JEWEL HYDES: ‘RECLAIMING OUR FUTURE TOGETHER’

By Staff Writer

Jewel Hydes brings a passion to national politics with the degree of sincerity and commitment that she has demonstrated to the West Bay Central district where she grew up.

Campaigning on the theme Reclaiming Our Future Together, her many years of involvement in community development through group efforts and her individual efforts supporting others have made the transition to the national stage a natural progression.

In an election edition of Cayman Conversations with Ralph Lewis - editor of Caymanian Times newspaper, Ms Hydes outlined the main issues which convinced her to throw her hat into the ring.

“The cost of living, unemployment, housing, speeding and crime. As I do my canvassing, these are the main issues that come up on a regular basis, not only through West Bay but throughout the entire Cayman Islands.”

Addressing the unemployment issue, Ms Hydes who is running as an independent, explained that a main concern for her is ensuring returning graduates find roles in the Cayman economy when they have completed their studies.

Having heard firsthand the frustration of returning graduates, she said she intends to push to redress the situation, especially considering the huge amounts the government spends on scholarships.

“I would implement a policy that allows the government to work with both the private and public sector in order to ensure that our Caymanian students returning from abroad have first access to the jobs that are available.”

On the cost of living, the West Bay Central candidate made a direct challenge to the incumbent Katherine Ebanks-Wilks for failing to take steps to bring relief from the rising prices.

“From the time the government was formed in 2021, our CPI(consumer price index) has been rising every year. This is a subject that Katherine Ebanks-Wilks said she would tackle. However, the costs have been going up since 2021, and people are hurting.”

According to Ms Hydes who is the only candidate challenging the incumbent, a vital first step towards lowering the cost of living is to tackle the utility prices through a moratorium on the fuel duty.

“It’s by working with the government and speaking to CUC (Cayman Islands Utilities Company) and working out an agreement where we take a break - a moratorium - on charging duties on fuel that is imported.”

That will allow our citizens to see at least a four per cent decrease in their utility bills,” she estimates.

She also proposes reviewing the import list of essential items to consider including fruits and vegetables. According to Ms Hydes, while there is a focus on promoting healthy eating, their high cost makes them unaffordable for many people.

“That will allow a cost-saving at the supermarket for individuals because fruits and vegetables can be very expensive and we should be encouraging others to live a healthy lifestyle to avoid things like diabetes and so forth.”

As a champion for protecting the environment, the West Bay Central independent candidate proposes a ‘beach plan’ to protect the beaches while ensuring they provide enjoyment for both residents and tourists.

Regarding the environmental aspect, she stated: “There are different views of what is causing the beach erosion. But we have to address this quickly. One way is to meet with all of the stakeholders of the beach; all of the hotel owners. We have to work with them. Because their asset is located on the beach I think they should be the ones paying to have the beach erosion address.

Ms Hydes also favours stricter set-backs and regulations to prevent any further beach erosion in the future.

Regarding leisure activities on the beaches, she will push to ensure that vendors are licensed, reinstate security patrolling and lifeguards, and clamp down on littering.

Asked about her decision to enter politics as an independent, the West Bay Central candidate explained: “When you join parties you have to stay in line with what they support even if sometimes you might not agree with the way they are going.  So I decided to run as an independent as my focus is my Caymanian People and their needs.”

Ms Hydes who is campaigning on the theme Reclaiming Our Future Together, said if the constituents in the district give her the honor of representing them, in collaboration with them she will determine who she  will form an alliance with.

She is the only challenger to first-time incumbent Katherine Ebanks-Wilks.