Stop the fighting, we are watching!
As the youngest candidate so far who has made intentions to run for public office, I feel as though I have to speak up on behalf of the younger voters and a percentage of the mature voters when I urge that we keep the 2013 election campaign a clean one. As a voice for younger voters, we do not appreciate the personal attacks aired by some individuals in the political arena.
This is not limited to those who intend to run for the first time or the seventh but also the supporters of the political parties to include advocacy groups and independents (old-UPD, new-UPD, PPM, C4C).
We find that the lack of focus on the real issues, that are important to us, and the attention on the nit picking of personalities not only distracting but disrespectful to those who have chosen to run and also to the people of this country. These are serious issues we are dealing with — jobs, crime, education, economy to name but a few — issues which need to be taken seriously by our politicians.
We need our young people to know they too should take politics seriously; the politicians need to set the standard. The in-fighting does not reflect well among the young voter base. Remember that many of us look up to you as leaders and role models. Truth be told, we just want a better Cayman and to hear the solutions you have which may solve the major issues affecting our nation, regardless of who or which party the ideas come from.
Yes, there is a need for a strong robust debate on what is the better way forward for the country. That can be accomplished without the negative shots against each other. This behavior is dividing us as a people.
It's going to take all of us to get Cayman back on track, so even after the May 2013 election has been and gone we all still need to be able to work together as we strive for a better Cayman.
Category: Viewpoint
Kenneth's failure to respond to the many questions on this thread about his drug dealing past shows a lack of class. He expects us to read his vacuous Viewpoints, but he chooses not to deal with the issue which is likely to render him unelectable. A man who in the recent past offered women cocaine on regular occasions in the hope of increasing his chances of obtaining sexual gratification is not someone fit to be an MLA.
How can you possibly say that Kenneth has not dealt with the issue? Kenneth has been fully transparent about the matters which led to his conviction for the offence. It is obvious from his sentence of 90 days that he was not convicted as a drug dealer as such. He gave a full interview to a newspaper which has been linked on this thread by more than one poster and the matter has been discussed ad nauseam. I wish that all politicians were as transparent as he has been about the matter. You are simply trying to milk it for political advantage.
Kenneth has already spilled his guts on this. What else do you want to know – how many women he had? What you call "recent past" actually happened 9 years ago.
If any one of your posters knew/knows Kenneth Bryan, you would know he would not have had to use cocaine to lure women for sex. He was always a young man with manners, charm and respect, particularly for women. Is it too much to admit that was what lured the women ot him? In the court of law, if you believe what the case presents, not everything are facts; many things are circumstantial, some are just made up. Get off the bird wire like black ching-chings chirping about cocaine and using it for sex. Knowledge is power. Nuff said!
But that is exactly what he admitted to in the Compass. So you are full of crap.
With all that the Cayman Islands is enduring do people honestly have time to sit down and constantly ramble about trivials issues of a young man who made his mistake as a youth, and had rejuvenated himself, rather than fall through the cracks? That is the problem with Caymanians…we beat our own people down. We should be focusing on how to regain control of our economy and jobs for our people, while the other over 70 plus nations dart in and out of our country, rolling over jobs while our people sit on forums like this and redicule one another. We should be proud of Mr. Bryan. He aspired as a Caymanian reporter and brekaing boundaries between economoical societies when no other non-Caymanian could. There is much more to my time sitting here selling Mr. Bryan. What I want to sell is my country and my people look at the bigger picture…that a promising bright and aspiring Caymanian is offering himself up for service, not sheltering his past and not even delving into what others perceive are the facts behind his past. I want to sell that it is time for a change in Cayman, and Mr. Bryan, along with many other fresh faces with new broght ideas, should be given a chance and not shot down. Since when did the Cayman Islands become a bickering political forum like the other industrialized countries come election season??
I imagine many of you posters are parents?! Focusing on USING Mr. Bryan as a POSITIVE example of rehabilitation for our youngsters. Not beating down. Remember, the glass is too half full, not half empty. We have more important things to address for the likeness of the Cayman Islands. The world is watching us. There will never be another historical election n our islands history as there will be with this one. THIS is WHAT we should be focusing on. Many of our polititians have cloacked personal issues. Many can go to prison for longer terms than 43 days, if this is what the term was. I dont see anything about this. Never have. Are our own people so grudefilled and envious of a young ambitious Caymanian that these other matters not take precedence?!
I fo rone would like to see more females make office this elections, and more importantly, candidates that will bridge the gap between the veteran polititians and our young people. Look around…regardless of economic stature/status, our young people are standing in zombie states…not sure what to expect, or how to move forward, or even if forward is how they should go. Get off your high and mighty horses and focus on THESE issues instead of belittling, demeaning and begrudging someone who has enough courage to do what you anonymous posters won't…run for office with a clear conscience.
did someone really compare voting for mr. bryan to voting for sheldon brown??? a man who has held cayman public hostage to fear and violence by his actions and reputation?? a man who portrayed and encouraged gang activity amoung our youngsters from the ages of late elementary school?? a man who's criminal history spanned almost 3 decades, with allegations, arrest, charges and convictions of offences ranging from assault, drugs, threatening violence, threatening witnesses, murder, attempted murder, manslaughter, robbery, possession of marijuana, etc.? you name it he has been changed with it… many category/class A offences. simplicity is something else. WHO is STILL in Prison as of THIS date????!!! i imagne only mr. brown aside from me got a good chuckle from this one.
Kenneth, I admire your bravery and zeal for wanting a change in government, but I always believe you were better at doing something else. I also didn't see you as a reporter. If you become an MLA good luck to you, but if not, I hope God is with you and find something to place you in. As you know there are bigger fish than you out there, so dont put all your hopes in getting a spot in the LA. Also the fact that you smoke alot, to me, makes you look like someone who is not the best examplar for the young. But that is your personality, you have to learn to deal with it. My regards
The last 8 years had our government sell out our country immorally and with no conscience to the people who elected them. These MLA’s with no “Criminal” records seemed to have done great at criminal acts while in office, with the immediate current government in disgrace.
The past is not the road to some ones future, nor can the future take away some ones past.
I will be voting for Kenneth, ahumble, inspiring young Caymanian who doesn’t need degrees and saint hood, just honesty and integrity to work hard for the Island and the people he loves.
A lot of the comments directed against Kenneth are politically motivated. If he was running with the UDP the UDPers would tell you inspirational he is for the youth having turned his life around. C4C figues he is competition for their candidates (although they are not a party, remember) so are having a go as well.
Has anyone else notice that one only need to be announced as a C4C candidate and without hearing any proposed policies or views on issues they immediately get scores of thumbs up saying how great they are even when they are not well known – e.g. Jackie Haynes. It looks like a well-orchestrated C4C campaign to make their candidates look like they are overwhelmingly popular.
What an odd view. All comments about a prospective politicians are likely to be political. Saying that I think most of the comments about this man being a convicted drug dealer are motivated by a non-party political view that recently convicted drug dealers are not the sort of people we want as MLAs.
They are not an honest appraisal but based on partisanship. Is that clear enough for you?
He was not recently convicted and he was not convicted of being a drug dealer.
Convicted of supply, admitted to more supply. That is a dealer in my book.
Don't be stupid. So if I sell you my second hand car that makes me a used car dealer? Dealers don't get 43 days imprisonment.
Selling a used car is legal; selling illegal drugs isn't. Is that so hard for you to understand?
You have a hard time grasping analogies, don't you? The key word was "dealer".
That's a terrible analogy. Selling drugs and selling used cars is an "apples & orages" comparision because one action is legal and one is not. And while you could call a used car salesman a used car "dealer", there is nothing illegal about it and if you're an honest used car dealer (and I'm sure there are some out there) and you pay your bills and support your family by doing that, then it's even honourable. None of those things can be said about selling illegal drugs because, well, it's illegal.
Maybe I should give you a little lesson on analogies. Especially when you're first starting to use them, use the words "like" or "as" in your analogies. For example: "You're as dumb AS a box of rocks." In this example, you are not actually a box of rocks, you just have the mentality of one. Or "You are LIKE a fart lost in a windstorm". In this analogy, you are not actually a fart, you are just dicrectionless like one, although it's also possible you smell like one.
And that concludes today's English lesson.
Oh dear. You have confused similes with analogies while presuming to teach. lol. I wasn't giving a simile. Analogies do not require the use of "like" or "as" . This was all about illustrating the meaning of the meaning of the word "dealer" and has nothing to do with whether one is legal or illegal but I see that point is completely lost on you so I'll leave you to wallow in your own ignorance.
Sounds like you're getting into the wrong line of employment. What do you think that the competitive side of politics is going to be like? The opponents are going to try and tear you down while attempting to elevate themselves. That's the name of the game, seems to me like you need to buck up or shut up.
Kenneth the older generation are intending to hobble this country by granting themselves free benefits that will bankrupt the country and they intend to do it on the backs of the young working people, when the country is bankrupt and decrepit they will be dead and you will be impoverished, you must mobilize the young generation to stop them now.
Kenny is something like a phenomenon.
Well if he can run I’m going to vote for Sheldon brown.
Clearly you are not a politician if you think it’s going to be a …”why can’t we all get along” moment in your life. You will get dirt flung left, right and centre….it’s what happens and it will not change. Not only here but in every election everywhere! Is it right?..it’s not but get ready for it…it’s coming.
All politicians need to understand the time line of 1879 to 1999 in Fiji and see that Cayman is heading along that path and the sooner steps are put in placed to avoid that type of problems the better because I can see it coming and very soon it won't take over one hundered years as it did in Fiji. Politicians need to stop playing NICE and address the real issues because sooner or later the passive dogs will become vicious tigers. Let the unemployment and disinfranchisement of the local people continue, this elections had better bring real changes. There is absolutely no need for a single Caymanian who is willing, capable and able to be out of a job. This foolishness needs to stop right now, government need to stop encouraging the practice, close down social services department, social services should not be given to any capable and able bodied person let them work. People don't need hand outs they need hands up. Our forefathers would be so ashamed to see what this country has become, personally I would like to see real changes in the upcoming elections.
And just why, pray tell, do you think it is that Caymanians are out of jobs?
The irony of his statement is that his party leader is one of the biggest mud slingers out there!
Dear Mr Bryan,
What salary will you draw as an MLA? What benefits will you take?
TBG
Nothing wrong with Mr. Bryan trying to run for elected office. But here we go again with the same old thing. Mr. Bryan had choices in his life, no one forced him to run his life the way he did. There are some not convicted persons running for elected office as well, very educated, young and took the other path. Kenny reason for running for office seem to be that because he was involved with drugs that he can mingle (for lack of a better word) with the imported poverty people that has become heavily reliable on Goverment to support them. In the past I have indicated that we should give the persons that have educated themselves and kept clean, the first chance, then we can go back and offer chance to the persons that had same choices, but messed up. A pastor once preached that if you have a dollar and I have a dollar, and I decide to waste my dollar on stupidness and I use mine to pay my bills, then should your light or water or what ever else gets cut, dont go running to social service and blame the permit holder that your bills not paid. Kenny has no political experience, not even been involved with anything that can be counted, At least start a year or so doing somthing that can construed as political involvement. Frank seem to think also that making comments that to legalize Ganga is his ticket to political office, another canidate claims to help out someone move from one landlord to another and turns it into a community affair. There are person running for elected office that has a history of offering money to young ladies to show body parts. We can all go down the list and find out about each canidates, but lets start at the top, dont make it seem that when all else fails you run for political office. Most of the educated young canidates are running because they simply see that the Cayman way of life has been deteriated, they have choices, they have been some what sucsessfull in there lives, it is more like a sacrifice for them to ruin there good lifestyle to run for elected office, they seem to think that somthing is wrong and they want to offer themselves to help fix it. If you have children, or you care about the Cayman Islands, you would stop the selfish mentality of who needs to look or wave at who to get elected, Ganga is not the cure, helping somone and turning it political is not the cure,. Kenny should get a job in which ever department that he can that has access to young people that need advise or that he can assist his fellow young Caymaninans in advisable way. Cayman, dont let us become a handout begging society, Vote smart, give also the young and middle aged and educated a chance this time around. YES WE CAN.
07:35 , I just read your comment and need to respond as your comments seek a response let alone warrant one.
I grew up and went to school with Kenny. I have witnessed first hand his behaviours, actions and Ism’s from long time. Yes, he made some shite choices, we all know that, but he had the balls to admit it, which is a far cry from what we are used too. The difference between him and the rest of the current muppet brigade is that a) they have yet to be caught or b) their supporters are too blind, stupid or are so used to it that they see no wrong.
You need to give him credit for the fact he went on national tv, Cayman27 and proclaimed his wrongs from the outset when he became a reporter. There are others who do wrong and dont have the nuts to admit it because the world is out to get them. Everybody makes mistakes, real people admit to them instead of blaming others.
Kenny isnt targeting “imported poverty”, poverty on this island is created here by our own by way of slave labour and wages that are imposed by the wealthy and our government.
He hits a nerve because he has been there, done that and taken another road. He has experience in a alot of facets in life that others dont. He can relate to a greater audience than most.
Kenny wont get in as a MLA come may, he doesn’t have enough experience, we all know that. As you mentioned, he will most likely get a job in some government department that deals with the issues that he will push for. 4yrs down the line he will have that experience to make himself a strong candidate.
The other “somewhat successful candidates” are doing it because tbey can see through the bullshit that our current crop like to bathe in. Mac declared that we dont need education, he just forgot that there are now a boatload of us who are just that, educated and fed up, insulted, embarrassed, and tired of the fuckry. To those that still support the current (and past) administration, you are clearly deluded or just plain retarded.
Kenny might not be “the one”, but at least he is standing up.
Change is scary, but god nows we need it.
JD
Dear JD. We are on the same mind thinking then. I am glad that whoever you are can stick to the points. We are FED UP, Yes of the current group. Kenny needs to be groomed, so to this point I salute you and encourage other readers to stick to the points. Another topic to be next on the agenda will be about the fakeness of canidates that seem to think that Permits are the problem for unemployment in the Cayman Islands. If a local person is trying to do Business in Cayman, and has Permit denied, and his whole family was depending on him for support, is this fair to the local that he has to operate the same as DART for example?
Where is the DART training? A local person submits a permit and gets rejected that they must train a Caymanian, is this possible without having proper education system in place? Where is the training taking place at the Hotels, and for all the not Local business? So next canidate making this fake and hypocrite comments need to remember, If a business is forced to close the unemployment figure can go up by 10, If a permit is aproved, the unemployment figure can go up by 1. Is it some kind of joke that Nanny jobs are still being advertised asking for "Caymanians only need apply", is this really what we are down to? Dont just deny a Local business person the permit for sake of pretending that you are doing a favor to the community.
I ask any of you canidates that can be real, Stop this fakeness and look at the big picture. If 18,000 Local voting public was able to open there own business tomorow and hire a work permit person, Goverment revenues will go up by that much, the economy will increase on the fact that people will have to eat and rent and so on. At 18,000. its means also that each Local person has the ability to work and at the same time, no Local person will be left to work for the other. So Canidates, dont just ask how many work permits are being paid for, also ask how many Caymanians mouths are being fed by that One Permit that has given the oportunity to a Local person to help towards the economy, including the Civil Service, as it is the business that pay there salary.
Cayman needs to move to a point where we are encouraged to operate our own business in a fair way. Imagine having to compete on the same level as the DARTS and such. We pay the same fees, we pay the same bills, the difference is that when he see that he is paying too much to CUC, he can open his own company, When he see that he paying too much water or telephone bills he can open his own as well, after all his business is the strain on these local resources that create the need for more power or more water and so on. what needs to be in place is a "Caymanian Protection Board", that will stand up for Local Small Business, instead of turning them down and turning them into alcoholics and such.
Whole Caymanian families have been destroyed by the denial of one permit, but I have not heard of any families being destroyed because of a permit grant. YES WE CAN Cayman. Canidates stop the fakeness. Its good to boast of how many Work permits that was denied, but has anyone seen the results of the denied permits to a Caymanian Small Business Man?
An example would be a released prisoner that found it hard to be employed, but if he tried to turn his life around and wanted to open a small business and seen that he is not able to hire a good educated Caymanian, after all would you want your children to be educated to work for a released convict? (no disrespect meant in this wording), so the potential busines man would have to submit a permit for his mechanic guy, only to be turned down that he should hire a Caymanian and go through the hoops and have to get down on all four and "take the Pipe" that the board members will discuss about him, by the time he goes through and try to wipe off all the slime and dirt he would have called it a day and decided that best he get back into the easy money. Then here we go all over again.
This is the real subjects that the Canidates seem to take a stance on avoiding. JD. Your response. (If you have been around Cayman longenough you would know the PIPE that is dished out when you have to get down on all four to present your case to the Board and members.
I do agree with 90% of your post. However, I don't totally agree with your statement-
"Most of the educated young canidates are running because they simply see that the Cayman way of life has been deteriated, they have choices, they have been some what sucsessfull in there lives, it is more like a sacrifice for them to ruin there good lifestyle to run for elected office, they seem to think that somthing is wrong and they want to offer themselves to help fix it"
The reality is the money matters! There is more being paid for the position of an MLA ($105K – $125K per annum), and for Cabinet Minister ($105K -$172K per annum) than most of these candidates (with the exception of an obvious few) are grossing in the private sector. I am an Accountant I know. I dare say, that if these salaries were on the same scale as school teachers you would really see the "True Nobility" of candidates.
Here is an interesting fact: The salary of a USA Senator is USD$174K per annum. Imagine how much larger, and dynamic their constituents are in comparison to Cayman.
http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/governmentjobs/a/Annual-Salaries-Of-Top-Us-Government-Officials.htm
Once a seedy drug pusher, never an elected politician. End of story in my book.
There are redeeming qualities in all of us and those of us who are without sins please cast the first stone. Before we go writing Kenneth off remember the great Malcolm Little (aka Malclom X). Malcolm's past was much worst that Kenneth but he reformed himself and did more good for his country and the world over than any squeaky clean politician in Cayman have ever done. Cayman and Real Caymanians have always been a country and people who preaches and practice forgiveness, so now I say let us not be divided in this respect. Kenneth has just as much to offer as any other candidate and maybe even more. Caymanians need to step away from their comfort zone and see a man/woman as he/she is and not what they use to be.
I'm a young Caymanian, who just happen to know a lot of people on this island. I don't think it is right for us to sit here and judge Kenneth the way that I see happening here on CNS, because he USED to be a dealer! There are people in high offices across these islands who are STILL DEALING IT (but of courseyou wouldn't know that), and doing worst! I think we need to accept the fact that he has done his time for it, he is qualified for the job description, and he deserves a chance just like the rest of the lot that are in office right now! Compared to them, he is a SAINT!!! Let me say no more about that, I might sound a bit biased. That happens when I start to talk politics you see…
Atleast he is letting Cayman know straight up his hands ain't clean…and quite frankly NONE of them running OR currently in govt has clean hands. How does THAT taste?!
If Kenneth doesn't like the heat, he should stay out of the fire.
If you're going to run for politics, you have to expect for people to uncover the skeltons in the closet. Dealing drugs for sex is a pretty big skeleton.
Kenneth is probably a nice guy who screwed up big time, but that doesn't mean he gets a pass on his past when he's running for politics.
You don't think people have a right to comment on his previous criminal convictions and we're supposed to just accept him as a politcian because he's a saint compared to current politicians? Really? How naive can you be?
But it wasn't a skeleton in the closet. Kenneth has been quite open about it even to the extent of giving a newspaper interview back in 2011 long before he decided to enter politics.
Well it is hypocrisy to come down on Kenneth and give some of the current politicians a free pass.
It is no surprise that these Islands are suffering look and the way we treat each other. Individual make mistakes in their youth and this is forgivable; we claim we are tired of the same ole, same ole and yet we do not encourage young people who may bring fresh ideas.
This is one of the few contries where expats have a greater say than locals; solely because we and our elected officials allow it. Caymanians wise up if we do not band together we will all surely fall and our beloved country with us.
Plying women with cocaine with the aim of improving your chances of having sex is hardly failry described as "a mistake".
But giving fridges, microwaves and Status to others, while selling out your country and blaming it on the UK warrants forgiveness. Grams or a GE Fridge? You are still supplying for gain.
Poster 16:41 Any woman that accepts cocaine for sex is nothing short of an addict and need help. Sad very sad indeed, as you seem to know the story so well, babie go get yourself some help. There is help and redemption out there for you too, just seek the help that you need starting today.
I know many non-addicted women who like cocaine and like sex on cocaine. Right at the beginning of the drug's popularity in the US it boomed because of the fact it is a "sex drug" – look up the Jack Nicholoson quote on the subject – it was very true.
Friend, such hedonistic ideas of this sort of pleasure, derives from a dissatisfaction in normal sensual desires being fulfilled. It is an hedonistic sickness where the recepient of any pleasure finds himself or herself hard to be satisfied. They need an altered experience that is not good for their wellbeing in order to get an experience like a "drug high." In return they experience a "low" of unplesantness when their usual desires are fulfilled. The person becomes a psychological slave to his/her own passions that are never satisfied to what they want. This is a very sad situation. These people find it hard to be committed in a relationship or end up living a miserable life in dissatisfaction. That is why natural pleasure and being balanced is very important.
You obviously have no idea how much fun there is to be had. Come down from your high horse and Jon the real world.
Bryan; as a BT voter, you need to stop being so defensive to everything. Show us a manifesto and stop getting into all sorts of tit for tat things. Election is next month and I'm yet to see any real campaign. Other parts of the world and its at least 1 to 2 years of promoting. Nothing but a joke here
Would you stop with the nonsense claims about campaigning is for 1-2 years all over the world. That does not happen anywhere in the UK or the Commonwealth. The U.S. is not the rest of the world, you know. And another thing – elections are just under 3 months away, not next month.
In no free country in the world can I think of can an individual make the youthful mistake of dealing drugs and then be seriously considered for a top elected office. It just doesn't happen. and it wouldn't have happened here 20 years ago. Yes, lots of people make youthful mistakes and they should be allowed to atone and turn around their lives. But the people of this country deserve better than a convicted drug dealer as an elected official, especially since there will only be 18 such positions. Maybe you think that is harsh, but I expect more out our politicians and that's why I won't be voting for a single one of the current bunch (save one who I think has, over the course of his political career, carried himself honorably) come May.
In no free free country …. just to remind you of one such leader in the great USA one such man MALCOLM X who would often say in is debates at Ivy League universities such as Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and others such as Atlanta University and Horward when he would find jam packed audience of student faculty scholars head of departments such as sociology, psychology, philosopy, history and religion which were all coming to hear from a reformed drug dealer, hustlerand whatever else. I will quote in his own words "Gentlemen, I finished the eight grage in Mason Michigan . My high school was the black ghetto Roxbury Massacesetts. My college was in the streets of a Harlem, and my masters was taken in prison." This is a man who did not allow his past to dictate his future and clearly Kenneth is on his way to becoming one such young man. Poster 11:02 people like you should not try so hard to be "token-integrated" rather go find yourself and stop trying so hard to be what you are not.
He may have been a leader, Malcolm X was not elected to office. End of argument.
If Kenny wants to become Cayman's Malcolm X, more power to him. But a drug dealer shouldn't be elected to office.
I doubt Malcom X would have said "Massacesetts". If you are going to quote someone and would like to sound intelligent, perhaps you should quote with correct spelling.
MASSACHUSETTS
Encouraging young people who do not have a history of repeated drug supply for sexual favors would be a better move.
Looks like you have your opponents scared a lot of them are writing in. Run Kenneth run!
Seriously, you people can't find anyone better to run?? There's about 4500 voters in West Bay for heavens sake.
And while you are running, can I get an eight ball?
I don't not think the women of Cayman should be represented by a man who has admitted to pushing deadly drugs like cocaine onto them in order to have sex.
Your soooo vain, you probably think this article is about your gender.
I hope that the public truly recognise that the PPM candidates will come forward with a series of useless and pointless articles that do not tell the public anything new but, are written purely to impress. Marco Archer had one such Viewpoint article recently: the Strategy for Jobs was to hire people to study the value of jobs. This Viewpoint by Mr Bryan does nothing to advance the Country. Why do the PPM candidates continue to write articles that say zilch? Another example of their self-absorption: the PPM is no longer the PPM they are now the Progressives. Why? Does this change anything? It is all a front to try to fool the public into thinking they are something new when they are not. If i had to offer the PPM advice it would be to make a real stance: so, no more we don't object to the mass grant of Caymanian status, we just object to the way it was done and, no more we think the Constitution should be changed but not right now. The public needs new and original ideas and, no wishy-washy stances.
The UDP or National UDP are not any better: their vision is, Mr Bush is the only man on the face of this earth that can save the day. They live in MacUtopia.
The Fab 5 don't know the way forward. How can they be taken seriously when they don't have an announced slate of candidates for George Town when this District will have 33% of seats in the House?
The C4C has such a nuanced message that the vast majority of the public do not know what they are about.
There will be very few true independents, if any of them are successful they will join the UDP or PPM. My overall message? The public will have to choose a hand from a poor deck of cards in May 2013.
I have never heard anyone say so little, in so many words – other than Whodatis…
Marco in his last Viewpoint.
Foolio runs a close second.
Everyone can turn a new leaf. However there are certain positions in life that should not be filled by convicted criminals. That’s like saying a convicted rapist can confess his sins and then go on teach at an all girls school. You see what I mean…….
No, there is no comparison at all.The constitution says that you can run unless you were convicted of an offence involving dishonesty or for an offence where you were sentenced to a term of imprisonment of at least 12 months. Kenneth was sentenced to 43 days. If you would like to bar such candidates from running then you should be campaigning to amend the constitution.
There is the legal right and what is morally right. His running is not morally right and that goes for him and his party.
You are so sanctimonious. That is your politically convenient view of morality.
If you think only 43 days served is relevant, then you probably think that it's OK to steal $43 but not $365.
The Constitution says it is relevant, you @ss. I am an honest, upstanding member of society. How dare you suggest otherwise.
To all of you who keep saying that in the article it states that Mr. Bryan was convicted of being a drug dealer are liars. No wonder our young men think that once they get into trouble they have to stay in trouble….SMH…
Not is trouble, just out of the LA. Big difference.
Ok Mr. Bryan,
You open by mentioning that you are the youngest candidate for office, and you wrote a 3 paragraph viewpoint asking the other candidates to ‘ play nice’ …
That’s great, but does not help explain how you are qualified for the job you are applying for?
Zzzz
Dear Kenneth,
Pay no attention to the naysayers, my friend.
If you have done a crime, then surely you have done the time. End of story.
Clearly, you are qualified to run for political office in your country, the Cayman Islands.
You have put your name forward, now it is up to the electorate to respond as they see fit.
Any commentary apart from that ought to be duly ignored.
See you around, buddy.
All the best.
Troll, what makes you an expert on such matters?
I must be unwell – I think I agree with Whodatis!
Judge the candidate's sincerity / alignmetn with your views before deciding to vote for him but he is as qualified as anybody to ask for that vote.
If you think his crime was so heinous that conviction of it should bar him from standing then the reality is that either
a) you need to campaign to reduce the prison term that represents a debarment event to – in effect – 1 day, or
b) the judge handing down the sentence that -as Whodatis points out – is now time served made a monumentla error in 'undersentencing Mr Bryan.
Neither of these possibilities represnet reasons for Mr Bryan not to stand. Don't like him…don't vote for him!
How about focusing on the fact that this young man has turned his life around and can be an excellent role model for other young Caymanian males who are going down the wrong path? How many of them can look at the average politician today and believe that the candidate understandstheir situation? I think that Kenneth Bryan should make more of his background – he has never denied that he was in trouble, unlike other politicians who lie about it and hope they never get caught or convicted. I will be voting for Kenneth because I believe he is who he says he is and doesn't pretend to be anything else. He can learn all about politics and economics and whatever else he needs to.
Doing cocaine might be fogiveable. Dealing cocaine is a whole different story.
From what I understand of the story Kenneth was asked by an undercover police officer whether if he knew where he could obtain some cocaine and Kenneth, wanting to please, made the connection and obtained it for the officer whereupon he was arrested. This resulted in a 43 day sentence reflecting the court's view of the seriousness of the offence. Obviously his behaviour was not excusable and he has not sought to excuse or justify it but you are clearly making it out to be more than it was – as if he was an actual drug dealer. If the court had taken that view of the matter he would have received a sentence in excess of 10 years I can assure you.
His story in the newspaper indicates that this was no innocent being entrapped in a one of incident. It is an admission of repeated and seedy behaviour.
So why did he get 43 days then?
No one is claiming he was innocent. The point is that the extent of his culpability cannot be what you have made it out to be if he only received a sentence of 43 days.
You are an idiot. He hardly turned to the judge before sentencing as said "oh look, I do this all the time because the ladies love the marching powder and giving it to them helps me get laid" did he? Read the newspaper extract linked in this thread.
so we should judge him based on a typical lenient caymankind sentence????
Good to see Kenny come back so quickly and responding to the drug dealing issue. No? Really?
Wow! This is what we have succumbed to? Alden you have been left asleep at the wheel again!
We might as well just turn the island over to mr. dart. There’s no hope now.
A convicted dealer – really?
Kenneth, I like you as a person. BUT, are you sure this political arena is right for you?
Politics is all about debate, fighting and compromising.
If you think you're going to get elected, sit in the LA and not fight for something then you might as well throw in the towel from now. You will have to fight to get something for your constitutients from time to time and more often than not. Do you think its going to be a walk in the park or tiptoing through the tulips? Come on Now Brian, you should know better.
Carefully consider whether you want to fight or sit on the sidelines and call in on the station every now and then making suggestions and giving advice to a bunch of knuckleheads that listens to noone.
Don't delude yourself Brian. You better get ready to fight for something like you never fought before. Talk to Arden and Ezzard and find out what fighting is all about. The LA is a poiitical area! Who told you otherwise?
WHO IS BRIAN ????
I support Kenneth Bryan in his bid to become elected. Kenneth was born into a Cayman and brought through a system in Cayman that many are still experiencing. Kenneth was I repeat was a victim of the failures in our society. Kenneth chose a path in his youth that obviously seemed like the only option to him at the time, failed by family, society and the education system. A drug “pusher” though Kenneth was not. He made some mistakes like many many of you. Kenneth paid his price and made an about turn and chose to try and do something to help those who are forced onto a path similar to his. He may not be a lawyer but he is an expert in his field. We have grave social problems which many of those in power do not understand or are qualified to fix. Kenneth is probably our only hope that the forgotten people of society who’s lives, dreams and aspirations are as important to The future of Cayman as all those wealthy, far removed individuals that have been making the same mistakes over and over. His previous conviction has been explained by Kenneth in the public arena, he is not hiding from it. He is now a very passionate, qualified family man with a future to fight for. The hatred and unforgiving nature of some Caymanians can only be detrimental to the survival and success of All Caymanians. God Bless, may he who casts the first stone be without sin.
I suspect most people would be prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt in about 10 years time. This is too soon. He makes much of his youth, well he can wait a bit.
Correct! Much too soon.
I believe he will be very effective one day, but not so sure this is the right time for him.
"He may not be a lawyer but he is an expert in his field"
What field is that exactly? He dabbled in television for a while and since then I believe he MCs at clubs….
Cant say much about him but I know he studied a degree at UCCI when I was doing my bachelors. So I know he has some education because he was in my class. And I must say, he was one of the top in the class. Someone should check UCCI and see what he studied.
I suppose studying in the US was not an option since they don't tend to welcome convicted drug suppliers.
And, according to the Compass story linked elsewhere in this thread, Kenneth admitted that when CITN hired him he had no experience. But after two years of work he's an expert? Doesn't that just sum up the Caymanian entitlement problem. Caymanian get a college education, work for 2 or 3 years in their field and suddenly they're experts deservingof top management jobs in their 20s or early 30s. Only in Cayman.
Kenneth, the problem I have with giving you my vote this elections is that you lack the general backbone structure to what constitutes a 'good' leader. You may have great platform, and have ideas to tackle the issues that affect us all, but without experience and a degree of some sort, what can you actually accomplish?
To run a successful and promising government, you need to have an extensive knowledge of Economics and government policy etc. Without the basics, how can you promise that you and your fellow party-men can lead our government and islands down the right path?
Enlighten me with that.
I wonder if the ppm understands what his running mate is trying to say?
XXXX
Kenny,
If you believe politicians should set the standard then lead by example.
If you believe the serious issuesare jobs, crime, education, and the ecomony then write about those issues.
Your article doesn't say a word about the issues you believe are serious, and that says a lot about you.
His training at UCCI from their sophistic leadership has benefited him greatly.
Are you saying they teach sophism at UCCI or that the teachers are sophist, or both?
"And in tonight's Channel 27 election debate we have for the Party Formerly Known As The UDP, Rolston "I won't tell you who the mystery woman was" Anglin, for the PPM, Kenny "Pusher" Bryan, for the Real UDP, McKeeva "It was a consultancy fee" Bush and for the independents Dr. Frank "I won't tell you how I was shot" McField."
"Gentlemen, with three convicted criminals and someone spending a lot of time down the police station at the moment, our first topic for discussion is law and order. For the audience at home please note that each candidate has his lawyer standing next to him to advise on whether they can answer any questions from the audience.
Our candidates will seek to argue why they are the ones best placed to combat the rising levels of crime, but please note that they are not obliged to answer any question that may be self-incriminating, but note that if you do refuse to answer a question negative inferences can be drawn by the voters of the Cayman Islands . . . ."
[Cue graphic of Alice disappearing down the rabbit hole]
And now, will the real, convicted felon, please stand up.
Politicians do need to be accountable, agreed. However, in assessing who you feel should be the best person to become a member of the LA, you should consider in the interest of time, the INTEGRITY of the candidates on a whole. I refer you to Websters dictionary for clarity. And, if I may add another point. INTEGRITY begins at home!!!!!!!!!! A man who's home is NOT in ORDER cannot in any way lead a country. GET MY POINT? Now, go sit under a tamarind tree and count how many candidates that can justly fit into this criteria. That would eliminate a whole lot of um, agreed? Step 2: Cross check how many are LODGE MEN!!! another elimination. Step 3: Confirm what you have left on the list.
A bit of news you may want to hear! You sit across from "Lodgemen" every day of your life and have no idea who they are. If I were you I would leave them out of this because I really do not see the relevance.
Let's hear it for Kenny. Give me a "K", give me an "E", give me another "E", give me all the "e"'s you've got . . .
LMAOOOO on that one…at least the younger candidates have that in common, Foolio included. We remember well your past Kenny (not so distant past at that)…..do you?!?!?!
Kenny should really really address the Big E Question in his next viewpoint. Odd he keeps ducking it. He is like a young Dr Frank ducking the "how come you got shot" issue.
What is the big E question? Enlighten the rest of us, please.
"E" is a drug. Google it.
Are you referring to his drug conviction? If so someone has posted a tell-all newspaper article about it already. Is there something else that we are missing?
Personal attacks shouldn't take place – agreed. But that doesn't mean you cannot denegrate incumbents and former incumbents on the basis of their past deeds (or lack of them) and also where their personal lives can effect their ability to govern. I see nothing wrong in pointing out say, a minister denied a clear case of DUI until he finally had to admit guilt, and that he had a mystery lady in the car who he hasn't seen fit to explain away. Or if someone has been say, a major UDP backer in the past, or has joint business dealings with a politically connected person which suggests conflict of interest (or worse!), then there is nothing wrong in reminding people. Of course, if the person concerned wishes to clear up any misconceptions then it's in their interests to do so, but so often they do not and their silence suggests guilt.
It's a question of context, always, but if you think bad-mouthing, in-fighting or use of underhand tactics is going to go away it won't. It is all that a certain former premier, and many other incumbents and former politicians, know. Think to yourself, who would I expect to see go on a platform and argue logically and fairly round about now?
Good luck all the newbies if your heart is in the right place. But I'm afraid I'm suspicious of just about everyone's intentions if they announce they're running.
Polticians need to set the standards. Not being a convicted drug supplier would be a good start.
I wonder what it says about the PPM that they would allow a convicted drug pusher to run with them…
Maybe they intend to legalize drugs?
i can't wait to call in and ask Alden about this.
It means the recognise redemption, that he has paid his debt to society and that it is inspirational for someone to turn their lives around.
What does it say about the NUDP that it would continue have McKeeva as its leader when none of the above has occurred?
You are evil!! Can you prove what you wrote? Did he sell drugs to you? Also please bear in mind that Alden nor any other Party Leader can be held responsible for what some one did or may not have done in the past. Give him a break and take the skeletons out of your own closet before grabbing at straws in another. Also only two classes of people cannot change their minds or their ways. They are the dead and fools. WHICH ARE YOU?
His own words baby, not mine:
http://www.compasscayman.com/compasspoint/pdfs/20110609_012.pdf
How utterly seedy and unimpressive.
True: Kenneth, shame on you!
Get over yourself.
What is utterly seedy and unimpressive is what has been going on these Islands by people that you have voted for – that are already in and have been in Government – that you have allowed to be utterly seedy and unimpressive!!
What is utterly seedy and unimpressive is the corruption!
What is utterly seedy and unimpressive is that you have accepted it all!
What is utterly seedy and unimpressive is that you allowed all this to happen and said nothing!
What is utterly seedy and unimpressive is the hypocrisy!
As per the article offering women cocaine to get "over the door" with them is utterly seedy.
Cops takimg coke and wood to bust someone, apparently the women are in rehab, go figure.
If this is the future of Cayman, we are all in serious trouble. Of course, he's no worse that many of the reprobates we have in there now, but at this stage, we really need better people – better in so many ways.
I am still shocked that Alden has stooped so low for his run at being Premier that he'd choose someone like Kenneth Bryan. We don't need Foolio 2.0. We need dignified, intelligent statesmen, like we used to have a few decades ago.
Denial denial denial. Ain't going to getyou anywhere.
After reading the article in the Compass from 2011…sometimes the truth hurts- he said it himself! It's a fact. And he has to live with that.
I think it is time to do a short list of candidates without a cloudy background. Which candidates have:
1) not been charged/comvicted of any offenses
2) not been involved in adultery
3) are not narcissists
Any thoughts on who that may leave in each district? Would make for a good starting point for voters.
my 2 cents
How would you know which candidates have NOT been involved in adultery?
Good point. You can't prove a negative.
I am Foolio…but I run wit da UDP. 🙂
Sorry, but which of the PPM candidates is a convicted drug dealer? Also, can a convicted drug dealer or anyone convicted of a serious crime be a MLA?
Yes if the prison term served was less than 12 months!! Imagine that!!! Disgraceful
Would a convicted drug dealer have received a sentence of less than 12 months? Clearly, the court didn't sentence him on that basis.
C'mon people be informed the link to the article is below – read it. He was sentenced to 43 days in prison for selling drugs to an undercover cop.
My point was that if he was only sentenced to 43 days in prison the court could not have sentenced him on the basis that he was a convicted drug dealer. Why was he only sentenced to 43 days?
ARE YOU JOKING???? Do you follow ANYTHING or are you aware of ANYTHING that has to do with the judicial system here in Cayman? It is a pure JOKE! Especially sentencing, THAT is how he only got 43 days.
No, that's nonsense. Sentences follow a certain tariff. There would have been an uproar from the prosecution if this sentence was supposed to punish an actual drug dealer.
I am well acquainted with the judicial system and that you are therefore talking out of your @ss.