Editorial for 31 May: Silence is not golden

It’s been about a week or so since this newspaper reported
on two rather serious issues involving Cayman Islands’ government ministers.

One is a personal problem, another is a question of proper
governance. 

Since these reports have arisen, many people have commented
on the matters. However, none of those individuals commenting are named Rolston
Anglin or Juliana O’Connor-Connolly.

With regard to these particular issues, it is our view that
silence is not golden.

Minister Anglin’s problem regarding his reported arrest on
suspicion of DUI is before the court, so fair enough if he doesn’t want to say
anything about the incident itself. However, there are lingering questions over
what he and his government will do as far as keeping him in that position. Is
he going to continue as education minister for the time being? It seems the
territory should be given an explanation about that at least.

Deputy Premier O’Connor-Connolly’s matter is more of a
governance concern. Auditor General Alastair Swarbrick didn’t exactly say the
paving of some 50-odd private parking lots in Cayman Brac with public funds was
illegal, but it was clear that the agency found no evidence those payments were
ever approved by the Legislative Assembly.

This requires some explanation, surely. As when we first
reported the matter last year, the deputy premier has declined multiple
invitations to talk about the Brac paving. We are told that she will speak
about the matter in the Legislative Assembly at a date yet to be determined.

Hopefully, this will occur sooner rather than later.

Premier McKeeva Bush, when faced with allegations of three
separate police investigations against him, decided to speak publicly about the
matter. We applaud him for doing so. We hope his government members will have
the same fortitude.