A petition aimed at forcing a change in Cayman Islands’ voting districts is being circulated.
Petitioners are hopeful the required number of signatures – in the neighbourhood of 4,000 Cayman Islands voters – can be collected in time to hold a public vote on or before 30 November. That time line means the May 2013 elections would be held with single-member districts already in place.
It’s hoped all signatures can be collected and presented to Cabinet by April.
The petition requires individuals to identify themselves by name, list their phone number, occupation and a method by which they can be identified – such as a drivers licence number or voter ID, anything with a picture identification.
The proposal to create single-member voting constituencies – more commonly known as ‘one man, one vote’ – has been heard and defeated in the Legislative Assembly after it was brought by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller last year.
On Wednesday, Mr. Miller and East End MLA Arden McLean formally launched a petition seeking to gain the required number of signatures that would force government to hold a referendum on the question.
“Through this petition, we are calling for the adoption by Cabinet of 18 single-member constituencies on all three beloved Isles,” Mr. Miller said. “We are aiming to get 5,000 signatures.”
Currently, all Cayman Islands voting districts – aside from East End and North Side – require voters to cast anywhere from two to four separate votes, depending on how many representatives they send to the assembly.
Mr. Miller and Mr. McLean argue this is unfair, because it allows some voters to cast multiple ballots, while their constituents may cast just one. They also believe the change will lead to greater accountability among elected officials.
“The people of George Town, who each have four representatives with a rather peculiar current arrangement, where each political party has two of the four representatives and each can duck and weave from their responsibilities,” Mr. Miller said. The new electoral boundaries that have been approved by Cabinet would place six MLA seats in George Town, four in West Bay, four in Bodden Town and two in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.
“[George Towners] would have six opportunities to vote, where the people in East End and North Side would just have one,” Mr. Miller said.
Mr. McLean said the proposal would eventually lead to better, more responsive governance.
“We have a responsibility to enlighten this country on the value of single-member constituency,” Mr. McLean said. “Every vote counts. Democracy does not flourish in the absence of equality and this is one component of that equality.”
Premier McKeeva Bush has previously said that he does not believe a large majority of the Cayman Islands populace supports single-member voting districts. Mr. Bush noted a similar petition begun in 2011 garnered fewer than 500 signatures.
“I’m not going to change what I know works for something that I don’t know and that will cost the government more money to implement and run,” Mr. Bush said last year. Mr. Miller said he believed implementing single-member voting districts by May 2013 would not become “overly burdensome”.
Each single-member voting district has already been identified in a 2010 Electoral Boundary Commission report and all voters in those areas identified to a specific area.
However, there is a difference of opinion as to whether the Cayman Islands Constitution Order, 2009, requires single-member districts to be formed. Mr. Miller believes it does. Mr. Bush and Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin believe it doesn’t.
“I believe Section 92 of the Constitution prohibits anyone from casting more than one vote,” Mr. Miller said.
“I don’t believe there’s a court anywhere that would interpret it that way,” Mr. McLaughlin said in an earlier interview.
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Interesting concept…Vote early and vote often Georgetown!
Where can the petition be found?
As a Caymanian, I am happy that the MLAs are seeking a referendum for one person, one vote. But I am not satisfied and do expect more from the MLAs. Since they are passionate about the people of Cayman, being represented fairly, they should also push for change in the way our politicians disregard their constituency for developers and well off Caymanains; hence, not really representing them. How do you fix such a problem? What should be done? What law or regulations should be in place? Such things should be at the forefront for a fair democracy to thrive in Cayman Islands. So this is good news, and put my name on the paper, but seriously, politics need to be put aside, and more emphasis on fighting the special interest in Cayman and their influence over our MLAs and laws made on their behalf.
I feel like we are at a disadvantage to well-off people like Dart (a private entity), who has somehow made alliance with government leaders who at relying on them to boost our economy. But this I feel, will end up selling us out.
Please Ezzard, please Arden, if you really care about your country… go all the way, dont stop here.
borncaymanian – the only reason why Arden and Ezzard will not go all the way, is because they know it is just to make them look good. Can we pray for a Uk intervention on what happens here? I think they could care less. The Governor has not spoken about the alliance with dart. There seems to be apathy and indifference, which is troubling.
If you want investment in Cayman, it’s no good – and actually rather stupid – whinging about alliance with Dart.
But then, who ever thought that most commentators online or in print have any idea what they are talking about? All very very depressing, and it doesn’t help the good ship Cayman sail onwards.