End reign of HSA chair says PDA candidate

Berna Thompson Cummins addresses the audience
in Palm Dale on April 30. Mr Blair is at left.


Gary Rankin, (left) listens keenly to leader of the PDA,
Linford Pierson

Wednesday,  May 4, 2005

The People’s Democratic Alliance’s, (PDA) campaign trail took the group of four independents to Palm Dale, George Town on Saturday (30 April).

“The shift system has got to stop,” said Berna Thompson Cummins who has been heralded as the next Minister of Education by her PDA Piers.

“There are a lot of issues with education. Children are spending one extra year in school, that is, they are now leaving school at seventeen years old, and not at sixteen as in former years, and they still can’t compete at the next level.”

Ms Cummins, like her PDA peers, addressed an enthusiastic audience. Continuing with education Ms Cummins also said it was a popular as well as important issue. “An educated society is a peaceful society. We must start at the elementary stage of education. After-school programmes for homework are essential because sometimes parents are not able to assist children with homework and with the learning that must take place in doing those assignments.

“With the shift system we don’t know what children are doing in the hours they are not at school and while parents are still at work. The PDA has a focus on job-earning skills because we are tired of hearing that our children are not qualified for the work environment.”

She also spoke about health and said that it was important to have a good leader in anything we do.

“The current chairman of the Health Services Authority is not qualified in the field of medicine or management, “ said Ms Cummins. “He himself does not have a good track record with respect to the latter. He is not qualified to run the hospital. So many things in the health services are not right.”

Herro Steve Blair also focused on education and the youth. “There is a grave crisis with education,” he said.

Explaining that it is usually those who fall through the cracks in the early days of their education who he normally found in prison here in the Cayman Islands he added: “If we are spending so many millions to lock down our people in prisons when that system is not helping them, then we can redirect a couple million to educate our children.

“I am passionate about not sending our people to prison. Every election we hear about vocational training to deal with those who are not academically capable to go through the system. If the right things were in place I believe many would not be there.

“Since Hurricane Ivan they spend half day at school and the other half doing what? When we talk and talk and don’t do anything then more fall through the cracks. Tourists will not come here if crime escalates,” Mr Blair warned.

Mr Blair emphasised the importance of honesty and integrity in leadership. “We can’t have leaders who are not accountable. Our young people have lost confidence in (national) systems.”

Like Mr Blair, Mr Rankin also spoke about the future for the children and said it was one of his reasons for running in the upcoming general elections. “I have a family and that’s why I have put myself in the forefront, because there is an absence of leaders for the young ones. We have to get children back into school and get them to stay there.”

He also spoke about the problems with housing and said it had been poorly dealt with. “Now, eight months after the hurricane some people are still not dried out and are still living without electricity. The members of the PDA have shown that we do things quickly and efficiently and once elected, housing will not be forgotten.”

The leader of the PDA Linford Pierson spoke about leadership and the need to work together. “Regardless of which side of the fence we stand on politically, we should work together in the interest of the country,” said Mr Pierson.

“A politician doesn’t have a private life. His or her life has to be an open book. The lives we (PDA members) live are upright lives. If you call people names, how do you live and work with them after 11 May? 

“We are simply saying to you what we have to offer. I have some thirty-two years of recorded service. I have not come this far to let you down now.” 

Mr Rankin is well educated, still retains old-style manners in all he does and runs a very successful business. Mr Blair has not only been acclaimed by all Cayman by receiving the Young Caymanian Leadership Award but has fostered children in his own home and is an upstanding, moral man. 

Ms Berna was instrumental in forming the Women’s Resource Centre and has been a leader and community worker all her life.”

Detailing a shopping list of issues to be addressed by the PDA Mr Pierson talked about homes, insurance premiums, diversification of the economy and the importance of e-business and e-commerce. Encouraging the audience to vote for the proven record of the PDA Mr Pierson said: “Don’t let them sell you on voting just because you fear losing your seamen’s benefit.”

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