Pitcairn aims to get job done
(CNS): Declaring her intention to run as an independent candidate for the district of Bodden Town, Theresa Lewis-Pitcairn says that entering the political arena is a tremendous personal sacrifice for her and her family but it is one she is prepared to make because she truly wants to get the job done. That job, she says, is creating a new future for Cayman, one that sees education take centre stage.
“There are a number of issues that concern me — unemployment, the economic situation, borrowing and more — but many of the problems that we face in the community are interconnected and they are fundamentally linked to education,” she said. “Everything converges on this point. We need to find a way to make everyone, young and old, appreciate the merits of education.”
Stating that her campaign will focus heavily on this point because of its direct impact on most of society’s issues, Pitcairn says education needs to be marketed, its benefits literally sold to the people. She said that in the past the promotion of intelligence and learning has sometimes been sacrificed to the promotion of trade and business.
The need to educate our children and employees is far from a novel concept, she noted, but for many years the community has undermined its value. “It is crystal clear that we have to find ways to increase our skill, educate our workers or we will certainly stagnate. We are already experiencing a palpable increase of unease and uncertainty,” she said. “There is no future, no hope and no jobs without education. We live in a knowledge-based era where the economy that we have will simply die of thirst without it,” Pitcairn added.
Pitcairn, who is now the third female candidate to declare their intention to stand in the 20 May General Election, is a qualified lawyer and has an impressive CV, including being the first female president of the Caymanian Bar Association. Although she recently resigned from her post as a lawyer with Maples and Calder, as a result of a law suit she has fled for discrimination, she has a long solid track record in Cayman’s offshore sector and understands some of the more complex issues facing the country’s financial industry as well as the domestic economy.
Pitcairn said that one of Cayman’s major problems over the years has been balancing the recurrent budget, our revenues-expenses, without leaving a surplus. “We tell the community that we have a ‘balanced the budget’. We then, as a developing country, borrow to fund capital development projects, like roads and schools. This is normal. It is how we as individual consumers get paid, pay our expenses and borrow from the bank to get a house or a car. The difference is our government does not save and we need to resurrect the discipline of saving every year, which for government means building reserves and sovereign funds.”
She said that government shouldn’t be limiting itself to the rules as required by the current Public Management and Finance Law. “Once the entire community saved,” she said. “We went from a community that saved in the 60’s and 70’s, we barely went to the bank for a mortgage and lived within our means, to a community that lives hand to mouth in the 21st century.”
With a high standard of education and professional experience,, Pitcairn is also a mother and a daughter and says she is very concerned with those issues that affect all families in Cayman. She said the time had come for politicians to stop bickering and get down to work and she intends to be one of them
“For me public service must be about solving problems and providing opportunities for people to improve their lives, more so now than ever,” she said. “I just want to get the job done. No one will work harder than me to instigate change. This is so important to all of us.”
Not motivated by power, money or status, Pitcairn says she will be guarding her independent status and has no intentions of joining any party or even an alliance to carry her to the House. However, once elected she will work with those who, like her, see getting the job done as a priority. “I will work with anyone who is willing to put egos aside and get on with the job. It is not about individual politicians, this is about the issues,” she said.
Although this is her first time in the political arena, over the years her work with the Business and Professional Women’s Club, as chair of the Labour Appeals Tribunal, and more recently as deputy chair of the Planning Appeals tribunal has given her insight into the complex issues facing the business community, and in the past she has been involved in advising and drafting legislation.
Without access to party funding or an existing political machine, Pitcairn, like many other independent Candidates, will depend on help from friends and supporters and will run a grass roots campaign, going door to door and holding public meetings, the first of which is scheduled for mid March.
Category: Election 2009
I call upon the good people of BT to elect this Woman Theresa for the betterment of our children’s tomorrow!!!. Thank you.
Tell them how it goes Twyla, TELL THEM !!!!!!!!
When Bodden Town get´s some new representatives, I hope to see Twyla as the new Community Development Officer for that district. I´m sure she would do an excellent job and she has my unconditional support.
Personally if I could vote in Bodden Town,(Registered in West Bay) I would vote for Theresa and Sandra up there. I advise all others to consider doing likewise but would like to see Roy Bodden running as an Independent as well.
To:Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 02/25/2009 – 14:14
You were going well until you had to bring Roy Bodden into it. He did not achieve anything significant during his tenure and is best left in retirement. Why would anyone want to revisit 2001-2005 is beyond me.
I truly admire anybody willing to stick their head above the parapet to run for office, as these cowardly anonymous characters will just take cheap shots at them all.
I know this is election season, but to the anonymous posters who are posting nasty and snide negative remarks with nothing substantive to say or to back them up…just negative inferences and other general smears….. find something better to do with your time rather than try to drag us down to your level.
To the CNS editors/moderators, perhaps this would be a good time to insist that all posters either give their name, or, at the very least, give a verifiable local email address or contact number. Perhaps the cheap shot artists wouldn’t be so brave then !
Careful up there in Bodden Town, not voting for Theresa could be discrimination and you wouldn’t want a lawsuit against you now would you?
ON CAREFULL UP THERE IN BODDEN TOWN
THE ELECTION HEAT IS ON
Such a cowardly thing to say, about one of your own sister of the district who did not do you any wrong, hiding behind somebody frock tail as always. If you had any BA—you would support Theresa Lewis instead of trying to tear her down.
I agree Cayman News Services should take a stand with these COWARDS who can only hide under pants foot and behind frock tails. Their coments are not worth the unsigned paper. Cayman News Service may consider that when someone have something negative to say about another person they should be forced to sign their name. Anything else its not necessary.
You got my name to respond to, It shows the world that I am not a coward. So anyone who want to chop up go right ahead all it does is make you more of a coward and less a man. Jealous of Theresa, thats what. And if you had one speck or ounce of care you would ask yourself has Theresa done you any harm. She is only standing up for whatever damage was done to her. Thats why in cayman we have so many Pussy Cats, who just lick their PAW catch mice, and will not stand up for what they believe in. Think about it.
Good Luck Theresa!
THERESA IS OUR BODDEN TOWN GIRL, INTELLIGENT, STRONG AND WITTY.
How can there be an election and the people of Bodden Town not supporting Theresa?
We must support her, and there are reasons too numerous for giving her that X. She is very intelligent, besides that it is not only in th brains, she can express it too. Theresa do care about the people of Bodden Town, and if given that chance to her, I am positive we will not regret it. . Best of all she is a woman, which I think we need now, in Bodden Town, a womans touch is longover due up here. There are too many issues to be taken care of, and we need to get rid of those old Loney Tunes we have been playing. They are scratched up and need to go.
We need fresh blood to organize this district, start back children programes, Afterschool programes, Youth clubs. WE DO NOT EVEN HAVE A COMMUNITY AND DEVELOPMENT OFFICER WHO IS VISABLE. We need someone to look out for our women, older folks, and the helpless. Listen up Bodden Town, She is one of us, and not because she is not living here in the Town, has anything to do with it. Theresa is a strong woman, still willing to stand up for the people of Bodden Town, although the stress she is going through with her dear mother being so ill in hospital.
The Leader of Government business represents George Town and he lives in Bodden Town, East End MLA Mr Arden McLean Represents East End, and He lives in Bodden Town. Theresa is definately one of the right women for the job, Just make sure you give Theresa a vote. I am going to support her BIG, BIG ,TIME and if one person cares about her district it is Twyla Vargas, I am sure you all know that. I am the UNPAID community and development officer for Bodden Town. I am also called "The Mayor of Bodden Town" I know who is who, and who is doing what for Bodden Town. so if you hear me say I am supporting Theresa Lewis you know I have a very very good reasons for saying so.
I remember many years ago I heard a representative of the Bodden Town district make some very bad remarks about Bodden Towners. saying "If you dress up a broomstick in Bodden Town, the people will vote for it." I heard people laugh at that meeting. I did not, because I fully well know the people of Bodden Town Central, Breezy Breakers, Sweet Savannah and Quiet Northward, is smarter than that. I also heard some say "Bodden Town people like to beg, and should be able to live off $1.75 cents a day.
I also know that the brains in somewhere there in the center of the head, and I know Bodden Town is somewhere there in the center of Grand Cayman. Now, Should,nt that tell you something. That we are the brains of the Island. USE IT AND VOTE X FOR THERESA LEWIS.
Wait til Maples comes out with the details of their countersuit.
WAIT TILL MAPLES COMES OUT?
Dont be smutty, Standing up for her rights has nothing to do with her running for office in Bodden Town.
Caymanians need to stop being badminded, and lean to support their own people when they mean well. Mind you foreign people is not saying anything bad about us. We are doing it to ourselves, like crabs in a basket, do not want to see the Caymanian woman get a chance. She is good, think about it and give her a chance. My name is signed, and my back is like a duck, water does not penetrate. May you be truly blessed today.
"Wait til Maples comes out with the details of their countersuit".
Anyone seen the movie ‘Philadelphia’? Now would be a good time to see it orsee it again.
Attacking Theresa will endear her to the electorate who have no love for Maples.
Wait until Maples come out with the details of their countersuit and ………………………………what???? Let them come with all they have, it’s about time someone stand up to them, they have been getting away with it for many years and many caymanians have suffered. I hope she is successful with her suit against them.
You go Theresa, you certainly have my X on May 20, 2009, we need women like you!!!
Go Theresa!
Lovely article and lofty needed goals. All the best.
Hit me if you people want… I wont be mindlessly medicated by the PPM. I am a loyal Bodden Town resident and I am voting for Theresa and Sandra. I hope I will have a third choice, Roy do you have plans?