Deputy premier in London

| 28/07/2011

(CNS): With Premier McKeeva Bush just back from British Virgin Islands, where he attended the 2011 Pre-Overseas Territories Consultative Council (OTCC) meeting, CNS has learned that Deputy Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly is also on another overseas trip, this time to the UK, where she is attending the 57th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in London, which started on 21 July and ends tomorrow, 28 July. However, there has been no release from government with details about the trip, such as who is accompanying her or if her itinerary includes stops to any other countries. The official opening took place on Day 5 of the conference (Monday 25 July) by Princess Anne at Westminster Hall in the Houses of Parliament.

According to the UK parliament website, more than 600 foreign dignitaries from 170 national, state, provincial and territorial parliaments attended the ceremony, where HRH The Princess Royal read a message from the Queen, “welcoming the delegates of so many parliaments and the significance of the theme of the conference ‘Reinforcing Democracy’.”

While the deputy premier’s itinerary at the conference is unknown, there was an opportunity to attend a session which focussed on discussions about nurturing democracies, youth leadership and citizen involvement, which raised the idea that small nations should consider putting a compulsory service limit on their politicians to encourage young blood and a greater turnaround of representatives.

Maldives delegate, Dr Abdulla Mausoom, said “mature” politicians were stultifying parliaments at the expense of young people with fresh ideas and should be only allowed to serve a set number of terms. “Without voluntary retirement of mature politicians there will be no seats for youth,” he said, adding that it would also open greater opportunities to encourage women to participate and win seats in parliaments. We see it in the United States where thePresident can only serve two terms and we see governments overturned after a period in office because they become stale. Politicians should be the same.”

Dr Mausoom said that while youth leadership training is a “buzz topic” placed on the agenda of many democratic debates, including within the Commonwealth, it leads nowhere if parliaments cannot be refreshed regularly. “The political stage does not welcome them. Young people don’t have the resources, political backing or finance to compete with mature [politicians].”

The CPA contributes to the flight costs of delegates based on the cheapest, most direct and economical return fare available. The CPA UK is also paying for basic single occupancy bed and breakfast at the newly opened and state-of-the-art Park Plaza Westminster Bridge for delegates for the duration of the conference when the delegates attendance is necessary.

 

15-year-old CNS summer intern Joshua Dilbert contributed to this article.

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  1. Knot S Smart says:

    OMG. I pray that this is not going to turn into another 'foot-washing incident'!

  2. ann says:

    14:24

    And I can't pay my light bill this month.

  3. Anonymous says:

    all I got is "better there than here"…let them laugh at her

    • Strangers in the night says:

      I wonder if Paul went with her? He usually travels with her, but WHY? She does not need a driver/bodyguard/friend on overseas trips. It is an extra expense that is wasted money!

  4. Anonymous says:

    Hope she spends her time there thinking of ways to improve Cayman Brac's economy. Just a hint, those ideas should have nothing to do with paving or toilet blocks

    • Anonymous says:

      unna can't satisfy wid all dem roads and parking lots she pave up de fa unna. Cha man send her down ya, pot holes killing us wid all dis rain..

  5. Anonymous says:

    Man, imagine the frequent flyer miles this bunch are racking up at our expense. I bet they never pay for another flight in their life. Club class is $7000, not sure about first class, what a disgrace that we pay for this all the time!

    • Anonymous says:

      Many governments do not allow redemption of frequent flyer points accrued from official travel: Australia, US, Canda and Germany to name a few.

      The US has a "Gainsharing Award Program" whereby points are turned in and used for official travel. Canada does that as well as allowing pionts to be donated to charities, and so on…

      The reason for this is the enforcement of laws that ban Civil Servants from personal gain whist on Official Business. But then again…in Cayman….

       

       

  6. tim ridley says:

    The evidence is indeed that encumbents are generally favoured, but not necessarily. The best way of "retiring" stale politicians is at the ballot box. That is why it is so essential to ensure the integrity of the electoral system, and that it is transparent, fair and free from corruption.

    We have a system here that needs some care and attention. For starters, we need to move to single member constituencies and "one voter, one vote". We also need to pressure the Governor and Police Commissioner to get the Anti Corruption Commission in full and effective operation well ahead of the 2013 elections, and so to send the right message to all politicians and their supporters.

     

    Tim Ridley

    • Anonymous says:

      As usual we agree 100%, Tim. Now if I can only convince you to get naturalised and run for office. Your adopted country needs you.

      • Anonymous says:

        Of course we would benefit from having people like Tim (and many others not born here) as MLAs but why would he run? He would be castigated and abused and insulted just because he was not born here. We will never get better MLAs as long as the mentality of the lady in Bodden Town who told me "they have to be able to sit down and play dominoes with me" prevails. And she was a fairly senior civil servant (not 'senior" in the sense of intellect but very typical).

        • Anonymous says:

          I reckon Tim would beat her at dominoes!

        • Libertarian says:

          And moreover, all renowned democracies such as the United States, have in their Constitution that only a born and raise citizen of their country, can run for the highest political office in the land. Hence, I strongly believe that the Cayman Islands should never ever give away their seat of government to an expat if they want to secure their local interest.  

          Think of it… would the United States give up their Presidency or members of Congress to expats or to anyone without a U.S. Birth certificate???  We have talented Caymanian people here. We are not indigenous people. We deserve democratic rights too! 

          Caymanians are outnumbered in their own home country, and need to educate and use what they have. We should never undermine those with potential, ethics, and strong leadership abilities.

          • Anonymous says:

            Agreed, Libertarian, so we all need to stop complaining about those absolute bozos and no hopers that we continue to elect every time there is a general election.

          • Anonymous says:

            Huh?  If you are not indigenous people, then based on your own argument, you couldn't run for political office either.  

          • Anonymous says:

            The point is that our Constitution is different from the U.S. Constitution in that respect. Ours does allow someone not born in the Islands to run for office provided they are full, naturalised Caymanians and do not possess any other citizenship.

            We may indeed have a talented pool of people here but evidently they are not running for public office.     

          • Loopy Lou says:

            The US Constitution is highly unusual with the "birth" provision for the position of President.  Foreign bornpoliticians have held just about every other significant position in government – both federal and state. 

            Cayman has such a tiny talent pool, made even tinier by the limits put on who can vote and which of the voters can in turn stand for election, that it ends up with the current jokerfest in the LA.

    • Libertarian says:

      Agreed, and yes to "one voter, one vote"  However, why single member constituencies for Grand Cayman?  Why not consider the whole of Grand Cayman one constituency. Besides, what effects us in the East effects us in the West. We are 1 Cayman Islands, and we are so splintered by so many constituencies. We should just have a national slate of candidates. Simply, the candidates that have the most votes from the entire populous, becomes serving MLA.  

      • Anonymous says:

        You almost have that now in Georgetown and there is no accountability.  No one is "your" representative. No one person has to answer to you, they can just point fngersat each other.

        • Libertarian says:

          The world governments need to evolve with the changing times. We have computers, we have ATMs, we have cellular phones, and technology. Take the power away to legislate laws from elected officials, and give it to the people by way of electronic tranfers, have proper auditing of the electronic constitutional system, and Cayman will never be misrepresented in their own home country. It is called direct democracy. Unfortunately, some are looking for a UK intervention to make a positive difference. Sorry, but suspending a democracy and having a UK dictatorship, for while to sweep house, will not and can never remedy selfishness and greed in the hearts of politicians and they joining hands in alliance with certain elites, welathy individuals, and developers.  

  7. Anonymous says:

    Im sure the conference she attended on IT and mobile telephones previously and the knowledge she gained from that sweet all expenses paid trip will come in useful on this one too.

    Jesus or no Jesus I am ashamed she represents me as a Caymanian, and I am tired of politicians like her extolling her Christian beliefs as justifying her position.  (and yes I am Christian too)

  8. Anon says:

    We need to start training young persons from now to be the future leaders of these Islands instead of taking any John Doe off the street and giving them so much power. We have seen how the lack of foresight, education and training has continued to wreck this place.

  9. Anon says:

    AMEN AMEN AMEN – Dr Abdulla Mausoom, said “mature” politicians were stultifying parliaments at the expense of young people with fresh ideas and should be only allowed to serve a set number of terms. “Without voluntary retirement of mature politicians there will be no seats for youth,” he said, adding that it would also open greater opportunities to encourage women to participate and win seats in parliaments. We see it in the United States where the President can only serve two terms and we see governments overturned after a period in office because they become stale. Politicians should be the same.”

     

    ….and again I say AMEN!!!! Now if this message could get sent on to the right people!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Politicians, like Diapers should be changed frequently. And…for the same reason.

      Diddlysquat

  10. Anonymous says:

    What a sweet gig our politicians have.  It would have been a first class flight no doubt.  Chauffuer driven car from the airport.  5 star hotel and top London restaurants every night.  Bit of shopping (hope she declares everything). And the only downside is sitting through a bit of jaw-boning during your morning coffee. Nice time of year to be in Europe- I'm sure there are a few other "official engagements" she can line up to extend her stay.

  11. Anonymous says:

    FOI, FOI, FOI, time to get the details on who, what, when, where and exactly how much this is costing all of us.

  12. Anonymous says:

    The whole thing is a waste of time paid for by taxpayers.

    Travelling around the hotels is actually really tiring. You lose routine, eat far too much and end up miserable. Heck, I should know.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Please Ms. Deputy Premier while in London sign a MOU with the UK for direct rule of the
    Cayman Islands until 2013.  Enjoy your trip and be blessed.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Lets see if any upgrades were done this time, and if anyone with cowboy boots went for the ride! And a vacation in blighty.

    Dr. Mausoom comments are relevant to Cayman, however we also need mature people who have had  success before they come into politics, but also limit their term. The last thing we need is a repeat of our current system which is overloaded by people who have failed elsewhere, and use the system to make up for their own ersonal and skills shortcomings at the expense of the Caymanian people.

    Until we make such drastic change we will continue to have second rate people lead us who when they get in power cannot handle it, because they are not used to it and behave in such an atrocious way. This system as it stands allows them to be our Lord & Masters when in fact they are SERVANTS of the people who elected them.

  15. CaymanFisting says:

    Congrats Joshua Dilbert and I wish you nothing but continued success in your future as a journalist. Hopefully other young members of our society will look towards you as an example and prosper from the education they have received

  16. Anonymous says:

    More wasted money

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe not a complete waste. Harrod's has a great shoe sale on.

      • Anonymous says:

        And if you buy a pair of no strap shoes apparently they have an free offer on with an upmarket Kingsway spa for a pedicure.

        • Anonymous says:

          Errrrrrrrrr…… I think you meant with strap my dear that is to say without heel, in keeping with particular summer dress code of the day in the mother country.

          Ahmmmm……….We don't want to make the mistake the Premier did on April 29th do we?

  17. Anonymous says:

    Dr Abdulla Mausoom makes sense.  That is what is wrong with the Cayman Islands:  Stagnating politicians.