PACT still has much to do after first 100 days
(CNS): Marking the passage of its first 100 days in office, the PACT Government published a report last week outlining some of the work it has already undertaken, but Premier Wayne Panton said they were not resting on the journey so far as important work remains to be done. From rolling out the country’s first ever code of conduct for ministers to redirecting funding to small and micro businesses, the document outlines PACT’s early efforts. It also shows how much time the newly formed administration has spent on the critical issue of getting the country’s borders reopened and the population vaccinated.
“Together we have made the past 100 days meaningful and productive and have set a solid foundation for the remainder of our term. Our unwavering commitment is to place our people at the centre of everything we do,” the premier said.
Reopening the islands to visitors is paramount on the government’s list of upcoming goals and challenges the premier stated.
“First and foremost is the safe reopening of our borders. To do this, we need every eligible resident in the Cayman Islands to be fully vaccinated. I thank and applaud those individuals who have already been fully vaccinated as well as the businesses that have come on board to ensure that their workers — especially those on the front lines — are vaccinated and protecting themselves from the full impact of COVID-19,” he said.
While tackling the situation regarding the pandemic over the last three months, the government has managed to retain Cayman’s credit rating, reshuffle the public finances and roll out the Strategic Policy Statement. They also faced a surge in gun violence which resulted in the death of three local men.
In addition, PACT has helped 200 families with mortgage support, increased scholarships by 50%, created the new ministry for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency, lifted the veil of secrecy around Cabinet meetings, and begun putting young Caymanians through vocational training and getting ex-offenders work in the public sector.
The government has also purchased land on Cayman Brac for the creation of a public beach, begun the public consultation on the remediation of the George Town landfill, moved CI$2 million previously earmarked to open Cayman offices overseas to support small businesses hit by the pandemic and announced plans to decriminalize ganja.
“While we celebrate these achievements, we are by no means resting on them,” said Panton in a release about the report. “There is still much work to be done and we are ready for the challenge,” he said. “I appreciate the support, confidence, trust, and encouragement that the people of the Cayman Islands have in this Government. This has undoubtedly fuelled our efforts over the past 100 days.”
He said PACT would “march on to help better the lives of all who live and work here, and safely reopen our borders as we continue to keep our Islands safe from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic”.
See the full report in the CNS Library.
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Politics
Waffle waffle umm erm umm waffle SMDH!!!
Let’s look at the scorecard. 1) Education changes such as increased scholarships, school food program, more teaching assistants were in motion from the last government and making those changes was a condition of Julie joining PACT. 2) Code of contact isn’t new or different from the draft presented a year ago and replicates what is already in place under the Standards in Public Life laws. Two PACT Ministers are already violating it by handing our Board positions to immediate family members. Guess what – there are no consequences, so what is the point. Feel good lip service for Wayne – just keep making it look like they are doing something i guess. The real question is a Code for Parliament ( including the speaker that has some teeth. We are ALL waiting for that and the borders to open.
Don’t hold your breath while you wait, 11:32 am.
They got ALT off the CPA. There’s that.
Get the non-vaxxers vaccinated so we can open up and get other airlines in here and not be subjected to the extortionists that are CAL.
I hope those 200 families were not imported voters who now control our elections.
Do we have a plan ?
So, it is nothing better than the last Alden-tragedy.
No plan, they are simple following on with things that PPM already had in play…trying to call it their own. Smh
Wayne the king of Waffle lol
Most of these are plans put in place by the Progressives.Looks like the only things new in their list of accomplishments are the moving of the 2 million dollars, support for the gay agenda, and plans to legalize ganja ( in certain circumstances).
pure waffle….you have achieved little to nothing and will continue to do so…
sad to say ppm coalition would not have done much better…..
Having actually read the actual report much of it is continuing things the last Government had ongoing. I am happy that they did keep good programmes in train.
8.25 Thanks for pointing that out.
First and foremost is the safe reopening of our borders. To do this, we need every eligible resident in the Cayman Islands to be fully vaccinated….”
So we need 100% now, do we?
You might be in luck, our vaccine might be ineffective in 6 months as new and possibly more virulent strains emerge from continental hotspots. So I guess it might be worthless you taking it or any future ones for that matter.
This isn’t true at all. The vaccine is likely protective for years. It only just begins to wane at 6 months but the drop is slow and steady. The vaccine is still keeping people out of the hospitals past 6 months after the second dose.
Don’t be obtuse, or course it won’t include those who can’t receive it either:
1.) because of an extremely compromised immune system.
2.) children
The key word is ‘eligible’
I get it. The first day they gave themselves a pay rise, on the 100th day they published a ‘code’ that says that Cabinet members are expected to obey ‘relevant’ laws. The other things on their achievement list probably took them a day or 2 to sort out (most of them are new), but what did they do the rest of the time? They should have at least given us the list of ‘relevant’ laws so that we would know which ones we can all now ignore.
100 days and no realistic border plan. Stopped doing press conferences to avoid tough questions. Great job!
and also keeps spending even when cig is losing 20-30m per month….
Glossy reports are unnecessary when you’re busy dealing with substantive issues. Just put your heads down and get on with the damn job. We all know what happened in the first 100 days, it’s called news, but if you take credit for everything good that happens on your watch then don’t start whining when people throw the blame for the bad at your feet.
Zzzzz. Open the damn border Panton.