Cayman: Parliament Summary – Thursday 21 September 2023
| Annual Reports |
| Minister for Tourism and Ports Hon. Kenneth Bryan tabled the 2022 Annual Report for the Ministry of Tourism and Transport. |
| Parliamentary Questions |
| Leader of the Opposition and Member of Parliament (MP) for George Town East, Hon. Roy McTaggart asked Minister for Health and Wellness, Hon. Sabrina Turner to advise on the extent to which fentanyl and other opioids are thought to be illegally available in the Cayman Islands; and whether the Government intends to implement new legislation or harsher criminal penalties for the importation and sale of those substances.Minister Turner responded that present legislation is being amended to include a more comprehensive list of illicit substances. |
| Private Member’s Motions |
| Cost of Electricity (Passed) – Member of Parliament for West Bay West, Hon. McKeeva Bush brought a motion regarding the cost of electricity and moved that the Government commissions an independent investigation into how the Caribbean Utilities Company conducts its metre readings and how the results are calculated. MP for Bodden Town West Hon. Chris Saunders seconded the motion. The motion was later amended to include Island Energy Limited. |
| Regulation of Grave Sites (Passed) – MP for West Bay West, Hon. McKeeva Bush brought a motion on the need for legislation to regulate and protect family burial plots. The motion was seconded by MP Chris Saunders and was later passed unanimously. |
| Reintroduction of the Government Guaranteed Home Assisted Mortgage Programme (Passed) –Deputy Leader of the Opposition and MP for George Town North, Hon. Joey Hew’s motion to reintroduce the Government Guaranteed Home Assisted Mortgage Programme (GGHAM) was seconded by the Member for George Town East, Premier Hon. Wayne Panton who stated that he hoped to have the GGHAM would be reinstated during the first quarter of 2024. The motion passed with seventeen in favour and one absentee. |
| Supporting Caymanians into Full-time Employment (Passed) – MP Hew also brought a motion to make the National Community Enhancement Project (NiCE) a year-round programme to address long-term unemployment of Caymanians. This was seconded by MP for Red Bay, Hon. Sir Alden McLaughlin. The motion was passed with fourteen votes. |
| The Sale of Pepper Spray for Self-Defence and Personal Protection (Passed) – MP for George Town West, Mr. David Wight brought a motion for current legislation to be amended to allow persons to carry pepper spray for self-defence and personal protection. The motion was seconded by MP for Red Bay Hon. Alden McLaughlin. Following debate, the motion passed with sixteen in favour, one no and one absent. |
| Sister Islands Inflation Relief Initiatives (Withdrawn) – Member of Parliament for Cayman Brac West Mr. Moses Kirkconnell, brought a motion for the implementation of inflation relief initiatives for the Sister Islands. The motion was seconded by Hon. Joey Hew. After initial debate, MP Kirkconnell withdrew the motion in order to gather additional information. |
| Cost of Living Adjustment for Ex-Gratia Financial Assistance & the Civil Service Pensions Uplift (Passed) – Hon. Alden McLaughlin’s motion was for a further cost of living adjustment for those in receipt of long-term financial assistance from CI$1250 to $1500 effective 1 January 2024. He also proposed a further uplift for retirees receiving civil service pensions to $1500 effective 1 January 2024. The motion was seconded by MP Hon. Roy McTaggart. The motion passed unanimously, with seventeen in favour and one absent. |
| CIG Programme to Encourage Private Sector Schemes for Affordable Homes (Passed) – MP Joey Hew’s other motion was for the government to consider incentivising private sector builders to create energy-efficient, affordable housing and home rental schemes, which was seconded by MP McTaggart. The motion passed with ten votes in favour, three opposed, one abstention and four absent. |
| Creation of Select Committee to Review Fuel in the Cayman Islands (Passed) – The final motion of the day was brought forward by Mr. Chris Saunders, which asked Parliament to create a Select Committee to review fuel costs and report findings by February 2024. The motion was seconded by MP McKeeva Bush. The motion was passed unanimously. |
| Read highlights of the business undertaken in the First Meeting of the 2023-2024 Session of Parliamentary at www.gov.ky/governmentinparliament. How to follow: Watch live broadcasts of sittings on CIG YouTube and CIGTV (Logic – Channel 23, C3 – Channel 3, Flow – Channel 106). |
