Anglin:Why wait on seats?
(CNS): The debate about when and how the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly (LA) grows from its current membership of 15 to 18 seats, as set out in the new Constitution, is about the timeline for implementation of what the people voted for, Deputy Leader of Government Rolston Anglin has said. “The people voted to increase the numbers in the LA and everyone agrees we need the extra minister to deal with the government workload, so the question now is simply, why wait?” he said.
Speaking to CNS, Anglin said that it was not unconstitutional to hold a by-election for the extra three members of the Legislative Assembly as it states quite clearly in the document that the LA will be increased, but he said the debate is around the timeline for implementation, which was set out in the draft order attached to the Constitution but not the body of the Constitution itself, which went before the Privy Council yesterday, 10 June, for ratification.
“The government is asking the question because the country needs these extra members and it is simply a matter of agreeing a new timeline,” Anglin said. “The people have voted ‘yes’ for the new Constitution and therefore ‘yes’ to the new members, so why wait for four years when a change in the timeline sent out in the draft order can be agreed with the UK and facilitate a by-election to move forward.”
He said that the results of the referendum show the people want the new members and some are saying they want them quickly, while some have said wait until the next election in 2013.
“We know the people want these changes, so all that matters now is the timeline to implement them,” he added, but acknowledged that during the negotiations with the stakeholders the agreement had been that the changes would wait until the next election. However, Anglin noted that if what was agreed during discussion appears erroneous on reflection, there is no reason why it can’t be changed, but it was a matter for discussion with the UK and not a constitutional problem.
The Constitution itself does not set out the electoral system that should be used in Cayman but allows for change under the passage of legislation in the LA. In other words, Cayman is free to continue using a multi-member first past the post system if it wishes, and therefore three additional MLAs could simply be added to the most populous districts through a recommendation of the Boundary Commission without a major redrawing of the electoral districts.
The most recent electoral register would suggest therefore that two seats would go to George Town, which now has an electorate of over 5,000, making six members, and the third seat would go to Bodden Town, which has more than 3,000 voters.
The question, however, remains on whether a by-election can be called for just the three seats or whether the parliament itself must be prorogued and a full election called for all 18 seats. Speaking on Rooster’s morning show Crosstalk this week, Steve McField, a well known local attorney and constitutional law expert, noted that it would be unconstitutional to call a by-election for the extra seats, not least because the draft order itself does form part of the Constitution, contrary to Anglin’s claim.
McField noted that the Constitution says quite clearly that there cannot be a change to the number of elected members until the Legislative Assembly is next dissolved and another election called.
“Nothing can be done until after the Assembly has been dissolved for another general election,” he said. “There is no place in the Constitution for a by-election for these new seats.”
McField explained that a by-election can only be called to fill an existing seat that becomes vacant and not for new seats, as is the case regarding the increase of the LA’s size. “If the UDP feels comfortable in their popularity, they can dissolved the Assembly and call an election,” he added.
Calling into the same show, MLA Arden McLean also stated that the only way these seats can be implemented is through a general election and not a by-election. He accused the UDP of spinning the contents of the Constitution and said that it was ironic how they had accused the PPM government of having secret meetings on the Constitution and wondered what kind of secret discussion would go on in England now that the new leader of government business was on his way there.
“I hope that England will not entertain this quest to have that constitutional provision changed to allow these seats to come into place prior to the next dissolution of the Legislative Assembly,” he said. “It is quite ironic that all of a sudden he is going to discuss the Constitution when he accused us of holding secret discussions with England.”
McLean said he was surprised that Bush would go by himself to discuss the Constitution with the UK given his objects to holding any discussions behind closed doors during the negotiations. He said that the new UDP government deserved credit for accepting the wishes of the people in the referendum, but they needed to stop spinning what was in the Constitution for their own advantage and to follow what was voted for.
“The people need to get the Constitution in the way that was presented to them and not in the way the current government would like it to be done,” McLean added.
Category: Politics
I have nothing new to add really. What I would have said has already been posted several times. I consider this an alarming news story and growing concern over the UDP’s ‘We are Kings’ attitude.
I do want to point out something to the poster on Thu, 06/11/2009 – 15:10:
…And so on you write with what is (to the uninformed reader or cultured person) really terrible English & grammar. Now it is one thing to speak like that (using those type of word spelling & grammar) but truly another to actually write a post with words & grammar which I’ve Bold & Highlighted.
Definition for illiterate
o – making many language mistakes: full of or making many basic errors in the use of language.
o – uneducated: having or showing little or no knowledge of a particular subject.
o – offensive term: an offensive term meaning not able to read or write.
"The beginning is the most important part of the work." – Plato
"False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil." – Plato
Thank you for taking the time to read my reply.
Sincerely,
SRSE
Something I don’t understand. I thought challenging the two seats in BT would harm the country because we didn’t have any money to hold a by-election. Did the UDP just magically turn the country’s funds around in it’s three weeks in power? Please…..Not only do I smell a rat, I SEE it.
I agree….PPm=failure giving us some jokes! And lemme tell ya…if you not a UDP supporter I suggest Rollie try find out who you is and get you to set up shop wid dem cuz you sure as hell blowing ya horn fa dem!
To PPM = failure @16.04….."As a matter of fact you should be ashamed that you couldn’t win back your seats! Dwayne Seymour ‘Joke Joke’ and No Education Ellio took seats away from you…. that my friend is how desperate this country was to get rid of your PPM."
What i am truly ashamed of is that we have voters out there who were willing to put Dwanye & Elio in as their representatives…..not to mention some others in the UDP party who also got in and some who almost got in….scary!!! Not hard to figure out what a ‘lil bit’ of handouts will do for ya!
Fact Finder
If my facts are so incorrect…. then find the real facts (as your name suggests) and enlighten us!
PPM=Failure, did you really just refer us all to the Cayman Net News for "Facts"? Tee Hee, thaks for the chuckle
Rolston should replace Mac as leader of the UDP.
Go Rolston!
PPM=Failure did not appear to read the whole of the Net News Article. Just UDP Minister quote.
To Poster: Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 – 23:47.
Since you say that people need to do know the facts allow me to enlighten you. The largest deficit that our country had ever faced (up until recently) was under the leadership of Kurt Tibbets during his administration in 2001 at about $55 Mil.
Now that we’ve just come out of another term under the PPM administration according to this article: http://www.caymannetnews.com/news-16150–1-1—.html The country has a deficit between $60 – $100Mil. Therefore the two worse financial periods that our country has ever faced has been under the PPM administration. If you don’t believe me then wait til next week when the Financial Secretary announces the figures. I’ll really enjoy what you have to say then!
So my friend a small operational deficit during a recession may be reasonable but when you set a record for the worst deficit that our country has ever seen….. I’m sorry, but that is NOT OK and UNACCEPTABLE!
You’re like every other PPM supporter. Always upset with UDP supporters (which I am not) and never capable of admitting when the PPM has failed. If you don’t like the UDP that’s your issue but admit when your Party has failed you! Oh but that’s not the PPM way of doing things, they always blame others for their wrong doing.
Because it is a matter of ‘Constitutional Law’ …. oh I keep forgetting, that’s just a "MINOR TECHNICAL THING’, right Rolston?
Caymanian people (especially the present Govt.) don’t care about the Laws of our Land, after all, WE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF PIRATES …. even if we are too ‘full-of-fertilizer’ to admit it.
Come-on Rolston, don’t let us loose respect for you as well ! (Lie with dog, you ‘ketch’ fleas).
You know what we need Cayman? WE NEED TO ABOLISH THE ‘PARTY’ SYSTEM before it destroys these Islands.
WE (the people) need to be able to Vote for our LGB (Premier) SEPERATELY from our Representatives. That way, WE (the people) can ensure that we have ‘checks & balances’ in our Govt.
38 Members of the LA is far too many.
In the UK there are 646 MPs and there is talk of cutting back. That is for a total population of about 6 million. Each constituency has about 74,000 voters. The smallest has 22,000.
Clearly it does not scale well down to the size of Cayman, but is it really necessary to have 38 members and the associated costs? About 5 or 6 would be a more appropriate number.
"38 Members of the LA is far too many".
It certainly would be but that is not what the article says. The number is 18.
"The debate about when and how the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly (LA) grows from its current membership of 15 to 18 seats, as set out in the new Constitution"
Oh, PPM=Failure, that’s how you know the Government is broke?
What’s the big deal about Gov borrowing money to pay civil service salaries (if that’s even true)? Many business utilise short-term lines of credit (etc.) to manage short-term cash flow.
Even Rolston had to admit in the Chamber Forum leading up to the election that it is not unusual/unreasonable for a Government to run a small operating defecit in a recession. If Rolston, the UDP CPA and financial guru, could admit that why can’t the UDP supporters? Actually I bet the UDP supporters don’t have any clue what this is about — they only say Cayman is broke cuz that’s what Big Mac said and they are no more than parroting him.
the only way to assess performance is to compare it to a yardstick. that yard stick is the Public Finances Mgmt Law. UDP is ignoring the yard stick provided this law when they talk about PPM’s performance but they but they not telling us what yard stick they are using to come to the conclusion that the country is broke/financial mess etc.
And don’t talk about the people being worst off financially, losing their homes and ray ray ray. If people can’t afford their homes now when bank rates are incredibly low. what are they going to do when interest rates start to go back up?? It’s call being big eye. learn to live within your means.
And don’t talk about CUC, cuz my CUC bill has never ever been lower!
Honestly, you all need to start looking at facts, in the proper context, and learn to apply them.
I’m sorry Ellio can do a better job than this dude! Big ups for a GT elected 2013 to be the next Premier not this guy…. I hope UDP considers him not to be the guy next in line. Ellio you got a big mouth put it straight.
To poster: anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 06/11/2009 – 14:43.
You have me all wrong. I am by NO MEANS a UDP supporter. That’s the problem with politics in this country now. You are either UDP or PPM and anyone that isn’t one or the other is seen as foolish and wasting their vote because they didn’t vote straight. My friend I voted for the best and most qualified candidate and I can assure you that wasn’t any members of a party. Unlike others I don’t vote for someone just because their party colors are Green or Red.
That being said I am willing to give the UDP a chance (for now) because even you can’t deny that our country’s finances were run through the mud under the PPM administration. The UDP can’t even do anything now because the PPM has the country broke! And don’t you try to say that the country isn’t broke because when you have to take out loans to pay civil servants salaries, I’m Sorry, but that means we’re broke!
And yes I am upset because the PPM has done this country a great disservice and they are extremely unapologetic.
You are too delirious my friend! How is it that after the UDP has won enough seats to govern the country you consider them a failure? They may eventually fail in running this country but the UDP have one the election, whether it was a clean sweep like the PPM did in 2005 or they win 9 like they did this election it doesn’t matter. As a matter of fact you should be ashamed that you couldn’t win back your seats! Dwayne Seymour ‘Joke Joke’ and No Education Ellio took seats away from you…. that my friend is how desperate this country was to get rid of your PPM.
Face it…… THE PPM IS DEAD!
"Face it…… THE PPM IS DEAD!"
That’s what they said about the UDP in 2005. A week in politics is a long time, my friend.
"McField noted that the Constitution says quite clearly that there cannot be a change to the number of elected members until the Legislative Assembly is next dissolved and another election called.
Governor Jack: "While I am not yet in a position to set the ‘Appointed Day’ [for the new Constitution which has now been approved by the Privy Council] I can say that it will not be for several months.”
If the UDP were looking for those extra seats in the short term they will have to think again.
Since its going to take several months to implement the new constitution, perhaps Gov. Jack should just step aside and leave it to the new Governor to do. Gov. Jack has already messed up too many things in Cayman especially not upholding the current constitution. . Hope the new Governor will have the backbone to at least uphold the new constitution.
"Since its going to take several months to implement the new constitution, perhaps Gov. Jack should just step aside and leave it to the new Governor to do".
Gov. Jack’s time was specifically extended by the UK for him to oversee the general election and the implementation of the new Constitution. Much as I disapprove of many of his decisions it seems sensible to have someone who is familiar with the territory oversee this process.
Let’s follow the Swedish example and elect someone from the Pirate Party – the ultimate protest vote against all this PPM and UDP shenanigans.
No one is Perfect, there is only one man that is perfect and thatis the Lord Jesus Christ, he is the only one that ca make rules and break them if he wants.
how i see it both parties need to join force and make cayman a better place and stop cursing each party. It is not doing the Cayman People any Good.
I for sure would like to say that when i need help with something i’m not just going to UDP or PPM, Both Parties along with Mr. Miller will be hearing from me and other individual for Help. So we need both Parties and Mr. Miller to work together and unite cayman back to the Cayman i used to love.
A lot of una posting on this thing.. need to stop going by hear say, and READ the facts! That’s why most Caymanians so illiterate today, una love listen to hear say too much, and love add una lil two cents to everything and nuh even know if that’s how it go!!! READ and educate yaselves man!
It pretty obvious that the country didn’t like the PPM government so they got voted out, they weren’t completely terrible they just werent doing their job RIGHT. UDP nuh perfect neither, but they surely do a much better job.
Hate me or love me for what I say, it’s just the plain simple TRUTH! Now you can take that to the bank 🙂
These postings are supposed to provide a board for "free speech" that might be considered by Government and used to help us solve our immediate and long-term challenges. It would be nice, for one day, to not see partisan postings that contribute little or no value to the debates. Maybe I am in the minority on this but it is just my hope and I thought that that I would voice my opinion as the individuals that place such postings are doing, as well.
"UDP nuh perfect neither, but they surely do a much better job".
We’ll have to wait and see. So far a mixed start.
"A lot of una posting on this thing.."
Yeah they’re sure doing a better job alright! They’re continuing what they obviously didn’t finish in 2000-2005…. SCREWING US REAL GOOD!!!
What happened? 3 weeks ago we elected a government that seemed to understand the need for our elected officials to work hard, to implement responsible and much reduced spending and to ensure that the ordinary Caymanian had an opportunity to live a reasonable life in our own country.
Where did the people we elected go? Clearly they must all have evil twins who have kidnapped our elected leaders and are masquerading as our government. Could there possibly be any other explanation?
What happened 3 weeks ago? You elected the UDP. This is exactly how the UDP operates go back to 2001 -2005. I guess some people forgot or were simply fooled by them.
I’m sorry Mr. Anglin, I have some vauge recollection of your Party leader, the less than Honourable LOGB, saying something along the lines of him voting no on the Constitutional Referendum and encouraging others to do so. Must be now that he sees it could be to his advantage that it is all of a sudden ok to go rushing headlong in to it I guess, with no thought, foresight or care in the world.
That how it go I guess
To PPM = Failure
You sound angry….your party (obviously) is now the Government; chill out a little! You admit the UDP was not supported by the majority of the Country…..therefore you are admitting to FAILURE on the part of the UDP. If as you suggested, the people felt that the PPM had failed them so terribly it should have been a piece of cake for the UDP to have won by a majority – just like the PPM did in 2005! Check the records if you wish. I agree the people have spoken, and what the majority said is that they did not want a UDP government…..unfortunately that’s just what they ended up with…..at least I know I VOTED STRAIGHT….STRAIGHT PPM….and as for the Country being so bad off financially under the PPM administration – I assume you must be ecstatic about the way UDP is now handling our financial matters! Yeah right…
Well.. obviously not everybody voted straight like you right… if everyone felt the way you did that’s what they would have done and PPM would have gone in with a land slide like last elections.. obviously some of the PPM members where not doing their job RIGHT like the other writer stated.. so that’s why some are still in the rest are out. SIMPLE.
Rolston,
We are desperately in need of programs that would allow CAYMANIANS to become Qualified as Social Workers & Counsellors to deal with OUR HUGE Social problems rather than having non-caymanian deal with OUR SOCIAL ISSUES.
PLEASEEEEEE do not let us have to leave the Island & our family to get such degrees with 3 Colleges (UCCI, ICCI, & THE CIVIL SERVANT COLLEGE) on the Island.
This all makes perfect sense if you ask me. Perfect garbage that is.
But in truth what I see happening is this:
Big Mac & Fries will try to see if they can get it done without a dissolution. They will try but I think they will fail. Then in November, to reset our voting cycle, we will have a 2nd complete elections and he wants to do it quickly because he feels UDP is on a roll.
So prepare for a November 2009 General Elections from now.
What this will do is resolve several issues for UDP.
1) Get the 18 Members which he feels he can get majority on.
2) Resolve the Mark & John John issue which should not come down in their favour as such shortly.
3) Reset the cycle.
4) And possibly TRULY screw us over.
I can only hope that the GT smucks grow a brain by November and send all UDP candidates back to the bottom of the polls where they belong. Put in an independent if you want but leave UDP off your ballots. There are good strong willed Independents out there who will provide the government will adequate feedback.
I ask you GT voters were you signing on for NO Pirates Week when you checked the box for Mike Adams, Elio Solomon and the rest? Were you? Do you see how silly this man can be? Is this really what you want for this country to see our only national successful event scrapped to make the churchs happy in spite of the economic times we are in?
BT voters. I know you like Mark Scottland. No doubt as I do also but at what risk do we want this? PPM isn’t perfect no doubt but do you want to trade their silliness for this act of sheer stupidity? This is millions of dollars been thrown away and for what reason really?
Let’s look at this team and their record to date:
This is how our new government is doing so far and we are not even one month in. What can we expect in the future only Lord knows. Independence? Removing of the need for 4 years dissolution of government or extending term limits? Who knows because he is so irratic.
Trust me when I say this is the beginning of the end for us.
If we don’t take this power crazed man out we are going to sink like a rock.
So true and well said.
Shoot let me add this:
5) Made us look like idiots in the international community. Yeah that ought to make us feel proud of the new government. Tear down the brideg before we build it. Biting the hand that is feeding us.
So, can you being to name the many wrong doings PPM did during their time of government?
UDP nuh perfect I can tell you that, but they surely better than PPM!
And to make a comment about your online polling thing, that is so inaccurate! Don’t even bother mentioning that in anything you say, cause they so far from the truth!
I’m from BT myself, go look at Cayman Net News voting resulting for BT, and it said Mr. Scotland, Mr. Eden and Ms. Carton… Ms Carton came DEAD last! lol Now you want refer to inaccurate information..
You should know your facts before publishing things…
Thanks.
At first they were saying that they didn’t need to follow the constitution when it came down to the two representatives from Bodden Town breaking it and that if anyone challenged it it would cost the struggling people of Cayman our extra hard earned dollars to do a by-election at a time when the country was already broke, busted and badly trusted. Now, they’re considering doing a by-election once this new consitution is in place to elect three more members??? And not only do a by-election in Bodden Town but also George Town???? Not only to do the by-election but then to turn around and pay these extra three persons (and I’m sure that these people are going to be paid only what most of us can dream of ever having with degrees and experience)!!!! Where did all this money come from when the current government was claiming how the broke we were with the previous government????
To: VOTE STRAIGHT
You may have an agruement that the UDP wasn’t supported by the majority of the country but what can’t be argued is that the PPM failed!
The PPM certainly didn’t get the majority of the votes. If people split their votes you should take that as a sign that the people of this country have made a statement that the PPM has failed us and has fallen out of favor with us. Are you really that delirious???
The sooner you can accept the democratic process the sooner you can be at peace that the PPM is dead and will never be able to resurrect themselves now that it has been exposed how bad our country became financially under their administration.
Since you so blindly love the PPM, tell me just one thing that has been revealed about the PPM since May 20th that would make me want to vote for them??? NOTHING!
The PPM doesn’t have the backbone to challenge Mark and Dwayne so they blame the Governor and the AG (typical, PPM have never taken responsibility for any wrong doing), It’s been revealed that the PPM lied through out the campaign about the state of the country’s finances. But then again who can blame them for lying cuz they we no financial statements to back up anything they said. Oh but I forgot, that’s the fault of the civil servants right?
The PPM will need a complete face lift for the country to VOTE STRAIGHT for them again. Face it buddy your PPM’s days have come and gone.
Yeah, so much for bringing hope and prosperity to the people! Instead the UDP is looking to lessen their workload immediately…..all of a sudden they realize that the workload is too much for 5 cabinet members to bear…..WOW! I have never seen such a bunch of jokers…..they have brought the saying ‘speaking from two sides of the mouth’ to a new level…a low one that is! And as for Rolston, I had gained back some respect for him after he came out from under Mac’s shadow to support the Constitution, however, after listening to his ‘speech’ in LA at the Swearing In Ceremony I was back to square one…..still hoping that he will see the light and be able to separate himself from the UDP some day (sooner rather than later) however, this dream is fading fast.
Why is it that UDP supporters are constantly crying for everybody to get over the election, unite and support the new government? I don’t recall the UDP ever uniting and supporting the PPM government; as a matter of fact they are now only shouting ‘unite’ for PR purposes but show me where they are trying to unite the Country? You got Rolston still running around flying ‘Vote UPD’ flags all over his car…..not what I call uniting! UDP supporters, you need to get over the fact that your people are now in government, and they will be bashed, judged and criticized for the next four years as people see fit…just as you did with the PPM government….so there! Get over it!!
Perhaps Minister Anglin could cite the authority which permits him or anyone to be "Deputy Leader of Government Business".
So we have 2 MLA’s who are not validly elected, one Minister who is pretending to me one, and Deputy LoGB which doesnt exist.
Nice, UDP, well done.
Yea!…I agree lets dissolve the house next moth and have another election with between the UDP and PPM..because we know now that independents do not stand a chance against the Cripps and the Bloods (for those that don’t know who they are..google)……I think the bloods aka PPM would win because the independents would not be there to split the vote….and most people…sorry most CAYMANIANS I talk to say they would have not split their votes if they knew it would have turned out the way it did….
Does anyone else find it interesting that we can afford a by-election for the extra seats and we supposedly can’t afford one for the breaches of the constitution?
If you UDP people had used your common sense and had not vindictively tried to de-rail the draft Constitution during the PPM tenor, you could have had your additional members by now, but nooooooo, it was not suitable for your benefit then!!!!. NOW that your govt in in control, all of a sudden it suits you and NOW you want to push some of your personal agendas through faster and perhaps unlawfully as usual. You UDP people do not know what it is to work within the laws of the Cayman Islands. We understand now why the udp did NOT want a Constitution….it appears that you do not intend to be governed by it!!!! It also appears that the indication is given that the udp would rather operate above the law.
Lord have mercy….willl there be any supper left for the dog to eat ?
Why wait indeed. Afterall no education Ellio was promised a ministry and they better deliver real soon!
Didn’t the UDP tell us the the country was bankrupt? Where is the money coming from to have a by-election and pay another 3 (already paid too much) members of the LA? Tell us Mr. Anglin, afterall you are a CPA. Is the Country bankrupt? Or did the UDP use this propaganda to scare people into voting for them. Answers Please the country has a right to know. Is the country bankrupt or did you lie to the people?
I think this is wonderful and would applaud the UDP and current leader for implementing these additional seats as soon as possible! It is going to take all the help we can get to take us out of this mess that the previous government has put us in! We are only just beginning to see what really went on in the past four years and the damage that has been done to us financially!
I’m really glad to seewe have a LEADER back in the LA and we are getting things done!!! WOW
And as far as I can READ, our LOGB has gone to Florida, Washington, NY and London for both the Tourism and Finance Industry…..something that should have been done years ago!! So where does Arden get off trying to ‘mislead’ us by telling us he has gone for ‘secret meetings’? Arden…please get over it now! My goodness, elections are over! Let’s give the support to the new government so that we can fix this place!
"So where does Arden get off trying to ‘mislead’ us by telling us he has gone for ‘secret meetings’?"
Mr Mclean is of course completely correct. This is Mr. Bush’s attempt to persuade the UK Govt. to issue the Order in Council so that the by-election could be held to add the additional seats in complete contradiction of the agreement with what is now the Opposition, but has not informed the Opposition about his purpose. They are therefore secret. It is Mr. Bush who is the master at misdirection.
Sure Rollie lets do it. I’m not sure if you realise it but it can’t be done without a dissolution of the LA and another general election being held within 3 months. I think that’s a great idea because then the people won’t have to wait until 2013 to correct the mistake they just made by splitting their votes which resulted in a UDP government. No one can argue, with any credibility, that this UDP government was supported by the majority of people in the country. Its just a con of the First Past The Post system. JUST COUNT THE VOTES ROLLIE….YOU DO HAVE A CPA DON’T YOU !!!
Tell me Mr. Mcfield and Mr. Mclean and all fellow Caymanians what do you find surprising about this, after all the UDP has already breached the 1972 Constitution without a challenge so why would they not also breach the new Constitution. Remember they are the Government of the day and they have now set a new POLICY.
The UDP trying to make hay while the sun is shining. It clearly feels that it is riding a wave of popularity which would bring e.g. Mr. Piercy in as an MLA in GT and no doubt Mr. Bush’s coattails are long enough to bring another MLA from WB. BT is more difficult. The Opposition would then become irrelevant. On the other hand it waits until the next election all that may be lost as the sheen has worn of the new govt.
We cannot afford another 3 MLA’s one of which will undoubtedly be another empire building cabinet minister who alone will cost the struggling tax payers of these islands many more millions. What happened to the fiscal responsibility that the UDP talked about before the election?
We should tell them that once they have restored prosperity to the ordinary people of these islands then we might think about letting them build their own grand life styles at our expense.