Community activist challenges PPM leader in GTN
(CNS): Romellia Welcome, a well-known grassroots community activist, has declared her candidacy for George Town North as an independent, taking on PPM Leader Joey Hew
Joey Hew (GTN incumbent) is the leader of the PPM (aka Progressives). He served as opposition leader from October 2024 until the dissolution of parliament. More. Welcome, who announced her candidacy on Nomination Day, has ensured that Hew will not be automatically elected to GTN. She said that if elected, her priorities would be the environment, employment and low-income homes for Caymanians, as well as reforming the failed immigration and education systems.
Welcome is the president of the non-profit Cayman Kind Action Committee, which was established in 2022. She has been a long-time community leader, advocating for close to two decades for safer communities and supporting the most vulnerable, bringing attention to things successive governments have neglected.
Taking on the man who is confident he will be premier on 1 May, Welcome was one of three independent candidates who declared at the last minute to campaign against candidates who would otherwise have run unopposed.
The other two are Lonny Tibbetts, who will run in Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman against Nickolas DaCosta (CINP), and Sterling Dwayne Ebanks, who will run in West Bay South against TCCP Leader André Ebanks
André Ebanks (WBS incumbent) is the leader of The Caymanian Community Party. He has served as financial services minister 2021-2024, and deputy premier 2023-2024. More.
Check out the CNS Election Section interactive map to see who is running in each constituency.
See the list of candidates and their party affiliations here.
Category: Election News
The bottom line Joey has been a big sell out to the big special interest groups with deep pockets. If you take a look at the RenGen deal which potentially will have the Cayman Islands people in the hole of $30M with no hope for solution for the dump. It’s time for a change and good for some new blood that isn’t in for power and special groups but just for the caymanians and the betterment of the country. Do not vote people in who are desperate for Premiership!
If Ms Heather was trusted due to community service so why not give Ms welcome the chance, because the CUC rates are about same as thus time last year, the non election year, and as usual the increase will occur at start of summer, you know after election.
If WBN. Couldn’t negotiate with CUC and his big brother there, all these years, give Ms Romelia a chance.
CUC monopoly and crazy prices needs to be addressed.
She needs to speak up and let herself be known.
Unless she only plans to appeal to select demographics.
Most of us don’t know where she stands on issues and how she plans to address them.
We all know Wayne threw here in the mix so Joey wouldn’t go uncontested. Lol. It’s not very nice using her for no reason.
They don’t even know each other.
Romella is famous for believing that police should be posted at every corner on these islands. She doesn’t have a clue about running a Government or anything else.
This may be true but considering a bigger picture, would it be less damaging to our islands to have her in the seat vs Joey Hew?
Lonny Tibbetts? OMGG. To this day, it is a hush-hush affair as to why he was asked to leave CINICO, but part of the reason could have been that his sister Kerry had gotten a job there as either an admin assistant or his personal assistant. (Yup, Dan Scott’s fan, Kerry) Be responsible with your vote, CBW voters…
That wasn’t the reason. Keep digging.
Hopefully, everyone remember why he was asked to leave CINICO.
Got more chance than Johann still.
Romelia just solidified a complete sweep out of ppm 🙏
We can only hope!
It would be interesting if Romelia won.
Joey is not the right guy but I don’t know anything about Romelia.
Will she have a website and contact details? I’d love to get more insight before voting.
Never saw this one coming but she will fight for the Caymanian people .
I just wish she wasn’t such a bigoted religious zealot, but that won’t stop me voting for her over Joey Who. There is a crystal clear “lesser of two evils” scenario here.
The lesser of the two evils may as well kiss goodbye to her $1000 .
It wasn’t hers.
Maybe, but also maybe not since it appears that lots of people are finally waking up and recognizing that Joey Who is an absentee MP at best, and Dart’s lapdop at worst.
Kaboom!!!
Well done Ms Welcome. You have done so much in our communities and I look forward to you representing us
Thank you for giving us a choice at least! I look forward to hearing more from you.
Have lived 25 years in GT North and have never heard of her or from her.
[X] Doubt
Have you tried assimilating and interacting with a single Caymanian during your time here?
Fair question, but also fair to ask if the lady has herself ever interacted or tried to assimilate with expats.
It’s a two way street y’know.
You’re the guest here, she is the host.
Hosts should show welcome and courtesy to their guests then…right..?
Why do you assume the poster is not a heritage Caymanian? GTN has lots of Caymanian families who relocated to GTN to beat the traffic from West Bay (prior to the DART development). GTN also includes part of the 7 mile beach corridor which has more status grant Caymanians than heritage Caymanians.
The issue is that votes from ‘heritage Caymanians’ are no longer sufficient to win elections. In my neighborhood there around 25 Caymanian households of which only 3 could be classified as heritage Caymanian households. Demographics have changed.
Who is this lady, genuine question. I don’t know if it’s because I am too young but I actually have never heard of her before.
Better question, ask her who put her up to it!!!
Good for whoever that cheer squad was. It’s not DART, or CUC, or FCCA, that’s for sure. Maybe something will actually get down in GTN now?
GTN is Dartistan….if you’re not a part of their sleazy cocktail party circle, you’re not likely to beat the comfortable incumbent.
Joey certainly hopes so.
Romellia quietly devotes her time to lobbying and advocating for improved services from state agencies and for cleaner, safer communities via her small non-profit. Considering Joey’s limited career contributions to public well-being, Romellia would seem to present a real obstacle to his retention of that GTN seat.
A non-Profit that is currently funded by Government, I hope she made her SIPL declaration!!
Everything is funded by government, including the beautification that she takes credit for but Kenneth department pay for.
Sadly GTN not concerned with community workers, they only interested in what they can get from their MP…
Okay, then what has Joey delivered to his district voters (not donors)? How is the tear down of the old Hyatt coming along? How are the tunnels to nowhere treating you? We’ll give you a minute to search for a net delivered positive, if you can.
Joey offers access to low people in high places.
I’m a GTN voter and I don’t need any handouts from Joey.
I do want proper representation and to know that our MP has our country’s best interest at heart. I haven’t gotten that from Joey.
GTN is a socioeconomically diverse group and no guesses are needed as to who he views as influenceable and where he spends his campaign efforts every 4 years before returning to the cocktail circuit.
Now is not the time to be quiet.
If you’re running for office then now is the time to trumpet your ideas and proposals and present a manifesto. She should also interact with the electorate to understand their needs (something that Joey has never done). Public meetings would be welcome.