Defeat came as shock for UDP

Billy Reid, UDP Chairman

Monday, May 23,  2005

As the seats toppled from under key party figures in the Bodden Town and George Town districts on 11 May the United Democratic Party (UDP) began to realise the defeat that would count them solidly out of the bidding to hold the reins of Government in the Cayman Islands for another four years.

“We certainly didn’t see this before the elections. We were definitely taken by surprise,” said the Party’s Chairman, Billy Reid. “We didn’t expect defeat. It would be fair comment to say that the loss came as a shock to us,” Mr Reid added.

Speaking about his party Mr Reid said that they felt they were marching to the polls with a leader they considered a man of action and ‘money in the bank’, even in the face of spending in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan.
“We felt we had done a lot of fine things, but obviously the people thought differently,” said Mr Reid.

“We now see where we went wrong. One of our weaknesses was that we had candidates that had been elected many times but had lost touch with their constituents. Politics is about keeping in touch with people. I would say that those candidates have seen their best days. They have been around a long time.” Mr Reid added. While admitting that the party had not yet met with all the candidates that had contested the elections, Mr Reid said that they would not necessarily be looking in the direction of people who lost their seats to build back the party in the future.

“These people will need to reinvent themselves,” said Mr Reid.

“We are also going after new younger candidates. Mr McKeeva Bush being in politics for a long time is a solid candidate. He never lost touch with his people. Very few people have the enormous energy that Mr Bush has. He had his many Ministerial duties yet he found time to keep in touch.

“A man of action will always get the backs of some people up. In that process (of leadership) you will ruffle feathers. But you cannot please everyone nor should you try to please everyone. One that tries to be all things to all people may succeed in the beginning but will fail in the end,” Mr Reid said.

Looking at what lies ahead for the Party Mr Reid said: “We have begun to fight back. We see where we went wrong and we are fighting back.

“There is a Bi-election in eighteen months and we are starting to work from now for two seats in George Town, based on the fact that the new constitution will call for two more Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLA’s) in that district. As well, there will be two more Ministries, the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“We will be contesting that vigorously and with a win at that time we will have seven instead of five seats in the Legislative Assembly. Of course, the incumbents will still hold the majority in the Assembly. But it will be the start for the general elections only some 24 months after that.”

Mr Reid praised some of the party candidates that fought and lost for the first time but added the party wanted more young people to fight the next election. “Mark (Scotland) is a fine young and energetic man,” he said. “He made a good showing in these elections and in four years he will have a seat in the Assembly. He has already started to work. He started right after the elections.

“We shall be seeking to recruit five new, bright, young candidates. I believe these elections have shown that there is very little place for independent candidates in the future. None of the (truly) independent candidates were successful and that tells that the Party system is here to stay. I know that Moses Kirkconnell won a seat, but he was said to have an alignment to a Party.”

Asked about the possibility of recruiting some of the independent candidates who contested the recent elections and who, though they were unsuccessful, have been mentioned in varying circles as good candidates in the future, Mr Reid said, “I wouldn’t say at this stage. It is too early for that. Probably those candidates have realised that if they were aligned to a Party they would have stood a better chance.”

Mr Reid, continuing to comment on the Party’s showing for the future said, “Ms Alex Johnson in North Side is a good candidate and also might have a future. But we don’t know what she is doing yet. We will see what evolves as time passes.”

He added that Julianna O’Connor Connolly had been consistently the first elected in the Sister Islands and her performance was just like Mr Bush’s. “Solid. She never lost touch with her people.” he said. “She will now be looking for someone to join her. We are confident that the two party system is now more entrenched and I think everyone realises that a solid Opposition is essential in keeping the government on its toes.

“Many in the past spoke about polarization that was wrought through the two party system but I don’t see it that way. I think the two Party System is needed and does well for democracy.”

Unsuccessful UDP George Town candidate, Beulah McField, also said that her defeat at the polls came as a surprise.

“I was dazed,” said Ms McField. “All I kept saying to myself was that my supporters must have had a shock. From all the indications my prospects looked good. I did not expect the results. It took all of Thursday, the day following the elections, to gather myself.

“However, from the whole experience I have come away more convinced that I love democracy. I am still thankful at the end of it all. I did well as a first-timer.”

Ms McField, an ordained Evangelist who managed to escape much of the criticisms meted out said, “now, I will continue my work in the Ministry. Losing the elections will not change who I am in the community. I will continue to lead my life as close to normal as possible and continue community service.”

Asked to comment on the loss at the UDP Party level, Ms McField said, “If anything defeated us it was our party itself that did it. Even the newly incumbent government will realise that it is difficult to be a Minister and a party man at the same time.

“For instance Dr Frank McField. He took being a Minister of Government very seriously. He was in charge of some major projects and while having to execute them he got disconnected from the people and the party.

“Being a Minister is tough. Moreover, historically, the electorate in the Cayman Islands has not been kind to Ministers. If the party is to go on you have to put time into building relationships with the people.”

Cline Glidden, a member of the Party’s victorious West Bay team said, “There is a lot of work to be done. “However, I am happy to have seen the maturing of politics as a whole. The bar has been set higher and we can now see the actualising of what we have tried to tell others all along, that getting involved with a party is a route to being involved with decision-making. The PPM had the advantage of time to build on the Party after that stigma had disappeared. We had no time to build or identify candidates.”

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