PACT accuses PPM of politicizing COVID
(CNS): Deputy Premier Chris Saunders has said that when he was in opposition, he and his colleagues had agreed to support the Unity government in policy decisions to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and not make the issue political so that the country spoke with one voice. But now the Progressives were doing the exact opposite to the PACT Government, he said at the press briefing last Wednesday.
After claiming to stand firm and not to fold to pressure to open the borders too early, they were now capitulating to the business community to score political points, Saunders said. The war of words over opening the border escalated over the last week, with the PPM issuing another tit-for-tat statement after the PACT briefing Wednesday.
From criticising the premier for his absence from the public stage over the last few weeks to demanding government sets a date to open the border, the PPM has begun setting out their opposition position, and as Saunders noted, it appears that they have abandoned the idea of speaking with one voice on the COVID-19 issue.
During Wednesday’s press briefing, Premier Wayne Panton also noted that his former colleagues in the PPM were now seeking to score a political points out of the return of tourism. “They are politicizing an issue on which their former opposition gave them a lot of latitude,” he said and noted that “the previous administration had a year or more to come up with even the basics of a reopening plan”.
Panton set out the government’s position and the goal of ensuring that the borders are fully open by 1 November for the start of peak season. However, he stressed the need between now and then to increase the vaccination rate and then slowly lift restrictions and ease smaller numbers of tourists back, starting mid-September. He also made it clear why he was not going to set a specific date and the critical points that must be considered about the phased approach.
“Our plan is based on the number of people vaccinated so that the vulnerable in our community who can’t get vaccinated are protected once we do reopen our border. And we will. Under our plan we will slowly reintroduce tourism without having thousands of people at the airport,” the premier said.
Panton added that a decision about the target vaccination rate needed prior to reopening the borders would be made in the coming weeks. He said he would not be tied down to “an arbitrary date” for reopening, as called for by the opposition, but instead determine a phased approach to slowly reintroduce tourism — a position that had also been taken by the PPM when they were in power.
“We have too many examples of regional territories and countries who have tried and gotten it wrong, and the cost of that happening is worse than taking a bit longer to try to get it right,” Panton warned. “The fact is, the former administration never had a reopening plan. If they had, they may have been returned to office. But they didn’t and they weren’t.”
Saunders outlined what he said was the hypocrisy of the PPM now that they were in opposition, as he pointed to the significant change in their position from before the election. He said that when he was sitting where they are now, he too received constant pressure from the business community to press for the borders to reopen but that the previous opposition supported the government’s potion.
“When we were in opposition and many business people could not get their way with the government… many of those business people called us in opposition and our response was simple: the government has the information and we are going to have the one voice approach in this pandemic and we are not going to politicize it. So it is rather ironic that the same government that started the policy of putting people over profits has now started to cave to the business community,” he said.
Saunders said that Cayman could rebuild the economy but could not build lost lives.
In a statement released Thursday, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart doubled down on calling for a set date for reopening the borders, even after learning that there are 6,000 more people resident in the Cayman Islands than the estimation made by the government he was a part of while he was responsible for the Economics and Statistics Office.
“We remain of the view that the date should be September 1,” McTaggart said. “This will give businesses a date to gear up to welcome tourists back and will also spur unvaccinated residents to get vaccinated. Without a firm reopening date by September, we will likely lose the winter season as potential visitors will seek alternative destinations for their holidays. Indeed, there are already indications that it is happening.”
However, contradicting his position and continuing the direction the opposition appears to be taking, McTaggart also criticised the proposal to reduce the quarantine period for those who are vaccinated before at least 75% of the population has had both vaccine shots.
“We believe this is downright dangerous as we have seen travellers test positive for COVID-19 after 15 or longer days in quarantine. When in government, we considered this as an option and ruled it out because we did not believe it prudent or safe,” McTaggart stated, addint, “I hope the government understands the risk.”
McTaggart also repeated his attack on the premier and the government’s failure to appear frequently on the public stage, even though prior to the pandemic the PPM had abandoned the practice of regular press briefings and almost never spoke to the press collectively. For most of the last administration, the PPM-led government had only responded selectively, if at all, to press queries.
During lockdown and the phased lifting of restrictions, the regular pandemic press briefings represented an entirely different and open approach, but once the domestic economy was reopened, the Unity government reverted to its previous practice, dramatically reducing time spent facing the press, and held just one briefing this year before the elections.
See the PPM’s latest statement in the CNS Library.
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Category: Politics
We are a joke! Seriously! The new government has only been in place since April 21st. Do we expect them to say magic words and fix all that went to $hit the last 12 years. We are all tripping if we think that can be done just like that. And what are we doing to help? Just bitch and criticize, right? We are excellent back seat drivers..
The new government is the joke here.
Premier Panton keeps saying that PPM was not voted back in power but let’s not muddle what actually occurred.
Essentially all of the incumbent PPM were in fact re-elected.
PACT only became the majority because of the swift action of Panton to corral all the independents, who ran as “independents” but less than 24 hours were supposedly “PACT”.
Julie also jumped ship because Julie is going to do what is best for Julie, she has no loyalty to anyone except Jesus.
Despite his shortcomings, Panton also courted McKeeva Bush.
So please stop saying “the people have spoken and didn’t vote PPM back in” because the fact is they did vote back in every PPM minster and and PS that was there previously.
The people wanted change but PACT does not seem to have any foresight in where they want to be or even how to begin to get there.
Their “press briefings” are mostly full of cheap shots at the previous administration. They need to talk about what they are going to do to get us back on track not constantly rehashing what PPM did or did not do.
“because the fact is they did vote back in every PPM minster and and PS that was there previously.”
This isn’t even true – not surprising for a PPM supporter
Eugene Ebanks and Austin Harris were both Parliamentary Secretaries with the last Gov and both lost their election bids (Unless your bright idea is that the voters threw Harris and Ebanks 2 people who worked with the Unity Gov out, because they wanted their replacements Turner and Ebanks Wilks to… join the PPM
That lie aside
If you claim is the people of Cayman wanted a PPM government then why did the PPM fail to pick up a single seat a year of one of the best pandemic responses in the world and in the midst of a successful vaccine rollout?
The fact that the PPM failed to leverage the past year as proof that they should be reelected with an expanded majority is a stunning indictment on the true level to which people were really tired of PPM governance
Barbara Connolly and Mckeeva Bush barely won reelection both members of the Unity Gov
Austin, Alva, Frank, Vincent all PPM lackeys all got their asses handed to them in no uncertain terms
The idea that this was anything but a loss for the PPM is farcical, the only places they win now are GT and the sister Islands, they can’t carry a seat in any other part of Cayman
Of course being ignorant, you would assume I am a PPM supporter but first you need to learn to read and comprehend.
Austin and Eugene Ebanks were never PPM, they joined Alden’s unity Government.
The fact is Alden and his PPM (not unity government) crew were “essentially” all re-elected. Obviously my comment was not referring to the candidates they put up to run because you can’t get “re-elected” unless you are elected first.
Nowhere in my post did I claim that the people wanted a PPM Government back. I clearly said the people wanted change but PACT does not appear to have a clue of where they want to go or how to get there, I also said let’s not muddle the fact that “essentially” all the incumbent PPM, (not Unity government), were re-elected.
Read the commentary again, this time without your obvious bias.
You are clearly an ignorant person who thinks that if someone speaks the truth about the current administration’s actions they are automatically a PPM supporter.
If PACT wants to be successful STOP being petty and focusing on PPM’s previous action or non-action, get on with the business of moving us forward.
As for you, sit down and be quiet until you can understand and add something of value to the conversation.
Because your comment was so valuable? Stfu
“Despite his shortcomings, Panton also courted McKeeva Bush” isn’t that the understatement of the year. Panton had lots to say about it when they took him on board. Now he’s trying to run things and all has gone silent. Why isn’t Panton making a statement about the Mac video?? Where’s Wayne??
May be the vaccines are not as effective as claimed as the purpose of the vaccines is to offer protection from the virus. If you choose to get vaccinated there should be no restrictions and should be allowed to get on with life.
Likewise those who choose not be vaccinated is relying on their own healthy immune system to protect them and should also suffer no restrictions to travel and to go places, if they so choose.
The virus was release, sadly to get rid of those who are deemed vulnerable; the old, the sick and those who appear to be healthy but have underlying issues and to stop all human activities. The virus is not cooperating and maybe out pacing the vaccine, there is a race to the finish.
If you have family members who are vulnerable, you may not want the border to be re-open but we cannot close the border forever as we are only delaying the inevitable, if the vaccines are useless.
Should we keep the borders closed indefinitely we will need Devine intervention to see us through this and this by itself is a mammoth task, because we would have to start with us.
In some ways Panton brought this on himself by remaining completely silent on the issue. But it’s also suspicious that the opposition comes out against the reduced quarantine right after the Compass runs a story on how restaurants and hotels offering staycations are worried they’ll lose money because of vaccinated people travelling more now. Decisions on the border reopening should be based on health and not politics or what businesses want.
I don’t see why there can’t be more flights if people are willing to do the quarantine whatever it is.
Vaccinated individuals shouldn’t have to quarantine.
I agree 100%. What is the science behind proven vaccinated people need to quarantine? What is the government saying in regards to those vaccinated in Cayman, travel to Miami for medical reasons and then still have to quarantine when they get back whether 14 nights or 5 nights which basically ends up being 16 days and 7 days respectively. Makes absolutely no sense at all.
Why quarantine after being vaccinated? Simple answer, “Because the vaccines do not create immunity against COVID 19 or its variants.” Dr John Lee recently reported that there were five fully vaccinated travelers (three vaccinated at HSA) who tested positive for the virus.
If the vaccine doesn’t prevent the virus, why are we getting vaccinated?
To win prizes, apparently
I think it depends on which vaccine they were given. Seems like they are not all equally effective.
https://www.caymancompass.com/2021/06/21/5-vaccinated-travellers-test-positive-for-covid/
The above link is exactly WHY vaccinated people should STILL quarantine. You are not immune, it just gives you a “greater” chance of survival should you catch it.
That’s exactly what they want you to believe, to suit their narrative. Problem is, there is no science to support it.
11:44 exactly but people like the 7 dumb nuts who disliked your comment cannot wrap their heads around that fact. 3 of the 5 were vaccinated at HSA….
Yes they should… you can still catch Covid and be a carrier of the virus. You are not immune bimbo
Nooooo……the goal just did not move again from Sept. 1 to Nov. 1.
It’s becoming a comedy show, but the only ones not laughing are the people whose businesses are going under.
Poor victim PACT. If they had a PLAN and communicated it, they wouldn’t be so defensive. We need a PLAN & we need to know what it is.
PPM = Pot, PACT = Kettle.
O.K…. Give us YOUR plan, MR. Know-it-all!
BORDERS!!! FFS
New rule. If you cant spell it, dont post it.
Your absense of control leads you to making a mountain out of a moal hill.
You’d do well to acknowlege that this isn’t the forum for perfect spelling. If you focus on the points being made, youd find these errors more acceptible.
I know it was deliberate but for the sake of humanity…
*mole
*acceptable
*absence
*you’d
*acknowledge
I strongly invite the PACT not to entertain the PPM’s childish antics; the people voted you in, so prove that you have got this, but do it with dignity. Do not sink to their level. Be the bigger group.
No different than the US CDC overstepped its legal authority as it tried to prevent the spread of the virus.
Pressure group Constitutional Freedom Bermuda: “The overwhelming and obvious reality is that the proposed mandatory quarantine is not reasonably required, as a matter of medical science or law.”
He [ U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday] wrote that the conditional sailing order relies on “stale data.”
“With the advent of highly effective vaccines, with more than half of adults fully vaccinated, with infection plummeting, with death from COVID-19 asymptotically approaching zero; with the benefit of effective therapeutics for COVID-19; with masks, safe distancing, and sanitation; and with the successful and safe re-opening of business, including airlines, sporting events, and other high capacity venues, COVID-19 no longer threatens the public’s health to the same extent presented at the start of the pandemic or when CDC issued the conditional sailing order,” the Tampa-based judge wrote.” https://www.winknews.com/2021/06/18/judge-blocks-cdc-restrictions-on-cruise-ships/
False comparison. The US continues its battle between state and federal govt. jurisdictions just as it did in a bloody civil war. Business interests wanted to maintain slavery in their slave states 160 years ago and they politicized the public health issue last year. If the UK were making policy for Cayman, then you’d have something nearly comparable.
Talk about false comparisons.
Stand down, Mr. McTaggart ! You had your chance and you blew it. Flapping your lips now serves no useful purpose.
You do understand what an opposition is, right?
Yo Wayne’s World, you guys won the election. Why are you so preoccupied with the opposition? Get on with what you were put there to do and stop whining. The public can make their own assessments of whatever comes out of the mouths of our politicians and that goes for both sides. Poor showing so far for Pact.
Seriously, did you not even bother reading this article? It certainly appears to me that the PPM is severely preoccupied with the PACT Government and not the other way around. Isn’t this what Roy and Alden promised in their first press conference that they would ensure that this government failed..
I have never seen a worse set of sore losers. They have nothing else to do but try to undermine the new government because they want their power back.
Any reasonable opposition team would have given the Government at least the first 100 days before they start to harass them.
Roy, I expected so much more and better out of you. You have started taking the mould of Alden and I have to tell you that many people have lot faith in you.
I have a lot of faith in Roy as well!
I don’t have quite that much.
Government’s role is to govern, the opposition’s role is to challenge them and keep them honest. Looks to me like the opposition is functioning just fine. It’s government that hasn’t found their footing.
Seriously, did you not even bother reading this article? It certainly appears to me that the PPM is severely preoccupied with the PACT Government and not the other way around.
The dog down the street is severely preoccupied with the sound of my car, but I don’t have to take him into consideration when driving.
You ever heard the saying ” empty vessels make the most noise”
Just what guidance is Roy following that would show tourists returning here & actually spending +15 days of their vacation in quarantine ? September 1st opening is a pipe dream. Covid variants are on the increase which will dictate quarantine remaining indefinately
There’s a reason for pushing for the vaccine to be administered, let’s lean on that science.
At this stage I say that anyone who wants to be vaccinated has been.
Now that we have covered our most vulnerable, it’s time to open up.
What happens to our children? Do we risk wiping out this generation?
Maybe the intent was to speak with one voice but then the PACT decided to say absolutely nothing and further not follow the science. That deal was broken when the PACT showed themselves to be totally inept to deal with the border.
I was all for PACT and change, (granted they have only been in power for a short time) but something appears off. They really seem lost in translation and have not a clue about anything. They have not been transparent. They seem to be in hiding and only pop up when PPM slanders them. They are suddenly unapproachable and MIA. You can no longer call any of them and they answer your call. You can no longer send a WhatsApp message that they actually read and respond to. They are not keeping us in the loop whatsoever. They have become everything they said PPM was/is. I remember when Sabrina was walking door to door with her fake self looking votes. I remember when Chris Saunders would provide regular updates through WhatsApp until he got power. Sometimes you really have to stick to the evil you know and I am beginning to see why it was not a bright idea to change governments at this time. I’ll never get back the time I wasted protesting for change but I surely will not be voting for PACT again. All that mouth and they have not done squat for locals. FOOL ME ONCE.
The PPM keyboard warriors are working boy! I can say one thing, Ms. Turner is doing far more than her predecessor who we in Prospect rarely saw or heard from. The lady was the first MP to convene a meeting of her constituents after the election, her social media pages are kept current (as a matter of fact she even promotes gov. jobs etc.) daily, if not weekly! She does regular check-ins with her people when not in cabinet/caucus, so you can fly a kite. Sabrina’s Marina drive office is always opened with a PA there to greet you, and I believe she does have days where she meets with people EVEN OUTSIDE HER constituency, in that very office.
DP Saunders stil updates his people to my knowledge, and even posts on FaceBook weekly!
How much is the PPM paying you to be a keyboard warrior? You my friend sound salty!
You take your head out of the Pact ass and I’ll take you serious. I am in no way a PPM supporter. PPM didn’t do squat for locals either and only catered to the wealthy but we knew the shitty hand they dealt. PACT promised something else and are failing miserably. They could start by being the T in PACT. None of them have done anything they said they’d do while campaigning. Austin and Sabrina are the same, except Sabrina was quicker to sell us out and then through public uproar, stuck it out with PACT. I still hope they prove me wrong, especially Saunders whom I’ve always liked but we shall see.
That’s great for Ms. Turner, however Mr. Panton was appointed to lead an entire country. We’re all still waiting to observe this leadership and for any other message besides “soon come”.
Those responsible for ministries bear a higher level of responsibility and so far they seem overwhelmed by this.
Sabrina had that first meeting because she was being intimidated into rejoining the Wayne Panton coalition. First she joined them then decided that was a mistake and joined the Roy McTaggart progressive coalition; after being intimidated, mocked, and derided by people who had previously supported her she then decided being with Roy’s group was a mistake and Pact called a meeting to announce her return. That’s what her first mèting was about. You are obviously guessing at whether Sabrina has meetings or Chris is doing Facebook updates. If you know for a fact that they are doing these things, just say so. No need to guess.
I do know for a fact that they do this. No guess work here
1.27 Barbara for 4 years did all those things too but see what happend to her. Sabrina take note.
It is called having SEVERAL ministries to oversee. None of us can begin to understand the amount of work that requires. They all have assistants at their respective constituency offices; call there and they will reach out to you. It has only been two months…
Must just be you. I’m in WBS and while I dont get too involved with you know who, so far Andre, Katherine and Bernie have been very engaging and available on a number of issues. I honestly dont know when they get to eat or sleep.
Funny, one WB rep had my number before and up until right after election and regularly communicated with me. That candidate readily answered my messages of congratulations after election. Two weeks ago I sent a message to that rep and the answer was “who’s this?”. I identified myself and mentioned that I wanted to refer a time-sensitive matter….
….I’m still waiting for a response!!
I guess that rep is now very, very busy!!
Well Mac can’t be everywhere you know..He has bigger issues right now..Give him a little time, he will call you back.
22/06 @ 7:18 am – it wasn’t Mac! Your GPA at mind-reading college must have been in the minus scores!!
“We believe this is downright dangerous as we have seen travellers test positive for COVID-19 after 15 or longer days in quarantine.”
Wait, what?? When was this? My memory is failing me here.
Anyone have a link to this?
TIA
Yes, people at the end of the 14 days of quarantine have tested positive in Cayman.
I personally know of persons that have. However, I am not so sure the HSA is recording ALL data.
World class leaders in science. Ever thought of questioning why this happens no where else?
What he said was AFTER 15 days or more in quarantine. Exit test is day 15, so the implication is that they tested after leaving quarantine. Which there is no evidence for.
I would be more concerned with his more blatant and contradictory calls for a) opening up for tourist season and b) not reducing quarantine. You can’t have it both ways – at least not if you expect anyone to turn up!
My family books winter and spring holidays at the end of the summer. If there is no opening date (and I mean one set in stone- not this wishy-washy move the goal post babble), my family will just choose to go elsewhere. It’s not a problem either way. We love Cayman and have taken many of holidays there, but there are other beaches. We will also not quarantine as our holidays are precious times, we do not have endless days off and we are not willing to spend them barricaded in a hotel room.
5:23 boohoo, are we supposed to care that your spoiled ass might not get your summer tan by polluting our beaches? You go on vacation then go back home…this is OUR HOME. There isn’t anywhere else to go and we have a right to want our community to be protected. You do not live here nor do you know how severely impacted out healthcare system would be if this virus broke out into our community. We could not handle something like that and many of our people would die.
Get over yourself
Sorry but why are “so many” of our people dying? Shouldn’t they already be vaccinated?
The world is moving on and Cayman is being left behind.
Don’t waste your breath on person 5:23 who thinks the sun moon and stars revolves around him/her. Sounds like ones of the orange peeps.
Finally, a sensible person speaks to the reality of traveling and having to face quarantine for their family . Both are un- sustainable in an open world , which people were used to for their whole lives. You would literally be stark raving mad to be forced to quarantine for at least 15 to 16 days of your 21 or 30 day extended vacation. Yet, every 2 weeks people fly in on the BA flight or from Miami and do exactly this without even a hint of hesitation, it boggles the mind.
And Dr Lee confirmed at last briefing that 5 fully vaccinated persons so far tested positive. Remember (unless you never bothered to read), the vaccine DOESNT STOP YOU CATCHING OR SPREADING the SARSCOV2 virus.
What vaccine?
COVID is endemic. The world outside Cayman has moved on.
Yes indeed. And I wish everyone could please keep up to date with the rest of the world. Sporting events in the USA have the equivalent of the entire Cayman Islands (population) crammed into stadium seats- no mask, no social distance, and a vaccine rate that is likely 50% of the current Cayman count. If there was going to be a problem everyone would be able to see it. I can’t understand the protracted restrictions – there is absolutely no reason for it.
The world is moving on I agree fully, at least most places that are successfully doing so by balancing the risks associated with Covid. Regrettably, Cayman is demonstrating lack of a risk based approach to move forward , by losing sight of what the risks actually are.
An example might be that fully vaccinated people with the 2 doses are required to quarantine , regardless of passing negative tests on arrival . They could be tested at days 1, 5 & 10 ( just an example) and allowed to skip quarantine , if they then turned a positive result they would obviously need to isolate . I’ll save the fear driven to yell out ” But vaccinated people can still carry the virus ” . If you are going to use the statement that people need to be vaccinated to protect themselves and others, then you blindly quarantine them for 15 days as a penalty for just needing to travel, it is both not managing the risk , nor is it sending the right signal to be vaccinated . It is also not allowing a progressive move forward for people to see an improvement of the situation. What we are seeing here in Cayman now is vaccinated people are being lumped in and penalized like they aren’t vaccinated at all. It is a contrary message being sent about being vaccinated and its benefits . If the government moves to actually managing the risks and makes a change in this policy , Cayman will move ahead & when people are allowed to see the improvement ,those not vaccinated might then change their attitude ,things like travel and tourism might get a start to open up again. Waiting for the magic 80% number in the meantime.
This is a dynamic situation and there was never an expectation to keep our borders closed until the pandemic subsided.
Mr Saunders and co were not faced with the responsibilities of these decisions before now and thus had little to gain from second guessing the decisions of those in charge. Now that he and his team have the responsibility they should step up and explain their thinking and what a path to opening looks like. To date they have only been able to say “We’re not ready”.
This reflects an inability or unwillingness to lead.
Dr. Lee ultimately decides when it is safe to open the boarders.
This guy? https://caymannewsservice.com/2020/11/email-proves-conspiracy-in-doctors-express-case/
The one and the same🙃
For crying out loud
It’s BORDERS.
I am not a PPM supporter, but I acknowledge they did a much better job at keeping the public informed on what was going on. If the PPM had not raised the issue then we would not have heard a thing from PACT.
C’mon Wayne, we expect better than this from you.
Enough with the whining about what PPM said or did, just get on with addressing the business of Cayman…you are now in the drivers seat.
It was not contradictory. Roy said to complete the 75% to 80% local vaccination levels by Sept 1st to protect the country and then open up to vaccinated people to arrive and not quarantine.
He also said that reducing the quarantine to 5 days Now for vaccinated travellers without having enough local people protected is dangerous.
The difference is the still low number of people here with vaccinations when the 5 day programme starts vs is being in herd immunity territory by Sept 1st.
And how exactly do you think that’s going to happen? Everyone who wants to be vaccinated has already been. How is it going to change by September 1st?
It has been globally politicised from the start.
Nothing new here.
For 8 years, the PPM rarely held meetings to inform the people of the Cayman Islands in regards to anything. Everything they did were behind closed doors and when they did have public meetings, a lot of lies were told.
They had regular meetings during the pandemic – because other countries were doing the same thing.
Pact has only been in government for 2 months – they need to be given a chance. I am sure they will do a fantastic job!
But every other country is having press briefings or at least revealing their reopening plan now and PACT didn’t bother until they were goaded into it by the opposition. PACT has been in government for two months and they should have come up with some sort of plan by now.
When we were in lockdown. The question we were all asking was ‘where are the opposition?’ We all had to reach out to the press who were asking questions etc. To sit in the shadows is wrong. It’s only because the PPM poked the bear were the people updated. Good for them. I voted for PACT but the silence was deafening.
Nobody “voted Pact”
shamblolic from pact and ppm.
time for the governor to consider direct rule.
The Governor is complicit and needs to be replaced first.