It was encouraging to read in this newspaper that the majority of our residents do not support Government censorship of the Press.

However, very few people actively participate in making information available to the local media or join in public debates. It still concerns me that having an opinion different from members of our political directorate should result in the individual holding a differing viewpoint being blackballed from jobs, boards or other meaningful positions.

There was talk around Town during the election that I would be called by the UDP, if they were elected, to assist the country with its social policies, and after they won I was invited to one post-Cabinet meeting to give a proposal on the topic. A further meeting was scheduled but when I arrived at the door of the Glasshouse I was told there was not to be a meeting and after some nine months of the UDP being in power and no further serious contacts with Minister Adams, I guess I can forget about contributing in any other way than I am now doing by writing to this newspaper.

By the time the UDP finishes its term it will be eight years since I have had any opportunity to officially influence social development strategies in our islands, and I will be sixty five years old. I suspect that even persons not understanding or even caring for my personality or opinions in some matters must ask themselves why, a former UDP minister of community affairs who holds a Ph. D and a fair knowledge of street culture, is not seen as someone to enlist in the fight to reform and rehabilitate our frighten and confused urban communities.

In fact I could understand why the PPM never called upon me for advice or assistance even when the situation of youth murders began to become culturally acceptable among a segment of our youth, but that the United Democratic Party would continue the same policy towards me makes me really wonder if what we say in this country is really regarded as or right or an offense against others.

I ran as an independent in the last elections and I had much to say about my former party as well as the PPM. I even had a song I wrote and QQ performed, which chanted ‘Dr. Frank cares, oh yes he cares’.  But perhaps it was the non flattering remarks I made about the now Premier, which sealed my fate and was my obituary. So as much as I am happy to read that the citizens of these Islands do not want government censorship of the media, I know that successive governments intimidate and censor us by threatening to withhold or withdraw social and economic opportunities from those speaking or writing opinions they do not like. 

With the social and economic challenges the good ship Cayman faces, one would think that all hands would, in one form or another, be called on the deck, but I have not even been offered a non paying position by the UDP government and this must have to do with more than punishment; this must mean that they also fear my political rehabilitation and rejuvenation. But I ask them to really think about their position towards me and to ask themselves why I was elected as a minister in 2001 by them if I have no attributes, which our country may benefit from.

The Minister of Community Services and Housing is a George Towner and he must see the way Premier Bush looks out for his constituents; employing many of them as we have recently seen with the appointment of Mr. Charles Glidden as his press secretary. Why has Mr. Adams, who has said to me on many occasions how much he respected by knowledge of our social issues, not followed up on his promises to involve me in some way in his social rehabilitation struggles. Is it because I am not perfect nor have even pretended to be, that makes men of a higher moral calling afraid that my frankness and perceptiveness will rub off on them.