Alden falls short of mea culpa over Mac
(CNS): The current 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, made it clear on Wednesday night that the slate of twelve candidates running under the PPM Alliance was essentially a way to avoid forming a government with 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. In what was almost, but not quite, a mea culpa moment on the campaign trail, McLaughlin said he knew the situation “involving the former speaker… weighs heavily on the minds of people” but suggested that it weighed even more heavily on his own mind.
“I know people have… a bad feeling because the government did not, and me in particular because I am the leader and I stand up and take responsibility for the decision… fire Mr Bush after the incident”.
Speaking on Joey Hew’s platform in the George Town North constituency, McLaughlin said he could think of only one thing that had given him greater consternation “and kept me awake longer in my life than that event”.
But the PPM’s former leader blamed the emergence of COVID-19 for the inaction over the speaker. The attack for which Bush was convicted happened on 21 February, the night McLaughlin had left for a meeting in the UK. Cayman turned away its first cruise ship because of the pandemic about a week later.
“I and my government were deeply conscious of what we were about to go into, looking at what was happening in the world and what we were about to go into,” he said. “I knew that had we taken the precipitous step of insisting that Mr Bush resign as speaker, the government would have collapsed… Had Mr Bush gone, it would not only have been him.”
McLaughlin said he had had discussions with the governor about the real prospect that the government would collapse and be forced into elections just as it was about to have to manage this pandemic. However, this is not entirely true. Bush’s departure and the subsequent departure of Captain Eugene Ebanks would have cut the PPM majority to one and Ezzard Miller had offered his support to ensure the government would not collapse.
Speaking on Hew’s platform, McLaughlin said that he did not support Bush remaining in office and this was one of the reasons why the election was called early, as he did his best to allay the concerns of the voters in the Snug Harbour area and take responsibility for the decision he had made as premier.
Hew has faced constituency backlash on this matter and has been challenged about it on many occasions by his opponent, Johann Moxam
Johann Moxam: Independent candidate for George Town North - Managing Partner of Lainston International Management Ltd. Background and education: Moxam studied at the University of... More, as the two men appear locked in a very tight race for the GTN seat.
McLaughlin said it was an example of the kind of challenges leaders face and why the decisions don’t always accord with the way people feel. As he continued to make excuses for failing to address the issue, he appealed for people to put the incident behind them.
Category: Election News
In 1983 the BVI government had 9 elected members in their parliament. After the elections were over, the two main parties had won 4 seats each and Cyril Romney, an independent who had something less than a stellar moral and ethical reputation, held the key to power.
Cyril Romney’s demand was simple; “make me Chief Minister and I will join your Party in forming the government”. Cyril Romney served as Chief Minister of BVI from 1983 to 1986.
Whatever rhetoric you may hear now, come April 15 there will be a lot of people willing to line up and kiss McKeeva’s ass in order to be a part of the next government.
Sad but true.
If you’re spineless just say it. No need to babble, this isn’t a dissertation.
Alden you did the right thing. Too many people want to turn yhis into a one issue election and ignore all the good that this Team has done. Don’t talk about it anymore.
Please go away Alden and take Joey Who with you!
Alden McLaughlin, Joey Hew, Roy McTaggart, Barbara Connolly, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, David Wight, Moses Kirkconnell all failed to do the right thing. They all need to be voted out of office. Alden and Joey cannot be trusted they would form a government with McBeater in a blink of an eye for power. Vote them out Cayman needs change.
12:45 Don’t worry the independents are waiting to form a Government!
CNS, it’s really great to see all the comments but I wonder how many of these commenters are from the Red Bay District.
Gonna take a nap now so please wake me up when he’s gone. The man is starting to believe his lies, wow Alden you’re going lower & lower by the day.
The trouble with that both Alden and Mckeewa are the same just their last names are different! both will continue to sellout Cayman Vote Them both out ! Fix the problem Cayman
The say hind sight is 20/20. I believe that this is all political reteric on the part of Mr. McLaughlin…he is not compelled to keep the Gov’t togather now. So he will and can say anything. But the true test of charactor is shown by the what a man does and the actions he takes when he is in the boiling water and not after. He did the same with Ozzy and the drift wood issue as well.
The one time that Alden could have made himself look good and conveniently get rid of McKeeva he choose to do the political thing to save “his” government. Now he is throwing McKeeva under the bus for his own convenience to get re-elected.
Anyone believe this shit he is slinging?
Nope
Pandering to the rich folk eh Alden..
This man can come up with a story on the fly like no other. Who really believes that he wasn’t protecting McKeeva?
What a politician! Pander to whatever crowd you have in front of you.
Wait until McKeeva takes a turn in him now at his next meeting. Got my popcorn ready for that show.
Alden himself is from a privileged background, so it’s no surprise that he doesn’t care about the average “middle-class” or poor Caymanian. Same with Joey Hew, Roy McTaggart, Moses Kirkconnell and Barbara.
I’m not a fan of Alden but from a privileged background? Really?
Seriously Alden, you couldn’t come up with a better story than that..blame everything on covid..you had more than enough people to keep the government together. If anybody else other than Eugene left they would be be seen as supporting McKeeva and you know Austin and Tara weren’t going to leave you.
Come on man, shame on you. If this is what you and Joey thought why wait until now to say it?
I think I know why..GTN is heating up and not just by the dump fire..This won’t be as easy as last time Joey.
Johann Moxam is the best choice for George Town North. Joey Hew cannot compare to him. Look at their track records and professional experiences. This is a easy choice for voters in GT North to make.
I don’t accept the excuses being put forward by Alden. The government would not have collapsed because Ezzard pledged his support for the administration. Any MLA/MP that did not push for the removal of the speaker after his conviction needs to be removed from representational politics. No exceptions.
11.06 Was Ezzard going to join the Progressives Alliance. I don’t think so.What guarantee could Ezzard give. None. He was entitled to change his mind at anytime.
Nope. Sorry. We asked you all to fire Mac. We asked you all to stop work permits until Caymanians were employed again. We asked you to stop huge developments along 7-Mile Beach. We asked you to amend the health insurance companies law. We asked you not to build the cruise port. When nearly 3000 people left due to COVID, we asked you all to not bring them back until Caymanians got jobs. The answer was silence. Time to face the consequences. Like the Emperor would say; 👎🏻
The number of new residents that have and will continue to head our way is more than you can imagine. As evidenced by the number of questions posted on the FB group (laughable ‘Real’ title) The Real Women of Cayman.
Alden I’m sorry to say but it’s too late you had your chance to do the right to let the government vote for right now you and your party will PAY THE PRICE on April/14/2021
Lol, this man would totally form a government with McBeater again. I don’t believe anything he says.
10:35 There is another OPTION Cayman with no
Government!
Bah. You had your chance to stand up tall. You should have been brave. You should have been strong. Too late.