CPR plans major voter registration drive
(CNS): Following the successful legal challenge by Cruise Port Referendum member Shirley Roulstone to government’s attempts to hold an unconstitutional poll, the CPR campaigners say they are now planning a major voter registration drive. One of the points of contention about the initial date for the referendum was that it disenfranchised new voters, as the registration process takes between three and six months and there wasn’t enough time to get on the electoral roll. However, the judge’s decision on Thursday has created a significant window of opportunity to expand the list of voters before the poll.
Although Roulstone’s legal team successfully argued every point, government is planning to appeal Justice Tim Owen’s historic ruling. However, even if government achieved any success with the local appeal court, CPR is likely to challenge it, and the case would then head to the Privy Council in London.
If government decides not to appeal, it must pass framework legislation for all people-initiated referendums before it can go on to draw up a specific piece of legislation for a cruise vote. Since all of that will take several months, with or without the appeal, CPR has a chance to spearhead a registration drive and ensure that every single eligible voter who wants to take part in this people’s vote, when it eventually takes place, will be able to do so.
CPR member Marion Rankin told CNS yesterday, in the wake of Roulstone’s historic victory, that now was the time to encourage people to register to vote. He said that we are approaching an election year, and in an ideal world the cruise port vote would take place on the same day, so a voter drive now will bear fruit for democracy all round.
CPR has also called on the Elections Office to “start now on the preparation of a document addressing the procedures and practices for the referendum, including, amongst other things, economic assistance for overseas voters to return ballots; the need to audit the electors list to remove deceased persons, mentally impaired persons and anyone else not entitled to vote”.
The campaigners want to ensure that the procedures are in place to assist those who need help, including with mobile voting.
The campaigners also want a clear indication from public authorities that their staff members have the right to campaign for either a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote without fear of retribution, recognising that they are distinct from core civil servants and not bound to impartiality.
CPR is hoping that Roulstone’s decision to front this challenge to the state, in a David and Goliath battle, will inspire even more people to join the campaign to preserve the George Town Harbour and stop the cruise cartels.
The campaign saw more than 6,000 registered voters publicly put their name to this petition for a referendum.
“We are more convinced than ever that we can reach the threshold of more than 50% of registered voters voting ‘no’ in the referendum, which will prevent the government proceeding with the project,” the activists said. “All it takes is for the people of these islands to exercise their right to vote. Shirley has proven, through today’s decision, that one person can make a difference. Your vote will count.”
The current electoral roll stands at 21,383 voters. But Cayman has a population that now exceeds 66,000, and while many of those are work permit holders or residents not yet entitled to vote, there may be close to 10,000 people who are qualified to register but have not done so.
An updated list, which has increased the number of voters to 21,782, is currently being reviewed and is due to go live on 1 April. That jump of four hundred voters was largely due to people who wanted to vote in the referendum but were unaware that it could take as long as six months to be added to the roll.
Once that list goes live, the next new list will be published in July and the window of opportunity to make that list remains open until the end of March.
See how to register to vote visit the Elections Office website.
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The Electoral Register DEFINITELY needs updating! There are names of persons on there that have lived overseas for YEARS! People are still registered in districts that they previously lived in. I’m sure there are also other eligibility concerns that are less obvious.
Glad to be a first time voter. I can’t bear it anymore to watch these hooligans be elected and re-elected. Special interests at every level. ALL will be exposed. GAME OVER!
Welcome to one of the most important things you can do to serve your country. ;o)
You can vote in another country, providing requirements which are just as extensive than Cayman, in about a week in other countries!
You know how long that takes?
One Week, One mother conching dumping week!
Could make a app to vote in less than 24 hours.
NO IT TAKES 6 MONTHS!
Yeah I am Caymanian(30) I just registered first time ever because now I feel we youths can change the future.
I am fed up, you old gens don’t want to work with the youth…
Ok….we have time on our side, we can wait, but we committing that we will not wait any longer for positive change in Cayman!
It only takes 3 months not 6 if you can be bothered to register during the registration period which is published every quarter. However if you don’t comply with the law it takes longer.
The law is almost certainly unconstitutional and therefore unlawful. There is no legitimate reason for registration to take so long.
There is no constitution.
National vote…
Politricks by CPR. They tell voters that the referendum is to get more information so that voters can decide, but at the same time they tell us to vote no which means that they already have enough info to vote no. Now, if they have the info why all the hulabalou and get out the vote stuff. Think election. Think politics.I am afraid that my Caymanian peeps are being used to get rid of the current group of Caymanians and replace them with a group more inline with their wishes. Who will make up that new group. Well we can be sure that it wont include any of the current 19 since theses are seen as not too bright by the manipulators I am talking about. Look for them to push for candidates that most of us hardly see in our circles. Look at the brains behind CPR, Save Smith Cove etc. These people also are against more lanes for the roads to the Eastern districts.Just because someone can criticize the Govt and get you to try o stop the port doesnt mean that they should be a Mla or that they really care about your interests.Just open your eyes peeps.
I don’t give a flying crap about the politics – as far as I can tell, all these politicians are the same these days. But I am dead set against the cruise port no matter who is for or against it politically. I’m completely woke, dude. It seems to me you’re the one stuck in a rut of political allegiances .
Good I hope so !
Cayman needs positive change !
Time for a Green Party led by the youth and Caymanians under 40. The parents and grandparents have sold our youth out.
CPR has always been openly opposed to the Cruise Port in principle
The National Trust originally adopted a position of neutrality on the Cruise Port itself but arguing for full environmental disclosure and a fair and open referendum process. After an EGM vote of its membership the Trust changed its position to be opposed to the Cruise Port in principle.
Openly against was not their sales pitch. It was to gather more information.
It’s the information (or lack of it) that explains why it should be stopped, and ACC brought in.
There should be an intelligence test for eligibility to vote.
And to protest.
More importantly, there should be an intelligence test for the eligibility to reproduce.
And to run or hold office in the MLA
And the numerous non Caymanians that are erroneously registered?
Any proof our is that you own belief
The proof can be found every time the registrar of lands correctly refuses a stamp duty waiver to a first time Caymanian buyer, on the basis they are not Caymanian, even though they are on the electoral roll, or for example, as happened recently, when cabinet granted status to someone who was already a registered voter. Those are just the obvious ones. There are others.
It’s your government to blame for these types of errors..no one else…
But will they do anything to fix it?
If you actually knew that to be true, it would be simple enough for you to register an objection with the elections office. The names on the list of voters are published.
Yeah 8:31, we especially would not want non Caymanians who have lived 10, 15 or 20 years or more on island voting. My God, they might change the political status quo forever.
Wouldn’t that be terrible? No more McKeeva, Alden, Eldon, Anthony, Ezzard, etc. A terrible loss for humanity and the Cayman Islands.
Like our esteemed youth leader recently said on national radio, only one Caymanian is going on the sailing trip. The other person from Cayman is a paper Caymanian.
Who said that?
Either you are unaware of the thousands that were given Status in 2003 or you’re not aware that persons qualify under different Election laws if you think that all thise strange names on the register are not now eliglible. The 2003 Ststus lottery & subsequent PR granrs since 2004 is what Caymanians should have protested then most of todays problems wouln’t exist.
Thousands were granted status, but no status was granted to hundreds of their expatriate children, many of whom in any event did not apply for continuation at age 18. Do they get to vote? How come?
We need a constitutional mechanism for voters to remove those who betray the rights of citizens, disgrace the territory, and/or misuse public funds for the purpose of suppressing voter opinion. The port is a symptom of much bigger fundamental problems that will reoccur in 2021, 2025. 2029, 2033 and so on…until we actually decide to zero in on the eligibility and competence problems.
Vote No
People power
Fix the damn dump.
The damn dump will never be fixed. Not a priority.
I fervently look forward to the next Referendum, and I deeply hope the wording is “Fix or not fix the damn dump!”
All things are possible when we work together toward what is best for our islands.
All best.