Parliament of the Cayman Islands
Parliament of the Cayman Islands | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of the Cayman Islands | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 5 December 1831 |
| Leadership | |
Wayne Panton, Independent since 21 April 2021 | |
Leader of the Opposition | Roy McTaggart, People's Progressive Movement since 21 April 2021 |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 21 |
Political groups | Speaker (1)
Government (11)
Official Opposition (7)
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 |
|---|
| Administrative divisions |
| Foreign relations |
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The Parliament of the Cayman Islands is the unicameral legislature of the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands. It is composed of 21 members; 19 elected members for a four-year term and two members ex officio.[1]
The Governor may at any time, by Proclamation, prorogue or dissolve the Parliament. The Governor shall dissolve the Parliament at the expiration of four years from the date when the Parliament first meets after any general election unless it has been sooner dissolved. There shall be a general election at such time within two months after every dissolution of the Parliament as the Governor shall, by Proclamation, appoint. The first meeting of every session of the House shall, by Proclamation, be held on such day as the Governor shall appoint. A session usually consists of four meetings. A Meeting comprises several sittings.
In the elections of 8 November 2000, with a turnout of 80% only non-partisans were elected. After the election, conservative members of parliament formed the United Democratic Party. The conservative social democratic People's Progressive Movement formed in response and won the subsequent election.
History[]
The first meeting to discuss the possible legislative future of the Cayman Islands took place on 5 December 1831 at Pedro St. James Castle, a great house in the fertile area of Savannah on Grand Cayman. This building is the seat of parliamentary beginnings in the Cayman Islands.
By 1909 what got established as the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry was meeting in the Court House on the waterfront in what is now the headquarters of the Cayman Islands National Museum, in front of Hog Sty Bay and the cruise passenger arrival terminal. The building served as the seat of government, the court house and the legislature. Now it is the home of the Cayman Islands National Museum.
The present Parliament building was built on the site of the former Princess Royal Park. The building design was the subject of some controversy when selected as the winner of an international architectural competition. Being the first poured concrete public building in Cayman, modern techniques were not yet in use, so the concrete was mixed on the street and poured pail by pail by a bucket brigade. The cornerstone was laid by Captain Rayal Brazly Bodden, MBE, JP, on 29 September 1971. The building was completed in July 1972.[2]
By 2003, the legislature had outgrown the space and the building was in need of renovating. Repair and refurbishment work on the building began in February 2003, which added more space through reconfiguration, and renovated and refurbished portions of the interior, including the main chamber.
The newly refurbished and expanded building was inaugurated with the opening of the Legislature session on 2 July 2004, two months before Hurricane Ivan, which almost completely devastated Grand Cayman over a two-day period (11–12 September 2004). The LA building withstood the storm with minor damage to its roof.
Nineteen members (Members of the Parliament, MPs) are currently elected on a "one person, one vote" basis, following a Constitution Order in 2015.[1] This replaced the electoral system form the 2009 constitutional amendment (where 18 members were elected from five multi- and two single-member constituencies).[3] The two ex officio (appointed) members, the Deputy Governor and the Attorney-General, are appointed by the Governor of the Cayman Islands.
On 3 December 2020, the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands was renamed the Parliament of the Cayman Islands by the Cayman Islands Constitution (Amendment) Order 2020.[4]
Official Members[]
- Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE: Deputy Governor; First Official Member, Responsible for External Affairs
- Hon. Samuel W. Bulgin, JP, QC: Attorney General; Second Official Member, Responsible for Legal Affairs
Elected Members[]
| Party key | Independent | |
|---|---|---|
| People's Progressive Movement |
Speaker of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands[]
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. McKeeva Bush | Speaker of the Parliament | Elected Member for West Bay West | |
Cabinet Ministers[]
| Member | Roles | District
| |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. Gurney Wayne Panton | Premier of the Cayman Islands;
Minister for Sustainability and Climate Resiliency |
Elected Member for Newlands | |
| Hon. Christopher Saunders | Deputy Premier;
Minister for Finance, Economic Development and Labour |
Elected Member for Bodden Town West | |
| Hon. Juliana O'Connor-Connolly | Minister of Education, District Administration, Lands and Survey | Elected Member for Cayman Brac East | |
| Hon. Kenneth V. Bryan | Minister for Tourism and Transport | Elected Member for George Town Central | |
| Hon. Bernie Bush | Minister for Home Affairs, Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage | Elected Member for West Bay North | |
| Hon. Johanny Ebanks | Minister for Planning, Agriculture, Housing, and Infrastructure | Elected Member for North Side | |
| Hon. Andre Ebanks | Minister for Financial Services, Commerce, Investment, Innovation and Social Development | Elected Member for West Bay South | |
| Hon. Sabrina Turner | Minister for Health and Wellness | Elected Member for Prospect | |
Backbenchers[]
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks | Deputy Speaker of Parliament Parliamentary Secretary |
Elected Member for West Bay Central | |
| Mrs. Heather Dianne Bodden | Parliamentary Secretary | Elected Member for Savannah | |
| Mr. Isaac Rankine | Parliamentary Secretary | Elected Member for East End | |
Opposition[]
Official Opposition Members[]
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. Roy McTaggart | Leader of the Opposition | Elected Member for George Town East | |
| Hon. Joseph Hew | Deputy Leader of the Opposition | Elected Member for George Town North | |
| Hon. Alden McLaughlin | Elected Member for Red Bay | ||
| Mr. Moses Kirkconnell | Elected Member for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac West | ||
| Mr. David Wight | Elected Member for George Town West | ||
| Ms. Barbara Connolly | Elected Member for George Town South | ||
| Mr. Dwayne Seymour | Elected Member for Bodden Town East | ||
Results[]
2021 Cayman Islands general election
See also[]
- List of Speakers of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b The Nineteen Single Member Electoral Districts Boundaries Order, 2015
- ^ National Trust Cayman Islands – An Historical Walking Tour - Central George Town
- ^ The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009
- ^ "Law to establish Cayman Parliament takes effect a day before sitting". Loop Cayman. 23 November 2020. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
External links[]
| show National legislative bodies of the Americas |
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| show Authority control  |
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- Government of the Cayman Islands
- Unicameral legislatures
- Legislatures of British Overseas Territories