Although many of Cayman’s electoral
districts already have ad-hoc advisory councils, legislators are looking to
create a more formal set of rules for those councils to operate under.
The district councils are mentioned
in the Cayman Islands 2009 Constitution, but the document largely leaves it up
to the government of the day to design and create those bodies and the rules
they operate under. The idea is to form a citizen’s advisory panel within each
voting district. Council members would provide advice and information to the
elected member or members of their respective districts on a number of topics
including finance, tourism, development, immigration, public works, education,
sports, culture – basically any matters that affect the district.
According to the Advisory District
Councils Bill, 2010, each district council would be “subject to the district of
the relevant (Legislative Assembly) member”.
Exactly how many district councils
exist will be determined based on how many electoral districts are formed in
the Cayman Islands. Right now, the country has six electoral districts: George
Town, Bodden Town, West Bay, North Side, East End and the Sister Islands
(comprising Cayman Brac and Little Cayman).
A recent study of the electoral
boundaries on Grand Cayman recommended the creation of a seventh, three-member
district in the Prospect area. There have also been proposals for the creation
of single-member voting districts.
Councils could increase
If the single-member district plan
is adopted there could be as many as 18 separate district councils.
Each appointed district council
member is to be chosen by the Governor in Cabinet. There can be no more than 10
people on each district council and membership must include a chairperson, a
vice chair, a secretary, and a treasurer. At least two members on the council
would have to be chosen by the country’s Opposition Leader.
“A member of the council shall be a
person who lives in the relevant electoral district and who, by reason of his
special qualifications, training, experience or knowledge of the district,
suitable for appointment to a council,” the bill reads.
Council members are to be appointed
for one-year terms and are eligible for reappointment.
District councils advise on
policies and will help development programmes to assist their respective
member’s duties. The councils may also establish information systems to assist
the members, and encourage support for various programmes and policies proposed
by the elected member.
“The…member shall consider the
advice given by a council and determine what to recommend to the relevant
[government] minister,” the bill states.
The councils are not given the
power to charge to the general revenue of the Cayman Islands government.
However, the bill would provide for certain specific funds to be paid for the
councils’ operation and also may provide for the payment of allowances to
members.
Lawmakers are expected to take up
the bill during the upcoming legislative session.
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