The Editor Speaks: Not a time for rejoicing. A time for healing

Christmas is a time for rejoicing and if we are rejoicing at the birthday of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago then so be it.

However, here in the Cayman Islands I saw much celebration, waving and rejoicing after the passing of a vote of no confidence in the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) government.

Why should we rejoice at that?

Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Alden McLaughlin, who brought the motion of No Confidence, was at pains to say this was an historic but a sad day for the whole of the Cayman Islands.

Most leaders of governments take the honourable way out when they know his/her party members feel it is better for the country to have a new leader, by resigning. It is dignified and is applauded. The leader has ultimately made the decision. The government can elect a new leader quickly and it is business as usual.

I am, therefore, at a loss, why Premier Hon. McKeeva Bush, did not opt to do this. Why he chose to force a vote of no confidence in the government to be acted out in the Legislative Assembly has made an already bad situation for the country even worse.

Incredibly, Mr. Bush had the support of three other UDP colleagues, whom we know had actually supported a resolution the UDP caucus had made in Mr. Bush’s absence, to ask for his resignation.

What made them change their view is unknown at this time. The big surprise was the well respected and very able, Mike Adam, switching to the Bush camp. He has most certainly committed political suicide. Mr. Adam was one of the UDP politicians my wife and Publisher of iNews Cayman, Joan Wilson, had reached out and personally begged him to demand Mr. Bush’s resignation for the sake of her country. The Cayman Islands she loves so much.

Ellio Solomon has time to bounce back but it is unlikely it will be soon. He has to learn to think more with his head, show some humility and recognize he is not always right. Listening to his ravings over the past eighteen months have come across as arrogance and his refusal to listen to anyone with an opposing view has turned him into an angry beast. What a shame. I had high hopes for the young man.

With the whole world watching and reporting the dramatic events roll out on Tuesday afternoon one could have cut the tension in the Legislative Assembly with a knife.

It was tragic and so unnecessary.

Now we have a new premier, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, JP, who is also Minister of Finance, District Administration, Works, Lands and Agriculture. I wish her the very best and it is an arduous task she has before her. The other cabinet ministers are, Rolston Malachi Anglin, JP: Deputy Premier and Minister of Education, Financial Services and Employment, Dwayne Stanley Seymour: Ministry of Community Affairs, Gender and Housing, Jason Mark Philips Scotland, JP: Minister of Health, Environment, Youth, Sports and Culture, and Cline Astor Glidden, Jr, JP: Minister of Tourism and Development.

Bush even had suggested to the Governor he dissolve the Assembly but the Governor, “after careful consideration” decided not to do that and confirmed O’Connor-Connolly as Premier and has confirmed his assent to her appointments.

It is going to be a very difficult job for the new minority government to enact any new legislation and it remains to be seen how much support the new premier will get from Bush and his 3-man team, if any. Judging by their performance yesterday it does not bode well.

We have five months to get through before the General Election. Let us use these months wisely for the benefit of the CAYMAN ISLANDS and its people and hope that time heals our bleeding wounds.

 PUBLISHER’S PS: “Woman gonna rule dis country in the 21^st century”