We were the real experiments
Stefanie Ebanks writes: Over the past few months, the people of Cayman rallied, cheered, and called for change… or so it seemed. But last night’s election results tell a more sobering story. While six new faces have entered parliament, let’s be honest, four of them were elected by default. And based on many of the candidates that won, it’s clear that some didn’t truly want change.
Some may not even recognise what real change looks like… let alone what it feels like. This was our moment. We said it in 2017. We said it in 2021. And we said it again in 2025, this was it! Yet here we are, standing on the edge of the abyss. Now let’s see if we are going to free-fall into it.
We had SOME (not all) real options. Principled, prepared, people-centred candidates. But in so many areas across these islands, the vote by you — YES YOU — chose familiarity over progress. It echoed in constituency after constituency, in every ballot that helped entrench the status quo. That’s not just political inertia; that’s personal accountability.
One of the loudest political narratives this election was “experience over experiments”. It was pushed hard by select incumbents and their affiliates. A jab at newer, younger, never-before-elected candidates with fresh ideas and real passion for country. But here’s the truth: The majority of you Caymanians out there didn’t realise that we were the experiment all along.
That same “experience” they’ve been touting has spent the last two decades experimenting on us. On our schools, our healthcare, our housing, our wallets, our future. And somehow, they still sold it to us with a straight face.
Even worse, the very same political party and team that championed “experience over experiments” had several fresh, first-time candidates running on their own ticket. The hypocrisy is astounding. They preached caution against “untested” leadership, while quietly relying on the energy and appeal of new candidates themselves. That slogan wasn’t about principle. It was about power. It was about manipulating a message to protect their incumbency, all while hedging their bets behind the scenes. And Caymanians bought into it again.
It’s astonishing how that slogan was thrown in our faces and how many didn’t take the time to read beyond it. To question what it really meant. The experience they boast about has been marked by mismanagement, neglect, and self-interest. And in the end, of 19 constituencies, only six fresh, new candidates were elected by choice. The rest? Business as usual.
Ultimately, this is what we get. They say God only gives us what we deserve, and if that’s true, then whatever government is formed from here on out, and however they choose to lead this country, I will rest my case and say: God truly gave us what we deserve. What we tolerated. What we settled for. What our self-worth allowed.
Still, there’s a glimmer. If the newly elected members of the emerging parties choose to align with solid, strong-minded independents, we may yet see the rise of a savvy, focused, people-first leadership. Leaders who can fight for this country and bring about even a semblance of real change. Because ANYTHING is better than continuing to be held hostage by the same old political machinery that has drained our hope and divided our people for far too long.
To those elected: this is your moment. No more excuses. Cayman is watching. We demand clarity, courage, and conviction. Lead us forward, or step aside before you’re “cast” aside!
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: 2025 General Elections, Elections, Politics, Viewpoint
This article hit the nail on the head. Big thanks to the writer for being bold enough to put out there what plenty people were feeling but didn’t quite know how to say. New faces alone won’t fix things. We as a people have to stay plugged in. You can’t just set it and forget it for the next four years. We have to hold this new government accountable, but we also have to check ourselves too. Pay attention, asking question and being part of the whole process. Politics is for everybody,not just the politicians.
This is what democracy looks like
Thankfully we have a former Civil Servant to lead the elected Government. Once Andre doesn’t follow Wayne’s political advisors appointments he will be fine.
Gary Rutty leadership style will compliment Andre. Poor Wayne had Saunders. But that was his choice.
One must feel sorry for Wayne going from Premier to MP to Parliamentary Secretary is quite a feat.
Stefanie, how do you feel after the announcement of the current government which you desperately (no offense implied) called for? I hope you share these feelings now that such a positive has occurred.
It seems most reasonable people felt the same fear of business as usual early Thursday morning. Thursday night transformed those feelings into legitimate hope for this to be the start of a new era for Cayman. I loathe such fanciful faith without proper evidence but we must hope that this time will be different. When was the last time that 4 (maybe more?) MPs (or MLAs) were elected with no experience from a whole party with no political experience? They were voted in because they are different from what we had. Can it really be any worse?
Mac was in government for 40 years! JOCC has been in government since around 1996 representing one of our smallest districts as if the other 97.5% (pretty close now) of the population was alive to take care of her constituents.
We need and finally have real people in government. Look at what they are already doing before even being sworn in: setting up district meetings to meet and engage with residents. Can you imagine Mac, JOCC, Chris, or others offering an open dialogue with everyone, not just their supporters?
I dislike the lack of individual autonomy that hope implies but we have good reason to hope for change and work with our new government to achieve that change!
I think we have a fairly strong Government. Thankfully we have a very strong civil service who guided us over the past 4 years of political turmoil.
Opinions like this one miss a very important point: People made choices that were reasonable & logical for them. We may not like/agree with the choices but until you start asking them why they made that choice – not assuming you know, normally you don’t – then you’re always going to be confused and befuddled. And if you think that there’s one reason between 10 different constituencies, then you’re also going to be lost and fall between the cracks.
When you ask them, you might find they had bad reasons (or ones that provide fodder for comedy news shows). Or you might just find out that people have different priorities to yours, different perspectives and experiences and even different informed reasons. Reasons that, though different, are not wrong.
Sounds to me like what the writer was trying to get at is this: two things can be true at once. People voted for who they thought was best based on what made sense to them, and at the same time, the results might not reflect the real change that so many were calling for. I don’t think it was about putting voters down. It seemed more like a push to look deeper at how what we say we want as a country doesn’t always match up with how we vote or the outcomes we get. It felt more like a wake-up call than a blame game.
Hey, just remember how things used to be:
https://caymannewsservice.com/2015/07/ex-minister-accused-of-meddling-in-procurement/
Man, Rolston, they sure turned on you with the quickness. Didn’t hear a peep out of any of these antagonists while you were indicating you’d join PPM, but the minute you don’t join the losing team, all of a sudden it’s a full-on smear campaign.
I understand what you mean, but I think as well that you have to see that there was change in some districts. McKeeva is out. PPM didn’t take GTS.
The constituencies where we get more of the same are places where the back deal paying for votes or the focus on what do the politicians give me are the problem. Chris Saunders didn’t need to do any door to door or yard meetings. he still won most of the vote, because he focused on the Frank Hall homes and that was enough for those to vote for him another time.
We need to start thinking communally rather than individually, but sometimes our individual circumstances are so dire that we cannot.
The other issue, are the constituencies that had too much choice and we diluted the vote. Where a candidate can’t get 50% of the vote, then it should be a run off election between the two highest winners to decide that constituency’s winner. How can Roy McTaggart win on 30% of the vote? That means 70% did not vote for him, yet he gets to be the representative for GTE?
We need a lot of reform for the Elections and voting in general.
In simplistic terms say there are three candidates A, B and C and ten voters. 3 vote for A, 3 vote for B and 4 vote for C.
C becomes the elected official even though the majority of 6 did not vote for him. Our election system is broken and why we will continue to have results like this.
we must be thankful that Bernie quit once again and hopefully for good. He will go down as the less effective MP in the history of the Cayman Islands. The voters in West Bay are slowly waking up.
Wayne Panton won most ineffective MP by far.
Knowing this was written before the coalition government formed, that glimmer of hope has come to fruition.
One of the frustrating things about watching the past four years was the amount of good intent versus the ability to execute. Let’s see how they govern.
25,000 voters, the Texas ranch size territory …The Parliament! The Premier! The Governor!
🤯What a FARCE! 🤦♀️
Right? What kind of absolute jackass would leave their perfect homeland to come live in this farcical place?
We demand clarity, courage, and conviction.
Too bad we went with “clarity, courage, and criminal convictions”, in the past!
Stephanie for president
Your article hits the nail on its head. Lets see if the independents who won and had a PPM opponent joins and forms the new government. This would definitely be an insult to their people.
And thank God it didn’t…..CINP 4 and TCCP 4 +3 independents…..hold on to the fort til 2029