Parties’ environment promises could be hard to keep
(CNS): Now that all three parties have finally published their manifestos, voters can compare the promises being made by all of them in relation to the issues of concern. However, election promises made on the campaign trail are rarely fulfilled in their entirety and can often prove hard to keep. The problem of over-development and its impact on the Cayman Islands’ natural resources remains a real concern for voters, and all three parties are claiming they’ll protect the environment. But how they really measure up is not what’s in the manifestos, but what isn’t.
On paper, all three parties are claiming that they will invest in and protect Cayman’s natural resources, but the TCCP has put greening the economy at the centre of their solutions to many of Cayman’s problems, from the cost of living to over-development and the environment.
Party 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 has gone on record confirming that the TCCP will not amend the National Conservation Act to lessen any of its powers, and will revise the East-West Arterial extension decision to the shorter, greener and more economical route.
In its manifesto, the party promises to establish an environmental management framework that clarifies how land is developed, managed and protected in line with the new National Development Plan.
The party is committed to restoring coastlines and mitigating erosion through beach renourishment programmes. It is also promising a “comprehensive stormwater management plan” after years of piecemeal development in flood plains and natural wetlands that has led to an accumulation of flooding problems all over Grand Cayman.
Among its ranks, the TCCP can boast two leading advocates for the environment: former premier Wayne Panton, who is the architect of the NCA, and Emily DeCou, a well-known environmental activist.
In addition, it was Katherine Ebanks-Wilks’s refusal to comply with the UPM’s desire to gut the conservation legislation that led to her resignation from government, along with Ebanks, Sabrina Turner and Heather Bodden, which reinforces the party’s genuine commitment to being good stewards of the country’s important natural resources.
CINP 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 has made only limited public declaration about his party’s position on amending the NCA or the changes to the National Conservation Council. On the local podcast, The Link Up, Scott said that he was in support of environmental protections and retaining the need to conduct Environmental Impact Assessments and he did not agree with efforts to gut that but he did say that the conservation law may need amendments and a CINP government would look at that.
The CINP manifesto about amending the law or what the party would want to change. But it does talk about unplanned development and mass tourism straining resources and the need to tackle beach erosion. He also said the party would consider a managed retreat as well as re-nourishment and revising coastal setbacks to prevent future development too close to the ocean. They also said that they would implement a National Development Plan that would work synergistically with the NCA.
“We will implement policies to protect natural habitats, water bodies, and wildlife,” the manifesto states, but also speaks about “balancing conservation efforts” with responsible resource use and beneficial development.
The CINP also said it would increase funding for conservation enforcement by training and recruiting enforcement officers, and it will ensure the “Department of Environment has the personnel and tools needed to protect reefs, marine parks and coastal ecosystems from illegal fishing, anchoring and development activity”.
The PPM has made a considerable number of promises about protecting the environment, but has said nothing about how the party plans to amend the NCA or what they intend to do about the NCC. While 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 did not support efforts by Dwayne Seymour to gut the law, the party has sought to amend the law since former premier Sir Alden McLaughlin called the historical legislation “ridiculous” back in 2017.
The PPM also plan to get rid of the sustainability ministry and spread the responsibilities across Cabinet. And although the party is promising to invest significantly in research and action to restore and preserve
Cayman’s natural reefs and address the challenges of rising sea levels and extreme weather, its environmental credentials remain in question.
The party has embraced three members of the UPM’s Cabinet: Seymour, Kenneth Bryan
Kenneth Bryan (GTC incumbent) is deputy premier and tourism minister with the UPM while campaigning with the PPM as deputy leader of the party. More and Julianna O’Connor-Connolly. All three, who would have significant clout in any PPM-led administration, were instrumental in ousting the NCC’s experts and replacing them with retired politicians and supported amendments to the conservation law that would have crippled the council.
Amending the conservation act along the lines suggested by the will make it almost impossible for the PPM to deliver its manifesto promises. Without a robust conservation law and the necessary experts to offer sound, scientific, evidence-based advice, it’s hard to see how the poor decision-making regarding development that has destroyed Cayman’s natural resources would stop.
The PPM has been associated with allowing unfettered development over the last few years. Despite the extensive commitments in the manifesto to protect the environment, voters have said in the CNS online straw poll that they do not trust the party to be good stewards of Cayman’s natural environment, and a box of frozen squid would do better.
See all of the party manifestos in the CNS Library.
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: Analysis
Manifestos are like assholes. Full of shit.
Don’t vote PPM unless you applaud foreign takeover and the destruction of the Cayman we all love. Granting status to the rich and wealthy just makes them richer and us poorer.
I would urge you to check her education credentials. The last time she ran she claimed to have a degree from UCCI in environmental science – which they do not even offer. Turns out she did one course at UCCI and quit. Once she was found out she removed all the posts and messages. Her 10 years of legal experience was a junior administrator at DART. Look at her LINKED IN page. So many candidates inflating their experience and education! Another one on the Panton payroll!
Who are you talking about? Whilst you point seems interesting, it does not tie in to the above article and references to “her” is unclear.
So you couldn’t read the article and comment and see that it referred to the TCCP candidate Emily? I see why they need to fix education
Emily DeFraud
There are several candidates speaking on the environment but which candidates have actually gained qualifications in the environment? Definitely not anyone in tccp or cinp or ppm. So they can all stop taking us for fools
Maybe TCCP can explain this when they are showcasing their wonderful plans for the environment?
https://caymannewsservice.com/2024/08/cabinet-approves-damaging-marine-park-dredging/
They are all silent on this. They are propping up their pretend scientist who forgot she quit her education.
They keep lying to the people but enough is enough
😂
Theses manifestos don’t really suggest how we will pay for any of the grand promises put forward, let alone the environmental ones. The problem with our politicians, which is really just a reflection of the problem with us as voters, is that they are incapable of speaking aloud the truth they know in private – there are real, and painful tradeoffs to be made. Invariably, when it comes to the budget setting process, 90% of these promises will not be kept because either – one, the politicians are too scared to cut existing programmes or direct funding, or two, they run into FFR constraints because they can’t extend the spending any further without new net revenues.
We know the reality of this coming budget cycle. None of the manifestos truly acknowledge this reality, which is a genuine disservice to us all.
This is 100% correct and needs to be addressed by the media directly to the candidates.
Everything considered, intent matters. They can ask us to judge what they say and not what they’ve done but there’s a good track record for the past decade or so to see the content of their character.
Whichever party you choose will come with a side dish of guaranteed corruption or various inexperience in this framework of fiscal constraints.
Which candidates actually have a chance of moving the country forward towards things worth believing in?
Manifestos do not impress me because I know that anyone can have a thorough and detailed plan for achieving a manifesto promise, but once they get in they quickly discover that there are policies and laws in place that make it challenging, difficult even. The machinery is too disjointed, too segmented—too many silos. The right skills sets end up buried under red tape. It’s sad, really.
Exactly! How would an independent achieve anything?
To 3:25pm: Nope; sorry. The problem is the same for parties or independents.
With a 6/5/5/3 split no “promises” will be kept.
It’s just a personality contest, get used to it.
#electoralchangenow
Thank you – my thoughts exactly!
CINP manifesto is to the point and most achievable while benefiting Caymanians.
Sadly – it contains very few specifics – I had hoped for a lot more
what point?
What a bunch of twaddle. There wasn’t anything in ANY of the posted “manifestos” of any substance. A proper manifesto is almost an implied contract with their constituents.
All three, disappointingly, talk about the problems, and identifying what is wrong. Hell, son, we KNOW what is wrong, you don’t have to tell us, we’re LIVING it, right here in real time in the trenches. Disgusts me. You ask almost any of these folk directly what they think about any issue, and you will get a nebulous politician’s answer. Only the very few will tell you what they think. I don’t have to agree with you to vote for you, but you have to at least tell me what you think. Is that so hard?
Yes we know what is wrong and do nothing about it , other than criticize those who are proposing solutions with “ that’s not going to work”.
Don’t vote PPM if you want to help Cayman.