried to have to spread such falsehoods.
Johann Moxam needs to distance himself from the microphone/spokesperson role for CPR. He has hijacked the opposition narrative and purports to speak for the 25% plus who oppose. All who support the truthful facts are welcome to weigh-in, but don’t try to pretend that you are leading the reality intelligence committee. At this time, we all need to unify against misinformation without any political aspirational contamination. There is enough of that already. Thanks.
Mr. Moxam doesn’t hide behind anonymity and is consistent in delivering a clear message providing facts and information along with others in the cpr. I don’t know if he will run but Cayman needs people with a track record and proven commodity like in public office. He is doing more to show the people the truth than many current elected.
I agree!
I am do not have commercial interests in the project, I am not a “campaigner” or a “complainer.” But I am still dead against the cruise ship piers and now, after all these politricks, I am dead against the PPM and the Unity government. Since I am not for McKeeva either can some people with integrity PLEASE run for office in the next election! I might even come off the sideline and work for your campaign!
Start a petition to enact SIPL and most of recurring trough-feeders will quietly excuse themselves. It would become a self-cleaning oven with criminal implications across the civil service, boards and committees. Anyone can start this, nobody has. Whoever initiates that petition should have their bust cast in Hero’s Square.
You have the basis of a Green Party. ORGANISE.
Save the Cayman Islands environment. If you don’t no one else will.
Some talented people in this group of people.
Please do. Couldn’t be any worse. We need a clean sweep.
This government is not listening to the public who elected them or interested in protecting our irreplaceable environment.