Laws
Opposition still unclear on constitution change
(CNS): The opposition leader has still not made it clear where he and his team stands on Cayman holding a referendum on the changes to the Constitution that government has negotiated with the UK. Before seeing the draft order, Arden McLean and other members of the opposition had called for a national poll where the […]
UK agrees constitutional changes
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin said the UK has made some “incredible” concessions regarding amendments to the Cayman Islands Constitution and members of the Legislative Assembly “would be fools if we were to look this gift horse in the mouth”. Reading a letter from the UK overseas territories minister on Wednesday, McLaughlin outlined what he said […]
Equality means marriage, say LGBTQ activists
(CNS): As government drags its heels over an order to implement a legal framework equivalent to marriage for same-sex couples, a local group advocating for LGBTQ equality in Cayman has said that until same-sex couples can marry, they will not be equal. Following the appeal court ruling overturning the chief justice’s decision to legalise gay […]
Gov’t ordered to legalise gay unions
(CNS): The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal has ordered the government to immediately provide the necessary legislation, equal to marriage, for same-sex couples, after allowing its appeal against the chief justice’s legalisation of gay marriage. “Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush are entitled, expeditiously, to legal protection in the Cayman Islands which is functionally equivalent […]
Opposition challenges constitutional reform
(CNS): The official opposition is challenging government’s attempts at constitutional reform. MLA Chris Saunders (BTW) has written to the overseas territories minister in the UK, Lord Tariq Ahmad, asking him not to allow any changes to the Cayman Islands Constitution without a referendum. The opposition MLA appears to be supported by other members of the […]
Schools face legal requirement on bullying
(CNS): All schools in the Cayman Islands will be required by law to introduce and follow written anti-bullying policies once new legislation is passed. The Law Reform Commission is circulating a draft amendment to the Education Law that calls for the mandatory implementation of disciplinary penalties on students who contravene school policy and relevant regulations. […]
Constitutional change stirs up controversy
(CNS): Talks between the Cayman Islands and UK governments over amendments to Cayman’s Constitution have concluded, but even though they have not yet been disclosed, the changes have already begun to stir up controversy. CNS has learned that the amendments have not been confirmed by officials in London and, contrary to claims that there has […]
Changes made to controversial builders law
(CNS): Planning Minister Joey Hew is urging contractors to prepare to register following changes to the controversial Builders Law that were passed recently in the Legislative Assembly. The “significant amendments” address concerns about the original legislation from the construction sector, Hew said as he presented the bill earlier this month. The criteria, categories and process […]
CIG will appeal chief justice’s gay marriage ruling
(CNS) UPDATED WITH FULL STORY: Premier Alden McLaughlin has announced that he has instructed the attorney general to file an appeal against Chief Justice Anthony Smellie’s ruling last Friday that legalised same-sex marriage. The government has also asked for a stay of the ruling and is hoping to overturn the landmark judgment that ushered in […]
CIG wasted public cash on LGBT case, says HRC
(CNS): The Human Rights Commission has accused government of an “inexcusable waste of public funds” that are “purely for political reasons” in its fight against Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden, a same-sex couple who were refused a marriage licence last summer. In a paper submitted to the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee’s inquiry into […]
Poor law rename much more than cosmetic
(CNS): The deputy chief officer in the Ministry of Community of Affairs, André Ebanks, has said that the overhaul of the outdated poor law desperately needs a name change and it that will be much more than just a bit of cosmetic tinkering. Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee last week, the senior ministry official, […]
