Roper directs CoP to investigate post-election ‘bullying’

(CNS) Governor Martyn Roper weighed in on the political fight Monday when he revealed that he had asked the police commissioner to conduct an “urgent review” into what he said was bullying content on social media to “see if it breaks our laws” and “to monitor this matter very closely”. Roper said that he was “concerned and saddened” by the way some people have behaved, particularly in various online forums towards elected officials”. However, in response to CNS questions, the governor said that he had seen no direct evidence or reports of campaign donors, special interest groups or their proxies engaging in offline bullying, harassment or threats against candidates.

Roper said he recognised the uncertainty and that forming a government was a tense time, as he urged people to remain calm and be patient.

“Since the General Election I have been concerned and saddened to see the way in which some people in our community have behaved,” Roper said in the short statement. “The tone and content of some posts has been unpleasant and, some may say, bullying. I have asked the Police Commissioner to conduct an urgent review of this content to see if it breaks our laws and going forwards to monitor this matter very closely. Online harassment is not CaymanKind. It is not the Cayman Islands that I have come to admire and respect,” he said, adding that the process must be allowed to play itself out.

“We are lucky that on these islands we all enjoy the right to freedom of speech and expression but I ask everyone to exercise this in a respectful way,” Roper stated.

Despite the allegations of harassment and threats being perpetrated by campaign donors and other special interest groups against some MPs elect away from the glare of social media, the governor said that, as of Monday, the RCIPS had not received any complaint from elected representatives or members of the public that any major campaign donors, special interest groups or their proxies are engaged in offline bullying, harassment or threats.

“If any complaints are made, or concerns raised, the Police Commissioner will of course take them seriously and investigate,” Roper added.