(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): 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): PPM Leader Joey Hew made an unequivocal entreaty to Kenneth Bryan on Friday to join the Progressives team. Bryan, who began his political career with the party, has been very complimentary about its members in recent weeks, dropping heavy hints about joining forces, but he has not confirmed either way his intentions for 2025. […]
(CNS): The Progressives have formally announced that Justin Ebanks will be wearing their team colours when he makes his third bid for election in his home district of North Side in April. Ebanks ran as an independent candidate in the constituency in 2017, when he received 12.63% of the vote, and in 2021, when he […]
(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): Alva Suckoo, the deputy leader of the opposition during the 2017-2021 parliament, has returned to the PPM team as a full member as he makes another bid for the Newlands seat he lost to Wayne Panton in the 2021 election while running on the PPM’s Alliance platform as an independent. This time, Suckoo, who […]
(CNS): Barbara Conolly, the deputy leader of the opposition and long-time member of the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), has confirmed she will not run for re-election in April and is retiring from frontline politics after two terms as the representative for George Town South. Conolly has endorsed Craig “Festa” Frederick, one of the Progressives’ new […]
(CNS): The People’s Progressive Movement (PPM) will hold its annual conference on 1 March, just two days before the official start of the 2025 General Election campaign on Nomination Day. The party plans to field a candidate in most of the 19 constituencies, which means there will be a number of new faces on the […]
(CNS): Joey Hew, the Progressives leader-in-waiting, has said that he and his party will make a concerted effort in the coming weeks to raise voters’ awareness of how government and politics work in the Cayman Islands. Hew said that a poll and round-table discussions commissioned by the party had revealed a lack of knowledge of […]
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 […]
