Panton, Saunders emerge as viable leaders

(CNS): On the eve of the 2021 General Elections, the independent challengers to the PPM-Alliance with the most realistic hope of retaining or winning a seat are coalescing around 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 and Chris SaundersChristopher 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 as potential unifying leaders among the non-Alliance candidates.

While no agreements have been signed and sealed yet, over the last few weeks the group known as ‘the coalition of the willing’ and Panton’s team, campaigning under the theme 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, have been discussing policy issues and are agreed on a broad platform that challenges over-development, protects the environment, advocates for consumer protection and universal health coverage, and puts an end to special interest influence in politics.

Both Panton and Saunders have told CNS that they are confident that, given the likely outcome of the elections, their two groups will be able to form a government, and because of the agreements they have on policies, they can do so without the horsetrading seen last time around.

Saunders said that except for some sticking points over details in the legal services bill, which are not deal breakers, the two groups are exceptionally well aligned when it comes policy positions on the things most Caymanians care about.

“I am very confident that we will be able to form a government on Thursday,” Saunders told CNS. He said no one has signed any paperwork, but while neither he nor Panton have been anointed as leader, it cannot be denied that Panton remains a very popular and uncontroversial choice among the independents.

Panton told CNS that the conversations he has had with the independents have been fruitful and led to common ground.

“I believe that there will be no difficulties with my team joining forces with the independents we have been talking to over the last few weeks. There is an alternative government in the waiting,” he said.

He noted that he was not, and never has been, campaigning to be premier but rather to represent the people of Newlands and do what he can to implement the policies he believes will promote a better future for Cayman.

Panton added he was focused on securing victories for both his running mates, 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 in Savannah 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 in Bodden Town East, as well as himself.

“My focus now is on making sure my team and I get elected but I am confident that if we are returned, we can work with other independents and we will be able to form a solid government,” he told CNS this week.

It appears certain now that despite their prior affiliation to the PPM, the Bodden Town team has found a more suitable policy alignment with the next generation of younger candidates set to break the mould of local politics.

Saunders has been playing a central role in bringing the other independents that are most likely to take seats from government incumbents to come together.

As one of only a handful of incumbents sitting in safe seats and almost certain to be returned to office this week, Saunders said there had been a significant backlash since the word got out that Panton and the ‘coalition of the willing’ are largely agreed on a policy agenda that will “shake up the special interests in Cayman” and offer solutions for the people.

It appears that there are now more than a dozen candidates running on an independent ticket that have supported and endorsed each other on the campaign trail who appear ready and willing to form a government with Saunders and Panton.

Candidates like Kenneth Bryan, who has another safe seat in GTC, and competitive challengers Johann MoxamJohann Moxam: Independent candidate for George Town North - Managing Partner of Lainston International Management Ltd. Background and education: Moxam studied at the University of... More, who is running for GTN, and Katherine Wilks-Ebanks, running in WBC, have been supporting and endorsing each other and working to pull together a viable alternative to the PPM-Alliance.

However, the Alliance has been fighting hard to discredit their ability to work together. Over the last few weeks its members have focused on two very specific issues on the hustings that are largely unrelated to policy: firstly that the PPM-led administration kept the community safe during the pandemic, and secondly that it is the only group with enough people to form a government.

But there are some fundamental hurdles to that position.

While Roy McTaggartRoy McTaggart (PPM): George Town East MP, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Political Career: • Successfully ran in the 2013 as a Coalition for... More (GTE) and Moses KirkconnellMoses Kirkconnell (PPM): Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman MLA, Deputy Premier, Minister of District Administration, Tourism and Transport (DATT). Biography: Kirkconnell was first elected... More (CBWLC) are both expected to be comfortably re-elected and David Wight will likely hang on to his seat in GTW because his three challengers will split the non-Alliance vote, the rest of the Progressive team members are sitting in shaky seats.

Even Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, whose re-election to Cayman Brac East seemed assured up to very recently, is facing a surprisingly competitive contender in Elvis McKeever, whose campaign centred around the legalization of ganja has gathered momentum over the last few weeks.

While the Progressive incumbents remain the favourites in several races, the fight has narrowed significantly.

McLaughlin started the campaign confident that he would secure enough seats without having to once again rely on the help of 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, the other incumbent whose seat is still considered safe.

However, McLaughlin himself is facing a very tough race in Red Bay against Sammy Jackson, and it is looking increasingly unlikely that his team can succeed without his old nemesis, if at all. So it remains possible that Bush will be back at the centre of the horsetrading once the counting is done, holding just enough cards to take back his prestigious job as speaker.

The battleground tomorrow will largely be in and around George Town. Moxam is looking increasingly likely to take the George Town North seat from Joey HewJoey Hew (PPM): George Town North MLA, Minister of Commerce, Planning, Infrastructure. Biography: Hew has been a member of the Legislative Assembly since 2013, when... More, and Austin Harris’ re-election bid in Prospect is on increasingly shaky ground.

Although the opposition vote to the former talk show host is divided between Sabrina Turner and Micheal Myles, word on the street is that Turner has been able to turn her long-standing work as a local leader and activist into strong grass roots support in the constituency.

Meanwhile, in George Town South Alric Lindsay is expected to make a huge leap in his vote count compared to 2017 and is now seen as a viable contender against Barbara Conolly, who is still struggling to convince those outside of 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 base that she can be trusted after the Smith Barcadere debacle.

With so many head-to-head races this year that are not easy to call, just hours before Cayman goes to the polls, the question of which candidates will make up the new government is anyone’s guess. And what’s more, it may be just a handful of votes across each of the constituencies that make the difference between a near repeat of the last four years or a brand new line-up.