Topic: Alden McLaughlin
Cyclists ask for safer roads following Easter Monday’s hit-and-run death
Cayman’s cyclists are calling for change following the tragic death of physiotherapist and father-of-two Per Undheim, 39, who was knocked off his bike during an early morning bike ride on Easter Monday.
O’Connor-Connolly returns to fold as PPM confirms Kenneth Bryan as deputy leader
Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly has parked plans to retire and will instead seek re-election on a PPM ticket, she confirmed via voice message at the party’s convention Saturday night.
New alliances and rivalries emerge amid departure of political heavyweights
With the departure of some of the faces that defined Cayman politics for the last two decades came clear signals of the shape of things to come.
Minister slapped down over incitement to violence concern
A government minister was ordered to withdraw remarks that could be seen as an incitement to violence during a fiery debate over the future of a beach traditionally used by fishermen.
Ebanks vows action on excessive speeding in Red Bay and Prospect
Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks has vowed to rally his National Road Authority troops to tour the Red Bay and Prospect constituencies this week in a bid to address speeding concerns.
Opposition to press gov’t on ReGen project status
When Parliament resumes sittings next week, government will face a barrage of Opposition questions, the most pressing being the status of the ReGen project and its financial close.
Man arrested following cyclist hit and run
Police have arrested a 58-year-old man, of George Town, on suspicion of leaving the scene of a collision earlier this month in which a cyclist was injured.
Health City says it has availed of $15 million in concessions
Health City Cayman Islands says it has availed of a total of US$15 million in concessions on import duty and work-permit fee waivers in the five years following its opening in 2014.
Former Premier Alden McLaughlin knighted in Queen’s New Year Honours
Former Premier Alden McLaughlin will be adding a new title to his name that of Sir, after having received a knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II as part of her annual New Year Honours list.
‘Significant moment’ for Cayman as new QCs get their silk
In what was noted as not only an emotional, but equally significant moment, five Cayman-based attorneys ascended to the honoured position of Queen's Counsels on Friday in a special ceremony at Grand Court.
Five new Queen’s Counsel lawyers appointed
Five Cayman-based attorneys have been appointed as Queen's Counsel, or 'Silks', including former Premier Alden McLaughlin and Solicitor General Reshma Sharma.
Cayman marks one year without COVID community transmission
As the Cayman Islands marked one year without local transmission of the COVID-19 virus on Sunday local health officials have continued their call for vaccination to keep the community safe.
McLaughlin: ‘We need to keep the pension holiday’
Opposition MP Alden McLaughlin has questioned whether government intends to continue the pension holiday which is set to expire in just under three weeks.
Premier’s Red Bay road access announcement refuted
Davenport Development has refuted Premier Alden McLaughlin's statement announcing an agreement had been reached for a local access road. But McLaughlin says, "I simply reported what I understood".
Premier: New local access road to relieve Red Bay traffic woes
Premier Alden McLaughlin has said agreement has been reached with Grand Harbour and Davenport Development for a local access road for the Red Bay and Prospect communities to ease traffic woes in the area.
LA renamed Parliament as premier, opposition eye more constitutional changes
As Premier Alden McLaughlin welcomed the renaming of Cayman's Legislative Assembly to Parliament on Friday he signalled the need to continue to clear what he termed "anomalies" in the constitution.
Landfill pre-construction work set, but negotiations continue
Pre-construction work is set to begin on government’s long-awaited waste management plan, but a final agreement with the selected project bidder, Dart-led consortium DECCO, is still in progress, government announced Tuesday.
Dr. Lee: Red Bay COVID-19 case requires further investigation
A Red Bay Primary School student who tested positive for COVID-19 produced “weakly positive” results, said Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Lee on Friday afternoon.
Podcast: What’s up with Cayman’s international mail?
The Cayman Islands Postal Service officially reopened to receive international mail on 6 May. In practice, however, much of the jurisdiction’s international mail service remains on pause.
Suckoo: ‘There is no motion’ against premier
Cayman’s legislatures continued to distance themselves from rumours of a no-confidence motion against Premier Alden McLaughlin over the Domestic Partnership Bill.
Cuban refugees petition for marriage rights in Cayman
At least three Cuban adults who successfully petitioned for asylum in Cayman have been denied the ability to add a spouse as a dependent to their immigration status, due to the wording of the Customs and Border Control Law (2018).
Cayman Islands legislators’ salaries difficult to pinpoint
The exact salaries of Cayman Islands legislators and high-ranking government officials remains unknown, but the public can approximate the earnings of elected leaders through recently released data.
Premier: No referendum on Election Day
The government has ruled out holding a people-initiated referendum on Election Day on May 2021, because it has abandoned the proposed $200 million cruise berthing and cargo port project.
OfReg continues investigation of fuel prices
After the rapid decline of oil and fuel prices globally since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in mid-March, retail gas prices have dropped by 58 cents per gallon on average. However, the regulator was not satisfied with the reduction of prices at the pumps.
Opposition and government air grievances ahead of LA session
Members of the opposition and the unity government clashed ahead of Monday’s meeting of the Legislative Assembly. Leader of the Opposition Arden McLean charged government with disregarding checks and balances in previous sittings and putting Cayman “in danger of devolving into a dictatorship”.
Cabinet planning exemptions used to fast-track park projects
Since 2017, 12 properties in Grand Cayman, including the site of the now-abandoned Smith Barcadere redevelopment project, have been granted Cabinet exemptions from planning permission. The exemptions have allowed government to streamline projects championed by legislators, such as community parks, without subjecting them to the standard approval process.
Premier: Bush’s role to be reviewed after court case decided
West Bay MLA McKeeva Bush continues in his role as Speaker of the House but will not preside over the Legislative Assembly until his legal issues, concerning charges of common assault and disorderly conduct, have been resolved, Premier Alden McLaughlin said during Monday’s press briefing.
Emergency BA flight arrives in Cayman
A British Airways flights from London arrived at Grand Cayman’s airport Monday afternoon, carrying 58 Caymanian students and other residents, who will be quarantined for 14 days in a government-mandated facility.
EN ESPAÑOL: Caimán empieza toque de queda total hasta el sábado
La mayor parte de las Islas Caimán se someterá a un toque de queda total durante los próximos días. La medida comienza a regir desde las 7 p.m., del miércoles 25 de marzo, hasta las 5 a.m. del sábado 28, anunció el Premier Alden McLaughlin.
EN ESPAÑOL: Toque de queda y control de compras impactan a Caimán
La situación del coronavirus en las Islas Caimán sigue evolucionando todos los días. El gobierno de Caimán ha empezado a dar conferencias de prensa todos los días, lunes a viernes, para dar actualizaciones del virus y las normativas del territorio.
EN ESPAÑOL: Caimán cerrará los aeropuertos durante 3 semanas
Los aeropuertos de las Islas Caimán cerrarán para los vuelos internacionales durante tres semanas en un esfuerzo para frenar la propagación del coronavirus. Los vuelos domésticos serán restringidos a viajes esenciales y con efecto inmediato, cualquier persona que llegue a las islas deberá aislarse durante 14 días.
Half a century of Mount Trashmore
What started as an informal dump site in the 1960s has now become a protagonist in day-to-day life in Cayman. The Compass compiled a short history of waste management in Grand Cayman to explain how the island got to this point.
Time to take climate change seriously
Cayman has met the topic of climate change with stops and starts. Recent actions by government, however, have hinted at renewed political interest.
Colours Cayman calls for action on same-sex marriage
Colours Cayman has called upon Governor Martyn Roper to establish a deadline for government to act on the issue of same-sex marriage.
Premier: Brexit could bring opportunities
Premier Alden McLaughlin has said that, based on assessments, Britain’s exit from the European Union will have little direct impact on the Cayman Islands, but may present an issue for financial services.
Year in review: Leadership changes, defections and a new political party
In 2019, Cayman’s political landscape saw a shifting of tides in the Legislative Assembly that not only spurred changes across the aisle of the chamber, but altered Cayman's relationship with the UK.
Budget breakdown: $20M prison upgrade among key spending plans
Government has announced plans to spend nearly $1.5 billion dollars over the next two years to support its plans and programmes. In a special feature, we analyse where that money comes from and where it goes.
UK agrees to more power for Cayman
The UK has agreed to constitutional changes that will give the Cayman Islands greater autonomy for internal affairs and an increased level of insulation, according to Premier Alden McLaughlin.
Roads a major feature of upcoming budget
Major investment in Cayman’s “creaking” road network will be among the key commitments when government reveals its spending plans for the next two years on Friday.
Port rivals battle for hearts, minds and votes
On social media, in the cinema, on the pages of internet blogs and newspapers, the battle
for votes on the port project referendum is heating up. Citizen campaigners claim they are locked in a David vs. Goliath public relations fight. Government insists it is trying to educate and inform the people in the face of a tide of misinformation.
No rules for campaign finance in port poll
While general elections typically have guidelines around how much each candidate can spend on advertising and PR in the run up to a poll, there were no such rules written into the Referendum Law for the port.
Lawmakers underscore need for more modern Elections Law
Revision of Cayman’s Elections Law was discussed on Wednesday in the Legislative Assembly. Opposition Leader Arden McLean raised the issue during committee stage of the review of the Referendum Bill for the people initiated vote on government's $200 million cruise berthing and port project.
Scam ads featuring premier’s photo flagged
The Office of the Premier is advising to public to be wary of a series of sponsored advertisements featuring Premier Alden McLaughlin’s photograph that have been popping up on social media.
Government passes port referendum bill
Government passed a bill Wednesday afternoon paving the way for the historic people-initiated referendum on the port project to go ahead.
Premier urges Caymanians to ‘choose prosperity’
Painting the issue as a choice between “prosperity and decline”, Premier Alden McLaughlin tabled a bill for a referendum on the cruise and cargo port project Monday.
Cayman commits to public beneficial ownership register
The Cayman Islands will make the true owners of companies incorporated in the islands public as soon as European Union countries establish their own public registers. Corresponding legislation is expected to be introduced in 2022.
Government inks deal to build mental-health facility
Government officials recently signed on the dotted line with multiple contractors to build a $15 million long-term residential mental-health facility in East End.
Prince Albert II of Monaco to visit Cayman
Cayman is set to play host to Prince Albert II of Monaco next year.
Cayman in Monaco
A trade delegation from the Cayman Islands donated US$40,000 to the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation this week.
Premier, government leaders head to Monaco
Premier Alden McLaughlin and other government leaders are overseas this week to attend the Monaco Yacht Show, which takes place 25‑28 Sept.
Premier reaches out to stricken Bahamas
Premier Alden McLaughlin paid a flying visit to the Bahamas Monday to offer Cayman’s solidarity and support to the hurricane-hit island chain.
Cabinet to begin drafting port referendum bill
Government will seek to hold the referendum on the cruise and cargo port “as quickly as possible”, Premier Alden McLaughlin has said.
Cruise port referendum target reached
Cayman is heading for its first ever people initiated referendum after the Election's Office confirmed it has verified 5,305 signatures from registered voters - taking the petition past the target required to trigger a national vote on the cruise port project.
Final broadcast for Cayman 27
After being on television screens for 27 years, Cayman’s only local TV news station will close down Friday, 30 Aug., with the loss of 13 jobs.
Saunders raises concerns about Constitution changes
MLA Chris Saunders says he’s concerned that some of his fellow members are making it too easy to make changes to the Cayman Islands Constitution.
Cayman officials visit agriculture and food show in Jamaica
A delegation from the Cayman Islands picked up some tips and got a firsthand look at Jamaica’s agriculture industry this week.
The issue explained: What gov’t has said about the port deal
Government held a press conference Monday to outline details of the planned cruise and cargo port project. Premier Alden McLaughlin, Deputy Premier Moses Kirkconnell, Chief Officer in the Ministry of Tourism Stran Bodden and Project Manager Peter Ranger gave details of the project and answered questions from the media.
Cruise port will cost $200 million
Cayman’s cruise and cargo port will cost just under CI$200 million to build, government revealed Monday as it formally announced the Verdant Isle group as the preferred bidder for the project.
UPDATED: Verdant Isle preferred bidder on cruise project
The Verdant Isle group has been selected as the preferred bidder for the cruise and cargo port in George Town harbour, though no contract will be signed until the petition calling for a referendum on the controversial project has been fully vetted.
Cayman’s minimum wage to be reassessed
Cayman’s minimum wage, currently set at $6 an hour, will undergo a review process, Premier Alden McLaughlin said Thursday before the Legislative Assembly.
Verdant Isle selected for cruise port project
The Verdant Isle Group was today announced as the preferred bidder for the new cruise port project in George Town Harbour.
Premier: Criticisms of overreach directed at Parliament, not UK government
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin sought to clear the air Friday following comments by fellow British Overseas Territories leaders regarding “constitutional overreach” by the United Kingdom.
Town hall renamed ‘Constitution Hall’
George Town’s historic town hall has a new name.
Football stars roll back the years at exhibition match
Some of the most popular names of Cayman football through the years were joined by their peers from Jamaica and former professional stars from Europe, as they turned back the clock for an exhibition match at Truman Bodden Sports Complex Saturday evening.
UK and overseas territories trade summit kicks off
The first International Trade Summit was launched at the Kimpton Seafire on Thursday, with the aim of building stronger trade ties between the UK and its overseas territories.
Premier opens diplomatic convocation
Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin set the stage Wednesday morning for several days of diplomatic discussions with international leaders converging upon Grand Cayman.
Premier to travel to Jamaica for Seaga funeral
Premier Alden McLaughlin will attend the funeral of former Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga this weekend.
Government denies interfering in cruise petition verification
Premier Alden McLaughlin has insisted government “has not and will not” interfere with the process to verify the petition calling for a referendum on the cruise port amid criticism from campaigners and opposition politicians.
Adventist Church celebrates 125th anniversary in Cayman
The local Adventist Church is celebrating its 125th anniversary in the Cayman Islands this year.
Deputy premier reports fake social media pages
The Office of the Deputy Premier notified the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service’s Financial Crime Unit and the Cyber Crime Team of a recent surge in fraudulent social media pages that have been contacting constituents and friends in Cayman and overseas.
Roads clogged as vehicle imports rocket
At least a dozen vehicles are imported to the Cayman Islands every day, adding to the island’s growing traffic problems, Premier Alden McLaughlin has acknowledged.
NEW: McLean calls for port negotiations to halt
Opposition leader Arden McLean has joined calls for the cruise port project to be put on hold until a petition calling for a referendum on the development has been verified.
