Petition passes 2000 names
(CNS): The petition to trigger a people-initiated referendum to change the voting system from multi-member constituencies to one man, one vote has collected well over two thousand signatures in just two weeks of campaigning. But despite the soaring numbers, the petitioners have raised the bar and now hope to double the original target. The broad group of supporters backing Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean, who spearheaded the campaign, held their first public meeting in South Sound on Wednesday evening to address questions and explain the reasons why the Cayman Islands should adopt the more equitable and democratic voting system.
Sharon Roulstone, who chaired the meeting, explained to the audience that the introduction of single member constituencies may not be the answer to all of Cayman’s political ills and was by no means a quick fix but it would go a very long way towards putting democracy back into the hands of the people.
Roulstone said that the concept of one man, one vote gives a greater chance of getting a parliament that better reflects the wishes of the people. She also said that the goal to utilize the constitutional right of a people-initiated referendum showed that, despite everything the people did still have the power.
“The reaction of the current administration to the public support for the campaign and the premier’s sudden announcement that he now supports a referendum shows how much power the people still have,” she added as she urged everyone to stick with the campaign.
She said the people had to ensure that the referendum takes place before the general election in 2013 so that the next time the Caymanian electorate goes to the polls to vote for a government, they will do so under the principle of one man, one vote.
Asking people to join the volunteers and collect signatures, Roulstone said more people were needed to spread the word about single member representation and explain why it was more effective, more accountable and more democratic.
Given the announcement last Friday from McKeeva Bush’s office that he now supported the idea of a referendum, Miller said that he had now raised the target from 5,000 to 10,000 signatures, as he said it was no longer enough to merely trigger the referendum. He said the people now had to show government that they wanted this system before the next election and force his hand to change the election law, saving money and time by implemented one man, one vote before May 2013 without the need for a referendum.
Miller said he did not believe that Bush would introduce single member constituencies without his hand being forced.
The North Side MLA pointed out that Bush’s hold over the district of West Bay would be broken under the system of one man, one vote because he would find it much more difficult to carry all three of his fellow UDP members to parliament with him if they had to stand and be directly accountable to the electorate on their own two feet. This as well as Bush’s previous support for the idea which was later abandoned showed he could not be trusted to implement the single member constituencies.
Despite the challenges, Miller said he intended to ensure that the referendum would succeed and he had enlisted the support of the attorney general’s legal drafting team to oversee the draft legislation that he wanted to draw up for both the referendum law to trigger the national ballot and a new election law. He said that once enough signatures were gathered for a referendum the government was obligated to pass the referendum law and he said if the premier did not do so he would seek judicial review.
Urging people to help in the campaign, he said that this weekend the petitioners would be present at the local supermarkets but that petition books were available to sign at Walker’s Road Texaco, the Book Nook, at the Galleria Shopping Centre on West Bay Road, Pinnacle Condos on Seven Mile Beach and the Four Winds Esso at the four-way stop in West Bay. Miller also asked people to help with the door to door campaign which is now under way.
A list of people with petition books that can be contacted to collect signatures is posted below. Petitioners will also be at the Seaman’s Hall in Prospect Saturday between 2pm and 6pm for people to come and sign.
See details of the petition here
Vote in the CNS poll:
If the petition for one man, one vote triggers a referendum, how soon should this take place?
Category: Politics
I wish the idiots speaking about NATIONAL VOTE would stop and think for a second what they are talking about. A National Vote is even worse than our present system. In the end you will end up with no one TRULY representing East End and North Side or Sister Islands for that matter.
A National Vote will mean that all candidates who are elected would be from BIG DISTRICTS. George Town will lead the way in # of MLAs followed closely by West Bat and Bodden Town.
Lets be clear, every single person from East End and North Side could vote for Ezzard and he could still not make it in. There just simply not enough votes in those districts. The imbalance comes when Ezzard and Arden would have to fight harder than the WB, GT and BT candidates do because they are known and respected in their respective districts. Candidates from those districts do not need East End or North Side to make it but candidates from East End and North Side are dead without voters in WB, GT and BT.
A National Vote is simply not good representation.
A One Man One Vote is simply the best of what is out there in terms of voting. Its not perfect but it is far better than what we have today. It will not only mean that people know who their representative is but it will allow for people who are well known in certain segments to be able to out duel an incumbent who's voting base is more spread out.
It's good for people and its good for candidates.
Thank you poster. Finally someone took the time to explain why a national vote would be a greater disaster than th esystem we have now in terms on gerrymandering the political process.
With the present distribution of voters now in the Cayman Islands, a charismatic leader could chose a team of 15/18 from George Town and if the voters in George Town all vote for his ticket, it makes NO difference how the voters from North Side and East End vote they will not ever get anyone from their district elected.
Again thanks for the clarity.
I was full of pride yesterday at the Seamans Hall, I arrived there at 2PM and my pen was busy until 5PM. Caymanians from every walk of life came by to sign the petition and all offered encouragement and support.
There is a wave of change taking over the Cayman Islands, and it is feeding off its own energy and growing bigger and bigger, this One Man One Vote movement is now unstoppable and has become something I only dreamed about when we began this effort.
I am so proud to see that my country has reached a level of political maturity and independence that other countries still struggle to achieve.
Keep up the support Cayman, we all need to stand together for this important effort because the rights and freedom of our children and future generations can be guaranteed right here and now.
Thank you all, I am humbled by your loyalty and dedication.
Al Suckoo Jr
Are you a native Caymanian?
Are you disgusted and tired of the currently members that are running your country?
Read below as to how you can make a better for you tomorrow!
"One Man One Vote" … Caymanians don't waste no time on this CHANGE!
Get on out there and Vote! … Tell EVERYONE you know in fact bring them along with you for the west bayers go to the 4 way gas station and for the george towners go to the walkers road texico gas station! … We gotta make this CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You got the power! …
You got the right! …
To make Cayman Islands a better place both day & night!
Come on Caymanians go and sign that petition for the ONE MAN ONE VOTE better change is ahead let's do this my fellow Caymanians!!!!
New Government means more jobs which means less crimes … what are ya'll waiting for?
Let's get 5000 plus signatures we the people of Cayman Islands … gotta put a stop to this nonscense which is currently effecting everyone in the Cayman Islands it's time our islands deserve a better tomorrow not just for you … not just for your family … not just for your friends … but for the younger generations to come they can't vote and they don't know what's currently taking place… but I'm sure they would appreciate it if the elder Caymanians stand up for them and help make a change within Grand Cayman,Cayman Islands.
We can't tolerate this nonscense any longer and the Caymanians are beyond disgusted and fed up with the current members we have running our islands.
Make no mistake, Cayman's voting public is waking up. These guys will have 10,000 signatures before McKeeva can say fridge nationbuilding Stan Thomas Cohen CHEC Mr. Dart travel double pension sue buyout sellout FOI high crime rate high fuel taxes b-brurocratic harrassment.
WAY TO GO GUYS! Cayman is tired of the crap. And very well we all should be.
We need some good people elected and get of garbage that have been doing nothing for us all of these years, I am happy i can now vote for who i want and not for a stupid team, VOTE FOR ONE MAN ONE VOTE CAYMAN!!!!!!!!
ATTENTION EVERYONE OF THE CAYMAN ISLANDS!
People of the West Bay District go to the 4 Way Gas Station and sign the petition for the "One Man One Vote" and residents of the George Town District go to Walkers Road Texico and sign the petition for the "One Man One Vote" we need a better government and we need it desperately!
Please I ask everyone who wants to sign the petition to please to do so asap and tell everyone you know in fact take them along with you to sign the petition … and as you are signing the petition you feel good knowing you are making a benificial CHANGE for yourself,your family,your friends and your younger generations of native Caymanians.
You got the power! …
You got the right! …
To make Cayman a better place both day & night!
#Let'sDoThisCayman!
This petition is a very serious matter. One man one vote is the only way to begin to start rebuilding Cayman. This petiton and referrendum will work, it has to work, if it doesn't change the countries name to Bahamas 60's 70's for the next 20 years.
Lachlan MacTavish
This petition is nonsense! When these fools can help the economy, they are conjuring up bad thoughts against the government. The country needs to be developed, money needs to be made. If you kill the goose, you are not going to get the golden eggs to better your situation. When will these people see the light? This is all about politrix and it doesn't matter how the system operates because I can guarantee that the same blood-line is getting back in this 2013.
Thank God Almighty your type is now an extreme minority in Cayman. I suggest you get with the program and go sign the petition, if for no one else's sake but your own.
Your quote "money needs to be made" says it all about those who are against this petition.
Keep up the great work petitioners.
One man one vote will bring much more accountability than the current system.
Under the current system each member is either wearing a coat tail or is holding onto one.
Come on Caymanians, sign up!! Get this matter done! Remember together we Stand, Divided we fall. Sign the Petition now!!
GoodBye to all of those goats KEKE Dragged Behind, evey man has to stand on his own 2 feet & no more passing the buck to another person! Let's get the ball rolling ASAP, Let's show KEKE who has the power lmao!!!!!!!
I can hear the theme music from the movie "JAWS" now, something coming up behind the UDP Government, and it aint no sprat!!
The Miller Report of 2009 identified that the CIG is on a path that is no longer fiscally sustainable. We can all see that plain as day. Please explain how expanding the number of seats in the LA will reduce the payroll under which we suffer? There are only a little over 15,000 voters, do we really need to pay 16 members hundreds of thousands a year to oversee an average of a little less than 1000 voters each? How about a referendum that adopts the proposals of the Miller Report and does what needs to be done, ie. increase cash available for social initiatives that actually improve quality of life in Cayman? Or a referendum that proposes to Eliminate Pension double dipping and cut LA salaries by 50%. I’d sign that.
If there were not such dead wood on the UDP side, then the numbers of actual representatives could be reduced….
There's going to be 18!!
Yea, tell Keevy to stop this one now! How much longer can he ignore the wishes of the people? We all know the name given to a political leader who does as he wants while ignoring the people!!! This seems to be Keevy's hallmark, so what is he?