Politics
Ombudsman finds ‘serious issues’ with LT records
(CNS): Claims by the Department of Labour and Pensions that it wasn’t sure where some records were in response to a freedom of information request was “a serious issue”, Ombudsman Sandy Hermiston said in her latest appeal decision. Hermiston has ordered the DLP to release dozens of records dating back to 2014, which it had […]
COVID-19 recession could lead to tax
(CNS): Finance Minister Roy McTaggart has said that if the country runs out of reserves before the tourism sector and the world economy recovers, government may have to consider taxation. Though reluctant to use the word, he said that given the current situation with the COVID-19 pandemic, things could get very tough for the public […]
OfReg proposes consumer protection rules
(CNS): Three years after its launch, the Utility Regulation and Competition Office (OfReg) has announced that it is conducting a public consultation on the proposed consumer protection regulations for the energy and water utilities under its remit. This was one of the main motivations for creating the beleaguered office, which has since its inception created […]
Government coffers still in the black
(CNS): Despite expectations of plummeting government revenue as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, so far this year the public coffers are still in the black. The unaudited core government financial results for the first six months of this year show that the surplus is considerably less than expected but government isn’t in the red […]
Roper re-releases Domestic Partnership Bill for input
(CNS): Governor Martyn Roper has re-released the Domestic Partnership Bill, along with another eleven amendment bills that he is expected to pass into law by early September. No changes have yet been made to the original bill, which was drafted to provide a legal mechanism similar to marriage for same-sex couples, but some are expected […]
Health insurance failings roll on
(CNS): The multiple problems associated with the failing health insurance system in Cayman was recently raised again in Finance Committee, but there are still no policy solutions on offer from the health minister. The original budget to cover tertiary healthcare costs for indigents and those with inadequate health cover for 2019 was CI$9.9 million but […]
McLean demands paper trail between Roper and UK
(CNS): Opposition Leader Arden McLean has written to Governor Martyn Roper asking him to disclose the correspondence between his office and the Foreign Office that led to his decision to pass the Domestic Partnership Bill himself. Meanwhile, as the opposition continues to object to the bill and the marriage equality debate rages on, the Human […]
Premier: UK likely to retain reserved powers
(CNS): Britain’s recent agreement to remove section 81 of the Constitution, which allows a governor to make laws directly for the Cayman Islands, will most probably be reconsidered, Premier Alden McLaughlin has said. As the current governor prepares to use that Reserved Power to pass the Domestic Partnership Bill into law, the premier believes that […]
Governor imposing DP bill, not same-sex marriage
(CNS): Governor Martyn Roper will push through the Domestic Partnership Bill, which was defeated in the Legislative Assembly last week, rather than legislation giving full marriage equality for same-sex couples. Roper will be imposing the law through his Reserved Powers under section 81 of the Constitution and not by an order-in-council directly from the UK. […]
Imports grew by 13.5% in 2019
(CNS): The latest report from the Economics and Statistics Office shows that the total value of goods imported into the Cayman Islands last year was $1,183.3 million, an increase of 13.5% on figures for 2018. This is yet another statistic reflecting the booming economy before the COVID-19 health crisis struck. While fuel accounted for much […]
Tourism spent $3.5M on cruise port in 2019
(CNS): The tourism ministry spent almost CI$3.5 million of public money on the now abandoned cruise berthing project last year, according to the chief officer. Stran Bodden told Finance Committee the cash was spent on promoting the project and professional services. Meanwhile, the private sector consortium selected to build the controversial dock said this week […]
