Premier and minster exchange jibes over coup

| 27/08/2020 | 95 Comments
Health Minister Dwayne Seymour at Tuesday’s press briefing

(CNS): Health Minister Dwayne Seymour has accused Premier Alden McLaughlin of taking a “cheap shot” over the attempted coup of the Unity government by some of its members and the opposition over the Domestic Partnership Bill (DPB). As he drew his update to a close during Tuesday’s COVID-19 press briefing, McLaughlin said government had been getting on with business despite the controversial bill and dealing with “attempted coups”.

Seymour, whose proxies were believed to have engaged in talks with the opposition to stop the implementation of the DPB by the governor, denied he was involved in the coup.

As he started his own update, Seymour said that life was “so confusing”, before stating that he was not afraid of expressing his “love for God” and his “support for the coalition government and the premier”, though he admitted that they had their differences over the bill.

Seymour maintained that he was not involved in the purported no-confidence motion that was being circulated and which Opposition Leader Arden McLean has since denied being involved with, despite indications that suggest otherwise.

The health minister voted against the government’s Domestic Partnership Bill, ensuring its defeat. On Tuesday he said he did “what God and my people” had wanted him to do.

“Although the premier took a cheap shot, I would say sarcastically, about the coup,” he chuckled, “but as a sprinter it missed me and went over my head and I will have no part of any coup, just to make it clear, I know that was out there. The premier knows he has my support and the team knows they have my support,” Seymour added.

The health minister has been a persistent opponent of rights for the LGBT+ community. He has also been one of several MLAs who have used the Legislative Assembly to make unpleasant homophobic comments on several occasions. Seymour claims that his objection to the concept of civil unions for same-sex couples as well as gay marriage is on moral and religious grounds, despite the evident homophobia he has displayed.

The Domestic Partnership Bill could become law as early as next week, when Governor Martyn Roper assents to a revised version of the bill and makes minor amendments to another eleven pieces of legislation, largely to create next of kin rights for domestic partners in health, family and financial areas.

However, the issue is unlikely to rest there. The church remains vehemently opposed to the bill, even though it has no connection to religious issues or church affairs. And the members of the opposition, although they all now deny their part in any backroom no-confidence talks, remain in direct opposition to the governor’s decision to implement the law and are understood to be consulting with lawyers over a possible legal challenge to the legislation.

It is unlikely to proceed very far, however. Both the Grand Court and the Court of Appeal have already ruled on this issue, making it clear that a legal framework is needed and has been for some time. Efforts to challenge the governor’s right to use his reserved powers in this instance may also prove difficult as they are set out in the Constitution.

An argument may be mounted on the grounds that the issue of same-sex unions is a devolved area and not under the governor’s reserved powers. But the breach of gay couples’ human rights under Cayman’s own Constitution plus the breach of the European Convention of Human Rights makes this an issue of the rule of law and therefore a matter for the governor and the UK.

The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has also said that if the Legislative Assembly failed to implement the necessary legislation, as it had directed, to provide a mechanism to register same-sex partnerships, the UK must act.

Watch Minister Seymour at the press briefing on CIGTV below:


Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Tags: , , ,

Category: Laws, Politics

Comments (95)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Anonymous says:

    Let’s be clear – all those that voted against the same sex marriage bill are getting voted OUT come 2021. If you are a person of colour or a woman, you know how prejudice, bigotry, and hate have prevented you from having equal rights. In the same vein, how could you not vote to support same-sex marriage?

    Caymanians – let’s all get out and VOTE next year. Make your voice heard. Don’t just comment on CNS and FB. Make a difference with your voting rights.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Does Jon Jon even know what DPB mean? Doubt it!!!

  3. Anonymous says:

    We are in deep shitwe need to get england and their govonor out off cayman forever

  4. Anonymous says:

    This is a picture of our Minister of Health. The man can no longer even fasten his collar. I would be seriously worried about HIS health if I were a medical professional – Dr Lee should have a word, since I would wager there is a far greater chance of Mr Seymour having a medical emergency than anyone being hospitalized for Covid. He needs help.

  5. Bodden Town Voter says:

    Seriously Bodden Towners? This guy is who you want representing YOU? For him to call himself a sprinter is a clear sign that he is delusional at best. To call Jon Jon an idiot is an insult to idiots. Where is your pride Bodden Town? I grew up in Bodden Town, as did my father and his father before him, so I know for a fact that we can do WAY better than Jon Jon! Bodden Towners, please value your vote. Come election day, please remember how idiotic and immature this man is. We need someone with a brain and a spine to represent us. Please stop voting for this fool!

  6. Anonymous says:

    Alden must be either brave or stupid to make comments like those

  7. bahahah says:

    What a fantastic photo. great choice CNS

  8. Anonymous says:

    Something seriously missing with this man. He is walking around with an empty vessel. No disrespect to an empty vessel.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Past time for JonJon to make a new proclamation! Last night I went home with a nice bottle of wine, put on “Rainy night in Georgia”, and before I could even hint at anything my wife says “Not tonight bobo, full moon next week”.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Alden is a seasoned politician. He knows how to play the game and win. He is playing John John like a fiddle.

    Preparations for Elections 2021 are in full swing.Have to slough off anything or anyone that will make them look bad..

    John John has served his purpose and the sooner he realizes that and gets his act together he will lose his seat..but then again that is most likely to happen in any case..

  11. Anonymous says:

    Yuo can’t make this stuff up. Dwayne Seymour 2020 Darwin Award Winner

  12. Anon says:

    Surely this health minister has to be fired or forced to resign immediately? A complete embarrassment to the Cayman Islands. Church and his god beliefs have nothing to do with a law requires by human rights rules. And he is the most incapable minister I have ever seen anywhere – makes cayman look like some 3rd world dictatorship. A disgrace to these islands.

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you serious? If the rest of those idiots aren’t fired or forced to resign after the way they’ve gone on how can you expect him to? Don’t you know MLA is a guaranteed life job?

  13. Anonymous says:

    Jon Jon? A sprinter?

  14. Anonymous says:

    Oh my! Anyone who claims to know what God thinks or wants, is stunningly full of shit.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well anyone hiding behind one of the many mythical gods is full of shit. But some keep giving their tithing…

    • Anonymous says:

      Well he did say his “Wisdom came from God.”
      It seems that both Seymour and God were short changed.

  15. Last Zion says:

    After reviewing the posts and my earlier comment I’ve decided I was wrong. It matters not that Dwayne is thicker than a pile of bricks. The fact that there are amoeba on Saturn that would be more qualified than Mr Seymour is irrelevant. Equally the fact that he makes as much sense as metal screws going through a waste disposal unit is immaterial. It’s no skin off my nose that there is sea grass in North Sound that would make a better MLA that the honorable Mr Seymour. The fact is that he gets paid a 6 figure salary, has a cushy pension and gets a free lunch when he is sitting. Can any of us really say we wouldn’t do what Dwayne is doing? His intellect goes as far to realize that if he joins the gay haters, the hypocrites, the intellectually dishonest he will be re-elected!!

    I say bravo Dwayne!!! There are very few countries in the world that ones meager talents could take someone so far… Cayman should celebrate this fact!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Please don’t include all Cayman in this. It is the 600 plus that voted for him in his constituency and Alden Mclaughlin that put him where he is. They should take credit and celebrate. The rest of us here feeling the same pains you are. XXXX

      • Proud Of Them says:

        Perhaps some of the better qualified Caymanians will kindly run in every district in the next election?

        Ezzard is the representative for our district and while I can say he doesn’t really do anything for his voting expat constituents he certainly outshone many in the LA recently and I thank him for that. Then again, Jon Jon shines about as bright as a lump of coal so, really, any lightbulb will do.

    • Anonymous says:

      8:34. Sadly I agree with you. We are a laughingstock country. Having this unqualified individual to lead our country’s education system is a disgrace and a reflection on why our youth are not being properly prepared to compete for high skill/education positions. Sorry, Aviation Security is not a comprehensive path to enlightenment.

  16. Elvis says:

    Call the mother ship, we need help. Fast

  17. Samuel sam says:

    Shame on you.for who ever calls Seymour a moron .Seymour wants the best for our country and that to keep his country safe from all gay people. He knows it will bring a disaster to the country. We have people who like gays and people who dont like gays and I am one of them who is against it just like mr Seymour.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Good God – “sprinter” “missed me” “went over my head”?? The only one of those phrases that is true is the last one! How this excuse for a man can suggest that he is some kind of moral compass is absolutely laughable! He is as big a con job and national embarrassment as that other one from West Bay! What the hell is wrong with our people?!

  19. Anonymous says:

    Somebody call momma UK! We need direct rule!

    • Anonymous says:

      It would be nice to transport you back in time to when the UK had “direct rule”. It was a sure dark, terrible time for all involved, especially the helpless subjects. #moveforwardnotbackward

      • Anonymous says:

        Yes, the UK is so good at slavery still… of and all the colonies they still rule full stop. Oh what has become of the 21st century.

      • Anonymous says:

        Go on then expand. Because I am genuinely confused as to what was so horrible about it.

    • Hubert says:

      Sorry to say it but we need direct rule now more than ever. The children still have not grown up.

      • Anonymous says:

        I actually believe the UK is viewing us as adolescents (limited direct rule when absolutely essential by law).

        They are letting us screw things up, and then pay for our mistakes. The professional competence of the CIG is a travesty. Parents/UK allow their children to slowly learn to be responsible by NOT protecting them 100% of the time. Sadly, we are slow learning adolescents; and many adolescents do not result in responsible adults. And in the final case, as adults may just wind up corrupt, uneducated, unemployed/unemployable, morally bankrupt, disrespectful of their neighbors, elders, spouses/SO, children, etc…

        But, we always COULD elect better individuals.

    • Anonymous says:

      They can barely manage their own COVID-19 crisis so it might take some time for them to get to your request.

    • Anonymous says:

      Racists have no place in this country. They are worse than homophobes. Despicable humans.

  20. Anonymous says:

    How did Seymour become the minister of anything? He is an actual moron. I would not trust him to run a bath.

    • Anonymous says:

      I think that Alden recently said that he was doing a good job. What does that say about Alden?

      • Anonymous says:

        That he’s a diplomat. He really couldn’t say otherwise….

        • Anonymous says:

          Alden had a third choice – not say anything at all. Alden is anything but a diplomat. He’s an arrogant and ignorant…

        • Anonymous says:

          Just trying to hold his majority coalition together. The error was thinking that Seymour would do he as was told. Being stupid doesn’t necessarily mean you will follow orders from smarter people.

      • Anonymous says:

        That he will do or say anything to stay in power? That he will sup with the devil, or people who are blatantly out to get him, let alone those that are manifestly incompetent, as long as he can maintain a majority? That on his moral compass the pointed is always to the centre – him – not the direction of moral probity? Or he is not a sociopathic narcissist, just as dumb as sack or rocks, given the people he expresses trust and confidence in. Take your pick.

      • Anonymous says:

        It says that Alden is a politician?

    • Anonymous says:

      Alden needed him to complete his Government at the time and Mr Seymour bargaining chip was he be given a ministry , they rolled a dice and he got “health and culture” and the entire Islands got F&*ked over.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Seymour should keep his mouth shut. He has come to battle of the wits unarmed. He should ride this out and collect his paycheck and be happy he had a chance at his position.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Stop wasting money and time on this. The DPL is just and it needs to happen.
    Just let it go! It’s the right thing to do as well as lawful!

    • Anonymous says:

      Is there a bigger wage thief ANYWHERE in ANY government than Seymour? An absolute chancer. But sadder still is the dearth of talent to replace him next year.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Well that unity didn’t last long…

  24. Anonymous says:

    A bit disappointing actually. The coup was exciting news for governance in the Cayman Islands: the FCO would have needed to step in and dissolve the LA, force a variety of governance changes before calling subsequent elections months later. We need those things to happen, but “status quo” will never get us there.

  25. Anonymous says:

    They should both try to muster the integrity to resign without further delay.

  26. Anonymous says:

    And this is the guy the paranoids believe will lead us through the Covid crisis.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Bunch of children

  28. Anonymous says:

    We have the unhealthiest Health Minister on the planet. How he can call himself a ‘sprinter’ is beyond me. Seriously, what example is he setting for the Islands?

  29. Anonymous says:

    You people and your nasty comments need to stop. Constantly picking on Minister Seymour. If you are so unhappy just leave.

    • Anonymous says:

      Lots of generational Caymanians think he is totally out of his depth. Stop making people think all Caymanians are as blind and foolish as you.

    • Anonymous says:

      My family goes back generations here, and I was born and raised. I’m currently in a same sex relationship. I do not tell anyone to stop being Christian or leave, so I do not expect anyone to tell me to stop being gay or leave.

      I simply want the same rights. You simply want me to convert to your church. Who is imposing a lifestyle?

      I don’t force myself onto any straight friend of mine and we all respect each other. You wouldn’t have a clue that I was gay if you saw me in a shop alone, so please get over it. No one straight or gay wants to see public affection.

    • Anonymous says:

      You can help him put a tie on properly at least.

    • Big Bobo says:

      I am Caymanian. Where do you suggest I leave to?

  30. Last Zion says:

    “it went over my head”… in all fairness to Mr Seymour i imagine most things go over this head…

  31. Anonymous says:

    They saying, “dumber than a box of rocks” comes to mind.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.