Although the Progressives-led government has said it will not hold a referendum on the issue, some changes to the Cayman Islands 2009 Constitution Order likely will be made in the coming months, if lawmakers can agree on them.
Premier Alden McLaughlin said Wednesday that he expects to receive a report by the end of this month from the islands’ Constitutional Commission that proposes some 40 changes to the governing document, which underwent a major overhaul following a May 2009 referendum.
Mr. McLaughlin said the proposed changes do not appear to be “controversial or substantial” and could probably be approved by a simple majority vote by legislators.
He did not specify the proposed changes, but indicated the commission’s report would be released after Cabinet received it.
“[The] changes can be effected quite swiftly and easily without the need for a referendum,” he said. “This government will not initiate a referendum on constitutional change during this term. We know how much effort it takes.”
The premier’s comments followed the introduction of a private members motion by North Side MLA Ezzard Miller proposing a referendum on constitutional change in November 2015.
Mr. Miller suggested areas where constitutional amendments might be discussed by an LA select committee with an eye toward completing the review process well before the May 2017 election. “Every other time we’ve tried to amend the constitution, it always gets caught up in the electioneering process,” he said.
Following the premier’s statement, Mr. Miller agreed to withdraw his motion and indicated he hoped the constitution changes could be agreed by government.
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