How would you grade your MLAs this past term? (Part 2)
101 writes: Now that Nomination Day is far behind us, it’s time for the promised Part 2 of grading the other representatives. Spoiler alert: there are no A*s in here.
Alva Suckoo: He was a bit slow out of the blocks as a newbie but eventually started to carve out a small niche for being outspoken about representing Caymanians. That said, he never really seemed to be able to influence anything noteworthy. It may be unfair to assess him poorly for that. He has smartly aligned himself with Anthony Eden for political reasons, but aside from that display of astuteness, just hasn’t really done enough to stand out. C+
Winston Connolly: Eclectic politician may not be the right description but it’s difficult to find an alternative one. Stood out early on standards of candidates and campaign financing issues (even though he was completely ignored or ridiculed by his colleagues in the House), went quiet then surfaced again on a very worthy and effective clean energy campaign, then fell into the legal practitioners bill debate very awkwardly. Took a hardline approach to protect his people, which seemed overly bitter for a guy that the industry treated fairly well.
But after investing all that political capital, and harming relationships within the industry that ‘raised him’, strangely decided against running for a second term just when people started to appreciate the fight in him. Difficult to understand where he truly sits, doesn’t have enough conviction to finish the job and maybe it is true that he is ‘just not a politician’. A solid C+
Capt Eugene: How he gets away with it every year is hard to understand. Barely does anything in the LA. Has been touted as ‘the guy on the ground’ in West Bay (the idea being he doesn’t have to do much policy work because he is allegedly busy handing out fry fish and talking to the elderly on the ground). But earns a cool $10 to $12k per month without barely speaking in the LA over a four-year period. He is actually a very nice man to speak to, but his cosy arrangement is an astonishing embarrassment of how little accountability exists for our leaders and what they can get away with for so many years. An easy F
Arden McLean: Full of confidence, a strong advocate for his people. But almost always seeming to be the angry guy and never getting a decent result on anything, with the exception of his ability to thwart a major development once in a while, or his political work on the LPB, in which he pulled the less experienced Connolly under his wing and used his legal profile and naivety to get his result. In the end Arden is still here and Connolly just couldn’t handle the pressure.
Arden is now courting one or two of the new candidates but they should be very weary of how this mentoring relationship might work out. Arden must be recognised for his effort because he is always fighting for something. But the truth is he actually hasn’t achieved much at all aside from building some new roads a few terms ago. D
Bernie Bush: Funny guy, very likeable and has certainly been a man of the people even long before he ran for office. If only he could stick with his effort more professionally and advocate a bit more. It hasn’t helped that he has not been on the more influential government bench but he too could have done a lot more. If you read the Hansard, you will see that on occasion he has tried to speak to the issues of the people, mostly for the ‘man on the street’. C
McKeeva Bush: Loved by many, and disliked by probably as many. Charismatic leader who cares for the little guy. Chaotic, sometimes selfish. There are too many ways to describe the most experienced politician in the house. He has advocated for changes for sure and over his many years has achieved a lot and many would say failed in many areas as well. Was purposely quiet during the first 18 to 24 months, whether it’s because he was recovering or just tired or because he wanted to give the PPM a chance to get started, we will never really know.
Could have and should have done a lot more to put pressure on the government from the start. Should have found ways to garner the efforts of everyone not sitting on the government bench to offer a stronger opposition, not for the sake of politics but for more accountability. He didn’t do that, instead waiting in the wings to see if the other side would fail. Awoke a year ago in preparation for campaigning, but that’s not good enough. C-
Ezzard Miller: His performance is not dissimilar to that of Arden McLean in the sense that he talks a lot, takes a hardline approach (because he feels this is what makes him a man of the people) and in the end achieves next to nothing. Has played a very obvious ‘us and them’ game for many years, pitting the people against ‘big business’ expats and other evil enemies. But in the end offers nothing in the way of achievements to help the people.
Loves to be liked for spreading the negative. An educated man who does seem to approach policy issues properly in terms of looking at evidence and analyzing information (when he is not carrying out pure political mischief, which is too often). It may be healthy for North Side to try something new. D
Joey Hew: Polite, statesmanlike, very polished. And most certainly a follower. If you are looking for someone to toe the line and not rock the boat while serving as an articulate intelligent person when he does speak, this is your man. Even though he is fairly young in political terms, he has all the qualities of a speaker of the house. But ask not what he has done policywise or in terms of advocating for anything of substance (especially for the working class), because that he has not been effective at doing. He should have done more to use all his great personal qualities towards stronger involvement to help his people.
For all their faults most politicians actually do realise that they should either stand up for something or pretend that they do. But with Mr Hew, it just feels different. It’s like he is aloof, perhaps even ‘better’ than the people he represents? A well spoken, educated, disconnected policymaker. Deserves a second term but definitely not this time around. Should go back to his community roots and rebuild. C-
Roy McTaggart: an older version of the Joey Hew issue but with more charisma, fueled partly by a strong history of politics in his well-respected family. Is probably one of those examples of great expectations leading to a feeling of an even greater let down for the people. He has the business acumen to be able to fight for what’s right for small Caymanian businesses (and big business too). He has the experience and connections to help bring unity in the house.
But he did neither. Was far too quiet, and his ‘contributions towards financial services’ was next to nothing. Speak to leaders in the industry and they will react: “Roy who?” He should have worked much more closely with Wayne Panton and they might have been a great team together, achieving much. But in the end, just played the nice guy role on the PPM coat tails. Can do much better. C
Julianna O’Conor Connolly: Far too old school for most of us. Didn’t play the role of MLA this time round as she was the speaker. But generally speaking she really hasn’t done too much, never rocks the boat. Staunch defender of her religious principles. A very nice lady and well educated and handles the speaker role very well. Time to hang up those political gloves and retire. C+
Anthony Eden: Has been around a while and did fight for many things in the past. In recent terms has sat back a bit and let others take the lead on most things. Nice guy, with similar qualities to Julianna (both in terms of personality as well as approach to religious issues). Should not have caved in to pressure to run again this time around but may have done so partly because he quietly thinks he might emerge as a leader of a coalition of independents and one of the two parties. Time to retire sir. C+
Category: Election Viewpoint
Put Arden on the blow holes!
He certainly blows alot of air
101 you got me confused.sometimes you sounds like a closet UDP, but sometimes you write like a closet PPM. and now with this I’m wondering if you are a closet Independent!
thats funny I did this analysis myself. he/she doesn’t seem tied to any one group. maybe its a schizophrenic politician!
Eden F – Julie- F Roy- D
All very sad! and the world laughs at us.
Please prat for our blessed little country!!!
Prattle indeed!
Pure garbage.
If you stand up for Caymanian people (voters) you automatically get a D in your world but if you are a member of the PPM you deserve a C or higher rating.
Both you and PPM in for a shock come May 24th.
Ezzard and Arden had done more to inform the public about what the Government is trying to do behind closed doors than any politician in recent history, so you hate them for that?
North Siders and East Enders are obviously smarter than you so they will reelect them and the rest of Cayman will be better off for it.
So in summary the average for the class of 2013-17 is a whopping “C”
I am not shocked at all.
If they were on scholarship they would be heading home from college for not putting in the effort!
Patronizing garbage.
Knowing how badly the current roster of MLAs were likely to score even a year ago, why didn’t you, or other capable voters, lobby to amend the Constitution so that serious people could step up and assist the country?
Instead, we are looking at 4 more years of problems, and likely serious costly legacy errors to settle while you nonchalantly savor the appalling track records of the usual hopeless with detached judgement.
Par excellence.
You have hit the nail on the head with your grade of F as in “FAILURE” when it comes to Captain Whogene !!
Dear my people of West Bay – for the love of God in Heaven, how do you all continue to vote this man into office to represent you year after year ?
Is it the handouts of coffee, sugar and creme at Christmas time that is probably worth no more than $3,000 CI per annum ? If this is the case, then you have just given him about $1.5 Million CI over the past 12 years or so. In return…… he has given you “one private members motion” to clearly identify our speed limits as MPH and not KPH – for our tourists to understand while driving.
But wait, the last time I saw our speed limit signs, no even this was accomplished by him.
Come on West Bayer’s you can do better than this.
Vote Cathy Ann Ebanks in West Bay Central. You are 100% more likely to get better value for our tax payers money with her, than this dress up politician named Captain Who…..
You didn’t mention Alden but I think he has done a very good job. A+.
But Wayne and Roy need to retire properly and stay out of politics. It does not suit them at all.
Troll.
Alva deserves a better grade 101. He fight for the people on many things. just because he didn’t do a lot of motions in the house does not mean he did not try ti help. I dint see that grade as fair. the others are ok but Alva suckoo grade is wrong. should be A.
Ju ju might not want to retire but she will likely lose anyway.
no she won’t lose. brackers will put her back in every time until she retires. you don’t know these people.
lets face it folks winston didn’t run because he knows he was going to get lose badly wherever he ran and Bernie is still a joker unfortunately not adding anything to the la. Joey actually used to be in the rotary club and he was big in that too. he does better over there so he should go back to that and save us some dollars.
Joey is a joke who owes his job to KT
You gotta be joking with some of the grades. How on earth can you give Winston and Juliana the same grade after JuJus’s constant flip-flopping and all the controversy regarding past performance she brings with her?
F minus .
Arden has done more for this country than any of you would admit. Arden Mclean all the way in East End. you sound like a expat anyway so why you trying to bring people down?
Arden seems to be well informed on the issues of the day and isn’t afraid to stand by his convictions. Unfortunately his “do gooder” messages seem to drown in the fervour with which he delivers them and he is generally perceived to be an angry man. strip away all the emotions and the drama and listen to his logics and analyses, more times than not he has extremely valid points that do indeed benefit the country. Sadly, many folks don’t get past the noise and as such he is never/will never be truly credited for his positive contributions.
define ‘well informed’
Are you serious? What has Mr. In-Action man done for his people in East End. The district where I live?
He is hardly ever here. When he does come he goes through High Rock or Queens High and go hang out with his cronies.
You think buying set of blinds in 4 years for the primary school is something to brag about…..geezzz
I for sure not ever voting again for him.
Ok…since you’ve made that bold statement, please name a few thinks he’s done for this country.
And while you’re at it, please also tell us some things that he has done for East End that has actually helped the people. And I not talking about the launching ramp.
yes yes yes. now make sure they don’t get to graduate with those grades. and I mean NONE of them. we need some new blood badly.
Especially in East End and North Side. A bunch of blow hards the two of them
LMAO 101. You really think any of the above deserves better than a solid F! I might agree with you on a few but i think it should be far worse for most of them. I think you should a viewpoint matching up PPM manifesto with actual achievements. that would be interesting.
Did not agree with your viewpoint on Mathew Leslie because he deserves a second chance. But this is balanced and I think you are right about many of these. They think they can go four years without doing anything then get our vote.
hmmmm…sorry but Leslie should not even be in this race right now..
On point. But I don’t agree that Joey should get a C. I’m thinking closer to a D. Big Mac should get a D+..
Joey is the young version of Capt Eugene, except maybe he worked harder at securing business for his personal interests. Joey hasn’t been vocal on anything. His grade is inflated
Joey Who?
He’s worse than Whogene who helps people. Hew lacks substance he’s in there for his business interests.
Mac’s score is c-? Please stop grading, If anyone ever deserved an F- it would have to be Mac.