Brac candidate barred

| 05/04/2013

lyndonmartin.jpg(CNS): A second candidate for the 2013 poll has hit the dust after the Elections Office confirmed speculation that Lyndon Martin had also been disqualified. In this instance, the former United Democratic Party MLA for the Sister Islands, who was running as an independent in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, was disqualified as a result of a past criminal conviction. Although he did not receive a custodial sentence, the conviction was for a dishonesty offence and therefore the Bracker is barred from the election fight. Following the announcement, Martin told CNS, "I completely disagree with the ruling but will have to accept it. My police record is completely clean." 

Martin is also due to face Summary Court trial later this month on charges of theft from a local PTA.

Having lost his seat in the 2005 election to Moses Kirkonnell, Martin failed to regain it in 2009, and despite the controversy that has surrounded him was considered to have a narrow chance to unseat the incumbent 2nd elected member for the district, the current premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly. However, just nine days after the nominations for the 2013 closed, Martin was kicked off the ballot.

“The Returning Officer for the electoral district of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman has concluded that Mr Lyndon Leathan Martin, who was nominated and consented to such nomination as a candidate for that district, is not qualified to be elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly pursuant to section 62(1)(e) of the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009,” the Elections Office stated in a release on Friday.

This follows the disqualification of Richard Christian on the grounds of active dual nationality as a result of the Bodden Town hopeful’s continued possession of a United States passport. Although questions still surround other candidates, it is not clear if election officials will be taking action against them as the clock ticks on the need for all ballot papers to be finalized ahead of polling day on 22 May. Following a record breaking 58 candidates nominated on 29 March, there are now just 56 men and women left in political race for 18 Legislative Assembly seats.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    It's a pity more candidates aren't disqualified from running. There are many more "Lyndon Martins" to get rid of. I hope the voters take note of them and not give anyone of them a seat in the LA. The country needs people of integrity who can think sensible and independently to represent them.

  2. Anonymous says:

    I would have thought that conviction for an offence of dishonesty would have been a qualification for the MLA rather than grounds for disqualification. At least we would know what we are getting before they get into power and their hands on our money.

  3. St Peter says:

    My mother always taught me: 'You cant do wrong and get by'…

  4. Anonymous says:

    I am a family member of Lyndon's and I sat through that entire case in which he was charged for dishonesty and subsequently found guilty. His sentence was a number of  community hours,  which he did.  When questions (by the prosecutor) were posed to the crown's witness, who supposedly had been duped of a relatively small amount of money (but that is not the point – small or large) in exchange for services provided, i.e. processing paper work for an immigration application, his answers were astounding.

    "Did you feel that Mr. Martin had cheated you of this money?"  Witness' response: "No sir, I just didn't think he had finished the work yet." He was then asked, "Well why did you report this?", his answer was that he had not reported anything. He said that Immigration officers had come to him and asked him certain questions and he did not know why. He said that he did not know they were planning to charge his "friend" (someone he said that he still regarded as a good friend!

    When the same witness was asked if he would trust Mr. Martin again with money, he  answered (without a moment's hesitation) "Yes Sir".  I was completely flabbergasted when Lyndon was found guilty of this charge.

    Now this disqualifies him, in spite of the laws that says after it is removed from one's record, it is an offense to use that to prejudice anyone.

    UNBELIEVABLE.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Maybe suggest to members of your family that if they want to stand for the LA they should not be found guilty of dishonesty offences.  Or maybe they just should try and be more competent criminals and not get caught.

      • Anonymous says:

        Competent criminal sounds like the best option.  Competent criminals have been running the world for a very long time now!

         

    • Another Anon says:

      No matter how you spin it, my friend, dishonesty still remains dishonesty.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Lyndon, you DO NOT have to accept it. Fight this with every bit of strength that you have!!

    Perhaps you will be the David that slays the Goliath. Fight it Lyndon, appeal it, petition it. Do what you have to do.

  6. Anonymous says:

    Why is Ju Ju allowed to run after being involved in illegal paving of driveways XXXXX?

    • Anonymous says:

      She has not been convicted (or charged).

    • Anonymous says:

      ya got me. I'll give her credit for pulling it off though. some of these people are so comfortable at doing that stuff, they could be filmed by the police robbing a bank and never even be questioned. it's called confidence!

    • Anonymous says:

      Is it true that she gave the Red Bay Church $100,000 and the Hill Side church $50,000? If so where did these funs come from? Also if so why wait until close to election to give that out? Was there more churches as well? Also I havent heard of any recent disaster in Cayman. I heard that Mr Dart from last year had given quite abit of cash to help the people in the community, perhaps its that money. However there should be an account given for that money as there are several homes in Cayman Brac that is still standing as a sore eye that did not get any assistance, what a shame.

    • Anonymous says:

      Despite us all being aware of her illegal actions, unfortunately, she has not been charged and convicted in a Cayman Court.

      Just hope that the "court of the people" will convict her accordingly coming May and I seriously hope that the Bracers can look past their own little benefits they may have gotten and see what is better for the entire country!

  7. Anonymous says:

    "I will have to accept it…."  Wise choice, but no one who knows a mistake has been made about their credentials says that.  Was it the work permit issue that they are referring to? 

  8. Anonymous says:

    On the police record thing, there is the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law that provides that after a certain timeframe, depending on the length of sentence imposed, convictions for certain scheduled offences are expunged from your record and you cannot even be required to disclose the same. The period of rehabilitation is between 7-10 years and certain serious offences (like rape, murder, etc.)are not subject to rehabilitation, so they stay on your record forever. That being said, I know that Lyndon's record hasn't yet been expunged under that Law XXXXX. Cayman Brackers would have to be completely braindead to vote him in again. Even the Barber-Greene Queen is a better candidate than him.

    • Anonymous says:

      Offences are never expunged for certain purposes, including immigration, representations to courts, and seeking elected office.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well you barber green Queen will be in as there is not enough competition. Its just a matter of whos first and whos second. There is no wonder that poor Lyndon is struck off because he was going to make the difference. Just alittle reminder the last election Capt Mose had 473 Ju Ju 447 and Lyndon 300 Maxine 80. So if Lyndon influences his votes else where Capt Mose can top the polls again.

    • Anonymous says:

      His record never will be expunged for election purposes.

  9. Bayah says:

    If a "candidate" files for election and is later found to be unqualified, do they lose their $1000 deposit?

     

    It is high time the election law is amended to require at least 10% of the registered voters of the district to sign the nomination!  How many former candidates have run and gotten less than 100 votes?  This is a waste of the time of voters and only serves to dilute and alter the election.  This needless vote splitting causes otherwise qualified candidates, who may have better ideas and plans for our community to lose out to the perennial "power brokers" who keep our country in a financial and ethical mess!

     

    To allow only TWO people to cause a candidate to be registered is pure folly and needs to be changed..

    • Anonymous says:

      Answer: yes, of course.

      We can increase the number of signatories to the nomination but 10% of registered voters seems extreme.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Dishonesty offence?  If Lyndon was disqualified why wasn't Rolston – who is on record having lied to authorities -disqualified?  The only difference is that Lyndon was runningagainst Juliana and Ralston is running with her….

    (CNS): The trial of the Cayman government’s education minister for drunk driving charges opened in traffic court on Tuesday with claims by the crown that Rolston Anglin gave three different accounts of how the car smash which led to his arrest for DUI earlier this year occurred.

     

    CNS: Whatever was said in court, Rolston Anglin was convicted of DUI, which does not disqualify him from running for office.The difference in his case and Lyndon's is what the law says (that you cannot run if you have been convicted for a dishonesty offence), not who they are running with. Richard Christian, who was running with Juliana O'Connor-Connolly was also disqualified but for a different reason. See here.

  11. Anonymous says:

    Opps, "Can I get my $1000 back" ?

  12. Jaded in GT says:

    My question is:
    Why did it take till 2013 for the elections office to start doing their job?

    While I'm happy they're FINALLY doing their job, I don't recall them being so vocal in the past or investigating the appliances, food, alchohol, driveway paivings, questionalble eligiblity, conflict of interests, handing out names on paper near election stations, envelopes of money… the list goes on and ON of all the "helpin' people" that Caymanian politicians have been guilty of in the past.

    I hold the Elections Office just as responsible as the corrupt voter who accepts these bribes. What made me most shame of my people was not only the acceptance of corrupt practices for personal gain but also the reluctance of many in authority to reffer to and enforce the law.

    Many of these men should have never been allowed to run… EVER.

    Hell, we even errected a statue in town to politician who had dual citizenship and should never had been allowed to keep office. No one cared about that detail (or the other shameful aspects of the man) when they were deciding to make an ephogy to him.

    I expect a center for integrity to be built and named after McKeeva one day… Oh wait they've already started a few. They're called "churches" or "nation builders buildings"… or in the case of the unfinished church in Bodden Town – a "hurrican shelter".

    Its about time Elections office but a little weeding in th epast would have saved you the trouble of a complete "Bush" burning today.

    Guess the observers have everyone on their p's and q's.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      The past is the past. What is so encouraging is that it is happening NOW. And, I believe (or rather hope) that this is just the beginning.

      • A Non-Non says:

        The problems this country is going through right now is becuase Caymanians didn't learn anything from the past. We have bad memories when it comes to voting and disjointed memoirs when it comes to our history.

  13. Anonymous says:

    My goodness, this is all turning into a farce. Surely he's aware of the laws of the Cayman Islands governing who can and cannot run for office and what constitutes a clean police record. It doesn't make any sense. Can any mental health care professional reading this please explain exactly what's going on inside of Lydon's head? Thank you.

  14. Baldric says:

    Lyndon, you confused. That's not what they mean by 'conviction politician'.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Well joey and mckeeva should get the chance to run for elecation!!!!!!

  16. Anonymous says:

    So selling drugs to an undercover cop is ok?? I am not giving Martin right for stealing -if this is indeed the case BUT come on now and explain the difference here with him and a PPM candidate who was a KNOWN drug dealer and one who went to jail for his actions. In other words, a CONVICTED drug dealer is clear to run but a CONVICTED thief isn’t? To me it’s all dishonesty so call a spades a spades and disqualify anyone who has a conviction save except traffic offenses.

    • Anonymous says:

      a name please. if it's public record, a name please

    • Anonymous says:

      Ok you made your point first time you posted, now you are like  a broken record – move on – we sick of reading the same story with different words

    • Anonymous says:

      I agree with you totally. I will not condone Lyndon Martins actions BUT for good governance treat ALL convictions on the same level. To me, selling drugs is a lot more serious of a crime and is dishonesty as one is reaping profits from illegal actions. There can be no justice if the convicted candidate from GT is allowed to run. XXXXX Time for independents!!!!!

  17. Anonymous says:

    direct rule please!

     

  18. Tickle My Pickle says:

    Regardless of him being barred or not, voters should take the responsibility of not voting for someone with a criminal history.

    • Anonymous says:

      In that case you shouldn't be voting for any of them because Lyndon's only real crime was getting caught. But a community service order barring someone from standing for the LA? You have to be joking, this 'constitution' is turning into a sick joke.

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s not the community service order that is barring him but the conviction for an offense involving dishonesty. I guess honesty doesn’t hold much value for you.

    • Anonymous says:

      nice thought heidi. aint gonna happen

  19. Anonymous says:

    some say over 60 percent of  our male population has been convicted imprisoned, 80 percent ofthose are on drug convictions, most druggies have lied cheated and stolen to feed their habbit.So if this is the case we will be hard presssed  find  MLA hopefuls with no convictions. gosh we might have start voting for ..gasp.. girls?! this telenovellita is gripping. Go Tara, Sharon and Jackee. I would love to see an all female tickect one year.

    • Anonymous says:

      Wow!

      I don't know which man did whatever to you, lady – but you really need to chill with that man-hating attitude of yours.

      I hope you don't have any children … male or female.

      Also, if that is your best argument for why more females should be elected then it is a very pathetic.

    • Anonymous says:

      There are lies, damned lies and statistics. You just made those figures up out of pure malice.

    • Anonymous says:

      just dont forget that it's the women raising these boys. gotta question their management skills. just sayin…

    • Anonymous says:

      I would love to know where you get your figures. Literally nothing you just said is true in any way, shape or form. There is no possible way that 60% of our male population has been convicted or imprisoned. You are so incredibly and drastically misinformed it's absolutely unbelieveable. 

      • The Watcher says:

        Well, let's look at what we do know.

        At the current rate, a Customs officer is arrested on average every 6 months, members of the current government have been arrested and  even the Premier of the Cayman Islands is now facing 11 charges.

        Even newly entering politicians are being struck off or remain questionable due to previous convictions.

        Couple this with a vast section of the local population who believe that the law is for others to follow, not them, it may raise the figures a little. The problem is, it is changing people.

        I guess the good old, 'golden' days of string pulling, nepostism and calling in a little help are fastly dissappearing. For good reasons too and it cannot come quick enough.

        That 'Brother's keeper' is now appearing in the dock alongside the accused or quickly trying to get his allegations out before it is too late. Either way, it is not going away.

        More and more wil turn on each other, just watch the news unfold, as the damage limitation, smearing and smoke screen tactics are thrown out into the public domain.

        People are left with unfinished projects and shells of buildings who must wonder do they still have that 'special relationship? Is there any piece of that pie left? Who do they have to be for now?

        Should they just burn it down and start again? Either way, you are still unduly beholden and it may be time to get your side heard fast …. as it is coming.

        Meanwhile, I will just pour another gin and tonic and sit back and watch the chaos unfold.

         

  20. Lyndon L. Martin says:

    The essence of democracy is that candidates campaign and are elected based on their ability to convence the a majority of the elctorate to support their position.  I am an experienced campaigner and well versed in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman Politics and I am convienced that my campaing was going to be well received and my strong stance on economic restructuring for these islands was going to be received positively.

     

    A process that eliminates me from being a part of the debate and allowing the elctorate to have their choice of a candidate returned to represent them is undemocratic.

     

    I am cognizant of the impact that this has had on me and can have on this community and will reluctantly accept the explanation provided for my disqualificatin.  My best wishes and prayers go out to the the country and I urge the community of Cayman Brac to engage the election process and critically review the options available.

     

    A victory won on technicalities can not be just!

     

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Delusional

    • Anonymous says:

      Perhaps you shouldn't have done the crime? The point of law is not a technicality, but rather that (and please bear in mind it was passed by the people democratically) an indication that we do not want anyone with dishonesty convictions to be eligible to run. It seems very democratic to me. The people spoke when the passed the constitution. I'm sorry if you feel that that democratic process impeded you from running for office, but if you are setting the bar for what is "just" based on democracy, this outcome is by definition "just."

      That being said, I applaud your acceptance of the decision, despite the little bit of sour grapes on display, and hope that you continue to work to better the community from a non-elected role. Luckily, you still have every right to "campaign" regarding the issues you find most important, just like any other person on this island. So continue to do the right thing, and broadcast your thoughts and opinions about how we might better our economy and society. Not to try and be elected, but because it is the right thing to do. And hey, if any of those ideas are any good, you can hope someone listens and makes the changes you would like to see.

    • Anonymous says:

      Amazing! If Mr. Martin did indeed write this piece, he should be disqualified merely on the basis of 3rd grade spelling errors. How about he “convence” us he has some professionalism left in him?

    • Anonymous says:

      TL-DR: I am a convicted criminal, I can't run.

    • Anonymous says:

      Try so go sit down. You've done nothing except embarass yourself and our islands. At the end of the day you were convicted of a dishonesty offence – the fault lays in your own lap. Perhaps if you were a more stand up individual you would still be on the ballot. You make your own choices, no one forced you to commit any actions that eventually led to you being invovled in a dishonesty offence. Stop blaming others for your actions and take responsibility – its your own fault you're in this position and no one else's. I, for one, am glad to see another socially irresponsible individual taken off of our ballot. It's time to clean up Cayman, and make better choices for our leaders. Lyndon, you are not (and will not) be one of them.

  21. Anonymous says:

    So hold on a minute……a thief is dishonest but a drug dealer is honest?  Any person convicted of a criminal offense should not be allowed on the floor of our legislative assembly.  They are our lawmakers and have shown that they canno uphold the law.  This crap about a dishonest offense versus a non dishonest offense.  Come on Cayman.  They broke the very laws that they are supposed to set.  

  22. Anonymous says:

    Any criminal conviction should disqualify a person from running.  Any crime is dishonest in my book.  So what we're saying is that you stole a few dollars so you can't run our government but you, who deal in cocaine, you're not dishonest so go ahead and run our government.  In my book any criminal is dishonest and should not be allowed to run.  We need to change these laws quckly.  

  23. SKEPTICAL says:

    How can his Police Record be “completely clean” if there was a conviction against him – custodial or otherwise – another prominent Caymanian in denial?

    • Anonymous says:

      His lips were moving,

    • Archie says:

      Was thinking the same thing. Prior conviction =/= clean record, surely.

    • Anonymous says:

      He is Caymanclean!

    • Anonymous says:

      Because neither he nor it seems many in our Police understand the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law – and that such "clean" police records are only to be issued for extremely strict and confined purposes to show to a prospective employer. They are not to be issued to show to immigration,  a court, or an election official to evidence suitability to run for election – in relation to which there is no such thing as a spent conviction!

       

    • Anonymous says:

      I guess the 139 of you with 'thumbs up' are not aware that once the requisite period of time has been 'spent' that under the rehabilition law, the matter must be expunged from the record and that once expunged (clean police record), the former offender MUST be treated as if the offence had NEV ER occurred.  Yep, it is the law!!

      • Anonymous says:

        No it is not. His record is never clean before a "judicial authority" – which the elections office, for this purpose, is.

  24. Anonymous says:

    want to see what they are going to say about people who actually went to jail for dealing drugs…………

    • Anonymous says:

      It’s not an if fence involving dishonesty and he was not sentenced to a term of 12 months more (which he would have been had he really been a drug dealer) and therefore he is not disqualified.

  25. Anonymous says:

    If a person has a clean police record, they are not a criminal until proven otherwise. I disagree with this ruling and agree with 17:16

    • Diogenes says:

      You do realise that he was convicted and got a suspended sentence , right.  What more proof do you need?  

    • Anonymous says:

      He does not have a clean criminal record. He may have a police record that is deemed clean. There is a substantial difference.

    • Anonymous says:

      He was a criminal and it seems that has been proven. He does not have a clean police record. He has a clean police clearance certificate issued under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Law deeming him to be treated FOR CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT PURPOSES as if he was not a convicted criminal.  Next!

  26. Anonymous says:

    Let’s keep it coming … 56 left n counting

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes 56 left. What about liars. I always heard that a liar is a thief. Maybe the next will be a liar.

  27. WTF? says:

    Not a supporter of dishonesty or Lyndon but are we really embracing a system where a man can be convicted of a drug offense and sentenced to jail time and they are still able to run yet someone who is convicted of a dishonesty offense is barred from running….ever?

    Constitution needs to be amended big time!

    • durrrr says:

      I completely disagree. Offences of dishonesty are far more significant than drug offences, when it comes to letting someone run the country. And let’s face it, Kenny G-string doesn’t stand a chance of being elected anyway!

  28. Anonymous says:

    Yet he was able to stand for election in 2009 just after the conviction?

    • Anonymous says:

      We didn’t enforce any of our laws then. Now we are ( only just) starting to. Long may it continue!

    • Anonymous says:

      People are now actually reading and enforcing laws.

      That is new for the Cayman Islands, get used to it!

    • Anonymous says:

      We have a new constitution since then.

    • Anonymous says:

      We didn't have any laws then. We just did what the government said.

  29. Anonymous says:

    I support the election office decision.

    It is embarrasing that we have people about to go to court for financial dishonesty running in an election….not to mention a past CONVICTION.

    Mr. Martin, IF you have improved yourself and your behaviour recently, find another way to make a positive impact on this world, and in in our islands. Best wish to you and keep trying to improve yourself and prove to the community people can change for the better.

     

    • Anonymous says:

      There wouldbe alot of competition in Cayman Brac if the people without convictions etc would run, in other words we call them THE GOOD AND CLEAN PEOPLE, but unfortunately they do not run. Lyndon is as good as we get them.

  30. Anonymous says:

    Keep going.

    • Anonymous says:

       

      Perhaps if you all wanted Lyndon out this was the only way to as he was very very strong. Lyndon is very much liked as he is genuinely helpful and has alot to offer. He even look professional, and is always looking well attired. There is still many ways around you Lin Lin to help your people. Please give your support to Capt Mose and David and we will be sure to get them in. Time for a change.

  31. Anonymous says:

    Bring in the election observers, this is all starting to stink.

    • Anonymous says:

      Can anyone explain to me then why is it that Joey Ebanks is allowed to run?

    • Anonymous says:

      Stink?  Why?   Mr. Martin did not pass muster on the election criteria.    I was amazed to see that he was able to campaign for office in the first place.  

      • Anonymous says:

        Had he actually campaigned for office?

         

        • Anonymous says:

          Can someone who attempts suicide run for election. What do you call him? I know it is not dishonest but they should certainly not qualify.

    • Anonymous says:

      this is really funny

      • Anonymous says:

        Dont worry Lyndon old buddy, you have alot of supporters out there thats why they are afraid. Have you ever heard the story about the greedy puppy? Since you cant run just put your support behind Capt Mose and David, at least if they are elected they will try to help you with a good job I am sure as you are most capable. Have you ever heard the old saying? Full belly dont know the feeling of an empty belly. You can be useful to your Country just the same even though you will not be paid but God will provide for you, Again you are much loved.

  32. Anonymous says:

    Didn't really want him to run in the first place so… that's a plus? Woop!