Ministers and PS resign amidst UPM dysfunction
(CNS): Deputy Premier André Ebanks, Ministers Sabrina Turner and Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, and Parliamentary Secretary Heather Bodden have resigned from the UPM Government, effective immediately. Ebanks said their position had become untenable after several months of dysfunction, disorganisation and a lack of professionalism.
He said that this and a specific “mode of operation” in handling a recent issue, coupled with the totality of how the government has been working, triggered the walkout.
Speaking at a hastily convened press conference Thursday morning, just after the four had tendered their resignations to the governor, Ebanks said the country was at risk of “erroneous decision-making and reputational damage, which could have long-term adverse consequences”.
As a result of disagreements on both principle and policy, the four had made the decision to resign and begin working on forming a group that could come together to lead the country with integrity, which Ebanks implied was in short supply on the current government benches.
He said that not all ministers had been afforded the same level of transparency and involvement to make informed decisions in the best interests of the people and the country as a whole, which is leading to the erosion of due process.
“The atmosphere in meetings does not foster objective analysis or provide a forum for a respectful exchange of differing views. In fact, there is unchecked disrespect, particularly towards women in caucus, which dissuades open dialogue and discourages healthy discourse,” Ebanks said.
“Increasingly, self-interest above country interest is reflected in decision making, which diverts funding, time and efforts from addressing national priorities and hinders equitable resolution of constituency needs,” he added.
Describing their decision as “agonising”, he said, “We owe a higher duty to the country and its people. We cannot compromise our professional integrity and our responsibility to uphold the highest standard of good governance, accountability, due process and objectivity.”
Ebanks and his colleagues would not be drawn on specifics but stated that they would be speaking with the press more in the coming days. He said that this was just day one, and they needed to gather their thoughts on the way forward and how to achieve the goal of a better government.
Ebanks said that the four MPs would remain dutiful representatives of their constituencies until the governor calls a general election, “when the people of the Cayman Islands can choose to elect a new group of principled leaders committed to good governance, professionalism, innovation and a shared vision to take our three Islands to a brighter future for this and future generations of Caymanians”.
Bernie Bush MP is currently travelling. The four MPs said they had messaged him about their decision but were unable to say if their back-bench colleague was joining them, though there was an indication that they were hopeful that he would.
This move by the group means the government no longer has a majority, but it could still hold onto power until an April election with the support of members of the PPM. In December 2012, after McKeeva Bush was ousted from the office of premier, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and her fellow disaffected UDP colleagues, who formed the People’s National Alliance, were supported by the opposition PPM to carry the administration through to an election held six months later.
CNS has reached out to MPs who are still members of the UPM and independent opposition members. We are awaiting a response.
Check back to CNS later today for more on what is believed to have triggered this latest government crisis.
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Category: Politics
If they have done this for the reason they say they have then they have my respect entirely.
Finally a group of our “leaders” have taken a stand and stood up against what we all knew on these islands.
The next shred of integrity would be for them to petition the governor directly with their insider knowledge and evidence and clear the place out entirely.
Dissolve the government and call new elections. We will all vote next week, the same day as US elections, and this way we don’t have to be subject to any campaigning.
Everyone just go to their assigned polling place and write the name of 19 candidates. At the end of the vote the 19 people with the most votes becomes our representatives.
This is not true, just yesterday Jon Jon said everything was just fine. Did his “gaydar” fail because the next full moon is two weeks away?
Ha, right after “Donkey Ryder” says he is going to change the law to make it more difficult to obtain Caymanian status…I guess that’s on the backburner now for the millionth time.
Come one, come all and head on down to the Mango Tree and find yourself a Caymanian wife! (Only while supplies last…)
Only trespassers in mango tree bud. Caymanians left long ago. Latino caymanians own that roach hole.
This. Thank you for taking a stand.
1. The level of dysfunction and disorganisation, and a lack of professionalism, places the country at risk of erroneous decision making and reputational damage which could have long term adverse consequences.
2. Some ministers … not afforded the same level of transparency and involvement to make informed decisions in the best interests of the people and the country as a whole which is leading to the erosion of due process.
3. Unchecked disrespect, particularly towards women in Caucus … the atmosphere in meetings failing to foster objective analysis or provide a forum for a respectful exchange of differing views.
4. Increasingly, self-interest above country interest and decision-making process which diverts funding, time and efforts from addressing national priorities and hinders equitable resolution of constituency needs.
Having experience working with ministers and ministerial councillors, these four statements are unfortunately, absolutely accurate for not all, but a lot of them.
Cayman has a large number of voters who keep returning people not fit for public office. It is time to insist on more educated and professional leaders.
LOL. The dysfunction began on 14 April 2021.
I say Wayne should form a new government with the 4 that resigned OR all should join PPM. I’m not a PPM fan at all but running as an independent is disastrous. They need to form a party and stick to it.
East End just got a couple inches of blacktop from the cemetery up to Skipwith Link.
That is how progress is measured prior to an election.
Well done! Cause for great optimism.
“Be thankful we’re not getting all the government we’re paying for.” – Will Rogers
💩🤡
Best news this year.
Political posturing at its most obvious.
clown show, the circus was in town
Best news in a long time! Ju ju, Jon Jon and dump truck man are hell bent on destroying this island and lining their pockets while they do it!!
We need some new blood real quick! Someone who has Cayman’s best interests at heart!
Break the tyranny of Ju Ju, Bush, Bryant, Seymour, Saunders and whoever else associated to start a well overdue fresh uo to date Cayman!
I hope they truly are doing this for the right reasons and not jumping ship because all of us have decided they are not fit for government and they could lose their seats.
“You have reached the Canal Home Private Loan Association. Please leave your name, number and the development where you would like to live and we will get back to you.”
Not surprising, you just have to look at the clowns they appointed to run our Statutory Authorities and Government owned companies since 2021.
I have never seen a more self-serving inept bunch, many of these Authorities and Companies experienced the worst governance they have seen in decades, yes, people talk. Consequently, the Port is a mess, our public health system is failing, affordable housing is non-existent, and the Turtle Farm and Cayman Airways continue to hemorrhage money.
I agree with Andre; call the election; let’s get some people with strategies and vision in place, not just those who want to ensure friends and relatives are taken care of by putting them in places they have no clue how to run.
I can’t think of a worse crop of politicians in my 40 years of voting. This one man one vote really did us in.
A clean sweep of the UDP port authority appointed by Kenneth Mac and Saunders supporters is urgently needed to bring some management and Fiscal discipline to the business of running the port.
It’s become a highly paid lunch club for the “what’s in this for me” gang.
We need a national vote NOW.
yes…but to vote in who?
electorate cannot be trusted…just look at mac and ju-ju elected time and time again
Yabadabadooo Scooby Dooo!!! Just be careful who you choose to be with you STAY AWAY from those ole greedy backward cronies, the obvious ones!
He is the ONLY one with a brain and acts professionally, especially on the world stage.
Let’s hope this a new fresh beginnibg for Cayman with restored civility and respect!
And the sh*t show continues.
Good on them for publicly admitting what we all know already:
“Increasingly, self-interest above country interest is reflected in decision making, which diverts funding, time and efforts from addressing national priorities”.
Hopefully, JuJu read that 10 times slowly and understood. She needs to be behind bars along with Mac.
Like a Madhatter’s Party.
“Under democracy one party always devotes its chief energies to trying to prove that the other party is unfit to rule—and both commonly succeed, and are right.” – H. L. Mencken
This entire government is nothing but a damn joke. A pack of monkeys could probably do a better job.
“Democracy is the art and science of running the circus from the monkey cage.” – H. L. Mencken
caymanians elect these people so you have no-one else to blame but yourselves.
and to make things worse, you also prevent the most qualified and successful people on island from being elected…
welcome to wonderland.
this should be the only option now:
direct rule for 2 years while a new raft of political candidates are selected/vetted based on qualifications, experience and integrity. then we have new elections.
Go back to England please.
Ministers and member of Parliament, in keeping with transparency, kindly inform the public of what “issue” you are referring to. The Caymanian public has a right to know.
the current cig circus continues…
when will people realise…pact/upm were never elected… they had no common agenda or manifesto…they just grouped together for their own selfish needs.
that’s what you get for voting in small minded, small town independents.
WTF are you on? Every MP that is in Government currently, was voted in by the voting public. You may not like it but that is a fact.