It is most disappointing to have to report that a last minute challenge to the election of Minister Tara Rivers has been filed in the Grand Court by Mr. Gordon Hewitt, husband of Mrs. Velma Hewitt, a candidate in the recent elections in West Bay.

I can only wonder at the timing and the reason behind it.

In the many weeks leading up to the May elections it was known Tara Rivers was a candidate. It was known M/s Rivers was born in the USA. It was known she had been studying law in London, England with law firm Allen and Overy between October 2006 and May 2009.

Why wasn’t the challenge on M/s Rivers’ eligibility made before the elections?

Why has the petition been made one day before the cut off day for election challenges to be executed?

Why?

The utter preposterous claim made in the petition that Velma Powery-Hewitt, the United Democratic Party (UDP) candidate who came in fifth in the West Bay district poll be elected in Rivers place makes me believe someone else, other than Powery-Hewitt’s husband is behind it. The petition was filed by attorney Steve McField, on behalf of John Gordon Hewitt.

Attorney McField has been acting for ex-premier McKeeva Bush.

McKeeva Bush is leader of the UDP and Powery-Hewitt is the first West Bay UDP candidate not to be elected on the tailcoats of Bush in any of the last elections.

That she can assume all of Rivers votes would have ended up by her name is believing Santa Claus is real.

Just to let M/s Powery-Hewitt know, and even though I do not live in West Bay, there is much anger at this petition with all of it aimed squarely at her.

If by some surprising legality (and I admit there are many surprising decisions) Rivers is disqualified, and there is a by-election called, it will be a one person, one vote. Powery-Hewitt must be living in cloud cuckoo land if she also believes she will get any of Rivers’ votes.

I have to agree 100% with Premier Alden McLaughlin who said in his statement on the challenge to Minister Tara Rivers:

“It is disappointing and unfortunate that such a challenge is being made at this late stage.  These are difficult times for the Cayman Islands and the new government needs to be able to settle in and begin to tackle the many pressing problems it faces without the distraction and uncertainty created by this petition.  This issue must therefore be resolved expeditiously.”