EBANKS VERSUS EBANKS FOR WEST BAY SOUTH

Staff Writer

Normally, it would be the programme host interviewing the party leader, but for the West Bay South Candidates Forum, both were on the same side of the microphone being interviewed.

Andre Ebanks, leader of The Cayman Community Party(TCCP) is seeking re-election to the seat he won in 2021. He is being challenged by radio current affairs programme host Sterling Ebanks, running as an independent in his political debut.

The West Bay South edition of the Chamber of Commerce Candidates Forum series saw both candidates drill down on many local and national issues, each bringing an informed perspective to the discourse.

“It’s not about looking at what has been done, but about what you can do when we come together as a people,” Ebanks the challenger opined. “Walking about West Bay South in particular, we see how communities are affected by the same thing; crime, cost of living, the consequences of either being unemployed, underemployed, the challenges that our youth face relative to opportunities for education and employment entrepreneurship.”

For TCCP leader and West Bay South incumbent Andre Ebanks, it was about defending his track record.

“As I said to many of you in your homes, I have found my life’s purpose, which is to serve you, make your life better, make rules and have projects and initiatives to make Cayman stronger and fairer. The evidence of that I am, the evidence of that contained in the body of work that has already occurred.”

Making the pitch to continue as the MP with aspirations to be Premier, the former deputy premier and minister for financial services referred to his achievements at the international, country and community level. “Over 50 pieces of legislation in one term, where I had two ministries. At a district level, where there have been cleanups, direct support, back-to-school programs, a plethora of road improvements, drainage debris cleanups and constituency meetings.”

Asked for their top three priorities, TCCP leader Ebanks pointed to the cost of living, a core of immigration-related issues, and housing.

“We need to have a country that gets back to a community where all Caymanians are participating in and or benefiting from the success of the country,” he stated, making access to affordable housing for Caymanians a cornerstone of his re-election pitch.

“We therefore need to create with that vision a modern and inclusive Cayman and if we can adopt access to housing, which would then have Caymanians at all income levels have housing, either modular or social transitional housing.” He also listed “proper” immigration reform and reducing the cost of living by shifting the import tax from healthy food imports to the less healthy alternatives.

His challenger Sterling Ebanks highlighted education, improving the quality of life, and targeting the landfill, which he said is a primary concern that needs to be addressed.

Referring to attempts to cap the site, he proposed a radical solution: “Suspend all operations at the dump and find a suitable facility,” he said, suggesting a new location for the facility that will be owned and operated by the government.

“As we look at building the infrastructure going east…there must be properties up there that we can identify as a new facility for the dump. We’re talking about a modern waste management facility, one that is properly sealed and lined and owned by the government,” Mr Ebanks(IND) said, pointing to the potential for commercial recycling.

The discussion on education, health insurance, immigration, housing, issues related to employment, the turtle farm and the Barkers National Park had both incumbent and challenger putting forward contrasting and sometimes complementary ideas.

For the first time in this series of Candidates Forums, the issue of constitutional review was raised about term limits, recalls and the current single-member constituency system.

Ebanks (IND) - the challenger: “We’re a small population of roughly 25,000 voters. If we arbitrarily place term limits on either the Premier, Cabinet or other members of the House, are we denying the populace as the ultimate arbiters of who should be elected? The idea of recall should have been included in the last constitution, and it will be something that we would like to see immediately employed.”

Ebanks (TCCP) - the incumbent: “Now, this is a question where I would agree is valid and worthy of a referendum, but you’d have to start early in a term…There’s already a term limit for the Premier under the Constitution and for other members. The term limit is the election. Now the bugbear in the system that I think is on lots of voters’ minds as I canvass is whether or not the single-member constituency is fit for purpose - whether or not there needs to be a bicameral system where the country gets a say in who’s actually running and operating these ministries.”

The Chamber’s Candidates Forums continue.