Panton targets allied group by Election Day

(CNS): Former Cabinet member Wayne PantonWayne Panton: Candidate for Newlands. He was Minister for Financial Services, Commerce and Environment (2013-2017). Biography: Panton successfully ran as a PPM candidate for one... More, who is running for office in affiliation with Heather BoddenHeather Bodden: Candidate for Savannah. She currently manages Wayne Panton's Savannah/Newlands Community office. Biography: Bodden served as a representative for Bodden Town from 1995 until... More and Osbourne BoddenOsbourne Bodden: Candidate for Bodden Town East. Biography: Bodden served two terms in government under the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), first as a backbencher (2005-2009)... More, does not intend to limit his alignment to the current trio. Panton told CNS he is confident that at least another four candidates will align with his group by Election Day to give them leverage in the post election scramble.

Panton is running for the seat of Newlands, currently held by Alva SuckooAlva Suckoo: Newlands MP Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Political Career: • Deputy Leader of the Opposition- May 2017-Present• Elected Member of the district of... More. He told CNS that he is committed to transparency in any post-election scenario and believes that if he and a minimum of six other like-minded individuals with shared policy positions get elected, they can put an end to closed-door political deals.

“We all know that there is a high likelihood of another coalition government, but if we are to influence the shape of the government, I believe we will need at least seven people aligned with us,” Panton said, referring to the three candidates running under the Community Creates Country'Community Creates Country' is the campaign theme of a group of Independent candidates, namely Wayne Panton, Osbourne Bodden and Heather Bodden, who are running in... More theme. “Our numbers are definitely going to increase but we cannot be certain at this point by how much.”

All three were once members of the People’s Progressive Movement, aka the ProgressivesThe People's Progressive Movement (PPM), also known as the Progressives, was founded in 2002 in response to the launch in 2001 of the United Democratic... More, but a drift away from their former party colleagues over the last few years became a complete break as a result of the scandal surrounding Speaker McKeeva BushMcKeeva Bush (CDP), West Bay West MLA Speaker of the LA, Leader of the Cayman Democratic Party. Biography: Bush is the longest serving member and... More, who was recently convicted of a violent attack on a woman who was trying to help him during a drunken episode at a beach bar last year.

Falling short of calling his new political group a party, Panton said he believes in organised politics where those running together have the same values and principles. 

“What we have had for the last several years is disorganised politics,” he said. “Recent political representation has been about power and personalities and not about policies that can make people’s lives better.”

Panton noted that they are already engaging in discussions with like-minded individuals, but he said there would be no alignments with people who do not share a common slate of policies.

While there is no official leader among the trio, Panton’s history as a relatively successful Cabinet minister while in office between 2013 and 2017 places him in a prominent position. However, he said that his focus is not on the premier’s job. His main goal, if he is able to get to the front bench, is to return to his old job as environment minister. 

Panton believes that Cayman has enormous potential to benefit from a greener economy, but he is well aware that to move things forward and address the major issues on the political agenda, he has to be able to form a government of like-minded individuals who are willing to work together because of shared policy beliefs, rather than personality and power politics. He explained that the platform is not about ending all development, but changing policy so we have truly sustainable development, a term that he said is being significantly misused by the current administration.

Another main issue for the group is integrity, and Panton addressed the elephant in the room regarding one of his running mates. Ossie Bodden, the other former minister in the group, has apologised for his indiscretion in 2016, when he used abusive language towards his chief officer, Jennifer Ahearn. Panton welcomed his apology, saying, “People make mistakes and he suffered the consequences when he lost his ministry and faced public embarrassment,” Panton said. 

Panton noted that holding public office is challenging and comes with significant stresses. But when that gets too much and people behave badly, the important thing is that they apologise, take responsibility and face up to it, as Bodden has done.

When asked by CNS about the outburst, Bodden said he apologised in the immediate wake of that and that his former chief officer had accepted his apology at the time. “I responded inappropriately and I apologised,” he told CNS, as he admitted that his verbal outburst, which was born of frustration, was completely inappropriate.  

Now Bodden is focused on the election and believes that Panton would make a great premier, despite his colleague’s reluctance. Bodden told CNS that, as a former party member, he is also a big believer in organised politics.

“It goes without saying that we see the benefit of working in teams,” he said. “It is really difficult to have good governance when people are coming together with their own agendas.”

Bodden said the introduction of single-member constituencies and one-man-one-vote appears to have brought about a collapse in party politics, and said the lack of alignment is creating a problem.

He supported Panton’s position that any post-election deal he was involved in should be transparent, even if some negotiations would need to take place behind closed doors. “We need to show respect to those that vote for us,” he maintained.

Bodden is fighting for the Bodden Town East seat currently held by Dwayne SeymourDwayne Seymour (IND): Bodden Town East MLA, Minister of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing. Biography: Seymour was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2009... More, the health minister. It is the largest constituency in the Cayman Islands and Seymour holds a solid base. Despite a lack of national popularity, Seymour retains a significant following, and Bodden realises that his race will require hard work. Nevertheless, he is confident that his work on the ground will pay dividends.

Heather BoddenHeather Bodden: Candidate for Savannah. She currently manages Wayne Panton's Savannah/Newlands Community office. Biography: Bodden served as a representative for Bodden Town from 1995 until... More, who is running in Savannah, also faces a tough battle. Anthony Eden, the veteran incumbent, is retiring from politics, creating a window of opportunity for a new face in the constituency. However, his son, Malcolm Eden, is hoping to keep the seat in the family by retaining his father’s significant voting block, despite Bodden’s own Eden family connections.

Bodden and Eden’s race will not be a head-to-head, however, as Jeanna Williams declared her intention to run back in September.

Panton’s race in Newlands against Alva SuckooAlva Suckoo: Newlands MP Deputy Leader of the Opposition. Political Career: • Deputy Leader of the Opposition- May 2017-Present• Elected Member of the district of... More, the incumbent, is heating up as two more independent candidates, Roydell Carter and Raul Gonzales, declared their intent to run for the constituency. While a packed field generally favours an incumbent, Panton’s high profile means that may not necessarily be the case in Newlands this time around.