Hew: PPM lost government but not election
(CNS): Roy McTaggart, the new leader of the opposition, has said that his team will be taking its role as a check on the PACT Government seriously. He also said that he was over the disappointment of losing the election, though his team does not appear to be taking things as well as their leader. During a press conference on Thursday, former premier Alden McLaughlin repeatedly predicted the fall of the current administration, while the deputy opposition leader, Joey Hew, claimed that the People’s Progressive Movement did not lose the election but “were outwitted and lost government”. He revealed plans to rebuild the party and to ensure that at the next election it was fielding candidates in at least 14 constituencies.
Answering questions about last month’s vote, Hew rejected the idea that the Progressives had lost the election. He said that “from a PPM perspective, every PPM member in government and all the ministers were returned to the government. I can’t say that we lost the election. We certainly lost the government and we were outwitted in that sense. And the lesson we learned from that is that we have to rebuild the party, and when we go into the next election we go… with a very strong slate of People’s Progressive members.”
Hew said he was not ruling out the idea of future coalitions. But the mistake the party had made was not having a stronger team of Progressive members, he added, implying that relying on Alliance candidates or last minute endorsements had been where things went wrong. “I believe people out there prefer organised politics,” he said, pointing to the legitimate desire voters have to know who the leader will be and who they will be working with.
McLaughlin admitted that losing the election “hurts, especially when… we had won eight seats”, but said it is what it is. “Let’s hope the government lasts the full term,” he said, though he suggested numerous times that he did not expect it to, saying the PACT had “outsmarted us this time”.
McLaughlin, who is now the party chairman, outlined the rebirth of the PPM, despite criticisms he faced over the last four years for neglecting the party machinery. He said the party has hired a CEO to run the day to day operations.
“We plan to re-invigorate the party,” he said, adding that they planned to introduce constituency councils to rebuild the base of the party. “I think we have got the beginnings of a real plan for a major resurgence of the Progressives over this term.”
However, McTaggart appeared resigned to being in opposition for the time being and prepared to embrace his new role. He said the Progressives planned to be fair but robust and effective opponents of the administration, supporting policies in the best interests of the people but challenging those that are not. He also noted that the opposition was an important part of the democratic process.
The opposition leader said he was more philosophical “about these things” and that he had expected to find himself in opposition if he stayed in politics long enough, appearing much less concerned about his new role than some of his colleagues.
McTaggart outlined the roles of his team in the new shadow cabinet, and said that, as shadow minister for economic finance and development, he would be holding Deputy Premier Chris Saunders to account.
Hew was given the responsibility to follow planning, lands, transport, commerce and the environment, putting him on a potential collision course with Premier Wayne Panton. McLaughlin will cover financial services, international trade and agriculture, while Moses Kirkconnell will shadow his former ministry of tourism as well as district administration and e-government, and Dwayne Seymour will shadow his old areas of health, housing and culture but will also cover home affairs.
Barbara Conolly and David Wight, who were both back-bench members of the previous administration, have now been give ministries to follow, with Conolly shadowing education and social development, putting her face to face with her former colleague, Juliana O’Connor Connolly, and David Wight will be shadowing labour as well as sports and youth.
McTaggart said the team would observe the relevant ministers and effectively deal with the government in their subject areas, offering recommendations or solutions.
See details of the shadow cabinet in the CNS Library.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Politics
You know they have to be bitter after spending all of that money financing independents campaigns only to be outsmarted by them and McKeeva. Alden was “banking” on the same old throwing the money around PPM tactic and it didn’t work this time..blindsided is not the right word, outsmarted is more like it..
The old saying, eat um out, drink um out and vote um out hit alden and the PPM like a sledge hammer this time around.
Money didn’t work Alden..You can’t buy people’s loyalty anymore. You need to come up with another plan or spend a lot more of that PPM money.
Some of you sheepies only want to hear from people who agree with you and want everyone else to shut up. The reality is PPM like the rest of us is entitled to freedom of speech and expression. So if you don’t want to hear or see them just turn the page or change the channel. Just put on your big boy pants and suck it up.
Poor you..
Unfortunately, PPM is still trying to make themselves relevant or to make false claims about winning an election they lost, taking a page right of the orange man’s book.
They need to stop with their sour grapes and false accusations and get behind the government to support them rather than starting a press briefing saying that is your plan and within less than five minutes their anger and venom was spewing left and right.
The press briefing was just reinforcement and confirmation of what we thought of them.
PPM you are not supreme and ruler of the Cayman Islands. You lost, get over it, and move on.
Some people are completely delusional and detached from reality. Their inability to acknowledge and recognize their own failures and limitations is the real problem that needs attention.
The only way to “re-invigorate” the PPM Joey, would be for all of you to resign and put in place new leadership but we all know your egos will never allow that to happen.
If you really believe that after years off bad policies, loss of membership and loss of support by the “majority” of the voters(which you are still in denial) that you can bring this back without some real soul searching and letting go of your narcissistic ways you are bound for continued failure.
Hew has always been a major waste of space…so over him. Just take your licks and shut up.
Cayman is not for parties. The PPM proved that such groups put their interests before country; we want independents who have enough common sense to recognize that they need to identify the issues that are relevant to the country and work as a team to resolve them.
So what we actually need is a more mature political culture. Joey is not wrong that people prefer organised government, but if they hate your policies, your organisation and skill at getting those policies enacted is going to work against you. No number of candidates or amount of tinkering is going to change the reputation and frankly the stigma your party now has XXXX. Root and branch reform is required and new faces – you guys are not getting in again.
@ 2.06pm “you guys are not getting in again” Don’t bet your house on it. When independent candidates ran head to head against Progressive Alliance candidates, independents lost 8 out of 12 races. In other words only 4 of their victories were in Progressive contested constituencies; the other 7 were uncontested by Progressives ie independent vs independent meant an independent had to win. Even with the assistance of certain media houses independent candidates failed to unseat 8 of the 12 Alliance candidates. So I wouldn’t count PPM out just yet.
If the Progressives wanted to form a government, then they should have ran at least 10 members, because that’s how many members a registered party needs in order to have a majority. You’d think that as a lawyer, Alden would know the constitution.
To 6.31an So how many members did the other party run? None. You would think that as lawyers Wayne and Sammy and Alric would have known that. The Alliance ran 12 candidates with a common manifesto. The only group in opposition to them who had a common manifesto had 3 members; that was Wayne’s group Community creates Country. You would think that Wayne being a lawyer would know that he needed 10 members to have a majority.
What other party? The very definition of an independent candidate is one that doesn’t belong to a party. A registered political party needs 10 seats for a majority. More independents got elected than PPM members, and that’s that. Cayman has had independent-led governments before, now get over it.
To 3.01pm ‘ A registered political party needs 10 seats for a majority’ True but so does any other grouping or alliance. The difference is that if a Political Party obtains a majority of elected members they can inform the Governor immediately after the election and the appointment of the Premier can done at the same time; no need for a vote to take place at the swearing in ceremony such as was necessary after the most recent elections.
That’s because they couldn’t get anyone else to run with them and that’s why they had to form the alliance and buy up people like John John, Vincent and Austin. And the best they could do in George Town Central was Frank who was a lost cause to begin with…why they even bothered spending their money on him befuddles me.
What the PPM continues to fail to understand that it doesn’t matter how many people they add until they change their bad policies, lack of concern for the common people and their power hungry narcissistic ways they will never be “progressive.” This was a party that was massive and has slowly lost the majority of its membership and in fact each election they lose at least one member.
You lost, Alden. Now sit down and shut up. PPM are losers.
6.51 PPM beat Independent candidates in 8 of 12 races that they contested. In other words, Independents lost 8 of 12 head to head races with the Progressive Alliance. Lucky for the Independents that the Progressives only contested 12 seats or todays Government would very likely be Progressives led. In fact had the Progressives chosen Mac before Wayne did they would be in power today so dont gloat so much because independent candidates lucked out.
If you didn’t understand what Alden was saying, they had made deals with and financed some independents campaigns in hopes that they could use them to make up their numbers..so they were running other candidates. in the end the only person that wanted anything to do with them was John John. Not sure what they promised him..hope now he sees that promises are a comfort to a fool..
They only won in Cayman Brac because they literally had no competition. If there were some strong independents over there they most likely would have lost at least one seat.
Whining and groaning about what could have been is stupidity at this point. What the PPM needs to do now is to get over their pity party and name calling and come together for the betterment of the country.
We are all Caymanians, and one group has to win. The PPM had 8 years and the people have had enough of them. Let’s give the PACT group an opportunity and support them. Remember if they fail we all fail, it is our duty to support them now for love of country and not party or for selfish personal reasons.
1.32 and independent candidates won 7 of their seats because there was no PPM candidates in those areas.
Sorry bud, but you need 10 seats for a majority. Not 7 or 8. The PPM ran at least 10 members in previous elections, so I don’t know why they expected that they would easily form a government this time.
And yet – they don’t have a majority, so they don’t get to govern. Sounds like a loss to me. But apparently not to Joey Hew, who seems to think that the rules should be changed after the event so that a political party that gets the most seat, even if it’s not a majority , should be allowed to govern. Might have been an idea to actually run candidates in all those seats rather than assume that paying independent s election expenses and a promise of a seat at the table would guarantee their support once they won, eh?
Sour grapes ?
But Alden, you need 10 seats for a majority and John John isn’t even a proper PPM member!
Joey, look in the mirror sometime & come to terms with what is staring at you. Embrace reality.
8.28am The other member of the PACT team that will have trouble
getting a visa to travel to the US is Kenneth Bryan he spent 90 days in prison for supplying Cocaine at night clubs in 2004
And if you do your proper research you will find that a certain former Minister of Tourism had drug charges against him while in college.
Sentences spent for offences like that disappear from police records after five years so… moot issue.
To 8.56 Not sure that law applies to ‘supplying’ convictions but for possession small amounts for personal use.
Where is the evidence details?
Why wait until now to reveal this information?
It is hoped that this is not more of Alden’s cheap rumour mongering about the person he tried several times to destroy.
Alden go shine your pompous Emperor ring.
Mac is bad but boy you are badder!
Joey needs maths lessons to count up to a majority. 4 years of serious studying and he might get there. Bless.
After reading this news briefing – it never cease to amase me
ROY and other members of the Progressive how much time does it take for you all to get the message that you lost the Government but you were returned to Parliament and that a good thing
Stop taking pages from Donald Trump’s Book and be MATURE.
It same that with each news briefings and every time you opening your mouths in front of a camera it makes people now realize who you truly are and how much you all CARED about the Cayman Islands and it’s people.
instead of assuring the people of the Cayman Islands that you will work with the PACT GOVERNMENT you just keep spewing your VENON.
Being on the back bench of Government is a Good thing because NO Government can operate properly without Opposition in a POSSITIVE WAY
USE your Experience and make these island we all call HOME a better place that we can all be proud off.
May I ask everyone of you to put your PRIDE behind you and start working for the People of the Cayman Islands and not for special interest Group
What does it take to make you all understand that special interest Groups don’t give a Damn about anyone but them selves
I want to make this abundantly clear that I am not affiliated or associated with any Political Party or Independant Candidate-s
I am just a proud CAYMANIAN who want to help make these islands a better place
Dexter Layman Ebanks
916 / 0754
Roy and the progressives are like TRUMP! a bunch of narcissistic lil boys. Surprised that didn’t ask for a vote recount
You mean the one that PACT appointed speaker. An absolutely disgusting bunch. Time will tell.
PACT 1 PPM 0
A loss is a loss, no excuses, unna lost.
Stop the steal! stop the steal! stop the steal !eh Joey Hew ! How sad ?
if you can’t rebuild your policies Joey you’re wasting your time rebuilding the party – people still won’t accept what they don’t want when being forced upon them.
Barbara Conolly is our shadow education minister and David Wight is our shadow labour minister. Oh dear.
Are you say she is not a smart as Ju Ju?
whats wrong with that? better than what we have now.
David Wright is probably the most capable person in Government to produce consistent shadows because he moves so little.
Looking at and listening to them trying to say they didn’t lose, makes me wonder if Roy won’t have to walk back the words in his speech.
These guys are very bitter that they lost and you can believe they are intent on making sure they do everything possible to let the PACT government fail.
This press briefing gave us a good look into what to expect from them in the months and years to come..
Sad that they can’t do what is in the best interest of Cayman and Caymanians in or in this case out of the government.
Let me school you. In this colonialist Westminster system we have here.. it is the Oppositions job to make the Government fail. Don’t let anyone tell you different my friend. Divide and rule, so mother can reap the benefits. The whole system is designed to keep the sovereign power in power
Roy appears the most sensible in that gang. He is able to face reality, accept defeat without bitterness and try to perform as an effective opposition/backbench member, I respect Roy for his stance in accepting and respecting the will of the people that elected them all.
I really wish he had joined PACT instead of Juliana. Oh, well.
But Roy isn’t in charge
Yup. PPM got cocky and greedy and got called out period. Locals do not want 4 story million dollar South Sound condos, you can’t even see the Sea because they gave planning and property to developers.
Alden our own premier was the worse in Red Bay? Hundreds of apartments approved to Turkish developer in a single family home neighborhood with one road?
You lost because only Covid stopped your PORT greed. Barbara, you wanted to ruin Smith Cove and let ALT take over that treasure.
The people finally woke up and realized your growth was at our expense.
We hope the new government respects our precious Enviroment, won’t pander to DART, and will keep the cruise ships out and slowly welcome back stay over tourists whilst keeping our small population safe.
We have come far people. Thanks to Dr Lee we remain safe… but stay awake, back door deals are what the politics feeds on.
I agree with you, but Dr. Lee’s illegal conspiracy and collusion has tarnished the Chief Medical Officer, who now showed be criminally prosecuted.
Joey Hew is a bumbling, uneducated, bitter idiot that should cease all public speaking. His logic is flawed. The PPM lost the election the proof is they are sitting in the opposition as miserable as they can be.
Him and Seymour make a great set of bookends!
Joey could learn a bit about math from kindergarten children. It’s simple math. I do have to say that Joey, more than the others Opposition members, seems to be very cool, calm and collected, albeit that he is wrong on many things.
Roy does seem to be the most reasonable of the bunch, but it does seem that Alden is calling the shot (wagging the dog). It is hoped that Roy will be reasonable and work with Wayne and Chris to do good for the Caymanian people.
Alden, who is a good strategist, did admit that the PPM was outsmarted by the PACT. However, Alden does seem as if he expects the PACT to fail, which will not happen.
Jon Jon, who has provided comedic relief at times, seems to be a decent person and, at least this time, did not embarrass the Cayman Islands when he spoke.
Hopefully, Barbara, who still seems nervous and unsure of herself, will be able to do better for her GTS constituents. Time will tell if she will. Alric Lindsay did more for GTS over the last four years than Barbara. Let’s see if Barbara can do more than Mr. Lindsay over the next four years, which I doubt is unlikely.
So thats what you are about ..insulting and degrading people. Hope youre not representative of PACT support or God help us.
PPM lost thanks be to God. Caymanians now might actually have a chance in our own country.
Oh yeah? You sure that Wayneo and his gang are any better? Let’s get the popcorn and watch.
8:24 honestly he and his merry band of cronies don’t give me much hope
So who is going to make that happen? Wayne? Ha! Ha! Ha!
Exactly! Reinvigorate the party? Anyone that drank that cool-aid last time was seriously burned. Better to stay clear of anything associated with Alden McLaughlin. He destroyed the party and everything it once stood for.
So true. Alden McLaughlin tarnished the PPM and his own legacy over the last eight decades years.
“Alden the Terrible” the terrible ruled with an iron fist and cold heart, who betrayed the Caymanian people and gave preference to special interests groups and the elite.
It would be great if this lot just went away and didn’t come back. Arrogance, denial and corruption defines the ppm plus their alliance
Hear hear.
PPM better help the members of PACT who cant nor will be able to travel to USA for lack of waivers and/or visa
Waivers are pretty easy to get. Other than Mac which other ones have convictions?
from joey…the man who banned uber in cayman to protect a taxi-rip-off cartel…..zzzzzzz
Oh yes…. Goodbye taxi cartel.
New Government, go for global funding for public transport!! UK style buses and electronic tracking bus stops.
I am a business person who would take the bus every day if it had a dedicated lane and track to town and SMB.
Reliable, on-time public transport could make our lives so much better.
I always wondered WHO actually owned the taxis? and would respect if 100% locals were the drivers, but that does not seem to be the case. Own a bus, join the cartel and low-pay work permit holders for your profit?
I’m glad the cruise ships are gone, maybe we can break up the taxi cartel now.
joey…it doesn’ty matter what you lost…you are now in opposition.
maybe admitting your own failuers over the last 4 would be a good start….
your failure and inaction on the traffic crisis has destroyed the quality of lives for everybody living east of grand harbour.
But he made sure his own road got paved days befor the election, how glaringly selfish.
I found the road paving before the election to be just laughably pathetic. All of a sudden there is fresh asphalt everywhere and I’m thinking ‘is this the price you believe I sell for? A smooth road surface that you could have given me at any time? GTFO’. That spoke volumes to me that they thought that was still a thing they could do and it would matter.
Yep and the two streets right adjacent to his Marbel Drive were left untouched and overgrown bushes not to mention trash.
I am so happy to see this self serving people out of the Government if not out of the Parliament.
I just could not imagine 4 more years of the PPM.
The traffic crisis is a sign of success. The economy is booming so everyone can afford a car. What we need to do is put in a good bus system and ban expats from owning cars in Cayman . That should free up some road space.
ppm…you lost the elction/government to a rag-tag bunch of unqualified inexperienced independents.
let that sink in.
now what does that say about the ppm?
Hew must be Trump’s cousin who refused the they lost the election!
He’s just saying alternate facts.
Rather than grinding his teeth and spewing piss & vinegar Mr. Hew needs to be concerned with reflecting why the PPM were outwitted, be critical of the ruling party yes but accept you and the PPM do not represent the majority’s aspirations for good governance of Cayman.
The witless are easy to outwit. You were distracted by the money and more concerned with opening doors for the people who’s only objective is destroying the only natural things Cayman has left. Only the privileged few were benefiting from your policies. The other reason you lost is that your crew repeatedly sold the people out behind closed doors.
You can’t hope to remain in power when you consistently erode the trust of the people. Things won’t be so easy for you from now on, the people have spoken and now it’s time to stop your whining, pull up your pants, be constructive and move forward. If not you will only dig the PPM grave deeper, even if you try to rebrand yourselves.
Reminds me of the song ‘Your Honour’ by Pluto Shervington.
“Your Honour, I was only in the closet minding I and I business” and certainly not minding the business of the average Caymanian whose quality of life was severely eroded during 12 out of the last 16 years of the PPM administration.
What a bunch of sorry losers who could not even attend the PARLIAMENTARY PRAYER BREAKFAST(except for their leader Roy Mctaggart). Please remember that we the voters are your employers for the next four years and if we do not see you doing your job, we now give you notice that in 2025 your contract will not be renewed.
Posted this on the Alden article just before it was moved down.
Roy = ventriloquist doll for Alden and DART, where his wife works. He ran in a constituency full of starter homes, no doubt the owners of which felt some gratitude for their circumstances, and he seemed nice enough. He also had no credible competition. I voted for him but only because he was nice enough to pretend to ask, and I would have voted for any credible competitor instead regardless if we had one here. Something like 220 people voted for a 27-year-old instead, with all the problems we have that require maturity, wisdom, and experience, and in spite of his acknowledged strong performance as Minister of Finance.
Joey = again, right candidate, right constituency. Rich man with a pretty wife who owns a Camana Bay store – ‘nuff said. I’ll only add that his competitor came out too early (way before the election positioning himself as lead opponent of the Progressives’ least popular policy, probably trying to be an instant premier), and came on too strongly.
Barbara = same thing again. GTS is probably the second-richest constituency, full of equally complacent people. Public anger directed at her during her term was muted and defused by this, hence she got back in. Still almost lost.
Dwayne = not willing to put the Progressives label on himself, actually. Folk hero to the inane. Had a weak has-been competitor who just gets bored of merely owning his gas station every other election, and became a joke about cow penises like a decade ago.
Alden = almost lost and surely only got back in on a manipulated sense of pity and some misguided notion of a deserved reward. Hold the election again today and he’s gone – I’d bet my house on it.
Moses = the clue is in the name (first and last), and again, the constituency.
David = same as Roy and Barbara, complacent constituency with nothing happening and one landmark – his gas station. He was never attached to any controversy because he never did anything. Weak competitors. Also, what’s with the gas station owners?
Julie = weather-vane whose established pattern is to do whatever is necessary to get into Cabinet so she can shower her constituents with Government largesse, hence, they vote her in every time waiting for the rewards.
On the other side: EVERYONE ELSE!!!
This is why they are not in power anymore.
Bang on!
You forgot to add that Joey’s opponent’s life-partner also works for Dart, in fact Roy’s wife reports to her.
Exactly!!
Why it has never been highlighted more blows me away, still.
If Alden had not called any early Election, he, Joey, Barbara and Mac would have lost their seats. That is what they should consider instead of spouting crap.
D wight by the way can’t even debate yet carries a big swing. Let’s see if he can pull it off again next election, and even more important let’s see him face off againt Minister B. Bush. PPM please teach him ro provide content in the Parliament, after all he is being paid the people’s money and we most definitely expect
We watching you fella .
Can someone take down the sign just past sunset house supporting wight the developer?
I like that “expect”….!
I can’t believe the things that keep sprewing from the mouths of the PPM members including the former Premier.
Do these people not understand that their policies, and in most cases lack of proper and legit policies and their self- interests and greedy actions, for the last 2 terms, almost destroyed this country and for the most part its people.
Rest assured, respect has been lost and you all will only regain some of it, if we the people, see each of you working with and NOT AGAINST the new government for the betterment of all persons in the Cayman Islands and not your select few who you deemed fit for purpose.
They are narcissists. They can only see fault in others, never themselves.
In their minds, they are God’s gift to Cayman…not!
Boy, these guys hard of hearing or maybe understanding.
Joey, you and your party lost…period! The people have spoken.
What a bunch of sore losers!
Joey is a dunce the world knows it. Every time he speaks he proves it.
If Joey Hew is the next leader of the PPM they are screwed and might as well close it down. It dies when Alden retires because Roy nor Joey are the real leaders
Before we blasts the PPM they may look very promising next 4 years you never know. Most of the PPM slate is experienced it is what it is we have to wish the new admin the best of luck.
Will see how it goes but just remember that PPM members were once inexperienced too. But yea, let us pray that Wayne and his gang of misfits will somehow rise to the challenge, correct some of PPM’s misdeeds and refuse to be bought out by dominant corporations and wealthy people!
Poor Joey, he just doesn’t get it.. I’m starting to feel sorry for them now..
Don’t feel sorry for them. They’re fortunate enough to have been re-elected.
Man does that team look beaten…Duhhhhwayne looks like he’s waiting for a car ride…Joey’s wondering why he said the PPM didn’t lose election….Roy’s seems to be waiting for meds…Alden is squeaking one off….and Babs is scared by the snake she just doodled.
10/10 for the hilarious comment! I cant unsee it now!!
You’ve nailed them all my man! Spot on with all of them. Duhhhhwayne…LOL….absolutely priceless
They are sounding more and more like the party of Trump everyday.
Just accept your loss already!
People are sick of your whining and sour grapes attitude.
You are not winning yourselves any favors by consistently rehashing this foolishness..
Why does Alden always have that same smug look on his face?
Because he is a pompous arrogant person who craves the power. You know he misses that chauffeur driven vehicle now.
Yep…was thinking the same. PpM is aka Cayman Republicans Party, because they are pro big business and capital development, and obviously believe in trickle down economics like Reaganomics which is the only way to explain the scrapings that Caymanians are getting from this physical over development.
PACT has a difficult road ahead to take Cayman back, so it becomes first and foremost for Caymanians. Caymanians need to wake up and seriously do their part to ensure that we get not only physical but our rightful share of social development (Education, Health Social Service etc).
Ahhh so is that like the young lady didn’t lose the fight with the drunk pig that the PPM silently supported….Cayman did.
The drunk pig was and somehow still is a representative of the Caymanian people. What does that tell you? I know what it tells me.
It tells me something about the integrity and education of one part of west bay. The PPM representatives being voted back in tells me the same thing about those ridings.
To 7.29 ‘those ridings’ Tells me something about you too. Not from here. Just stay out of Caymanians politics
It’s the new home of my family and I and I can’t let backwards folk like you destroy it.