Prospect shake-up as candidates come and go
Lucille Seymour
(CNS): Allan Wagner, who was for several weeks the only candidate running in Prospect, has pulled out of the race because he doesn’t think he has the support he needs. But as the self-declared Christian conservative candidate concedes defeat, radio talk show host, Austin Harris, has thrown his hat in the ring for the seat along with political veteran Lucille Seymour. who is not running on the PPM ticket but going it alone after the party rejected her as a candidate for the constituency.
Prospect is likely to become one of the most competitive seats in the capital as at least two more candidates are expected to reveal their intentions to fight over the 1,184 registered voters by Nomination Day.
Harris is a former host of CrossTalk, Rooster’s morning talk show, but was sacked from that job after he was charged with domestic violence offences. Although he admitted to domestic assault and punching his girlfriend at a social event in Governor’s Harbour in 2014, he walked away from those charges with a slap on the wrist and no conviction.
He later moved to a different radio station, Star 97, and a new morning phone-in show, where he announced his decision Thursday.
Harris, who was part of the Coalition for Cayman campaign at the last election but did not contest a seat, announced his intention to run in the 2017 elections as an independent in Prospect just as Wagner declared that he was ending his efforts because polling had suggested he could not win.
There are other questions surrounding Wagner’s qualifications, as CNS understands that he was not born in the Cayman Islands. But that may no longer be a reason to disqualify a candidate, as demonstrated by Tara Rivers’ successful defence of her West Bay seat following the 2013 election. In a precedent-setting ruling, the chief justice found that although she was born in the United States and had an American passport, this did not disqualify her from running for office.
Harris is already facing Matthew Leslie and veteran political candidate Lucille Seymour, who was a founding member of the PPM and served during the 2009-2013 administration on the back-benches, has declared not as an independent but an “unaffiliated candidate” after she was rejected as a candidate by the PPM.
Category: Candidates
First lie from candidate Lucille Seymour she comes out as an independent chanting that she is unaffiliated but on nomination day she is all smile and posing with the PPM team. I hope people can see through this.
It seems that people are picking the districts where they run based on ability to win. Already a nominee has changed his district.
Austin obviously has anger issues and is a wife beater, he shouldn’t be running for public office. The elected candidate needs to represent men and women equally, and he has proven that he doesn’t respect women. There must be better choices out there!
and he has proven himself to be dumber than a rock thank goodness for that talk show where he made a fool out of himself daily
Good luck, Austin. Even your mama loves you.
We think
Austin has a lot going for him. He is a straight shooter, will stand up for us, can represent us well internationally, is not easily intimidated, will certainly not be a puppet for anyone. I am a woman and he certainly is the kind of man I will vote for because I am tired of wishy-washy men. Lets put some real men into the LA. Best wishes, Austin
Don’t forget that Austin Harris publicly abused his then girlfriend, resulting in him having to appear in front of the court. He admitted to this crime in front of the court. This man is an ABUSER of women and is not the type of person that we would ever want representing this country.
What poor examples of men you must have around you to consider Austin a “real” man. Ppl, this lady right here is what’s wrong with society. Quit pardoning bitch ass behavior by men.
Maybe Wagner will clean up his properties now? How could we vote for a neighbor who didn’t even come to the Neighborhood Watch meetings? Other Prospect candidates tell me how you will clean up and protect our neighborhoods?
Maybe we should just hold a fashion show instead of an election and decide that way.
Lucille is too old and out of touch with the real world. Austin is only a talk show host and apparently a domestic violence offender. Matthew’s claim to fame is a Facebook social media hero for charity work yet harassed women. Wagner is overtly Christian.
Out of all, the one who dropped out looks like the best bet. Is it saying much? Maybe not.
Every seat a rotten borough.
Austin Harris my goodness, what a terrible option. So much anger in that man, he would be another Arden Mclean; pure mouth no action and just a contradictory menace. NEXT
Bunch of fools or as they call them in west Bay…fool fool
All of a sudden, Matthew Leslie ain’t a bad choice. Take a womanizer over a woman beater anyday!!
Boy….. I didn’t know women “were so hard up” in the Cayman Islands these days.
Austin should really just grab this thing by the pussy and run with it.
Why in the world would people like Lucille and Gilbert run again? They’re both over 70. Can’t they just enjoy their government pensions and free health care? Anthony needs to get out of there too.
and replace their experience with you
Austin Harris? Really???
God help us!
If there really was a God, do you think this would be your slate of candidates to choose from? Or is it just that he has a really twisted sense of humour?
I am not voting for anyone whose claim to fame is a talk show host. If they can’t manage to run a talk show properly how can they manage our islands?
i guess LuLu finally saw the light- as the saying goes- better late than never!,
The best option for those living in Prospect currently is to pack up their shit and leave.
I think Austin needs some experience with being a lawmaker but at least I think he has only the best for Cayman in mind and I think so far is probably one of the best options running in the this election in general. Just a shame he is not running in BTE where we don’t seem to have any decent options.
Austin Harris? Seriously?
I hope that in today’s world, even though Miss Lucile is a bit over the hill that every woman in the prospect district will vote for womens rights and not allow a domestic violence offender and admitted woman beater into the office.