PPM undermining parliament, says MLA
Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly
(CNS): The independent member for North Side told CNS that he does not know how many times he needs to raise the issue about Legislative Assembly meetings before any government will make a change and accept that the failure to convene the parliament is undermining transparency and democracy. Ezzard Miller said the lack of parliamentary meetings is not just about depriving opposition members from asking questions and proposing motions but it means that government is working behind closed doors and the public are not being informed what the ministers are doing.
Speaking to CNS on Monday, Miller said he understands the Legislative Assembly will not be sitting until May, when government is expected to present its budget. That means it will be more than six months since legislators met.
“We need to meet,” he said. “I don’t know how many more ways I can say this. I think this administration has met even less times than the UDP government before it and it is seriously undermining democracy and the public scrutiny of government’s work,” he said.
The failure to call meetings prevents members from getting questions answered in a timely manner. Miller pointed to one he filed months ago about reinstating the Kaibo camping area ahead of the Easter holidays, which is too late to deal with now, but he said it is also about too much government work going on behind closed doors.
“Without the debates and discussion in parliament, which take place in public, the people have no idea what government is doing,” he said.
Expressing his concern that Cabinet is altering legislation via regulations in secret and the government’s failure to bring critical issues for debate, the MLA echoed sentiments expressed by the Office of the Auditor General that for some time the importance of the Legislative Assembly is being eroded.
Miller said, “The only checks and balances on any executive is the Legislative Assembly and it is the only way the public knows what government is doing is via the debates in parliament. What happens in Cabinet is secret.”
He said the only way for non-government members to raise constituency issues with government publicly and force them to answer is in parliament, as he urged the current administration to stop undermining democracy and bring the government business to the House and also deal with a catalogue of outstanding questions that have been ignored.
Government last met in November and tentative plans to meet in March were never fulfilled. On coming to office, following his own criticisms of the previous administration for their abuse of the Legislative Assembly, Premier Alden McLaughlin made a commitment to create an LA timetable, which he has failed to do, except for a single attempt at fixing dates that were never met.
In the past, the premier has indicated that the failure to meet was mostly due to the delays in the preparation of legislation.
Chhhh my road in Prospect right behind the Premiers house is getting paved as I type this. I dont understand why you all complaining.
Choosing between UDP and PPM is like deciding which STD you’d be most okay with having.
Chance to get an STD would be a fine thing!
Two weevils crept from the crumbs. ‘You see those weevils, Stephen?’ said Jack solemnly.
‘I do.’
‘Which would you choose?’
‘There is not a scrap of difference. Arcades ambo. They are the same species of curculio, and there is nothing to choose between them.’
‘But suppose you had to choose?’
‘Then I should choose the right-hand weevil; it has a perceptible advantage in both length and breadth.’
‘There I have you, ‘ cried Jack. ‘…Don’t you know that in the Navy you must always choose the lesser of two weevils? Oh ha, ha, ha, ha!’
[from the movie – Master and Commander]
Poor old Alden lost in his own importance yet again. Brits holding his hand yet again to prop up his little regime from toppling over and squishing him and his mindless little misfits .
The fact is neither PPM or UDP (or whatever they want to call themselves) are worth anything….I fear however what is coming…
Poor, poor Chicken Little…scared of his own shadow.
Roy Roy time to abandon the PPm sunken down ship your capitan is up on the mast making sure he doesn’t get his UK loyalty certificate wet just in case he needs to use it The others are in the bridge fighting over the wheel and the captains hat and the Cook K Tibbetts is in mess galley trying to eat up all the food so it doesn’t go to waste. The governor keeps throwing the life Buoy from the safety of HMS Baines but the Capitan cannot make a decision to abandon ship to save his life. We just heard a big splash on the starboard side must be Wayne sneaking off in the lifeboat with all the ships papers. Like said Roy O time to abandon ship again?????
Like him or not, Mr Ezzard is not afraid to call out any premier who abrogates his responsibility to the electorate.
The current situation makes the case unequivocally that party politics is not in the interests of the people of this country. Holding the electorate hostage by the ruling party is impossible with independent representatives whose allegiance is to the people who elected them and to the country as a whole.
Cayman voters need to become party poopers. Time to move on from a system that favours itself over the interests of the people. When are we ever going to learn? The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over & over again, expecting a different result.
We cannot take another 4 years of either party and the career politicians who feather their nests off the backs of hard working Caymanians and all those who live and work here. Time to vote for independent candidates who have integrity with strong political will and turn the lights out on the party once and for all.
Ezzard is not afraid to open his big mouth and let all kinds of rubbish come out of it.
typical ppm….the party afraid to hold press briefings in case they get asked awkward questions…….zzzzzzzzzzzzz
Cayman we need to stand up to Alden and this Useless Governor who are destroying democracy in these islands by allowing this very corrupt PPM dictatorship to operate with impunity.
Listen chicken broth – nobody is buying what you are selling. People know we have a good government. Nobody is perfect but the swing between what we had and what we have now is damn close to it!
It appears that far more people are buying Wonton’s soup than your nonsense.
You have the nerve,according to the thumbs down that you’re receiving hardly anyone is buying what you’re selling…..stop living in denial .
They (ppm) are meeting behind closed doors because they don’t want us the public to see them crying and consoling each other over the ass whipping they got coming for them in May of 2017.
Well, do you really see any advancement if you and your posse vote for the opposite side just to spite the PPM? Grow up and play an active part in the campaign and election process so as to elect successors on what they stand for individually, ditch party politics once and for all. Evolve for god sake.
He trying to hold on to his slim majority like Assad holding on to Syria. come 2017 will be a whole different ballgame
Alden and Madam governor know exactly why our Parliament is not meeting YES Cayman the UK hypocrisy and complicity with their PPM puppets in not keeping the public in the dark is disgusting and deplorable , Look like Baines is not the only one that need to leave our shores.
Dark, disgusting and deplorable? Are you talking about West Bay again?
Alden and most of PPM Cabinet have proven repeatedly that they are total hypocrites. Conducting business in the very manner which they complained and accused UDP of. Where is the transparency they promised??
Please, will those who proclaimed that the PPM were going to be so honest and above board, please raise your hands? Now use it to slap yourselves silly for what you did to this country!
Can I have a job where I go into the office once every six months for a hundred grand salary
This regressive gowermint is a bunch of overpaid high chested clowns just like its leader! If I could sell all of them for what they think they worth I would be very rich
High Chested? Oh if only…it would be a lot more interesting
Everyday Alden reminds us more of McKeeva
Unlike Alden, McKeeva will stand up to the UK,and he is also better at looking out for the common man, that’s the difference between the two.
Which is worse, sell out to Dart under the table or abide by your ultimate master?
You choose your poison.
The only reason he stood up to the UK was precisely because he did not want transparency and openness in any discussion, it did not suit his deals at all. If you cant remember that then you will continue to elect idiots.
WOW 6 months
Just Another day in Absurdistan
Alden McLaughlin and the PPM are behaving exactly like the UDP who they complained about bitterly when they were the opposition. How does the saying going again “Power corrupts but absolute power corrupts absolutely”
It’s not like they ask hard questions or get real answers anyway and at least it keeps McKeeva quiet.
Whats worrying Alden ? Does he not trust whats left of his Government?
The PPM government is undermining the entire Cayman Islands that’s pretty obvious it is very clear Mr McLaughlin and his cohorts do not want a number very serious issues brought to light or forefront. They are praying and hoping that if they delay these issues long enough it will just go away unfortunately they are not the only ones benefiting from this Lack of transparency and Good governance as they at Government House love to Preach. No worries Alden you and your minions soon wont have to worry about such formalities.
You might assume that the Premier, who positively loves the ceremonies and procedures of the House, would be keen to hold court. But I am afraid that his natural lack of energy overrides his passion for pomp.
They should all be paid by the hour and required to clock in.
classic ‘do nothing ppm’……
a combination of laziness and a fear of making decisions….