Tibbetts quitting as PPM leader

In a broadcast statement early
Wednesday afternoon, the leader of Cayman’s opposition People’s Progressive Movement
announced that he would step down from that position.

Kurt Tibbetts’ resignation as party
leader and as leader of the opposition will take effect early in 2011 by which
time a new leader will have been chosen. Mr. Tibbetts is expected to stay on as
a member of the Legislative Assembly for the remainder of his elected term.

“Nothing is going to change except
that someone else will shoulder the responsibility of leadership,” he said.

It was not immediately clear,
however, whether Mr. Tibbetts would seek re-election. He did say he would
remain involved in politics as a member of the People’s Progressive Movement.

“This is as important to me as it
has ever been,” he said. “I am not going anywhere.”

Mr. Tibbetts said he would hold a
public meeting Thursday night at the Seafarer’s Hall to explain his reasons for
stepping down as PPM leader.

The Cayman Islands’ Constitution
requires that government or opposition leadership changes be announced at least
60 days in advance of their taking effect. The Opposition Leader is appointed
by the Cayman Islands Governor once a majority of elected opposition party
members assent to that individual’s leadership.

Mr. Tibbetts said they would hold a
special conference to hash out leadership issues early in 2011 and hold a party
convention later in the year. He said he would stay on as party leader until those
matters were resolved.

“There will be no time when the
party does not have a functioning leader,” he said.

A new leader is not the only change
in store for the PPM. Mr. Tibbetts said that a deputy opposition leader – a
position that does not currently exist – would be elected at the conference, as
well as new general secretary, a position he said has been vacant for some
time.

In addition, party chairman Anton
Duckworth, during a previous interview with the Observer on Sunday, indicated
he might not remain in that position over the medium-term.

“Frankly, I’m getting a bit too old
to be sitting in this chair,” Mr. Duckworth said in the interview, which was
conducted in early October. He did not elaborate.

There has also been speculation
that Bodden Town MLA Anthony Eden, who will be 67 by the time of the 2013
elections, will not seek office again. Mr. Eden has not addressed that issue
publicly.

If Mr. Tibbetts and Mr. Eden were
not to run in 2013, that would leave George Town MLA Alden McLaughlin, East End
member Arden McLean, and Sister Islands representative Moses Kirkconnell as the
three remaining elected opposition party members. The party leader and deputy
leader must both be elected members of the Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Tibbetts said any of his current
elected colleagues have the qualities he would look for in the next PPM party
leader.

“Either one of my colleagues would
be able to fill that position,” he said. The George Town MLA said he took full
responsibility for the PPM’s general election loss in 2009.

He also said there is a clear need
to bring “new blood” into the party.

“Immediately after the 2009 general
election, I advised my PPM colleagues that I should not be the one to lead the
PPM in the next general election,” Mr. Tibbetts said. “However, that was not
the moment to create further worries in the movement.” 

He said the party needs to sort out
the question of new leadership ahead of the 2013 elections to be effective.

“We will win,” Mr. Tibbetts said,
referring to the next general election.