Rumours of Cabinet reshuffle denied by LoGB

| 03/11/2009

(CNS): Speculation that the government could be announcing a Cabinet reshuffle to coincide with the implementation of the new Cayman Islands Constitution this coming Friday (6 November) have been denied by the leader of government business. Rumours that Rolston Anglin could be stepping down from his post as education minister or that Mike Adam could be taking a seat on the backbenches were refuted by McKeeva Bush on Rooster’s radio phone-in show on Tuesday morning. Despite several rumours over the last few weeks that the two ministers could be moved from their Cabinet positions Bush said everyone was staying put.

However, he did note that the backbenchers are now serving roles more akin to junior minsters and are getting more involved in specific government projects where they are required to report to Cabinet.  Bush said that he would be talking to the governor about making that change in governance more formal.

UDP general secretary and George Town MLA, backbencher Ellio Solomon, confirmed that this was in the works when he spoke to News 27 on Tuesday evening. He said both he and Cline Glidden would become junior ministers if the governor gave the go-ahead on the idea.

He said Glidden had been working on the port and other tourism projects and he on e-business and housing, and although the posts were not formalized yet, he and Glidden were taking on more responsibility. If the junior minsters get the go-ahead they will not be able to vote in Cabinet and it is not clear what extra or new powers they will be assigned.

The new Constitutionsees a number of changes being implemented in terms of voting powers and roles. The financial secretary, for example, is being completely removed from the Legislative Assembly and Cabinet (except by invitation) and will now take up a purely advisory position to the minster of finance, which from Friday will be Bush.

The two remaining official members, the attorney general and the new deputy governor (formerly the chief secretary) will still sit in the LA but will not have voting powers. The Constitution now provides for three more MLAs at the next election and eventually an extra elected minister. The Boundary Commission has not yet started its work on how those three new seats will be distributed but it is certain that one more will go to Bodden Town, with the other two likely to go to George Town and West Bay.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    To Wed 15:38 & others

    RESPONSE.. etc  etc  .. please use spell check or re-read comments carefully – setting a bad example for students. Thanks. 

    re Constitution – many  UDP voters may have voted for it .

    Please give the young people a chance to develop their talents in the political world and stop being so jealous!! You say you love Cayman, then show it!! GOD bless us all.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Thank you CNS for offering this service and for being unbiased in your approach. I fully support the excellent comments you made! Free speech is a hell of a thing ain’t it?!! 🙂

  3. Anonymous says:

     Elio – a minister of any sort – please look Cayman – what are we doing????

    He knows nothing about  nothing – and experience shows he knows even less! 

    • Anonymous says:

      The puppets have to put their tails between their legs and do as the Dictator says and that is just how life is under a Dictatoship and its a time we get use to it – LIKE HELL I WILL!

  4. Anonymous says:

    its about time someone stopped the McDinejad references.  I am not a supporter of either political party in particular, but the reference is not appriopriate and not at all funny.    It is akin to calling somebody Hitler, or Bin Laden and most educated people would agree that neither are appropriate in any circumstances. 

    CNS – free speach is one thing.  uncessary insults are another.  perhaps  its time to issue some guidelines on posting blogs as other blogs and social networking sites do?

    CNS: Read the CNS comment policy and Moderating the comments. I can guarantee that we’re a lot stricter than other blogs and social networking sites – no one is moderating the comments on Facebook.

    I believe that politicans should be prepared for more personal criticism than most (and they certainly dish it out to each other without holding back). Wrapped up in the McDinejad nickname is a political statement about the way the people who use it think that Mr Bush is governing the country. It’s a bit crude but I think that comes under the category of free speech.

  5. Makam says:

    I ear ya!

  6. Anonymous says:

    There is no constitutional basis for Junior Ministers and we are a long way off from another new constitution so Elio and Cline will just have to wait to see if they get elected next time and IF their government gains a majority again, a very unlikely event.

    They have really been brainwashed by McDinejad. Of course the UK will respond and McDinejad will tell Elio & Cline that he tried for them but the UK wouldn’t approve it.

    Of course they wouldn’t approve it Elio & Cline…….the answer is simple there is no constitutional basis for it so it can’t happen.

    Got it now ????

    Of course McDinejad can still call you both Junior Ministers just as he has always done with his Deputy Leader of Government Business, another post/title for which there is no constitutional basis.

    But then again the UDP doesn’t follow the constitution anyway…..so what am I talking about.