Cayman Islands

Cayman Islands reach agreement with British Government on a new Constitution. There is a new article in Cayman Net News written by Tad Stoner on the talks that concluded at Whitehall yesterday. The Cayman Islands delegation is returning home with a new Constitution. All negotiations are concluded. All that remains is for the people to be asked to approve the new Constitution in a referendum.

There were three outstanding issues. The first was the bill of rights. What we call our “fundamental rights and freedoms”. The fundamentalist Baptist association of the Cayman Islands had been objecting to gay people getting equal civil rights. They consider such a concept immoral. It is, in their view contrary to the Bible. As if the Bible does not celebrate enough murder and adultery among the kings and prophets of Israel! They need to waste their time fulminating on the rights of gays? They influence a lot of votes. The politicians decided to play along with them on this stupidness. Well, they had to give in on that one. To refuse gays fundamental civil rights is to make the British break their obligations under the international human rights treaties that bind them. They can get sued for damages if we discriminate against gays and our courts refuse to give them justice. The British prefer that not to happen.

The second concerned the powers of the National Security Council. The British wanted it to be merely consultative. The Governor could listen to its view when it came, eg, to appointing a new Commissioner of Police, but he could ignore them if he wished. The Caymanians wanted the Governor to be obliged to listen to local expertise. The British have now agreed that, in national security issues, he must follow the advice of the NSC, except in the unlikely event that he is of the view that to do so would prejudice Her Majesty’s Government. That means that we in Anguilla will not get much of an obstacle when we ask to have the same provision in our new Constitution.

The third was a requirement that Whitehall consult the local government on the appointment of a new Governor. The British dug their heels in on that one. The Cayman Islands delegation accepted their position.

What about checks and balances, I ask myself. Have the Caymanian people ensured these are in place?

You can read the entire article by clicking here.

Related articles:

Gays: Colonialism 3

National Security Council: Executive Council

Governor: The Governor