The lack of sexual harassment legislation and the rising cost of real estate took centre stage Monday as youth parliamentarians tackled two of Cayman’s topical issues as they put their debate skills to the test at the 15th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association’s Youth Parliament.
The budding legislators lamented the absence of legislation to deal with the growing issue of sexual harassment, which the Cayman Compass focussed on in its Issues series last year and was able to secure commitment from Premier Wayne Panton that a law will be enacted.
Proposing serious penalties, the youth parliamentarians deplored the lack of protections available to those in the community who face harassment in the workplace and in schools.
Financial Services Minister André Ebanks, deputising for the premier at the opening of the session, said the motion and the students’ proposed bill show that they have their fingers on the pulse of the Cayman Islands.
He said that government’s sexual harassment bill is “in train” and “should come to these hallowed halls very soon”.
Ebanks did not say when specifically when this would happen.
However, he said he was proud that the legislation would soon be before the House, having previously worked on it during his tenure as deputy chief officer in the Community Affairs Ministry.
Absence of law flagged
Shankar Paulraj, the Youth Parliament’s premier, lamented that the community has been waiting 16 years for a specific law dealing with sexual harassment.
“We have the criminal minority who continue to sexually harass children, classmates and colleagues and what this bill will do is [deliver] justice and consequence… there has to be serious consequences for committing the appalling act of sexual harassment,” he argued as he presented the youth government’s proposed law.
Under their proposal, sexual harassment would become a criminal offence with a maximum penalty of a fine of $5,000 or imprisonment for a term of five years, or both. The suggested penalty was higher, if the offence was committed against a student.
Highlighting the Compass sexual harassment survey in his speech, Paulraj pointed out that 90% of those who responded faced some form of inappropriate sexual conduct.
“To come to know this fact was just so appalling and disturbing and this shows that the issue of sexual harassment is very widespread in our country and that it does need to be addressed. One of our people who was sexually harassed in broad daylight stated in a Cayman Compass article and I quote, ‘It makes me scared to leave the house now. It makes me scared to go to a public place. I always thought of Cayman as a safe place. It does not feel so safe anymore for me to raise a child,'” he said.
Shanell Martinez, the Minister for Health and Wellness, in her contribution to the debate, said that three quarters of sexual harassment complaints in the workplace go unreported.
She also pointed out that “55% of victims experienced retaliation after speaking up, that 31% of sexual harassment or assault victims felt anxious or depressed afterwards. Sexual harassment has a ‘ginormous’ mark on the lives of victims and has especially affected their mental health”.
True to debate form, East End MP Hannah Bodden questioned the source of the statistics.
The youth parliamentarians, all of whom were selected from various local schools, received training from current and previous legislators, including seasoned lawmakers, former MPs Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller.
The youth Opposition was led by George Green, who piloted a motion for a restriction on high-cost housing and the implementation of a land and housing purchase licence for non-Caymanians.
Though his motion was defeated, Green pointed to a reality that many in the community are facing: the skyrocketing price of real estate.
Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, deputy speaker and chair of the Youth Parliament organising committee, in a brief comment on the session via email, said, “I believe that this is how we build our pool of future parliamentarians. The percentage of females that participate in Youth Parliament gives me hope on what Parliament will look like in the near future with at least 50% of the members being women.”
THE CPA 15th YOUTH PARLIAMENT
Sherika McPherson
Speaker of the Youth Parliament
MINISTERS OF THE CABINET
Hon Shankar Paulraj, MP
Premier, Minister of Sustainability & Climate Resiliency
Elected Member for George Town East
Hon Elizabeth Thomas, MP
Deputy Premier, Minister of Finance & Economic Development and Border Control & Labour
Elected Member for George Town Central
Hon Keira Bodden, MP
Minister of Tourism & Transport,
Elected Member for Cayman Brac West and Little Cayman
Hon Shanell Martinez, MP
Minister of Health & Wellness,
Elected Member for Bodden Town East
Hon Dashante McLaughlin-Richards, MP
Minister of Planning, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure,
Elected Member for West Bay West
Hon Michael Glidden, MP
Minister of Financial Services & Commerce and Investment, Innovation & Social
Development.
Elected Member for West Bay Central
Hon Charles Player, MP
Minister of Home Affairs, Youth, Sports, Culture & Heritage
Elected Member for Red Bay
Hon Sienna Jack, MP
Minister of Education, District Administration & Lands
Elected Member for George Town North
EX OFFICIO MEMBERS OF THE CABINET
Hon Brittania Rowe
Deputy Governor, ex officio Member responsible for the Portfolio of the
Civil Service
Hon Amani Ebanks
Attorney General, ex officio Member responsible for the Portfolio of Legal Affairs
GOVERNMENT BACKBENCH
Mr Juan Leon Castro, MP
Elected Member for George Town West
Miss Jénae Whittaker, MP
Elected Member for West Bay North
Mr Wyatt McLaughlin, MP
Elected Member for Cayman Brac East
OPPOSITION MEMBERS
Hon George Green, MP
Leader of the Opposition,
Elected Member for West Bay South
Mr Chad Powell, MP
Deputy Leader of the Opposition,
Elected Member for North Side
Miss Hannah Bodden, MP
Elected Member for East End
Hon Reon Porter, MP
Deputy Speaker,
Elected Member for George Town South
Miss Thalia Clarke, MP
Elected Member for Savannah
Miss Jhanelle Colquhoon, MP
Elected Member for Newlands
Miss Annura Moiten, MP
Elected Member for Prospect
Mr Jacob Kelly-Johnson, MP
Elected Member for George Town West
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