(CNS): There are three political parties competing for power in the upcoming elections, and each party wants to see their leader as the next premier. But unless one of the parties ends up with a strong majority of ten, consisting of their own MPs and close associates, a coalition government at the end of the […]
(CNS): With two new candidates on their platform, The Cayman Community Party is now fielding five women from a slate of nine candidates, the most of any political party at this point. Natasha Whitelocke and Robert Bodden have announced their intention to run for office on the TCCP ticket in Red Bay and Bodden Town […]
(CNS): As the campaign season begins, roadside billboards and signs relating to the general election do not require planning permission. However, the National Roads Authority and the Department of Planning have issued regulations to ensure the boards don’t interfere with road safety. Political signs must not exceed 128sqft in size and must adhere to other […]
(CNS): Sustainable Cayman’s Ambassadors are calling on candidates and political parties in the upcoming general election to prioritise genuine sustainability as part of their policy platforms. They have laid out the ten commitments they want would-be leaders to make in a Blueprint for a Resilient and Thriving Future, including choosing the greener East-West Arterial extension […]
(CNS): Chris Saunders (BTW) has said he will not be joining the PPM, but out of the three political parties running in the upcoming general election, they are the group he is most inclined to back. He claimed the party has a “social conscience”, despite his past criticisms of the Progressives for the excessive concessions […]
(CNS): Just five weeks before Nomination Day and the official start of the general election campaign, the minority UPM administration, which lost its mandate to govern almost four months ago, is seeking to change the Cayman Islands Constitution. During a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, the remaining five ministers voted to accept a draft motion recommending […]
(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): Twelve independent candidates were elected to office in 2021 alongside seven members of the PPM following a race in which 38 of the 50 candidates campaigned outside of a party or team. Eleven of the twelve elected independents formed PACT, and Dwayne Seymour, who ran in an alliance with the PPM, joined them later. […]
(CNS): The PPM has finally confirmed that Roy Tatum will be the party’s candidate for Red Bay in April, succeeding six-term MP and former premier Sir Alden McLaughlin. Tatum, a long-time member of the Progressives who has been working behind the scenes for many years to help shape party policy, will be stepping into the […]
(CNS): Dan Scott has revealed the twelfth candidate who will be running for office on the Cayman Islands National Party ticket in April. Dawn Thomas is another corporate executive and entrepreneur, as Scott sticks with recruiting individuals to his team who have never before served as MPs.
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 […]
