Parliament of the Cayman Islands | |
|---|---|
 Coat of arms of the Cayman Islands | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 5 December 1831 |
| Leadership | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 21 |
 | |
Political groups | Government (11) Official Opposition (8) |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 30 April 2025 |
Next election | 2029 |
| Website | |
| parliament | |
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Executive |
Legislative |
| Administrative divisions |
| Foreign relations |
TheParliament of the Cayman Islands is theunicameral legislature of theBritish Overseas Territory of theCayman Islands. It is composed of 21 members; 19 elected members for a four-year term and two membersex officio.[1]
The Governor may at any time, by Proclamation, prorogue or dissolve the Parliament. The Governor shall dissolve the Parliament at the expiration of four years from the date when the Parliament first meets after any general election unless it has been sooner dissolved. There shall be a general election at such time within two months after every dissolution of the Parliament as the Governor shall, by Proclamation, appoint. The first meeting of every session of the House shall, by Proclamation, be held on such day as the Governor shall appoint. A session usually consists of four meetings. A Meeting comprises several sittings.
In the elections of 8 November 2000, with a turnout of 80% only non-partisans were elected. After the election,conservative members of parliament formed theUnited Democratic Party. Theconservativesocial democraticPeople's Progressive Movement formed in response and won thesubsequent election. The United Democratic Party has since collapsed, with former members either exiting politics or becoming independents.[2][circular reference]
On 31 October 2024 Deputy PremierAndré Ebanks, Ministers Ebanks-Wilks and Turner, and Parliamentary Secretary Heather Bodden resigned from the Government effective immediately.[3][4] This move raises the prospect of an early general election and questions the ability for the current Government to pass legislation. Such legislation would require support from Elected Members from different parties. Furthermore, the governor would need to sign off on that arrangement.
The first meeting to discuss the possible legislative future of the Cayman Islands took place on 5 December 1831 atPedro St. James Castle, a great house in the fertile area of Savannah on Grand Cayman. This building is the seat of parliamentary beginnings in the Cayman Islands.
By 1909 what got established as the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry was meeting in the Court House on the waterfront in what is now the headquarters of theCayman Islands National Museum, in front of Hog Sty Bay and the cruise passenger arrival terminal. The building served as the seat of government, the court house and the legislature. Now it is the home of the Cayman Islands National Museum.
The present Parliament building was built on the site of the former Princess Royal Park. The building design was the subject of some controversy when selected as the winner of an international architectural competition. Being the first poured concrete public building in Cayman, modern techniques were not yet in use, so the concrete was mixed on the street and poured pail by pail by a bucket brigade. The cornerstone was laid by Captain Rayal Brazly Bodden, MBE, JP, on 29 September 1971. The building was completed in July 1972.[5]
By 2003, the legislature had outgrown the space and the building was in need of renovating. Repair and refurbishment work on the building began in February 2003, which added more space through reconfiguration, and renovated and refurbished portions of the interior, including the main chamber.
The newly refurbished and expanded building was inaugurated with the opening of the Legislature session on 2 July 2004, two months beforeHurricane Ivan, which almost completely devastated Grand Cayman over a two-day period (11–12 September 2004). The LA building withstood the storm with minor damage to its roof.
Nineteen members (Members of the Parliament, MPs) are currently elected on a"one person, one vote" basis, following a Constitution Order in 2015.[1] This replaced the electoral system from the 2009 constitutional amendment (where 18 members were elected from five multi- and two single-member constituencies).[6] The twoex officio (appointed) members, the Deputy Governor and the Attorney-General, are appointed by theGovernor of the Cayman Islands.
On 3 December 2020, the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands was renamed the Parliament of the Cayman Islands by the Cayman Islands Constitution (Amendment) Order 2020.[7]
| Party key | Independent | |
|---|---|---|
| People's Progressive Movement | ||
| Caymanian Community Party | ||
| Cayman Islands National Party |
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon.Ezzard Miller | Speaker of the Parliament | — | |
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon.André Ebanks | Premier of the Cayman Islands; Minister for Financial Services and Commerce | Elected Member for West Bay South | |
| Hon. Gary Rutty | Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism and Trade Development | Elected Member for George Town South | |
| Hon.Katherine Ebanks-Wilks | Minister for Health, Environment and Sustainability | Elected Member for West Bay Central | |
| Hon. Rolston Anglin | Minister for Finance and Economic Development and Minister for Education and Training | Elected Member for West Bay North | |
| Hon. Johany Ebanks | Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure | Elected Member for North Side | |
| Hon. Isaac Rankine | Minister for Social Development and Innovation and Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage | Elected Member for East End | |
| Hon. Nickolas DaCosta | Minister for District Administration and Home Affairs | Elected Member for Cayman Brac West & Little Cayman | |
| Hon. Michael Myles | Minister for Caymanian Employment and Immigration | Elected Member for Prospect | |
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. Julie Hunter | Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing and Infrastructure; Education and Training; Culture and Heritage | Elected Member for West Bay West | |
| Hon. Heather Bodden | Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Social Development; Education and Training; Tourism | Elected Member for Savannah | |
| Hon.Wayne Panton | Parliamentary Secretary responsible for Caymanian Employment and Immigration; Infrastructure; Health, Environment and Sustainability; Financial Services and Commerce | Elected Member for Newlands | |
| Member | Roles | District | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hon. Joseph Hew | Leader of the Opposition | Elected Member for George Town North | |
| Hon. Kenneth Bryan | Deputy Leader of the Opposition | Elected Member for George Town Central | |
| Hon. Pearlina McGaw-Lumsden | Deputy Speaker | Elected Member for George Town West | |
| Hon.Juliana O'Connor-Connolly | Elected Member for Cayman Brac East | ||
| Mr. Roy Tatum | Elected Member for Red Bay | ||
| Mr. Roy McTaggart | Elected Member for George Town East | ||
| Mr. Dwayne Seymour | Elected Member for Bodden Town East | ||
| Mr. Christopher Saunders | Elected Member for Bodden Town West | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
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