Referendum
(CNS): The Elections Office has confirmed that the three referendum questions will be on the same ballot paper as the candidates standing in the relevant constituencies. The office will be starting a public awareness and education campaign about the 2025 General Election as soon as the Referendum Bill is enacted following its recent passage in […]
(CNS): Grassroots activists from the Cruise Port Referendum (CPR) campaign and those from the cruise industry’s lobby group, Association for Cruise Tourism in the Cayman Islands (ACT), are locked in a battle that the well-funded pro-cruise group, even before the government begins pouring public cash into the fight, thinks its winning.
(CNS): Elections Supervisor Wesley Howell has confirmed there are no rules in the Referendum Law to prevent anyone from anywhere spending unlimited money to promote any side of the three questions that will be put to voters on 30 April. Deputy Premier Kenneth Bryan successfully steered the bill through the House on Wednesday, which means […]
(CNS): Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan successfully steered through the bill for a government referendum to take place on Election Day, 30 April, after he secured the support of the official opposition. All five members of the Progressives and independent opposition MP Chris Saunders voted ‘yes’, while all five members of TCCP gave the bill a […]
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government’s failure to draft legislation for the regulation of referendums initiated by the CIG or the people means the proposed national vote on cruise berthing facilities, a legalised lottery, and the decriminalisation of ganja use may not be fairly conducted. Activists from Cruise Port Referendum Cayman (CPR) have called on the […]
The case for a national vote for Cabinet leaders
James E. Whittaker writes: One of the most common complaints among the voting populace in the Cayman Islands is the continual lack of positive outcomes on the key issues facing the country: the cost of living, affordable housing, energy, healthcare, education and more. Many of us believe the root cause of this is because our […]
Haven’t we had a referendum on cruise berthing before?
Michelle Lockwood, CPR Cayman, writes: You may be wondering: Why are we having a referendum now? Wasn’t this already decided? The short answer is no. CPR Cayman began a petition for a people-initiated referendum in the summer of 2018. Our petition asked: “Should the cruise berthing facility, a matter of national importance, be decided solely […]
To anyone bashing their MP for going AWOL the past four years
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 […]
Experienced incumbents vs. patriotic candidates
Cayman Sentinel writes: For decades, Caymanian politics has been dominated by the idea that experience is the most valuable asset a candidate can have. Career politicians tell us that because they have been in office before, they are the only ones qualified to lead. They argue that without their knowledge of government operations, the country […]
Repackaged political convenience
Michael Myles writes: As a citizen of my beloved Cayman Islands, I write this with a deep sense of frustration and disgust at how low and dishonest our political landscape has become. On 1 March, I witnessed politics at its worst — a spectacle of hypocrisy disguised as leadership. The chairman of the PPM stood […]
Cascabel 73 writes: There are a few realities that escape voters in our beloved islands. One: No candidate, even if they become a minister, can “change” anything by simply dictating it. In reality, ministers are very limited in what they can do. Even the bills (future laws) they bring are put together by lawyers who do […]
Frankenstein’s monster of Caymanian politics
Unbought Caymanian writes: It’s official — Cayman’s political merry-go-round has taken yet another spin, and we’re right back where we started. The Progressives (PPM), once seen as a somewhat steady hand, have now thrown caution, credibility, and any remaining standards out the window.
Independents, parties and campaign donors
Political Watchdog writes: Yesterday we watched a political telenovela unfold with the second premier and fourth deputy premier walking into parliament. And some people want to blame this on “independents”. Keen observers of Caymanian politics will know this isn’t about being independent or with a party. It’s about the character of the people running and […]
Ideas and oratory versus ‘fridgocracy’
Lite Poll: About 2,500 years ago, the Ancient Greeks developed a radical system of government in which all male citizens voted on the important decisions for their city state. (Slaves and women were not invited.) As democracy progressed, persuasive public speaking became an intrinsic part of politics as men learned, studied and practised the art […]
Same election cliche but new reasons
Charles Clifford writes: Voters are rightly concerned about our 2025 general election. Every four years, we repeat the cliche that “this is the most important election in our history”. That cliche was true for specific reasons in the past, for example, during our post-Hurricane Ivan recovery and again during the COVID-19 pandemic recovery. Read the […]
