In the past week the Peoples Progressive Movement have acted in a way which to us is one of the most bizarre we have seen in Cayman politics.
As we have written before, we support the single member constituency for Grand Cayman.
While a debate in the Legislative Assembly on the motion for the declaration of a matter of public importance for the introduction of the Peoples-initiated referendum on single-member constituencies was in progress, the PPM LA members and the other backbenchers were outside the LA in what they referred to as a “shadow session” debating a motion of no confidence, which is not yet for debate in the LA.
The Legislature is the highest legislative body in the Cayman Islands and should be respected and its traditions upheld.
Speaking generally, once high institutions and high offices such as the Legislature, the courts, the governor and police are not respected the society begins to crumble from within and the country begins to fall (as did mighty Rome, which ruled the then-world for 1,000 years).
Does the public realise that if the UDP had gone outside the LA also or not voted on the motion that the Peoples Initiated Referendum could not take place? The PPM is the party pushing for the referendum and did not vote on that most important (peoples) motion to introduce the referendum law. How childish and disregarding of the people’s wishes.
We pointed out in an earlier letter that under section 70(3) of the constitution a peoples-initiated referendum can only pass “if assented to by more than 50 per cent of persons registered as electors”. However, the Government’s (politician’s) referendum to approve the new Constitution initiated by the last PPM Government was passed by 50 per cent of the registered voters who voted, which was less than 50 per cent of the registered voters needed in a people’s referendum..
Neither the UDP nor the PPM can change section 70 of the constitution now. The PPM Government could have changed it at the constitution negotiations as they did for the politicians’ referendum, which had been drafted the same as the people’s referendum and where the threshold is not specified in the constitution and can be whatever the political party Government says it should be. Furthermore, for four years the last PPM Government could have changed the Elections Law to bring in single member constituencies. PPM did not do so. Therefore the PPM should stop whingeing and support the UDP to get the People’s Referendum.
With an election looming you would think that the electors’ wish for a referendum would be most important to the PPM rather than the no confidence motion. The referendum law was passed by the UDP vote with Leader of Opposition and MLA Tony Eden voting against and the other four Opposition and the “independent” MLAs absent. The Deputy Premier’s position following her constituency’s views on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman is both acceptable and understandable as she stands alone for her peoples’ wishes.
MLAs are paid a sizeable salary to be present in the LA and to take part in the proceedings and be responsible and to vote especially on matters of public importance rather than politicking outside during an LA session especially when one of the peoples most important rights is being debated.
The UDP acted responsibly and maturely by supporting the Peoples Referendum Law and motion even though they do not agree with the single constituency. The LA Members who were voted in by the people have a duty to support the people’s wishes for a referendum, which is far more important than a motion of no confidence which will almost surely fail as did the previous one. Under the new constitution promoted by the PPM, it is nearly impossible in practice to remove the whole government in power. The Premier has been given near absolute power by the new constitution in certain areas of his responsibility.
The PPM and independent MLA’s shadow LA meeting in Hero’s Square may appear to some to be funny but may be looked at internationally as damaging to Cayman’s stability.
Maybe if the last PPM Government had appointed Ms Consuelo Ebanks, (their shadow speaker), as their financial consultant, the Cayman Islands and future generations may had been better off financially and not had the crippling debt for two new schools, the administrative building and private land taken for roads but not paid for which that PPM Government left and/or committed future Governments to repay.
Truman Bodden
John McLean
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The PPM don’t need to worry about the latest letter from the former members of the LA,Mr Bodden Mr McLean, as they can simply ignore it as will other media outlets and radio talk programs. But at some point in time the PPM will be required by voters to produce some answers beyond attacking the Premier. I look forward to that point in time.
The one thing I do not understand is with an election just around the corner, why isn’t Bush’s opponents offering up their ideas of how to fix things. All I hear is the premier did this the premier did that. Is this what their whole campaign is going to be based on. Where are their ideas of what they plan to do about the GT Dump, how are they going to build the port. I am curious if they plan to put a halt on the For Cayman Investment Alliance and other things initiated by the UDP. And if they do what is it that they plan to do to get people back to work, to fight crime, to help people save their home and make Cayman prosper. I’d think these would be the thing people want to hear who are considering voting for them or does it matter.