Chuckie postpones demo in favour of local show

| 26/02/2010

(CNS): Former cabinet minister Charles Clifford has postponed the march on the Glass House as a result of scheduled changes to the Sister Islands Agricultural show. Clifford says that as a result of the significant support for the protest he also wanted to allow those who would have wanted to go to Cayman Brac to still do so. The march against government will now take place on Saturday, 13 March, at 2:30pm, starting by the Cricket Pitch on Huldah Avenue and leading to the front lawn of the Glass House. Clifford said he encouraged government not to schedule anymore events for 13 March that would interfere with the public protest. (Photo by Dennie Warren JR)

Clifford said that since the Ministry of District Administration has postponed the Cayman Brac Agriculture Show to 6 March as a result of the recent passing of Capt. Charles Kirkconnell, a decision he applauded, he would now change the date of the protest.  

“The ministry is aware that it is usual for many people from Grand Cayman to go over to Cayman Brac for the weekend of the Agriculture Show,” he said. “It seems obvious, therefore, that this is a deliberate attempt by the UDP Government to hide from the cries of the people, to disrupt the protest and to excuse themselves from meeting the protestors at the Glass House.” Clifford said there was no reason why the government could not have scheduled it for the following Saturday, but they chose not to do so.

“We encourage the UDP Government not to schedule any other event or events for the 13th March 2010 that would conflict with the public protest march,” he added and noted the premier’s announcement that he will not meet the protestors, or “bunch of rabble rousers” as he called them at the recent UDP public meeting.

“This public insult of the people by the premier notwithstanding, we remind the premier that the Cayman Islands does not operate a Dictatorial Government and the people will not allow the country to move away from the democratic form of Government that we enjoy today,” the former Tourism Minister stated. “This is a democracy and this public protest march is democracy at work. The elected UDP Government does not have the right to refuse to meet with the people whom they were elected to represent. If they refuse to meet with the people, then they do so at their own peril.”

Clifford said there had been a significant response to the march and he was expecting people to turn out in large numbers demonstrating fierce opposition to the “reckless and irrational” UDP Government policies.

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  1. Anonymous says:

     The comments made by the Premier were simply indicative of how all powerful he feels at this point.  He sees himself as omnipotent, so he can do anything, say anything, and we are just subjects who must pay obseisance to him no matter what, or he will destroy us !!  No one must ever challenge him is his message to all of us. God help us.

    At this stage it matters not who made the clarion call for this march rather the voices of all of Cayman must be raised in unison that "this is enough" is what matters. Let’s stop beating up on Chucky, PPM any one or group at this point and step out and show up saturday.

    The presence of many Caymanians walking peacefully together down the road says "we are not afraid of anyone, anymore" we want to be heard", "this land is ours" . If  the Premier has no intention to come out to listen to even 5 people express their concerns with his policies and projects then he has no interest in what the people care about. He has no interest in us and what we are concerned about. What else do we want him to say to prove that? He is above listening to the people. So the people need to show up and let him see that they have had enough.  

    What is most insulting is that every time he has opened his mouth in the last 72 hours he has another lame duck variation on each issue as he wiggles around hoping that we are under his control to such an extent that we will believe no matter what he says.

    When will he figure out that most of us have well earned degrees and those that don’t have degrees they have good Caymanian commonsense ??  He speaks on every subject of the government! Ministers dare not speak for fear that they are embarrassed by him minutes later. 

    I  am truly just despondent with where we are today.  McKeeva is carrying us quickly into dire times and every suggestion that PPM has proposed he has shot down. We say we need an opposition which works with the government but that works both ways, the government has to be big enough to understand they don’t own the throne all alone and listen. He has shut down the motions the PPM brought to the House. Why? I would posture that he feels like he should not allow them to get credit for anything, even if the proposals would be good for our country?  

    Next week cannot be business as usual here. We must halt the run away agenda of the current government and start a process towards getting another one! We must do something before it is too late.

    So folks, we are at the end of the line. We stay with this government and we have no future at all, and our children should best go else where to find a way to make a living. This is not about personalities but about our future.

    Let’s get out of the sphere of being with UDP or PPM and into the real world where we face the hard fact that no matter who is leading the government today they are truly irresponsible and they mustgo. We are being lied to left right and centre, this is not acceptable today or anytime.

    Are we simply followers or are we ever going to stand up for what we believe in? As much as we hate being counted, we had better get over it and be counted.  

    Lets have another election which allows who ever wants to, to put their hat in the ring for running our islands. Let’s get going to take Cayman back.

    If we don’t McKeeva will just destroy it and line his pocket even more so he will be able to go elsewhere to live with his under the table millions and we stay here and perish. That folks is the writing on the wall.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Mac has to be stressed out because he knows what Chuckie is capable of!

    • Anonymous says:

      civil servants u can thank the ppm and the marchers for this forced decision by the UDP.  But u guys need to help find the solutions to our countries problems and yes take some cuts like the rest of us.

      unfortunetaly if the PPm had not spent extravagantly and had not grown the size of the civil service by 30%, we might have been better prepared to weather the economic storm.

       

  3. A Noni Mouse says:

    Are expats allowed to come?

  4. Anonymous says:

    Arden should be leading the PPM.

    He got my vote.

     

    Delroy

  5. Great-great-great grand son of Celia Long says:

    Myself and around 40-45 UDP supporters met last night(Feb.25th)at a local restaurant and decided that we are going to take part in this march come March 13th,yes ladies and gentlemen believe it or not we are going to march with the Chuckster and head straight to the glass house to protest against the UDP.People of Cayman we came to the conclusion that this is not a PPM event but one thats sincerly for the future of our dear beloved Cayman Islands.We have decided to wear our green and blue UDP shirts and we are also planning to take along our UDP flags.Now people remember this is not a PPM event,so Chuckie and his supporters should not have a problem with this, moreover,they should be totally relaxed marching longside their UDP brothers and sisters,also we are not anticipating any trouble at all,as a matter of fact it woud be good if we could all march hand in hand displaying true Caymanian unity.Now the point of doing this is to show our government that things have got to improve after four years of poverty pain and misery but that we want them to stay and continue their work,Chuckie and his supporters will just have to understand that the PPM got whipped in May of ’09 and will have to wait for elections 2013; see you all on March 13th and don’t be late……………

    • Anonymous says:

      WHAT!!!!

      You lying Star, there is not 40-45 UDP supporters left!

      Don’t be intimidated by the premier, come and do what you really want to do, that is to show how angry you are that Mac is selling off this Country with only a chosen few benefitting from these sales!

      Do the right thing and join the march and protect OUR country.

      But maybe, just maybe, you might be one of the chosen few, like getting the Metal works contract and so dont have a choice!

    • Typical UDP Bully says:

      This so Typical of the UDP and their leader!

      Please, if you want to get the few remaining UDP cronies to march (I wouldn’t know for what though) do it by yourselves where Cayman will see the 20 people that show up and leave Chuckie and his organizers along with PPM, independants and former UDPers to join together in unity against the total devastation of OUR Country!

    • Anonymous says:

      You know what I like this idea; I am not a fan of the Chuckster – no way sir; but since you gave me an idea I will be be there with my flag, waving high – I an spreading the news and others are liking it

    • Anonymous says:

      Now this is what I like to hear !!!

      The Cayman I grew up in…  my Caymanian brother and sisters all pulling together to save our country !  I would be proud to march hand in hand with you! 

       

    • Anonymous says:

      That’s alright, there are no hard feeling over the last election. In the past 9 months UDP has managed  screw things up worse than the PPM did in it’s entire 4 years. Yes your right, the poverty and misery has been even worse this past year !!

      Glad your marching, this means there are things this government is doing that you are not happy with either. What ever your reason, marching is still marching!

      See you there!

    • Anonymous says:

      What you planning, a UDP filibuster. Bet if Mac decides to drop the turtle meat price tommorow you will change your mind.

    • BORN FREE says:

      Now why do you want to do that? First I want you to note that in your comments you said you & your friends (you sure you have 40?) will be there to march "to protest against the UDP." Note, you said "AGAINST THE UDP."!!! The march that is planned by Charles Clifford IS against what the UDP government is doing, so if you want to join to protest AGAINST the UDP then by all means join in, we welcome you. But if you & your few friends plan to come a carry on like you all did on the Monday before the May 20 elections then I would suggest you go elsewhere because Mr. Clifford has clearly said that this is going to be a PEACEFUL march! OK?
      I do not expect any different from supporters of a politician, Mckeeva Bush, who promotes hatred amongst the people! Maybe that is your plan, or should I say your instructions?
      I would suggest that if you want to march, instead of adding numbers to what will be a very large crowd, you & your trouble looking friends (all 10 of you), go somewhere else & have your march, but I am sure that the reason why you prefer to join Mr. Cliffords’ anti-UDP march is because you know that your pro-UDP march will have no one!
      I look forward to seeing you on Sat. March 13th., since you have admitted that you will be there to "protest against the UDP" & I know you will behave for a change! Now don’t be late grand-daughta! 

      • Anonymous says:

        It is quite obvious that you did not comprehend the paragraph written by the writer and choose to have selected reading, “sentence comprehension”. I can vouch as I was present at that meeting and we will be there, yes WE! Not 10, nor 20, nor 40 it will bigger than you think! May I enforce again our reasoning behind this match as the writer stated; “Now the point of doing this is to show our government that things have got to improve after four years of poverty pain and misery but that we want them to stay and continue their work.” We will be there with OUR green and blue UDP flags and in OUR clothing! Sounds like you are a bit intimidated having us next to you? It will be a peaceful march, that’s for sure, so seat back, relax and enjoy the flight…….oops I meant march! See ya dah! Born Free! Or should I say was Born free…….. but now a PPM prisoner!

  6. Anonymous says:

    McKeeva and his puppets are afraid of the people. They admitted at their meeting on Tuesday night that as a Government they were vulnerable now and Elio begged the people "to give them another chance" as if The Chuckster had already chucked them out !!!

    Go Chuckster Go !!!

    The UDP moved the Brac Agriculture Show to the 6th March in effort to undermine the march.

    Mac you can’t out think The Chuckster so stop trying ok !!!!

    I’ll be there on the 13th March 2010 at 2:30pm……you betta be there too McKeewa !!!!!!!

  7. Anonymous says:

    I’m a bit disappointed that it had to be delayed…in any case I’ll still go out to support it. Mac needs to step down, now. So since he won’t, I’ll gladly sign that petition…selling/leasing the GAB and the new immigration changes are bad bad ideas!

     

  8. JN says:

    Um…

    I think to postponed a demonstration because of an Agricultural Show that is in the Brac, does not make sense to me

     

    • Anonymous says:

      You see, unlike the UDP, Chuckie thinks about the Cayman Brac people. He considers them, & there are hundreds of Brackers that plan to go to the Agricultural show who also wish to participate in the planned march. Thanks Chuckie, because unlike the UDP you have proven that you think about all people of our islands, not just West Bayers like a certain politican.

  9. Anonymous says:

    I am not a UDP supporter but I seriously doubt Charles Clifford or the PPM could do a better job. They are all acting like a bunch of kids. Cayman needs to do away with all these jokers and bring in a new Government with vision & plain old common sence. They are all embarrassing Cayman with their childish antics. Like I said I do not support UDP but I am not supporting this joker either.

    • Anonymous says:

      yea right! you are not a UDP supporter & I am not going on the march! like hell! (in other words, I do not believe you mac)

  10. Anonymous says:

    The Chuckie Show….what happen to the PPM? Is this a sign of a power struggle for next Leader / Premier within the PPM party? Looks so. Kurt, Arden and Alden please watch your backs.

    • Anonymous says:

      No, this is not the UDP, this is the PPM family, & there is no power struggle! But you better had watch out for what is currently happening within the UDP, because as a UDP supporter which you so obviously are, you not gonna like it!

  11. Anonymous says:

    I just do not understand why some people refer to our premier as a dictator,a dictator is one who wants to rule for ever,Mr Bush still have three more years in govt andpossible a second term of four more years. It seems as if the real dictator is none other than Charles Clifford,he lost his seat in BT and is still hoping to sneak in,I would never want this man to ever get back in much less to become a premier in our beloved Cayman Islands!!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Where the heck all thee UDP supporters come out from? Especially in such unpopular times? Elio, you driving around to different locations for different IP addresses? I believe that is illegal…

      • Anonymous says:

        You got it ! That was why Mac said all the blogs were being done by one man!!! UDP’s new strategy !!!! One man … with nothing better to do alll day!

      • Anonymous says:

        Anonymous @ 13:06 you nuh see nuthin yet,unno stay de and fool unno selves thinking we abandon the UDP and our premier.We remain cool in hard times,times which were created by your  POUNDFOOLISH PENNILESS MASTERS.I certainly agree with you when you state that these are unpopular times,but these unpopular times have been on us for the past four years and seems like it just cannot end.We have faith in our premier that soon and very soon we will all come out of this mess which was created by your MASTERS.You sound worried!!! all of a sudden UDP supporters appearing,your tired sense of humor about Ellio and IP addresses nuh ga help you.You have a real reason to be worried,sonny boy!!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      If he pushes us into independance what do you think will happen ?  He will rule change the laws and rule forever. God help us.

      Perhaps we could hire the unemployed civil servants to take the red out of the sunsets and remove red carpets and chairs. Maybe he could repaint the red stop signs as well. 

    • Anonymous says:

      Are you blind? Just open your eyes & you will see why everyone says that Bush is a dictator, it is very obvious!

    • Anonymous says:

      I will vote for two terms in the ASSEMBLY AND NO MORE. This is the big problem, there are some greedy Politicans who are already planning on the next Election, but I know that they are up for some bad surprises.

  12. Anonymous says:

    Mr Clifford says: "The elected UDP Government does not have the right to refuse to meet with the people whom they were elected to represent"

    Really? So let me get this straight; if I use my democratic right to demonstrate against the UDP (which is no-one is trying to prevent by the way) the UDP MUST meet with me?  That’s utter nonsense.

    Like them or not – the UDP are democratically elected. In 3 years there will be another election, perhaps they will be voted out.  But Mr Clifford’s attitude is more akin to a toddler having a  tantrum and throwing his toys out of the cot than that of a serious politician.

    Have your parade Mr. Clifford, or go to the agricultural show if you prefer, but I can assure you I will be voting for somebody a little more grown up come the next election.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      The toddler is obviously the premier; this is clear because as a "leader" and the premier of this country, each and every voter is his constituent. Now he has resorted to calling these consituents "rabble rousers and hooligans", and has refused to meet with them to hear out their concerns….tell me again who sounds like thetoddler having a tantrum? Did you listen to him in the LA yesterday??

      It is obvious that the government have no regard for the people as after notice of the march was given for that date, the government (aka. McKeeva) decided to reshedule the show for the date of the march in order to avoid the people. That is called cowardace!

      Charles Clifford saw the cry of the people ( from across all sections, and heeded that collective cry). You may like the UDP, but clearly the public after having them run the country’s affairs has seen pure recklessness and incompetence…the public have realized the err of their ways in trusting candidates who alihn themselves with McKeeva/UDP.

      Mr. Clifford, if you were to have that march today, you’d still have my support! Like someone said earlier, maybe on a different story…. I’m STILL ready to march!!!

  13. Anonymous says:

    "There is talk of change in the air. Demonstrations. A petition. A referendum. The people will march, finally we will be heard. Our society will never be the same. When, in centuries to come our history is written – one day will stand above all others; Saturday the 13th day of Mar……oh, wait a second, isn’t that the Brac Agricultural show? I can’t miss that, my Aunty is entering her goat and her yams. Yes, well, let’s change the world on a more convenient day.  Some time in the future." 

  14. Anonymous says:

    This man needs to grow up and stop the name calling. Referring to others that do not agree with him as a "bunch of rabble rousers" is insulting and in bad taste. 

    • Frequent Flyer says:

      This man? Ha! They ALL need to grow up. They all sound like young school children.

      It’s because they don’t have the vocabulary to fully express themselves so they resort to the school yard drivel of their youth. I almost feel embarrassed for them. And it is why we still look like a Banana Republic. You wonder how anyone can take us seriously?!

      What a joke

  15. What an excuse! says:

    Did the postponement almost seem credible until the reason was given?  What a joke.  The Chuckster has lost all his political capital now.  "I can see Cayman Brac from my house"

  16. Anonymous says:

    I agree with Chuckie….everyone in my office is going to march….McKeeva is running from the people. McKeeva announced that he wasn’t coming as soon as 12 hours before Juliana’s ministry moved the agricultural show to March 6th. Sad really…they think they’re above the people. Time to get rid of these smug ones who think of themselves of gods.

     

     

  17. Anonymous says:

    Chuckie just wants ongoing attention waiting for the next election.

    It seems the political lime light is addictive and once someone has caught the ego high of government they never want to let it go.

    This malady can be caught by anyone of either political party and lets not forget independents…

  18. Anonymous says:

    Thanks Chuckie, this means I can be there!

  19. Anonymous says:

    I stand to be corrected but I feel the postponement of the march is due to lack of support and not any public event the Government has planned.

    When will this guy stop trying to fool people like he is fooling himself?

  20. Anonymous says:

    Keep up the heat Chuckie

  21. Anonymous says:

    LOL – game, set, match Premier McKeeva Bush