Laws
Church to protest DP bill and LGBT community
(CNS): Local churches are not just campaigning to raise funds for a legal battle against the implementation of the Domestic Partnership Bill but they are also planning a demonstration against members of the LGBT community this weekend. Despite claiming that their actions do not constitute hate speech and are not homophobic, some of the messages […]
Governor: Homophobia is unacceptable
(CNS): Cayman Islands Governor Martyn Roper has urged the community not to lose sight of the discrimination suffered by many Caymanians and others, as the controversy surrounding the Domestic Partnership Bill (DPB) continues. On Friday the governor stated that homophobic remarks were unacceptable, as he released the short letter from Baroness Sugg, the overseas territories […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
HRC expects UK to act as CMA remains defiant
(CNS): The passage of the Domestic Partnership Bill into law “should have been inevitable”, given the ruling of the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal, the Human Rights Commission has said. But as the “Legislative Assembly failed once again” to meet it obligations, “direct intervention by the United Kingdom now appears likely”, the HRC said in […]
Gay marriage appears to be on the cards
(CNS): The failure of the Legislative Assembly to support the Domestic Partnership Bill has made it highly likely that the UK will impose same-sex marriage on the jurisdiction. While the governor’s office has so far refused to confirm this, statements by British politicians on the matter, the unfulfilled legal obligation to address the human rights […]
The defeat of the Domestic Partnership Bill
Billie “Bee” Bryan writes: Colours Cayman would like to express our deep concern and disappointment in the outcome of the debate over the Domestic Partnership Bill in the Legislative Assembly this week. This isn’t just a sad day for our LGBTQIA+ community; it’s also a terribly sad day for our wonderful Islands and our persons. The failure […]
DP bill fails as ministers break rank
(CNS): Exercising a ‘conscience vote’, two Cabinet ministers voted against the Domestic Partnership Bill on Wednesday, ensuring its defeat by one vote. Education Minister Juliana O’Connor-Connolly and Health Minister Dwayne Seymour joined with the opposition benches against government on the contentious bill. But Premier Alden McLaughlin predicted the imposition of same-sex marriage by the UK […]
DP debate stirs up various prejudices
(CNS): Anti-gay rights bias and homophobia weren’t the only prejudices and odd reactions that politicians displayed over the last two days as they debated the Domestic Partnership Bill. From the opposition leader referring to the former governor as “that woman” to the health minister’s warning that women’s sexual drive increases during a full moon, the […]
Domestic Partnership Bill heading for defeat
(CNS): The u-turn by Kenneth Bryan (GTC) on his previous support for some form of legislation recognising same-sex unions left the government’s Domestic Partnership Bill hanging in the balance Tuesday night, after all members of the Legislative Assembly had had their say. Premier Alden McLaughlin is now expected to wrap up the debate on Wednesday, […]
