New bill aims to give legislature administrative independence

A new bill seeking to give the Legislative Assembly independence to manage its own administrative and financial affairs will be debated at the next sitting.

From an administrative standpoint, the legislature currently is controlled by the Governor’s Office, and that responsibility has been devolved to the deputy governor. The proposed legislation seeks to remove that responsibility.

The Legislative Assembly Management Bill provides for the independent management of the assembly’s administrative functions and is being sponsored by the Portfolio for the Civil Service.

Last November, Premier Alden McLaughlin told the Cayman Compass that the bill would complement the UK’s proposed constitutional changes. The UK has not yet formalised those changes.

Contained in the package of proposed constitutional changes was the renaming of the Legislative Assembly to the Parliament of the Cayman Islands, which the premier said will give the legislature the “respected position it deserves”.

He said the intention is to publish a bill which will finally make the legislature independent of the executive.

Under the legislation, a Legislative Assembly Management Commission would be established, with the speaker of the house as chairperson and the clerk of the house as secretary and chief officer.

The commission would be responsible for the administration and management of the Legislative Assembly, including carrying out budgetary, financial and operational matters; establishing the executive, management and administrative structure of the commission for the necessary discharge of its functions; and preparing regular budgets, and financial and operational reports, for submission to the assembly.

The commission also will provide clerical staff, attendants and other staff to enable the Legislative Assembly and its associated committees to operate efficiently, and provide advice on parliamentary procedures and the functions of parliament generally.

Under the proposed law, the Legislative Assembly will have full autonomy of its affairs and will be allowed to make rules to regulate its own internal management.

The council will comprise the speaker, premier, leader of the opposition, four members of the Legislative Assembly, and the clerk of the Legislative Assembly (ex-officio, non-voting).

The proposed law also outlines the salaries and allowances for Cabinet members and MLAs.