UPM caucus secretary steps down to make election bid
(CNS): Nickolas DaCosta has resigned from his government position as the current administration’s caucus secretary, paving the way for the public servant to enter the political fray. Although DaCosta has not yet made a formal declaration, it is understood that he will be campaigning for the Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman seat currently held by Moses Kirkconnell, who is believed to be retiring after twenty years as an MP.
DaCosta intended to run for political office in 2017 when he was just 26 years old, but a court ruling prevented him from doing so because he also had American citizenship. That year, another candidate, Tara Rivers, who was ultimately successful in her bid for the West Bay South constituency, was also challenged because of her dual citizenship. That challenge failed.
Chief Justice Anthony Smellie ruled that DaCosta was not qualified in accordance with section 62 of the Cayman Islands Constitution because his issue related to descent. The Cayman Bracker got his US passport through direct family ties and lineage and not as an accident in the place of his birth, as was the case with Rivers.
He did not enter the fray in 2021 but was recruited into the Office of the Premier as a content and communications coordinator by then-premier Wayne Panton. In 2022 became caucus secretary. He stayed on in the job when fellow Bracker Juliana O’Connor-Connolly took the helm after Panton was ousted in a Cabinet coup in October 2023.
As caucus secretary, he coordinated the development and implementation of policy, fostering collaboration among internal and external stakeholders. “Nickolas is to be commended for his dedication, excellence and contributions to initiatives that have positively impacted the people of the Cayman Islands,” O’Connor-Connolly said. “The Caucus wishes to thank him for his service.”
“It has been my honour to support the political process within the executive branch of government since 2021,” DaCosta said. “I wish to express my gratitude to the premier and Caucus for affording me the opportunity to serve them in various capacities. It has also been a pleasure to compliment the work of the civil servants who dedicate their lives every day to supporting our democracy.”
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: 2025 General Elections, Elections, Politics
5:42 am, always remember can’t make poor people rich by making rich people poor.
Whats wrong with Caymanians? If educated people run. they say they rich they don’t care, they got money ( how can they be blamed for getting educated and working hard for what they got)if they uneducated they say they don’t know a thing about anything they poor. They say need younger people to run and when younger people run. they say oh they young they not got any experience. So in hell do the people want ?
Congrats Nick and I wish you luck and guidance in your election bid.
Note to commenters, it is easy to speak malice of a person, but let us be kind and see what he brings to the table. We cannot call him a puppet of any political party, as there has been no confirmed commitments. He has worked under Wayne and Juliana governments.
This individual is young, has worked with a running government, is educated, and has been a life long Lions Club member servicing his community.
Actions speak louder than words. I would like to think he will be part of changing the direction of this country, as so many other constituents have been asking for.
Thank Nicholas for making a sacrifice to help our country.
Sacrifice? He knew he wasn’t keeping his job after the election so has nothing to lose.
Good Christian gentleman with high morals.
Looking forward to him bringing some integrity back in our government
I grew up with this guy. Used to call him a friend, but no more.
I write this from the heart to say behind that smile is a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Lodge really went to his head, after living a life chasing the high of being the Brac’s favorite starboy. Lad’s great at playing the piano, I must say.
Dishonesty is the one offense that bans from office, but it was a personal matter, and that banned you from my life instead. I can’t believe you would sell out a lifelong friend for them Lodge clowns who play dress up and make you feel extra special, Nickie-D.
Anyways, may democracy prevail, for I am but one humble individual, disappointed in a once seemingly good man turned into a massive self-serving narcissist by a secretive gang. The Cayman Islands does NOT need yet another Pawn of Lodge that is controlled by a foreign-ran organization up in our parliament!
With love, an old “mate” of yours,
V
show me where he hurt you
so you take to social media to speak on a personal issue you have.. mate?
3:12 pm, You should signed it with J. you are the one In wolf clothing, we all know.
Mmm….the Lodge bit isn’t a good look, true dat, but c’mon, Nicki’s D probably called you out on some of your crap, Johnny T.
Poster boy for the power hungry.
False information. you clearly don’t know him
2:06 pm, are you saying that He the only one running for MP that power hungry ? If you keep your mouth shut people will only think you stupid, but if you open it and speak, then you prove you are stupid.
All politicians are power hunger
JT.
If you feel that the laws that govern civil and public servants are severely in need of an overhaul, email Mrs. Owen at GovernorsOffice.Cayman@fcdo.gov.uk She is the only one that can.
Can’t please people. If someone runs, they get trashed. If no one runs (BTE), we moan and complain and demand that someone enter the arena. Can we agree that we need to give new people a chance to prove themselves? Don’t want to do it ourselves, but we are quick to bash others for doing it.
Come on, people!
The problem is cayman cannot take another 4 years of the same BS! Yes we need new blood but good, decent, honest blood with Cayman at heart. We are at a cusp where it really matters and the future will be riding on these next four years.
To 7:59pm: I understand and I agree with you. Thing is, people are not willing to run. Whether it is because they are scared that their closet skeletons will come out (which most human beings have them, anyway!); or they do not feel confident enough; or they know they will be bashed and are not willing to take it. The truth is that it is up to us, the electorate. We need to come together.
I worry about who trained him Pilar Jay Kenneth Saunders Kathy Andre Wayne. Frightening
You need to worry about those names you mentioned….Nicholas runs on his own merit, integrity and morals. As a matter of fact, he’s helped those you mentioned whiles trying to keep our Islands in good standing while doing his civil duties for these Islands. Congratulations Nicholas we are behind you in the Brac and across the Grand and Little
The circus is how Chief Justice Smellie made a politically biased decision that if you are an American by birth you can run but if you are an American by descent you cannot ru!! This is upside down but that is how bad Smellie was. No decision in the Commonwealth has ever made such a decision. In Australia and New Zealand, even people who were just eligible for British citizenship were disqualified and did not even fight it.
The issue revolved around Rivers having a passport, not citizenship. Citizenship is an accident of birth whether it happens because you are in the US or born to a US citizen. The question was whether the further step of obtaining a passport was a submission to that country. It was not; it was merely a travel document reflecting the accident of birth. DaCosta registered to vote while living in the US; in other words exercised a specific right granted to him by his American citizenship. That’s the line you don’t cross. He can be knocked out of every election he ever tries to run in this way. Has he renounced his US citizenship and does that clear him if so? I don’t know. But I don’t see an opposing candidate not trying to knock him out again.
When Dacosta loses he will just go back to work for government. Running for office should be considered a sabbatical for him.
Oops, may have spoke too soon – if I recall correctly he is a junior member of the Lodge
Oh so Juju is really not retiring if Dacosta runs – he obviously will be her lackey boy
You clearly do not know him, because Nick is far from anyone’s lackey
Being a part of the lodge says different.
Do you have any idea how many Caymanian politicians are part of lodge in the past 80+ yrs even today?
Sir Alden McLaughlin, Kurt Tibbetts, Lindford Pierson, Wayne Panton (and many of his family members for donkey years), Gilbert McLean, Moses Kirkconnell, John McLean, Benson Ebanks, Willie Farrington, Dr Roy McTaggart and many more. Know your history man….so add those few Lodge brothers to your stable
Ezzard Lodge too, bobo.
Inquiring minds want to know, how was his American citizenship problem resolved? Did he renounce it? Did he modify section 62 of the Cayman Islands Constitution to his advantage? Did he pray to the Almighty God to have her resolve this forever?
Please, CNS, enlighten us plebes.
That US passport was just a flag of convenience. It will be left behind if he has the opportunity
to get power.
he renounced it
“As caucus secretary, he coordinated the development and implementation of policy, fostering collaboration among internal and external stakeholders.”
As the UPM government had no apparent policy other than self-enrichment and selling out the country that must have been a pretty slack job.
US passport expired awah?
An expired passport has no effect on citizenship.
you can renounce citizenship buddy.
Ah, the ever-entertaining theater of Caymanian politics! As we witness the continuous recycling of political entities—be it the UPM, TCCP, or PPM—one cannot help but draw parallels to the Tyranids’ relentless assimilation.
Yet, amidst this political metamorphosis, we mustn’t overlook the overbearing presence and distinctive intelligence of the local chickens.
Indeed, these feathered denizens might achieve better results than our seasoned politicians.
Imagine, if you will, a coalition led by the astute chickens, flanked by the steadfast donkeys and the resilient lobsters.
Such an alliance could very well outmaneuver the current political landscape, bringing a fresh perspective—quite literally—to the table.
And so, the Adeptus Ridiculous leaves you with this thought: In the grand tapestry of Caymanian politics, perhaps it’s time to let the chickens have their say.
After all, in a world of endless recycling, a new pecking order might just be what we need.”
People are entitled to run for office as often as they want. Why don’t you run if you think you are any better? Cynical.
Only Caymanian with a Caymanian granny
That’s why everyone needs to go out on April 30th and VOTE FOR THE NEW PARTY CINP NEW BLOOD NEW IDEAS NEE VISION TO SAVE CAYMAN FROM ALL THESE MAD PEOPLE THAT CANT BE TRUSTED ANYMORE.
CNS: Please don’t post with the caps lock on. Such comments are usually deleted, regardless of content.
CINP is majority, old fogies, who have teamed up under the guise of new change. With a couple of young spring chickens sprinkled in there.
Can you even say what their political philosophy is? who are their candidates? What do they stand for ?
They stand for ‘rich people who think they should be in charge’.
if they got rich from being hard working and intelligent then they should definitely be in charge.
We all say we need younger people to run, then when they run,we tear them down. what’s wrong with us Caymanians ? Come on give the young man a chance to prove that he is a good man, make a good MP and help to make Cayman great again.