Laws
Local bars get raw deal in Sunday music law
(CNS): Former premier Alden McLaughlin (RED) has urged government to amend the Music and Dance Law to level the playing field for local bars because, unlike restaurants and bars in hotels, they are not permitted to play any music on Sundays. Speaking in Parliament last week, McLaughlin said many stand-alone bars that are Caymanian-owned are […]
Gov’t whips through work in first Parliament of year
(CNS): The government whipped through its business Wednesday, as Parliament met for only the third meeting of the 2021-2022 session and the first time members have attended the House this year. Dealing largely with amendment bills to address problems with some laws and additions to others, the most notable change was to the new Parliament […]
Ruling shows Parliament must act when rights are breached
(CNS): Justice Richard Williams’ ruling on the judicial review over how the governor passed the Civil Partnership Act goes far beyond protecting the rights of same-sex couples to marriage equivalency. The ruling reveals that the Cayman Islands Parliament does not have a choice when it comes to complying with the human rights enshrined in the […]
Court upholds Roper’s use of power on civil unions
(CNS): Governor Martyn Roper did not act unlawfully when he used his power under section 81 of the Constitution to implement the Civil Partnership Act, the Grand Court has ruled. Justice Richard Williams presided over a judicial review last year that called the governor’s actions into question. However, in a judgment published Monday, the court […]
Challenges to Constitution are welcome, says AG
(CNS): Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden-Bush “are to be commended for their determination to litigate the issues in their case”, Attorney General Samuel Bulgin said in the wake of last week’s Privy Council ruling that upheld the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal ruling that the Constitution does not give same-sex couples the right to marry.
Roper: CIG can choose to implement gay marriage
(CNS): Following the judgment delivered Monday by the Privy Council in London on a Cayman Islands same-sex marriage case, Governor Martyn Roper has said that the ruling clarifies a point of law regarding Cayman’s Constitution, which is “that it cannot be construed as including a right for same-sex couples to marry”. But he said this […]
UK court denies same-sex marriage appeal
(CNS): The UK Privy Council has denied the appeal by Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden-Bush of the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s 2019 ruling legalising same-sex marriage. The London-based judicial board rejected their argument and upheld the position of the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) that the CI Constitution […]
Still no Privy Council decision on gay marriage case
(CNS): This past Wednesday marked one year since the appeal by Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden-Bush to reinstate the chief justice’s March 2019 ruling legalising same-sex marriage was argued before the Privy Council in London, but they have still not received a decision. A judicial review last year of the governor’s move to introduce civil […]
Activists aim for broad hate crime law
(CNS): Noel Cayasso-Smith, president of the Cayman LGBTQ Foundation, says that efforts by local activists campaigning for hate crime legislation in Cayman have begun to bear fruit. The governor recently held a meeting with representatives from the Foundation, Colours Caribbean and the Red Cross, and an independent expert.
Kids need protection from criminalisation
(CNS): As part of the review of the Penal Code, the Law Reform Commission is recommending that the Cayman Islands raise the minimum age of criminal responsibility to at least twelve, or even 14 years old, to prevent children from being criminalised when they don’t have the capacity to infringe the criminal law, are too […]
Action needed to get ganja law passed
(CNS): A group of local citizens say that if government does not address the pressing need to change the current legislation prohibiting the consumption of recreational ganja and decriminalise the use of the plant, then will they will get a petition together for a people’s referendum to present to Cabinet by June.
