Alden reveals plan for ‘coalition campaign’
(CNS): The Progressives
The 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 will be campaigning on a coalition platform, Premier Alden McLaughlin
Alden McLaughlin (PPM): Red Bay MP, Premier, Minister of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (MITIAMA). Biography: McLaughlin has been a member of the... More revealed during a press briefing Thursday. Answering questions from CNS about health cover following the announcement that Health City Cayman Islands will be opening a second hospital in Camana Bay, McLaughlin said he would be speaking about this during the campaign and in the “manifesto of the coalition”.
He said that dealing with the problems of health insurance and pension provision would be the two major issues for the next administration and he would be speaking more about it on behalf of the coalition. But when asked, McLaughlin would not offer any details of which members of the Government of National Unity would be involved in that coalition.
It was clear from the supportive comments made by the current health minister, Dwayne Seymour
Dwayne 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, who remains an independent member on paper, that he will very likely be on the coalition platform, as McLaughlin has already backed him in recent public appearances.
Austin Harris MP has denied on several occasions that he has joined the PPM, claiming that he is retaining his independent credentials. But despite being on the back-bench and not bound by collective responsibility, as Cabinet members are, he has never once wavered from the government line during the entire administration. It therefore appears very likely that even if Harris falls short of joining the PPM fold, he will be part of the coalition.
However, the situation relating to McKeeva Bush
McKeeva 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 and Captain Eugene Ebanks, the two remaining CDP members of the coalition, is considerably more sticky. While both men have largely kept up their side of the secret bargain that created this current administration, for McLaughlin and Bush to actually campaign on the same platform might be a step too far.
Even without the issue of Bush’s conviction for a violent assault on a woman, which triggered the early election, the base support for both men could be undermined if they were seen lining up on the same political hustings.
CNS has recently asked Bush whether he will be aligned with the PPM on the campaign trail but he has refused to answer our questions and repeated requests for an interview.
Category: Election News
I would like to hear the independents discuss among themselves a coalition plan of their own and make a statement about it. I do not want to see a repeat of the events that followed the last election where the PPM/CDP formed their ‘unity government’ and took control because the independents couldn’t agree to anything between themselves. It was pathetic. I don’t think that is what the Caymanian people wanted but that’s what they got.
11:53 what will make it DIFFERENT this time!
Well, new politicians, it’s time to hang your For Sale sign out..Alden is buying..
This is not a surprising move by Alden. I am sure he has done the math and is expected (based on the field so far) to pick up 9 seats (GTW, GTE, RB, BTE, CBW, CBE, WBS(Indp/PPM), Prospect (Indp/PPM), Newlands). This means if he is to form a government he needs to stay in bed with McKeeva who comes with (WBN, WBC, WBW). The rest (7) are independents.
Let’s, not for one moment, think that the government did a good job of handling the pandemic. I remember it was the local community calling in on the talk show to implement measures to control the spread of the virus while the government was having their meetings to decide what to do. By the time they decided, the community was well aware of what they had to do. So please don’t pat the government on their back.
Exactly. And even before Covid arrived here, we were all aware of the pandemic raging in the rest of the world, yet this government still allowed cruise ships to come here, knowing the risk. Even our next door neighbor banned cruise ships from coming in but for some reason we didn’t do the same. But I guess if that cruise ship passenger didn’t come here and spread the virus around the island, then Alden couldn’t make himself look like the hero that people think he is. One of his strongest selling points is “I did a good job of handling the pandemic and now we’re safe because of me” but I’m not buying it.
That “next door neighbour ” banned the cruise ships but, dor heaven’s sake there is no comparision. That “next door neighbour” unfortunately is still dealing with the deaths from Covid 19. So go figure!!
I remember hearing about the first covid case in Jamaica WEEKS before it arrived here. This government had the chance to not allow cruise ships to come here, but it wasn’t such a big deal to them that the virus was so close to home. They didn’t give a shit about the pandemic until it actually arrived here.
The government did a very good job in curbing the pandemic. They put forward the strategies and rules to keep us safe. The Premier and especially the Health fraternity did a wonderful job and we should be internally grateful. Even if the public offered advice don’t forget that it would not have been implemented without fhe government approval. I remember the majority calling in complaining because they couldn’t get their grass cut, their pools clean along with all the other minuscule rants.
1:36 your memory is short there were people
who wanted to take the GOVERNMENT to COURT, for LOSS of FREEDOM!
Cayman parties are just tribes. It’s connections over all else. Who ya know? The poor voter has no way to tell what his government is going to look like next, even if his district candidate wins. Some kind of rag-tag coalition will appear after late night, back room horse trading over who gets what. Then their real work is done. Afterward, they will meet as little as possible, work hardly at all, and leave the last 20 years of problems to roll on into the future. Repeat in 4 years.
This should be fun to watch Alden and the convicted woman beater on the same platform supported by Barbara and Julie with her bible in hand.
Useless, good for nothing dimwits. This has to end- absolutely NOTHING achieved- failure after failure after lie.
Alden and Roper got this in the bag ! Roper already declares free and fair election before it happen ?? Cayman please follow Turks & Cacois if they can get it done so can we clean sweep !
Yes the Premier did a fantastic job handling the pandemic – but Caymanians are looking at the bigger picture.
The high cost of living, selling out the country to big money people, Caymanians finding it difficult to get a job in their own country, etc.
The mind boggles at what you consider the bigger picture. But for what you term as a “good job” you might not be alive today to make your comments. Of course you are entitled to your opinion as am I and if you don’t live in Cayman it may not matter to you either way.
To 2:19, I stated what the bigger picture is,in the second paragraph.
I believe that the Premier believes how he handled the pandemic will be what returns him to Parliament – but that is not the only thing we are focusing on.
To answer your question, I am a Caymanian, going back several generations.
10:35 I will try and simplify.
All BIG PICTURES are not the same!
No matter what, covid or not some Caymanians will always find it difficult to find a job in their own country.!!
Who gives a sh*t. Just issue another pension fund withdrawal so I can really invest my money instead of those grossly incompetent POS pension funds underperforming the markets and excessive 1.5% fees.
Give me my pension monies as a lump sum so I can leave, do what I want to do with it and not have wait out of country for two years to receive it.
The PM needs to spit out details of the “Coalition” forthwith. The current one is a disaster and we have to have some new candidates and consign a number of the existing cohort to oblivion.
PPM needs to quite now. Failures all around.
PPM scrambling now. PPM time is over. Need not worry because you will be replaced by good people that would never to you all what you did to them.
Time does not heal all wounds. Not those to undeserved victims. Not those ones.
Everything has its season — time for birth, life and death. Everyone gets what’s coming to them eventually. You reap what you sow.
Be careful what you do and who you do it to. Sometimes you might pick fights that you are not ready for. Never underestimate.
If you are picking up what is being put down. Sometimes it would have been best to let well enough alone.
Do not go waking sleeping giants or a King David. Someone with nothing to loose is a dangerous person, especially where you are responsible.
Be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Justice is coming. God is watching.
All will be revealed.
classic buffonery from alden….announcing a coalition but not saying with who….
only in cayman….
9:04 I think you want to know who the SHIP JUMPERS will be!
What coalition
Alden you and Martyn Roper because it would appear only you and him have been running this political circus the rest are just clowns or weird circus acts!
True.
The coalition is already established, his silent partner is Dart. That’s all you need to know.
Martyn ROper should not even be involved in Cayman politics.
We all need to be saving 20% annually to retire with dignity; that is the starting point for the pension conversation, but anyone making $6 minimum wage will answer with colorful words.
Insurance? Look at the underpinning laws. They allow the insurance companies to fleece us! An MRI costs half in Central America and a lab can run six pages of blood tests without any doctor’s referral, as long as it is fully prepaid.
AND, we need to improve the accuracy of initial diagnoses nationally; pathologists help doctors to diagnose accurately so insurance companies can pay for the subsequent ( and effective) treatment. Let’s not confuse the roles.
It is clear that the internal polling that has been conducted by the PPM is showing something that I am not seeing.
Nobody asks these questions:
~Why 60,000 people need 100,000 mil hospital?
Cancer?
~ How many people diagnosed with cancer annually?
~ Why people living in paradise have cancer in the first place?
~Would new hospital accept overseas patients?
Neonatal Care?
~How many newborns require neonatal care annually?
~If many, why babies are born with congenital disorders and prematurely?
~Would hospital accept overseas patients?
~In the absence of waster management system, hazardous waste regulations and management, how a very small island already environmentally burdened, can continue increasing risk to human health, the environment, soil and groundwater?
~ Why nobody sees that cancer and neonatal disorders growth are directly caused by the dismal state of the environment in Grand Cayman, therefore building a new facility to treat cancer and help newborns to survive would cause more cancers and more premature babies with congenital disorders will be born?
money laundering and false insurance claims.
Hope they retain control. They did a good job, with the economy, budget and Covid-19 among other things.
Wayne, Arden, Ossie, Heather, Webster and Saunders …. wait for it !
Chris Saunders is the only one on your list who has half a chance – that is if no one runs against him.
What about the lawsuit between Bush and Alden? Is it over?
9.33pm It was over when Bush was promised the Speaker’s job.
Neither CDP/UDP, the PPM/Progressives or the Governor/Her Majesty going save the Moon Man! Joke Joke has simply got to go!!!
They have steered the country true as a coalition, campaigning for the best future together seems like a great part of what will keep Cayman as the gem we know. We are one of the only places in the world where you can live freely and life is normal. You can’t out a price on that freedom and we owe it to all of them. Not the opposition.
Alden’s leadership has tarnished Cayman. Corruption is at an all time high. Caymanians and residents are being hurt by it.
This a rich man’s paradise, riddled with corruption, collusion and conspiracy.
There is no difference between the ppm and udp.
Johann Moxam clearly stated the facts
https://caymannewsservice.com/elections2021/2021/02/the-party-is-over/
FIRE all of these clowns and sell outs!
They gave themselves a big raise of pay, they all for themselves
Alden and his ppm lot are truly a disgrace
8:41 You have LIVED to tell the STORY!!
Just another puppet on a string.
Campaigning together proves the point McKeeva Bush controls and owns Alden McLaughlin, Roy McTaggart, Moses Kirkconnell, Joey Hew, Julianna O’Connor-Connolly, Dwayne Seymour, Austin Harris, Eugene Ebanks, David Wight and Barbara Connolly. The PPM is now McKeeva’s. It is obvious why none have the ability to speak out on any issue or understand the differences between right vs wrong because they are all the same.
Now this I want to see..Alden and Mac campaigning on the same platform.
If that is not a sign that these regimes have to come to an end, I don’t know what is..
Won’t be the same platform. But PPM won’t run a candidate against their “coalition “ partners.
Alden. Quit now. You’re done.
A bunch of ZERO achievers. Alden has now been Minister of Labour twice, what has he done to improve the working conditions of employees. Let this be a starter for the coalition campaign.
I have a suggestion for the name: “Hell’s Coallition”
Time Takes Care Of Everything.
Sorry, 7:30 pm….. this doesn’t apply in the Cayman Islands.
Only if we have it!