Lindsay: Caymanians should stand up for rights
Alric Lindsay
(CNS Elections): As Alric Lindsay headed back out on the campaign trail Thursday, following the court’s ruling in his favour on what appeared to be a bad faith challenge to his eligibility, the George Town South candidate told CNS that Caymanians should not be afraid to fight for their rights. Following a nervous two weeks going through the process for his right to stand for election, the Spanish-speaking financial expert said the victory was all about being Caymanian.
“I now encourage all Caymanians who have issues with being hired for jobs, promotion or better pay to stand up for what is right and ensure that they stick with the fight until a victory is achieved for Caymanians on the one hand and the country as a whole on the other hand,” he said. “This case is a reminder that, as Caymanians, it is perfectly OK to stand up for our rights, wherever we may find them prudent to be exercised.”
He said it wasn’t just about the Constitution or politics but in daily society, where Caymanians have the right to progress, healthcare and other benefits, all of which are derived from a simple right to live the Caymanian dream.
“In the end, this is the real point – living the Caymanian dream, not selling it like real estate and losing culture, benefits and progress in the process. It also means not selling ourselves short and not selling our valuable votes. Our votes can’t be sold,” he said.
But he accepted that there is a another specific issue arising out of his case, which is the need to change the Elections Law and, depending on the view of the people, the Constitution as well.
“I believe that the provisions relating to a Caymanian spending more than 400 days outside the Cayman Islands over a seven-year period must be examined and, if thought fit by the legislature and the people, revised,” he said, as he pointed to some of the potential pitfalls this section of the constitution creates.
This particular residency requirement was also raised by the overseas elections officials who monitored the 2013 election. In their report after the last national poll the monitors said the “required durations of residence in the Cayman Islands before the nomination appear to be unreasonably limiting the right to stand for elective office”.
There is currently no exception under this part of the Constitution or the Elections Law for a Caymanian who travels for business for one or two weeks per month over a seven-year period. Under the current instruments, such a Caymanian is likely to exceed the 400 day absence restriction under the Constitution and will not be eligible as a candidate for elections, Lindsay said.
As a qualified CPA and lawyer who has worked in the offshore sector for more than a decade, he said that many Caymanians working for big law firms are overseas for several years obtaining international experience and they could also fall foul of this residency issue.
A wealthy Caymanian retiree who may be spending half the year at home and half overseas could also be prevented from running, given the issues surrounding this section of the constitution, he said.
“I ask the people of the Cayman Islands and the next legislature, which I hope to be a part of as a representative of George Town South and the Cayman Islands, to consider possible amendments to the Constitution and the Elections Law to meet the needs of Caymanian business persons and retirees in modern times and to enhance the constitutional rights of Caymanians in relevant, growing areas,” he said.
He also pointed out that his case has highlighted the need for a more detailed description to the role of the Elections Supervisor. “There are currently no detailed rules and, as such, the process is subject to flaws,” Lindsay said.
Despite finding that the Elections Office was wrong to bring this case against Lindsay, the chief justice said he was sympathetic to the Supervisor of Elections and the questions being raised over qualification in the challenges to the three candidates. He has asked all of the lawyers involved in the challenges and the government to see how the work the two sides have done over the last few weeks interpreting the Elections Law and the Constitution can help to create practice directions and guides for future challenges.
Recent amendments to the Elections Law now allow the supervisor to call on the court for a decision on the eligibility of candidate before, rather than after, the national poll.
The main reason for the changes was to avoid post-election challenges and the inequities that emerged in the 2013 General Elections, where some candidates were prevented from running by the Elections Office based on advice from the attorney general while other candidates with similar question marks over their candidacy were allowed to run, including Tara Rivers. That resulted in a costly and very disruptive case in the aftermath of the election, which government was seeking to avoid this time around when it changed the law.
Speaking this week to CNS, Wesley Howell, the current supervisor of elections, explained that under the new law he alone cannot disqualify a candidate without their agreement. He said that when challenges are made, the office seeks information from the candidates and investigates the allegations of illegibility with other government agencies. But if it is still not clear that the candidate is or isn’t qualified, the Elections Office has no choice but to seek a ruling from the court.
In this case, Lindsay was cleared by the courts to get back on the election hustings and he said he was confident he could take the GTS seat. He said he hoped the voters would consider him as a representative of every Caymanian, however that status was obtained, including the people in George Town South, where he grew up.
Category: Candidates
Here, I’m standing up – by respectfully asking that you explain to us how you qualify as a Caymanian under the constitution to run. I am not saying that you are not a Caymanian but I am not familiar with how you are so I am simply asking that you explain for the benefit of the voters. A number of female candidates are having to explain their Caymanian heritage being unrecognizable as Caymanian at first glance because of their married name so this is not an unreasonable or extraordinary request. You satisfied the Election Office and Chief Justice but those who wait to cast their single precious vote want to understand more about who you are too.
Please identify yourself as the responder so that we know we are getting the accurate explanation.
I work in an office where 90% were PPM die hard supporters. Now, none of those die hard supporters are even considering that party again. PPM is an elitist group and I’m not saying that from an education standpoint but they are a typical old boys club with blinders. Look at some of their new candidates… could see they were scratching at the wall trying to find something …anything to fill a seat
INDEPENDENTS can say anything to get elected. But I can tell you, if only they get elected, our LA will be without a UNIFIED PLAN, a disorder in the House!
Try running a country without a party or alliance :))
Why not just ask for a Dictatorship? We all know the Party Leader decides what he will or won’t do for the people. Why pay all those “Yes! men” to just sit there to take orders. If they can’t promise and fullfil anything they promised on their campaign trail they don’t need to be there as a waste of space! Dictatorship is NOT Democratic, and no, you aren’t supposed to be “getting along”, you’re supposed to be fighting tooth and nail for whatever your people need. You want unity? Go to church and get your Kombyama-Lord THERE!
The whole idea of staffing an LA with all of these representatives, is because we are paying them to debate and arrive at a reasoned consensus in matters which affect the direction of the territory. If 10 of them conspire behind closed doors to decide where we are going, based on some arbitrary party line manifesto, or crony capitalist agenda, then the whole apparatus (and façade of democracy) is a sham.
Paul Hurlston all the way. Born,raised,lives in GTS Also well qualified CPA, financial degree, experienced in running a business. The best Choice for GTS.
Pollo may be qualified but he definitely lacks interpersonal skills which lays the foundation for being a “peoples person” and to be a good representative in the LA.
Him and Captain Whogene has about the same level of interpersonal skills.
sound like him and Alric have the same personality then
You just insulted Whoogene
The island will be doomed if we do not put back in the PPM as they know how a country should be run. All these new candidates will do is cause us to loose our big developers and highly trained professionals. Wake up – PPM all the way!!!!
Go back to your hole moron!
It’s people like you “PPM zombies” or cdp or udp or whatever other party zombies that stick to their party and one day wake up and realize they have someone like Donald Trump as their leader just because they wouldn’t cross party lines. Instead really you should stop and just take a look and read what the other candidates propose. Don’t lock yourself in a box!
If you have kids you owe it to them to keep an open mind and just read and see and analyse the other candidates proposals. Times have changed my dear. Tread carefully
I’ll be damned if I would ever vote one of them again. People need to ask themselves what they did for them ever! Not a thing!
“they know how a country should be run” ….so when are they going to share this revelation with the rest of us?
Alric you should have run in Prospect i saw the Chamber debate the other night poor old Lucille could barely keep her eyes open and was confused about the questions. The PPm should be ashame of themselves for fielding such a candidate its pretty obvious this woman needs to be out of the political arena.Like many running Retire Ms Lucille stop being used as just a number.
My hubby said Lucille looked like a corpse up there. Why doesn’t this woman just kick back and enjoy her retirement. You gotta know when to walk away and stay away.
Well look at the premier running in Red Bay as hopes the two other candidates do not have the network/money support as he does. PPM need to be swept out with all there big special interest supporters.
Yes, special interests.
Leave them and their followers though….narrow mindedness won’t get them far. Not this election! Hell naw!
He grew up in GTS? Where?
he lived in windsor park all his childhood/youth and for much of his early adult years.
Since when was Windsor park GTS? Isn’t that GTW?
Actually Windsor Park is both GTS and GTW. Outpost road is GTS.
Preach it Alric…preach it!
Very pleased to see you were successful in this ridiculous challenge to your eligibility. I also fully support your observations regarding necessary amendments to the current restrictions and have voiced the same on numerous occasions.
All the best buddy. Not only are you qualified to hold office, you are also ‘Caymanian to the core’ and I have faith you would never sell-out your people and culture.
For those of you in GTS that don’t know Alric Lindsay – please get to know him. Although a quiet and laid-back individual by nature, once you get him going he’ll give you a run for your money in terms of intellect, reasoning and wit.
– Who
Well there’s one career ending endorsement that nobody would want.
On this forum, yes, you are absolutely correct.
However, considering the rhetoric hereon tends to be anti-Caymanian and the matter at hand is Cayman’s national election – it only makes sense that a Whodatis endorsement would be negatively perceived on this forum.
Thank you for continuing to demonstrate the absurdity and division in which we live.
– Whodatis
*All the best for your campaign Alric.
It was disappointing that he couldn’t confirm what was required for a people’s referendum when Ruthana on 92.7 basically gave him the answer, said he was a corporate lawyer.
Another corporate trained candidate that doesn’t sound like he felt being well versed on he Constitution was a big deal.
Never heard of him before.
No wonder why the big boys wanted you out. Rule #1 never rock the boat. The corrupt status quo works for the privileged few and best leave like that or our economy will dry up!
Get real & get smart voters as this is time for real change and a flush down the toilet of the elite ruling class or should I say cast system. Go for it young man and hope others will stand with you.
Make Cayman great again!!!!!