Topic: Legislative Assembly
Immigration Department faces dissolution in merger
The Cayman Islands Immigration Department will likely no longer be a standalone public sector entity, once the local government finishes a series of reorganizations it is making within the civil service, the Cayman Compass has learned.
UK official seeks to block disclosure in Bush lawsuit
A Miami-based U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office employee is opposing an application for disclosure in a civil lawsuit filed against former top Cayman Islands officials who were accused of conspiring to topple former Cayman Premier McKeeva Bush’s government in 2011-2012.
Governor Choudhury sworn in
Anwar Choudhury was sworn in Monday afternoon as the Cayman Islands governor during a ceremony at the Legislative Assembly building in downtown George Town.
Cayman welcomes Anwar Choudhury
Cayman’s government leaders and members of the police force received the islands’ new governor, Anwar Choudhury, and his family at the Owen Roberts International Airport Monday.
Lawmakers indemnify CIMA, liquor boards
“Bad faith” decisions made on behalf of Cayman Islands government-appointed boards will not receive legal protection, Premier Alden McLaughlin declared Friday.
Lawmakers reject motion to make fire, immigration chiefs Caymanian-only
After nearly four hours of debate on Thursday afternoon, the Legislative Assembly voted against a private members’ motion made by opposition legislator Kenneth Bryan to make the positions of chief fire officer and chief immigration officer Caymanian-only roles.
Licensing rules impede small businesses, opposition says
Changes to Cayman’s Trade and Business Licensing regime approved during this week’s Legislative Assembly meeting should cut “50 percent of the red tape” now troubling local business owners, Commerce Minister Joey Hew said.
Brief legislative meeting set for Wednesday
What’s likely to be a short Legislative Assembly meeting is set to begin Wednesday morning, as government lawmakers prepare for a business trip to Hong Kong for a U.K.-sponsored trade show next week.
Young parliamentarians take over the House
Cayman students got the chance to take over parliament for a day on Monday.
Compass investigation: For select few, ‘no conviction’
In 2017, when nearly 6,800 criminal and traffic offenses were registered with the court, 245 offenses (a ratio of about 3.6 percent) were disposed of in the Summary Courts by way of “no conviction recorded.”
Youth parliament chooses debate topics
The leaders of tomorrow have chosen some weighty subjects to debate.
Cayman’s first female governor says goodbye
Ending a four-and-a-half year term that made her one of Cayman’s longest-serving governors since the post was established in the early 1970s, Helen Kilpatrick bid farewell to the Cayman Islands in a small sending off party at Island Air Monday afternoon.
Decade of pension reports absent from public view
During the past decade, as successive Cayman Islands governments sought to amend laws related to private sector retirement savings plans, the government regulator for those plans was not able to release vital public information about the pension system.
Subtle legal change pushes for pension, healthcare compliance
The Cayman Islands government is seeking changes that would require local companies to have all outstanding pension, healthcare and other labor-related issues resolved before renewing their trade and business licenses.
Marriage rules block Cayman cruise ship registrations
Changes to the Cayman Islands Gambling Law made two years ago to encourage cruise ships to register here, in the same way yachts or merchant marine ships do, have not accomplished their stated purpose.
Civil servants avoid healthcare fees for now
The roughly 3,600 people now employed within the central Cayman Islands government service will not be required to pay a portion of their monthly healthcare costs, Financial Secretary Ken Jefferson said Wednesday.
Consumer bill seeks to block false advertising, unfair trade practices
A draft of what would be Cayman’s first Consumer Protection Law seeks to shield buyers from unfair trade practices, bogus advertising and contract rip-offs, but prescribes no specific legal penalties for many of those activities when they occur.
Ministry signs agreement with UCCI
The dust-up between the Ministry of Education and the University College of the Cayman Islands is not over, but on Wednesday, UCCI’s board of governors was presented with a signed copy of an ownership and purchase agreement it had been asking for.
Lawsuit challenges Speaker’s ruling
A judicial review application filed at the Grand Court earlier this month seeks to overturn a long-standing law that prohibits records from the Legislative Assembly from being used as evidence in court without the permission of the Speaker of the House.
2017 editorials: The Compass’s voice on significant issues
Today we feature highlights from some of what we consider to be the most compelling and important editorials that appeared in the Cayman Compass in 2017, dealing with some of the most pressing matters facing our country.
Election puts Progressives back in power
May 24, 2017 might have been Cayman’s “independents’ day,” but by May 29 a group of independent candidates – with a couple of exceptions – found themselves on the outside looking in at a second term for Premier Alden McLaughlin and his Progressives-led coalition.
Letter: Thoughts for members of our Legislative Assembly
Our MLAs need to listen to the people and adhere to their wishes. A petition should never be necessary. They are supposed to be working for us; we are their employers!
Thousands receive ‘right to be Caymanian’ since 2009
More than 3,700 people have received grants of Caymanian status via either the naturalization (citizenship) process or through marriage to a Caymanian since January 2009, according to records presented to the Legislative Assembly by Premier Alden McLaughlin last week.
Higher turnover for public school teachers, gov’t lawyers
A total of 127 teachers and 13 legal practitioners have left the Cayman Islands civil service within the past two years, according to human resources management documents released to the Legislative Assembly last week.
Legislative Assembly wraps up with committee appointment, private motions
Before adjourning on Thursday, Legislative Assembly members appointed an oversight committee for the Ombudsman Office.
Legislative Assembly grants Caymanian status to 3 residents
Three longtime residents received Caymanian status on Thursday after the Legislative Assembly ratified the Cabinet grants.
Cayman’s public service workforce grew in 2016
The Cayman Islands public service employment rolls grew during the 2015/16 budget year, according to human resources reports released to the Legislative Assembly this week.
Opposition probes gov’t over CarePay reforms
Opposition members spent most of Thursday morning’s Legislative Assembly session asking government officials about what they have done to address deficiencies in the Cayman Islands Health Services Authority procurement system, which led taxpayers to spend $1.5 million for nothing during the CarePay contract debacle between late 2011 and mid-2012.
Civil service considering a clampdown on ‘job hopping’
The Cayman Islands government is reviewing employment rules for non-Caymanian workers that often do not strictly prevent those employees from switching jobs in the midst of a contract.
Civil service ‘rollover’ stymied by education, police jobs
Plans to implement a term limit on residency for non-Caymanian government workers have never materialized, largely because there is no “easy” way to replace foreign employees in teaching or law enforcement roles, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson acknowledged Tuesday.
Premier: Businesses’ use of temporary work permits ‘not objectionable’
A long-established, although perhaps unspoken practice, of Cayman businesses which employ foreign workers that allows the companies to “test out” employees before bringing them in on full work permits has been green-lighted by Premier Alden McLaughlin.
Budget plans $15M for new GT, WB police stations
The Cayman Islands government plans to spend more than $15 million over the next three budget years on new police stations for the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service in George Town and West Bay.
Coastal patrols ‘under-resourced’
Marine coastal patrols in the Cayman Islands are “hugely under-resourced,” Premier Alden McLaughlin acknowledged to lawmakers this week following questioning in the Legislative Assembly’s Finance Committee.
900 arrested for immigration offenses
More than 900 arrests have been made since July for various immigration violations related to staying or working illegally in the Cayman Islands, Immigration Department officials confirmed Tuesday.
Lawmakers in quandary over proving Caymanian status
It seems individuals sometimes referred to as “ghost Caymanians,” as well as multigenerational Caymanians born in the islands, have a shared immigration problem that is now haunting members of the Legislative Assembly.
EDITORIAL – Rejecting ‘prejudice’: The day our premier spoke for all of Cayman
Are some individuals in Cayman “better off” than others? Of course. Is almost everyone in Cayman – to a man, woman and child – “better off” now than they would have been in Cayman’s economy of 60 years ago?
Also of course.
Government to raise financial contribution to Cayman Finance
Government aims to significantly increase its funding of Cayman Finance by matching the financial contributions member companies are making to the association that represents Cayman’s financial services industry.
McTaggart, McLaughlin blast opposition’s budget claims
Cayman Islands Finance Minister Roy McTaggart on Monday rejected opposition lawmakers’ claims that a $135 million, two-year projected budget surplus was a “duppy” (ghost) and that his government’s budget did little to help the ordinary Caymanian.
‘Onerous standards’ ahead in money laundering review
A long-anticipated review of Cayman’s anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing protections is due to occur next month and Attorney General Samuel Bulgin has warned the territory not to expect an easy pass.
Current government was ‘nuclear option’ for Cayman Democratic Party
Documents purporting to draw up a legal agreement for the formation of a coalition government in Cayman following the May 2017 general election surfaced last week, indicating that Cayman Democratic Party officials viewed the current Progressives-led National Unity Government as “the nuclear option” at the time discussions were taking place.
EDITORIAL – Staying on top of the global financial industry
Consistent declines in Cayman’s banking sector are a reminder that we must never be complacent – especially in today’s accelerated economy. The figures, presented to the Legislative Assembly last week, should be a call to action. More specifically, to adaptation, evolution and innovation.
Speaker questions PAC role
Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush noted a “concern” Wednesday that the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee had overstepped its role in recent months, wading into areas such as employment within the government service.
CIMA cites seven-year decline in banking sector
The Cayman Islands Monetary Authority on Wednesday reported a seven-year decline in the territory’s banking sector, that has seen a drop of about one-third of all retail and non-retail banking operations since 2010.
Speaker warns MLAs, media about ‘abuses’
Speaker of the House McKeeva Bush put Legislative Assembly members and the local media on notice Wednesday that he intended to adopt a strict interpretation of rules for parliamentary procedure and privilege during the current government’s term.
House pays tribute to pioneer weatherman
Members of the Legislative Assembly stood for a minute of silence on Wednesday morning, paying tribute to the late Frank Ellsworth Roulstone Jr., who headed Cayman’s weather service from the early 1960s until his retirement in 1988. Mr. Roulstone died at his home in West Bay on Oct. 26 after a long illness. He was 85.
Opposition: Budget does little for average Caymanian
The Cayman Islands government’s 2018 and 2019 budget proposals continue the “regressive” policies of the Progressives party and do little to assist the average income or poorer Caymanian worker, Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller said Wednesday.
Government budget put off for two weeks
The Cayman Islands government has delayed the public presentation of its first two-year budget for two weeks.
Health Services Authority short 60 staff, overtime up 300%
The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority has nearly 60 vacant positions which are either being covered through overtime expenses or left vacant, according to the authority’s chief executive.
Public health board ‘reluctant’ to forego unpaid patient debts
The Cayman Islands Health Services Authority Board has been “reluctant” to write off tens of millions of dollars in uncollected debts during recent years, leading to the accumulation of $94.5 million in bills that are unlikely to be paid but which remain on the government’s books, legislators heard Tuesday.
Community meeting called for Savannah and Newlands
Anthony Eden and Alva Suckoo, the Members of the Legislative Assembly for Savannah and Newlands, respectively, have invited their constituents to a community meeting that will be held Wednesday, Oct. 11, at 7 p.m. in the Savannah Primary School Hall.
Opposition members visit WB primary school
Members of the opposition at the Legislative Assembly visited the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School on Thursday, Oct. 5.
Ten-story luxury condos approved on Seven Mile Beach
A 10-story luxury condominium complex has been approved for the southern end of Seven Mile Beach, ending a four-year legal struggle over the height of buildings in Grand Cayman’s central tourism zone.
50 years ago: MLAs discuss tourism
In the Sept. 27, 1967 edition of the Caymanian Weekly, a precursor of the Cayman Compass, the following report appeared:
‘It hurts me to know she is hurting’: Woman scarred by attempted rape
A woman who was the victim of an attempted rape still has a scar on her face from the attack. Every time she looks in a mirror, she is reminded of it, Justice Charles Quin was told in a recent sentencing hearing.
$180,000 report suggests two choices for social welfare
A $180,000 study completed in March as part of an ongoing review of Cayman’s troubled social services network looked at the structure of those services rather than how specific services to the poor and indigent might be improved, according to testimony in the Legislative Assembly’s PAC.
Government budget takes $11 million hit
A record personal injury lawsuit settlement and surging overseas hospital costs have put a $10.8 million dollar dent in the Cayman Islands annual budget.
Social welfare quagmire: A decade of inefficiencies & rising costs
The cost of welfare and the number of people seeking financial help from government have risen sharply. About $50 million per year is spent on public programs providing direct assistance to people in need, out of central government’s annual revenue of $600 million.
Record number of suspicious activity reports filed in 2015/16
A record number of suspicious activity reports (SARs) of potential money laundering and other financial crimes were made between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016 according to the Financial Reporting Authority’s 2015/16 annual report.
56 police officers forced on leave
The Royal Cayman Islands Police Service has directed 56 officers to go on leave this year due to the officers accruing compensatory time far in excess of what’s allowed by RCIPS policy. By the end of last year, the 56 RCIPS personnel had accrued 51,914 hours of comp time valued at $1,166,087.
EDITORIAL – LA ‘lunacy’: Let’s blame it on the eclipse
We thought “lunacy” was in vogue during the solar eclipse that swept across North America on Monday — but apparently some of it carried over into Wednesday’s opening of the Legislative Assembly.
We aren’t referring to anything that took place on the floor of the Cayman Islands parliament, but rather to the treatment of a Compass journalist sent there to cover this public event.
Cruise project to go out to bid in September
Government expects to go out to tender on the long-discussed cruise pier project by the end of next month, Premier Alden McLaughlin said this week. New piers that can accommodate Oasis-class mega cruise ships remain a priority for government.
Premier outlines capital projects, policies on opening day of LA
With the next four years being his last term as the leader of the territory’s government, Premier Alden McLaughlin said on Wednesday in the Legislative Assembly that he “will be leaving everyone on the field” to ensure that his administration delivers on its promises to the Cayman Islands.
Out of the shadows: Bryan parts with opposition
George Town Central MLA Kenneth Bryan said he has been “pushed out” of an alliance with opposition leaders and now will be independent of any voting blocs in the Legislative Assembly. The first sitting of the 2017-18 legislative session begins Wednesday, Aug. 23
For first time ever, Cayman’s planning meetings open to the public
For the first time in their history, the two Cayman Islands boards that control development and planning decisions are allowing the general public to attend their meetings. The decision was made public during a Wednesday meeting of the Legislative Assembly’s Public Accounts Committee.
Government’s strategic plans revealed next week
Cayman Islands residents will get their first look at the new national unity government’s long-term plans next week as the Legislative Assembly resumes meeting. The government plans to produce its strategic policy statement for the 2018/19 budget on Wednesday.
EDITORIAL-Auditor General: A watchdog that could use more ‘bite’
Auditors do not win popularity contests. And yet, we must confess we are inordinately fond of auditors and, in particular, Auditors General such as Ms. Winspear, who do, if not God’s work, certainly ours, meaning the people of the Cayman Islands.
2 years later, no development plan
Senior Cayman Islands government managers ignored or actively opposed the majority of the recommendations made in a controversial 2015 audit that revealed opaqueness, “unlawful” acts and allegations of corruption in the management of public properties.
Auditor General: Aviation boards’ problems persist
A number of mismanagement problems in local government boards appointed to oversee aviation-related matters went unaddressed for years after a December 2013 audit revealed some embarrassing practices at those entities.
Opposition firms up roles in shadow government
The members of the Legislative Assembly who are not part of the governing coalition announced Tuesday that they have formally organized in opposition.
EDITORIAL – Running the country: Cayman’s new ‘management team’
Being in the news business, we understand a thing or two about assignments. And, as is the case with the governmental responsibilities given to Cayman Islands ministers, we know daunting ones when we see them.
After bill passed in 2015, whistleblower protection slow to arrive
Legislation passed nearly two years ago to protect private and public sector employees who report wrongdoing will not come into effect until February 2018.
$650,000 budgeted for lawmakers’ constituency allowance, no audit
The Cayman Islands government provides just more than $650,000 annually for what are known as the "constituency allowances" of its Legislative Assembly elected members, but maintains no audited record of how the money is spent.
