Tag: Wayne Panton
PACT may increase gun crime penalties
(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton has said that the Cayman Islands Government is considering increasing the penalties relating to the possession of unlicensed firearms in light of the persistent reports of gun violence across the islands. Following a National Security Council meeting on Tuesday, he said that they had agreed to review the Firearms Act (2008 […]
CPA queries climate ministry’s role in national plan
(CNS): The Central Planning Authority held a meeting last month about the review of the National Development Plan, though no details about what people can expect to see once this long-awaited plan is complete have been released. The minutes reveal that the CPA chairman had concerns that the proposed timetable “seemed quite aggressive” and that […]
Inflation slowing down but prices still climbing
(CNS): The price of food, rent, utilities and clothes all increased during the second quarter of this year. The local inflation rate is still rising, even though it has slowed down to 4.1% from its peak of over 12% in the summer of 2022. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) between March and June was 130.4, […]
Seymour paints dim picture of PACT
(CNS): Dwayne Seymour MP (BTE) said the PACT coalition was going down the wrong road and that he was concerned about the future of the Cayman Islands when he resigned from Cabinet last month. He described the atmosphere in the current caucus as “cantankerous”, even suggesting that he had “parted fights” and that he wasn’t […]
Budget under pressure from those in need
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Government has agreed to look at increasing the ex gratia pension paid to retired civil servants, though Social Development Minister André Ebanks warned that this might be very difficult, given the budget constraints caused by the recent increase in long-term financial assistance payments. These stipends were recently increased from CI$950 to […]
Labour Force Survey reveals leap in expat workers
(CNS): “Growth cannot come at the cost of peace of mind and quality of life,” Premier Wayne Panton said Thursday as the Economics and Statistics Office released its Spring 2023 Labour Force Survey. The results show a record-breaking leap in the workforce of almost 8% since the spring of 2022, fuelled by a growth in […]
Premier: Seven Mile Public Beach not subject to ‘swap’
(CNS): Premier Wayne Panton has dismissed the idea that Seven Mile Public Beach will be part of a land swap deal. In a statement posted on his social media platforms on Thursday, he said the rumours were “absolute nonsense” and simply “not true” and stressed that the beach would not be swapped for London House, […]
PPM accuse PACT of heading for 2023 deficit
(CNS): Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart has said the Progressives abstained on every vote during last month’s Finance Committee because of concerns that the PACT Government is heading towards a budget deficit for this year. In a recent statement, McTaggart, who has also urged PACT to increase welfare support and other spending, said government expenditure was […]
PPM watching and waiting for PACT’s demise
(CNS): The Progressives are not planning to push for a no-confidence vote in the government, despite the ever-growing differences within PACT, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart and his deputy, Joey Hew, revealed last week and implied that they are, instead, watching and waiting for the coalition of independents to implode. Hew said the Progressives were not […]
Surplus expectations fall to low of CI$3.3M
(CNS): Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson admitted to parliament on Tuesday that the government might be sailing very close to the wind with the revised expectations on this year’s budget. Spending by the end of this year is expected to reach over CI$1.03 billion, an unprecedented amount, leaving the government with a surplus of just $3.3 […]
Donkeys, developers and deaf ears
Wendy Ledger writes: Dwayne “John-john” Seymour MP owes Wayne Panton an apology after his unfounded public attack during his resignation speech Friday. The ex-minister chose to cross the floor and join the government in 2021 when he knew what Panton’s agenda was. But as someone who is still waiting for an apology from that minister […]
