Panton calls for public discussion on Cayman’s future
(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton said Cayman needs to define a shared vision and establish a list of priorities for a sustainable future here, based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, that will decide the kind of physical, economic and social development people want to see and at what pace. In his 2023 New Year message, Panton said it would take “collaboration, cooperation, and a committed alignment” to the principles the people choose to shape the future of the Cayman Islands.
“The priorities and framework must be developed with extensive input from the Caymanian people,” he said. “The input of people from all walks of life is essential to charting one Cayman, a Cayman that
is unified, thriving and sustainable. In shaping our shared vision, and for that matter, in all our dealings, we must be able to discuss topics, exchange ideas and debate issues in a way that is reasoned and reasonable.”
Panton said that in 2023 the government would continue to focus on sustainability and sustainable development.
“Sustainable development is not just about ecological sustainability, climate change and preventing the extinction of species. It also has equally important economic, social and cultural dimensions. As a government, we are committed to make decisions where we focus on fulfilling the needs of current generations without compromising the needs of our future generations,” he said.
In his speech after being voted into office, Panton spoke about the widely held perception that Caymanians had failed to benefit from the rapid development and economic growth of the last decade and committed to addressing the problems. However, excessive physical development and a growing population have continued to fuel those concerns over the last 18 months.
As a result, pressure is mounting for Panton to tackle some of the issues impacting the quality of life in the Cayman Islands. Dwindling public access to beaches, the development of luxury properties pricing local people out of the housing market and the proposal to increase building heights are just some of the issues that Panton and PACT will be facing this year.
As minister for sustainability, Panton also faces a number of critical climate issues, such as beach erosion and sea-level rise, the slow transition to alternative fuels and increasing local greenhouse gas emissions. But his address indicated that the premier will be seeking the opinion of the country in shaping the policies for the remaining two and a half years of this administration that go beyond the environment.
“When it comes to sustainability and continued success, we must aim much higher, and be much bolder. We must push back against cynicism,” he said, as he pointed to the UN’s seventeen different dimensions of sustainability that he said he wanted Cayman to consider and choose priorities for this jurisdiction.
“We need to consider each of these and decide for ourselves which of those 17 areas are most important for us in the Cayman Islands, which ones are the ones that, if we make substantial progress in achieving that particular goal, will make the biggest positive difference in your life, and in the lives of your children and parents,” he said. “Which of these 17 will make the biggest positive difference in our quality of life and in creating opportunities for our economy and our environment to thrive?”
Work will be done in the first half of 2023, he said, and government plans to give people the opportunity to contribute to shaping that collective vision of a sustainable future.
During his address, the premier also reviewed the past year and said that despite the challenges, there was still much to be thankful for in the country, from its economic strength and talented people to a beautiful natural environment.
See Panton’s New Year video message below:
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Politics
Exactly how is CIG going about comprehensive public consultation? More unannounced online surveys? House/house surveys with non-pertinent questions? Public meetings?
The UN has their goals. These goals will be met irrespective of the Cayman Islands populous input.
I hope some of you will read and understand the goals of this tiny group of elite globalists who aim to rule the planet.
We are literally bombarded with propaganda 24/7 and Wayne seems to have bought right in.
Read and think critically.
Wayne is absolutely delusional. I have never seen such an incoherent Government.
Yes, this country faces a number of climate issues, but its citizens (CAYMANIANS, I don’t speak for Expats) who are suffering need serious attention.
If this Government would stop fighting each other for Power and work together we could make some headway on the issues. This is just a p!$$!ng match between them that only hurts us!
Just Wayne playing politics. He knows the issues he’s talking about are difficult to solve and no matter what he does half the people will think he made the wrong choice. It’s not actually his fault, just how polarizing some of these issues are.
But for the minister of sustainability who has overseen a government that basically still outlaws solar power in the country let’s call him what he is: a fraud who cannot lead his government. And let’s call them what they are: a disjointed bunch of independents all scrambling for their own piece of the power pie; no unity, no platform, no transparency or accountability.
Keep Andre, vote the rest out and let’s hope for a better government the next time around.
Just read and implement the Coopers and Lybrand Tourism Development Plan!!!
What could they possibly teach King Kenny about anything tourist related?
He’s certainly already up to speed on their retail needs.
King Kenny was certainly taught a few things about his port board members on today’s show…. He certainly needs to save the country from one particular ambitious member.
To the Cabinet Ministers sans the Premier:
You have all reached your positions of today not because you have shown individually or collectively that your love for these Islands is greater than anyone else, nor have you achieved it by some great personal exploits or achievements in or out of this country.
You were elected because the publics eyes have been finally opened to the incompetence, selfish sell out politicians like the last CIG who have not done anything to enrich these islands for the people but most definitely have made others quite comfortable snd themselves in our beloved islands.
Do you think that following their modus operandi is going to create a good legacy for you and your family and do you for one moment think that our 👁‘s not really opened. We see some of you playing little games which very likely will soon be known to all of you don’t cease snd desist. If you don’t stand together as one Cabinet with your Leader I can say without fear or favor or any doubt in my mind snd that if at least 8 thousand voting persons as the old saying goes “Dog Yamn ona supper”. So gentlemen and ladies of the CIG, be your brothers and sister cabinet keepers and work together for the good of all the people who reside in these islands.!This is the only way all of our families will be able to live in harmony and peace and yes prosperity for generations to come. If you don’t think what I’m saying is true Keon doing what you doing and get your dolly house mashed up Fe ya !
Alden,Mckeeva and Kirk sll believed in unilateral government that is they and only they have the know how. Everything must change nothing stays the same and we will not have any more dictatorial bull crap ram down our throats. Wayne proceed your cabinet better take heed or there will be much to pay for disloyalty to the cause they rode in on. Ona don’t make me pull the files ya hear!!!
So now the public must familiarize themsleves with the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals? This man is so lost if he thinks this is the way forward. No need to find a way to explain the pin, Wayne. Just keep wearing it but fix the un-sustainable dump and traffic problems, for a start.
share 50% stamp duty collected to all Caymanians each year.
gimme gimme gimme ..
shamelessly caymanian to the core
That already happens , through NAU handouts , to mainly Jamaicans now calling themselves Caymanians.
This isn’t true.
You love something for nothing.
Wayne finally admitting publicly that he does not have the support of the Cabinet.
WP thought that by surrounding himself with that rag- tag bunch of misfitshe was making the right choices. As my grandpa would say ” child you cannot make pork chops from hog ears” so true grandpa!
You know what is true all you may sayers of (Mr. Panton to you hooligansisers) you all have become accustomed yo les, handouts, favors, etc and cannot stand an honest man like Panton who says it like it is and has no hidden agenda like the clowns in the ring of the previous government .
Well ona try any stupidness round ya and see if Panton and PACT going anywhere ya hear me. We must and shall have inclusive Government of the people by the people and for the people. If we can’t have it now and in the future. All a youse naysayers from a foreign land should seriously pick up ya bundle and leave snd go. As to ona local one’s cow cod yo good Fe ona ona need Mr. Hurry on ona you know what!
Ok…can u immagine if one of them that owns a lot in these islands assets get seized …..by some developed country? It could happen…as it has happened to rich in past….islands come to halt!? Lets pray it doesnt ever happen….
Che…early campaigning.
Let’s have a conversation about illegal billboards. Wha ya say Wayne?
“I have no idea what doing… Wait! Let’s ask the people who lean on our government for some help and ideas. I’m sure the people will understand. After all, I Wayne Panton am for the people!!!”
what a bunch of waffle and hot air.
classic stuff from wayne and no-plan-pact.
how about you actually be a leader and actually achieve something?
all of them have no plan despite party affiliation. they just have lined pockets.
First and foremost, GET BIG MAC COMPLETELY OUT OF THE CAYMAN POLITICAL ARENA. But we all know that he will be in someone’s ear until his alcohol addled brain screeches to a halt and renders him speechless because before then, no matter how Crazytown he sounds, there will be some nutballs willing to do his bidding.
A shared vision and list of priorities? From a man who cannot even get his own ministers to agree on a shared vision or list of priorities?
Sadly the ego driven choice to join forces with the likes of Mac, Saunders, Kenneth and others has come to bite you right in the A_S. I can tell you one thing PACT will never get my vote – can’t trust them as far as I can through a gorilla.
You can’t throw the gorilla then be like him nah, sounds like ya want to anyway .
A good start would be for Wayne to discontnue his use of CMR as his preferred “news” propaganda machine. It is becoming very embarrasng now.
What do you mean ‘now’?
I agree, how can you trust a government who use a gossip site to announce any news. it always astounds me to see a picture of Wayne as you scroll down, in amongst posts such as found keys, is this your dog, and some random hate filled post about Cubans, waffle monkey or a beauty pageant.
clearly there’s an agreement between them though, could a FOI not expose exactly what this is
” clearly there’s an agreement between them ”
Which is that they can agree all of us feed her clicks to give her such a platform that it just makes sense to go to instead another talk show which gets like 3 viewers on live shows.
Remember when the govt could command thousands of views on their youtube channel during lockdown? Where everyone knew about it as it was shared so widely.
That does not happen now, this is strategic.
Clearly he wasn’t thinking clearly. The Wayne I knew wouldn’t be found in such company. I guess the saying “politics make strange bed fellows” is still true. He must cringe every time he has to appear on marlroad!
At any time, any MP could motion to propose to amend the Elections Law to restrict the future candidate pool to ANY Caymanians holding valid Status (not just diffuse inter generational self-dealers) with clean police record history (including Traffic Court), who have earned a university degree education or above (ex-ceremonial honorary degrees), passed a qualifying negotiations credit course, a social justice credit course, a business credential, and survived a more than superficial conflicts health check. That would be a positive first step towards sustainability, if electing earnest respectable Caymanians were ever the desired election outcome. PACT or PPM could put forward this motion today, but neither will because their donor and benefactor lists forbid it.
If you have no ancestral connections to these islands you are not going to ever be eligible to sit in our parliament. Most of the people the writer @9:26 am seem to believe that we ought to give political privilege to people who we have given the privilege to work and live in a jurisdiction with far better conditions than where they come from. Residency with the right to work is what is allowed to immigrants snd that is the way it shall remain adinfinitum.! So please if you don’t like it lump it and do yaself a favor cannot it ain’t gonna happen and NOBODY is going to ram it down our throats. 💪🏼
The age of stubborn dinosaurs is thankfully coming to an end. Anyone who has contributed the better part of their Earthly years to improving the Cayman Islands and the lives and welfare of our people, has my respect, and even more so if they meet the above criteria and are willing to serve some more. They’d be a quantum better suited than the recycled jagaloons and kleptocrats we have to endure in the current LA/Parliament. They don’t even know what they are supposed to be doing.
How do “ancestral connections” deliver ethics, principles, aptitude, competency, honesty, wisdom, or leadership skills? We can see that trace pirate DNA doesn’t confer any of what matters. So why continue to restrict those that truly care and can deliver from the playing field? Let the voters decide.
Compulsive lying and open corruption should be unsustainable, if things are working properly, but our checks and balances systems are always designed to be critically flawed, missing, or broken altogether, right out of the box. Convicted recidivists remain eligible to run for or remain in office, sitting in the top chairs of our House of Parliament with impunity. The PACT party is good example of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing. One semi-autonomous member undermining another, knowing they are indispensable. When the preferred developer continues to win valuable merit-based RFPs without bid documents, we don’t need to hire an investigator. Missing conflicts scrutiny police and DPP action on all cases involving friends of the regime. Suing citizens to restrict their rights and freedoms. We can see examples of all of this BS every day, Wayne. Career-ending anywhere else.
Ban leaf blowers now! How hard can it be Wayne?
Whats the threat from leaf blowers?
3:03 attempted murder caused by irritability from being awoken early by leaf blower noises…
You are part of the problem.
Noise pollution and lack of sleep
continuous noise pollution that achieves the square root of nothing. do these thing run on diesel? if so, localised air pollution and the people operating these things are breathing in the fumes all day which will likely cause long term health issues.
Noise pollution (esp outside hours of Town & Communities Law), and dirty 2 stroke engines emit more CO2 and airborne globs of tar and soot in 30 mins, than driving a car for 100 miles. Carcinogenic for operators to inhale these emissions every day. Landscaping companies generally don’t give AF and need nudging to do the right thing.
The workers at the CIG owned building next door to my house clearly don’t know this as they always wake me up 5 am, and they keep blowing everything into my yard.
I hate leaf blowers as much as you do obviously, but these new breed gardeners don’t know how to rate and pick up leaves ! The one I have consistently blow the leaves in every nook and cranny instead of picking it up and bagging it.
Sure. Let’s talk term limits for MPs then Wayne.
Over to you.
Makes me laugh, when you all keep voting the same garbage in and you expect different results.
No one is held accountable when it comes to government.
Be a fool to think things will change!
Too late…..now that you and your families have profited like the pirates you are now it’s time to take care of the place? Pathetic
“FFS man you were elected to lead, so LEAD!”
Is democracy too much to handle?
The referendum party AKA PACT
Get rid of Saunders and just apply Caymanian priority in immigration laws? You along with the PPM have destroyed the security for Caymanian developed by much smarter men than you.
What – specifically – are you accusing politicians of having done, that you don’t like?
What – specifically – would you like Cayman to look like?
60 years ago Cayman was a fishing island. Is that what you want to go back to, and if so what’s stoping you from living in a shack and eating turtles like your grandparents?
I would like Cayman to look like a country that gives priority to it’s citizens…not one where they are only given positions which guests are willing to give them. This is included in laws and regulations which are no longer enforced by WORC/Immigration.
I would think that with a surplus you would want to go into debt to build like every other country. Why hoard cash in coffers when there’s so much to do
These politicians get paid 100k-300k K to ask questions they know the answers to. On top of getting paid to not do anything to solve any issues.
So much talk, so few results, and getting paid so much to do so much nothing.
Pay them like the cashiers, pay the cashiers like politicians and more will be done in a year than ever before.
This district voting needs to go its setup from the start to favor certain people. Have a national vote for a leader that all people can choose for.
I am a born Caymanian and I feel these people are all hopeless and can’t help us. It’s up to the people to make real changes, theses men/women in suits aren’t gonna do anything other than push their profiting agendas on the generation.
Such a joke, one politician to the next, one political party to the next.
Yawn heard this before. Believe it when I see it
Fix the dump. Restart recycling
just more talk. continue with this, more of that, you havnt actually done anything in the first place. Let the caymanian people decide? how will we do that? any info on how that will be put into practice?
First and foremost.
1) Put a limit on Work Permits period.
2) Raise the fees on WP fees. Make it uneconomical for holders to pay for their own WP’s.
3) Raise fees on Money Transfers out of the country, they bleeding this country dry.
4) Start monitoring these sham marriages. Do spot checks at homes. There is a large portion of Jamaicans PAYING for their marriages.
5) Limit bussiness ownership to CAYMANIANS ONLY.
6) Start charging a land ownership tax to NON CAYMANIANS.
7) Put a stop to WP holders from owning a car. It will ease traffic.
8) Tell Caymanians to go back fishing turtles for a living
9) Ooops… There are no turtles left, they have already eaten them all
Its not the work permit holders that you need to fear or the people sending their little money home to their families. Keep bad minding the small people and see how far that takes you.
That is a stupid statement about bad minding people. These same people send 90 percent of their earnings out of this country which amounts to large millions every year. What do they contribute or rather what they do contribute to the economy is minuscule in comparison to what they export. So don’t come with this bs.
Sorry but please stop generalising. I’ve been here on work permits (and rollover) for 17 years now and haven’t sent anything home. When I go on rollover my earnings get sent here for when I come back. For 17 years I’ve paid rent to Caymanian landlords and spent all my earnings and savings in Cayman. I love Cayman and its people deeply and have always lived in the community out east. My friends and neighbours love and support me as indeed I do them. Cayman is home and family for me, but alas renting does nothing towards PR.
Let’s just evict all ex-pats and watch the lights go out on this rock.
Obviously you are an EX-PAT!! Please bear in mind the you are not the be all and end all. EX-pats and Caymanians have both benefited and lost by each demographic. Caymanians losses are not necessarily tangible things but other more intrinsic and important things that we can never ever get back. I suppose some would say that is the price we sometimes pay for progress! The lights will not go out- maybe your little candle will because you will pack it with your other stuff when you are leaving. No need for you to be so arrogant and self-righteous. Methinks you are a bit too smug in your projections. This is only a little 2×4 Rock, we naturally won’t always feel the love, but we can try to respectfully exist.
Can’t wait to show you all how well we do without you. Cleaner sir, less traffic on the street on the beach and elsewhere. Be gone y’all ands you in particular @ 3:09 pm
Only a failed loser can fail to make it as things stand. This poster appears to fall within that category.
10. Give back your British passport.
I don’t believe we asked for the passport. It was given to us, I guess out of guilt or something like that. In 1492 Christopher Columbus was passing by and realized he needed to stock up on something to eat on his journey and luckily the wind was blowing in favorable direction that day so he washed up on our beach. Once that happened he looked around and saw a whole lot of “turtles” swimming around, enjoying the sea grass and other things that turtles like to snack on. So somehow Mr. Columbus who was either an Italian or Portuguese (i believe he lied about his heritage) somehow figured out how to catch some turtles and load up his boat, Nina, Pinta, or Santa Maria, not positive which one he was using that day) , anyway he took as much as the boat could carry. Before he sailed away he put up a flagpole and hung the Union Jack on it and once he got back to England he told Queen that he had discovered some little Islands in the West Indies for her and he called the islands Las Tortugas. He also claimed he had “discovered ” North America. He really didn’t discovered either because we weren’t lost. There were people already living here as well as in North America.To make a long story short, if he had just sailed on by, didn’t stop to take our turtles, sweet potatoes, limes and pumpkins-
some other sea captain, perhaps a real Italian, or a real Portuguese would have
dropped his anchor on our beautiful shoreline, put up his country’s flag. Fast forward a few centuries later on we heard that “the Brits were coming!”. They came, most felt at home,
worked, played, formed families among us. Since we had been so hospitable from 1492 The home office decided to give us the British passport – I guess that was payment for our turtles and other food stuff. We have been your host country since 1492, you are our guest here so no need to get uppity with us.
I understood that the islands were unoccupied by humans prior to 1660 – in other words, *everyone* is an expat, it’s just that some expats are more successful than others, and some are more jealous than others. What have I missed?
Nah, we actually own your sorry ass. Hand it back or shut up.
Hahaha! Must be real difficult when arguments nor thumbs down cannot change history! It is what it is .
Wonderful rhetoric Wayne, but the government you have put together belies everything you claim to stand for.
Do the honorable thing and resign.
How in the hell can you be Minister of Environment and Sustainability, but as Premier appoint Kenneth, Jay, and Saunders as Ministers when they openly oppose everything you claim to stand for?
You will live to regret the compromises you have made, McKeeva being Exhibit 1, in order to remain as Premier in Title Only.
Are Kenneth’s bile-yellow billboards sustainable.?
I don’t know what should be done but I’m certain it needs to be done now
Thanks
I don’t believe a word you say Mr. Premier. You have been in power for 18 months and the cost of living is at a all time high, housing is out of reach for Caymanians, traffic is not getting better and overdevelopment is ongoing with no end in sight. By time you get around consulting it would be election time and the platform speech will be, look at what I’ve done for the environment.
There’s not much any politician can do about the increasing cost of living with Cayman being an import-only economy.
Well, they could a) cut duty on fuel, food and other essentials b) start investigating price gouging and mark ups by the retail oligopoly
Why *is* food so expensive? Surely it can’t cost that much to ship in. Is it a de facto cartel?
Because we lack consu er protection and trading standards, but even if we had them we wouldn’t enforce them so spending time legislating is pointless
Start innovating and balancing trade by looking at what we can produce and export.
Stop the protectionist policies and allow competitors to drive down prices and drive up standards and new services.
It is difficult to get anywhere when there are conflicting goals on the agenda. For example, people want to “save the environment” but at the same time they want “government to help the people more”. Saving the environment by stopping development means there is less money and less jobs. You can’t have your cake and eat it to.
Another contradiction is the idea that building luxury apartments is making it harder to find lower priced housing. First of all, the apartments don’t build themselves. Electricians, draftsmen, plumbers etc are all required and all paid a good wage. Second, the way business works is that if there is a profit to be made then people will build apartments. The real problem here is the lack of suitable land for development, which again is due to the idea that the environment must be saved.
Until the contradictions are removed, no-one is going to get anywhere. Stop worrying about silly things like emmissions from a tiny island in the middle of nowhere, and focus on making it easier to build houses for first time Caymanian owners by opening land up for development.
He’s a waste of space
A whole lot of space.
Good to see Panton staying in his lane by NOT making any decisions.
Ddidn’t get permission from Kenneth and Chris!
Fix the damn dump Wayne.
Panton should be calling for the RCIPS to be breathalyzing everyone who crashes in to light poles late at night, irrespective of how self-important they may be.
Whats’s the use if you greedy two faced politicians can’t keep your hands clean and your hearts and minds vested in doing right by these islands? Rather than leading us through the 21st Century responsibly and sustainably all you want to do is cave into meglo-developer’s wishes and line your own pockets.
This is a little too late Mr. Premier. Decades of ignorance and neglect by our politicians have sailed our ship into perilous waters. Our ship has now sprung many a leak and you’re asking its crew help chart a new course? Better plug those leaks first or this ship will be soon scuttled and you and the rest that can’t jump will be scuppered.
My 10 cents, start making rope, you might need it…
Stop all the excessive building. It is destroying the island.
Control the congestion and the dangerous driving on the roads.
Fix the dump.
Put real money and effort into the education system and get programs up and running for the youth, those with disabilities, the mental health programs and programs for rehabilitation in the prisons.
Vocational school.
Entertainment for tourists- a real plan and stop thinking of “high end luxury” and concentrate on all tourists that come to visit
A good running bus service/Uber
Get a grip on crime
These are in no particular order as they all need to be addressed, imo.
Cost of living needs to be addressed from all angles in order for locals to have a future to sustain. Right now, the rich are getting richer and driving up prices…while the middle class are struggling. Even worse for those not falling into that category. Caymanians are already being pushed into the “countryside” while only the rich are able to live in the suburbs and central areas.
Better infrastructure needs to be put in place (public transport, more roads, etc). Especially if the goal is to increase the population. Also, there should be a moratorium on building on West Bay Road and in George Town. Re-establish the Go East movement and move more businesses to the eastern districts. Will create more accesible work for that side of the island and also ease up on traffic going into town.
The concessions that are given on construction and importation need to be for those that are struggling, not the rich who can easily pay it.
Education needs to be addressed. Building multi-million dollar schools wont help if children are still graduating without the necessary skills to survive in this current economy.
Address the police force, as they should be as efficient with addressing and preventing crime as they are with giving out speeding tickets.
More help for local small businesses, as the increase in cost of living is hindering their growth. And unlike the large established businesses, they are unable to adjust as easily.
Offer reductions in WP fees for small and micro companies, in line with the concessions granted by the DCI for T&B licences. They can’t afford to hire even one expert to help grow their businesses.
If someone repairs and hires cars let them do it on one T&B licence not two. You shouldn’t have to get a separate licence and/or start a different company for each service you want to provide. Better still copy UK where only certain trades require a trade licence.
Cut the crap and support small local businesses more.
get rid of some of the donkeys with too much power…..like NS MLA and the Tourism MLA.
Power in the wrong hand drown a fool.
We’re bleeding cash.
Minimum Wage crisis.
Cost of living skyrocketing.
Rich getting richer though!
No handout please.
Just justice to protect the property and families.
What would Dubai do?!
Share, don’t squander our fiscal heritage.
Dubai has something of value!
Ok. So then pray tell why are you in this side of the pond bruv?
8:24, I did not want to convert to Islam.
Then you would have to break up the family Oligarchs of Cayman. But that will never happen. A few families are worth a few hundred million dollars each while you can barley make your mortgage payment.
And those are the ones that really run things
You need to look at your wanton self-pity, buddy.
Please ensure that the Voices of the minority Natives/Indigenous are heard separately, as we generational people have the most to lose, if anything is left.
Yes the constitution and the UN enforce the need to ID, hear from and respect first settlers.
Cue the naysayer entitled newbies who say Cayman was nothing before they arrived.
Indigenous? Kmt
How pathetic. Have some self-respect and sort your own live out.
Ah yes, the poor multi generational people, denied a voice, who constitute 100% of the electable officer holder class as well as the majority of the electorate.
The only indigenous people in the entire Caribbean region are the Amerindians, of which historians have proven there were none resident in the Cayman Islands due to the hard, subsistent living. The Amerindians lived in the more lush islands of Jamaica and Cuba, as well as in Central and South America. Therefore, every single person that calls the Cayman Islands home is an immigrant or has descended from one – immigrants either of their own volition or force (slaves).
While we’re at it, stop saying “born-Caymanian”, because we have many born here who are not Caymanian and we have many born overseas who have Caymanian lineage. Therefore, born-Caymanian is a pointless term, it certainly doesn’t make one more Caymanian than another who has lineage and was born elsewhere.
Let’s take a moment to address “paper-Caymanian” – another futile term, as all Caymanians – whether through Confirmation of Right, Acknowledgement of Right, Continuation of Right or Status Grant – now have to produce a “paper” from WORC saying as such. So for all who think they are better than “paper Caymanians”, try applying for a job or for a scholarship, you too have to produce a paper describing your immigration status.
And while we’re here, can we accept once and for all that there is no such thing as Caymanian citizenship? It is an immigration function – the right to live and work here. In regards to citizenship, those who have Confirmation of Right and those who have been naturalised are citizens of the British Overseas Territories, and your passport denotes as such. You are a BOTC, plain and simple. And for absolutely clarity, your BOT passport does NOT mean you are Caymanian for immigration/WORC or voting purposes.
If one feels the need to explain or describe their “Caymanian-ness”, refer to themselves as a “Generational Caymanian”. Those who are Caymanian by Status Grant or Acknowledgement/Continuation at 18 of Right (children of status grant holders) can refer to themselves as New Caymanians if felt necessary.
Can we please move on from this now and stop using terms that only serve to divide?
Is that the same ones that sold me their family land?
Yes many issues need to be discussed. Cayman is fast loosing it’s idendity. Our future generations depends on it.
Here’s a start.
A) Moratorium on development.
B) All monies being wasted on GT renovations and Tourism facilities diverted to RCIPS traffic, Border Control and WORC Enforcement.
C) Spend more time and resources on educating our youth, properly.
D) Limit Jamaican work permits and RCIPS Officers.
E) Limit Filipino work permits.
F) Change our voting laws so we can all vote as one instead of by districts.
4:14, Not sure why you would want to limit Filipino work permits? They do the jobs that local Caymanians do not want to do. I have seen this so many times.
Perhaps you might also want to consider the vote for expats who have been here so long and contributed so much too. After 15 years here you get a vote and say in our society as so many are contributing.
8:18pm – To dilute the work force so its not one sided. The concern for to many Filipinos is they bring there own language and culture don’t even try to fit into our culture. They purposefully marry and “anchor baby” for monetary channels back to home. Send all their money home as well as create bunk houses and camps. Your correct they do do anything at first, and once the strong hold is in they turn.
No one seems to recall the march they did on Elgin Ave against CIG and us Caymanians several years back. That was statement of things to come.
Not sure how you can dilute a work force when the work force does not want to work?
Many Filipinos speak better English than native Caymanians. Perhaps you have not noticed.
Unless you include Jamaicans as “ex-pats”..in which case you would simply be giving every Jamaican a vote to complete the social ruin of Cayman , which they have started.
I vote any day for that!
ya that one man one vote, bush really sold you on that one.
I knew from the get go, it was a bad idea.
The idea behind limiting “foreign” people that do not share the traditional Caymanian church going, god-fearing, hard working culture is right on. The reason we have people voting for silly public policies is that most of these immigrants are only interested in a handout from government to redistribute the wealth which they view as fixed. The fact that the wealth was built by careful choice and hard work by Caymanians is just foreign to them, as they come from countries where that is not understood.
Comprehensive public consultation is great! Not the unannounced methods that most of our Governments have employed.
Published on some obscure website, no “town-hall” meetings, no MP meetings with constituents, etc..
?????
“I don’t know what to do, I need the people to tell me?”
?????
FFS man you were elected to lead, so LEAD!
This is a shot across the bow of the many other politicians who laugh at the electorate or call us names whenever we try to put our opinion into national discourse. Like building heights, etc.
Panton is showing leadership. Some other people just aren’t going to like where its headed and will use any excuse to put a stick in these spokes. A few will just not want to have to take up their time to be involved in their country and would rather coast along with someone else making the decisions for them, i.e., ‘leading’ them … like a bull by a nose ring to the slaughterhouse.
Right on target @5:21 p.m.
If public input wasn’t offered then that would be an issue.
Panton is showing leadership.
I would say survival skills more than leadership. He formed a government with people who do NOT subscribe to his vision of development, so when he finds himself in a minority in Cabinet he now wants to put those decisions out to the people. The most likely outcome of all this is that he will be ousted by his own party if they don’t get their way. And with the recent Planning Board decisions it looks like they have been, and will continue, getting their way.
We’re all suffering from decades of being subjected to this ill-thought, dictatorial leadership style. I am delighted to see a more inclusive approach being proposed IF it truly is inclusive and IF the REALLY listen.
Don’t voice your opinion then LOL
Sounds like to you, leading=dictating. Personally, I want my opinion to be taken into consideration by any “leader”, thank you!