Government had to foot a bill of CI$54,844.79 for the Electoral Boundary Commission’s report which it subsequently rejected.
The report, which was the result of months of research and consultations, proposed redrawing boundary lines in several constituencies. However, it was nixed last month through a unanimously supported government motion.
Acting Premier André Ebanks cited low turnout at public meetings and a timeline too close to the general election as reasons why government was rejecting recommendations to redraw Cayman’s electoral districts.
The total cost of the exercise was released through a freedom of information request from the Cayman Compass.
Commission chairman Lisa Handley was paid US$19,800 (CI$16,582.50) for her consultancy work on the report while Caymanian commissioners Steve McField and Adriannie Webb received CI$11,200 for their services.
Ebanks, in his statement in Parliament, also stated that few people had attended public meetings – those held either in person or virtually – raising concerns about community awareness and endorsement of the proposed changes.
According to the response to the FOI request, only CI$225 was spent on marketing for exercise, which was the sum total of the public campaign costs provided.
The cost of the venues and catering for the public meetings “were not applicable”.
The FOI also sought the cost for any legal work as well as the name of the firm that was used, but the Compass was advised that these were also not applicable.
Government has indicated that a new commission will be established to review the make-up of the constituencies and present a new report, but there has been no formal update on when this will take place.
Under sections 88 and 89 of the Cayman Islands Constitution, an Electoral Boundary Commission must be appointed within eight years of the submission of the last commission’s report.
The report for the previous commission was delivered almost nine years ago, to the then governor and the then Legislative Assembly, on 20 Aug. 2015.
Cayman currently votes in 19 single-member districts, and there have been previous calls for changes to the existing boundaries.
In 2017 a team of Commonwealth election observers recommended that the Cayman Islands review its electoral boundaries to achieve “greater equality” in voting in the next general election.
The commission’s report, which was delivered last year, recommended adjusting the electoral district boundaries, except for North Side and East End, and renaming the 19 voting districts.
It also offered an alternative recommendation for 20 electoral districts.
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