Little policy difference between CBWLC candidates
(CNS): Nickolas DaCosta (CINP) and Lonny Tibbetts (IND) articulated very few policy differences on Wednesday at the Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum for Cayman Brac West & Little Cayman, the seat vacated by Moses Kirkconnell. During a polite question and answer session, the two candidates identified the same issues for the Sister Islands and the country and offered very similar solutions.
The Chamber moderators asked almost identical questions as the ones put to the candidates running in Cayman Brac East the night before, and DaCosta and Tibbetts both appeared well prepared.
The candidates both said they agreed with the need for a new Brac high school and described how run down the current facility is, though DaCosta echoed the comments of his party leader, Dan Scott
Dan Scott (CBE candidate) is the leader of the Cayman Islands National Party. He was EY regional manager until his retirement in June 2023. More, about the need to manage costs and secure value for money.
Tibbetts was more fullsome in his support for the Port Zeus project, with DaCosta again giving a very similar answer to Scott when he was asked the same question, which is that if the people of the Brac support it, they support it.
DaCosta was generally more cautious about development, but he was more supportive of the controversial upgrade to Little Cayman’s airstrip, though Tibbetts said he had concerns about the fact that the airport land is in the hands of a private sector owner, and thought the government should be in control of the country’s airports.
He said he appreciated the position held by many residents on Little Cayman, which is that they don’t want to see the environment harmed by an upgraded airport that could also bring more people and overdevelopment to one of Cayman’s most precious places.
The development of the Sister Islands was the backdrop for several of the questions. Tibbetts said he would support a proposed 47-lot subdivision on Little Cayman that is under consideration by the Planning Appeal Tribunal. But he said there is no infrastructure or paving and the island needs piped water.
He suggested that such a development could lead to the roll out of infrastructure improvements — though the small population on Little Cayman have been clear about their desire to protect the island’s natural beauty and have always been reluctant to support this type of pure profit-driven development.
DaCosta said the future development of Little Cayman “needs to be done very carefully”. He pointed to some of the lessons that should have been learned from Grand Cayman, where the government was trying to play catch-up with infrastructure after the private sector development had already happened.
“We allow people to come in, we grow the population artificially without the infrastructure to support the needs… and our own people… are neglected,” he said, adding that Little Cayman had to be a priority under the national development plan. “We cannot get Little Cayman wrong. Little Cayman is the gem of the Cayman Islands.”
DaCosta said the resources have to be there before moving on a development of that magnitude.
Both candidates said it was essential that the government cares for the reefs in Little Cayman. DaCosta said it might be necessary to limit dive boats going to the reefs as part of the conservation of the marine resources and confirmed that a CINP government would rely on the experts — a clear reference to the recent move by the UPM administration to remove the scientists and experts from the National Conservation Council.
Despite being a little more gung ho over development, in particular Port Zeus with its myriad environmental threats, Tibbetts also said he recognised the need to protect Little Cayman’s reefs.
The latest CCMI survey showed coral cover around the island has been devastated in recent years due to high water surface temperature as well as disease. Tibbetts noted that the Department of Environment has an officer on Little Cayman to patrol the reefs but has not had a boat since it was sent to Grand Cayman for repairs many months ago.
The Chamber is nearing the half-way point in the series of forums this election cycle, which will include one with the three party leaders. The first forum for candidates from West Bay will take place on Thursday, with WBC incumbent Katherine Ebanks-Wilks (TCCP) and Jewel Hydes, the independent challenger.
See the CBWLC forum in full 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 […]
Cayman Brackers please don’t be afraid to make a change for the better by taking a chance to vote differently this election. Please don’t be afraid to hope for better one more time because all you have gotten is let down and neglected for so many years. Please don’t say nothing changes so why vote! Please don’t let your vote be easily bought! Please don’t let anyone put fear into you by saying they will know who you voted for! Look at the past 4,8,12,16,20 years and ask yourselves if your lives have improved at all on the Brac? Has living on the Brac and Little gotten better or just harder and harder year after year? We have been neglected! We have been forgotten! We have been given empty promises at election time, only to get our votes and then we continue to suffer and be forgotten all over again for the next 4 years. Aren’t you tired of people calling us mindless bots that only like handouts, or, people who are not smart enough to think for ourselves and vote for better for ourselves? Where did this welfare mentality come from? We are better than this! Some of the smartest business men in the Cayman Islands came from Cayman Brac. We need to regain our pride! Lift our heads up and vote smart this election! Please Brackers, wake up! Please vote for change for yourselves! Mr Dan Scott and Mr. Nicholas DaCosta will bring change for the better for us all!. These two men will be our shields and our guardians! They have what it takes to represent us in parliament and on the international stage. It’s very important to have politicians who can speak for us, stand up for us and get things done for us! They are good family men with Christian values, and a sound moral Compass. These men will put Cayman Brackers first again! Your vote is very important and some may want to vote for the person they know the best or the family member, but please remember that your vote will not only affect you but your vote will also affect your family and friends. Please vote smart and vote for Mr Dan Scott and Mr Nickolas DaCosta. These men will fight for us and will put us first again. Please take a chance and vote for change by voting for Mr Dan Scott and Mr Nickolas DaCosta! What have you got to lose Brackers? We are already at the bottom. Already forgotten! Already rejected! Already neglected! We can only go up from here. Please vote smart this election Brackers. We can’t afford to get this wrong! God bless you all!
Nickolas is only there because CINP were trying to fill as many seats as possible. The only reason Dan Scott ran in the Brac is because he thought Julianna was done and figured it was an easy route into Politics. That backfired big time however as now their party leader isn’t even getting elected. The CINP doesn’t care about the Brac and nothing will be done for Brackers after the election if they did somehow get in.
to 11:51am: Did you watch the same forum? What have Juju or Moses done for the Brac and Little Cayman in 15 years?! I do remember Moses asking to decrease duties and other government fees for the sister islands about two years ago but I don’t know if anything was done. One threat is real: with Amazon now delivering to Cayman, some sister islands’ business owners will have a serious challenge offering competitive prices while making a profit, so you need someone new.
I’d vote for Dacosta.
I was planning to vote for DaCosta until I found out he’s just a puppet for someone else. I think we need someone with experience managing people who will really speak up for Brackers. I’m voting for Tibbetts.
To 7:31am: Civil servants are not “managed” by Ministers. That task is left entirely to Chief Officers. Ministers meet with their staff to get a sense of what the Ministry is working on, but they do not get involved in the day to day; so if that was your thought process, I invite you to reconsider. Mr. Tibbetts did not leave CINICO. He was relieved of his duties almost overnight.
A vote for Tibbets is a vote for a return to a government filled with Mac and Kenneth loving unemployable undesirables , whose only interest will be to enrich themselves at our expense.
And you don’t think Lonnie is a bigger puppet for those people who just want their snouts in the trough..?
“The development of the Sister Islands was the backdrop for several of the questions. Tibbetts said he would support a proposed 47-lot subdivision on Little Cayman that is under consideration by the Planning Appeal Tribunal.”
That subdivision development is only the most recent of many that already exist. And not a one of them on Little Cayman has a house built on it. There are HUNDREDS of un-built lots on LC already. Stop cutting roads to nowhere and damaging native habitat.
Exactly. Vote DaCosta. To leave LC unspoiled and keep it out of reach of Special Interests hell.
I’m not certain there is much of a difference between the two.
Unfortunately, the way Mr. Tibbetts left CINICO cannot be set aside. As voters, we have a responsibility, to the best of our ability, to ensure that we send people to parliament (and Cabinet) who have a clean record. Whether new or re-elected, if we doubt their integrity, we should not vote for them. Our lil’ yellow pencils should serve as stumbling blocks for special interests
Unfortunately the way Mr. DaCosta never did anything cannot be set aside. It’s only when you’re doing nothing that the people don’t talk about you!
You mean never did anything wrong to talk about.
Not the case with Mac’s friend Lonnie..and being supported by Mac tells me not to vote for him.
Is this pot callin’ kettle black? We all know Nickolas is no choir boy!
such a difficult decision for Brackers to make because both Nickolas and Lonny seem intelligent and passionate. wishing them both the best of luck!
Very much impressed by both candidates. Both truly are deserving of being at the helm of CIG. Sincerely hope one hand wash the other. This is truly one of the best debate so far, no grudges, no finger pointing, both basically had the same points and solutions.
Both very intelligent and capable, though one has frequent legal troubles.
A very quick google search and the best one to vote for would be very clear.