Constitution Day in Cayman Islands July 5
Under the November 2009 constitution, which provides for a greater degree of internal self-government than that of 1972, Cayman Islands is a UK overseas territory with representative government and the British monarch as head of state, represented by a governor. There are provisions for the rights and freedoms of the individual.
The legislative assembly has the speaker and 20 members (18 directly elected every four years plus the deputy governor and the attorney-general). The executive comprises the governor and the cabinet. The governor is responsible for external affairs, defence, internal security (including the police) and the overall organisation of the public service.
The cabinet is responsible for all other matters. Together with the governor it includes the premier, deputy premier and at least five other ministers, all elected members of the legislative assembly; the deputy governor and attorney-general are ex officio members. The premier is be eligible to serve for a maximum of two consecutive parliamentary terms.
Until 2001, Cayman Islands had no political parties, and elections were fought by individuals in informal groupings. However, in November 2001 Minister of Tourism McKeeva Bush announced the formation of the United Democratic Party (UDP) and within a few days he became leader of government business, following an assembly vote of no confidence in Kurt Tibbetts (by nine votes to five).
In May 2002 the territory became an associate member of CARICOM.
The general election due in November 2004 was postponed until May 2005 after Hurricane Ivan devastated the islands in September 2004. The May 2005 election was won by the People’s Progressive Movement (PPM), with nine seats, and party leader Tibbetts then became leader of government business. The UDP took five seats and an independent one.
In the May 2009 elections, Bush’s UDP took nine seats, the PPM five, and independents one, and Bush was confirmed as leader of government business. Turnout was 73%.
Under the constitution that came into force in November 2009, McKeeva Bush became the country’s first premier. The next election is 2014.
(resource: TheCommonwealth.org)