Seymour ‘doing incredible job’ claims premier
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin went to town with his praise for Minister Dwayne Seymour on Tuesday, claiming he was “doing an incredible job” and that he was “proud to have him” as his health minister. The plaudits came as McLaughlin backed Seymour, despite the response he gave on Monday to a CNS inquiry about an alleged breach of curfew at the minister’s home, which the premier said had caused a “firestorm”.
The premier made a number of accusations against CNS reporter Wendy Ledger for asking the question, describing it as a “gotcha question” and implying that this media house has a political agenda.
He said he had spoken to the minister and was satisfied that there was no breach of curfew, though he did not explain how he was assured that was the case. He added that if there had been a breach on the part of the minister’s wife, it was not fair to suggest that the minister was responsible for any of his family’s behaviour.
However, Ledger had made no accusation but had asked for comment on the accuracy of the allegation.
“It is wrong to suggest by the question alone that somehow because of an allegation made against his wife that he is somehow guilty of anything,” McLaughlin said.
In what was evidently an inadequate response to the potential curfew breach and another attempt to blame the messenger, McLaughlin accepted that Seymour could have responded more appropriately and apologised for that to the country but certainly not to Ledger.
He continued to berate her, and despite claiming that his ministers were accountable for their own behaviour, he said they could not be held responsible for their family. Although the question related to the COVID-19 curfew, McLaughlin suggested that Ledger should not have asked the question during a press briefing, even though the curfew is one of the key reasons why the briefings are held at all.
Far from putting out the firestorm, McLaughlin appears to have fuelled the flames, as there has been no let up on the clamor for an explanation as to why the wife of a minister had apparently breached the government’s curfew regulations without consequence or if she did not, under what circumstances she was allowed to have a personal trainer at the family home.
Ledger did not to respond to the premier’s comments during the briefing on Monday, noting that she obviously has no position on the issue but was simply doing her job of holding those in public office to account.
“It’s not the first time and it won’t be the last that the premier or any other leader has tried to shoot the messenger,” she said. “McLaughlin is by no means the worst and it really is irrelevant what politicians think about the questions we ask.”
She explained, “The point is that we ask the questions on behalf of the public and then they make their decisions about their leaders. Contrary to what McLaughlin thinks, I have no agenda or bias and am not standing on any political platform. I’m there to ask questions. It is the voters, not me, who will decide whether or not the minister responded appropriately, whether or not the premier handled it well, and whether in the end either of them are doing an ‘incredible job’.”
See the premier’s comments at Tuesday’s press briefing on CIGTV below left, as well as the CNS question and the health minister’s response at Monday’s press briefing below right:
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Jon jons hair looked quite nice. Is the personal trainer also a barber?
The truth is we don’t normally get to see how any of the ministers in Cayman work or not as the case seems to be. this pandemic has shown us all how incompetent they are, it’s been quite the shocker over the past few weeks exactly how bad and inept they are. We can only hope that a totally new and hopefully educated set of people are willing to step up to challenge these positions and bring new hope to Cayman. Minister Seymour is not doing an incredible job neither is the education minister from the shambolic speech given last week. It seems the only thing keeping some of these departments going are the staff underneath them who presumably say ‘don’t worry minister we will handle it’ as the ministers walk away with a fat pay cheque reciting bible versus.
So let me understand this just 3 weeks ago we seen the panel and the police jump and chase down a story of fake news and made an arrest. But this can’t be followed up and if its fake and incorrect then publisher gets dealt with or if true the party’s arrested. And made accountable for there actions. Seem that it most be more truth to the story if it’s let slide this way. The current leading Gov has lost the confidence of the ppl within a 24hour slot after starting to regain its support. But what we expect from leaders who always feel they are above the person who put them there! I hope my pepole of this great country don’t forget and bring real change this election. As a young caymanian I am sick of the recycling of our leaders and suffering for there gain! #stayathomecayman
nobody should be surprised at aldens abysmal response today which included veiled threats to the media generally.
remember, when he became premier, he stopped government press briefings because he didn’t want the media taking ‘pot shots’ at the government…as in he didn;t want to face hard questions.
wendy should ask her perfectly vaild question to all 3 members of the panel tomorrow. and keep asking till you get a logical response.
Alden, I really admired the way you put this lockdown into place initially, especially when you told the financial industry that they wouldn’t be granted thousands of exemption for their workers.
But what you did in this briefing was to defend an abuser of women, with Seymour’s threats and abusive words towards a journalist. That’s the plain simple fact. YOU CANT DENY IT.
Then you tried to put a spin on it by saying Wendy stated that the MOH was ‘guilty’ of something or another. That’s a figment on your imagination.
I was also quite disappointed in Donna giving the MOH a detour by suggesting Wendy go offline and discuss the question with the totally lost and deluded MOH.
You stated you didn’t want these briefings to turn into a circus going forward but then you tell us the only one that listens to you is your German Shepherd….and that’s only sometimes.
What’s going on man ? With donkeys, jackasses and German Shepherds we already have a show. If only we could get back the guy on the scooter who used to travel with his trusty dog standing on the seat behind him with his paws on his shoulders. Then it would be time for the Big Top !
I also thought I heard you mention ‘the MOH’ and ‘incredible job’ in the same sentence, but I guess at that stage I must have been delirious after my second cup of Domestos Covid medication.
Out of Africa? Yesterday’s display was appalling ..and frightening. Has the Premier (and the Governor!) considered the consequences such third world ignorance exhibited by our Government leaders will have on future investment? Will those millionaire retirees and global businessmen have any confidence that their investments will be safe here when they read this news?
What about the ones already here? Will they be the other Second Wave –..of departures to a more rational location?
So much for the great PR from that Forbes article last month. Mr. Premier, you have a lot of serious damage control to do.
Disgusting misogyny alive and well in Cayman. Supported by the Premier no less!
Alden starting to make Jon Jon look smart. Wow! It really is biblical.
now, now, let’s not get carried away with that comment!
Alden you’re risking wasting all the social & political capital you have earned this past two months by defending this man who is CLEARLY way out of his depth. Media have every right to grill public office holders on any allegation of wrong doing, this is a cornerstone of democracy.
If you choose to run in politics, you must expect to be in the public eye.
You are electing yourself AND your family to be held to higher standards, have your actions and behavior scrutinized, be accountable, lead by example and practice what you literally preach.
If you unable to accept these responsibilities then resign your post and your political aspirations to someone who can.
I am so surprised Alden and the chipmunks did not punish us all today with a 4 day lockdown, it’s the usual tactic when they don’t get their way or we have misbehaved.
the health minister response and answer to Wendy’s question was shameful and disgraceful, no excuse can be made about that, he should have apologized to Wendy first and then the country after loud and clear, having said that it’s not the health minister in the picture that has hands wrapped around a personal trainer ankles and performing leg downs, he can apologize for her actions if she is found to be wrong but he is by no means responsible for her breaching the curfew regulations, having said that its does look like artificial turf and if it is the Bodden town playing field as stated by someone isn’t that next to the police station? the police should have been all over them
I think that I understand where the Premier is coming from. Every time I listen to JonJon speak I’m left with my mouth hanging open and the first thought that comes to mind is “that’s incredible”.
😂
Alden I was proud to see you take control of this Covid situation like a true leader , I voted for you and I was impressed. Now sir , not so much. You lost my respect defending that idiot for what’s that’s worth, nothing I would imagine, but there you have it.
Your comment pretty much sums up my own thoughts here.
Of course Seymour is doing a great job:
He is supporting Alden
He is making the rest of the government look intelligent
He has taken the spotlight off McKeeva
What more could you ask of him?
So, given the opportunity to graciously step back, both Seymour and McLaughlin doubled down. No apology for threatening a reporter for doing her job. No acknowledgement that the question was a legitimate which still needs to be answered. Just more bombast, bluster and bullshit.
These are serious times. Can anyone say, hand on heart, that they retain confidence in these buffoons?
Listening to Alden at the press briefings today defending Jon Jon I felt so embarrassed to be a Caymanian- Alden said the only one in his house that listens to him is his dog a German Shepard- what sort of household is he living in- if he is the head of his house and only the dog listens to him
Now he wants us the Caymanian people to listen to him when in his own words he cannot control his own home-
Alden in my house if they any one in my house do not listen to me and abide by my rules I say go find somewhere else to live- I control my home
“Control” the people in your home. I mean I understand if it’s your home, your rules but no one should be controlling anyone else.
Only the dog listens to Alden – that’s why he surrounds himself with poodles like Dwayne.
Alden really disappointed me today. I thought he was more erudite.
Is that an ostrich I see over there with its head in the sand? “Nothing to see here, move along folks”. The Apprentice has nothing on this Cayman Reality Kings s$!t show!
Keep reporting the facts and asking the difficult questions Wendy…Bush hasn’t seemed to get a pass, this time, yet…so let’s see if a MLA’s family members can also be held to account. If not, the DPP should just drop all the curfew cases it has before it right now.
Alden spent 25 minutes (in his halting style of speaking) to apologise for a buffoon and his idiotic response to a member of the press! Like Children trying o cover up the obvious. Also, why is it the persons who break the curfew law is being ticketed and will be prosecuted? The minister’s wife appears to be guilty of the same thing, yet there goes the Premier apologising for her action? Everyday, they are pleading with us to Stay Safe, Stay Home Cayman and most of us are doing that! And this wife does as she pleases? You all deserve NO RESPECT form any of us, ya hear? Shame on you.
Alden was just starting to redeem himself as Premier with how he and his Government have been handling this crisis. His government had become very unpopular do to the Cruise Ship Port Issue ,Smith Cove, supporting Mckeeva in his treatment of women, over developing basically not listening to the people. I could go on………but his support of Jon Jon and putting Barbara forward as speaker shows his true colors once again………
And so….”The Real Alden McLaughlin” is back! And the Governor looking on?
The Premier cannot dictate tomorrow as he did today. Be interesting to see his approach. This surely will not go away just because he demands it. How dare he?! Vote of no confidence would be approriate at this time.
I’m struggling to see how Minister Seymour holds the role of MOH. What is his background? What are his qualifications? What attributes does he possess that makes him suitable for the role of Minister for Health?
Aside from displaying an adeptness for looking up words on google translate and misquoting the bible, I’m not seeing any constructive input from him, or display that he knows how to administer a bandaid let alone dealing with a pandemic…
This is classic cronyism in action!
Minister of health supports the Premier’s goverment just like the education minister and the speaker; what else do you need to know?
When Alden started talking, I really thought that he was going to address the minister’s down right aggressive and rude response to a perfectly reasonable question regarding someone in his household but he chose to use a perfectly good opportunity to deescalate the issue to instead attack a journalist for asking a relevant question given the current situation.
Then, instead of the minister addressing his downright terrible response from yesterday he chooses to give a very patronizing “apology” followed by a belittling statement clearly directed towards Wendy.
This overall situation just sets a terrible precedent for the community as a whole because if the household of an elected official won’t follow the guidelines set out by government then why should the general public. Also, the overall lack of a response by the minister, the weird grandstanding by the premier and the lack of any input by the governor just leads the public to believe that the minister’s wife did in fact engage in the activities that she was accused of.
Perfect comment…we all thought the same thing at the start of his talk and then it all went downhill. A chance to set things right, wasted.
Yup, and how do they come back from this now?
Bottom line:
Seymour is a incompetent and an emotional bully, who clearly could not think his way out of a Foster’s grocery bag.
Whatever side of the fence you are on, He’s an embarrassment to Christians. Christians were ashamed yesterday and especially today. Jon Jon’s disgraceful self-serving abuse of Christianity is nothing but absolutely disgusting! If you can’t handle a totally justifiable question from the press, without acting like some sort of untouchable cartel druglord of some shithole country, then you have no business being in a leadership position here. Shame on you Alden!
Alden defended his disgusting behavior for nothing other than political reasons. Alden is clearly weak and pathetic. He’s destroying this entire economy as if his fat-never-ending salary grows on his farm while jobs are going to hell in a handbasket. Its time to seriously consider who should be that the helm. And no! it should NOT be any of these lame clowns in the opposition. We need new leadership bad!
Alden not in picked this clown as the health minister… but also put him in the center of a pandemic… on top of that, is now defending his utterly and disgusting behavior on a national level.
….. Seymour ‘doing incredible job’.. You’re a bigger jackass than Seymour!
What else do you need to see?
Good on CNS and Wendy to take these clowns to task!
Instead on manning up Minister Seymour basically let the premier fight his personal battle and in the process dug himself further in the proverbial with the public hole.
If your sincere and going apologize to the country don’t do it like some schoolboy punk with a grin on your face.
There was absolutely nothing wrong with the question, it was legitimate, it was either a yes or no.
Good your putting on full display your true leadership skills! 👏👏
Your poll asks “how do you feel after reading this”?
Can you please install a pitchfork voting button?
Compass reporting Seymour apologized to the country? Did the sound break again during the press briefing?
He said he was sorry in another language to the Premier with a stupid f*ckin grin on his face. How dare he. Didn’t even look at the camera until 2 sentences later.
After the non-apology apology Jon Jon proceeded to use scripture to paint an ugly picture. We see through your pride and arrogance. A grown up wouldn’t have bristled in the first place and confirmed it was true or false or committed to finding out. You are a public figure and by holding the office there are different expectations on you. Instead you throw around scripture that was clearly intended for a different purpose and motives than the original author.
Using religion just like they did during the Spanish Inquisitions!
You have just lost all credibility my friend. And how can you lead without the people’s respect? I would lose all self respect if I were to listen to a man like Dwayne Seymour and anyone who thinks he is “doing an incredible job”. But that’s just me.
I wonder what Alden’s response would have been if his wife had breached social distancing protocols in this way….. what would he have said? The reality is as we see in other cases is that there are two or more different standards for people depending on who you are and connected to! If that had been a common person, the police would have been involved and warned the person for prosecution! The minister’s wife or whoever should be treated the same! #pointmade #nojackasshere
That was a disgrace and embarrassing.
Seymour is a joke. A health minister that’s morbidly obese. He cries at comments made against him and then insults a lady for doing her job.
Meanwhile Alden backs him up. Pathetic.
Circus fools running this country into the ground. Vote NO CONFIDENCE!!
At the end of the day, intelligence, smarts and truth won. McLaughlin lost. The battering ram of thuggery will always crumble against simple truth.
Well done Wendy, well done CNS. When I have a little extra, I will contribute to your organisation again. Your stand for truth is incredibly liberating and I am proud to assist.
CNS: Thank you!
“[T]he battering ram of thuggery”, what are you talking about?
Let’s just all calm down a bit.
Guess Jon-Jon will have his gang get the torture chamber set up next for all the dissenters who question his leadership style. Will we be calling him little Idi Amin soon!
I was moved to again donate just last night. Because without CNS and CMR we would hear nothing of what those in power like to keep silent and sweep under the rug.
Thugs going down the drain where they belong.
Alden blew it very badly. There was a way to deal with this without throwing the Reverend Dwayne Seymour under the bus but at the same time making it clear that Ms Ledgers question was entirely appropriate and that the minister made a hash of it. We know he has a problem forming a government with people who oppose him and a very low quality of intellect amongst our MLAs. I suppose he could have fired Seymour and replaced him with…David Wight maybe?? But of course that would have made everyone burst out laughing too. The problem is we don’t elect bright people to be our MLAs.
You said it 7:37. Although we are a very nice people but we really are not that bright. I am embarrassed by our elected representatives but realistically they generally they reflect our society’s intellect.
Sad to say but true.
So sad but so true.
Interesting how complimentary he was of Chris Saunders today. Chris, you are already treading a thin line.
…..compounded by single seat constituencies and a first part the post, West Minister style “Winner Take All” electoral system.
In the months leading up to constitutional change (brought about by the OMOV referendum) that lead to the electoral system we have now, I foretold of the spiral into oblivion and small cabals electing non-standard/not fit for purpose politicians and doing so with just a couple hundred of votes…….. but people at the time, through lack of knowledge, understanding and experience, thought it was the (only) way to contain a certain political “outfit” out of WB.
“Frying pan” and “fire” come to mind.
We need to get rid of single seat constituencies and get a broader choice of candidates.
Surely, it couldn’t can’t be as bad as what we have now? Disparate, dysfunctional and “dire” independents, in hermetically sealed single seat constituencies, are not cutting it.
Single Seat Constituencies is not your problem. The lack of an intelligent pool of candidates brought on by decades of inbreeding is.
I say we boycott. Don’t post another thing about the MOH. Let’s have him disappear. The people have the power!
Both the premier and and his Minister for Health need to grow a thick hide. Regardless of the perceived agenda by any reporter, the issue raised was weighty and they should have addressed its legitimacy instead of playing victims. The appropriate responses would have been yes there was a breach of guidelines and this is the action taken to correct it or no there was no breach of guidelines and these are the correct facts surrounding the incident. As it stands they both come off as putting politicians and their families above the law and above scrutiny- which incidentally comes with the teritory. The question was legitimate. Only dictators attack those who pose genuine questions. Only dictators cannot be criticised legitimately. Even Trump answers such soft balls – admitedly by lying through his teath. Dont be Kim Jong Un. Yall can do better as you are better.
All those cautioned for curfew breach have a real excuse to seek clemency. Why should they be subject to the Law of the Land, yet a minister’s family members are not? No even scales of blind justice there!
Come on – the issue raised was “weighty”…? Grow up!! It was a gutter press question from a grandstanding journalist (albeit I do agree that ministers in the public eye should be able to respond in a more constructive way than he did).
It was not Alden’s finest hour.
Premier Alden McLaughlin proves that he is a knob. He is delusional and high on his own juices that he thinks he walks on clouds. Cayman must never forget his expensive mistakes, poor attitude as a leader and lack of respect for the public that he has demonstrated over 7 years as Premier.
Today he reminded us who is really is at a time we were all prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Doing an incredible job was really where the premier stretched it to beyond comprehension, we all know this to be utterly false given mr Seymour’s contribution to the panel and babble of discoherent nonsense spewed out over the past five weeks from him. It really made me worry what the other MLAs are like if the premier considered this an incredible job!
I did thumbs down by mistake can you take it off. I like this!
All the good that the Premier achieved during this crisis had been negated from the comments and response today. Makes me sad.
His non action regarding the alleged assault of a West Bay Road bar manager by a Public Figure, was where he lost me (most recently). Shame on him and on all members of the LA who said nothing then, who looked the other away and who took no action.
Don’t forget “Gaypril” and the childlike sniggering. No action taken then either.
This latest episode is a mere rinse and repeat.
I’m shocked by his response, we are closely becoming a dictatorship.
Thank God we are a colony and Mother in London can step in if things go totally wayward.
How much more out of control do you want it to go 7:55? Wait till they drag people out of there homes for speaking out against them.
What a bunch of horse manure. The Premier not only dresses like a thug, he acts like one. He’s not much different than Trump in his behaviour toward the media. As for the Health Minister, I think everyone can see he’s a bumbling moron. Who votes for these clowns?
clowns
Careful now, you may hurt Jon Jon’s feelings and he’ll go crying to Alden to prosecute those who give their opinion about him.
Meanwhile in the real world where actual infringement of a law has happened in his own house….
Watching those men up there today was a total embarrassment to this country.
Men?
From your Headlines its obvious that Alden is a minority of one!
So we have a Speaker in trouble for physical assault and a Minister for verbal assault, both on women. And the leaders stay quiet or support their incredible jobs. It’s not good is it? Alden really lost his mojo yesterday, falling on his sword for this guy – maybe he’s tired, but to think he was bringing to a close this scandal by eulogizing about the man for ages??!
It’s clear as day that the MOH isn’t the brightest bulb on the Xmas tree, he’s had 5 weeks of near daily appearances to prove otherwise yet instead – and incredibly – continues to spew total and utter manure, combined with irrelevant anecdotes, and bizarrely is allowed to ramble for 20 minutes or so….wtf? Has he not noticed that 99.9% of the time nobody asks him a question? It’s because everyone knows he’s out of his depth and unlikely to be able to answer anything.
The panel should consist of the Premier, Governor and Dr Lee…the MOH shouldn’t be near it. Btw, where is the Deputy Premier in all this crisis mgt?
Take that Wendy. Questioning Alden yes man jon jon. He doing a good job! I am ashamed of my premier!
Our Government is a farce.
Wendy, on behalf of all Caymanians, we are sorry for how you have been treated. We are truly sorry.
Nobody should be bullied like that. Ever.
One would hope the Governor would have a word. Infact I wish he had addressed it. He is afterall a representitive of the United Kingdom. There would be all hell to pay if any UK MP behaved in the manner as the Premier and the M of H. It is absolutely outrageous. It will not go away just because either one of them demand so. All faith in this regime is lost and rightly so. Shame on them and bravo Wendy!
You obviously have never tuned in to the live meetings of the U.K. Houses of Parliament. The behaviour is beyond disgraceful; that, however, does not excuse the disgraceful behaviour of our Premier and Ministers.
It was noticeable that for the first time the Governor did not open his address by agreeing with everything the Premier had said.
They were quick to advise that the mark road reported stories about the governors wife were false. No one has said that ‘the first lady’s’ video is false. They apologised to the governor. Why not to the nation for this ‘lady’s’ actions? Or did her trainer have exemption to work for some reason !!?!
Shame on you Alden.
Minister of Health (not church minister Seymour) please respond to the allegation without resorting to tongues (or foreign languages or even Spanish) so that the residents this British overseas territory can understand.
Are you nuts? This governor knows his place and will never say anything.
Oh come on Alden, the man is a fool who is clearly way out of his depth. His ridiculous religious diatribes add nothing to the purpose of a public information broadcast in a national emergency. Whilst his faith is rightly his own to practice how he sees fit, he must also serve those who do not subscribe to his reasoning of the crisis facing us and want to hear facts based on science, not mythology written hundreds of years after the apparent fact.
He is a Health Minister, not a religious one and should keep church and state separate when imparting scientific information.
And what the hell was all that nonsense about a few ex-prisoners who are working for the DEH? Whilst reforming criminals is a worthy cause, in normal times, what does it add to the scientific data required by people in order to live their lives?
This man has nothing to add to the important departments he oversees, such as Health, DEH and DOE, he is clueless on all three portfolios and should be relieved of them as soon as possible.
Has he fixed the damn dump yet?
Look, he spent two minutes rambling about the ban-single-use-plastics committee when the question was simply “is the recycling programme continuing as usual?” That at a time when the use of reusable bags has been banned for the duration of the covid-19 response.
Could not answer on recycling collection.
Could not answer on garden waste.
In both cases either did not understand the question &/or could not provide an answer.
Could he please come prepared?
Alden, after the proper police investigation (there will be one, won’t there?), if it transpires that the Mark Road allegations were substantially true, will your Minister have potentially lied to you? Would you fire him then, or would you keep him (like Mac) forever honorable?
I did not hear a hint of an apology to Wendy from him. The biblical verses he referenced seemed to continue with veiled threats. Not cool.
Hiding coward with zero accountability and zero responsibility – and supported by the leader of the country! SMH
Wendy…just keep reporting the news and dont even waste any more ink on those jokers. Alden had us fooled for a while but he is too old to change his ways. He is and always will be a crafty politcian who holds on to power even if he has to compromise his principles, that is if he has any left.
The Minister is supposed to be setting an example, at least he could have apologised in fricking English, what an insult to us all, and Governor, you seem to support his little rants, please be warned that you are judged by the company you keep.
It is cowardly to hide behind bible verse
When this all started, I actually felt proud at the way we expediently dealt with issues to contain the virus. It’s now quite apparent this is now a complete charade and probably not too far from the UK taking control here given the incompetence across the board. I feel extremely sorry for the Governor who has to sit between the two fools and listen to the daily drivel. At least on a positive today, I didn’t hear any nonsense about bloody face masks!
You feel sorry for the travel agent…. I mean Governor? While he sits there and yucks it up with those guys as if he’s the president of the boys club? I don’t! I was really positive about his efforts in the beginning, but he lost me today by not speaking up for what is right. Bye!
Hahahahaha haahahhahahahhaha hahahahahahhaha hahahahhahahahaha hahaaaaahhh. Alden……hahahhahahh ahahhahahahhah ahahhahahahahhaha.
In other news, bears don’t crap in the woods.
And fish don’t fart underwater.
My new email signature:
“I can tell you a story of Joseph when Mary was pregnant and she was still a virgin and everyone laughed at Joseph it turned out to be the best story ever.
P.S.
And also Jesus choose to ride a donkey, A jackass – Instead of getting a horse”.
Regards, 🐴