Dan Scott registers ‘Cayman Islands National Party’ as election race takes off

Retired EY partner Dan Scott has registered the name ‘Cayman Islands National Party’ ahead of a planned launch of his new organisation in the coming weeks.

Scott’s group is one of three political parties formally registered, with a little over three months to go until the general election.

The Progressives remain the longest-established group. 

The Caymanian Community Party launched Wednesday with an initial slate of seven candidates led by André Ebanks.

McKeeva Bush has also launched the non-profit Organization for a Better Cayman, which will provide support and backing to candidates.

Meanwhile Scott, who intends to run in Cayman Brac, has been quietly assembling a group of candidates to compete in as many constituencies as possible.

Former Olympic cyclist Craig Merren, businessman Gary Rutty and trade-school owner Michael Myles are among those running alongside Scott.

The party is expected to roll out candidates in different constituencies over the next month ahead of a more formal launch.

Answering questions from the Compass this week, Scott, also a former chair of the Education Council, confirmed he had registered the party name and was preparing to run.

“We are excited by the interest in our new political movement, which is founded on principles of transparency, accountability and community-focused leadership,” he said.

“We chose the name, ‘Cayman Islands National Party’, to clearly demonstrate that we are committed to representing the best interests of our Caymanian citizens and our islands.”

Michael Myles, who plans to run in Prospect, a seat he lost narrowly to Sabrina Turner at the last election, made a video announcement in early January confirming he would be running with Scott’s party.

Describing himself as a “change agent” rather than a politician, he said Cayman’s government needed people who could “get things done”.

“I am frustrated and tired of the same old promises. I am tired of rebrands and relaunches of the same parties, the same groups, the same people who offer very little.”

Saying that independent coalitions have not worked, he added, “I can’t make change on my own. I am excited to tell you I am going to be running with the Cayman Islands National Party.

“This party is new, it’s fresh, it has leaders who have created things, who have innovated, who have built companies … these folks are going to help our country advance.”

For all parties, the process of recruiting candidates is a work in progress ahead of nomination day on 3 March.

Each group is understood to have pencilled in arrangements with candidates who can’t yet be announced. Meanwhile, others, who could run independently or with a group, are still up for grabs.

The public launch of Ebanks’ Caymanian Community Party has lent new urgency to the process. 

Scott said he would be rolling out a team and a vision for the country in short order.

“Our mission is to foster a thriving nation for all Caymanians to achieve their full potential for a higher quality of life in a secure, sustainable, and united Cayman Islands where innovation leads, and business and job opportunities abound for all Caymanians,” he told the Compass.

“We look forward to officially introducing the Cayman Islands National Party to the community in the coming weeks.”

Meanwhile multiple current MPs in what are considered to be safe seats – including Deputy Premier Kenneth Bryan and Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks – have yet to confirm whether they will run with a party or group or as independents.

McKeeva Bush has indicated the Organization for a Better Cayman will back candidates but lacks the formal structure of a political party. He said he is not seeking to be its leader and has thrown his weight behind a number of other MPs including Jay Ebanks, Bryan and Chris Saunders – though only Saunders has confirmed officially that he is working with the former premier and that the pair will support each other.