Cayman Brac residents seem prepared to accept the Government’s one man, one vote proposals but they do not want to see the Sister Islands split into two voting districts.
Moses Kirkconnell |
That was the message they delivered to Government members at two constitutional review meetings held on Cayman Brac Monday.
‘I hope in my lifetime I never see these islands cut in two in terms of districts,’ said Brac resident George Walton, drawing applause at a Heritage House meeting Monday night.
‘One-man, one-vote: I go with that completely but I think biologically, culturally, socially, religiously, Little Cayman and Cayman Brac have been in harmony ever since we came out of the water.’
The People’s Progressive Movement Government plans to maintain the status quo by leaving the Sister Islands a single, two-member voting district – despite proposing single-member constituencies across Grand Cayman.
Under their constitutional modernisation plans, voters there would elect two representatives, but they would cast only one vote. Currently voters there nominate two representatives.
The move to one person, one vote would mean no person’s vote is worth more than anyone else’s, said Suzanne Bothwell, director of the Constitutional Review Secretariat. ‘If you are from Cayman Brac or Little Cayman … or East End or West Bay, your vote is worth the same.’
Another resident said she believes in one person one vote, but questioned whether Little Cayman was losing out because Sister Islands representatives seem to always come from the Brac.
But with less than 30 voters living on Little Cayman, Leader of Government Business Kurt Tibbetts said it would be impossible – ‘beyond utopia’ – to have an individual representative for the less populous Sister Island.
‘If those 23 voters have one representative, Cayman Brac has 900 voters. How many representatives should they have? George Town has 5,000 [voters], how many representatives should George Town have?’
Throughout the meeting, residents pressed government members about whether a revised constitution could contain a guarantee of greater representation for the Sister Islands.
The PPM Government’s summary of proposals says a revised constitution should enable suitable representation of the Sister Islands if no Sister Islands MLA is in Cabinet, but the document is light on details.
Mr. Tibbetts pointed out that one Cabinet member is already assigned responsibility for district administration (presently himself) but asked whether that was enough.
Royce Dilbert wanted to know if the constitution could guarantee a Cabinet position for a Sister Islands representative.
Sister Islands MLA Moses Kirkconnell said that could be counterproductive for the islands, particularly if the representative came from the opposition benches.
‘I can assure you they will be locked out,’ he said. ‘In that situation, it would not benefit Cayman Brac or Little Cayman.’
With the Government proposing to have seven out of seventeen representatives elected to Cabinet, Mr. Tibbetts said there is a good chance one will be from the Sister Islands. But guaranteeing Cabinet representation to the Sister Islands would lead larger constituencies to demand greater Cabinet representation again, he added.
‘George Town are going to say we have five [representatives] so we need three [Cabinet positions] and then East End and North Side will say ‘you are leaving us out in the cold; you’re throwing us under the bus’,’ Mr. Tibbetts said.
There was a near full government compliment on hand for the constitutional meetings Monday, ahead of a Cabinet meeting on the Brac Wednesday.
Cabinet members Alden McLaughlin, Kurt Tibbetts and Charles Clifford were joined at the meeting by backbenchers Osbourne Bodden, Alfonso Wright and Lucille Seymour, as well as Mr. Kirkconnell.
Mr. Tibbetts said the turn-out was indicative of the Government’s commitment to the Sister Islands, and throughout the meeting, residents were keen to praise the Government for the attention they have given them since taking office.
‘Since Kurt Tibbetts has been in Government, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman have suddenly lit up,’ said Brac resident Francis Clyne.
Mr. Dilbert agreed: ‘I have seen this island move forward in the last two years, more than it has for years.’
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