EE challenger aligning with coalition
(CNS): Isaac Rankine has become the first independent candidate who is challenging for a seat in the upcoming election to admit an alignment with the current government coalition. In a statement about a meeting this week with 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, the current leader of the PPM and an emerging coalition team, Rankine said that if he is elected, he has no intention of being in opposition. Spelling out the realities of running as a lone candidate, Rankine said he could not achieve anything on his own.
Issuing a statement in response to social media allegations that he was in a secret meeting with the PPM leader, Rankine said there was nothing secret about it. Stating his intention to be on the government bench come 15 April, he indicated the need to explore opportunities to caucus with it. Falling short of stating that he was joining the PPM-led coalition campaign, he made it clear he was willing to align with it.
“The purpose of the meeting was to explore the opportunity to enable
the district of East End to emerge from the political wilderness that we have been languishing in for the past 20 years,” he said. “I am contesting the upcoming elections as an independent candidate, but I recognize that alone I can achieve little for my beloved district. Anyone who doubts that needs only consider how little has been achieved over the past three terms.”
Criticising the failings of the current opposition leader and the district’s incumbent MP, Arden McLean, Rankine said that all East End had to show for his dozen years as the representative was a sea wall, covered fish shack, a Pirates Week shed and a small art building that the community has yet to get access to.
“Should I be elected, I do not intend to be a member of the opposition,” he said. “I am determined to be a member of the next government.”
Rankine said he would put personal feelings and pettiness aside and act in the constituents’ best interest to ensure they had a seat in the government caucus. “East End has had enough of opposition representation. It is time that the elected member from East End is again part of the government of these Islands.”
Responding to his statement, McLaughlin said Rankine was being very sensible as he recognised the only viable group running in this election is the coalition. However, he has still not said if 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 those who will be running alongside the member for West Bay West will also be on that platform.
Welcoming Rankine’s alignment, he said he was clearly distinguishing himself from McLean by his desire to be in government. “He is exploring how he can become a member of the next administration,” McLaughlin said, explaining why he was invited to the meeting. “The coalition is the only organised entity with the viability to form the next government,” he added.
Rankine achieved 41.5% of the vote at the last election to McLean’s 46%, making him a viable contender. But there is a third new candidate in the race who has never contested a seat in the district before.
McCleary Frederick, the former director of Hazard Management, is also running as an independent candidate. He recently told CNS that he, too, would like to declare who he would align with in any future government but that “most candidates are not willing to commit to any alliance with anyone at this stage”.
Having been a civil servant for many years, Frederick pointed out that he has not been in a position to develop any political alliances. But he said he was willing to work with anyone who has the best interests of the country and good governance at heart, and not “self promotion and special interest groups”.
Meanwhile, it is still not entirely clear who McLean is aligning with during the campaign, as the opposition throughout this administration has never been a cohesive entity and has been riven with division from the start. Even now, it appears that neither Chris Saunders
Christopher Saunders: Incumbent for Bodden Town West. Biography: Saunders is a certified Public Accountant and has held senior positions within the banking, telecommunications and financial... More nor Alva Suckoo
Alva 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 will be campaigning on the same platform as McLean.
Category: Election News
