Independents pull together new government PACT

| 15/04/2021 | 128 Comments
Cayman News Service
Wayne Panton presents the letter to the governor

(CNS): Wayne Panton, the newly elected member for Newlands, is set to become the next Cayman Islands premier with Chris Saunders as his deputy in a coalition of ten independent members who have agreed to support him. The potential new administration was confirmed in a statement Thursday afternoon from the “Office of the Premier Designate”, which also indicated that the group had opted to appoint Alric Lindsay as the speaker of the House. Panton said his government would be “People driven, Accountable, Competent and Transparent (PACT)”.

Panton officially met with the governor today requesting a meeting of Parliament next Wednesday to swear in the members and formally elect the premier under section 49(3) of the Cayman Islands Constitution.

The meeting was confirmed by the governor’s office shortly after 5pm with a statement that read: “Newly elected candidate from the Newlands electoral district, Mr Wayne Panton met with His Excellency the Governor, Mr Martyn Roper at the Governor’s Office today, Thursday, 15 April 2021.

“Mr Panton presented to the Governor his letter confirming that he has the support of the majority of the elected candidates who were successful in yesterday’s General Election to Parliament and that he intends to form the new Government.”

In his own statement, Panton said, “The elections are over, the people have spoken, and it is time to get on with the business of making people’s lives better. I am delighted, impressed, and inspired by the level of maturity shown by the elected independent members to put aside political differences that arose on the campaign to work in the best interest of our Islands. All of us who decided to step into the public arena did so to make a positive difference to the communities we serve. Many good people were unsuccessful at the polls but still have a lot to offer.”

Panton said Lindsay, who was unsuccessful yesterday in his challenge to win George Town South, was one such individual who would bring much-needed articulation and maturity to the role.

“The government that I am humbled to lead will be People driven, Accountable, Competent and Transparent (PACT). We are all humbled by the electorate’s trust and recognise that we have much work to do and are ready and willing to work on your behalf,” he said. “I am tremendously proud that the ten independent candidates have joined together, in a decisive and cohesive fashion, to commence the process of forming a new government.

Panton continued, “Although PACT has the majority and are committed to that as a government, we will demonstrate to the country a refreshing and new approach by being open to other elected members joining in order to carry out the wishes of the electorate to form an inclusive coalition to work in the best overall interests of the country.’’

CNS understands that discussions regarding the ministries are still underway, and while it is almost certain that Panton will be taking on the environment and Saunders the public purse, the eight ministerial portfolios have yet to be allocated.

The ten Independent candidates joining forces to form the new government are:

  • G. Wayne Panton – MP Elect, Newlands
  • Christopher Selvin Saunders – MP Elect, Bodden Town West
  • Johany S. “Jay” Ebanks – MP Elect, North Side
  • Kenneth Vernon Bryan – MP Elect, George Town Central
  • Isaac Douglas Rankine – MP Elect, East End
  • Bernie Alfredo Bush – MP Elect, West Bay North
  • Katherine Ebanks-Wilks – MP Elect, West Bay Central
  • Andre Martin Ebanks – MP Elect, West Bay South
  • Sabrina Turner – MP Elect, Prospect
  • Heather Dianne Bodden – MP Elect, Savannah

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Category: 2021 General Elections, Elections, Politics

Comments (128)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Ebanks as MP for NS. Well at least the local drop outs will have a smoother distribution centre for their recreation.

    • Anonymous says:

      They’ve been literally camped outside his house and dock since Thursday. You can’t make this stuff up. The Cayman Islands public needs to remind themselves of what happened in Turks and Caicos in 2009. The FCO/UK was always waiting for an opportunity to impose direct rule on the Cayman Islands. Let’s not make it easy for them to do so.

    • Anonymous says:

      They better think this out very carefully yes cost of living is high but to raise minimum wage to 9.00 and hour what do you think will be increased??? this has to be passed on to the consumers

  2. Anonymous says:

    I miss Alva already

  3. Anonymous says:

    Wayne was too hasty in trying to out-manoeuvre Roy/Alden. Saunders? Lindsay? For real Wayne??

    Anyway, I wonder if Roy’s argument is Constitutionally sound? Not about alleged “arrangements” but regarding returning the majority of PPM incumbents….etc…

  4. David S. says:

    Payback is a Bitch!

    • Anonymous says:

      One thing needs to be said, if you turning off your phone already is an indicator of your representation, we should have know better to elect you. Hypocrites, you wanted us to call before elections though!

  5. David S. says:

    A FORWARDED post from aFBook Cayman patriot

    Dear PPM,/U.D.P. coalition

    Confucious say “he who wants everything
    Shall have Nothing!”

  6. Anonymous says:

    and having Kenneth being part of running the country is better than Aiden and roy????

  7. Anonymous says:

    Change everything…do what’s right!

  8. Anonymous says:

    Bush, Bryan, and Donkey Boy kept their seats. Pity about that. But Bush and Donkey Boy are now a complete irrelevance and Bryan has more faces than the parish town clock. He’ll get his come-uppance one day.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Wayne, Wayne. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. Saunders is just waiting for you to stumble and… booya, him dead yuh fe sure. And you have no one with any experience backing you, just smart, wet behind the ears over ambitious youngsters who don’t know a virement from a transfer payment. You should have tried to talk with Roy and we could have had a superb coalition government.

  10. Anonymous says:

    So – Is it fair that just because Alden and Wayne had a row and Wayne left the PPM the rest of us should have had a crap government for the past 4 years and look to have an inexperienced and probably incompetent one for the next 4 years?

    • Anonymous says:

      So it’s Wayne’s fault the government were crap for the last 4 years lol.

    • Hopeful says:

      For the past FOUR years? As far back as many of us can remember more like. And the votes seem to show we want change. If the people hold PACT accountable to their values perhaps we might actually get somewhere?

  11. Anonymous says:

    It would be fantastic to have Wayne in charge of the Environment and Planning and Development portfolios. Unfortunately, I cannot see any of the other people in his wannabee government as being capable of running any of the other cabinet posts anywhere other than into the ground.

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