Harris attacks environment activists
(CNS): Former radio talk show host, Austin Harris, who had once railed against plans for a cruise port and campaigned against the project during the 2017 election, was the most scathing of all government MLAs who debated in the LA Tuesday about those opposing the port for environmental reasons. Even the premier, who has been dismissive of the Cruise Port Referendum group and the wider campaign, has been more reticent about criticising those who genuinely oppose the project for environmental reasons.
But Harris had no such reservations, as a he launched a surprisingly nasty attack on the environmental side of the campaign against the project, which involved a number of local activist groups, such as Plastic Free Cayman and the young people spearheading the Protect Our Future campaign.
During the debate on the Referendum Bill, Harris lashed out at some of the members of CPR who have been at the forefront of the petition that triggered the people’s vote on the port project and the opposition campaign.
Harris called Johann Moxam and Mario Rankin “muppets”, but also derided the rest of the CPR group as gullible for partnering with these “two rotten apples to spoil the bunch”. He claimed that he made the two men famous on the show he once hosted on Rooster, when “Crosstalk was still good”. He suggested that without him, no one would know their names.
Harris was fired by Rooster after he pleaded guilty to a domestic violence charge. But the magistrate believed his display of contrition and remorse, and did not imposed any sanction for the assault on his former girlfriend. Because no conviction was recorded against him, Harris was able to press on with his political ambitions from a new post as the host on Star FM, a radio station ironically owned by Moxam’s father, where he continued to oppose the port project.
During the debate he tried to explain the u-turn on his campaign commitment to oppose the project by suggesting it was very different now to the one on the table at the time of the election. But during his address he spent much more time attacking all of those involved in the CPR campaign that have concerns about the environment than he did explaining his own political expediency.
Although government and the Verdant Isle group, the preferred bidders on the project, have conceded that there will be a price to pay regarding the reefs, wrecks and wider marine habitat for the project, Harris suggested that the environmental concerns where made up. In the face of admissions about significant destruction and that even a successful coral relocation project would not mitigate the situation completely, Harris went on a rant, accusing the environmental activists of subterfuge.
Harris said their concerns were nothing more than a “red herring”, which he alleged they were using to scare people off the cruise project. Accusing the environmentalists of deception, he said “this so-called silt”, which will be stirred up during construction, was “a bluff, a deception, a ruse, CPR subterfuge intended to scare Caymanians that there was a threat”.
Harris, who has no science degrees, spoke as though he was an authority on marine habitat and coral relocation, even though the facts contradict his claims. Scientists involved in the project have accepted that they will need to manage the sediment and silt during construction and may even have to halt work at times when it reaches high levels.
Screens have a limited ability to prevent the plumes from damaging coral outside the dredging pit. As a result, if the project goes ahead, representatives from Orion, the marine engineering partners in the consortium, have said they are aware that they will need to monitor silt and sediment levels closely during construction.
These facts are accepted by both sides. Regardless of Harris’ claims that it is all made up, in reality the only debate on this issue is the extent of the damage and the ability of the Verdant Isle group to mitigate it.
Nevertheless, Harris ranted at the people who are genuinely concerned about the very real risks to the marine habitat, even though most of his colleagues have been more careful to acknowledge them as genuine in their cause. The environmental activists, many of whom are young Caymanians trying to raise awareness about their future, have been considered somewhat separate from campaigners whom the government believes are politically motivated.
However, in his zeal to follow the government line, detract from his own issues surrounding his u-turn, as well as the 29% of his constituents that openly signed and verified the petition, Harris created adversaries that he could regret down the line.
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Category: Politics
What has Austin Harris accomplished as an MLA?
Sweet FA
Speed bumps in Prospect?
One term politician. Enjoy it while it lasts.
would he get life time perks?
Seems like if you want to be an expert overnight with no prior experience or qualifications, then all you have to do is get elected.
Not only do the above occur, but they have the mindset that they are now our lords and masters and will not listen to the very electorate who appointed them in the first place.
Funny how a little extra money for being Councillor and likely a promise from the PPM not to run a candidate against him in 2021 can make a man abandon all his previously held positions
Austin has gone from attacking a nebulous and secretive government to the cheerleader for obfuscation
The man has got to go
I feel sorry for the people of Prospect who elected him to stand up to the PPM only to have him backpedal at the first chance
Vote No
Ever heard the expression ‘men with the right stuff’? Yeh….well he don’t have it
Is there a vote of no confidence button? This guy needs to step down.
Whilst this issue may be complex, it would help if we could get these elected blimps like Austin in the water scuba diving so they might finally appreciate the treasure they are so eager to squander. And whilst I have more to say I’ll leave it at that.
#lame
Whilst I don’t like using Austin’s favourite word, whilst, I think if we can get him scuba diving with enough weights to keep him down – which is no easy task with his amount of blubber – it would be beneficial for the country.
The law of Archimedes makes that impossible for most of them.
But still a good idea.
What an idiot.
The eligibility to run as a representative in the Cayman Islands need to be revised…we might say what we want about the USA and the UK…but no one enters their political arena with such criminal records as we allow here….drug dealers, prison sentences, physically abusing women, pedophiles, WTF…c’mon DG and Mr. Roper…what the Government should really conduct is a referendum for a “National Vote”….may the best 18 or 19 win….the islands are only 102 square miles…maybe I would love to cast my vote for Mr. Panton and Mr. Archer in the next election to work along with my representative…a North Sider….Let us support a “National Vote”
Exactly! Minimum knowledge requirement as well, so an asphalt paver operator won’t end up being Minister of Education. By the way, was it legal to operate a paver without a license?
I think a modicum of education should be necessary. I realize fish cannot ride a bicycle; however, a high school education minimum should be necessary.
sounds like Austin went to the job fair and was promised a position as ‘cruise director’ for this little intercourse
Upvoted for use of the classical meaning of “intercourse”
Why do so many of our leaders suddenly losing control of their impulses?
Why can’t they be solemn and respectful?
It’s difficult to picture a new era of greater civility, decorum, and courtesy for others
if Premier and MLAs can’t demonstrate respect for anything beyond their personal passions.
Alpha male syndrome.
Blowhard syndrome
True alpha males don’t lose control and don’t resort to hysterics.
Good old alpha male syndrome, where those who know deep down that they are betas, try their best to act as they imagine an alpha would
Did you all know that Nov.1 that the Turtle center will no longer allow people to hold a turtle? A famous singer joined an English Environmental group, and they are using every available falsehood to shut down the Turtle Center. That means no turtle meat without poaching. This group was able to cancel a contract for renewal to do tours from Disney Cruise lines.
They then turn their accusations to the Carnival Cruise lines. Every Tour company in the Cayman Islands then had to re-qualify to be able to do a tour in the Turtle Center. What is wrong with holding a turtle? They say you could drop it and kill it. The Turtle Center hired Security guards and life Guards to make sure that the guests hold the turtle over water in the tanks. Nope, not good enough. Do these people think that everyone intentionally wants to kill a turtle? Sad, when do they put on their masks and march around with sticks.
I have put videos from youtube showing just 2 years ago that a 330 ft. The cargo ship ran aground over Eden Rock and destroyed large acreages of coral, but no-no comment, no agreement on seeing with their eyes that it was true. Instead, show only the area that wasn’t hit. No comment, no debate? Why?
I put another video from youtube with Tim Austin, who says that the George Town reefs are dying. That anyone who has dived years ago can see it for themselves. I agree I’m a Caymanian Dive Instructor. In the last couple of months, the video was taken off. Another website said it was no longer available for your country? Sad, the truth is the truth our 2 heroes have no reason to be concerned about the dock or George Town. They don’t own a dive company or a tender boat. So why all the concern? Why not push for a trade school that teaches say, how to drive an 18 wheeler? Or maybe how to design a store? Something is not right. Maybe at night they wear masks and drive around fighting crime?
How about hordes of aliens visiting planet Earth and choosing you for handling? How long are you going to last? How about your child? Thousands hands lifting him thousands times from his crib? Oh, turtles are not human you say, they don’t suffer, they have no emotions?
I don’t think I should be ashamed to show my name in this, so please know that I am proud to say I am Michelle Lockwood. For all of those that want to discredit that, I am Caymanian and by generations of Caymanians on my mother’s side.
To Mr. Harris, respectfully, I am an independent woman that has my own thoughts, ideas and concerns about this pier issue. I did not follow anyone. I made my own decision. The choice for our group to come together was that we saw that there are wider implications with the pier beyond the environment. I always get pegged as an environmentalist, but really I am just a concerned citizen that sees many problems with the current plan including infrastructure, economic and yes environmental. I love the reefs, but honestly I am Caymanian first and I see the need to protect this country and what makes us great. The spirit of our people.
I am not a rascal, puppet nor a muppet. I made my own decision and I speak my own words.
Never again should you underestimate me, any of the others in this movement or the 25% of the electorate that signed the petition. This is the movement of the people of the Cayman Islands.
Please run against Austin in Prospect, Michelle!
Michelle, knowing who you are and your pedigree you are well entitled to defend yourself. Being an environmentalist is something to be proud of but I know you will never shower accolades on yourselves. Just rest assured that many of us know that you are genuinely concerned about all things Cayman as well as being well able educationally to debate this subject. The Premier and his minions would have saved themselves many sleepless nights if they had included the CPR group in their discussions. You and the entire CPR group did us proud. All I have to say to Austin is to ask him to remind us again what he had contributed to the well being of the Cayman Islands..
Michelle, he is an oversized bully who spits on people when he talk.
Michelle, this is a man that has no respect for and beats women.. Please don’t let him get under your skin. He is nothing more than an overweight bully..
God bless. You have far more sand than I do; as you see, I hide behind a nom de plume.
I am often troubled, because to agree with one side is to be pegged a “Kirkbot” or “Dartbot”. To agree with the other is to be labeled a muppet or rascal. I am much more comfortable wearing the ‘rascal’ label. In truth, most (but certainly not all) of us commenting here are real people with real concerns. We all want what is best for the majority of Cayman — or we should. I dislike the labels.
I also have great concerns about the cruise piers. I might even have been swayed, had the Referendum question not been so slanted, and had the vote not been engineered to exclude so many Caymanians. So many people that registered to vote for the first time, simply because this question is so very important. We MUST get this right.
Thank you for standing tall. *fistbump*
Michelle well done. I am really pleased you stood up with your name. You come from a great family that has done much for the island and one that I am proud to know.
If he was a real man he would publicly apologize to you..He gets to hide behind parliamentary privilege but what he doesn’t understand that in this day of social media everyone sees what he does and say..
He has really shown his true colors..Wife beaters and people that hold a lot of built up anger can be dangerous and he needs to seek professional help before he does something stupid again.
Thank you Michelle. Austin is not worthy of your attention or response. I mean, just look at him.
Michelle,
Thank you for your involvement.
You are late to the party.
I know you have been at this since last year but your reticence in not getting your name out there is one of the biggest problems in this entire debacle.
As a Caymanian, you should be screaming at the top of your lungs.
People who run scared and bandwagon in the last minutes aren’t helping a situation. This is one occasion when better late than never does not apply.
People like your esteemed Premier and MLAs rely on people like YOU. You allow them to get away with the things they say and do when you shrink back.
Just something to consider.
Thanks again.
How rude! How completely egotistical to think that we all know Johann and Mario because of his radio show! Well here’s some news for you big man;
1. I have never once listened to your radio show, but I know of Johann and Mario because of the work there do.
2. I’m an educated adult and I don’t have to follow the crowd; I have the ability to research and make up my own mind about matters and events.
The only “muppet” in this scenario is you.
Sorry Bobo, Mario and Johann are not muppets else I would be hunting them and it isn’t open season on them. YOU on the other hand…
Muppet “head” Hunter
Too bad they don’t pay you $5 a head on muppets. You could make a lot of money hunting them around Legislative Assembly.
The only muppet I see is you Austin. You sold us out for the sake of money like McKeeva did in 2005. You must be making lots of cash now because you have blown up like a frog. Karma soon come knocking BoBo.
I was stupid enough to vote for him last election but then again there wasn’t much choice with the one man one vote. I was warned that he’s not a stand up guy and am beginning to believe that. Why talk down at people? That shows a lack of being intelligent enough to say anything that might make sense. How quickly they forget that some of those people put them where they are. I bet he’s happy with that monthly check that we pay him.
PPMBots in action today!
Austin Harris was a man I respected in past
Never before have I been so wrong about a man,
and I hope he is challenged in his seat come 2021 and removed by the people of Prospect
He has nothing but derision and anger for anyone who criticizes him or critiques him, he has made an about U turn on almost every position he took and is now a man completely unrecognizable
The government wanted him in their arsenal for one reason and one reason only, he is a adept speaker and has a way with words, sadly that last bit is no longer a compliment
If you live in Prospect, you would be better served with just about anyone else, make the man who turns on a dime a one time MLA, we will all be better off for it
Is this the guy that hit a woman?
yes
The one and by no means only with this crew.
And the bastards expect us to bow and scrape and call them forever honorable while they enjoy pensions for life.
Roper? WTF?
Austin, Austin, Austin.
Calm down, you’re messing up now.Get back on track.Focus on the real reason. People put you there, You could. Not do it on. Your own, so humble yourself
Or as they say ” Check yourself, Before you Wreck Yourself!
He’s not the only one….
Here is the biggest Muppet of them all… Austin Harris… Takes everyones money for advertising on his show against the destruction of coral reefs, but now that he does not have his show (because of beating and bashing his girlfriends head around), he has to find notoriety some other way. What a disgusting human being… Where you going to go after the next election Harris? Your destroying more bridges than your government wants to destroy protected reefs!
Haha. I say put the port on the side of the island they use when ships can’t dock at George Town due to bad weather. That’s the perfect place to build your new port. It will open up businesses on all ends of the island without changing the dynamics or destroying the reefs. That’s the most simple of solutions. Stop the arguments, look at the future and see the potential of what could be when truly Respecting and Working WITH Your environment. Please just think about that.
You would have to dredge reefs still and those haven’t been anchored on and already destroyed for the last 40 years
What a disgusting excuse for a human being. Wow!
The idiots who keep electing these fools are really the ones to blame.
A man who was fired for domestic violence. Is this man even qualified? How did he get this job?
Caymanians easily forget this type of behavior from their brethren but ooooooooo if you are not from here??? Like an elephant. They NEVER forget nor forgive. Most grudge holding peoples I have ever met!!
Could also be the small minded mentality because it is quite similar in the ex-pat community.
Forgiving and forgetting has nothing to do with it. Electing a man who beats women to represent the country is the issue.
You ever heard of “birds of feather……………….?
But he’s not the only one. He just maybe the only one that went to court for it. The other wives/gfs won’t ever press charges. This is why cayman law has to change where the woman/victim does not need to press charges and the abuser can get arrested and charged.
The law already states this. The issue is evidence. There is usually not enough evidence without a witness (the victim) being willing to cooperate and testify. Because these things happen in private it is very difficult to get evidence otherwise. Even physical evidence (injuries etc) may not implicate the culprit to the degree necessary to secure a conviction (as the victim can make other explanations for the injuries).
Not to say that such cases cannot ever be prosecuted without a victim’s cooperation, but it is very difficult.
Austin has sold out the people of Prospect by becoming a PPM stooge and Alden’s new toy. I wanted my vote.
Enjoy the money because in 2021 he is a one term wonder and will be vote out.
Un.Accept.Able!!!!!!! How dare he? Where does he get off?
Time to stand up to these abhorrent MLAs, Cayman!
There is no respect, whatsoever, to their constituents.
It is one thing to have a differing opinion or view point. That is A OK.
It is quite another to berate, call names, and disrespect those people.
I haven’t seen any of those groups take the low road. Ever.
Unacceptable.
I hope Governor Roper is watching. Things have to change. NOW.
Has he ever put his head under water and seen what coral looks like? Can he even swim? This is the big problem with most of the MLAs backing the dock. I’d force them all to go scuba diving before making any more comments on this – sort of ‘put up or shut up’. I bet most of them would pee in their pants at idea of doing that.
2.28pm The answer is no, he would need 50lbs of lead to overcome that built in buoyancy.
This oaf has set a CNS record, 56 comments and 55 ridiculing him.
As a former Dive Master, i would require a full medical on Austin before i took him even 2 foot below the water.
7:09 Got no arguments there but he’s no worse than some of the grossly unfit ‘certified’ divers that the cruise ships regularly dump on our dive center expecting to go straight out and do 100′ wall dives.
Ha! The only thing Austin is an expert of is the unnecessary use of the word “whilst” in every other sentence. He thinks it makes him sound intelligent. It doesn’t.
Love your name btw.
Whilst is such an old English word.
And “uh uh uh uh uh uh uh”
Are you sure it wasn’t duh, duh, duh, duh, duh, duh?
After the 2021 election, you will find Austin in a backroom at Dart with all of the other UDP ex-politicos like Ellio, Rolston, Richard Parchment.
Alden will be seen a couple of times too trying sneak out the backdoor
Austin is a blow-hard windbag! He should check with Bernie to see what it means to have convictions and cojones!!
Austin, Prospect stands with you!
You must live in the dumb part of Prospect.
i would not even live in the water front community of Prospect due to having to drive through dump road 2.0
is there a smart part of prospect?.?
not this one..won’t fool me again..
Don’t disrespect Prospect..We are good people..We know now that we made a mistake. We will fix it in 2021.
Can I ask why you would stand with a man like this who has been so vicious and deceiving?..Domestic Violence is a sickness that is not easily cured and it appears to me that Austin still has that along with some serious anger issues..Nobody speaks to a woman in this manner if he is a real man..I am so shocked at him and wonder if he didn’t know that he was being televised..
He needs to lose some weight, join a group to help to get help with his acts of violence as well as anger management..
His opposition to the CPR will result in more support! Hurrah for CPR.
Ah the Jeremy Corbyn effect
Harris is an ignorant ill educated oaf whose opinions are irrelevant.
Beating up on people and calling them names, seems like it’s not just his exes that get this treatment.
How can you expect him to respect the environment when he doesn’t even respect women? Serious question.
well I have certainly heard some great speeches by politicians – that wasn’t one of them.
Yeah. Matthew Leslie would have been a much better choice…..
I wish I could say you’re wrong….but sadly it might actually be true…
OMG – what are we coming to if that is true!
This is exactly why I voted for Matthew instead because I still felt Austin was the worst of the two evils.
Same here. I voted for Matthew Leslie and would do so again. Austin surely proved himself to be a Flip Flop. I think Matthew would had given more consideration to the people. Besides I rather a woman lover than a woman beater.
Sounds just like Trump does when denying climate change …
MAGA! Still watching for pointless slurs.
MAGA is foreign rubbish. Let’s get behind MADGA – Make Alden’s Dump Great Again!
He forgot to put on his big red nose today…
I read the first 4 paragraphs and started laughing. You can’t make this stuff up. After the next Election no one will know who AUSTIN HARRIS is! LOL this is your first and ONLY rodeo. You were completely annihilated last Election buddy. Alden killed your political career with his moves. So you sit comfy and nice collecting your little paychecks from the boards and whatever else you’ve been appointed to and chill. Cayman is going to live to see you slither on your stomach like a snake.
#CantWait
You give snakes a bad name by comparing Austin to them.
90 Thumbs ups for this post and ONE against it?
Austin Harris….. is that you?
Flip Flop Austin………..turned into a muppet himself.
he’s obviously got money now looks like he’s been eating and drinking very well.
And new car too.🤫
Don’t worry. When he wins the next election because there’s no one better to run against him, he’ll be the Honourable Austin Harris next. Sad.
Hell NO! I live in Prospect and I can assure you that if I need to go house to house he won’t be elected again..Disrespectful wretch!
Foolio style.
You couldn’t have expected much considering his really superficial and often contradictory input on his talk show. You always knew his vote was open to the highest bidder.
Money talks?
He has absolutely proven himself to be exactly what I thought he’d be. A big f@%#ing hot air balloon.
We all were spoofed by that bad media surrounding Matthew Leslie and his wife. Who were we to judge the man by marraige problems. My whole household of 4 voters sat and discussed and we all agreed to vote for Austin Harris. Tonight at dinner we all said we should have voted for Matthew. Lucille needs to enjoy her retirement.
Lost all his credibility as an MLA, and radio host. How do you spew such non sense? Let’s see where you end up after 2020! Not one person will pity you!
spewing stupidity and saliva all the same time. You ever had the misfortune to sit across from him. Spewing.
A grown spouse beater berrates people who love and want to protect their country for future generations, for expressing concern and seeking to be heard. Alden? This is what you have allowed to become of the PPM? What happened to principles, like leadership, democracy and common decency?
I prefer any muppets (or rascals) to the characters running this shit show.
The Frog he is. The tepid water we are, slowly but surely coming to a boil.
What an @sshole!
Making more money now that he ever did in his woeful life, paid out of the public purse and thinks he knows everything.
He’ll soon officially become a ppm member licking on Alden’s and McKeeva’s shoes in an attempt to get re-elected to another term. What a shock he’ll get!
Vote them all out!!!
Austin Harris is what you get when you elect blowhard radio talk show hosts who beat women. No one should be surprised that he has no respect for the environment and that he’s reveling in being Alden’s henchman.
Some strong kool-aid