Corruption warning issued
(CNS): The supervisor of elections has issued a warning to the community about bribery and corruption in relation to Wednesday’s referendum on one man, one vote. Kearny Gomez said that encouraging people to vote on polling day (18 July) is acceptable but activities that constitute corruption are offences under the elections law, as he urged voters not to accept ‘gifts’ from anyone asking them to vote one way or another or to refrain from going out to cast their vote. Gomez said elections infractions would not be tolerated and offenders will be liable to prosecution.
“The Cayman Islands has always been considered to be a law abiding jurisdiction and the fact that a Referendum is around the corner is no exception. Persons who may be deemed liable for committing election offences are members of the public who give or receive 'gifts' in exchange for votes," the elections supervisor said. “Members of the public, in particular are urged to refrain from receiving any 'gifts' such as money, food, or any other items in exchange for a promise to vote or refrain from voting for a particular answer as such individuals may be committing an election offence and may be liable to prosecution.”
Anyone convicted of an act of bribery, treating or undue influence under the Elections Law (2009 Revision) may be liable to a fine of two thousand dollars or to twelve months imprisonment. Those convicted under the law are also barred for five years from being registered as an elector or voting at any election, referendum or by-election; or being elected a member of the Legislative Assembly, or retaining his seat as a member.
Meanwhile, officials are also reminding liquor licence holders that alcohol cannot be sold or given away while the polls are open on Referendum Day. This restriction applies to retail as well as wholesale establishments, hotels, bars and restaurants until one hour after the polls close, which means no liquor can be sold between 7am and 7pm.
For further information the public may also log onto the Elections website.
Category: Politics
How can the OMOV win tomorrow. I find it hard to believe it will. I asked a fellow Caymanian today if they were going to vote tomorrow and was shocked to believe they didn't even realise why we had a public holiday tomorrow.
How can it not be corrupt that if Caymanians do not vote because (a) they have no understanding of what is happening in this country politically, or (b) are undecided about who or what to vote for; or (c) just don't care – can their votes be considered a vote of "NO". Why not have this reversed, i.e. all the people that want to vote YES needn't turn up…….
I think we all know why.
I love how people have mentioned how Mr. Gomez was responsible for this referendum coming up and "had he done his job" we wouldnt be in this situation. You fail to realize that one person cant give a majority vote. It is Caymanians (and yes i am Caymanian) who voted Mckeeva in and its only Caymanians that can vote him out. So how about doing something about it rather than pointing fingers that in essence should be pointed at yourselves. Just a thought.
Voting yes or no on 18 July 2012 will change very little if Caymanians don't want real reform and I don't see it happening. We have developed a mindset that is so very removed from the grassroots Caymanians that it's scary just to think of what will happen to us as a people if the trend continues. I really hope that things will change for the better but I don't see it happening without devine intervention. Devine intervention is what we should all be asking for. We need to return together as the undivided people that we once were, loving and caring about each other. My goodness fellow Caymanians how did we allow ourselves to become like this?
Hilarious, this is the Cayman Islands, right? Corruption is in the blood, how on earth do you think you're going to stop it now?
Kearney, and what did you or your group do to enforce the law when certain Bodden Town candidates failed to properly declare their business interests within the prescribed time in the last election but proceed to get elected?
Free Carrots and Milk! Free Carrots and Milk!!
Not saying I want this to happen because I don't, but I know who is gonna win this one – Big Boss, as always… Mark my words. He'll come on top and rub it in afterwards…
Yey, yey, yey, Cayman we won, we won , we won, we rigged it so dem rumpholes didn't stand a chance. We rule tings Cayman, fa-eva… Mac RULES Cayman…Oh, Oh, wa ya say? Pelice inwestigation numba one? ME? dey wan d KING ta go ta cote? Dey ga be jokin. OH no da mus be pelice inwestigaation numba 2 callin mi too…daaaam a taut a was king but look wa happen now. Ah hope dem royal cayman islands police rumpholes put da turd inwestigation up deyroyal rumpholes cuz a na ga spen no time in Nortwad wid all dem punks in dey. Hoo me? Da honerable Macadoodoo? Ya ga be jokin…
It saddens me that our only response is to joke about it. I mean, hey, I do the same — I'm in the same boat as everyone. We don't want to cry for the demise of our country at the hands of those currently steering the ship, so we laugh, because it feels better.
Poor Cayman. We still love you, and hope that you someday recover from the PESTILANCE that infects you.
Two dogs walked into a bar………..
Kearney hahahahahahahahaha he ain't going to do diddle squat have a good Look around at the current state of government and you can see the problems in it. Just like these recent handpicked manchurian candidates their state of mind kind like the North Korea hegemony. The finally rewards is to further constipate government efficiency and get paid twice for doing it, now referred to as Double Dipping. The corruption in Government has many many facets who keep it well oiled and encompassing to enable it to continue to exist. Oh well need i say more
Does that mean we have to give Mr. Dart his five million back, Mr. Gomez?
Will this be like last time when the UDP drones handed out pieces of paper with Ellio and Mike, Pearlina and John on them on election day, got caught and nothing was done about it?
For the last 22 years since coming to these islands, I, too, have been hearing stories of politicians' "buying votes" (i.e. giving out free fridges, paving private properties, handing out cash to influence voters, etc.).
And yet, despite having in place an Elections Law and a long-serving Supervisor of Elections, I am not aware of even one politician or elector ever being prosecuted.
If I'm wrong, I'd welcome being corrected. If I'm right, this might be a matter that Mr. Gomez might want to address or explain.
Oh No! Does this mean I can't get my new fridge?
Not at all, it simply means you can't vote for McKeeva.
Kearney, doesn’t that mean all the status grants given to known UDP supporters were illegal. The Attorney General says they are all fine, so you’re all alone out there. Sorry dude.
Poster 15:10, under the category 'accepting "gifts" from ayone', you missed:
getting his road off Lynhurst Ave. paved right up to his houseS!!
XXXX the Elections Law calls for the supervisor and deputy supervisor to be public servants and neither he nor Colford Scot are; they are former public servants. Figure that!!
Oh crap,
There goes my new state of the art Samsung refridgerator.
Dam it
Promise, promises, promises oh no not again.
the coat tail controlls everything he will do as he wishes
"My hands are clean and my heart is pure…"
It's sad that this is humorous…..everyone knows this goes on, but no one will do anything about it.
So let's see I have four votes, husband has four votes and we have never received anything, huh, tell me again how I can be tempted in to corruption because I sure as heck have never had anything granted or given to me. Now I happen to live closer to Hurley's so maybe I am geographically challenged or there is a corruption barrier that starts at the four way stop????
Kearney Gomez ya better had done that and told the folks this in 2009, we may not have no need for a OMOV on Wednesday.Bribery and give a ways go way back from Truman Bodden and John McLean days seeking votes, I know for a fact I was a receiperient,
easy way round, just hold massive party Tueday night, get everyone completely wasted and noone will be in any shape to vote the next day
First there was First Cayman Bank, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the Cambridge deal, but it didn’t adveresely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the Windsor deal, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the paving of driveways in West Bay, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the mass status give away, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the Stan Thomas affair, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the Nation Building fund fiasco, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the paving private land in the Brac, but it didn’t adversely effect me, so I did nothing.
Then there was the for Cayman Alliance and I realized that my Islands were probably morally and financially bankrupt and longer mine, and I couldn’t do anything, except vote yes and demand that the Attorney General and Police explain why we pay them salaries!
Kearney Gomez?? XXXX This man has lost all credibility for caymanians as he was the Chief Officer responsible for:
"Hurricane Hilton" in Brac
Brac Agricultural Highway
Brac private lot paving
Construction costs on new Govt building
Negotiating land deals between Govt and private individuals
'Gasboy' fuel cards scandal No. 1
'Gasboy" fuel cards scandal No. 2
Delays in completing the anticipated Traffic Law
have i missed anything?
And the illegal land grab by a former Exco member in the 90's.
Yes anon 15:10, you have indeed missed a lot but we will leave it as you have it. No use raking over old dead coals.
Bribery & corruption has always been wrong & illegal, but has that stopped election fraud in the past? There were many witnessed reports of corruption in the last elections (2009) & it was reported but NOTHING was done. Why should we believe that the referendum will be any different? "A leopard cannot change its spots" therefore I think it will be the "same crap, different day" & those that have been known to do it in the past (the UDP were witnessed by many people) will continue to do it, including on referendum day, until they are charged & prosecuted.
Yes.
You missed that huge government pick up truck.
Does paying for a status grant ( with cash or contracts or just a promise of loyalty) and thereby being eligible to vote count? I heard that’s OK.
I was granted status having been born and living here for 27yrs prior to my grant in 2002.
I went through the proper channels.
I was offered nothing and accepted nothing in exchange for my status.
If Mac had come to me expecting something i woul have shoved the status papers up you know where. I cannot stand Mac. I witnessed him and his racist remarks when i was 7yrs old at a rally and since that day i have more respect for the dog sh*t on the ground.
Thank you. I share your sentiments. The above comment was not directed at you – but rather at the many who regrettably may not have benefitted through proper channels or due to proper motivation.
Yes and what exactly are they going to do about????? MR Gomez you are well aware no one has ever been arrested or ever convicted under the Elections law certainly not in your tenor as Supervisor ya too chatty chatty everything lickle thing ya run gwannah tell the Police and there lies the Problem once it reaches that Blackhole of ineptness TCFPA Too complicated for police action is Stamp on file and case CLOSED! Please try hush nah man with ya threats.
Is it wrong if I a politician cook up a big pot of turtle meat and invite my friends over Tuesday evening? I just giving them the turtle meat. This isn't fridges or stove's but some good turtle stew to give them the get up and go to get to the polls on Wednesday.
To qualify for my friend list you must be prepared to vote yes and you can stop by for good helping of Turtle Stew? Once you qualify you will remain on my friend list for the Fish Fry on Wednesday night. MMMMMM….breadfruit fires with it too…
Please call 949 OMOV for time and directions.
Is that up in Northward or North Side??..I looking for some good turtle meat..You better call Billy at theTurtle farm to send up plenty if you want to get that yes vote done…Billy, we need plenty turtle meat tomorrow…none this foolishness bout rationing it, this is voting time!
Whey de fish fry go be? East End? Hope dem boys gone fishing from tonight! I don't want no breadfruit fries though, I want some good old Cayman fritters.
Oh Dear!
Are they trying to say that if my driveway was paved, if I received monies to pay my mortgage, if my church received a few million bucks which was shared amongst us voters, If I am in the process of receiving $10,000, and if I am promised a few solar panels – all of which has influenced my vote towards the gift givers – that I am in any way corrupt?
Well. if so there are a lot of us and we dont have to worry because Mac cant figure out the budget , Rollie is on the prowl late at night, and Govt is broke…
What about the Low cost Housing Homes? I getting mine on Tuesday July 17th, just in time for the OMOV. Payment to say no. What a LAUGH, if it wasn'st so much CORRUPTION.
PS: I'm not even going to mention the turkeys I have in my freezer, and oh, come to mention it the freezer itself, the washer, and the TV, and the A/C or the free marl, or the…. hmmm lemmi shut up now before I get in chubble.
Hold it! Trying to get one basic democratic principle right (OMOV) is good thinking, but do you think it is wise to try and kill the other democratic fundamental (no corruption) done at the same time is going to work, I mean, trying to convince West Bay about getting 4 LA's at a time is one thing, but how can you ask them to lose a fridge/paving/solar panel/mortgage relief at the same time? For the rset of the country who dont get those benefits its a no brainer, but West bayers? Ah yes, no brains!
i did i mention to you my family tree has mckeewa in it, and in the next hour i am moving to west bay, and thus i have no a fridge, panel, and mortgage relief???????? soooo……
Spoken like a true George Towner….. I West Bayer and proud….We have more sense in our little fingers than many others round here…. We may not always agree with what Mac has done, but 8 out of 10 times he has Cayman in mind……Wake up, you think these all mouth hopefuls care about YOU…. When you wake up from your fantasy world, check out what is really caused us to be in the bind that we are now in….. PPM i think they call themselves….. XXXXX
What propganda. Everyone in West Bays knows all one needs to do to collect $10k to refurbish one's home is to vote no.
I wonder who they are thinking of, who would do such a thing?
All right then! If the laws of this country were being upheld in regard to the buying and selling of votes, we would need a special built facility (a damn big one too) to hold all of the offenders.
Just words, Mr. Gomez, just words. Let me hear it from the AG and the police, and can they please also explain why they have not prosecuted such election corruption for a generation?
"Those convicted under the law are also barred for five years from being registered as an elector or voting at any election, referendum or by-election; or being elected a member of the Assembly, or retaining his seat as a member." – That would be all of West Bay! And what's so wrong if I tell my wife, if she votes NO I will give her a new upgraded wedding ring? You guys are no fun!