VOTE...WISELY

By Editorial Team

April 30th 2025 presents an opportunity for Cayman to cement its place as a major player on the global stage rooted firmly in an equal focus on the local issues that matter.

We contend that this ‘crossroads’ election presents the Cayman Islands with an opportunity quite unlike any other election in recent history.

And that is why we implore every one of the record 25,643 registered voters to make their vote count on Election Day, next Wednesday April 30th.

It’s time now for the reflection before the election. The fate of the 58 candidates (three political parties and 23 independents) - and the very future of Cayman - quite literally lies in your hands.

As stated in a previous editorial, most of the issues confronting Cayman have been highlighted in the campaign. Among these is the late trending projection that the incoming government will inherit a massive projected budget deficit.

Beyond the finger-pointing of who might be responsible, what’s more important is how the next government will address that projection (that’s what it is) before it materialises into a potentially crippling reality.

We’ve heard the lamentations about immigration control (or the insufficiency of it and how because many Caymanians feel like second-class citizens in their own country). This is a challenge for the incoming government to tackle tactfully.

We’ve heard again the expressions of concern about shortcomings in the education system not adequately preparing Caymanians to rise to the opportunities within the global economy that Cayman has developed locally.

We’ve heard the concerns about the cost of living, access to homeownership, affordable health coverage, traffic control, the state of the pension fund, quality of life for our seniors, opportunities and guidance for the youth, rising crime, protecting our pristine but vulnerable environment, to list a few.

And we maintain that there could have been a more rigorous discussion of the referendum ‘yes/no’ questions of the cruise pier, cannabis decriminalisation and gambling legalisation.

Tackling these issues now and charting the course for the future - and securing the foundation for future generations - is the task facing the next government.

These are first-world challenges for a first-world economy that is the Cayman Islands, and now more than ever it demands a first-class government.

The global issues that impact Cayman have themselves intensified, especially recently. And while our input in matters of international relations lies for the most part in the hands of the United Kingdom, Cayman does have a voice and considerable leverage.

If there’s any doubt about Cayman’s place in this rapidly changing world and the current state of global affairs, this jurisdiction has been listed as one of the top five countries holding United States government bonds. The top four in order are Japan, China, the United Kingdom and Luxembourg.

Getting the best government in place to secure Cayman’s place as a global player with a strong local foundation, is the task of our voters - all 25,643 of us.

The Caymanian Times urges high voter participation in the election to form the next government. We strongly appeal to all registered voters (barring illness or other ‘circumstances beyond your control’) to cast your ballot…and equally importantly, cast it wisely.