Lawmakers are set to return to Parliament on Wednesday where they are expected to debate approval for supplementary appropriations for the 2022 budget, as well as private member’s motions aimed at addressing bank rates and pension reform.
Premier and Minister of Finance and Economic Development Wayne Panton, according to a government notice issued Tuesday evening, will present the Supplementary Appropriation (January 2022 to December 2022) Bill, 2023 to seek Parliament’s approval for changes to government expenditure “approved under labelled items of spending when the 2022 budget was approved last year. The bill also seeks to charge the variations of the expenditure on the revenue and funds of the Cayman Islands.”
The Opposition has also filed a number of parliamentary questions, the most contentious of which refers to recent statements from government ministers Kenneth Bryan and Dwayne Seymour calling for a moratorium on the granting of some forms of Caymanian status.
Bryan and Seymour, appearing on Radio Cayman’s ‘For the Record’ on two occasions late last month, said the moratorium they were suggesting would only apply to those seeking the grant of status through Cabinet or through their length of stay in Cayman, rather than to people who apply for status by birth, descent or marriage.
They said they were speaking in their personal capacities, rather than as spokespersons for the government, as no decision had been taken on the issue by caucus, Cabinet or Parliament.
However, Bryan said he felt it was time for Cayman “to lock the gate”.
Deputy Leader of the Opposition MP Joey Hew, through his parliamentary question, is calling on Premier Wayne Panton to update the House on his government’s position on a moratorium on the granting of some forms of Caymanian status.
The Opposition has not spoken publicly about the remarks made by the ministers.
Hew has also asked that the premier say whether the government has considered any strategies to assist the public affected by the rising interest rate regime.
Late last month, Panton said an appeal he made to Cayman’s bankers to slow down increases in interest rates was rejected.
In a statement, Panton said he had asked the local retail banks to delay implementing interest rate hikes in tandem with rate increases by the US Federal Reserve, which sets the prime interest rates for borrowing.
West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush has filed a private member’s motion on the issue of rising bank interest rates and cost of living, one of three motions set to be debated.
Bodden Town West MP Chris Saunders has also filed two motions that are expected to be debated when the House meets.
The first seeks government’s consideration to amend the National Pensions Act to increase the amount Caymanians can withdraw from their pensions, as well as the appointment of a joint select committee to review the impact of the COVID-19 withdrawals that were implemented as a relief measure by the Progressives-led administration.
In his second motion, Saunders is asking government to consider amending the Customs Tariff Act to allow for medicines, and medical and surgical supplies, to be imported duty free.
Parliament resumes at 10am on Wednesday, 7 June.
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