André unveils coalition name to huge WB crowd
(CNS): Premier-elect André Ebanks unveiled the new coalition’s name on Saturday night at a victory rally in West Bay alongside his fellow district MPs in front of a huge crowd. He said the team had decided on the National Coalition For Caymanians (NCFC) to represent the merger between his party, the CINP and the independents, but most of all their commitment to serve the people.
Alongside his fellow West Bay MPs, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Julie Hunter and Rolstin Anglin, Ebanks set out the priority policies and projects for the government over the coming months after they are officially sworn in on Tuesday. The first priority is the state of the Cayman Islands Government’s finances, given that the budget predictions are now calling for a deficit, a situation that has to be rectified as the CIG begins preparations for the 2026/2027 budgets.
While there are potential bumps ahead for the coalition, given that Jay Ebanks and Isaac Rankine were in the minority government responsible for the runaway spending that caused the potential deficit for this year, the premier-elect said they would make it through the next administration. He said the new administration came together in less than 24 hours as they were all focused on bringing the people a connected government as quickly as possible.
Ebanks said there was “a mountain of work to get through”, but they would get through it as a team. He said that with the help of the civil service and the merging of manifestos, the coalition was drawing up a written agreement based on the common priority goals for governance. That document would be “the glue” that would hold the NCFC coalition together.
Ebanks told the crowd that the government would get something done every day of the week. He also promised that the four West Bay MPs would work collectively to get the whole district moving.
Despite the rumours and speculation about which portfolios the ministers will be taking, they have yet to be fully ironed out and are expected to be finalised later this week. An official announcement will follow in due course. CNS has learned, however, that Ezzard Miller has accepted the role of speaker.
The official swearing-in will take place on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday, the newly sworn-in government will meet with Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and senior civil service leadership for introductory briefings designed to support a strong, coordinated start to the new administration. At that time, the roles will be finalised.
“This is a time for focus, discipline, and collaboration,” Ebanks said. “We are taking care to build a government that is not only stable and effective, but also transparent — one that communicates clearly, involves the people, and earns the trust of the country. That’s what the country deserves, and that’s what we’re committed to delivering,” he added.
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Category: Politics
The new name – National Coalition For Caymanians
I wish it was the National Coalition For CAYMAN.
Otherwise it feels awfully like For Caymanians by being against everyone who isn’t Caymanian.
There are a lot of expats who are here for good reasons, have a lot to offer, and do a lot of good. They are good for Cayman and therefore good for Caymanians.
Of course we can recognise that there are some expats who are just the opposite and should be removed, because they are involved in crime, but for some reason that never seems to happen.
Perhaps we can recognise the good and remove the bad.
if you hate caymanians then say that
It must just be me. Nobody else I have talked with seems concerned with the verbal clunkiness of this acronym. Please, in the future, just take some time and consider your ideals, and create an acronym that we can easily say. I really don’t think it’s too much to ask. PACT. Perfect. one syllable. PPM. Less perfect, but still flows off the tongue okay. CINP? TCCP? NCFC?
Listen, NCFC, I believe in you, I really, truly do. Next time, please just take a little more time, and maybe consult a linguist like me. Looking forward to your works. You fill me with hope for the first time in a while.
Priority number 1: tax foreign owned real estate a rate that would be reciprocal in their home country.
What is the drama with Wayne Panton? Why do people keep saying something is going to come out about him? Please, someone share with us. I am seeing rumours of resigning. What is going on
You all slating PPM are about to find out who you REALLY voted for now that the election romance is over. And you are about to be in for a very rude awakening. At least this time, in 4 years they can’t blame anybody but themselves. #PACT2.0
…and if that’s the case, most of us (but not all, unfortunately) will say they were a bad government, and need to be replaced. That’s the difference between us and PPM’s blind supporters. For those of us that voted for change, this is not a team sport, where we just cheer for “our colour”: this is about doing what is best for the future generations of Caymanians, and our beautiful islands.
@ 2:31pm If that’s the case, why did you vote PACT (TCCP) back in because they were a terrible government before quitting and handing the reigns to UPM. In house conflict and doubling our debt (before any of UPMs spending). Why didn’t you replace them this time instead of voting them back in? You are contradicting yourself.
Clear out stooge-loaded SAGC Boards, Port Authority, CIAA, Cayman Airways, NRA, OfReg, Planning Department, Lands & Survey…let the light shine in everywhere.
AMEN!
Michael Myles said he isnt running again for some weird reason, imagine getting elected and declaring such less than a week later. He loves the sound of his own voice. At least i can say something VERY VERY POSITIVE about Prospect….They have elected 3 NEW POLITICIANS in their last 3 elections!!!! They dont play!, If you dont deliver in Prospect you are finished! I wish East End and Bodden town were like that. And lets not Forget GT were the PPM Rules over their servants like Egyptia Pharoahs!
Stop reading CMRs clickbait headlines and go actually listen to what the man said.
Other than that, I’m with you 100%.
Stop reading CMR. Other than that, I’m with you.
Admittedly his comments were taken out of context and used for clickbait by CMR as usual. However, I can’t see getting very far without drama in the near future. He doesn’t have the right attitude. Election Candidate Michael Myles and the real Michael Myles are two completely different people.
He’s now saying he’s not not-running again, he says he meant he’s not going to make decisions to enhance his chances of being re-elected….Kenny style.
smells like pact part 2….but just glad ppm were not rewarded for their lies.
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.
It is PACT2.0. And the only people that lied were TCCP blaming PPM for the existing debt. The Auditor General showed that PACT was responsible for the huge increase in government debt (almost doubling it) BEFORE UPM went on their spending spree. Andre pulled the wool over everybody’s eyes when its clearly shown in the audit.
Just suppose what you say is true, then why would a government go on a spending spree if they were aware of the debt?
What UPM did was also careless, but TCCP and Andre blaming them for the current debt we are facing is comical and deflecting from PACTs terrible spending record while in office which was published by the AG for all to see.
Let Mr Chris donate his Red Spot Bay property to the trust he intends to form and tidy up the stinking fish market. That land is for all of us to use.
Agreed! – it would be a very simple thing for Cabinet to rescind the compulsory purchase order issued before the election and it would save a lot of public money that would otherwise be wasted fighting a losing battle.
The People said:
End massive open ended mega Concessions to Developers in a Boom Economy!! Today.
Billions have been lost!!
If corrupt constructs of regimes past are to continue to run, assess those running totals of finite duty values consumed against deal-life waivers, noting forfeited hotel tax values, and expiry dates, even if those are not currently CI General Revenue receivables – they should be published. Pursue collection of any errors in self-reported amounts not honestly declared with interest, costs, and open to severe penalties. Pursue forfeiture and repossession of Crown land deals for deal non-compliance. Compel the recipients of these generous gifts to demonstrate their record of compliance. Tear down the eyesore old Hyatt, the underpasses to nowhere, and the re-wilded Kaaboo fairgrounds. These are minimal qualification standards.
Don’t worry, Papa D will soon have John John walk across the aisle to make sure they are kept in the loop re all plans discussed in Caucus… Suggest that NCFC be very wise to ensure they are not undermined and outplayed…
So very naive.
and now cancel the daft brac school and convert the workers accom into a school and half the deficit, easy win they still get a school and we drastically reduce our outgoings
While I do like where your head is at and wish I could agree, it doesn’t take more than looking at the pictures of those accommodations in the media to know that they are not fit for the purpose of a school.
The accommodations are for.
1..Housing the imported workers necessary to build the school.
2..After that, Intended for accommodating overseas sports teams who will hopefully use the Brac as a good weather training camp.
Either way it’s there, to be used as needed.
Is there a Management Company/Entity (manage occupants, ensure repairs of equipment/furniture, keep clean, etc) set up to operate/oversee these accomodations? If not, the place will become a slum in a very short time….
Also cancel the $200Million Northward resort now in planning stages with overseas and foreign Consultants being paid over $8Million.
This Madness should be stopped before construction starts and we’re into costs we can’t afford.
Not understanding we need a new prison is bonkers. Commissioned in 1981 to house just 50 inmates (both male and female) HMP Northward exceeded its purpose and design capacity many decades ago. It was since upgraded to a max capacity of 167 yet continues to house today around 255. Cayman has a population 5x that of the initial use case, with more crooks, murderers, and dangerous people than ever. Apples to apples, Cayman is projected to need secure facilities for at least 500. Peace, law and order require we barrier dangerous recidivists away from the public, secured in a jail, rather than releasing them prematurely into the community before minimum time-served to open bunks for new inmates, while inviting lifetime recidivists the opportunity to reoffend, injure, steal, and destroy. Maybe a second super-max style prison should be built on the Brac land instead of the school? Where would we have all the corrupt politicos go, if NCFC can make strides on that?
$200Million which we don’t have is not justifiable for such a small territory.
If improved facilities are needed, then improve the facility without paying foreign consultants $8Million.fees alone…(not including business class flights and expanses to London).
Spend $10M to upgrade and improve, not add $200Million to our considerable borrowings.
Bonkers..?
Do the sums and understand the added package of ongoing expenses as well as the costs of importing another 200 Jamaican “prison guards” and their families.
Agree a humane prison is necessary but surely not at the cost of $200M and $8M for approx. 500 people, if these figures are correct and would no doubt would have gone over with past governnent.
I am cautiously optimistic.
A very simple and immediate test of whether the new government’s policies will be characterised by more of the ‘same old same old’ is whether the new government will continue to waste tens/hundreds of thousands of our tax dollars on opposing the judicial review of the last government’s efforts to gut the NCA and replace the NCA’s technical experts with senescent former politicians. If they cannot even do that then my optimism will be short lived.
The people voted firmly against your tree hugger candidates.
I disagree with your premise and in any event the judicial review will almost certainly succeed which will cost us hundreds of thousands. I would rather not waste huge sums after the election on what was no more than a desperate election ploy by the UDP/UPM/PPM.
and we still don’t know who killed Judiann Myles
As this new administration starts, we Caymanians need to get involved. Reach out to your representatives with your ideas and suggestions. You might feel what you think is silly, but for all you know, it can become a great initiative for us all. This is our country, our public purse, our children’s future. Let’s build it together — or rebuild it, as the case may be. Don’t just criticize and tear down and suggest corruption. If you have solid evidence, take it to a real media house and let it fly. Please do not take it to a gossip mongrel; you will defeat the purpose. (It will not be credible from the get go).
Found time to come up with a stupid name but all now they not fix the damn dump.
The Dump is not broken. It is a dump behaving as a dump. Landfilling is likely our only viable choice. Recycling can and should be emphasised, but ultimately we are always going to need somewhere to pile up what we cannot recycle. If you don’t like living next to it, perhaps you shouldn’t have moved there.
Our schools are broken.
Our justice system is broken.
Our access to housing is broken.
Our environmental protections are broken.
Our immigration system is broken.
That is where the focus should be.
Exactly…stop getting us deeper in debt.
Never been a better time for a Bodden Town landfill.
And you did in years and years! Find something else to go moan about.
The Premier needs to advise Franz how he expects the Civil Service to run going forward – not the other way around, as we might imagine has been the case prior to. The NCFC Regime won’t have any control on finances until the Total Civil Service produces qualified auditable accounting and follows explicit procurement processes that mesh with prescribed and authorized budgets and acceptable procedure. Frank should be given 4 months final notice to produce a full set of interim financials, or be retired, and replaced – or, possibly, investigated for serious corruption. Cayman’s voters deserve the minimum passing standard when it comes to the libraries of Gazetted Laws already on the books. Those standing rules and regulations may need to be updated in reconciliation of the Nolan Principles, with clearly defined pathways to consequences for those that continue to fail to live up to the minimum passing standards. We don’t need any of those nuisance people holding us back in the stewardship of the territory. Get them out. Restore the NCC. Fund the SIPLC, ACC, FCU. Give them tools and teeth. Restore Cabinet liability and tear up prior waivers of responsibility.
Frank who?
Franzie…
…but also can we now ask who shot Frank?
Sold the Tahoes yet?
…and drivers!
I think they’re struggling to remove the huge egos that were found in them.
Rumour is that they’re hard to get a handle on as they’re often very slippery due to all the baby oil sloshing around.
This photo must annoy the very dickens out of the PPM’s lovers. The little joys of life…
First order of business; stop the bleeding of the public purse that is JuJu’s island educational folly – the school to nowhere, for no one.
Scrap it now.
Let us not forget Kenny World.
…adios Wishing Well Coin Retrieval Annuity…
LOLOLOL
Quick WB wins..
Fix 2 docks.. Overdue!
A Police/NSC update on state of crimes n traffic.
3 Pedestrian Crossings w Lights: by 4Way, McRuss n Fosters.. Long Overdue!
Get public buses to run past 6pm.
Summer School for high schoolers.
Wake Up WB officers, or close the station!
Reopen WB Boat Dock Parking area..vs. the RiffRaff divers who now took over WB Dock parking lot.
4 Beat Officers Walking with Canines, trained to detect the already increasing Ganja plumes..I’m Dreaming or High now I guess!
Create the missing safe bike corridors for both recreation and commuters with an NRA Traffic Plan overhaul that includes a lens for this most accessible form of transport = reduce cars, congestion, pollution, parking issues.
NRA has done an amazing job with the bike lanes. Just look at the 100m bike lane in front of the Ritz that goes nowhere and is full of parked cars. CIG at its best.
While I can agree it’s stupid, enforcement is the job of the RCIPS.
None of that is happening.
No Mac, no Juju, no Kenneth, no Dumbest of all, no Saunders , No problem.
6 of the 11 were responsible for the runaway spending of the previous government, not just two
This time round they will be restrained by an educated principled leader, and not by a self centered cabal of parasites , led by mad woman who does what the voices in her head tell her is best for her bank account.
The above is referring to the PACT government, well I think it is.
He’s one of the 6
Congratulations Andre and team. A brand new day for Cayman!!
This all feels hopeful. I am hopeful. I drove up on the bluff on Friday to see what $8.5 million buys in Cayman Brac. Certainly there are features and expenditures, and those not yet paid for (such as fixing the running track into a proper track), but was not overly impressed. Yes, the pool looks great for the first time in five years.
At least the bulldozer on the bluff is gone.Can we let the trees grow back and see about preserving something of the old houses? The community centre in Spot Bay that no one wanted..please transform into something useful such as somewhere to put the NAU people or rent it out to teachers. Rent not freeness.
Halleluja, free at last from the grip of the corrupt and the self serving .
If only you knew….
@7:07am: Well, since you seem to know, start talking. What are you afraid of?! That someone here will call you out on your bulls**t? Speak now, or forever hold your peace. Annoying.
7.07….yeah I know…Jujudas is still there plotting to organize a Dart funded coup.
$educe Isaac and Jay back to PPM.
Depose Joey, and with Kenneth take back power.
Borrow another $500Million and bankrupt Cayman.
TBD
🤞