Laws
Minister claims to be ‘inclusive’ over changes to NCA
(CNS): More than two weeks after the Ministry of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency gazetted the National Conservation Amendment Bill and began a public consultation, which will close in less than two weeks, Dwayne Seymour, the minister responsible, has claimed that the process represents “inclusive and transparent governance”.
Panton warns of political risk posed by NCA changes
(CNS): Former premier and sustainability minister Wayne Panton has raised significant concerns about the minority UPM government’s attempts to gut the National Conservation Act, specifically the damage the proposed changes could cause to the environment as well as the political and governance risks they present. Panton said the draft bill not only undermines the intent […]
Minority CIG publishes contentious referendum bill
(CNS): The UPM were looking for a Christmas miracle on Monday evening when the government published the referendum bill in the Gazette. The legislation sets out three questions that would, if the legislation passes, be put to voters on General Election Day, which is set for 30 April. However, the chance of the bill passing […]
Referendum bill to come to parliament in New Year
(CNS): Deputy Premier Kenneth Bryan, who is spearheading the government’s planned referendum next year, has said the legislation has been drafted, and a bill paving the way for the national poll on General Election Day will go before parliament when it meets on 31 January. At a public meeting on Monday organised by the Association […]
Premier confirms parliament will meet in New Year
(CNS): The beleaguered minority UPM government will be calling at least one more meeting of parliament in January, the premier has confirmed. When the House met on Monday, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly told MPs that they would meet again in the New Year before the election, even though she doesn’t have a quorum on the government bench, […]
Offshore bills raising fees open for last public input
(CNS): A dozen amendment bills to implement the UPM government’s additional revenue-raising measures from the offshore sector and a bill to implement Phase 2 of the regulatory framework for virtual asset services in the Cayman Islands have now been published in the Gazette. These bills are now open for the last round of public consultation […]
Bryan continues to criticise conservation battle
(CNS): The tourism minister’s criticism of efforts by public and private sector entities to protect Cayman’s environment and dismissal of the hard battle to preserve our dwindling natural resources were on display again last week at the Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon, where he implied that the balance is tipped too much in favour of […]
Rules loosened over importing older vehicles
(CNS): Cabinet has approved amendments to the Customs and Border Control (Prohibited Goods) order to allow Caymanians who have lived overseas for at least one year to import one used vehicle older than seven years for personal use. A press release said students and other local people who have been abroad and want to bring […]
Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill still under review by MPs
(CNS): The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill, which has gone through multiple rounds of public consultation and stakeholder review since Cabinet approved drafting instructions for the legislation in 2022, is still under review. The minister responsible for gender affairs, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, has revealed that the bill was reconsidered by Caucus just a few months ago and members […]
Parliament votes to take on banks over fees and fairness
(CNS): Financial Services Minister AndrĂ© Ebanks has said the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority will be reviewing the fees retail banks are charging local customers and already has plans to amend the Registered Land Act to make it harder for them to foreclose on homeowners. Accepting a private member’s motion brought by the opposition leader last […]