cayman compass Your most trusted news source Established 1965 $1 | Funding local journalism | Weekly, 17-23 November 2023 6-year-old donates hair for cancer Page 16 2pc $3 50 4pc $6 50 Cayman's new government Familiar faces in United People's Movement administration Coverage starts on page 3 In photos: Pirates Week Page 8 SUPPORT. CELEBRATE. EMPOWER. 2023 Eliminating road deaths by 2038 Page 22 FREE INSIDE Special FeatureFormer chief justice Sir Anthony Smellie knighted Cayman’s former chief justice has been knighted by King Charles III, and now officially bears the title Sir Anthony Smellie. He was invested by the king as Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG) in a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 25 Oct., but only released details of the momentous occasion on Wednesday, 15 Nov. His knighthood, awarded for services to law and justice in Cayman and the Caribbean, was announced in the June 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours. In a statement, Sir Anthony said, “Having been granted this great honour by Her late Majesty the Queen in June 2022 for my work in the administration of justice in the Cayman Islands and the Caribbean Region, I felt it a duty to inform the Cayman public about the investiture.” In exchanges with King Charles, he said, in addition to “his kind congratulatory remarks and good wishes” for Sir Anthony and his family, “the King had expressed fond recollections of his visit to the Islands as Prince of Wales in 2019, accompanied by Queen Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall”. Sir Anthony, who retired in October 2022, served for nearly 30 years in the Judicial Administration of the Cayman Islands, including almost 25 as chief justice. He had also worked for 16 years in the legal services of the governments of the Cayman Islands and Jamaica. He was accompanied at the investiture by his wife, Lady Jacqueline Smellie, daughters Leigh Smellie O’Connor and Samantha Smellie, and son Jonathan Smellie. The former chief justice has become only the third person in Cayman to receive a knighthood, after the late Sir Vassel Johnson and Sir Alden McLaughlin. Woman raped at gunpoint Police are investigating a report of a woman who was raped at gunpoint after accepting a ride in a car with three men, while she waited at a bus stop in Savannah on Monday morning, 13 Oct. One of the men in the vehicle was armed with a gun, police said. The RCIPS said officers were dispatched to a report of serious sexual assault just after 10:25am. The woman had been at the bus stop when she was offered a ride by the men in a small car, one of whom was known to her. When she entered the car, the men drove her to a secluded area, brandished a firearm at her, and she was sexually assaulted, police said. They allowed her to exit the vehicle before driving off. It is unclear if all three men assaulted the woman. The woman sought help from people passing by in silver Suzuki Swift, who took her to an address in George Town, where police were called. She was taken to hospital for medical evaluation and subsequently discharged. Safeguarding measures have been put in place for her, police said. The suspect who was driving the vehicle was tall, of dark complexion and muscular build. The suspect with the gun was of dark complexion, with a large beard and short hair, and the third was skinny, of brown complexion, with short dreadlocks. Police are urging anyone with information, particularly the people who were driving the Suzuki Swift, to contact George Town Police Station at 949-4222. Man brandishes gun in nightclub Police in the early hours of Monday morning, 13 Nov., responded to a report of a man with a firearm inside a nightclub at the Strand, but everyone involved had left the scene before officers arrived. At about 1:30am, police received a report of an altercation inside the club at the complex on Canal Point Road. A man with a firearm had been seen, a police press release said. Officers attended and conducted inquiries but the people involved, including a male who had apparently been assaulted, appeared to have already left the location. Officers made further checks in the surrounding area but neither the victim nor suspect(s) were located. Fatal collision in Bodden Town A 50-year-old driver was killed Saturday afternoon, 11 Nov., after his car crashed into a concrete utility pole in a single-vehicle collision. The crash, on Bodden Town Road, between Bronte Bay and Longfellow Circle, in Midland Acres, occurred shortly before 3:30pm. Police said the victim’s Ford F-350 had left the roadway and collided with the pole. Fire Service officers freed the man from the vehicle and he was transported to Cayman Islands Hospital where he was subsequently pronounced dead. This was the second serious collision that day. A two-vehicle collision, involving a silver Chevrolet Colorado and a silver Honda Fit, on Shamrock Road, near Grand Harbour, at 1:45am left the driver of the Fit in critical condition. Canadian visitor dies in water related incident A 52-year-old visitor from Canada died on Friday, 10 Nov., in a water-related incident in Rum Point, North Side, police have said. The RCIPS said that, shortly after 3pm Friday, emergency services responded to a report of a person in distress on a vessel in North Side. The man had been swimming near the vessel when he was seen unresponsive in the water. He was taken to the boat by other persons in the vicinity and CPR was administered. The vessel arrived at the nearest dock, where the man was then transported to the Cayman Islands Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Matinees (matinee price before 6pm) • Seniors $9.00 (Mon-Fri before 6pm) Additional charges apply per 3D/VIP tickets 640-FILM (640-3456) Cayman Cinema@cbcinema6cbcinema6 SATURDAY NIGHT: For your viewing pleasure, minors under the age of 18 will not be admitted to any lm starting after 6pm, unless accompanied by their parent. 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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 weather Friday Forecast FORECAST Chance isolated showers SEA STATE Moderate with a wave height of 2 to 4 feet. WINDS East to southeast at 5 to 10 knots. 87°F HIGH 78°F LOW NEWS EDITOR CAROLINE JAMES ISSUES EDITOR JAMES WHITTAKER HEAD OF SALES CHERYL BIRCH-GILLIES news in brief Sir Anthony Smellie and his family after he was knighted at Buckingham Palace by King Charles III on 25 Oct. 2023. - Photo: Supplied cayman compass 2 N news WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Veteran politician Juliana O’Connor- Connolly is the new premier of the Cayman Islands. O’Connor-Connolly’s ascension on 15 Nov. to the leadership of the government follows the resignation of embattled Wayne Panton who agreed to step down as premier after a scathing no-confidence motion in Parliament the day before. The motion, which was debated at a special meeting of Parliament triggered by the Opposition, ended with two of Panton’s ministers – O’Connor-Connolly and André Ebanks abstaining from the vote, demonstrating there were major fractures in his government. The Cayman Brac East MP, who was Panton’s former deputy, was sworn in at the Government Administration Building, along with her new deputy premier Ebanks, who retains his Financial Services and Commerce, and Investment, Innovation and Social Development portfolio. The new administration’s swearing- in followed a day of negotiations which culminated with the formation of the new United People’s Movement, comprised of members of the PACT coalition, including former members McKeeva Bush and Dwayne Seymour, both of whom had crossed the aisle to join the Opposition within weeks of each other. It was Bush’s departure from the PACT backbench that created a 9-9 deadlock in Parliament, prompting the Opposition to call the special meeting and put forward the no-confidence motion. New government, same faces O’Connor-Connolly, in a press release issued following her swearing-in, said, “One of the key aspects of this smooth transition is the retention of the existing Cabinet Ministers, as a testament to the group’s commitment to continuity and stability. The UPM is determined to be innovative and to accelerate the delivery of results for the people of the Cayman Islands.” Governor Jane Owen, in a statement Wednesday evening, confirmed she had accepted the new coalition’s proposal to form a government led by O’Connor-Connolly and Ebanks. “This group enjoys a clear majority of support from the elected members of Parliament,” she said, adding that she was looking forward to working with the new government. “ We have a busy agenda going forward and we need to focus on that effort in the coming weeks,” she added. Owen said, over the last seven months of her time in office, “I have been grateful for the work and consultation I have enjoyed with former Premier Panton and commend his service, integrity and commitment to the Cayman Islands”. The Cayman Compass understands a special meeting of the House is planned for next week, at which Panton will be nominated as Speaker of the House. He is set to replace Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, who has resigned the post to accept the minister of sustainability and climate resiliency position. Panton issued a statement of ‘gratitude and clarity’ following the government changes announcing his resignation. The statement, however, made no mention of his acceptance of his nomination nor whether he would be affiliated with the UPM. The Compass reached out to Panton for comment whether he is aligning himself with the UPM and he responded, “I remain an independent.” Saunders in wait-and-see position At the upcoming special meeting, it is also understood the debate on changes to pension legislation will also be held, something Independent Opposition MP Chris Saunders called for in his contribution to the no-confidence motion. He indicated in his speech that his support of the government would depend on how it handled amending the Pension Act, to enable Caymanians to access their pensions to pay off mortgages and land loans. Saunders, the former finance minister who resigned from PACT in March this year, told the Compass that he had decided not to join the UPM, but said it was still an option. He said he was in the meeting when they decided to form the new group, and had questions regarding the budget and the new direction of the coalition. “I have given them my assurance I will revisit my decision. The budget is material to that,” he said, adding that he needs to see what their objectives will be as well. Bernie Bush steps aside Bernie Bush, who was minister of sport, youth, heritage and culture in the PACT administration, lost his Cabinet post in the new UPM configuration. The release issued by government on Wednesday night indicated he has stepped aside to free up a Cabinet seat for Ebanks-Wilks. He was missing from an official photograph issued of the new government Wednesdsay night (see front page), because, according to the accompanying relesae, he was attending a previous official engagement. Bush will support the new government from the back benches, along with Heather Bodden and McKeeva Bush, whose defection from PACT last week was the catalyst that ultimately toppled Panton. Former Premier and Speaker Bush said he was happy to be “father of the House” and “the people’s watchdog”, and would provide support and experience to the new grouping. He said the name signified the need for unity in the islands, and expressed confidence that the new coalition would get the priorities right. “There is a lot to be done for our people and to keep Cayman better off economically, socially, and to strengthen our foundation against the negatives of a developing small island state, especially one that has been as successful as our islands,” he said. Kenneth Bryan, who retains his role as tourism and ports minister in the UPM, said the new premier and deputy premier planned to hold a press briefing to explain the government’s direction. Speaking to the Compass at the Government Administration Building after the new administration was sworn in, Bryan said, “Much of the spirit of the PACT administration is still there, but in the interests of moving forward in a slightly different direction, we have changed the categorisation… and it’s now called the United People’s Movement. “We found that one thing that kept us together is staying united for Cayman people and, in order for us to reflect and show a difference between the PACT and this new group going forward, it was important to change the name as well.” Dwayne Seymour, who is returning to the role of labour and border control minster which he gave up when he resigned from PACT in September, told the Compass in a brief statement, “I am truly pleased with how hard the team worked all night in putting a government together to ensure that the country got the necessary reset that was needed to ensure our people get the best opportunities and support possible.” O’Connor-Connolly, in addition to retaining her role as head of the Ministry of Education, is also now the minister for finance, district administration, lands and the Cabinet Office. Additional reporting by James Whittaker and Norma Connolly O’Connor-Connolly takes over as premier Familiar faces in new United People’s Movement government United People’s Movement government Juliana O’Connor- Connolly Premier and Minister for Finance, Education, District Administration, Lands and Cabinet Office André Ebanks Deputy Premier, Minister for Financial Services, Commerce, Investment, Innovation and Social Development Kenneth Bryan Minister for Tourism and Ports Jay Ebanks Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing, Infrastructure, Transport and Developmen Sabrina Turner Minister for Health, Wellness and Home Affairs Isaac Rankine Minister for Youth, Sports and Heritage Dwayne Seymour Minister for Border Control, Labour and Culture Katherine Ebanks- Wilks Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency Heather Bodden Deputy Speaker, Parliamentary Secretary in Ministries of Tourism and Ports, and Social Development Bernie Bush Backbencher McKeeva Bush Backbencher UPM’s five broad priorities: 1. Improve the quality of life for Caymanians; 2. Enhance competitiveness while meeting international standards; 3. Modernise the government to improve public sector performance; 4. Future proofing to increase resilience; 5. Protect and promote Caymanian culture, heritage and identity. André Ebanks, after being sworn in as deputy premier on Wednesday, 15 Nov. Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, left, with Governor Jane Owen, after being sworn in as Cayman's new premier. - Photos: Supplied cayman compass 3 news N news WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 20231234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 1234567 89 101112 13 1415 16 171819 20 212223 2425 ACROSS 1 Edible bivalve mollusc (7) 5 Physically weak (5) 8 Extravagantly (4,5) 9 Sphere (3) 10 Known facts (4) 12 Well-to-do (8) 14 Volcanic rock used as abrasive (6) 15 Inequitable (6) 17 Sane (8) 18 Balance of probability (4) 21 Point of a pen (3) 22 A shoot-out (3,6) 24 Put right (5) 25 Atlantic flatfish valued as food (7) DOWN 1 Financially sound (5) 2 Make request of (3) 3 Obscene (4) 4 Postpone (3,3) 5 Widely distributed (3-5) 6 Previously mentioned (9) 7 Large marine crustacean (7) 11 Schedule (9) 13 Unforeseeable natural disaster (3,2,3) 14 Voracious S American fish (7) 16 Set in motion (6) 19 Mixture of snow and rain (5) 20 Brief visit (4) 23 Bath (3) The Compass Crossword Puzzle The Compass universal kakuro Puzzle 17477 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 17477 ACROSS: 1 Scallop, 5 Frail, 8 Like water, 9 Orb, 10 Data, 12 Affluent, 14 Pumice, 15 Unfair, 17 Rational, 18 Odds, 21 Nib, 22 Gun battle, 24 Amend, 25 Halibut. DOWN: 1 Solid, 2 Ask, 3 Lewd, 4 Put off, 5 Far-flung, 6 Aforesaid, 7 Lobster, 11 Timetable, 13 Act of God, 14 Piranha, 16 Launch, 19 Sleet, 20 Call, 23 Tub. What they’re saying Online Letters to the editor Little Cayman Divers’ instructor and underwater photographer Craig Wiger captured this stunning image of a Nassau grouper at a cleaning station on Donna’s Delight dive site in the Bloody Bay Marine Park. He said he took the shot early in the morning, 25 feet from the surface. On the upper left of the photo, you can see the dive boat overhead. “I swam right up to the grouper at the cleaning station and it did this almost immediately and then stayed like that for 30-40 seconds,” he said. “I was stunned. I’m shooting with an 8-15mm fisheye lens at 15mm. Because the fisheye is so wide, the grouper is almost touching the dome port, I’ve barely cropped the image at all.” Open wide pic of the week Special report: Taking sand to the beach How long will the replacement sand stay in place? A couple good storms and it could be all gone. Terry Bonnie Smith Never did I imagine this would happen. Debbie Bodden Would be a complete waste of money. Any sand put there will disappear over the drop off with the next southwest wind. So long as the hard structures remain in place and sea levels continue to rise, that section of beach is history. David Wolfe Import sand? Wow! Kjulian26 J. Restaurant hosts ‘heritage day’ after events dropped from Pirates Week Great job, Luigi! Love this idea and Cabana! Will definitely be going. April La Divina That is exactly what we were talking about the other day. There is no reason why the districts can’t have something on their own. Lenie Hulse Rosado Someone has to display our culture, or it will be lost in our generation. Graham Rankin Should the government spend a huge amount of money to replace the sand on the southern stretch of Seven Mile Beach that was worn away in the past several years by hurricanes and normal beach erosion? Tourists come to the Cayman Islands from all over the world. Does Seven Mile Beach need an infusion of millions of dollars worth of white sand imported from Cuba and The Bahamas to replenish the areas that have eroded? Is the Seven Mile Beach renourishment project an emergency in 2024? The oceanfront on all three Cayman Islands is sometimes ironshore. Foreigners who have built their homes on the oceanfront buy white sand to cover the ironshore. This white sand beachfront may be attractive to many tourists or homeowners, but those of us who love Cayman love the ironshore, too! Nan Socolow As one of the 900 viewers glued to the televised debate on the motion of no confidence, in an attempt to shift the focus on other news, it was observed that the US and Chinese presidents met in person a day after a failed attempt to remove the premier of the Cayman Islands. A CNN reporter, in the pre- broadcast, alluded to earlier remarks said to have been made by President Joe Biden to US officials upon his return from a previous trip to China, where he described President Xi Jinping as: “not having a democratic bone in his body”. Invariably, the US and China differ significantly in political ideology. The Cayman Islands, similar to the US, regards itself as a democracy. General elections are held every four years to give eligible voters the opportunity to choose the government of the day. The right to vote lies at the centre of democracy and is a fundamental feature in the process. Other key features of democracy are free speech and the right to a free press, the latter removed from other political paradigms, undoubtedly due to fear of how an informed public may respond. Journalists, like sales representatives, have the power to influence what is consumed. In both scenarios, misinformation and a failure to acknowledge clear deficiencies in what is being advertised, will ultimately lead the consumer to seek more reliable and dependable alternatives. The emergence of a notable media outlet that masquerades as journalism and the corollary of recent unprecedented events should be obvious to see. Desperate efforts to foist upon the consumer voter a flawed product, albeit now modified, only confirms the deceptive sales pitch. Since there appears no desire to abandon this charade, perhaps it is time the voter, as in cases where another opinion is needed, take the opportunity and seek to be well-informed. A failure to do so will inescapably lead to a product recall and possibly without input from the consumer. Richard Barton Let the voter beware Is it worth it for the government to buy sand? cayman compass 4 news N news WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023SAVING THE BEST FOR LAST Waterfront Living With The Finest Boutique Hotel Services +1 .345.526.7777 FINGRANDCAYMAN.COM Six unique and expansive 3, 4 and 5 bedroom penthouses with uninterrupted ocean views and 24/7 concierge and security services. Brand new and ready to move in furnished or unfurnished. From USD $3.4m with one year warranty and flexible owner financing. For the second time in a decade, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has taken up the role as government leader following votes of no confidence in her predecessors. O’Connor-Connolly has adroitly navigated Cayman’s political arena for years, having been affiliated with five different groups since 2012 and been elected as a representative of Cayman Brac in every general election since 1996. She previously became leader of the country in 2012 at the helm of a minority government, following the ousting of McKeeva Bush as premier after he was charged with corruption in relation to credit card expenses. He was later cleared in court. At that time, O’Connor-Connolly had been a member of Bush’s United Democratic Party, but broke away to form a minority government with other UDP defectors for a short-lived spell as premier in the run-up to the 2013 general election. O’Connor-Connolly ran in the 2013 election under the banner of the People’s National Alliance. She was the only one of that group to get re-elected. She opted to become Speaker after the vote in a move which helped the Progressives form a majority government. She then joined the Progressives, becoming education minister in 2017, before crossing the aisle once more after the 2021 election to help shore up the PACT coalition and retain the education ministry. She became Wayne Panton’s deputy premier when Chris Saunders resigned from PACT earlier this year. Five political groups in a decade Now she has reached the top job again – once more in the wake of a no-confidence motion against an elected premier – and this time at the helm of a new group, her fifth in her political career. She has been affiliated with the United Democratic Party, the Progressives, the short-lived People’s National Alliance, PACT and now the United People’s Movement. She was a founding member of the UDP, led by McKeeva Bush. In 2001, when the UDP were in power, she was appointed as Speaker of the House. Two years later, she stepped down from that role and took up a Cabinet post, as minister for planning, communications, district administration and information technology. Between 2005 and 2009, she sat on the Opposition benches, after the UDP lost the election to the People’s Progressive Movement, now known as the Progressives. When the UDP returned to power in 2009, she became deputy premier. When Bush was ousted as premier in December 2012, O’Connor-Connolly and four other UDP members split off to form a new interim minority government with the support of the PPM. Under this formation, she became Cayman’s first female premier. In the 2013 election, the five former UDP-ers announced they would be running under the party name People’s National Alliance. That alliance fell away after O’Connor-Connolly was the only one of the five to be re-elected. In the 2017 election, she ran as a member of the Progressives, who won the election, and she served as education minister for the next four years. She ran in the 2021 election again as a member of the Progressives, but crossed the floor to join the PACT benches, and resumed her role as education minister. Deputy Premier André Ebanks André Ebanks, the financial services and social development minister, in his first term as a politician, has quickly progressed to the deputy leadership. He has developed a strong reputation in his short term in office, leading government’s efforts to stay off the Financial Action Task Force ‘grey list’ and putting forward long-needed reforms to the welfare system. Ebanks was one of only three PACT members to speak during Tuesday’s vote of no confidence, indicating his plan to abstain, but encouraging the group to come together and “exceed expectations”. Before the 2021 election, Ebanks was the Cayman Islands Representative to the UK and Europe from 2019 to 2021. His role included representing Cayman’s political, policy and regulatory affairs; liaising with other overseas territories and the UK Foreign Office; business development; and assisting Caymanians with a wide range of matters. He was deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Community Affairs, with primary responsibility for the Department of Children and Family Services, the Needs Assessment Unit, and the Gender Affairs Unit from 2018 to 2019, and a senior policy advisor in the Ministry of Financial Services from 2014 to 2018. Second time round as premier Juliana O'Connor-Connolly cayman compass 5 WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023 news N newsNORMA CONNOLLY nconnolly@compassmedia.ky Former Premier Wayne Panton, in a statement of ‘gratitude and clarity’ issued after his resignation as government leader Wednesday, said stepping down was the “bravest thing” he could do and was in the best interests of the islands. His resignation and the swearing in of a new government came the day after a vote of no confidence in him and his PACT administration. Although the motion, which failed to win two-thirds of the members’ votes, did not succeed, it highlighted that PACT’s deadlocked 9-9 position was untenable. In his statement, he said, “I have always believed that the members that came together as the PACT government represent the best way forward for the people of the Cayman Islands; that belief has not changed. “In this watershed moment in the history of our three islands, we need steady, experienced, disciplined leadership. Last night, after a grueling day of Parliamentary debates, I met with my Cabinet colleagues to discuss the best way forward in the interest of the country.” He added, “In times like these, sometimes the bravest thing you can do for your country and for your people is to pass the mantle of leadership to someone else.” Panton told the Compass on Thursday that he was remaining as an “independent”. Panton to be nominated as Speaker of the House According to a government press release issued earlier in the evening announcing the composition of the new United People’s Movement, led by Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Panton will be nominated as Speaker of the House, to replace Katherine Ebanks- Wilks. If his nomination is supported, the two would effectively be changing places, as Ebanks-Wilks will be taking up Panton’s position as minister of sustainability and climate resiliency. The Speaker does not usually have a vote in Parliament, unless called on to do so in the event of a tied vote. Ebanks-Wilks, in an address to the House following the debate, called for a constitutional change to make the Speaker’s position autonomous, so future Speakers would not find themselves in a position to be called up to break a voting tie. Panton said in his statement that he planned to continue to use his experience and skill “to help guide the Cayman Islands, offering my best advice and wisdom so that the next generation of leadership in this country can do the best for CaymanKind today, tomorrow, and always”. He added that he believed his colleagues will be able to “offer the kind of leadership needed to complete the work we have started”. Throughout Tuesday’s debate on the no-confidence motion, brought by Leader of the Opposition Roy McTaggart, several members who supported the motion repeatedly asked Panton to put the interests of the country first and step aside. In his statement Wednesday, Panton said, “[We] must always remember that pride must never be more important than the interest of our people; and personalities and egos must never be allowed to halt the progress of Caymanians. “Our people need our help. In the midst of greed and ambition threatening to drown our Islands, Caymanians look to the government to chart a safe and sensible way forward – a way that puts Caymanians at the front of the line of our national policy agenda.” Panton expressed his “eternal gratitude” to his PACT colleagues, thanking them for “taking a chance with me and for all the good we managed to do”. He acknowledged that they may have “disagreed at times on what path to take, but we have always agreed on the destination: tending to the best interests of the people of the Cayman Islands”. RESHMA RAGOONATH rragoonath@compassmedia.ky Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart says now that Cayman’s new government has been installed, the focus must turn to getting the much- needed budget out. Saying that there is no time for arguing or fighting, McTaggart called on the new configuration of PACT – the United People’s Movement – to keep the country at the forefront of its deliberations. “I’m glad to hear that things would appear to be over, that they have finally been able to come together and to put together a government. And I wish them all well with their efforts to try and restore the confidence and stability that the country seriously is looking for,” he told the Cayman Compass. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has been named premier, taking over from Wayne Panton who agreed to step down after his leadership took a beating in a vote of no confidence in Parliament Tuesday. McTaggart, commenting on O’Connor-Connolly’s ascension to premier, said, “she’s a very capable person” to take up the leadership. “She was once premier. She held that role for about five or six months back in 2012 so she should know the role really well and she does bring a lot of experience to it,” he said, adding, however, it was difficult to say what her priorities are. He noted it was difficult to know what the next steps for the administration will be without knowing what their priorities were, “what they will actually do and bring to the table”. Panton is expected to be nominated as Speaker of the House, a role in which McTaggart said he will support him. “I think he made the right choice. It was clear that he did not have the support of his government, and they did not like his leadership… I’m happy that he finally recognised that and removed himself there. He’s an eminent professional, he’s a lawyer. I think he will do well in the chair,” he said. Reflecting on the horse trading that played out following government backbencher McKeeva Bush’s resignation from PACT and the no-confidence vote, McTaggart said, “It truly shows us that our democratic system works.” “It might not be beautiful, it might not be pretty. It can be downright dirty, but it works, and we get through it,” he added. “These issues are going to crop up in any government, from time to time, but the checks and balances that we have do work.” Using the example of the no- confidence vote, he said it sets a very high bar to cross to remove a premier or a speaker “and for good reasons”. “These checks and balances are there to keep help keep the democratic process secure and vibrant and working,” he added. As for the Opposition, he said, “We will continue to monitor and to advocate to the government on behalf of the people of the Cayman Islands and we will be a very coherent, cohesive Opposition, just as we have been for the past two- and-a-half years.” Panton bids farewell as premier “In this watershed moment in the history of our three islands, we need steady, experienced, disciplined leadership.” Wayne Panton McTaggart to UPM: ‘Time to get to work’ Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart Former Premier Wayne Panton cayman compass 6 news N news WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023cayman compass 7 WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023- Photos: Taneos Ramsay Clenching swords in one hand and drinks in the other, Cayman’s annual visit from swashbuckling buccaneers kicked off with fanfare Saturday afternoon, 11 Nov. With the sounds of cannons heralding their arrival, the pirates sailed into Hog Sty Bay for the start of the annual Pirates Week festival. Thousands lined the waterfront to watch a cardboard boat race, followed by the theatrical landing of the Las Tortugas pirates and the ensuing battle with the Red Coats. More events are lined up for this weekend, with a street dance party on Cardinall Avenue in George Town on Friday night, and ‘Trial of the Pirates’ and fireworks on Saturday. cayman compass 8 news N news WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023cayman compass 9 WEEKLY, 17-23 NOVEMBER 2023 news N newsNext >