Same election cliche but new reasons

Charles Clifford writes: Voters are rightly concerned about our 2025 general election. Every four years, we repeat the cliche that “this is the most important election in our history”. That cliche was true for specific reasons in the past, for example, during our post-Hurricane Ivan recovery and again during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery.

However, in 2025, the cliche will be true for much broader and even more important reasons, which are difficult to summarise because they are so complex.

Suffice it to say that our beloved Cayman Islands is at a crossroads. Extreme right or left political ideologies or ad hoc and irrational policies will only lead to the ultimate downfall of our country. We can point to many examples of this around the world.

I believe that we must decide to embrace a more centrist/moderate approach to our fiscal, social, environmental, development and economic policies in order to correct our current course and then maintain a safe, secure and harmonious society.

So yes, this is truly the most important general election in our time. If we get it wrong this time, institutionalised corruption will become a reality, and the brewing social disharmony could ignite a level of social unrest that we have never seen in our country before.

I am not a pessimist, but there is no point in us pretending that everything is okay when clearly we have fundamental problems which require urgent remedies. I have never seen our electorate this disillusioned before and I am concerned that we will have a very low voter turnout unless our people see that there is an opportunity for real change. Let’s give Caymanians a reason to maintain our traditional, very high voter turnout.

My commentary should not be seen as an indictment on all current MPs because the truth is, some of them are in a position and have the experience to be part of the course correction. It is also true that all political administrations over the past two decades, including the one of which I was a part, have some degree of culpability for our country’s current precarious position.

My commentary should also not be seen as an indication that I will be a candidate in the upcoming elections. But what I am sure of is that I will be, at a minimum, volunteering and offering my experience and training to help our country in whatever way I can.

I implore other Caymanians who are similarly positioned to do the same and help us avoid a crisis. We will gain nothing from sitting on the sidelines and hoping that the same team of players on the field can deliver the change we want to see.

At this point in our history, all hands are required on deck, so let us be the change we want to see. We must know that we owe it to our children and grandchildren to pass on to them a Cayman Islands that is at least as safe and successful as the one that we inherited from our parents.

I pray that this post will motivate Caymanians who can make a difference but may never have considered seeking political office to step forward as candidates and help make a real difference this time.

Charles Clifford recently retired as the director of Customs and Border Control. He served in the PPM administration as tourism minister between 2005 and 2009.