Progressives begin new era of ‘dynamic’ leadership

(CNS): Roy McTaggart, the outgoing leader of the opposition, described the Progressives’ new leader, Joey Hew MP (GTN), as “dynamic” as he passed the baton to his colleague when parliament met on Monday. Governor Jane Owen officially appointed Hew as opposition leader and Barbara Conolly as deputy leader. In a short speech marking the transition, Hew said Cayman was on the brink of transformation, and the PPM would be “the architects of Cayman’s next evolution”.

He said the Progressives would be more than a voice in parliament; they would be the “pulse of the nation” and “the force that challenges the status quo”. He said change was “upon us”, and once in office, his party would advocate for an economy that works for everyone, build a proud, strong Cayman and be “unrelenting in its pursuit of progress”.

Hew thanked McTaggart for his leadership, which he said had been a “guiding light through some turbulent times.” The new leader said his predecessor had set a path that the party was committed to honouring and building upon. He said that Conolly had been a loyal and invaluable member of the PPM since 2002 who had played a key role in shaping the party’s direction, and that she “brought immense expertise to the position” of deputy leader.

Conolly said she was “profoundly grateful” for the “trust and confidence” of her PPM colleagues for their support. She also thanked McTaggart for his leadership and said his fiscal prudence and social advocacy had set a “strong foundation”. Conolly said she was “excited to work alongside Joey Hew”, who she believed would bring fresh new ideas.

As he handed over the opposition leadership reins to his younger colleague, McTaggart said change was in the air. He said Hew represented the “very best” of what the Progressives strive to be and that he brought a “dynamic vision that will propel us forward”.

“Things are about to get interesting,” he said, suggesting that Hew would not be afraid to challenge the norm. McTaggart urged people to rally around the new leader as he committed to supporting him and implied that he would not be leaving the political fray but was simply handing over the leadership to prepare for what was next.