Governor to be sworn in at Legislative Assembly
Martyn Roper, the new Cayman Islands Governor
(CNS): The new governor of the Cayman Islands, Martyn Roper, along with his wife Elisabeth, will be arriving at Owen Roberts International Airport this morning (Monday) at around 11am and is expected to be sworn in at the Legislative Assembly at 3pm today. The newly appointed UK representative, who was revealed just ten days ago, will be holding a reception at Government House this evening to end his first day in Cayman. According to government officials, Roper will hold his first press conference on Thursday, when the public will get some insight into where this career diplomat stands on the recently fractured relationship between Cayman and Britain.
Roper is a more traditional choice than the last two governors, but officials here say that on this occasion it included some input from Cayman Islands Premier Alden McLaughlin. Roper is stepping into the post after it was held for more than four months by Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, who stood in as acting governor after the sudden recall of Anwar Choudhury over alleged complaints of bullying.
Choudhury took over from Helen Kilpatrick, who was the first female governor of the Cayman Islands and the first to come to the job from the Home Office, rather than the Foreign Office, with expertise in public accounting rather than diplomacy.
Choudhury was also a less traditional choice. A Muslim with a Bangladeshi heritage, he had also deviated from the usual Foreign Office career path, having spent time in the private sector, and his public service was largely with the Ministry of Defence before he joined the FCO.
However, in his short time here he struck a real chord with the Caymanian people and there was a significant outcry when, after less than three months, he was recalled to London amid allegations of some form of bullying by house and office staff.
Roper’s immediate previous posting was in Beijing, China, as deputy head of mission. His posting here comes at a time when the previously improved relations between the Cayman Islands and London deteriorated after the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill was passed in the British parliament.
The bill calls for all British Overseas Territories, though not the Crown Dependencies, to have public beneficial ownership registers before the end of 2020, otherwise they will be imposed through an order in council.
The legislation triggered a significant row, and the premier has since been seeking talks with the British government over an amendment to the Cayman Islands Constitution to prevent what he has called constitutional overreach in the future. But so far, although the UK has agreed to talks, no date has been set.
It is unclear how long Roper will be in the Cayman Islands, as CNS understands that an open competitive recruitment process for the post of governor is underway. Although Roper is believed to be among the applicants it is not certain that he will be appointed and posted for the usual three-year term.
Category: Local News
CNS needs to fix the headline. It should read “Governor to be sworn at in Legislative Assembly”.
So do we get to keep this one this time? He is white after all and not muslim from what the picture shows.
Cayman really doesn’t need any major changes. We are doing just fine. Welcome Governor Roper. Listen to the Premier and DG and you will be fine.
Anonymous 9 :25 pm , I think you have the whole comment backward/ opposite . But Governor Roper should listen to them , but they shouldn’t listen to the Governor . How do you expect the relationship to work and get anything accomplished .
Simple, Gov. Roper keeps quiet, has parties and stays out of the way while the MLA does what it wants. LOL
a warm welcome from all other expats. now please save us from the locals.
Mr. Roper, if you do only 1 thing while you are here. Please make sure the Standards in Public Life Law is enacted and enforced.
The thumb downer, have you even read that law? Read it and you will see why the corrupt CIG hasn’t enacted it yet.
Good luck Mr. Roper, you are entering a den of corrupt, uncaring and self centered thieves known as the CIG. I wish you well and hope that you can stand your ground and shake things up for we desperately need a good shake up around here.
Rose-tinted spectacles there. The truth is much worse. The Governor ought to know how the Premier set out to punish the press when it referred to the true extent of local corruption in a bid to silence investigations.
Welcome to the Islands .Mr. Roper , and I wish you all the best in your new post and watch your back at all time . I hope that you can be a big influence in the governing of the Islands and shake things up the most recent article , Cayman politicians useing Taxpayers money for their own agenda and working against the VOTERS/TAXPAYERS .
He’s worked in places where corruption is the norm. All we can hope is that he recognizes it here, and stops it, as Governor Taylor did .