André: Goal is to narrow socio-economic divide
(CNS): At Tuesday night’s Chamber of Commerce Candidate Forum for West Bay South, 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 said the ultimate goal for his team if they secure a majority government is to narrow the growing socio-economic divide in the Cayman Islands. While all candidates are focused on lowering the cost of living, dealing with healthcare accessibility and tackling the failing immigration system, Ebanks said these are a means to an end, which is closing the equality gap.
Few candidates have addressed the problem of Cayman’s deepening wealth divide. In a recent report, respected regional economist Marla Dukharan warned that the inequality here has not improved since 2007, when it was first measured. Poor education outcomes and stagnating wages in the lower- to middle-income jobs held by local people mean that chasing more economic development without addressing the inequality problem won’t benefit the majority of Caymanians.
Ebanks, who has his eye on the premiership, stressed the need to address the bigger picture and the accumulative impact of having eight TCCP ministers in government, supported by parliamentary secretaries and a caucus all focused on the same collective goal.
“We need to have a country that gets back to a community where all Caymanians are participating in and/or benefiting from the success of the country,” he said, adding that to do this, the Cayman Islands need to be modern and more inclusive, which will be achieved by addressing the priorities that those on the campaign trail have all identified.
Ebanks, the former financial and social services minister, is in a head-to-head race with former radio talk-show host Sterling Dwayne Ebanks to retain his West Bay South seat, one of Cayman’s biggest constituencies. In a polite and articulate exchange, the two men, who were well prepared for the anticipated questions, discussed potential policy ideas for the myriad concerns of voters.
In addition to the bread and butter issues dominating this election, 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 focused on the TCCP goal of a more equitable society and improving the standards of living for all, as well as universal access to healthcare, housing and education.
He was the first candidate taking part in the Chamber forums this election cycle to commit to the process of re-integrating the schools. However, he said that the government’s school capacity had to be expanded before that could happen.
Sterling Ebanks, who has made election reform a major issue in his campaign, is calling for a national vote for the premier and Cabinet. While he was not asked how the collective responsibility of Cabinet would work if voters elect eight candidates to the government’s inner circle with disparate and opposing views, the idea of a national slate has been discussed for years.
The growing disappointment with the system of one-man-one-vote in single-member constituencies when the pool of voters is so small has raised concerns about the ease with which career politicians have been able to secure and manipulate the votes to their advantage. The thinking is that a national vote would make it considerably more difficult to ‘buy’ the necessary votes to win.
Sterling Ebanks argued against term limits but called for a provision to recall poor performing MPs. He would also like to see a national vote at the very least for the Cabinet because they can be elected to office by just a few hundred people in their constituencies but could end up having “a meaningful impact on the entire country”.
He said a national vote might not be the only solution and noted that MPs are likely to object because of the increase in the canvassing that would be required. However, he said that, given the impact of Cabinet, all voters should have a say nationally.
The men spoke about protecting Barkers and finding a way to bring more visitors, including cruisers, to prop up the costly Cayman Turtle Centre, tackling health insurance coverage for the indigent and the rollout of a national development plan.
This was the last forum for West Bay, and the focus now shifts to George Town constituencies. On Wednesday evening, the Chamber will be hosting the candidates for GTN: 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 and his independent challenger, Romellia Welcome.
See the full forum on the Chamber’s YouTube channel 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 […]
And his chosen method of achieving such equality is by plunging the country into irreversible debt.
How so?
André was humble. Let’s see: He worked hard to finish what the PPM started in order to get us out of the grey list. He also worked with civil servants to get the financial assistance bill, the adoption bill, the spouse maintenance bill, the child protection bill, the drunk driver compensation bill (where children lose a parent). If you think bringing a law or changing an existing law is quick or easy, you have no clue. It takes a lot of people and moving many parts, and many times the parts do not know which way to move. Remember that when you choose your candidates.
Sterling Dwayne Ebanks I was captivated by your responses. You clearly have a sound knowledge of the issues and offered solutions that were practical and in the best interests of the people you would represent.
Modern, more inclusive, equitable – sounds almost like Wayne Panton when i think of it. Sounds like more permits and more status because who exactly are we being “inclusive” of? What exactly does he mean by Modern? he loves his blue neckties, guess modern means left leaning democratic policies, similar to those that helped railroad the United States and turned China into the second Largest super power, when 20 years ago half the country didnt have electricity.
Sterling would be a great MP, sad one has to lose here
Andre will be lucky to be the leader of the opposition. More than likely his party will only get 5 members elected and the independents will get no more than 5, while the other 2 parties will get the other 9. Neither the CINP nor the PPM or the independents can be pleased with the TCCP incumbent MP’s after these last 4 years. Andre alone is the sole exception.
Dwayne would be an excellent MP, but I do not understand how a national vote will make any incremental positive changes to getting better quality persons elected. This will certainly not provide any more advantages to the voters, than the existing privilege and opportunities to vote for a party now, where you have an idea who will form the cabinet. With every voting system there is seemingly advantages and disadvantages. We have not been fortunate to have energetic and educated young men and women to put themselves forward. Instead, we have a bunch of old retired and slow as molasses millionaires whose best life is behind them! After the election they will show that they are tired and useless just like the other candidates that are out there!
I am sorry but being in your 60’s is too old to be in politics!
To 2:52pm: I agree with you that at 60, I do not have the patience to put up with crap. I would tell a number of people to cut their $hit and get working for the people, or get the duck out of government.
That’s young compared to the ‘developed’ countries, but we would have to retire. If we have judges over the age of 65 I think persons making the legislation can be over 60.
No party will win all seats, that is a given. André will do a great job backed by the right team. Following last night’s forum (and I am no PPM fan), between bad and worse I think the best choice for GTN is Joey. Whoever told that lady that she would do a good job as an MP is badly (alarmingly!) deluded. No way, José!
I would vote for a green iguana over lil Joey.
EXACTLY how does he plan to achieve this within the next 4 years??
Exactly. All his (Andres) solutions were so elaborate and complicated, sounding like they might take decades to accomplish. Left some of us feeling defeated and hopeless.
That is a part of our problem. Lack of long term sensible programmes. Too many of us are not willing to walk to a real solution. Too much sprinting to a half cooked idea.
West bay is controlled by the Cuban diaspora and it’s criminality thus the outcome of certain dubious political leaders will always be assured when it comes to being re-elected. Reducing their influence and criminal control of West Bay is essential to make sure these terrible political leaders are removed or voted out of office. Is time we address this Cuban menace in West Bay!
Cubans don’t come within hundreds of miles of damage and control all over these islands in all public sector and work permit holders, dominated in numbers and influence of white, black, Chinese Jamaicans.
Andre the next leader of the opposition if he is lucky.
Andre had some great idea, but they would take decades to come to fruition, probably centuries with his party members. Sterling did a great job also and would be a great MP.
We must feel sorry for Andre who will likely be an MP on the north side of the parliament in the opposition.
Andre failed to listen to reason. He surrendered himself with haters, charts and confusion.
Learn from this Andre
Andre did a great job lastnight.
In André we trust.
Praying you will return Cayman politics to honesty service and duty to Cayman.