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(CNS): Tourism Minister Kenneth Bryan MP (GTC) was introduced by his former Cabinet colleague, Chris Saunders MP (BTW), on Thursday evening at what turned out to be a self-congratulatory mid-term political rally that was very short on policy announcements. Bryan spoke for over an hour, recapping what he said were his achievements over the last two years, taking credit for the growing visitor numbers and surplus fees collected from tourists.
But the political public meeting on the George Town waterfront opened with Saunders, the former deputy premier who was fired by Premier Wayne Panton because of allegations that he had harassed and bullyied staff at his ministry. Saunders said that politics is not for the faint of heart, as he praised Bryan’s work as tourism minister.
Saunders, who was labour minister before he left the PACT front bench, also lauded Bryan for supporting him when he froze thousands of work permit applications ahead of the border reopening to help get local people back into work before imported labour. Saunders said the current low unemployment rate among local workers of 3.6% was due to the decision he and Bryan made.
As Bryan came to the stand, the two men hugged for several moments, sending a message about their continued support for each other. Acknowledging that people may be surprised to see Saunders at his meeting, Bryan said his introduction showed that “regardless of circumstances, we believe in the principles of mutual respect and we recognise no matter where in parliament we sit, we both have jobs to do, and I am happy we can be so mature and show the discipline to the young people that we love and respect each other”.
However, Bryan made no comment about the allegations made against Saunders by government workers, including accusations of sexual harassment, as he stressed his friendship with the ex-minister.
The minister soon moved on to what he claimed as his achievements over the last two years and everything that has happened since he and his colleagues took office, from the rollout of free school meals for all government students to the continued surplus from tourism fees.
Bryan said he had not been deterred by criticisms about him taking on tourism and people saying that he wasn’t capable of doing the job and was “a loose canon”. He said he had got on with the job and had got the borders open.
“Because they expected me to fail, I worked even harder every day,” he told his constituents after listing the accolades he has gained since becoming a minister, including the Caribbean Tourism Minister of the Year award.
Bryan said that things were progressing on the new waterfront tourism training and attraction facility on land that the government purchased last year. He also unveiled the architect’s ambitious conception plans for Scranton Park in the heart of his constituency.
Although the meeting was billed as an update at the mid-way point of this administration, especially on the status of the government’s referendum on gambling and ganja, there were few notable announcements. Most of the ministers and backbench government MPs reviewed claimed accomplishments.
Premier Wayne Panton urged the audience to tune in or attend parliament next week when he will deliver the PACT’s strategic policy statement outlining their plans for the next two years.
See the full meeting on Cayman Life TV below:
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