Up Front

The Champions!

Election 2000 winnersinclude six newcomers to the House; two longest-serving membersdefeated.

Kurt Tibbets George Town	Alden McLaughlin George Town	Frank McField George Town
Linford Pierson* George Town	V. Arden McLean East End	McKeeva Bush West Bay
Rolston Anglin West Bay	Cpt. Eugene Ebanks West Bay	Cline "CG" Glidden West Bay
Edna Moyle North Side	Julianna O'Connor-Connolly Cayman Brac & Little Cayman	Lyndon Martin Cayman Brac & Little Cayman
Gilbert McLean Bodden Town	Roy Bodden Bodden Town	Anthony Eden Bodden Town

In General Elections held 8th November,that recorded a voter turnout of almost 83 percent, electors inthe Cayman Islands have voted in a brand new government to administerthe country's affairs for the next four years.

The elections, contested by a record 57 candidates, ended an eight-year,two-terms rule of the National Team Government, which swept tooffice in a landslide victory in 1992.

The new slate of candidates includes six newcomers to the LegislativeAssembly, three who have previously served on Executive Council(ExCo) and and nine who have served in the House for two or threeterms.

In a stunning victory in East End, Arden McLean defeated 'Fatherof the House, John McLean, who represented the district for 24years.

"We did it. We have removed the incumbent of 24 years,"a jubilant Arden McLean told his supporters on being declaredwinner of the seat. "Now there is much to be done, to bringthe people of East End and the country together."

Also swept out of office, is the former Leader of Government Business,Truman Bodden, who was a fixture in Executive Council for overtwo decades.

In North Side, Edna Moyle has been elected as Member of the LegislativeAssembly for the third consecutive term. She defeated her perennialopponent Ezzard Miller, who served for two terms, beginning in1984. He became an ExCo member for his second term, 1988-1992.

"This is fantastic. The people have once again put theirconfidence in me to represent them for the next four years,"Mrs. Moyle said, adding that she would represent the entire district,not just those who voted for her.

In Bodden Town, the partnership of Gilbert McLean and Roy Boddenemerged yet again as clear winners over the National Team's AnthonyEden, a Government bench member who will now be relegated to thenon-government side. He won narrowly over another perennial, MaryLawrence who posed a strong challenge to the end. Heather Bodden,who first won in a by-election in the mid 90s and then triumphedwith a clear victory in 1996, was also voted out.

The district of Cayman Brac and Little Cayman saw the return ofanother recent ExCo member, Julianna O'Connor-Connolly. Amongthe other five candidates, Lyndon Martin proved the 'dark horse',upsetting Audley Scott who seemed favoured to win the seat.
As Cayman Net News went to press, results came in that veteranpolitician McKeeva Bush and his "Better Balance Team"of newcomers Rolston Anglin, Cline "CG" Glidden andCaptain Eugene Ebanks took all four seats in West Bay, an astoundingfeat considering the cluttered field of 22 candidates who viedto represent the district. From the outset they set the pace,and none of the other candidates ever seriously threatened theirlead.

"To have my whole team in, is very gratifying, to say theleast," Mr. Bush said. "They are quite capable; theyhave the ability, sincerity and professionalism and can make acontribution."

He noted that "the people have spoken, that they want certainchanges" and that it is now time for "nation-buildingfrom the grass roots up."

"I look forward to building the country with a national governmentand working with the other members," Mr. Bush added.

Rejected by the voters in West Bay were Mr. Bush's former NationalTeam colleagues and ExCo member, Thomas Jefferson and MLA JohnJefferson, Jr.

In the Cayman Islands' capital of George Town, incumbent KurtTibbetts emerged in this his third race with a clear mandate,topping the polls with over 80 percent of the votes counted upto press time. His running mate, first time candidate Alden McLaughlin,was holding a strong second position with 60 percent of the votecounted, while Dr. Frank McField was in third position with 50percent.

The race for the fourth seat in George Town was being keenly contestedby newcomer Lucille Seymour and another veteran politician andformer ExCo member, Linford Pierson.

Now that the ballot boxes have been tallied, the negotiationsamong the winners have no doubt begun, to decide who among themwill become the five Ministers of the Executive Council.

The results indicate that a new order of governance will be usheredin.

* Based on results up to press time

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