UPM needs opposition to back 21 bills when parliament meets

| 21/11/2024 | 26 Comments
Opposition Leader Joey Hew (left) and Moses Kirkconnell MP

(CNS): The beleaguered UPM minority government will be looking to the official opposition and the independent members across the aisle for support to steer through a raft of important laws next month, now that the next parliament meeting has been set. There are 21 pieces of legislation listed for the meeting, which will start on 9 December and run for a week. They include around a dozen recently Gazetted amendment bills relating to the offshore sector and the government’s revised fee regime.

New Bills include the Public Transport Bill and the Information and Communications Technology (Validation) Bill.

However, there is still no sign of the more controversial bills that Deputy Premier Kenneth Bryan signalled last week that the government still wants to steer through parliament before it is progued, likely at the end of February or early March. This includes the referendum bill, changes to the National Conservation Act and amendments to immigration legislation, none of which have yet been published.

Given the need for a 28-day consultation on the final bills, if the proposed bills are to become law and the referendum to take place on Election Day, parliament will need to meet again in the New Year and the UPM will need to persuade the opposition to support the controversial bills just weeks ahead of the start of the election campaign.

Having lost its majority after four members resigned last month, the UPM will need the PPM opposition to help it pass the proposed legislation already on the agenda.

Former opposition leader Roy McTaggart criticized the UPM administration last year when Juliana O’Connor-Connolly brought the 2024/2025 budget and the proposed offshore sector fee increases. But it is the new leader, Joey Hew, who will now have the task of leading the Progressives in the vote on these revenue-raising bills, which have already been calculated in the 2025 spending plan.

Members now have until 5:00pm on 2 December to submit motions. So far, none have been approved by Speaker Sir Alden McLaughlin, but it is understood that before the meeting starts, several are likely to be approved, as well as questions from the opposition to members of the government and statements by government members.

The public is encouraged to stay informed about the proceedings and outcomes of the meeting by tuning in to the Government’s YouTube and CIGTV cable channels. The proceedings can also be followed via Radio Cayman or in person at the House of Parliament.

Documents will be made available at www.parliament.ky before the meeting.


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Category: Politics

Comments (26)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    If PPM agrees one “aye” to the UPM bullshit, I will ensure my family in every district vote for the next person or party.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    Election should definitely be before April 2025

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  3. Anonymous says:

    To be frank: I love this place. We have problems. Lots of them.

    I do not trust the 19 individuals in parliament to do anything properly to remedy any one single problem without creating at least on more.

    With the exception of a few small administrative bills I pray they don’t even try to pass anything else.

    We have immigration problems: they do NOT have the answer.
    We have wage issues: they do NOT have the answer.
    We have healthcare issues: they do NOT have the answer.
    We have housing issues: they do NOT have the answer.

    We all know this. As little control and influence as humanly and legally possible should be given to these false idols.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Slowing down the population growth provides for a better quality of life for Caymanians:

      – Reduced public spending
      – Enough Supplies
      – Less Criminal Charges
      – More to agree on
      – Neighborhood where you know everyone
      – Easier to find a suspect
      – Less Rude Beings
      – Easier to get a job, get a home…etc.

      Even noticed that most real estate agents and construction workers not from here??? Mps are not for us!

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  4. Anonymous says:

    They are all on the same team anyway. So expect the usual “the ayes have it” for every single one.

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Wayne Panton kicked off this disaster with his “coming together of Independents” instead of agreeing to work with the PPM. He refused on the basis that he had to be Premier. We now see how ineffective he is in leadership and I am glad the PPM didnt fall for that proposal.

    Wayne thank you very much for this mess we are in, I hope you now retire and enjoy your millions and million dollar yacht while the rest of us punish for your dithering incompetent leadership.

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  6. Anonymous says:

    just hold off on everything…and wait till elections.
    that what this administration has done for last 4 years anyway…whats another 6 months?

    don’t worry do-nothing-ppm will soon be back in power…..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
    welcome to wonderland

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  7. Anonymous says:

    They should have left the circus tent up by the compass building. It could have been the new parliament building.

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  8. Anonymous says:

    Juju, Joey Who and PPM are working together so they will support the foolishness the minority government bring to the LA.

    Then Juju, Jon Jon and Kenny will formally join the PPM machine as it is expedient and will campaign together for next election in 2025.

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  9. Anonymous says:

    Cashgrab-for-spending and xenophobic immigration bills? No thank you. Please wait until new government is elected before considering this type of thing.

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Interesting! Let’s see!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Stay out if it PPM…let them drown in their own greed and self serving ineptitude.

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      • Anonymous says:

        It seems you PPM bots have gone all-in on the projecting this time around. PPM are the origins of all the self-serving ineptitude and greed that currently exists in parliament. Trying now – and failing – to detach yourselves from the stink is hilarious to anyone that has been paying attention for the last two decades of incompetence, since most of it spearheaded by the blight on our society that is the post-Kurt PPM.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    Where has this government been the whole term? Doing nothing and now all of a sudden with elections coming they need 21 bills passed? Lol

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  12. Anonymous says:

    Why are we not holding elections on Jan 2nd? This is ridiculous!

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    • Anonymous says:

      The billboard companies need to collect their quadrennial piece of the pie.

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    • Anon says:

      Because it does not allow new voters to be able to vote in the elections. If you read the governor’s release on this she said that that is why to allow for a voter drive and to then allow those new voters to vote. If you register by 15 January, then you will appear on the voter register 1 April.
      Also, not enough time for undeclared candidates to get everything together.
      I’d love to have this over in January, but until they sort out the length of how long it takes to register and then appear on the register, this is what we have…

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    • jah Dread says:

      4:24 the ridicule is on the people who voted each and everyone a dem in.

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