Recall ‘out of control’ MPs, says Capt
(CNS): Captain Eugene Ebanks struggled with the answers to many of the questions he was asked at the Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum Monday night but was clear when he offered support for a constitutional amendment to recall members of Parliament. Ebanks said he had never really considered it before, but “if a member of Parliament has committed a crime or gets out of control… the people… constituency… should be able to recall them… yes,” he said. However, he made no mention of his long-time political ally and running mate, 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, who was recently convicted of assault, which is the reason why this question is appearing on many political Q&A sessions, and Ebanks did not appear to make the connection.
Appearing alongside his challenger, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, the West Bay Central incumbent and district representative for over 20 years delivered a woeful performance, with speculation circulating on social media during and after the forum, which was live streamed on a number of platforms, that he may have been intoxicated.
The two candidates were asked a list of 20 questions; many of them had been asked at previous forums and none should have come as a surprise. However, Ebanks appeared to find many of the questions very taxing, including areas where he has had responsibility as a backbench councillor for the last four years.
After claiming that there was no reason why he should not be minister of health in the next administration, given that he had been councillor there during this administration, the long-term MP froze completely when asked a question about the greatest threat to the environment. Ebanks began to talk about the dump and what may have happened while he has been working alongside the minister of environmental health for four years but was unable to articulate anything that made sense, even after consulting his notes, claiming it had been 75% capped but offering no other details.
A night of repeated gaffs, incoherent responses and what appeared to be a complete lack of understanding about any policies past, present or future, was, however, peppered with moments of clarity. The WBW member of the Unity government made it clear that he was proud to have been part of the government and stood with the Alliance. While the PPM and 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 may be doing what they can to distance themselves from Bush and his West Bay team by not publicly inviting them into their Alliance, Ebanks was emphatic with his support.
“This is my fifth government… and the most productive I’ve ever been a part of,” he said. He pointed out that the UDP, his former party, “had fallen by the wayside” but he was still part of the coalition government. “I am not a PPM member but a member of the coalition government which has done great things… and will be happy to be part of the alliance in the future,” Ebanks said, as he read from notes.
Meanwhile, Ebanks-Wilks said she wanted to break the status quo and she said was prepared to form a coalition with other independents, several of whom shared her position on a number of issues. In contrast to the 20 year incumbent, who railed against poor government policies and the circumstances they caused over the last two decades, the time period he has been a member of Parliament (previously the LA), Ebanks-Wilks called for new, progressive, bold representation.
She challenged the excessive development, the failure to protect the environment and communities and the shortcomings in supporting vulnerable communities. She said that if elected, she would be championing education and employment as well as the environment. The challenger also said she would be advocating for legislation to address the cost of living, such as price control to rolling out the long-awaited consumer protection bill.
Ebanks-Wilks said she also wanted to enforce all environmental laws and ensure that other government agencies comply with the Department of Environment recommendations to protect the environment and “put a halt on the rapid development”.
Despite delivering a better performance than her opponent, Ebanks-Wilks is still facing a tough battle, though not one that is impossible to win. While Capt. Ebanks carries the weight and support of his ally, Bush, and a strong base of support in the district, Ebanks-Wilks came within 93 votes of winning in 2017.
Since then the constituency voter register has increased by 125, rising from 1,057 at the last election, when less than 800 voters turned out, to 1,182 on the current list, which will be formalised on 1 April.
WBC got off to a great start with early voting Monday. A total of 72 people had applied for mobile voting, the largest number among the four West Bay seats.
See the WBC Chamber forum below:
Category: Election News
Is it just me or did anyone else notice Eugene looked intoxicated?
He looks like he was sleepwalking and just woke up
OMG, I watched this debate, Eugene seemed like a senile old man- how can he represent anyone in Parliament- he need to book himself into the pines
If he has a drivers license that should be taken away, not sure he should be driving, something is really really wrong with him
Capt. Chuckie worked along side Dwayne The Brain on the dump. Need I say more…. those two take stupidity to the next level.
This guy used to fly planes? Really?
Scary.
I believe that was a very short-lived career.
Times up Capn Eugene laying down on people hopes and dreams that’s not you Capn Eugene please please endorse Mrs Wilks and leave with a good legacy intact sir! she is more than capable of handling that seat. The whole of West Bay knows it You go Katherine. Please give Jewel some corn meal porridge so she can hush with her constant agony about who we should vote for!
hahaha….and people wonder why outsiders think so little of caymanians…
He seems like he needs to be running for a spot in the Pines (in hindsight running might be a bit too dangerous perhaps he can arrange a wheelchair for that journey)
WBC you can do better than “Capt’n”. No handout is worth this incompetence.
I’m in awe that this mute actually said something. It’s time to retire him after 20 years of having no voice, no opinion and absolutely NO REPRESENTATION.
If I was Capt Eugene’s opponent I still would not have made sarcastic comment about his story putting me to sleep.
Is that the example she wants to set for how to treat our seniors, especially fellow West Bayers?
Capt Eugene actually stated information on many questions to which Mrs Wilks had only a general response, which demonstrated difference between experience and practical knowledge.
Is she poised to be another yes-person for Saunders/Arden ticket, like her former West Bayer Tara Rivers?
If people are so upset about an elderly person running for office, first it’s unfair discrimination and that same ageism is not applied to all the Jamaicans we have in our legal services and police force, wonder why. Therefore, call him out on policy issues if you think there are deficiencies but not on personality and being a West Bayer, too many are already tearing real Generational Caymanians down.
I think you either did not read this article, you missed the point or you purely did not understand it. Where does anyone say that he needs to be voted out because of his age? He needs to be voted out because not only could he not answer simple questions but most importantly couldn’t even name one thing he’s done while in the LA for the past 4 years! Shameful! My granny is pushing 100 sharp as a tack and I wish she’d run so it’s got nothing to do with age.
She was rude and mocking. She had no respect for an elder. She is too arrogant to have dealt with this more graciously. No surprise. Many of us know her arrogance.
You must be one of the supporters he has left. Maybe one of those that accompanied him last night. She was NOT rude but he sire was a failure.
Have you ever been to one of McKeeva’s meetings? OMG I went to one and it was a complete personal assassination on anyone that had said anything that he didn’t like. I was so shocked and embarrassed. I wanted to just get up and leave but didn’t want people to see me getting up because then I would likely be castigated.
Anyone that hangs with McKeeva doesn’t deserve to be respected.
25/03/2021 @12.46 am
The last MacGaby meeting I went to was in 1988. He was terror then. Captain Eugene is so out of his depth. What a waste of space. God please help us.
“This is my fifth government… and the most productive I’ve ever been a part of”.
Not sure whether to laugh or cry at this point. His statement really just says it all, he had TWENTY years to do something and he considers the last four his best…
CNS- Mckeeva Bush is a non factor in this election as his support base has crumbled. I speak from first hand knowledge as I have 31 votes in my family that will not be voting for Mac, Rollie or Eugene. We are voting Mario and Cathy and for those who live WBN they wont be voting as neither candidate is worthy of an X
Please consider voting for Bernie in WBN. He is the underdog in the race despite being the incumbent, so not voting in that constituency may assist Rollie in getting in.
I agree. You don’t have to like Bernie personally, but the less leverage Mac has, the better.
Nope. With good conscience I/We cant vote for Bernie.
To 1:00pm: Bernie may not be some people’s cup of tea, but being arrested for drunk driving in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2020 disqualifies Anglin in my view. Another MacBeater, sure to embarrass us with his excesses internationally sooner or later. Also, you cannot dictate how your family votes; it is up to them, their conscience and their ballot.
Rip Van Winkle just woke up after 12 years of napping in the LA. Does he even know what year it is? Looks confused as hell. Cayman please don’t vote this fossil back in. WTF???
Cayman you deserve better. Time for change.
Capt. said all persons entering the country will need to have a negative CPR (not PCR) test. Can he expound more on this for the undecided voter? 🙂
Honestly, he was the poorest of all candidates thus far. He would have been better off staying by the bar at Morgan’s and having a cold one. As a WBS voter, I was embarrassed to watch last nights forum- and this embarrassment had nothing to do with Mrs. Wilks as I feel she did a good job. But good God Eugene- you were not impressive nor were you convincing. WBC- chose wisely and mark that X for the lady.
In all fairness, this is probably the first time the Captain has been awake for that long in the last 12 years, so he did well being able to respond to his own name
I recall many elected politicians being out of control over the years, including the “Captains” good buddy in West Bay on numerous occasions.