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KIDS CLUB MALEFICENT (PG) SATURDAY 10AM VIP AVAILABLE PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY: Cayman Compass Ltd. Compass Centre, Shedden Road, George Town, Cayman Islands SEND US YOUR VIEWS OR NEWS: P.O. Box 1365 Grand Cayman, KY1-1108 Cayman Islands Telephone: (345) 815-0095 Email: newsdesk@compassmedia.ky ADVERTISE WITH US: T: (345) 949-5111 E: sales@compassmedia.ky W: caymancompass.com PUBLISHER KATHLEEN CAPETTA EDITORINCHIEF KEVIN MORALES weather 87°F HIGH 74°F LOW Friday Forecast FORECAST Partly cloudy skies with a 20% chance of showers. SEA STATE Slight to moderate with wave heights of 2 to 4 feet. SAT 88°F HIGH 74°F LOW SUN 88°F HIGH 76°F LOW MON 88°F HIGH 76°F LOW TUES 88°F HIGH 76°F LOW WED 88°F HIGH 76°F LOW FRI 88°F HIGH 74°F LOW caymancompass.comfacebook.com/caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass WINDS East to southeast at 5 to 10 knots. FIND US ONLINE Caymancompass.com Facebook.com/Caycompass cayman_compass@cayCompassCayman Compass Cayman votes Across the Cayman Islands, 17,387 voters cast their ballots on 14 April, on an historic day in which the electorate selected their candidates for Parliament, following the change in nomenclature of the legislature in 2019. All 12 incumbents retained their seats, with seven newcomers also winning. More detailed analysis on the election can be found throughout this edition of the Compass. COVID-19 update As of 15 April, Cayman had 22 active cases of COVID-19, all of which are confi ned to incoming travellers currently in isolation. Two of the cases are symptomatic, but none have required hospitalisation. The latest fi gure brings the total number of COVID-19 cases in the Cayman Islands to 523. To date, 60,637 Pfi zer- BioNTech vaccines have been administered in Cayman, with 33,544 people receiving at least one dose of the vaccine, representing 52% of the estimated population of 65,000; 42% have completed the two- dose course. The number of people in isolation, either at a government facility or in their homes, stood at 717 on 15 April. More than 100 vaccinated at youth drive Public health offi cials said 123 people aged between 16 and 24 received their COVID-19 vaccines at an inoculation drive and street party on 9 April. The event took place at Camana Bay, where medical staff vaccinated people at the Doctors Hospital clinic. Thanking all those who attended on Friday, Chief Medical Offi cer Dr. John Lee urged other young people still considering taking the vaccine to speak to their peers about the experience. “At the end of the day, being vaccinated against COVID-19 is perhaps the most important step that we can take to keep ourselves and our loved ones safe from this disease and the risks that it poses to the future of the Cayman Islands,” Lee said in a statement issued on Monday. Ministry of Health mum on replacing MRCU director The Ministry of Health is keeping quiet on the absence of Mosquito Research and Control Unit Director Dr. James McNelly, amid rumours that his contract has not been renewed. As of 12 April, the MRCU’s website stated Dr. Alan Wheeler, the unit’s deputy director, was now acting in McNelly’s stead. In addition, McNelly is no longer listed on the site. It is not clear how long Wheeler has been the acting director, nor if he will take on the role permanently. In August, Nellie Pouchie, the ministry’s acting chief offi cer, told the then-Legislative Assembly there was an internal investigation under way, following a leaked letter of no-confi dence against McNelly, which alleged that under “his leadership the mosquito population was spreading across the island”. The fi ndings of the investigation have not been made public. School bus collision in Frank Sound; four taken to hospital Four people were transported to hospital 12 April following a collision between a school bus and another vehicle in Frank Sound. A “small fire” broke out on the bus following impact, 911 Emergency Communications Centre officials told the Cayman Compass. The four people involved in the collision all received non-life threatening injuries, according to 911. An audio note issued by Mark Ray from the Department of Education Services confi rmed that no students were on the bus when the collision occurred as it was on its way to pick them up for school. The accident happened shortly before 6am at the junction of Frank Sound Road and Seaview Road, 911 offi cials said. North Side family fi nds message in a bottle Casual walks along Cayman’s shoreline can yield notable treasures, and one North Side family discovered a once-in- a-lifetime gem in an emerald coloured bottle – a handwritten message from across the seas. “We were so thrilled,” Patricia DaCosta told the Cayman Compass in an interview last week as she carefully unfolded the note she extracted from the bottle. DaCosta and her family were holidaying in East End when she noticed the bottle laying at her feet. The note inside stated: “Thrown into the ocean on 6 Dec 2017 somewhere between the Bahamas and Florida. If you fi nd this, drop us a line and let us know where it ended up.” The note was signed Darren and Shannon, a couple from Evansville, Indiana. It also contained their email address. When the DaCostas got home, they sent an email to the address listed. “The next day we got a response from the writers saying how ecstatic they were that it had been discovered. They indicated that they thought perhaps the bottle had been washed on a deserted beach or uninhabited beach somewhere because it had been so long that they’d thrown it in the ocean,” she said. The DaCosta family plans to reuse the bottle. “We intend to use it to throw our own note into the ocean. We thought that would be a nice gesture,” she said. Four people were transported to the hospital 12 April following a collision between a school bus and another vehicle in Frank Sound. - Photo: Michael Klein North Side resident Patricia DaCosta displays the note she found in a bottle that was tossed in the ocean three years ago off the Florida coast. - Photo: Reshma Ragoonath news in brief cayman compass 2 N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021RESHMA RAGOONATH JAMES WHITTAKER Progressives leader Roy McTaggart has announced that he has secured an agreement of 10 elected members enabling his party to form a coalition government with him as premier. This is the latest twist in the unfolding battle to form a government following the general election on 14 April. The deal involves two MPs, Prospect’s Sabrina Turner and East End’s Isaac Rankine, who had previously been announced as part of Wayne Panton’s proposed coalition of independents. That alliance now appears to have crumbled, though there remains potential for further political moves. McTaggart said in a statement issued in the early hours of 16 April, “I am pleased to confi rm that we have an agreement with 10 elected members (including himself) to form the Government and to elect me as Premier. “This will allow the country to have a stable Government and continuity as we address the rebuilding from Covid,” he wrote in the brief announcement, which came just after midnight. The deals with Turner and Rankine, if they hold, would give the Progressives and their partners the 10 seats needed to take power. North Side MP Johany ‘Jay’ Ebanks’ signature block appears on the agreement document, but is unsigned. The latest announcement comes after intense and lengthy negotiations through the night of 15 April. Both Rankine and Ebanks faced repeated social media attacks and active campaigns from commenters to dissuade them from joining with the Roy McTaggart-led Progressives. This latest deal follows a statement earlier in the day in which Wayne Panton, newly elected Newlands MP, announced he had joined forces with nine other independents, and intended to form Cayman’s new government, dubbed PACT. (For more, see page 5.) Negotiations have been going on since the results were confi rmed on election night. Initially the Progressives alliance, which won eight seats, expressed confi dence that they would have the numbers to secure a government in coalition with two or more independents. At that time, they apparently believed they had agreements to partner with Rankine and Ebanks. However, things changed overnight as Panton said he had pulled together a team of 10 independents. The Progressives responded to the news by issuing their own statement in the early evening of 15 April, claiming the negotiations to form a government were far from over. McTaggart indicated they were still in talks with independent candidates and their representatives in the hope of reassembling a coalition that Progressives leaders thought was in place when the results were announced on election night. McTaggart said he believed the results of the election showed the country wanted his team to continue. Eight of the 12 candidates running on a Progressives alliance ticket were elected. At that time, McTaggart acknowledged that Panton had taken a letter of intent to the governor but he said the negotiations were continuing and the Progressives were hopeful they could still form a government. All partnerships, written or otherwise, are tentative until the fi rst session of Parliament when the new members are sworn in. It remains possible that the latest coalition could fall before then. Roy McTaggart, pictured celebrating on election night, announced he had formed a government just after midnight, 16 April. - Photo: Taneos Ramsay Scan of document containing 10 signatures of the MPs agreeing to form a Progressives-led government. Progressives claim formation of government, breaking Panton’s PACT cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021 31234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13141516 17 181920 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Gulf (5) 4 Fellow soldier (7) 8 Small hole-piercing tool (3) 9 Journey there and back (5,4) 10 Ask as a favour (7) 11 Spread on (5) 13 Almost (6) 15 Depart suddenly (6) 18 Devoutness (5) 19 Supercilious (4-3) 21 Act rashly (5,4) 23 Compete (3) 24 Gathering of crops (7) 25 Showing poor taste (5) DOWN 1 Acute vexation (7) 2 Equal in score (3,6) 3 To combine (5) 4 Irritable (6) 5 Act as go-between (7) 6 Melody (3) 7 Unoccupied (5) 12 Cause great confusion (4,5) 14 Outfit for newborn child (7) 16 Earthenware vessels (7) 17 Frustrate (6) 18 To fling (5) 20 To hail (5) 22 Disfigure (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 16667 The numbers in the black cells are clues. Numbers above the slash are across clues. Number below the slash are down clues. The goal is to enter digits 1 - 9 in the white cells to add up to the number clues. You cannot enter any digit more than once when adding up to clue. TODAY'S SOLUTIONS Puzzle 16667 ACROSS: 1 Chasm, 4 Comrade, 8 Awl, 9 Round trip, 10 Request, 11 Apply, 13 Nearly, 15 Decamp, 18 Piety, 19 High-hat, 21 Tempt fate, 23 Vie, 24 Harvest, 25 Tacky. DOWN: 1 Chagrin, 2 All square, 3 Merge, 4 Crusty, 5 Mediate, 6 Air, 7 Empty, 12 Play havoc, 14 Layette, 16 Pottery, 17 Thwart, 18 Pitch, 20 Greet, 22 Mar. cartoon Wrong room - By Caymanman During this election season, the perennial issue of securing jobs for Caymanians remains high on the agenda. When COVID hit, it was hoped that Caymanians could get into the jobs left by work-permit holders who had left. But it seems that this has not happened to any noticeable extent and the jury is still out as to whether the efforts of Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman will bear fruit. Supplementary efforts seem to be necessary. An amendment to regulation 6(1) of the Immigration Regulations, which can be done by Cabinet, is necessary. That regulation says that when an application for a work permit is made, the immigration board “may” ask for details regarding the training of Caymanians and succession planning. Changing this to “shall” is likely to be more effective. Efforts to change this have been resisted. Also, section 26(1)(f) of the Public Service Management Law provides that if the qualifications of two or more people “rank broadly at the same level, Caymanians shall be given preference”. This does not give Caymanians any real advantage. What is needed is a provision that says that if a Caymanian qualifies, they must be appointed even if there is a non-Caymanian who has better qualifications, unless the Caymanian has particular deficiencies. That is what other countries do. Indeed, if the person is already in that particular entity, they should be promoted without the job being advertised, or there must be an internal advertisement. The reader may remember that it was originally declared by government that rollover was to apply also to government. But the usual scare tactics resulted in the policy being withdrawn. Thus, the civil service, already bloated with recipients of premature mass grants of status, now could not roll over anybody. Some of those have now established little empires systematically keeping Caymanians down. My point is that if successive governments cannot legislatively make significant changes with respect to government, they should stop complaining about the private sector, which is more difficult to police, even with an amendment to section 6(1) of the Immigration Regulations. Bilika Simamba I love the Cayman Islands, I even got married on the island 10 years ago. I want to go back and stay for a week and put my feet on Seven Mile Beach. This is why it is important that the government work with the tourism industry on setting up a plan to fully reopen to tourism. Travellers are starved to go on vacation. Many are planning (or have planned) summer vacation. If the country can put forth a plan to fully reopen and market that plan to tourists, the tourists will come. But the country needs to act now. People have been stuck in their houses for too long; they will go to whatever place can provide them a wonderful vacation. If Cayman can act now, then it will be in a good position to capture the tourism dollars. But a solution needs to be mapped out very shortly. So please work together to come up with a safe solution to fully reopen the island soon. David Peedin Focus must be on employing Caymanians Gov't must make plan for tourists' return What they’re saying OnlineLetters to the editor 61% of Cayman’s eligible population vaccinated Great progress! Hopefully when the border reopens (surely safely and in phases) children under 16 won’t be penalised with a full 15-day quarantine if we have a sufficient percent of over 16s vaccinated. – Jackie Myles I’m ready to come in July so hopefully we won’t have to quar- antine by then. – Opal Herr Line em up! I just had my sec- ond shot! Ready to come down and help out the economy! – Laurie Lang Deters Tourism leaders seek clear path to reopening We’ve been vaccinated and are ready to come spend our money on the island. I’ll happily take a test when I get off the plane. – Janet Reed Price Yes, vaccinated people can still be carriers and transmit the virus. Vaccination does not prevent you from spreading the virus! It protects the person be- ing vaccinated from severe illness and death (hopefully). – Patti Moffatt Hoping the borders will open soon, can’t wait to book my flight. Got my vaccine and want to see my family ASAP! – Sophia Bera I’m vaccinated and have reservations that were rebooked from last year. Please open up. – Elizabeth Russell We are fully vaccinated and are excited to come back ASAP! – Megan Drusedum Fully vaccinated and, unlike some idiots, I’d be happy to carry a vaccine passport in order to get back to paradise. – Rex Van Zant Anti-Corruption Commission opts not to share pledge names LOL! What a joke. Of course, it leaves a bad taste in the mouths of voters! Until elected officials are held to a higher standard than regular citizens and residents, there is no home for an honest and citizen- focussed government. With our tiny island population and strong economic underpinning, Cayman has every opportunity to have one of the best-run countries in the Caribbean and even the world. It’s up to voters to protect the legacy of the future of our country by insisting all candidates subscribe to the anti-corruption policy. After all, it is the power of the vote that is the real power in Cayman. Use that power wisely! – Rodney Barnett Next it’ll be “The Elections Office have declined to release the election results as it might disenfranchise those that did not get elected.” We have so much maturing to do in our democracy. – Troy Leacock I do get the inference, but isn’t that the whole point? To be held ‘publicly’ accountable (as these aren’t legally necessary to be an elected official). If not, what’s really the point then? – James Whittaker (James Whittaker is not related to Compass journalist James Whittaker.) cayman compass 4 news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021First Wayne Panton and then Roy McTaggart announced on 15 April that they had sealed an agreement to form the government. Panton had asked Governor Martyn Roper to call a meeting of Parliament next week to swear in the elected members and formally appoint him as premier in accordance with the Constitution of the Cayman Islands. But McTaggart later announced he had secured deals with two independents to form a Progressives-led coalition with himself as premier. There could yet be further twists. Here, we explain how that process works and try to answer some of the key questions surrounding the issue. How is the premier chosen? Under the Constitution, if a political party wins the majority of the seats in Parliament, their leader is appointed premier. That didn’t happen on 14 April, however, with the Progressives securing seven of the 19 seats. Under those circumstances, the Constitution indicates there should be a ballot among the elected members and a recorded vote to decide the premier. Asked about this eventuality prior to the election, the Governor’s Office indicated, “in more recent times the convention has been that when an individual demonstrates that he or she has the support of 10 or more MPs, they write to the Governor producing evidence of that support, and the Governor then appoints him or her as Premier”. Two attorneys who spoke to the Compass about the issue said they believed the Constitution explicitly requires a vote, but that would not stop the members agreeing to a deal and presenting the vote as a ‘fait accompli’. That is what is occurring now, with the two groups bargaining to build a viable team of 10. Who is Cayman’s new premier? In his press release, Panton described himself as the premier designate. He won’t formally become premier until that vote takes place in the Parliament and he is sworn in by the governor. McTaggart’s announcement, just after midnight on 16 April, presumably makes him the new ‘premier designate’ but he could yet be usurped from the role if allegiances shift once more. Alden McLaughlin is technically still premier until a replacement is sworn in. Could this still change? There is still scope for political moves that could change the make- up of the government. Until that meeting of Parliament is held and the members are sworn in, nothing is set in stone. In 2017, a coalition of independents led by McKeeva Bush briefly declared themselves as Cayman’s new government, only for the partnership to fall apart within a day. Panton’s grouping seemed more solid, but there was always potential for the Progressives to poach two members and form the government with McTaggart as premier. That is what appears to have happened. Why were the Progressives so confident after the polls closed? The Progressives alliance, comprising seven party members and 'independent' Dwayne Seymour, took eight seats. They believed they had an agreement with two others – Isaac Rankine in East End and Jay Ebanks in North Side. They appear to have been blindsided by the overnight negotiations among the independents that led to Panton presenting his letter of intent to the governor. In a statement issued 15 April, McTaggart indicated that his party was in talks with independents and their representatives in the hopes of reassembling their coalition or forming a new one, which they appeared to have achieved by the early hours of 16 April. So could Wayne Panton still be premier? That remains a possibility if he and the rest of his team are able to renegotiate with Sabrina Turner and Rankine, the two who shifted sides over the course of the day. Nothing is really settled until the swearing in. Could it still change after that? Once the premier and his government are sworn in, it means the partnership has solidified and formalised beyond a simple written agreement. However, there is nothing to stop it falling apart after that. Government members can and do switch sides all the time. Bernie Bush did just that during the last government’s stint, but the government at that time had a strong-enough majority to prevent it from collapsing. Panton’s coalition would have had a 10-8 majority in the Parliament, with the status and allegiance of the 19th member, McKeeva Bush, unclear. Now it seems McTaggart and the Progressives, together with their allied independents, have a 10-8 majority with Bush's position an open question. It would only take one member to jump ship to potentially initiate a change in government and the leadership. Unless a party or group has a significant majority, its grip on power is often tenuous in the parliamentary system. The situation is even more volatile in the Cayman Islands, where the party system and party allegiances are less entrenched. Perhaps for that reason, both Panton and McTaggart indicated ambitions to add to their team. Right now it is a race to 10. Once there is a clear winner, others may come on board. Alric Lindsay didn’t win his seat, yet has been announced as the likely Speaker of the House under Panton. How does that work? Under Cayman Islands law, the Speaker can either be one of the elected members or can be drafted from outside. The Speaker must be “qualified to be an elected member” but does not actually need to be elected, according to the Constitution. Lindsay lost in George Town South to incumbent Barbara Conolly – a win the Progressives thought would be decisive. His proposed role as Speaker is pivotal to Panton’s coalition – without him the group would have had to appoint someone among their number to the role. Since the Speaker typically does not vote – presiding over the affairs of the House – there would have been a de facto 9-9 split in Parliament making it difficult to get anything done. | Do you have any questions about the process to form a government? Send them to newsdesk@compassmedia.ky and we will try to answer them. The race to be premier explained Wayne Panton presents his letter to Governor Martyn Roper expressing his intent to form the next government with the support of the majority of newly elected MPs. – Photo: GIS The successful independent candidates in the general election announced on 15 April that they had joined forces and intended to form Cayman’s new government, with Wayne Panton as premier. In a press release from the group, Panton declared himself ‘Premier Designate’ and named Bodden Town West MP Chris Saunders as his deputy, with Alric Lindsay brought in as an outside Speaker of the House. Panton met with Governor Martyn Roper in the afternoon and presented his letter confirming a coalition of 10 MPs. In addition to Panton and Saunders, the MP-elects listed were: Kenneth Bryan, Bernie Bush, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, André Ebanks, Sabrina Turner, Isaac Rankine, Jay Ebanks and Heather Bodden, the release had stated. Several hours later, the Progressives presented a document signed by Rankine and Turner, indicating they had switched allegiances. The Governor’s Office confirmed Panton meets Roper in early bid for government in a statement that Panton met with Governor Martyn Roper at his office on 15 April and presented a letter confirming he had the support of the majority of elected members and intended to form a government. Panton was photographed with the governor and appeared confident that he had secured a coalition. He asked for a session of Parliament to be called for Wednesday, 21 April for the members to be sworn in and for him to be elected premier. “I am delighted, impressed, and inspired by the level of maturity shown by the elected independent members to put aside political differences that arose on the campaign to work in the best interest of our islands,” he said in a press release. McKeeva Bush and Dwayne Seymour are the only ‘independents’ not listed as part of the Panton coalition, that appeared to have been negotiated after the results of the 14 April election. cayman compass 5 news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021people struggling to find a job even if they have the right qualifications. Labour The manifesto advocates limiting certain occupations, such as real estate, to Caymanians only. It proposes to increase the minimum wage from $6 to $9 per hour. Education To strengthen the education system, more vocational training and trade schools are required to produce masons, carpenters, electricians and plumbers locally rather than import them. Teachers should receive more support but also be performance- managed and rewarded depending on the results. Investment The Panton manifesto suggests government should establish a sovereign wealth fund that would invest into both fi nancial and real assets. Development Panton and Bodden call for a reform of Cayman’s Development Plan and a concessions policy that focusses also on smaller businesses and more value for money. The manifesto suggests that land ownership should require development within a certain timeframe “or the land is returned to the market”. Housing The new Members of Parliament seek to revamp and relaunch a government- funded mortgage-assistance programme for Caymanian fi rst-time home buyers and the construction of more affordable homes through the National Housing and Development Trust. Traffi c congestion To tackle traffi c issues, the manifesto suggests mandating staggered work and school hours; a reliable public transport system; and measures that would disincentivise private-vehicle ownership and investigate banning cars for work-permit owners. Pension and healthcare Panton and Bodden further aim to reform the pension and healthcare systems, including moving to a national health insurance system and expanding CINICO coverage to seniors. Environment The former environment minister emphasises the importance of the environment for Cayman’s tourism product and overall quality of life. To that end, proposed measures cover, among other things, the introduction and support of recycling programmes, composting facilities in each district and the full implementation of the National Conservation Law as well as the National Energy Policy and its renewable energy targets. What could we expect from a Panton government? Timeline of how we got here 6pm Wednesday: At close of polls on election night, the Progressives were expressing confi dence that they had enough support among a handful of independents to form the next government, while Wayne Panton, tipped widely - along with Chris Saunders - as potentially the next premier if the independents prevailed, said he was sure Cayman voters wanted to see a change in government and would support the independent candidates. Thursday morning: Wayne Panton met with Governor Martyn Roper to request Parliament be reconvened on 21 April so that a new government consisting of 10 independents could be sworn in, with Panton as premier, Saunders as deputy premier and Alric Lindsay, who had run unsuccessfully as a candidate in George Town South, as Speaker of the House. 11pm Wednesday: After the fi nal results are tallied, with seven of the Progressives candidates and alliance partner Dwayne Seymour winning their seats, the party members were jubilant, convinced their results meant the path to continuing as government was clear. Roy McTaggart said he believed up to six independents would be willing to join a Progressives- led government, leading to a 14-member administration. He said negotiations with several independents would be done overnight. Among those the Progressives were confi dent would be joining them, were: East End’s Isaac Rankine, North Side’s Jay Ebanks and Prospect’s Sabrina Turner. However, the independents were also in talks with each other after the results rolled in. By morning, the landscape would look somewhat different. Thursday afternoon: The Progressives don’t concede defeat and instead issue a press release in which they said that by re- electing all of the current ministers, and two parliamentary secretaries, Cayman had effectively voted for continuity of government. They said meetings with independents and their agents were continuing. independent candidates. a job even if they have the right qualifications. Labour The manifesto advocates limiting certain to Caymanians only. It proposes to increase the minimum wage from $6 to $9 per hour. Education To strengthen the education system, more vocational training and trade schools are required to produce masons, carpenters, electricians and plumbers locally rather than import them. Teachers should receive more support but also be performance- managed and rewarded depending on the results. Investment manifesto suggests MICHAEL KLEIN mklein@compassmedia.ky Like other political candidates, the ‘Community Creates Country’ manifesto of Wayne Panton and Heather Bodden notes that Caymanians are being left behind, with young After midnight Friday: McTaggart issued a statement saying he has secured agreement of 10 MPs, including Rankine and Turner, to form a coalition government, with him as premier. That announcement came after lengthy negotiations through Thursday night. cayman compass 6 news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021Five female candidates head to Parliament RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky With the 2021 general elections now in the rear-view mirror, all eyes are on the composition of the new Parliament, which now has a key change – more women sitting in the driver’s seat as representatives. Five female representatives, two more than that of last legislature, will be taking their seats in Parliament. MPs Barbara Conolly and Juliana O’Connor-Connolly were re-elected, while former legislator Heather Bodden will return to the House as Savannah MP. Newcomers Katherine Ebanks-Wilks and Sabrina Turner seized control of the hotly contested seats of West Bay Central and Prospect. Political analyst Livingston Smith, commenting on the increased female representatives, said it was a positive change for Cayman. “That the female representation in Parliament has increased by two, is a very progressive aspect of the election. The more diverse the pool of persons in Parliament, the better the levels of representation and likely more nuanced and inclusive the policies that come from the legislature,” he told the Cayman Compass. This shift comes against the backdrop of a smaller pool of female candidates in this general election race versus 2017. Smith, in a previous analysis on the issue of female representation, told the Compass that it was concerning that only 10 of the 50 candidates in the 2021 elections were women. However, he pointed out the low percentage of women in parliaments is a Caribbean and global issue. “In the Caribbean, 22% of ministerial portfolios/cabinet positions in the Anglophone Caribbean are held by women and across the region women generally do not hold more than 30% of elected positions, except for Guyana which has a legislated quota [that] one-third of the number of political party nominees must be women,” he said. In 1962, Bodden Town’s Mary Evelyn Wood became Cayman’s fi rst female elected representative. Even with the small pool of female candidates, women hold the key in elections as the larger voting bloc of the sexes. According to the Elections Offi ce, 54% of Cayman’s electorate is female and 46% is male. Politicians, Smith argued, must support women who show the interest and determination to run for offi ce. “It’s crucial,” he said. “As for the barriers women face, political parties or whatever the political machinery used, have the scope to decrease barriers for women in campaigning, including funding, and support early exposure for women to political training and inclusion in networks,” he said. He said women quotas should be used as a temporary measure. “Globally, it is recognised that the most effective way to increase women’s representation is using quotas. This ‘temporary’ facility has been resoundingly successful in countries such as Italy, Sweden, India, and Guyana,” Smith said. Celebrations from female MPs Being a returning female representative was not lost on Bodden, as she emphatically declared “I am Savannah’s MP… female MP” after capturing the seat on Election Night. She said she was overjoyed to win. “But this is what happens when you are on the ground and you care for your people and you know your people. This is what I have done all my life… I have taken care of my people and this is the result tonight,” she said after being declared the winner. She told the Compass in an interview on 14 April, that Savannah “is where my heart is, for my people and my community. Savannah, Newlands, you will not regret putting me here tonight.” Ebanks-Wilks, a newcomer to the House, said she was very excited. “This is a long journey,” she said. “It started last campaign, 2017. I was unsuccessful but stayed on the ground with the people and four years later, now it’s my turn. I am excited to get an opportunity to represent the people of West Bay Central.” She said she was looking forward to what the next four years look like. “What I envision for West Bay Central is being a close-knit community and breaking the divide that is there. Politics tend to separate people and I want to be a part of the change with that,” Ebanks-Wilks said. She vowed to represent all of her constituents, which she said she would do “with the pride and dignity.” backdrop of a smaller pool of female candidates in this general election race versus 2017. Smith, in a previous analysis on the issue of female representation, told the Compass that it was concerning that only 10 of the 50 candidates in the 2021 elections were women. However, he pointed out the low percentage of women in parliaments is a Caribbean and global issue. the political machinery used, have the scope to decrease barriers for women in campaigning, including funding, and support early exposure for women to political training and inclusion in networks,” he said. He said women quotas should be used as a temporary measure. “Globally, it is recognised that the most effective way to Savannah “is where my heart is, for my people and my community. Savannah, Newlands, you will not Historic win for women West Bay Central Katherine Ebanks-Wilks539 57.9% Capt. Eugene Ebanks392 42.1% George Town South Barbara Conolly524 52.7% Alric Lindsay470 47.3% Prospect Sabrina Turner353 37.2% Michael Myles307 32.4% Austin Harris Jr.288 30.4% Savannah Heather Bodden577 55.1% Malcolm Eden442 42.2% Jeanna Williams282.7% Cayman Brac East Juliana O’Connor-Connolly266 71.3% Elvis Mckeever107 28.7% By the numbers Heather BoddenKatherine Ebanks-WilksSabrina TurnerBarbara ConollyJuliana-O'Connor-Connolly The Aspiration monument in Statue Square in George Town pays tribute to the contribution of women in the Cayman Islands over the years. - Photo: Alvaro Serey cayman compass 7 news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021NORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky After a ‘cliffhanger’ ballot count on the night of 14 April, McKeeva Bush is starting his 10th term as an elected representative in West Bay. Bush beat opponent Mario Ebanks by just 27 votes. At one point in the count, Ebanks was in the lead by 10 votes. When returning officer Dale Ramoon read out the result of the West Bay West election just inside the gates of the polling station at Sir John A Cumber Primary School, Bush cut a lone figure as he stood nearby, on his phone. Within the previous hour, Bush had heard that neither of his two running mates in West Bay, Captain Eugene Ebanks and Rolston Anglin, had won in their constituencies. But within a couple of minutes, the school entrance was crowded with well-wishers who showed up in trucks and cars, blowing horns and whistles, and shouting ‘Hard Man Fe Dead’ – a recurring theme song in Bush’s political career. They were all looking to hug and congratulate the former Speaker of the House, whose conviction for assaulting a female bar manager last year effectively led to the calling of the early election. Surrounded by his supporters, Bush told reporters, “This was the biggest cliffhanger. I never faced anything like this. ... I haven’t seen all the results yet, but I understand there have been many changes. I say what I said back in 2017, let us get together and put the best government forward.” Bush described his efforts to retain his seat as his “hardest race” yet. He has already held office for 36 years, serving first as a backbencher, then in various ministerial positions before being appointed leader of government business and then Cayman’s first premier. His most recent role was as Speaker of the House. After his conviction, there were calls from the opposition for him to be removed, but he retained his position until 14 Feb., when government was dissolved after Premier Alden McLaughlin called for a general election one month earlier than scheduled. McLaughlin has said he felt he could not have removed Bush as Speaker because he could not risk the collapse of his government while Cayman battled the COVID-19 pandemic. Several independent candidates who won on 14 April have indicated that they will not work with Bush, and Progressives leader Roy McTaggart, speaking on Crosstalk last month, said that he would not have him in his Cabinet. After the horse trading of 15 April, it appeared neither potential government would make room for Bush, which he seemed to acknowledge on election night, conceding that he was unlikely to have a ministerial or Speaker role in the new government, telling reporters shortly after he was returned to office, “Whatever I am called to do, I am there to do it. If I am not given a post of any kind, I will still carry out my duties as a representative of West Bay West and a representative of the Cayman Islands.” Other West Bay results For decades, West Bay has been a stronghold for Bush and his United Democratic Party, later renamed the Cayman Democratic Party. While this year, Bush and his team ran without their party affiliation, they had hoped to continue their dominance in the district. However, Ebanks, who has served five consecutive terms as a West Bay representative since 2000, was unseated by independent Katherine Ebanks- Wilks. This was the second time Ebanks-Wilks had taken on the captain. In 2017, he beat her 435 votes to 342. Speaking after being announced the winner in West Bay Central, Ebanks-Wilks told the Compass that since her unsuccessful campaign in 2017, she had continued to work “on the ground with the people” and four years later, “now it is my turn”. She added that West Bay Central was a close-knit community where she now hoped to “break the divide that is there”. A second newcomer in the West Bay political landscape is André Ebanks, who beat Raul Nicholson- Coe with a decisive 796 votes to 309. Both were running for the first time, after Financial Services Minister Tara Rivers opted not to try to retain her seat. Ebanks, the former Cayman Islands representative in the UK, thanked his supporters Wednesday night, and also congratulated his opponent on his campaign. Speaking after the results were announced, Ebanks said he would be working towards a “re-imagined Cayman”. Throughout his campaign, Ebanks said, if elected, he would be focussing on the things that impact the everyday lives of Caymanians, including reducing the cost of living and ensuring residents can afford their own homes. In West Bay North, the incumbent independent candidate Bernie Bush went head- to-head with his former United Democratic Party colleague Anglin, who was also running as an independent, though as part of a team made up of McKeeva Bush and Ebanks. Bernie Bush won 515 votes to 429. This will be his third term as a West Bay representative. In 2013 and 2017, he ran as a member of the UDP/CDP. The CDP joined the Progressives- led Unity government following the 2017 election, but Bush left that government’s backbench in protest in 2019 during the port referendum debate. On the night of 14 April, he said he was celebrating not just his win, but the wins of other independents in the district of West Bay and across Grand Cayman. He did not have kind words for his former party, saying, “I’m pleased we have finally gotten rid of the plague we called the UDP and CDP. The country has gone backwards since we’ve had the party system.” He thanked constituents for not going down the predicted route of keeping the party status quo in the district. “People say ‘Bayers always do this’, but this time, they can’t say that.” Bush said if he had a choice of ministries, he expected he may be offered sport, youth and culture, but felt he could also work in the tourism or education ministries. Return of the Mac “This was the biggest cliffhanger. I never faced anything like this.” McKeeva Bush, on waiting to hear the outcome of the ballot count McKeeva Bush celebrates with supporters after winning the West Bay West constituency on Election Day. - Photo: Alvaro Serey 27 The number of votes by which McKeeva Bush beat Mario Ebanks Bernie Bush was returned to his seat in West Bay North on Election Night. - Photo: Alvaro Serey Katherine Ebanks-Wilks and André Ebanks, the new MPs for West Bay Central and West Bay South, respectively, celebrate their wins. - Photo: Andrel Harris cayman compass news N news FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021 8After a long hiatus, stock dividends may finally be having their day in the sun. Last year, dividend-focussed strategies lagged the overall market averages by a wide margin. In the year of the pandemic, investors flocked to growth stocks, leaving more mature and economically sensitive dividend payers in the dust. As the S&P 500 rose 16.26% last year, the US Dow Jones Dividend Select stock index (a representative basket of high payers) fell 4.56%, underperforming by over 20%. Last year’s pivot away from dividend payers caps a much longer period during which these stocks had been largely overlooked. Over the past seven years through last year-end, the S&P 500 – largely driven by a handful of mega-cap technology growth stocks – more than doubled the total investment return provided by the high-paying dividend stock index. The trend away from high payers was even more pronounced in the international markets. The Dow Jones Global Dividend Select index eked out a mere 2.53% average annual return over the past seven calendar years. Besides the investment-style shift, we saw a preponderance of dividend cuts in 2020 as harsh government responses to the pandemic adversely impacted the most economically sensitive parts of the economy. But in recent months, the tide appears to be turning. For the first quarter of this year, the Dividend Select index is up 19.70%, compared to a 6.17% increase in the broader S&P 500 stock index. The Global Dividend Select index has risen by 14.59% for the period. Going forward, market analysts are optimistic about dividend reinstatements and raises for 2021 and beyond. According to a recent report from IHS Markit, “Dividends declared by firms in 2021 are predicted to approach $1.78 trillion, up 6.5% from the $1.67 trillion paid by the same firms in 2020.” The market survey company reported, “Our positive outlook reflects increasing business visibility, wider availability of a COVID-19 vaccine, and the strength of the Asia Pacific and emerging markets.” While the healthy rebound in payouts is welcome, further ground remains to be covered from last year’s dividend decline – a 12% drop from 2019 levels. That’s on a global basis, though. In the US, total dividend payments actually rose 2.4% to just over $500 billion, including special one-time dividends paid late in the year as the economy began to recover. Clearly, the pandemic has been causing unprecedented volatility in payouts which ultimately led to suspensions from some of the largest payers, particularly in Europe and the UK. However, with the Brexit deal completed and the increasing availability of vaccines, uncertainty is expected to gradually dissipate and encourage more companies to resume payments or grow dividends this year. A common presumption about high- dividend-paying companies is that they will not act well during a period of rising interest rates. The theory is these stocks act like bond substitutes and therefore as yields grind higher, these companies will be less attractive to investors who might buy bonds instead. Indeed, since the beginning of this year longer-term interest rates, as measured by the 10-year US Treasury bond, have markedly climbed from 0.91% to 1.74% at the end of the latest quarter. However, the positive price action in many dividend-paying sectors demonstrates this theory is not always accurate. In fact, our view is that we are seeing more of a normalisation of interest rates at still-low levels rather than extended period of rising yields. On this point, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell recently indicated the US central bank’s intention to maintain the current quantitative easing programme. On multiple occasions, Powell has reiterated the Fed’s commitment to a dovish monetary policy until reaching the dual goal of full employment and 2% inflation on a sustainable basis. Powell has downplayed the risk of inflation overheating, citing any inflation surge this year will likely be transitory. Based on the latest FOMC dot plot, a majority of the policymakers forecast that the first rate hike will not happen until 2024. Dividend payers could therefore continue to shine over the next few years as we experience an ongoing era of low interest rates suppressed by massive government debt issuances, ageing populations, ubiquitous technological adoption and other deflationary forces. Adding to their attractiveness, many of the highest paying equities are more closely tied to economic growth prospects which continue to look encouraging as the world gradually reopens. The Dividend Select index, for example, maintains large positions in banks, diversified financial companies and energy holdings which are all closely tied to economic growth. Electric utilities, one of the largest sectors in the high-dividend-paying universe, is not only leveraged to macroeconomic growth but also has covert exposure to the burgeoning field of green energy. According to a recent Barron’s article, “As electric vehicles gain market share, power for them will shift from petroleum to the utilities. A massive increased power demand should significantly boost utilities’ revenue and earnings annually for the next two decades. “What’s more, the current power grid can’t handle that increased demand. Utility infrastructure spending, in addition to outlays for renewable power sources and batteries, will be immense. That will benefit power- infrastructure construction companies.” As equity markets touch new highs, investors searching for attractive long-term income and growth opportunities should consider carefully selected dividend payers as part of a balanced portfolio. Stock dividends on the rise ADVERTORIAL Bryan Dooley, CFA is Head of Portfolio Management at LOM Asset Management Ltd in Bermuda. Please contact LOM at 441-292-5000 for further information. This communication is for information purposes only. It is not intended as an offer or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any financial instrument, investment product or service. Readers should consult with their Brokers if such information and or opinions would be in their best interest when making investment decisions. LOM is licensed to conduct investment business by the Bermuda Monetary Authority. cayman compass 9 FRIDAY, 16 APRIL 2021Next >