André hits out at special interests’ hold on politicians
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 addresses the crowd at the TCCP launch party (photo credit: Courtney Platt)(CNS): At The Cayman Community Party’s official campaign launch on Saturday night, party leader André EbanksAndré 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 hit out at the special interest groups that he says have been influencing governments over the last few decades. He warned that the new lineup of Progressives, which includes three members of the UPM Cabinet, are under the influence of special interests that are not in the interest of the wider Cayman Islands community.
Ebanks said that real transformative change has been hampered over the years because of this continuing undue influence.
At the event held at Pedro Castle, Ebanks said the special interests are fueling the election campaigns and have influenced policy throughout past election cycles, preventing governments from addressing much-needed relevant policy development and legislative amendments that would bring real “transformative change”.
He said that this has led to successive governments merely “biting around the edges of what needs to be done”, worrying about meeting the wants of their financiers rather than the people they have been elected to serve.
Ebanks asked the audience of several hundred people what they thought the next four years under the red team might look like. While he suggested that the new PPM group is likely unified when it comes to the projects and priorities they want to push forward, he asked if those priorities were likely to truly benefit ordinary Caymanians or would they be for the benefit of a few.
Until now, he said, governments have not been able to overcome the special interests that lurk behind local politics.
He pointed to the work he did as the social development minister on the Department of Financial Assistance to reform how welfare is distributed and the passage of the Pharmacy Act by his colleague Sabrina Turner when she was health minister as examples of critical work neglected by the “long reign” of previous PPM-led governments because projects that pleased these special interests were prioritised instead.
Questioning why so many issues that go to the heart of the community had been neglected for decades, he accused some politicians of “being distracted by transactional behaviour” instead of focusing on the “true transformative change to help you for generations”.
When Ebanks, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, Sabrina Turner and Heather Bodden all resigned from the UPM government last October, they said that part of the reason for doing so was the undue influence of special interests. This claim has been supported by Wayne Panton, who was ousted from the office of premier in November 2023.
The TCCP is the only group that has committed to preserving the National Conservation Act, choosing the least expensive and greener option for the East-West Arterial extension, controlling expensive grandiose capital projects and greening the economy with the rollout of renewable energy.
In his address at the party launch, Ebanks made a point of distinguishing his party from the Progressives. He also spoke briefly about the Cayman Islands National Party. He said that they were Caymanians too and he did not intend to smear them, but stressed that the TCCP was offering was a mix of international and local public service experience as well as a balanced gender lineup.
The TCCP launched their campaign with a very social event that included a relatively short speech from Ebanks after all the other nine members were officially introduced. Those candidates then engaged directly with the voters in the “conversation corner” rather than having a number of campaign speeches. According to officials, there were at least 800 people in attendance.
Over in George Town at the Compass Centre car park, the Progressives launched their campaign with all thirteen of their candidates present and bragged of standing room only.
According to a press release, 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 (GTN) reaffirmed the party’s commitment to the campaign slogan of “proven, stable leadership”, while Kenneth Bryan (GTC), who is now the PPM deputy leader, spoke about his rekindled commitment to the party.
Meanwhile, in West Bay, Julie Hunter was said to have held a successful rally with some of her CINP colleagues at the West Bay Public Beach. Hunter is taking on veteran politician McKeeva Bush
McKeeva Bush (WBW incumbent) is the longest-serving member of parliament (the “Father of the House”), having represented West Bay continuously for three decades. More in a head-to-head race in West Bay West.
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
Change writes: Every constituency has the same issue when their MP becomes a minister. It is not that they stop caring about their area, but Cabinet members have no choice but to tackle issues at national level, and that takes budget, meetings, reports, travel, conference calls, sitting with lawyers to streamline bills and laws — all […]
Andre should know all too well about special interest groups. For all of you with short memories – think back to the election when a particular law firm that familiar to the leader was funding and calling the shots. On the sideline was the other special interest Mr. Seymour. Couldn’t get what he needed from PPM so moved on to PACT. Think back to all the times the PACT was on the verge of imploding ( yes there were many) and it was a special interest that summoned them to meetings and read them their rights, especially the WB rookies.
Andrea’s just mad that the specials interest groups ae no longer interested in him and his party because they can’t be trusted.
Go back to your rosery beads and backstabbing – how Wayne can trust him i have no idea – desperation i guess.
Before you wonder whether TCCP will spend money in the right areas, remember that they are currently giving a truck load of it to the biggest social media bully in Cayman being Cayman Marl Road.
Public funds are not used to pay CMR for campaigning. As much as I dislike that gossip outlet, you cannot make it seem that public funds are being used.
Take away the money, but the special interest remains as CMR Is hell bent on only giving credence to TCCP and no one else. Her disdain for the PPM and CINP is as obvious as the white on an albino. Andre needs to be careful that he hasn’t shot himself in his foot by using CMR continually. She does talk about bullying, yet she is one of the biggest, if not biggest bullies this side of equator.
Will make a plea to TCCP- if u all form the govt., please give the greatest orator known, the host of tcht, a job teaching ethics and languages in one of the Hugh school. JUST A JOKE
What is Andre’s party’s view about legalising abortion? Will anyone of the Candidates discuss this? We young Caymanians need to know.
Birth control is legal, ask your doctor.
Birth control is not = abortion.
Plan B One-Step (a common brand of the morning-after pill) is available over-the-counter (OTC) without a prescription in Miami.
When will we see it in Cayman
To 2:51pm: Remember that MPs work for us, so it is a decision for us the voters. Once the Bill gets released for public consultation, we have to do our job and relay or position to our MP, whatever it is.
A bill was already released to the Public in 2024 – See Appendix 1 in link
https://www.gov.ky/publication-detail/final-report-the-penal-code-part-2-abortion
Does Andre really think the people are so fool to believe this seafaring nonsense video that was done by a skilled marketing firm paid dearly. In essence he is up there criticizing the last government which he was a part of of for 3.5 years, until him and his regel group decided to quit. Now he is mightier than thou. It laughable! After they quit he went running to the leadership of Cayman’s largest developer to explain and make sure to smooth things over. Done with you Andre – Sterling getting my ‘Any one but Andre vote’
Please reconsider throwing away your vote. Andre is the best we’ve seen in a generation.
best at what?
A party that has aligned themselves with CMR and Sandra Catron has no leg to stand on when it comes to who somebody else aligns themselves with tbh.
The CNS poll would suggest that if there are any party favorites it’s a TCCP coalition government next month.
The CNS poll suggests that CNS readers have a party favorite.
I can’t imagaine Who he may be referring to. Who could possibly be influenced by the largest utility provider and also the largest developer on the islands?! I may need a Little more hints to fully find the answer
And people wonder why we end up with the same stooges in Government. Crazy how people are asking for him to be more specific. SMH
Not rubbish. Ask anyone in the development industry where the root of corruption starts. It’s with the longest standing Department of Planning staff aka civil servants. They effectively control everything that’s included or (intentionally) not included on Agendas and application files. The public has just been successfully blinded into focusing on the Board member scapegoats for decades (not that some of them aren’t corrupt too of course!!). But decisions are made nonetheless using the information given or not given by the civil servants of the Planning Department.
And Lands and Survey – fully infiltrated by the developers.
Anonymous 12@5.47pm – Moreso the Central Planning Authority (CPA), but you are absolutely correct.
Inside the Department of Planning itself, dubious and varied interpretations of the Regs, lack of discretion and inefficiency rule!
I know a young homeowner whose first home was completed before Christmas and he hoped to move in as his “present”. Planning held back his CofO because the porch railing on his single storey, street level house was a half-inch too low. Two-storeys and higher, I can understand. But a 1 level house?? There’s interpretation and discretion for you, CIG style!
I think he’s still waiting to move in.
“Andre Ebanks hit out at special interests groups that he says has been influencing government over the last few decades.”
Just a quick reminder to Andre Ebanks:
(1) whose previous campaign contributors from the last election in 2021 were all from Maples FS;
(2) who, when delivering a Chamber luncheon speech, was open about and proud to talk of James Bergstrom arranging for meetings with Cayman Finance at Ogier’s boardroom on short notice to discuss financial services issues;
(3) who, at his first political meeting last election, had the PPM leadership in attendance (front row in fact) as well as the elites from the establishment, including law firms and financial service providers;
(4) did not seem to give attention to issues affecting average Caymanians domestically (aside from reforming financial assistance dressed up in nicer language than welfare), but rather was more concerned with international issues that would affect the elites and upper echelons (mainly people who are from other countries, whether granted Caymanian status or not) that have been intercepting Caymanians’ business, professional and employment opportunities.
This is a garbage response. Guy has a financial services background and so had some financial services backers. Shocker. He has done a great job with the ministries he has been in charge of.
@11/03/2025 at 11:40 pm – You’re bashing Andre for trying to protect our financial industry? Are you kidding? “concerned with international issues that would affect the elites and upper echelons (mainly people who are from other countries, whether granted Caymanian status or not)”. Are you aware that Cayman’s financial industry also employs thousands of the generational Caymanians? Are you aware that Cayman’s financial industry is THE pillar of our economy? Are you aware of how many Caymanians how aren’t employed in Cayman’s financial industry still benefit TREMENDOUSLY from it by providing goods and services to people who DO work in that industry? If Andre wants to protect and promote Cayman’s financial industry, he should be encouraged and supported in that effort. Or would you prefer to go back to turtling for a living? SMH.
So, he should have focused on home affairs first and ignore the financial industry at risk? Can he control who attends his meetings?
It’s like people forgot what industry kept Cayman afloat during the Pandemic.
Not just the pandemic. Cayman is still funded by financial services. Tourism is an afterthought – albeit very lucrative for the expats who control it.
Regardless of which party they are with, I encourage us all to elect the most competent candidates. “The wisdom of surrounding yourself with smarter individuals is not about diminishing one’s self-worth, but about recognizing the power of collective intelligence.” Believe it: If we rein in our national (multi-million dollar) problems, the benefits will trickle down to constituencies, down to households, families and individuals.
*irregardless
disirregardless
“Strategery”
Ask your candidates about the Special Interest in CUC and whether or not they are prepared to tackle the monopoly position that is damaging our islands. Too many politicians have ignored the profit vs. environment debate in favor of the CUC dividend to a point where the country continues with the shameful position of next to zero power being generated from sustainable sources. We burn endless amounts of diesel whilst actively stifling solar and other renewable sources.
Could Andre provide the voters with his party’s stance on dredging in the protected waters of the North Sound?
We’ll wait…
It seems to depend on whether you are part of the Bodden family.
Voters: We have multi-million dollar problems and we need candidates who can come together and seek effective, sustainable solutions. Do not send someone to parliament if you do not feel they could represent Cayman internationally and do an excellent job. Would you knowingly and willingly send Hew, Seymour, Mac, Turner, O’Connor-Connolly or (J.) Ebanks anywhere, to negotiate on your behalf? Think about it. Do not sell your vote and do not fall for any party. Be smart with your decision. One party made decisions for Cayman since the late 90s, and look where we are…
And Kenneth Bryan as well.
The most experienced and qualified and dignified in the last Parliament were McLaughlin, Panton, McTaggart, Andre Ebanks and Heather Bodden in my opinion
Heather Bodden?
You must be kidding.
Would you knowingly and willingly send Hew, Seymour, Mac, Turner, O’Connor-Connolly or (J.) Ebanks anywhere
Yes, but only on a one-way ticket.
We all know who the proxies of special interests are those political pariahs running around using distractions to deceive people and they unfortunately are hiding inside all the major parties easy to tell them though as they remain very neutral on most national topics and always avoids straying outside their idiotic or remedial speech’s or conversations which is are always self serving and narcissistic in nature . Do you know anyone getting in or in political life that is like that ?? Those are the candidates that Special interest both love and are attracted to in Cayman politics.
Hew is literally installing a giant political billboard on DART’s land immediately adjacent to the 20+ year old eyesore of the old Hyatt. Wreckage that he was unable to do anything to improve for his entire career in politics. There are also two bridges to nowhere in his district – one of them was successfully extended! That’s his legacy.
Rent at Camana Bay is already far too high and he wouldn’t want that to be increased.
I used to have more respect for Andre than any other politician in cayman. Until he formed this party of nonstarters. Getting back with Wayne (who I also used to like) is a terrible idea. Wayne’s failed experiment led to four years of crap governance.
And now just like Wayne he’s talking about special interests without the balls to call them out. Wayne, bitching and moaning about a developer cabal, and now Andrew doing the same about some mysterious forces. These groups may very well exist. Call them out or shut up!
Years ago Dr. Tomlinson was said to be financially backing a bunch of candidates…this was made public one way or another and whether it was right or wrong we all knew about it. We knew who was doing what and voters could make up their minds about it accordingly.
Wayne and Andre talking about the Illuminati is just a distraction. The two guys preaching transparency won’t say who it is that’s doing all this influencing.
Meanwhile Sandra hill and all her CMR zombies aren’t pulling for The CCP?? They’re not peddling influence and pushing their interests???
Absolutely disheartening so see Andre fall so foolishly in the wrong direction.
My theory (we’ll see how well it sticks) is that he only stuck with heather and Sabrina and Katherine for optics after they all left upm together. They’re dead weight and he knows it. But optics would be bad if he quit with them and left them hanging. So he’s giving them a shot in his party. Only he and Wayne, and maybe Ozzie will be elected and they will have to team up with another party to get in power. And in making that team they will forego whatever special interests protests they’re currently engaged in. Back in power, for themselves, just like every other politician…ever.
Kathy and unfortunately Heather will be reelected. Sabrina is effectively unemployed, thank God.
Heather is one of the best candidates of all
Two horse race between Crystal and Michael. I like what Michael has done for our youth a lot, but his attitude stinks something rotten.
I wasn’t sure about Crystal until I heard her speak on the radio and saw the video of her at PPM rally. She defintely seems to be the most sincere out of the Prospect Candidates. She spent 45 minutes talking to my grandma while visiting constituents. She getting my family household votes for sure.
Sames. I don’t really like PPM but i dont like either of the people she running against. So I voting for her. She ah be better for Prospect than Sabrina for sure.
Stinks is an understatement. He is down right RUDE!
Sabrina is far more popular than you are suggesting. Crystal may be very nice but she’s not got the wisdom, depth of understanding of the issues and grit that Sabrina has.
I live in Prospect and can tell you she may have been popular before, but she ain’t anymore. Also she lacks all of the above that you mentioned. Listen to her talk for 5 minutes without a script or ask any civil servant who has worked with her/been bossed around by her.
Wayne is one an done
Wayne and Andre talking about the Illuminati is just a distraction
What did they say about us?
Wayne not getting back in after the fiasco last term.
Wayne is very popular in Newlands.
Can’t blame Wayne for a fiasco caused by the rest of the runaway members of Cabinet beholden to special interests, which Wayne was trying to standup against and bring about a real change in the status quo.
Are civil servants Special Interest ?
Far from it!
I think the Cayman civil service restrictions in election participation is the most extreme in the free world.
How can every candidate come to All their personal homes to have discussions or to question them?
How can the staff, in 2025, not be allowed to ask the candidates questions or even likes (and I presume even shares) on their PERSONAL Social media accounts?
Yet these elections rules also states that government staff “have the right to be informed”?
These rules are the most hypocritical in a democratic country.
Staff don’t have to get up on stages, but they should have the right to a personal bumper sticker on their own cars.
The same way the official members have abdicated their watchdog responsiblity to the politicians years ago, they now expect all staff to abdicate their natural rights of free expressions and personal choice!
This is serving to deepen the silent riff between staff and the politicians.
Or perhaps that is the intended result.
9:11 you failed to mention that civil servants can attend political meetings follow their candidates on social media. Oops.
What people should really be concerned about is keeping the UPM Remnants out of Office – McKeeva, Jay, Isaac and Chris!!!
Add career cockroaches Julianna, Kenny, Rolston, Ossy Bodden to that list. They will cross the aisle happily for the right price.
And Dwayne Seymoour
Add Snakey Saunders.
Yeah don’t forget Juju and Kenny. I think it’s hilarious that everyone is panning Dan Scott’s party for their supposed lack of experience.
What accomplishments does juju have to show for her career in politics? What did Kenny do?
All any of them do is spend our money to make their hold onto power stronger, and to make sure that said power comes with wealth creation for themselves.
PPM may have 3 UPM Ministers but there are 10 other candidates. Some have never been elected and will serve with honesty and integrity. You paint the entire team with a broad brush that is unfair.
There are candidates in all 3 parties that are solid.
At least PPM didn’t take Jay Ebanks who was the main character into the government split
The PPM hid $2 billion in maturing CIG liabilities. Nearly all our debt originated with the PPM. They are the most corrupt party ever, just nudging ahead of McKeeva’s UDP by a hair.
Ever heard of collective responsibility? No matter how new some of the PPM candidates are, if elected, will have to be complicit with the PPM corruption gravy train. It ultimately depends on whether these new PPM candidates choose to actively challenge or passively enable any questionable practices within the party. Do you think any of the new candidates have the potential to bring reform, or do you see them as inevitably complicit? It’s a rhetorical question btw.
If the PPM + UPM Hybrid get elected Cayman will be going down the drain faster than we’ve ever seen it go before.
The PPM/UPM will:
– gut the National Conservation Act
– Removing the requirement for EIAs
– Build a cruise pier, regardless of the referendum outcome, destroy the beauty and marine environment of our George Town Harbour
– Plunge us in to crushing debt with a cruise port, EWA Highway (which is needed) and other lavish vanity projects
Please everyone vote strategically against the PPM.
And please CINP and TCCP – cooperate strategically. You both know you are far more closely aligned on policy and principles than the PPM-UPM. Be wise and strategic, please.
what a total looser
If you consider an educated Caymanian of integrity to be a loser, then you must be one of the new PPM lackeys.
It’s not PPM to blame about it, they all are the same til Andre Ebanks resigned and join TCCP as leader of quitters that they all mess up in the past 4 years!
They all do the same foolish things about it but they all like copy cats as hell! Better don’t vote for them all, that’s my opinion!
Well fortunately for everyday hardworking caymanians, your opinion doesn’t matter.
No such thing exists.
Reduce the ”policy advice” budgets and maybe we can get some hands out of the coffers! Over CI$30million allocated per year on various forms of policy advice!?
How in the world are we paying for 13,500 hours per year of policy advice for one Ministry? If you work 365 days per year for 7 hours a day that is only 2555 hours! And in reality, with vacations, weekends and public holidays there are really only abut 185 working days per year.
How many people advising one minister? Please see page 245 of your Government budget – somebody needs to explain. And despite 13,500 hours of policy advice – there is only budget room to answer 2 parliamentary questions for that Ministry… you can’t make this ish up.
Me too…PPM was filled with Bodden Town Jamaicans worshipping Dumdum.
I knew he’s stupid, but beyond belief to see him stand up and complain that the government of the last 4 years was “regressive and failed Cayman”.
I assume he forgot that he and Kenneth and Juju and Mac, WERE that effing government..!
And we know how TCCP feels about them Jamaicans based on Ossie’s coming out interview in Marl Road. He said they are “trash”. And Andre and Wayne sat there smiling.
Like many Caymanians, I agree with Ossie.
Stop the Jamaican invasion and take back Cayman.
That’s why they left that government you dumb dumb. And you obviously showing your lack of political knowledge if you think Mac was apart of the government.
Mac ram their government with foul mouthed bullying, everyone knows that.
To 5:06pm: That is the kind of citizen oversight that is needed! If we all took a budget line and broke it down and reported inconsistencies to our MP we could save millions; instead, people hound a minister to fix a pothole on their street.
But those are the conditions we as caymanians have been conditioned to judge our MPs by. Shameful the amount of ignorant, uneducated comments on here.
Indeed 4:43am – this is why it is the PEOPLE’s responsibility to form its own association, very much the same as every professional body does. The accountants, hr professionals and businesses all have organizations representing them in the form of a non-profit body to create a unified voice for its issues and needs.
However, almost 30,000 voters have no unified voice as Governments ensure the majority of Caymanians leave high school not educated enough to comb a Government budget, new bill or advisory report.
The people can blame themselves for our problems while we elect people who have probably never read an entire novel much less properly scrutinize a 300 page, $1Billion+ Government budget.
And then, all things considered. Caymanians who are capable of combing these documents fear being ”black-listed” by sitting Governments who create road blocks for them, their families, their children, their businesses and threaten their livelihoods when they speak out against the obvious discrepancies and dishonesty with how our country is run.
WOW… he said it out loud. He said what most enlightened Caymanians already know about the PPM – Puppets Pursuing Money.
Special interests.?
Let them eat cake.
Many a true word spoken in jest…!
Can we see the written permission from the protocol office for the use of that backdrop?
It was a slide that was on the screen for a minute, not sure that requires any special permissions.
Actually it does.
Only required when used for commercial use – this is not a commercial usage.
Facts. Anyone can put their flag/coat of arms on a t-shirt or a personalized item or a presentation. They can’t turn around and sell that t-shirt or personalized item without permission.
5.10….Kenneth announced from one of his billboards that it was OK…permission granted .
Rubbish – look up ‘fair use’ exception
The bastardization of our Coat Of Arms should not only require special permissions, it should be outlawed.
Stop being a troublemaker.
You seem like a PPM troll.
Instead of lowering the standard of discussion try raising points of real substance.
You better start with all the people selling that image on Etsy.
You would have to be blind, deaf and living in an alternate reality not to arrive at that conclusion! The downward spiral started in the early 2000s. The red group sat in many Financial Committees and saw the homelessness and unemployment increasing; the lack of employment for returning graduates, the increase in cheap labor, the wrong decisions made by the CPA in relation to 7-Mile Beach construction, etc. Now they want to blame others for their inaction. Let their followers continue to be fooled…
Like when Wayne and Ozzie was part of the red team? Now you want us to forget because they are TCCP
To 9:55pm: No clue what you are talking about. Party or no party, people should vote for candidates they feel are qualified to hold office. Not because they helped you pay the CUC bill or with anything else. If you vote for someone because they helped you last year, that is selling your vote.
PPM of 2017-2021 was the WORST EVER when they sold Caymanians out by giving over 50 LCCLs. When Joseph Xavier Hew became a Minister.
Name them and provide evidence or it’s just hearsay.
You know the usual suspects like the members of the big development cartel, XXXX. Need I say more. And don’t forget the special interest religious groups Mac spilled out money and Status grants too. Nobody knows even today if some of these entities were also laundering money. The reigning Cabinets over the years protected them all as they were most certainly taking a percentage and backhanders. And today some of them are still around rebranded XXXX.
Mac’s grants through cabinet to his wealthy favorite demographic..stinks.
I attended both to gauge their “vibes” and TCCP was far superior. Felt more connected, a breath of fresh air and actually enjoyable event for families.
PPM was the same old stage for decades now with just some new faces, felt like we were back in 2021, 2017 etc., same old, same old.
I don’t know how Cayman can put up with another 4 years of the same if PPM was to be elected.
No you didn’t.
I was there at the TCCP launch party as well. And what I felt was a sense of hope and feeling like I belonged to something bigger than just me. I felt the unity that has divided us for far too long. Vote TCCP, all the way!
I have no idea why the PPM chose to refer to a stable for their slogan. Everyone knows that stables are where flunkies shovel horses$%& out the stable doors every day.
Perhaps they were giving us an accurate image of what to expect if they get into power.
Stable is where all the horse poop is gathered. PPM displayed a stable platform at their meeting.
Stable is where they keep donkey.
Andre – you are including the Civil Service as one of the special interest groups causing harm to Cayman, right? (no need to answer that until after election day – but that group may be amongst our biggest threats).
2:57 what rubbish you write. The civil service carries out the policies of their minister. Wayne could not control his Ministers in PACT and when Andre does a deal with the so called independent members he won’t be able to control them.
The civil service carries out the policies when they feel like it. The rest of the time they actively block them.
To 2:57pm: If you are so disgruntled with the civil service, why don’t you write to the governor and lobby for civil service reform?
The e-mail is GovernorsOffice.Cayman@fcdo.gov.uk
If you want change so badly, then have the guts to ask for it!
Franz, as Deputy Governor, will happily intercept that letter and seek his revenge.