Speaking at the South Sound Community Centre on Saturday (January 19, 2019) at a Town Hall Meeting visualizing the future of Grand Cayman in 2020, the Leader of Opposition the Hon. Ezzard Miller pointed to a failure in the democratic process as one of the root causes of the growing menace of corruption.

When “people begin to operate behind closed doors, without due consultation and open sharing of information, we risk corruption,” Mr. Miller said in a brief address. “Unfortunately, we see a lot of this playing out in the Cayman Islands today.”

The discussion forum was organized by members of the Cruise Port Referendum campaign.

“I congratulate all the organisers for putting this meeting together to give us all an opportunity to engage in the two-way flow of information that I envisage will take place this afternoon,” the Leader of the Opposition told the gathering, adding: “Democracy in its truest sense is absolutely dependent on this dynamic two-way flow of vital information.”

Mr. Miller said that “this type of sharing has become an increasingly rare practice among those whose duty it is to initiate this type of engagement—critical even if it may involve some discomfort.”

Quoting a world leader, the Leader of the Opposition continued: “When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions”, and added: “The flip side of that open exchange is a failure to share power”—ultimately risking corruption, he said.

It was therefore important, he said, that “each and every one of us to do what we are doing this afternoon—stepping forward, standing up and speaking out.”

SOURCE: Radio Cayman