AdversitiesCreate New Opportunities

Dear Sir:

I note with interest that your paper hasbeen making a remarkable effort at presenting news and commentaryof some of the important issues facing the Cayman Islands.

This can only serve to raise the level of debate among the people,thereby helping them to understand the global trends that willaffect their everyday lives. I commend your efforts at being informativeand balanced.

I am merely an observer to these islands, but I would like tooffer some comment from my observations here.

I am fascinated by the political process that is being playedout, in anticipation of elections on November 8. Day after day,the papers carry new releases of newly declared candidates, anindication that there are many persons here interested in politicalrepresentation and public service for varying reasons.

The proliferation of these candidates for, in some cases, a fewseats, could well be taken as a sign of the existence of a vigorouspolitical process.

Yet when one looks at the level of public discourse on issuesthat will affect Cayman's future - the UK White Paper, the pushfor action on "harmful tax practices" by the OECD andG-7 countries, the threat to competitiveness in business and e-commercegiven existing telecommunications service and costs from companiessuch as Cable and Wireless - it becomes clear that these seriousissues have not sufficiently been part of the cut and thrust ofpolitical debate.

Public education on these issues seems to be rather low-keyed,although there are some candidates now making a last ditch effortto engage their constituents in debates about these issues.
Aspiring politicians should be leading the charge for debate onthese issues and demanding from the government timely answers,on behalf of those they seek to represent.

It is clear that representation now and in the future requiresa different kind a pact with voters - one that does not make promisesof what will be done once they are into office, and one that doesnot assume that the answers only lie with select persons, butrather, one that recognizes their input in determining the islands'future directions.

Citizens need to understand, that, left to themselves, these issueswill not disappear, and that the right questions and the rightinformation, can help them better prepare for future challenges.
Perhaps as the political race heats up, those who will emergeas frontrunners will be those who are bold and willing to engagethe people in straight talk about where they are headed.

Cherise Montgomery