Council appointed to give seniors a voice
Lucille Seymour
(CNS): Lucille Seymour has been appointed chair of the newly created Council for Older Persons that will provide a voice for elderly people in the Cayman Islands as the government implements the recently enacted legislation dealing with the needs of seniors. Cabinet has approved the appointment of the new council, with six members from each district, seven government members from relevant ministries and departments, and a doctor and a lawyer.
“Reaching this point has been a milestone and a major accomplishment for the Cayman
Islands,” said Premier Alden McLaughlin, who also has ministerial responsibility for community affairs. “The appointment of this council is a significant achievement.”
Officials said in a release that the council will champion and monitor the promotion and development of programmes, projects and legislative measures, as well as evaluate the implementation of the action plans for the Cayman Islands Older Persons Policy.
The Older Persons Law seeks to promote access to services, including their affordability, physical accessibility and acceptable maintenance; social inclusion so that our elderly feel valued, their opinions and differences are respected and their basic needs are met so they can live with dignity; anti-discriminatory practices; and improved care, including physical, psychological, social or material assistance and services aimed at promoting the quality of life and well-being of older persons.
McLaughlin commended all who had a part in develop the Older Persons Policy and the Older Persons Law and said he “deeply appreciated” the members who would serve on the new board. Former MLA and recent PPM candidate in the last election, Lucille Seymour, will represent George Town’s older folks and she will be supported by deputy chair Sarah Alice Mae Coe from West Bay. Reginald Nixon will represent Bodden Town, Barbara Gee – East End, Esther Patricia Ebanks – North Side and Lana Poldavaart – the Sister Islands.
Mark Beckford is the board’s lawyer and Eryka Simmons its doctor, while Tempora Wesley will represent the Department of Children and Family Services. The chief officers from the relevant ministries of Community Affairs, Health, Education, Employment, Gender Affairs as well as the policy unit will designate officials to also serve.
Category: Local News, Policy, Politics
Alden and his PPM band wagon continue to take care of their own though! What a mess! It also got back this next term being a PPM lead one…. Alden Mclaughlin- we know you read these comments and know that we eagerly count your remaining term and will celebrate your retirement in 2021. You are definitely more arrogant than shy- this we know & see!
Gotta love Cayman and the PPM
Lucille Seymour loses against an independent candidate by 137 votes and is rewarded with a council.
If the people of the Cayman Islands wanted her to represent them they would have voted her in Alden
I have nothing against her specifically but the council should be chaired by an unbiased person independent from the political parties
Diogenes
I agree 100%! I am a senior citizen & registered voter. I have known Lucille for decades & in no way is she qualified to be my representative to ‘give me a voice’.
good campaign tactics, early campaigning for the next election. What I notice is that only PPM Members get appointed to Boards etc. Regardless of how knowledgeable one might be if they are not a PPM they don’t get elected. So many Dead Beats in high positions.
I wonder if the first thing that the board would do is to make sure that all public buildings are wheelchair accessible and public bathroom wheelchair accessible.
what about a council for 40-43 year olds that have freckles?????
The Council of Gingers meets the third Thursday of each month.
Really a good idea! People who are passing 60 are charged ridiculous prices to do anything medical ins.,dental, eye care. God bless the youth they are never remembering one day they will be old.What about old people who gave their kids property, a home an education, etc.? Surely they should have some kind of discount like the rest of the world . They don’t make as much money because they are the last to receive any worthy employment . So should we just kick them to the curb? Anyone who disagrees with these sentiments should be so lucky to receive the same kind of treatment if they achieve long life.
I have to say it’s a good idea to have the elderly people represented and have a voice. As I see it today it looks like all Caymanians needs that voice .
I hope that the Premier is not getting Ms. Seymour ready for next election, but I see that there’s some good support people behind her so some good might come from the Board .
And where are their families that they gave the property, home, education etc to? Why aren’t they stepping up to look after their elders?
Some of us a childless – not necessarily by choice.
Fair enough but the person above specifically speaks of older people who gave to their children and now expects that the rest of society should look after the parents.
“the new council, with six members from each district, seven government members from relevant ministries and departments, and a doctor and a lawyer.”
Wow. A committee of about 100 people. That in itself guarantees it gets nothing accomplished. And just how much will each member be paid?
It cannot be six from each district but one each from the six districts. At least I hope not, that will be mahem. I hope that Ms Lucille can advocate for us for changes to the shic plan under cinico. I am paying CI dlrs 501 per month and the benefits are only CIdlrs 400 per month. Something really needs, to be done about that.
what about a voice for 50% of the population that has no representation at all?
the 50% that pays the majority of taxes and fees to government…….
just another day in wonderland….
I am not a nationalist and I appreciate what work permit holders contribute to the islands but, living and working in a country doesn’t give you the right to elect said country’s leaders or representatives. If I went to any other country to work I would not expect them to allow me the right to vote, let’s not act like Cayman is doing anything out of the ordinary. Work permit holders make the conscious decision to come here knowing that they will not have representation. This would be a dead end conversation in any other country, the circumstances of Cayman’s small population are the only cause for such topics. You cannot reasonably expect to vote in another country just because you have a job there.
That right is reserved for the legal citizens of the country not the guests who come here for monetary gain and work purposes and it is rational.
Keep in mind this is coming from someone who actively defends WP holders from the more, irrational among the islands, but this is one conversation where, no one expects nor will we give up an inch of ground in favor of WP holders and foreign workers.
Diogenes of Cayman
Diogenes, I once lived in an EU country other than my own. After 5 years I had the right to vote in Municipal elections there, in a town much larger than Cayman is as a whole. I suspect those that live here for the longer term have something to add and could really contribute, make things more transparent, cut the BS that is often spouted and just get the job done. Most expats know the issues here, and a lot of it springs from poor education, attitudes that are very backdated and frankly unimportant in the whole scheme of things. I think it would be a step forward for Cayman. Which is precisely why it will not happen, too many snouts in the trough.
Were you also a citizen of an EU member country? Do you understand that this is not Diogenes point?
Then perhaps you should go back to that EU country before they too close the gate since obviously you are not an EU citizen. You put up with our laws or or enjoy the alternative. If we are so uneducated, backward and all the other things you said why would you want to live here among us.
Looking in the mirror and seeing what is wrong is always tough. Not seeing what is wrong is even worse.
The EU is a different beast and making a comparison between those member states and the Cayman Islands and any other jurisdiction is ridiculous
Diogenes
Sorry can’t agree…. full time residents of a country have rights….
there is something seriously wrong in cayman where 50% of the population has no representation……
You should have stayed where you felt you had representation and a voice.
I’m with the other 50% you speak of, and trust me you think you feel disenfranchised?
NA! Check the natives first! Rights? LOL Don’t let me start….
ok.. so be it…you have started a war you cannot win.
Are Work permit holders really “Full time residents” or are they persons who come here for work and then leave after a set amount of time and take their resources with them (monetary and human capital and skills etc). They understood the circumstances of their living on these islands prior to arrival, no one lied to them about the abilities they would have upon arrival and they came anyway therefore they consent to current system.
We Caymanians don’t have another country to go to and we sure as hell aren’t going to give away our own
Diogenes
Miss Seymour, Chairman, Ms Alice Coe Activist and others including your lawyer, one of your first challenges will be to prepare a strong objection and represent the seniors who have to drive, ride or walk through the proposed tunnel, and take the risk of using the road during construction, Also consider how shutting off beach access will deny them enjoyment of this part of their culture and heritage. Support the NRA position. Speak up for your Seniors.
5:27 when you or the other 50% which obviously you must be a part of show that you have been maligned, ostracized, discriminated unemployed etc. Then you have a case . Until then may I suggest if you have no proof of non-representation don’t try to create discord in the land where you are now a guest. If you don’t like “wonderland” , the world is yours inhabit. Pick up ya bundle and leave and go dear. just saying.
spoken like a true caymankind christian….
Jah, read CNS every day, and see the abuse expats take…most of it unintelligent drivel…even in this thread there is just pure hatred shown…no reason, just hatred.
oh Christ! more nepotism. what qualifies her other than the fact that she is a senior ? Alden needs to stop it now!
No paper Caymanians on board. These is a bunch of old ones! I guess they do not count.
An example of #EverydayCaymankindRacism
It is very prevelant and at an all time high!!! Revelations.
Cayman continues the tradition of glorifying the past while destroying the future. Instead of getting the youth and upcoming voting generations aware of issues and positions we continue to ignore and ostracize our youth while listening to the nostalgic calls of the seniors of our society. While they do serve some purpose and have every right to be heard if this council is used to push a political agenda that does not focus on the needs of the elderly I think that there will be serious issues. We need to focus on ensure that we have politically active and educated youth (without brainwashing and indoctrinating them), so that the same shit that the MLAs are pulling now won’t work on the coming generations. Encourage them to register to vote, partake in the meetings, watch the LA sessions (ok that one is a bit of a stretch) talk to their representatives, keep themselves abreast of proposals and bills in the LA it starts at home folks. I guarantee that you know a 20 something year old Caymanian who isn’t registered to vote it is sad how little interest people take in their own futures sometimes.
Also funny that older persons feel they don’t have representation and their needs aren’t being met considering there are actual dinosaurs in the LA but I guess the MLA dinos can’t connect with the other seniors considering we pay them like nobility and they, by comparison live in different economic strata.
Diogenes of Cayman
That’s not quite fair. For several years now there have been ‘youth policies’ and ‘youth committees’ by Government designed to ’empower youth’. Basically the exact thing you ask for in you second sentence. – What the old people hope is that their committee is more effective than the youth ones perhaps.
Never once have I seen or heard of either of those two things, and I actively go out of my way paying close attention government actions and proposals, perhaps you could point me in the right direction regarding those policies and committees so that I can collect my own information on them?
Diogenes
Nothing will happen, more money and time wasted
They get paid either way so it isn’t really wasting money, but yeah the government is likely not going to listen to a word they say
Diogenes