‘Be 1 of 8000’ campaign
(CNS): The independent member for North Side says that the campaign for a ‘yes’ vote in this summer’s referendum on one man, one vote and single member constituencies is underway and will retain its focus on door to door canvassing. Under the slogan ‘Be one of the 8000’, the mark at which the ballot would be won, Ezzard Miller said he remained confident that despite the premier’s efforts to stack the deck against one man, one vote, the people of Cayman will come out and vote in favour of it on 18 July. He explained that district groups have been established where volunteers will be co-ordinating a strategic campaign and visiting the homes of voters.
“We are continuing to find that the best way to educate the electorate about one man, one vote is in the comfort of their living rooms,” he said. “Although the campaign will now move on to a wider national strategic level, with public meetings, campaign leaflets and such, we are still going door to door.”
He explained that the district groups would be organising more informal meetings and socials where people can ask questions and discuss the issues in small groups rather than have politicians shouting them out from platforms. “We have found that people want to engage in dialogue and ask questions about the issues, and that’s the approach we will be taking,” Miller added.
Although Miller, along with the opposition members, recognise they now face an uphill struggle to get close to 8,000 'yes' votes in July's referendum, they are still confident that they can win.
“As we have said many times, the time is now,” Miller added, as he stressed once again the importance of equity in democracy.
Miller said campaigners were continuing to collect signatures for the original petition in order to continue to measure public sentiment and as an insurance policy. Although the campaigners have not undertaken an official count, the number of completed books and those in circulation suggest that close to 5,000 registered voters have now signed the petition, surpassing the requirement to trigger the people’s referendum.
Now that government has taken over the process, however, it will be embarking on a public funded campaign against one man, one vote and single member constituencies and a move to retain the status quo.
If the referendum is lost and less than 50% plus one of the country’s voters say ‘Yes’, it is still not clear how the people of Cayman will vote in the May 2013 general election. Although the premier had initially stated that he would be adding two seats to the district of George Town and one to Bodden Town to accommodate the growth of the Legislative Assembly to 18 members, he has also indicted that one seat could go to West Bay instead of two to George Town.
If the referendum passes the electorate will go to the polls and vote for just one candidate in their local single member constituency as set out in the Boundary Commission’s report of 2010, which in most cases is in line with the existing polling areas.
For more information on the referendum and one man one vote contact any of the individuals listed below:
Al Suckoo Jr 916-1689 alva.suckoo@gmail.com
Johann Moxam jmoxam@hotmail.com
Noel March 916-1429 ntmarch@hotmail.com
Chris Goddard 928-6534 sportnzone@candw.ky
Betyann Duty 916-1494 bettyann.duty@hotmail.com
Kent McTaggart 928-3449 kent@spscayman.com
Bo Miller 916-0003 miller.bo@gmail.com
Sharon Roulstone 516-0220 cayshay@hotmail.com
Marco Archer 939-7474 msarcher@candw.ky
Bryan Ebanks 916-3048
Edward Caudeiron 916-0157 terrycaudeiron@hotmail.com
Terry Caudeiron 916-7895 terrycadeiron@hotmail.com
Ezzard Miller 327-5757 ezyhealth@telecayman.ky
Arden McLean 916-0630 arden@candw.ky
Woody Da Costa 916-2470 woodyd@candw.ky
Gregg Anderson 916-6777
Alden McLaughlin 916-3153
PPM Office 945-8292 ppm@candw.ky
Petition books are also available to sig at Four Winds Esso in West Bay, Walkers Road Texaco, in George Town, Pinnacle Condos on 7MB, as well as the Book Nook and Hobbies and Books.
Category: Politics
I suspect the Petition for the OMOV still have not gotten the 3800 required signatures that would have been required for submission for the Referendum although we were still encouraged to sign even after the Government declared there would be one. Curious as to how many signatures were received and this should give us a good indication if the OMOV have a chance to pass.
Is this online for signing for Caymanians living overseas?
No, but the petition can be emailed, signed, scanned and sent back.
People need to continue signingthe petition. If we get that to 8,000 votes before this fraudulent referendum, we may be able to stop it from happening and declare a victory then.
Can OMO be considered without single member constituencies? That's the part of this I don't like. God know who could up end up in the LA.
Can't be any worse than what we have now.
For accountable representation! Very simple.
This initiative is long overdue.
Single member constituencies is modern, simplier and fairer than the unfair multi-person system — representation is meant to be equal, so WHY do BTers have less MLA repesentation than westbay or george town??
and GT should have 6 — but Mckeeva does not want to dilute his power base
pure foolishness!
so get rid of it and do OMOV: simple, easy…fair!
I totally agree I am also voting NO!!!!!
me too!!!
I suppose we just have to accept that there will always be losers in our country. Thank God they seem to be diminishing in numbers.
I'm sorry, but as a George Town voter I certainly won't be voting to give up 3 of the 4 votes that I am now entitled to cast. I simply won't be showing up to vote, effectively voting no to the referendum. I also can't imagine that there are that many George Town, West Bay, Bodden Town and Sister Island voters who are going to give up the votes that they now have either.
Just those that are willing to do what is right. I am a BTer and I will definitely vote for it.
And thats why Cayman will stay third world.
There's a very good reason why everyone should only have one vote: because most of you are stupid and will bring us all down so you can squirrel away a few more nuts at the expense of the common good. No matter, the next government will implement it. And if the next government is UDP there will be suicides and riots, I guarantee you. We cannot take any more.
Well the way that I see it you have two choices (poster 09:22) leave if you are not satisfied (maybe one of the other caribbean countries such as Barbados, Bahamas, or T&C will do for you since they are so advanced democratically) or sit down and zip it. For the UDP's voting system which calls for 50+1 votes to make it binding is fair. And they majority of persons in this country do NOT and i repeat DO NOT want the OMO voting system. Why should the minority groups in this country have their little itty bitty way while the majority suffer. The same voting ratio should have been used for the constitution. But of course it was easier to win with the majority of voter turnout, so the PPM took it like they do everything else. Take the easy road. Now the majority of persons in this country are stuck and have to suffer for Alden's mistakes in drafting the "constipation" manual. Which is holding us back and the only thing it's "binding" is the Cayman Islands (under) the UK's control.
And effectively forfeiting your right to vote in your country. Now THAT makes a lot of sense. Sorry UDP, one less vote for you…
All three of us in this household have signed the petition. Count us in among the 8000 who will vote YES on July 18th.
Why did they not include the necessary language to make the petition for referendum binding?
The petition is also out from of Kirk Supermarket on weekdays from 10 am to 4pm.
This should be the Recruitment Process – "Be 1 of the 30,000" – for the much needed Revolution to cut past all this 'Money and Power-influenced" political & diplomatic chase and just take our country back out of the clutches of McKeeva Bush.
Damn, I have already GROWN TIRED of watching this Dictatorship-in-the-making and the sure FALL of the Cayman Islands, for most part at the hands of ONE MAN.
Sorry, I want to vote for 18, not just 1
And I agree with you, that would actually be the best solution.
More haste and less speed as the old folks would say.I agree with that old saying.
When taking on these initiatives we must first consider the importance to tie up all loose ends of the basic structures giving the documents a strong foundation. In this case the petition for a people's initiated referendum. This ground work must be completed before coming public on any crucial issue.
It would make more sense that at the inception of the petition that Mr. Miller, Mr. McLean and others would also have included if it were constitutionally possible; to have already included the appropriate wording in the petition that would make the referendum "binding." To repeat the process of seeking 7-8000 signatures on a second round is simply double work, wear and tare on those working so very hard to see this through by offering themselves as volunteers throughout the island. Many of them are senior citizens concerned about the affairs of the country and our children's future; but consideration must be given to a more comprehensive approach and the fact that its better to kill two birds with one stone. Its time we begin to work smart and not hard.
I think you need to read the Constitution and understand what is going on.
1. A people-initiated referendum can only be triggered by a petition signed by 25% of all registered electors. There is no way to short cut that process. That is the standard procedure for people-initiatied referendums everywhere. What does vary is the % of registered electors required to trigger the referendum.
2. A people-initiated referendum, if passed by 50%+1 of all registered electors, IS binding according to the Constitution. There is no need for any special wording.
3. The UDP govt. has hijacked the people-initiated referendum and turned it into a govt-intitiated referendum which is NOT necessarily binding, even though it opposes the question posed by the referendum.
4. The UDP govt. alone can turn this intoa one step procedure by amending the Elections Law to introduce one man one vote single member constituencies.
If you have signed this petition (or been paying attention) you should know that the petition initiated by these folks would require a binding resolution.
It is the hi-jacked referendum law published by the Government which does not explicitly say that a positive result would be binding and require that these changes be brought in for the 2013 election.
Plus why should someone who choses not to participate(vote) count in the final analysis? That is what the bar proposed in the law equates to. In my opinion, in any voting process those who do not participate should not be counted. That is if you do not cast a vote (Yes or No) then your opion should not count.
This discussion has been taking place for years. There comes a time to act.
Hear both sides. Study the issue. Vote as you see fit based on facts as you see them.
We do not need to kick it down the road again.
To Anonymous Thu. 5/3/2012 FYI the Referendum Question was written by the UDP and not Miller or McLean and is therefore is a Government initiated motion.The petitioners are not asking anyone to sign a second time; they are simply aiming to get a total of at least 8000 voters to sign the original petition.Remember Mr Bush decided to move forward with his own question rather than waiting for the petition to be presented to him.Therefore the question being put forward was designed by the UDP team and not Messrs Mclean and Miller.
lets hope they keep the signature drive going….get the 3800 signatures for a People's initiated referndum and deliever this to Government….as if the referendum had not been announced.
Dont be fooled or hoodwinked by anyone here.
Signed: "1 of 8000"
You can vote on this right now, just sign the petition.