Miller and McLean deny any UDP talks
(CNS): Following comments individually to the media that neither of them had engaged in any talks with the United Democratic Party in order to prevent the PPM from forming a government, Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller issued a joint statement Monday formally denying the rumours. The independent members-elect categorically denied that they had met or negotiated by any means, such as phone, text or email, with the UDP regarding theformation of a government. In face of rumours that the two men had talked with the UDP about a possible alternative government, the independent members not only refuted the allegations but pointed to their record over the last four years.
“The leader of the Progressives, Mr Alden McLaughlin, himself acknowledged in his press conference this past Saturday that the East End member, Mr Arden McLean, and Mr Ezzard Miller have worked tirelessly over the past four years to rescue our country from the UDP. For anyone now to suggest that we were conferring with the UDP is incorrect,” the elected representatives for North Side and East End said. "And what would be the point of negotiating with three people who could not form a government?" they questioned.
Speaking to CNS earlier on Monday, both men had already denied that they had been involved in talks with the UDP but Miller acknowledged that they had been involved in talks with the C4C candidates and both men pointed to what they believed was a constitutional barrier to McLaughlin forming a government with Juliana O’Connor-Connolly as speaker.
McLean also denied having stated that he would not work with McLaughlin in government on the eve of the election as others had, and said the only emphatic statement he had made prior to the election was that he would not under any circumstances work with McKeeva Bush or any member of the UDP to help that group be part of a new government.
Meanwhile, it is understood that UDP officials made several approaches to PPM elected members as well as the C4C and Miller. The North Side member said he had not engaged in talks with any of the UDP and did not return calls made to him by McKeeva Bush, which he guessed were in connection with the PPM’s failure to get an outright majority.
Although offers were made by members of the UDP party hierarchy that Bush was prepared to take a back seat in a coalition government that included the independents and some PPM, the UDP’s attempt to cobble together a coalition appears to have been rejected by all those who were approached.
Although the PPM was returned as the largest party, without cooperation from at least one other member of the mixed group of nine that was also returned, McLaughlin could not form a government.
Given the opposition among those who had been elected outside of the UDP to Bush becoming premier, the PPM leader was probably anticipating that most of those six candidates would move to support him leading the next government, given the result. However, with the exception of Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, none of the other candidates have voluntarily agreed to support the new PPM administration.
Miller has made it clear he will not, and has stated that he will be returning to the south-east corner on the opposition bench, where he will remain an independent opposition voice. McLean has said he will not block McLaughlin’s appointment as premier but he has not yet stated if he is willing to sit on the government benches and offer his support or whether he will be joining Miller and Bush on the other side of the chamber.
Meanwhile, the C4C, who are still hoping for more government representation, have also failed to indicate if they are going to join Bush’s opposition, make a move to form an alternative opposition of their own or support the PPM and McLaughlin as premier.
Category: Politics
Just for the record, I said before the election campaign and all during the campaign, that I would not join a cabinet with Alden as premier because of our differing management styles. I never question alden's integerity or sincerity even though he question mine in a very public way.
I never asked a single member of the ppm elected or otherwise, or any other person to join me to form an alternate government to Alden.
I never asked to join the ppm to obtain any favours or appointments from Alden or any one else in the party, no one in the ppm called to offer me anything until Tuesday May 28 when Arden was asked to invite me to a meeting at 2:00 pm at PPM headquarters, where I met with Kirt and Moses and they offered me deputy speaker and membership on three committees of the LA. I politely told them I would consider the offer and let them know. I called Moses around 5:00 pm and thanked him for their most generous offer but I would respectfully decline the offer and wished him and their Government sucess.
I am gratefull and humbled by the support I received from the North Side district (70%) and those of you who continue to belittle North Side and its role in Cayman Governance will simple have to live with It.
The good people of North Side know and full confidence that I will not betray them simply for position, power or money. The clear disrespect and prejudice demonstrated by the ppm, pna and c4c in forming their government, to the people of North Side and East End, by not including their duly elected representatives in any discussion is profound.
Ezzard
Ezzard, by your own admission, the PPMdid have discussions with you and you declined their offers. However, the PPM were not obliged to have any discussions with you or Arden but did so anyway so I don't see any disrespect to you, Arden or the people of North Side or East End. You should not have wasted a golden opportunity by throwing your lot in with the C$C and making unreasonable demands that essentially would have overturned the results of the election thinking you had them over a barrel. That was most disappointing behaviour, sir.
"I never asked a single member of the ppm elected or otherwise, or any other person to join me to form an alternate government to Alden".
So what about the bbm to Al Suckoo read on air on Rooster, Ezzard? Isn't Al a PPM MLA? Didn't it propose that you would be premier and list out the proposed Cabinet members?
Ezzard Miller is a dictator just like Fidel Castro. He has no place in politics!
You are a crazy nut to try andcompare Ezzard Miller to the great Fidel Castro,Miller could barely survive McKeeva Bush muchless eight U.S. presidents,Fidel is one of the world's greatest leaders like him or not.
What is it that allows the representatives elected by a minority to think they can rule the majority? Wish they would look in the mirror and ask themselves "Four hundered people voted for me, is that a mandate to run Cayman?" Do you really believe in OMOV or its just a means to the end? These thinkershave lost the respect of many in the last few days, certainly mine. How selfish can a fellow Caymanian get? SHAME. Preach egotism and you will reap the wrath of your people.
Nothing much has change i see, now here comes the bickering for the next four years. And for this the people's will get what they deserve.
How despicable! To simply turn on Alden and refuse to work with him after his party nominated him as leader and the public elected him and his party, not because he’s been accused of any wrong doing but simply because you don’t like his personality?! For Ezzard, Arden and C4C to try and undermine the election results through conniving and manipulative behavior to seek power for themselves and because they thought they spotted a weakness with Alden’s personality as opposed to his ability, his strength of conviction, his integrity or anything meaningful is one of the lowest forms of public behavior. I think we all dodged a bullet in having any of you forming the Government and you are all barely deserving of your seats as backbenchers let alone as elected officials.
Mr. Miller, trying to entice elected PPM representatives to jump ship and assist you in a hostile takeover of the government before the ink on electors ballots was barely dry, shows the depths you will sink to just to wrestle leadership from Alden McLaughlin. You should be ashamed of yourself. Seems youre not as contented in your southeast corner as you pretend to be, are you?
What Ezzard needs is competition in North Side. Having to truly campaign .against a strong competitor…will give him an appreciation for serving the people and less time for conniving……
cant say too much about what Arden Mclean would do. But I hope Mr. Miller has more guts NOT TO JUMP on anything to do with UDP.
What Arden needs is competition in East End. Having to truly campaign against a strong competitor…will give him an appreciation for serving the people and less time for conniving……
one of the few bright spots of this ppm 'victory' is that they do not have to rely on arden/ezzard……
It is really a shame that they were hereos when in opostion against udp, but now you treat them like crap. W e would have been flooded with Chinese, 2 dumps and a dyke road into West Bay if they did not stand up to udp and actually work for the people of this ountry and earn their mla salary.
I'm happy they stood up to UDP. Even so that does not give them the right to attempt to undermine the duly elected majority party / group!
It shows of ego and arrogance!
Shame on you Mr. Miller! After all the good you have done during the past four years, you have torn most if not all that down now by this underhanded power grab. Reminds me of Mac!
the backward small town beliefs of ezzard and arden do not belong in any government…..
stick to your weekly rants on rooster……
Ezzard unnah match.
Speak for yourself!! He's no match for me.