Gov't. defeated over road name
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See the article in its original context from April 1999.
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The decision was taken in the Legislative Assembly on Wednesday afternoon following debate on a private member's motion moved by Bodden Town MLA Mr. Roy Bodden and seconded by the West Bay MLA Mr. McKeeva Bush.
However, a debate which should have been an honouring of a worthy Caymanian and a stroll down nostalgia lane gained overtones of acrimony when Government failed to lay all its card on the table.
The matter on the order paper was a private member's motion on amendment of the Immigration Law. However its mover, Mr. Bush, asked that they move from that to the road naming motion. A vote was taken and there was a loud "No" from within the Government bench.
Mr. Bodden called for a division, but before the division could be taken, George Town MLA Mr. Linford Pierson suggested a brief suspension to sort out the matter.
Subsequent events revealed that the matter was far from sorted out, Government having held back certain information. The division was taken with eight votes for the road naming motion, five against, one abstention and three absent from the Chamber.
Moving his motion, Mr. Bodden said he understood that this year PWD would be celebrating its 50th anniversary as a modern government department. It would be fitting to choose someone who had served PWD in the "good old days" when things were much more difficult.
The proposal was to name the road after a Caymanian who had headed up PWD when road making was much more difficult. It was a tribute and recognition of dedicated service.
He noted that that Mr. Tibbetts was still around and in good health.
He vividly recalled as a youngster Mr. Tibbetts roaming around Bodden Town with his road gang.
"His diplomatic skills were not too shabby either," he commented, recalling an encounter between his mother and Mr. Tibbetts. Mr. Bush said he always sought to recognise outstanding contributions from Caymanians, no matter from what walk of life they came.
He said that Mr. Tibbetts had joined PWD in 1949, being appointed Superintendent of Works by Sir Hugh Foot, Governor of Jamaica and the Cayman Islands. PWD had a staff of 12 to build and maintain roads, government buildings, lighthouses, telephones, the runway, fogging of the whole island for mosquitoes, and maintain vehicles and heavy equipment. It also included supervision of the Brac. PWD had three wheelbarrows, a few picks, shovels, and hand-beaters made from hardwood.
Later, a second-hand mule-drawn grader was sent from Jamaica. It was hitched to a Studebaker truck to grade roads.
Several years later a roller had been sent from England. The first road it was used on was the entrance to the airport.
Roads were made from marl, which had to be dug by hand Continued on page 14 from page 1 using picks and shovels. Times were hard for everyone. Government had very little money, yet the work had to be done. "The country cannot repay that kind of contribution," he said.
Mr. Tibbetts retired in 1976, but agreed to work in PWD for several years after. Mr. Bush also recalled Mr. Tibbetts' work for the United Church.
On a personal level, Mr. Bush recalled going to Mr. Tibbetts to look for a job when he was 12 so he could work Friday afternoons, when school was out, and Saturdays. He had got a job, and other families had benefited from work given by Mr. Tibbetts. "Can we forget to say thanks?" he asked.
West Bay MLA Mr. Dalmain Ebanks added his tribute. He had known Mr. Tibbetts from the time he came from Cuba. He remembered when he had joined PWD. No one else would take the job. "He worked and he worked on the gang himself," he said.
George Town MLA Dr. Frank McField thought it important for a country to afford the privilege to name public buildings and roads after its citizens. Replying for Government, Minister for Works Mr. Thomas Jefferson did not believe there was any part of Government that did not appreciate work done by Mr. Tibbetts. He too remembered his encounters with Mr. Tibbetts, and others, when a youngster. The only difficulty Government had was that last year ExCo had said to the Governor, Mr. John Owen, that it wanted to name the Harquail bypass the John Owen Parkway. He pointed out that a number of roads had been named after previous administrators and a governor.
They had been bound by the Governor not to publish it until after he had left. Mr. Jefferson said that what they were thinking, though it had not been put to ExCo, was to name the Crewe Road bypass after Mr. Tibbetts. Mr. Tibbetts deserved recognition. Government would appreciate it if they amended the motion. He suggested the name would apply from Walkers Road all the way to Frank Sound.
Mr. Jefferson moved a motion to the affect that "Harquail bypass" be deleted and "Crewe Road bypass" be inserted. Mr. Bush indicated he was not changing his mind. Government should have communicated with them. It could have done it quietly.
Minister Truman Bodden said Mr. Tibbetts was very deserving of having a major road named after him. The amendment would allow ExCo to keep what had already been done while naming a major road after Mr. Tibbetts.
He said that the decision had been taken a while back. They had hoped the motion would be coming up next week, as the announcement was already in train to go out.
He hoped members would take a logical approach to the matter.
MLA Bodden pointed out that Government could have come to them. "Why is it Government allowed itself to be placed in this embarrassing position," he asked. He was not convinced of the purity of Government's intentions. It was a flimsy excuse. Was it not easy for Government to name the road proposed after the Governor and let the motion stand?
They had contacted Mr. Tibbetts' family months ago. The motion was tabled months ago. ExCo could have come to them and said it had a little problem. Mr. Pierson said that in his efforts to resolve the matter he did not know Government had other intentions. The amendment seemed to be coming somewhat late. He made the point that Mr. Tibbetts lives very close to the Harquail bypass.
Bodden Town MLA Miss Heather Bodden said that they should do what they had to do while Mr. Tibbetts was still alive. As her mother often told her children, "Give me the flowers while I am alive."
George Town MLA Mr. Kurt Tibbetts rose to speak but at this point Minister Jefferson conceded and withdrew his amendment. Speaking to the motion, Mr. Tibbetts said he had not intended to speak as, bearing the same surname, some might have thought he had personal reasons for pushing. That was not the case.
What Government had said reminded him of what he had heard asked on the street: why, when it comes to awards, some people slave all their life and get a certificate and badge of honour but those who dress better get an MBE or OBE.
