Heather commits to B2 for EWA and restricted car imports
(CNS): At the Candidate forum on Tuesday, Heather Bodden (TCCP), who is campaigning to retain her Savannah seat, committed to the greener, less expensive Route B2 for the controversial East-West Arterial Road extension. But she said the road would not solve the traffic congestion for those living east of George Town.
She said that a TCCP government would also roll out a reliable, modern public transport system, decentralise government offices, stagger school and work start times and ban permit holders from importing cars.
“There are a number of people on work permits who have turned importing cars into an unregistered business,” she said at the Chamber of Commerce event.
Bodden is facing a challenge from well-known local broadcaster Donna Bush, who is seeking election for the first time with the Progressives. During a very polite and friendly forum, Bodden stressed her long-time service to her community and Bush highlighted her lifetime experiences and her own community support. The two candidates agreed on some of the priorities but also revealed policy differences between their respective parties.
Campaigning with a team that is viewed as having the most commitment to a green approach to politics, Bodden said she would like to see recycling become mandatory — a position that was supported by Bush.
The candidates were also asked whether or not they supported the cruise berthing referendum. Bush threw her full support behind the national vote, saying that she supported the democratic right of the people to make a choice about such major projects, which she admitted came with major risks.
In contrast, Bodden argued that much more data and information should have been shared on this issue, given the environmental threats. However, she said it was now in the hands of the people, and she would stand by the result.
Asked about the immigration white paper, the women had different points of view. Bodden said she backed the need for immigration reform and the specific suggestion in the document that permit holders should be required to leave the islands for at least twelve months before they can change jobs.
Bush, however, said there needed to be a more “in-depth” review of the paper and some of the suggestions, allowing Caymanians to come up with what they believe could work best and “more appropriate ideas”, as she hedged on the position on the twelve-month break for job-hopping guest workers.
The women both agreed that Savannah Primary School needed to be expanded as there are some 550 children already attending the school in one of Cayman’s fastest-growing districts. Bodden said funds had been allocated for a new school hall and other upgrades in the PACT administration’s first budget, which was voted on at the end of 2021. The project has not happened, but she said she would ensure that the work gets started if she is re-elected.
The candidates both committed to implementing a minimum wage of at least Ci$8.75, as recommended by the Minimum Wage Advisory Committee. Bush spoke about how the rollout has been halted but said the country could no longer afford to do that as she offered her wholehearted support for the minimum wage.
However, Dwayne Seymour, the current labour minister who was responsible for stopping the minimum wage increase, is running on the same PPM platform as Bush and is likely to become a Cabinet minister if the PPM forms the next government.
Seymour has made it very clear that he does not support a flat minimum wage increase, which means that if he again ends up with the labour portfolio in a Progressive government, Bush could find herself at odds with her own senior government team.
Bush clearly backed her party’s policy goals of implementing free healthcare for children and the elderly, cutting the cost of living, and introducing a rent-to-own scheme to assist with the housing crisis, but she failed to explain how that would be funded.
Bodden suggested more creative housing development reform, making homes more energy efficient and increasing local food production as ways to tackle the cost of living, but she, too, failed to explain how any of the proposed initiatives would be funded.
The forums continue this evening with the three candidates battling out in Newlands. The incumbent, former premier Wayne Panton (TCCP), will meet challengers Alva Suckoo (PPM) and Raul Gonzalez (IND).
See Tuesday evening’s Chamber forum below:
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 […]
Ms. Bodden needs to retire, just because she didn’t do nothing in Savannah over 4 years that it’s a mistaken that we vote for her that she’s messed this country and Savannah
All now, she will get what’s coming for her and Wayne. Don’t forget folks
She does have a lot of dredging on her plate to keep her busy.
PPM have 2 candidates running in North Side!!
You heard it here first
Despite having several farming areas in the Savannah Newlands district in fact, I do recall there is a community farm is right next to her family’s land this incumbent Feather Bodden balked the question, Is she really that out of touch or oblivious or simply had too many smoothies to give a reasonable answer. Too busy sorting out family friends business i guess? Mrs Bush has a real uphill battle against this entitled family legacy candidate who believes the district belongs to them.
LOL, Heather The Dredger loves the environment soooo much….
Heather is not a position to commit to anything. Except maybe dredging the North Sound.
We urgently need the national vote back. With the utmost respect, I would not send either of these ladies to represent Cayman overseas in a situation where it is vital that our jurisdiction gains the upper hand. At least NS has Justin, who appears more composed, analytical and professional than the incumbent.
john john not getting back in so Bush is fine. $8.75 will not solve anything once we start feeling the trump effect…
I am telling you this, as someone who lives in the HEART of BTE, just go to both his and Robert’s meetings and see the magnitude of the difference in support. This is depressing to even write but it is the truth, unless a miracle happens, that fool is once again going to win BTE. If you do not live there or you are not OUTSIDE in the community talking to people or even just spectating, then it would be delusional to suggest what you are saying. I wish that idiot could go too, but I lost hope in my people. BTE is finished.
A real estate agent that seemingly spends most of his time in Jamaica with his new family is pretty much a non-starter so that’s not terribly surprising. It sucks, but BrainDwayne has been buttering up the higglers in his constituency for years now, so it’s likely that he is a shoo-in. Hopefully not though.
My go-to has been “Dum Dum” Seymour but BrainDwayne might make me reconsider.
To 4:14pm, I’ve come to the conclusion that intelligent discerning voters are outnumbered. The country is disintegrating because of them.
Just go look see who all is in the VIP come Capella and ask them how much they paid for their tickets.
To 2:20pm: I pray you are right regarding BTE. I hope those voters finally hear the voice of reason.
Who gah stop John John? Surely not Robert.
Spoken like a true Jamaican 12.20.
That exactly is the problem in Bodden town…there aren’t enough Caymanians to vote in a Caymanian to rid us of this embarrassing uneducated buffoon, and his Sinister fellow countryman to the West.