Tag: same-sex unions
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, […]
McLean: Gov’t should have appealed the appeal
(CNS): Opposition Leader Arden McLean said that government should have appealed the appeal it won in the controversial gay marriage case last year because of the directive delivered by the senior justices that the legislature implement some form of marriage equivalence for same-sex couples. As he confirmed his objections to the Domestic Partnership bill, McLean […]
DP law still discriminates, say marriage officers
(CNS): One of Cayman’s leading marriage registrar teams has said that the Domestic Partnership Bill is not fit for purpose as it is discriminatory and ignores commercial considerations of the modern wedding industry. The owners of Simply Weddings, leaders in the local marriage business, have said the law will create an “undignified regime” by creating […]
LGBT activists back Domestic Partnership Bill
(CNS): Colours Cayman, the local advocacy group for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, has backed government’s Domestic Partnership Bill, even though it falls short of marriage equality. Describing it as a “step in the right direction”, Billie (Bee) Bryan said Cayman still needed a legal framework that is functionally equivalent to marriage as […]
HRC hopes DP bill will address inequality
(CNS): The Human Rights Commission has said that the world will be watching when the Legislative Assembly debates the “emotive” Domestic Partnership Bill next week, as it implied that legislators should treat everyone with courtesy, dignity and respect. The HRC members said they hoped the bill would address the current inequality within the Cayman Islands […]
Premier mum on votes for civil partners bill
(CNS): The Legislative Assembly is due to debate the Domestic Partnership Bill next week but Premier Alden McLaughlin has remained tight-lipped on whether or not he has the support of his members to steer the legislation through. The premier has also declined to confirm if he is allowing his front-bench a vote of conscience, telling […]
Domestic Partnership Bill drafted
(CNS): Over seven months after the Cayman Islands Court of Appeal directed government to “expeditiously” implement some form of same-sex civil partnership legislation, a bill has finally been drafted for public consultation. The court made the order after overturning the chief justice’s ruling from March 2019 legalising same-sex marriage. In response, government has now come […]
Gay marriage case on road to Privy Council
(CNS): Lawyers acting for Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden, a same-sex couple who have been battling in the courts for the right to marry or at least engage in a lawful civil union, have filed an application to take the fight to the Privy Council in the UK. Attorney Ben Tonner confirmed Wednesday that the […]
