(CNS): As Cayman voters prepare to answer the referendum question about whether or not the Cayman Islands Government should develop cruise berthing facilities, respected regional economist Marla Dukharan has presented a report challenging the idea that it would be the answer to the declining cruise calls.
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 […]
(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): 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 trees are counting on you. Vote wisely
Theresa Green writes: If the trees could vote tomorrow, we all know which party they won’t be voting for. And given that they don’t have the advantage of opposable thumbs, the more than 25,000 registered voters who do must use them wisely. Cayman’s environment is under the greatest threat it has ever faced, and the […]
McTaggart is in the wrong party and should jump ship
Political Pollyanna writes: Roy McTaggart is currently campaigning for his fourth term in office. In 2012, after a successful career as an auditor, he retired as managing director of KMPG Cayman and the British Virgin Islands and ran for office for the first time in May the next year. In that election, he was supported […]
Ezra writes: Our political sphere has risen to new heights; in the upcoming election, there will be three political parties in the fray. Of the three, there is one which has had a trajectory of winning and screwing up with loyal blindfolded members who either are part of the KT old pose or are receivers […]
Elite class in Cayman politics: progress or power trip?
101 writes: In this election season, we are seeing more of a certain breed of candidate stepping into the political arena: wealthy, media-trained professionals with deep pockets and polished campaign teams. They look the part, speak the part, and seem to have spared no expense in branding themselves as Cayman’s next saviours. But beneath the […]
Buzzwords aren’t budgets: it’s time for truth in Cayman politics
Caymanian for Accountability writes: As a concerned Caymanian, I write not in anger but in deep frustration. We are being sold dreams without price tags, promises without plans, and slogans without accountability. In April 2025, the Cayman Islands Government is forecast to run a CI$26.2 million deficit. Next year, the deficit climbs to CI$44 million. […]
Weaker candidates should step aside for a clearer victory
Cayman Sentinel writes: In democratic elections, competition is healthy. It fosters debate, challenges the status quo, and offers voters a diverse array of choices. However, when an election is cluttered with too many candidates in a single constituency, the result is often not a fairer fight but a fractured electorate. The simple reality is that the […]
Why younger candidates deserve a seat at the table
Cayman Sentinel writes: In every election cycle, the call for fresh leadership echoes across the political landscape. Voters express frustration with stagnation, with decisions that seem out of touch with modern realities, and with representatives whose tenure spans decades. Yet, when young candidates step forward — eager, passionate, and determined to make a difference — their […]
Creating a better future through better politics in Cayman
Michael Myles writes: Caymanians deserve honest, solutions-driven leadership, not more of the same political games. I understand that in politics, criticism is inevitable. I expected the usual personal attacks, dishonesty, exaggerations, and political interference, especially from paid social media pages and their surrogates, some of whom hide behind anonymous accounts while profiting from the division […]
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 […]