Tag: Wayne Panton
Stormwater issues become Cayman’s latest crisis
(CNS): The long-term and obvious neglect by past and present politicians, civil servants and board appointees of stormwater management appears to be no closer to being resolved than it was in the wake of Hurricane Ivan some two decades ago. As Cayman prepares for more days of heavy rain and subsequent flooding, former premier Wayne […]
Panton $1.6M loan to Turner not connected to election
(CNS): A CI$1.64 million loan made by former premier Wayne Panton to Health Minister Sabrina Turner to enable her to buy a house was not connected to the horsetrading among MPs in the wake of the 2021 election, as the agreement was not made until April of last year. While concerns have been raised that […]
UPM divided over additional referendum questions
(CNS): Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan still supports adding more topics to the referendum that the UPM government has said it is going to hold before the end of the year on the question of cruise berthing facilities. Speaking on Radio Cayman, Bryan, who acknowledged that he is known in some circles as “Referendum Man”, said […]
Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill still under review by MPs
(CNS): The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, which has gone through multiple rounds of public consultation and stakeholder review since Cabinet approved drafting instructions for the legislation in 2022, is still under review. The minister responsible for gender affairs, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, has revealed that the bill was reconsidered by Caucus just a few months ago and members […]
New climate policy edited by MPs and already gathering dust
(CNS): The new climate policy appears to be in danger of suffering the same fate as its predecessor and has already begun gathering dust on a government shelf, having been presented to the PACT caucus by then-premier Wayne Panton almost a year ago. In parliament last week, Panton asked the current sustainability minister what had […]
UPM dumps ‘untenable’ Dart deal for ReGen
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government is going through the process of withdrawing from the deal it signed with a Dart-led consortium to take on the country’s waste management problem and the construction of a waste-to-energy facility. What had become the UPM’s worst kept secret was finally revealed in parliament on Thursday when Sustainability Minister Katherine […]
Speaker: MP’s code of conduct will need force of law
(CNS): Speaker Alden McLaughlin has called for legislation to support a proposed voluntary code of conduct for MPs that he hopes will be accepted by them all before this parliament ends next year. McLaughlin said that members were now close to consensus on the code, which has been under consideration for at least three years, […]
Premier offers mixed message on changes to NCA
(CNS): Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly stated at a press briefing on Friday that the UPM Government is not going to remove the scientists from the National Conservation Council and will not weaken the National Conservation Act in any way. However, she also said that changes will be made to the legislation, and an amendment bill is […]
Opposition urges CIG to ‘come clean’ on ReGen
(CNS): As speculation mounts that talks between the Cayman Islands Government and Dart over the future of the waste management project, ReGen, have completely broken down, the opposition is urging the CIG to break its silence on the status of the project and “come clean” to the people about what is going on. Deputy Opposition […]
Gutting the NCA: Why no consultation?
Wayne Panton MP writes: It appears the UPM government is determined to undermine the National Conservation Act (NCA), Cayman’s most important piece of environmental legislation. What’s more, the government intends to gut the NCA with no mandate to do so by the people of these islands and, in fact, without any public consultation whatsoever. Why […]
‘Absurd’ attack on NCA a ‘corrupt initiative’ says Panton
(CNS): Former premier Wayne Panton MP (NEW) has accused the developer lobby of a “corrupt initiative” to influence the UPM into amending the National Conservation Act to allow them free rein. In a scathing attack on his former colleagues, Panton has said the same agenda that drove him from Cabinet is driving the “absurd attack” […]
