Parliament
Code of Conduct:
- Parliamentary Code of Conduct, signed by MPs and official members except for the six PPM members (the official opposition)
- Letter to Premier Panton from LOO McTaggart re Parliamentary Code of Conduct, 27 Sept 2022
- Seven Principles of Public Life (the Nolan Principles)
Laws:
Change from Legislative Assembly to Parliament:
Reform of the LA administration (separation from government):
- Legislative Assembly (Management) Bill, 2020
- renamed Parliament Management Act, 2020
The Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands is the local unicameral parliament where the laws of the Cayman Islands are debated and passed. It is also referred to as “the LA” and “the House”. The powers, duties and make-up of the LA, including who is eligible to stand for office, are set out in Part IV of the 2009 Constitution.
The rules governing procedure in the LA are set out in the Parliament Standing Orders 2022, which the LA may amend or revoke. In any matter not provided for in Standing Orders, procedure follows the UK House of Commons Standing Orders.
The LA comprises:
- The Speaker of the House, who presides over the proceedings
- 19 elected members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs)
- Two ex-officio members: the deputy governor and the attorney general, who are both appointed by the governor.
Prior to the May 2017 elections, MLAs were elected under a multi-member system, whereby in each of the six districts registered voters were able to cast as many votes as there were seats in that district (six in George Town, four in West Bay, four in Bodden Town, two in Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, and one each in North Side and East End).
However, in the General Election in May 2017, the Cayman Islands to a ‘one man, one vote’ system, where registered voters have a single vote in their district. There are now nineteen MLAs in 19 districts.
General elections take place every four years unless the governor, after consultation with the premier, dissolves the Legislative Assembly before that.
Legislative Assembly Standing Committees
- Finance Committee
- Public Accounts Committee
- Register of Interests Committee
- Standing Orders Committee
Standing Select Committees
- Standing Business Committee
- Standing House Committee
- Standing Select Committee on Privilege
- Standing Select Committee to Oversee the Performance of the Office of the Complaints Commissioner
Documents:
MPs’ Code of Conduct
- HRC Press Release – Announcement to Dissolve Parliament underpins need for Parliamentary Code of Conduct, 16 Feb 2021
- HRC Codes of Conduct Research across Commonwealth Caribbean and Related Jurisdictions, Nov 2020
- Letter from HRC to Members of the Legislative Assembly re Codes of Conduct, 4 Nov 2020
Alva Suckoo suspended from LA:
Tabled documents:
- Letter from CHEC to DP Moses Kirkconnell re McKeeva Bush, 11 Sept 2018
- Email from CHEC rep Scott Henderson to DP Moses Kirkconnell, 12 Sept 2018
- Messenger conversation between Scott Henderson and Alva Suckoo re McKeeva Bush and CHEC
- Company search for WMB Consulting Ltd
Speaker McKeeva Bush’s decision not to table reports:
See: Speaker refuses to lay PAC report on OfReg audit
- PAC Press Statement re speaker’s decision not to table reports, 5 Nov 2020
- Memo from attorney general to PAC re speaker’s decision not to table reports, 5 Nov 2020
See also:
The Legislative Assembly official website