Governor calls on Cayman to address LGBT rights

| 02/03/2018 | 102 Comments
Cayman News Service, Cayman Islands Governor

Helen Kilpatrick, Governor of the Cayman Islands

(CNS): Days before Governor Helen Kilpatrick departs the Cayman Islands after her 4½-year tour of duty here, she has called on the local government to address the lack of recognition of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights. Reflecting on her time here in her final official statement before she leaves, she made it clear that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wants the government to adopt legislation in Cayman to prohibit discrimination against the LGBT community, saying that it was now time to recognise same-sex partnerships.

“The need for this legislation, and particularly the recognition of same-sex partnerships, is now pressing and I would urge the government to make progress on this legislation to advance the rights of LGBT members of the Cayman Islands community,” she said.

During her time here, the governor had played a small part in trying to promote LGBT rights and had taken part in a series of talks held by the law school which dealt with the legal rights of members of that community. On occasion she has publicly reaffirmed the position that the government must protect LGBT rights. However, she made almost no comment when a debate in the Legislative Assembly saw members directly attack the LGBT community.

Kilpatrick, who came to Cayman from the ministry of home affairs and had never worked as a diplomat before, has maintained a relatively low profile compared to previous governors and has enjoyed a very close relationship with the elected and administrative leaders throughout her posting. Reviewing her time in Cayman and what she saw as achievements, she thanked those she has worked with and singled out Premier Alden McLaughlin and Deputy Governor Franz Manderson as “special people”.

She noted that, as an accountant, it had “been a pleasure to see the Cayman Islands Government and statutory authorities make such huge improvements in financial reporting” while she was here. “To go from the situation when I arrived, where the majority of opinions were either qualified, adverse or disclaimed, to the current position, where thirty-one opinions were unqualified, only six not, and none at all disclaimed, is truly a remarkable achievement,” she said.

She said it had “been a tremendous privilege to be the first female governor”, and recalled one highlight when the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women was extended to the Cayman Islands.

However, she expressed her disappointment in the crime rate, as she admitted that, as governor, it was “one of my greatest responsibilities” to ensure the safety and security of the  islands.

“It is therefore bitterly disappointing that crime is still far too high, particularly crimes involving drugs, guns and burglary,” she said, but commended the work of local law enforcement, who she said were seen as leaders in the overseas territories community.

Describing the governor’s job as interesting and varied, Kilpatrick said she had enjoyed it immensely, but she said it was sometimes misunderstood.

“Some people have the impression that we just go to cocktail parties — though I have been to quite a few — and others seem to think we are beavering away on behalf of Her Majesty’s Government against the interests of the Cayman Islands,” she said. “Neither of these impressions is remotely true. I said in my introductory speech to the Legislative Assembly that I committed to ‘well and truly serve the people of the Cayman Islands’. I can only hope I have achieved this.”

Kilpatrick is retiring from the British civil service after this position and she said she does not know what the next chapter will be.

“The variety of the work and the vibrancy of the beautiful Cayman Islands have spoiled me and I would not relish returning to cold, dark London on a full time basis. Something will come up,” she said.

“Although I have to leave, I am pleased that the Cayman Islands’ economy is thriving and the territory is visibly more prosperous than when I arrived. There are always further improvements that need to be made, for example in employment opportunities for Caymanians and in public education, but I know these are priorities for the government and that further progress will be made.”

She noted that preparations are underway for the arrival of the new Cayman Islands Governor, Anwar Choudhury. He will be arriving on 26 March with his wife Momina, two teenage daughters and a new baby girl.

See Governor Kilpatrick’s full statement in the CNS Library

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Comments (102)

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  1. BARRY says:

    Thank you Philadelphia

  2. Anonymous says:

    Attention: Anonymous 05/03/2018 @ 8:45 am.

    I mean to say adopt NOT adoptive . . .

  3. Anonymous says:

    Attention: Anonymous 05/03/2018 @ 8:45 am.

    Yes gay people can and do adoptive children and those that I know are fantastic parents . On the other hand, Cayman like elsewhere in the world have persons who were married or not but still fathered or mothered a child or children but later in life decided that he or she has had enough of the ‘double life’ and chose instead to be true to him/herself and thus ‘come out of the closet’.

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  4. Anonymous says:

    Maybe you can’t fix any social issues in a society (Cayman) that’s so narrow-minded.

  5. anonymous says:

    Maybe the reason the Governor did not participate in the LA debate is because she was cautioned about conflict of interest.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    Shame she emptily talks about ending the systemic bigotry in the territory but seemed to do nothing about in. The UK has let down the gay communities of its territories by failing to impose non-discriminatiory norms.

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    • anonymous says:

      1.39 pm. I think it’s something to do with the idea of democracy …. you know, the people’s will. Therefore what you are proposing the U.K. do will never happen. Britain is Britain, Cayman is Cayman. And Cayman’s Constitution is the expression of its people’s will.

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    • Anonymous says:

      1.39, the bigotry exists in the community through ignorance and phobias. Only the people in the community can actually change that themselves by becoming educated or bothering to do some fact finding, rather than listening to rabid pastors or MLA’s for that matter spout their hatred. The Governor did what she should in this case- ferment debate. That is the only way you can change things. Telling people to stop being Bigots rarely works, because they don’t think they are bigots. They are too blinded by their hatred to another version to see.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    Well Pain killer your post rang true in Prospect last night with the shoot out with Police. The detractors need to get their heads checked.

  8. Anonymous says:

    Gay people are just that – human beings deserving of equal rights no matter how trivial some may think this issue is. 99.9% of gays living in the Cayman Islands are law abiding, hard working, tolerant, loving parents, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, friends colleagues, Christians, neighbours, politicians, teachers, doctors, lawyers, accountants, hotels workers, nurses, policemen, customs officers, firemen/women ,nurses, flight attendants,bus drivers, gardeners, construction workers, pilots and on and on and on. Yes we deserve the same rights as heterosexual couples. It’s the 21st Century Cayman.!!! I want my fourteen year partnership recognised like yesterday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      I noticed you said parents, how ? as it takes a man and a woman to produce a child. Can” t you see that this Lbgt thing is a attack of the family unit by confusing (lying) to the children.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I encourage you to spend some time with a sane-sex couple and their children before you pass judgment. See if there is any less love on that household before you egregoously assume two loving parents are an attack on children.

        And why are you assuming that guy couples lie to their children about how they are brought into this world? As any adoptive family can tell you, biology does not determine who a child’s parents are. Children understand the difference between those who conceive them and those who raise them.

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      • Anonymous says:

        8:45
        Yes, it takes a man and women (and some luck) to have a child, but it takes an act of love, kindness and passion to adopt a child that nobody wants. Gay, straight, who gives a crap.
        I’m straight as an arrow, but I’m human first. Homophobia is no different than racial discrimination.

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  9. West bay Premier says:

    Anonymous 10:02 am , yes I did read the article. What I commented on was her final words and concerns. If she had any concern for the Islands and the people, she would have mentioned them at the time.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Oh buzz off.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Ah buena va a tu casa

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Governor’s office role is to be: “responsible for the security and good governance of the Cayman Islands”.

    Was the Governor’s office successful in fulfilling this role?
    Thumbs up for Yes, Thumbs down for No.

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  13. Anonymous says:

    Yet in four-and-half years as Governor she did nothing to stop RCIPS abusing police bail?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Who said they do? Broad statement with no back up…guess you have a gripe with them.

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      • Diogenes says:

        This person is refering to today’s compass Front page and editorial
        Which is likely the only reason they are brining it up

        Diogenes

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    • Anonymous says:

      She also did nothing to fix the immigration disaster, or the almost overt appearance of corruption everywhere you turn.

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  14. Marl Karx says:

    Governor involves himself in local politics and is accused of conspiring to undermine and destabalize the duly elected leader and his party – criticized and attacked by the public

    Governor minds her own business, keeps her head down and does her job with no controversy for 4 1/2 years and she still gets attacked by the far right contards on CNS simply because she has a contrary opinion
    Maybe people just hate the UK, FCO and any Governor

    Ms Kilpatrick I hope you enjoyed your time here, I met you personally on a few occasions and you were always courteous and professional (doing your job even when you were injured and in pain, when most people in your position, would have easily handed the duties to a deputy like the DG)

    Nothing but the best for you in future

    A Caymanian

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yep, no one happy here unless they bitching about something, especially furreners doing their jobs well. I think it is a jealousy issue.

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      • Anonymous says:

        If her job was to ensure good governance and support human rights and the rule of law, she failed miserably.

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    • Anonymous says:

      11:51 am. Another drunk person fell down, was it you?

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  15. Diogenes says:

    I love when people attack CNS for highlighting this issue, doing exactly what a free media should be doing
    Highlighting the failings of our government and by extension our people for allowing this to occur in their name

    Keep it up CNS, they don’t want light on this issue, you are reporting the facts
    and conservatives have been fighting information for years
    The disdain is nothing new, and the fight will go on

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Question.
    Is this Gay thing that big a deal that it needs attention, or is it the 2 persons wanting the legal changes for there personal purpose is that loud?

    Gays need to have respect for the public. It is only gays that I see making a poppy show of themselves in public and making it obvious. As a married man that believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, I do not have any issues with what people do in the privacy of their homes. But I would not be leaving my little trouble Boy or Girl around persons that could take an innocent mind and fondle them into believing that it is ok to be Gay.

    Will I be put in Jail for telling a Gay person that I do not approve of that behavior? Not in an imposing manner, but should they want to make the argument that they have a right and I should respect their ways. Then obviously they should also know that I have a right and they should respect my way and our laws. It would be the same of a person smoking with no consideration for others around.

    We had a family trip to Miami. Outside in the parking lot while I am on my way out with my wife and children. We saw two grown bunkey men, penis to penis with just a bikini bottom dry humping each other against a car in the lot. It was very disgusting and as children always asking those strange questions, was start to ask if that is possible that it is two men, as a parent i tried to explain it was a woman with short hair and a man. the response was so why does 2 of them have a penis and that it’s so disgusting for them to do that. And the comment by one of the children was, “maybe they want people to see them so they can cause a problem”. (put that into perspective. That comment from a young person).

    Nuff said. Miss Gov. You not the first and you not be the last. So pack that crap up and hope that what was tolerated in Cayman will be tolerated in another country.

    Now we have a Muslim Gov on the way. Lord forbid that the Jordanian all of a sudden start his stupidness now about him being discriminated against and start a whole new legal challenge. Or using his so call cayman papers to get a job around the new Gov.

    Soon we will have a Jamaican Gay Muslim with Filipino Wife and little Spanish children. It would be illegal then to be Caymanian by birth since that could be consider discrimination.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I can understand how if something does not seem to affect you personally, it can seem like it is a loud cry from a small number of people. But imagine if the roles were reversed? What might it feel like if your marriage to your wife was denied recognition under the law? If you had to worry that, if you were injured, your wife wouldn’t be allowed to make healthcare decisions, or if you were killed (God forbid), your children would become wards of the state instead of staying with their mother?

      These islands have never accepted indecent public displays of any kind (straight, gay or otherwise), and that is not what LGBT people are asking for here. Nor does the behaviour you witnessed in Miami represent the community of LGBT people here in the islands. The behaviour you witnessed in Miami likely predated the recognition of same sex marriage in the United States, and continues to exist afterwards. The behaviour you see from LGBT people in Cayman today (none) will likely continue in much the same way once the government makes good on its obligations.

      The only thing from your perspective that will be different if Cayman recognizes same-sex relationships is that LGBT people in Cayman will finally be able to stop asking for legal recognition of their relationships.

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    • Anonymous says:

      You have a right to your belief, and so you should. What makes people of different views have any less right to their beliefs? I know you will not even want or try to understand that, because you are inherently blinded by your own blatant conviction that only you can be right. The Church or whatever you believe in, has narrowed your mind to only see one set of facts, and not to question even whether thou shalt love thy fellow man regardless. Or not in your case.

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    • Anonymous says:

      It is shame that your children have been brought up by parents who have to lie to them. But then what is clear is that you are the sort of self-righteous bigot who thinks that other people are in the wrong. After that Miami experience you might want to go the doctor, just in case your family might have caught the gayness.

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    • Jotnar says:

      Congratulations. You got homophobia, xenophobia, racism and islamophobia all into one post. Missed out on anti semitism though – you could have said the Spanish kids were Jewish.

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      • Anonymous says:

        And you know the poster will think he is none of these things. Backwards does as backwards does.

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      • Anonymous says:

        He also, had to take a jab at gays as child-molesters when he said, “fondle them [i.e. little children] into believing…”

        don’t most pedophilia cases involve heterosexual men and little girls?

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      • Anonymous says:

        The jews you believe in are not the real ones. Read real history.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Wow. Xenophobic, intolerant, and racsist all at the same time: and I bet you call yourself a good Christian??

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    • Anonymous says:

      @Anonymous 11:30am – Would you prefer your “little trouble Boy or Girl” to be “fondled” by anyone else? You don’t have to try and appear to be subtle, ma’am/sir. Clearly you think that the LGBT community are nothing more than child-molesters who are just waiting to “fondle” your child so why not just come out (pardon the pun) and say so.

      It is highly irresponsible to use such inflammatory language when you choose the word “fondle” especially when it comes to LGBT people and little children. It reminds me of when some European people used to be wary of Jews because they believed that Jews would abduct little children to use their blood to ‘add zest to their Matzos bread’. Of course, people want to protect their children, and that you would use the health and safety of children to protract discrimination against LGBT people is unjustifiable.

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  17. Soldier Crab says:

    Mrs Kilpatrick’s lack of diplomatic experience was well evident throughout her tenure. In contrast to previous governors she very rarely went out to meet ordinary people or held functions they could attend. Remember Tom Russell? He knew half of the population by name.
    But, given her background, it does seem she was sent to oversee a return to ‘fiscal responsibility’ and it may be that the reason Marco was so successful was because she supported his efforts.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I expect you could do so much better.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Oh Christ stop with the Tom Russell worship. The place was much smaller then in terms of numbers of people and he drank like a fish with Jim Bodden and his cronies so of course he knew people. He also let Jim do what he wanted much to the eventual detriment of Cayman. His worshipping has been led by years by his girlfriend in his last 30 years of life and her son.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Clearly you didn’t follow the news that she hosted thousands for charity receptions (but you don’t volunteer so never met her?) also that she joined a Rotarian trek in the mountains of Guatemala to deliver books to the most impoverished schools. It was long walks, heavy books and rolling up your sleeves, but then again (dear writer) if you were part of any charity from children to our elderly you would KNOW Her Excellency’s many visits to The Pines, her efforts for literacy, her support hands on for Hospice and so many other worthy causes she participated in first hand.

      Go ahead, sit back on your lazy butt, but don’t doubt the efforts of this great lady. She did a LOT 1-1 in the community!!!

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  18. Anonymous says:

    What an example we are setting for our children:
    “Discrimination was bad in the past and we as a people should work to overcome it”
    “Our discrimination is fine and we aren’t doing anything wrong”

    Talking out of both sides of your mouths

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  19. Anonymous says:

    We can’t even navigate a roundabout petal.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    If the Cayman Islands Gov’t has budgeted $270mln towards Territorial Policing and Security (per Counselor Austin Harris), roughly the same amount as the City of Seattle, how hard should the public have to search to determine how that money is being spent? What are the metrics of success? How can the public measure ROI without transparency on costs? Beyond a new drug dog, a couple foot patrols, and a skate park mentoring visit, where is all of this new money going?

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    • Jotnar says:

      I had to check this because I couldn’t believe it. Seattle PDs budget this year is US$330m or about CI$270m, for which they provide nearly 1400 sworn officers (excluding a further 500+ civilian staff) covering a population of 686,000, and have all the bells and whistles such as a large traffic department (including a specialist DUI squad, a team dealing with aggressive driving offences (dirt bikes anyone), and parking enforcement), K9, SWAT, and a harbour patrol responsible for 200 miles of shoreline. We have 400 officers and staff, can only muster 13 traffic officers, and are only dealing with 10% of the population. WTF are RCIPS spending all that money on!

  21. Anonymous says:

    What happened to crime while she was here? Who was in charge of the police? Pretty sure it was her. Gay rights are a sideshow to the crime problem.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And a sideshow that could be easily fixed if the LA or the UK would do what it is obligated to do under it’s international treaty obligations. Why are we letting this distraction go on? Just give them equality under the law already so we can move on to more pressing matters.

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  22. West bay Premier says:

    That’s a hell of a departing message, but nothing about the real problems that is destroying the Islands and peopl . I guess that LGBT rights are more important to her than the Islands and the people .

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    • Anonymous says:

      Clearly you didn’t read the article then
      Not surprising considering who it is
      Answer me this: Do you ever actually read what you comment on or is it just you firing from the hip like usual, throwing shit and hoping it sticks?

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      • anonymous says:

        10.02am kindly wash out your potty-mouth before commenting again. You do yourself a disservice with foul language.

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    • Anonymous says:

      9:19 am, wouldn’t you protect your corner in a fight. RMLs, every money to his limb, even it the limb is about to break off.
      Who really knew that someone was looking out for the people? They only look out for their own and we are always left out of the equation.
      Merry journey.

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  23. Anonymous says:

    too little too late hells bells…..

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  24. Anonymous says:

    Be gone!

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  25. Anonymous says:

    She and her kin was trying to foist it on us from day one. She failed and all others will fail in that endevour also. We have many more important things to deal with. After we have done all there is to do in Cayman we will find something else to focus on. I feel sure the next governor will not be wasting time on trying to declare Cayman ” gay marriage zone” madam governor go in peace, you will not be so comfy again as you were on t terrafirma

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    • Diogenes says:

      Please explain to me how someone who publicly expresses their support for a movement is somehow equated to “foisting it on us”

      Can someone not be in favor of something that you disagree with

      Whether you acknowledge it or not as Governor she had extensive abilities which she refrained from using, she is part of the system that allows this discrimination to continue but you are going to act like somehow she was held off

      Newsflash Governors are allowed to have goals and agenda’s for public policy it is what we set out in the Consitution the PPM oversaw less than 10 years ago
      The same people who allowed for the Governor to have this authority are the same ones who would criticize her for using it, how apt

      But that’s how y’all go,
      If she did something you would despise her
      and even if she didn’t do anything (which is what she did) you still despise her
      There is no choice that will satisfy your arbitary morals,

      Looks like I’m going to have to spend another day ripping ignorant arguments to shreds, lets go

      *prepares to type with vigour*

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  26. Anonymous says:

    I guess the LGBT thing her Excellency is try to give to us is her little party bag to thank us for coming to her party.

    Thanks but no thanks, please give it to someone else or take it back home with you.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    Instead of addressing this issue in an amicable way that both sides can live with, the CIG and LA are going to wait for a Caymanian to challenge the discrimination in court, lose and then scramble to try to undo whatever is done like was done in Bermuda
    Instead of being reasonable and setting aside our personally held religious beliefs we are lording over a minority and then playing as the victims
    “Love thy neighbor as thyself” does this verse mean anything anymore? People are too caught up in the hatred

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    • Anonymous says:

      Perhaps they will challenge our refusal to change or laws and constitution and lose.! We won’t be scrambling to undo anything because we will not change it from what it is now. This verse about “love thy neighbor as thyself” applies both ways. Why don’t all of you love us as we are instead of trying to change everything about us. Seems like everything about us is a problem to you people. You all don’t agree with our religious activities, want us to allow gay marriage, some of you do not believe in God, want us to allow dancing and loud music on Sundays.If you don’t love us then feel free to leave!

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      • Anonymous says:

        None of us are trying to change anything about you, you can hate us all you want what you should not be able to do is legally discriminate against us based on your personally held beliefs
        I am a Caymanian and I will be going nowhere but because I am different I can “Feel free to leave” Gotta love our “Christian” community went from the oppressed to the oppressors
        It’s hilarious you are acting like it is just gay people who are atheists, or gay people who are pushing against the 40 year old drinking and music laws, those are regular church-going striaght Caymanians don’t get it twisted our fight is for equality and that is it
        How is it that you hypocrites put it again, “love the sinner not the sin” for us I guess it would be “love the discriminator not the discrimination”

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      • Anonymous says:

        But in what possible way does it affect you if two gay people you don’t know want to get married??

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        • Anonymous says:

          I don’t care if they want to marry but we will not change the institution of marriage in Cayman which is between a man and a woman.

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          • Anonymous says:

            No one is asking that churches or the religious or any group of people change what they believe marriage is. The only thing that is being asked for is that same-sex unions be given respect under the law.

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    • nauticalone says:

      Well said. I agree with you!

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  28. Anonymous says:

    Nice of you to say so as you are leaving.

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  29. PainKiller says:

    Dearest Governor without trying to breakdown your departure speech piece by piece which I don’t have the time to do I would just like to say thank for recognizing the challenges now facing the majority of Caymanians today in our very own island. Unfortunately neither you nor those lapdog unity government politicians have done or will now do nothing to bring any relief to that dire situation any time soon. Too busy now basking in their own prosperity and relevance in this jet set society. I would like to offer and explanation to you why crime is so rampant and high and I hope you do not take it personal because the blame does not lie with you. However its with your employer who’s constant meddling in our law enforcement polices and decision and the dismantling and the removal of capable Caymanian officers which appears to be systematic and was planned and was going on before your arrival. Those officers in return have been replaced by UK and inept and some instances corrupt political stooges and very serious criminal elements from Jamaica which has always had a very active transnational role in crime here. This meddling has empowered and infact strengthen its arm now to reach out to other jurisdiction which infact is now causing serious reputational and trust damage concerns to Cayman law enforcement ties to international agencies. You can add corrupt elements to and already corrupt situation and expect a good outcome. Then have law enforcement leadership preaching they are here to reflect the diversity of the community add insult to and already volatile situation. A very clear indication of this is the recent increase in attacks on law enforcement. You say you want Cayman to recognize LGBT rights yet you and our idiotic political regime are allowing or ascended once again to immigration policies with allow certain minorities to expand their population political and religion base which have very little tolerance of LGBT in their own countries its kind of self defeating in my opinion. Thank for your stewardship and hope you will return soon to see us back here and I mean that in the most sincere way Madam Governor.

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  30. Anonymous says:

    Finally, some acknowledgement of the elephants in the room.

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  31. Anonymous1 says:

    Oh please …. do we have to spin this issue again, as if we are persecuting gay people?????!

    Rather, I think the government should be ensuring that all people here have their RIGHTS protected. Not LGBT trump up rights that force or encourage their lifestyle on us and our children!

    I don’t have to follow the States or the UK. Many places are not doing it.

    Peace ?? 🙂

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    • Diogenes says:

      Many places like where?
      Saudi Arabia?
      African Strongman dictatorships?
      The Russian Federation?
      These are the countries we want to follow?

      If your honest argument is that seeing gay people will encourage straight people and kids to turn gay, then by that logic wouldn’t after thousands of years of only accepting heterosexuals publicly seeing all the straight people would turn the gay people straight?
      When gay people see the majority of striaght people, shouldn’t it turn them straight or encourage them to be straight (of course that doesn’t work but you clearly aren’t a thinker”)

      Try agian
      Diogenes

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      • Jotnar says:

        According to 1130 its because gays fondle kids into becoming gay. The public displays of gay behaviour are simply “to cause a problem”. Whereas presumably Batabano et al are honest community efforts to encourage gays to become straight.

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    • Anonymous says:

      While incidences of violence and harm to LGBT people are thankfully not as prevalent in Cayman as they are in other parts of the world, such things do very much still happen here. And it only takes one for people to be justifiably fearful for their safety and reputation for something as simple and uncontrollable as who they are and who they love.

      To constantly worry that you cannot hold the hand of the person with whom you share your life as you do something as simple as walking up the beach. To fear what will befall your children if one of you should pass because the laws do not recognize your child’s mother or father as their parent. To fear that decisions about your health will be made by a stranger—instead of a member of your family—should something unfortunate befall you. If you have never lived with that kind of worry and fear, then I thank God for your blessing.

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  32. MI6 in Paradise says:

    This has been her agenda from day 1 and the only thing she has done as Guv’nor.
    Good riddance to someone who has failed the Cayman Islands and was clearly out of her depth. On the positive side at least she didn’t call for expensive investigations like Operation Tempura so she ranks above the other disasterous guv’nors like Stuart Jack and Mr. Dimwiddy

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Really CNS, of all the things Helen had to say the one thing you focused on was this?…I give you credit for pressing your agenda but from reading your headline one would think that was the main part of her speech..

    LGBT rights will come but please realise that Cayman is a special place. As an expat who came here and was accepted by our people, you should know how far we have come but changing overnight is not something that we Caymanians are good at..They are certain principles ingrained in generations over the years and we should respect this and understand their side as well.

    The LGBT community is not threatened here and except for the push for same sex marriage there is no problem with the general community. There are few that still are homophobic including some politicians but no ones goes around harming, outing or otherwise threatening physically or otherwise any person that is gay..Let’s be thankful that this has not happened and that we can progress, however slowly that maybe towards further rights for the LGBT community.

    Let’s focus on some more pressing issues like unemployment and better education for all our people.

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    • Anonymous says:

      The LGBT people of Cayman are OF COURSE thankful for those on our islands who are accepting and welcoming and wonderful to all the people who come to our shores. And I, for one, am grateful that, by and large, that is the attitude of so many within this country.

      I also know that, while incidences of violence and harm to LGBT people are thankfully not as prevalent in Cayman as they are in other parts of the world, such things do very much still happen here. We have had several such instances, sadly, and it only takes one for people to be justifiably fearful for their safety and reputation for something as simple and uncontrollable as who they are and who they love.

      To constantly worry that you cannot hold the hand of the person with whom you share your life as you do something as simple as walking up the beach. To fear what will befall your children if one of you should pass because the laws do not recognize your child’s mother or father as their parent. To fear that decisions about your health will be made by a stranger—instead of a member of your family—should something unfortunate befall you. If you have never lived with that kind of worry and fear, then I thank God for your blessing.

      And please know that the LGBT people of Cayman are just as concerned and focused on issues like unemployment, education, crime and the rest as you are. While Cayman may have lower rates of crime than many other islands in the Caribbean, are we not still all concerned about it, and do we not still all work to reduce it at every opportunity? If we can all work together to simultaneously address the ills in our society, why do we not work together to address this one, particularly when it would be so easily solved with the LA simply providing a legal framework for recognizing same-sex relationships, as they are already required to do?

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  34. Lucifer says:

    Love does not divide us, religion does. The solution is to cut the head of the snake off this superstitious franchise we have here so that we can be civil and treat our fellow neighbors with the same respect we want to be treated.

    If she really wants Cayman to address these important history making rights, then she must also understand religion is the enemy we will have to conquer.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Is it religion that is the issue, or when the so-called “religious” use their religion to subjugate others and advance their ungodly goals? Religion, in its purest form, teaches us to love and understand one another, and to find commonality among us all. If those were the principles of religion informing our laws, I would happily support them.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    Rings of an unelected EU official dictating policy to the UK.

    Wasn’t well received there either – and we know how that ended.

    Kilpatrick’s supposed job was to ensure “good governance”, yet NOT ONCE have we witnessed the slightest interest or even acknowledgement of cries of rampant discrimination against Caymanians in their own country on her part.

    (Instead, we only hear of the trending, transplanted supposed local grievance that is gay marriage.)

    For that reason, among others, she is a fraud in my book, and I could not care less for her advice or “directives” as she departs our shores.

    I wish her well in the future. If anything, she could apply those accountancy skills to keeping track of the rising numbers of British neo-nazi, far-right losers in her “gay-marriage-friendly” home country.

    I encourage her to use her experience here to help counter the societal cancer that is xenophobia in her homeland – as Cayman’s track record is second to none and far superior.

    Once again we are waving goodbye to another governor who, despite after years of living with us, has failed to actually know, feel, and see us – for who we are, as opposed to what THEY want us to look like.

    Wake up Cayman.

    – Whodatis

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    • Anonymous says:

      Who — I for one am not aware of anyone in the LGBT community who is suggesting that the discrimination that Caymanians face in their own country shouldn’t be rectified and addressed. In fact, wasn’t it the LGBT community who rose to the defense of the Caymanian who was denied a dependent permit for her same-sex spouse, despite the fact that expats are routinely granted similar permits for their same-sex spouses?

      That discrimination is wrong, too, and I will happily work alongside you to see it end.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Thanks, but no thanks.

        Life and experience has taught me to never trust “cold call” offers of assistance – for anything.

        foh

        – Who

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        • Anonymous says:

          Good luck to you then, on your solo crusades. Those who refuse to offer cooperation and understanding are deserving of none in return.

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          • Anonymous says:

            Not interested in your disingenuous well wishes either – or your words of warning.

            Once again … foh.

            – Who

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    • Anonymous says:

      stop looking elsewhere…address the issues on your own doorstep…if that is possible for you….

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    • The Constitutional Critic says:

      Cayman is just as xenophobic as the UK
      Though you enjoy pretending otherwise, we let you enjoy your delusions and rambling
      and are a master of rendering all contrary evidence inert by virtue of it being contrary to your half assed beliefs

      *Also did you know you have in past and continue to break the laws laid out in the Penal Code of the Cayman Islands with your comments?*
      **Speech ain’t so free here Bobo, didn’t you know?**
      ***Hope someone doesn’t put in an anonymous tip or call with the RCIPS***
      ****Maybe you can learn about LGBTdiscriminations and rights issues behind bars?****
      ****** I support the free speech rights of my opposition most of all but, quite frankly, I hope you see the underbelly of the system you love so much******

      ******Bon Appetit******

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    • Jotnar says:

      “the societal cancer that is xenophobia in her homeland – as Cayman’s track record is second to none and far superior…” – you mean, our record as being xenophobic is second to none? Because if you mean the opposite, not sure how you square that with the anti expat rants – especially against Jamaicans – or the Caymanians are lazy and /or corrupt diatribes that are equally pervasive.

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      • Anonymous says:

        I square all of that by the fact the population of this 80’s-baby’s island nation has more than DOUBLED in their lifetime.

        – Who

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    • Anonymous says:

      The only discrimination towards Caymanians is positive discrimination. If you could get over yourselves for 5 minutes you would see that.

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