A move to legalise organ donation in the Cayman Islands is likely to be debated in the Legislative Assembly this week as politicians meet for the last time before parliament is dissolved in preparation for the general election.
Discussions to finalise an agenda for the assembly, which opens Wednesday, were still ongoing Tuesday afternoon, with only a handful of bills confirmed at press time.
The minority government had previously agreed to consult the opposition and independent MLAs on what bills could be brought before the assembly in an effort to form a functioning government following the ouster of former Premier McKeeva Bush. Mr. Bush, who is still leader of the United Democratic Party, was meeting Tuesday with Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Deputy Premier Rolston Anglin, opposition leader Alden McLaughlin and independent MLA Arden McLean to agree upon the agenda.
A new mental health bill, a move to provide legal protection for stingrays and a bill to provide the legal framework for an organ donation system are among the legislation already approved for discussion.
Health Minister Mark Scotland said the Human Tissue and Transplant Bill would be a significant step forward for Cayman.
He said: “The legislation will allow for an organ donation scheme to be established in Cayman which we know will be of great benefit for all residents here in the event that transplants are needed to save someone’s life.”
New legislation governing care of mental health patients will also be introduced. The bill was drafted against the backdrop of a stinging rebuke from the complaints commissioner over the government’s failure to implement a series of recommendations to improve care and facilities for the mentally ill.
Minister Scotland, speaking during a Cabinet media briefing last week, said the new bill would seek to establish a Mental Health Commission to submit regular reports on the needs and performance of the system.
He added: “The legislation we have now is well over 15 years old, very out of date. It doesn’t provide any adequate safeguards for detaining patients, neither does it reflect advances that have been made in treatment and the care of psychiatric patients and the mentally ill.
“The new bill is meant to address many of the weaknesses in the system. It helps to identify some of the mental health services that are necessary and also ensure that care provided to our patients is patient centred and protects their rights.”
Mr. Scotland, who is also the environment minister, will table amendments to the Marine Conservation Law to designate stingrays, eagle rays and all other kinds of rays as protected species. The law would make it illegal to take rays from Cayman’s waters. That legislation also allows for the dissolution of the existing Marine Conservation Board and the appointment of a new board. The new board’s members will sit for a three-year term. Under the existing law, members can sit for an indefinite period of time, at the pleasure of the governor.
Minor amendments to the National Cultural Foundation Law as well as the Health Practice Law will also be discussed.
Premier O’Connor-Connolly had previously said that there would have to be a consensus between the ruling party and opposition members and independents before any bills could be brought to the assembly.
Following the formation of the minority government, she told reporters that the opposition and independents had agreed the House would always have a quorum of members and “we in turn have given an undertaking that all bills or government business will be consulted with them prior to bringing them to the Legislative Assembly”.
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