UDP denies disqualification
(CNS): Despite conflicting information from the Attorney General’s Office and the Elections Office, who both say they have made no statements on the issue, the United Democratic Party has claimed that reports regarding their Bodden Town candidates being disqualified are inaccurate and this has been confirmed by both those offices. However, Supervisor of Elections Kearney Gomez and AG Samuel Bulgin both say they have made no statements regarding the qualification as they stated it is a matter for the courts to decide.
Yesterday (29 April), the UDP circulated a statement from the General Secretary of the party, Rolston Anglin, in which it said media reports saying that Bodden Town candidates Mark Scotland and Dwayne “John John” Seymour are disqualified from standing in the May 2009 General Election are false and have been inaccurately reported. “The fact that our candidates are entitled to contest and be elected by the people of Bodden Town in the General Election on May 20th 2009 has been confirmed by the Elections Office and the Honourable Attorney General,” it said.
However, following the release of this statement CNS contacted the Attorney General’s Office who confirmed in an email that the only comment the AG has made on this matter was that reported on CNS on Tuesday and there has been no other statement. In the email to CNS on Tuesday, 28 April, in response to a number of questions that have arisen over the candidates’ breach of a constitutional requirement, the AG said: “The issues raised byyou in your note are all questions of fact and law that can only be conclusively determined by the Grand Court after hearing all the facts and considering the relevant law(s). Indeed the outcome of any of these issues (is) going to be informed by other factual and legal matters that we are unable to foresee at this stage. Accordingly, any opinion at this juncture will be mere conjecture which would not be very helpful. In fact it will only lead to more questions”.
Gomez also told CNS that he has made no statement confirming the qualification of the candidate as he is not able to do so as this is a constitutional issue and not one for the Elections Law. He explained that the candidates were both duly nominated on 26 March, Nomination Day, as at that time they were in compliance with the requirements of the Elections Law. Gomez said the constitutional requirement is a different matter which comes after that date and the Elections Law has no provision to deal with that. He added that it was an issue for the Grand Court and not the Elections Office. Furthermore, last week the Governor’s Office confirmed that the Constitution would not be suspended.
Given those facts, the two candidates remain in contravention of the Constitution, which means that no one but a court can confirm their qualification for election as the current Constitution indicates they are disqualified. However, as the candidates names appear on the already printed ballot, the fact is they are able to contest the election whether they are qualified or not.
Even though this issue concerns a constitutional requirement as set out since 1972 which the candidates have contravened by publishing the details of their government contracts around four days late, the UDP have called this a political issue. “We humbly ask the general public and the people of Bodden Town not to allow political rumours and threats to distract you from the real issues facing this country or to discourage you from exercising your right to vote for Mark Scotland and Dwayne “John John” Seymour on 20 May 2009,” the General Secretary stated.
“In relation to recent threats from their political opponents that they will seek to have Bodden Town’s lawfully elected representatives removed from office following the General Election, our candidates are satisfied that they have made full and frank disclosure and been completely transparent with all information required from them in order to qualify them as candidates and to be elected to sit in the Legislative Assembly as your duly elected representatives for the next four years,” the General Secretary’s statement read.
A number of the other eight candidates running in the district have told CNS that the two must be challenged because this is in breach of the Constitution and, as the highest law of the land, it cannot be disregarded regardless of whether there was no intent to deceive. Section 19 (g) of the 1972 constitution states: “No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the Assembly who…. is a party to, or a partner in a firm or a director or manager of a company which is a party to, any contract with the Government of the Islands for or on account of the public service and has not, in the case of a contested election, caused to be published, at least one month before the day ofthe poll, a Government Notice setting out the nature of such contract and his interest, or the interest of any such firm or company….”
Speaking at last night’s (Wednesday 29 April) Chamber Candidates District Forum, which included Seymour, three of the panellists all said they agreed with the provisions for candidate qualification in the Constitution, however, Seymour said there was a problem alluding to the requirement for declaration of public contracts coming after Nomination Day. “I think right now there is a problem with both laws correlating. The Elections Law doesn’t marry with the Constitution law. There is currently a flaw in the law,” he said.
Category: Election 2009
Kurt has a degree. Ellio claims to have one from "the university of life". Wonder what grade he got from that university!
What the hell is going on in this country.
The facts are Elio has no education of any relevance. As a young caymanian I can tell you that in the real world an Associates degree is nothing anymore. How am I supposed to vote for someone that isn’t even qualified to hold a job??? Elio admitted himself at the chamber forum that he has been virtually unemployed over the past 5 years.
So is this the type of politician that we want to deal with the challenges we face…… UNEDUCATED AND UNQUALIFIED!?!?
The reality is that he will probably be elected but God help us if he’s given a Cabinet seat!!!
Interesting photo and we question the integrity of new candidates which we have nothing on?
Caymanians open you eyes! Don’t waste your time question the integrity of the new candidates when we have the old ones in there who should NEVER get antoher vote from us if we were smart.
They are all knee deep in pip poopy!
Mad Scientist
I really wish this loony toon that is trying to find out how many candidates have a degree would just give us a break.
Kurt may not have a degree, but he has good common sense.
"Student Candidates"
Kurt Tibbetts keep running around insulting all younger candidates – except Joey of course – by referring to them as "Student Candidates". How quickly Kurt forgets his own past as a "Student Candidate".
Here is an extract from a Cayman Net News article on Kurt.
"When Kurt Tibbetts was 19, he returned toGrand Cayman from Jamaica and quickly got his first job at CIBC(bank) which he held for one year. After that, he spent four yearsworking at the Nor’wester where he rose to be the print shop manager.He describes it as a challenging position that gave him valuableinsight on managing a company.
He then took that experience and openedhis own business.
When he was thirty, he married Shirley Annand is now the proud father of three children: Jacynth, aged 17;Janelle, aged 11; and Jared, aged 10. While he pursues his politicalcareer, his wife Shirley Ann manages and runs the business.
In 1988 he [kurt] ran against other GeorgeTown politicians and came in fourth behind Mr. Truman Bodden at the time there were only three George Town representativesand he was not elected.
In 1992, he ran against 14 others and succeededin securing the newly created fourth seat."
Luckily no one insulted Kurt by calling him a "Student Candidate"
http://www.caymannetnews.com/Archive/Archive%20Articles/November%202001/Issue%20131/Kurt%20Tibbets.html
"Kurt Tibbetts keep running around insulting all younger candidates – except Joey of course – by referring to them as "Student Candidates". How quickly Kurt forgets his own past as a "Student Candidate"".
The point is that the UDP would have to depend upon inexperienced persons to form the Cabinet. As you have shown Mr. Tibbetts did not go into Cabinet the first time he was elected. The only one that may be said about in the PPM Govt. is Mr. Clifford who had the necessary experience as Permanent Secy for a Minister. This is no time to be learning on the job. Would you put your teenager with a learner’s permit on a U.S. freeway? Only if you are insane.
BT Voter,
In your haste to get rid of the old you may get something worse. Most of the new candidates have had no real scrutiny and we are just getting to know them. If there is something to question, of course you question until you get satisfactory answers. You certainly don’t vote blindly because they are new.
BT voters are not in any haste this has been a few years well in the making…much consideration were given to this…PPM has got to GO!!!. and take UDP with them!!. We are going Indepentents.
"BT voters are not in any haste this has been a few years well in the making…much consideration were given to this".
That is obviously nonsense. Many of these candidates showed no previous inclination to run for office have now been nominated. I am also a BT voter by the way. Aside from Sandra Catron, the only independent in BT that that the voters really know, and that to his detriment, is Gilbert McLean.
The UDP obviously shot themselves in the foot with their press release on the BT candidates qualification issue. But for that statement there would not have been the following Caymanian Compass headline this weekend:
UDP ELIGIBILITY CLAIMS REBUTTED
Looks like the UDP were trying to mislead the public.
If Elio did actually receive a bachelors’ in business administration from UCCI instead of an Electrical Engineering degree like he said on the talk show yesterday. Then he should say that…. but he didn’t! Austin bailed him out.
He said he’s done "bachelor studies" at UCCI. Now if you read between the lines here it seems as though he may have an associates and begun a bachelors’ program and simply never finished… Please Caymanians read through the rhetoric.
Elio is all mouth and no action! He is an empty barrel… no solutions and no ideas because he has NO EDUCATION!
HAVE A LOOK AT THESE
If that picture is checked out properly, every one who goes to the polls on May 20th will be, Confused, Confused, Confused.
If it helps them so much why don’t the UDP publish their legal opinions that say they are eligibile to run? Or is it a bit like their alleged assurances from the Attorney General and the Elections Offices or the photograph of both of them with a unicorn while on holiday with Elvis?
I just spent the last 2 hours or so reading from one of the "links above" a post/comment, …….. the actual transcript from the Commission of Inquiry in the Turks and Caicos Islands, with their Deuputy Premier.
WOW !!!!!! I thought we had some corruption in the Cayman Islands, but this is like comparing Cayman Brac Bluff / Mount Trashmore with Mount Everest. Perhaps, Matin Bridger got confused with the islands on his way down to the sunny Caribbean and ended up in the Cayman Islands instead of TCI.
Interestingly, a number of Caymanian names also "popped up" in the TCI transcripts as well.
There is something "EXTREMELY FISHY" going on.
Ever heard of a "hair stylist" getting paid about $100,000 to style the TCI Permier’s wife hair and "kick backs"to Political Candidates and Party’s over selling and buying of land ???? Now that place (TCI) surely is in need of serious Campaign Finance Laws and Enforcement.
Additionally, what is it that I just read concerning Anthony Eden is Mike Adams boss and they are both connected with Delroy Howell in an Air Ambulance Service for TCI and Cayman Islands, in a company called Southern Health Care ????????
What is that all about ??????
Just finished watching the PPM meeting on tv and it was as bland as a piece of sour-dough bread. Plus same old blah-blah stories of what they have done. Oh yeah they have done alot of ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!!!!!!!!!!
Nothing was addressed nor solutions given. PPM= Please Pass the Mis-understanding.
As a FORMER PPM supporter- my ONLY regret is that my hind sight wasnt 20/20!!! I am truly dis-appointed in their FAILURES…….Its UDP ALLLLLLLL the way for me in GT.
Mr. Mike is a man of honesty and integrity. Otherwise Mr. Jim, Mr. Norman, and Kurt, wouldn’t have kept him around, and I’m sure that Hon. Tony Eden wouln’t have stood with him when he got a honor from the Queen. He has worked all his life to make this country better without being a big mouth.
Jeez, Chuckie’s name came up in an enquiry too, didn’t it?
Dennie Warren
You are a gun loving crazy man. I fear you and the company you keep. Don’t you ever take my picture again without my permission, or I will have to defend myself, as is every citizen’s right. I think you need a psych eval.
What a wicked, nasty bunch of bloggers you all are…You act as if Chuckie didn’t get a pass from his misconduct…..and in the meantime, we are all starving to death…Nero fiddled while Rome burned. Mark and Dwayne have explained themselves, no one has been harmed, the PPM dudes have been caught out with the same violations..No one is beating their wives, fathering illegitimate children….Drinking excessively, etc.etc. Can we please just worry about the Voters for a change, please?? And some one get rid of the stinking,cancerous mess of the dump…Maybe the action man? PLease?
We keep hearing mention of a minister who is fathering illigtimate children ,beating his wife and then being incarcerated as a result; but until we have absolute proof please let it be. Those types of stories does more harm than good.
Would the reaction to this be the same if it were PPM candidates? I dare say NO
I wish you Caymanians would actually stop, listen and read! You all sound very ignorant when talking about issues and making comments, without either knowing the facts or just plain trying to make gossip!
Ellio Solomon – if you all bothered to listen you would have understood that Mr. Solomon had an Associate’s Degree in Engineering from a University in either Florida or the UK (can’t remember which) and then he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from UCCI! – So please stop saying the man lied, he repeated it at least 3 times and so did Austin!
Mike Adam – to the poster that made inuendos that Mike maybe caught up with any corruption in TCI, be extremely careful because that is blatant slander! Mike Adam is a man of integrity, a man who lost his job because of political agendas by the PPM, a man that gave his life to serve our country and it’s people! He like many of us, works for a company….he doesn’t own it or is not a Director. This is a company that assisted thousands of people after a hurricane and still to this day has not gained a penny from it! So before you go around accusing or suggesting corruption….check your facts. Because if you are accusing him of any wrong doing…..you would also be accusing your precious Minister of Health, Mr. Anthony Eden, as he is a Director of the Southern Health/First Financial Group. So he would be the one to approve and oversee the dealings of the company and any agreements with TCI.
Amazing how things come back to bite you huh?!
Issues Please
I wish you all would stop attacking Kurt, Joey, Ossy and Arden about their lack of education.
If degrees could fix problems, then Wall Street would be flawless.
Have a look at these links:
http://tcfreepress.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=313%3Aexclusive-halls-sworn-account-of-the-southern-health-contract&catid=18%3Alocal&Itemid=26
.
Delroy Howell, Presidentand CEO of First Financial Caribbean Holdings Ltd., (right) withguests at a recent employee and customer appreciation functionin Grand Cayman. (l-r) Godfrey Bowen, Managing Director, CaymanRepairs & Appliances; Mrs. Ellen Eden, Mr. Anthony Eden, J.P.,former Minister of Health & Drug Prevention and current Memberof the Legislative Assembly.
To the Elections Office: As these two candidates didn’t qualify, your office is obliged to have them REMOVED from the Ballot-sheet. By presenting them to the Electorate you are in effect TAMPERING with the outcome of the Vote in an Election, a VERY SERIOUS matter indeed.
To Mssrs. Scotland & Seymour: We thank you for offering yourselves as candidates to your people, however, whether by neglect or oversight (it really DOSN’T matter), you didn’t meet ALL of the CONSTITUTIONAL REQUIERMENTS in time, so now Bow-out with Dignity, BE A MAN !!
To The Attorney Generals Office: What a USLESS set of bench-warmers you are !! WHY do we need a Judge to rule on what is CLEARLY stated in the Constitutional Law? A month is a month. Even IF it were February, 26 days is not ANY month. Grow some BALLS and stop hiding in the Judges’ Chambers. You all are as useless as ‘Teets on a Bull’.
When Mike Adam was talking about his experience this morning on Rooster, why didn’t he mention his role as VP of the Southern Health Network, which is Delroy Howell’s company that has come up in the inquiry into the allegations of corruption by the Turks and Caicos Government?
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/a/771/ba9
http://www.suntci.com/southern.asp
http://www.tci-inquiry.org/transcripts_pdf/TCI_transcript19_01_09.pdf
If Mike and his UDP cronnies were willing to benefit from another underhanded Government, you can believe they would be willing to "help" out some of their buddies at the expense of the of the Caymanian people.
Mike Adam and the UDP is the last thing Cayman needs.
Ask Tony Eden. He is in a way, Mike’s boss, as I understand it. As far I can tell, Mike is working for a group of companies, ergo, DOT is tainted for working for the chuckster? Just a point to ponder.
Actually, Mike’s name was not in the enquiry, it is the boss of the company he works for. What is the writer’s point?
CREDIT IS DUE
So I am obliged to give it
As a new person to politics, I was impressed with John John he did very well last night at the the forum.
Twyla credit is due to you, you’re a fair woman. I also agree that John John did very well last nigh.
The new constitution has not changed this section at all. It just falls under a new section number.
Don’t try to confuse people any further.
Elio claimed that he received an engineering degree from UCCI? REALLY!?
Wow, I thought it was bad enough to hear him on the chamber forum boasting about the fact that he’s been virtually unemployed over the past 5 years but this is ridiculous.
I mean everyone knows that he doesn’t have a university degree but to LIE and say that he has an Engineering degree from UCCI…. I expected better than that.
Thank God election only comes every four years . The way we are trying to diminish our very own Caymanian candidates is disgusting. If a foreigner had been saying all these things we would be up in arms, but some people same to think that it’s ok as long as we are doing it to each other. It’s just destroying our credibility. After the election we’ll have the expats throwing all this stuff in our faces: and guess what, we really won’t have a foot to stand on since all these thing are coming from the mouth of the horse. Let’s just shut up and vote however we want but just stop the nonsense.
"Thank God election only comes very four years" and I say thank God it will be over in the next 20 days and all can SHUT UP!!!. Sadly our credibility would have weakened in the eyes of the world…
Dont want to muddy up the waters here but it seems like the New Draft Constitution has a totally different version of the disqualification clause.The 1972 constitution(section 19.1.g) requires publication at least one month before Election Day. The 2009 Draft Constitution(section 62.1.g) requires publication within one month preceding Election Day.AmI reading this wrong or does this have a completely different meaning?Was this what this section was intended to say?
Talk about smoke and mirrors.
Let’s recap on the history of the helicopter.
Back in September it was, despite a campaign to discredit the programme headed by a number of prominent local businessmen (aka drug dealers), in the USA being prepped for an October arrival.
Lo and behold just as the whole thing was ready to lift off the government decided that they would put a spanner in the works. Wouldn’t have anything to do with rumours that the main critic of the air support unit (who I will not name for legal reasons) had his last election campaign funded by one these upstanding businessmen would it?
In the last nine months I have seen and heard so much BS about this operation it is hard, even by Cayman standards, to believe it.
The bottom line is a number of influential people do not want the helicopter because it will make life very difficult for them and they are pulling out all the stops to disrupt its introduction.
Does anyone know what Alden’s cousin is getting at? He’s got me stumped.
WHAT ABOUT THE LATE PPM??..
The Compass Newspaper (Monday 27th April, 2009 ) carried this "buried" comment….
"Cabinet Ministers Kurt Tibbetts, Alden McLaughlin and Arden McLean and PPM North Side candidate Joey Ebanks were almost a month late in detailing their interests, not doing so until 21 April.
Mr. McLaughlin said the PPM candidates simply forgot to update the register in the fury of the campaign. He acknowledged they had been reminded by a news story during Radio Cayman’s midday news on 21 April.
“The pressures of running a country while running a campaign are immense,” he told the Caymanian Compass last week. “Sometimes things slip you.”
Now we know why the PPM has been so silent on Mark and John-John’s issue….they are caught too…..!!!!
WHAT ABOUT THE LATE PPM
See post below:
"Poor fella. You have totally confused two separate issues. This is not about updating the register of interests (not a disqualification issue) it is about publication of contracts with Government (disqualification issue). If you are that clueless I can see why you support UDP".
Really disappointed in Rolston.You know after his performance on the Chamber forum I was impressed and hoping that he would take the UDP in a new and positive direction.Unfortunately he looks like he is following McKeeva in the wrong direction.Wonder why Mac did not issue the press release ,can only guess that Rolston is being sacrificed or being punished for giving credit where credit is due.So Rolston where are the Emails or letters from the Elections Office and AG stating your two candidates are not disqualified.If you should fail to produce these then people are free to assume that you have lied to us.
It’s pretty sad that in addition to wanting to circumventing the rules of the 1972 Constution; the UDP’s candidates seems like they are now starting to misrepresent their qualifications.
Did you hear the Rooster Talk Show this morning?
Does the GT UDP candidate who claimed to have an engineering degree from UCCI realise that UCCI does not award engineering degrees?
CNS: Could you kindly look into this. While we do not necessarily need our representatives to have a degree; the People of George Town really need to know if they can trust their representatives
How come you cannot post a comment on Clifford Page>That is unfair CNS i tough you was neutral news organizations…unfair
CNS: Sorry – it’s a glitch in the system and happens sometimes. The comment box is there now.
Here’s another problem. If Mark and John John are elected (very unlikely but just say that this possibility, though remote, were to occur) on the day of swearing in as MLAs they have to swear on th Bible to uphold the Constitution of the Cayman Islands. How can you swear to uphold a Constitution that you are not familiar with ? Oh well I guess that would just be another lie !
I wish that PPM (Poor People Mismanagement) would leave this alone, Mark and Dwayne are not the only two candidates who declared their interests late.
Mark and Dwayne you will be alright, Bodden Towners with any common sense will vote for you and not give PPM another 4 year term.
People of the Cayman Islands oUr ship has run aground captained by a drunk and the crew is disabled.
The only way forward is to vote for UDP across all three islands on 20 May, 2009.
West Bay vote straight 1 3 6 8 and remember that WEST BAY IS THE UDP STATE!!
"Mark and Dwayne are not the only two candidates who declared their interests late".
Poor fella. You have totally confused two separate issues. This is not about updating the register of interests (not a disqualification issue) it is about publication of contracts with Government (disqualification issue). If you are that clueless I can see why you support UDP.
Not one single credible Cayman Islands attorney has openly stated that these two would be eligible to take a seat in the LA if they are challenged.
Not Eligible, Mark has said he’s got two legal opinions – one from a Cayman attorney and another from a UK lawyer. If this is true why doesn’t he publish them? They would make the AG (who says any such opinion would be speculation) look foolish with their brilliantly reasoned arguments, they would silence the critics and convince the voters.
Issues!
While the PPM spin doctors seek to raise every distraction they can, perhaps sensible voters (and responsible press can join if they so choose) should consider those important issues, such as:
Unfair bank interest rates and practices. What has the PPM done about these? What has the UDP said that they will do about them?
I don’t believe the PPM has done anything about this issue, except calling the banks a "cartel" and promising to meet with them. But the only meeting I have heard of the PPM having with the Banks was recently to try and borrow another $50M, which I understand was refused.
In any event the current reduction in interest rates, whilst refreshing, is temporary – a result of the current global economic crisis – but what happens to rates after the crisis passes?
How can you critisize CNS ? They are simplyreporting and publishing a press release from the UDP…..maybe you should advise your UDP to keep their stupid mouths shut and let the story die…..I wish you luck with that.
This is a contravention of our Constitution, the highest law of our land, and there can be nothing more grave and threatening to democracy in this country than that. Mark and John and John are finished….Punto Finale !!! They have clearly put their own political objectives about that of our Constitution….typical UDP……dont believe that laws apply to them and now we must allow them to jetison our Constitution too…..Hell no !!! Enough is Enough.
My votes are for Chucky, Tony and Justin.
Why is it the UDP followers believe it is only the PPM that cares about the rule of law and importance of the constituton.
The UDP followers also seem to the think the PPM spent too much on Capital projects and yet blames them for the unemployment. Now which one is it that they are responsible for. If it was not for the needed capital spending unemployment would be more than the 3000 persons (not 905 or 1200 as Elio and the UDP think ) that now exist. Be realistic and stop following Elio and Big Mac.
Do they know that many of the 2800+ status grants holders are now employers and business owners? And who do they employ? people from Cayman Brac?
If anything the PPM has done a fine job with maintaining employment during the worse economic crisis in the last 50 years.
CNS keep reporting this is not a small issue – trampling on the constitution. As a voter in BT I need to know what my choices will be come election.
You have only one choice don’t vote for anyone who looks down at the highest law of the country. It’s that simple.
With the election such a short time away we need to start focussing on the real issues affecting this country. Or has everyone suddenly forgotten??
Statement made by the General
Secretary of the UDP
The United Democratic Party wish to reassure the public that recent
reports in themedia that our Bodden Town candidates Mark Scotland and
Dwayne “JohnJohn” Seymour are disqualified from standing in the May
2009 General Election are false and have been in accurately reported.
The fact that our candidates are entitled to contest and be elected by
the people of Bodden Town in the General Election on May 20th 2009
has been confirmed by the Elections Office and the Honourable Attorney
General.
In relation to recent threats from their political opponents that they will
seek to have Bodden Town’s lawfully elected representatives removed
from office following the General Election our candidates are satisfied
that they have made full and frank disclosure and been completely
transparent with all information required from them in order to qualify
them as candidates and to be elected to sit in the Legislative Assembly as
your duly elected representatives for the next four years.
We humbly ask the general public and the people of Bodden Town not
to allow political rumours and threats to distract you from there alissues
facing this country or to discourage you from exercising your right to
vote for Mark Scotland and Dwayne “JohnJohn” Seymour on May 20th
2009. Our candidates would like to thank the people of BoddenTown for
their unwavering and continued support as they continue to work for the
people of Bodden Town to be properly represented on May20th.
Lets give Mark Scotland #8 and Dwayne "John John" Seymour #9 or X on May 20th 2009 Election.
I honestly believe it is the better way forward……….
Well done to CNS for not only covering the UDP’s press release but for confirming (or in this case dispelling) the content of it. This is what the voting public deserves.
This story started out as Mark/Dwayne making late declarations and potentially being disqualified. However, this story is evolving to include the way the UDP is dealing with this.
It should be very alarming to the people of Cayman that the UDP has issued a press release that appears to be misrepresenting what the Elections Office and the Attorney General has said. Implying that the Elections Office and the Attorney General have given them a 100% nod as to their qualification is, at best, misleading. Behavior such as this is what puts the integrity of the entire UDP into question.
Cayman – vote for honesty and integrity not people that think you’re dumb enough to swallow every line they feed you.
"It should be very alarming to the people of Cayman that the UDP has issued a press release that appears to be misrepresenting what the Elections Office and the Attorney General has said. Implying that the Elections Office and the Attorney General have given them a 100% nod as to their qualification is, at best, misleading. Behavior such as this is what puts the integrity of the entire UDP into question".
Cut CNS some slack here. This is the BREAKING news that we all love and want. Why shoot the messenger?
Dear CNS,
You shoud never have to justify why you post headlines that are a follow up to an original release etc. I know if it was not for the more controversial stories, you would not have much visitors. So post away.
Dear Readers,
If you don’t like reading or seeing the same headlines or continuation about an ongoing story, then you now what to do.
I leave you with this quote from American poet Ezra Pound who said on June 30, 1943:
"That text is known to them that have the patience to read it, possibly one one-hundredth of one percent of the denizens. They forget it, all save a few Western states. I think somebody in Dakota once read it. The Constitution".
This was true then in America as it is now in Cayman.
-SPP
As you seem so keen to change the subject, this was posted yesterday on another story, I have repeated it here for your benefit. Don’t think they were all PPM Goverments and I am sure you could twist the figures any way you want to but here goes anyway;
From the horses mouth; http://www.eso.ky/pages1.php?page=employment
Statistics show;
2001 – 1311 unemployed Caymanians, 798 unemployed non-Caymanians, 7.5% unemployement rate
2002 – 1058, 492, 5.4%
2003 – 857, 222, 3.6%
2004 – 887, 424, 4.3%
2005 – 1039, 264, 3.5%
2006 – 682, 261, 2.6%
2007 – 1059, 336, 3.8%
2008 – No figures released.
to poster "As you seem so keen to change the subject"
Quite interesting figures you have their, and it’s nice to see a poster use facts for once.
What I find interesting are the figures for 2006 (the lowest rate of unemployment)…. so much for Wally not doing anything when he was in charge of the labor department. I think the facts speak for themselves.
If these two can’t follow the rules set down and submit their applications properly it doesn’t say much for their attention to detail and their ability to perform as an MLA does it?
MARK & JOHN JOHN
Don’t worry you have our family support.
Vote 8 & 9 and leave the rest behind.
GO UDP
A BETTER WAY FOWARD
UDP has some nerves sending out a press release and lying in it.
Come on CNS, this horse has been flogged enough!
I cannot believe it! One more article again about this same old issue! How many more will we see before election. Can’t we find some real issues affecting our country to talk about..Let’s say Tourism, the Financial troubles of our country and education to name a few. I know they are boring and are not as sensational as Mark and Dwayne, but we need to talk about them.
I really don’t know why this is even an issue. If the PPM is so sure they are going to get elected, why worry about this because if they are not elected, certianly no one will challenge them at that point!
CNS: The reason we did another story on this today was because the UDP sent out a release.
You know what……..enough is enough with this foolishness!!!!! We may not even be ALIIVE to see Election Day much less worry about Mark and John John. Let’s just deal with the real issues right now and the most IMPORTANT one…..SWINE FLU!!!!!
We’ll deal with Mark and John John after election if it comes to that. My goodness….if even the AG, Governor or Elections Office doesn’t have anything to say then that is saying SOMETHING!!! That these men are eligible until further notice by the courts, which can’t happen until AFTER election!
Now worry about how we are going to protect ourselves and our children. I’ve already heard there maybe one confirmed case and another waiting on test results! What do we do now Mr. Leader?
"We may not even be ALIIVE to see Election Day much less worry about Mark and John John".
I hope you remember that when you are attacking PPM. Suddenly whether you will be alive on election day becomes less important then, eh. Sanctimonious hypocrite.
Press Release
The PPM Government has, to date, not explained:
The status of its efforts to reduce the high level of unemployment – for the past four years the level of unemployment between the ages 15 – 24 have been double digits.
The reason why not a single new affordable home was built in GT since they took office;
What, if anything, they have done to reduce the number of road accidents in GT;
I would continue, but ok CNS, go out there and make a real story.
Thats the problem with us Caymanian we put our heads in the sand and hopes that everything will solve itself or just go away.
CNS Continue with the story until those dumb a_ _ understand that this problem is not going away but is only the begining.
And Unemployment?
Can you get a press release from the PPM on that?
Again CNS
Maybe we can get a story on unemployment?
CNS: The UDP sent out a press release on the issue
"media reports saying that Bodden Town candidates Mark Scotland and Dwayne “John John” Seymour are disqualified fromstanding in the May 2009 General Election are false and have been inaccurately reported. “The fact that our candidates are entitled to contest and be elected by the people of Bodden Town in the General Election on May 20th 2009 has been confirmed by the Elections Office and the Honourable Attorney General,” it said".
Either the UDP really do not understand what the AG and the Elections Office are saying or they are deliberately attempting to mislead the public. What the AG and the Elections Office are clearly saying is that they will not remove the candidates’ names from the ballot paper thereby preventing voters from casting votes in their favour, but this should not be taken as implying any ruling that they are qualified to run for office as this a mixed question of law and fact to be determined by the Grand Court after the event. This makes sense since if the candidates names are removed from the ballot paper it clearly means that a ruling has been made that they are disqualified.
In the event that the candidates are successful and an Election Petition is filed should the court determine that the candidates were indeed disqualified of of two things may happen: (a) the votes cast in their favour may be declared void so that the next valid candidate is declared elected; or (b) a bye-election is ordered.
Let’s review. No ruling has been made by the Elections Office or the Attorney General as to whether the candidates are qualified or disqualified. Should an Election Petition be brought this issue will be determined after the event by the Grand Court.
If the UDP wishes to assuage voters’ concerns, why don’t they publish the legal opinions that they say they have received both locally and from the UK?