Editorial for 11 March: Say what you support

Much has been said about a desire among the
Cayman Islands electorate to look at “independent” candidates in the upcoming
general election.

Indeed, there is quite a bit of criticism
one might level at the political party structure, particularly as it has been
applied in the Cayman Islands (one could reasonably argue that Cayman has never
actually had “proper” political parties, but we digress). In any case, voter
discontent with the two-party system seems to be at an all-time high.

One of the stated advantages of having
organised political structures – and whether this has actually worked out in
Cayman is perhaps debatable – is voters know beforehand what exactly it is that
such a group of like-minded individuals will attempt to do if and when elected.

Surely, politics is the art of compromise
and we are not naïve enough to believe that everything a candidate promises or
proposes prior to an election date is what will occur afterward.

However, at the root of all political
campaigns is the key proposition that they are an exploration through the
garden of ideas. Democracy, in its best form, truly allows candidates who would
lead a country to bring what they support to the fore so, in the purest sense,
the person or group with the best ideas can win.

Yet it has to be said that, at least from
our point of view, we don’t hear very many “ideas” coming out of anyone at this
stage of the proceedings. There’s a lot of talk about “bringing people
together”, the “divisive brand of party politics” being passé and then the
inevitable follow-up verbal slams of one’s closest opponents. But we have to
say that the general public doesn’t seem to have much of a clue about what any
of these groups now vying for elected office will do once they get in.

If there is to be a coalition government,
then some of that will obviously have to be debated after 22 May. Right now,
however, each individual candidate, whether party affiliated or not, should
spend considerable time over the next two and a half months stating what plans
and ideas they do support. This, above all, is what voters have a right to
know.