‘Sir Alden’ gets top royal gong in NY Honours List
(CNS): Former premier Alden McLaughlin, the MP for Red Bay, has been given the top royal gong in the Queen’s New Year Honours List. According to a press release from the governor’s office, Sir Alden is only the second recipient of a knighthood in the Cayman Islands, given for his personal services to the people.
Governor Martyn Roper said it was an outstanding personal achievement for McLaughlin, whom he described as one of the most important and impactful political leaders in Cayman over the last 21 years. Roper said he hoped people could put politics aside and celebrate the achievement.
“It is a significant moment for our islands,” he said. “This historic award is only the second ever knighthood to a Caymanian since the first in the 1990s. It is a strong signal of the respect in which Cayman is held and a visible demonstration of the progress Cayman has made as a vibrant democracy with strong good governance foundations.”
Roper said the award reflected McLaughlin’s distinguished parliamentary and ministerial career, adding that he had ushered in a “period of stability, economic growth and sound financial management” when he became premier.
As well as making important contributions to Cayman’s constitutional development, he “led a step change in Cayman’s representation on the global stage, including robust support for Cayman’s highly successful and dynamic financial services industry”.
Roper also said he was the pivotal figure in leading Cayman’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Premier Wayne Panton issued a statement immediately after the announcement on New Year’s Eve, congratulating his once close friend and now political opponent.
“This is a day of celebration and great pride for all Caymanians as a son of our soil has been bestowed one of the highest honours in becoming only the second Caymanian to be knighted nearly 28 years after the late Sir Vassel Johnson received his knighthood in 1994,” he said.
“Sir Alden has dedicated the majority of his professional life to public service. He first entered representational politics by successfully standing for election in 2000, which effectively brought a blossoming career as a partner in a local law firm to an end.”
Paying tribute to his career, Panton said he was the architect of the Cayman Islands’ modern constitution and as premier, Sir Alden had “sought to build a strong, productive and mutually respectful relationship between the Cayman Islands and the United Kingdom, and few can argue that his representation of the Cayman Islands on the international stage was undertaken with anything but dignity, diplomacy and tact”.
The premier said McLaughlin’s second administration was defined by the COVID pandemic and the important decisions he made to close the borders, institute lockdowns, adopt a policy of COVID-19 eradication and launch a national vaccination campaign.
Panton also congratulated the other recipients in the 2022 Honours List, who have all made outstanding contributions to the country. “The recognition of their commitment and dedication in their various fields which has benefited our country should be celebrated and they should know they have our collective sense of gratitude,” he said.
Lucille Seymour and Sharon Smith both received MBEs while Natalie Coleman received a BEM. The governor also awarded 44 Certificate and Badge of Honour awards for outstanding service to the community, many of which were recognized for their work during the pandemic.
See statements by the premier and the governor (with list of recipients) in the CNS Library.
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Wow, I never thought I had a cat in hell’s chance of getting a knighthood until I heard the glorious news on my Ferrari’s radio! I say this because since arriving here all I’ve ever done is look after my best interests and largely ignore others (unless they could be of use to me personally, of course. I’m not an idiot). Thank you, sir. You’re a true trailblazer!
The Xmas / New Years honour’s list is such a joke and such a racket, consisting by a vast majority to be civil servants honoured for just do a job which they are handsomely paid very well for with a host of state funded benefits. There are so many more deserving people who are not civil servants. Now that Alden has been Knighted next we will have McKeeva wanting to be Knighted.
A Queens Counsel for a lawyer that hasn’t practiced law in 20 years while other long time “practicing” Caymanian lawyers are not even recognized.
A Knighthood for a politician that has no respect for his people..
Only in Cayman..
Governor Roper, what say you?
Judging by the photo, he’s glad he doesn’t hsve to deal with him anymore
…and in the meanwhile his loyalty prince Andrew is wanted in the US for sexual trafficking with underage girls. All these titles and honorific awards are just a joke, hypocrisy at its best.
CNS: To clarify, Prince Andrew is not wanted in the US for anything. He has not been arrested and is not facing any criminal charges in the US (though I don’t think this means necessarily that he will never be charged). He is being sued in a civil suit by one of Jeffrey Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Giuffre, who is accusing him of sexually abusing her when she was 17. While disgusting enough if true, this is not sex trafficking.
But given the recent conviction in a criminal trial of Ghislaine Maxwell for sex trafficking, many legal experts are predicting that the suit has a good chance of success.
thank you CNS, I see you’ve been keeping close tabs on this one, no updates though on his condition of anhidrosis ? 😥
CNS: Soon come, or not. Giuffre lawyers seek details on Prince Andrew’s claimed inability to sweat
Prince Andrew is in fact wanted for questioning by the US Attorney in Manhattan in a criminal investigation of sex trafficking. He is not cooperating reportedly.
CNS: At this point they want to question him as a witness, not a suspect. I don’t think that anyone would be hugely surprised if it escalated to criminal charges, but the cynics among us are doubtful that will happen. I think it may depend on what emerges from the civil suit and if it’s too big to ignore.
We Brackers want to sincerely thank Sir Alden for keeping the Virus out of the Brac, he did an excellent job, congrats on his knighthood. PACT let the virus in the Brac, by only the unvaxed needed to test negative before boarding a flight, the Vaxed people didn’t need to be tested, they the ones brought it here. Just common sense. Shame on PACT.
But it was Brackers who wanted it that way.
@8:38 Seriously??. Sounds like you are from Cayman Brac”the forgotten island”. sic..
Do you know how stupid that sounds?
12:49 am , do you know how much more stupid you sound, you must be from Ja ? Ps, we hope you never come to the Brac.
Thanks to the Crown for giving Alden his dues! I, for one, adore him. His leadership during the past 2 years kept our country from falling into the ditch as so many other countries did. Any person in the Cayman Islands who can’t see the good he did for all of us have to be blind!
Personally, I can’t stand the guy. Something about him just rubs me the wrong way. BUT, I agree with your comments wholeheartedly…he did an excellent job in leading this country through the pandemic with the right balance of compassion and control. I have to give credit to him and his team.
And Tony Blair. What a twosome.
I read this the other day and found it uncanny how easily Sir Alden could have substituted in for the reported circumstances, fascinating.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2002/feb/17/labour.politicalcolumnists
According to the news, 600,000 people have signed a petition to have Tony Blair’s knighthood rescinded.
CNS: Here’s the link. I just signed it.
The trouble with your comment 8:28am is the very same people you now praise are the same political menace who ushered in this vile ,spiteful and unpleasant atmosphere we are now seeing in our political and social environment and have Infact imported and invited like minded political henchmen to come here and do the same.Your hypocritical criticism should be directed at them. Your articulated comment also indicates to us Caymanians that you know the real truth yet you have chosen to be one side in your comments.
Alden is now a loyal British subject and that means he will sacrifice all including Cayman to protect the realm without hesitation nor conscience.Shirley like a few decent people here will stand up for what is fair and what is right thus will be labelled a Villain or trouble maker no matter how noble or honourable the cause may be and like a few here who stood up to terrible injustices carried out by the crown’s agents and spies are relegated and marked for obscurity and that extends even to their children who too must be punished for the sins of even their forefathers. That is why certain Caymanians will never receive any recognition even by their own.The Crown is the Lodge and we should recognise it for what it is.
I grow up 9.31, What a silly childish post.
He is in the Opposition so he has less control than the actual Government. Are you saying that if Wayne Panton received this award would you say the same?
Not a mention of Shirley or Chantelle for their bravery and accomplishments. Whatever!!!
That isnt Alden’s fault – that is squarely placed on the UK and by extension the Governor. So much support for civil partnerships came from the UK and the Governor and neither bothered to recognize their efforts.
Some of the comments on this post remind me of my decision to never set foot in the political arena again!
Some people really do not appreciate the level of sacrifice just one term of public office requires. Yes the pay is good but you immediately take on every single problem that your constituents have. Add to that the National issues, the time away from your family etc and it becomes a real challenge.
Now add to the above the pressure of being the Premier during a pandemic and ask yourself if you don’t think Alden did an exceptional job of getting us through the darkest days when there was no vaccine, when we didn’t know much about Covid and when people were dying elsewhere at increasing rates.
Compare the Govt between 2019-2020 to what we have now, we were more informed, we didn’t have Covid running rampant in the community, we were more disciplined, we heard from our leaders, etc
Today it’s a New Year Message played on Cayman Marl Road and very little else. What a difference an election makes.
And it’s Marl Road leading the charge to ridicule this award to Alden.
We have become a bunch of sheep, allowed the PACT to manipulate our minds and allowed our principles and self respect to be ripped away by a gossip monger disguised as the media.
I am truly sorry for my country but I can’t do a thing about it because the people I represented seem to have lost their self respect and will accept this type of leadership we have now. A government that will lie, manipulate and has no ethical principles to speak of.
BS
“BS”is correct. The Cayman Islands hasn’t had any real leadership in the last 20 years! “Hogs at the trough” pretty well describes it!
Is the pay actually good though? Sure it pays a lot better than average but for those with the intelligence, experience, integrity and empathy to do the job well it’s not really well paid at all. I suspect you know this but the latter quality got the better of you 😉
Many congrats to Alden. I never voted for him and I don’t hold much regard for the whole honours system but an award like this isn’t just for the man, it’s also a vote of confidence in Cayman. God knows we need as many friends in high places as we can get.
Same problem the world over. For most politicians it’s a great job being paid far more than what they’re worth. For a few it’s a genuine calling to give something back or right what they see as a wrong and involves a big drop in income. You want the guy taking an 80% pay cut not the guy getting a 200% raise but who in their right mind would subject themselves and their families to such toxic commentary. We get the government we deserve.
At least Wayne is getting his money’s worth from Sandra.
@8:28am..You apparently watch too much CMR or maybe only CMR. Every news media carried that speech from the Premier including Cayman Hearsay which is the PPM’s mouth piece.
The problem is that the PPM has become irrelevant these days and as much as Andre tries and I have to say he really does, he just can’t get people back on the PPM train. He has tried everything from helping the anti-vaxxers promote their movement to accusing Mac recently of assaulting some woman and still no traction for the PPM or for that matter Cayman Hearsay.
It’s not about money anymore, people were and still are fed up with the PPM and their condescending and pompous ways.
Congrats Sir Alden and thank you for your steadfast leadership during the early days of the pandemic. Ignore the envious comments on this forum. Typical crabs in a bucket syndrome that Caymanians are known for.
I will remember Alden as a leader who destroyed the environment at a rate faster than anyone else and spent millions leading a campaign to build a port no one wanted, launching a smear campaign against environmental activists in the process.
He did a very good job with the Covid thing, but he was only doing his job as Premier, and got payed very good for doing it. Before that ? Anyway congrats SIR.
Alden wasn’t the CMO or the Governor executing Emergency Health Powers. In fact, the record shows that Alden presided on a challenge to governor’s reserve powers over gay civil rights. Got us blacklisted for ignoring deadlines and reminders on necessary policy during that extraordinary preoccupation. Fought the first-ever voter-initiated referendum against his tyrannical corrupt development affinities. Insulated fellow Cabinet from SIPL scrutiny, and stood in defence of a confirmed violent criminal offender. Then refused to retire. Go figure.
@10:50am Wow..I was trying to find a way to make all of that as concise as you did but just couldn’t..I could name a few more but I think you have encapsulated Alden quite correctly.
Governor never used emergency reserve powers. No state of emergency has been declared since Ivan.
The guy scared of lone pool maintenance people?
Somethings not right here, Sir Alden gets recognised for his incongruous service to the people and Shirley Roulston ? – not even a mention after putting her name and herself upfront with taking on a legal case for the people. Buts that’s ok, we know who the real hero is, it’s nothing to do with Knighthoods or any of that other malarkey, thank you Shirley
First a “Queens Council” provided by his Lodge buddies in the Judiciary, now a Knighthood from Roper, What’s next?? will Roper provide him with his own private plane and expense account?
“A leopard never changes his spots.” Watch these two leopards very carefully…
No Governor can give anyone a Knighthood.
Plain and simple.
The governor doesn’t give the knighthood but he makes the recommendation..Without Roper where would Alden be?