3rd man for PPM WB battle

| 26/02/2013

cptbebanks.jpg(CNS): The People’s Progressive Movement has announced that Captain Bryan Ebanks will be standing on the party’s West Bay platform in May, joining Woody Da Costa and Ray Farrington. Given the recent turn of events, the opposition believes that the long running hold that the former premier has had on all four seats in the district can be broken and will be going into battle to ensure that, if that is so, the seats go to their candidates. The PPM has said it plans to field four people in the district, which will be the toughest battleground for the Progressives, but a fourth candidate has yet to be named. Captain Bryan said it had been too long since the “little man” had good representation in West Bay and he intends to change that.

The West Bay boat operator is no stranger to the public platform, having been active in a number of campaigns affecting the people in his district and his industry recently, from the battle to ensure the boat operators' needs are met during the changes at Safehaven to his role in the battle to keep the West Bay Road open. Ebanks was also at the forefront of the campaign to protect the North Sound in the face of the former premier's plans to dredge a channel through it.

Having already started his campaign in West Bay, Ebanks says he has received a warm welcome from the district as the people are desperate for change.

“It has been too long since the little man and the working class have had good representation in West Bay. I intend to change that. The people of West Bay have been taken for granted by their present representatives for too long. Dispensing political largesse every four years is not real representation. Where is the commitment to empower our young people, to strengthen families, to build our communities?” he asked.

As the owner of a thriving fishing and snorkelling business, Captain Bryan said the tourism product, which is supposed to be a Cayman experience, needs more Caymanians to be involved.

“Let us concentrate on filling the available tourism jobs with Caymanians,” he said. “To do this we must provide the necessary training for our people at all levels to give them a stake in what is widely regarded as a world-class tourism product. Other destinations in the Caribbean have done so with great success and there is no reason why we cannot do likewise.”

Party Leader Alden McLaughlin said the Progressives were pleased to have Capt. Bryan aboard. “He represents the spirit of every Caymanian. He has worked hard to become a successful entrepreneur and with his experience he has a lot to offer to our young people in particular in this regard,” the opposition leader added.

Bryan Ebanks is the fourteenth person to join the PPM slate of an anticipated 15 as the party leader has stated that the Progressives can work with both their former colleague Arden McLean (East End) and the North Side Independent MLA Ezzard Miller and therefore will not field candidates against them.

In addition, with the popular deputy opposition party leader, Moses Kirkconnell, and the new premier, Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, the only candidates in the Sister Islands race at present, the PPM will not be fielding a second candidate for Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Well the Treasury will be making some revenue from this election. Doesn’t a candidate have to get 10% of the votes cast in order to get his or her deposit of a $1000 Back? If so, I have estimated that thus far with those who have declared there is about $8000 that will be remaining with the elections office and those 8 people will be poorer by forfeiting there hard earned $1000.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I have not heard of any corruption within the PPM party. To me the PPM party is the way to go Capt. Bryan. They are men of intregity, statemanship and law makers. That is why they are hated so, because they got things done and put laws in place to stop the UDP corruption train from wrecking these Islands. Even though the UDP and their spin offs had already and is still trying to damage us further. I just hope the West Bayers wake up and do the right thing. Do not let free food, parties, Nation Building Funds, Short term jobs blind all you, for once in unnah life please vote with Country in heart. Vote PPM, they build schools, CIG Building, Roads, Boxing Gym, New Vehicle inspection building, made our Constitution, Bill of Rights, anti Corruption law and most importantly the FOI.  PPM is a party of doers, they do not accept dollars under the table, they simply cannot be bought. Capt. Brian you made the right choice, don"t let the haters get to you.

     

     

  3. Anonymous says:

    I thought he said he hated polititians

  4. Anonymous says:

    Everything that I have ever heard of Capt. Bryan Ebanks is what he is against. North Sound dredging, West Bay Road ect…, but I never heard anything from him about the stingrays at Discovery point or the George Town berthing facility or the Red Bay opition.

    If he expects to be taken seriously he must state credible solutions to the country's problems like the landfill issue.

    "Just say No", was coined by Nancy Reagan to keep kids of of drugs in the US and it was a miserable failure, Capt Bryan must say more to be taken seriously.

  5. Anonymous says:

    West Bay, please give him a chance to prove himself.  I beleive you would here his voice a lot more than Cat. Eugene.  Am sure of that..

  6. St Peter says:

    From the many negative posts here it looks like the UDP are posting en masse.

    I think they are afraid that Capt Bryan will shake up the elections in West Bay and even Mac needs to be worried that he will be out voted by Capt Bryan…

  7. Voter in GT says:

    Where are the Sharon Roulstones of WB?

  8. Anonymous says:

    And circus expands…

  9. Anonymous says:

    Sorry, but the PPM slate in West Bay just keeps getting weaker and weaker. They apparently do not want representatives in WB.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Sounds like another person that is looking for $$ after his business feel through from under him!
    Wb worse choice!

    Gt voter

  11. Mom in GT says:

    West Bay really does not have a good selection to choose from!   It is going to be difficult in GT with such qualified and educated candidates like Roy McTaggart, Sharon Roustone, and Winston Connolly…All  INTELLIGENT and caring business people who have done more for our community than any other politician.  I look at the resumes of candidates and am PROUD to see so much chairty work without a paycheque….

    Our current politicians are shameful, every single last one of them.

    NO MORE PARTY POLITICS.  THROW THE BUMS OUT .  We need level headed people to fi our cronyism and corruption mentality, not career politicians with empty promises.

    PPM & UDP you had your chance and look at the last decade of waste and destruction you caused.  It is time to either go back to an Adminstrative "Custos" or elect businessminded professionals.

    • I will disagree says:

      Really? What pray tell have Roy Winston and Sharon done that was so outstanding? You message is misleading, unfounded and plain ignorant C4C lies. I hear Jude Scott went to Wellys the other day with a bodyguard. How do C$C plan to represent people when they are afraid of them? Please try that crap somewhere else!

       

  12. have mercy says:

    a huge step backward, even by West Bay standards.

     

  13. Daffy Duck says:

    He is a real Captain? Good.. because we certainly need one on this sinking ship! But then my guess is that he, like so many other "captains" around here is self appointed….. If he is elected will he become the "The eternally honourable Captain" or just "Captain Honourable"? Then he would need a cape and funky coloured underwear

  14. Anonymous says:

    PPM…late and on the defensive, as usual…

  15. Anonymous says:

    I find it ironic that these people call themselves the Progressives. There is absolutely nothing progressive about the PPM beyond their name. They are the most back-thinking people on th island. The will have us all with smoke pots and cook rums if they get back in. 

    • Anonymous says:

      I suppose you prefer the forward thinking special interest group called C$C that only represent those that have million dollar kitchens with dozens of pots and people (on work permits) to cook for them? Guess what…some people canstill only afford cast iron pots and some simply don't have a kitchen.  The next time you are out take the back road in your fancy car and put your windows down so you can smell and hear poverty…don't worry they don't bite.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, and it's sickening that we continue to pay exhorbitant salaries to some members of the LA to go fishing or do nothing at all.  If this were McKeeva Bush, there would be so much hell raising from the PPMers or whatever you call them now.  By the way, no amount of rebranding can make us forget that you put us on the road to near bankruptcy and servitude to the UK.

  16. Anonymous says:

    Captain Bryan you would be good but you should have stayed away from PPM

    • Anonymous says:

      @ 18:18 – Will you must be a C4C 

    • Anonymous says:

      Anyone is better than a UDP self interest seeking greedy waste like the current mobsters.

    • Anonymous says:

      I thought that Mack would have one of the educated Parchment brothers running with Mike in Town. Ms Cherry and Mr David has certainly raised some fine young men.

  17. Anonymous says:

    People, a storm is brewing so great that none of these petty politics will matter any more. A financial crash is coming that will render wealthy people broke overnight. You cannot keep printing money "just because you can." Cayman's debt is very, very tenuous, but no one has even bothered to look into the circumstances surrounding it.

    Sooner or later, the margins will be called and the elite will call in their debts. If you do not have some gold or silver and some food, you will be in trouble. There will be chaos like you have never seen. Ivan will be like a mild Nor'Wester.

    I would like to see one politician with any vision stand up to guide the people. Number one, we get rid of the excess foreigners before we have to give them status and number two, we start working on a sustainable food supply and hopefully some sustainable energy. You can be sure if America goes down the drain, the boat won't show up in George Town on Sunday night and then what?

    'While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.' 1 Thess 5:3

    You go with you stock market analysts, your palm readers, your reality TV and your horoscopes, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

    • Anonymous says:

      Seriously? Just please stop imposing your religious beliefs on people especially here on a political forum. I am sick of all the religious threats of all sorts – stay stuck in your nutshell because 90% of the so called christians on this island are only so when its convenient and some of you spend the entire week gossiping, cursing people and expect to gwt dolled up come sunday and march into church all holy! Just have a seat in the corner with the rest of the crazies. Kmt!

      • Anonymous says:

        Even if you were to omit all religious content from the writers comment, it still gives a very possible forecast for Caymans economic future.  Financially things are very unstable, no one seems to know how to fix it.  A serious recession/depression or finanical crash could be just ahead.  Maybe you should consider whether you like it or not, that God can change this situation whether for the better or worse, depending on our attitude. 

    • Anonymous says:

      While disregarding your maniacal zealot approach there is a couple of kernels worth looking at, specifically there is another predicted US downturn but we can choose to look to other jurisdictions for our financial services and tourism sectors and we need to find other partners for food supplies and other trade besides north America such as Central and South America. We have become way too reliant on just one country when we can go global.

    • NeoSurvivor says:

      Both of us can be off-topic.    Still, your comment really cuts to the heart of what is important in these charged times.    We really aren't a forward-looking country as a whole, are we?   Not really.   At best, we look toward the next year, or next election.    Those MLAs aren't going to save us from ourselves.   I can only hope they save us from the predator outsiders who seek to exploit our naive trust of anyone waving a few dollars. 

      We're going to have to grow more of our own, and protect our aquatic resources — take what we need and no more.  

      Someday, that barge isn't going to come, and then [some of] our neighbors and relatives become the frightened, dangerous animals that they are.  

      We've gotta work together toward a common good and goal.   Increased construction in a damaged hospitality market isn't the answer;  we have to step outside of our growth paradigm and simplify.   Visitors come here for a quaint island/nature experience and world-class diving.   They can get asphalt and concrete at home.  

      In the short term, I think we have to infuse Georgetown businesses with a new spirit, or perhaps an old one, harkening back to what made this once a great place to visit.    We don't need to build new, we need to support existing.  

      ……… and personally simplify.   The Americanisation of Cayman has come at a great price.   This isn't a smear on Americans, but an observation of my perceptions that we've attempted to emulate the sucessful models there.    The U.S. has been good for Cayman, but we need to develop our own models, our own spirit.  

      Good luck and Godspeed all.   Stick together and shine. 

  18. Anonymous says:

    LOL… He couldn’t even run his own business. I thought the PPM would have had more sense!!!! Ah forgot NOT… Pure independents for me!!!!!! No more donkeys.

  19. Anonymous says:

    Means well, but a Johnny come lately and opportunist!  The PPM would have done better to have fielded someone like da Smith boy or better yet Dwene Ebanks.  Wha a mess.  It is clear they do not know West Bayers and take us for foo-fools.

    • Anonymous says:

      Take West Bayers for foo-fools? Surely nobody would ever have doubts about the people who vote overwhelmingly for McKeeva Bush each and every election?

  20. Anonymous says:

    The face of true bitterness!

  21. Anonymous says:

    A step back.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Sigh.

  23. Anonymous says:

     

    As quoted by Captain Bryan "the tourism product, which is supposed to be a Cayman experience, needs more Caymanians to be involved. Let us concentrate on filling the available tourism jobs with Caymanians,” he said. “

    Captain Bryan how many born and bred Caymanians do you have working for yourself.  That may be a good start in assisting Caymanians I would think.

    So many folks are coming forward to all of a sudden want to help Caymanians but honestly as a non Caymanian I am surprised how little effort is being done to assist their own.  Weird in such a small place.  Let's hope you and along with others coming forward can really prove yourself and that you mean what you say.  All the best in that department. 

    • Anonymous says:

      I’ve worked in the tourism for decades, I am Caymanian and believe me I beg, plead, participate in every
      program out there to get Caymanians in to the tourist sector and the wages are better than financial services and I cannot get any Caymanians to apply because they don’t want to work the weekends, public holidays or evenings the tourism sector requires or as one Caymanian told me, he was too proud to work in such an industry. I am not defending this candidate but until you have spent literally years trying to recruit Caymanians to work in this sector and meet with non-stop failure don’t blame owners when they are forced to rely on work permit holders blame a generation of parents who convinced their kids working in tourism is menial and for the uneducated both of which are not true.

  24. Anonymous says:

    Captain Bryan for West Bay.  Am sure his intentions is good but really we need to ask what have the supposed potential candidates done for their fellow Caymanians.   If hey are in a position of recruitingtheir own Indigenous Caymanians and can prove that they have done so then you have my vote and support.   Remember people do not have a short term memory

  25. Wota says:

    That’s a shame. Just lost all my votes and those of the 47 others I control in G.T. Things are looking up for C4C.

    • Anonymous says:

      No wonder this island is a political mess with people like you who say they "control" 7 other voters. Can these other 7 people not make up their own minds? Unfortnately this says as much about you as it does about them, an extremely sad and disturbing situation.

      • anonymous says:

        Agrred. One has got to wonder who's votes are being "controlled". Isit employees? Family members? That in itself is electoral corruption.

    • Anonymous says:

      You sound like some of those traitors that have jumped ship from their political party for the sake of a few thousand a month from the C$C.  Hope the people can see them for what they are, a bunch of rich people that made their millions from keeping other Caymanians from progressing for the sake of becoming Partners in their firms.  So now that they have millions and they have retired is when the feel "compelled to serve their people".  How many of these people were used as puppets before Immigration in an effort to get work permits for foreigners.  Now they have a conscious.  Wake up people, you need to stick with those proven to be for the people and those proven to have the guts to stand up to the UK.

    • Anonymous says:

      How did you get 48 votes?

  26. Anonymous says:

    Congratulations Captain, I think you have made a wise decision, and I am one West Bayer that will give you my vote. God bless you.

  27. Anonymous2 says:

    Hmmm.. a no nonsense guy

    • Rorschach says:

      Wha ya say? A NO nonsense guy???  You ever sit in on a Environmental Protection board meeting??? He is all NONSENSE!!

  28. St Peter says:

    Capt Bryan is a good man…

  29. Home Cayman says:

    I like Captain Bryan Ebanks. He is a people-person; however, I think he is better at being an activists than a politician. My take.

    • Anonymous says:

      Since he has never been a politician, how do you know? Just asking. 

  30. Anonymous says:

    Great news. Capt Bryan really does have the environment and small business at heart. He is a good man. 

    • Anonymous says:

      I think he is a good man too…but does he have what it takes for the political arena? and by the way…anyone knows if he gave up his Candanian Citzenship?? 

  31. Anonymous says:

    I would give Capt Bryan a vote as I feel that he would give better representation to those of us in the "Watersports Industry" – whereas Capt Eugene has failed us miserably for the past three terms.

     

      

    • Anonymous says:

      Agreed to your statement re Captain Eugene.  Unfortunately a waste of space and has done nothing to represent his people in the water sports industry.  He has sat back and allowed things to go on under his watch.  Defo Catain Eugene out and hopefully Captain Bryan will consider his Caymanians and help to create employment in the tourism industry.  Far too long this country has allowed the outsiders to take over especially in the watersports industry.  Stingray City should be a heritage location and only true Caymanians not for folks coming to get a quick buck.  Having been on the stringray city trips can you believe you have outsiders taking tourist out and talking about a culture where they have no affilation with.  Weird.  My mouth dropped even further when I hear Sth Africans engaged in the same  cultured industry.  What is this country coming to.  

      • Diogenes says:

        Sorry, but how is Stingray City a culture issue?  A site where fishermen used to gut their fish – where the interaction with stingrays that gathered there was developed purely as a tourist attraction, no? What other interaction with sting rays took place that merits a "culture" label?  There are undoubtedly good arguments for Caymanians being involved in the tourist product, but to claim its an issue of culture seems a trifle much. 

        • Anonymous says:

          You do not know your Caymanian history. Stingray city (really the sandbar, not the dive site) only became a tourist attraction after years of fishermen talking about interacting with stingrays. 

  32. Anonymous says:

    PPM is a lost cause!