Two more questions to be added to 2025 referendum
(CNS): Officials have confirmed that the government will hold a referendum on the same day as the General Election, and there will be two more questions in addition to the one asking if Cayman should build a cruise pier. According to the Ministry of Tourism and Ports, Cabinet has approved the change of date, revealed by McKeeva Bush on social media this week, and officials have implied that voters will also be asked about gambling and ganja.
While the additional questions have not been specified, a short statement from the ministry released on Thursday night read: “In addition to this critical infrastructure issue, Cabinet has also granted its approval for the referendum to include two additional questions which have been the subjects of ongoing national debate.”
This means the government will need to draft a revised motion that includes a question about the decriminalisation of cannabis use. This could see an end to people being jailed for consumption or simple possession and eliminate criminal records for such offences, though they could still be fined. The third question will be on gambling, which is likely to ask if people support a national lottery.
The government has called for a meeting of parliament on 7 October, which means it must submit a new motion to debate by Monday, 30 September. Once passed, the government will then draft the legislation for the vote, setting the new questions and the date of the vote, as well as addressing issues relating to the financing of the campaigns for each of the questions.
Although the vote will take place on Election Day, whoever is voted into office and then forms a government will not be held by the referendum results. Unlike a people-initiated referendum, a government-initiated national poll is not binding and is considered only advisory.
A press conference to provide the public with further details and announcements is planned for next Wednesday, 2 October, at 11:00am.
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Category: 2025 General Elections, Elections, Politics
We need to legalize weed not just decriminalize it, and charge heavy fees for a marijuana business license, require it to be 80% Caymanian owned, and let’s replace that cruise money with clean, regulated, “taxed” weed money.
The biggest choice to vote that day for Caymanians, is whether or not we continue down this paralytic road of business as usual corruption, preferred developer/lobby influence, foregone transparency, dishonest accounting, missing services, non-performance, and blanket indemnity from criminal prosecution. It’s a road that leads to FATF sanctions and redomicile of the Financial Sector, our GDP life blood. Pot and gambling are side shows.
All relevant questions BUT a complete cop out
For this current government to be able to make any decisions by themselves.
Any MP will just revert to the default position
That the electorate made the decision. And keep them off the hook
They are all spineless and I wonder what they are getting paid to do
Do we now have a referendum party in charge?
Question Number Four
Please write in the space below the name(s) of any politicians who should be banned for life from holding any elected office in the Cayman Islands.
Any politician whose name is recorded more times than there are registered voters in his/her Electoral District will be forever banned from holding elected office.
Speak up during the nomination period, not at the ballot box.
If the results of any questions are not binding, then it is not a referendum it’s simply a poll. Therefore I do not see why there is a need to go through the parliament process.
That said, I do think it is worthwhile polling voters on a few topics to assist in guiding decisions.
The non-binding aspect of this referendum makes the results useless. Make it binding and final so we can move on to other important issues.
This is just another costly / wasted opportunity. While it does consider the people’s opinion, those opinions mean nothing if the government wants the exact opposite.
There is no Referendum Law to provide that necessary Constitutional framework. Our legislators are too lazy to present this missing Draft Bill.
one small step for man…one giant leap for caymankind….zzzzzzz
Politicians afraid to make any decision that will affect the average voter(55 and up) grow some…
Well, well, well. Mac is going for the West Bay voter dream trifecta!
Plus ça change.
May as well start construction on our new cruise berthing facility then! Great, good job destroying the environment. You know with the level of corruption in the CIG that Kenny will get his port.
Go back to mommy’s basement in a foreign land since you want to run things here and not in your own country.
If the referendum is not binding if held on election day, you know what’s coming.
No to weed. Yes to a national lottery.
I guess my ban beach vendors didnt make the cut!
NO on cruise port. YES on cannabis. YES on gambling — but with a limitation on who is allowed to gamble. Namely, follow the smart policy of Monaco, where gambling is allowed ONLY for non-citizens. The reason for this policy is obvious.
Yes to gambling on the cruise ship with a spliff!