COUNTDOWN TO VOTING DAY: THE RACE FOR PARLIAMENT IS ON

Staff Writer

Cayman’s election campaign season in a sense officially kicked off on Nomination Day Monday March 3rd with 59 candidates registered for the April 30th general election.

Three parties and 24 independents will challenge for the 19 seats in the Parliament, seeking to form or be a part of a majority of at least twelve to form the next government.

There are 35 candidates across the three established parties, almost making it the first time so many constituted political parties are contesting the polls - a significant departure from political traditions in Cayman.

This raises the question of whether the long-held resistance to the party system in Cayman politics is now fading.

The People’s Progressive Movement (PPM/Progressives) led by Joey Hew is fielding 13 candidates,  The Caymanian Community Party(TCCP) helmed by Andre Ebanks - 10, and the Cayman Islands National Party(CINP) of Dan Scott - 12.

West Bay North, Red Bay, East End and Cayman Brac East have the most candidates with five candidates each running in those districts.

An interesting battle is shaping for the Cayman Brac East seat held by current United People’s Movement(UPM) Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly who is running as a PPM candidate at the same time.

Her last-minute confirmation as a candidate for the Progressives sent shockwaves throughout the political establishment.

While this raises some questions about constitutionality, the political practicalities are that her UPM government label, though not a formal political party, is effectively rendered obsolete.

However, some questions remain in the governing period up to the formation of the next government over whether this means the PPM and UPM are in a de facto coalition until then as two other UPM ministers - Kenneth Bryan and Dwayne Seymour - are also on the PPM slate.

The Cayman Brac East seat is also in the crosshairs of Dan Scott, the leader of the new Cayman Islands National Party(CINP). The other three candidates in that district are independents; Ruth Ann Bodden, James Albert Christian, and Maxine Avon McCoy-Moore.

In Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman, the retirement from politics of PPM’s Moses Kirkconnell means that either Nickolas DaCosta (CNIP) or independent Lonny Lee Tibbetts will emerge as MP. The PPM is not fielding a candidate.

For West Bay North four of the five candidates are independents competing for the seat vacated by independent (and ex-PACT and UPM Cabinet member) Bernie Bush who is out of the race. Independents Jermaine Ebanks-Hurlston, Shakeina S Bush, Rolston “Rollie” Anglin, and Michael Lemay, along with CINP’s Jordon D Rivers are vying to be the district’s MP.

Red Bay, the seat held by former PPM Premier and current Speaker of Parliament Sir Alden McLaughlin will also have a new representative in Parliament after Sir Alden announced his retirement from competitive politics. The party hopes to retain that seat with PPM party stalwart Roy Tatum facing off against Melrose Whitelocke (TCCP) and independents Dawn Thomas, Leon Gould, and Phillip Ebanks.

With PPM’s Barbara Conolly also quitting politics, the George Town South seat is also wide open. The candidates there are independent Alric Lindsay, Gary “Peanut” Rutty, and, Craig “Festa” Frederick.

Another PPM incumbent departure this one in George Town West will also result in a new MP for that district. With David Wight quitting politics that seat is now up for grabs between his PPM replacement Pearlina L. McGaw-Lumsden, Craig T Merren of the CINP, and independents Hunter J. Walton and Tyree Malcolm Hernandez.

With campaigning now hitting high gear spending limits are imposed to a maximum of CI$40,000 per candidate (as opposed to a political party).

“The maximum amount of election expenses to be incurred in respect of a candidate at an election shall be forty thousand dollars” as specified in the Elections Act 2022 (S. 67),

When factored across the three parties with their combined 35 candidates and the 24 independents, even if the individual ceiling of CI$40,000 is not reached in all cases, the trickle-through effect in the economy is still expected to be considerable.