HRC blames lack of code for leadership troubles

| 16/02/2021 | 28 Comments

(CNS) The Human Rights Commission is urging voters to “stand firm” in holding elected representatives accountable, as it called once again for a code of conduct for members of Parliament. With both the Commission for Standards in Public Life (CSPL) and the HRC essentially powerless to actually hold politicians and leaders accountable, the two bodies have blamed the absence of the code for the early elections and the continued bad behaviour of politicians.

The HRC issued a statement on Tuesday, following the dissolution of Parliament by the governor on Sunday to pave the way for this early election on 14 April, which is essentially a political maneuver by the premier. The commission said the behaviour and criminal conviction of House Speaker McKeeva Bush was the “accelerant for an early election”.

The HRC noted that this is not the first time the behaviour of MPs has been questioned and stirred up significant public controversy. The commisssion conducted investigations into complaints about “threatening and discriminatory rhetoric” during debates in the House on same-sex partnerships and marriage equality, the afterwards wrote to MPs, asking them to draft and implement a Parliamentary Code of Conduct.

But according to the CSPL, that code is still in draft form, as it has been for some time.

HRC Chair Dale Crowley said the Cayman Islands was making “great strides toward good governance” with institutions, but there is growing public concern around the leadership and decisions. “The failure of our… elected representatives to enact a Parliamentary Code of Conduct is an area that sadly we are behind compared to other Caribbean and Commonwealth nations,” Crowley said, adding that the HRC would continue to advocate for this to be introduced.

In partnership with the CSPL, the HRC urged new candidates, voters and the wider public to continue to also press for this code of conduct. CSPL Chair Rosie Whittaker-Myles said that commission fully endorses the HRC’s recommendations.

“The CSPL has provided feedback on a draft Ministerial Code of Conduct and has been, for several years, following up with the Cabinet Office on the finalisation of that Code which, unfortunately, remains in draft form,” she said.

Last year the HRC released its research in chart form detailing Parliamentary Codes of Conduct and related documents for the Caribbean Territories and Non-regional Commonwealth Jurisdictions.

See the HRC research and the full press release in the CNS Library.


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Category: Government oversight, Politics

Comments (28)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    How difficult is it to draft a Code? Stop the excuses.

    • Really getting down says:

      HRC where have you been kinda late to be pronouncing on anything isn’t it. Did you all just come out of hibernation. So many issues abound anowbyou camoaining. Shut ya outa and come back again after election, cause really mama look a boo boo de na working fe you.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Everyone likes to pretend what we are witnessing is beyond their ability to intervene, and it’s not. Any parliamentarian can report the treating event on Dec 26 and trigger the required investigation, which is a violation of non-custodial sentence. So easy, but nobody will sign off of the paperwork. Least of all Captain Justice from Northside. Spare us the BS.

  3. Anonymous says:

    The Speaker, as a felon serving a non-custodial criminal sentence on three counts, is in violation of his parole twice over. That has nothing to do with HRC or SIPL Committee, it is a problem with the Attorney General, who was put into his role by McKeeva Bush via a judicial coup in 2003. Discuss that please.

    • Anonymous says:

      How is he in violation of his parole, if he left the event before the curfew time? Or are you suggesting that he didnt?

  4. Jacky Boatside From Oldbush says:

    Ethics in Cayman has been written in pencil and Mckeewa simply rubbed it out!

  5. Anonymous says:

    A lack of laws is not your real problem. Conversely, more laws will not fix your problem. Think of all the ones you have and don’t use.

  6. Let’s be honest says:

    We vote for dishonorable people.
    If someone has a gambling problem; or we all know that they fancy the underage, or they owe money to others in the community; or use their fists to subdue others, etc., why vote them into our Parliament?! It’s simple: dishonorable people = dishonorable MPs.
    (My personal opinion: having a different sexual preference does not necessarily make someone dishonorable)

  7. Anonymous says:

    They don’t understand right and wrong…they might have been raised by wolves.

    • Anonymous says:

      Comparing our current elected representatives to wolves is an insult to wolves. Those 4 legged canines have more honour than the entire PPM combined..

      • Anonymous says:

        It’s hard to change things in Cayman, for each sensible voter, there are thousands stupid foolish voters

    • BeaumontZodecloun says:

      Wolves have far too much integrity for the likes of them. Remember, wolves depend upon patient analysis of the goal and cooperation within the pack. They also nurture their own and repel all those who threaten their young.

    • Anonymous says:

      They understand right from wrong. It’s just that they can steal more by following the actions of their predecessors. An honest man is hard to find……… especially in our group of Members of Parliament.

    • Anonymous says:

      They not raised by wolves…. They ARE wolves!

  8. VOTE THEM ALL OUT says:

    Vote all these failures out. They condoned his actions and accepted the Speaker keep his post despite a criminal conviction. Now we the voters must hold them ALL accountable on 14 April 2021

  9. J .A .Roy Bodden says:

    There is no reason for the Parliament to be without a Code of Conduct when back in the I990’S Gilbert McLean and I introduced the Report “Standards in Public Life” by Lord Nolan. Had the powers that were been interested in proper ethical behaviour , members would not be in the predicament in which they find themselves in today.

    Instead they flaunted their arrogance labelled us “defunct school teachers “. Now the ‘chickens have come to roost’ and I am waiting patiently to exercise my democratic right.

  10. Anonymous says:

    Do i understand that the HRC is asking us to remove Government because of the lack of a code of conduct and to vote for the opposition? Oh the irony! Surely there is something unethical about this! There is a fine line and I have a strong feeling the HRC just crossed it. Electorates are adults and if they choose to not vote for McKeeva fine, a new Government can also choose to not include McKeeva in their number as speaker or otherwise. But HOW is it appropriate for the HRC to go public to call for (in essence) the removal of a Government for not presenting a code. Whatever your views as a constitutional commission you CANNOT call for the removal of the Government by the electorate. And sadly the CSPL have been embarrassingly joined in this unethical behavior.

    • Anonymous says:

      It is you who concluded that holding them accountable has to result in voting them out! So what s your complaint? And thank you Mr.Crowley, I couldn’t agree more!

      • Anonymous says:

        This is disingenuous and both Commissions are out of order. The article categorically calls for VOTERS to hold ELECTORATE to be held accountable. We aren’t stupid. We are on the eve of an election and the HRC statement can only be suggesting one thing. Explain how else voters would hold them accountable. Frankly this is outrageous. Your political views are fine for you but the Commissions have crossed the line!

    • Anonymous says:

      4:58 pm I read CNS article and the original statement and nowhere did I read anything about removing government or voting for anyone. If this is Arden or MacBeater, shut the chicken up – you and the rest of DIShonourables are a disgrace.

      • Anonymous says:

        Read it again and follow the reference to voters and then explain how voters at election are supposed to hold electorates accountable. If both commissioners don’t understand why this was wrong they shouldn’t be there. They were ill advised to have published the statement. I understand everyone’s concerns but the thing for the CSPL to do is to keep pressing on. But HOW on earth does the HRC think it was good to tell voters to factor a code of ethics when voting and holding their electors accountable. Shame on you and shame to pretend it was acceptable to do so.

      • Anonymous says:

        This is disingenuous. When you ask “voters” to hold electorates accountable for the code of ethics, what exactly are you calling for.. Any statement from the commissions regarding the electorate and voters is inappropriate

    • Anonymous says:

      no that’s not what they are saying. They are saying to hold them accountable, not telling you how to vote.

      • Anonymous says:

        On the eve of an election please explain how we are to hold ‘them” accountable and who exactly “them” is? Thanks!

    • Donnie says:

      If that is what you understood Anonymous, you need to read the article again because that is not what the HRC and CSPL have said.

    • Anonymous says:

      Except of course they didn’t. You just made it up. To quote you “surely something unethical about this!”.

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