A MESSAGE FROM MCKEEVA BUSH, YOUR REPRESENTATIVE FOR WEST BAY WEST

Ladies and Gentlemen, no two ways about it, the 2021 election is in full swing.

You will hear all kinds of ideas put to you; many will be “Pie in the Sky” thoughts that sound good but will not work and will take you out, not uplift you or strengthen you to deal with your responsibilities.

People of the Cayman Islands but especially the people of West Bay West, I have served you for 36 years as an Elected Official; firstly, over 15 years as a community activist for a better social life for all in our communities.

I also started youth groups and helped to lead the church choir.

In between those early days when some of you might not have been born, Cayman was a different place.

There were no government housing programmes, no playing field facilities, no parks, no apprenticeships or internships benefits in the workplaces, and no pensions.

There was only one scholarship by The Bankers Association. Government scholarships were not freely given and it was perhaps only 2 per year if any was given - and only for the exceptionally bright.

Young Caymanian men were thrown in jail for very minor infractions – many were jailed for the first offence of a stick of weed/marijuana.

In these 36 years of public service, I have been part of the fight to destroy that kind of social environment that we lived under. And that's why I ran for election.

So I knew my community and its needs from that time, and I am well aware of them today.

I believe we must move to a Cayman like Singapore that is very financially stable and progressive in all areas; from the economy to the social fabric.

I am sure our future will be better where the displaced in our society will be better off.

But individual responsibility can’t be overlooked in the New Cayman future.

People must believe that a better life means a lifestyle that is not a party every night but then in the day time looking for the next meal for their children and a few dollars to pay light, water and phone bills.

The new dispensation I want to work towards means much more than that.

I want to see a better Cayman for everyone.

God didn’t make me a perfect human - and I don’t know who is.

But I can challenge any candidate across these Cayman Islands, especially in West Bay West, to come forward to show what they have done to help individuals or the Cayman Islands as a whole any more than I have.

I am standing for re-election in the constituency of West Bay West.

I will support good thinking persons in the campaign who want to do good and have worked over the years trying to help their whole community.

If I’m re-elected, I would want to be part of a Government that will find ways and means and develop programmes that will be solutions towards building a new Cayman.

And I will work with MPs who are committed to working for Cayman.

Ladies and Gentlemen, as we look to the future, this is an opportune time for Cayman to stop and plan for the new world that is being created because of the pandemic.

Government then must have holistic programmes to stabilize Caymanian families that continue to face a number of problems; financial and otherwise.

In our Cayman today where we are a pluralistic society of so many nationalities, we have to ensure that our culture doesn’t vanish.

We have to continue the attributes taught to us by our parents, our grandparents and great-grandparents to keep our community structure, way of life and a sense of communal purpose.

So what do we want? Of course, we must have an economy that enables our families to have good lives; afford a house, pay their bills and educate their children to have a future in this country.

Homes are still the most important institution for us.

What we don’t want is to have an environment where we live in a community of closed doors, fortified against criminal behaviour by locks and bars and functioning as little more than a place for rest after work.

So the Government will have to come up with programmes that safeguard our communities and help parents raise and protect our children.

The community must be involved and have a voice in creating those programmes. Whatever we want to do to safeguard and stabilize our families, the Government must ensure that the economy remains strong, careers do not falter or fail, finances are good and life-styles do not fall-out of balance.

And that plan must have the balance that allows Cayman to continue to develop while at the same time keep the heart, soul and culture of the community we grew up in.

I also want to address the issue of family planning and raising a family.

Teaching family planning must be a part of the community development in order to help stabilize our Caymanian families which far too many are now failing.

A bad home environment only means trouble for the community.

There are those who daily call on government for some kind of welfare assistance. We need to support them but that support includes giving advice and creating pathways to employment, careers, financial management and raising our children.

We need to do this as a matter of urgency to stabilize the family structure and our community.

So I stand for Cayman and I’m prepared to stand with those who are committed to Cayman. Our best days are still ahead of us.

Until my next message, may God continue to be merciful to all of us and keep Cayman safe.

I am McKeeva Bush, your representative for West Bay West.