Radio ban on opposition

| 23/08/2010

Cayman Islands News, Grand Cayman Island headline news(CNS): Lucille Seymour, a member of the PPM, says she has been banned from hosting a talk show on the government owned radio station because she is a member of the opposition. Seymour, who has in the past stood in for Radio Cayman’s regular lunchtime host of TalkToday, Dwayne Sterling Ebanks, was due to do so again next week but has been told she cannot host any more shows . The former George Town MLA said the message was delivered to her on Friday afternoon by station management, who had been told by government that they were using too many “opposition people”, and while they were allowed to appear on the show as guests they would no longer be invited to host the show.

Denise Miller, the leader of the Young Progressives has also confirmed that she too was told that she could no longer host the programme after standing in on occasion as a volunteer. Miller said the same message was relayed to her that government "bosses" believed there were too many opposition members hosting and her services would no longer be required.
 
Radio Cayman is a government owned station and it receives over $1 million of public money each year as well as generating its own income through advertising. The station falls under the Ministry of District Administration, Public works and Agriculture — the deputy premier’s ministry — but Seymour pointed out that the station is really owned by the people and should not be subject to the political whim of whichever administration is in power. Surprised by the message that she received, Seymour told CNS that she was not going to take it lying down without saying anything.
 
“This is a very mean spirited attitude by government,” Seymour said. “I believe when government interferes in such a way it fuels the division. It should be looking at ways to bring people together not further alienate them. I was doing this voluntarily, having been asked by the host to stand in, and I have not abused the position. And I am certainly not in opposition to the people.”
 
Seymour stated that she wanted the public to know but sincerely hoped that none of the staff at the station would be punished because she had chosen to speak out about what was said. However, it was something she felt the people had to know had happened and if this was the government’s position the people should know about it.
 
“It was wrong of the government to use the civil servants to tell me; the minister should have told called me herself if she did not want me to host and not have her staff deliver the message,” Seymour pointed out, saying that she had not heard from Juliana O’Connor Connolly, the minister with responsibility for Radio Cayman.
 
She also said there was something of an irony regarding the government’s own attitude to the TalkToday show. “They really do have a cheek,” Seymour said, pointing out that government ministers and the premier did not often use the public radio show as platform to announce their policy initiatives to the people, deny the latest rumour or rebut criticism. Instead, Seymour observed, they are choosing to use Rooster’s morning talk show, Crosstalk, which is privately owed. “Yet here they now were dictating to the staff about who should be allowed to host this show,” she said.
 
Seymour noted that the move illustrated rising concerns that this particular administration is trying to curb free speech. “By doing this, government just feeds into the current belief of the wider community that it is acting like a dictatorship,” Seymour said. “The talk shows provide an opportunity for the people to discuss the issues that are affecting all of us and this should not be about partisan politics. I was talking about the things that affect everyone and was not using the show to broadcast a political position.”
 
Seymour was formerly the third elected member for George Town in the previous PPM administration. A long time educator and advocate for the rights of the community’s poorer members, Seymour lost out at the 2009 May election by just over 200 votes to Elio Solomon, ironically the former host of Crosstalk.  
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  1. The Crown says:

    Just a follow up. Isn’t it Mrs Seymour’s right & duty first,to stand up for her rights mandated in the laws of human rights,freedom speech & freedom of expression? She’s in a position to do so. ?????? Where is the HRC???

  2. Anonymous says:

    Those who have been listening to talk radio in the Cayman Islands over the past 10 years or so have seen an evolution in the format.

    Local politicians have discovered there are careers and votes to be had so every wanna be future MLA is "kissing Caymanian babies" on the airwaves these days.

    Each one is more Caymanian than the next.  They know the hot button issues to get the blood flowing and the voters voting.

    Foreign workers stealing Caymanian jobs is pure gold for these politician hopefuls and those currently in the LA wanting to keep their seats.

    Current politicians get quiet when the topic of crime comes up because other than CCTV they are short on ideas and are afraid most of the criminals might be voters.

    Hope I don’t sound too jaded.

  3. Weary Caymanian says:

    I am just waiting to see which radio station will be offering Ms. Seymour to host a talk show now.  Let’s face it Radio Cayman’s talk show is dead boring anyway so she was wasting her time there, she could do much better elsewhere.

  4. Anonymous says:

    Just get rid of all the politicians from the radio airwaves – keep the hosts and let the people air their views.  Of course they need guest speakers but let them come on and talk about positive things (charities, sports, school initiatives, etc…) 80% of these talk shows are taken up by the "can I just say one thing" politicians who then ramble on for hours spewing out their personal agendas or propaganda.  Perhaps they should spend the 2-3 hours a day they are either listening to or on the radio to get this country back in order.  The corruption from the top down is self-evident, from MLA’s "double dipping" to the basic fact that no-one will speak to the Police because of fear of retribution.  Crime is a crime is a crime.  Remove the Police force completely and recruit a new one that knows nobody and let them investigate everyone.  Then perhaps everything will start to fall back into place.

    • Anonymous says:

      What’s funny is that these ladies topics had NOTHING to do with politics. Soo your argument is usless on this story.

  5. Anonymous says:

    "New All talk Show Hiring"

     

    I’m starting a new "All Talk" radio station. It will be called "Radio PPFP".  (Acrononym for Past, Present and Future Politicians)

    Only past, present and Future politicians will be allowed to host any of the talk shows which will air twenty fours hours a day so that all will have a chance to speak and promote their agendas.

    Five or six years ago, I was reluctant to get into this business because you couldn’t get a politician near a talk show to save your life. Now one talk show host gets elected and we can’t keep them off the talk shows. this will be big businesss.

    I’m looking for hosts, "politicians", "has been" politicians and "wannabe" politicians. This is your time to shine.

    Apply now at PPFP@coldmail.com

     

     

     

     

     

     

  6. Anonymous says:

    bring back jay earhart full time……

  7. Man says:

    According to Radio Cayman today this is a lie, and not the first or last lie we will hear from the PPM.

    Questions: If all of the 2005 election campaign accusations of corruption made by the PPM were true why did we not see any of the UDP elected members in court? In jail? Why did the PPM leave these UDP members out here for us to have them now back in power? Did the PPM lie?

    Why was the only court case and guilty verdict on Charles Clifford?

    • Anonymous says:

      Why, why why indeed. Perhaps the same reason McKeeva Bush wasn’t charged or at least sued in the First Cayman Bank affair.  No Commission of Enquiry there even though the register of interests at the L.A. in his own hand had reflected that he was a director of the Bank, he encouraged his fellow West Bayers to put their money in  the Bank, and received a Volvo car from the bank.  Later he said that he was not a director or that if he was that he did not attend the meetings. If the former was correct why was it that he received the car? If the latter was correct would that not mean that he was liable for a reckless disregard of his duties as a director?  

      Yet the people of WB saw fit to vote him back in and the MLAs put him back in Cabinet in 2000. 

      The auditor general having found that there was substantial cause to suspect corruption in the Affordable Housing debacle, why was the police unable to find any additional evidence over the space of 4 years only to announce – shortly before last year’s elections – that they had not discovered sufficient evidence to charge Frank McField?    

      BTW a commission of enquiry is not a court and its findings are not a "guilty verdict". Here we are concerned about disclosing minutes of the Board of a govt. company – Minutes which McKeeva himself had read from on local TV.  

      why, why why, indeed. 

      BTW are you the same "Man" that had the conversation with the Joey Ebanks and commented on his article? Just checking.  

      • Man says:

        YES, I am one and the same. Do you have a problem with that? Now, why did these corrupt UDP elected members not appear in court, yet, Charles Clifford appeared before a commission of enquiry? AND was found guilty. How is it possible that the accused were not investigated but the accusers were?

      • Man says:

        I am one and the same Man. Do you have a problem with that?

        Not even the great past Auditor General sought to bring charges against the UDP. Why? If the PPM lied to us we the people need to remove all of you.

        • Anonymous says:

          It confirms my suspicions about the motive of Joey’s article and your defence of it. You are simply spewing UDP propaganda. Try to have some integrity.

          It is obviously not the Auditor General’s job to bring charges. He referred the matter to the police. It was a matter for them to DILIGENTLY investigate (and not sit on it for 4 years and then say they have "insufficient evidence") and then of course it would be a matter for the ATTORNEY GENERAL to bring charges.  Nuff said.

           

    • Anonymous says:

      You need to get your facts straight. There was no court case that Charles Clifford was involved in. He didn’t break any laws.

      There was a commission of inquiry. That is quite different from a court case.

  8. Island Girl says:

    I hope all of you actually listened to Talk Today this afternoon.  Ms. Lucille had no political agenda.  Her goal was to promote ICCI and its 40th Anniversary – exactly the same agenda she had if she’d been allowed to host the show.  And that’s a fact.

  9. The Crown says:

    What??????????????!!.Flagrant! Uniquely impudent! Un flippin real. Our new name, Caychina.Give him a inch,there goes the country. PPM where are you???? Your contact numbers in BT dont even ring.

    • SoBe it says:

      I have been saying it for sometime now, but for sure we need no more evidence of it, WE ARE BEING RUN BY A DICTATOR in a dictatorial regime! This is what a dictator does, he silences ALL opposition. It starts here & gets worse. Just think of China, Afghanistan, Iran, Venezuela, Cuba & many other communist countries that are ruled by dictators/tyrants. Is that where we are heading? Our tyrant must be stopped before it is too late! It starts with a simple action like this, silencing the opposition & then it gets out of hand like it has in those other countries. Wow, our dictator is getting scarey!

    • BORN FREE says:

      Anyone who thinks that it is alright for a government to try & stop anyone from hosting a radio show is no better than the government or dictator who  perpetrates such an act. Need I say more? 

  10. Tim Ridley says:

    I agree that the time has long passed since Cayman needed a government owned and subsidised radio station, with a large number of very well remunerated senior executives. There are perfectly proper protocols that can be adopted to ensure that the private stations carry emergency and vital public announcements (as is the case in the USA).

    Radio Cayman filled a real void when it first opened but it should now be given an honourable discharge from service! Or if management (or anyone else) wants to do a buy out and stand on their own feet, that is another option.  The BBC should also be given the same treatment.

    Those in Cayman who think that being in the "air chair" will in the future be the easy route to election should think again.  The electorate is not stupid; and is coming to understand that having an opinion on everything and anything, whilst entertaining and stimulating, is not necessarily a qualification for elected office (or public service). Rush Limbaugh understands this very well, even if  some in the GOP do not.

    • Anonymous says:

      I do agree that the Government should explore the possibility of privatization of Radio Cayman, however the station at present is a public station and any member of the public resident on the island should be able to participate on any program on the station as long as their remarks are not libellious.

      The station is owned by the Cayman Islands Government and not by the United Democratic Party or any of its members therefore this action can only be termed as dictatorial as not only taxes that are paid by UDP members are used to support the station but those of the general public irrespective of their political affiliation or absence of any political affiliation.

      .

  11. Kangaroo City says:

    It seems as if every hour is amateur hour in the Cayman Islands.

    It is pathetic that proper rules are not in place to clarify what Radio Cayman’s mandate is and whether the government of the day should have any say in its day to day operation. Clearly, this sets a very dangerous precedent, but Mr McKeeva is indeed given to glass jawed sensitivity and strong-arm dictatorialism.

    I would suggest that you could begin with the government, with the help of media and public policy experts, establishing a charter for the broadcaster that sets out what the station’s role and mandate is. It should set down what the station is obliged to broadcast in term of LA proceedings, death notices etc. It should also include guidelines for how much air-time each political candidate should be given in elections and whether these sports are to be paid for or provided as a community service. The charter should also set out a mechanism for making appointments to an independent board of directors, which would be responsible for oversight of the station’s management and which would appoint a managing director, whom would have responsibility for the station’s day to day management, including responsibility for employing staff and editorial content.

    This way the tax paying public would then have a clear idea of what they can and cannot expect from the station and they would also be able to have some faith in the station’s editorial integrity and impartiality.

    I mean this as no disrespect to the excellent and talented staff at the Radio Cayman, who do a brilliant job, often under very trying circumstances. This sort of political interference, however, has the potential to unfairly bring their editorial integrity into question and that is not fair on either them, the station or the public that fund this service.

  12. jojo says:

    CNS:  "Seymour noted that the move illustrated rising concerns that this particular administration is trying to curb FREE SPEECH."

    Can someone tell me who is the head of this administration?  Is it someone behind the Premier and the administration?

    And why are "they" trying to censor free speech?

    I am asking for facts

     

    • The Crown says:

      It’s a “Bush” tactic.Pick & nibble coupled with attrition,with a foundation of the old saying “nothing beats a trial than failure”. What is this “DECADE TO ILL-TREAT WOMEN”? Frankly i’m uncomparably disgusted! What gives this nuisance the right to end careers like those of Mrs Angela Martin? A tireless public servant! Shame,no good will come to anyone like that.

  13. Anonymous says:

    Gilbert McLean is a co-host on the Rooster talk show and wasn’t Sterlin Duane Ebanks a Candidate in the last elections?? This sounds more like UDP afraid of the former opposition member.

    • Anonymous says:

      Let’s leave Gilbert out of this, he had his time and now he’s serving his time, so to speak, from 7 every morning five days a week. Okay, so maybe he’s at a stage in life where turning in by 9 o’clock every night isn’t such a big thing, but still, having to get up at the crack of dawn can’t be doing much for his social life. Think it was the previous election to the last that Duane stood. Now he doesn’t start work till noon, and he’s much younger than Gilbert. Something not quite right here.

  14. Rockafellas says:

    Just another talking head haven’t these politicians talked enough and done so little. When they are in power you cant hear a peep out of them you call them their voice mail full up, you try to find them is mission impossible. The minute they get voted out you can’t hush them up. Wha happen now the big lucrative money deals dried up, seen quiet a few cronies selling assets no more slurping at the public trough eh? Yet some are living quite well with all those Big land deals whilst in power. Here is something you can try ask them for some financial assistance in these hard times. Now you talking a serious problem and this time they will  turn from politician to magician and disappear.

  15. Anonymous says:

    Ms. Lucille needs to host a show to get some public speaking time as the PPM is preventing her from sharing the platform with them at public meetings! I am not sure which is worse! The UDP stopping her on Radio Cayman or the PPM stopping her from stepping onto their platform!!!

    Fight on Ms. Lucille! Fight on!

    Ms. Miller you have a long way to go before you’re ready to host a show! As a matter of fact, we really need to have the schools focus more on public speaking and public debates, far too many of our young people are light years behind.

    Why don’t the two parties host quarterly youth public debates? The last attempt at this was a disaster but these things take practice.

    • Anonymous says:

      I think that is a very silly comment as we all know that Ms. Saymour is still a prominent member of the PPM, but is not an elected member of government. Therefore, when the PPM hold public meetings, my guess is that they know that the public who do come out want to listen to their elected members of government & NOT every member of the PPM! Ms. Seymour has her say within the PPM as a member of the PPM, but like other members of the PPM (over 1000 & counting) she does not generally speak at public meetings. You must remember that there is limited time at public meetings, & we the public WANT & NEED to hear what our ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES have to say. It is nothing personal against Ms. Seymour, Ossie, Chuckie, Alfonzo, Ms. Edna, etc etc.

      • Man says:

        I think this is a silly statement as Ms. Lucille served in Parliament and is obviously seeking to be on the ballot for the next election. Why then doesn’t the PPM membership want to hear her views on today’s issues? 1000 strong? Sure! You cannot count body mass as two and three now!

        Anyway, 1000 out of 15,000 voters? UDP with another 1000? Still leaves 13,000 of us having to listen to you all, the minority.

  16. Live Free.... says:

    What a disturbing piece of news I read this morning.Victimization and Discrimination is on the rise, the article says that Radio ban on opposition, but I didn’t know that Ms.Lucille and Denise Miller are opposition members, I think the Government is quite confused of who is a part of the opposition panel. Wait a minute….They are not confused, they are still at the job of making PPM look bad and victimizing them, and by doing so, they feel that they are going to gain more political support. But they are in for a surprise!!! Trust Me! By their behavior over the past year, has already disqualify them of any political future as a party of these Islands, they have sealed their fate today in this reckless, discriminating and victimizing style of Governance, in a whole nutshell, it is called (Dictatorship). I never thought that Cayman would ever have a Government like this, but I was wrong, but I have always known that this party would not have serve Cayman well, and the people should have read through all of their rhetoric before voting them in. I have listen to them during the election and all I could hear from them is PPMover spend and they are to be blame for the financial crisis. And on the other hand I have listen to PPM as well and they was talking about what they was going to do for you the people of Cayman, and yes they had some wonderful ideas, and also how they was going to deal with the financial situation that was upon us, that was caused by the world wide recession. They never spend all of  their time bashing their opponents the UDP, and talking pure rhetoric. But I come to understand that some Caymanians sames to take sides with the party who likes to bash and bash at their opponents, than rather listening to the party who are telling you all abouttheir plans and solutions during the election, so the latter sames to be the one the people chose to put in power, because of the love of rhetoric and bashing, but not for the solutions and ideas of the other. Now they are destroying us, first attacking the people of Cayman and then the freedom of press and now this! They need to be put to a stop!!!  A vote of no confidence or simply the harsher of them, a Direct Rule, but people of Cayman something needs to be done about them.

  17. Anonymous says:

    With all due respect to Ms Seymour, she is clearly an active political figure, and quite a high profile one at that. Surely the public – who pay for Radio Cayman after all – has the right to expect its talk show host to be impartial – this is nothing unreasonable, and really nothing whatsoever to do with "free speech", hers or anyone else’s, it’s just the way things are the world over. How can the public reasonably be expected to accept Ms Seymour as being politically neutral. This is a fantasy – she’s full-blown PPM for cryin’ out loud. Come on folks, let’s get real. (And I’d take the same stance were it to be the other party.)

  18. Anonymous says:

    Last time I checked it was "Radio Cayman – the voice of the Cayman Islands" and not "Radio UDP – because we said so".

  19. Anonymous says:

    These tactics are not new to the UDP government. a friend of mineI had the very same problem in 2005 just before the elections. He wrote a song called NOX4U part two and sent it to be played on radio Cayman. it got good rotation for a couple of days, then he was informed by one of the radio jocks that the minister for the portfolio had requested that the song be taken off the rotation and not to be played again.

    So nothing new, same ole same the only good thing about that situation back then was they got voted out, lets hope the same happens in 2013 

  20. Jonathan says:

    This is just another example in the litany of abuses of power perpetrated by the likes of those under the shadow of McKeeva Bush.  This is a slippery slope and the momentum is already building.  Look around our region Cayman Islands and see the examples of what not to do.  The head of this beast is McKeeva Bush and he will do whatever he can get away with.  The future of this country is at stake on many fronts and as long as someone as unworthy of the position of the premier as said individual is in power in the Cayman Islands then nothing else can be expected.  His track record is well known to all.  There is not one institution that he would not try to manipulate and destroy for his own purposes, if history is the excellent teacher that it has proven itself to be then this is undeniable.  McKeeva Bush is a constant and ever present threat to the good governance of the Cayman Islands.  This needs to change.  The proof is in the pudding.   

  21. Anonymous says:

    The only talk show worth listening to is the new one that DMS broadcasting started a few months back.

    It’s the only one with hosts that don’t have some kind of personal or political axe to grind and usually they seem to know what they’re talking about too. What a novel concept!

  22. Anonymous says:

     If a Gov’t.  owns a radio station and won’t allow a member of the opposition party to host a show, then that Gov’t is acting like a dictatorship.  This is direct, blatant censorship.  When a Gov’t. controls the very airwaves, then you have a Gov’t. that is acting like a Communist Gov’t.  These high and mighty  "Christian leaders" that have been elected are displaying a "God complex" where they think they know better than anyone else! Caymanians better wake up and see exactly what is happening. Lucille has every right to be upset!

  23. Anonymous says:

    With utmost respect to Dwayne and Ms Seymour, firstly I agree that the show is ‘painful to listen to’ (@ 9:22 comment)….Dwayne is so reluctant to give his opinion every comment begins with ‘as someone was saying to me this morning’. Is this intimidation or poor attempt at trying to be politically correct?

    Dwayne was also a former candidate for West Bay and even if he is good employee in terms of attendance and constant praise for his guests, he is an axample of a person place in a job for which he doesnt have the best skills, in my opinion.

    Secondly, I agree that politicians, past, present and ‘would-be’ need to stop using the radio shows as a way to launch their political aspirations, which is usually based on opposition to the current party anyway. Let them use their party to buy time on local tv stations or pay for time on private radio shows….I personally sick of listening to these two parties seek to use all of us (locals, expats, whomever they can find) to further their personal goals.

  24. A Shoddy Idea.... says:

    So did anyone have a problem when Wally was allowed to host his own show?

    Now I don’t see how this can be a problem. Elio ran as an independent and lost and still hosted his own show. So why was there not a problem then?

    Mrs. Seymour is no longer an MLA so I don’t see why this should be an issue. (Granted I would not listen to her show because I don’t care for her opinions that much.)

    I would not have a problem with a UDP, PPM or independent person hosting a show. No matter what they say or do at the end of the day it is up for us (the public) to decide what we believe and what choices to make come election time.

    To me it sounds like the Govt. is saying that the people are too naïve to make their own educated opinion. Is it really possible that they (The UDP) think just because Mrs. Seymour will have her own show that she will hurt the UDP administration somehow? (Really??)

    Or is this just another power trip of flexing my political muscle and saying "nope you can’t have that because I don’t like you! (This sounds more like the truth to me)

    UDP you should be worried and more concerned with your actions rather than people’s words. Stop playing with small fries and get back to the real work.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Whilst I tend to side with most of the comments about banning politicians as hosts on Radio Cayman, Lucille is not a current member of the Legislative Assembly and just last week the show was hosted by Aunt Sookie who sat in the LA as a Member for West Bay along with our current Premier.

    Lucille being refused an opportunity to host the show does not appear to be a general policy, but rather undue influence by the current government and as such that is reprehensible.

     

  26. Anonymous says:

    This is so petty of Julianna. So controlling. This is why I won’t get involved with politics the UDP have a long history of this type of behaviour (I’d rather not be on the receiving end of it).

    • Anonymous says:

      Don’t blame JuJu, you know full well that she is not allowed to make ANY decisions with regards to anything that falls under her portfolio.

  27. ahh boii says:

    Is there any wonder so many Caymanians are being victimized by Expat bosses. We dont have a government that looks out for us so what else can we expect?

     

    • Anonymous says:

      Stop the lies. Expats are not victimizing us, Caymanians like you are doing so and blaming the expats. Expats. Always the blame game. Keep listening to Sarah Palin Miller on Rooster Tuesday mornings and see if the blame game is going to get you ahead.

  28. Anonymous says:

    All politicians should be banned from all talk shows as host. They should be invited guest to answer specific questions on their position on the issues. Notfor them to spread their political propaganda.

    I want to hear how they voted or intend to vote on the issues/policies before Parliament so I will know how I will vote in the next election. Just spear me the crap I hear every Tuesday, Wednesday and sometimes Thursday on the Cock show. I prefer to just listen to the people complain than the elected BS, you know, "I am great/good/God and they are bad/evil/wrong" BS.

    They all use the Hollywood story method. Hero and Villain and the ill-informed eat it up every four years.

  29. anonymous says:

    I cannot wait for the PPM blogs on this one!!!!

  30. anonymous says:

    Dictators at work. the UDP must go!

    This is no better than Cuba even they have more rights than Caymanians

    Miss Seymour, take them to court for descrimination and get som e dollars out of ’em.

  31. Anonymous says:

    This is a joke, right? No? You’re right, this isn’t a joke….the UDP Government have already attacked Freedom of the Press and Freedom of Information and they’ve already told our country’s opposition that they won’t listen to anything they say…now they are banning to opposition from hosting radio shows! Something is drastically wrong here!!

    People of Cayman, Governor Taylor….rise up and do something!!

     

    • anonymous says:

      Where is that sorry elected PPM lawyer named Alden McLaughlin.

      Can’t he look at the constitution and constitution to see what the opposition rights are?  and if their rights are violated, isn’t he sensible enough to lead the way in drafting proper input of  amendment to the constitution to protect his own sorry  behind? After which he should bring the draft with those aspects to the people  get it engrafted through referendum or whatever is necessary and demand participation of the opposition at the table?

      The PPM is sorry and the UDP is sorry,  6 of l and half dozen of the other!

      I’m convinced these elected members are way too selfish to act on behalf of their own people!

  32. Anonymous says:

    Doe’s anyone have a banana to give the new republic. We will wake up one day and find  that all the liberties we took for granted have been slowly stolen away from us. All it takes for evil and injustice to prosper is for good men and women to stand idly by and do nothing. Thank you mam for speaking up.

  33. Anonymous says:

    Just one more muzzle. 

    I have noticed quite a change in the media reporting the past couple of months. Even CNS seems to be censoring and policing it’s postings lately.

    What has happened to freedom of speech?

    CNS: We have always moderated the comments. Read the CNS comment policy and Moderating the comments.

  34. Anonymous says:

    Funny!

    Everyone wants to be a talkshow host now.

    • Dilemma says:

      Ellio was the trend setter here… yeah sah

    • Anonymous says:

      So it’s the opposition members fault that Radio Cayman asked them to fill-in for Dwayne while he was on vacation?  The onus lies with Radio Cayman for whom they ask to host.

      Moving on from that. It’s very troubling to see that the government is bent on muzzling everyone but themselves.

  35. Macman says:

    But Elio was allowed to spout his propaganda none stop, yes it was on a privately owned radio station but all media should operate under the same rules….freedom of speech!

    • Anonymous says:

      You said it: "It was a privately owned radio station".

       

    • Anonymous says:

      Leave Elio alone. If I had know that electing him to office would have caused him to become silent then I would have worked for his election years ago.

      I believe this strange disorder will eventually become known as Capt. Eugene Syndrome, where someone is elected and never heard from again. It looks like Elio and John John have already come down with it.

      • Anonymous says:

        Hello!

        Ellio has filed a Motion in the Legislative Assembly that will help ALL Caymanians to get the money they need to own a home! and a further Motion that will have Government look at designating certain jobs as "Caymanian only"

        Thats not silence.

        Good work Ellio; keep it up.

        • Anonymous says:

          Did you listen to Ellio’s contribution to the Budget Debate at the last meeting of the Legislative Assembly?

          If you missed it then I will write it down in its entirety between parentheses below.

          ()

          What do you think of it? Would that be consistent with all the ideas he had when he was hosting the Rooster morning talk show before elections?

        • anonymous says:

          about time he did something to earn those big dollars

      • Anonymous says:

        That is so true! It is so good to not have to hear him anymore!

      • brainy braccer says:

        he’s too busy counting his money…and laughing all the way to the bank….

  36. Dilemma says:

    I applaud the government for this, if Seymour wants to be a host get her own gig, Radio Cayman should continue to be a by- partisan station.

  37. Anonymous says:

    Thuis is just so not right on the Governments’s part. Disgusting, unruly behaviour. Bit what else isnew with the UDP? Just a nother step to dictatorship by McKeeva and his nest of bushlings! They are splitting the society so they can rule. Remember how the British ruled their colonies? "Divide and rule". Create diivisions and you can then take over because the peo[ple are discombobulated when they do not know what is occuring or WHEN something will occur.

  38. anonymous says:

    Ms. Seymour you are very correct in stating that Radio Cayman is for the people of these Islands and not for any Political Party of the day.  It is sad the things in which the UDP is trying to control in these Islands. Just because you once represented thePPM Party, they do not wish for you to be the radio host? My God!  Yet the recruited from the Radio host world representatives.  Do they ever realize that the people of these Islands put them in power? and the people has the power to take them out?  Someone of your knowledge and character, should be welcomed by our Government, but no they prefer to have someone there that will be the voice of UDP, rather than someone that is a voice for the people.  This is sad, so very sad and Julianna and McKeeva you both should be very ashame of yourselves.  So called Christians.  God is watching your actions and he don’t sleep nor slumber, though.

  39. Anonymous says:

    If this is true, then we truly do have a dictatorship in the making, and if the people (seemingly) cannot or will not oust the current leadership, then I for one, think the Governor should be letting the UK know what a dysfunctional and sad state of affairs we are in, and asking them to do something about it.  With the help of our current leadership, Cayman truly is going to the dogs.  It might not be a matter of security now but its fast heading that way and perhaps preventative measures are required now?

  40. Anonymously says:

    CNS

    I have to say this without apology. Radio Cayman should not be politically lop-sided for one party. So I don’t blame them in not allowing Seymour to be their speaker.

    On the other hand, Radio Cayman is being hypocritical, because they have Christian people imposing their religious views over the airwaves.  Moreover, Radio Cayman is boring now. Rooster is a way better radio station – I love to listen to Austen. When I listen to Dwayne Sterling Ebanks and his religious talks and socalled "educated host," it just makes me want to sleep.

    With all due respect to Dwayne, he shouldn’t be a radio host if he is unable to be neutral and allow people to make phone calls and voice their opposing views!  Dwayne is too dull and boring, and doesn’t touch the major and controversial issues that needs to be addressed. And alot of times, I find Radio Cayman floods their airwaves with Christian hosts who seem to somehow dominate their talks with their lop-sided views. The last time I heard a lady spoke in place of Dwayne and it was just deplorable, defending her Christian views!

    It was rediculous! As a host, you suppose to be neutral and encouraging freedom of speech.

    If you are going to not give someone like Ms. Seymour a position because of their political persuasion, you should not Dwayne and these Christian people on your show, pushing their faith over the airwaves!  Simple!

  41. Anonymous says:

    $1m a year for radio cayman!!!!!……..sell or scrap it now… gov should not be running radio stations…..and the talk show is very painful to listen to

  42. Anonymous says:

    Censorship….Censorship….. Censorship…. Need I say more?  But then I am not surprised!

    What more can we expect from this government? 

    They are frustrated because they are losing support.

     
  43. Wolffmeister says:

    Why, does the government own a radio station?? If the government wants to cut costs, privitise the radio station. It actually might make money for a private enterprise and reduce government debt!

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes! That is the only valid point of this article! Why are we using tax dollars for these politicians to spread their "message"? I say sell it. Sell Radio Cayman and let them all pay to have time on the air.