McLeans face off in East End

| 16/04/2009

(CNS): East Enders were givan an opportunity to assess the suitability of their candidates last night when the district’s McLeans opened the Chamber of Commerce’s series of forums. Tackling the question of the Constitution, the younger McLean, John Jr, admitted that he had not read it but from what his advisers had told him he wouldn’t support it. The incumbent said he was sad to hear that his opponent didn’t know about the Constitution but would be telling people to vote no as it was an important decision. “It’s more important than the election,” said Arden McLean.  

“MLA’s will come and go and the seats will remain no matter who fills them but the opportunity to shape a new constitution won’t come so easily. People need to understand the Constitution is not ours to modernise, it’s England’s. We can propose what we want, and we did, but in the end it is what England is prepared to give us.” He added that what had come out of the talks, while not perfect was a far cry for the current situation and had faced Cayman in a better direction for the future.

The forum was well attended and proved an informative evening for voters, who were clearly keen to see what the two candidates had to offer. Moderated by Chamber CEO Wil Pineau, the McLeans faced ten questions, which they had not seen, from the Chamber panel (Stuart Bostock and Peter Broadhurst) on behalf of Chamber members, and then a selection of questions directly from the audience.

The candidates were asked questions on the economy, environment and education, all of which proved revealing when it came to the candidates knowledge and understanding of the issues. Asked about strategies to mitigate the current global recession, ideas to stimulate new industry areas and generate more revenue J. McLean suggested developing local crafts.  “I would encourage people to make, and businesses to buy, locally made things like straw hats — it sounds trivial but it would generate income.”

The young candidate also suggested taxing the remittances sent overseas by work permit holders, and to lower the cost of doing business, he said work permit holders should pay towards their own permits as they needed the job as much as the employer needed them. Employers shouldn’t have to pay their employee’s pensions either, he said, as they didn’t benefit from it. He also felt government contracts needed to go to local companies and not foreign ones with local people getting the jobs.

Minster McLean noted that all ordinary companies doing business in Cayman are locally owned because of the 60-40% law, and that by spending money on capital projects the government had succeed in keeping the Cayman economy going despite the worldwide recession. He said it was the government’s responsibility to stimulate the economy.

“We have been extremely lucky that we have not had to bail out our financial industry,” he said, adding that, in a way, the government spending and borrowing for capital projects was Cayman’s bail out. “People now recognise that government must spend to ease the impact of the recession.” Even if it meant owing money, he said it was better to pay that back down the line in order to keep the economy buoyant now.

When it came to new areas of business, the minister said that Cayman was well positioned to develop e-commerce. “This is an untapped source for lots of business,” he said. “Because of us being an offshore financial centre, it will be easier to do this type of business and I think we can attract it.” He also said the Film Commission was an important step forward for a new business idea. He said most of all the domestic economy was very dependent on small business and it was important that government continued to encourage entrepreneurs. He said when  it came to reducing fees it was important to consider the balance of the treasury’s needs, but government had successfully reduced the cost of electricity by 30%, which had helped business.

The two men both agreed that government should keep spending on education, and while J.McLean seemed to lean towards the campaign mantra that the schools were too expensive, he said he would keep up current levels of spending. Arden McLean offered his full support to his colleague, the Education Minister, and said it was vital the work on education continued. He noted too that the Frank Sound school had been on the cards for 30 years and the Eastern districts needed it and should support it.

Minister McLean gave an emphatic “no” when asked if he supported the draft National Conservation Bill, which his colleague Charles Clifford had promised to bring to the Legislative Assembly before the end of this term. His evident opposition as a cabinet member revealed why Clifford had failed in that endeavour. “I have made it very clear to my cabinet colleagues that I am not supporting it as is,” he said. “There are a number of issues with it. It empowers certain individuals too much… and I cannot support it when the Director of the Environment has almost absolute power.” He said, however, that he did want to see an environmental law developed that was equitable and reasonable.

John McLean said he would support the enactment of the draft bill if elected as it was very important to preserve the natural flora and fauna and native trees. “I would definitely support it. I think it’s a good thing and it’s not just about supporting it — it’s important to enforce it as well. We all need to preserve the environment.”

The two candidates also discussed the extension of the airport runway or moving it to East End, something J McLean said he wouldn’t support but preferred the idea of extending the existing runway in George Town. A McLean said eventually the airport may well have to be moved to the centre of the island but he supported the plans to develop Owen Roberts. J McLean said he supported cruise berthing and said it should have been done a long time ago. While A McLean said he supported the dock in principle, he said there was a need to ensure the cargo dock remained in government hands.

The desperate need to address the George Town landfill was also raised, with J McLean saying he was prepared to listen to anyone, including foreign companies, on how we address the problem, and there was a desperate need for a proper recycling programme. The dump, he said, needed to be addressed and not get involved in fiascos like the Matrix situation. A McLean said it was his biggest regret that he was unable to get the waste to energy management programme underway before the election, but the plans were in place and had been developed through cross party work with the aim of reducing the dump to zero in less than 2 decades.

Both men recognised the fear of rising serious crime and the need to tackle the problem of drug use in the district. While A McLean said the police needed to focus on the district’s vulnerable and deserted coastline to prevent the entry of drugs and guns,  J McLean said it was a bottom up problem and that everyone had their problems, be it drugs or murder, and the community needed to look at ways to help people excel in their own way.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    I listed to the forum on the Radio and it was a breath of fresh air to hear Johnnie McLean answer truthfully.  For a newcomer to the Political Arena he handled himself well respecting the moderator time limits for responses whilst refraining from condecending remarks against his opponent.  Minister Arden McLean with 8 years of political experience behind him was expected to do better but failed to acticulate his answers and did not suggest any real solutions to stimulating the economy.  PPM have produced a so called Report Card but I have not yet seen their Manifesto.  I was amazed that BOTH candidates failed to acknowledge that illegal weapons are a big problem in EE as well as all of Cayman when asked to name 3 areas contributing to problems in their district.  Minister McLean you need to Stop beating your Chest and proclaiming that "I" did this and "I" did that.  Give your party credit and add the word "We" to your vocabulary!  You also need to explain whathappened with the Matrix Deal.       

    • Anonymous says:

      "For a newcomer to the Political Arena he handled himself well respecting the moderator time limits for responses whilst refraining from condecending remarks against his opponent".

      Little Johnnie was hardly in a position to make condescending remarks. His only claim to qualification to run is that he is his father’s son! "I have it in the genes".

      The issues that confront us are serious and we do not need representatives who suffer from obvious naivete (which you believe is a breath of fresh air), and we do not need puppets which he has demonstrated that he would be.  

      It is the essence of politics, especially at election time, to vaunt your own accomplishments. In EE they are voting for the man rather than the party.     

  2. Anonymous says:

    My opinion is that Mr Arden Mclean has done as much as he was allowed to do these past 4 years and hope he gets the chance to continue what he has seen started.  We needed the new roads and no matter where they were built someone would complain about it.  The new sea wall in East End might have encroached on some people’s beach land but in the long run will help to save many homes in East End.  Does no-one remember the condition of the road up there after Ivan ? Does no-one remember the poor souls in their graves that washed up in the road and yards in East End ?  Furthermore some people complaining about the width of the road up there.  It is more than wide enough for 2 cars to pass and I don’t think we need anything bigger in East End.  My main complaint and concern would be that nothing has been done to improve the school such as a much neede canteen.  The only thing I have left to say is VOTE ARDEN MCLEAN on May 20.

    • Anonymous says:

      "Tackling the question of the Constitution, the younger McLean, John Jr, admitted that he had not read it but from what his advisers had told him he wouldn’t support it".

      This says it all. How can anyone take John Jr. seriously as a candidate after that? He is going allow others to tell him on how to vote on a matter of fundamental significance as the constitution issues never having read the document himself?! Clearly, this is what you could expect from him on any issue. He would find someone to latch on to and vote ‘as advised’ without himself understanding the issue first hand.  It also demonstrates that what we already know – that John Jr. has never been involved or interested in the issues facing this country.   

      My experience of Arden is that he reads in order to be informed and he asks intelligent questions to ensure that he understands what he has read.  

      This is no contest.   

  3. Anonymous says:

    I agree with Johnnie I myself will be voting NO on the constitution. reason why I dont understand it and I don’t think Arden himself undrestand the conctitution.

    • Anonymous says:

      Why do you say you agree with Johnnie on voting no.  It was not his decision but advice from his "advisors" as he has not read th constitution himslf.  If he was really serious about getting elected in East End that is one of the first things he should have done.

  4. A Concerned Someone says:

    I would like to congratulate Mr. Johnnie McLean Jr. for expressing himself well with all the questions that had been thrown to them. For me, he did a good job as a first timer. Its really very hard to level your views on certain issues as well as in regards with the constitution from the man who have been in politics for 8 years now.

    I got nothing against Mr. Arden McLean, in fairness to him i think he also contributed a lot under his term for the development of the country and everybody should be grateful for him on that. As a citizen we should give credit where credit is due and he also deserves that. But i just had this thoughts of why is it he got lots of things in his mind that he "BELIEVED" should have been done for the country which i am sure most of the questions that had been asked is a long time issue that he himself who has the power to act with didn’t take the opportunity to materialize or implement it. Why is it he almost have all the answers to all the questions and yet didn’t realize that he should do that long time in his 8 years being in the position? Why is it that him being the representative of East End for 8 years took his own district to be the least priority to get developed? As I said, we should be grateful to him in a way that at least before his term ends he was able to divert his attention in his own district. I have read one article about him that in his term he was able to developed the roads in East End, yes he did a good job but not to the point that he has to slap on his opponent face that he even paved the road where his opponent lives just to proved his point on whatever. I don’t know exactly the story behind that road but i don’t think you have to do that for it is your responsibility as their representative to serve your constituents and priorities their needs. For me, as a good leader you have to serve your people unconditionally because the government is paying you to do that. People do not owe anything from you, its from the government you are just only the instrument and the only consolation you can expect from them is the respect and gratitude for doing a good job. At the end of the day, whether they consider you or not in the next election, you will instill in their mind the good things you have done for them and you will leave that to them up to the next generations.

    About the constitution that Mr. Arden being sad for his opponent who doesn’t know the constitution and yet encouraging the people to say no to it is a degrading comment. For me, I would say I am very proud of Mr. Johnnie McLean for being honest enough to tell everybody present in that forum and in national radio that he doesn’t know anything much about it and i would say its very hard to do that especially you are running for a national election. I am just speaking for what i have heard over the radio how much more people’s reaction present in that forum. But Mr. Johnnie i salute you for that, you are just being a true person and you answered it from your heart not from a pretentious mind, at least you are not one of those people that "KNOWS IT ALL" – all talk yet less actions. 

    Talking about constitution is very broad that even some people in the position i’m sure cannot comprehend much on it neither some can’t follow the rules written on it 100% . It goes along the process and you cannot absorb all of it in one sitting down. I know it is a written laws or principles that governed the country but it’s not a pre-requisite to run for a leadership, yes it’s a plus but whether you agree or no on the ratification of the draft or whether you know the constitution or not still it doesn’t matter because on my own opinion at the end of the day it is the INTEGRITY, THE SINCERITY , THE DRIVE TO SERVE THE PEOPLE AND THE HONESTY of the person that matters most.  I don’t agree on Mr. Arden saying that constituion is more important than election, no its not . Read what you have said and tell us what’s more important.

    "MLA’s will come and go and the seats will remain no matter who fills them but the opportunity to shape a new constitution won’t come so easily. People need to understand the Constitution is not ours to modernise, it’s England’s. We can propose what we want, and we did, but in the end it is what England is prepared to give us.”

    I think its better to consider Mr. Johnnie McLean as the new representative for East End because competing w/ someone well experienced and well established in politics  is not that easy . it’s a big challenge for him as a first timer to prove his best to surpass whatever his opponent had done for the district and do whatever he wasn’t able to fulfill in his tenure. I can sense that he has the will power to dedicate himself for his people. An aggressive and people oriented young man like Mr. Johnnie for sure will go a long way. For me, i’ll take advantage this privilege of putting a man in post that is truly brave to take the challenge. Eight years is enough for Mr. Arden McLean to prove his credibility and its time for East Enders to take the challenge too which for sure will benefit the district.

    GOOD LUCK TO BOTH OF YOU AND TO ALL EAST ENDERS.

    • Anonymous says:

      "Eight years is enough for Mr. Arden McLean to prove his credibility and its time for East Enders to take the challenge too which for sure will benefit the district."

      Arden has more than proved his credibility. He has been an outstanding representative. You certainly cannot accuse him of being all talk and no action. So far all we have had from Johnnie, and that only in the last month, is talk.  Why change a good thing for someone who has shown no interest in his community up until now and making decisions without reading the relevant material. Because he is new and we should lower the bar for him? Are you insane?!  

  5. Anonymous says:

    Since when did England make any decisions?  Probably 1542 or at the latest 1707.  It is the United Kingdom that makes the decisions.  If he hasn’t even got that bit by now, then what was he up to during the constitution talks? Don’t talk about consitutions until you know the basics!

  6. noname says:

    but once we are improving on the old one is a step forward in the right direction… and what is an improvement on the old one.? Please share what new and improved wonders have we had? What old problems did we have that made it necessary to change? Were Caymanians up in arms about it, were we crying for a change?

    • Anonymous says:

      To poster on 4/16/09 at 14:49 please get the draft constituion and read and compare with the present one and you will see, as it is obvious you are as lost on this as Johnnie or are you one of those who John Mclean Sr. called cows that come running when he blows his horn.

  7. anon says:

    PPM can keep Arden in East End. – Far, far out there. After all he is the best that they have – its all down hill from here. Sorry little fellows.

  8. anon says:

    I agree Arden, might have had more words to say, but they were mare empty words. Sorry East End – if this is as good as it gets for you.

    • Anonymous says:

      Mr. McLean has proved himself to his people of East End for the past 8 years, and even so in the last 4 years because the PPM government  is in power and they could get more done.  East Enders VOTE for Arden Mclean on May 20th.   The UDP wants him to be on their side, Why because he honest and gets the WORK done.  Mr McLean worked hard for you and the country and he did a good job.   Peple will try and tell you lies, but you know what you have, you don’t know what you will get.  EAST END SUPPORT THE HON. V. ARDEN MCLEAN ON MAY 20TH.

    • Anonymous says:

      Mare or mere?

  9. Anonymous says:

    in response to the first posting…..if you had made it your business like all concerned citizens should do, to take advantage of all the information out there (and there’s plenty of it) relating to the entire constitutional process you would know that the public has been more than informed of what came out of the talks and why the proposed constitution is a far cry from the current one and would place Cayman in a better direction for the future.  Perhaps you think it’s as simple as having Arden explain all this to you during the two minutes allowed for responses at the forum….as you would like to see a better level of candidate may I suggest you make yourself available next election…..that way you get to pleasure the public by being oh so capable of expounding on any given topic at any given time! 

  10. A Concerned Caymanian says:

    Arden has done a great job these last 4 years as even UDP had to admit.  I am hoping that the people of East End will allow him to progress into the next 4 years. 

    However, I am estatic to see a new young Caymanian (Mr. John McLean Jr.) join the political arena and I am sure he will make a good FUTURE leader.

  11. Anonymous says:

    How can you even be running for election and have not read the constituion or know anything about it. This is the core of our existence. Sorry I couldnt vote for someone so young and inexperienced not matter what party he stands with – a prime candidate to be led in any direction by the seasoned politicians.

  12. anon says:

    MLA’s will come and go and the seats will remain no matter who fills them but the opportunity to shape a new constitution won’t come so easily. People need to understand the Constitution is not ours to modernise, its England’s. We can propose what we want, and we did, but in the end it is what England is prepared to give us.” He added that what had come out of the talks while not perfect was a far cry for the current situation and had faced Cayman in a better direction for the future.

    I wonder if Mr. Arden McLean can tell the Caymanian public "what had come out of the talks" and what is "a far cry for the current situation and had faced Cayman in a better direction for the future" – I listened to the forum for a while and this sounded like he was just repetting words he had heard someone else say and if he was asked to expound on his answer in further detail – he would have started to stutter. Mare empty words. I hope the level of candidates get better than this.

    • Anonymous says:

      In response to poster number one if you can’t explain yourself better than this it is no wonder you missed his response. One thing i can say is that he was not like Johnnie who admitted that he did not know anything about it but was asking that we vote against it.

      The proposed constitution may not cover every aspect of what we all would like to see but once we are improving on the old one is a step forward in the right direction.