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:

    I am disappointed that Wayne has chosen this path to power. These never before elected independents are not interested in spending any time getting to know how Parliament actually works. They all just want Cabinet salaries and other perks.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Good luck, can’t do any worse than the last bunch of cabbages and great to see some of the dinosaurs ousted with their 20th century views.

  3. Doomsday says:

    It’s all very well wanting a change, but what on earth have we changed our Government to?. It seems to me all those on the list are not satisfied with the prestige and salary of an M.P., but they want ministerial appointments. We need a lot more than hot air and promises we need professionals who can perform.What we have is a large number of neophytes most of which will end up in the Cabinet. Mr Panton has bitten off more than he can chew, I hope he can sleep at night once reality sets in.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Tech dat!!!

  5. Anonymous says:

    This probably has a life span of about Friday afternoon. Just watch.

    • Anonymous says:

      I hope that you are right. A government comprised of only this largely inexperienced lot would be a nightmare.

  6. Anonymous says:

    It’s young moon…great time to start a great new government PACT

  7. Anonymous says:

    For all of those saying an independent government will be a train wreck, the last few years hasn’t been? In fact, Panton’s already proving himself to me as he got straight to work as soon as he won Newlands and didn’t waste any time. Meanwhile PPM was dancing all night long and celebrating while moves were being made right under their noses. I want a government that will get to work immediately, not one that waits until election season to do something. (Still shocked how y’all voted in the same bruk up people!)

    • Anonymous says:

      Big facts.

      PPM had 8 years and two chances to accomplish their cherry-picked agendas, with little avail for the majority of Cayman.

      People are so tired of the soon come stories and empty fridge promises, only to tug shirts with election season gimmicks.

      THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN. Period.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Cayman needed a change. The path we were on with the Ppm was going to end in tears. I hope this government will put education, sustainable development, and diversification of the economy in the front. Could we see decriminalization of cannabis???? Could we see the eastern districts commercially developed to take some of the strain off of gt seven mile ??? I’m hopeful

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, great idea. I would love if there were some offices in Savannah. And maybe a nice Resturant in bodden town. I miss over the edge when it was in bodden town

    • Anonymous says:

      A change yes is good but be careful who you put where. Chris Saunders Deputy??? come on.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Whoever makes Mac Minister of Women’s affairs and Bryan Minister of Justice will form the next goverment.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Jay Jay, you never come to us and say which party you was going with. So you make that step in less than one day and forgot that we elected you?

    Shame on you. I am already disappointed that I voted for you.

    • Anonymous says:

      I feel the same way about Isaac. I never signed up for this

    • Anonymous says:

      So you voted for him without knowing what he was standing for? Surely you voted for him because you wanted to see him in government. Now he is and you’re unhappy? What the hell did you think was going to happen?

  11. Let us be a part of this change says:

    This is a golden opportunity for all of us who prayed for this change to actually roll up our sleeves and volunteer our time and skills for the betterment of our communities. Let’s show the naysayers and PPM lovers that it can be done for love of country.

    • Anonymous says:

      It would be nice if the world worked that way. Unfortunately if you look closely you will see that the newly elected ‘change’ are more interested in is heading to the trough and arguing over who is going to get how much for being a Cabinet member or a ‘Councillor’. That is already more important than developing policy that will improve Cayman and we are only 24 hours post election.

  12. Anonymous says:

    What a remarkable turn of events! I hope their first acts as a cohesive government include publishing all government deals for which the people of the Cayman Islands are a concerned party, and to provide whistleblower amnesty and job protection to all the CIG workers that are sitting on decades of evidence of bad faith. We need to make some arrests and send some of our embedded crooks to jail in order to prove the Cayman Islands deals with corruption. That’s how we get off the sanctions lists.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh for Christs sake, of course they won’t do that, 6:36. When they get in, they will discover that governing is very different from bitching on the sidelines and posting anti Alden stuff on CNS. Now they have to do something.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Translation:

    ‘People driven’ Dem going to wote demselves big new fancy government wehicles and people to drive them around an let eweryone know dat dey is inportant

    Accountable, – one or two of dem can count up to 10

    Competent – mostly potty trained

    Transparent – look in one ear and can see clearly out the other side

  14. Anonymous says:

    I knew it – we allowed that gay marriage law to come into effect and as punishment we get this government and soon come a hurricane worse than Ivan.

  15. Anonymous says:

    All you fools here thinking this is a great thing to have sheer incompetence and a virtue siganling bunch of empty talkers form a goverment, come back here in 6 months to eat your words

    Kenneth Bryan???? LMAO!!

    The best that can happen here is that none if these clowns can get anything done. At least they wont wreck the place.

    Alden you f*cked up big time. You have to think and plan better than this. You got bamboozled by a bunch of bull shitters
    At least form a good opposition to stop anything these morons are about to do.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Open up the borders NOW. You said that will be done. I voted for opened boarders. I need to open by business

    • Anonymous says:

      I have a feeling your business would be more successful if you were better educated. Take advantage of this downtime to read some books and try to better yourself.

  17. Anonymous says:

    Ungrateful bunch.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Let’s see how much of the plans each one of the independents will get down within the next four years. Everyone promised something to us.. I want to see what’s going to get down in my district

  19. BeaumontZodecloun says:

    They lack the experience of the corrupted. They are unowned. This is the very best thing for the Cayman Islands (long may She reign).

  20. Anonymous says:

    Hard to have “competent” as a base value when you plan to put Kenneth as Minister for anything…

    Nah sure what kind of back room deal is putting Alric as speaker, but surely there will be “transparency” as to why that provides the country value for money instead of one of their own members (since in that context, a speaker can vote in a tie).

    But work with what you have, I suppose. Strong move by Wayne but the shine on PACT already seems slightly tarnished when you look just an inch below the surface.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Your words should be your bond. Isaac and Jay Jay you’re a disg**e. Enjoy your time now and put your eyes behind your back.

    • Anonymous says:

      Isaac, Jay, Andre, to break your word, To renege on your undertaking even before you take up your posts is a distressing indication of who you are.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Fantastic! – in the first month they are going to impose a 5% per annum tax on the capital of all hedge funds and other financial vehicles based in Cayman, convert all property titles to monthly tenancies with rent to be paid to a politicians pension fund, abolish all school exams, legalize burglary and most other crimes and otherwise really stick it to those who have done well at any point over the past 5 decades

  23. Anonymous says:

    Excellent masterful move … this shows a team who is actually reading the constitution !!!

  24. MY TAKE says:

    PEOPLE, I THINK IT’S IMMATURE TO JUDGE THEM NOW … At least give them a year or so before you judge and call them names. We must see what they do for our country.

  25. Caymanian says:

    This is no time for a rookie team. This is going to be a trainwreck of epic proportions.

    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      No it is not. This is the hope we were praying for. This is the team that will close down rampant foreign development. This is the team that will protect our most cherished resources, the environment which we love.

      I am so happy. I couldn’t have imagined that this chain of events would work out this way. I feel so hopeful. To forge forward will require a paradigm change, and this is EXACTLY the team to do so. No more good ol’ boyz, but a collection of qualified people who will rework our systems and — gee, dare I guess? — actually work with the people to determine what they truly want.

      This is a great turning point.

    • Anonymous says:

      This won’t be a rookie team. The parliamentary process allows for the governor to call the meeting next Wednesday between now and then, the details of Cabinet and the Government can be worked out.

      This does NOT mean that there is any intention of creating a government (especially a Cabinet) of just the current independent soon to be MP’s.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes the PPM’s famously well run Governments with John John Seymour talking about how the moon makes women horny and spending valuable time on a public platform during a pandemic brushing up on other languages and cracking wise (not sure if he capable of that last one)

      If the people of the Cayman Islands wanted a PPM led government why did Vincent Fredrick, Alva Suckoo and Frank Cornwall go down in flames last night?

  26. Anonymous says:

    Alden how in hell could you let this happen.

    This is a disaster

    • Take that says:

      To 5:51 pm:

      LMAO!!!! Is that you, Dart? Now you feel how we the voters felt yesterday. LOL!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Alden will no doubt be invited to come to the table for discussion, if he is willing to.

    • Anonymous says:

      The best part about comments like these from PPM sheeple is that In order to form a government Alden and Roy would need to bring in two members from the group you are calling a disaster

      So you might want to revise this statement

    • Anonymous says:

      6.20 you are a selfish ignoramus (look it up in the dictionary.) Open up the borders and drive us back into lockdown , just like Jamaica, Bahamas , Bermuda and so on.
      But then we have our self appointed God of tourism who will do that…go Kenny and bring community spread Covid as your gift to Cayman.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Any wagers on how long (or short) it will be before the MP for CBE will jump ship???

    Glad to see the CBE MP is part of the opposition (minority), but seriously doubt her ego will let her stay that way.

  28. Anonymous says:

    Poor old Jon Jon and Ju Ju just fell off their gravy train. They will have to practice riding their donkeys under a full moon

  29. Happy PPM are out says:

    My disappointment that 8 PPM were re-elected has just been reversed!!! Go PACT.

  30. Anonymous says:

    10-9 ??
    Give it 12 months before one crosses the isle and hands over the keys back to PPM. This is folly and very short sighted by Wayne Panton. I believe he would indeed make a strong Premier but not by this means… this is rushed and the devil will surely be in the details.

    • Anonymous says:

      Wait for the details please. Wayne is way smarter than to push through a Cabinet made up of only these independent soon to be MPs.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Funny how it took power hungry Arden and disagreeable Ezzard to be voted out for the independents to come together to and form a govt in the blink of an eye 🤯

  32. Maybe says:

    Independents simply holding out for a better offer from PPM….i don’t think the PPM should have been dancing around last night….should have been working the backrooms

  33. Anonymous says:

    Government by the inexperienced and inept, for the benefit of no one.

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe not for your benefit.

    • Anonymous says:

      This won’t be a rookie team. The parliamentary process allows for the governor to call the meeting next Wednesday between now and then, the details of Cabinet and the Government can be worked out.

      This does NOT mean that there is any intention of creating a government (especially a Cabinet) of just the current independent soon to be MP’s.

  34. Anon says:

    Look at God! Won’t He do it!

    Congrats to all. I pray that all egos are left at home and everyone can work together to make living in the Cayman Islands better for all, not just the wealthy as was PPMs focus.

    People will be looking for you guys to fail because of your inexperience. Everyone has to learn on a new job and that is ok. My only advice is to educate yourselves in depth of your respective ministries and seek advice from professionals where necessary.

    Goodluck!:)

  35. Anonymous says:

    JUST ENSURE you keep MAC-EWW-A outta it!

  36. Anonymous says:

    Amen! There is a God and he will guide these new people to humbly learn their roles. No man is born knowing – Ministers or otherwise. Let’s consider a moratorium on work permits and give WORC teeth to really get Caymanians employed.

  37. Anonymous says:

    Hilarious! Well
    played Wayne

  38. Anonymous says:

    While Alden slept… Wayne became Premier…. this story must be passed down to our Children and Grand Children

    Alden got beaten by his own game…..

  39. Anonymous says:

    So Panton is so hungry for power that he has placed his own interests ahead of the country? Why else would he form a government with mostly inexperienced people? PPM is far from perfect but this is much more concerning.

    • Anonymous says:

      yes, tell us more about how the party is all and must be followed.

      be carful you dont get any mud in your teeth as you lick that boot.

    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      Mr. Wayne has always had the whole benefit of the people in mind. If you don’t know him (and it sounds as if you don’t), he is a person of deep thought and frets about those of us who are downtrodden, and frets about how to balance development against conservation.

      He is the right person for the job, as are the rest that are now in his cabinet.

      • Anonymous says:

        You had me until the second part of your last sentence…

        It’s okay to like Wayne while acknowledging he’s made a real stink deal that risks putting some deeply problematic people in positions they don’t merit.

        Just like it’s okay to acknowledge the Progressives have done the same thing with Dwayne.

        Wish we could take the best of both of them and leave the trash behind.

    • Anonymous says:

      Lol.

    • Anonymous says:

      Plonker

  40. Anonymous says:

    I am so proud of the independents coming together. Wayne is great guy and I think he will lead with integrity. Thank goodness, I was deeply sad with the result yesterday, but elated today!

  41. Anonymous says:

    Bernie Bush, Minister of Education.

  42. Anonymous says:

    You might see inexperience, I see uncorrupted. Let’s hope they stay that way

  43. Anonymous says:

    Thank goodness for that! I was worried we’d have the same old crap from before. I am full of hope and optimism. Please, PACT, don’t let us all down. Let’s see some action on the pressing needs of Cayman.
    The environmental damage, the dump, the over development
    Focus on top quality stay over tourism – preferably with an eco-focus
    Education and integration of expat kids into regular schools
    Healthcare, affordable and inclusive insurance with more regulation on profits for insurance providers, and an expansion into allowing overseas insurance
    A rooting out of corruption, bribes, backhanders and incompetance both in government and the civil service

  44. A civil servant says:

    Yes!!! Civil servants, please stand ready to continue to offer dedicated and professional support to the new Ministers without bias or malice. Let’s put Country before self. 🇰🇾

  45. Anonymous says:

    Two words – Clown Show

  46. Anonymous says:

    LOL at the progressives. There’s a few smug faces not quite as smug right now.

    Things are now quite interesting!

  47. Anonymous says:

    Well you can kiss financial services bye bye.

    • Anonymous says:

      Fool. Don’t you know anything about Wayne and Andre?

      • Anonymous says:

        Agreed – Wayne and Andre know the Financial Services Industry – a better pair we could not hope for. I’m very happy!

    • Anonymous says:

      Yep!

      This is a complete clown show

    • Anonymous says:

      Wayne Panton understands and supports financial services better than any other MLA I met.

      • Anonymous says:

        Wayne is a good person but he has not worked in that sector for many years and things have moved on. Our onshore and offshore competitors and the OECD/EU will have broken out the champagne if they read this article.

    • Anonymous says:

      We said bye bye to financial services when we lost Marco Archer and Wayne Panton four years ago.

  48. Anonymous says:

    Yaaasss!!! This is a government I can be hopeful about again. Congratulations Wayne, Andre, Heather, Sabrina and all the others!

  49. Anonymous says:

    Six months, max

  50. SSM345 says:

    Where’s the party at????!!!!!!!!

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