Sir Alden calls for political reset after ‘trying a t’ing’
(CNS): Sir Alden McLaughlin called for “a reset” in parliament as he assumed the role of House Speaker Thursday following a unanimous vote by MPs. The member for Red Bay said the current parliament had “seen an unprecedented level of political turmoil”, but after the voters and MPs had “tried a t’ing”, there was now a new, rebranded government with repackaged ministers and it was time to try again to “give the country mature and stable government”.
Despite taking up the neutral role, the former premier took the opportunity, as he presided over his first meeting, to express his view on that turmoil.
“In the last general elections voters tried a t’ing… and elected an unprecedented number of independents. And those independents themselves tried a thing, and behold, the birth of PACT. Alas, PACT was short lived and the government has been rebranded as the United People’s Movement. I am certain the inclusion of ‘united’ in the new name is no accident,” he said.
McLaughlin said the fate of Cayman and its people hinged on having a government in which all members are pulling in the same direction, noting that democracy does not always deliver the result voters think they voted for. He said the rise of independents and small parties all over the world is forcing more coalition governments.
Here in Cayman, he said, many people still believe party politics is a bad thing. However, McLaughlin has long been an advocate for the idea of organised political parties, and he told his colleagues that whether you call it a team, a group, a movement or a party, the only way voters can hold an elected government accountable is when they are standing on a platform of shared principles and policies they have agreed to pursue.
“Voting for an individual that is not associated with a team that has articulated its position on a wide range of issues that effect the country, really, is like buying a number,” he said. “You might win and get what you want, but most of the time you lose your money.”
The speaker urged the new UPM to put what had happened behind them and unite to get their agenda through, and warned the new members in particular that they had just one year before election campaigning begins again.
McLaughlin said he had not left the PPM and had taken the job as speaker as an opposition member, even as chairman of the Progressives, for the “love of country”, as that was where his first loyalty lies. He said his allegiance is to the parliament, and promised to be unbiased and preserve its independence, as he becomes the third speaker in this administration so far.
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Category: Politics
A master stroke if i ever saw one to put the next election away and to put Panton’s political career in the political dustbin.Sad chain of events for our children’s future and the environment.
Rest Easy my King Alden It is said that when a politician wrestles with his conscience he usually wins. Alden is a winner.Wayne Panton refused to listen to good counsel chose to consistently seek the advice of self serving liars and nincompoops who’s dying adulation for him was only based on what he could do for them. The adulation is gone replace now with contempt.
Now I am no fan of Alden. But I will say he is right about party politics. When you vote for a party you should know what manifesto you voted for. The problem, however, is that some party politicians (ahem in PPM), are not true party politicians. The only belief some of them have is in what will win them the vote (ahem, Julianna, ahem, John John, ahem Kenny B). John john and Juliana ran as part of PPM and switched the second PACT was formed. John John, even though he probably should have openly admitted it, said outright he can’t stay with PACT because they won’t give him money to hand out to his voters. Juliana only ever wants her seat in Parliament so she will always switch. If she does mean to retire after this, then thank heavens, but if she runs again and PPM takes the lead please do not be surprised when she is suddenly PPM again to get a ministry. Yes, party politics, is probably the best answer, but the way these politicians act is not in line with party politics, it’s what gets me the best job while in government. Please voters in Bodden Town and Cayman Brac remember this when Ju Ju and John John run again, they are not predictable and ultimately not acting in your interest.
Alden, the one thing I can respect about you is at least we know that you have a party and I know where to put you. Unfortunately, I do not think you take the climate and Caymanians seriously enough. Otherwise we would not be in the disaster of overdevelopment we are currently in. But thank you for putting your views out there so I know not to vote for your party in my constituency.
What a pompous ass!!. Making fun of the voters is a good start Alden, Those words will come back to haunt you. Mark my words .
Let’s be honest though, the voters are the morons that create this horsehit every four years. Nobody else to blame.
This is ridiculous. They should have brought in an outside speaker. In fact, this so-called “united” government should not even exist. It is an entire circus egineered by clowns.
On another topic – how do I emigrate to anywhere else but here?
Simple. Just go back to your native land and don’t come back.
For love of Cayman Islands:
How much do kc earn?
How Much Does a Queen’s Counsel Earn? Based on their experience and legal expertise, Queen’s Counsel barristers can charge much higher fees than most other legal professionals. A top Queen’s Counsel barrister’s annual salary can easily exceed £1 million.
I watched the proceedings yesterday and it went smoothly with no drama and Alden was very fair and impartial. I think we can move in with life now. Maybe get some work done today ??!
A reminder that the Progressives won the exact same number of seats in 2017 and 2021, which wasn’t a majority. A coalition was always going to be required, they were just upset they didn’t have control over it.
Terrible start to being unbiased.
We will never get away from it but One Man, One Vote, is letting this country down. There are good politicians from both the Progressives and the Independents. Also very weak politicians from both. The system in place won’t ever allow us to have the most capable people running the country at the same time.
not relly replying to the previous comment hefe, but got this to say.
In our Mother Countrys Parliament, a Speaker appointed from within the Parliament has to resign from his/her political affiliations , the reason is more than obvious. It is time the Cayman Islands follows suit as we journey to full transparency in this ya land.
Alden was the biggest proponent for One Man One Wote. Bet the junior PPM propaganda machine regret it now.
What a twit with an A.
The ‘reset’ we need is to oust these xxxx career politicians who are quite prepared to line their own pockets for their old age while not giving a crap about those trying to live on a pension of $1k a month.
How is he lining his pockets exactly ?
If you have to ask that question then you are a part of the problem. Here are some clues;
1. voting themselves for a sizeable pay raise
2. the speaker position is very highly paid.
3. pensions are gold plated and guaranteed, etc. etc.
Secret remuneration and perks achieved through approvals, appointments and legislation.
Cayman will never be any better until we realize that we cannot vote a government on a popularity contest , and get rid of the this insidiously stupid one man one vote where by a donkey can get get voted into power on a family whim. A national election is sorely needed , and bring the country back to its proper election cycle ,by getting rid of Mac Bush change to keep himself in power after Ivan.
It appears that Sir Alden McLaughlin has finally come to the realization that the end of the PPM is near after multiple failed attempts to regain the government. These failures including the inability after the 2021 General elections to form the new government and two failed motions of no confidence against PACT.
It is clear no one in politics or the majority of the voting public is clamoring to join the PPM and the majority of the voting public do not trust them to lead the country again given their track record with Sir Alden in the role of Premier over eight years.
His actions by jumping ship to the speakers chair is largely about having the plausible deniability for any role in the failures mentioned while preserving his ability to assign the blame squarely at the feet of Roy McTaggart and the deputy leader Joey Hew for the many missteps of the party. The party is dying because of poor leadership, poor decisions and poor leadership options to move the party forward. The move to the Speakers position further weakens the party as they fall into a political coma.
However, in his new role we must ask key questions that have to be answered:
1. How can Sir Alden objectively perform the functions of Speaker of Parliament whilst he is the chairman of the PPM?
No decision in the PPM over the last twenty years has been made without his input and final confirmation.
Roy McTaggart may hold the title but has never been the leader of the party. That role is still held by Sir Alden. Joey Hew is unqualified and no where near the political leader or respected and personable as the previous political leaders Kurt Tibbetts and Sir Alden McLaughlin.
2. Sir Alden McLaughlin and his mentor Kurt Tibbetts are the architects of the PPM.
It is in their blood and who they are as politicians and now political operators. Every decision over the last twenty years has been to benefit the party, finance the party and to assist their supporters. How can the new Speaker shed this mindset and behavior that now defines him given his track record?
The PPM were arguably the most organized political organization in Cayman’s history but it appears all things must come to an end.
By accepting the Speakers position, this is arguably Sir Alden’s final act of capitulation as he sees the writing on the wall.
Let this be a lesson to all that succession planning for any organization must have competent, educated, honest, qualified, respected and trust worthy candidates in the succession planning model. Persons that understand the business and people they serve because credibility cannot be bought as easily as people, positions and things.
I may or may not support the PPM but I don’t think your conclusion is correct.
In the last election, every district that had a PPM candidate voted for PPM. Their downfall was not having 11 candidates and always needing to make a deal with a couple of independants.
If they’re smart (and not saying they are). They will run in the next election with 19 candidates, one in each district; ideally (for them) they will win at least 11 and have no need for the horse trading.
The people did not elect a government of independents. In every district where the option existed, a PPM candidate won. So in every other district there was 100% chance of an independent candidate. Sayin the “people wanted an independent government” is not a conclusion that you can actually draw.
Even our current UPM government doesn’t have an official party line. They’re still just a bunch of independents who traded their votes for power. Case in point, JOCC was elected as PPM and Jon Jon usually teams up with them. They both teamed up with PACT for their own power, then leveraged that power into more power.
Can’t really blame the voters. It’s the system that discourages or prevents anyone with brains and integrity from running for office. Qualifying to be an election candidate, and then an MLA/MP, is difficult and nigh on impossible for most of us, which means there continues to be a small pool to choose from. No wonder we get the same people elected every time. And they usually don’t have any election manifesto that sets out their own preferences if elected. We are left to vote for people who have no plans other than to follow a “what’s in it for me” agenda. No wonder voters are disaffected, angry, disillusioned… None of them could secure a job for themselves in private sector
Nah, you can blame the voters. How do you justify voting fr the likes of Mac, or Dwayne, or Kenny, or Jay – you know perfectly well what you are going to get, and its not going to be the best , brightest or most honest now, is it. Even if the alternatives aren’t that great, how do you justify a positive vote for these creatures.
Agree. Same clowns + Different circus name = Same ole thing.
I was informed that the Premier has gifted all Civil Servants a one off payment for the month of December 2023 in the sum of $1500. My question is what about Former Civil Servants namely The Pensioners? Are we not deserving ? Just look at the amount that some pensioners received, just enough to probably pay their light bill. What’s good for the goose is good for the gander. Pensioners are now sidelined.
Why didnt you save and invest your money when you were working? Hand out now because you werent responsible back then. Seems the crowd of you retirees need to come together and pool your resources better.
“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander” I think is being used incorrectly here. It is not like Jane and Jim did the same work all year long and only Jim is given $1500 at the end of the year. I feel for pensioners, I do, but keep in mind that civil servants didn’t really contribute to pension to begin with, it is paid by Gov. So, in a way, it is almost like “free money” if you compare it to the private sector. The same for medical insurance. My advice to anyone is pay off your loans as quickly as you can, be fiscally responsible, do not take unnecessary loans, invest or save for your retirement so you don’t have to solely depend on Government to survive. The Premier did say, though, that starting Dec. there will be an increase in pension for those who worked for 10 or more years. So there you go.
Vote buying at its finest!
Cayman is making itself look idiotic with these circus performers thinking they are funny and class a act on the floor.
Embarrassing
“In the last general elections voters tried a t’ing…”
Yes, you mock the voters, hope they pay you back & try something else come next election. Alden, you’ve always will be a pompous ass.
I can only imagine the twisted smile on that Chesire cat when they told him he would finally achieve his lifelong goal of sitting in throne and literally lording over them, enjoying a do-nothing job for a few weeks a year, adding another accolade to the collection all while professing a ‘love of country’ from a man whose biggest contributions to the country have been a degradation of quality of life and near wholesale service of business interests whose biggest concerns are cheap labour and low taxes
A sick joke just like his knighthood
Well said!
So true but please don’t include Cheshire in the same breath, $%#&@ cat would more appropriate👍
Diogenes. Hope you have your lamp ready because you are sure going to struggle to find an honest man in the LA.
omg. clearly thinks he’s the hero saving the day. i am so tired of their bs, all of them. unna think wayne wasn’t doing his job and was selling out Cayman?! he was the only one in the past 10 years who’s tried to save some of our land.. watch, watch what happens now with this one sitting in that seat.
Wayne has disappointed the country, get over it now and take down the pedestal.
You see how people can lie? The PPM purchased millions worth of properties during their administration and that property is being held for Caymanians. this was done under Juliana as Minister for Lands. Wayne Panton is not hero otherwise he would still be there. That many ministers cannot be wrong especially Andre who I know has morals!
Wayne couldn’t be bought .. when you get into that lions den and their handlers feel threatened the PPM machine will do whatever it takes to ensure anyone who gets in their way is gone.
Please CNS, ask the new government which minister will be responsible for getting the Dart ReGen contract signed sealed and delivered. Please, God, fix the dump!
CNS: As soon as the new government hold’s the press conference we have been expecting all week, then Wendy will ask the question.
Don’t worry Guido, they will now fall in line with your boss and give him the sweetheart deal.
Please, God, also fix the traffic!
Dart is only interested in monetizing their portfolio. It is not a charity organization. They chose to build a kids school, an office park and a housing development next to a leaching unlined landfill and reeking municipal waste water facility.
Your reminder that despite his assertions the people of the Cayman Islands made the mistake of electing a majority PPM government only once – and since then the PPM have been barely hanging on to the MPs they have or been inviting in MPs who did not run with them to join their party in order to stay in power
in 2013 the PPM failed to secure a majority and relied on Julianna O’Connor Connolly, Roy McTaggart, Tara Rivers and Winston Connolly to form a government
in 2017 the PPM again failed to secure a majority and actually lost and actually had 2 sitting Ministers voted out (Marco Archer and Wayne Panton) – they then relied on Austin Harris, Dwayne Seymour and the the few remaining members of the UDP to form a government
To make a long story short – despite his claims the PPM is not a functioning party with a vibrant membership that represents the people of the Cayman Islands they are a self serving group of ego-maniacs who regularly try to push through unpopular policies like the cruise port, mass development and have all but sold Cayman to the highest bidders – they won an election one time almost 20 years ago and I sincerely hope the people of Cayman never make that mistake again
In 2013, PPM did not have Winston Connolly to form the Government. Roy McTaggart, although promising he would not join the PPM Government, did join the PPM Government. However, Winston Connolly was a man of his word and did not join the PPM Government. Out of all the C4C alliance candidates, who were elected in 2013, Winston Connolly was the only one not to join the PPM Government.
I wrote the comment you are replying to – you are wrong
Its unfortunate how much Caymanians forgets basic facts which are integral to understanding our political situation in the modern day
https://caymannewsservice.com/2016/01/connolly-leaves-ppm-government/
And where is Winston Connolly now and what is he doing for the country, 4:07?
yea yea we know Winston is trying to make a come back its pretty obvious
Repackaged and rebranded, but still damaged goods unfit for use.
UPM clown car just started! D=drag P=pass R=race Transmission soon mash up!
“Here in Cayman, he said, many people still believe party politics is a bad thing.” – people are tired Alden. Day after day we see the politicians set themselves up. They make their lives easier while ours get harder. We are always the expense that the political class is willing to incur. The political class always align themselves to a party, now we are tired of what your class continue to represent yourselves as.
“In the last general elections voters tried a thing..” – you could have said this differently. This comes across as so condescending. We didn’t deliver what YOU thought was the right choice. Well, it be like that sometimes bruv. Regardless of whatever you think, Alden, the process is the process and we have a right to vote for what we want. You put yourself forward as someone who wants to represent the people. You ASK US for the opportunity to represent us. Don’t forget that. This condescending tone is not appreciated.
Politicians seem to place themselves above us. Every political party has steered the island into one mess after another and somehow, as the rest of us get poorer they amas wealth in a matter of 3-4 years that would take 10-15 years.
I think its time we enforce politicians to live as the people they represent. You get the median salary of your district, instead of 13k a month plus 5k a month for allowances.
This new “thing” stinks worse than the dump. This man is so pompous and arrogant, how does he manage to look at himself in the mirror. In my opinion, Alden is no better than Bush, perhaps even worse.
George or Bernie?
You forgot Makeeva but no better than all three.
Well said! Would say all members + speaker go on minimum wage, basic pension and health insurance (CINICO ONLY) for their duration, sure their many businesses and other income would keep them all in their well kept bellies, bars, casinos et al.
Agree. Make an MP’s salary $3500/month and watch quality people step up.
And watch corruption run wild. Why are my people so silly? Who runs a country for $3500 a month ? We need to stop tearing down our own on a platform that is shared with outsiders, we look like a bunch of crabs!
Paying politicians less will and only leads to the corruption, under the table, greased palms. Pay top salary to try and attract the best & brightest and always hold them to the account, always.
Alden can always pull off an insult with his trademark smirk and side-long glance your way, just to show his arrogance.
Anyone remember from 2020 “ Your boat in your yard?”.
Well, so much for the dignity and neutrality of the chair. Sir couldn’t help himself.
Unbefitting the role of Speaker? Taking sides from the chair? My God, how did we get here?
what a joke. just when I think this country can’t get any stupider they say hold my sour sop.
Welcome Sir McLaughlin! You were sorely missed.
Missed like the COVID.
You mean …. the man that would have bankrupted Cayman if he had got his way to build a port… or perhaps, the man that attempted to subvert the constitution by gerrymandering the referendum on the port.
And to think he ended up with a knighthood … I for one shall never call him Sir.
All for Country. Every one of them is all for Country.
They would all do the Country a favour by resigning !!!
Make no mistake about it, he is all for Alden McLaughlin and no one else. That picture of him sitting on his throne sums it all up, all he is missing now is a crown. He certainly has an abundance of court jesters though!
Sir Alden is truly disconnected from reality, his government accomplished nothing over 8 years.
They did spend a lot, and gifted away our crown assets to their preferred developers. Roy’s wife even got a job.
Truth.
to 12.14..Judging from your comment, you would have to be disconnected from reality or you are simply biased against Sir Alden and the Progressives.
@3:12pm ..
Truth hurts doesn’t it?
No that is not true, they made very well to do, powerful and influential people out of their elected members, when before they were just irrelevant, ordinary folks like the rest of us. Just look at the pictures and that sums it up.
The time has come for Alden, McKeeva, Juliana, Moses, Roy, Joey, Bernie, Heather, Dwayne, Kenneth, Jay, David, Barbara to retire from politics. Would any business owner in corporate Cayman hire them into a management position?
McKeeva and Kenny wouldn’t be able to get clean police clearance certificates for work permits.
@ 12.12 Some of you will not be satisfied until there are no true Caymanians in Parliament. If you got your way the Parliament would be made up of Brits in direct rule.
Well, if they are your definition of ‘true Caymanians’, you are delusional also.
Is the implicaiton here that because Caymanians don’t want shitty, self-serving politicians, that it means that we want a bunch of immigrants running things?
No, we just want different, sensible multi-generational Caymanians. There are many, MANY capable young Caymanians that can run this country infinitely better than the roster of borderline-treasonous ingrates that are in there currently.
All of the current players were once bright-eyed and hopeful.
Is it our culture that puts the elected into place and then encourages them toward largess?
No 6:17 the quality of person that runs and gets elected is, with some very honorable exceptions, extremely poor. A very small pool of people eligible to run gets even smaller when you take out the bright achieving Caymanians who would never consider running and lose their secure jobs. So you get left in all too many cases with people who when they declare at election time leave us just rolling our eyes. What have for example Heather, Kenny, Bernie, Sabrina, Wayne ever done all these years that paid them the sort of money they’re earning as MPs?
So, erm, 5:09, where are all these “many MANY capable young Caymanians” every time we have an election? I’ll tell you: earning big money in good jobs, not wanting the crap of submitting themselves to an electorate who only vote for them if they “ sit down and lick dominoes with me inna ma yard” ( actual quote). That’s why we have people like Kenneth Bryan and Bernie Bush….to mention only two from the present lot….failures in every other aspect of life except getting elected and raking in a big salary. It will never change.
Could that alternative be any worse than what we have now?
12.12pm You must be from back-a-yaad to not mention Chris.
Yes, look how well pol. parties work for the monster to the north, whose first president warned: “[A political party] serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.”
It’s the size of a small town.
We make it harder than it is!
We just need to somehow block absolute jackasses from running, and therein lies the rub!
Just Another Day in Absurdistan
A. Is he still Chairperson of the PPM?
B. Will he be fair and reasonable given is allegiance to PPM?
C. Why is he the Speaker?
Let the madness continue
Yup, nope, unanimous!
Do you want a speaker who will be a yes man to the Government and all their collective power?
@12:07pm
Alden, being neutral .. you jest!
Hi speech alone makes you know where he stands. Nothing more than a pompous, arrogant ass.
“has seen an unprecedented level of political turmoil” but after the voters and MPs had “tried a thing” there was now a new rebranded government with repackaged ministers and it was time to try again to “give the country mature and stable government.”
Not unprecedented political turmoil – short memory?
Tried a thing – LOL
Mature and stable government – where?
Babble, babble.
Perhaps Old Roy and Joey could do better?
None of them!