Miller expects mudsling in North Side campaign

(CNS): Ezzard Miller, the independent incumbent member for North Side, said he was expecting lies and mudslinging from his opponent, Joey Ebanks, in the district’s head-to-head fight between them. Launching his campaign on Thursday night at a meeting of some 300 people, the populist member said his opponent was “sowing seeds of hatred and division and all manner of evil" to detract from his own difficulties. Ebanks is expected to answer police bail Tuesday in connection with his arrest in March regarding financial irregularities at the Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERA). But he has claimed he is the victim of a conspiracy and has entered the North Side fight threatening to expose corruption.

However, Ebanks is also now the subject of several civil legal threats as a result of allegations that he has made on his Facebook page since his arrest.

Miller told his constituents that Ebanks, who declared his intention to run the night before Nomination Day, had been sent by “none other than McKeeva (Bush), who simply cannot bear to think that you will send me back as your representative”, and he pointed to the alarming situation that no one in Cayman ever expected to see.

“Did any of you imagine that we would have seen the day in Cayman when we would have a premier removed from office because he was under criminal investigations that have now led to criminal charges?” he asked. “Did you think you would see the day when you have a candidate in this district who is also under police bail for serious criminal investigations and who is nominated by a person under criminal charges before our courts?”

Miller asked for the help of his supporters to be returned to the Legislative Assembly after what he said was a successful four years, even though he was an independent on the opposition benches. He said the achievements were possible through the participatory democracy of the North Side District Council, established four months after the 2009 election, and what he described as the “most satisfying accomplishment” of past four years. Despite the achievements, which had been listed by several of his constituents from the CCTV installation to the North Side dock project, he said there was still a lot to be done in the district.

Campaigning on a platform of representation for the district but with an eye on Cayman as a whole, Miller said the country needed leaders who cannot be bought or corrupted.

“We need leaders who look out for Cayman and Caymanians, not themselves. In this election, we need to vote for persons who have a track record of success, who have demonstrated the ability to take the tough decisions, who are willing to consult with you on all matters, and who are not afraid of transparency. A whole lot of light needs to shine on government’s and our leaders' activities,” he added.

With defined policy positions on the major issues of the day, Miller said Cayman did not need more imported  developers “to plunder” the economy while sending profits overseas, but pointed to initiatives such as those suggested by independent candidate for George Town, Bo Miller, to encourage Caymanians to invest in their own economy.

Miller said tackling unemployment in the short term required the political will to reduce work permits and give the jobs held by foreign labour to local people who are out of work and to introduce a minimum wage. “I call for the appointment of a jobs czar and the removal of the work permit board, which has become little more than a place for political favours ordained by the political directorate on behalf of those who got them elected,” he added.

He also pointed to the need for a fundamental switch in tackling crime, which is directly linked to drug use, as he recalled his own 1989 National Drug Plan, which had a focus of spending on demand reduction rather than interdiction, that was ignored.

Claiming that independents can play a key role in government, he said that he and his running mate in the neighbouring district of East End, Arden McLean, had demonstrated that they could have a significant impact. From putting a stop to the proposed East End port facility and exposing the shortfalls in the ForCayman Investment Alliance, as well as the China Harbour cruise port deal, he said they had shown what can be done when independents work together.