Seymour gets climate ministry despite criticising DoE

(CNS): Two weeks after four members, including three ministers, resigned from the UPM government because of a catalogue of issues relating to poor governance, Premier Julianna O’Connor-Connolly has finally handed the portfolios out to the remaining members of Cabinet. In a shocking allocation, Dwayne Seymour has been given responsibility for climate, despite his dismissive comments about the environment and climate change and his criticisms of the Department of Environment and the National Conservation Council.

Now that the opposition has agreed to prop up the government until the general election on 30 April, the beleaguered UPM administration can limp on until then. In the meantime, Seymour will have several months in which he could alter policy, even as Cayman faces increasing issues relating to the erosion of Seven Mile Beach, the constant destruction of mangroves and the loss of significant swathes of primary habitat.

Alongside the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, Seymour was given the wellness portfolio, which has been inexplicably split from the health ministry. O’Connor-Connolly has added health to her already overloaded set of portfolios; she now also has commerce and the critical financial services ministry.

Meanwhile, Kenneth Bryan, the new deputy premier, has been given social development and innovation to add to his responsibilities of tourism and ports. Jay Ebanks has been given development in addition to his existing ministries. Isaac Rankine now has home affairs as well as his smaller list of portfolios of youth, sports and heritage.

McKeeva Bush, who Sabrina Turner said was one of the main reasons why she and her colleagues, André Ebanks, Kathy Ebanks-Wilks and Heather Bodden, walked away from the government, will now serve as parliamentary secretary to Kenneth Bryan, Jay Ebanks and Seymour.

Governor Jane Owen, who presided over the official appointments, has said nothing about the poor governance issues — her area of responsibility — that the four breakaway MPs spoke about when they resigned from this administration.

CNS sent questions over a week ago about their allegations that members of the government were putting their own interests above that of the people, among other serious accusations of bullying, discrimination, unprofessionalism and undue influence. However, the governor has failed to respond.

In the press release announcing the reallocation of portfolios to this scaled-down cabinet, even after what the four MPs had reported about the chaos and dysfunction in caucus and cabinet, Owen said it would enable the government, which is constitutionally quorate, to deliver for the people over the coming months as the country prepares for a general election.

“In order to ensure that voters who register by early January are included in the official Register of Electors which will be published on 1 April, and following consultation with the Premier, it has been decided that the next general election will be held on Wednesday, 30 April, 2025,” Owen said.

The premier thanked her colleagues for their cooperation and their acceptance of additional responsibilities. 

“The desire to serve the people of the Cayman Islands drives the decisions made today, which will ensure the continued stability for our economy and government. The assignments take into account each minister’s experience and expertise, which will allow for a seamless transition of those portfolios,” she stated, despite evidence to the contrary, especially in the case of Seymour, who demonstrated his lack of expertise when he previously had responsibility for the environment.

O’Connor-Connolly said the ministers had demonstrated that even amidst uncertainty, the Cayman Islands Government continues to operate as a modern, functioning democracy for its people. “The events of this week with our Sister Islands being directly impacted by Hurricane Rafael reminds us of the need for vigilance, unity and a constant state of readiness to serve,” she added.

The premier and the governor will join host Orrett Connor on his talk show, For the Record, tomorrow morning, Friday, 8 November. However, no press conference has been called.

See the new line-up in the CNS Library.