Good afternoon everyone, I thank you for the opportunity to engage with you and share information with you about the current economic environment, share with you what stimulus measures we have taken and propose to take in the coming months and finally give you an update on government's financial performance. In so doing, I hope you will have a better understanding of the impacts we are seeing and the fiscal challenges we face. At the conclusion, I will be happy to answer your questions.

PRE-COVID-19 ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE

Ladies and gentlemen, "we woke up in 2020 and met a different world with COVID-19."

We concluded 2019 with a thriving economy growing at about 3%, led by construction growth of 6.1%, hotels and restaurants by 5.3%, inflation running at 5.7% and unemployment rate at 3.5%.

This state of affairs continued through February and in March when Covid19 was visited upon us, it turned our world upside down overnight and forever changed it.

So where are we now?

Economic Projections for 2020

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its April 2020 World Economic Outlook (WEO), the "great lockdown" will be the worst recession since the Great Depression and much worse than the 2008/09 global financial crisis. The IMF projects the global economy to contract by 3.0% in 2020. Advanced economies are expected to contract by 6.1% with the US forecast to decline by 5.9%.

For Latin America and the Caribbean, the IMF projects the region will contract by 5.2%. Among Caribbean countries, Aruba is projected to show the largest contraction, with a GDP decline of 13.7%. Regional GDP declines projected for other countries include Antigua and Barbuda (down 10%), Barbados (down 7.6%), St Lucia (down 8.5%), The Bahamas (down 8.3%), and Jamaica (down 5.6%) just to name a few. I hope that this gives some well-needed context to our economic projections that I am about to discuss.

Cayman Islands GDP performance

In the best-case scenario that was considered, the local economy would be reopen by the beginning of July 2020. This scenario also assumed that visitors to these islands would begin to arrive, in October of this year, albeit in small numbers. Under these scenarios, GDP is projected to contract by 11.4% with the unemployment rate rising to 11.6%. The number of displaced jobs was estimated at 8,859 (or an unemployment rate of 18.7%), of which 2,772 would be Caymanian jobs. The scenarios are conditioned on the gradual return of visitors (less than 20% of normal visitor levels that usually prevails at the high tourist season) beginning in the last quarter of 2020.

If international developments prevent the arrival of visitors to our shores for the rest of this year, then based on the economic projections, we would see a further uptick in the unemployment rate and a further contraction in the ability our residents to earn money. Under this scenario with a July 2020 lifting of most domestic restrictions, the income earning capacity (GDP) of these Islands is projected to contract by 12.2% with the unemployment rate rising to 12.3%.

As a result of the projected decline, the Caymanian unemployment rate is projected to jump to 19.7% (or 2,981 persons), and a total of 9,582 jobs (or 12.3%) would be displaced. It is disheartening for me to relay such bad news. Still, our government will continue to tell you the unvarnished truth, whether it be good or bad.

Consumer Prices

Despite a sharp uptick in food and medical/sanitary goods inflation for the first quarter of 2020, a reduction in non-food demand coupled with a decline in international commodity prices - including oil prices - is expected to relieve inflation pressures for the year. The global demand is expected to remain subdued for non-food items over the short term, especially in our source markets. In addition, locally, downward pressure on housing rental is expected as displaced ex-pats exit our shores, lower transport costs due to lower cost of fuel, and with the halt in visitor arrivals pushing domestic accommodation prices downwards. Consequently, these factors combined are projected to exert downward pressure on the average inflation rate to 0.4% in 2020, compared to 5.7% for 2019.

At the request of the Government, the Economics and Statistics Office prepared a report titled "The Cayman Islands Economic Assessment and Stimulus Plan". This Plan focuses on the Islands' estimated macroeconomic performance in 2019, together with an assessment of policies announced and/or implemented by the government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic to date. In addition, the report presents forecasts and assumptions for 2020 and recommends stimulus measures that could be adopted to incite economic recovery.

Some Recommended Stimulus Measures

Included in the report is an extensive list of measures submitted by government ministries, private sector entities, and civil society for consideration. All of the measures submitted are included in the report that has been received by Cabinet for consideration.

The policy measures recommended are based on three broad categories: Firstly, government policies aimed at leaving money in the hands of affected individuals. Secondly, policies that support small business survival by buttressing their bottom line. Third, policies that assist in the post-crisis recovery by making funding readily available, streamlining approval processes, and reducing business cost, aimed at stimulating growth in the core business sectors. And finally, policies aimed at maintaining fiscal prudence while stimulating the entire economy.

Current measures implemented or in the process of being implemented:

1. COVID-19 support funding. To further support the efforts of the health sector, the government allocated $3.0 million from the disaster relief fund to finance the initial costs associated with COVID-19.
2. Funding for vulnerable families. Increase staffing at the NAU to accommodate an expected increase in applications for assistance.
3. A one-off payment of $425 to the disabled, seamen, veterans and persons already receiving personal financial assistance from the government.
4. A one-off stipend of $600 paid to taxi drivers affected by the fall-out of cruise ship visitors.
5. A one-time grant of $600 to Caymanian tourism workers affected by the shut-down.
6. Expanding the NAU public assistance to allow work permit holders affected by the closure to apply for food voucher assistance.
7. Pension withdrawal and pension payment holiday. Amended the pension law to allow persons to withdraw up to 100 percent of their pension funds not exceeding $10,000, and 25 percent of funds above $10,000. In addition, to the suspension of pension payments from 1st April to 30th September for employees and employers.
8. Low-cost loan financing. A loan fund valued at $5.0 million was created and made available to micro and small businesses, which are 100 percent Caymanian owned. The loans will be provided through the Cayman Islands Development Bank at an annual interest rate of 1.0 percent after a six (6) months re-payment moratorium.
9. Grant fund for small and micro business. A grant fund valued at $9.0 million was created and made available to small and micro business. Assistance to evaluate qualification and to apply for the grant is also being provided free of cost.
10. Funding for technical assistance to Caymanian businesses. The government is providing funding of $500,000 for technical assistance to Caymanian owned businesses to assist with strategy and balance sheet planning. Similarly, funding of $200,000 is being provided for Caymanian owned businesses to receive training to assist them in planning and navigating this economic downturn.
11. Waived accommodation taxes and TBL fees. Tourism accommodation taxes, trade and business licence fees for a short period, etc.
12. Streamline the project approval process. To generate construction activity effectively after reopening the application and paperwork approvals should possibly be completed before reopening the economy, which will enable the projects to hit the ground running.
13. Approved enhancements to the capacity of the Planning Department to monitor and expedite construction projects and applications. The construction sector creates the most demand across all other industries and hence generate the most output in the overall economy. The Planning department human capital will be beefed up to handle the increased demand for services.

Economic assessment of measures announced and implemented to date.

The measures implemented to date by our government are expected to boost GDP value added by approximately $184.9 million in 2020, an improvement on the GDP contraction from -11.4% to -7.3%. This translates to roughly 36.0 percent of the projected falloff in real GDP. As a result of the measures implemented, more jobs will be saved, an estimated 1,468 jobs, of which 678 are likely to go to Caymanians.

Other Stimulus Measures that are actively being pursued or under consideration

I want to thank the Deputy Governor, civil servants, the private sector and the general public for participating in the process of submitting policy suggestions and ensuring that we have an abundance of policy measures to consider. The ESO through the Deputy Governor received more than 50 suggestions after merging the similar ones.

I appreciate all suggestions, but in the interest of time, I cannot go through them all here today. However, these are the stimulus measures that are currently being acted on and developed by government:

1. A low-cost loan program for small businesses most affected by the closure of the tourism industry;
2. Increase community employment programs (NiCE and others) post-COVID-19, using unemployed and displaced Caymanians;
3. Expedited resumption of Government's 2020/21 capital expenditure program, focusing initially on the resumption of construction projects that were in progress prior to the onset of Covid19. For example, this will include projects such as the Mental Health Facility in East End, enhancements to the road infrastructure by the NRA, and the John Gray High School.
4. A tourism strategic plan is being developed by the Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport, to cerograph the resumption of visitor arrivals post COVID-19. Tourism represents about 20% of the Cayman economy, so it should be abundantly clear to everyone that the reopening of our borders to the resumption of tourists is of paramount importance to the government and the success of the country. We will however only do this when it is safe to do so.
5. Continue with efforts to diversify the local economy, with a focus on agriculture for domestic food security and resilience.

So the policy and stimulus measures we have implemented thus far is not the end; we continue to evaluate and continuously monitor the economy. If other rounds of stimulus measures are needed, then we stand ready to do whatever is necessary to regain and maintain a strong economy for these blessed Islands.

Government's Fiscal Performance to date

Before I conclude, it would be remiss of me if I did not take some time to provide the country with an update of government's financial performance for the year to date. Many of you have been asking for this.

Last week, the Ministry of Finance released the quarterly financial report for the three months ended March 31, 2020, and reported on by the local media. That report may be found on the Ministry's website. Because of the continued strong performance of the economy through the majority of that period, it gave very little foresight into the financial disaster that unfolded in April, and will continue to play out in the months ahead. Let me share those figures with you now:

For the four months ended April 30, 2020, Core Government:

Revenues were $376m, $28m less than the $404m budgeted;

Expenses were $248m, $10m less than the $258m budgeted;

Surplus was $127m, $18m less than the $145m budgeted.

Contrast that with the results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 where:

Revenues were $353m, $1m more than the $352m budgeted;

Expenses were $181m. $26m less than the $207m budgeted;

Surplus was $172m, $27m more than the $145m budgeted.

What this means, is that for the month of April, 2020:

Revenues were $23m;

Expenses were $68m;

Deficit was $45m

.

We also burned through $38.5m of our cash reserves.

Depending on the outcome of the stimulus measures implemented and the timing of the opening of our borders to tourism, the ESO estimates that our Revenues could contract to between $632m to $649m for the year. If this holds true, this would represent a decline in revenue of between $211m and $227m for the year, or 24% to 26%. With the increased spending required to manage the Covid19 crisis, government could be faced with a deficit of $250m this year.

I hope to have a more detailed and complete picture that we can share with the public once the Ministry of Finance completes their exercise to re-forecast the 2020 budget. At the present time however, we believe that the earliest we can reasonably expect to return to a fiscal surplus will be in 2022.

In light of the significant deterioration in governments' fiscal performance and in order to give the country the financial security and build the resilience that we need, Cabinet last week authorized the Ministry of Finance to issue a Request for Proposal for the establishment of a Standby Line of Credit in the amount of $500m for a period of 18 months. This line of credit will be utilized, or drawn down, only if we find ourselves in the unfortunate position of having exhausted all of the cash reserves available to us. We will of course need to seek approval of the Legislative Assembly and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office if and when we need to draw down on the Line of Credit. We anticipate that the Request for Proposal will be issued sometime within the next week and will be posted on the Governments Bonfire Procurement Portal.

Conclusion

You know, the resilience of these Islands' is astounding. Our ability to rise from the destruction of Hurricane Ivan in 2004 was a testament to the resolve of all residents, especially Caymanians. We can replicate that in 2020! While the challenges are indeed enormous and may seem unsurmountable, I would posit that our actions so far have left us in a strong position and well placed to eradicate COVID-19 from our community.

We have been safely navigating the single largest health disaster in this generation, and this is a demonstration of this government's commitment to the lives and livelihood of all residents. However, we are aware that this is not the end and we remain resolute and committed to charting the next steps in this journey just as we have charted the previous phase, in a prudent, responsible and professional manner that is befitting of what the Caymanian people deserve.

Amidst this crisis our Islands' have become a beacon to the region, Moody's in its latest credit report published April 13, 2020 maintained Caymans' Aa3 rating with a stable outlook, amidst this economic uncertainty. They noted that "prudent government planning has left the islands with fiscal space to deal with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic." Those were the words of Moody's, not mine. Arguably, even the worlds' largest debt rating agency has confidence in our little islands and our government.

One of the region's best-known economists, Marla Dukharan of Barbados, notes that "The sudden-stop will affect both fiscal and external accounts, and the countries best positioned to mitigate these impacts are those that have built buffers, giving them the space to implement counter-cyclical policy through fiscal and monetary stimulus." The Cayman Islands is one of those countries that has built such buffers, and we will answer that call as we managed prudently during the last few years, and we will respond with targeted economic stimulus measures when its safe to do so. Let's take one step at a time; our focus at the outset is preserving the life, health and wellbeing of our people, take care of taking care of those who are most vulnerable, preserving jobs, and supporting our private sector.

Cayman, I reaffirm my government's commitment to do all that is humanly possible to address our economic fundamentals and get these islands up and running again. We, as the government, will continue to be prudent while seeking out the best ways to impact the lives of our citizens in the most positive ways.

Please allow me to say a special 'Thank You' to all the hard working public servants in my Ministry for their tireless efforts in very difficult circumstances. I truly appreciate all that they are doing and continue to do to keep government functioning.

A big shout out to my management team, led by Chief Officer, Kenneth Jefferson, Deputy Chief Officers Anne Owens and Michael Nixon, Accountant General Matthew Tibbetts, Director of the ESO Adolphus Laidlow, Postmaster General Sheena Glasgow, Director of the Procurement Office Taraq Bashir. Also to CEO of CINICO Michael Gayle, and CEO of CIDB Tracy Ebanks.

Thank you!

The Department of Commerce and Investment (DCI) has processed and issued over 1400 trade and business licences since March 25.

Of that number, 305 have been new trade and business licences, 1014 trade and business licence renewals and 136 trade and business licence amendments.

Commerce Minister Hon. Joey Hew has commended the DCI team for their tremendous work in processing the large number of licences within a short timeframe. “DCI continues to go over and beyond to ensure business owners are able to meet requirements where current licences are being requested to obtain exemptions and financial assistance. The team meets weekly and Board meetings are continuing, with the use of technology”.

“I cannot underscore enough the importance of small businesses to our Islands. In the past few weeks Government has renewed the small business incentive grant programme, temporarily waived trade and business licensing application fees for some 3000 business and also provided assistance of over $14 million in relief measures to support relief measures for micro and support businesses. We will continue to find ways to provide further support to businesses owners affected by this global pandemic,” continued Minister Hew.

Government recently approved the Trade and Business Licensing (Temporary Reduction in Fee) Regulations 2020, which waives the payment of trade and business licensing application fees for businesses, from May 1 to July 31 2020.

In addition, late fees from March 1 to July 31 2020 have been waived for all applicants.

Members of the public can also visit the Department of Commerce and Investment website, www.dci.gov.ky for trade and business licensing and other information.

Local companies and exempt companies can contact info@dci.gov.ky to submit applications on a limited basis.

The National Roads Authority (NRA) has announced that it will be accelerating critical road infrastructure projects while taking advantage of the reduction in the number of vehicles on the Island’s roads during this time.

Commerce Minister, Hon. Joey Hew has announced that the Government has approved the Trade and Business Licensing (Temporary Reduction in Fee) Regulations 2020, which will waive the payment of trade and business licensing application fees for businesses, effective 1 May to 31 July 2020.

In addition, late fees from 1 March to 31 July 2020 will be waived for all applicants.

“COVID-19 has caused significant economic dislocation across the globe, with the Cayman Islands being no exception. It is in an effort to arrest this disruption that the Government continues to propose a number of relief measures to assist businesses at this time, particularly our micro and small enterprises,” Minister Hew stated.

Minister Hew continued, “As a result of these regulations, those fees which are usually collected by the Department of Commerce and Investment upon application for a trade and business licence are now temporarily waived in an effort to reduce the amount of fees incurred by businesses during this time. We have been engaging in discussions with members of the business community, such as the Chamber of Commerce, and other stakeholders to find interventions to lessen the impact of COVID-19 on our businesses and the economy”.

The temporary waiver for payment of trade and business licensing application fees and late fees will benefit over 3000 businesses.

The Government, through the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure recently announced assistance in the amount of Fourteen Million, Five Hundred and Twenty One Thousand Dollars (14,521,000.00) to support relief measures for micro and small businesses across the Islands. The relief measures being implemented will be in the form of a Low Interest Loan Programme; Technical Assistance Programme; Training and Handholding Programme; and a Micro and Small Business Grant Programme. .

Information on the Trade and Business Licensing (Temporary Reduction in Fee) Regulations, 2020 can be found at www.gov.ky/coronavirus. Members of the public can also visit the Department of Commerce and Investment website, www.dci.gov.ky for trade and business licensing and other information.

He noted that since 2018, Cayman has adopted more than 15 legislative changes in line with the EU’s criteria.

In April 2019 the EU confirmed that Cayman had satisfied its economic substance requirements, with the exception of economic substance for funds, also known as collective investment vehicles (CIVs). This is a specific EU requirement, as Cayman’s economic substance legislation was evaluated in June 2019 as “not harmful” – the highest rating possible – by the OECD’s Forum on Harmful Tax Practices. 

On 31 January 2020, Cayman passed The Private Funds Law and The Mutual Funds (Amendment) Law, both of which address the EU’s concerns for CIVs. The laws were enacted on 7 February 2020.

Premier McLaughlin said the EU was duly notified that Cayman would pass the CIVs-related legislation by 31 January 2020. However, it appears that the listing stems from Cayman’s legislation not being enacted by 4 February, which was the date of the EU’s Code of Conduct Group (CoCG) meeting to advise the EU Finance Ministers, prior to the Finance Ministers’ decision regarding the listing today.

“While Cayman consulted with a number of stakeholders on our legislation, including our financial services industry, the principal components of our new and revised laws were shaped by the EU’s criteria,” Premier McLaughlin said.

This includes Cayman’s commitment to a six-month transition period for registering funds that are now required to do so, in accordance with the new Private Funds and amended Mutual Funds laws.

Since the EU began its listing process in December 2017, almost 30 countries have been listed as non-cooperative. The majority have been subsequently removed, once required actions have been taken.

Premier McLaughlin said the Cayman Islands Government acknowledged the EU’s statement today, which said dialogue will continue with listed jurisdictions. He said the Cayman Islands also remains fully committed to cooperating with the EU, and will continue to constructively engage with them with the view to be delisted as soon as possible. 

As I look around the room this morning, it is great to see so many leading figures in the Cayman financial services industry alongside our visitors from around the globe.  To our returning visitors, I say welcome back - and to those who are here for the first time – make sure to enjoy our Island.

This Island is unique in the region in combining first class infrastructure and top class hotels and restaurants with unspoiled beaches, crystal clear water and a laid-back Caribbean feel. And of course, our people will offer you a warm Caymankind welcome during your time here.

Today’s theme concerns a high digital, low carbon future.  I will address that shortly but I hope you will forgive me if I also say a few words about tomorrow subject matter, preparing for geopolitical challenges.  The two themes are, of course, inextricably linked.

Some might think it unnecessary for the people of three small Islands in the Caribbean to be concerning ourselves with geopolitical challenges.  However, we have compelling reasons to do so.

If one of the most significant challenges facing all of us is climate change, then islands like ours are in the front line. As you may have observed, Grand Cayman is very flat, with even the highest point on the island only being about 60 feet above sea level.  Sea level rise poses an obvious threat.  At the same time, we are exposed to increasingly severe hurricane risk as weather patterns grow more extreme.

In Cayman, we have to think differently about development if we are to meet these challenges successfully.  It is the Caribbean, so everyone wants to build as close to our beautiful sea as possible. And in order to keep the feel of the Islands, we wanted development heights to be restricted. The result has been sprawling development along our coastlines. 

In the future, we need to think in terms of greater set-backs and higher building heights so we give room for the sea. We must also use the spaces created for more natural and green spaces - for both humans and our diverse flora and fauna.  All these issues are being addressed in the comprehensive ‘Plan Cayman’ process that my Ministry is leading on behalf of the Government.

Looking beyond our shores, prospects for the global economy are at best uncertain. The International Monetary Fund’s latest report on the global economic outlook, released last month, paints a mixed picture.  The IMF has downgraded its growth forecast for each of the next three years but generally sees more positive market sentiment and takes the view that risk, while high, is lowering. However, they note that ‘few signs of turning points are yet visible in global macroeconomic data’ and they make clear that the materialisation of the identified risks ‘could lead to rapidly deteriorating sentiment, causing global growth to fall below the projected baseline’.

Overlaid on that economic picture, there is a range of other threats.

Events in China remind us of the risk of global pandemic. There is the ever-present risk of international terrorism. Significant military conflict may result from tensions in a number of regions, while cyber-attacks pose a critical risk for both governments and the private sector.

I understand that for many in this room, understanding and dealing with these risks is what your business is all about. My purpose is not to paint a picture of doom and gloom to kick off this conference. Far from it.  Rather, I believe that the approach we have developed here in the Cayman Islands over the last 50 years demonstrates that it is by continuing to innovate that we can continue to grow. 

It is that spirit of innovation that I hope you will reflect upon as you take part in the sessions planned for the next two days.

That innovation is most apparent in the development of Cayman’s financial services industry. In Cayman, we have just celebrated 60 years of our first written Constitution which gave us formal responsibility for our own affairs. That was a responsibility we took on with pride.

 A significant early development was the 1960 Companies Law on which our financial services industry was built.  Over the last 60 years, we have continued to support the growth and development of the financial services industry which now accounts for over 50% of Cayman’s GDP. 

We continue to support the sector now and we will do so in the future. 

Cayman remains one of the premier offshore jurisdictions as a tax neutral conduit for international transactions and it has continued to grow from strength to strength.  We have maintained our approach of keeping up with global regulatory frameworks, and despite those who believed it would spell doom for the industry, the changes to our regulatory framework to introduce ‘economic substance’ requirements is, by all accounts, further growing the financial services sector. 

Government’s approach is being matched by the industry that continues to innovate in our traditionally strong sectors such as funds and insurance and is becoming increasingly active in emerging markets - notably block chain and crypto-currencies.  We are developing our legislative approach on digital assets in tandem with the work going on in the sector.

We recognise that virtual asset markets have the potential to revolutionise how financial services are provided to consumers globally. As a jurisdiction, we welcome innovation and encourage the adoption of new technologies, but we are determined that a framework has to be put in place to ensure that only legitimate actors are able to operate from our shores.

As such, we are currently developing a regulatory framework which will be technology neutral; protect consumers and users of key virtual asset services; and be compliant with evolving global standards set by the Financial Action Task Force.

The framework will also include a regulatory sandbox regime which will be flexible enough to allow for unconventional, innovative technologies to be monitored by our regulator and applied to financial markets in a controlled manner.  

The proposed framework will create effective supervision for virtual asset service providers alongside licensing, registration and enforcement regimes that satisfy anti-money laundering requirements.

This will require a series of amendments to existing regulatory laws, such as the Mutual Funds Law and Securities Investment Business Law, to bring some virtual asset services into scope of existing legislation.

We are currently working on a draft of the framework which will be fit for consultation, and I hope that when it is made public in the coming months you will all respond to the issues it raises.

By working with the industry, we intend to create a regulatory regime for digital assets that fosters innovation while ensuring proportionate but robust regulation. 

Which brings me back to today’s theme.  Cayman’s very future is high digital, low carbon.  It cannot be any other way.

The government recognises that alongside maintaining our strength in financial services and our position as one of the world’s premium tourism destinations, we must diversify Cayman’s economy.

On a small Caribbean island with few natural resources, service and knowledge-based industries will be central to that diversification.  It was for that reason that this government, during our first term, put in place a world-class framework of legislation to protect intellectual property. 

We already have, of course, some of the best professional service firms in the world, able to support the development of business in Cayman.  With the legislative framework and the support eco-system in place we have begun successfully to attract new digital businesses to Cayman.

However, we recognise that we cannot just sit back and wait for business to come to us.  You all know that simply putting up an ‘open’ sign does not bring you customers.  While we believe there are huge opportunities for Cayman, this is a globally competitive marketplace.

To maximise our ability to take advantage of the opportunities we believe that the future will bring, the government has established a new ministry - the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs.  The Chief Officer of the Ministry, Eric Bush will address you in this equivalent slot tomorrow morning so I will not steal his thunder. 

For now, I will just say that we believe Eric’s ministry will help Cayman to advance our international reputation while making this jurisdiction easier to do business with, so attracting more inward investment.

The low carbon aspect is equally important.  Two weeks ago, I shared a platform alongside the Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, to present on strategies for advancing infrastructure, sustainability and resilience in our respective islands at the 4^th annual Caribbean Infrastructure Forum.  Throughout that conference there was a recurring emphasis on low carbon solutions for the future infrastructure needs of the island nations of this region.

I would just like to single out two current projects being run out of my Ministry here in Cayman and then mention one more idea that you all might further consider.

One of the most pressing issues on our Island is traffic.  As we continue our strong economic growth, we are attracting more and more people to come here to live and to work. This is putting strain on our infrastructure, particularly our road network.  Quite rightly, therefore, this Government has prioritised the delivery of network improvements that will increase road capacity and reduce congestion.

However, in the longer term, we need a different answer for Cayman’s future transportation needs.

Again, there is an opportunity for Cayman to approach this issue in a new and innovative way.  If we consider the total daily traffic movements around Grand Cayman - made up of daily commuters and visitors - then new public transport solutions become economically viable. We intend to use the time that road improvements will give us - to identify and deliver the best option for public transport in Cayman.

Central to our efforts to create a low carbon future is to move towards more sustainable energy production and usage. Our National Energy Policy represents an ambition to transform our approach including a target of 70% renewable energy in our energy mix by 2037.  We will achieve that through “enhancing and embracing a sustainable life style through responsible and innovative energy supply and consumption”.

The policy gives us a 20 year roadmap for change.  We are now turning that into a clear set of tangible initiatives to deliver the transformation we are seeking.  We will encourage green energy through the increased use of solar panels and other forms of renewable energy across all three Islands, including at Government facilities. The renewable mix will include power from our new waste-to-energy plant that also end this country’s unsustainable reliance of landfill. 

This approach makes sense for our environment but it also delivers on two other crucial objectives.  First is the need to create technical and vocational jobs for the next generation of Caymanians.  The needs of a low carbon energy sector require the creation of significant numbers of such jobs.  We will work with the sector to ensure that training is there to equip Caymanians to take on those new jobs. 

Alongside such employment opportunities, we believe there are also opportunities for Caymanians who want to start and grow businesses. In recent years, this Government has slashed red tape for small and micro-businesses and we have reduced a range of costs through lowering or eliminating fees and charges imposed on such businesses.  Our new Small Business Development Centre will provide the advice and support that start-ups and growing small businesses need.

Secondly, we need to improve Cayman’s energy security.  At present we are the mercy of world fossil few markets and, as I mentioned earlier, events in the Middle East have demonstrated both market volatility and the potential for supply to be interrupted.  Renewables give us a path to self-sufficiency in energy generation.

I think what this illustrates is the recognition that sustainability is not just about the environment. It is about a future economy that delivers sensible growth and employment. It is about social progress and the resilience of people and communities. This is captured in the United Nations sustainable development goals to which Cayman is firmly committed.

From all that I have said this morning, I hope you can see that Cayman is both realistic about future challenges and excited about what we believe are huge potential opportunities -  opportunities that existing businesses can exploit; opportunities for new investors and entrepreneurs looking for a safe and welcoming place to do business; and, of course, opportunities for Caymanians.

Whether you are already doing business here in Cayman or visiting this conference to find out more, I hope you will share this Government’s optimism about the potential the future holds.  I hope you will want to be part of that future.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said “I was delighted to meet with Tim Ryan, President of the Institute along with the Provost, Chef Mark Erickson.  We had the opportunity to talk about the prospects of possibly establishing a campus in the Cayman Islands.  They have four campuses already established outside of New York including one in Singapore.  We believe that there is an opportunity to compliment the role that the Cayman Islands is now playing as the culinary capital of the Caribbean by having one of the premier culinary institutes in the world with a campus in Cayman.

Mr. McLaughlin continued “Not only will this increase the image of Cayman and compliment our tourism product, but will also create opportunities for Caymanians to attend this facility, as well as the opportunity to attract students from all over the world, but in particular from the Caribbean and Latin America.”

The Premier invited President Tim Ryan and his team to visit Cayman and see for themselves the opportunities that exist and to explore collaboration between the Cayman Islands and CIA.  At the meeting Mr Ryan commented that he was aware of Cayman’s leading place in the Caribbean as a preeminent tourist destination with many options for fine dining and quality food.  He was also familiar with the Cayman Cookout event and the many world class chefs who took part in it, including graduates and friends of the Institute. He commented that he was looking forward to having follow up meetings in the Cayman Islands and seeing what may be possible.

The Cayman delegation were also provided with a tour of the Campus.  Also attending the tour and meeting were Dan Scott, Cayman Islands Education Council Chairman, Attorney General the Hon Samuel Bulgin, Eric Bush, Chief Officer of the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier.

Prior to the Premier speaking Mr Jude Scott, CEO of Cayman Finance gave the opening remarks and His Excellency the Governor welcomed those present to the briefing and spoke about the role that Cayman plays in Global Finance.  Ms Heather Smith, Head of the Investment and Securities Division at CIMA, provided an update on the work of the Authority over the past year.   The Hon Tara Rivers, Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs, delivered the main remarks and provided an update on the recent financial services legislation, including on ‘economic substance’.

Later that afternoon The Premier, Minister Rivers, The Attorney General along with the Cayman delegation and members of Cayman Finance held meetings with senior managers from the Bank of New York Mellon and with Citibank.  Matters discussed included recent legislative changes on economic substance and other regulatory matters as well as an update on Cayman’s economy.  Both banks provide important correspondent banking services to the Cayman Islands and these meetings are a good opportunity for the bank’s management to hear directly from Cayman’s political leaders and to better understand the changing legislative framework.  Both organisations noted that they continue to value their relationship with the Cayman Islands and with Cayman Islands banking institutions. 

Later that evening the delegation attended the 2nd Cayman Finance New York Reinsurance Round Table. With more than 600 Captive insurance and Reinsurance companies and several large Reinsurance companies domiciled in the Cayman Islands, this is an important sector for Cayman’s Financial Services Industry. The Governor spoke briefly about the Cayman Islands followed by Minister Rivers who provided remarks about the growing reinsurance sector in the Cayman Islands.  A panel discussion on Caymans reinsurance market then followed led by Adrian Lynch, Managing Director of AON.  Participants included David Johnson, Chairman and CEO of Topsail Re; Mike Minnich, Executive Chairman of Midwest Holdings; Suzanne Sadlier, Deputy Head – Insurance Supervision CIMA; and Jaime Sahara, Founder and CEO of Rivington Partners. 

The engagements during the day, at the Breakfast Briefing, with the correspondent banks, as well as with the New York Reinsurance market was very successful by those attending to hear what Cayman’s leaders and financial services professionals had to say.  The Premier and the Cayman delegation continue on Wednesday with planned meetings and networking opportunities, including with the prestigious Culinary Institute of America 

Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew was speaking today at the Caribbean Infrastructure Forum in Jamaica.

The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, Prime Minister of Jamaica and Minister Hew sat on the Caribbean Leaders panel and addressed the topic of growth, innovation and sustainability within the context of the islands progressing towards UN sustainability goals.

The Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin delivered remarks this morning at the 7th Annual Cayman Finance New York breakfast. He was joined by HE The Governor Martyn Roper, Hon. Tara Rivers, Minister Financial Services and Home Affairs and Jude Scott, CEO Cayman Finance.

Good morning,

It is unfortunate I couldn’t bring some of our warm Cayman weather to share with you, but despite the cold, I am happy to be back in New York City at this Cayman Finance New York Breakfast Briefing. This is an opportunity for us to share our thoughts with you and to hear directly from those who do business in the Cayman Islands.

But gatherings like this also provide a platform for me as Premier to say how much we appreciate and value the business relationship of the people in this room – those of you who bring business to us and of course to your clients. You are all an important part of the Cayman Islands economic fabric.

As we embark on a new decade, I am really excited about the prospects for the future of the Cayman Islands.

While there are global uncertainties, I am confident that the Cayman Islands will continue to be the financial services jurisdiction of choice for those who rely on the invaluable professional expertise that we have to offer in providing a variety of solutions for international business, including for funds and insurance.

Indeed, we are enjoying a robust period of economic activity with solid, sustained growth across all sectors, combined with low unemployment, and moderate inflation. Economic growth that along with prudent financial management has provided strong and stable Government finances with operational surpluses that has enabled us to invest in major infrastructure projects and improving public services, while reducing public sector debt and growing our reserves.

To provide some perspective, between 2013 and 2018 the Cayman Islands economy has grown at an average rate of 3.0 per cent per year in real terms. The last two years have been exceptionally good with GDP growth of 3.4 per cent in 2018 coming in stronger than the estimated growth in many of the world’s most advanced economies.  And when the final numbers are in, we anticipate that 2019 will see growth of at least 3% for the year.

Economists, however, continue to warn of a coming recession but are undecided on the timing.  As such we have conservatively, and I think wisely,  forecast slower growth for this year and next, bearing in mind the lowered growth projections of the International Monetary Fund for the Worlds advanced economies over the coming period.

That said,  I believe that the foundations that we have put in place in the Cayman Islands will continue to provide a platform for growth in the medium term and that we are today better placed to face any future economic downturn than we were prior to the last recession.  So much so that against the backdrop of an anticipated global slowdown the Cayman economy is still projected to achieve growth of 2 to 3 per cent. A demonstration of the strength and vitality of today’s Cayman economy, but in particular our financial services industry.

Our important financial centre  role as a tax neutral conduit for international transactions has continued to grow from strength to strength. Despite the prophets of doom, the changes to our business regime to introduce ‘economic substance’ will by all accounts further grow the financial services sector and will bring other benefits to our economy as new businesses of various types open offices and bring staff to the Cayman Islands.

All of this creates new activity and new opportunities for Caymanians for employment as well as for developing and growing businesses into the future.

And as we continue to further develop as an international financial services centre we will always take our international responsibilities seriously regarding tax cooperation and crime prevention. We have a long history of complying with global regulations.

Sadly, our track record remains largely ignored. Many people, who should know better, are still willing to fall back on the tired old trope of Cayman as a haven for shady dealers and dirty money. Some politicians in Europe would rather attack Cayman’s tax neutral status as being unfair than deal with their own crippling tax regimes. Authors and film and television producers seem too lazy to find out facts when they can just use the words ‘Cayman Islands’ to wrongly signify financial secrecy or money laundering.

The latest example of this has been AT&T’s “just okay is not okay” advertising campaign that featured a dodgy accountant and his frequent trips to the Cayman Islands. We responded immediately with a letter demanding they cease and desist. Their response goes through the necessary two paragraphs telling us they do not accept they were at fault (I am an attorney, I get that) before agreeing to change their advert as ‘a goodwill gesture’.

This is now how we will operate going forward. We will not hesitate to challenge illegitimate portrayals of Cayman in the media. Alongside that, however, we will be on a charm offensive, seeking to demonstrate to those with influence in the media industry that Cayman can be represented in a new way – as the great place to live, work, visit and do business that we know it to be.

I know that we can count on the people in this room to assist in these efforts

I thank you for your kind attention this morning and I appreciate the invitation to be with you.

At the meeting the Premier will deliver remarks promoting the Cayman Islands as a reliable and stable jurisdiction in which to do business. Those attending the meeting will learn about the latest developments in the Cayman Islands Financial Services Industry from the Premier and other speakers.

Later that day the delegation will attend the 2^nd Cayman Finance New York Reinsurance Round Table. With more than 600 Captive insurance and Reinsurance companies and several large Reinsurance companies domiciled in the Cayman Islands, this is an important sector for Cayman’s Financial Services Industry.

Attending with the Premier will be Attorney General Hon. Sam Bulgin; Financial Services Minister Hon. Tara Rivers; Director of the Department of Financial Services Michelle Bahadur; members of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority; Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs Chief Officer Eric Bush; Senior Political Advisor to the Premier Roy Tatum; and Personal Assistant Jana Pouchie-Bush.

Some of the themes to be covered in the agenda include investment in infrastructure, financing and construction of world class projects across the region, developing robust energy matrices and public-private partnerships mechanics for the Caribbean

Hon. Joey Hew will represent the Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin in the keynote opening session alongside Prime Minister of Jamaica, The Most Hon. Andrew Holness, as they present on strategies for advancing infrastructure, sustainability and resilience in their respective islands.

Minister Hew will also serve as a panellist with other leading voices in the region to address the topic, “Walking the Walk – Adoption of Sustainable Energy to Power Island Governments”.

The Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure will be accompanied on the trip by Chief Officer Alan Jones, Energy Policy Coordinator Kristen Augustine and other Ministry staff.

Mr. Jones and Mrs Augustine will also visit the parishes of Clarendon and St. James where they will tour New Fortress Energy’s Floating Storage Regasification Terminal and their Bogue LNG Terminal.

Over the years, CARIF has hosted Premiers, Prime Ministers and senior ministerial representatives across the Caribbean. The audience at the event will include private and public sector decision makers, utility representatives, multilaterals and representatives across the financing space from the Caribbean and other regions.

The event is organised by New Energy Events and IJGlobal, the infrastructure arm of Euromoney Institutional Investor.

One of Ms Roulstone’s claims was that the Government’s proposed referendum question “Should the Cayman Islands continue to move forward with building the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo port facility” was not neutral.

Submissions made by Ms Roulstone’s legal counsel recommended that the word “proceed” would be acceptable in place of “move forward” and the words “enlarged and “refurbished” would be acceptable in place of “enhanced”.

In its final meeting last year on 17 December, Cabinet took the view that whilst there was nothing wrong with the original wording, it would none-the-less be pragmatic to tweak the wording in order to help save time and costs in the case.

The revised question on the referendum ballot will therefore be: “Should the Cayman Islands continue to proceed with building the cruise berthing and enlarged and refurbished cargo port facility?”

The new wording was published in the Government’s public gazette, available online, on the 18^th of December, 2019.

The resources we have available to us in terms of Cayman Airways, our helicopters, uniformed officers, and personnel trained in hazard management are vital to our safety and security but are also valuable resources for our neighbours in times of need. This is proof again of the increasingly important role the Cayman Islands is now playing in the region and is something that I know all Caymanians are proud of. 

I believe that the Cayman Islands Regiment, once up and running, will be another source of pride for Caymanians and an important resource to our islands and to our neighbours.  

We can also be proud of an economy that is continuing to grow from strength to strength with businesses, large and small, across all sectors performing well. Because of our buoyant economy, more Caymanians are in work and in 2019 we achieved the lowest Caymanian unemployment rate 4.8% in over a decade. 

The economic prosperity that these Cayman Islands have built and enjoyed over the decades, including during the two Administrations that I have had the honour to lead, is a great achievement and one that all of us can be proud of because we built it together through our willingness to innovate and the entrepreneurial spirit that defines Caymanians.  

It is up to us as Government, business and individuals, to maintain that economic prosperity. In so doing we will protect our progress as a country, our political and financial stability, and our social cohesion that is so important. All of this has been hard won over many decades but can be easily lost should we take it for granted.  

However, as we have also seen over the decades, a growing economy comes with challenges - these days that includes traffic woes. In 2020, the National Roads Authority will continue working to smooth traffic flows at critical junctions and to increase capacity. These improvements once completed will help bring relief to commuters as we reduce congestion.  

In the New Year work will also begin on determining the best solution for an improved, fit for purpose, public transport system that will negate the need for the growing number of cars on our roads.   

Also to be completed in the New Year are the Constitution reforms approved by the UK, and debated and passed in the Legislative Assembly in early December. I am grateful for the way my colleagues on the Government and Opposition benches united to pass these important reforms ahead of the December 12th UK election.  

These reforms will provide us with increased autonomy and underscore our right to manage our own affairs without undue interference by the UK. They also mark the continued acknowledgement by Her Majesty’s Government that the Cayman Islands has developed as a mature, self-governing democracy.  

These constitutional changes come as we continue the celebration of the 60th Anniversary of our first written Constitution in 2020 when we gather at Heroes Square at the end of January to celebrate National Heroes Day. This year we will honour the men and women involved in shaping that first Constitution.

There are other important constitutional matters to be settled in early 2020 when our Legislative Assembly must turn its attention to the issue of ‘same-sex partnerships’ and our Courts consider the Judicial Review on the People-Initiated Referendum on the cruise berthing and cargo port project.  

Both issues have proven to be divisive ones. I hope that whatever the outcome on each that we all accept the decisions and come together as Caymanians and residents and continue the work to build and grow our Islands for the benefit of all our people - not just the privileged. A more just society is, after all, a better society. 

Regarding ‘same sex partnerships’ as I have said previously it is important that legislators determine the best way forward for our Islands and find a solution that works for Caymanians. If we abrogate our responsibility to do so, we must accept that the UK will legislate for these islands as the Court of Appeal has suggested they do. That would be the worst possible result for these Islands, not just with regard to same-sex partnerships, but more generally. 

I remain confident that the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo dock project is supported by most Caymanians and that once the referendum is over, we can continue the work to move that project forward.  

If I am wrong and most of the electorate decide at the referendum that they want to see the cruise berthing and cargo enhancement project halted then the project will be stopped and the Government will accept that result.  

But if I am right that most people support the project, and so the ‘No vote’ fails to reach the required threshold, then I call on those opposing the Government’s case to accept the result for the project to go ahead.  

This does not mean that the day after the referendum there will be dredging in George Town Harbour. Instead, the work to determine how best to mitigate the environmental concerns will continue. 

What I hope is that those opposed will work with us on the ambitious programme of environmental mitigation that the government has from the start insisted on as part of the project.  

Cayman will get a better result if we can come together to work for the benefit of our Islands. It is only by continuing to work together that we can ensure our future success. 

As Cayman continues to grow and to thrive, we must ensure that no Caymanian is left behind. For that reason, in the new budget, the government has continued to prioritize help and support for the most vulnerable members of our community. 

This New Year begins with good news for elderly seafarers, veterans, those in need of financial assistance, and some long-serving civil service pensioners who will all again see their monthly income rise in January from $750 a month to $850 a month. We plan a similar further increase for January 2021. In the lifetime of my Administration, we will have increased the incomes of over 2,000 of Cayman’s most vulnerable and hard-pressed households by at least 73%.

We are also providing additional support for Cayman’s seniors by reducing or waiving duties on a range of items for those aged 65 and older. Through these measures, many of our seniors will have a little more money in their pockets at the end of each month. 

Also going into effect in January is a 5% cost-of-living salary increase for civil servants in well-deserved recognition of their hard work and dedication to public service. It also recognises that over the past year food, housing and utilities have gotten more expensive. This salary increase will benefit the many Caymanian families in our civil service who work hard to teach our children, nurse our sick, keep us safe and perform many valued services needed to keep our country running.  

I expect that this cost-of-living salary increase should also spur private sector employers to stimulate wage growth elsewhere in the economy. If businesses are profiting from this booming economy, then they should share that benefit with their employees – the backbone of a business.  

This coming year will also see the extension of the government’s scheme to help first-time Caymanian home owners so that the first $400,000 of the purchase price of a new first home will be free of stamp duty. That amounts to a saving of $30,000 for many young Caymanian families. This is a start but more work will be done in 2020 to address the need for affordable housing solutions across all communities.  

This unity Government has shown our intention and our ability to complete the work we promised to do, including completing the key infrastructure projects we started.  

The New Year will see 'capping’ begin on the George Town Landfill. This is an important first step in ending Cayman’s unsustainable reliance on the existing unlined landfill. Instead, we will see increased recycling, as well as creating energy from our garbage with the construction of a modern waste-to-energy plant.  

The coming year will also see progress being made in East End on the long-term mental health facility, which we expect to open in the second quarter of 2021. 

Works will also be visible at John Gray High School, Bodden Town Primary School and the new Sunrise Adult Training Facility. And work will also continue on modernising our airport and on the George Town Revitalisation initiative.  

All of these are possible because of our strong economy. 

I believe in a strong and prosperous future for Cayman. I have worked toward that all my political life. I have confidence in the vision, strength and fortitude of the people of our Islands and in our ability, if we work together, to build that future. 

The coming year will undoubtedly also bring plenty of challenges. However, if we face 2020 with our ambition for our country renewed; with our support for each other steadfast; and with our faith in God unswerving, then this will also be a year of continuing opportunity for Cayman as a nation and for Caymanians as a people. 

On behalf of my Government, and from my family to yours, I wish each of you a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year. May God continue to find favour with our beloved Cayman Isles.

We are fortunate, all of us, to live, work and to raise our families in these three verdant isles.  In a very troubled world, our beloved Cayman Islands remain a paradise, despite the challenges we face.

Challenges are nothing new to Caymanians.  The iron men and women who made these islands by their toil and devotion faced much greater challenges. Yet they persevered and with faith in God and each other built and shaped these islands into homes and communities.  Communities that shared what they had, looking after each other and working to make these Islands a better place.  Each generation has played their part to progress our Islands and provide greater opportunities for their children and for the generations to come.  

The past year has reminded us of this as we reflected on and honoured the important events and people who, some sixty years ago, set us on a political and economic path that has brought us continued stability, financial independence, and a standard of living that is the envy of much of the world. I pray that we never forget those nation builders or take for granted the foundation they built.  

Like them, we should never forget from whence we have come, but seek always to forge an even better Cayman Islands.  That has been my singular motivation over my nineteen years in public office - to serve my people and to move our beloved country forward.

I believe most would agree, our Islands are in a far better place today than we were when I first took office as Premier in 2013. Over the remaining seventeen months of this term, I intend, along with my Government, to ‘roll up our sleeves’ and work even harder to ensure that a progressive Cayman provides opportunities for all Caymanians, regardless of social standing, now and into the future.

Your unity Government, as we have shown in our recent budget, will complete the work we promised to do and have started, including key infrastructure projects. 

We remain steadfast in our ambition to improve the lives of our people, especially the most vulnerable.  We will continue the fight to protect the opportunities for employment and prosperity of all Caymanians and residents for years to come.  

We will continue to ensure that the opportunities created are available for Caymanians from all walks of life - not just the privileged.

Yes, this past year has been one of many blessings and challenges.   And I recognise that some in our community have not always agreed with the Government's plans to move the country forward. But that is proof that democracy is alive and well in our Islands.  And I would not have it any other way.

Because we live in a democratic society we have many freedoms, one of which is the right to worship and with that the ability to celebrate Christmas and the season of joy.

It is at Christmas that we recognize the greatest gift of all, the birth of the Christ child. We recall and celebrate that God sent his only begotten Son, Jesus, to be born amongst us, bringing great joy and love to the world.  

Christmas in these Islands is a religious time but it is also a time for family and for the carrying on of traditions.  It is family and traditions that help bind us together as a people.

I wish each of you happiness as you take time to be with families and friends, gathering to reminisce and catch up, eating Christmas beef or ham but in true Caymanian tradition always sharing our food, our stories and creating new memories with loved ones.  

I know that I will cherish this day as I slow down a bit and spend time with family and friends.

Sadly, there are some families, my own included, that will have an empty chair at the table this Christmas.  But we cherish the time we had with the loved ones who have gone on and while we miss them, we remember them and Christmases past with fondness and affection.  

As we celebrate this Christmas, let us also pause and reflect on the many blessings we have received over the past year.  And let us remember Christ’s admonition to us – that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

On this Christmas Day, we have much for which to be thankful and we are blessed when we give, whether it is a shiny present, fellowship, a hug or a simple smile. 

On behalf of myself and my Government, I wish each of you a wonderful Christmas filled with love, laughter and many blessings.

The people of the Cayman Islands have an opportunity to examine the contents of the package of Constitutional reforms and offer Government their feedback.

While the content of the package of reforms have been agreed by the United Kingdom, the Cayman Islands Government and the Opposition, both the Government and the Opposition believe it is important that the people of the Cayman Islands get the opportunity to scrutinize the planned changes and to ask any questions they may have.

The key documents can be found at www.exploregov.ky/constitutionalreform and are available by clicking the links at the foot of the page.

Questions and comments can be submitted by email to constitution@gov.ky

Once that process if finalised, the revised Constitutional Order will go through the formal process in the United Kingdom and it is expected that the new Order will be confirmed by the Privy Council in February 2020.

The Cayman Islands had been in constitutional discussions with the United Kingdom since last year because of concerns about unilateral actions of the UK Parliament in seeking to legislate for Overseas Territories.

The Cayman Islands sought these discussions because of a breach of convention and possible constitutional overreach in May 2018 when the House of Commons legislated for the British Overseas Territories in the area of domestic policy. Responsibility for domestic policy has been devolved to the territories under the terms of their respective Constitution Orders made by Her Majesty in Privy Council. 

The Cayman Islands sought safeguards that confirm that the Cayman Islands Government has autonomous capacity in respect of domestic affairs, and that the UK will not seek in the future to legislate, directly or indirectly for the Cayman Islands without, at a minimum, consultation with the Cayman Islands Government.

Because the Constitutional Reforms have been agreed by the UK and the Cayman Islands Government and Opposition, the UK deemed it unnecessary to hold a referendum on the important but uncontroversial changes.

Caymanians 2025 mobile app is available in both the Apple and Android app stores and it is free to download onto any smart device. 

Link to Android store:  https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.caymanians

Link to Apple store: 

https://apps.apple.com/ca/app/caymanians-2025/id1487324982

Facebook:  facebook.com/caymanians2025

Twitter:  @caymanians2025

Instagram:  @caymanians2025

Email:  contact@caymanians2025.com

Mr. McLaughlin continued “The Government is doing much to ensure that you have the information that you need to play a full part in the national debate.  Not least in the current referendum, Cayman has important decisions to make and that is why in addition to the Government’s efforts my colleagues and I have personally put together a resource (independent of Government) to help get the information you need into your hands.  We’re working hard to make sure it contains everything you need to know about the decisions that affect you.”

Caymanians 2025 is about where we want to go next as a people of the Cayman Islands.  The app is a portal for news, views and facts for all Caymanians. 

There’s information about ongoing programmes that relate to jobs, the economy, health, education, infrastructure, environment, housing, security, tourism, transportation and the Sister Islands.

“I’m inviting everyone in Cayman who feels their questions have not been answered. Ask me now” said Mr. McLaughlin “Ask me by posting on Facebook at Caymanians 2025; send me your questions on Twitter at caymanians2025, or simply email me at contact@caymanians2025.com I will answer your questions through the app, through social media and through a video podcast you will find on the YouTube channel, Caymanians 2025.”

Inevitably, at this time, most of the questions being asked focus on the debate about whether Cayman should move forward with building the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo facilities. As time goes on, discussions will move on to other important issues that will guide our future. 

Mr. McLaughlin continued “In the meantime, I hope you will agree with me that the referendum is not a matter to take lightly. It’s our opportunity to take control over what happens to us today and tomorrow. I don’t want any of us to feel we were not prepared to make this decision. Please use the mobile app, use the email, reach out through social media and get the information you need”.

Mr. McLaughlin concluded “I believe in Caymanians.  I came into politics because I wanted to help shape the future of our Islands.  I still do.  The launch of the Caymanians 2025 app gives you the opportunity to take part in the debate about what the future might be for the benefit of the next generation of Caymanians.  Please join me as we chart Cayman’s future course.”

*See Attached Statement from Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin

Please click on the link to go to the speech. http://www.theprogressives.ky/speeches/

“I am pleased that the Court of Appeal has agreed with Government that the original ruling brought significant ambiguity surrounding the Constitution and Bill of Rights and the interpretation of and ability of the Court to amend laws. We believed it was critical that the country had the benefit of clarification on these very important constitutional issues,” Mr.  McLaughlin said. “While I do appreciate the ruling, I am mindful that it comes with a declaration that requires immediate action from the Government.”

The Court of Appeal declared that “Chantelle Day and Vickie Bodden Bush are entitled, expeditiously, to legal protection in the Cayman Islands, which is functionally equivalent to marriage”.

Government had three primary points of concern with the original ruling of Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, QC:

• Firstly, the implications of the Court’s decision for other types of marriages (for example, polygamous marriage), and whether Government would now be bound to give effect to or recognise such marriages if an application for a marriage licence is made for a man to marry multiple wives.
• The second concern related to the extent of the powers of the Court under section 5 (1) of the Constitution to modify legislation on matters such as the right to marry, bringing into question the appropriate separation of powers under the Constitution and whether by exercising these powers under section 5 (1), the Court has exceeded its mandate under the principle of separation of powers.
• And a third concern was whether, given the language in section 14 (1) of the Constitution, it was open to the Court to find that the right to marry and found a family, could be located in other rights within the Bill of Rights, namely, sections 9 and 10 of that document.

The Government will carefully consider the full judgment to determine how best to proceed.

The Premier today delivered his speech as a debate for the Referendum (People-Initiated Referendum Regarding the Port) Bill, 2019.

To read his speech, please click on the link. http://www.theprogressives.ky/speeches/

In his statement on October 3rd 2019 the Premier provided a summary as to the process followed by Cabinet in determining the question.  This is worth noting again. 

Specifically, whilst no guidance is given in the Constitution on how Cabinet should go about settling the wording of the referendum, the Cabinet as far as possible had followed several common sense and natural justice principles.  These were that the question should be:

• clear and simple, easy to understand and written in plain language;
• to the point, that is directed at the core issue in contention;
• definitive and not ambiguous or open to a variety of interpretations; and
• neutral, which means the wording should not create any encouragement for voters to consider one response more favourably than another and should not mislead voters.

Again Cabinet did follow the above principles.  Cabinet also had regard to the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy Through Law (the Venice Commission) in its Code of Good Practice on Referendums.

In addition, Cabinet sought to ensure that the referendum question reflected the intention of the petitioners, specifically Cruise Port Referendum Cayman (CPR). The wording of the CPR referendum petition did not readily assist in helping determine a question that met the criteria above as it is not written in plain language, nor does it set out any definitive proposition.  Rather it simply asks that “the proposed cruise berthing facility……be decided solely by referendum”.

However, CPR’s initial referendum website (https://cprcayman9.wixsite.com/website) offered two rationales for the petition that people were being asked to sign.

First, it states: “The purpose of the Petition is….to bring about a people-initiated referendum in which registered voters can vote through ballot ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the country should proceed with the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility.” (emphasis added)

Secondly, it states “The aim of this petition is…to start a people-initiated referendum…on whether the country should move forward with the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility.” (emphasis added)

These statements make clear the underpinning the rationale for the CPR petition and can be relied upon to represent what it was people were signing up for.  Taken together, therefore, they provided a starting point for the Cabinet in drafting an appropriate question, including the question requiring a clear yes or no response and whether the country should proceed or move forward with the project.

Whilst the petitioners have focused solely on cruise berthing, an enhanced cargo port has always been an intrinsic part of the Government’s plans to provide for a long-needed, modern port facility that includes cruise berthing and an enhanced cargo port.

The Government has at all times acted in good faith and will ensure that the referendum process is completed timely and in a manner that is fair to all sides.

The Referendum (People-Initiated Referendum Regarding the Port) Bill, 2019 will be debated in the Legislative Assembly tomorrow (Monday 28th October).  The debate will be aired live on CIGTV or on the CIGTV YouTube channel.

The roads included Selkirk Drive and Abbey Way where NRA’s work crew is raising the level of the road two and half feet above sea level, adding drainage and paving the area. The team also visited Shamrock Road where the lane flow is being reversed to have two west bound lanes and one lane heading east.

At the Red Bay roundabout, a third west bound lane is being added to take motorists directly to South Sound.

Following the visit, Premier Alden McLaughlin said the tour provided an opportunity to look at the road works being done to address some of the traffic issues as quickly as possible as well as some of the longer term work being employed to resolve the traffic congestion from the Eastern Districts.

“I think things are coming along quite well. They are currently regrading Selkirk Drive, going all the way to Abbey Way and working on the start of a third lane from the Red Bay roundabout to Hurley’s roundabout at Grand Harbour,” he stated.

Minister Hew noted that some of the road works are designed to alleviate the issues with traffic congestion in the mornings and evenings, in the pinch points around the Hurley’s roundabout and the Prospect areas.

He stated, “People will see that we have paved a few areas, we have expanded a few more lanes and we are working our hardest to minimise the amount of time commuters have to spend in traffic”.

“We have to appreciate and extend our gratitude to the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service for the work that they have been doing over the last couple of weeks in the mornings. We can all agree that it has been a tremendous help in the morning commute but that is not sustainable so we are here looking at some of the plans that we have in the short, medium and long term to ease the challenges in the mornings and in the evenings returning east,” Minister Hew said.

The Minister also stated that the long term goal is to get the East-West Arterial extension completed up to Lookout Gardens, and that the Ministry would continue discussions with the National Conservation Council to do what is necessary to get their approval so that construction on the road can proceed.

The high-profile symposium gave Minister Hew a platform to stress that the Cayman Islands is open for business and will continue to grow the portfolio of mega yachts that operate under the Cayman Red Standard.

“A huge cross-section of powerful industry voices came together at this prestigious forum to share views and debate business strategy alongside policy-makers,” Minister Hew explains.

He adds: “Everyone from yacht owners to maritime lawyers, marine equipment manufacturers and industry regulators is able to voice an opinion. This makes it a highly useful exercise for us to participate in, as we seek to maintain our position at the forefront of this important industry.” 

The Cayman Islands has the top-rated shipping registry in the world, with the most experienced staff of the flag states in the yachting industry. An efficient registration system and competitive pricing structure, coupled with highly specialised service providers, contribute to the Cayman Islands being the preferred choice for discerning ship owners.

In his speech, Minister Hew noted that the Cayman Islands is continually updating legislation and introducing innovations, which enhance safety. These also help to make the industry sustainable, by promoting improvements such as helping prevent pollution.

He emphasised how the highly-skilled technical staff at the Registry has, for more than two decades, been involved in the majority of the largest new-build yacht projects in the world. 

Under the leadership of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI), which falls under the remit of the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (MITIAMA), the Cayman Registry team is able to offer the best possible advice to owners and find actionable solutions to new yacht designs, without compromising on quality or safety.

The Cayman Islands also recently qualified for continuance in the United States Coastguard’s Quality Shipping for the 21^st Century (QUALSHIP 21) Programme for the ninth consecutive year.

This programme identifies high-quality ships and flag states and to maintain the status, flag states have to meet the highest international requirements. The Cayman Islands is one of the very few flag states which have managed to maintain their QUALSHIP 21 status consistently since 2011. 

While the Cayman Islands earns substantial fees from the work of the Shipping Registry, the abundance of luxury yachts that are registered in the Cayman Islands and fly the Red Standard further enhance the Islands’ global image.

Cayman Compass publisher Kathleen Capetta said: “We are thrilled to be working collaboratively with the Government to bring important independent community news to a wider audience.”

“This partnership comes as we relaunch the Compass and its multi-media platforms at the heart of the community.”

Donna Bush, CIGTV News Director, said: “Our goal is to provide the best content available for viewers both locally and internationally.  Working in partnership with others is important to this. We have recently added national weather updates to our CIGTV news segments by partnering with the National Weather Service.  This collaboration with the Compass is another exciting venture enabling us to bring even more community based content to our viewers”.

CIGTV provides a valuable source of community based news across its channels and encouraging content sharing such as through this collaboration goes some way towards filling the gap left by the recent closure of a local television station. Whilst it is a positive effort to fill a media void in terms of community content, Government is not subsidising or paying for any of the content.  The arrangement is not exclusive and CIGTV continue to welcome video content from the local media and community partners.  Please contact donna.bush@gov.ky to discuss. 

The content-sharing arrangement with Compass will begin on Monday 7th October to coincide with the relaunch of the Cayman Compass. 

The Bill provides for the holding of a referendum under Section 70 of the Constitution of the Cayman Islands. Cabinet has determined that the referendum will be held on Thursday, December 19^th 2019. Whilst referendum day will be a public holiday, licensed bars and similar establishments will be permitted to remain open to minimise disruption during the holiday season.

As required by the Constitution, the Cabinet has settled the referendum question, which will be:

“Should the Cayman Islands continue to move forward with building the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo port facility?”

The response to the question will be a simple ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.

Settling the question

In respect of the question to be asked in any people-initiated referendum, Section 70 (2) (b): of the Cayman Islands Constitutional Order, 2009, provides that “the Cabinet shall settle the wording of a referendum question or questions within a reasonable time period as prescribed by law”.

No guidance is given in the Constitution on how Cabinet should go about settling the wording and there is no direct Cayman Islands precedent.  However, there are some

common sense and natural justice principles that can be drawn upon.  These suggest that Cabinet should construct a question that, as far as possible, is:

• clear and simple, easy to understand and written in plain language;
• to the point, that is directed at the core issue in contention;
• definitive and not ambiguous or open to a variety of interpretations; and
• neutral, which means the wording should not create any encouragement for voters to consider one response more favourably than another and should not mislead voters.

Cabinet has followed the above criteria in settling the question, and has also had regard to the Council of Europe’s Commission for Democracy Through Law (the Venice Commission) in its Code of Good Practice on Referendums.

In addition, Cabinet sought to ensure that the referendum question reflected the intention of the petitioners, specifically Cruise Port Referendum Cayman (CPR).  The wording of the CPR referendum petition did not readily assist in helping determine a question that met the criteria above as it is not written in plain language, nor does it set out any definitive proposition.  Rather it simply asks that “the proposed cruise berthing facility……be decided solely by referendum”.

 However, CPR’s initial referendum website (https://cprcayman9.wixsite.com/website) offers two similar rationales for the petition that people were being asked to sign.  First, it states: “The purpose of the Petition is….to bring about a people-initiated referendum in which registered voters can vote through ballot ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ on whether the country should proceed with the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility.”  (emphasis added)

Secondly, it states “The aim of this petition is…to start a people-initiated referendum…on whether the country should move forward with the proposed Cruise Berthing Facility.” (emphasis added)

These statements make clear the underpinning rationale for the CPR petition and can be relied upon to represent what it was people were signing up for when they put their names to the petition.  Taken together, therefore, they provided a starting point for the Cabinet in drafting an appropriate question, including the question requiring a clear yes or no response.

Whilst the petitioners have focused solely on cruise berthing, an enhanced cargo port has always been an intrinsic part of the Government’s plans to provide for a long-needed, modern port facility that includes cruise berthing and an enhanced cargo port.

In 2015 Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin confirmed to the country, at a Chamber of Commerce luncheon, that “Government has considered the matter carefully and has agreed on the merits of building a cruise port and an enhanced cargo port and to allow the project to proceed to the next stage.” This public statement made it clear that there was one project that includes both cruise berthing and an enhanced cargo port. In fact references to both were included in many public statements including statements made in the Legislative Assembly. And of course both an enhanced cargo port and cruise ship berthing were included in the request for proposal during the project procurement stage.

Therefore any referendum question on moving forward with cruise berthing must include an enhanced cargo port as well.

The Attorney General was consulted in the development of the question and external legal advice was also sought. It was determined that the four principles and the approach taken in settling the question were correct and met appropriate tests.

The referendum date

The choice of the referendum date is based in large part on the various processes required by law to get to a point where the Issuing of Writs can be made to the Supervisor of Elections so as to confer on him the authority to conduct a referendum. These include:

• Cabinet to settle the referendum question
• Drafting of the Referendum Bill
• Gazettal of the Referendum Bill for 21 days
• Debate and passage of the Referendum Bill in the Legislative Assembly
• Assent and gazettal of the Referendum Law and the Issuing of Writs to the Supervisor of Elections.

In addition to the above processes, sufficient time is needed to allow the Elections Office to plan for and carry out their duties – including providing for postal and mobile voting. 

The Supervisor of Elections has confirmed that given the staff training and other preparations that the Elections Office has already undertaken, he is confident that the Elections Office will be operationally and logistically ready to meet the timeline of 19^th December for the holding of the referendum.

With the Gazettal of the Referendum Bill and the setting of the date for the referendum the Government looks forward to settling this issue and determining whether the Country supports continuing to move forward with building the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo port facility.

“The decline in cruise arrivals is disappointing but not unexpected, said Hon. Moses Kirkconnell, Minister for Tourism. “A significant number of Caymanians are employed within our cruise sector so when passenger numbers go down month after month, these are the people that feel it the most.”

The Ministry has been advising the public that arrivals would fall as islands recover from the damage sustained during the 2017 hurricane season. As more of the region resumes normal operations this is the reality but knowing it was expected is providing little comfort to those whose livelihoods depend on cruise passengers.

“The reality is that our economy is service based and we depend on the market being brought to our shores. If that market declines we don’t have many options for our people to fall back on to maintain themselves and their families”, the Minister said.

“Government has an obligation, one that it takes very seriously; to do the very best we can to provide our people with stable employment and opportunities to be successful. In the case of stayover tourism, strategies were implemented to level out seasonality and this is paying dividends through record breaking arrivals year round. Months that were historically viewed as ‘slow season’ are now bursting at the seams with visitor arrivals, which translates into increased and dependable income for businesses and workers in that sector of our service and hospitality industry.”

“The berthing facility would enable similar results to be accomplished in the cruise sector, the Minister continued. “As well as allowing the larger Oasis class ships to dock in George Town, cruise ship arrivals could be scheduled more consistently throughout the week which would assist in managing capacity and provide a steady and dependable income for cruise industry workers.”

As more of the mega-class ships replace the smaller, older vessels currently operating in the region, the Cayman Islands, as the only destination in the Caribbean and Central America without a berthing facility, is expecting to see cruise arrivals decline over time.

Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley echoed the Minister’s sentiment in a recent interview with a local news outlet.

“Cayman is a popular destination. We have been coming to Cayman for 50 years and hopefully we will continue to come for another 50 years, but at the end of the day you have to look at the reality of it. If we can’t create the infrastructure and facilities to better receive the guests as our ships get bigger, it is not unrealistic to think that volume of guests and the number of ships will decline,” Bayley said.

The Ministry of Tourism is planning a public meeting for later this month to discuss the cruise berthing facility and details will be announced soon.

For more information related to the cruise berthing project, please visit Support our Tourism or connect via facebook.

“With the growth of communities in the Eastern District, increase in number of cars on our roads and adjustment of school start times have come challenges such as increasing traffic volumes and congestion, increasing travel times, and growing road safety issues. These are affecting the quality of life of our people and I have therefore asked the relevant stakeholders to find short and medium term solutions as we continue on track with some of our long term plans,” states Minister Hew.

As part of these efforts, the Ministry of Education Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands will move to have discussions with the Private Schools’ Association to explore the use of a school bus system for the over 4000 private school students who are dropped off and picked up for school on a daily basis.

In addition, Chief Officer of the Portfolio of the Civil Service, Ms. Gloria McField-Nixon states that her agency will encourage the hundreds of civil servants operating within the Government Administration Building to consider the Work Hour’s policy which allows for staggered work hours.

She emphasises, “We will remind managers of the 2012 Policy and have them encourage wider take up of the existing offerings, including by those departments not operating from the Government Administration Building, where feasible”.

Some of the immediate plans being undertaken by the National Roads Authority (NRA) to address the traffic congestion in the Eastern Districts include the reversal of lanes on Shamrock Road, on the run up to Marina Drive so there will be two westbound lanes and a turn lane instead of two eastbound lanes that currently exist.

. This will be implemented in mid-October.

Two other projects expected to start this month are the widening of Rex Crighton Boulevard and Shamrock Road. The Rex Crighton project will involve the expansion of the existing east and west bound travel lanes between the Poindexter Road Roundabout and the Chrissie Tomlinson Roundabout, where the section of the roadway will have four lanes.

Shamrock Road will be widened into six lanes with the initial focus on developing a westbound third lane between Red Bay Roundabout and Grand Harbour Roundabout.

Ongoing work to ease traffic congestions is currently taking place on the Mango Tree Connector, Olympic Way and Island Heritage Roundabout.

Some of the long terms projects which are expected to start before the end of the year include: the planned extension of the Airport Connector Road from the roundabout to the George Town landfill on Esterley Tibbetts Highway to Sparky Drive in the North Sound area, extension of Godfrey Nixon Way and the East-West Arterial from Hirst Road to Lookout Road in Bodden Town.

The NRA is currently in discussions with the National Conservation Council about the East-West Arterial route.

Minister Hew reminded attendees at the meeting that while various solutions are being considered to address the traffic problems, a holistic approach has to be taken to include carpooling, incentivisation of alternative transport, limits on importation of older vehicles, a comprehensive public transportation system and complete streets that will accommodate vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians.

“We encourage all members of the civil and public service, including those on our Sister Islands, to join with us and reduce our use of cars for just one day. Our plan this year is for the civil and public service to lead by example, and then expand Car Free Day Cayman to the private sector and the general public in 2020,” states Hon. Joey Hew, Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure.

In addition to the options of carpooling, riding or walking, the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure will also provide park and ride opportunities for employees who live in the Eastern Districts as well as hop on, hop off buses in George Town throughout the day. 

A number of local businesses have thrown their support behind the event by providing incentives for civil servants who participate in the event. Some of the incentives include airline tickets, bicycles and gift cards.

Several restaurants in the George Town area will also offer discounts on Friday to employees of the civil and public service. 

Some of the benefits of using fewer cars by taking alternative modes of transportation include reduced traffic congestion, improved energy conservation, less parking problems, reduced harmful emissions, savings on time and money, and generally a greener planet.

The representatives will be taking part in a series of scheduled events under the auspices of the Monaco Yacht Show (25-28 September).

Mr. McLaughlin explains “We continue to be a leading flag state in the super yacht industry and it is important for us to be part of this event and meet with owners and their representatives to ensure they have the most current information on what the Cayman Islands can offer and provide the best possible advice for their existing and future super yachts.”

Mr. McLaughlin continues “I will also be able to tell them first-hand how well we are doing both economically and politically and that we continue to be a good, stable jurisdiction in which to do business.”

The broad purpose of such trips is to attract new international business and to promote the Cayman Islands brand on the international stage.

In order to support those ambitions, a diverse number of private sector partners will lend their weight to the Cayman Islands’ presence at the Yacht Show. These include representatives from the “Big Four” accountancy firms and from the worlds of law, real estate, yacht brokerage and management, technology and precious metals and stones.

Minister Hew explains: “I look forward to the opportunity to collaborate with our counterparts in Monaco at the very highest level, as well as the chance to engage with potential investors and high net worth individuals at the prestigious Monaco Yacht Show. Such investment is vital, because it ensures we are able to create opportunities for Caymanians both now and in the long term.”

Minister Hew and the delegation will seek to encourage investment in the jurisdiction, to promote the Cayman Islands as an attractive place to invest and conduct business and to increase further the market share held by the Cayman Islands’ premium shipping registry.

Similarly, the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) will utilise its platform of repute as the operator of one of the world’s best shipping registries to host a forum during the MYS. In leading discussions around the challenges and expectations for the industry’s future, MACI will utilise the forum to promote the red ensign of the Cayman Islands as a symbol for the global maritime community.

The Ministry’s Chief Officer Eric Bush underlines the importance of continued efforts to maintain and increase the significant market share for the Cayman Islands’ shipping registry.

“Monaco is a vital market for us,” Mr. Bush explains, adding: “the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry is regarded as world-class and home to many of the world’s biggest yachts. It is essential we strengthen and increase our presence in the industry to ensure we continue to remain the premium maritime flag state.”

In addition to the MACI sponsored business forum, the other events will include: a charity bike ride in aid of the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation (Wednesday, 25 September); a reception at the Monaco Yacht Show (MYS) hosted by the Premier (Wednesday, 25 September); and a dinner hosted by the Premier at the MYS (Thursday, 26 September).  In attendance at the events will be the Cayman delegation as well as key individuals from the Monaco community, particularly from the yachting and shipping sectors.

Minister was then invited to see first-hand the progress being made on the construction of the new Apprentice Training Facility. The building, once complete, will cover 3,200 square feet; it will be raised above the car park on columns, which will create a covered, open-air space below. The upper level will consist of an open-plan space with a folding, full-height partition, which allows for two separate teaching spaces of 550 square feet each. The facility will be accessible to all persons thanks to the construction of an elevator to reach the upper floor, as well as accessible restroom provisions.

            In addition, in support of the Ministry’s National Energy Policy, the new building will boast various energy saving features, including: energy efficient impact rated windows, 100% LED lighting, solar water heating along with other provisions to accept a solar energy collector application in the future.

            Minister Hew praised the project’s private sector partner, Cayman Structural Group, for their support with the construction, particularly with regards to the hands-on training they are providing to the current apprentices. 

The PWD Construction Apprenticeship Programme runs in conjunction with the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre who provides a large portion of the trainees enrolled (others are recruited from the general public) and is supported by private sector partners. The scheme has been labelled “world class” by a global technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) expert. 

            The programme was launched in 2016. It developed out of a need flagged by PWD to fill key technical roles locally because of a lack of required practical skills and technical knowhow to carry out work in the construction industry at the requisite standard. Realising the taking on of individual apprentices was too small an approach to meet industry demands, the Department partnered with CIFEC, before eventually opening up to students not enrolled in any institution.

The Apprentice Training Facility is scheduled to open at the PWD compound early in 2020.

The Government has welcomed the completion of the process to verify signatures on the Cruise Port Referendum petition. 

Premier Alden McLaughlin said, “I would like to repeat my thanks to Supervisor of Elections, Wesley Howell, and his excellent team for their hard work and efficiency in concluding the signature verification process so quickly and smoothly.”

The Premier added, “The drive to build a new cargo and cruise berthing facility for the Cayman Islands has been going on for at least the last six years while my Government has been in office.  This referendum process has been going on for a year.  With a preferred bidder now ready to deliver the cargo and cruise port enhancements this country needs, we need to get on and bring things to a conclusion.”

“We understand that many Caymanians have signed the petition because they had questions and concerns about the port.  We are answering those questions as we release more information now the preferred bidder has been appointed.”

“Sadly, there is also a small group of people who are simply opposed to the government’s plans at any price and who appear willing to throw out any kind of misstatement or half-truth to further their objectives.”

“At each stage in this process, those opponents have been quick to allege impropriety on the part of Government Ministers.  At each stage they have been wrong.”

“First, scurrilous allegations were made that Cayman’s cruise and cargo port improvements were being made solely to benefit the business interests of one or more Ministers.  We have repeatedly shown not only that there are no such business interests but the port is in the vital best interest of our nation not any individuals.”

“Secondly, they alleged that the Government was failing to follow proper procurement and bidding processes.  In fact we have followed a best in class procurement route.”

“Then we heard that civil servants were being intimidated from signing the referendum petition.  That was shown to be false.”

“Next the country was told that the whole thing was a stitch up and that a deal had already been agreed with China Harbour.  The preferred bidder announcement demonstrated the untruth of that assertion.”

“Political interference in the verification process was the next hue and cry of our opponents.  Yet again, they have been shown to be wrong as the verification process has been followed through efficiently and diligently by our elections staff.”

“Now we are hearing allegations that the Government will try to duck the referendum by determining that Cayman’s cruise and cargo port is not an issue of national importance or that the Government will somehow pervert the purpose of the referendum by manipulating the question.”

“As throughout this process, those allegations are completely without foundation.  Let me lay them to rest now.”

“It is central to the Government’s support for Cayman’s new port and cargo facilities that they are necessary in the national interest. There is no question of us seeking to avoid a referendum.”

“As to the referendum question, we intend that the question should be drawn up in accordance with best practice principles including that it should, as far as possible, be neutral in its phrasing.  Throughout this process, the Government has maintained the highest standards of probity and good practice.  That will not change now.”

“The business of government needs to go on and there is much we need to do in the next few weeks, not least bring forward a two year budget. However, the country needs certainty and the Government therefore intends to get this referendum process completed as quickly as possible.” 

“To that end, Cabinet will turn its attention immediately to considering a draft Bill, including a proposed formulation of the referendum question and the date on which the referendum will be held.”

We are here today to pay tribute to a man who served his country, community and family well, John Bonwell McLean Sr., OBE, JP.

The British politician and political thinker Edmund Burke stated that “a disposition to preserve, and an ability to improve, taken together, would be my standard of a statesman”.

Such a statesman was John B. McLean. Preserving things Caymanian and Improving the lot of his Caymanian people is what many Caymanians will remember of John Mclean the statesman and political dynamo. But they will also remember John Mclean the man with the easy smile and the endearing manner.

John served these Cayman Islands with distinction for almost 25 years. He was elected at the young age of 26 in 1976 by the people of his beloved East End community. Though youthful in years, he quickly learned the ways of politics and of Government. Before leaving office in 2000 he had not only made his mark as a political ‘heavyweight’ but also played an important role in the development of our Islands and his district.

In his community he was instrumental in the building of the William Allen McLaughlin Civic Center in East End proper and the Elliott Connolly Civic Centre in Gun Bay - both of which continue to serve the people in the district well, even functioning as hurricane shelters when necessary. He was also responsible for the construction of the Lillith McLaughlin health clinic, the post office, the police station, the Wreck of the Ten Sail park and more.

On the national level he was instrumental in the development of critical services such as the 911 emergency communications system and the Water Authority. Indeed, Mr. McLean worked to ensure that important ground water sources, such as the East End fresh groundwater lens, were protected.

Many of you will know that on my father’s side my roots are buried deep in the East End land. So I and countless other Caymanians appreciate the work that John did to protect our precious fresh water lens and indeed his tireless efforts to promote local farming and assist local farmers. And I also personally respect and appreciate the work he did for the people of East End.

Indeed John Mclean was completely devoted to the East End community. That devotion to not only East End, but the wider Cayman Community was recognised in 1995 when Mr. McLean was awarded the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty the Queen for his service to his community and to our Cayman Islands.

During his tenure he served three terms as a Government minister with responsibilities for Agriculture, Lands, Natural Resources, Communications, Environment and Works and completed six consecutive terms as an elected member. Six terms is a lifetime in politics and is a testament to the affection of his people as well as to the way he capably represented them at home and abroad.

He served on the Executive Council, which is now called Cabinet, and advocated for and indeed accomplished development throughout our Islands.

During his time as the Minister for Works several main roads were built, including the Queens Highway, the High Rock in-land road, and multiple farm roads. The first phase of the Harquail Bypass was completed, helping reduce traffic congestion for drivers travelling to and from the western end of Grand Cayman.

John McLean Drive, the road that bears his name, once known as “Up on the Hill”, was built in 1977 and members of the community requested the road be renamed in Mr. McLean’s honour. That road has been important in providing East Enders with easy access to the inner land and to higher ground in emergencies.

Also in East End he was instrumental in bringing telephone service, helped get three new boat launch sites, brought in street lights and secured property for the Heritage Field and the George Dixon Park for a football field and the Donovan Rankine Football Field next to the East End Civic Centre, which was opened by the great Pele from Brazil.

We also have him to thank for his role as a member of Government for help in securing the purchases of the Cayman Turtle Farm, the Queen Elizabeth Botanic Park and Colliers Public Beach as well as the establishment of the Stacy Watler Pavilion.

Mr. McLean was an avid farmer, being recognised many times during various Agricultural shows and the importation of pedigree cattle such as Black Angus and goats such as Nubian to the Islands as Minister for Agriculture.

Our beloved Isles owe him much for his service to the Cayman Islands.

He was a true Caymanian and statesman and will be sorely missed.

May his soul rest in peace.

Among the highest recorded variances in revenue streams were domestic levies on goods and services, including bank and trust licences and tourist accommodation charges, at $20 million. According to the report, tourist accommodation charges were higher “mainly due to continued record high visitor arrivals (by air)”. Import duties reached $18 million, and levies on property, primarily stamp duties on land transfers, stood at $13 million.

            Furthermore, “adherence to fiscal policy continues to produce high cash and deposit balances held by core government,” the report emphasises. Operating cash and deposits were $522 million at the end of the second quarter, while reserves and restricted deposits were $168 million, resulting in a total cash and deposits balance of $690 million.

            The continuing positive trend has ensured that the net surplus of the EPS is on par with the actual results for the same period in 2018.

              Simultaneously, core government’s debt position continues to be favourably impacted by government’s tight fiscal management of prior borrowings since there have been no new borrowings since 2011.

The overall debt principal repayments were $13 million for the period from 1 January to 30 June 2019, bringing the debt balance down further. Of this, $10 million was repaid in the 1 April to 30 June period.

Also, 24 public entities comprising statutory authorities and government owned companies generated a total surplus of $11 million through the second quarter.

            Commenting on the latest fiscal performance report, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Hon. Roy McTaggart, JP said, “I am pleased to see the continuing positive performance of the Entire Public Sector’s finances. We will maintain prudent fiscal management and stewardship throughout the year to ensure that we generate a substantial surplus in government’s finances at year-end, so that we can continue to pay off our debts and invest in government’s priorities.” 

In regard to the announcement that Cayman27 will end its television broadcast as of Friday, 30 August, Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin had the following to say:

“The government is very concerned about the loss of Caymanian jobs and will make available all of government's resources to assist with finding them alternative employment.

“The decision to close the station was one made by its owner on the basis that it was not commercially viable. As far as the regulatory breaches are concerned, questions in this regard should be put to the regulator, OfReg.

“The government believes that a television station that produces and broadcasts local programmes and news is a critical piece of Cayman's information infrastructure and will immediately begin exploration as to how the void created by the closure of Cayman27 can quickly be filled.”

Government continues to maintain strong fiscal momentum through the second quarter of 2019 with the Entire Public Sector (EPS) achieving a 65 percent higher surplus than budgeted.

The Unaudited Quarterly Financial Report for the six-month period ended 30 June 2019 that is gazetted today in Extraordinary Gazette #53 reveals that the surplus for the EPS stood at $201 million, against the budgeted figure of $122 million. EPS comprises Core Government as well as Statutory Authorities and Government owned Companies.

The surplus was generated primarily through higher revenue from levies, duties, fees and government charges that were recorded at $499 million, which is $51 million more than budgeted expectations.

Among the highest recorded variances in revenue streams were domestic levies on goods and services, including bank and trust licences and tourist accommodation charges, at $20 million. According to the report, tourist accommodation charges were higher “mainly due to continued record high visitor arrivals (by air)”. Import duties reached $18 million, and levies on property, primarily stamp duties on land transfers, stood at $13 million.

Furthermore, “adherence to fiscal policy continues to produce high cash and deposit balances held by core government,” the report emphasises. Operating cash and deposits were $522 million at the end of the second quarter, while reserves and restricted deposits were $168 million, resulting in a total cash and deposits balance of $690 million.

The continuing positive trend has ensured that the net surplus of the EPS is on par with the actual results for the same period in 2018.

Simultaneously, core government’s debt position continues to be favourably impacted by government’s tight fiscal management of prior borrowings since there have been no new borrowings since 2011.

The overall debt principal repayments were $13 million for the period from 1 January to 30 June 2019, bringing the debt balance down further. Of this, $10 million was repaid in the 1 April to 30 June period.

Also, 24 public entities comprising statutory authorities and government owned companies generated a total surplus of $11 million through the second quarter.

Commenting on the latest fiscal performance report, Finance and Economic Development Minister, Hon. Roy McTaggart, JP said, “I am pleased to see the continuing positive performance of the Entire Public Sector’s finances. We will maintain prudent fiscal management and stewardship throughout the year to ensure that we generate a substantial surplus in government’s finances at year-end, so that we can continue to pay off our debts and invest in government’s priorities.” 

The Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure has announced incentives to encourage more environmentally friendly vehicle ownership across the Cayman Islands. Customs duties applied to electric and hybrid vehicles are to be greatly reduced.

The announcement was made by the Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew, at the Legislative Assembly last Thursday (Thursday, 25 July 2019).  

Electric vehicles, which cost $29,999 or below, now attract zero tariffs to consumers importing such vehicles for personal use. While individuals importing hybrid vehicles, of $29,999 or below value, for personal use will now pay 10% in import tariffs.

Those importing commercial vehicles will also see the tariffs of electric and hybrid vehicles reduce (to as little as 5% and 12% respectively).

Bicycles also no longer attract any customs duties, as do electric motor cycles and electric bicycles.

A full breakdown of the updated customs duties is available at gov.ky and on the Ministry of CPI Facebook page.  

In the future, the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure plans to work closely with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development as well as the Customs and Border Force Agency to conduct biennial reviews of the tariff structure. 

The reduction in tariffs mean choosing to import an electric or hybrid vehicle over a fossil fuel alternative will now offer further financial incentives in addition to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and fewer trips to the gas station.

There are approximately 160 electric vehicles already licensed to drive on Cayman’s roads. By making this change, the Ministry addresses a key strategy for the department to encourage a greater share of fuel efficient, electric and hybrid vehicles.

“The Ministry of CPI recognises that the transportation sector has vast potential for energy efficiency and energy conservation,” the Hon. Joey Hew said during a speech at the Legislative Assembly.

“We see this initiative as a kick start to assist our citizens with switching to low emissions vehicles for the wider social and environment benefits to be gained from reducing greenhouse gases and petroleum dependence”, he continued.

Feedback the Ministry received from the private sector suggested that businesses were waiting to see what action the government would take regarding the transition towards green energy. 

With the reduction in tariffs, along with the expansion of Grand Cayman’s electric vehicle charging station infrastructure, the Ministry hopes this serves to strengthen the public’s confidence in the future of electric vehicles on the island.

This announcement forms part of broader energy efficiency initiatives under way as part of the National Energy Policy. The government is also planning to transition its own fleet to more fuel efficient or electric options, where practical, in the future.

The Cayman Islands Government (CIG) has formally approved the selection of Verdant Isle Port Partners (VIPP) as the preferred bidder for the proposed cruise berthing facility and enhancement to the cargo facilities (CBF).

VIPP is a consortium of 4 companies comprising of McAlpine Ltd, Orion Marine Construction Inc. Carnival Corporation Ltd and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Together they offer a high degree of local and international technical expertise and have the relevant experience and key personnel who are familiar with working on projects of similar scope and scale as the CBF proposed for George Town.

VIPP were selected as the preferred bidder following a detailed analysis of the bid by the Ministry of Tourism, the Port Authority Cayman Islands (Port Authoriy ), PWD’s Major Projects Office and specialist consultants KPMG, Hatch, Royal Haskoning DHV, and Appleby/Pinsent Mason’s who provided technical, financial and legal services during the procurement process. The bid was assessed against evaluation criteria and a recommendation was submitted to the Central Tenders Committee which granted approval to select a preferred bidder.

The procurement process for the proposed CBF was conducted in an open and transparent manner; consistent with international best practices; the Public Management and Finance Law, and the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility. Throughout the process, the PWD’s Major Projects Office has been leading the CBF project team in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism and Port Authority of the Cayman Islands.

The government have repeatedly advised that it was necessary to arrive at this stage in the process in order that factual information regarding the design and cost of the project could be available. Having reached this juncture the Ministry of Tourism is pleased to be able to show the CBF conceptual design and share more detailed information with the public.

Reduced Environmental Impact

The CBF will consist of two-finger piers constructed on pilings to allow the sea and marine life to move freely underneath. Pilings are commonly used all over the world in the construction of piers and bridges situated over water.

The new pier reflects Government’s mandate with respect to minimizing the environmental impact. Locating the piers in deeper water has resulted in the need for less dredging and less coral relocation than previously considered in the 2015 scheme submitted for environment impact assessment and there will be no dredging in Hog Sty Bay.

Additionally, the proposed CBF will not increase the likelihood of flooding in the areas to the North and South as a result of the new development. Furthermore wave walls have been incorporated within the footprint of the design for extreme weather conditions which will further reduce potential flooding and wave overtopping into the road and will add more protection to the central George Town area.

Development Capital Cost

Of the options provided as part of the winning bid, Cabinet has selected Option 2 which minimises impact to the environmental and delivers value for money at a cost of less than CI$200M, subject to final contract negotiations. This figure includes enhancement of the cargo port facility to accommodate the higher volumes of cargo required to meet the needs of the growing population. The current port is 40 years old and operates under conditions that are cramped, inefficient and less than ideal.

If the CBF project did not proceed the Port Authority would require capital investment to upgrade the cargo area of the port and this cost would have to be met by the public purse.

Design, Build, Finance, Maintain Financial Model

The CBF project will be carried out under a Design, Build, Finance, Maintain (DBFM) arrangement which is financed by the preferred bidder. The country will receive a two-pier berthing facility and enhanced cargo port without the Government having to provide any loans, bonds or guarantees.

The Port Authority will continue to operate and manage the facility and four cruise lines will enter into preferential berthing rights for the new piers. The Port Authority will operate the four berths and two existing anchor points to manage the number of vessels and passengers visiting the Islands.

The financial investment required to build the piers will be repaid over 25 years to the preferred bidder using a portion of the passenger fee which is charged for each passenger brought to the new CBF. The share of the existing passenger fee currently paid to the Port Authority and the Environmental Protection fund will remain unchanged.

Passenger fees are bundled into the cost of a cruise in much the same way that passenger taxes are bundled into the cost of airline tickets. A portion of the fee which currently pays for tendering services will be used instead to repay the preferred bidder for financing construction of the CBF. After 25 years when the investment has been repaid, that portion of the passenger fee will be remitted to the Port Authority, increasing the revenue that Port Authority receives per passenger.

Operational Management

The CBF and enhanced cargo port will continue to be managed by the Port Authority as is currently the case and there will be no increased upland development with the new retail units owned and managed by the Port Authority. The increase in area of the upland development for cruise is to accommodate passenger management on the facilities. This means cruise lines will not own or operate any retail or commercial space within the cruise terminal. From the inception of the project Government has maintained that George Town is our upland development to ensure that the money cruise passengers spend while onshore continues to provide maximum benefit to the local economy.

Job Creation and Security

The CBF will provide future security for the jobs and businesses that depend on the cruise industry and will create employment during construction as well as throughout the facilities lifespan.

Cruise Berthing Facility Benefits

The CBF will greatly enhance the safety of the Port Authority operations and quality of the cruise passenger experience and will help to bring new life and opportunities to the capital city. The CBF is integral to the George Town Revitalisation Project and vital to the long term future of the Cayman Islands cruise tourism industry.
The selection of the preferred bidder represents a significant step forward in the quest to provide a modern cruise berthing and enhanced cargo facility that caters to the essential needs of the country.

The evolution of the mega ship has changed the face of cruising in the Caribbean and the Cayman Islands must either prepare to embrace this reality or get left behind. After 40 years of being in the cruise tourism business Cayman is distinct within the region for not having a berthing facility. Rather than being an attribute, this presents a serious risk and will ultimately place our cruise tourism industry in jeopardy.
It is in our country’s long term best interest to provide a berthing facility that will positively impact employment and ultimately inject millions of dollars into our economy.

Summary of Key Facts

 The Preferred bidder is a consortium comprising a trusted developer and industry partners.
 The option selected by Cabinet costs less than CI$200M
 The cost includes enhancing the cargo port.
 The environmental impact is significantly reduced.
 There is no financial risk to the Country.
 There will be no upland development owned or operated by cruise lines.
 The facility will be managed and ownership by the Port Authority on behalf of the People of the Cayman Islands.
 The berthing facility will secure the cruise industry and provide jobs for Cayman families.

To stay informed on all of the latest news and information on the cruise berthing project the public is encouraged to visit the CBF website at www.SupportOurTourism.com and to check the project’s facebook page for daily updates.

This morning the Cabinet of the Cayman Islands approved the Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport and the Port Authority proceeding with the cruise berthing and enhanced cargo facility project on the basis of a bid by Verdant Isle Port Partners as accepted by the Central Tenders Committee on Tuesday, 23 July 2019.

Verdant Isle Port Partners consists of:

McAlpine Cayman Ltd.

Orion Marine Construction

Carnival Corp.

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.

Orion Marine Construction has purchased Meisner Marine, which previously built the Royal Watler Terminal as well as the Creek Dock in Cayman Brac.

Notwithstanding this morning’s approval, the Government will not proceed to execute a contract before the 1 October, 2019, in order to allow for the completion of the people initiated petition verification of signature process.

Details relating to the bid and the cruise berthing project generally, which could not be disclosed until the completion of the tender process and selection of a preferred bidder, will be discussed at a press conference to be held at 1 p.m. Monday, 29 July, at the GIS studio, second floor of the Government Administration Building.

Mr. Speaker support for the Cayman Islands Financial Services Industry remains one of the key priorities for this Government.

The conditions that attracted financial services providers to these shores still underpin our success today - our adherence to the framework of English Common Law, our tax neutral status and our strong economy and stable and financially robust government. 

Our Financial Services Industry remains strong and resilient.  Like many of our competitors the Cayman Islands as a jurisdiction has seen the increasing need to upgrade our regime to ensure that we are compliant with the various supra-national bodies.  Indeed the view of Government is that as a world leading financial services centre we have an obligation to ensure that our regulatory regimes are also world class. And so over the years the jurisdiction, Government and industry partners, have responded to the evolving regulatory landscape and have put in place the necessary regulatory frameworks. 

Some of these measures have been necessary as Cayman plays its part in the global fight to combat money laundering and to counter the financing of terrorism. Others have been required to enable tax authorities in other countries to access information they need in order to ensure compliance with their own taxation regimes.

I do not need to tell this House, Mr. Speaker, how many long hours we have spent in this House as numerous bills have been passed into law. Nor do I need to remind our partners in the industry how many long hours have gone into working up the detail of those bills in such a way as to meet regulatory requirements while still maintaining the space for creativity and innovation that is the hallmark of financial services in this jurisdiction.

So it is, once again, Mr. Speaker that we are here at this meeting of the House to consider yet more necessary changes to our legislative framework. Some 11 bills are now before the House, each dealing with some aspect of our anti-money laundering and counter financing of terrorism regime. 

Others will speak to the details of those bills, Mr. Speaker, but taken together they represent a robust response by this Government to the recommendations made by the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force in its March 2019 report. As such, they are an important part of our country’s efforts to ensure we remain compliant with international standards and I therefore commend them to the House.

Significantly, however, the CFATF’s recommendations do not just cover the legislative framework for regulation. For the first time, they have moved on to cover the effectiveness with which the legislation is being implemented. We certainly understand the rationale for ensuring that not only do we as a jurisdiction have the required regulatory framework, but that we also have the mechanisms and people to ensure that the framework is effective and can be proven to be so.

And so, this Government is determined to respond positively to these recommendations dealing with effectiveness as we are doing in keeping the legislation itself up to date.

Doing so requires a response from across government and partner agencies including the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service. A Ministerial Sub-Committee, which I chair, has been created to oversee the work of the agencies and we have established a Financial Crime Focus Group to ensure coordination and cooperation at the operational level between law enforcement agencies. That Group will make recommendations to enhance the quality of work related to the use of financial intelligence, and the investigation and prosecution of financial crime. 

Together we are working through the detailed action plan that we published at the end of April and which responds to all 63 of the CFATF’s recommendations. We have appointed a National Coordinator to assist with the coordination between agencies, committees and all stakeholders involved in the implementation of the action plan. 

The commitment of the Cayman Islands to this process has also been demonstrated by the funding of additional resources, over 100 new positions, for agencies agreed during the March sitting of the Finance Committee. This includes the strengthening of the dedicated Anti Money Laundering Unit at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority and a dedicated cross border Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing Task Force within the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (for which an interim team was put in place in April). All told we will be investing several million dollars more to further strengthen our regulatory regime. It is important to note that this will not be a one-off expenditure.

We are now monitoring the results of the actions that we have put in place and we remain committed to taking any further action that may be necessary as we ensure we rise to the challenge that the CFATF has given us. 

Inevitably when dealing with effectiveness, it will take time before we are able fully to demonstrate that the measures that we are putting in place are working. However, I expect to be able to demonstrate progress as part of the CFATF Enhanced Follow Up Process, when submissions are made on 24^th September, 2019, in relation to both technical compliance (legislative amendments) and effectiveness. This CFATF report will be presented at the November 2019 CFATF Plenary meeting to be held in Antigua.

I am sure that Members on all sides, Mr. Speaker, will recognize the importance of this work for the future of our Islands.  Make no mistake, this Government will take the action necessary to ensure that our legislation is robust and that it is effectively implemented.

I have said previously in this House and elsewhere that Cayman does not want or need to deal with those who would seek to hide money or use it for illegitimate purposes. Our efforts in improving the effectiveness of the implementation of our world-leading legislation to protect the integrity of our financial services will mean that we can demonstrate to the world that anyone attempting to use Cayman for such illegitimate purposes will be caught and dealt with to the fullest extent possible under the law.

I and the people of the Cayman Islands congratulate The Right Honourable Boris Johnson on his election as Leader of the Conservative Party and on becoming the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

I had the pleasure of first meeting Mr. Johnson in October 2017 at the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester.  He has long been a friend to the Cayman Islands joining us most recently last year as we celebrated the 60^th anniversary of our Coat of Arms at a ceremony in London. 

I look forward to the Joint Ministerial Council Conference in London in November this year when we will have the opportunity to meet  with members of Mr. Johnson’s government to discuss matters of common interest between the UK and the Cayman Islands and the way forward as we embark on yet another historical change in world politics.

Mr. Johnson will take over from The Right Honourable Theresa May as Prime Minister.  We wish him well as he navigates the issue of Brexit.

We appreciate the work Ms May did to support us during her term and look forward to working with Mr. Johnson and the new government. 

The Department of Environmental Health (DEH) is coordinating the use of grab trucks to collect sargassum from South Sound, Coe Wood and New Cemetery Beach in Bodden Town; as well as from the Frank Sound Junction launch ramp.

The seaweed once collected is being taken to George Town Landfill, where it is being weighed and deposited. Work crews will continue coastline clear-ups this week.

“After careful consideration it has been decided that the majority of the sargassum collected will be kept at the landfill for disposal,” said a NiCE official.

“Some will also be sent on to the Department of Agriculture (DoA), where it will be tested and trialled for use as fertiliser.”

Eighteen work teams are currently clearing beach accesses; as well as eliminating roadside vegetation, installing road signage and repainting markings. Crews are similarly removing litter from parks and cemeteries, while a crew at the landfill are processing recyclables, tire shredding, clearing vegetation and cleaning, stripping and painting equipment.

“With the first week of the NiCE Summer Project 2019 now completed, I am pleased to announce that the clean-up and enhancement initiatives have been successfully carried out so far,” said Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew.

“I will be touring to visit several of the work teams later this week, to talk to the NiCE operatives and to see first-hand some of the outstanding beautification remediation efforts they have accomplished.”

“This has been a huge effort to both coordinate and accomplish and I want to take this opportunity to thank the Public Works Department, National Roads Authority and the Department of the Environmental Health. This cross-agency approach is a model we want to perpetuate throughout Government,” he concluded.

Four hundred and eighty-six unemployed Caymanians and out-of-work spouses of Caymanians attended the National Community Enhancement (NiCE) summer project’s registration and orientation recently. This season’s two-week paid initiative is taking place Monday, 8 – Friday, 19 July.

Participants were advised about two new elements introduced into the initiative, namely the clearance of sargassum from beaches and a booth at registration hosted by Workforce Opportunities and Residency (WORC) as a NiCE partner agency.

In her welcome address, NiCE’s Project Manager, Lois Kellyman, noted that the Department of Environment (DoE) was giving a presentation on sargassum during the orientation.

Attendees learned that such clearance would take place alongside the usual NiCE roster of tidying road verges, clearing beach accesses and general beautification of the island.

During his remarks, Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew said that the summer programme had been brought forward a month, to help address the urgent need to remove the seaweed.

“We are pleased to be offering the programme earlier than we did last year and I want to thank the Department of Environmental Health and WORC staff and personnel in my ministry’s agencies notably the National Roads Authority and Public Works Department for moving forward with its implementation and organisation,” he added.

“Sargassum is a naturally occurring phenomenon across the Caribbean, however the number of blooms we are currently experiencing is unprecedented and is affecting watersports enthusiasts’ and beachgoers’ enjoyment of some stretches of coastline. As the DoE considers this is likely to be a long-term issue, posing both environmental and a tourism challenges, Government has established a Sargassum Taskforce to tackle the issue.

“I am confident that NiCE can help with the clean-up effort. Sargassum removal from our coastal areas is a priority which requires a robust, multi-agency approach to keep our island’s beaches and sea beautiful for local residents, wildlife and Cayman’s tourism product,” he added.

Minister Hew said that he was certain that NiCE workers were up to the task and hoped that participants would do as they had previously by working efficiently and well.

During the orientation, attendees also heard presentations on safety, and NiCE procedures and policies from PWD Vocational Trainer Eric Green and Acting Deputy Director, Department of Vehicle Equipment Services and NiCE Works Manager Mark Bothwell.

DoE Sustainable Development Officer Nathan Dack explained what was causing the large blooms of sargassum in Cayman waters, why they pose problems for marine life, and explained that raking and removal by hand was preferable to using heavy machinery on beaches, which would also remove sand and might cause coastal erosion during hurricane season.

As turtle hatchlings use sargassum as shelter, Mr. Dack asked clean-up crews to avoid sweeping away turtle tracks as DoE use them to identify nesting sites.

  In the Q & A session, registrants learned how sargassum would be collected, what would be done with it following removal and if it was a health risk. Government workers were told that the seaweed would be gathered at sites throughout the island for possible use as fertiliser or burnt, and that it need not pose a health issue if proper safeguards were taken. Mr. Dack advised that those with respiratory problems should refrain from working with the seaweed.

In closing, Mrs. Kellyman advised newcomers and reminded returnee applicants that the project will offer the unemployed the opportunity to gain new skills and to show their ability to work diligently as part of a team.

“Your supervisors will be evaluating you and at the end of the two weeks you will be getting documentation that could be useful as a reference when job seeking,” she concluded.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin is leading a delegation of the 40th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) in St. Lucia this week.

Travelling with him are Attorney General Hon. Sam Bulgin, Minister of Finance and Economic Development Hon. Roy McTaggart, Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose, Head of the Office of the Premier Roy Tatum, International Affairs Analyst Jamaal Anderson and Personal Assistant to the Premier Jana Pouchie-Bush.

Minister McTaggart has been invited to attend the Council for Finance and Planning prior to the CARICOM meeting

Areas of interest to the Cayman Islands being discussed include issues of sargassum in coastal waters, EU blacklisting, the potential to increase regional trade and security matters, including border control.

“While as an associate member of CARICOM not all the agenda items are applicable to the Cayman Islands there will be many areas of common interest,” said Mr. McLaughlin.  “It is important to foster fraternal relations with our neighbours within the region and to support each other as far as is practical. It is also worth noting that at the last CARICOM Heads of Government meeting, at my behest, CARICOM supported the Cayman Islands and our fellow Overseas Territories on the challenges we are facing regarding public registers of beneficial ownership.” 

An Opening Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 3 July, and will be addressed by Prime Minister Chastanet; the outgoing Chairman, Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris of St. Kitts and Nevis; and CARICOM Secretary-General Ambassador Irwin LaRocque.

CARICOM has 15 Member States – Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago; and five Associate Members – Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Good morning,

It is wonderful to see so many who have joined us today as we continue to Celebrate Cayman and begin the year-long observance of the 60th anniversary of our Constitution on this Constitution Day.

We have held a number of events over this long weekend to commemorate our first written Constitution, and we are fortunate to have several visiting dignitaries join us over the course of the past week for which we are very grateful.  

Over this Constitution weekend we have reflected on several important occasions in our history in which this Town Hall has played a key part, particularly the events that led to our receiving our first written Constitution in 1959 and, subsequent to that, the debates and decisions that led to our breaking political links with a soon to be independent Jamaica.

While Pedro St. James is revered as the birthplace of democracy in our Islands, it was within the confines of this Hall where important political, cultural, and social events have occurred.  These walls serve as witness to those historic moments some sixty years ago that helped shape modern Cayman in the late 1950s through the early 1960s. 

It was here that the Caymanian people chose to become a British Crown Colony in our own right, with our own written constitution to help guide and shape our future. And with that decision, as I have noted, we redefined our relationship with Jamaica that had existed for over 300 years. 

By the time of those events this hall was already some 35 years old, having been built by the great Caymanian ship-right and builder Captain Rayal Brazley Bodden, MBE, JP, in 1923 and officially opened on the 11^th hour of the 11^th day of the 11^th month in 1926 – Armistice Day.

Captain Rayal was born into a family of distinguished shipbuilders and was apprenticed to his father’s shipyard at age of 14. His first vessel built in 1920 was a sloop-rigged turtle fishing boat named the Bird.  He built many more ships, including Cayman’s first motorized ship, the Cimboco in 1927, as well as two minesweepers for the Royal Navy in 1945.

His training as a master shipbuilder is still evident today in four buildings here in George Town – this Town Hall, the Elmslie Memorial Church, the George Town Public Library and our downtown Post Office were built by him. His placement of roofing beams and planking in those buildings is reminiscent of an inverted ship’s hull.

While construction of the Town Hall was under way, it got the nickname of Hutchings’ Folly because it was considered much too big for such a small island as Grand Cayman.  Fortunately Hugh H. Hutchings, who Fortunately, Hughsioner to the Cayman Islands from 1919-1929, understood that such a building as this would be needed then and into the future.  History has indeed proven him right.     

This Hall was built at a price of 2,000 pounds sterling, a weighty amount back then, and was intended to be used as a court house, Assembly meeting room and as a town hall. For many decades it was the centre of community life in George Town and beyond, serving as the venue for community dances, and dramatic and musical presentations. And of course, as I have said before, it also served as the meeting place of the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry, which later became the Legislative Assembly. 

In his speech at the dedication of the Town Hall as a Peace Memorial, in honour of Caymanians who had died in the first world war , Commissioner Hutchings said, and I quote:  “Let it not be said the material uses to which we put our memorial may in any way detract from its dominant purpose: as Court House, the King’s Justice, the right of a free people will be administered within its walls; as Assembly Room, it will in dignified surroundings afford a place for the deliberations of the Dependency’s Legislature and the public discussion of the affairs of the people; as a Town Hall, this comfortable room will, I am sure, in countless ways contribute to the social enjoyment, uplift and happiness of the entire community.

“No longer the restrictions and discomforts occasioned by the limitations of a small room; there is now assured a stage of generous size, a room of ample space, efficient ventilation, comfortable seating, all to be taken advantage of in efforts to entertain, to brighten, to elevate and instruct those of all ages and classes within reach of its open doors.”

And so it was here that lively discussions were had in the run up to the granting of a royal order in council that gave the Cayman Islands our first written Constitution as well as provided for universal adult suffrage that allowed women the right to not only vote but to seek and hold public office.

Sir Vassel Johnson summed up the purpose of that first constitution when he said, and I quote “A constitution is very important to any country because it is the basis on which all future development, prosperity, peace and harmony will rest”.

While each Constitution Day provides an annual opportunity to measure how much progress we have made, these Celebrations of our first written constitution affords us an opportunity to enshrine our Constitution right here in this space we are occupying today.

And so in celebration of the 60^th Anniversary of our first written Constitution, and to acknowledge the role that this revered Hall has played in the forming of that Constitution and the prosperity it has helped bring to us, I am happy to advise that we are renaming the George Town Town Hall as Constitution Hall.  And in so doing we will help to immortalise in the minds of our people, present and future, that this is more than a mere building.  This is a special place for all of us, not only to those who reside in the confines of George Town proper, but it belongs to all Caymanians across our three Islands.  

And I pray that in a few short years to come that we also again celebrate this great Constitution Hall on the anniversary of its Centenary.

Again, I thank you for joining me on this important day in the history of our beloved Islands to memorialise this Constitution Hall, and that document that enshrines our rights, freedoms and responsibilities, all influenced by our history, culture and Christian heritage – our Constitution.

Thank you.

Good morning,

I thank you for joining me today on this very, very important occasion as we celebrate both the 60th anniversary of the Cayman Islands’ first written Constitution as well as the important historical and cultural relationship we share with Jamaica and of course the United Kingdom.

Lord Ahmad, Prime Minister Holness, and Minister Vaz, on behalf of my Government and the people of the Cayman Islands I wish to wholeheartedly thank you and your delegations for joining us over this important weekend of celebration and thanksgiving.

I am also grateful to my fellow Overseas Territories leaders and members of their delegations who are in attendance and indeed have been here most of this week to attend our annual Pre-Joint Ministerial Council Meeting and the inaugural UK/OT Trade Summit.  And of course thanks also to the members of the Cayman Islands All Party Parliamentary Group who are here –Lord Northbrook, Sir Michael Fallon and Sir Graham Brady.  Sir Graham, I am pleased that you were able to have Lady Victoria join us on this visit. 

It is indeed good to be amongst so many friends.

 Prime Minister Holness, Jamaica recently lost a great leader when The Most Hon. Edward Seaga passed away. But as you know, with the passing of Mr. Seaga the Cayman Islands also lost a very good friend.  I was honoured to have been able to attend and participate in the funeral ceremony last weekend in Jamaica, along with the Speaker of the House, Hon. McKeeva Bush and Councillor David Wight.

As we celebrate our 1959 Constitution, our first constitution Prime Minister, I note that 1959 was the year that Mr. Seaga first entered politics and thus he was part of the political establishment in Jamaica at the time we received our first written Constitution.

Sadly, as each year passes we lose more of those nation builders who helped shape the future of our two countries in the late fifties and early sixties. Earlier this year we lost Charles Lindbergh Eden. His service from 1954 – 1959 as a member of the Assembly of Justices and Vestry was during a very important part of Caymanian history.  Happily Capt. Owen Farrington and Arley James Miller, who also served in the Assembly during that historic period, are still with us.  In January of this year the Cayman Islands honoured the achievements of Capt. Owen, Mr. Eden, and their entire fellow Vestrymen and Justices of the Peace who ably represented the people of the Cayman Islands during a time of transition.  I am very proud of the fact that my Grandfather William A. McLaughlin was also a member of the Assembly during those historic years and indeed was also a member of the very first Executive Council under the 1959 Constitution.

The late 1950s and early 1960s were certainly a time of great change in the UK, the broader English-speaking Caribbean and especially in Jamaica and these Islands.

In the UK Harold McMillan was returned in the General Election as Prime Minister in 1959.  In 1960 he gave what is today still considered to be an important historical speech when he addressed the whites’ only South African parliament and noted that "The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it."

These words were prophetic not only in the African context but certainly also for those British territories in the Caribbean, including the Cayman Islands and Jamaica.  The West Indies Federation that was promoted by the UK after the Second World War, was eventually formed in 1958, but dissolved by 1962 as Jamaica and Trinidad opted for independence and self-determination rather than federation.

But despite the post-war trend that saw a number of UK colonies opt for independence, the Cayman Islands was determined to not just be swept along in the wake of our larger neighbours.

It is worth noting here that it was not just the recognition by the UK of the inevitability of the drive for change in its colonies that was important; rather it was also the willingness of the UK to sponsor and facilitate the process in order to ensure that all of its former colonies were able to establish themselves, ready to face the future in the best possible way. This was in part the rationale for the UK to promote and to assist its Caribbean territories in the formation of the West Indies Federation.

Even more important, I believe, has been the willingness of the UK to maintain its help and support for all of us over the subsequent decades. Whether it has been through the Commonwealth or through what is now United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association, the UK has been steadfast in its role and the benefit that we all have received as part of the global Britain family has been truly significant. Of course as in all families, we have had our disagreements through those years, but we have always found that the values that bind us together have been stronger than the occasional challenges that have threatened to drive us apart.

Certainly in Cayman’s case our ongoing developing relationship with the UK has been absolutely central to our increasing success and prosperity over the last 60 years. The UK’s willingness to nurture our fledgling democracy; to encourage our emerging economy, certainly in those early years; and to provide support through good times and bad has been a vital ingredient in Cayman’s success story.

We have been, and we remain, grateful for our links to the UK and committed to our future partnership.

Prime Minister and Lord Ahmad, our three countries share a common history and we also share a connection to Her Majesty the Queen, who has reigned for some 67 years and was sovereign when Jamaica became independent and the Cayman Islands became a Crown Colony.

However, as I have said, the route for both Jamaica and the Cayman Islands traversed a difficult and rocky road that was the formation of the Federation.

Initially as a dependency of Jamaica, the Cayman Islands was keen to ensure that our interests were being protected. Members of the Assembly at the time, the late Ernest Panton, National Heroes T.W. Farrington and Ormond Panton led by Ducan Merren traveled to the discussions in Jamaica and made it clear that the Cayman Islands would join the Federation only if we had direct representation in the Federation.  

Unfortunately Cayman’s position was eventually rejected by members of the Standing Closer Committee of the Federation and instead it recommended that the Cayman Islands should continue as a dependency under the administration of the Governor – General of the Federation.

But the Cayman Islands remained resolute and on April 7, 1955, six Assemblymen sent a petition to the Colonial Secretary through the Governor of Jamaica.  They stated that “while…we look forward to strengthening ties both with Jamaica and with the other territories of the British Caribbean…we wish to restate, as clearly and as strongly as we can, three main aims.  First, we wish to retain the right to control entry to our islands.  Secondly, we wish to retain our rights to decide what taxes should be imposed upon us.  Thirdly, we wish to retain our right to maintain our established channels of trade and employment overseas.”

Cayman’s position remained unchanged in the run-up to the start of the launch of the Federation and the Jamaica Government led by Premier Norman Manley became content to let the British Governor of Jamaica resolve the Cayman Islands issue. Locally, however, there were divided opinions - some preferred obtaining and retaining increased local control over Caymanian interests whilst some factions favoured a break with the United Kingdom and a closer relationship with Jamaica within the framework of the Federation; an issue that would not be resolved for several more years.

And so, despite the uncertainties of who the Cayman Islands would join, it was agreed by the UK that the Cayman Islands would receive our first written constitution by a Royal Order-In-Council.  The constitution came into effect on July 4, 1959, and was the first step towards political advancement for the Cayman Islands, as the Islands were now specifically exempt from the control of the Jamaican legislature and were placed directly under the authority of the British Governor of Jamaica.

There also followed radical changes to the Legislature.  After 129 years, the Assembly of Justices and Vestrymen was replaced by two new bodies, the Legislative Assembly and the Executive Council (which has now evolved to the Cabinet today).  The members of the Legislative Assembly were also reduced from thirty five to eighteen members, which included twelve elected members, three nominated members and three official members.  ExCo consisted of two official members, two elected members and one nominated member. 

National Hero T. W. Farrington, speaking in the Assembly on July 3, 1959, the day before the new Constitution would come into effect, reflected on the coming changes and said to his colleagues:

“I must also thank and congratulate members of this Assembly for their individual contributions to all the deliberations in this House for the preservation and continuity of the best traditions which we Caymanians hold so dear.  It is obvious that some faces that are here today will of necessity be left out of the new House but for those of you who will be returned I would say – Be Watchful! Be Vigilant! Be Wise! Let us not lower the flag but press on with courage and determination that as we go forward into the future we shall always be proud to be called Caymanians!”

Those are indeed mighty and suitable words from our venerable statesman at a most momentous time in our history.

I wish to also note that when the new Legislative Assembly met for the first time in October 1959 in what we know as the George Town Town Hall, present in the audience was the Jamaican Minister of Home Affairs Hon. William Soivright who was representing the Premier of Jamaica the Right Hon. Norman Manley.  Also present was the Leader of the Opposition of Jamaica at the time, Sir Alexander Bustamante. So even at that auspicious moment in our development senior Jamaican parliamentarians graced us with their presence – which makes it even more poignant for me, Prime Minister, that you and Minister Vaz have joined us this week to commemorate and recall the events of those days.

 After the collapse of the West Indies Federation in 1962 and with Jamaica taking its final steps to independence, the Cayman Islands had to make a firm decision as to who it would follow, Jamaica or Britain.

The issue was finally debated in the Legislative Assembly and decided in 1962 when a unanimous resolution was reached that:

“It was the wish of the Cayman Islands (1). To continue their present association with Her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom; (2). To negotiate with her Majesty’s Government in the United Kingdom for internal self-government, taking into account the wishes of the people of the Cayman Islands as to timing.”

And with that decision Jamaica and the Cayman Islands went our separate ways politically - with Jamaica moving on to become an independent nation and Cayman choosing to remain British and becoming a British Crown Colony in its own right.  

It was the decision by the Cayman Islands to obtain our own constitution and to forge our own way as a British Crown colony that allowed our own people to begin make what were, clearly in retrospect, fundamental policy decisions and to pass the early laws on which we have built our tourism and financial services industries. The adoption of the1959 Constitution can rightly be considered the seminal event which gave rise to the modern Cayman Islands.

But Prime Minister Holness, even though our respective countries may have separated politically, the connections between us have remained strong, and indeed have grown stronger, these past sixty years.

From the beginnings of its settlement following the 1670 Treaty of Madrid, which ceded Jamaica and Cayman to Britain, our two countries and cultures have been intertwined.

History records that the earliest two settlers – Walter and Bowden – were British soldiers who were reputedly deserters from what was colloquially referred to as Cromwell’s Army in Jamaica.

After Jamaica’s independence, Caymanians continued visiting Jamaica in numbers for business, medical care, employment, education, to visit family or friends, or even to be wed.

Indeed, my forbear John Patrick McLaughlin and his betrothed traveled to Lucea, Jamaica, to get married because there were no marriage officers on Grand Cayman at the time. Fast forward a hundred and fifty years or so to my own parents, McNee and Althea who did their formal training in Jamaica to later come home to make a difference in public health; my father as a public health officer and my mother as the country’s first dispenser of medicines.

And over the decades many Jamaicans came to the Cayman Islands as doctors, teachers, builders, lawyers and more to help us build the Cayman Islands that we know today. Many have stayed on to become a permanent part of the Caymanian fabric – including our own Chief Justice Anthony Smellie, Attorney General Sam Bulgin, the late Clarence Flowers, Mr. Wellesley Howell who turned 104 years this year and is still playing his saxophone, and of course, Prime Minister, Dr. Joseph Marzouca your Honorary Jamaican Consulate who, despite the unchanged accent, is also now happily Caymanian. 

We still have Caymanians benefiting from education in Jamaica but we also have a large and growing number of Caymanians also going to the UK to university.

Over the past 60 years, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Cayman has developed and matured. As I noted on Wednesday at a joint UK/OT Trade Summit, after having become a British Crown Colony in our own right we, along with our fellow Overseas Territories, were all designated by the UK as Dependent Territories in 1981 and subsequently as Overseas Territories in 2002. The shifting nomenclature – from colonies to dependencies to finally being recognized as “overseas territories” marks the increasing maturity of our relationship with the UK.

And so, since 1959, the document that governs us has gone through several iterations, with the latest coming in 2009.  Today we are again in constitutional talks with the United Kingdom with a view to further advance the Cayman Islands position constitutionally and to enhance our ability to govern our own affairs and to continue to thrive and prosper as a modern, progressive and successful democracy.

Lord Ahmad, Cayman’s success has much to do with the hard work and dedication of those Caymanian men and women who strove to build our Islands, but we had great assistance from the UK over the years, including those Commissioners, Administrators and Governors who loved this place and worked to help make it better.  And yes we also had much help from the people from Jamaica and elsewhere who joined us in this grand experiment to make three small Islands in the Western Caribbean the gem that we are today. But what has also helped us is the confidence that investors have in our links to the UK, along with our shared British common law system.  As three small islands our choice to remain British was the right one for us then and despite the tensions from time to time, I believe it continues to be the right one now. 

In August this year Jamaica and its Diaspora will celebrate 57 years of independence and, Prime Minister, we will once again join you in your observances, wishing you happiness, prosperity, peace and continued success.

Thank you.

Welcome Lord Ahmad, fellow heads of government  and representatives, Deputy Governor, members of Cabinet, the Legislative Assembly and other distinguished guests.

I think by now everyone will know that this weekend marks the 60^th anniversary of the first written Constitution of the Cayman Islands. I am delighted that we have been able to organise the pre-JMC meeting and this summit to coincide with those celebrations. And I am even delighted that you can all be a part of this weekend’s festivities.

Over those 60 years, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Cayman, as with all of the Oversea Territories, has developed and matured. There seems to me to be a process of onward progress that takes a significant step forward every 20 years or so.

Having become a British Crown Colony in our own right in the late 1950s, we were all designated as Dependent Territories in 1981 and subsequently as Overseas Territories in 2002. Words have consequences and the shifting nomenclature – from colonies to dependencies to finally being recognized as “overseas” – matters.  In my view, it marks the increasing maturity of our relationship.

Perhaps it is inevitable, therefore, that we are now thinking about what the next stage in the development of our relationship should be.

Certainly, this event, the first international trade summit organised between the UK and the Overseas Territories, marks a significant milestone in the continued development of our relationship. 

The UK itself faces both the uncertainties and the very real opportunities that life outside the European Union will bring. The response, of which we will hear much more later, has been the development of the Global Britain Initiative.

The Secretary of State was generous enough to invite me to lead a delegation to the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong last year and I confess that experience was a real eye-opener for me. I saw first-hand the potential for a dynamic and creative partnership between the UK and ourselves in the Territories.

The UK has shown itself to be willing to open doors for us and to offer support and expertise but it is down to us in the Territories to put ourselves in a position to exploit the opportunities that our membership of the UK family brings.

In Cayman we have responded by establishing our own new Ministry of International Trade and will we be opening an Asia Office in Hong Kong early in the New Year. Each of you will no doubt be thinking about your own response to the opportunities that the future will bring.

This Summit is designed to be a catalyst for that thinking as we develop our mutual understanding of both the current picture and of the key areas for potential development.

Today is very much about hearing from the United Kingdom what the future might look like while tomorrow we will showcase what the Territories have to offer.

So as we think about what the relationship between the United Kingdom and the Overseas Territories might become, I urge us to think in these terms. We come from a shared history, cemented by our common values and our loyalty to the Crown.  We have shown the resilience and flexibility to adapt and develop our relationship over many decades.  We share an ambition for mutual growth and for the future prosperity of our people.

In short, we are at our strongest when we act together.  The next two days will, I believe, develop our understanding of how and where we might utilize that strength for the benefit of all of our people.

Jamaica Prime Minister the Most Hon. Andrew Holness travels Friday to the Cayman Islands to attend a Cayman Cultural Celebration at Pedro St. James that evening and a weekend of celebrations of the 60^th anniversary of the first written Constitution of the Cayman Islands.

He will also attend bilateral talks with Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin and United Kingdom Minister of State Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon.

Celebrate Cayman activities recognising the 60^th anniversary of the document that governs the Cayman Islands and her people as well as the ties that bind Cayman, Jamaica and the United Kingdom begin Saturday morning at the Kimpton Seafire Resort with a breakfast featuring speeches from Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Lord Ahmad and Mr. Holness. The men will honour the links and history between the three countries.

In attendance will be heads of Governments from the British Overseas Territories, representatives from Jamaica and the Jamaican Diaspora in the Cayman Islands, members of the clergy, and the Constitutional Commission. The 1959 Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry, which enacted the first Constitution, will be represented by family members. The proceedings will be carried live on Radio Cayman 89.9FM.

Saturday afternoon activities include an All-Star Football match featuring 60 legends football players from Premier Leagues and Cayman Islands National Team greats at the Truman Bodden Sports Complex.

Yesteryear's football stars such as Premier League legends – Gianfranco Zola (Italy), Shaka Hislop (Trinidad & Tobago), Ricardo Gardener (Jamaica), Darren Moore (Jamaica), Sean Davis (England), and Pascal Chimbonda (France) along with Jamaica Reggae Boyz legends Walter Boyd, Onandi Lowe and Cayman Islands National Team greats Lee Ramoon, Gillie Seymour, Antonio Smith, Richard Hew, among many others will be part of this charity football match.

At half-time, there will entertainment and a donation collection to give football fans the opportunity to support the Hope For Today Foundation – a local non-profit, non-governmental, non-denominational coalition of volunteers dedicated to helping and supporting individuals finding their way back from substance abuse through transition from prison or treatment to community life.

On Sunday, 30 June, a church service at Elmslie Memorial will offer attendees a time to reflect on and give thanks for the journey the Cayman Islands has made over the past 60 years.

Good morning,

I bring a warm Caymanian welcome to you this morning.

For those of you who have been here before, welcome back. If this is your first visit to the Cayman Islands, I do hope it will not be your last time and I hope we will see you again and that you will have opportunities to experience our culture, attractions, culinary delights and especially our people. I have no doubt you will be back. We do hope you will.

Some of you were here with us just a few short years ago – five to be exact – when we last hosted the Pre-JMC in 2014. Our purpose today is to set the stage for the next meeting of the Joint Ministerial Council in London in November this year.

As we come together for these Pre-JMC meetings each year, the items on our agenda can vary with the changing climate both figuratively and literally. And so it is important that we in this room discuss and agree as much as we are able on a common position to take with us to London.

While the principles espoused in the 2012 White Paper on Security, Success and Sustainability remain important topics, we are now also faced with issues dealing with Climate Change, Brexit, FinTech opportunities, Health and Constitutional considerations.

Also worth noting is that when we get to London in November there will be a new Prime Minister with his own Cabinet and so potentially the players that we now deal with may very well be changed. I do hope, as I am sure the rest of you do, that we will be able to keep Lord Ahmad as Minister with responsibility for the Overseas Territories. I think we can all agree that he has done a stellar job over the past two years and that he has a shown willingness to fight the establishments when needed on behalf of the people in our territories.

What we do not know, as yet, is whether the October deadline for Brexit will have been met and so we can only watch and wait as the scenarios continue to play out and work to ensure that whatever the outcome, we in the Territories are able to benefit from opportunities presented.

As Heads of Government for Overseas Territories we once again have an opportunity to exchange views on political and constitutional issues, especially as they relate to the United Kingdom and its relationship with us.

I thank those of you who will be able to stay on in the Cayman Islands and take part in the various events we have planned for this week – the inaugural UK/OT Trade Summit and the many celebrations of the 60th anniversary of our first written Constitution. Joining us later this week will be Lord Ahmad, arriving this evening, and Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who arrives Friday, along with three visiting British MPs: Sir Graham Brady, Sir Michael Fallon and Lord Northbrook.

Again, I welcome you to the Cayman Islands and while we do have a full agenda today, I hope that you will find time to enjoy all we have to offer.

I look forward to the usual spirited discussion and debate and pray that we all find these proceedings informative and that we come away with a strategic plan to take our message forward to the full JMC meeting.

Thank you.

The Government’s second-ever National Community Enhancement (NiCE) Summer Project takes place on Monday, 8 – Friday, 19 July 2019.

The initiative will provide up to two weeks of environmental beautification work across Grand Cayman for unemployed Caymanians and spouses of Caymanians, aged 18 years and older. As well as providing temporary paid work, the NiCE project offers a chance for persons entering the job market to learn new skills whilst allowing persons re-entering the workforce, the opportunity to gain additional experience.

Registration and orientation for next month’s project, led by the Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, will be at the Lions Centre from 9 a.m. - 12 noon on Tuesday, 2 July.

The project will cover repairs and maintenance, gardening, tidying up parks and cemeteries, beach clean-ups, clearing beach access, garbage collection; as well as cleaning roadside verges and general bush clearance.

“While the Government is encouraged that at 2.8% unemployment is now at its lowest in more than a decade, we are still keen to help those who are experiencing difficulties finding full-time work,” said Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew.

“This Summer’s NiCE Project has been brought forward to assist in addressing the issue of sargassum on the beaches and coastline of Grand Cayman. A similar project will be conducted on the Sister Islands by the Ministry of District Administration,” he concluded.

NiCE applicants will need to bring a completed application form and supporting documentation to prove immigration status on registration day.

Rigorous vetting will take place to ensure that only those who are eligible are accepted onto the programme. Those accepted onto the programme will be required to attend work daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Contracted workers will be paid $10 per hour; foremen will receive $12 per hour.

Application forms can be picked up at all District Libraries in Grand Cayman, as well as from District MLA Offices, the Needs Assessment Unit, Workforce Opportunities Residency Cayman (WORC) formerly known as the National Workforce Development Agency and from the Government Administration Building’s reception.

Government agencies  working together to organise  this summer’s project are the Public Works Department (PWD), the National Roads Authority (NRA), the Department of Environmental Health (DEH) and (WORC).

The Government intends to undertake another NICE project in November 2019 to provide temporary seasonal employment in the run up to the holiday season.

The Cayman Islands will host Overseas Territories Heads of Government for a pre-Joint Ministerial Council meeting this week.

The meeting will be chaired by Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin and is an opportunity for all Overseas Territories Heads of Government to exchange views on political and constitutional issues, especially as they relate to the United Kingdom and its relationship with OTs, and get an update on the work carried out by the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association over the past year.

Heads of Government or their delegates from Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, the Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Montserrat, St. Helena, Tristan da Cunha, and Turks and Caicos are scheduled to attend.

“Once again we are privileged to host the Pre-Joint Ministerial Council here in the Cayman Islands,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “Each Overseas Territory is different but these meetings afford us an opportunity to discuss the various ways in which we can work together. Through this meeting we will agree on an agenda and strengthen our collective position for the full JMC meeting later this year in London.”

Specifically, those in attendance will discuss the Communique process, progress reports and general feedback on the effectiveness of the last JMC, which was held in December 2018.In the first session of the Pre-JMC attendees will discuss topics including a Joint Caribbean OT-wide oil spill clean-up, Trade, Banking in Small Jurisdictions and an Oceans Policy Update.

The second and third sessions will involve discussions led by the Cayman Islands about the recommendation of the Foreign Affairs Committee and the response from Her Majesty’s Government and an update on the United Kingdom Government.

Sessions four and five will feature discussions on Frozen Pensions, Brexit, FinTech, Health and active engagement with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

The Pre-JMC will be held at the Kimpton Seafire Resort and will be followed by an inaugural UK/OT International Trade Summit, also at the Kimpton.

The Trade Summit is jointly hosted by the Cayman Islands and UK governments and is the first of its kind.

The Trade Summit coincides with the Celebrate Cayman 60^th anniversary of the first written Cayman Islands Constitution, which will be celebrated over the weekend in the lead up to Constitution Day on Monday, 1 July, 2019.

During the week of events several prominent leaders will be in Cayman to participate including Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Secretary of State for the Overseas Territories, Prime Minister of Jamaica the Most Honourable Andrew Holness and members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands, Sir Graham Brady MP, Sir Michael Fallon KCB, MP and Lord Northbrook.

Mr. Chris Kirkconnell, President of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, Members of Council, Ladies and Gentlemen, Good Afternoon, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the Cayman Islands Economic Forum 2019.

I am delighted to join you today to update you on the current state of our economy, Government’s finances and future development plans.

I believe that we can all agree this afternoon that the Cayman Islands is currently enjoying an exceptionally robust period of economic activity with solid, sustained growth across all sectors; low and falling unemployment; low to moderate inflation; along with strong and stable Government finances which enable us to invest in infrastructure and improving public services while generating operational surpluses and decreasing public sector debt. 

As a Government and as a Country we have much to be proud of.  However, Cayman’s prosperity is hard fought and hard won and this reality is not to be taken for granted. We need to maintain our focus, support our dynamic business community and take decisions the country needs, if we are to continue to prosper in the future.

We have taken deliberate steps to create and maintain an environment which encourages investment and innovation while also ensuring a robust regulatory environment that meets or exceeds globally accepted standards. Our economic success is also a reflection of how well our citizens, residents and business community engage with each other and participate in the Cayman economy. 

Let me just focus on the key relationship between government and business. This Government has set out to reduce the financial and administrative burdens, particularly on small business, in order to make it easier to start up and then grow businesses in Cayman. It was good to see that our efforts are being recognised with the publication last week of a new Global Complexity Index which had Cayman in last place, recognising this jurisdiction as the easiest place in the world in which to do business. Finally, a league table where we can be happy to be in last place!

Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

Preliminary indicators of Economic Growth as measured by Gross Domestic Product (GDP) show that Cayman’s GDP grew in real terms by 3.4 per cent in 2018, a further improvement on the already impressive economic performance the previous year which saw growth of 3.0 per cent.

Over the last five years the economy has recorded an average growth rate of 3.0 per cent per year in real terms. This is an impressive track record by any standards. By way of comparison, the GDP growth of 3.4 per cent in 2018 was stronger than the estimated growth of 2.9 per cent for the US and the 2.2 per cent average growth for the world’s most advanced economies. So far in 2019, all indications are that we are on track to record continued expansion of the Cayman economy.

The foundations that we have put in place will continue to provide a platform for growth in the medium term. Solid GDP growth is forecast to continue over the next three years. Included in the 12^th April 2019 presentation of the Government’s Strategic Policy Statement, GDP is expected to grow by 2.8 per cent in 2019; 2.2 per cent in 2020; 2.1 per cent in 2021 and 2.0 per cent in 2022. This reduction in outlook for economic growth in the period from 2019 to 2022 partly reflects the potential impact of the lowered growth projections of the International Monetary Fund for the USA and advanced economies in general for these years. 

With Cayman still projected to achieve growth of 2 to 3 per cent against a background of an anticipated global economic slowdown, it demonstrates the strength and vitality of the Cayman economy and of Caymanian businesses like those represented here today.

Growth by Industry

Growth in 2018 was broad-based with all major industries recording positive expansion.

The hotel and restaurant sector recorded the strongest increase, with its gross value added increasing by an estimated 10.6 per cent, following an increase of 4.3 per cent in 2017. The strong performance of the sector was driven by improvements in local capacity and additional air passenger routes coming on stream. This reflects the success of the partnership between industry and government and the strategy that has been pursued under the last two Administrations. I am sure there will be a lot more discussion of this in the panel session later this afternoon.

The construction sector continued to be a major contributor to growth in 2018 with its estimated value added increasing in real terms by 8.1 per cent. Growth in the sector reflected the infrastructural capacity of the Islands keeping pace with the demand for residential, commercial and public facilities ‒ arising from a higher population base which was estimated at over 65,000 at the end of 2018.

The financial and insurance services sector, consisting mainly of domestic banking and insurance services remains dominant in the economy. This industry directly contributes approximately 31 per cent of GDP and it continues to grow at a steady rate, estimated 1.8 per cent in real terms in 2018.

The business services sector comprising mainly of legal and accounting services grew by 4.6 per cent in 2018. This industry is Cayman’s second largest sector and directly contributes approximately 13 per cent to total GDP. The industry’s performance in 2018 is associated with sharp increases in new company and partnership registrations which rose by 25.1 per cent and 29.3 per cent, respectively. In addition, the number of listings on the Cayman Islands Stock Exchange surged by 37.2 per cent.

The strength of business activity in Cayman continues to be evident from this data. Despite the blows aimed at us, international business confidence remains strong and the Government remains absolutely committed to supporting our financial services industry.

Inflation

After two consecutive years of declining consumer prices in 2015 and 2016 the CPI increased in 2017.  This increase continued in 2018, peaking at 4.8% in the 2^nd quarter, and averaged 3.3 per cent over the year. Rising fuel prices in the international market coupled with higher demand from the increased local population were the key drivers of inflation during the year

The preliminary Consumer Price Index Report for the first quarter of 2019 reveals that consumer prices are up by 4.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2018. This increase is broad-based with increases being noted across most major categories, most notably, the Housing and Utilities index which is up by 11.1 per cent; Communication increased by 7.7 per cent; and Recreation and Culture up by 4.1 per cent.

While rising consumer prices are of concern because of the very real impact such increases have on individuals and businesses, it does indicate high levels of activity within our economy. The Government will continue to closely monitor the CPI and implement mitigation options where possible. 

In the end though, inflation is a product of market forces and we need to support the market to readjust rather than seeking direct government interference to counteract inflationary pressures. 

As Milton Friedman said, “inflation is caused by too much money chasing after too few goods.” Our economic strength and our growing population will continue to put money into our economy. That is something we should celebrate not try to dampen. 

Therefore, the answer lies in how we can ensure that the supply of goods increases to meet the growing demand. In my view, that is why we need to give much greater attention to the absolutely vital cargo element of the new port project. I am sure the cruise berthing aspect will be something  to debate during the tourism panel session but whatever your views on cruise tourism, I hope as businesses you will be able to see why expanded cargo port facilities are essential if our economy is to continue to grow. 

Employment

Strong growth in our economy continues to support increases in the demand for labour.

Significant increases in employment in 2018 meant the overall unemployment rate decreased to 2.8 per cent from 4.9 per cent at the end of 2017. The decline emanated from reductions in unemployment among Caymanians and Non-Caymanians. Significantly, however, the highest reduction in unemployment was recorded among Caymanians where the unemployment rate fell from 7.3 per cent in 2017 to 4.6 per cent in 2018.

This puts the Government well on track to delivering the commitment we made to achieving full Caymanian employment – an economy where every Caymanian willing and able to work, can do so. That achievement, though, stretches back through to the measures put in place by the last Administration. As a result, some 3,300 more Caymanians are employed now compared with the position when we took office in 2013.

The continued positive economic prospects for the Cayman economy mean that the robust employment market in Cayman will continue over the medium term. The new department we have established, Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC), will work with business to ensure that we match growth sectors with suitably qualified Caymanians and also that we respond more positively and quickly to those businesses that need to bring in workers where no suitably qualified Caymanians are available. 

Strong growth means both jobs for Caymanians and a continued need for work permits. It is not either/or. The task we have set for WORC is to ensure an appropriate balance is achieved that is good for Caymanians, fair to foreign workers and responsive to changing business needs.

Education

This Government also understands it is absolutely necessary that we ensure Caymanians coming into the workforce have the skills to compete in an increasingly global labour market.

For that reason, we continue to prioritise investment in education. Perhaps understandably, it is the investment in new school facilities that grab the headlines, most notably the commitment we have made to complete the new John Gray High School. 

However, whilst suitable classroom spaces are important we understand that it is the teaching that goes on in classrooms – both new and old – that makes the biggest difference in raising standards of attainment. Accordingly, we have delivered a significant increase in teachers’ pay to help us attract and retain the best teachers and the next step will be to begin the transition to a new, more up-to-date and challenging curriculum. 

Beyond that, the Government also plans to introduce a new governance arrangement for Cayman’s public schools. I hope that when the call comes for volunteers to serve on the new governing bodies that will take responsibility for raising the performance of schools, of teachers and of pupils, we will see many of you from the business community answering that call. Your skills and your commitment will be crucial in making these future arrangements work.

Infrastructure

This Government, like the last, has been willing to invest in the vital infrastructure our country needs as it continues to grow. These investments themselves create jobs, support future growth and deliver improvements in the quality of life for all who live here.

Major approved public sector infrastructure projects include:

• the on-going expansion of the Owen Roberts International Airport will commence later this year and include resurfacing the runway and other airside facilities;

• the Long-Term Residential Mental Health Facility that will enable us to care for some of the most vulnerable in our community here in Cayman rather than sending them overseas for treatment;

• the new Solid Waste Management infrastructure that will end our unsustainable reliance on landfill, boost recycling and create a new sustainable energy resource;

• procurement of the George Town Cruise Berthing facility and cargo terminal;

• the George Town revitalisation project that will bring new life to the heart of our capital; and

• ongoing road improvements that I will speak more about shortly.

Notwithstanding the public sector projects occurring, growth over the medium-term will continue to be driven by the private sector with recently completed and forthcoming projects that will increase the accommodation capacity for tourist arrivals and boost other commercial activities.

Significant new tourism accommodation projects such as: the Grand Hyatt Hotel at the old Pageant Beach; the Mandarin Oriental Hotel at Beach Bay in Bodden Town; and the Curio Collection Hotel by Hilton on North Church Street in George Town, are expected to commence construction within the next year providing a further boost to our construction sector while building capacity to facilitate expansion of our tourism sector. In addition, there are several luxury condominium projects that are currently under construction which are also providing a boost to these two important sectors. 

Other significant private sector-led real-estate development projects that are expected to contribute to growth over the medium term include the continued development of Camana Bay, including the completion of a new Foster’s Food Fair supermarket, expansion of the Cayman International School doubling its capacity, and the OLEA residential development and there are at least three substantial commercial and residential developments in the Grand Harbour area.

Fiscal Strategy

The Government remains committed to the fiscal strategy we established at the start of our first term in office that is centred on the following key principles:

• compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management;

• no new fees or taxes levied on the public; and

• no new borrowings.

It is this sound, prudent fiscal strategy which has resulted in the significantly improved state of public finances that I mentioned earlier and places the Government in the best possible position to respond to any potential economic downturn.

Government has not borrowed a single dollar since 2012 and where possible, loan balances have been and continue to be repaid ahead of contractual repayment dates. This, I believe, is unprecedented by any Government in modern times. In November of this year, we have a Bond of US$312 million issued in 2009 that matures. While the Bond will be repaid when it matures, it is likely that we will need to refinance a portion of it in order to maintain compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management.

While the amount to be refinanced will be determined later this year as we get closer to the maturity date, I can tell you now that the overall result will be a significant net reduction in public sector debt. Indeed, by 31^st December 2019, I expect that, with respect to debt obligations other than the Bond Issue, we will have repaid CI$183.1 million of debt since 31^st May 2013 – when the previous Progressives led Government first came into office.

Our commitment to reducing debt levels means that the significant capital investment programme is being funded entirely by surplus cash generated from operating activities.

Our financial strategy is right for our country now; appropriate for Cayman’s future needs; and robust in the face of potential future economic shocks. 

The best evidence that I can offer you to support that view is provided by none other than Moody’s Investor Services, who in March 2019, reaffirmed the Cayman Islands’ Aa3 sovereign debt rating with a stable outlook.

Growing revenues through economic growth, controlling operating and financing expenses, containing capital investments and generating substantial cash flows from operating surpluses has enabled us to build and maintain significant cash reserves – a key component of ensuring compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management and the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility which are set out in the Public Management and Finance Law.

I am probably not giving away state secrets when I tell you that as politicians we often come under pressure to use those reserves to fund various public sector investments. However, as I have outlined, the maintenance of sufficient cash reserves is a crucial part of our strategy with an eye to the future. 

We have all experienced the impact of a natural disaster and of a global economic slump and, robust reserves will give us scope to act when the inevitable future shocks happen. I must therefore pay tribute to my colleagues in the Government Caucus for their willingness to stick with our fiscal strategy in the face of inevitable demands to increase public spending.

These prudent financial measures have resulted in exceptionally positive draft financial results for the 2018 financial year – which ended on 31^st December 2018. 

Operating Position

For the 2018 financial year, Central Government achieved record operating revenues of $838.1 million, being $107.4 million or 15 per cent more than budget.

I must stress again that this revenue level was achieved without the Government introducing any new revenue measures, and with various fee reduction initiatives in place that benefit households and business. 

Operating and financing expenditures for 2018 were $669.3 million being $25.2 million or 3.9% more than budget, resulting in an operating surplus of $168.8 million, being $82.2 million or 95% more than budget.

Bank Balances

Central Government’s bank balances increased to $559.4 million at 31^st December 2018 compared to $462.1 million at the end of 2017, an increase of 21%.

Debt Balances

Our debt management strategy has resulted in the reduction of debt to $420.0 million at 31^st December 2018, compared to CI$577.4 million, at 31^st May 2013 – when the previous Progressives led Administration first assumed office.

2019 1^st Quarter Financial Performance

Just two weeks ago in the Legislative Assembly, I presented the Government’s unaudited financial results for the 1^st quarter of the 2019 Financial Year. These results reaffirm the validity of our fiscal strategy, which continues to yield the desired financial results.  In summary, at 31^st March 2019:

• Core Government earned Total Operating Revenue of $373.7 million and incurred Total Operating Expenditure of $158.3 million resulting in an Operating Surplus for Core Government of $215.4 million;

• Core Government Bank Balances were at a record high of CI$747.1 million; and

• Debt Balances stood at CI$417.4 million.

Compliance with Principles of Responsible Financial Management

The Government’s prudent fiscal policies enabled us to maintain full compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management during the 2018 financial year:

1. The Government achieved an operating surplus of $168.8 million;

2. The Government’s Net Worth was a positive $1.4 billion;

3. Debt servicing cost ‒ which includes both interest and principal payments – was 8.4 per cent of Core Government’s Revenues;

4. Net Debt was negative6 per cent of Core Government’s Operating Revenues – this ratio compares debt to bank balances and the negative 3.6 per cent means that at 31^st December 2018, the Government’s bank balances exceeded its debt for the first time in several decades; and

5. The Government had sufficient Cash Reserves to cover 256.1 days of operating expenditures at 31^st December 2018 ‒ which is significantly greater than the minimum 90-day legal threshold.

As I set out in the House in April, we will remain in compliance throughout the next three year forecast budget horizon, demonstrating our commitment to the long term position for the country rather than any short term electoral advantage that might be gained by going on a spending spree.

Revenue Management Systems

The Government’s operating revenues have been steadily increasing over the years. The importance that we place on having strong management systems to ensure that revenue is comprehensively collected and cohesively managed in an efficient and effective manner, cannot be over emphasized.

By successfully managing our existing revenue streams the Government can avoid the need to implement new revenue measures. Recent improvements include:

1. the development and implementation of risk management, internal controls and performance reporting governance frameworks;

2. the development of policies and procedures surrounding the way in which Government processes and approves revenue waiver applications; and

3. reviewing legislation to ensure that the Government is collecting all of the revenue that is due. You may recall that most recently, a review of the Stamp Duty Law resulted in amendments being made to close a loophole that had developed over the past few years whereby persons buying condominiums/apartments/homes pre-construction from developers were paying stamp duty on the land only and not on the value of the development when completed, as is intended by the Law.

Housing

Of course you will be aware that the stamp duty changes was also about increasing the duty thresholds for first time Caymanian home-buyers – providing no to low stamp duty on the purchase of property. This change helps put home ownership within the reach of many more young Caymanians and their families.

That in turn is but one plank of the Government’s overall strategy to improve access to housing for Caymanians. Another has been to work in support of the National Housing Development Trust as it constructs affordable homes for hard-working Caymanians. Thirty such homes have been or are being built and the Trust is continuing to expand its activities.

In addition, recently, the Finance Committee of the Legislative Assembly agreed to an additional allocation of $1.62 million to fund repairs that will bring back to a habitable condition, the homes of the elderly, disabled or those with young children whose properties are damaged often for reasons outside their control.

Future Development Plans

The Government is committed to working with the Private Sector to ensure the long term sustainability of flourishing economy whilst also preserving the unique qualities that makes the Cayman Islands such a wonderful place to live, work, visit and do business. 

In his Strategic Policy Statement on the 2020 to 2021 Budget, the Premier outlined how the Government intends to address the growth of the Islands in a planned and sustainable manner that will ensure the best use of available land while preserving our unique environmental heritage.

The “Plan Cayman” development framework, which has now completed its first round of public consultation, will focus on one major land area at a time thereby covering the entire Island over a five year period and then restarting at the beginning. This rolling approach makes for a workable continuous planning review process.

A Plan is now being developed for the Seven Mile Beach Corridor and will include looking at the merits of the development of taller buildings and “mixed use” developments that could ease both commercial and residential demands. This will dovetail with the work on the George Town Revitalisation project that is now being driven forward by the dedicated Town Manager. 

Both of these areas of work will be delivered in close consultation with both residents and local businesses and I hope you will continue to be engaged in that work as many of you were in the first round of Plan Cayman consultation.

The area-based approach is being complemented by work to tackle some of the key long term issues that will impact communities right across our Islands.  The most pressing of those is the on-going need for infrastructure improvements and the most pressing issue within that is the need to tackle congestion on our roads. 

Much to the relief I am sure of those of you who live east of Grand Harbour, the Premier announced in April that the Government is responding to the worsening traffic congestion in those areas and intends to reprioritize road improvements over the next two years in order to address the traffic issues. Road improvements include extending the east-west arterial road to Northward then on to Bodden Town. We are also initiating projects around Grand Harbour and westward into George Town to ensure traffic can move more smoothly.  Work will be underway before the end of this year.

Just building more roads is not a long term solution given the projected population increases for Cayman. Therefore, the “Plan Cayman” project will also look at alternative transport solutions such as safer cycling and walking routes and a radical new approach to public transport. 

The Government will be commissioning a specialist mass transportation study that will analyse the options available for us to achieve the necessary change in public transport that the country needs. The study will be completed within a year so that we will be able to consult widely and draw up detailed plans for inclusion in the next Strategic Policy Statement.

The creation of the National Energy Policy by the last Administration set ambitious but achievable goals to move Cayman to a more sustainable pattern of energy generation and consumption. The Government is currently implementing several important actions including the greater use of electric vehicles and the increased use of renewables for government buildings. There are also plans to encourage the public to purchase electric and hybrid vehicles.

Registers of Beneficial Ownership

By way of an update, the UK Government recently issued its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee Report entitled “Global Britain and the British Overseas Territories” that made sweeping recommendations on registers of beneficial ownership, same-sex marriages and UK citizens’ right to vote and hold office in British Overseas Territories.

We are pleased with the UK Government’s recent response that is committed to developing a positive and constructive relationship with its Overseas Territories and that is has no intention of interfering with locally-determined franchise and representational arrangements. With regards to public registers of beneficial ownership, the UK Government has committed to following a consultative process and not accelerating the current timetable to implement public registers in advance of the end of 2023.

The Premier has made it abundantly clear that Cayman will continue to resist any attempts by the UK Government to impose public registers in the absence of a global standard. This is not because we want to see any illegal money funnelling through Cayman’s financial institutions. We do not need or want that. Rather, it is about keeping a level playing field in the global market. In short, if and when it becomes the global standard, we will comply.

Conclusion

The Cayman Islands is continuing to benefit from a strong resilient economy that has weathered many challenges. Our future success depends on our ability to adapt and innovate and, as government and business leaders, we all have a responsibility to do everything that we can to ensure the continued success of these Islands.

The Government is committed to exercising prudent and responsible financial management and improving both the physical and institutional infrastructure capacity necessary to facilitate economic development in a sustainable and appropriate manner that enhances the quality of life for all residen

The Government has also shown its willingness and ability to move forward with necessary infrastructure projects, including our expanding road infrastructure, a modern landfill project, an expanded cargo dock and cruise berthing facility, to the long needed improvements at the airport. These benefit all who live here as well as supporting the growth of business. 

It is the Private Sector that is the engine of future economic growth that is critical to maintaining our long term success. Over the past six years, I believe government and business have come more closely together to support growth. There is, though, more to do and I look forward to working with you, President Kirkconnell, the Chamber Council and the wider business community, as we work in partnership to achieve our shared ambitions for Cayman.

Thank you and enjoy the rest of this Forum and your afternoon.

The Sunrise Cottage in East End, the oldest of the Department of Children and Family Services’ (DCFS) residential facilities for older persons, closed on Wednesday, 29 May 2019. Having been in operation from the 80s, the decision for this closure was made in the best interest of the residents and staff and will allow for future options to be considered.

The six residents were relocated to the Golden Age Home, which is a more suitable facility and the Ministry of Community Affairs’ Chief Officer, Teresa Echenique, says that they are comfortably settled in at their new location, which is also a residential facility operated by DCFS.

“The benefit of this location is that it is hurricane certified, which means they don’t have to be moved to a shelter if a storm is approaching,” explains Ms Echenique.

“They also have access to a large and airy daycare room with the opportunity to interact and take part in group activities daily. The move included staff they are very familiar with, which has greatly helped the transition,” she concludes.

Factoring in the age, size and overall structural restraints of the existing Sunrise Cottage facility, both the Premier and Minister for Community Affairs, Hon. Alden McLaughlin; and the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Arden McLean agree that a purpose-built facility will best meet the needs of our older persons in the Eastern districts. As a result, options are being explored to accommodate a future home that will not only provide residential services for older persons but will offer a day programme and respite care when necessary.

Graduates from the Public Works Department’s Construction Apprenticeship Programme were honoured in a passing out ceremony held at the Department of Agriculture, next to the Post-Harvest Building, which the graduates had themselves helped to build.

Seven students received the City and Guilds of London Level 2 IVQ Technician Certification in Construction, while several other trainees celebrated attaining the Level 1 award. The qualifications are internationally recognised.

The PWD Construction Apprenticeship Programme runs in conjunction with the Cayman Islands Further Education Centre who provides a large portion of the trainees enrolled (others are recruited from the general public) and is supported by private sector partners. The scheme has been labelled “world class” by a global technical, vocational, education and training (TVET) expert.

In spite of the rain, a packed audience turned out to recognise and celebrate the students’ achievements. High-profile guests at the ceremony included Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE; Minister for Commerce Planning and Infrastructure, Hon. Joey Hew; Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands, Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, JP; Acting Minister, Hon. Barbara Conolly; Acting Chief Officer for the Ministry of CPI, Leyda Nicholson-Makasare; Director of Public Works, Max Jones and Acting Senior Manager, Organisational Development and Operational Support for PWD, Levi Allen.

The audience was also made up of family and friends of the graduates along with mentors from the Public Works Department.

Deputy Governor, Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE revealed he had learned, early in his career, the skills needed to fix a cabinet. The audience laughed when he admitted they consistently came in useful, no matter where his career had since led.

Public Works Director Max Jones looked to the future of the programme in his address. He thanked Minister Hew for advocating on behalf of the training scheme, in order that Government’s full support and financial backing could be secured, to develop the course further. Additional funding will double the programme’s capacity, covering both operational costs and those required to expand the facility to include a dedicated training building, which will be able to deliver up to 50 trainees per year.

Hon. Joey Hew said Government was doing everything possible “to ensure that we promote sustainable and responsible development for the future.”

He added he was confident “our graduates will take their rightful place in the future of this important industry,” which he stressed was in “safe, Caymanian hands.”

The programme was launched in 2016. It developed out of a need flagged by PWD to fill key technical roles locally because of a lack of required practical skills and technical knowhow to carry out work in the construction industry at the requisite standard. Realising the taking on of individual apprentices was too small an approach to meet industry demands, the Department partnered with CIFEC, before eventually opening up to students not enrolled in any institution.CIFEC Director Delores Thompson stressed it had been important to listen to the community when they were informed students needed more skills as they entered the world of work. She also emphasised the importance of the theory and academic components of the course.      

The Apprentice of the Year went to 17 year old graduating student Zeb Bush. He said he was proud of their work constructing the Post-Harvest Building as it meant they had “done something for the country.”

Fellow graduate Chris Fennell revealed he had joined the programme because he “saw the potential. I have good faith it will put me in a good place because I have always loved the field of construction.”

The students graduating with the Level 2 award were: Rico Bodden, Danai Pusey, D’Andre Bodden, Naethiun Chambers, Jaydun Ebanks, Christopher Fennell and Zeb Bush.

The graduation ceremony took place on Wednesday, 29 May 2019.

A National Roads Authority (NRA) pilot scheme will shortly get underway, whereby lighted pedestrian crossings will be installed along the CNB roundabout arteries, through the newly-built extension, to the new roundabout at the Intersection of Crewe Road and Printers Way (near Mango Tree Restaurant).

The purpose of the scheme is to find a solution to the potential problems posed by pedestrians who choose to cross the roundabout at locations, and in ways, which may prove both disruptive and dangerous to all road users.    

The CNB roundabout has been chosen for this pilot scheme because it is one of the few major roundabouts where the approach speeds are at 30 mph and below.

This makes it a safer location for the trial period, as lower speeds carry a reduced risk of road accidents. The programme aims to make it safer and less disruptive for pedestrians to cross the roundabout, thereby improving the experience for all road users.

This pilot system is identical in operation to the lighted crossing already in place on Elgin Avenue, linking the Government Administration Building to Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman (WORC).

Pedestrians should push the button, wait for the lights and check approaching vehicles have slowed to a stop, before stepping out on to the crossing. Motorists must come to a stop by law when a pedestrian is present at the crossing.

The crossings are staggered to take into account those drivers who may be speeding up to leave the roundabout, as they will require a greater breaking distance in order to come to a safe stop at the pedestrian crossing.     

The Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure Hon. Joey Hew explained that “this project demonstrates NRA’s commitment to improving road safety, access and user experience for all persons, whether they are travelling on foot, by bicycle, on public transport or by car.”

He added: “the Ministry of CPI supports this pilot initiative, as we seek to make improvements for the benefit of all road users in the Cayman Islands.”

In addition, these works will also mark the opening of the Elgin Avenue/Mango Tree extension and new roundabout. There will be major changes to traffic flow as a result of the new road layout. All road users should be aware of new pavement markings and signage, as well as being alert to pedestrians using the lighted crossings. Access to Printers Way via the right-hand turn lane from Thomas Russell Avenue will soon no longer be possible. This access way will be permanently closed.             

The NRA will also shortly be releasing two Public Service Announcements to illustrate how to use the pedestrian crossings correctly.

Mr. Speaker, the deadline for the submission of the bids for the Cruise Berthing Project was 12 noon EST on Friday, 31 May, 2019. This is a historic milestone to have been reached in the procurement process of the Cruise Berthing Facility Project.  

 The evaluation groups have now been assigned their tasks to review, evaluate and score the bids received. This evaluation will be comprehensive and will involve the Major Projects Office, Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, the Ministry, and financial and technical consultants. 

 The next steps will include the preparation of an Evaluation Summary and Tender Assessment Report, which will be submitted to the Public Procurement Committee/Central Tenders Committee. 

 Once that Committee has considered and provided their recommendation, a presentation and paper will be sent to Cabinet.

It has been a very long haul over many years, over three administrations and millions of dollars spent on expert reports, advice and time to get to this point, but it is good for the Cayman Islands that we are here. At every point along the way we have advised the public where we are. I and the Hon. Deputy Premier have repeatedly reminded the public that Government needed to get to this final stage in the process in order to have final designs in hand, and having reached this point I look forward to publically unveiling the plans, including costs, as soon as the successful bidder has been identified.

Mr. Speaker, in November last year I told the members of this Honourable House and the public that Government had purchased Scranton Central Park to ensure that those who live in that community continue to enjoy that public space.

Today, Mr. Speaker, I am happy to announce that yesterday Government signed a five-year peppercorn Licence to the Central Scranton Community Committee to occupy, manage and carry out improvements to the original park site plus land situated at Block 14CJ Parcels 22, 121 and part of 182, which is 1.4 acres  off Myles Lane in George Town.

I’m happy to report that the Committee has a variety of ideas and proposals to develop and improve park facilities for the local community and the general public. To help it achieve its goals, Mr. Speaker, the Committee intends to secure volunteer donations of materials and labour. I have every confidence they will be successful.

In the words of cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”

I appreciate the passion of the members of the Central Scranton Community Committee and I thank them for the diligence in working with Government to develop a solution that is a win for all involved.

Mr. Speaker, for well over a decade the former Minister for Lands and former Leader of Government Business Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts and I attempted to purchase on behalf of Government the original Scranton Park property, which was privately owned by individuals who graciously let community members use the land for free as a gathering spot. Over the years it had been used for many things – community gatherings to celebrate mothers and fathers on their special days, birthday parties, basketball games and more.

When finally the land did come on the market, my Government jumped at the chance to buy it to preserve this oasis in George Town Central.

Now, with the purchase of the land and the signing of the peppercorn licence with the Scranton Central Committee, residents in the community and the public at large can rest assured that an enlarged Scranton Park will continue to be this haven in the midst of bustling George Town.

Mr. Speaker, my Government continues to place a premium on ensuring that open spaces are available to the public, including access to neighborhood parks and play areas, and working with the residents in those communities to ensure those areas are kept tidy, accessible and safe.

So far this Government has proven its commitment to public spaces for our people by purchasing land and enhancing Smith Barcadere, putting in place the South Sound Board Walk and purchasing property in the Prospect area for a public park for the Red Bay and Prospect communities.

Mr. Speaker, Government continues to scope out lands and beach areas to procure for the enjoyment of our people across all three of our beloved Islands. By doing so we are making our communities stronger.

Before I close, Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the members of the committee for their hard work. They include Mr. Dale Ramoon, Ms Lucille Seymour, Mr. Anthony Ramoon, Ms Cheryl Myles, Ms Christine Burke-Richardson and Ms Donna Wilson.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Today we celebrate two years since this Government of Unity was officially sworn in and we've accomplished much in this short time.

• Our economy has grown steadily.  GDP growth at 3.6% in the third quarter of last year..  Caymanian unemployment has plummeted and is the lowest it's been since 2006. 

• Created a new integrated department dealing with labour and immigration issues Workforce Opportunities and Residence Cayman (WORC) 

• Provided funding for 75 new Police Officers.  Community Beat Officers now in every district, improving visibility and response times; reassuring communities and deterring crime. 

• On 1st February our former customs and immigration departments were merged and the Customs Border Control (CBC) unit was formed.  We're already seeing results ribution that CBC is making, keeping our borders more secure and our communities safer. 

• Created a new Coast Guard, whose main focus is on criminal interdiction in our waters, stopping the illegal importation of firearms, drugs, and illegal immigration as well as search and rescue and marine enforcement. 

• Since January this year, seafarers, veterans, those in need of social assistance and long servicing civil service pensioners have a guaranteed minimum income of $750 per month - an increase of 36%. 

• Last July civil servants received cost of living increases which brought their salaries back in line with inflation.

• 16 new affordable homes completed in Bodden Town and in January we broke ground in East End for another 6 homes. 

• First time buyers don't pay duty on land valued up to $150,00 or on homes up to $400,000, helping more Caymanians get their foot on the housing ladder.  

• We've reduced Government debt tremendously and maintained the reduced fees for small businesses. 

• Our Financial Services industry, despite the last recession and the endless compliance initiatives remains the international financial services centre of choice.  

• Tourism is thriving, last year we had the highest number of visitors in our history. 

• We had a very successful Royal Visit in April and HRH Prince Charles officially opened the newly renovated and expanded Owen Roberts International Airport as well as the new 25 metre swimming pool in Cayman Brac. 

• We've completed the new South Sound Boardwalk, which protects one of the best natural views on Grand Cayman and will be enjoyed for generations of Caymanians, Residents and Visitors.  We've procured a further 634 acres of protected land, increasing the total amount of protected land to 4,111 acres - about 6.3% of Cayman's total land mass. 

• The new John Gray High School campus project is underway again with a target of completion in time for the 2021/22 academic year.  Capital investments this year include 3 new classrooms at Red Bay and construction of a hall at Bodden Town, improved the outdoor sporting facilities at a number of public schools and constructed new artificial turf football fields at Red Bay, Bodden Town and Prospect Primary Schools.

• Public Works Department City & Guilds apprenticeship programme is a great success and we've committed more funding for a brand new facility and expansion of the programme to serve at least 50 students next year.

• E-Government services continue to launch, giving the public the ability to do business with Government when they want, where they want, at their convenience.

There is much more this Government still needs to do and you can be assured over the next two years we will give everything we have to get it done.

Each year as I prepare to work on this annual Hurricane message to you I do so with a certain amount of trepidation because as I put pen to paper, none of us knows what this hurricane season is going to bring.

Too, I am reminded of that 16^th Century English phrase – “Speak of the Devil and he doth appear”.

I certainly don’t want to tempt fate!

In the past few weeks we have anxiously watched our friends in the southern United States suffer through flooding from torrential rains and damage done by horrific tornadoes. Our neighbours remain in our thoughts and prayers. And while hurricanes can be even more damaging than tornadoes, they are predictable unlike tornadoes that can pop up quickly.

We are blessed because we have a National Weather Service that is linked regionally and can stay on top of all weather issues and inform us in advance when bad weather is headed our way, giving us time to make preparations.

The early predictions from our friends in the United States are already out. We are told that the 2019 Atlantic Hurricane Season is going to be less active than 2018 with 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

But don’t let that prediction put you off your guard. We know that just one bad storm can wreak havoc. We learned that lesson in 2004’s Hurricane Ivan, 2008’s Hurricane Paloma and watched in 2017 as our sister British Overseas Territories and other islands in the Caribbean suffered from hurricanes Irma and Maria.

My plea to each of you is to be prepared for the worst and pray for the best this hurricane season, which will stretch from 1 June to the end of November.

Earlier this month 17 of our Emergency Support Teams held a hurricane exercise to assess the country’s hurricane plans, policies and procedures to give us a realistic depiction of a hurricane as it approaches, impacts us and then leaves us behind to clean up. I commend them for their diligence and service to our country,

What we have learned from past experiences is that no two hurricanes are alike and many are unpredictable. For instance Hurricane Ivan wasn’t even supposed to hit Grand Cayman; it was headed initially for Cayman Brac, until it wobbled.

Fortunately we have learned lessons from the storms that either struck us or our neighbours. The main message, though, is be prepared.

If we do find ourselves facing another storm this year, I beg you to please pay attention to Government announcements and bulletins. All of our media outlets – Radio Cayman FM89.9, the Breeze FM105.3, Cayman Islands Government TV, Cayman Islands Government Information Services and http://www.caymanprepared.ky– will carry information to tell you what to expect and what to do. Hazard Management Cayman Islands also works with private media houses that have been diligent each time we have faced a storm to get out the important, necessary information.

So, if you don’t have a hurricane plan in place for your family or business, make one and then join me in my prayer that God will once again spare our beloved Islands during this 2019 Hurricane Season.  

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said he was deeply saddened to have learned of the passing today of former Jamaican Prime Minister Edward Seaga.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said “He will be remembered as a great and respected Caribbean Leader and as one of Jamaica’s outstanding politicians.  He was the only remaining member of the team who drafted the Constitution when Jamaica gained independence from the UK in 1962 and one of the longest serving Members of the Parliament, not just in Jamaica but in the Caribbean, holding his seat in West Kingston for over 43 years.  That is no mean feat in politics.”

“His love of culture and particularly Jamaican folk music endeared him to many and as a major record producer he played a role in introducing ska to the world”.  I knew him personally and have fond memories of our conversations on occasions when he visited Grand Cayman.” continued Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin “my sincere condolences go to his family and friends.”

Edward Seaga, 89, died on his birthday in Miami.  Although he lost the general election in 1989 he remained the Opposition leader for many years afterwards and built national institutions such the annual festival celebrations and the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin announced today that the Cayman Islands Government has received a formal financial commitment from MSC Cruises to provide funding toward the costs of constructing the cruise berthing facility.

MSC Cruises is the fourth cruise line company to financially commit to the cruise berthing project, along with Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Disney.

Mr. McLaughlin affirmed that having four cruise lines signed on to the cruise berthing project provides tremendous benefit to the Cayman Islands.

“These agreements, coupled with the finance to be provided by whichever entity is eventually selected as the preferred bidder on the project, ensure that no public funding will be required to build the cruise berths and enhanced cargo facility,” he said.

“As well as strengthening the project’s financing structure, having cruise companies financially vested in the project provides assurance that the Country’s finances will not be exposed to risk and is a positive indication of their commitment to our Islands for decades to come. It is a win-win situation for the country, the preferred bidder and the cruise lines,” he said

Minister for Tourism Hon. Moses Kirkconnell said he is very pleased that MSC Cruises has signed on to support the development of the Cayman Islands cruise berthing facility.

“This agreement represents the accomplishment of another key milestone in the lifecycle of this project. MSC operates more than 1,000 routes globally and is one of the fastest growing cruise companies in the world. Their commitment to the Cayman Islands will help to sustain and grow our cruise tourism industry into the future,” said Mr. Kirkconnell.

The Cruise Berthing Facility Project is now in its sixth year and has undergone a rigorous procurement process to identify a preferred bidder to construct the berthing facility within a design, build, finance and maintain framework. The Port Authority of the Cayman Islands will continue to own, operate and manage the facility as it does today.

To stay informed on all of the latest news and information on the cruise berthing project the public is encouraged to visit the cruise berthing facility website at http://www.SupportOurTourism.com and to check the project’s facebook page for daily updates.

The United Kingdom Government has published its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee’s report, “Global Britain and the British Overseas Territories”.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin had heavily criticized the Committee’s report when it was published in February.  The Committee’s recommendations on registers of beneficial ownership, same-sex marriage and giving all resident UK citizens the right to vote and hold office were described by the Premier as a “shameless and shameful attempt to reproduce neo-colonialism.”

The Premier has welcomed the official UK Government response as “a clear-headed restatement of the fundamental principle of self-government that underpins the relationship between Cayman and the UK.”

On the issue of registers of beneficial ownership, the UK Government response reaffirms the existing understanding of the consultative process to be followed and resists any acceleration of the timetable in advance of the end of 2023.

On same-sex marriage, the UK Government notes the on-going legal action in Cayman but makes clear that the issue “should be one for the territories to decide and legislate on”.  The response confirms that “we have no plans to introduce an Order-in-Council on this issue.”

On the critical issue of voting rights, again the response recognises “the fact that immigration decisions are primarily a matter for OT governments” and makes clear that there is no intention to interfere with locally-determined franchise and representational arrangements.

“I said when the Committee’s report was released that these were only recommendations and that we needed to wait for the UK Government’s official response,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I am very pleased that the UK has clearly listened to the representations that I and other OT leaders have made. 

“In the 21^st Century, there can be no justification for people 5,000 miles away, most of whom have never even visited these Islands, thinking they know better than we do how we should run our own affairs,’ he said. “The UK Government’s response thoroughly rejects that idea and I am sure it will be welcomed across the Overseas Territories.

“While we in the Cayman Islands and others in the OTs will continue to resist the UK’s attempts to impose public registers upon us in the absence of a global standard, it is positive that the UK Government has pushed back on any suggestion that the current timetable should be accelerated,” he said. “I would like to thank the Governor for the assistance he has provided in representing the views of Cayman back to the UK Government and to ensure that those making the decisions were aware of the grave concern we felt about the Committee’s recommendations.”

“The UK Government’s response underlines their commitment to developing a positive and constructive relationship with the OT’s,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “That commitment has been seen too in the recent talks over the potential Constitutional changes that we would like to put in place in order to clarify our relationship. Those negotiations are nearing a conclusion and I hope to be able to report back to the House and to the country shortly on what has been agreed.”

The National Conservation Law Review Committee, led by chair the Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin, met for the first time last week at the Government Administration Building.

At the start of the meeting, the Department of the Environment provided a presentation on the law and answered questions from committee members.

Members discussed the need for a review of the law and agreed that the Terms of Reference (ToR) should be sufficiently broad to allow for wide ranging discussion as the committee does its work. The ToR will be settled at the next meeting.

Premier McLaughlin noted that while Government has its own concerns with certain aspects of the law, the expectation is that the committee would discuss these alongside any public concerns. 

Accordingly, as part of the review process the committee will invite feedback from the public on any concerns or suggestions that they have on improving the law or the processes guided by it.

In addition its deliberations will consider the impact of international conventions to which the Cayman Islands is a party, as well as regional and international best practice, among other things.

Decisions by the committee will guide the development of drafting instructions for revisions to the law that would help address these concerns.  The committee will meet every two weeks and must submit a report of its findings to Cabinet within a month of the review process ending.

The committee comprises a number of individuals with expertise across a range of sectors, such as environment, tourism, legal and development.

Members include:

The Unaudited Quarterly Financial Report for the three month period ended 31 March 2019 was released today by publication in the Cayman Islands Extraordinary Gazette No. 32 of 2019 and can be viewed at http://www.gov.ky/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/12796486.PDF.

The surplus of $216.8 million is for core Government and its statutory authorities and public companies. The improvement in surplus translates as $44.4 million more than the $172.4 million surplus anticipated in the 2019 budget for the first quarter.

The increased surplus and enhanced bank balances were a direct result of improved revenues - $373.7 million compared to a previously expected figure of $343 million. 

This was complemented by lower than budgeted expenditures in civil service personnel costs ($76.7 million compared to $80.2 million budgeted), purchase of supplies and consumable goods and services ($19.9 million as opposed to a budgeted figure of $28.7 million) as well as better than anticipated performance on investment revenues.

Commenting on the Q1 report, Minister for Finance and Economic Development, Hon. Roy McTaggart said: “I am delighted and the Government is pleased that the 2019 first quarter’s actual results exceed budget expectations for this timeframe. All things being equal, it bodes well for the remainder of the year.

“As always, we are grateful to the civil service for their contributions and their work to save Government money. We also believe that strong public finances set the tone for the wider economy and of course for the continuing success of our economy.

“At the same time, we will continue fiscal vigilance and monitoring throughout the remainder of the Government’s 2019 financial year, to maintain improvements on budget expectations.”

Following the release last week of the 2018 Crime and Traffic Statistics, I would like to thank the Commissioner of Police, Derek Byrne and all officers and staff of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) for their hard work to keep the Cayman Islands a safe place to live, to visit and to do business.

When we took office, our Unity Government prioritised action to make communities safer and we gave a clear commitment to work with the RCIPS to tackle crime. 

In our first two year budget, we delivered on that commitment as we allocated additional funding to the RCIPS to provide for 75 new police officers over three years with added civilian support staff. 

The Commissioner of Police agreed with us that we needed to improve Community Policing and I’m very happy today that Community Beat Officers are operating in every district across Grand Cayman.  The success of that approach is demonstrated in the statistics released last week.

Building relationships and trust within those communities as well as the introduction of many new Neighbourhood Watch Schemes is helping to stop nuisance crime and providing intelligence about serious crime. 

I am delighted that property crime and burglary dropped significantly in 2018 and were the lowest for 18 years.  Whilst the RCIPS targeted and imprisoned serial offenders, support from Neighbourhood Watch Schemes has also added to this reduction.  Neighbours know when something looks wrong and when someone looks out of place in a community and these groups are raising the alarm with their Community Police.

The Commissioner has said, and I agree, that we need to keep up the pressure to maintain this improvement.  Thanks to further additional funding from Government, the RCIPS is in the process of expanding its Community Policing Department with the addition of Community Safety Officers, which are civilian posts.  These officers will know the people in the communities they serve, but more importantly local people will know and trust him or her.  My Government welcomes this enhancement of community policing efforts. 

Similarly we must redouble our efforts to clamp down on gun crime.  Improvements shown in last year’s statistics are attributed to marine interdictions, firearm recovery operations and the firearms amnesty.  I expect to see this trend continue once the new Cayman Islands Coast Guard is up and running.  We have combined the law enforcement units of Immigration and Customs into a single cohesive Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Agency.  They along with the new Coast Guard have the responsibility for protecting our borders, whether by air or sea, making it difficult for drugs, guns or illegal persons to enter our country.

His Excellency, the Governor Martyn Roper has been very helpful since taking up his new role.  He supported the purchase of the new H145 helicopter, which was part funded by the United Kingdom Government.  This expands our aerial law enforcement operations as well as supports our neighbouring Overseas Territories in their time of need.

Whilst I’m very pleased with the 2018 Crime and Traffic Statistics, we cannot become complacent.

We believe improved policing is about dealing with crime now. The long term answer lies in stopping our people turning to crime in the first place.

The Community Police are working closely with the schools, attending careers days, PTA meetings and generally building relationships and trust with young people.

I believe the most significant contribution to long term crime reduction, besides a good education, will come from the early identification of young people at risk of offending behaviour, and implementing programmes to help them make better life choices – choices that will benefit them, their families and their communities.  The anti- gang strategy that the NSC has commissioned will be an important part of our efforts to support young people as well as targeting gang activity directly.

Community safety is not just a policing issue.  The whole of government has a role to play and communities themselves contribute to their own safety.  The 2018 crime statistics show that by working together we have helped to make Cayman safer.  We must all do our part to maintain that improvement over the years to come.

Like many people in this country, I was troubled to learn of the recent resignation of MLA Ezzard Miller as the Leader of the Opposition. 

In any democracy, the Leader of the Opposition is a serious role.  In the Cayman Islands, not only is the Leader of the Opposition an important constitutional office,  required under Section 68 of the Constitution, but the Leader of the Opposition plays several key roles, including serving as a member of the National Security Council and as Chair of the Public Accounts Committee.  And of course the Leader of the Opposition serves a significant role in leading and speaking for Opposition members inside and outside of the Legislative Assembly.

British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli wrote, “No government can be long secure without a formidable opposition.”

For that reason, it is not so much the resignation of Mr. Miller that concerns me, but more the political infighting and personal ambition riddling the current opposition group. This, I believe, does not serve well the long term interests of our country.

To better explain, let me review what has transpired.

In giving notice of his resignation Mr. Miller commented that:

“Effectively performing this role demands dedication on the part of a committed team.  It has become increasingly clear that the level of cohesion, industry and commitment necessary for any opposition to serve in the best interest of all the people of these Islands is not possible given the current slate of independent members who made up the group.”

Mr. Miller’s resignation follows a letter to him in April from other members of his Opposition team who advised that they were content for him to remain as opposition leader but asked that “where the general public is concerned, we are requesting that you do not speak on our behalf….  We believe that this request is necessary to maintain our independence and the political platform we are all elected on.”

In the media reports Mr. Miller outlined his challenge coping with a “steep learning curve navigating among some very strong personalities” and he went on to speak of leadership struggles on the Opposition Benches.  And of course shortly following these comments MLA Alva Suckoo resigned as Deputy Leader of the Opposition. 

In effect the country is witnessing first hand why it is not practical for a group of Independent candidates to get elected and then seek to come together in the country’s interest. They are too busy pursuing their own individual agendas to even try to develop a shared view. By their own admission, the preference of the opposition members is to “maintain our independence and the political platform we are all elected on’. 

Previously, these members have tried to paint themselves as a government in waiting. But if they cannot maintain any coherence in opposition, what chance is there that they could form an effective government? Disunity, disorganization and dark deeds fuelled by personal, political ambition are not what this country needs to take us forward.

So as Premier I do hope that the country as well as the members of the opposition learn from the lessons that the opposition members themselves are providing – it takes a committed team to govern – one that, to borrow somewhat from Mr. Miller, has the level of cohesion, industry and commitment necessary to serve in the best interest of all the people of these Islands. 

Certainly this is the way that I and the team that I lead have operated in our Caucus, in Cabinet and in the Legislative Assembly. We promised to come together as a government of national unity and we have governed with our collective responsibility to do the right thing for the country as our guiding principle. Because of this we have been able to provide a stable and progressive government, and despite some challenges, the country as a whole is doing remarkably well.  I am certainly proud of the team that I lead. Despite comprising various political factions, we have striven to find more in common than we had differences. We are stronger because of this approach and the country is the better for it.

I wish Mr. Miller well and thank him for his leadership in the Opposition in working with me over the past two years, particularly with regards to on-going constitutional reform. 

I along with the rest of the country anxiously await the decision of the Opposition as to who will become their new leader, and to know soonest who will comprise the membership of the official Opposition in the Legislative Assembly.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin and Eric Bush, Chief Officer of the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, on Sunday participated in the annual Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation annual charity bicycle ride. 

Joining the Cayman team were Orrett Connor, host of Radio Cayman's For the Record talk show, and Inspector Andre Tahal of the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, who travelled to Monaco at their own expense to participate in the 87-mile charity ride from St. Tropez in France to Monaco.

The course, which winds through towns and mountains, took some seven hours to complete. Contending with narrow winding roads, traffic and pedestrians and not knowing the route made the trek challenging. It was made even more difficult by weather conditions, with temperatures around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and 23 mile-an-hour winds. The Premier was happy to have fellow Caymanian cyclists with him for mutual support and camaraderie over the course of the ride. The Cayman Islands was ably represented in the charity ride with all four successfully completing the course.

In addition to the four Caymanians, more than 100 riders participated, including several professional bicyclists, former athletes and business people; most of whom participate every year.

Prince Albert of Monaco invited the Premier to participate in the event when they met last year. The Prince, unfortunately, was unable to ride as he recently underwent surgery. The Prince did, however, attend the finish at Monaco's Hercules, where all the riders arrived. The Cayman delegation completed the challenging ride in good form. This was the first time that a team from the Caribbean participated in the charity ride

At the finish, Prince Albert and Premier McLaughlin had a moment for a chat where the Prince was introduced to the Cayman delegation. Later that evening at the awards reception the organisers, as well as the Prince, acknowledged the participation by the Premier and the Caymanian team. The highlight of the evening for the Cayman delegation was when Orrett Connor was awarded the ‘silver pedal’ for being the oldest cyclist to enter and finish the course. 

Premier McLaughlin noted that the ride was difficult but rewarding. Not only did a cycling platform allow for building new relationships with high net worth individuals and business people across a diverse range of backgrounds in a key market segment for the Cayman Islands; it also gave both him and Chief Officer Bush an opportunity to firm up relationships with individuals they met last year – Prince Albert amongst them.  

On Monday night the Premier and the Cayman delegation were joined by Mr. Joel Walton, CEO of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) to host a reception for yacht managers and yacht designers.

MACI operates one of the best regulated shipping registries in the world, accounting for about 50 per cent of the super yacht registration market, which are yachts of 30m (90 ft.) and larger. Within the ultra-large segment of the super yacht industry, which are yachts with a length of 80m (262 ft.) and larger, the Cayman Islands has over 80 per cent of the market share; making Cayman, by far, the dominating flag state.

“Whilst the Cayman Islands is a dominant player in this market segment there are many competitors looking for every opportunity to take our place,” said the Premier, who is Minister responsible for International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs. “In a market where relationships are key, it is important to not only show a presence but to do so consistently and whenever possible at the highest levels of Government. The new Ministry intends to not only strengthen our relationships and market share in this competitive market but to increase it.” 

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin met separately on Wednesday with Ben Wallace, Minister of State for the Home Office and Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Accompanying Premier McLaughlin was Chief Officer Eric Bush of the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, and Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier.

The meetings focused on the on-going talks on constitutional reform for the Cayman Islands as well as other issues. With the Brexit date pushed back to October, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands governments are both keen to conclude the constitutional reform discussions, and to have the proposed changes debated in the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly later this year. The UK Government’s upcoming response to the recently published Foreign Affairs Committee report on the relationship with the Overseas Territories was also discussed; as were matters to do with the European Union blacklisting process and public registers of beneficial ownership.

The day of meetings also included talks with Sir Jeffery Jowell, QC, who is advising the Cayman Islands Government on a range of issues, including constitutional reform and the appeal of the Chief Justice’s judgment that legalised same-sex marriages in the Cayman Islands. 

Later Wednesday, as part of the Cayman Government’s on-going UK political engagement programme, the Premier sponsored a Cayman Islands All Party Parliamentary Group (CI-APPG) dinner, with cross party attendance, at the House of Lords. The host of the dinner was Lord Northbrook, a member of the CI-APPG, and a long-time supporter of the Cayman Islands.

The Premier updated attendees on Cayman’s economy and how well the country is doing. But he also spoke frankly on matters of concern regarding what many in the Overseas Territories view as a worrying trend by some UK parliamentarians to intervene in the affairs of the territories in matters that are the devolved responsibility of the elected governments of the territories.

Mr. McLaughlin referred to the purported imposition of public registers of beneficial ownership by the UK Parliament as well as the approach taken by the Foreign Affairs Committee in its recent report on the Territories, which he described as “alarming”.  He said that this type of unwarranted intervention, should it continue, will only serve to drive a wedge between the people of the territories and the United Kingdom and in the end will serve neither the interests of the UK nor the territories well.

Lord Northbrook said he was pleased to host the dinner on behalf of the Premier.

“I would like to give my particular praise to the Premier for his work since he became the Premier and the great strides in helping the UK to understand more about the Cayman Islands and what they do,” he said.

“The event was a great success. I was able to engage with a number of important figures in Parliament and The House of Lords to further our education campaign about the Cayman Islands within Westminster,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “Continued high level engagement with MPs and Peers is essential for the Cayman Islands to maintain a presence and understanding within the Houses of Commons and Lords. My message also included a note of warning of the consequences of a UK Parliament; 4,500 miles from the Cayman Islands interfering in local matters that are not only devolved, but in circumstances where they have no real understanding of local people and local affairs.” 

The Premier, along with Messrs. Eric Bush and Roy Tatum travelled on Thursday to Monaco for meetings and engagements with key yacht brokers and industry leaders. The Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands is hosting those meetings to advance the work of the new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs.

On Sunday the Premier will participate in an annual charity bicycle ride of more than 87 miles to benefit the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. The Cayman Islands Government has partly sponsored the riding kit for the event and riding jerseys prominently display the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms.

The Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin will travel to London next week along with Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier. 

The Premier will continue talks with the United Kingdom Government on issues affecting the Cayman Islands including meeting with Ben Wallace, Minister of State from the Home Office and Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories Department of the FCO.  Matters on the agenda include the ongoing constitutional reform discussions started last year, the UK Government’s response to the recent Foreign Affairs Committee report on the Overseas Territories as well as public registers of beneficial ownership. 

The position of the Cayman Islands Government is that the Islands have always complied with global standards of financial regulation and should public registers become a global standard then the Cayman Islands will be on board.  In the interim, we are of the view that our current system for handling beneficial ownership, whilst not public, allows timely and ready access to UK and international law enforcement and tax agencies. 

Whilst in London, the Premier will also host a dinner with cross party Parliamentarians as part of the Governments ongoing political engagement programme for the Cayman Islands.

“Continued engagement with MPs and Peers is essential for the Cayman Islands to build and maintain relationships and for them to hear directly what’s happening in our islands.”  Premier McLaughlin commented.

The Premier will then travel on to Monaco with Eric Bush, Chief Officer of the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs (MITIAMA) and Joel Walton, CEO of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) as well as Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier for a series of meetings with key stakeholders in the Maritime and Super Yacht sector.  This is part of Cayman’s ongoing efforts to maintain the significant market share for our shipping registry.    

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said “the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry is known globally as a premium maritime flag state and is home to most of the biggest yachts in the world.  Indeed, the Registry has been rated as one of the best in the world in the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) Flag State Performance Table for 2018/19 for the 8th year running. The meetings in Monaco are a continuation of efforts started by me last year and as part of our new focus on not only maintaining but growing the Cayman Islands Shipping Register under the newly created Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs.”

MACI has had a presence in Monaco for over two decades, where the majority of super yachts docked in Monaco harbour are flying the red ensign of the Cayman Islands. “Monaco, with its wealth of financial services and international high net worth individuals, is a natural fit for the Cayman Islands and its shipping Registry,” explains Mr. Joel Walton, CEO of Cayman Maritime “it’s an extremely important market for us.”

While in Monaco the Premier is expected to meet with the first Minister and will also participate in the 8th annual St Tropez to Monaco Charity Bike ride.

This is a great opportunity to continue promoting the Cayman Islands as the Premier will be riding with Prince Albert of Monaco as well as other high-profile riders.

Eric Bush, Chief Officer of the MITIAMA said “Meetings and participation in events such as this help build a partnership between the Cayman Islands and Monaco.  They also provide an opportunity for us not only to support causes with a synergy to the Cayman Islands but explore opportunities for further cooperation and collaboration.”

Mr. Speaker, the Honourable Minister of Finance and Economic Development earlier today laid on the table of this Honourable House, and spoke to, this Government’s 2020/2022 Strategic Policy Statement.

Mr. Speaker, with your permission, I will read from that statement the summary of economic and fiscal forecasts:

The 2020 Strategic Policy Statement (“SPS”) provides medium term economic and financial forecasts for the Government for the next three financial years covering the period 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2022 along with the Government’s Broad Strategic Outcomes which will guide the development and implementation of Government Policy during this period.

In addition, the SPS sets the parameters for the preparation of the detailed 2020 and 2021 Budgets and provides the operating expenditure and capital investment targets to be achieved by each Ministry, Portfolio and Office over the next three financial years. 

Mr. Speaker, overall economic growth in the Cayman Islands is forecasted to increase at a steady rate over the medium term.  Economic growth as measured by changes in the Gross Domestic Product is forecasted to grow by 2.8% in 2019, 2.2% in 2020, 2.1% in 2021 and 2.0% in 2022.

The Consumer Price Index which measures the change in retail prices is also expected to increase by 2.7% in 2019 followed by increases of 2.2% per year in 2020, 2021 and 2022.  These forecasted changes are primarily driven by forecasts in the United States a principal market from which the Cayman Islands imports its consumer products.

Mr. Speaker, the Government remains committed to a fiscal strategy that is centred on the following key principles, compliance with the principles of responsible financial management, in particular achieving substantial surpluses each year, no new fees or taxes levied on the public and no new borrowing.

The 2020 SPS builds on the central guiding fiscal policy objective for the management of the Government’s finances over the forecast period.

Growth in revenue is driven primarily by increased demand for goods and services as all sectors in the local economy are projected to expand during the forecast period. The Government also anticipates transferring a total of $74.3 million to General Revenues from various trust accounts whose holding period is scheduled to mature during the SPS period.

The total operating expenditure targets for the Core Government for each of the next three financial years have been set at $734.2 million for 2020; $741.7 million for 2021 and $746.8 million for 2022.

This expenditure will be used over the next three years to fund the following key priorities:

• Ministry of Human Resources, Immigration & Community Affairs - Improving safety and security through enhanced community policing; improving security of our borders; delivering better management of labour markets; implementation of the immediate priorities in the Older Persons’ Policy; and social assistance programme reform.
• New Ministry of International Trade, Investments, Aviation and Maritime Affairs – Establishing a new ministry to foster international relations and promote foreign investment in these Islands.
• Ministry of District Administration, Tourism and Transport – Enhancing tourism marketing to high value source markets; continuing service by Cayman Airways to strategic tourism markets; and the continued implementation of the National Tourism Plan.
• Ministry of Finance and Economic Development – Increasing funding to the Cayman Islands National Insurance Company for the continued provision of health insurance services to its clients.
• Ministry of Financial Services and Home Affairs – Enhancing the Financial Services policy functions of the Ministry and the regulatory services provided by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority in response to recent international regulatory changes; and building capacity in the Cayman Islands Fire Services and the Prison Service.
• Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure – Continuing to develop and implement Information Technology services including improved cyber-security and E-Government initiatives; and the continuation of the George Town revitalisation project.
• Ministry of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands – Continuing enhancement of teaching and learning in schools with a focus on increasing the use of online and computerised testing; strengthening core curriculum across primary and secondary schools; funding for scholarships for advanced, specialised tertiary education – such as Medical and Special Education Needs; and supporting and promoting growth in the agriculture sector.
• Ministry of Health, Environment, Culture and Housing – Implementing the new Integrated Solid Waste Management System and the commencement of operations of the new Long Term Residential Mental Health Facility.

The total capital expenditure target for the Core Government over the next three financial years has been set at $383.4 million to address critical investment in areas such as education facilities, road infrastructure, solid waste management, improvements to public safety facilities and continued support of Statutory Authorities and Government owned Companies (SAGCs). The Government is forecasted to maintain year-end cash balances averaging $282.2 million over the SPS period and full-compliance with the Principles of Responsible Financial Management. The Government does not intend to incur any new borrowings and plans to fund all of its operating expenditure and capital investments from cash generated from its operations.

I confess, Mr. Speaker, that as I rise today I find myself somewhat reflective, for this will be the last time that I am called upon as the Premier of these Cayman Islands to move the motion for adoption of the Government’s Strategic Policy Statement.

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Mr. Speaker,

Yesterday April 2, 2019, the Cabinet of the Cayman Islands instructed the Hon. Attorney General to pursue an appeal against the judgment of the Hon. Chief Justice, Anthony Smellie, Q.C., handed down on 29th March in Civil Cause No. 111 of 2018 and Civil Cause 118 of 2018, otherwise known as the Same-Sex Partnership case. The Hon. Attorney General was also instructed to seek a stay of execution of the judgment pending the outcome of the appeal.

Mr. Speaker, as you have indicated you, like me and indeed all of us in this House, received many telephone calls, Whatsapp and text messages in the days following the handing down of the Chief Justice’s judgment.  Mr. Speaker there were those who sent messages stating that they feel the outcome was right. There were many more that sent messages stating that they feel wronged by the decision and made clear in no uncertain terms their view that marriage should remain the exclusive domain of heterosexual couples. And there were also those who, regardless of how they feel about the concept of same-sex marriage, expressed shock and disbelief that the Court could have made such a fundamental public policy change in a matter as important as the institution of marriage without reference to this Legislative Assembly. 

Mr. Speaker we were also peppered and still are being peppered with requests from the press asking for a statement.  However, as the Hon. Attorney General stated after the judgment was handed down – the ruling required careful consideration by Government. And so the Government has taken the time to consider in its Caucus and the Cabinet to take legal advice and to discuss this most important matter and its implications.  

I want to add here that I and my entire government have great respect for the Hon. Chief Justice and indeed the independence of the judiciary. But even the best judges get it wrong from time to time. Hard cases make bad law. None of us who are human are infallible.

  Mr. Speaker, the Government believes that in his determination to right what he has described as injustice and indignities suffered by the petitioners in the same-sex partnership case, the Hon. Chief Justice may have exceeded the scope of the powers conferred on the Court by the Constitution and in doing so, some have argued, assumed the role of this Legislative Assembly in deciding on what should be public policy and then legislating for it. Mr. Speaker, the Government is cognizant of the provisions of Section 5 (1) of the Constitution and the mandatory requirement imposed by that section that all existing laws “shall be read and construed with such modifications, adaptations, qualifications and exceptions as may be necessary to bring them into conformity with the Constitution.” But we believe that introducing the entirely new concept of same-sex marriage into the existing Marriage Law goes way beyond any reasonable interpretation of modification or adaptation.  This, we believe, might be inconsistent with the separation of powers by trespassing on the constitutional remit of this Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, I spent much of the first eight years of my political career on both sides of this House engaged in the efforts to get us a modernised constitution. The previous Constitution Order was made in 1972 and we had outgrown its provisions and a new constitution was desperately needed to catch up with our growth and development as a country.

As early as 2001 the United Kingdom Government made it clear to us that no Constitution would be agreed that did not contain a Bill of Rights. On the other hand, many stalwarts in this community and especially religious leaders were concerned about the implications for the traditional institution of marriage of a Bill of Rights and in particular, what is now Section 16 of the Bill of Rights of our current constitution, which prohibits discrimination on a number of grounds, including sexual orientation. It was plain to the government at the time that we would never get the new constitution approved by referendum unless we were able to satisfactorily address these concerns. So Mr. Speaker we invited representatives of the Cayman Ministers Association and the Seventh Day Adventist Conference to not just discuss the proposed new constitution with us, but to actually be part of the negotiating team, not just here in Cayman but at the final round of negotiations at Lancaster House in London.

Mr. Speaker, the genesis of Section 14 of the Bill of Rights of the constitution, which was described by Sir Jeffrey Jowell – who led the Government’s team in the case - as the “rock” of the Government’s case, was the concern by the religious community in Cayman to ensure that the institution of marriage, which Christians believe to be God ordained, remained available exclusively to persons of the opposite sex. Thus section 14 (1) provides: “Government shall respect the right of every unmarried man and woman of marriageable age freely to marry a person of the opposite sex and found a family.”

These words are deliberate and were intended to provide the necessary assurances to the Caymanian community, but in particular the Christian community, that the institution of marriage would retain its traditional definition as the union between one man and one woman.

  To ensure that there was no question about this, in tandem, this Legislative Assembly amended the Marriage Law in 2008 to define marriage as “the union of a man and a woman as husband and wife”.

I have no doubt, given my intimate and lengthy involvement with these issues during the constitutional discussions, negotiations and amendments that without the assurances of Section 14 of the Bill of Rights regarding marriage and the amendment to the Marriage Law in 2008 that the 2009 Constitution that we now operate under would not have been approved by referendum.

We also know that the constitutional discussions and drafting did not contemplate that sections 9, 10, or 16 of the Bill of Rights that deal with private and family life, conscience, religion and non-discrimination, would apply to marriage - hence the reason why marriage is in its own separate place, in section (14), in the Bill of Rights.

As the Government submitted to the Hon. Chief Justice during the hearing of the case, Section 14 is the constitutional provision that specifically provides for the right to marry; what the lawyers all the “lex specialis”- that is, the part of the law that governs the specific subject matter of the institution of marriage. 

Mr. Speaker, the current constitution is a comprehensive negotiated document, the result of eight years of extensive consultation across the various demographics of the Cayman community; often bitter political differences and very difficult negotiations with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It was then approved by the democratic process of a referendum. It is not something that was dreamed up by the Cayman Government. The document strove to represent the strong feelings of the Caymanian community, in particular as regards the institution of marriage.

Given the highly controversial and landmark ruling by the Hon. Chief Justice on March 29th, if left unchallenged, the implications for the Cayman Islands Constitution are significant and potentially far-reaching and go well beyond the rights of same sex couples.

While a challenge to the ruling is certainly not a decision to be taken lightly given the important human rights concerns raised in the case, the ruling of the Hon. Chief Justice has brought about significant ambiguity surrounding the Constitution and Bill of Rights and the interpretation of and ability of the Court to amend other laws should similar applications be made.

Based on the Executive Summary of the Court’s judgment there are three main points of concern which we have identified and the Government, as well as many in this Honourable House, have concerns at this initial stage. There may be other grounds that raise concerns as we further analyze this judgement.

Firstly, the implications of the Court’s decision for other types of marriages (for example, polygamous marriage), and whether Government would now be bound to give effect to or recognise such marriages if an application for a marriage licence is made for a man to marry multiple wives.

 The second concern relates to the extent of the powers of the Court under section 5 (1) of the Constitution to modify legislation on matters such as the right to marry, bringing into question the appropriate separation of powers under the Constitution and whether by exercising these powers under section 5 (1), the Court has exceeded its mandate under the principle of separation of powers.  

A third concern is whether, given the language in section 14 (1) of the Constitution, it was open to the Court to find that the right to marry and found a family, could be located in other rights within the Bill of Rights, namely, sections 9 and 10 of that document.

After very careful consideration of the three main points previously mentioned, the Government is of the view that the issues are of fundamental constitutional importance and therefore it is in the public interest to have them considered and determined by an appellate court.  For clarity, I will add that the appeal will not be pursued in the name of the Governor, but as is usually the case in actions by or against the Government, in the name of the Attorney General, and the actual office that made the decision.

Mr. Speaker, let me say here that in appealing the Government is cognizant that there is no guarantee or certainty as to how the Court of Appeal will rule. However, we believe it is critical that the country has the benefit of clarification on these very important constitutional issues.   

I wish to note that I am painfully aware that the issue of same sex marriage is an emotive one in our Islands.  I am also very conscious that this is an issue with real people who have real lives and there are emotions and feelings involved and that this is not merely some text book case. I and the Government have no intention of causing any harm or hurt to the petitioners but we must ensure that in seeking what they deem protections and rights under the law that a door is not opened that may impinge on other protections and rights.

As Premier I will state what I have said many times before  – I have no doubt that the feelings of the majority of Caymanians are that marriage should retain its traditional and religious definition and meaning, the union of one man and one woman. I recognise that many of the younger generation of Caymanians have differing views on this issue and it is quite likely that in years to come the majority view of Caymanians may change. But such a majority is not evident to any of us here today.

However, I equally want to make it clear that no matter what my own religious beliefs, or indeed the beliefs of the other members of my Government or of this Parliament, as your Premier I also have an obligation under the law and the Constitution, and indeed given my religious upbringing under the teachings of Christ, to ensure that all people, but especially any minority group, regardless of differences, are treated fairly and with respect. 

I implore those of us in this House and outside of it to discuss their views freely, but respectfully. At all times we should keep in mind that those in our community who are in same sex relationships, or have family members who they love in such relationships, are like us - made of flesh and blood with feelings and emotions and are not merely stone objects.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Good evening your Royal Highnesses.

It has been a long while, Sir, since we welcomed you to our shores. We are certainly glad to have you back and accompanied by the Duchess of Cornwall.

I was a young lad when you arrived aboard HMS Minerva in July 1973 in your official capacity as a Royal Leftenant, but I do remember the enthusiasm and excitement of your visit to Grand Cayman. Many of the older people have told me they also remember your visit very fondly.

Since your arrival, Sir on what has been a whirlwind trip, I am sure you will have seen that things have changed a lot in Grand Cayman. The old Holiday Inn where you spent your last day when you were here previously no longer exists, but the Tortuga Club where you lunched in 1973 in East End is still there, albeit now an expanded modern resort.

Despite the changes, the great Caymanian spirit and hospitality still exists and have allowed us to build an economy that encourages development and brings jobs to our people. We take pride in the country we have built and continue to build. While we have embraced modernity we remain very proud of our rich heritage.

We have chosen to host this reception here at Pedro St. James, which we often refer to as the birthplace of democracy in our Islands. It was here that our first representatives and magistrates met in 1831 and drafted our very first laws.

Sir, when you were here 45 years ago the Cayman Islands was home to little more than 10,000 people. Today we are now the largest British Overseas Territory with over 65,000 people representing over 130 nationalities living and working amongst us in harmony.

Yesterday you saw the improvements we have made to the Owen Roberts International Airport and I am pleased beyond measure that you, Sir, were able to officially open that important port. This will provide our air travelers with a much enhanced experience when entering and leaving Grand Cayman.

I thank you Sir for also officially opening our new 25-metre swimming pool in Cayman Brac. The new pool on the Brac will give youngsters on the Sister Islands the advantages of training to become future Olympians and ambassadors of the Cayman Islands through the sport of swimming.

Ma’am, we are also very appreciative of your time today to participate in several events in George Town and where you met many of our people.

We are honoured that Prince Edward is the patron of the Central Caribbean Marine Institute on Little Cayman and I hope, Sir, you found the ground breaking work on reef restoration fascinating. Here in the Cayman Islands we work hard to protect our environment and have successfully saved our endemic Blue Iguana from extinction, which you witnessed first-hand at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park this afternoon.

Our efforts continue, from controlling invasive species in our waters and on our lands to purchasing properties for protected areas and setting aside money to buy lands including beaches and expanding marine parks.

Your Highnesses, your visit coincides with our celebration of 60 years of our Coat of Arms, which Her Majesty The Queen graciously granted to the Cayman Islands in 1958. In a few months we will celebrate the 60^th anniversary of our first written Constitution. That document allowed us to become a Crown Colony in our own right, choosing to stay with Britain rather than to take the road of independence. Both the Coat of Arms and our Constitution tie us to the United Kingdom. We are British and we are proud of it.

As is our long-held tradition, we wish to share with you a small token of our appreciation of your visit. We will present you Sir with a glass sculpture it titled Blue Meridian 79.9 degrees West, Point O’ Sand and was created by Caymanian artist Davin Ebanks who was inspired by the brilliant blues of Cayman’s water.

I also am pleased to present to you a memento of your previous visit I hope you will enjoy.

I do hope you have enjoyed your very short visit with the real jewels of the Cayman Islands – our people - and I wish you safe travels as you return to the United Kingdom later this evening.

We respectfully request that you convey to Her Majesty the Queen assurances of our enduring affection.

Thank you.

Thank you for joining us today for the grand re-opening of the modernized and expanded Owen Roberts International Airport.

Your Royal Highness, thank you for your graciousness in accepting the invitation to not only visit our beautiful Cayman Islands but also for officially opening our airport here on Grand Cayman.

The changes we have made to our airport are to carry us through for the next few decades as tourism numbers continue to soar with visitors looking for all the magic that these three jewels in the Caribbean Sea – our beloved Cayman Islands – have to offer. 

The Owen Roberts International Airport is the main gateway to the Cayman Islands and all that you will experience here on Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac, from our excellent cuisine to our wonderful people.

It is my sincere hope that you enjoy your time here and return home with fond memories of these special Islands and our people.

Your visit certainly means a lot to us, and has brought back fond memories, for many, of your earlier visit here as well as the two visits by Her Majesty the Queen. 

Undoubtedly your visit here on this occasion will again leave wonderful memories for those that you meet as you travel about our three Islands.

Thank you once again, Sir, for unveiling the plaque to officially open our modernized Owen Roberts International Airport. Your presence here affirms the strong relationship between the United Kingdom and The Cayman Islands.

On behalf of our people welcome and please enjoy your visit.

Good morning.

My thanks to our hosts, Royal Fidelity, for this invitation to speak at what has become an important annual conference in the Cayman business calendar.

I too wish to pay tribute to Anwer Sunderji, former Chairman and CEO of Fidelity. For many years he was the driving force of this conference and those who have been here before will understand how much he brought to this event and how we all looked forward to his political and economic insights and his wry humour, as he addressed the conference each year. 

Governor.. I thank you for your kind words and as you will hear shortly from my presentation – I very much agree that our economy is in great shape.   But let’s also get the viewpoint of leading regional economist, Marla Dukharan, when she presented her annual January online video economic report on the state of Caribbean economies in 2019.

SHOW VIDEO

  I thank Ms. Dukharan for continuing to acknowledge the hard work done by this Government to create not only a strong fiscal climate but also one that is conducive to growth and investment and that brings benefits to Caymanians. Ms. Dukharan also mentioned some challenges for us and I will speak to these later.  I will also later on provide a few statistics updated from those shown in the video.

As we gather to think about the global future economic outlook, perhaps it is appropriate that you hear this morning from a politician.  After all, it was a politician I greatly admire, Winston Churchill, Britain’s great war time Prime Minister who said, “Politics is the ability to foretell what is going to happen tomorrow, next week, next month and next year………And then to have the ability afterwards to explain why it didn't happen.”

He may have made these remarks tongue in cheek, but Churchill certainly understood that in his time, with changing world forces, it was becoming more and more difficult to know with any degree of assurance what the future might bring.  The same holds even more true today.   

This conference’s organisers have captured that sentiment well by titling today’s conference - Dynamic New World: Braving the Turmoil.

I am not planning to dust off a crystal ball and look into the future with you today.  That is always a dangerous idea at an economic conference.  After all – economists have correctly forecast at least nine of the last five recessions!

But neither am I planning to play it safe – instead I will provide my thoughts on not only what we in the Cayman Islands need to keep doing to avoid the turmoil; but also, the things that we could consider doing to prepare ourselves for an increasingly dynamic world.

I will start with this observation: in times of dynamic and profound change we should expect that there will be turmoil. 

Great change and turmoil are but different sides of the same coin.  Whether the change is political, economic, or technological – where there is great change we can expect turmoil; turmoil defined not just as total disorder - but also as upheaval, agitation, disruption or uncertainty.

The economic growth that the world has seen over the past 100 years has lifted millions out of poverty globally, but it has also made the very rich even richer – and highlighted a widening income disparity.   This has caused agitation and uncertainty in many countries – consider the ‘gilets jaunes’ protestors in France.  A new fuel tax has seemingly been the proverbial ‘last straw that broke the camel’s back’ and created an organic movement without a leader or a focus on any one particular cause, but a movement that has certainly created economic, social and political upheaval across France.

We have experienced great change in our Islands over the past 50 years, with the pace of change increasing at an ever faster rate.  And this has inevitably brought with it some agitation and uncertainty as Caymanians have experienced tremendous economic growth but also significant and sustained levels of immigration and development that have not just brought ‘new faces’ to Cayman but are also changing the very face of our Islands.

It is testament to the nature of our people that despite these immense changes, Cayman remains one of the most peaceful places on earth, largely free from the racial, ethnic, and social tensions that plague much of the world.

Consider just for a moment the political turmoil that is also impacting much larger countries and compare it to what we see in our small Islands.

In the world’s largest economy, we’ve seen political squabbling,  principally over a border wall and immigration, shut down the very business of government for well over a month, causing real problems to both those who receive public services and the civil servants who provide them.  In the result, some 800,000 public servants were left furloughed or required to work without pay.    

In contrast, Cayman continues to value the huge contribution that civil servants make in our society.  While we expect ever higher levels of efficiency and performance, we recognize and reward their service.  And whilst we have some tensions around increasing immigration we also understand the need to welcome people here to help us drive our economy and build a nation.  And because of that our population has grown by over 700% in my lifetime – with over 130 nationalities living amongst us in relative harmony.  We are a veritable little United Nations.

 In the UK, Brexit is revealing what has long been disguised – fundamental fault lines that run right through the core of the political establishment.  Again, it is not simply within the political sphere that the impact is felt, the British people feel it as well.  One of Britain’s most influential think tanks, the Institute for Government, in its annual report on the performance of the UK government concluded that all the time and effort that has gone into the political wrangling over Brexit has, “squeezed government’s capacity to manage public services and major projects, and to bring about improvement in them.”

In Cayman, by comparison, political differences have been put aside in the creation of a unity government that I have the privilege to lead – a coalition of the two main political parties and a number of independents.  The result has been a strong government that generates good decisions and is able to focus its attention on improving public services and delivering major projects. 

In Venezuela we see a once proud country, with some of the largest oil reserves in the world, become crippled under the weight of economic and political mismanagement.  Its people face a humanitarian crisis - suffering from a shortage in food supplies and medicines, and skyrocketing inflation making their currency useless as a store of value.  The impact is also being felt by its neighbors, including those in the Caribbean, as many thousands of Venezuelans leave the country in desperation.    

In Cayman we have had successive Governments that for 60 years have generally managed our economy and finances well and, despite the many changes here, there is political and social stability. We are no Utopia – as I mentioned at last year’s conference, we face our own challenges. But by and large we have done exceedingly well for a small nation with little in the way of natural resources.

 I mention these things to illustrate the fact that in the present day context the political and social stability we are enjoying in Cayman is more the exception than the norm.  

There are two important lessons in this.

The first is that stability cannot be taken for granted. We as politicians, particularly those within the unity government, need to continue to work tirelessly to maintain stability for the good of our country and our people. 

The second is that political instability, should we ever allow it to creep in, has real world consequences that none of us want to see in our Islands.  And so, we must be vigilant. And by we, I mean Government as well as private citizens, and business. 

We must not only appreciate the jewel that we have created here but we must jealously guard and protect it. 

Cayman’s political stability is bearing fruit.  You can see that in our headline economic indicators.

Annualised real terms GDP growth for the whole of 2018 is expected to close at 3.4%.  – This is on par with our largest trading partner, the USA.   So we have closed out the old year and started the new with continuing strong economic performance.

We have a strong economy that continues to generate jobs and opportunities for Caymanians.  The fall 2018 Labour Force Survey will be completed and released soon, but preliminary results indicate that overall unemployment, taking into consideration everyone legally resident here, has dropped from 4.9% in Fall 2017 to 2.9% in Fall 2018. As significant as that number may be, to me as Premier the more important number is that of Caymanian unemployment – which has dropped from 7.3% in Fall 2017 to 4.6% in Fall 2018.

This is the lowest level of Caymanian unemployment in more than a decade and is far lower than the peak Caymanian unemployment level of 10.5% that we saw in 2012.   

Political stability then has assisted in creating strong economic performance.  That in turn is sustaining confidence among businesses and investors about our future and their confidence is the foundation for maintaining growth and creating further opportunities for Caymanians.

Perhaps the most tangible and visible expression of confidence in the long term prospects of our economy is the growth that is going on in our development and construction sector.  This was one of the key factors driving the high level of overall GDP growth in our economy that I mentioned earlier.  Annualised growth in the construction sector reached 8.9% for the first half of 2018.  This growth in development is also driving an increase in imports with more than one billion dollars’ worth of goods having been imported into the Cayman Islands last year.

In large part so far I have been focusing on what we are doing, and must keep doing, to secure and underpin our success. 

This conference though is about looking to the future and in keeping with the theme I will consider what else we can do to prepare ourselves for the new dynamic world we face. In considering the future we should not just look at the most careful and predictable of scenarios, but at what exciting possibilities may be available to us if we are only more ambitious and innovative in our approach.

If we are to maintain, and indeed improve, our place in the world far into the future then we will need to be bold and to think big.  In my view, it only makes sense to think about bigger and bolder steps if we are confident in the foundations that are needed to support them.  If the economic fundamentals are sound then risk is more manageable and the confidence will be there to fund the investments that will be required.

Equally, it also only makes sense to think of such steps if they will bring real and tangible benefits to the Caymanian people. Ours is a proud history of willingness to innovate and to support inward investment but it has always been done on the basis that there is a meaningful return for our people.  You don’t grow an economy for the sake of business – you do it to provide opportunities for your people.

In terms of Cayman’s future prospects for growth and development, the fundamentals remain solid.  The factors that have fueled the success of Cayman’s economy continue to do so, despite challenges. 

For Financial Services, the bedrock foundation of our status as a UK overseas territory and our legal system based on English common law combined with the choice we have made to remain a tax-neutral jurisdiction with no direct taxation remains a fundamentally attractive proposition for businesses and investors alike.  The ability of the industry to innovate and the willingness of government to combine a business-friendly environment with appropriate but proportionate regulation will continue to maintain our competitive advantage so long as there is a level playing field.

Despite the challenges that our financial services industry is facing I am of the view that we can withstand these and continue to grow from strength to strength.   Ms Dukharan noted one such challenge in her video when she referred to initiatives by the European Union and their concern, justified or not, with countries that have ‘no tax or low tax regimes’. 

For those of you unaware, the Cayman Islands, along with over 20 other countries, are currently undergoing yet another review, at the end of which the EU will either give us their good housekeeping badge of approval or ‘black list’ us as having a harmful tax regime.      The concern presumably is that low or no tax regimes are harmful whilst, presumably, high tax regimes are not. 

This is never, though, simply a technical exercise.  In the end, the EU makes political judgments.  My government has therefore played its part in trying to influence those judgments by engaging with the EU.  This engagement continues and we, along with the 20 other jurisdictions undergoing the EU review process, await the decision of the EU Economic and Financial Affairs Council (Ecofin) meeting on March 12^th.  

I repeat here what I have said elsewhere - I remain confident that if the EU review process is fair, and not overtly political, we will not end up on any blacklist.  But we know that this is but one challenge – there are more to come.  

          I remain confident, however, that we can manage that future uncertainty and that by working together, government and the industry, we can keep pace with changing global standards while preserving the special characteristics of this jurisdiction that make it an attractive place to do business in the first place.

At the same time, our tourism industry continues to flourish with record numbers of tourists arriving at our newly renovated airport and at our seaport.  This growth will continue because we will continue to develop our world class tourism product. 

This Government has already been bold in not only modernising and tripling the size of our international airport but also in thinking of the future and committing to building the much-needed cruise piers that will serve us today but also protect our key cruise tourism business into the future.

The immediate economic prospects for Cayman are indeed therefore strong.  While there are uncertainties and threats, I believe that both our financial services industry and tourism have a positive outlook and we can continue to deliver sustainable levels of growth.

However, we do need to think longer term about what will drive future growth in the Cayman economy.  The more diverse the Cayman economy, the more resilient it becomes. Diversifying our economic base also creates new kinds of opportunities for our people, both as entrepreneurs and in the labour market.  And so we have attracted and continue to attract new types of technology and knowledge based businesses. 

Cayman Enterprise City, our well-established special economic zone, continues to attract new kinds of businesses to our Islands, notably internet and technology businesses, including FinTech and BioTech.

Newcomer Tech Cayman brings together Caymanian business acumen with established US technology entrepreneurship and is gearing up to create new forms of digital and knowledge-based business here.

Health City Cayman Islands utilises some of the most modern technology available anywhere. It is the first hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean to use robotic navigation for joint replacements; the first to install artificial hearts; and much more. This is a key part of our medical tourism platform.

And we continue to look to diversify financial services, more recently by attracting more reinsurance companies into Cayman – taking advantage of disruption in other jurisdictions to create new opportunities for us.  

But growth too brings its own set of challenges that we must manage. If we are to continue to grow, it is my view that we need to make really creative use of the scarce space we have.  And despite the huge strides we have made in recent years we must improve our future infrastructure, particularly our road network.  The Government is currently consulting on a draft national planning framework that begins to look at some of the crucial land use choices that will face us in the years ahead.  I support that consultation process and I hope everyone will want to take part in the debate.

However, the planning framework considers a relatively short time horizon and inevitably therefore this causes participants to  focus on marginal or incremental change.

This has traditionally been the Caymanian way.  We have taken a pragmatic approach and looked to make relatively small changes over time as circumstances have changed.   

Over a period of decades, we have gradually allowed taller buildings as the demand for property for development increased.  This demand continues and indeed strengthens and with the growth we are now experiencing there is already pressure to go beyond the current maximum of 10 stories above ground level.

I pose this as a series of questions that we as a nation should now consider, do we want to continue with the approach of incremental change?  Or is now the time for us to think bigger and act more boldly when it comes to our land use and building heights?  If so, how high and where do we want future development to be allowed?

Last week, speaking to the Chamber of Commerce I discussed the work Government is doing in partnership with business and the wider community to revitalize our capital, George Town.  I encouraged all involved to think creatively about how we might best use the space in George Town and the uses to which it might be put.  While I personally favour mixed-use development across the redevelopment area, this is a genuinely inclusive process and the Government is willing to listen positively to the ideas people will bring forward. 

The Government has already removed many of the constraints that have prevented innovative planning approaches in George Town in the past.  We would be willing to look further and remove other obstacles such as restrictions on building heights in order to see the kind of positive redevelopment we want in our Capital.

The other obvious example of the potential for taller buildings is along the Seven Mile Beach corridor.  All the messages about the strength of the tourism market and the luxury housing market suggest that there may be no obvious limit to building height in terms of what the market will bear.  The question becomes then, what is our community willing to see happen?

The answer to that crucially will depend upon the benefits that any such development brings.  I said earlier that if we are to take bold steps then there must be clear and tangible benefits for Caymanians.  If development is seen to be just about luxury hotels and accommodation for rich foreigners then our community will rightly reject it.  If on the other hand, it is not just seen to be, but actually is about, the delivery of improvements in infrastructure and in the economic and employment opportunities and the social conditions of Caymanians then I believe this is a debate we should be willing to engage in.

By way of a kick start to that debate, I can say today that representatives from Dart Enterprises have recently spoken to Government regarding plans for a landmark development within Camana Bay  that includes an iconic tower that would greatly exceed the current development height limits - creating a new skyline that would be recognizable the world over. With this development they will  commit to investing in excess of an additional $1 ½  billion into the Cayman Islands economy, not just in the development itself but in critical infrastructure improvements and supporting workforce development. 

We know that future development along Seven Mile Beach is inevitable.  In fact the new wave of redevelopment started some years ago and is now accelerating with the demolition of condominium complexes built in the 70’s and 80’s and the construction of new 10 story luxury residences in their stead. The question is whether we wish to continue to limit the type of development in the seven mile beach corridor in line with the status quo, gradually ratcheting up building heights and redeveloping existing sites to take advantage of changing regulations.  If so, the result will be more of the same in terms of what Seven Mile Beach is slowly becoming – just a higher wall of glass and concrete than we have at present and which continues to take over the whole beach.

Perhaps we can be content with this and the economic activity this incremental and ad hoc approach will create over the next ten or so years.  But what about the next decade and the ones after that? This approach is unlikely to ensure that as a country we maximize the full economic benefits of the Seven Mile Beach Corridor.

The alternative is to be bold and look at something different.  A more proactive approach that considers taller buildings and that conserves ever scarcer beach land on the important Seven Mile Beach strip.  Taller buildings but in particular hotel developments that generate much more income and economic activity for our islands than other types of development do. Taller buildings that will require developers to give back more of the beach and to have farther setbacks - creating a large open space between the building and the beach.

I believe we must at least take a long, hard look at the potential for the kind of tower Dart is proposing.

The development would necessarily be mixed-use with hotel, residential, retail and entertainment spaces. 

The potential economic benefits are considerable.  More and different construction jobs during the build phase.  New business and job opportunities for Caymanians to follow as new tourism and entertainment markets are developed to meet the needs of a different kind of tourist and a different kind of resident.

But we must also consider that such a large scale development project would create hundreds of jobs and economic opportunities and thus would also help to serve as a much needed buffer over the next few years when the inevitable next recession occurs. 

As part of considering this or any similar proposal, any developer will also need to bring forward a significant programme of infrastructure investment.  This would necessarily include road improvements but also potentially social infrastructure – improvements to Cayman’s schools or investment in affordable housing for local people for example. And so, as a Caymanian, I am excited about the idea.  As Premier, I am determined that we engage positively with Dart and with any other developers who might want to bring forward such ideas to see what might be possible.

There is an awfully long way to go before such ideas might come to fruition but now is the time for a national debate. The Plan Cayman process gives us a timely and appropriate vehicle to have that national debate.  The next phase of consultation in that process will be on an area plan for the Seven Mile Beach Corridor and the potential for a landmark development can be addressed as part of that consultation.   I will leave it to Dart to outline their ideas in more detail and, as I have said, I would welcome others coming forward with other proposals. 

I wish to make it clear that there has been no commitment from the Government to Dart or anyone else at this stage but we do believe we must be willing at least to consider the proposal.

The renowned architect Adrian Smith noted in an article on tall buildings that the landmarks they create often over time become a symbol of national pride and identity. Such developments create new types of jobs and economic benefit as well as serving as an iconic tourist attraction in their own right.

Think for a minute the impact that the Burj Khalifa, which was designed by Adrian Smith, has made for Dubai.  Or indeed the impact of the Eiffel Tower on Paris and indeed France as a whole.

Hang on!  Before people start taking to social media to decry this idea, hear me out.

Many people here will know that Gustave Eiffel was commissioned to design his iconic tower for the 1889 World’s Fair in Paris.  What you may not know is that the proposed tower was immediately controversial.  Indeed 300 members of the Paris artistic and cultural elite signed a petition to the Fair’s organizing Committee asking for the project to be abandoned. 

Yes – petitions against progress were a thing even then.

But I digress.  Describing themselves as “passionate devotees of the hitherto untouched beauty of Paris”, they protested with all their strength and indignation against what they described as “this useless and monstrous Eiffel Tower” that they claimed would be antithetical to the traditions of the city and would overshadow existing cultural sites. 

I can just imagine those in Cayman who will make very similar – if not pretty much identical – objections to any proposals for a major development here.  Yet now, the Eiffel Tower is not just part of the Paris skyline; it is the very symbol of the city itself. 

Could we in Cayman imagine a similarly iconic structure here that would come not to threaten our cultural heritage but to reimagine it and to symbolize the bold future we want for our Islands and our people?

I have no doubt that this last section of my speech this morning will be highly controversial and will ignite considerable debate.  If so, good!  That is my intention because this is a debate that the country needs to have.  There is much that is within our grasp if only we are bold and the decisions we make will have profound impact on the long term economic outlook of these Islands.

It comes down to a matter of choice about the future we want for ourselves and these Islands.  Brutus, in Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar, put it this way:

There is a tide in the affairs of men

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;

Omitted, all the voyage of their life

Is bound in shallows and in miseries.

On such a full sea are we now afloat,

And we must take the current when it serves,

Or lose our ventures.

I thank President Chris Kirkconnell and the Chamber for this opportunity to address you.

Last year I highlighted the improving relationship between government and business and the importance of continuing to develop that relationship.

That spirit of partnership has continued to grow and there are many examples of how our joint leadership has served to advance the interests of these Islands. I will highlight those as I talk about them, but I thank Past President Paul Byles, the Chamber Council, member businesses, and Wil and his team for their important contributions.

The coming year will be very good for our Islands. The Royal Visit of Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall in March will certainly be a highlight in a year that I expect will have many such, but none more important. And so Government intends to make 28 March, 2018, a public holiday in honour of this royal visit.

If you were present last year you may recall that I began with a video in which leading regional economist Marla Dukharan described Cayman as “the best run economy in the whole Caribbean”. The performance of Cayman’s economy over the last year consolidates our position at the top of Ms Dukharan’s league table.  

Government continues to run excellent surpluses with preliminary 2018 results indicating revenues of $832.3 Million with a surplus of $178 Million; some $91.4 Million more than budgeted. We continue to pay down debt and to operate from cash.

GDP growth was 3.7% in the first six months of 2018 and the official forecast for 2018 year end is 3.4%.

The economy continues to perform strongly and, as we anticipated, our economic success continues to generate jobs and opportunities for Caymanians.

The 2018 Spring Labour Force Survey showed an overall increase in employment with Caymanians in work increasing by 3.4% while employment among non-Caymanians declined by 4.1%. Correspondingly, unemployment decreased to 3.4% from 4.1% in the same period of 2017. Unemployment was lower across all status groups but the highest reduction was among Caymanians, which fell from 7.3% in the first half of 2017 to 5.3% in the same period in 2018. 

When the fall 2018 Labour Force Survey is completed and released it will show yet further improvement. Preliminary results indicate that in fall 2018, when compared with fall 2017, total unemployment would have dropped to 2.9% from 4.9% and Caymanian unemployment has dropped to 4.6% from 7.3% in 2017. This is the lowest level of Caymanian unemployment in more than a decade.

Last year I appealed to businesses to redouble efforts to employ suitably qualified and experienced Caymanians. These figures represent a significant achievement and I am grateful to all contributing employers. 

I am far from complacent and acknowledge there is more we must do to strengthen the position of Caymanians in the job market. I will talk about the action we are taking in that regard shortly. For now, though, I will simply reflect that the figures I just gave represent a significant step towards fulfillment of this Government’s key pledge to achieve full Caymanian employment – a strong economy where every Caymanian who is willing and able to work can find a suitable job.

The other key macro-economic indicator, inflation, is one we are watching closely. The latest data for the consumer price index give an annualized inflation figure of 3.5% for the third quarter of last year.  While high by recent standards, the figure has dropped back from a peak of 4.8% in the previous quarter.

Economists among you may point out that such is the nature of price variations over time and that these recent figures come on the back of a period of deflation – falling prices – in the Cayman Islands. And so, taking a longer term view, prices in the Cayman economy in September 2018 were actually only 2.5% higher overall than they had been in September 2014. That represents a significant five year period of overall low inflation.

However, we recognise that the current level of inflation can represent a squeeze on living standards, but the tools available to government to reduce inflation are limited. As an example, one of the most significant recent price increases was a jump in electricity prices - but remember, this Government has maintained the significant fuel duty reductions brought in by my last Administration that are still helping keep utility costs down. We also continued reductions on various import duties to licensed retailers to help lower prices. And we increased the duty free allowance at the airport from $350 to $500 per person for goods purchased abroad.

We will do what we can to maintain living standards, especially for the vulnerable. Last month saw the second of our promised increases in the minimum income we guarantee to those in receipt of social assistance, retired seamen and veterans, and retired long-serving civil servants. These individuals saw their monthly receipts from Government rising to $750. That increase of at least 36% since this government took office under two years ago is directly benefitting hundreds of Caymanians and, I should add, delivering on another of the key pledges we made to the country.

Lest we forget though, the best way to ensure a good standard of living is to ensure we deliver economic growth so our people can access well-paid jobs. Indeed the best social programme is a good job.

The picture of success I am able to paint this afternoon owes much to the continued strong performance of Cayman’s two pillar industries – Financial Services and Tourism.

Cayman’s Financial Services Industry continues to thrive even as it constantly adapts to changing global circumstances. The ability of the industry to innovate and the willingness of government to combine a business-friendly environment with appropriate but proportionate regulation will continue to maintain our competitive environment.

But we must recognise that there are major global players determined to undermine Cayman’s success. Our position is straightforward. Where there are reasonable demands to raise global regulatory standards we will comply, so long as there is a level playing field. Our willingness to do so is evident in the economic substance legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly immediately before Christmas.

This is one of those areas where I must thank the representatives of more than 15 financial services and commerce associations that supported the Minister for Financial Services, her team and the Government to tailor that legislation to meet the requirements of those who set global regulation standards as well as our own local business community. 

 I remain confident that if the EU listing process is fair, we will not end up on any blacklist. But we take nothing for granted and continue our engagement with the EU Commission and member states.

Looking ahead, the future of Cayman’s Financial Services Industry will face more challenges; not just from the EU and OECD, but also from the FATF. I am confident that we can manage those challenges and, working together, government and the industry can keep pace with changing global standards while preserving the special characteristics of this jurisdiction that make it an attractive place to do business.

Given the challenges our Financial Services Industry is constantly facing, it is even more critical that we  do all we can to secure the future of our other key economic pillar, tourism, and seek to accelerate economic diversification to reduce our reliance on both those industries.

For that reason, the current controversy over the cruise dock is not something that can be seen in isolation.

Cayman’s tourism sector is flourishing. Last year we received nearly 2.4 million visitors; the highest number in our history. The number of stay-over visitors broke previous records and cruise visitor numbers would have also seen a record year but for bad weather in December that prevented 12 ships from stopping here. 

This success is the result of a lot of hard work. The Minister for Tourism and his team have a marketing approach that is the envy of the region. In the end, though, it is the quality of the offer that drives our success. Yes, we have many natural advantages but it is the continual improvement in the standards of our hotels, restaurants and associated businesses along with our  infrastructure as well as our people that keeps bringing visitors to our shores.

Some of our critics point to our success and ask why we need to change. Surely, if Cayman continues to attract visitors, why do we need a new port?

Even our fiercest critics accept that the cruise industry is changing. They accept the trend towards bigger ships but seem to believe the changes can leave Cayman unaffected. They argue that these bigger ships will only gradually come into service and that they can continue to tender their passengers ashore in Grand Cayman.

I liken this approach to that of the Kodak company, which enjoyed decades of growth and became a cultural point of reference the world over. It’s “Kodak moment” tagline became part of everyday speech. I am sure there were those sitting at the company headquarters during the 1990s saying, ‘we are continuing to grow, why do we need to change’?

Kodak did not fail because it did not see digital photography coming; indeed Kodak invented the world’s first digital camera in 1975. 

Rather it failed to understand the profound impact that change would have on its business – not overnight, but over time. 

After a period of decline that lasted some 20 years, Kodak filed for bankruptcy protection in 2012. The company survives but is unrecognisable from the 20^th Century giant it had been.

I fear that will be the outcome for our cruise industry if we refuse to pay attention to the way the market is developing. We will go into a gradual but sure decline and our cruise sector will eventually be diminished.

This government will not allow that to happen.

It was at a Chamber Luncheon in 2015 that I announced that after careful consideration, Government had agreed on the merits of building a cruise port and enhanced cargo port.  We not only remain committed to the cruise dock and cargo port project, but are even surer of the merits today. 

The new cruise dock is vital to safeguard the future of Cayman’s tourism industry; whilst the new cargo facilities will receive larger cargo ships and help support the Islands’ growing population and, by allowing greater economies of scale, help to mitigate some of the cost pressures impacting our cost of living.

Whilst we are committed to delivering the port project, cruise and cargo, and to securing the growth and jobs they will bring, we are not doing so recklessly and without regard to the costs. I have previously made two promises to the country, which I will repeat here. 

First, we will structure the financing of the port in such a way as to not expose the country’s finances to disproportionate risk.

Secondly, we will minimise or mitigate the environmental impact of the project. 

We have already delivered on the first of those promises. We announced last December that we have concluded agreements with Carnival and Royal Caribbean, the two largest cruise companies, on their financial commitment towards the costs of constructing the new dock. 

I am happy to announce today that Disney has also given its commitment towards the financing of the port project. These agreements, coupled with the finance to be provided by the preferred bidder on the project, effectively ensure that no public money will be required to build the new cruise berths and enhanced cargo facility.  When I addressed you in 2015 I stated that the cruise companies must have skin in the game to ensure that we receive the necessary volume of cruise passengers over the period required for the financing to be repaid. That promise is being kept and I want to again assure the Leader of the Opposition that no current fees paid by the cruise companies to Government will be used to repay the financing package.

Having delivered on that first promise, we will now ensure that the second promise is kept as well. I have said before that I respect the views of those who argue that no economic benefit can outweigh environmental concerns. But whilst I respect their viewpoint, this is not a position that a responsible government can take. In my view this comes down to a question of judgement – do the benefits outweigh the costs? In my judgement and that of my Government, $245 million of net economic benefit, hundreds of construction jobs and then decades of increasing employment and business opportunities for Caymanians in the Tourism Industry definitely outweigh the inevitable environmental costs in a part of Grand Cayman’s only working harbour. What we can and will do is ensure that the final design of the new piers will avoid as much environmental impact as possible. Where we cannot avoid it, we will aim to mitigate the effects.  

The project is now in its sixth year and we continue to move forward carefully and deliberately. The procurement process is winding down and a preferred bidder will be chosen by the summer. Once this is done we will be in a position to speak more to the final designs and projected costs. 

So we will continue to support tourism as well as our Financial Services Industry, despite the challenges. But we will also continue to support increased diversification of our economy.  

I was delighted, therefore, to attend the ground-breaking ceremony on the first phase of the new campus development at Cayman Enterprise City late last year, as well as welcome the launch of the new Tech Cayman initiative. Both add further strength to this country’s offer to attract knowledge-based industries and other entrepreneurs and both have the support of Government.

I would add that Health City Cayman Islands continues to prove its increasing social and economic value, especially for health tourism. Recently in New York I addressed a Reinsurance Roundtable event where reinsurance businesses spoke in glowing terms of the value of locating in the Cayman Islands. These are market segments that are both ripe for growth and Government will do what we can to attract and support reinsurance and health tourism companies. The brilliantly organised and hugely successful Kaboo music festival is also a good indication of the potential value of large scale festivals and conferences to these Islands.

Our development sector continues to help power the Cayman economic engine and the addition of new hotels to our tourism product will help stimulate, as well as support, more growth for years to come.

There is no other way to put it; Cayman is doing very well.  However, our future success is not guaranteed and in an increasingly competitive global economy this jurisdiction needs to be ready to compete in good times or in bad.

That competition is not just about attracting business to Cayman.  It is also about making sure that entrepreneurial Caymanians are able to take the opportunities that the future growth of our economy will bring.

The Minister for Commerce has been pursuing a two-pronged strategy to support small business development. In the first strategy, Trade and Business license requirements have been streamlined and the whole renewal process has been moved online. Indeed we are making good progress across a range of e-government services.

The second strategy is about improving the support available to small and micro businesses. Just last week the Minister and the Cayman Islands Small Business Association signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at delivering services including workshops, mentoring sessions, grants and individual assistance to small business. The partnership between public and private sectors will be further enhanced through the establishment of a small business centre. 

This Government has also maintained the greatly reduced fees for small businesses put in place by the last Administration, and in 2018, some 4,800 micro or small businesses benefitted from these reduced fees.

For Caymanians not inclined to open a business, a high quality education is a crucial gateway to future employment and so I am grateful to those in this room and beyond who support the work being spear-headed by the Education Minister. Amongst other measures, the Minister and the Chairman of the Education Council Mr. Dan Scott recently returned from a fact finding tour in the UK looking at how we can learn from their experience, including through an upgraded and modernised curriculum as a key tool in helping to raise standards in Cayman’s public schools.

Also critical is our ongoing investment in enhancing our school infrastructure – both at primary and secondary levels.  And we continue to encourage, and support as best we can, private schools to enhance their facilities as well. Of course as important as a curriculum and school buildings are, attracting and keeping good teachers is especially key – and so we have ensured that the remuneration of our teachers is being increased.

I have spoken before about the various vocational studies initiatives – including the very successful City & Guilds vocational studies programme run by PWD. This has grown over the past few years and today provides a variety of training courses to some 17 Caymanian apprentices. Our plans are to expand this to serve at least 50 students next year with training provided in a number of fields including air-conditioning, plumbing, electrical and carpentry.

The improvements in education will help future generations but we also need to further improve the position of Caymanians in the job market now. As I indicated earlier, unemployment among Caymanians has fallen significantly, but now is the time to put in place improvements that will maintain that position as we go forward.

That task will be spearheaded by the new Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman – or WORC – Department. WORC officially went live this month and implementation of the changes will follow in the next few months. The first of those will be the online jobs clearing house – due to go live around Easter - through which all jobs will be advertised allowing Caymanians full access to the opportunities available.

Improvements that the government has promised in the work permit regime are also progressing. I wish to acknowledge the Chamber’s assistance in helping develop a new simplified and modern work permit system. We have more to do to road test the proposed changes and we have undertaken to work with business as we do so.

As a country, we need to embrace the opportunities of growth but it is time that we do so in a planned and measured way.  For that reason, we are consulting the public on a new National Planning Framework for the Cayman Islands. This encompasses several things to which the Government is already committed.  For example, it recognises the work we have been doing to modernise this country’s infrastructure. The framework incorporates the much needed revitalisation of George Town and also reflects the ambitions in our National Energy Policy.

It also seeks the views of the public on new ideas and approaches to how we develop and ensure our future is sustainable. I hope the Framework will ignite a national debate about our future.  To that end, I would like to thank the Chamber for hosting an event on the framework last December. We have extended the consultation deadline until the end of this month to give everyone as much chance as possible to contribute their ideas and I would encourage everyone in the business community to take part. 

We are of course continuing to invest in the infrastructure this country needs for its future. 

We are picking up the pace on George Town revitalisation and I would like to say how welcome it is to see the appointment of Mr. Colin Lumsden as the Town Manager to take that work forward. 

Having put in place some of the necessary infrastructure improvements, the time has now come to reimagine what our Capital might be like in the future. The Government wants the exercise of planning and delivering that future to be a fully inclusive process. For that reason, we will put in place a steering committee of stakeholders to guide the project. I hope the Chamber will accept our invitation to be represented on the committee.

We want the committee to involve the wider community and so we are planning a town hall charrette to engage everyone in the future design of our Capital and its town centre.

To those who will be involved as the work progresses, I want to encourage you to be bold. This is an opportunity to think more radically about what might be possible in terms of how we utilise the space and the activities we want to see in the Capital. The Government has previously removed some of the restrictions that prevented sensible development. So I want the committee to explore the freedom we will give them to develop exciting plans for innovative mixed-use development in George Town, including considering sensible building heights as necessary to encourage investors to redevelop and breathe new life into our Capital.

We also continue to invest in much-needed road infrastructure. This year we will progress the second phase of the Linford Pierson expansion project that will give four lanes between the Agnes Way roundabout and the Bobby Thompson/Smith Road traffic lights.

Nearing completion is the connector road and new roundabout joining Printers Way to Crewe Road in the proximity of the Mango Tree restaurant and bar.

In the next few months, the Olympic Way-Walkers Road connector will be constructed to help reduce congestion on Walkers Road and more effectively segregate school traffic. 

Later this year, work is due to start on the extension of Godfrey Nixon Way from the Blue Marlin restaurant on Eastern Avenue to the Fish Shack on North Church Street creating an important link for cruise and port traffic.

Looking a bit further ahead, design work is under way for the expansion of Shamrock Road and Hurley Merren Boulevard from 4 to 6 lanes.  This will ease congestion that motorists moving east encounter. This work will commence later this year.

We are also looking at how best to move forward later this year with the much needed continuation of the East West Arterial Road through to Frank Sound, with phase one connecting Hirst Road to Northward.

Meanwhile, work will be completed at the airport and it will be opened at the end of next month by HRH the Prince of Wales. This will be a proud moment for all who call this place home.   

Much has been said about the delay and added costs of the airport expansion. I will say this: When the airport expansion was designed some years back we considered what we thought was affordable at the time.  As our finances improved we looked again at what was needed to make a very good new airport experience even better – and so broadly half of the additional spend was the result of positive decisions to improve the quality of the redeveloped airport for the benefit of travellers. I and my Government are satisfied that decisions taken in this regard were sensible and affordable and I am satisfied that the public will also agree once the expansion is complete and the airport is fully operational.

As we think about the future of our Islands, we must also consider Cayman’s place in a changing world. To that end, I announced last year this Government’s intention to create a new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs. 

The new Ministry has now been established, with me as Minister, and will focus on advancing the economic and political interests of the country, the Caymanian people and the business community and will make it easier for potential overseas investors to do business in the Cayman Islands. This includes business that may flow to Cayman as we seek opportunities to participate in the UK’s Global Britain Initiative post-Brexit.

It will take direct responsibility for the Cayman Islands Government Office in London and a limited range of existing government departments and entities, including the Shipping and Aviation registers. Over time the Ministry will develop a select network of international offices to better achieve its stated purpose. Plans are already under way for the establishment of an Asia Office in Hong Kong. I must thank those business leaders, led by past President Byles, who gave their time to the development of that business case. An office in Washington is also being considered for 2020 as is one in Brussels if it is thought useful after the UK leaves the European Union.

In setting up both a new Ministry and an Asia Office, the case for change is underpinned by the view that international issues will become increasingly important to the wellbeing of these Islands. The Government accepts that there are costs and indeed potential risks in this approach. However, having done the business case, we believe the benefits are significant enough to justify the investment we are making. This same analysis will be done prior to any new international offices being established.

I have concentrated today on the Government’s economic record and our view of the future of our economy. Before I sit down; however, there a few other matters I thought would be helpful for Chamber members to hear about.

Firstly, whilst I am confident that our economy will remain very strong over the next 12 to 18 months; the picture is less clear after that.  Indications are that growth in major economies will slow over the next year. I believe that the momentum we now have, coupled with sound finances, place us in a good position to manage any such slowdown but the Minister for Finance and the entire Government are paying close attention and bearing this in mind as we start planning for the next budget cycle.

The latest constitution talks were held in London in December. Our requests have been generally well received and I am encouraged by the willingness of the UK to respond positively to what I believe to be a sensible and pragmatic set of proposals. Clearly, we will not get everything we want, but the negotiations are proceeding well and I hope they will be brought to a positive conclusion in the coming months; hopefully in time for our Constitutional celebrations that kick off in July, another key event in this year’s calendar to Celebrate Cayman.

I also wish to acknowledge the Governor, Mr. Martyn Roper, for working in such a spirit of partnership since his arrival – including assisting with and supporting the new Ministry.

The Governor and I are also working together to ensure the country’s safety and security and we share an ambition to reduce crime and criminality and improve the security of our borders.

This month saw the launch of the Cayman Islands Customs and Border Control Service but already the new intelligence-led approach of the service is bearing fruit. One good example is that at the same time that we launched the green customs channel at the airport and higher personal import duty limits, both customs revenues and successful interdictions by border control officers are up.

Further innovations will follow during this year. Just a couple of weeks ago the Border Control Service began a procurement process to introduce new immigration and passport control kiosks, very much like the ones you will have used at various international airports. We expect a pilot utilizing four such kiosks to be in place before the end of 2019.  Also this year, we will introduce a fully online visa application process.

Another important step is the creation of the new Coast Guard Service.  As well as being part of that border security network, the Coast Guard has other vital functions related to safety at sea, including maritime search and rescue. The next significant development for the service will see the opening in the coming weeks of the new operations and rescue coordination centre, which will play a key role in ensuring Cayman can coordinate search and rescue and other activities on a 24/7, 365 day basis.

The approach the Government is taking can also be seen at the community level, including the drive to reinvigorate neighbourhood policing. Alongside things like the creation of new neighbourhood watch schemes – something the Government has been very keen to see – this more accessible, visible and responsive policing is having a direct and positive impact on the lives of Caymanians, visitors and businesses. 

Delivering that kind of direct impact on the lives of Caymanians is central to what this Government has set out to do and it is not just in the area of crime reduction that our success is being felt. 

We have responded to concerns that Caymanians are being priced out of the housing market by pushing forward the National Housing Development Trust’s affordable housing programme. Last month, ground was broken on a scheme in East End that followed the successful completion of 16 new homes in Bodden Town last year.

As the six East End homes are finished, work will begin on eight more homes in West Bay. The Trust is also buying 10 acres on which to build in North Side and recently bought a 24-acre plot of land in George Town. I thank the Trust and the Minister for Housing for their tireless efforts.

The government has also significantly increased the stamp duty thresholds for first time Caymanian home buyers, allowing greater numbers of Caymanians to purchase first time properties without having to pay stamp duty, or to pay it at discounted rates. This represents a welcome leg up on to the property ladder for many young Caymanians and their families.

Elsewhere the Government has continued its work to create a healthier environment and to preserve more public land, particularly beaches for the enjoyment of our people and visitors. We have procured 634 acres of protected land, increasing the total amount to 4,111 acres – about 6.3% of Cayman’s total land mass. This year we will continue the policy of acquiring land for public use, including beach land and land for parks. The East End housing scheme will also create a new recreation park in the district. 

We have purchased the property used by the Scranton community for many years as a park. This purchase safeguards public access to that important community space in perpetuity. Government is working directly with the Central Scranton community on plans to improve the property.

Land has also been acquired to create a park that will serve the Red Bay and Prospect constituencies. Those communities will also help guide the public use of the park.

Work will commence this year on Smith Barcadere once planning and design are completed. And the South Sound Boardwalk has been completed and provides a safe walking zone as well as preserves beautiful vistas of the sea for the enjoyment of all.

Work continues on the Integrated Solid Waste Management project and after more than five years of work and negotiations we are nearing agreement with the preferred bidder, DECCO. The project addresses the solid waste management needs for these Islands for the next 25 years. This is a design, build, finance and operate Public Private Partnership that will not require any capital investment by the Government. This is a key deliverable and we are very pleased to have made it to this juncture.

Much is being achieved by this Government and it is all being done in a fiscally responsible way.  We continue to operate with surpluses even higher than those that we budgeted to achieve. Our capital investments are being paid for from cash without increased borrowing and we continue to repay government debt. 

This Government’s track record of delivery and sound stewardship of the finances is the result of the hard work done by my Ministers and Councillors, as well as the Civil Service.  I thank them for the support they give me and for the work they do every day for the people we serve.

Ours is indeed a Unity Government – one where we may take different views but where we are all willing to work together towards our shared ambitions for these Cayman Islands.

We have achieved much together but our ambitions are not yet fulfilled. We have a lot left to achieve and just over two years in which to do it. With the same determination and pragmatism demonstrated in our first two years, I have no doubt we will achieve what we set out to do.

The best - the best - is yet to come.

Good morning.

Thank you Chris for so ably establishing Protocol.  

We find ourselves at an auspicious time in the history of the Cayman Islands. We are winding down a yearlong celebration of the 60^th anniversary of the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms and winding up the commemoration of the 60^th anniversary of our first written Constitution.    

You may wonder what this has to do with today’s conference.  So before you conclude that I have picked up the wrong speech this morning, perhaps I should explain.

Over the course of the next two days I am sure the words disruption and innovation will be mentioned many times – and when it comes to international business and financial services, disruption and innovation are two words that definitely apply when speaking of these Islands. 

The 1950s and 1960s were certainly a time of disruption and innovation.  Whether in music, social change or politics – it was an exciting time across the globe.  These years saw the birth of an important symbol of national identity, our Coat of Arms in 1958, coupled with our first Constitution in 1959.  This was swiftly followed with legislation like the Companies Law and the Banks and trust companies Law that provided the foundation for what has come to be called the Financial Services Industry.

 In 1958 women won the right to vote after lobbying for ten long years and in 1962 these Islands, bucking the trend at the time, decided to remain a British Crown Colony rather than seek independence as Jamaica and others did.  These important events helped shape the direction of our three Islands over the past 60 years.

At the point our Constitution came into force, the Cayman Islands population stood at 8,500 souls.  Our economy was based on seafaring, on international trade, notably thatch rope and turtle, and on small-scale agriculture.

In the six decades since we have become not only a tourism Mecca, but importantly a premier international financial centre – and in the process helped transform the way that legitimate global business is done.

Disruption and innovation were a part of who we were in those early days and continue to be key to our success. Today we are a sophisticated jurisdiction, both in terms of infrastructure and business. Yet you can still find areas of laid back charm with a Caribbean feel as you move away from the commercial and tourism centres. Forgive me for saying unashamedly there is no place on earth quite like the Cayman Islands.

In sixty years Cayman’s GDP has grown to over four billion US dollars. The Islands’ population has grown to over 64,000 as citizens from over 130 nations have been drawn to be part of our economic miracle. Taken together, those two data points put Cayman in the world’s top 10 of nations ranked by per capita income.

 Our economic miracle may have had divine assistance, but it certainly does also have distinctly man-made origins. It has been achieved through far-sighted decision-making, entrepreneurial spirit and government’s willingness to innovate in support of business and economic activity. 

That success has been most keenly felt in Cayman’s Financial Services Industry, which accounts for about 56% of our GDP. For example, the number of registered funds in Cayman was up by 4.1% to over 11,000 last year while 33 new insurance licenses were issued bringing the number of licensed insurance companies to 730.  Across our economy, in the first half of last year, new company and partnership registrations rose by about 11,500, or 39%, and listings on the stock exchange increased  by 401 new listing, or 38%. Total listings on the stock exchange at the end of June 2018 was1464, whilst total incorporated companies at the end of September 2018 stood at over 106,000.

We saw another record year in tourist arrivals with about 2.4 million visitors in 2018, combining cruise and stayover, up 11% over 2017. And the development sector continues to do well with some 722 projects approved in 2018 at a value of US$500 million.

This economic success brings benefits to international businesses based here as well as to Caymanians.  GDP growth in the first half of 2018 reached 3.7%.  Unemployment, when the next set of economic statistics is released, will have fallen below the last reported figure of 3.4%.  Government is delivering significant budget surpluses which are being used for public service improvements, infrastructure investment and to pay down debt.  And all of this without any reliance on direct taxation.

The picture I am able to paint is one of a vibrant and successful economy; a private sector that continues to flourish; and a responsible and responsive government. And an economy that has shown the capacity to survive disruption and to innovate and grow.

That is the picture today; but what lies ahead?

The International Monetary Fund’s latest global economic outlook has downgraded its growth forecast from 3.7% to 3.5% for 2019 and points to a range of threats and uncertainties – from tariffs and trade barriers, to Brexit.  

Here at home our key financial services sector is facing specific challenges. Last month I led a delegation to Europe for discussions with key officials in the European Union and with individual member states. In more than a dozen meetings held in Brussels, Paris and Berlin, we sought to defend Cayman and to raise the level of understanding of this jurisdiction and our Financial Services Industry, and to restate our clear proven commitment to working within the same internationally accepted regulatory frameworks as everyone else.

We demonstrated that commitment by explaining to officials the recent legislation that Cayman has passed in relation to the EU and OECD requirement that relevant entities doing business in the jurisdiction must have ‘economic substance’ in the jurisdiction. 

    We, along with over 20 other countries, are currently undergoing another review, at the end of which the EU will either give us their good housekeeping badge of approval or ‘black list’ us as having a harmful tax regime.  If the process is fair we ought not be on any EU black list.

The approach we have taken to this legislation results from working closely with the financial services sector as well as with the OECD and the European Commission. I would like publicly to thank colleagues in Cayman Finance and individual businesses for their help and support.

 We continue to cooperate with global authorities to ensure that our frameworks meet with appropriate standards.

Sadly, it has become increasingly clear that for some countries the issues are less to do with effective international regulation than with their own domestic politics and economies.

By example, despite the ongoing EU compliance process, last month the Netherlands government placed the Cayman Islands and 20 other jurisdictions on a ‘blacklist’ of its own devising. The reason? Nothing to do with global standards – simply put, the Netherlands takes the view that corporate tax rates in Cayman are too low. 

Well, I suppose at zero, it was unlikely anyone would think our tax rates too high!

The serious point is that the Netherlands, and there are others, cannot understand how a country as small as we are can be such a success and have no direct taxation, relying instead on indirect taxes and fees to provide revenue to government. 

Imagine, if you might, a small, low-lying land of enterprising traditionally seafaring people, making their way in the world to become a centre for international trade. They are confronted by an over-bearing European power intent on pushing back against their freedoms and determined to impose high levels of taxation upon them.

I am not describing Cayman in the 21^st Century.  Rather that is the story of the Netherlands in the 16^th Century as the people there revolted against their Spanish rulers. Given that the ensuing war lasted some 80 years and was crucial in shaping their nation, it is a wonder to me that the Dutch appear to have forgotten the lessons of their own history.

Let me be absolutely crystal clear. Cayman will comply with international standards and will maintain transparency and exchange information to allow local tax and law enforcement agencies in other jurisdictions to do their jobs effectively. But we will not be bullied by those who are jealous of our success, resentful of our taxation policies and unable to compete with us on a level playing field.

In all apparent adversity there are opportunities. Over the last sixty years, Cayman has been innovative and flexible, capable not just of responding to the winds of geopolitical change but of leading the way in creating and sustaining new business opportunities.

It is in that spirit that we look to the future. We will continue to support Tourism as well as our Financial Services Industry, particularly the sectors in which our jurisdiction is pre-eminent - such as hedge funds and captive insurance. Alongside that we stand ready to support the development of new markets such as reinsurance or fintech.

The technology space is crucial to the futures of us all and it is no surprise why the organisers have chosen to focus on that during the conference. Technology itself is, of course, neutral but its future use will be both a disrupter and an enabler in economic and social terms.

As a political leader, I welcome the breadth and immediacy of contact that technology brings but confess to considerable frustration at the repeated attempts to hijack my social media accounts or to set up fake online scams in my name. 

As a Government we are investing in a comprehensive e-government programme that draws on the experiences of the Estonian Government’s world-leading programme. E-government is making public services more accessible, customer-centric and cheaper to deliver.

We have a shared interest in how technological change will shape the future of financial markets. In particular, we need to come to terms with how regulatory frameworks need to be created in response to the new products that technology enables. The vexed questions of the regulatory frameworks that need to apply to crypto-currencies are but one example.

What we do know is that these technologies will have a huge impact and here in the Cayman Islands we are preparing for the new digital financial services revolution.

The online magazine, International Investment, reported that Cayman-registered blockchain companies are amongst the fastest growing anywhere – with upwards of about US$5.5bn raised from initial coin offerings. You see the same formulae that make Cayman attractive for traditional financial services businesses also attract those in the Fintech sphere. And as we did with financial services, we intend to play a key role in helping develop the required regulatory framework needed for this growing sector – internally via a Cayman Islands Monetary Authority working group now looking at this and also via our memberships in organisations such as the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force.

We in Cayman are determined to develop and exploit new markets.  We are establishing a new Ministry with responsibility for international trade and investment, and this year we will establish an Asia Office based in Hong Kong with a similar role to our existing London Office.  And we anticipate opening an office in Washington DC towards the end of 2020.  We believe these steps will help us to advance our international reputation while making us easier to do business with and attract more inward investment.

Cayman is a successful and attractive jurisdiction.  I am confident in the future of our economy and in the role that financial services will continue to play. The Government I lead will continue to speak for the industry internationally. We will continue to ensure effective but proportionate regulation. And we will continue to support innovation and diversity and work with the industry to keep government actions aligned with developments in the sector.

Cayman is looking to the future in a realistic way that recognizes challenges but also sees huge potential and opportunities - opportunities for business; opportunities for investors; and, yes, opportunities for Caymanians.

Whether you are invested in Cayman or visiting this conference to find out more, you can see the evidence of our past and current success and you can be assured that this Government is doing all it can to create and sustain Cayman’s future. I hope that you will want to be part of that future with us.

Thank you.

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I extend a warm Caymanian welcome to everyone and thank each of you for joining me today on this National Heroes Day where we are “Celebrating the Creation of our Coat of Arms”.

I must admit, my heart was filled with pride as I watched those precious children walking past while waving flags and hearing our National Anthem, God Save the Queen. These are meaningful symbols of who we are as Caymanians, as is our Coat of Arms.

It was the conferral of our Coat of Arms that began our incredible journey as three small islands in the Northwest Caribbean Sea that have emerged from relative obscurity onto the world’s stage.

Last year we observed the 60^th anniversary of our Coat of Arms and heralded the return to these islands  of a very special part of our history, the Royal Warrant, which was conferred by her Majesty the Queen on 14 May, 1958, but had been lost in the fire that had destroyed the former government administration building in the 1070’s.,

When we examine the storyline that bridges the gap between Cayman’s earliest settlement and our rapid ascension to becoming a world class leader in financial services and tourism, the conferral of the Coat of Arms arguably represents the seminal event that provided the catalyst that put the Cayman Islands on the path to modernity.

It is indeed my distinct honour to share the story of how our Coat of Arms came into existence and pay homage to the many individuals who contributed to its development. 

The Coat of Arms is our first internationally recognised symbol of identity. Its rich imagery tells the story of who we are, our history, our culture, our earliest industries, our constitutional relationship and our faith. 

Up until 1958, life in the Cayman Islands was summarised by the legendary phrase, “the Islands time forgot”. There were many who saw little by way of a future here and chose to migrate, whether to Central America, Isle of Pines in Cuba, the United States or Jamaica.   

But many others remained, determined to stay and tarry on while bravely facing the most difficult of circumstances. You see, these hardships forged generations of Caymanians, steeling their spirits and uniting their hearts in a commitment to succeed while producing legendary iron men and women.

It is important to note that at this time we were constitutionally a dependency of Jamaica, which was itself a British Colony.

Whilst domestic affairs were managed locally and trade routes existed with other countries, the administration of the country was overseen by a Commissioner or Administrator who himself reported to the Governor of Jamaica.

Then in the late 1950s a man of vision arrived: Commissioner Major Alan Hilliard Donald.

Commissioner Donald is recognised for his central role in the development of the Cayman Islands first national symbol – the Coat of Arms.

Commissioner Donald would have seen first-hand the independence and ingenuity of the Caymanian people despite their constitutional link to Jamaica and recognised that Caymanian people clearly distinguished themselves from their neighbours to the Southeast. Commissioner Donald put forward a proposal to adopt a Coat of Arms for the Cayman Islands, which was approved by resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry on 3 April, 1957.

In what could have been one of Cayman’s earliest examples of a public consultation exercise, on 11 April, 1957, Government notice 33/57 was issued requesting all interested persons to submit design ideas and illustrations for the Coat of Arms. A deadline of 1 May, 1957, was set.

One design was submitted by an American residing in Cayman named James “Jimmy” Ford, of the Yacht Club/Port of Call (now the Wharf). This submission assisted in the final design for the Coat of Arms. It is also believed that Commissioner Donald chose the motto “He Hath Founded it Upon the Seas” from Psalm 24 as it reflected the Christian faith of the Caymanian people.

On 5 February, 1958, a resolution was moved in the Legislative Assembly by the Commissioner to approve the selected design of the Coat of Arms and to send to Her Majesty’s Government for approval. 

It gives me great honour to recognise Mr. Linberg Eden and Capt. Owen Farrington, the two living Vestrymen who would have been serving at the time the resolution was moved in the Legislative Assembly.

There were three key features the people of the Cayman Islands placed great value on and wanted represented in the final design. Those were:

• The representation of the British connection
• The representation of the sea as the home of Caymanians
• Something to symbolise the three Islands

Additionally, it was noted that for sentimental reasons Caymanians desired to retain the thatch rope as part of the final design.

The chosen design for the Coat of Arms for the Cayman Islands features a shield, crest and motto and incorporates important historical and indigenous features of the country.

The shield features blue and white wavy lines representing the sea. Three stars of green, lined with gold, lay atop the lines, depicting our three Islands.

The top the shield features the British lion, symbolising the Cayman Islands’ connection to the United Kingdom.

Above the crest are the arms elements of the Coat of Arms. The green sea turtle is a prominent feature, representing the Islands’ original name “Las Tortugas”, given by Columbus, as well as the turtle fishing industry.

The turtle sits on top of intertwined bands of blue and white silk, representing Cayman’s thatch rope making tradition.

Above the turtle is a pineapple, which represents the connection the Islands have had with Jamaica.

At the base of the shield is the motto “He Hath Founded It Upon the Seas”. 

On 14 May, 1958, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II assigned the Armorial Ensigns to the Cayman Islands, bringing to life the first key symbol of national identity for Caymanians.

The granting of the Coat of Arms began the process of formally distinguishing the Cayman Islands from Jamaica and Cayman found itself at a crossroads with many choices to make. Once again our community and its leaders rose to the occasion, putting into motion a number of watershed moments in our history.

The legislation that was adopted, the choice to remain part of the United Kingdom when Jamaica chose independence, the receipt of our first constitution order, the granting of the right of women to vote and stand for election and the introduction of our own currency were just a few of the milestones fundamental to the development of the Cayman Islands that we know and love today; all built on the foundation of the Coat of Arms.

To commemorate the 60^th anniversary of our Coat of Arms, Cabinet commissioned the Celebrate Cayman team to plan and bring to life the cultural celebrations over two-years, beginning in 2018.

Members of the Celebrate Cayman team are Executive Chairman Alfonso Wright, Deputy Executive Chairman Marzeta Bodden, Project Coordinator Kara Coe and Events Manager Kristy Watler.  I thank them for their passion and commitment to preserving and promoting our heritage.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, this is just one of the many events giving us another opportunity to Celebrate Cayman. Throughout the remainder of this year and until July 2020, Celebrate Cayman will host many other events and educational campaigns focused on teaching the public about the Cayman Islands’ important historical achievements. 

Before I close, I want to let you all know that at Heroes Day 2020 we will honour those who involved in shaping our first written Constitution in 1959. Our Pioneers in Maritime Heritage will be recognized at Heroes Day 2021.

Thank you and God bless you, and may God continue to bless and prosper the Cayman Islands. Please enjoy the day.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said he is pleased that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has confirmed that Martyn Roper’s post as Governor of the Cayman Islands has been made substantive and he is to serve a four year term.

“HE Martyn Roper has been working closely with me and the Government since his arrival and has been very helpful already in several areas,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “Just this week he travelled to New York to support the Cayman Islands Government and Cayman Finance delegations at the Cayman Finance New York Breakfast Briefing and a Reinsurance Roundtable discussion. This was a first, as far as I am aware, for a Governor to actively support and endorse our Financial Services Industry on an international stage and to publicly note the United Kingdom’s support of our Financial Services Industry.

“He has also been very helpful in our conversations with the UK Government on constitutional discussions and of course his support for the purchase of a new helicopter to expand our aerial law enforcement operations was welcomed and we look forward to the new helicopter arriving later this year,” said Mr. McLaughlin. 

“As I said when the Governor arrived, he has come at a particular juncture in these Islands when we are again facing some significant international challenges. I know he has some considerable experience in dealing with agencies such as the OECD and I look forward to working with him on these issues over the coming months as we seek to address the serious challenges regarding the EU’s listing process,” he said.

On behalf of my Government and the Cayman Islands I offer him congratulations on his formal appointment.

NEW YORK, New York – The Cayman Islands delegation was well received at the 6^th Annual Cayman Finance New York Breakfast Briefing held Tuesday morning at the Harvard Club of New York City.

After welcome remarks from Cayman Islands Governor Martyn Roper, he noted the professionalism of Cayman’s Financial Service sector and confirmed that the sector had the support of the United Kingdom.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin told the more than 150 attendees that the Cayman Islands remains bullish about the prospects of financial services business in our jurisdiction and that the country and Government are gearing up for opportunities to successfully meet the challenges and uncertainties of the future.

In her address Minister Rivers spoke of the good work that Cayman has done in the fight against tax evasion, money laundering and countering terrorist financing and that this work was recognised by the likes of the OECD. She also spoke about Cayman’s efforts to comply with the most recent ‘economic substance’ requirements of the EU as well as the OECD.

The Premier, Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers, Attorney General Hon. Sam Bulgin and the Cayman delegation travelled to New York over the weekend following meetings in London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris where they attended 13 meetings with representatives from the European Union and various EU member states including Germany and France.

“We wanted to ensure that the EU Commission and member states understand that Cayman is meeting the commitments we made and to provide opportunities for them to raise any concerns,” Mr. McLaughlin told the New York breakfast crowd. “Conversations were professional and frank and mostly positive.”

Mr. McLaughlin also told the audience of the new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs, which has been set up to better coordinate Cayman’s work in promoting the Cayman Islands overseas. He also told them about the United Kingdom’s assistance to establish Cayman’s own Asia Office based in Hong Kong.

The New York Breakfast Briefing is hosted each year by Cayman Finance to provide member firms and associates an opportunity to learn more about the latest development in the Cayman Islands Financial Services Industry. This is the first year that the Premier has been invited to give welcome remarks at the event.

During her address, Ms Rivers said, “As you can see, the Cayman Islands has included the “A Team” in today’s programme to underscore our commitment to the financial services industry; an industry that accounts for roughly 56 per cent of our GDP,” Ms River said. “It is our pleasure to not only sponsor this event annually, but to also participate in providing the key policy update covering the work of the past year and providing insight into the plans for the year ahead.

“Cayman will continue being a place for sound business, long into the future, because we will continue to meet internationally adopted standards,” she said. “Over the many decades we have demonstrated that we have the expertise and the resiliency needed in order to successfully navigate change, for the benefit of our clients and our country as a whole. As our history has shown us, the future of the Cayman Islands is bright.”

Following the breakfast briefing, the Premier and the Cayman delegation met with executives from Bank of New York Mellon at its headquarters.

“This meeting was salient for us because BNYMellon is an extremely important corresponding bank to the Cayman Islands,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “While the bank normally engages with regulators and the actual banks they do business with, this gave Government an opportunity to engage directly with them and have conversations about matters they wished to address.”

Additional meetings are scheduled on Wednesday with Citibank and Wells Fargo, two more key correspondent banks.  A correspondent bank is one that provides services on behalf of another financial institution to facilitate wire transfers, conduct business transactions, accept deposits, and gather documents.

On Tuesday evening the Cayman delegation attended the Cayman Finance New York Reinsurance Roundtable, again at the Harvard Club where the Governor, Premier, and Ms Rivers spoke about the attractiveness of Cayman as a domicile for Reinsurance business. Minister Rivers told those present that the Cayman Islands were working to attract large scale reinsurance operations. Ms Rivers noted that as a result “there are now at least 10 sizeable reinsurance operations in Cayman, including four Class D Licenses”

Premier Mclaughlin commented to those present, “My message to you today, as Cayman Islands Premier, is to say that my presence here, along with the Governor, the  Minister of Financial Services  and the Attorney General, fully demonstrate the Cayman Islands Government’s full support for the continued development and growth of the reinsurance industry in our jurisdiction.

The main event of the evening was the panel discussion that included professionals in the Reinsurance Market who told those present of the many benefits to their companies in being domiciled in the Cayman Islands, including the way the jurisdiction worked with them to not only set up business but to be successful. 

Good morning,

I will lie and say that it is great to be in New York City this time of year… but I will also go on to be truthful and say that the cold weather notwithstanding it is indeed good to be with you at this Cayman Finance New York Breakfast Seminar as we embark on another New Year filled with exciting possibilities.  

 Whilst 2019 certainly offers opportunities it has begun with challenges, much of which are political in nature. Here in the USA the Government shutdown comes to mind while in the UK Brexit is looming with no agreed plan.  In the Cayman Islands a key issue for us is the European Union Listing process and the focus on financial services jurisdictions demonstrating that there is substantial economic substance behind the business done there. We are up to the challenge. Many of you who have done business through the Cayman Islands for many years know that we have grown from strength to strength despite the challenges posed by moving goal posts and evolving standards. 

The great statesman and UK Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, is reported to have said that “a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity whilst an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty”.  Seizing the opportunity inherent in difficulties has seen the Cayman Islands transform itself over the course of the past 50 years into a premier international financial centre, and in the process helped transform the way that legitimate business is done globally.

We have shown that we are ready and willing to not only fight to keep the thriving business and economy that we enjoy now, but to also adapt to new emerging trends, keenly conscious that many of these trends are driven by geopolitical considerations.

Some Governments, particularly in Europe, have a difficult time understanding how a country like mine can be so successful without a regime of direct taxation.  They see a country with very low unemployment, good budget surpluses, low public debt, modern infrastructure, a Moody’s Investment Credit Rating of Aa3 and a steadily growing economy. They see all this and no direct tax and conclude that something must be wrong - for the concept of no direct taxation is antithetical to their belief system.

They mulishly ignore the reality that our financial services business regime is attractive to companies because of our proximity to the United States, our tax neutrality, a broad cadre of financial services expertise, and because of our adherence to international standards with respect to global transparency and the fight against money-laundering and cross border financial crime.

While businesses domiciled in the Cayman Islands do not pay direct taxes to our jurisdiction, our laws and regulations ensure that the taxes owed to those home jurisdictions are paid. As the international standards continue to evolve, we are committed to adhering to them, providing they represent a truly a global standard.

And so just last month my Government, in consultation with the financial services industry, spearheaded new economic substance rules and legislation in our efforts to meet the requirements of the European Union and the OECD.  And we spent the last week in London, Brussels, Berlin and Paris where we had 13 meetings with representatives of the EU, including the Commission and the Code of Conduct Group, and with representatives of various EU member states, including Germany and France.  

We wanted to ensure that the EU Commission and member states understand that Cayman is meeting the commitments we made and to provide opportunities for them to raise any remaining concerns. Conversations were professional and frank, and mostly positive.

While the European Union has not yet determined what jurisdictions will be placed on a final list of non-compliant tax jurisdictions, we remain positive that, given all that we have done, if the process is fair the Cayman Islands will not be on any such list.

While we are doing all that we can to comply with global regulation and to remain the jurisdiction of choice for financial services, we also certainly see opportunities for us in the UK’s Global Britain initiative. 

We are therefore establishing a new Ministry of International Trade and Investment to better coordinate our work in promoting the Cayman Islands overseas, and with the assistance of the United Kingdom we have begun the process to establish our own Asia Office, based in Hong Kong.

We are positioning our Islands to take the best advantage of whatever new relationship eventually emerges between the UK and the EU.

So, in short, my message is that despite challenges the Cayman Islands remains bullish about the prospects of financial services business in the jurisdiction and are gearing up for opportunities that the uncertainties of the future will present.

If you are already doing business with us in the Cayman Islands, I thank you for your support and confidence in us. If you aren’t already operating from our shores, I invite you to come to Cayman and explore the awesome possibilities that await you.

Thank you for your kind attention this morning and again, I am pleased to be here with you in this fabulous city.

BRUSSELS, Belgium – Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin, Minister of Financial Services Hon. Tara Rivers, Attorney General Hon. Samuel Bulgin and the Cayman delegation are winding down meetings in Europe and will travel to New York over the weekend to speak at the Cayman Finance Breakfast Seminar where Mr. McLaughlin, and the delegation will continue to promote the Cayman Islands as a reliable and stable jurisdiction in which to do business.

As of Thursday, Premier McLaughlin, Minister Rivers and the delegation have had 10 meetings in Brussels, two in France and one meeting is scheduled tomorrow in Germany. On Monday, 14 January, the delegation met with Mr. David Boublil, Mr. Gints Freimanis and Ms. Emer Traynor. Mr. Boublil is a member of the Cabinet of Pierre Moscovici, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs. Mr. Freimanis is a member of the Cabinet of Valdis Dombrovskis, whose responsibilities include Financial Services and Capital Markets. Ms. Traynor is Deputy Head of Unit at the Director General of Taxation and Customs Union (DG Taxud).

Also Monday the delegation met with representatives of the European Union Code of Conduct Group (COCG). The COCG is charged with assessing jurisdictions to determine whether they potentially have tax regimes that are harmful to EU Member States. Ms Fabizia Lapecorella, the Chair of the Code of Conduct Group participated via telephone as she was in Rome. 

Other members of the Code of Conduct Group meeting with the Cayman Delegation were Mr. Andreas Strub, Mr. Aloys Rigaut, and Ms Emer Traynor, representing DG Taxud. The discussions focused on the commitments made by the Cayman Islands and our intention of continuing to meet all international global standards. Ms Lapecorella noted that she was aware of the excellent cooperation and engagement by the Cayman Islands.

In both meetings with the EU representatives the Premier and Minister Rivers, along with Mr. Bulgin,  outlined the  leading position of the Cayman Islands, over many years, in adhering to international standards regarding regulatory and tax cooperation as well as anti-money laundering and prevention of terrorist financing. More recently the Cayman Islands, along with many other financial centers, passed legislation to adopt and implement the new international standards on economic substance.

The EU representatives thanked the Premier and delegation for meeting with them and commented that the “good work and positive engagement” with the EU was appreciated. They noted that the legislation passed by the Cayman Islands and other jurisdictions in December 2018 is still being assessed by the Commission. However, they committed to advise the Cayman Islands technical team of the outcome once the assessment is completed.

Over the rest of the week in Brussels the delegation met with the Hungarian Permanent Representative as well as with the permanent representatives of Belgium, Cyprus, Luxemburg, Austria, Romania, Spain and the Netherlands. 

In France meetings were held with Mr. Gael Perraud, Deputy Director of International Taxation and European Affairs, as well as with senior representatives of Secretariat General on European Affairs. The Secretariat is a department of the Prime Minister and deals with several matters including taxation and the OECD.

In all of these meetings the delegation reiterated the positive engagement by the Cayman Islands and the measures taken to address the concerns of the EU. The Premier also sought to understand whether there were issues that need clarifying or further discussion.  In the meeting with the Netherlands the Premier and Minister raised concerns regarding the blacklist that was recently issued by the Netherlands Government, in particular the lack of engagement prior to the list being published and the rationale for including the Cayman Islands on the list.

On Friday the delegation travels to Germany for the final meeting in Europe after which they travel to New York.

Premier McLaughlin commented that “Whilst the EU delegation were not at this stage able to provide any insight on whether the Cayman Islands had passed muster and would avoid being blacklisted, they did not mention anything glaring that has so far concerned them.

“However, we are taking no chances. The  extensive engagement throughout  the week in Europe, at the EU level as well as with representatives of several member states, including the influential French and Germans, was  important to help ensure that those in the EU Commission, and in some Member States, who decide on these things, or who make recommendations to the decision makers, understand fully that we take our role as an international finance center seriously and that  we will continue to adhere to the evolving international standards. It also assisted in a better understanding on where some states were in their thinking,” he said.

Minister Rivers noted that “We have been directly engaging with the EU for almost two years, both at the technical as well as the political level, including some five visits by myself to Brussels and three for the Premier. We have worked with financial services partners at home in crafting the legislation and I am proud of the work we have done and for the support of Industry. 

“In addition, we have consulted with the EU along the way to ensure that the elements that they were seeking to be in legislation were present. In short we are collectively doing what we can to maintain a vibrant financial services business for years to come,” she said.

BRUSSELS, Belgium –  On Monday Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin and members of the Cayman delegation had discussions with members of the EU Commissions of Moscovici and Dombrovskis along with representatives of the EU’s DG Taxud and the Code of Conduct Group. Discussions were also had with the representatives of Belgium, Cyprus and Luxemberg.

On Monday morning Mr. McLaughlin, Financial Services Minister Hon. Tara Rivers, Attorney General Hon. Samuel Bulgin and the Cayman delegation met with Mr. David Boublil, Mr. Gints Freimanis and Ms Emer Traynor. Mr. Boublil is a member of the Cabinet of Pierre Moscovici, the Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs. Mr. Freimanis is a member of the Cabinet of Valdis Dombrovskis, whose responsibilities include Financial Services and Capital Markets. Ms Traynor is Deputy Head of Unit at the Director General of Taxation and Customs Union (DG Taxud).

Later on Monday the delegation will meet with representatives of the EU Code of Conduct Group, which assesses whether particular jurisdictions have tax regimes that are deemed potentially harmful to EU Member States. Ms Fabizia Lapecorella, the Chair of the Code of Conduct Group, will participate via telephone as she is in Rome. Other members of the group meeting with the Cayman delegation, representing the Chairs Team and the General Secretariat of the Council (GSC), include Mr. Gabriels Annolino (Chairs Team), Mr. Andreas Strub (GSC), Mr. Aloys Rigaut (GSC), Ms Kristi Raba (GSC), and Ms Emer Traynor, representing DG Taxud. 

In between the two meetings with EU representatives, the delegation will meet with Mr. Christophe Vinck, Advisor General for Direct Taxation at the Belgian Permanent Representation to the EU. Separate meetings are also planned with Georgia Nikolaou, fiscal attaché for direct and indirect taxation at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU; and also with Ambassador Georges Friden, Luxemberg’s Permanent Representative to the EU.

More details will be provided in a later press release.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin leaves the Cayman Islands Wednesday, 9 January, 2018, for meetings in London, Brussels, Paris, Berlin and New York to continue discussions about recently approved legislation concerning the Country’s continued efforts to meet international standards for the Financial Services Industry.

He will be joined by Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers, Attorney General Hon. Samuel Bulgin and other Ministry officials to continue discussions about global developments in the Financial Services Industry and Cayman’s continued efforts to stay off the blacklist of the EU. They will outline the steps the Cayman Islands has taken to meet European Union requirements, reaffirm Cayman’s commitment to international standards and address any concerns of global partners.

In December the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly approved legislation that further strengthens compliance with international standards. The legislation was produced following the Ministry of Financial Services’ in-depth consultation with Cayman’s financial services industry, Cayman regulators, the OECD and the European Union.

In New York the Premier has been invited to speak at the Cayman Finance Breakfast Seminar where he and the delegation will continue to promote the Cayman Islands as a reliable and stable jurisdiction in which to do business.

The Cayman Islands Government regrets that the Kingdom of The Netherlands has chosen to break from other EU Member States to pursue a “blacklist” of 21 jurisdictions, including the Cayman Islands, based solely on the criteria of having a lower corporate tax rate than any EU Member State.

This “blacklisting” does not take into account Cayman’s demonstrated adherence to international standards for tax transparency, or participation with the OECD’s BEPS Inclusive Framework, and ignores our engagement with the EU’s Code of Conduct Group over the last two years to address their concerns regarding economic substance.

The Cayman Islands Government regrets the unjustified “blacklisting” and rejects it as wholly lacking in fairness and credibility. It is unfortunate that The Netherlands has chosen to attempt to divert criticism of its own tax practices by attacking the legitimate tax regimes of other jurisdictions.

Putting aside this unfortunate action, the Cayman Islands continues its longstanding commitment to adhering to global standards, and to working with the global community to improve their effectiveness.  

Fellow Caymanians and residents, Happy New Year!

2018 was a year to Celebrate Cayman as we began a two-year journey to commemorate the 60^th anniversary of our Coat of Arms in 1958, and our first Constitution in 1959. 

In celebrating these two important events, we are also celebrating who we are as a people and the progress we have made in the 60 years since.  This is an opportunity to remind ourselves of our history and to involve our children so that they can be aware of the people, events, and times that set us on the path to becoming the successful nation and people that we are today.

We have indeed come a long way in 60 years.  My aim, and the aim of my entire Government, is to continue to build on the success of the past and to present the best possible future for all of you, and for future generations of Caymanians.

This we are doing.

Over the past five and a half years the good ship Cayman has been steadied and is on a good course.  Government finances are well managed, creating surpluses that have allowed us to repay debt, put aside money for rainy days, fund infrastructure projects, increase salaries for public servants, and increase assistance to those in need, as well as to retired civil servants, seafarers and veterans. 

Over the past year we have redoubled our efforts to improve the education of our children, and have expanded support for policing, with a focus on community policing. The purchase of the new helicopter will further enhance our law enforcement and border protection efforts, as well as our search and rescue capabilities.  Education and community safety remain top priorities in 2019.

We have also increased our protected lands assets over the past year and provided funding for more public and open spaces. These efforts will continue this year, as will the work to reduce the numbers of invasive green iguanas that are a major threat to our environment.

In 2018 we saw another year of record tourism arrivals.  Financial Services, despite continued external challenges, also performed well. The development sector is booming with many projects under way, including a number of new hotel projects that are needed for our growing tourism business.

And we are also continuing to diversify our economy.

We modernised our intellectual property and copyright laws and encouraged the growth of technology business, including financial technology or Fintech business.  These efforts are paying off with the Cayman Islands becoming a jurisdiction of choice for fintech and similar businesses with digital assets.  The private sector, including locally owned businesses such as Cayman Enterprise City and TechCayman, have embraced the opportunity and are attracting these businesses to our shores.  Government continues to play a key role and in 2019 will set up a regulatory framework to assist the private sector in attracting and supporting businesses with digital assets.

With a growing economy, businesses of all sizes are benefiting; and because of this we have seen job growth and greatly reduced unemployment. Indeed, last year saw the highest number of employed Caymanians since 2007.  Growth will continue this year and bring more opportunities for Caymanian businesses and the Caymanian people.

We are moving forward with the development of Workforce Opportunities & Residency Cayman, or WORC for short. The objective of WORC is to oversee the labour market, including the work permit and residency regimes, and to ensure that all Caymanians have a fair opportunity for gainful employment in our growing economy.

The creation of a Cayman Islands Coastguard Service is under way and we have appointed a capable Caymanian leadership team. We are also well on the way to implementing our new Customs and Border Control Department to provide joined-up, modern and more effective border security for our Islands.   

We continue to build necessary infrastructure such as roads, improved schools, our major airport, and more with surplus funds and not by increased borrowing.  And we are moving forward with plans for a modern waste to energy plant and an integrated waste management solution to solve the problem of our current overburdened landfills.    

We are also moving forward with the delivery of the cruise and enhanced cargo port facilities that these Islands need to help secure our economic future.

At a time when significant economic threats are looming, we cannot and must not turn our backs on $245 million of net economic benefit, hundreds of construction jobs, and then decades of increasing employment and business opportunities for Caymanians that the cruise berths will bring. Neither can we turn our backs on the opportunity to modernise and enlarge our now out-dated cargo port.

It is essential that we deliver this critically important project and continue moving Cayman forward, preparing us for the future.

There are other ways that we are preparing Cayman for the future.

We recently had very positive constitutional talks with the United Kingdom and I look forward to completing these early in the New Year to put our Islands in the best possible position to govern our own affairs and continue to prosper as a modern, progressive and successful democracy.

As we enter the New Year I believe that the work that government and private sector have done, and the legislation passed in December, will help us avoid blacklisting by the European Union.  But the challenges to our financial services sector will not stop here, so we are prepared to continue defending Cayman and our economic pillars wherever we need to.

The UK, too, is going through its own challenges with Brexit, and the outcome remains uncertain.  In an ever-changing world it is therefore vital to seek out new opportunities to benefit our Islands and protect our future. This is why we have increased the engagement done in the UK by our Government office in London over the past two years, as well as direct engagement in Brussels and London by me, my Ministers and other officials. 

And this is also why we are starting a new Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation, and Maritime Affairs, and will open a Government Office in Hong Kong this year to better facilitate business from Asia. We will not sit back and hope that business will keep coming our way.  We must increasingly fight for it in those markets that are important to us, and to defend Cayman wherever we need to. 

We will also continue to work hard at home to ensure that our people have the opportunities to live good, healthy, productive, and happy lives and to be able to share in this miracle that is the Cayman Islands.

I cannot leave you without reflecting that last year has been a year filled with challenges as well as blessings - much of which I highlighted earlier.  It was certainly a year that saw us bid adieu to two Governors and recently welcome another. As the New Year begins I wish Governor Roper and his family well and look forward to working with him over the remainder of my term as Premier.

As I said at the start, we have certainly come far over the past 60 years. From humble beginnings we have created a modern and diverse Cayman Islands that is the envy of the region.

Our future is bright. 

Despite much change over the decades, our three Islands remain a wonderful place to live and work and to celebrate family and community. At our core, Caymanians are still a hardworking, welcoming, caring and loving people.

I pray that we as a people never lose those traits.

On behalf of my Government, and from my family to yours, I again wish each of you and your families God’s richest blessings and a very Happy, Healthy, Peaceful and Prosperous New Year.

As we go through the year the days and weeks can sometimes seem to stretch on forever but by year’s end we often reflect that though the days and weeks may seem long, the years are indeed short.

We are reminded of this every year as Christmas seems to come around sooner and sooner, especially as we get older.

But no matter the speed with which it arrives, to me it is still a magical time; a time to spend with friends and family; a time when everyone seems happier; a time to give; and a time to celebrate not only the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, but each other and our accomplishments in 2018.

I hope that today you take some time to reflect on your personal blessings as well as those of the Cayman Islands, give thanks and join together in celebration. We are indeed blessed.

Christmas time gives me the chance to slow down and get out to visit more with people, both young and old, in my wanderings through our many communities and at the festivities of the season. These interactions certainly leave me feeling blessed and rejuvenate me for the work ahead in the coming New Year.

I also cherish the time I get to celebrate this glorious season with my wife and two sons, my father, sisters and the rest of my family and friends.

Like you, I too cherish this time because of the opportunity to reflect and enjoy the company of my loved ones.

I pray that the feelings we have at Christmas of goodwill and charity will carry us into the New Year and continue as the year progresses.

I will leave you with words from our beloved National Song, Beloved Isle Cayman:

Away from noise of cities,
Their fret and carking care,
With moonbeams' soft caresses,
Unchecked by garish glare,
When sweet church bells are chiming,
My fond heart yearns for thee…
And when comes on the season
Of peace, goodwill to man,
'Tis then I love thee best of all,
Beloved Isle Cayman.

I sincerely hope that each of you has a joyous Christmas.

On behalf of my Government, my family and myself, I wish each of you a very blessed Christmas.

With permission Mr. Speaker I will make a statement concerning the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association Joint Ministerial Council meetings I recently attended in London.
Before I do so, I would like to put on record my thanks to the United Kingdom team led by Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister for the Overseas Territories; Mister Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories; and Mister Will Gelling of the FCO for organizing the series of successful meetings and events.
I would also like to thank the Hon. Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs; the Attorney General; the Cabinet Secretary; and the Cayman Islands London Office led by Mr. Eric Bush.
Mr. Speaker, the London Office did a splendid job organising several very successful events during the week, in particular the largest London Friends of Cayman dinner that I have ever hosted, which was very well received by all who attended.
Mr. Speaker the week of meetings began with an Environment Workshop, which I led as President of the Political Council of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA). This was the first UKOTA Environment Workshop and participants included leaders of Overseas Territories, Departments of Her Majesty’s Government as well as Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and Organisations and Charities in the environment sector. I was very pleased to see Nadia Harding in attendance, Chairperson of the Cayman Islands National Trust.
The topics discussed included environment funding, ocean conservation strategy and the inclusion of Overseas Territories in the UK Government’s “The Green Future – 25 year plans to improve the Environment”.
Mr. Speaker I was very happy to share with the attendees at the workshop the good news of the procurement of six hundred and thirty four acres of protected land in the Cayman Islands, which has now increased the protected land in Cayman to four thousand one hundred and eleven acres, equivalent to six point three per cent of Cayman’s total landmass.
The Overseas Territories are custodians of environmental assets of global importance. Over ninety per cent of the United Kingdom’s biodiversity is in the territories including many endangered species.
The Overseas Territories need to ensure that we receive the support and assistance by way of specialist technical advice as well as funding for environmental research and protection remains available post Brexit when access to European Union funds will no longer be available.
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Mr. Speaker as Overseas Territories we fall between the cracks, unable to access some international funds because we’re seem as too rich, but also unable to access UK domestic funding. Working with NGOs, universities and charities may mean we will be able to unblock this.
Mr. Speaker following the workshop, the Cayman Islands chaired the UKOTA Political Council meeting. This was our opportunity to discuss matters relating to UKOTA as an organisation, as well as discuss and agree positions to be taken at the upcoming Joint Ministerial Council meetings.
It was agreed at this meeting that the Cayman Islands will host the 2019 pre-JMC meetings at the beginning of July.
Mr. Speaker I look forward to hosting the Leaders of the Overseas Territories Governments on our beautiful Islands, not just to progress discussions but to share with them our culture and the Celebrate Cayman festivities that are planned to mark the 60th anniversary of our Constitution.
Following this meeting our delegation met with the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands.
Mr. Speaker this gave me an opportunity to update the group on how well the Cayman economy is doing and to discuss concerns around the EU Blacklisting process and the upcoming Constitutional talks with the UK Government.
On Tuesday of that week, the two-day Joint Ministerial Council Meeting between the British Overseas Territories and Her Majesty’s Government began.
Mr. Speaker I want to go on record and thank the UK Ministers who attended the meetings, despite important debates taking place on Brexit in the House of Commons at the same time.
The meeting focused on discussions about Brexit, contingency planning, updates on domestic parliamentary process, trade policies and development funding. Discussions included an overview of planning for a “no deal” scenario in Brexit, trade policies post Brexit and potential changes to funding through the Overseas Development Fund.
Mr. Speaker the Overseas Territories were advised that European Union funding that supports environment and other projects in the Territories will be guaranteed by the UK until 2020. However, some Overseas Territories leaders noted that may create challenges for projects that need longer term funding. The Cayman Islands is not in that category.
There followed a lively debate on British Overseas Territories citizens’ passports. Concerns were raised that British Overseas Territory passports are now electronically coded with the same electronic code as British passports. For some Territories’ nationals this created occasional problems when travelling. It was requested that British Overseas Territories citizens’ passports be encoded with a code for each Territory to avoid this issue. The Cayman Islands is not affected, but the British Virgin Islands has some agreements with the United States for travel.
Mr. Speaker a key session of the meeting focused on Child Safeguarding. Territory leaders updated the Joint Ministerial Council on work that had been done in their countries.
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I was very happy Mr. Speaker, to give an update on the work that has been done over the past year in the Cayman Islands, the advancements of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), training and capacity building, raising community awareness on safeguarding children and older persons, and the restructuring of the services of the Department of Children and Family Services.
On Wednesday of that week Mr. Speaker, the meeting began with Overseas Territories leaders providing updates on their disaster preparedness. Those territories that were affected by hurricanes last year gave an update on their recovery progress. They thanked the UK government for its help and once again thanked the Cayman Islands for the assistance we provided.
The Hon. Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs gave an update on work that has been taking place in our Islands to enhance our resilience to natural disasters as well as to strengthen the regional cooperation frameworks. This includes working with the Governor’s Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to pilot the FCO’s Crisis Hub. This is a tool that will aid in evacuations and in tracking missing persons during disasters.
Mr. Speaker, the Cayman Islands has also agreed to participate in a formal regional Overseas Territory Rapid Deployment Team that can swiftly provide support for impacted territories. A second new specialist helicopter will be purchased with the assistance of the UK Government for use in the Cayman Islands as well as to participate with disaster relief in the British Overseas Territories. The Cayman Islands has already begun implementing a National Emergency Notification System as well as upgrading the National Public Safety Radio Systems.
The Financial Services session centred on the European Union blacklisting process with Mr. Stride, the Financial Secretary to the UK Treasury, noting that the UK Government is committed to assisting the Overseas Territories during the process.
Mr. Speaker I explained that the Cayman Islands has been actively engaging with the EU throughout the process, and is on track to meet our commitment by the end of this year.
Discussions moved to the UK’s goal to make public registers of beneficial ownership the global standard by 2023. It was noted that although the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act passed by the UK Parliament in May this year required that an Order-in-Council be issued by the end of 2020 requiring Overseas Territories (but not Crown Dependency’s) to implement public registers, the UK expects that such registers would be fully implemented and operational by 2023.
I requested, once again, that the UK extend the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to the Cayman Islands. Mr. Speaker, as you know this has been a request of the Cayman Islands for several years.
The afternoon session started with a discussion on Trade and Investment. A background was provided about the work done by the Caribbean Investment and Trade Advisory Group and the GREAT Campaign. Overseas Territories leaders were encouraged to determine how these organisations could work with the Overseas Territories on trade matters.
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Mr. Speaker, as you are aware the Cayman Islands participated in the UK’s GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong earlier this year and I could attest to the benefit of attending.
The day closed with a session on the Constitutional Relationship with the UK. It was noted that the UK wants to have positive constitutional relationships with the Overseas Territories.
Mr. Speaker the challenge to the Overseas Territories and the relationship with the UK that the passage of the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Act in the UK Parliament caused earlier this year was acknowledged again by the UK Government. It was also noted that the UK wants the best constitutional options available for the people of the British Overseas Territories.
The aim is to recognise that the OTs are self-governing and subject only to the UK retaining power to carry out its obligations under international law.
Various territories provided their thoughts and several have started conversations to revise certain aspects of their constitutions with the UK. But the Cayman Islands is ahead of the game.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I commend this statement to the House.

Mr. Speaker. I previously advised this House of the Government’s intention to create a new international trade and investment Ministry as well as open an office in Hong Kong.
I am happy to advise this Honourable House that both of these have progressed with the UK Government, via the Governor’s Office, having formally confirmed their agreement for a new Ministry and have also agreed that it will be named the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs.
I can also confirm that the UK has also provided a Letter of Entrustment that approves the opening of a Cayman Islands Government Office in Hong Kong, subject to receiving the necessary approvals from Hong Kong authorities. The UK Government and the Governor’s Office have also committed to assisting with both endeavors, the startup of the new Ministry and the Hong Kong Office. It is with the latter that this assistance will be especially useful and the UK Consulate General in Hong Kong will provide advice and on the ground assistance to get the initiative going, including seeking approvals from the Hong Kong Government.
While it is perhaps extra ordinary for an Administration to create a new Ministry, Mr. Speaker, these are indeed extra ordinary times. The principal purpose that brings us here today is to debate and hopefully approve a series of amending bills that seek to defend the Cayman Islands from being blacklisted by the European Union or falling afoul of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Forum on Harmful Tax Practices. What we continue to see, Mr. Speaker, is an ever changing landscape as regards the required regulation of the financial services sector; requirements that are no longer European Union-centric but are becoming the international standard – and so Cayman must move with the times if we are to
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maintain a vibrant Financial Services Industry.
But the landscape will continue to change and the Cayman economic model will continue to face external threats, particularly as a result of the widespread misunderstanding of the Cayman Islands, our Financial Services Industry and the regulatory regime that underpins it. And despite our efforts to educate and engage with politicians in the United Kingdom, this misunderstanding even extends to Westminster Mr. Speaker, as we saw earlier this year. And Mr. Speaker whilst we are all hopeful that the UK will find a good solution to the challenge that is Brexit, it will continue to face challenges post Brexit.
So we must do our bit to lessen their burden and at the same time, as I have said before, to step out of the UK’s shadow and stand up for ourselves when it comes to matters of international trade. This is the role, Mr. Speaker that the new Ministry will take on.
Mr. Speaker, this Government recognises that in general terms, foreign policy or external affairs are functions reserved to the Governor under Section 55 of the Constitution. However, that Section also recognises that in the discharge of their normal functions, key Ministries will necessarily need to relate to overseas governments and institutions. The Constitution therefore provides that, in consultation with the Premier, the Governor may delegate responsibilities for external affairs to elected Ministers, which then gives them freedom to act within certain prescribed limits.
In reality, every Ministry has responsibilities that bring them into contact with other jurisdictions or inter-governmental bodies. This varies considerably in scope and in the resources required to develop and maintain overseas relationships within each Ministry.
Sadly Mr. Speaker, there is limited joining up of activities across Ministries and from the point of view of partners abroad in both the public and private sectors, the Cayman Islands Government can at times be difficult to work with. At the political level, I, as Premier, act as the de facto lead for cross-Governmental international activity and therefore, traditionally, the Premier will lead significant overseas missions. However, within the civil service there is no one similarly charged with coordinating or leading this activity. Opportunities to present a coherent and consistent approach to other governments and to potential investors and partners are being missed. The new Ministry will provide this coordinating function.
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In summary the Ministry of International Trade, Investment, Aviation and Maritime Affairs will advance the economic and political interests of the government, the Caymanian people and the local business community, to make it easier for potential overseas investors to do business in the Cayman Islands, and to help enhance the reputation of the Cayman Islands.
Generally, Mr. Speaker, the benefits of the new Ministry include:
• improved reputation and promotion of Cayman with key opinion formers in overseas governments and institutions and in the private sector
• increased inward investment as we attract a wider pool of potential investors and make it easier for them to gain access to Caymanian markets
• increased tourism and financial services business as we help to open up and secure markets
• economic diversification as we are able better to understand and attract an increasingly diverse range of businesses to Cayman
• bringing a renewed focus on growing our aircraft and shipping registries.
To achieve these benefits Mr. Speaker, the new Ministry will take direct responsibility for the Cayman Islands Government Office in London and a limited range of existing government departments and entities. The Ministry will, more broadly, be charged with coordinating the jurisdiction’s activities internationally though many of those activities themselves would remain with existing Ministries.
The departments, offices and statutory authorities that will fall within the new Ministry will be those that have a principal focus on external trade and customers.
They are identified as:
• the Cayman Islands Government Office in the United Kingdom (CIGO-UK)
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• the Department of Investment (to be split off from the Department of Commerce and Investment)
• the Shipping Registry of the Maritime Authority
• the Aircraft Registry but not the regulatory functions of the Civil Aviation Authority
I wish to make plain that with regards to the last two that the Ministry’s role will be limited to the promotion of the shipping and aircraft registries and does not affect the Governor’s responsibilities over other areas of maritime and aviation affairs.
In addition to the UK Government Office, it is anticipated that over time the Ministry will develop a network of international offices in locations where their establishment would enable it to better achieve its stated purpose. Proposals for such offices will be brought forward on a case-by-case basis and as I have mentioned previously the first business case, for the establishment of an Asia Office in Hong Kong, has already been developed and approved.
Mr. Speaker several potential locations for an Asia Office were considered, however, in consultation with key business leaders it was determined that Hong Kong would be the most advantageous location. That is because of its existing links to Caymanian businesses and government entities and its ideal location as a gateway to other Asian markets.
Mr. Speaker the establishment of the Cayman Islands Government Office – Asia will create a focal point to promote all aspects of the jurisdiction in an increasingly significant market. It will strengthen and deepen business ties and provide a gateway for future trade and investment in Asia. It will also facilitate the development of cultural ties between Asia and these Islands.
The primary focus for the office will be in the realization of economic benefits. It will support the existing twin pillar industries of tourism and financial services and also serve to support the diversification of the Cayman economy through establishing links and promoting inward investment opportunities with Asia’s highly-developed knowledge-based industrial sectors.
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Mr. Speaker a physical presence on the ground in Hong Kong will mean that the Office can provide certain real-time support services such as certificates of good standing, dealing with immigration related queries for Asian visitors, and potentially company incorporation and funds registration in a same day and time zone convenient manner. This will add tremendous value to the efforts of Cayman-based firms already operating in Asia, and in particular in Hong Kong.
Previous attempts to establish an office in Hong Kong were unsuccessful but times have changed. Both the Government and the business community share optimism that the new Asia Office will provide a springboard for improved business and other links for the benefit of Cayman. And as I have indicated the UK is also geared up to assist us to make it a success this time around.
As I indicated earlier Mr. Speaker, Brexit is presenting a challenge to the UK and in some regards to its Territories. However, we also see opportunities. These include the opportunities that the UK’s Global Britain initiative could bring to Cayman if we put ourselves in the best possible position to exploit those opportunities.
Mr. Speaker the obvious example is our participation in the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong earlier this year. We were very grateful for the Secretary of State’s invitation to take part and we would welcome the opportunity to participate in similar events in the future. We believe that had this new Ministry been up and running we could have been even more effective participants in the Festival; and so this demonstrated to us that if we raise our game we can make the most of the opportunities that working closely with the UK can bring us.
In setting up both a new Ministry and an Asia Office in Hong Kong, the case for change is underpinned by the view that international issues will become increasingly important to the wellbeing of these Islands. It is therefore essential that high calibre and suitably skilled staff are employed and this will present opportunities for Caymanians to gain invaluable experience and exposure working in the Ministry or in the London and Hong Kong offices, and in any future offices that may be opened.
Mr. Speaker the Government accepts that there are costs and indeed potential risks in this approach. We intend to provide an annual budget, estimated at some $3M, for the Ministry and
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the Asia Office. There will be new civil service headcount but much of the budget will go directly into promoting the Cayman Islands and attracting business. This represents a considerable investment when we are well aware of the other potential calls on government funding.
However, we believe the benefits I have outlined are significant enough to justify the investment; an investment in the future and prosperity of our people and our Islands.
Mr. Speaker I said at the start that the creation of a new Ministry is an extra ordinary step resulting from the extra ordinary times in which we live. What is not extra ordinary, however, is this Government’s determination to make the right decisions to support our economy, our businesses and our people.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, as this Honourable House will recall, last month I confirmed to members and the public that the UK had agreed to begin talks with the Cayman Islands on proposals for various safeguards to our Constitution. These talks did occur over two days in London: Friday, 7 December, 2018, and again on Monday, 10th at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
I am pleased to report Mr. Speaker that the two days of talks went as well as one could have hoped. Indeed, they were constructive and fairly positive, and for this I would like to thank the Cayman delegation as well as the delegation from the FCO in London.
I wish to especially thank Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC, for the excellent preparatory work done that allowed us to not only make an excellent case for reform but also for the clearly drafted proposals provided to the FCO prior to the talks. These made it easy for the UK to readily understand our position and to take a position themselves.
I extend my gratitude as well Mr. Speaker to our own Attorney General for his excellent contribution and solid recommendations to our effort.
These were important talks Mr. Speaker that took us over six months to arrange. I acknowledge the work done by our London Office, in particular the head of that Office and our representative in the UK, Mr. Eric Bush, in assisting in getting the dates pinned down.
Mr. Speaker, as you know we sought these discussions in the aftermath of a breach of
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convention and possible constitutional overreach when in May this year the House of Commons legislated for the British Overseas Territories in the area of domestic policy.
As all members of the House will know, responsibility for domestic policy has been devolved to the territories under the terms of their respective Constitution Orders made by Her Majesty in Privy Council. Contrary to longstanding convention, the UK Parliament sought to legislate for the territories in an area of devolved responsibility by attaching an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill that was making its way through the United Kingdom Parliament. The Bill with the amendment was passed by the Commons and then later by the House of Lords. This amendment requires the British Overseas Territories, but curiously not the Crown Dependencies, to establish public registers of beneficial ownership, and to do so no later than 31 December, 2020.
Failing this, the amendment requires the UK Government to utilise an Order in Council to change local legislation to force the governments of the territories to implement public registers of beneficial ownership, effectively legislating directly on a matter that has been devolved to the local governments.
This break in longstanding convention and overreach by the UK Parliament represents a line that once crossed cannot be uncrossed. The concern is therefore not just about beneficial ownership registers, but about what other areas of devolved authority the UK Parliament may feel it should interfere in without at least consulting with the Cayman Islands Government.
And so, Mr. Speaker, the safeguards we seek will confirm that the Cayman Islands Government has autonomous capacity in respect of domestic affairs, and that the UK will not seek to legislate, directly or indirectly for the Cayman Islands without, at a minimum, consultation with the Cayman Islands Government.
Prior to the meetings in London, as I mentioned before, the Government provided the FCO with proposed constitutional changes in draft form. These proposals were discussed with the Opposition prior to the trip to London and again with the Leader and Deputy Leader of the Opposition while we were in London. I wish to thank the Leader of the Opposition and his Deputy for their able assistance during the talks London. I also want to thank those on the
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Government bench who also ably assisted with the negotiations: the Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure and the Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs.
Mr. Speaker not only did the country see before we left for London that Government and the Opposition both recognised the importance and necessity of the safeguards being sought, but in London the UK was presented with a solid Caymanian front, with the Premier and Opposition Leader, together with our delegation, sitting not on two separate sides, but united in the cause of defending our beloved Islands.
In addition to addressing the principal concern mentioned earlier, the opportunity was also taken to seek a small number of administrative changes to the current Constitution Order to improve the operations of the local government and legislature.
I am pleased to advise that by the end of the talks the majority of the proposed changes were agreed in principle whilst the remainder is still under consideration by the UK. Mr. Speaker, UK officials listened and genuinely sought to be helpful whilst asserting that the UK’s interests and its ability to ultimately legislate for its territories must remain paramount. We are a British territory and so we understand this, but we argued our case hammering home the points we needed to make. And Mr. Speaker, the FCO team certainly did seek to understand our positions and provide suggestions to address the concerns where they thought they could.
Mr. Speaker, the UK has committed to formally responding to us in the coming weeks. This formal response will include a Draft Order in Council that will confirm the matters already agreed in principle and provide the UK's proposals on how to address the matters that were left to be considered. Once the UK's response and Draft Order in Council are acceptable to the Cayman Islands delegation, then the constitutional negotiations will be considered concluded and the proposed amendments, with Draft Order in Council, will be published and later debated in this Legislative Assembly.
Mr. Speaker, everyone in this House would be aware of the challenges that the UK Government is now going through with Brexit; challenges that are impacting the UK’s internal politics. In recent days there was even a no confidence vote called on the Prime Minister within her party. The Prime Minister won that round but things are still poised on a knives edge politically in the UK.
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These safeguards we seek on behalf of the Cayman Islands cannot be allowed to be caught up in the UK’s internal Brexit cauldron as it heats and boils. So I am grateful to the UK Government for seeking to conclude these negotiations as quickly as possible. This is also in our interest, so I - and I believe this House - commit ourselves to seeing this through as best we can within a reasonable timeframe early next year.
Following debate, and if approved by the Legislative Assembly, and subsequently by Her Majesty in Privy Council, the proposed changes are expected to come into effect in time for the 60th anniversary constitutional celebrations in July 2019.
I wish to thank the team, providing administrative support for the Cayman delegation: Samuel Rose, Cabinet Secretary; Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier; Jason Webster; Cabinet Office Policy Analyst; and Jana Pouchie-Bush, Personal Assistant to the Premier.
I thank the UK team, which included Mr. Ian Hendry, Constitutional Advisor to the FCO; Mr. Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories; and Mr. Will Gelling of the FCO; and Greg Reisman, Assistant Legal Advisor to the FCO. His Excellency Governor Martyn Roper also attended.
I would like to again thank all the members of both delegations for the hard work and constructive dialogue during the two days of talks. On the UK side I particularly wish to thank Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for the Overseas Territories, for his approach when working with us and with all the Territories. Lord Ahmad, I believe presents a real sense of partnership and friendship to the UK’s relationship with its Territories that is greatly appreciated. Indeed, despite a very hectic and uncertain week of Brexit debates in London, Lord Ahmad ensured that he was able to keep his finger on the pulse of the negotiations and made time at the start of the talks to meet with me and again at the end of the talks to ensure sufficient progress was made.
Mr. Speaker, we now await the formal response from the UK Government and I look forward to successfully concluding the negotiations and to publish them and then bringing them on the floor of the House for consideration and debate.

The United Kingdom Government has committed to formally responding to proposed Cayman Islands constitutional safeguards in the coming weeks.

The UK and Cayman Islands Governments held constructive, positive talks on changes to the Cayman Islands constitution over two days in London: Friday, 7 December, 2018, and Monday, 10^th at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).

The Cayman Islands sought these discussions because of a breach of convention and possible constitutional overreach in May this year when the House of Commons legislated for the British Overseas Territories in the area of domestic policy.  Responsibility for domestic policy has been devolved to the territories under the terms of their respective Constitution Orders made by Her Majesty in Privy Council.  Contrary to longstanding convention the UK Parliament sought to legislate for the territories in an area of devolved responsibility by attaching an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill that was making its way through the United Kingdom Parliament. The Bill with the amendment was passed by the Commons and then later by the House of Lords. This amendment requires the British Overseas Territories, but not the Crown Dependencies, to establish public registers of beneficial ownership, and to do so no later than 31 December, 2020.  

Failing this, the amendment requires the UK Government to utilise an Order in Council to change local legislation to require the governments of the territories to implement public registers of beneficial ownership, effectively legislating directly on a matter that has been devolved to the local governments. The concern is therefore not just about beneficial ownership registers, but about what other areas of devolved authority the UK Parliament may feel it should interfere in without at least consulting with the Cayman Islands Government.

The Cayman Islands is seeking safeguards that will confirm that the Cayman Islands Government has autonomous capacity in respect of domestic affairs, and that the UK will not seek to legislate, directly or indirectly for the Cayman Islands without, at a minimum, consultation with the Cayman Islands Government.

Prior to the meeting the Cayman Islands Government provided the FCO with proposed constitutional changes in draft form. These proposals had the backing of both the Cayman Islands Government and Opposition and formed the basis for the discussions. 

In addition to addressing the principal concern, the opportunity was also taken to seek a small number of administrative changes to the current Constitution Order to improve the operations of the local government and legislature.

 During the talks the majority of the proposed changes were agreed in principle whilst the remainder are still under consideration by the UK.  UK officials listened and genuinely sought to be helpful whilst asserting that the UK’s interests and its ability to ultimately legislate for its territories must remain paramount.

The UK committed to formally responding to the Cayman Islands in the coming weeks. Their formal response will include a Draft Order in Council that will confirm the matters already agreed in principle and provide the UK's proposals on how to address the matters that were left to be considered.  Once the UK's response and Draft Order in Council are acceptable to the Cayman Islands delegation, then the negotiations will be considered concluded and the proposed amendments will be published and debated in the Legislative Assembly. 

If approved by the Legislative Assembly and subsequently by Her Majesty in Privy Council, the proposed changes are expected to come into effect in time for the 60th anniversary constitutional celebrations in 2019.

Participating on behalf of the Cayman Islands were Premier McLaughlin; Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Hon. Joseph Hew; Financial Services and Home Affairs Minister Hon. Tara Rivers; Attorney General Hon. Samuel Bulgin; Leader of the Opposition Hon. Ezzard Miller; and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Hon. Alva Suckoo.  They were joined by Government’s Constitutional Advisor in London, Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC.  

Administrative support for the Cayman Delegation was provided by Eric Bush, Cayman Islands Government Representative in London; Samuel Rose, Cabinet Secretary; Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier; Jason Webster; Cabinet Office Policy Analyst; and Jana Pouchie-Bush, Personal Assistant to the Premier.

The UK team included Mr. Ian Hendry, Constitutional Advisor to the FCO; Mr. Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories; and Mr. Will Gelling of the FCO; Greg Reisman, Assistant Legal Advisor to the FCO. HE Governor Martyn Roper also attended.  

Lord Tariq Ahmad, Minister for the OT's, kicked off the talks on Friday and returned for the closing session on Monday. 

Both Premier McLaughlin and Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller thanked Lord Ahmad, Mr. Hendry and the UK Government for proceeding with the talks despite the current political tumult in the UK. 

The Cayman Islands Delegation now awaits a formal response from the UK Government. 

LONDON - The two-day Joint Ministerial Council Meeting (JMC) between the British Overseas Territories and Her Majesty’s Government continued Wednesday at Lancaster House.  Lord Ahmad started the day discussing Disaster Management with Imogen Parsons, Deputy Director of Readiness & Response – Civil Contingencies Secretariat, in attendance.

Lord Ahmad noted that the UK continues to coordinate disaster management planning across the Overseas Territories (OTs). This includes planning in the event of hurricanes as well as other disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, serious flooding, or volcanic activity. An annual planning and readiness meeting will also take place between the UK, OTs, and other Caribbean countries that wish to participate. It was also noted that the UK has improved its own plans to swiftly respond to disasters in the OTs.

OT leaders provided updates of their disaster preparedness, with those who were hit by hurricanes last year noting the progress made in recovery. They thanked the UK for the assistance in the rebuilding efforts and once again thanked the Cayman Islands and other territories that provided immediate assistance after the passage of hurricanes in 2017. Lord Ahmad said the UK appreciated the effort of Cayman and fellow territories to provide assistance.

Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers provided an update on work in the Cayman Islands to help enhance its resilience to natural disasters, as well as strengthen regional cooperation frameworks.  This includes working with the Governor’s Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to pilot the FCO’s Crisis Hub, which is a tool to aid in evacuations and in tracking missing persons during disasters. The Cayman Islands has also agreed to participate in a formal regional Overseas Territory Rapid Deployment Team that can swiftly provide support for impacted territories. A second new specialist helicopter will be purchased with the assistance of the UK for use in the Cayman Islands as well as to participate with disaster relief in the Overseas Territories. The Cayman Islands has already begun implementing a National Emergency Notification System as well as upgrading the National Public Safety Radio Systems.  

The session on Financial Services was attended by the Rt. Hon. Mel Stride, the Financial Secretary to the UK Treasury. The discussion centred on the European Union (EU) blacklisting process with Mr. Stride noting that the UK Government is committed to assisting OTs during the process. He said the UK has worked to ensure that the process is fair and to promote objectivity in the criteria used for assessment by the EU. 

Several of the OTs encouraged the UK to continue its efforts with the EU, especially at the political level. Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said the Cayman Islands has been actively engaging with the EU throughout the process, and is on track to meet its commitment by the end of this year. All the OT’s and Crown Dependencies (CDs) were expected to meet economic substance requirements of the EU and the OECD/FHTP.  

The conversation then moved to the UK’s goal to make public registers of beneficial ownership the global standard by 2023. It was noted that although the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act passed by the UK Parliament in May this year required that an Order-in-Council be issued by the end of 2020 requiring OTS (but not CDs) to implement public registers, the expectation of the UK is that such registers would be fully implemented and operational by 2023, and that the Order could be drafted as such.

The Premier also requested that the UK extend the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) to the Cayman Islands. This has been a request of the Cayman Islands for several years. 

The afternoon session started with a discussion on Trade and Investment with Chris Bennett of the Caribbean Investment and Trade Advisory Group; and Conrad Bird, Director of the UK’s GREAT Campaign. Both provided a background to the work done by their respective organisations and encouraged the OT leaders to seek to determine how the organisations could work with the OTs on trade matters. The Cayman Islands participated in the UK’s GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong earlier this year and could attest to the benefit of attending.

The day ended with Chloe Smith, Parliamentary Secretary – Minister for the Constitution, leading the session on the Constitutional Relationship with the UK. In her introductory statement Ms Smith noted that the UK wants to have positive constitutional relationships with the OTs. She admitted to the challenge to the OTs and the relationship with the UK that the passage of the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Act in the UK Parliament caused earlier this year. She noted that she is eager to get the best constitutional options available for the people of the OTs, because it is people who are at the heart of the constitutional relationship. The aim, she said, is to recognise that the OTs are self-governing and subject only to the UK retaining power to carry out its obligations under international law.

Various territories provided their thoughts and several have started conversations to revise certain aspects of their constitutions with the UK.  

The JMC ended with the OT leaders and FCO officials and members of the UK Government attending the Annual JMC Reception at the Locarno Suite at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Joining Premier McLaughlin were Minister Rivers; Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Hon. Joey Hew; Attorney General Hon, Samuel Bulgin; the Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller; Deputy Opposition Leader Alva Suckoo; and other members of the Cayman delegation. Premier McLaughlin gave a closing address on behalf of the OTs and welcomed HRH The Duke of York who was the guest of honour at the reception.

Following the reception members of the delegation including Premier McLaughlin, Minister Hew, Mr. Bulgin, Mr. Miller, Cayman’s London Office head Eric Bush and Charles Parchment attended a dinner with the Friends of the British Overseas Territories (FOTBOT), hosted by Andrew Rosindell MP, Chair of the APPG for the Oversees Territories.

LONDON - The Premier, Hon Alden McLaughlin and the Cayman delegation in the United Kingdom including Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers; Minister of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure Hon. Joseph Hew; Attorney General Hon. Sam Bulgin; Leader of the Opposition Ezzard Miller; and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Alva Suckoo gathered with over 200 friends and associates at the Institute of Directors in London for the Annual Premier’s dinner on Thursday. 

The event is an opportunity to network and thank business and political partners, associates and friends who have taken an interest in, or have worked with, the Cayman Islands Government in the UK throughout the year. It is also a valuable opportunity for the Premier to update an engaged audience about the current state of affairs in the Cayman Islands and the recent JMC meetings with the UK Government. 

“This was the largest networking reception and dinner that we have hosted in London with a turnout of 215 people,” said Premier McLaughlin. “We are delighted to have been able to share Cayman news and update our friends and associates. The dinner also serves as a vital time to thank and keep close ties with political and business partners.”

Also in attendance were Minister for the Overseas Territories, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon; His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Roper; Former Governors John Owen, Duncan Taylor and Bruce Dinwiddy; Director of the Overseas Territories Directorate of the Foreign Office, and Cayman APPG members Lord Naseby, Sir Graham Brady and others.

Also in attendance were business partners including members of Friends of Cayman and the Nth Degree dining club as well as persons from cultural partnerships, Caymanians living in the UK and Caymanian students studying in the UK who are members of the network Cayman Connection UK (CCUK). 

Cayman Islands Representative in the UK, Eric Bush commented, “It was an honour to organise the largest event of its kind for Cayman in the UK and a fitting time to say my regards and farewells to those I have worked so closely with over the last two and a half years. It is extremely important for the Cayman Islands Government in the UK to develop and retain relations with a cross section of public, private and political partners, and this is our opportunity to harness and foster these relationships.”

LONDON - The two-day Joint Ministerial Council Meeting (JMC) between British Overseas Territories and Her Majesty’s Government began Tuesday at Lancaster House with welcome remarks from the Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin as President of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA).

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, UK Minister for the British Overseas Territories also welcomed participants. Joining Premier McLaughlin at JMC 2018 are Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers and Attorney General Hon. Samuel Bulgin, QC.

In his opening remarks the Premier thanked Lord Ahmad for his work on behalf of the Overseas Territories. He also expressed his thanks to UK Ministers attending the meetings despite important debates on Brexit taking place in the House of Commons.

“Today’s agenda was busy but productive, with a lot to get through on the Brexit agenda,” said Mr. McLaughlin at the end of Tuesday’s meeting. “We are grateful for the attendance of those from the UK Government who were able to give us updates as far as possible given the uncertainty of the day caused by the Brexit debates in the House of Commons. It was regrettable, though understandable, that the Right Hon. David Liddington, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, was also not able to attend the JMC meetings today as expected.  However, we look forward to his colleague Chloe Smith, Parliamentary Secretary (Minister for the Constitution), joining us on Wednesday to lead the session on the Constitutional Relationship with the UK.”

The day’s meetings focused on discussions about the European Union exit negotiations (or Brexit) and contingency planning, including updates on the domestic parliamentary process, trade policies and development funding.

Discussions also included specialist details of Overseas Territories-related environmental work through the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), an overview of planning for a ‘no deal’ scenario in Brexit, trade policies post Brexit and potential changes to funding through the Overseas Development Fund. 

Overseas Territory leaders were again advised that EU funding that supports environmental and other projects in the Territories will be guaranteed by the UK until 2020. However, it was noted by some Overseas Territory leaders that whilst this was appreciated, it means there will be challenges for those projects that need longer term funding. 

The Cayman Islands has benefited in the past from EU funding for projects including post Ivan housing, the Doppler Radar Project and the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme.

Assurances were also provided to Territories with trade arrangements with EU countries, and UK officials noted that interests of OTs are being considered alongside that of the UK with regards to trade.  It was pointed out that in the proposed EU withdrawal agreement that every Overseas Territory is listed by name – an indication that the UK is determined to take all the UK family into consideration in any deal with the EU.

There was a lively session on British Overseas Territories citizens’ passports with the UK agreeing to look at concerns that impact some citizens; especially those travelling through the United States.  The concern was that BOTC passports are now electronically coded with the same electronic code as British passports and this presented occasional problems for some Territories’ nationals when travelling on some airlines.  The request was that BOTC passports be encoded with an appropriate code for each Territory to avoid this issue. 

Another key session of the day focussed on Child Safeguarding. Territories’ leaders updated the JMC on the work that has been done.  Mr. McLaughlin noted that much work was done over the past year in the Cayman Islands, with advancements of the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), training and capacity building, raising community awareness on safeguarding of children and older persons, and restructuring the services of the Department of Children and Family Services. 

During the day Ms Rivers spoke with Lord Bates, the Minister of State for International Development, and thanked him for the work done by the UK to press for funding to be made available to OTs damaged in hurricanes and other natural disasters. She said more should be done and was assured that the UK Government intends to work with the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to help foster a greater understanding of the needs and vulnerabilities of small island countries. 

The JMC meetings continue today with sessions on Disaster Management, Financial Services, Trade and Investment and the Constitutional Relationship with the UK. 

LONDON, UK – As President of the Political Council of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA), The Premier, Hon Alden McLaughlin, opened and hosted the first UKOTA Environment Workshop in London on Monday 3 December. The workshop was organised by UKOTA, and participants included leaders of Overseas Territories, Departments of Her Majesty’s Government as well as NGOS, Organisations and charities in the environment sector. 

The Premier was able to share the good news of the procurement of 634 acres of protected land in the Cayman Islands; this has now increased the protected land area in Cayman to 4,111 acres, equivalent to 6.3% of Cayman’s total landmass.

The Premier highlighted to those present that Overseas Territories are custodians of environmental assets of global importance, due to the fact that over 90% of the UKs biodiversity is in the territories with many endangered species, also that the territories hold a third of the world’s albatross, a quarter of the world’s penguins and the largest coral atoll on earth. Lastly, the territories make up over 70% of the UKs marine estate in the world.  

He went on to highlight on behalf of the Overseas Territories the need to ensure that assistance by way of specialist technical advice as well as funding for environmental research and protection remains available particularly post Brexit when access to funds from the EU will no longer be available. This was a matter of significant importance to several organisations participating in the workshop.

Speaking as President of the Political Council of UKOTA, the Premier noted that “as Overseas Territories we fall between the cracks, we are unable to access some international funds but are also unable to access UK domestic funding. Working with NGOs, universities and charities may mean that we will be able to unblock this.”

The topics discussed at the workshop included environment funding, ocean conservation strategy and the inclusion of Overseas Territories in the UK Government’s “The Green Future -25 year plan to Improve the Environment.”

The importance of the role of universities in helping protect the environment through research and funding education was discussed. The University of Exeter has sponsored several overseas territories students including a Caymanian student to obtain Masters Degrees in environmental studies. 

Also discussed were pioneering new innovations that can assist with monitoring and protecting the environment, even within those smaller territories with little access to technology.

The UK Government support for the Oversees Territories efforts in organising this environmental workshop was demonstrated by the attendance of Ben Merrick, Director of the Overseas Territories Department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, who commented on the important role that the territories play in preserving such a significant amount of rich global biodiversity.

Nadia Hardie, Executive Director of the Cayman Islands National Trust attended the workshop, she commented “It has been a fantastic opportunity to network with NGOs and Organisations to review funding possibilities; it has also been worthwhile meeting and discussing these issues with our own Premier here in the UK.”

One of UKOTA’s recent achievements in the area of the environment and climate change is the direct representation of Overseas Territories for the first time at the COP24 Global climate change meetings, a very significant milestone for Overseas Territories.

The workshop was chaired by Colin Clubbe, head of Conservation Science, Kew Gardens and  included presentations from eight panelists; Hon Prof John Cortes, Minister for Education, Heritage, Environment, Energy and Climate Change Gibraltar, Ben Merrick, Director, Overseas Territories Directorate, FCO, Thea Edwards, Deputy Head, Wildlife, Natural Environment, DEFRA, Fiona Charlesworth, Darwin Plus, DEFRA, Hugh Raven, Chair of John Ellerman Foundation, Tara Pelembe, Deputy Director, SAERI, Professor Brendan Godley, Chair in Conservation Science, Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Jonathan Hall, Head, UKOTs team, RSPB.

LONDON, UK – The United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA) Political Council Meeting took place Monday 3 December, Chaired by the Cayman Islands.

Premier Alden McLaughlin, current President of the Political Council of UKOTA, served as Chair with the assistance of Eric Bush, Cayman Islands Representative in London and the current Chairman of UKOTA .

In addition to his duties as the current President of UKOTA these meetings present an opportunity for the Premier to meet with his fellow Overseas Territories leaders to discuss matters with regards to UKOTA as an organisation as well as to discuss and agree positions to be taken at the upcoming Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) meetings with the UK Government.

The Political Council meeting incorporated an in-depth review of the activity of UKOTA throughout the year.

Matters discussed included the provision of a part time secretary to support the work of UKOTA, issues to do with BOT citizenship of children born out of wedlock, as well as the hosting of next year 2019 pre-JMC Meetings.

It was agreed that the BOT citizenship issue should be raised at the JMC meetings and that the Cayman Islands will host the 2019 pre-JMC meetings at the beginning of July. This will allow Overseas Territories leaders to participate in our sixtieth anniversary celebrations.

Also discussed were issues relating to the safeguarding of children, constitutional matters, passports, environment and climate change, European Union engagement and OT’s student engagement.

The Premier commented. “It has been a pleasure to serve as President of UKOTA, we have covered a range of issues today and sought to reach some level of consensus between the Overseas Territories so we are able to speak with a unified voice when we address UK Ministers during the JMC meetings.”  He went on to say “we look forward to hosting the Leaders of OT Governments on our beautiful Islands, at next year’s pre JMC, not only to progress discussions, but to share with them our culture and Celebrate Cayman festivities”.

Following the meeting the delegation met with The All Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands at Portcullis House. The meeting was Chaired by Sir Graham Bradey MP. The Premier updated the APPG on how well the Cayman economy is doing and also discussed concerns around the EU Blacklisting process, and the upcoming constitutional talks with the UK Government. The members of the APPG present muted their continued support for the Cayman Islands and were pleased to receive the update from the Premier.

The day ended with the Premier attending a private dinner for the Heads of Overseas Territories Governments hosted by Lord Ahmad, Minister for the Overseas Territories. 

Good afternoon,

Thank you for joining us as we welcome the newest plane to our fleet, the Boeing 737 Max 8.

Today has been long awaited and I congratulate the Board, Management, and staff of Cayman Airways on getting to today’s historic event. 

This new plane can be likened to a birthday gift as Cayman Airways is celebrating its 50^th anniversary this year. Since 1968 our national flag carrier has been serving the Cayman Islands, bringing people in and out of our beloved Isles. And the arrival of this fantastic brand-new aircraft will help position Cayman Airways and the Cayman Islands for the next 50 years of success. 

Not only can our Islands be proud that our national flag Carrier Cayman Airways is now flying the first Boeing 737 Max to be operated by a Caribbean-based airline, but we can also be proud that once again Cayman Airways is doing its part to help secure the future of our Islands and our people.

Those who lead, or who understand leadership, know full well that leaders must think and plan not just for today or for tomorrow, but as far into the future as possible. 

Leaders prepare for the future first by thinking and planning for it.  Then by acting; for thinking and planning alone are of little consequence without action.

In the words of Franklin D Roosevelt – To reach a port, we must set sail.  We must sail, not stay tied at anchor.  We must sail, not drift.

 There will always be those who question if this is the right aircraft or whether we should even have new plane at all.  They think only about today and have no vision for where the Cayman Islands can be in 25 or even 50 years. 

Some are afraid of the future and of change, preferring that we stay as we are, tied at anchor – not realizing that in changing times if one does not also change then the world and opportunities will leave us behind.

There are others who have a knack for talking about what should be done, and while they talk, nothing actually gets done. And if we follow them then we will merely drift with the tides, and land wherever the current takes us.  

As we celebrate the 60^th anniversary of our Coat of Arms this year, and of our Constitution next year, we are reminded that those who went before us and charted our way forward understood that to create a better life for our people we had to a new course and to sail toward new opportunities – not stay tied at anchor or merely drift.

The Board and Management of Cayman Airways understand the importance of planning and acting to ensure that the future of CAL and Cayman continues to remain bright for the next 50 years. And the government I have the honor and privilege to lead endorsed and supported their decision.

I congratulate them and the Deputy Premier for the vision and the willingness to act so that we can be here today.

Cayman Airways is an important lifeline for us. In a time when we are seeing a booming economy I am also acutely aware that we also have many challenges. Our economic model has been constantly evolving over the decades – but the main drivers of our economy remain tourism and financial services. And at a time when we are seeing financial services coming under increasing attack we must ensure that we not only continue to diversify our economy but also to shore up and grow our key pillar economic sectors. 

The investment in Cayman Airways and in its new fleet is one way this Government is strengthening our stay over tourism product and protecting our economy.  The upgrading of Owen Roberts International Airport is another. We are also supporting the work of private sector to invest in various hotel projects.

And with the Max 8’s coming online CAL will play an important role in helping to fill those hotel rooms through new routes that were previously not possible with the older aircraft.

But today is an important day for tourism for more than one reason.  The Ministry of Tourism will be issuing a press release this afternoon to formally announce that Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and Carnival Corporation have now made the financial commitments sought from them by the Government towards financing the cruise berthing project. Those commitments, coupled with the finance to be provided by the preferred bidder on the project, effectively ensure that no public money will be required to build the new berths.

This represents a huge vote of confidence in the Cayman Islands and in the viability of this project.  It is a very significant milestone on the critical path towards the delivery of the new port facilities that this country needs to secure its economic future.

Arriving at this point is important as it not only secures funding for the project, but the active involvement of the cruise companies is crucial to the ongoing sustainability and success of the project as well as to our cruise tourism business. 

It is important to our many merchants, large and small; to the hundreds of people who they employ; to our taxi and tour operators; and to many many Caymanians who make a living directly or indirectly from cruise tourism.

This Government, as have many Governments before, understands well that the cruise tourism model that we have had for over 25 years is not what will sustain and build a cruise tourism product for the next 25 years and beyond.  In thinking about the country’s needs over the coming decades we understand, as do many Caymanians, that to protect and grow the cruise business we must invest in a modern cruise berthing facility.  Just as we have invested in a new modern airport and in new airplanes for Cayman Airways.

However, we also understand and accept that there are costs associated with a modern cruise facility - monetary cost as well as environmental costs.  But there are also economic benefits. 

The choice is that we either do nothing or we build cruise piers. 

There is no future in doing nothing – but in building the cruise piers the experts at PWC have told us that we can expect a net economic benefit of some $245 million plus the creation of hundreds of jobs during and after construction.    

I respect the views of those who argue that no economic benefit can outweigh their environmental concerns.   But whilst I respect their viewpoint, this is not a position that a responsible government can take. 

We acknowledge that there will be environmental impact, and while we are redesigning the project to minimise that damage there is no way that we can build a new cruise and enhanced cargo port without some impact. 

In my view this comes down to a question of judgement – do the benefits outweigh the costs?  In my judgement and that of my government, $245 million of net economic benefit, 500 construction jobs and then decades of increasing employment and business opportunities for Caymanians in the tourism industry definitely outweigh the inevitable environmental costs.  At a time when huge economic threats are looming, we cannot and must not turn our backs on what in our view is a clear and convincing case for the benefits the cruise berthing and cargo port will bring.

Government is committed to delivering the port project and to securing the growth and jobs it will bring.  However, we are not doing so without regard to the costs. I have previously made two promises to the country, which I will repeat here. 

First, that we would structure the financing of the project in such a way as to minimise any risk to the country’s finances.

Secondly, that we would do all that we can to minimise or to mitigate the environmental impact of the project.

The agreement with the cruise lines that the Government is announcing today means that we have made good on the first promise.  In short, what it means is that Cayman will achieve the benefits of the new facilities while all of the cost and the financial risk will fall on the private sector, principally the cruise lines themselves.

Having delivered on that first promise, we will now ensure that the second promise is kept as well.

With those promises in place it is now essential that we get on with it and deliver this critically important project.

The cruise berthing and cargo enhancement project, like the new CAL airline fleet, or the upgrading of our airports, is an important part of moving Cayman forward and preparing us for the future.

And so today I applaud the Deputy Premier for not only his leadership and vision, alongside the Board and Management of CAL, on the significant step being made to modernize the fleet of Cayman Airways with the arrival of the new Max 8’s, but also for his work in modernising our cruise industry.

I am grateful for an incredibly proud of the government that I lead, every member of which has been in support of the critical decisions we have taken with regard to these crucial projects.

I await the day when both the cruise port and airport are complete, offering our residents and visitors a true CaymanKind experience.

A Cayman Islands delegation including Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Minister for Financial Services & Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers and Attorney General Sam Bulgin, QC, leaves the Cayman Islands Friday to travel to London to attend a series of meetings and events.

These include the Political Council of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association (UKOTA), the annual Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) with the UK Government as well as two days of meetings with UK Government officials on constitutional reform.

Following the JCM meetings, Premier McLaughlin, Minister Rivers and the Attorney General will be joined by Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure Minister Hon. Joseph Hew, Leader of the Opposition Mr. Ezzard Miller and Deputy Leader of the Opposition Mr. Alva Suckoo to begin constitutional discussions with the United Kingdom Government. They will be joined by Government’s Constitutional Advisor in London, Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC.

“The constitutional safeguards we are striving for are to have aspects of our Constitution clarified to ensure that the Cayman Islands government has autonomous capacity in respect of domestic affairs and that the UK Parliament will not legislate, directly or indirectly, without consultation or, in matters of domestic autonomy, without the consent of these Islands,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “Our goal is to put the Cayman Islands in the best possible position constitutionally to govern our own affairs, to resist constitutional overreach by the UK Government and Parliament, and to continue to thrive and prosper as a modern, progressive and successful democracy.”

The series of meetings begin Monday, 3 December, with the UKOTA Environmental Workshop, which the Premier will host. The Environment and Climate Change workshop will include leaders in environments across the Overseas Territories, NGOs and Associations from the UK. In attendance will be Nadia Hardie, Executive Director of the Cayman Islands National Trust. UKOTA’s focus and developments in the areas of the environment and climate change includes Overseas Territory representation for the first time at the COP24 Global Environment meetings, a significant milestone in the global climate change conversation.

Political Council meetings will incorporate an in-depth review of the activity of UKOTA throughout the year, which includes working with the UK Government on items such as Diaspora consular issues, citizenship and passport issues, environment and climate change, European Union engagement and OTs student engagement.

The Annual Joint Ministerial Council meeting will involve two days of intensive meetings with Her Majesty’s Government reviewing and discussing the Overseas Territories relationship with the UK, including environment, Brexit, trade and economy, health and education, constitutional relationships with the UK and disaster management.

Particularly significant is the high-level attendance from UK Ministers including Minister of State for the Overseas Territories Lord Ahmad; Minister of State for International Development Lord Bates; Rt. Hon David Lidington, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; and Rt. Hon Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, among others.

Other Parliamentary engagements during the visit include meeting with the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands, including the influential Sir Graham Brady, MP, as Chair; Lord Naseby, a staunch friend of the Cayman Islands, and Andrew Rosindell MP, a great supporter of the Overseas Territories.

During his visit the Premier will also attend The Queen’s Diplomatic Reception, the main Diplomatic reception of the year, where all members of the Royal Family will join over 1,500 people from around 130 countries including members of the British government, Prime Ministers, Archbishops of Canterbury and York and other public figures.

The Premier will also host a dinner with Friends and Associates and a reception for Cayman Students in the UK to ensure the delegation connects with Caymanians abroad while he is there.

Also traveling with the Premier will be Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose; Senior Political Advisor to the Premier Roy Tatum; Policy Coordinator within the Cabinet Office Jason Webster and PA to the Premier Jana Pouchie-Bush.

Mr. Speaker, I wish to provide the members of this Honourable House and the public an update on Government’s efforts to make important and necessary revisions to the Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009.

Before doing so Mr. Speaker I will provide some background for the benefit of the public and the members of this House.

We will recall Mr. Speaker that in May this year the House of Commons attached an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill that was making its way through the United Kingdom Parliament. The Bill with the amendment was passed by the Commons and then later by the House of Lords. 

This amendment requires the British Overseas Territories, but curiously not the Crown Dependencies, to establish public registers of beneficial ownership, and to do so no later than 31 December, 2020.  Failing this, the amendment requires the UK Government to utilise an Order in Council to change our local legislation to implement a public register of beneficial ownership on our behalf.

Mr. Speaker, I have said many times since the amendment passed in the UK Parliament that the Cayman Islands does not accept that the United Kingdom Parliament has the right to legislate for us when it comes to domestic matters that are already devolved to local government. In fact, we view this as constitutional overreach by the UK Parliament – a view that is shared by our constitutional advisors in the UK and also stated by several Law Lords during the debate in the House of Lords in May this year.

Mr. Speaker, this constitutional overreach is concerning; and not just because of the public beneficial ownership issue it is trying to force on us. It is also concerning because with the UK Parliament now believing that it can legislate for us, in a fashion that based on longstanding constitutional convention it previously accepted that it should not, the Parliament may feel emboldened to do so again in the future on any number of matters that it sees fit.  This vote in the Commons in May, Mr. Speaker, represented a line that once crossed cannot be uncrossed. 

And so when I was in the UK in May this year I met with both Prime Minister May and David Liddington, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster; and I also spoke with Lord Ahmad, The Minister of State for the Overseas Territories, on this matter. As a result of those discussions, and subsequent official written requests, the UK Government did agree to engage in constitutional discussions with the Cayman Islands Government.  However, a date to begin these talks was awaited.

Mr. Speaker I also had several discussions with my colleague the Leader of the Opposition on this matter, and I met with him and a number of the other members of the Opposition about what we were considering in regard to constitutional safeguards. As I had said to this House in June this year, the Government and the Opposition are of one mind in the need for these safeguards and the proposals were supported. I will say again what I said then Mr. Speaker, I am appreciative of that support and for the bipartisanship displayed. It is important that we in this House are fully in agreement on this very important matter.

And Mr. Speaker, I would also remind the House that the Opposition Leader and I met with the Constitution Commissioner to discuss these matters and I received a response from the Commission on these and other subjects.  The Hon. Attorney General has also provided his feedback on the proposed enhancements that we are seeking to our Constitution.

 This House will also recall that the Leader of the Opposition and I held a joint press conference in May where we spoke to this issue and advised the Caymanian public that in the collective view of the Government and the Opposition, there was need for us to request some necessary safeguards and enhancements to our Constitution. 

Our goal, and I believe everyone in this House would agree, is to put the Cayman Islands in the best possible position constitutionally to govern our own affairs, to resist constitutional overreach by the UK Government and Parliament, and to continue to thrive and prosper as a modern, progressive and successful democracy. Indeed, I believe that the majority of Caymanians and those resident here can agree with this.  Because of this, we in this House must ensure that local politics take a backseat as we strive to obtain what is best for our country and our people.

As I mentioned in June when I last updated the House, the constitutional safeguards we are striving for are to have aspects of our Constitution clarified to ensure that the Cayman Islands government has autonomous capacity in respect of domestic affairs and that the UK Parliament will not legislate, directly or indirectly, without consultation or, in matters of domestic autonomy, without the consent of these Islands. This matches the objectives of the 2012 White Paper and endorses its balance between self-determination and the responsibilities of the UK.

We believe it should be made clear that the UK’s power over international affairs be confined to the enforcement and implementation of clear international obligations of the United Kingdom alone and that it also be made clear that provided the Cayman Islands is not in breach of international standards, the power of internal self-governance is absolute and that the power of disallowance with respect to legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands be removed, as is the case with the Gibraltar Constitution.

So in broad strokes, Mr. Speaker, those are the main measures that we are going to be pressing for in terms of constitutional changes to prevent this sort of constitutional overreach, which occurred in May from occurring in the future.

These proposals are not intended to secure the Cayman Islands’ independence. Nor is it our intention to usurp the UK’s proper role in external affairs, or to attain a degree of autonomy beyond the accepted status of the Crown Dependencies and, in respect of some constitutional provisions, of Overseas Territories such as Bermuda and Gibraltar. Instead, we want to ensure that we have autonomous capacity in domestic affairs.

Mr. Speaker, for the past six months we have been in conversation with the UK on beginning constitutional discussions.  However, there has been considerable back and forth on how to progress these talks.

I am pleased to confirm to this House and to the public that the UK Government has, just last week, agreed to such discussions to be held in London following the conclusion of the Joint Ministerial Council meeting, which will be held 4 - 5 December.  The dates proposed for the constitutional discussions are Friday, 7 December, for preliminary discussions, resuming on Monday, 10 December. Discussions will be held at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on King Charles Street, London. 

The Leader of the Opposition and the Deputy Leader of the Opposition have both agreed to be part of Cayman’s negotiating team.  Also accompanying me will be Government’s Constitutional advisor in London, Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC, as well as Hon. Tara Rivers, Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs, and the Hon. Samuel Bulgin, QC, Attorney General; both of whom will also accompany me to the JMC meeting earlier in the week.

As this matter progresses, I will keep this House and indeed our country advised. Further, I want to reassure this House that before any final safeguards to our Constitution are agreed with the UK, the proposed constitutional revisions will be debated and voted upon in this House.

Mr. Speaker, during the last Administration, the Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts, then Minister for Lands, received approval from Cabinet to purchase property behind the Government Administration Building when that property came on the market. That property, Mr. Speaker, is titled as GTC 14C J21.

At the time we also sought to purchase a piece adjacent to J21, which is titled GTC 14C J22, or Scranton Central Park as it is better known; but regrettably this property was not for sale at that time.
This was not the first time that the Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts, as well as myself, had attempted to buy the Scranton Central Park property; in fact as representatives for the District of George Town we had sought to acquire this property for well over a decade because of its value to the surrounding community.
Although the property was privately owned, the owners graciously allowed the community to use the land for many years as a park. And so over the years it has been used for many things – everything from community gatherings to basketball games and more. It was, in many respects, an oasis for the neighboring community in an area that was becoming more and more commercial.
The Hon. D. Kurt Tibbetts and I understood that should the Scranton Central park property ever come on the market it was important for Government to buy it to preserve it for use as a community park. And so the family did promise that should they decide to sell that they would let us know. Earlier this year the family advised that the land was for sale; should Government be interested. And we were interested.
I immediately contacted the Minister responsible for Lands and had the process started to negotiate the purchase. Two independent valuations were obtained, as well as a valuation by Lands & Survey, to determine the value of the property. The negotiations between Government, as managed by Lands & Survey, and the owners were a bit protracted Mr. Speaker, but happily last month the deal was concluded with the property being bought by Government for CI$272,500. This purchase price was based on the valuation done by Lands & Survey and considered fair value for the property.
My Government, Mr. Speaker, places a premium on ensuring that open spaces are available to the public, including access to neighborhood parks and play areas. These are not mere words Mr. Speaker. The purchase and planned enhancement of Smith Barcadere, as well as the South Sound Boardwalk are two recent examples, as is property purchased in the Prospect area that will eventually serve as a public park for the huge Red Bay & Prospect communities.
And Mr. Speaker, we still plan to utilise the old Government Administration building site as a public park. God willing we will get this done over the next budget cycle.
But this administration also believes, and indeed the Progressives campaigned in part, on making our communities stronger – including through the creation of Community Youth Centres that can provide social, recreational, and counselling services, especially for children after school.
So Mr. Speaker, the purchase of this property by Government ensures that it continues to be available for use by the community and can serve other community purposes in the future. The ability to improve the condition of the park as well as to expand the current ¼ acre site using the adjacent Crown land creates exciting possibilities.
This Government, Mr. Speaker, will continue to pursue these types of opportunities to improve the quality of life for the people of George Town Central and indeed for all of our people across these Islands.
Thank you Mr. Speaker.

Delivered on 1^st November (Transcript of the speech, exactly as it was delivered)

Good evening everyone,

I’m delighted to be here this evening as you celebrate this most auspicious event in your lives as graduates.

I want to congratulate you all for the hard work and for your achievements and to also congratulate and thank your spouses, your children, your other support folks who have helped you get this far along your journey.

As I sat there just now and thought back, it is 40 years this month since I graduated from High School.  In those days, graduations were in November because they wouldn’t let you graduate until you got your results; it was a different time.

 40 years, and I think back on the decisions, and some of the bad decisions that I was prepared to make at that age when I thought that high school graduation was something really special and that was just about all you needed to get on in life.  And I have a number of people to thank for persuading me that I needed to go beyond high school education, if I truly wanted to achieve the things that I had the ambition for in this life.

Principal among them was my father, who I will never forget said to me, he said my son you can’t see it, but the day is coming in this Country when you’re going to need a university degree to drive the garbage truck.  Well, we haven’t quite reached there, but those of you who have sought employment and are in employment will understand what he meant, that if you really want to get on you do need to do what you all have done and some of you will continue to do as you move from one level to the other from Diploma to Associates to Bachelors and on.

So I want to commend you for having understood the critical importance of education, which as Mr. Ritch just said is not a destination, but an ongoing process, important to your life and your ambition and ultimately your achievement.

So I want to encourage you to seek out, in whatever you do, whatever vocation or profession you pursue, something for which you have real passion.  For if you ever discover what you truly love to do, you’ll never really work a day in your life.

I was not a particularly good student; the teachers said it wasn’t because I didn’t have the ability; it was because when I was younger the pursuit of happiness was far more important to me than the pursuit of anything else and so I didn’t really work that hard.  But a point came when the penny dropped and I understood that to achieve, you really had to work hard and that has been the basis for me and all that I have been able to do in my life.  Finding the legal profession which was something that I loved deeply and then an outlet for my desire for public service, I’m just about completing in five days’ time eighteen years as an elected member.

And so I have always had, since I qualified as a Lawyer, a reason to get out of bed every morning and a job that I wanted to go and do and achieve at, if you can find that in whatever your pursuits are, you will have done the most important thing for yourself and indeed for whoever you work for.  Because when you actually find something that you want to get up in a morning to go and do that makes you a happy person.  So I encourage you to seek out those opportunities, I wish you all the very best in your further endeavours and I look forward to helping you celebrate some more of those occasions, those of you who remain here or elsewhere in Cayman.

I want to conclude these remarks by paying tribute and acknowledging the tremendous service of two, believe it or not, of my former high school teachers who are still here at UCCI.  Old teachers never die, they just keep graduating.

The first I want to mention is Professor Emerita Calvin Bromfield, who taught me A level English forty years ago, he must have been a boy.  He was one of the most inspiring teachers’ that I had, even though he came to the school late in my school career at what was then the Cayman Islands High School.  And finally to say, or to acknowledge with some sadness that tonight is the swan song of your President, J.A. Roy Bodden, who taught me A level history forty years ago.

Before that, Mr Bodden had been a teacher in the Government school system, before he went off for further studies to University in Canada returning as I said to the Cayman Islands High School to teach A level history, particularly American history.

So he had a long and distinguished career as a teacher in the public service before going on to be elected and serving sixteen and a half years, latterly as Minister of Education and then to do a further nine years now as President of UCCI.  That is truly a lifetime of public service, which warrants I believe not just applause here, but truly national recognition.

And he would be disappointed, because I’m not in his head and his heart, but I do believe that he’s most proud of being an author.  And he’s been the author of a number of seminal works, about the history of these islands, particularly the political history of these islands and our social history.  And although he has been recognized very much for those over the years, I do believe as he leaves this scene, more and more people are going to come to understand how critically important those works of his are.  To our understanding recognition and appreciation of what life in these islands was like, the struggles, the successes and the pride that we can have in being Caymanian. 

I want to thank you Roy for all that you have done and indeed look forward to the promise of more of those works as you go into happy retirement.

Again, I thank you all for the invitation to be here and the opportunity to say a few words and again my warmest congratulations to the graduates.

 Your Excellency, it is my honour and a real privilege to be the first to congratulate you on assuming the Office of Governor of the Cayman Islands. 

I also take this opportunity to again welcome you to these islands, you and your lovely wife Elisabeth.  I do hope that your children Matthew and Jessica will be able to visit here before too long, I expect they shall be as enthralled with these islands as most who visit here. 

I was also delighted that you initiated a video call with me early last week and that we had the opportunity to meet, I’m not sure if this is correct – “virtually”. 

I am very impressed with your extensive experience overseas and in particular your experience dealing with Overseas Territories and I have to tell you sir that in my view any man who likes bicycles and books, has a head start in my estimation. 

I could not have believed that I would be doing this again, just six months since we welcomed the last Governor.  You sir are the fourteenth Governor of these Islands since we had such things, and there were four Administrators who preceded you. 

You are my, I think seventh Governor, Smith, Dinwiddy, Jack, Taylor, Kilpatrick, Choudhury, yes my seventh Governor.  So I have had some experience in dealing with the Governors and in the transition that that involves. 

You have come at a particular juncture in these islands when we are again facing some significant international challenges and I am encouraged that you have some considerable experience in dealing with agencies such as the OECD.  We shall very quickly I believe, call upon that experience as we seek to address the current challenge which has been extant now for almost two years, of the EU blacklisting exercise of jurisdictions which they conclude the practice or engage in harmful tax practices.

Sir these islands have come a long way in my, I like to think relatively short lifetime.  Though we were first claimed as British pursuant to the 1670 Treaty of Madrid, I think it was 28th September 1670 and we have been settled since the early 1700’s, it is really the last 50 years or so, 60 years if we stretch it, that these islands have become what most people consider the modern Cayman. 

And so this year we are celebrating the conferral of our Coat of Arms, conferred by Queen Elizabeth II in 1958 which you will see emblazoned just about everywhere you go.  That sir is our first symbol of national identity and one of which we are incredibly proud. 

And so over the course of this year, we have been having various celebrations, we are coming towards the close of the year but I do believe there will be opportunity for you to participate in one or two of those before the year’s celebrations are over. 

That Coat of Arms is extremely symbolic; it reflects our link, our constitutional link with Jamaica, going back to the very early days of our settlement through the pineapple.  The British Lion, the wavy blue marks on it represent the sea, the three green stars the three Cayman Islands, the turtle which has been a symbol of Cayman’s identity ever since we were settled. 

It provided food, it provided work, it provided revenue from export and aside from that Caymanians tend to love eating the creature, something that many people from elsewhere find a bit unusual.  And then there is the thatch rope on which it sits, which again was one of our very earliest industries and below it is a verse from Psalm 24, verse 7 I believe from memory, “He Hath Founded It upon the Seas which underpins the Coat of Arms but also underpins the backbone and the culture of this country. 

We were founded on the basis of Christian beliefs which still persist, still pervades, still guide decisions made by those of us charged with that responsibility in this country.  It is not so everywhere but it is certainly so here. 

We start this Parliament with prayer every day, we start Cabinet with prayer every time Cabinet meets and you will find as you move around almost any public meetings that there is, you get the National Song, the National Anthem and a prayer, that’s the Cayman way.   

And so sir as I said quite recently to your predecessor, take time to get to know these islands, to get to know the uniqueness of our people.  We do not have one of those very vibrant and flamboyant cultures, there are subtleties that run through everything Caymanians do and say and if you are not perceptive and if you do not take time to learn, you’ll miss a lot of messages because Caymanians are generally not very overt, particularly if they are going to be critical of you.  Except if you listen to the talk show in the morning, but don’t do that sir, it’s not good for your health; it’s not good for your digestion. 

But sir, there are a number of significant challenges as I alluded to even with respect to our relationship with the United Kingdom.  I do believe that the Government’s relationship with the United Kingdom is on very strong ground and that is why we have been able to, not only withstand but we’ve been able to work through some of these challenges.  Many of these sir are not the making of the Civil Servants at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.  They are the will of the British Parliament in many instances, and a great deal of misperception remain and exist in the UK and more broadly across Europe and indeed other places in the world, about what we do here in terms of business, particularly financial service related business.  And this unfortunately affects the way we are dealt with in a number of respects. 

I speak in particular sir with respect to the Anti Money Laundering and Sanctions Act and the clear constitutional overreach which Parliament of the United Kingdom exercised in seeking to legislate domestically for territories such as the Cayman Islands, not just us, but a territory such as the Cayman Islands, outside the scope of the constitutional order which presently exists. 

Those are some of the challenges that we have to deal with on a regular basis, more recently we had another unfortunate issue with the NCA.  We have managed to resolve all of these things, I cite these not because I’m complaining, really about them you know about them I’m sure you do but to say that your role sir as Governor is not an easy one.  I fully, fully understand the challenges of walking that line between your responsibility as a representative of the Queen and an appointee of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and your role as Governor in helping to protect, defend and help these islands to continue to prosper. 

The really good governors that I’ve had to deal with have been able to walk that line very effectively and I do hope sir that in time to come I or those who follow me are able to include you in that relatively short list of good governors. 

The role which you play in Cabinet is also important, notwithstanding the fact that under the current constitution the Governor has no decision making role or veto power in cabinet.  The role as Chairman provides, I believe, a great opportunity for you to receive feedback from the Cabinet as well as Cabinet to have your views on particular issues. 

I have found that over the course of my time not just as Premier, which has just gone five years but my previous term as a Minister, to be very invaluable to have an objective one hopes, perspective on matters which though locally relevant will benefit from a broader perspective. 

I also personally value the opportunity to discuss a range of issues with the Governor on a regular basis, indeed our constitution requires regular consultation between the Premier and the Governor and I do hope that we can swiftly arrive at an arrangement, so that we are able to do that in order to help facilitate the business of the Cabinet and the Government more generally. 

There are some other challenges ahead and I’m hoping not to embarrass the Chief Justice by even raising this particular one in his presence, but we have the long standing issues about I suppose I should use the colloquially  term, gay marriages and the rights of same sex couples which is one matter which is currently before the court and the ongoing dialogue and debate and if I‘m frank pressure from the UK government for the Cayman Islands and some of its other territories’ to accede to their thrust for these islands to validate such relationships. 

These are difficult areas, very difficult areas, there are mixed views in the community there are mixed views even in my Caucus and in my Cabinet.  They are very difficult to navigate politically.  I almost lost my previous government over those issues, so I say this sir not to cause you not to rest well tonight but to give you a little insight into some of the very significant issues which these islands face and those of us who bear the leadership roles face. 

Happily, happily in financial terms the Cayman Islands is in as good a place from the Government perspective as it ever was and government revenues are strong and solid.  The economy is doing far better than any economy in the region. 

GDP growth has just been published for the previous 6 months at 4% estimated to level out at 3% for the year when most places around the region are at 0.5% some even less.  Unemployment has fallen from a high of 10.5% in 2012 to 3.2% currently so government is pressing ahead with major infrastructure projects over the course of the previous term and the first 15-16 months of this term, government has not raised any taxes or duties, nor have we borrowed any long term money. 

We continue to pay down government debt, so far we’ve paid down $135 million in the last five years.  Moody has renewed our credit rating at AA3, the highest in all of the overseas territories one of the highest in the region. 

So we’re doing very well in that aspect but that is not to say we don’t have problems and social issues, one of the great challenges we have faced over the course of these many years is how do we balance the significant immigration which has been a major factor in our success. 

When I was born, which I like to think wasn’t all that long ago, the population was 8,500 people it’s now about 65,000 people.  We’ve got about 23-24,000 of those are people on work permits.  We have 135 nationalities are mixed up in that 65,000 people.  As a friend of mine in Barbados said the Cayman Islands is the United Nations of the Caribbean. 

There is no other nation in the region that even comes close to that diversity in terms of nationality and it’s made for tremendous success on a number of fronts from availability of cuisine, to different cuisines that are here, to the sports that we play to the attitude of people, it’s been hugely positive in many ways but it comes with its share of social strains. 

And one of the greatest challenges that we face is the continued perception by many local people, that they do not get fair opportunities, particularly when it comes to employment in terms of promotion and upward mobility.  And so my government, like governments before have struggled and are struggling with this issue and we are doing a number of things we hope which help to deal with this. 

One, we have created an economy and an environment where there is a great availability of jobs and opportunity.  So now we have to make sure that the Caymanians that are willing and able to do these jobs get them.  Which means a better education at its core, better education but also fairness by employers in selection and so one of the things we are doing is combining what were previous functions of Immigration dealing with the work permit application process and the department of labour relations into a new department called WORC  (Workforce Opportunities Permanent Residency Cayman). And we are also pressing ahead with the creation by legislation of a Fair Opportunities Employment Commission to be able to effectively investigate and sanction discrimination in the workplace. 

I give you this sir because I do not wish for you, nor do I wish to be accused of painting an overly rosy picture of these islands, we do have our share of challenges but in the context of the region and in the broader context of the world this place is still paradise. 

And so sir, I have gone over these issues a little to give you some flavour I think of the challenges that lie ahead and the opportunities for you to make a real difference and a real contribution to helping to move these islands forward.

 I want to finish by thanking, not just thanking, but commending the Hon. Franz Manderson for the exceptional job he has done as Acting Governor.  Most people might think that Franz and I get on like a house on fire, well generally we do but we’ve had our share of ups and downs too it’s just the nature of the respective posts we hold and I fear sir that you and I are likely to have a similar experience over time. 

But I do hope sir, as I’ve said to the Overseas Territories Minister Lord Ahmad that you are able to stay on long term.  The last thing these islands need is disruption and so I hope, that when that time comes, I am asked for, and that I will be able to provide you, with a glowing reference. 

Welcome to Cayman sir.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin spoke to incoming Governor Mr. Martyn Keith Roper via video conference today and awaits his arrival on Grand Cayman next Monday, 29 October.

“I had a good, positive conversation this morning with Mr. Roper, and I look forward to welcoming him when he arrives on Monday,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I anticipate that Mr.  Roper and I will quickly build a cordial and productive working relationship. I am pleased to have heard directly from Mr. Roper his eagerness about working in the Cayman Islands and to also have him provide first-hand information on his background and experience working with other Overseas Territories.”

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon wrote to the Premier on 19 October announcing Mr. Roper’s appointment and thanked the Premier for offering advice on the qualities needed in a new governor. He said that he and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office took that advice on board in the appointment of Mr. Roper.

In his letter to Lord Ahmad on 24 September, the Premier noted that a new governor “should have a good knowledge of, and preferably experience of working with Overseas Territories. They will need to have an appreciation for the separate roles of the elected government and the Governor’s Office and to be able to hit the ground running.”

The Premier also suggested that the experiences of former Cayman Islands Governor Helen Kilpatrick be taken on board as part of the recruitment process for the new governor.

“This would, I believe, go a long way to giving us confidence that the process would give us someone who understands and respects the role of the Premier and the Government whilst also appreciating that Caymanians understand full well how to grow and keep our Islands safe and prosperous,” he wrote to Lord Ahmad.

“I thank Lord Ahmad for the opportunity to provide advice on the qualities needed in the incoming governor. I am also grateful that, in speaking with Mr. Roper, he indicated he has had conversations with former Governor Kilpatrick with regards to her role and experiences when she served as governor of the Islands,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

Mr. McLaughlin applauded Acting Governor Hon. Franz Manderson for his work in taking up the role in the absence of a UK-appointed governor.

“I look forward to continuing to work with him as Deputy Governor and with Mr. Roper as our new governor,” he said.

LONDON – Eric Bush today told members of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee that the Cayman Islands has identified opportunities to work with the United Kingdom to strengthen the relationship between the two countries.

Mr. Bush, the UK representative for the Cayman Islands in London, fielded questions from the committee, which is considering the resilience of the Overseas Territories, how effectively the Foreign and Commonwealth Office manages its responsibilities toward the OTs and how it sees their future.

“We welcome the opportunity to contribute to this review by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee into the future of the Overseas Territories,” said Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin. “There are few such opportunities for us to actively contribute to open discussions about our place in the United Kingdom family of nations, and in light of recent questionable legislative activities, it is of paramount importance to us to review and improve our constitutional relationship with the United Kingdom.

“As a small Islands state we punch well above our weight as a leading place to live, visit and do business,” he said. “To assure this, we understand the need to be outward facing to global opportunities and challenges.”

MP Andrew Rosindell began the questioning by asking Mr. Bush about his views on Brexit, the eventual separation between the UK and the European Union, and any associated risks to Cayman’s political stability and economic success.

“With the realities of Brexit, the UK is going to be more concerned about their own external affairs,” Mr. Bush said. “For the Cayman Islands, the risk for us is that we need to be more proactive with assistance by the UK Government in forming our own international identity.

“We accept Brexit is a reality and therefore we are looking for the opportunities,” he said. “We have no official ties to the EU except for being British. The risks of Brexit are all within the global risk of what it is to be British.”

And it is that sense of being British that makes the Cayman Islands a strong country in which to help the UK Government in its campaign of a Global Britain. Mr. Bush said all of the OTs and Crown Dependencies have much to offer in broadening the UK’s global footprint, from biodiversity, financial services and healthcare to many pockets of excellence.

He explained that the Cayman Islands represented Global Britain last year when it took humanitarian aid police forces to Turks and Caicos, Anguilla and the British Virgin Islands after those countries were ravaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

“There was a lot of criticism in the UK about the timeliness of the response from the UK,” Mr. Bush said. “But the Global British response was pretty good.”

He told committee members that the constitutional relationship between the UK and Cayman is dated and needs to be reformed.

A contentious issue between the UK and the OTs has been the passing of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018 earlier this year in the UK Parliament.

MP Mike Grape pressed Mr. Bush on whether the Cayman Islands would adhere to the law, which does not come into force until the end of 2020.

“Government has been quite vocal in saying that it amounts to constitutional overreach,” Mr. Bush said. “The Premier in 2013 came to the UK and made it clear that the Cayman Islands would be an early adopter once and when it becomes a global standard.”

He also told the members that it is important to recognise that the Cayman Islands and the UK Government share the goal in fighting against money laundering, tax evasion, terror financing and other monetary crimes.

“The Act betrayed years of constructive conversation,” Mr. Bush said. “There was a sense of disbelief for us. There is a disconnect. That’s where the management of the relationship comes in and that’s at the heart of this review.”

Mr. Bush’s talks with the Committee came a week after the Cayman Islands issued a requested written response that asserts that the UK Government’s responsibilities toward Cayman’s constitutional relationship should be clarified. The response also offers suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the Overseas Territories Directorate and relationship management with the FCO.

Committee members had the submission, which offers recommendations made by the Cayman Islands to clarify and strengthen the relationship between the Islands and the UK.

Those recommendations include:

• Safeguards to protect the Cayman Islands, and indeed the wider British Overseas Territory family, from future constitutional overreach by the Houses of Parliament, and that the safeguards be established in partnership with the wishes of our governments.

• The UK Government should facilitate Ministerial engagement from the Government of the Cayman Islands with requisite UK Government ministers and departments, so the international community and relevant forums are reassured we are being represented in keeping with the UK’s obligations.

• An invitation for the UK Government to review ministerial responsibility in relation to the Government of the Cayman Islands, including designation of ministers in each relevant department to ensure total cross-Whitehall participation as required.

• That the Cabinet Office work to integrate the British Overseas Territories requirements into the existing COBRA Civil Contingencies frameworks and engage with British Overseas Territory Representatives in London on a regular basis as well as in emergency situations.

• That the UK assess the suitability of moving to the Australian State Governor appointment process whereby the Crown directly appoints the Governor instead of the FCO and the appointment of the Governor be subject to the veto of the Government of the Cayman Islands.

• That the Cabinet Office, through the Commonwealth Secretariat, make every effort to involve the Government of the Cayman Islands on all elements of Commonwealth engagement, with the exception at this time of full membership.

• That every effort be made by the UK Government to improve the standing of the position of the British Overseas Territory Representative.

The FCO has primary responsibility for the UK Overseas Territories, which are spread across four oceans and eight time zones. These dispersed territories support the UK’s global reach but ensuring their security and stability, while respecting the principle of self-government presents a major challenge to the FCO.

In recent years the OTs have been exposed to shocks, from the Panama Papers in 2015, the Brexit vote in 2016 and hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. These have led some OTs to question the UK’s willingness to support them. Relations have also been strained because of high-profile instances of divergence between the UK and some of the OTs on issues such as civil rights and financial transparency.

The House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee in London is examining the role of the United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories and on Tuesday afternoon will hear first-hand from Mr. Eric Bush in his role as the United Kingdom representative for the Cayman Islands.

The Committee is reviewing the relationship between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the UK Overseas Territories. Mr. Bush will be the first Overseas Territory representative to join the discussion and provide further information about Cayman’s written submission to the Committee. The Committee asked for written submissions from the OTs in July.

According to the Committee’s website, “This review will consider the resilience of the Overseas Territories, how effectively the FCO manages its responsibilities toward them and how it envisages their future.” 

In the written submission, the Cayman Islands has recommended, among other things, that sufficient safeguards be put in place to protect OTs from future constitutional overreach by the Houses of Parliament, that the UK Government designate ministers in each relevant department to ensure the Cayman Islands has total cross-Whitehall participation and that the Cabinet Office make every effort to involve the Government of the Cayman Islands in all elements of Commonwealth engagement, short of full membership at this time.

Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin said he welcomes the review, especially in light of Britain’s imminent departure from the European Union.

“It is the right time for the UK Government and the Overseas Territories to review the way in which the relationships are managed and make real changes that will see a stronger Global Britain in which the Cayman Islands and indeed all Overseas Territories are an important part,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

A similar review was conducted in 2008 and the results prompted the UK Government to create and adopt the 2012 Whitepaper, which is the most recent UK policy document regarding the Overseas Territories.

George Town, Grand Cayman - The following statement has been issued by Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for the Overseas Territories and Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Premier of the Cayman Islands:

Following further talks between Cayman Islands and UK officials concerning the sharing of beneficial ownership information by law enforcement agencies, an agreement has been reached which will allow close and effective cooperation under the Exchange of Notes. This followed discussions on the technical process to be used by the General Registry and Royal Cayman Islands Police Service (RCIPS) for providing information to UK law enforcement in a timely manner and assurances from the UK that addressed the Cayman Islands concerns on privacy issues and the secure transmission of data. The National Crime Agency (NCA) and RCIPS confirmed that they are satisfied with the operational adjustments and that the agreement immediately allows them to resume collaboration under the Exchange of Notes, which is in addition to the other mechanisms for information exchange that have been in existence for years.” 

On Friday 5^th October the Leader of the Opposition issued a press statement entitled “Opposition calls for the repayment of CI$20 million owed to the people of the Cayman Islands”.  This was regarding the settlement of 2004 Hurricane Ivan property insurance claims between the Cayman Islands Government and Cayman General Insurance Ltd.

The decisions taken regarding these insurance claims were made by the Government in office in 2004, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ivan, when the Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin, along with Anthony Eden and Arden McLean were members of the PPM Opposition. This is a fact of which the Leader of the Opposition as well as Anthony Eden and Arden McLean are obviously well aware.  The accusation by the Leader of the Opposition that Mr. McLaughlin supported the settlement is therefore a deliberate untruth as both Mr. Eden and Mr. McLean would know. 

The government records, including a 2007report by the Auditor General, show that this was a negotiated settlement, with the benefit of legal advice, agreed between the Cayman Islands Government and Cayman General in full and final settlement of all claims made by the Cayman Islands Government against Cayman General, arising from loss and damage suffered by the Government as a result of the passage of Hurricane Ivan.   Government reached a settlement position of CI$70 million with Cayman General.  The agreement provided for the payment by Cayman General of CI$50 million dollars to the Cayman Islands Government within thirty days as well as the transfer to the Government of 24% of the shares in Cayman General.  This allowed Government to have quick access to much needed cash in the aftermath of the disastrous passage of Ivan. There was no loan made to Cayman General as part of the negotiated agreement as the Opposition statement infers.  Government still owns the shares which are now held in Cayman First Insurance given the sale of Cayman General some years later.

Regardless of whether or not the Opposition, or others, consider this a good commercial deal, the reality is the agreement was a legally binding contract in FULL AND FINAL settlement of all claims which the Government had against Cayman General arising from Hurricane Ivan.  There is no outstanding loan and no money owed to the Cayman Islands Government by Cayman General, or its successor Cayman First Insurance or Cayman National Corporation.

Premier McLaughlin stated “75% of the shareholders in Cayman National Corporation are Caymanians and it is both reckless and callous in the extreme, for the Opposition to seek to damage the company’s reputation and further to insist that its Caymanian Shareholders should pay Government CI$20 million which is not owed, given the final agreed settlement.”

Mr. McLaughlin continued “These disingenuous statements are part of a growing pattern of false accusations made by the Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues.  In this instance they appear to be aimed at derailing the sale of the majority of shares in Cayman National Corporation which will principally benefit Caymanians.” 

“These deliberate attempts to continue to mislead the public on crucially important national issues such as this are deeply regrettable and unbecoming of the Leader of the Opposition and the members of the Legislative Assembly who appear to be blindly following his lead.”

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – Following on from a very successful visit to Monaco to support the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands (MACI) at the annual yacht show, The Premier, Hon Alden McLaughlin, accompanied by the Chairman and the CEO of MACI travelled to Athens for meetings with Greek merchant ship owners and movers and shakers in the Greek shipping industry.This initiative is part of MACI’s plans to increase the number of merchant ships on the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry.  The Cayman Islands is one of the top registers for yachts but are outranked in terms of merchant ships flying the Cayman flag – currently we have some 2,008 yachts registered, but only about 203 merchant ships on the register.

On Tuesday the Premier hosted a luncheon for 15 ship-owners and CEO’s of Greek shipping companies.  The venue was the historic Piraeus Marine Club in the heart of the Greek shipping community where the Premier and MACI staffs were able to speak directly about the Cayman Islands and the benefits of the Cayman Shipping Registry. 

Mr. McLaughlin noted that, “MACI asked me to attend and to personally speak to individuals involved in shipping, including those at the luncheon from traditional Greek shipping families who together control many hundred ships.” 

Mr. McLaughlin continued, “Some of the individuals I met do business with us now, but most do not.  We cannot substantially grow this sector of the shipping market without accessing Greek shipping.  So, I came to Athens to thank first hand those who do business with us, and to say to those who do not that we as a Country and as a Government are committed to the shipping industry, committed to supporting Greek shipping, and we want their business.”

Greek ship owners account for almost 25% of the world’s total merchant shipping fleet and are an important market to tap into if the Cayman Islands are to substantially grow the number of merchant vessels on the Cayman Register.  It’s important not only to better diversify the registry business but to also help diversify and grow the business done within the Cayman Islands.

Mr. Philip Barnes, Chairman of MACI commented that “The mere fact that this number of high powered individuals took time out of their busy day to be with us for several hours over lunch is an indication of their interest in the Registry as well as their interest in hearing first hand from the leader of the Cayman Islands”.

Mr. Joel Walton, CEO of MACI, said “I am grateful to the Premier for joining us in Athens.  This is important to MACI but it is also important to the Cayman Islands.  The individuals who met with us are not only significant players in Greek Shipping, but are also significant in terms of the global shipping industry. When the Premier of the Cayman Islands can say to them that we are committed to shipping and will work hard to get and keep their business, this means something to them.  I am hopeful that we will win a lot more merchant shipping business from Greece and today is the start.”

During the course of the week MACI staff and representatives in Athens are meeting one on one with several Greek shipping companies and brokers.

Also attending the lunch was Greek Caymanian Nicky Pappadakis who also addressed his fellow Greeks and spoke warmly about the Cayman Islands and the Caymanian people.  The Hon Speaker, Mr. McKeeva Bush also attended as he was in Athens independently visiting his friend Mr. Pappadakis.

Travelling with the Premier is Roy Tatum, Head of the Office of the Premier.   Mr McLaughlin and Mr Tatum travel back home on Wednesday 3rd October. 

MONACO – Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers as well as representatives from the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands attended the Monaco Yacht Show and hosted events this week to promote the Cayman Islands and our world leading Shipping Registry.

On Thursday night the Cayman Islands hosted a reception for friends of Cayman, including yacht owners, yacht builders, naval architects and other key players and service providers in the yachting sector. Special guest of honour was H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, who was welcomed by Premier McLaughlin and Minister Rivers. Premier McLaughlin and Prince Albert discussed the history, culture and economy of the Cayman Islands, as well as the prominence of the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry. The Premier also presented the Prince with the Coat of Arms of the Cayman Islands.  

Prince Albert, who like Premier McLaughlin is a keen cyclist, invited Mr. McLaughlin to return to Monaco to participate in the St-Tropez to Monaco charity bike ride in support of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation. The Prince also expressed an interest in returning the favour and visiting the Cayman Islands.

It was a successful evening that gave the Premier and the Minister opportunities to speak to some of the key players in the important Monaco super yachting sector about the Cayman Islands and the Cayman Registry. Several said they plan to visit the Cayman Islands.

On Wednesday, the Premier and the Minister met with Minister of State of Monaco Mr. Serge Telle, and Finance Minister Mr. Jean Castellini. The officials from Cayman and Monaco held an extended meeting to better understand the way the two different jurisdictions function. Mr. McLaughlin noted that there are more similarities than differences between the two jurisdictions and there may be opportunities for closer collaboration going forward.

Discussions also included infrastructure developments such as the Portier Cove project in Monaco that will develop some 15 acres of reclaimed land in the Mediterranean Sea to help provide space for new homes in Monaco as well as to provide economic benefits to the principality. The project is expected to cost about US$2.66 billion. The environmental impact will be minimised and when completed is expected to provide huge economic benefit for years to come. Premier McLaughlin and Minister Rivers noted that the Cayman Islands is in the middle of a cruise pier project, and although smaller in scope than the Monaco project, it too seeks to minimise the environmental impact whilst ensuring economic benefit into the future.

To close Wednesday, the Cayman delegation, led by Premier McLaughlin and Minister Rivers, hosted a dinner for clientele of the Shipping Registry. This was the first time that the Cayman Islands has hosted a dinner at the Monaco show.

“This dinner provided an opportunity for Cayman to thank some of the clients of our Registry for the business provided to the Cayman Islands and for their loyalty over the years,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “Today we are a world leading register. However, we cannot be complacent and must collectively work hard to maintain our dominance in the sector.”

Minister Rivers also noted, “The presence of those at dinner was a clear indication of the value they place on Cayman’s Shipping Registry.”

She thanked guests for attending and looked forward to working with them to grow the Registry. During dinner, guests discussed with the Premier and Minister their thoughts on the Registry and the future of Cayman in general. Many guests noted their appreciation that the Premier and Minister took time to visit the yacht show and meet with the users of the Cayman Islands Shipping Registry. 

Premier McLaughlin, Minister Rivers and the Cayman delegation also had an opportunity to visit the yacht show and see the many large yachts using the Cayman Registry and flying the Cayman red ensign flag.  Most of them had George Town displayed on their stern to indicate their registering port. One was also seen sporting The Creek in Cayman Brac as the port of register.

On the final day Premier McLaughlin and Minister Rivers met with Lia Riva, the owner of famed Riva Yachts in Monaco. They discussed opportunities to work with the Cayman Registry as Riva Yachts focusses more in the Super yachts sector. Later in the day the Cayman delegation attended the Cayman Islands sponsored MARE Forum symposium on the future of the super yachts industry. Keynote speakers included Minister Rivers as well as Farouk Nefzi, Marketing and Brand Director of renowned shipbuilders Feadship; as well as Sherice Arman, Partner of Maples & Calder. The symposium was well attended and there was wide spread discussion on the future of yachting including the changing regulatory regime.

The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry plays an important role as part of the slate of services offered through its Financial Services Industry. As a dominating flag state of the ultra-large segment of the yachting industry, the Cayman Islands has more than 80 per cent of that market share and is a world-leading register. Not only does the Cayman Islands earn substantial fees from the work of the Shipping Registry, but the Caymanian brand is also greatly enhanced by so many luxury yachts being registered in the Cayman Islands and flying the Cayman flag.

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – The Cayman Islands will be represented at the Monaco Yacht Show the week of 24^th September, 2018, as Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon .Tara Rivers as well as representatives from the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands travel there to showcase what the Cayman Islands has on hand to offer stakeholders in the yachting industry.

The Cayman Islands Shipping Registry plays an important role in the Financial Services Industry and the Monaco Yacht Show is important to the Cayman Islands as it showcases its shipping registry to the world.

“The Monaco Yacht Show is the main annual event for the super yacht industry and provides the ultimate showcase for industry influencers,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “It is a key event for Cayman representatives to network with the most influential stakeholders in the industry.”

Super yachts are those with a length of more than 98 feet. Of the current super yachts under construction worldwide, about 45 per cent are being built under the supervision of the Cayman Registry. As a dominating flag state of the ultra-large segment of the yachting industry, the Cayman Islands has more than 80 per cent of the market share and ranks number two in the world, second only to France.

This year there will be 580 exhibitors at the Yacht Show and an anticipated 34,000 participants. There will be 125 yachts on display at a value of more than $2.5 Billion Euros. Represented will be 67 shipyards, 22 brokerage agencies and 26 refit yards as well as 45 new builds.

One of the Cayman Islands events at the Monaco show will be the recognition of the 60^th anniversary of Cayman’s Coat of Arms, which is proudly displayed on both the blue (land) and red (sea) flags.

“We are a leading flag state in the super yacht industry and it is important for us to be part of this important event and be available to meet with owners and their representatives to ensure they have the most up-to-date information on what the Cayman Islands can offer and provide the best possible advice for their existing and future super yachts,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “In addition, I will be able to tell them how well the Cayman Islands is doing economically and politically and that we continue to be a good and stable jurisdiction in which to do business.”

The Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands has been attending the yacht show since 1996.

“This is our 22^nd year attending the show,” said Joel Walton, head of the Maritime Authority of the Cayman Islands. “Over these years the Cayman Islands has established itself as the flag of choice for the superyacht industry.”

“Our Shipping Registry has the most experienced staff of the flag states in the yachting industry and our financial and legal sectors provide excellent customer service for our clients,” said Ms Rivers. “That’s what sets the Cayman Islands apart from the competition. We accept a wide choice of ownership structures and our clients appreciate that we have a solid political, legal, fiscal and social environment.”

The Monaco Yacht Show is an annual trade show held in Port Hercules and is Europe’s largest in-water display of yachts. The event was launched in 1991 as a broker-oriented event focused on superyachts over 66-feet in length. Throughout the four-day event there are more than 150 private events including press features, conferences, receptions and product presentations.

Travelling with the Premier will be Head of the Office of the Premier Roy Tatum and Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin travelled to Barbados over the weekend to speak at the ‘Central Bank Meets Blockchain’ Conference about the on-going successes of the Cayman Islands in its continuing work to improve e-Government services and embrace digital technologies and industries. Mr. McLaughlin will join a number of other distinguished speakers at the conference, including Barbados Prime Minister, Hon. Mia Mottley.

Chief Economist Marla Dukharan of Bitt Inc., a Barbados based technology company focused on digital payments, extended the invitation to the Premier to speak. She has repeatedly touted the Cayman Islands as “the best run economy in the Caribbean” in talks and discussions around the region.

On the first day, Premier McLaughlin met with Sen. Kay S. McConney, who heads up the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Smart Technology, and her Ministry team to discuss the Cayman Islands' wide ranging programme of e-Government initiatives. Barbados has looked at the advances made by Cayman in recent years regarding e-Government and is seeking to move along a similar path.

At the conference the Premier will speak to the regional leadership role the Cayman Islands has taken in progressive reforms and help showcase Cayman’s successes through the development of legislation, regulation and policy in relation to e-Government and digital technology.

“I am honoured to have been asked to speak at this conference where, I am told, the Prime Minister of Barbados, the Hon. Mia Mottley, has committed to follow many of the e-Government initiatives we are adopting and the encouragement we are providing to attract companies that operate in the digital sector,” said Mr. McLaughlin.

E-government initiatives were a key priority of the last administration led by Premier McLaughlin and the e-Government unit was created with the Premier as the Minister responsible for the unit. E-Government has continued as a key priority for the current Government with several initiatives under way.

It is correct that the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Cayman Islands Government continue to have a difference of opinion on parts of the agreement termed the ‘Exchange of Notes’, but it is disingenuous for the FCO to say that the Cayman Islands is not cooperating with the UK with regards to investigating serious crimes.

At the core of the current dispute with the FCO are fundamental issues of data security and human rights, specifically the right to privacy.  Cayman has on several occasions offered case law examples to support our point of view.  The FCO has never provided any counterpoints, choosing instead to dismiss Cayman’s concerns without explanation.  This attitude is alarming as a recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights found that British surveillance violated privacy rights - an indication that the UK’s interpretation of human rights protection is not infallible. The FCO, since November 2016, had chosen to dismiss Cayman’s concerns relating to a fundamental principle of data security, specifically encryption, in relation to the exchange of information for an active investigation.  Eventually, in July 2018, the FCO conceded that Cayman’s concerns, in this regard, were well founded. But other concerns remain.

Under the ‘Exchange of Notes’ (EoN), the Cayman Islands General Registry is the competent authority on the maintenance of Cayman's beneficial ownership platform.  This mirrors the mechanism in the UK in which Companies House maintains the UK's beneficial ownership register.  Under the EoN, the Cayman Islands specified the Financial Crimes Unit of the RCIPS as the 'designated point of contact' for requests.  This distinction in functions was determined by the UK in the crafting of the EoN.  Between August 2017 and July 2018, the Cayman Islands took the additional step of delegating certain powers of the beneficial

ownership competent authority to the Financial Crimes Unit to facilitate a transition period while the platform became fully operational.  At the end of the transition period on June 30th 2018, the additional powers delegated to the Financial Crimes Unit were no longer necessary and were consequently revoked. 

The revocation of this delegation to the Financial Crimes Unit in no way affects the ability of local law enforcement to cooperate with its international counterparts, a point that has explicitly been made to the FCO on multiple occasions.  The Financial Crimes Unit does have in place a designation to make search requests on the beneficial ownership platform in accordance with the provisions of our Companies Law.  Furthermore, while the Cayman Islands has taken the position that the UK is in breach of the agreement made with the signing of the EoN, we have repeatedly sought to ensure that an enhanced level of cooperation remains in place.

The Cayman Islands stands by its commitment to cooperation with all international law enforcement, including the NCA, but will not be bullied into the violation of fundamental principles of human rights or to cooperating in a way that runs counter to internationally accepted standards.

In reference to articles reporting the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency’s (NCA’s) comment that it “struggles” to get data from the Cayman Islands, there is absolutely no merit to Mr. Toon’s allegation. His complaint is a gross misrepresentation of a single situation and is no basis on which to accuse the Cayman Islands of being uncooperative.

Furthermore, the NCA’s recent criticism of Cayman is surprising, bearing in mind that the NCA itself has written to thank the Cayman Islands for its “continuing and excellent support” in relation to an international, high-profile investigation into money laundering.

Since then, there has been only one case in May 2018 in which a legal issue affected Cayman’s response time to a NCA request. That issue was resolved and the information was, in accordance with our commitment to cooperation, provided to the NCA.

Assuming the reporting is accurate, then what is even more worrying is that this baseless attack on Cayman’s economy and reputation appears to be due to our public criticism of and affirmation to challenge the recent attempt by the UK Parliament to legislate for Cayman (and other British Overseas Territories) in areas that are a part of our devolved administration.

The fact that the UK Parliament in May 2018 imposed an unjustifiable and inequitable requirement on the British Overseas Territories and not the Crown Dependancies is bad enough. Now it appears that in furtherance of that agenda the NCA has entered the political arena against what it has previously described as one of its most cooperative and excellent supporters. We hope we are wrong about this and look forward to the NCA correcting the public record.

The Cayman Islands will continue to cooperate and support the NCA and all other law enforcement agencies and tax authorities to combat money laundering, tax evasion and all other forms of crime.

I am happy to be here with you on Cayman Brac to Celebrate Cayman by observing the Diamond Jubilee of our Coat of Arms and herald the return of a very special part of our history, the Royal Warrant, which was conferred by her Majesty the Queen on 14 May, 1958. Celebrate Cayman will continue into 2019 as we observe the Diamond Jubilee of our first Constitution, issued on 4 July, 1959.

This is also a celebration of our incredible journey as three small islands in the Northwest Caribbean Sea that have emerged from relative obscurity onto the world’s stage.

These celebrations hold a special meaning for Cayman Brac because it was Cayman Brac that Ferdinand P Christopher Columbus first sighted in 1503.

Brackers also played an important role in the design of our Coat of Arms and the formation of our first written Constitution. One of the three proposed designs for our Coat of Arms contained three stars, but the two stars representing Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were smaller than the star representing Grand Cayman. Our wise forefathers knew better than to submit a design to England that diminished the Sister Islands.

When we examine the storyline that bridges the gap between Cayman’s earliest settlement and our rapid ascension to becoming a world class leader in financial services and tourism, the issuance of the Coat of Arms represents the seminal moment that arguably triggered the chain of events that placed the Cayman Islands on the path to modernity.

It is indeed my distinct honour to share the story of how our Coat of Arms came into existence and pay homage to the many individuals who contributed to its development. 

The Coat of Arms is our first internationally recognised symbol of identity.  Its rich imagery tells the story of who we are, our history, our culture, our earliest industries, our constitutional relationship and our faith. 

Up until 1958, life in the Cayman Islands was summarised by the iconic phrase, “the Islands time forgot”.   Caymanians eked out a hard scrabble existence based on subsistence farming, fishing, turtling and seamanship.  During these early years, our people endured many hardships, challenges and difficulties the likes of which I pray future generations will never experience. There were many who saw little by way of a future here and chose to migrate, whether to Central America, Isle of Pines, Cuba, the United States or Jamaica.   

But many others remained, determined to stay and carry on while bravely facing the most difficult of circumstances. You see, these hardships forged generations of Caymanians, steeling their spirits and uniting their hearts in a commitment to succeed while producing legendary iron men and women. Those hardy and intrepid Caymanians were distinguished by an existence based on self-reliance, ingenuity and relative independence.  

It is important to note that at this time we were constitutionally a dependency of Jamaica, which was itself at the time a British Colony or as I often say, we enjoyed the lowest form of constitutional existence - being the dependency of a dependency.  

Whilst domestic affairs were managed locally and trade routes existed with other countries, the administration of the country was overseen by a Commissioner or Administrator who himself reported to the Governor of Jamaica.  Caymanians received direct support from Jamaica in the form of medical professionals, teachers and pastors. Furthermore, many Caymanians went to Jamaica for medical care, further education and employment. And so you have a very concise picture of where Cayman stood until the late 1950s when a man of vision arrived, Commissioner Major Alan Hilliard Donald.

Major Donald came from Basutoland, a British Crown Colony in southern Africa, known today as the Kingdom of Lesotho. He served as Commissioner (equivalent to Governor) from 1956 – 1960.  During his administration great strides were made in many aspects of life in the Cayman Islands.

Commissioner Donald is recognised for his central role in the development of the Cayman Island’s first national symbol – the Coat of Arms.

Coats of arms are an important element of heraldry – the practice of design, display and study of armorial bearings. They have been used for centuries to represent and identify military units, towns, churches, families, individuals and even companies.

While history does not clearly record an underlying reason, Commissioner Donald would have seen first-hand the independence and ingenuity of the Caymanian people despite their constitutional link to Jamaica and recognised that Caymanian people clearly distinguished themselves from their neighbours to the Southeast. Commissioner Donald put forward a proposal to adopt a Coat of Arms for the Cayman Islands, which was approved by resolution of the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry on the 3 April, 1957.

Records show that Commissioner Donald approached the Reverend Arthur W. Saunders of the Methodist Church, St. Lucea Circuit, Jamaica and a member of the Heraldry Society to assist with the creation of the Coat of Arms. 

In what could have been one of Cayman’s earliest examples of a public consultation exercise, on 11 April, 1957, Government notice 33/57 was issued requesting all interested Caymanians to submit design ideas and illustrations for the Coat of Arms. A deadline of 1 May, 1957, was set.

One design was submitted by an American residing in Cayman named James “Jimmy” Ford, of the Port of Calls (formerly the Cayman Islands Yacht Club). This submission assisted in the final design for the Coat of Arms. It is also believed that Commissioner Donald, reputed to be a devout Christian, chose the motto “He Hath Founded it Upon the Seas” from the Psalm 24 as it reflected the Christian faith of the Caymanian people.

On 5 February, 1958, a resolution was moved in the Legislative Assembly by the Commissioner to approve the selected design of the Coat of Arms and to send to Her Majesty’s Government for approval. 

When considering a Coat of Arms, Government sent three design proposals to the United Kingdom for consideration.

In a letter written by Garter King of Arms, Sir George Bellew, it is noted that there were three key features the people of the Cayman Islands placed great value on and wanted represented in the final design. Those were:

The representation of the British connection

The representation of the sea as the home of Caymanians

Something to symbolise the three islands

Additionally, it was noted that for sentimental reasons Caymanians desired to retain the thatch rope as part of the final design.

A typical classic coat of arms features several distinct elements, including a crest, field, shield, supporters, design motifs and motto.

The chosen design for the Coat of Arms for the Cayman Islands features a shield, crest and motto and incorporates important historical and indigenous features of the country.

The shield features blue and white wavy lines representing the sea. Three stars of green, lined with gold, lay atop the lines, depicting our three islands.

At the top the shield features the Lion of England symbolising the Cayman Islands’ connection to the United Kingdom.

Above the crest are the arms elements of the Coat of Arms. The green sea turtle is a prominent feature, representing the Islands’ original name “Las Tortugas”, given by Columbus, as well as the turtle fishing industry.

The turtle sits on top of intertwined bands of blue and white silk, representing Cayman’s thatch rope making tradition.

Above the turtle is a pineapple, which represents the connection the Islands have had with Jamaica. Pineapples also appear prominently on Jamaica’s coat of arms.

At the base of the shield is the motto “He hath founded it upon the seas”, taken from Psalm 24:2, reflecting the Islands’ Christian heritage and connection to the sea. 

As we explore our history and retell the incredible story of our Coat of Arms I am pleased today to reveal that our research has uncovered three other designs that were also proposed for the Coat of Arms. These designs are on display this morning and I encourage you to take a look at them at the end of the ceremony. 

As for the design that was chosen, on 14 May, 1958, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II assigned the Armorial Ensigns to the Cayman Islands, bringing to life the first key symbol of national identify for Caymanians.

The Royal Warrant notes it was the Queen’s pleasure to order the Grant of Arms to the Cayman Islands.

In addition to noting the adoption of the Cayman Island’s Coat of the Arms, the Royal Warrant also gives details of the design of the Coat of the Arms.

A painting of the Coat of Arms was placed in the Commissioner’s office for public viewing.

Our Royal Warrant has returned to our shores.  Many of you my age or older will remember the great national tragedy that befell the Cayman Islands when on 23 July, 1972, the Government Administration Building was engulfed in flames. Our signed Royal Warrant was amongst the litany of important documents and historical artifacts destroyed by that fire. Therefore almost two generations of Caymanians have known nothing about how our Coat of Arms came to exist. 

Until recently, the story, along with the Coat of Arms had been lost.

Today we can celebrate the return of a facsimile or an exact replica of our Royal Warrant, which has been prepared by Garter King of Arms of the College of Arms at the request of the Cayman Islands Government.

But back to its history. The granting of the Coat of Arms began the process of formally distinguishing the Cayman Islands from Jamaica. It was a visual and internationally recognised symbol of the Cayman Islands, its people and their culture.

Cayman would never again be the same. The winds of change began to blow as the region was fraught with discussions of decolonization, federation and independence. Cayman found itself with a number of choices to make and once again our community and its leaders rose to the occasion, putting into motion a number of watershed moments in our history. As a snapshot, some of the key milestones that followed the grant of the Coat of Arms included:

The Sex Disqualification (Removal) Law in 1958 that gave women the right to vote and stand for public office;

The First Constitution on 4 July, 1959;

The passage of the Companies Law in 1960 and the Bank and Trust Companies Law in 1966, which paved the way for the Financial Services Industry;

The choice to remain part of the United Kingdom following Jamaica’s decision to become independent in 1962;

Government’s purchase of 51% of Cayman Brac Airways in 1968, later becoming Cayman Airways, which helped to strengthen the tourism industry;

The introduction of Cayman’s own currency in 1971.

These milestones were fundamental to the development of the Cayman Islands that we know and love today and were built on the foundation of the Coat of Arms.

This year marks 60 years since the creation of the Cayman Islands Coat of Arms. To commemorate the anniversary Cabinet has commissioned the Celebrate Cayman team to plan and bring to life the cultural celebrations.

Members of the Celebrate Cayman team are Executive Chairman Alfonso Wright, Deputy Executive Chairman Marzeta Bodden and Project Coordinator Kara Coe.   All have extensive experience with hosting large events such as National Heroes Day, and TEDx Seven Mile Beach, but more importantly, these three distinguished Caymanians have an unquestioned passion and commitment to preserving and promoting our heritage. Their enthusiasm is contagious and they have ‘infected’ us all with a new found sense of pride and appreciation for our rich heritage and culture as we celebrate our Coat of Arms and our Constitution. 

The process has already begun. On 14 May the Government Administration Building on Elgin Avenue was dressed with the Coat of Arms (as part of the Celebrate Cayman logo) to mark the anniversary day here in Cayman.

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, this is just the beginning. Throughout the commemorative period, Celebrate Cayman is hosting numerous events and running educational campaigns focused on teaching the public about the Cayman Islands’ important historical achievements. 

If there were questions about why the government would bother to embark upon such an initiative, perhaps recent events have brought into clearer focus the importance of celebrating our identity, understanding our history and protecting our Constitutional relationship. The winds of challenge and change are once again blowing in our direction and just as our forefathers and previous legislators blazed the trail for future generations, it is now our time to write this chapter of history.

I am confident that with God’s divine providence, we will successfully navigate through these uncharted waters. But our story will be more colourful and richer as we take this time to study our past and embrace our future. So as we embark on Celebrate Cayman, I encourage each of you whether you have been here for eight generations or eight months, to join in this national initiative and to be a part of history. 

Thank you and God bless you, and may God continue to bless and prosper the Cayman Islands. 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the first ever meeting of the Legislative Assembly on Cayman Brac, which was held 28-29 March 1968. I cannot do better than to repeat the words of the then President of the Legislative Assembly, John A. Cumber, when the Assembly opened all those years ago at the then Secondary Modern School here in Cayman Brac. 

I quote, “I know that all members of this Honourable House will share the feeling with me that this is indeed a great privilege to be here, to indeed work in a new atmosphere if only for a short time. “

And to also quote the words of the then Honourable Senior Member for West Bay and at the time the Father of the House, the legendary T.W. Farrington, “It is an inherent right of the people to be able to come and hear what is happening in our Legislature.”

That sentiment – the idea that the process of government needs to be accessible and open to the people – is one I whole-heartedly endorse.  Very simply, that is why we are here - to share the legislative process with all the people of our beloved Isles; to enable the people of the Sister Islands to readily attend a meeting of this legislature and to see and experience the work that we do. 

But equally important Mr. Speaker this occasion allows all members of the Legislative Assembly to have the opportunity to visit the Sister Islands and to see and experience first-hand the opportunities and challenges of their fellow Caymanians who live here.  My two colleagues from the Sister Islands, the Deputy Premier and the Minister for Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands, consistently speak for the interests of the communities they serve during our Caucus debates and elsewhere across government.  There is no substitute though for coming to see things first hand.  And I know that the elected members from Cayman Brac and Little Cayman are both proud to show off their community and introduce us to their constituents. 

It is also fitting that we take this opportunity to officially bring the celebration of the 60th anniversary of our Coat of Arms to the Sister Islands.  In the words of Jamaica’s first national hero, Marcus Garvey: “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots”. So we will pause this week to remember and celebrate those involved in giving us this most important symbol of our shared national identity – our Coat of Arms.  It is on the shoulders of these great individuals, and indeed on the shoulders of all who came after them, that we, as elected members, continue to build and to create a thriving future for our beloved Cayman Islands. 

We also have our own heroes of today, Mr. Speaker. As I have told this House before, this Government is reviving and reforming the awarding of the Order of the Cayman Islands to outstanding individuals who have made a significant contribution to these Islands and our people. The Honours scheme will award three classes of distinction: Companion, Officer and Member of the Order of the Cayman Islands. It will also incorporate medals for valour or bravery. The Bill to establish the Honours scheme will be debated in this meeting of the House and I will speak more to it then. It is planned that the first three honours will be awarded during the next Heroes’ Day celebration in January next year. 

Mr. Speaker, during last year’s budget session and State Opening I was pleased to report to this Legislative Assembly this Government’s objectives for its four year term, set out in a plan entitled – “Stability, Empathy, and Prosperity – A Plan for Sustainable Social and Economic Development”.  Today I will update the House and the Country on the progress we have made in implementing our plan – advising the House and the country on the current State of the Nation.

Mr. Speaker, over the past five years as Premier, I have laid out a consistent vision for the future of our Islands, which the two successive Governments I have been privileged to lead, have worked and are working tirelessly to deliver.  I am delighted at the progress we continue to make towards achieving our ambitions for our country and I will say more about that progress shortly.  I don’t underestimate the work that still needs to be done and I recognize the challenges that we face. However, you can rest assured that this Government will continue to build on what we have achieved; we will maintain our focus on the priorities we have set; and we will ensure a strong and successful Cayman Islands for all our people.

The cornerstone of our ambition, and indeed our success, is building a strong and resilient economy to help families and businesses thrive. Throughout my political career, I have consistently argued that without steady and sustainable growth, neither Government nor the country is able to achieve anything. You see Mr. Speaker - and I know you understand this - it takes economic growth to create jobs and opportunities that benefit our people.  It also takes economic growth to provide the funds necessary to build schools, to pay teachers and police officers, to pay for health services, to build necessary infrastructure like roads and airports, and much more.  I believe that the day we stop growing is the day we start dying.

 And Mr. Speaker because this Government understands the importance of sustainable economic growth, we have been pursuing a strategy for growth that is not simply about this four-year term but about creating the favourable conditions that will drive our economy for many years to come.  And we are seeing the success of this strategy as our economy continues its trajectory of growth, begun in the last Administration, across all the key sectors, including tourism.

All areas of tourism are seeing growth, including Sports Tourism.  I was delighted by the success of the recent Pan Am Squash Championships in Grand Cayman and I look forward to extending a warm Cayman-kind welcome next year to the CARIFTA Games. I thank all involved in making these events a success but particularly the Sports and Transport Councillor and MLA for George Town West for his tireless work to develop sports and young people across the Cayman Islands. 

As Caymanians, we have long understood the value that tourism creates in our economy and I am sure, Mr. Speaker, that you are as pleased as I am to see tourism records continue to tumble as we welcome ever increasing numbers of visitor arrivals – indeed in the first six months of 2018 alone, we have seen a 20 per cent increase over the same period last year. And, Mr. Speaker, in the crucial stay-over market, the Cayman Islands saw increased arrivals in the first half of this year that exceeded more than 250,000 visitors, a 16 per cent increase on last year.  

Similarly, cruise arrivals in that six-month period were above the one-million mark. Maintaining that performance through the second half of the year will mean another record year for cruise arrivals.  

There are many regional options available to tourists and if they have chosen the Cayman Islands over the Bahamas, or Cuba, or Mexico then that is because of the quality product that we have here, combined with the outstanding promotional work of the Ministry and Department of Tourism and its private sector partners. 

So we can be confident that these sustained tourism improvement numbers are clearly not some mere blip, but the consequence of sound planning and strong delivery. Here I must pause to pay tribute to the Hon. Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism and his Ministry team who are the architects of those plans.  And I pay tribute too to all those who invest in or work in our hospitality sector for helping create our high quality Caymanian tourism brand.

As I have stated though, the plans go well beyond this immediate success, impressive though it is. The Hon. Deputy Premier is continuing to develop and to implement a new five-year National Tourism Plan that will drive the next phase of the industry’s development; including enhancing the tourism product here in Cayman Brac. 

The beginning of the new year will see the completion of the improvements that will almost triple the capacity at Owen Roberts International Airport and provide us with a much-needed, modern airport. Many previous administrations have talked about the need for a new airport but it will be my last Administration and this one that have gotten it done – and paid for it with cash and not with new taxes or new debt; a tremendous achievement by any standard. 

And when done, the fully renovated Owen Roberts International Airport, as well as the recently upgraded Charles Kirkconnell International Airport, will mark a step change for air transport in these Islands.  

Mr. Speaker while we welcome our visitors to our Islands, we are also making it easier for our people to travel and return home. The introduction of the ‘Customs Green Channel” at airport arrival is allowing those returning home, who do not have any purchases above the dutiable limit, to clear Customs much quicker. Those with items to declare will join the regular Customs line to declare their imported items and to then pay duty as necessary.  

Of course, Mr. Speaker, Customs reserves the right to stop and search anyone passing through the ‘Green Channel’ should they suspect that they are evading duty. Our officers are being trained, and will continue to be trained, to monitor and watch for suspicious activity. Continued vigilance will always be important but increasingly our border security depends on our ability to act based on specific intelligence received rather than suspicion. This is why we recently passed legislation to allow the Cayman Islands to participate in the Advanced Passenger Information Programme – receiving early warning of  individuals of concern that are on their way to our airports and seaports. This is the direction that we are working towards: intelligence-based vetting that has the best chance of stopping those bringing in contraband or trying to circumvent the Customs Law. I will speak more about border security later Mr. Speaker, but certainly this approach is a central part of the solution to better securing our borders. 

And Mr. Speaker, because of this new approach at our airports, my Government has carefully considered how best we can encourage all residents to declare amounts above the allowed duty free limits. Certainly raising the personal duty free limit is one such solution. Increasing the fines on those who evade duty is an alternative. Our preference is to offer a ‘carrot’ rather than rely on ‘the stick’ approach.  

And so Mr. Speaker I am happy to advise that Government has decided to increase the personal import duty allowance from $350 per person to $500 per person with effect from 1 November this year.  As is always the case, this will apply to purchases imported for personal use and not for commercial purposes. I believe the vast majority of Caymanians and residents will welcome this increase in the duty allowance and will abide by the rules requiring them to declare any goods imported over that limit.  However, if there is abuse of the system and if it is determined that an increase in fines is also needed to combat abuse, then Mr. Speaker we will certainly take that into consideration. 

We have of course fully analysed the potential impact of this raising of the duty threshold on Government’s revenues. In doing so, the Ministry of Finance has carefully examined the actual declarations made by arriving passengers over  time and have concluded that the potential lost revenue to Government will be about $1Million. Our careful stewardship of the national finances makes this is an affordable amount for Government to forego while being another welcome reduction in the burden of duties on Caymanians and residents. In addition to encouraging proper declarations at the airport, this increase will also provide our people with some useful monetary relief when returning home from their annual vacation and shopping trips. 

Taken together, our new processes are designed to significantly improve security while making arriving and passing through customs and border security at the airport much easier and faster. 

Our investment in our main airports, combined with our proven ability to bring more visitors to our Islands, has created the conditions for the private sector to invest in increased hotel capacity. The Dart Group, Howard Hospitality Group, as well as NCB Group all have plans to build new hotels.  And we are seeing these investments not only around Seven Mile Beach, but also in Bodden Town with the announcement of the prestigious new Mandarin Oriental hotel. This and other new hotels will create jobs in their own right while the visitors they attract will bring more employment and entrepreneurial opportunities for Caymanians in the tourism industry.  

This Government has also signaled its willingness to take the hard but necessary decisions to secure the future of our cruise tourism sector through the development of two cruise piers and associated enhanced cargo facilities in George Town. Both aspects of this project are necessary for the same reasons: to help protect our future economy and the well-being of Caymanian families. 

By allowing larger cruise ships the ability to dock, we are ensuring that we maintain this critical industry into the future - of this I am sure. 

Mr. Speaker, this is about more than cruise ship piers. This is also about enlarging the crucial cargo dock in George Town. By ensuring that the country’s main cargo dock can also accommodate larger cargo ships, we will help reduce shipping costs and in so doing help lower the cost of goods shipped to Grand Cayman. This provides us with a valuable opportunity to reduce the cost of products coming into our Islands and lower the cost of living for Caymanians and residents. By accepting larger cargo ships, we can also attract those that now bypass us taking produce and seafood from South and Central America to Miami – only to off-load and transfer these foodstuffs onto smaller vessels that come to Grand Cayman, again, adding another level of shipping and other costs to products imported into our Islands. Mr. Speaker, we have to get off the small ship merry-go-round if we are to have a chance at reducing the cost of living in our Islands. 

Mr. Speaker, we are fully cognizant and we have been clear that the redevelopment of our port must minimize environmental impacts.  As in all things there is a trade-off and none of us would seek to contend otherwise. But assessing the potential environmental impact of the development of the cruise berthings is not simply a case of weighing the potential environmental damage that will be caused by the port development against a scenario of no damage if the status quo is allowed to remain.  That is not the case at all.  To believe that is to ignore the decades of massive anchor damage sustained by the reefs in George Town Harbour, often caused by cruise ships.  And as long as cruise-ships are allowed to anchor in the harbour, the risk of more environmental damage will continue. That consideration must be part of the overall assessment of the costs and benefits of the new port.

We have also been clear - and we are determined - that the financing must not place disproportionate risks on government finances.  In June this year the Deputy Premier confirmed that the negotiations with the cruise companies regarding those issues, among others, remain on track.  Because of the commercially sensitive nature of the discussions we cannot provide the kind of running commentary on progress that some have called for, but, as the Deputy Premier has repeatedly promised, as soon as we are able to communicate details we will do so. 

That said, Mr. Speaker, the Minister and the Government have been transparent and forthcoming on this project from the beginning and have kept the public as up to date as possible on where we are. All reports have been made public and there have been public meetings held at various points over the life of the project. The vast majority of the members of this Government campaigned on building a cruise and enhanced cargo port – as did the majority of the members in the last Administration. Indeed, Mr. Speaker, in every election over the past 12 or more years the governments that were formed had a viable cruise dock as part of their election platforms. In last year’s election campaign both political parties - and many independents - campaigned on building viable cruise piers.  So, I am satisfied that the electorate has had ample opportunity over successive elections, including most recently at the polls last year, to have their say on the question of having enhanced port facilities – cruise and cargo.  For our part, the Government believes that it is in the vital national interest of the Cayman Islands to proceed with the port project - provided we do everything we reasonably can to limit the environmental impact and to build it as affordably as we can, and with the cruise companies having skin in the game. And this we will do. 

We are matching this approach to securing tourism growth with our support for the Financial Services Industry, Cayman’s other traditional economic pillar. Our role here is different but no less important. Here I must thank the Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs and staff in her Ministry who are working with Cayman Finance and the industry sector to ensure that the legislative and regulatory frameworks we put in place support the industry and enable it to compete in global markets.

The Government recognizes the risks to the future success of our Financial Services Industry. It is a huge frustration to me that threats are not just coming from the usual suspects but from those we should be able to count on; not just as our friends but as our advocates. Thanks to a handful of misinformed malcontents in the United Kingdom Conservative Party in Parliament, we are threatened with the imposition of public registers of beneficial ownership – a standard to which few if any competitor jurisdictions even aspire. Let me say now as I have said before: we will face down that threat if and when it materializes. We will work with our partners in the industry and we will deal with it appropriately; if necessary challenging it in the courts.

What this sorry episode highlights, though, is that we cannot rely on the UK to defend - let alone promote - Cayman’s economic interests. This is particularly so at this juncture when they have their own pre and post Brexit worries.  Mr. Speaker, it is time for Cayman to step out of the UK’s shadow and stand up for itself.  

For that reason, I am today announcing the establishment of a new Ministry of International Trade and Investment. The Ministry’s role will be to enhance the reputation of the Cayman Islands; to advance the economic and political interests of the government, the people and the business community; and to make our economy easier to do business with, including acting as a single doorway for potential foreign direct investment. The Ministry will assume responsibility for the Cayman Islands Government Office in London and other overseas offices, such as the proposed Cayman Islands Government office in Hong Kong which I have previously announced. As Premier, I will assume responsibility for this Ministry which is planned to become operational early in the new year. 

The creation of the new Ministry is the right response to the changed circumstances we find ourselves in but we must also fight to safeguard ourselves against any further inappropriate interference in what is our own business. Make no mistake; the UK Parliament’s decision to seek to require public registers represents a constitutional over-reach into matters that should only concern locally-elected representatives. I am continuing to press the case for constitutional reform with the Prime Minister’s office and Lord Ahmad, the minister for the Overseas Territories, in order to clearly delineate local matters from the very few areas where the UK needs to retain competence to act directly. Despite the tangled web that is Brexit, the UK has responded positively to the issues I have raised and agreed to work with us on discussing constitutional reform.  Constitutional reform may seem a dry subject to some but it matters.  It really matters.  It matters to our economy and it matters to our people.  We Caymanians must be able to chart our own future and to take responsibility for our own affairs, free from arbitrary or perhaps even malicious interference.  I will pause here, Mr Speaker, to thank the Leader of the Opposition for continuing to work with me, to get this matter resolved. I will continue to press the case for change as vigorously as possible.  While tourism and financial services remain our pillar industries, and we will work hard to enhance and protect these industries, our vision for the Cayman economy must be one of increasing diversification. My own view, repeated to this House many times, is that we must extend our competitive advantage from financial services into other areas of knowledge-based industries and grasp the opportunities of the digital economy.

In that context, I would highlight two initiatives that will, I believe, be seen to be crucial to the long term prospects of our economy. The ongoing development of Cayman Tech City, part of our Cayman Enterprise City Special Economic Zone, is providing a base for the growth of well over 250 companies from global market leaders to innovative start-ups with a focus in the tech space.  This includes the exciting developments in Fintech and Blockchain technology. CEC, with the varied businesses it attracts, including tech businesses, is proving a valuable addition to our business offerings. 

In addition, the announcement last month of the launch of TechCayman, which has connections to the developers of Health City Cayman Islands, will see complementary opportunities in the digital space for software companies and others to create intellectual property and other assets.  In welcoming this development, I will simply restate the point made by the founders of TechCayman themselves - that this has only been made possible because of my last Administration’s willingness to create, almost from scratch, a world-class framework of legislation to protect intellectual property.

I would, Mr. Speaker, add that the implementation of modern intellectual property laws will help drive business in other ways.  As an example, as the media recently reported, over the past year the number of applications to register trademarks in the Cayman Islands has jumped from the typical 300 applications per year to 620.  And we expect the number of applications to continue to increase.

Ours then, as I have said before, is a vision for strong economic growth. However, that does not mean growth at any cost - and in two crucial senses our ambition comes with an important qualification. 

First, our vision for growth is actually a vision of prosperity for Caymanians. Secondly, growth must be at a level we can sustainably accommodate without irreparably compromising the environment and the way of life that makes our Islands special.

Our vision for prosperity means that all Caymanians must be able to benefit from our economic strength. The ambitions of Caymanians for themselves and their children must be capable of being achieved when matched with the hard work and determination to succeed that has long been the hallmark of the people of these Islands.  

I have previously described this as the Cayman economic contract. We welcome the foreign investment, the expatriate wealth creators and the immigrant labour that have for decades, alongside hard working and entrepreneurial Caymanians, been the bedrock of the Cayman economic miracle. But that miracle has also been about the creation of real and meaningful opportunities for all Caymanians to participate and to benefit from growth. Ours is a vision of economic and social inclusion, not one of growth that simply benefits a wealthy few.

The most obvious expression of that inclusion is through direct participation in the economy through either entrepreneurial or employment opportunities. This Government has demonstrated its willingness to help ensure that both of those opportunities are there for Caymanians to take.

There is a widespread perception that this jurisdiction is comprised of multinational financial and legal firms. It is certainly the case that we are blessed with many such businesses here. But it is also the case that the Cayman Islands - all of our Islands - is home to a thriving small business economy. This Government has supported and will further support those who wish to start and grow their own business. I commend the work the Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure has been doing to cut red tape, to streamline licensing and other processes and to minimize the cost of doing business in our economy. I am excited by his plans for the creation of a small business centre that will offer the kind of structured support that particularly micro businesses need in their early stages. My last Administration succeeded in increasing the number of new businesses formed and this Administration is building on that as we look to ensure that small businesses are more fully enabled, encouraged and supported by Government.

For the majority of Caymanians, though, it is access to employment opportunities that will remain the priority.  

For that reason, one of the key commitments made by this Government was a pledge to achieve full Caymanian employment. We will deliver on that commitment.

The strong performance of our economy, thanks to the policies of the last Administration and this one, has seen a consequent downward trend in Caymanian unemployment since it reached a peak of 10.5 per cent in 2012.  The most recent, Spring 2018, Labour Force survey is proof of this – with Caymanian unemployment having effectively been halved since that peak and now standing at 5.3 per cent. 

This improvement is against a backdrop of a Caymanian labour force with almost 19,900 Caymanians employed.  Overall that means that, thanks to the policies implemented by this Administration and the last, some 3,350 more Caymanians are now working and able to support themselves and their families than was the case before we took office.

And looking across all sectors of the labour force, I can report that total unemployment is now at 3.4 per cent versus 4.1 per cent at the same time last year; all positive signs of a growing economy providing job opportunities for Caymanians. 

 However, as good as some may find these numbers, this Government understands that we must do more if we are to deliver on our commitment to full Caymanian employment, where any Caymanian able and willing to work is able to find employment.

This Government appreciates that it is the private sector that creates the necessary jobs, and it is the private sector that must give Caymanians the opportunities to take those jobs. We also appreciate that Government must do more to support Caymanians into the labour market - ready to grasp the opportunities that are there - and we must do more to work with the private sector in ways that facilitate the smooth working of the labour market for the benefit of everyone.

The experience of the last Administration was that the machinery of government was not always up to the task - hindered by bureaucracy and the inefficiency and misalignment of differing ministerial responsibilities. That is why this Government made the creation of the new Workforce Opportunities and Residency Cayman – or WORC - Department one of its first initiatives.  

The new department will launch early in the coming year. It will enable the Government to make four vital improvements on what has gone before.  

First, we are creating a new function within government to work with our key private sector employers to properly plan and meet the long term labour market needs of our economy.  

Secondly, WORC will be able to support all Caymanians to access the labour market in a much more holistic way than has been the case with the National Workforce Development Agency, which it will replace.  

Thirdly, it will improve and streamline the work permit process so that it is fair and transparent for the benefit of businesses and employees alike.  

Finally, a new accreditation system will be launched that recognizes and rewards the many private sector employers who do play their part in employing and developing Caymanians.  

But, Mr. Speaker, not all employers play their part and we do know cases where Caymanians have not been given a fair chance for employment in fields where they are qualified or skilled.  And so, as I advised this House earlier this year we are working at introducing a Fair Employment Opportunities Commission. This commission will fill a void that exists and will provide Caymanians with a place to go to complain - and more importantly get action - should they believe they have been treated unfairly in the job market – including when passed over unfairly for promotion or not given an opportunity for employment.  The Fair Employment Opportunities Bill is still with legislative drafting and did not make this sitting of the House Mr. Speaker, but I am pressing for it to come later this year.  

In the long term, the successful functioning of our labour market to benefit Caymanians is only possible if the Caymanians entering the market have the capabilities employers need. To ensure that happens, the Government must address the need to radically improve standards of public education. The Minister of Education will speak in some detail on her plans during this meeting but I am excited by the potential for improvement she has identified and she has the full support of myself and her colleagues across Government to forge ahead to deliver the changes we need.  

Here again, we are fortunate to benefit from the work done in the last Administration. The baseline assessments of public schools indicated the size and scale of the challenges we face, but they also highlighted for us the key areas in which we needed to act. The Education Law, 2016 gave a complete overhaul to the education system and in so doing created the substantive framework necessary for improvement.

The Minister for Education is now driving that improvement forwards.  The current budget is investing in additional teachers and in classroom support. More is being done for students with special needs. Plans for John Gray will create the learning environment our high school students deserve and the pragmatic, phased approach the Government is taking to the project is sensible and will avoid excessive costs.

We are already seeing improvements in Education results. The follow-on inspections of our 10 public primary schools found that “there has been an improvement in the quality of teaching…” since the baseline inspections were completed. 

Eight out of 10 primary schools were graded “satisfactory” or “good” in the follow-on inspections and results in year six showed significant improvement in results for both mathematics and writing.

These improvements are encouraging. The principals and teaching staff in our schools deserve our thanks and the students deserve our congratulations for their achievements.

Our ambition must be to drive forward. With the support of the Education Council, which the Minister has re-energised, the stage is now set for further improvement on that foundation. All our schools should be graded “good” or better and our exam results should be at a level that compares with the best internationally. We must not settle for anything less.  Only then can we be confident that young Caymanians are leaving school equipped for the competitive labour market they will face.

To achieve that ambition we need to see further improvements in the quality of teaching. Last month, the Minister announced that the Government will be raising salaries over the next two years to recognise the hard work that teachers do and to boost our ability to attract and retain the best teachers, including Caymanian teachers. Our ongoing investment in the continuing professional development of our teachers will help support the brightest recruits to become the best educators.

Support for academic achievement must be matched by other pathways into work through technical and vocational education and training. The Hospitality School started during the last administration is now paying real dividends. We need more success stories like this. The Government has begun a far-reaching review of the variety of programmes that are already in place and we will work with employers on the results of that review to enhance the opportunities for young Caymanians in terms of internships, apprenticeships and other forms of work experience.

It is also a key component of this Government’s approach that we need to ensure that growth is geographically rebalanced. Job opportunities will continue to be created in and around George Town and Seven Mile Beach, but we can do more to spread growth elsewhere to benefit other districts and their communities.

With strong government support the continued growth of Health City is creating more and more jobs both directly and indirectly in the Eastern Districts. The Tech Cayman initiative, which I mentioned earlier, may, in time, mirror the success of Health City and bring digital economy jobs to the Eastern Districts. The Mandarin Oriental hotel recently announced for Bodden Town will potentially act as the beginning of a renaissance in tourism in our former capital.  The hotel will create hundreds of jobs in its own right but it will also provide a catalyst for local business opportunities and provide the anchor for other tourism developments in Bodden Town.

Nor have we forgotten the Sister Islands. The expansion of Charles Kirkconnell International Airport has enabled increases in airlift here to the Brac and on to Little Cayman which has boosted tourism numbers by 12 per cent over the last two years.

The second issue I raised in qualifying our ambition for economic growth was that the level of growth we achieve must be sustainable.

The most obvious concern here relates to the impact of growth on our precious environment. This must always be a crucial component of the Government’s approach to the economy and so it is with this Government.

I have mentioned just now that our support for the cruise berthing facility is conditional; not just on finding a suitable funding model but also on a design that minimizes the environmental impact.

This Government is also taking steps not just to safeguard existing beach access and public open space but to enhance it. The work the Education and Financial Services Councillor and MLA for George Town South is doing in her community on plans for Smith Barcadere is a standout example of what we can do to create a local environment which we can all enjoy, and from which we can all benefit. And a little further east, the South Sound Boardwalk which I have personally championed for more than a decade, and which is now almost complete, will soon provide a safer space for those who walk or run alongside that section of South Sound and further enhance one of the most beautiful aspects in Grand Cayman. And just as important it will also preserve for years to come the gorgeous vistas along that section of coastline for the enjoyment of all.  

Vistas are important Mr. Speaker, but Caymanians also cherish access to the water and our beaches. Which is why Mr Speaker, my Government brought a motion early this year to utilise CI$10 million from the Environmental Protection Fund to purchase land for public use, particularly beachfront properties and beach access pathways. These will forever be available for use by generations of Caymanians, residents and visitors. I want to thank all members of this House once again, Mr. Speaker, for supporting the Government and unanimously supporting the motion.  

More broadly, we need to protect our environment and secure long term energy security through a shift away from these Islands’ almost complete reliance on fossil fuels. The National Energy Policy adopted by the last Administration sets out an ambitious blueprint for Cayman’s future.  

Work is now under way to implement that plan beginning with a number of initiatives that will promote energy efficiency and energy saving by households and businesses and kick start our transition to a lower carbon economy. It will not happen overnight - indeed it cannot happen overnight – but progress is being made.

We must also think about the kind of growth we want to attract to Cayman. That is why I have highlighted growth in the digital economy that can be achieved without the need for significant land take.

Sustainable economic development also requires that infrastructure keeps pace with growth. The most obvious aspect of that is road infrastructure. Any journey around Grand Cayman in recent months might be characterized as a tour of various roadworks. That has brought some short term pain but it has been a necessary part of our efforts to catch up on the backlog and to create the transport network this country needs. The successful completion of phase one of the Linford Pierson Highway improvement project last month is just the latest example of the benefits our investment is bringing to these Islands.

Improved roads and pedestrian areas are a key feature of the George Town Revitalisation Project that was started under the last Administration. The Ministry of Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure continues to develop the Revitalisation plan and is in the final phase of hiring a town manager to oversee the plan’s implementation. The town manager will work directly under the Ministry and will begin by supervising some of the smaller, but important projects identified within the plan; the low-hanging fruit that should immediately give the town centre a freshened and friendlier feel.

Simultaneously, stakeholders, including businesses and residents will be invited to contribute to the broader development of medium and longer term plans to improve our town centre and beyond. 

Another key part of the George Town Revitalisation project is to maintain the main functions of Government within the Capital. This Government will resist any approaches or suggestions to move functioning Government entities outside of the Capital. For about 150 years George Town has been the centre of government and it has been inside the government buildings within the core of the Capital that historic decisions that have guided our country’s development have occurred, including Mr. Speaker, the events surrounding the creation of our Coat of Arms and our first constitution; events that we are celebrating this year and next. 

So Mr. Speaker, I am therefore pleased to announce that Government has, last week, completed the purchase of the Scotia Bank Building and its satellite car parks. These will support a larger project to provide 21^st Century court facilities for these Islands - and in so doing delivering on another of this Government’s stated objectives. Plans include erecting a new multi-story courts building connecting the Scotia Bank building and the existing Court House, which will also be suitably refurbished.  The first phase of this project will commence early next year.

When complete this project will resolve the longstanding need for modern court facilities that will also serve as a significant landmark for generations to come. I am pleased to say that the Chief Justice and his staff are as excited as the Government by this development and we are all committed to ensuring that the end result is not only fit for purpose but also affordable. As the plans develop we will certainly keep this honourable House and the public advised.

Other physical infrastructure needs must also be met. One of the most pressing has been the need for a modern and effective solid waste infrastructure for all three Islands. Negotiations with the Dart-led consortium to create that infrastructure are continuing as we seek to reach an agreed position on a number of reserve matters, including financial, technical, and legal issues. Once these have all been agreed, a draft contract will be drawn up for Central Tenders Committee to review and, hopefully, approval. The technical staff has advised that it anticipates this occurring by the end of March 2019. The work being done on the Environmental Impact Assessment is also expected to be completed by March and shortly thereafter, all going well, we expect to have planning approval for the built waste facilities that are at the core of the project .  

There is a lot going on with this very technical project and I am grateful for the hard work going on in the Ministry to ensure that we do not get blown off track and will actually see the work on the new waste management project begin in 2019. It has been a long time coming but we are getting there; and when completed we will have a modern fully integrated waste management facility that will end our reliance on the existing landfills.    

The ability to use waste as a resource for recycling and energy generation instead of a problem to be dumped transforms our approach to waste management and brings considerable health and other environmental benefits.

Sustainability also has an important social dimension. Our economic success must drive social improvement and not be used to mask inequity.

The single most important issue is, in my mind, how we protect the most vulnerable in our community. The preference should always be, wherever possible, to ensure people have the means to look after themselves. That is why the budget passed by this Administration provided for what is, in effect, a minimum income guarantee for those in receipt of “poor relief” payments, our seamen and veterans and long-standing civil service pensioners. This minimum income guarantee was set for this year at CI$650 a month, rising to CI$750 a month next January. Under this Government, as of January, 2019 these welfare payments will have increased by 36 per cent since we took office (considerably more for some civil service pensioners).

The Government provides other support for these individuals in meeting their medical costs and providing other forms of social assistance. Part of the unfinished business from the last Administration is to modernize the Government’s approach to welfare so that those Caymanians who need it can receive the right help at the right time. Here I must give my personal thanks to my Councillor, the MLA for Prospect, who is working on my behalf with the new leadership of the Community Affairs Ministry - first to reform the hodgepodge of legislation that covers welfare and then to ensure that the supporting processes in the Needs Assessment Unit and elsewhere in government are efficient and fit for purpose.

In addition to supporting individuals in need, we also recognise the value of assisting Caymanians looking to purchase their first home to do so. And so we are continuing the work started last term to build homes that can be afforded by middle income Caymanians. There are some 16 new affordable homes now being built in Bodden Town that will be sold at between $110K and $125K. I thank the Minister and the Councillor for Environment and Housing and MLA from West Bay Central for their continued work in this area. Mr. Speaker, I also thank the Chairman of the Housing Trust, Mr. Tony Powell, and his able Board for the work they did and are continuing to do to make this happen. 

I will also highlight two specific groups that I believe have been let down by successive Governments but who can now look to this Administration for effective support. The first of those are people suffering from mental illness. 

For years, we have required those patients to be sent off Island for treatment at huge costs to the government and at huge inconvenience to them and their families. My last Administration committed to a long term residential facility here in Cayman for those with mental illness. I thank the Minister for Health, Environment, Culture and Housing for his efforts to bring that project to fruition and we can look forward to the contract to build this much needed facility to be awarded next month and for the facility to be open early in 2020.

The second group I want to highlight is children and young people at risk. Like many communities, we in Cayman have for too long allowed the suffering of vulnerable children and young people to remain hidden - often hidden in plain sight.  This Government will tolerate that no longer.  

As a Government, we must put our own house in order and protect young people in our care. That is why we are prioritizing improvements to the Northward Residential Facility to allow the proper separation of adults from children with special needs. More broadly, the Ministry is reviewing the effectiveness of the Department of Children and Families, and working to achieve the full potential of the multi-agency safeguarding hub in partnership with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service which, I am pleased to say, has recognized the need to prioritise their work on safeguarding children and combatting domestic violence.

This is one facet of the much closer relationship between Government and the police that has been engendered since the current Commissioner came into post. We all recall how out of touch many felt that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service had become from the communities it serves and how remote the former leadership was from we who are elected to represent those communities.

The new partnership we have created is built on the willingness of the current Commissioner to work with the elected government and respond to the voices from our communities. Thus we have seen a welcome return to more visible community policing, ably led by Inspector Courtney Myles,  made possible by the extra resources the government provided for the current budget. Discussions to supplement the additional police beat officers on our streets with community safety officers, similar to the community warden service we campaigned on,  are now at an advanced stage and I look forward to seeing the first recruits go into action next year. The Commissioner is finalizing his plans for community safety officers and will make a formal announcement in time.  I will take this opportunity to again thank him and his team for their hard work and for creating an atmosphere of partnership with the elected Government.  

But the extent of their work goes beyond Community Policing and their broader work in fighting violent crime is greatly appreciated. 

Over the past year gang related crime has been disrupted with the arrest and imprisonment of some 10 high profile offenders. 

In addition to the 18 guns turned in during the amnesty earlier this year, the RCIPS took a further nine guns off the streets this year for a total of 27 illegal guns. Last year some 29 illegal guns were removed. 

Mr. Speaker, the Joint Task Force of Customs, Immigration and Police that was formed this year has brought about 50 arrests, interdicted 750 pounds of ganja, and seized over $240,000 in illicit cash. They are also focusing on illegal gambling that often serves to fund other serious criminal ventures. 

This government committed to creating safer communities and cutting serious crime, including gang and gun related crimes and we are providing the RCIPS with the resources needed to accomplish this. In turn, the Commissioner and his team are putting those resources to good use in acting to reduce crime in our Islands.

The Government also committed to dramatically improving border security. Last week the public was able to get a glimpse of the work that has been ongoing behind the scenes to create a Cayman Islands Coast Guard with the appointment of Commander Robert Scotland and Lieutenant Commander Leo Anglin as well as the appointment of Mr. Charles Clifford as the Director of the new Customs and Border Control agency. I again congratulate all three on their appointments and on behalf of the Government I wish them success in the vital work they will be undertaking in their new roles.  Both of these two entities will work to make our Islands safer, stem the flow of drugs, guns and illegal immigrants into our Islands, and at the same time smooth access to Cayman for legitimate travel.

It has been a short 15 months since the current Government was sworn in but we are delivering on our commitments and our ambitions for Caymanians. However, it is the achievement of this Government’s ambitions for the economy that is enabling us to deliver by generating the income to support necessary government spending.

We are not, however, falling into the trap of simply spending whatever revenues come our way. Rather we are taking the same measured approach that was the hallmark of the last government. Yes, we are ambitious for our people but part of that ambition is to be able to meet the current needs of these Islands without creating a burden for future generations.

We moved into full compliance with the prudent ratios sent out under the Public Management Finance Law towards the end of the last Administration, but we have not loosened our grip on public finances. Whilst we have maintained our pledge not to raise fees and charges, government revenues, fueled by our economic success, continue to rise. We are continuing to bear down on costs wherever possible. As a result, for the first six months of 2018, the entire government surplus topped $200M. We continue to set aside money to build our reserves and the surplus is also funding our capital projects that are under way. We also continue to pay down government debt and in fact have repaid almost $20M over the course of this year alone. We will make a significant further step in that direction next year when we repay at least half of the bullet bond that falls due. The surpluses we achieve will also help cushion these Islands should natural disaster or economic downturn threaten.  I would like to thank the Minister of Finance & Economic Development for steering the public finances so skillfully.

Mr. Speaker, it is because of our able management of public finances coupled with a strong and vibrant economy that has encouraged increasing investments across our country. This growth can be seen in the increased diversification of the economy as well as in gains in the financial services, tourism and development sectors. In fact from 1 January to 30 August this year, the Planning Department has approved almost 670 projects valued at over $749 million.

We recognise we have not achieved what we have done alone but this Government, like the previous one that I led, has been ably assisted by a good cadre of civil servants across all of core Government. And so, I am pleased to advise Mr. Speaker that we have agreed to provide a 5 per cent cost of living increase to the civil service this year, back dated to 1 July, 2018, and which will be commence being paid with the September salary. Providing Government financial performance and the economy remain strong, we will look again at a further CoLA increase in 2020 to adjust for the Consumer Price Index between 2018 and 2020. This will finally begin to bring civil servant salaries back on track after seven or more years of playing catchup with an increasing cost of living. This will also complete the plans started during the  last Administration to bring civil servants pay back in line – this will not only benefit families of civil servants but is money that will be spent back into the local economy.  

We are also reviewing the broader salary scales of the RCIPS, Fire Officers, and employees of the Department of Environmental Health to ensure we can attract and retain the staff we need and will advise on these at a later date once the work is completed.  

In summary, this is a Government whose ambition for our people is clear. We are working to support economic growth in our pillar industries while increasingly looking to diversify our economy. We are ensuring that growth brings prosperity for all Caymanians by fostering entrepreneurship and creating the conditions necessary for full employment. We are ensuring that young people can participate in work though improvements we are delivering in our education system. We are striking the balance between economic growth and environmental impact and investing in the infrastructure that we need as our economy continues to grow.

Some infrastructure needs such as airport, cruise port, mental health facility and a new courts building have been needed for well over a decade, but those needs are finally being met by this Government building on the foundation set by the last Administration. And Mr. Speaker, this administration, like the last one that I led, has thus far achieved all that we have done with no new debt or no new taxes.  

This Government recognizes and is responding to the needs of the vulnerable in our community. We are improving living standards and acting to enhance public services to meet the needs of individuals and groups who need our help. We are working with the police to tackle crime, enhance public safety and to provide public reassurance.

All this we are doing while delivering on our pledge not to increase fees and duties, achieving budget surpluses and paying down government debt.

Mr. Speaker, I thank my entire team, Ministers and Councillors, for their hard work and commitment. I also wish to thank the Acting Governor, Acting Deputy Governor, Attorney General and the Cabinet Secretary for their work and support. 

In particular, I wish to acknowledge the stellar work that the Acting Governor has done since he was required, with no notice, to step in to assume that role in the absence of Anwar Choudhury as Governor. I welcomed the focus on delivery that Governor Choudhury had brought to the role and regret his untimely withdrawal.  While the uncertainty created by the means and timing of his absence is at the very least unhelpful, it is great comfort to me and my Government that the Acting Governor and others have been able to carry on the business of government with such dignity and professionalism. The House will know that this matter is entirely outside the remit of the elected government but I, and I believe the House and the country, hope that it will soon be resolved.  

To the civil servants who are charged with implementing our policies, programmes and projects, I thank you for your hard work and assistance in delivering the Government’s priorities. 

I also thank my small but dynamic team in the Office of the Premier that provides support to me and the Government Caucus.  A particular, personal thank you is due to a Bracker no less – Roy Tatum -who provides both able leadership to that team and unwavering support, invaluable advice and true friendship to me.  I am truly grateful.

Mr. Speaker, I cannot close without thanking you for the able job you are doing as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly. I also thank the Clerk and the other hardworking staff of the LA without whom we could not do the work we do here. 

Mr. Speaker, this is a Government delivering on the ambition we have set out. This is Government whose talent is drawn from across political lines and made up of all those whose interest lies in doing what is best for our country and our people. This is a Government I am proud and privileged to lead.  

In closing, I will say again that working together as one my Ministers and Councillors have achieved much over the last 15 months and I am proud of all that they have done. In the next two and half years we will achieve much more. Indeed Mr. Speaker, it is true: there is great strength in Unity. The best, the best is still to come.

The Coast Guard service is being established with dedicated resources to allow detection and interdiction of boats arriving in Cayman waters with drugs and guns, as well as illegal immigrants. It will have the ability to board and search vessels in our waters and make arrests if needed.

“The idea of our own Coast Guard began to take shape under the Progressives-led Administration in the last term of Government,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “We committed to it in our Manifesto and today we are publicly putting our dream into reality. There has been a lot of behind the scenes work to get us to this point and I commend everyone who has helped in the formation and success of a Cayman Islands’ Coast Guard.”

Cayman obtained the services of Mr. Phil Bostock, who is commander in the United Kingdom’s Maritime and Coast Guard Agency in January this year to assist in the development of the Coast Guard.

“I told members of the House and the public in March this year that work had already begun to improve border security and merge the Customs and Immigration agencies into a single border force,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I am happy to say that as of January 1, 2019, The Department of Immigration and the Cayman Islands Customs Department will merge to create the Customs and Border Control Agency.”

Staff members have been involved in specialist joint operations and training continues in enhanced search and rescue capabilities. Cayman has also been assisted since January by Mr. Colin Brown of the United Kingdom Border Force who is helping us make the Customs and Immigration merger effective.

“All three of the appointments are good for Caymanians and the Cayman Islands and I thoroughly support these men,” said Minister for Finances and Economic Development Hon. Roy McTaggart under whose remit Customs falls. “Their backgrounds make them uniquely qualified for the jobs at hand and we can all rely on them to keep Cayman safe.”

The new Commander is Robert Scotland who has more than 26 years of law enforcement experience, 10 of which have been in a strategic management capacity.  Mr. Scotland is a former police superintendent and an excellent example of the calibre of Caymanians who are willing and able to serve their country in this extremely important role.

Mr. Scotland has earned a reputation as a resourceful problem solver with excellent communication, analytical, and leadership skills as he worked locally and regionally. These attributes will be an asset in the establishment of effective and efficient Coast Guard operations.

The Lieutenant Commander is Mr. Leo Anglin, a former Police Inspector, who has experience in command of the Joint Marine Unit and experience with the Cayman Islands Port Authority.  Mr. Anglin is experienced in training and developing junior officers, marine drugs and firearms interdiction, search and rescue as well as strategic and operational law enforcement.  He served as a capable tactical and operations inspector with the Joint Marine Unit of the RCIPS.

The Cayman Islands Coast Guard will be operationally independent but report to the Commissioner of Police.

The appointment of Mr. Scotland and Mr. Anglin follows a recruitment process conducted by the Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration.

On 1 January of next year Mr. Charles Clifford will take up the lead role as Director of Customs and Border Control.

Mr. Clifford, a son of the soil, has worked his way up from a police cadet to Chief Inspector. He has worked within Central Government in the role of Senior Assistant Secretary (Now called Deputy Chief Officer) and ultimately Permanent Secretary and Chief Officer of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce. 

He has served as the Collector of Customs for over three years and is a qualified and practiced attorney. Mr. Clifford brings a wide range of solid and relevant experience to this new agency. 

“I am confident that the team of officers and staff of the Immigration and Customs Department will support his leadership in the establishment of the New Customs and Border Control Department, taking the security of our airports and seaport to world class,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “This new agency is tasked diligently to uphold the law in relation to customs duty, landing and entry, asylum and   border control.

 The appointment of Mr. Clifford follows a recruitment process also conducted by the Ministry of Human Resources and Immigration.

Cabinet will meet in the District Administration Building on Tuesday, 4 September, 2018, and the fifth meeting of the Legislative Assembly will be at the Aston Rutty Centre on the Bluff beginning at 10 a.m. Wednesday, 5 September.
Radio Cayman and CIGTV will broadcast the audio of the LA meeting live.
The last meeting of the Legislative Assembly on Cayman Brac was in March 2014. The first meeting on the Brac was 50 years ago on 28 and 29 March, 1968. Efforts are made to hold at least one meeting of Cabinet in Cayman Brac during each administration.
“Once again we are taking the Legislative Assembly to the Brac to allow the public on the Brac and Little Cayman to see how their parliament functions,” said Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin. “We held a Legislative Assembly meeting on the Brac during the last Progressives-led Administration and we want to continue that practice under this Government of National Unity.
“It gives us great pleasure and satisfaction that while we live in a country that is a global leader in the financial services industry, we remain small enough to bring the business of the Legislative Assembly to the people who do not live on the main island,” he said.
The Brac meeting will end on Friday, 7 September.
The Legislative Assembly will continue the following week on Grand Cayman for Finance Committee.

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) stand squarely behind the Cayman Islands and other Overseas Territories in their disagreement with the United Kingdom concerning potential constitutional overreach.
Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, along with Hon. Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, and the Cayman delegation, returned over the weekend from the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community in Montego Bay, Jamaica from the 4th July through the 6th July 2018.
At the request of Premier McLaughlin, His Excellency Erwin LaRocque, Secretary General of CARICOM, agreed to include on the Conference agenda the issue of the constitutional relationship of the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom and the recent overreach by the United Kingdom Parliament regarding implementation of Public Registers.
The matter was discussed during the Caucus session and it was agreed by CARICOM Heads to support the Overseas Territories and to express concern regarding the vote in the UK House of Commons to seek to force OT’s to implement Public Registers.
The Official Communique issued at the end of the Conference stated that:
“Heads of Government noted with great concern the amendment approved by the UK House of Commons to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill requiring the UK Government to ensure that the British Overseas Territories, but not the Crown Dependencies, establish public registers of beneficial ownership information by no later than 31 December 2020.
“They expressed their solidarity with the territories adversely affected by this unilateral action to legislate in areas of domestic policy constitutionally devolved to the territories without the consent and involvement of their people. Moreover, the action ran counter to an alternative arrangement to public registers earlier negotiated and agreed with the UK government and put in place at great cost to the overseas territories.
“Heads of Government viewed this action as similar to the unilateral and punitive extra-territorial measures such as blacklisting and de-risking taken against their own countries financial services sector, also a critical aspect of their economies, despite their best efforts at transparency and compliance.”
“This is an important statement of solidarity from the Heads of member states of CARICOM in support of the Overseas Territories, the majority of which are also Associate Members of CARICOM,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “I am grateful to Heads of Government for this unanimous support, but in particular I am very grateful to the Prime Ministers of Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent who unhesitatingly provided support and spoke passionately on our behalf.
“This shows the importance of building relationships within the region and as I noted during the Legislative Assembly, there is strength in numbers. The support of CARICOM Heads enhances the cause of OT’s for the creation of appropriate safeguards in our individual constitutions,” he said.
“I also thank the Prime Minister of Jamaica for hosting the conference and for his support, and importantly I am grateful to Secretary General LaRocque for agreeing that this matter be added to the Conference agenda,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “And of course, I am appreciative of the assistance of the Attorney General, Mr. Samuel Bulgin, for his advice and counsel during discussions as well as to the team from my office and the Cabinet Office, Roy Tatum and Jamal Anderson, for their support during the Conference.”
The 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community was chaired by The Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honourable Andrew Holness.
Other Members of the Conference in attendance included:
Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Honourable Gaston Browne;
Prime Minister of the Bahamas, Honourable Dr. Hubert Minnis;
Prime Minister of Barbados, Honourable Mia Mottley;
Prime Minister of Belize, Honourable Dean Barrow;
Prime Minister of Dominica, Honourable Roosevelt Skerritt;
Prime Minister of Grenada, Dr. the Rt. Honourable Keith Mitchell;
President of Guyana, His Excellency David Granger (Brigadier Ret);
President of Haiti, His Excellency Jovenel Moïse;
Premier of Montserrat, Honourable Donaldson Romeo;
Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris;
Prime Minister of St. Lucia, Honourable Allen Chastanet;
Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr. the Honourable Ralph Gonsalves;
President of Suriname, His Excellency Desire Bouterse;
Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago, Dr. the Honourable Keith Rowley.
Associate Members in attendance were:
Premier of the Cayman Islands, Honourable Alden McLaughlin;
Premier of Bermuda, Honourable David Burt;
Premier of the British Virgin Islands, Honourable Dr. Orlando Smith; and
Premier of the Turks and Caicos Islands,Honourable Sharlene Cartwright-Robinson.

Mr. Speaker, I rise to inform you and members of this Honourable House that I, along with the Honourable Attorney General, will attend the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which will be held in Montego Bay, Jamaica, next week.

On the 21st of June I wrote to His Excellency Erwin LaRocque, Secretary General of CARICOM, to advise that as the President of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association’s Political Council, I wished to bring to the attention of CARICOM members a most serious matter that is impacting all British Overseas Territories that are associate members of CARICOM. The matter that I am referring to is that of the constitutional overreach by the United Kingdom Parliament of which everyone in this House is aware.

I can confirm that all Overseas Territories view the actions of the UK Parliament to legislate for the Territories in areas of domestic policy, which have been devolved to the Territories, as a gross affront to the constitutional relationship we have with the United Kingdom. Every single Overseas Territories leader during the recent Pre-Joint Ministerial Council meeting in London expressed a concern not only with the potential of further overreach but some others gave past examples where this had occurred in their own territories. We were all of one voice that we each need to seek our own individual constitutional safeguards to prevent any future possibility of constitutional overreach.

Mr. Speaker, we have received confirmation that the matter I have raised has been placed on the agenda at the Caucus of the CARICOM meeting for discussion and that my letter to the Secretary General outlining the issue will be circulated to the Heads of Government and delegates and used as the paper to facilitate that discussion.

I believe that a discussion at the Caucus level with regards to this issue and the need for clarity in the constitutions of the Caribbean Overseas Territories will have the dual benefit of deepening the understanding of CARICOM leaders regarding our unique circumstances while increasing our level of engagement as associate members of CARICOM. I am grateful to Secretary General LaRocque for agreeing that this matter be added to their Caucus agenda at such a late stage and believe that this is an indication that CARICOM also views the matter as important.

Mr. Speaker, as you and members of this Honourable House are aware, there is strength in numbers. Just as members of this House are united in assuring that the rights of Overseas Territories’ citizens are respected and protected, so too can we benefit from the support of CARICOM.

Mister Speaker, as you and members of the House are aware in March I led a delegation to Hong Kong to attend the GREAT Festival of Innovation.

We went at the invitation of the United Kingdom as part of the Global Britain initiative.

While there I and other ministers took the opportunity to also meet with private sector financial industry leaders including Invest Hong Kong to determine the level of interest that Hong Kong businesses have in the Cayman Islands.

Indeed, Mister Speaker, the Ministry of Financial Services has attended various events in Hong Kong over the past two years, and has seen first-hand the potential for growth from the region. 

Attending the Great Festival allowed for more in-depth conversations with industry members including Maples, Walkers, DMS and large accounting firms, as well as clients of the jurisdiction and pointed to the fact that serious consideration is needed regarding the re-establishment of a Cayman Islands Government Office in Asia.  As members may know, two previous attempts at opening a Cayman Islands Government office in Hong Kong did not last. I suspect this was the case because of the challenges of this particular market and the need to be very focused on what we are actually seeking to achieve.

In any event, a lot of time has passed and needs change. And so it is time for us to explore again the possibility of an Asian presence, particularly given the increasing importance of Asian markets to the financial services sector. In fact Mr. Speaker, about 70 per cent of all companies listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange are incorporated here in the Cayman Islands.

I can advise this Honourable House that my Government has reached out to industry and a cross-industry working group of senior leaders has been pulled together to develop a business case and consider the challenge of establishing a successful presence in China. Initial discussions included whether we should look to Hong Kong or perhaps Shanghai on mainland China as the ideal place to locate a Cayman Islands Government office. Other jurisdictions were also discussed as well, including Singapore, but in the end it was fairly unanimous that we should start from Hong Kong.

Members of that working group include me, the Deputy Premier, the Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs, chief officers Dax Basdeo and Stran Bodden, Alasdair Robertson, Paul Byles, Don Seymour, Conor O’Dea, Taron Jackman, Sherice Arman and Joel Walton.

We are working closely particularly with private sector businesses who have already successfully gone through setting up shop in Hong Kong and who can offer advice to help us avoid pitfalls and unseen challenges and to make a success of this new venture.

Work is now ongoing by members of the group to suggest how best to structure the office, not only to accommodate financial services, but also tourism, our shipping registry and indeed our aircraft registry.

Mister Speaker we envision the Cayman office in China to mirror the operations of our London Office, which has operated since 1982.

I personally believe we need a presence in Asia because our competitors are already there.

In addition Mister Speaker, when we attended the GREAT Festival in Hong Kong the absence of a Cayman Islands Government office was very pronounced given the number of Caymanian law and accounting firms as well as Caymanians working in Hong Kong.

Mister Speaker, I repeat that the Asian market has become increasingly more important to our financial services business and with the advent of financial technology there is a huge opportunity that we will be able to grow that business from this region. Indeed, in many respects there is likely much untapped business, not only in financial services, shipping and aircraft registration, but also in tourism.

I will keep this Honourable House and the general public up to date and informed as we progress the establishment of this office in Asia.

Thank you Mister Speaker.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, along with Hon. Attorney General Samuel Bulgin, travels Wednesday, 4 July, 2018, to Montego Bay, Jamaica, to attend the 39th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to discuss, among other issues, the constitutional relationship of the Overseas Territories and the United Kingdom as requested by the Cayman Islands.

On the 21st of June the Premier wrote to His Excellency Erwin LaRocque, Secretary General of CARICOM, to advise that as the President of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association’s Political Council, the Premier wished to bring to the attention of CARICOM members a most serious matter that is impacting all British Overseas Territories that are associate members of CARICOM. That matter is the constitutional overreach by the United Kingdom Parliament.

Mr. McLaughlin said a discussion at the Caucus level with regards to this issue and the need for clarity in the constitutions of the Caribbean Overseas Territories will have the dual benefit of deepening the understanding of CARICOM leaders regarding our unique circumstances while increasing our level of engagement as associate members of CARICOM.

“I am grateful to Secretary General LaRocque for agreeing that this matter be added to their Caucus agenda and believe that this is an indication that CARICOM also views the matter as important as we do,” he said.

Those in attendance at the Heads of Government meeting will also discuss ways to make the CARICOM Single Market and Economy more efficient; approval of a draft declaration on climate change; security issues; a CARICOM regional strategy for the development of statistics; and the third United Nations high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases, among other issues.

Jamaica Prime Minister Hon. Andrew Holness will chair the meeting.

Special guests at the meeting include His Excellency Sebastian Pinera Echenique, president of the Republic of Chile and His Excellency Miguel Diaz-Canel, president of the Republic of Cuba.

Traveling with the Premier and Mr. Bulgin are Roy Tatum, Senior Political Advisor and Head of the Office of Premier; as well as Jamaal Anderson, International Affairs Analyst, who has responsibility for CARICOM in the Cayman Islands Cabinet Office. They return to Grand Cayman on 7 July, 2018.

Mister Speaker, I rise today to provide you, the members of this Honourable House and the public an update on the Government’s efforts to make important and necessary safeguards to the Cayman Islands Constitution.

Before doing so Mister Speaker I will provide some background for the benefit of the public and the members of this House.

We will recall Mister Speaker that in May this year the House of Commons attached an amendment to a Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill that was making its way through the United Kingdom Parliament. The Bill and the amendment were passed by the Commons and then later by the House of Lords. 

This amendment requires the British Overseas Territories, but not the Crown Dependencies, to establish a public register of beneficial ownership, and to do so no later than 31 December, 2020.  Failing this, the amendment requires the UK Government to utilise an Order in Council to change our local legislation to implement a public register of beneficial ownership on our behalf.

But Mister Speaker this was not the first attempt by the UK Parliament to force the issue of Public Registers on the territories. Late last year a similar attempt was made with a similar amendment and we worked with our team in the London office and with the UK Government to fight off that attempt. The UK Government at that point was able to gather sufficient votes to help stave off the threat.  In particular Lord Ahmad, the Minister responsible for the Overseas Territories, fought on our behalf in the House of Lords and assisted us greatly to fend off the threat on that occasion.

But unfortunately, in May when the new amendment was introduced, the UK Government, with 19 Conservative members supporting the amendment, was unable to muster sufficient votes for its defeat. And so, facing a possible vote loss the Government conceded and the amendment passed in both the Commons and in the Lords.  Again Lord Ahmad, along with Lord Naseby and several other Law Lords, spoke up in the Lords to defend Cayman and the OTs. 

That final fight back in the Lords, led by Lord Naseby, is greatly appreciated. Lord Naseby has been a longstanding supporter of the Cayman Islands and is the current vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group for Cayman in the UK Parliament.

This final effort in the Lords was encouraged and assisted by our team in the Cayman Islands London Government office, led by me, because we felt that even though the House of Commons had done what it had done, this issue was so significant that it deserved at least another last gasp effort on the legislative front to see what could be done to prevent what had transpired from becoming reality.

In the end, and we were quite aware before the end, that our efforts would not succeed because the UK Government in its weakened state had declined to give it support. But the debate was useful as it allowed many Law Lords, including Lord Neuberger of Abbotsbury (Former President of the UK Supreme Court) to give their views and defend Cayman and the OTs on what we deem as an overreach of the UK Parliament.

So despite not winning this final attempt in the Lords, the merit of the effort was borne out by that debate in the Lords; a debate that took place starkly in the frame of the constitutional overreach. We believe those speeches will aid not just in any legal challenge we make if the UK proceeds to make the Order in Council as they are now mandated to do, but also in our efforts with the UK when we enter into a fresh set of constitutional discussions to put in place the necessary constitutional safeguards to avoid any future attempt of constitutional overreach by Parliament.

So Mister Speaker, I have said many times since the amendment passed in the UK Parliament that the Cayman Islands will not accept that the United Kingdom Parliament has any right to legislate for us when it comes to domestic matters that are devolved to local government. Furthermore sir, we will not be changing any laws or making any moves to adopt legislation to implement public registries of beneficial ownership.

If the United Kingdom does try to use an Order in Council to force the territories to adopt public registries, we are prepared to challenge that order in the Cayman Islands courts where we believe we will be successful. And if necessary, we are prepared to take our case to the Privy Council in London, where we believe officials there will have to look at our local laws and take in account of the devolved nature of local legislation as well as consider the views of our local courts.

I raised this issue of a review of our Constitution with the UK Prime Minister Teresa May when I visited London in May and had considerable discussions with David Lidington as well as Lord Ahmad about it.  I have also written to the Prime Minister, Mr. Lidington and Lord Ahmad as well. The UK has agreed to begin this dialogue, both in a letter from the Prime Minister as well as in conversations as recently as when I attended meetings in London during the week of June 11th. I have requested a timeframe for us to commence talks and I am awaiting confirmation from the UK, which I hope to receive soon. Just this past week my office received confirmation by way of e-mail that timelines for discussions are forthcoming.

I have previously spoken to the Leader of Opposition and a number of the other members of the Opposition about what we are proposing in regard to constitutional safeguards and I have their support, of which I am most appreciative. It is important that we in this House are fully in agreement on this very important matter.

And Mister Speaker, the Opposition and I met with the Constitution Commissioner to discuss these matters and just yesterday received a substantive response from the Commission, which I have not yet read.

What we are striving for is to have aspects of the constitution clarified to ensure that the ability of the UK Parliament to legislate for the Cayman Islands is significantly restricted. In particular, we are proposing that the power currently reserved to Her Majesty in Section 125 of the Constitution, which is the section that says Her Majesty reserves unto herself the power to legislate for the territories with respect to peace, order and good government be removed as is the case with the Bermuda constitution or clarified to apply only to matters involving the most serious circumstances such as a fundamental breakdown in public order or endemic corruption in the government, judiciary or legislature.

And further that it be made clear that the UK’s power over international affairs be confined to the enforcement and implementation of clear international obligations of the United Kingdom alone and that it also be made clear that provided the Cayman Islands are not in breach of international standards, the power of internal self-governance is absolute and that the power of disallowance with respect to legislation passed by the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands be removed as is the case with the Gibraltar constitution.

So in broad strokes those are the measures that we are going to be pressing for in terms of constitutional change to prevent this sort of constitutional overreach from occurring. This matter extends well beyond the issue of the position of public registers. Indeed it extends well beyond even the implications of our Financial Services Industry. If the UK Parliament, emboldened by what it has just done, comes to believe it can legislate for the territories anytime it disagrees with something in the territories or any time it believes that a certain situation should obtain within the territories, then as I have said previously it is not just our financial industry that is at risk, but really, our very existence. 

Hence the reason we intend to do two things: Challenge when appropriate should they attempt to implement public registers, and to seek to insulate, as far as possible, the Cayman Islands from such further constitutional overreach.   

Mister Speaker, I have also pointed out to the Prime Minister and Mister Lidington that the exchange of notes and the technical protocol that the Cayman Islands and other BOTs have worked on over the course of almost two years have been impaired. The exchange of notes allowed the exchange of information or the access to information in the Cayman Islands by law enforcement or tax regulatory authorities swiftly and in extreme cases in as little as two hours where there is an urgent issue. The whole premise of that arrangement – the agreement we reached with the UK Government - was that that would provide an alternative to the public registry regime. The actions of the Parliament have essentially vitiated that underlying agreement and we do not believe we have any further obligation to the UK Government under that arrangement.

I am not suggesting that the Cayman Islands Government should seek or will not continue to cooperate with law enforcement and tax regulatory authorities in the United Kingdom Government. That is certainly not the case. We believe we need to continue to play the important role we do in the global fight against international crime and tax evasion. I am simply saying that henceforth our cooperation is a result of our willingness and desire to cooperate and not as a result of any obligation we have to the United Kingdom pursuant to the technical protocol and the exchange of notes because the underlying premise, I repeat, for that agreement was that that would be the alternative to the implementation of a public registry regime.

In all that we have done so far on this issue I can confirm that we have met with Industry and kept them abreast of developments.  Importantly we have taken the advice of two very senior members of the UK Bar in the persons of Sir Jeffrey Jowell, QC, and Lord David Pannick, QC, both highly regarded constitutional lawyers and we are following their advice in this respect.  

As this matter progresses I will keep this House and indeed this country advised.  Indeed, I want to reassure this House that before any final safeguards to our Constitution are agreed with the UK, the matter will be debated in the House.

“We talked about the way forward with Constitutional talks in regard to the Cayman Islands Constitution of 2009” said Mr. McLaughlin.  “We are concerned about the actions of the House of Commons in seeking to legislate for the Cayman Islands, which amounts to constitutional overreach by forcing the Cayman Islands to adopt public registers of beneficial ownership.”

Lord Ahmad has consistently defended the British Overseas Territories in his debate about public registries in the House of Lords. The Prime Minister Theresa May agreed to the Constitutional discussions with the Premier when they met in London last month. The Prime Minister has now appointed the Deputy Prime Minister David Liddington to lead on the coordination across the UK Government on the approach to constitutional change with the Cayman Islands and other Overseas Territories.

When debating the bill in the House of Lords last month, Lord Ahmad argued that while the OT’s are British, they are also separate jurisdictions with their own democratically elected governments, responsible for their own domestic economy matters and they do not have representation in the UK’s Parliament.

“Financial services are an area of domestic responsibility for territory government, where they surpass international standards in the context of beneficial ownership,” he said on the floor of the House of Lords. “Legislating for these jurisdictions without their consent in this field effectively disenfranchises their elected representatives.”

The principle changes that the Cayman Islands are seeking as mentioned by Mr McLaughlin at the press conference last month are:

• The power reserved to Her Majesty under section 125 be either removed (as is the case with Bermuda) or clarified to apply only to matters involving “the most serious of circumstances (such as) a fundamental breakdown in public order or endemic corruption in the government, legislature or judiciary.
• That it be made clear that the UK’s power over “international affairs” be confined to the enforcement and implementation of clear international obligations of the UK alone.
• That it be made clear that, provided that the Cayman Islands are not in breach of international standards, that the power of internal self-governance is absolute.
• That the power of the Governor to disallow Cayman laws (as in the Gibraltar Constitution).
• Further amendments clarifying the power of the Cabinet in other areas, such as in relation to the National Security Council etc.

Sir Jeffery is a longstanding associate of the Cayman Islands and has been involved in Constitutional developments for many jurisdictions including the Cayman Islands. The scope of Sir Jeffrey’s work includes judicial review, human rights and planning.  He advises extensively on the drafting of national constitutions, the relationship between the UK and dependent territories, and the design and application of internal regulatory and Ombudsmen schemes. He has appeared on these matters in the courts of Commonwealth countries as well as the Privy Council and the UK Supreme Court.

Lord Pannick QC is one of the UK’s most highly regarded advocates, practising in a broad range of areas with a particular emphasis on Public law & Human Rights. Amongst appearing in 100 cases in the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords (before it was replaced by the new Supreme Court), more than 25 cases in the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg and over 30 cases in the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, he has acted in a large number of the leading public law cases of the last 25 years. He is recognised by Chambers UK 2015 as one of its “stars at the bar”, and by the Legal 500 2014 as a ‘Leading Silk’ in eight areas, including EU & Competition.

“We talked about the way forward with Constitutional talks in regard to the Cayman Islands Constitution of 2009” said Mr. McLaughlin.  “We are concerned about the actions of the House of Commons in seeking to legislate for the Cayman Islands, which amounts to constitutional overreach by forcing the Cayman Islands to adopt public registers of beneficial ownership.”

The agenda for discussion included a review of advice from Sir Jeffery and Lord Pannick, a discussion about desired outcomes, formulation of plan for the way forward and setting out timelines necessary for the Cayman Islands.

The meeting was followed by a luncheon hosted by Sir Jeffery and Lord Pannick held at Blackstone Chambers in the Temple district of central London, the lunch was also an opportunity to continue discussions that morning.

The Cayman Islands Representative in the UK, Eric Bush said after the meeting “The round up from the meeting alone continued well on into the evening and we believe we are making great progress in setting out desired improvements to the Cayman Islands constitutional relationship between the UK and the Cayman Islands at this critical time. We thank Sir Jeffery and Lord Pannick for their enthusiasm and expertise to help guide us through these waters.”

Talks will continue this week, with a meeting with Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for the Overseas Territories, and two conferences with other Overseas Territories Heads of Government.

The meeting was to discuss the strategic partnership between the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and the Cayman Islands. In discussion is the possibility of co-hosting a CWIC event in 2019.

Mr Bush said of the meeting “This meeting was the continuation of a conversation that we started in Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings and we look forward to a continued a beneficial partnership with CWIC for the Cayman Islands.”

Lord Marland of Odstock, Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, is a British businessman and politician, having served as Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Minister for Energy and Climate Change and Business, Innovation and Skills, and Treasurer of the Conservative Party.

The Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin has met privately with the Prime Minister Theresa May and has had two separate meetings with David Lidington, Minister of State in the Cabinet Office and de facto Deputy Prime Minister, who has responsibility for constitutional matters within Her Majesty's Government. The dialogue is ongoing and a full update will be provided next week.

Clare was in the Cayman Islands last March where she hosted 10 days of ‘pop up’ culinary events including a four-course dinner at the Kimpton Seafire, a harvest dinner where she worked with the head chef from Abacus and other public demonstrations.  She also led an afternoon class for children aged 8 to 12 teaching them basic culinary skills which were all part of Jamie Oliver’s global initiative.  

The guest list included high net worth business people, members of the Nth Degree Club and a Cayman delegation led by Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, H.E. Governor Anwar Choudhury, Speaker of the House Hon. McKeeva Bush, Leader of the Opposition Hon. Ezzard Miller, MLA Chris Saunders and Councillors Barbara Conolly and Capt. Eugene Ebanks.  The event was hosted by Robert Walton MBE.  Robert, who frequently visits relatives in the Cayman Islands, is a recognized and respected figure in the hospitality industry and is President of the Restaurant Association of Great Britain.  

The Premier said “I want to thank Robert and Clare for this opportunity.  We will continue to promote the ties we have, historical and indeed future with the UK and to play our part in Global Britain.”

“We want to continue to be a part of Britain.  We were settled by British settlers some 360 years ago and the last 60 years have been particularly good for our islands.”

“I want to thank Clare not just for today but for coming to Cayman last year and for continuing to be a great ambassador for our beautiful islands.  Today you’ve helped us to celebrate, what for us, is a most special occasion.”

“The Cayman Islands Government is deeply aggrieved by the acceptance of the UK Government today of an amendment to the Sanctions and Anti Money Laundering Bill in the House of Commons.” The Premier was referring to the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Bill amendment that was accepted by the House of Commons on Tuesday, 1 May. It requires the British Overseas Territories, but not the Crown Dependencies, to establish public registers of beneficial ownership information by no later than 31 December 2020.

The Premier, The Hon Alden McLaughlin, said: “Imposition of legislation, through powers that date back to the colonial era, over and above the wishes of the democratically elected legislative bodies of the Overseas Territories represents a gross affront to the constitutional relationship we currently have with the United Kingdom. Further, imposing such an obligation on the Overseas Territories while exempting the Crown Dependencies discriminates unfairly against the Overseas Territories. This amendment is based solely on prejudice and a wilful misunderstanding of our current regulatory framework.”

The Minister for Financial Services, the Hon. Tara Rivers, added: “Even more unfortunate, today’s actions indicate that, for political expediency, the UK has chosen to ignore Cayman’s high level of ongoing cooperation which is embedded in our laws and international agreements. Over 100 tax authorities globally, including HMRC, and UK crime agencies already have access to information which states who owns what and how much in relation to Cayman companies. Indeed, verified beneficial ownership information on Cayman structures has been available to the UK’s legal, regulatory and tax authorities for more than 15 years, and our agreement on the sharing of information with the United Kingdom authorities is of such strength that we have committed to reporting within 24 hours, or within 1 hour in the case of a truly emergent situation. ”

Central public registers are not the global standard. Premier McLaughlin went on to state: “Since 2013 I have been completely clear that, when public registers become a global standard, the Cayman Islands will adopt them. The actions in the House of Commons today seeks to impose the UK’s own flawed system of unverified public registers upon the Overseas Territories by the end of 2020.”

The Premier also noted the apparent double standard adopted by the House of Commons during the debate on the same amendment bill, when it voted down an amendment to the UK’s Companies Act, which would have required due diligence on beneficial owners of UK companies in order to prevent money laundering.

The Government of the Cayman Islands is keeping all options on the table including a legal challenge to the amendment which violates accepted and conventional constitutional relationships between the UK and the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands has its own democratically elected government and is not represented in the UK Parliament. The actions of the House of Commons in seeking to legislate for the Cayman Islands amount to constitutional overreach and are reminiscent of the worst injustices of a bygone era of colonial despotism.”

It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that I acknowledge the passing of Mr. Kirkland Nixon, QFSM, IDSA, MBE, JP, a most special Caymanian, and to me a personal friend and mentor. 

On behalf of the Government I extend sympathy to his widow, Melba, his daughters Tammy and Lorrie and the entire family. Kirkland was a retired civil servant and Cayman’s first Chief Fire Officer, serving in that post for more than 40 years. But he was more, so much more than that. Kirkland epitomised the best of Caymanian values:  patriotism, hard work and diligence, honesty, integrity and fairness, frankness, common sense and judgement.  These values endeared him to a wide cross-section of people in these Islands and beyond and shone through in the many roles he played in the development of these Islands and our people and the preservation of ‘things Caymanian’.

Kirkland was an exemplary civil servant and fire-chief, community leader and helper, advisor and doer, orchid expert and farmer – truly a man for all seasons. His life included many years of work with the fire service and as an invaluable member of the National Hurricane Committee. His service on numerous government boards and private sector organisations, including the Lions Club of Grand Cayman, speak to a commitment to service to country and people rarely seen. On behalf of the Government and people of these Islands I pay tribute to a man whose lifetime of selfless service will endure long after his passing and will continue to benefit Cayman for generations to come.

He was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1979, and in 1989 was presented the Queen’s Fire Service Medal (QSFM) and the Distinguished Service Award (IDSA) at the National Hurricane Conference.

In May 2013 Mr. Nixon was honoured by renaming the visitors’ centre at the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park after him. That centre was renamed the “Kirkland Nixon Visitors’ Centre” in recognition of his connections and contributions to the Botanic Park. Mr. Nixon was instrumental in building the  park, telling Joanne Scott – the then-governor’s wife – that it would be built the Caymanian way; one brick at a time.

Since 2013 he has been chairman of the Cayman Islands Airport Authority, leading and championing the recent redevelopment of the Owen Roberts International Airport. Despite his illness, he continued to chair meetings of the Authority’s Board until March this year.

Mr. Nixon dedicated most of his life to his country – the Cayman Islands – giving us untiring service and humility that gained him the respect of all; his countrymen and our visitors. And he never asked anyone to do something that he would not do himself. He was a true leader and visionary.

When speaking at his retirement celebration in 2005 he said that his time of service had been a labour of love, supported by his family, friends and co-workers. Despite the retirement ceremony, Kirkland did not ever truly retire. Until now. 

Now he rests from his labours leaving an incredible legacy of service and achievement. He is deeply loved and greatly respected and will be missed by all those who knew him and by the countless others whose lives he impacted.

As a mark of respect, the Cayman flag will be flown at half-mast at all Government buildings from 12 p.m. Monday, 30 April, 2018, until sunset Tuesday, 1 May, 2018.

LONDON – Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin continues his duties as president of the United Kingdom Overseas Association (UKOTA) Thursday when he represents UKOTA at the official opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference at Buckingham Palace. 

The Premier is attending the Commonwealth Business Forum in London, which began Monday.  It is one of three key forums that occur prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference Meeting (CHOGM) taking place this week.

Mr. McLaughlin will also meet with Minister with responsibility for the Overseas Territories, Lord Ahmad, on Thursday to discuss matters of interest regarding the Cayman Islands as well as UKOTA.

 The business forum continued Wednesday with the theme “The Future of Leadership”.

Mr. McLaughlin was invited by the United Kingdom Government to participate in aspects of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London this week. 

“This is the first time that UKOTA has been invited to participate in the biennial meeting of Commonwealth Leaders and I am honoured to have been invited to attend and represent the Overseas Territories,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “It is important that we use these opportunities to not only continue to build relationships within the UK, but to make the wider Commonwealth membership more aware of the Overseas Territories generally and to see how we can benefit each other”.

The Business Forum continued Tuesday with a stirring event by musicians and people from across the Commonwealth; all with either their flags or in national dress. The display demonstrated the diversity of the people of the Commonwealth. The theme for the day was “Building the Future” and was highlighted by Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, when she opened the day’s events. She spoke of fulfilling the dream of the Commonwealth Charter and the strength of Unity. This theme was continued when Prime Minister Theresa May spoke to the Forum for the second time. She addressed threats that are facing the Commonwealth and the world and the ability of a united Commonwealth to make a difference. 

The sheer size and diversity of the Commonwealth allows it to help shape the world, she said, as she spoke of the need to support the rules-based system that has guided international trade and the way nations treat each other. She also praised the advances in Commonwealth countries, including advances in the prevention of diseases. Microsoft founder Bill Gates spoke on the fight against diseases such as polio and malaria in Commonwealth countries. 

Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness spoke about fairness within the Commonwealth between smaller and larger states, including the need for the larger states that contribute to climate change to do much more to help Small Island states prepare for and recover from storms.

Later on Tuesday Premier McLaughlin attended the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at historic Guildhall where he met political leaders attending CHOGM as well as business leaders from the City of London and the wider Commonwealth. Speakers at the banquet included the 690^th Lord Mayor of the City of London, the Rt. Hon. Charles Bowman; Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Rt. Hon. Phillip Hammond; and President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa.

Attracting an audience of business leaders from across the Commonwealth, along with heads of government and ministers, the Business Forum touches on topics such as new models of healthcare, the maritime industry, the economic empowerment of women, investing in infrastructure, fintech and innovations in financial services and how business can be made easier between Commonwealth countries.

LONDON – Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin attended the opening of the 11^th Commonwealth Business Forum in London on Monday.  This is one of three key forums that occur prior to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference Meeting taking place later this week.

The Business Forum was opened by UK Prime Minister Theresa May followed by welcome remarks from Patricia Scotland QC, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Charles Bowman, Lord Mayor of the City of London, Rt. Hon Liam Fox, Minister for International Trade  and Lord Marland, Chairman Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council.  The theme for the first day is “The Future of Trade”.

Mr. McLaughlin said “Opening the Forum UK Prime Minister Theresa May spoke about the importance of free trade of larger and developing Commonwealth countries, and ensuring everyone has the opportunity to participate.  Free trade uplifts all and helps our Commonwealth citizens fight the scourge of poverty.”

The opening was held at the historic Guildhall in London, home of the City of London’s administrators for 600 years. 

“Later in the morning I attended a panel session with the theme ‘Delivering a Prosperous Commonwealth for All’ with panel members including the Rt. Hon Liam Fox, Minister for International Trade who I met back in March in Hong Kong.  Hon, Julie Bishop, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Australia, Bill Winters, Group Chief Executive, Standard Chartered Bank, John W.H. Denton, First Vice Chair, International Chamber of Commerce & CEO, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Australia, Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Confederation of Indian Industry & Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises and Roberto Azevedo, Director-General, World Trade Organization.”

“In the afternoon I joined sessions on Developing the Digital Economy, and on Economic and Climate volatility – Innovation and Resilience for Small Island States.  These were very interesting sessions for the Cayman Islands as well as the other British Overseas Territories.”

Monday evening all delegates attended a Welcome to the UK Reception at the QEII Centre in Westminster.

Attracting an audience of business leaders from across the Commonwealth, along with heads of government and ministers, the Business Forum will touch on topics such as new models of healthcare, the maritime industry, the economic empowerment of women, investing in infrastructure, fintech and innovations in financial services and how business can be made easier between Commonwealth countries.

Mr. McLaughlin will also meet with United Kingdom Government officials to discuss issues and concerns that are common to the United Kingdom, the Overseas Territories and the Cayman Islands in particular.

The business forum continues tomorrow with the theme “Building the Future”.

 “Attending the Commonwealth Business Forum is part of our ongoing relationship building with the United Kingdom as it seeks to leave the European Union,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “The Cayman Islands, as well as all of the UK Overseas Territories, see ourselves as a very important part of Global Britain.”

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – As President of the United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association, Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin has been invited by Minister of State for the Commonwealth and Overseas Territories Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon to represent UKOTA at  certain elements of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Summit in London next week.

Specifically, he will attend the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Buckingham Palace, the Welcome to the UK Reception at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre, the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at the Guildhall, City of London and the Commonwealth Business Forum.

“While there I will also take the opportunity to meet with United Kingdom Government officials to discuss issues and concerns that are common to the United Kingdom, the Overseas Territories and the Cayman Islands in particular,” said Mr. McLaughlin.

Attracting an audience of business leaders from across the Commonwealth, along with heads of government and ministers, the Commonwealth Business Forum will discuss practical ways to enhance trade, showcase investment opportunities and promote sustainable development.

The Business Forum will touch on topics such as the global economic outlook, how technology is changing our world and the way we work, economic and climate volatility for island states, new models of healthcare, the maritime industry, the economic empowerment of women, investing in infrastructure, fintech and innovations in financial services and how business can be made easier between Commonwealth countries.

“These topics, and the others on the agenda of the Business Forum, are important to us as an Overseas Territory and attending is a natural progression from our recent trip to the GREAT Festival of Innovation in Hong Kong,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

“Attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government events and attending the Commonwealth Business Forum are part of ongoing relationship building with the United Kingdom as it seeks to leave the European Union,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “The Cayman Islands, as well as all of the UK Overseas Territories, see ourselves as a very important part of Global Britain and I am honoured as the President of the Political Council of UKOTA to be invited to take part in these events.”

The Premier will leave the Cayman Islands on Thursday, 12 April. Traveling with him will be Cabinet Secretary Mr. Samuel Rose and Senior Political Advisor to the Premier Mr. Roy Tatum.  Joining them in London will be Mr. Eric Bush, head of the Cayman Islands London Office.

Mr. Speaker, it is almost impossible to turn on our computers or televisions these days without seeing some news story regarding immigration, including anti-immigrant sentiments, expressed by politicians, nationalists and people worried about job losses around the world. Cayman is no different in that respect and increasingly anti-immigrant sentiments are seen and heard on the talk-shows, television, social media and wherever Caymanians gather.

Mr. Speaker, as I wound up the budget debate in this Honourable House in November, I spoke about the benefit of immigration and the need for us to protect the rights of Caymanians but I also warned against falling into the trap of xenophobia. I noted that Cayman owes much of what we have in development and opportunity to immigration. It was immigration and inward investment that allowed these Islands, and all of us, to progress as we have done these past 50 years.

I also noted that immigration, like fire, is a good servant but a bad master. We must ensure that businesses have the workers they need to grow and prosper, and in so doing help Cayman and Caymanians prosper and thrive. But while we appreciate the benefits of immigration we cannot ignore the local concerns regarding immigration; concerns that have challenged government after government ever since the Cayman Islands population first started to really grow. In the main those concerns have been about jobs. In the early stages those who inhabited these hallowed halls responded to the need for control of immigration and the economy by passing the Work Permit Law in 1969.  But as the number of work permits grew, so did the concerns and by 1971 it was thought necessary to pass the Caymanian Protection Law and other related legislation. Following numerous amendments over the next 2 decades the legislation was revised and modernised and in 1992 the Immigration Law was passed. In the ensuing years there has probably been no other law that has been amended more times than the Immigration Law – mostly seeking to get a fair balance between employers having access to needed workers from overseas and ensuring that Caymanians are treated fairly and have opportunities for employment. 

But despite all these measures, complaints of discrimination against Caymanians in the labour force remain widespread.  As I have said, these are not new; however, the complaints and resentment are growing, and to date no amount of change to the Immigration Law has alleviated the concerns. The stories about Caymanians being treated unfairly in the labour market are legion. Personally, hardly a day passes that I do not hear an anecdote of a Caymanian being discriminated against or treated unfairly with respect to employment. By being treated unfairly I am talking about qualified Caymanians who are able to do a particular job being unjustifiably refused an opportunity to work or being passed over for a training opportunity or promotion. Indeed, at times they may not even have received an opportunity for an interview for a job. In some cases we know the stories first hand, either through constituents, family or friends and so know them to be true. That having been said, I acknowledge that not every complaint is valid – we also know the stories of the people that we have helped acquire a job, with employers giving them a chance, sometimes a second chance, only to find ourselves feeling disappointed when the individual leaves the employment without good reason – expecting the country or an elected member to bear the burden of their living costs.

I mention this Mr. Speaker because we have to be honest with each other as Caymanians. But I want to focus today on those Caymanians who try hard to find and keep employment. And who come to us feeling let down because despite their experience and their qualifications they feel shut out of the job market. 

Mr. Speaker, besides complaining about this issue publicly all that successive generations of legislators have done is to keep tweaking the Immigration Law to fix one loophole or another so as to try to ensure fair opportunities for Caymanians. It is time that we cease tinkering at the edges and accept that a fundamental change is necessary if we are to address this longstanding and growing issue of discrimination against Caymanians in the job market. In an economy that is expanding and that has as many work permits as ours does, it is simply unacceptable that a qualified and experienced Caymanian should not be able to find employment. My Government is determined to fix this issue, which is threatening to undermine the social fabric of these beloved Islands we call home.

Mr. Speaker, one of the key measures we are taking is development of a Human Resources Department, whose remit will be to better regulate the labour market, including access to work permits. But this will not be enough, so we are also proposing to change the laws regarding the advertising of jobs as well as implement a National Jobs Clearinghouse to improve the transparency and fairness of the labour market. 

But this too will not be enough - and I know that we will still hear complaints about discrimination. And when we do hear them, what are we as elected members able to do? Should we simply resort to tweaking the Immigration Law and Regulations yet again?  

No, Mr. Speaker successive governments have tried this approach over the last 45 years and it has only led to an Immigration Law that has become even more complex and burdensome to manage. 

And even more attempts at increased enforcement of the Immigration Law will have limited success in alleviating the concerns of discrimination in the minds of Caymanians. There is a fine line between ensuring companies follow the law regarding the hiring of Caymanians, and having an over-bearing enforcement approach that discourages business. Incentivising businesses to hire Caymanians has also been discussed for some time but has never really gotten off the ground. However, we do intend during this year to dust off and implement plans for what has been called the accreditation system that will seek to reward those businesses that do the right thing regarding the hiring and training of Caymanians. But this too will not resolve concerns of fair treatment. There is a need for an avenue for Caymanians to go when they have concerns regarding hiring practices. My Government will address this vacuum by establishing Cayman’s first Fair Employment Opportunities Commission.

Employers and immigrants have access to an Immigration Appeals Tribunal if they believe that a work permit or permanent residency application has been incorrectly refused. If you are employed and have a complaint against your employer you have access to the Labour Appeals Tribunal. But if you are a Caymanian jobseeker and believe that you were incorrectly treated when applying for a job or bypassed for a promotion, you have nowhere to go.  The practice of writing a letter to the Immigration Board may sometimes result in the work permit application for a non- Caymanian being refused, but it rarely results in the complainant being given the job in question.

Ironically, while many Caymanians look to the Immigration Law & Department for protection against discrimination, the Immigration Law does not in fact specifically address discrimination against Caymanians  - there are no references to “discrimination” in the Immigration Law (2015 Revision). Due to the lack of a legislative mandate for the Immigration Department, there is no official process for handling complaints of discrimination from job-seekers or those seeking promotion. Hence the department is frequently criticised for “failing to protect Caymanians” and for “failing to enforce the law”. 

The Fair Employment Opportunities Commission, which we propose, with its legislated framework would fill a gap that now exists. 

It is not just the Immigration Law that is inadequate with regard to anti-discrimination provisions.

Section 80 (1) of the Labour Law (2011 Revision) states that “no person (whether an employee or employer) may discriminate against another by reason of race, colour, creed, sex, pregnancy or any reason connected with pregnancy, age, mental or physical disability.” Penalty for doing so is a maximum of 12 months in prison and a $5,000 fine.

Section 80, which consists of 135 words, does not apply to Caymanians per se and applies only to “employees and employers”, i.e. it excludes job applicants.

Women, by contrast, have had extensive protection against workplace discrimination since the Gender Equality Law was passed in 2011.

Neither does the Labour Relations Bill in its current form significantly enhance protection against workplace discrimination for Caymanians

Finally, while the Bill of Rights contains protection against discrimination this only applies “vertically”, that is between individuals and government. Specific laws are required to apply the rights “horizontally”, between individuals and other parties.

In summary there is no current law to protect Caymanians from discrimination by employers and no process by which Caymanians can officially complain or seek redress against instances of discrimination.

The Fair Employment Opportunities Commission would supplement other tools for ensuring the hiring of Caymanians while also providing Caymanians with the assurance that Government and law abiding employers do care about Caymanian employment. 

It would also have the ability to sanction. Exactly what those sanctions involve will need to be decided but would likely include administrative fines on businesses that are deemed to have hiring practices that are unfair to Caymanians.

The Commission will be independent to avoid possible perceptions of bias toward business and must be able to maintain a balance and to apply the relevant aspects of the law. As such it would be headed by a Commissioner appointed by the Governor in a manner similar to the appointment of the Auditor General and Ombudsman. It is envisaged that the Commissioner would be an experienced attorney or retired judge and the office would be staffed by individuals with legal and investigative skills. 

 I hasten to say this will not be some form of affirmative action commission. But it will be a commission that will consider the law and determine whether the complaint of unfair treatment is valid. It will be important that the business community and public do not believe that this body is subject to political interference but instead operates independently and in accordance with the rule of law.  

In addition to providing Caymanians with an avenue to seek redress when they believe they have been treated unfairly, a Fair Employment Opportunity Commission will provide other benefits. Whilst there are  Caymanians who believe that Caymanian job-seekers are frequently discriminated against by employers, there is no data by which the government or the general public can correctly gauge the real extent of the problem, the effectiveness of existing legislative and enforcement efforts or the impact of new measures to reduce this discrimination. The work of a Fair Employment Opportunity Commission would, over time, provide data regarding the occurrence of such incidents and what segments of the job market are more impacted by incidents of real or perceived discrimination.

There are also no proactive measures to prevent workplace discrimination against Caymanians. There is also no campaign to educate Caymanians as to their employment rights and/or what to do if they believe their rights have been violated. A Fair Employment Opportunities Commission would also perform these duties.

Such a commission as we propose is not a unique idea Mr. Speaker. Indeed many countries have similar commissions under names such as Equal Opportunity Commissions and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. So we are not proposing to implement something entirely novel. 

Mr. Speaker, it is our intention to consult widely with the business community with regards to the proposed Fair Employment Opportunity Commission. We also intend, as part of the exercise regarding the creation of a new Human Resources Department that a new work permit regime operates efficiently and effectively without undue delays, providing a high level of service.

As I said at the start, this Government recognises the importance of businesses having access to quality, necessary personnel but we also recognise that we need to do something new to ensure that Caymanians not only believe that they will be treated fairly in the job market but where they do not so believe, that they have an avenue to take their grievances. If we do nothing and allow the current beliefs of unfairness to fester and grow, we may well end up where the Bahamas was in the 1970s with an unsettled business climate and great resentment amongst local people and with business leaving our shores.

If properly set up, Mr. Speaker, within a legal framework and operated in an independent and fair manner, a Fair Employment Opportunity Commission can only be considered as something positive by Caymanians and by the business community.

If a business is operating as the law requires and is treating Caymanian job applicants fairly then they will have nothing to fear regarding the implementation of such a commission.

Mr. Speaker, this is an important initiative and one I wanted to share with the Honourable House and the public at the earliest stage possible. We will move the initiative through the machinations of the Government process including consultations with stakeholders. The House can expect to hear more about this in the coming months.

Mr. Speaker, the events of the past week have once again heightened the public discourse around crime, particularly gun related crimes. The report from the RCIPS of two robberies and a subsequent murder and that they were looking for an individual who was armed and dangerous, and presumably willing to shoot if he felt at risk, caused alarm throughout these Islands, but especially in the Red Bay constituency, which I represent, and the Prospect constituency where I live. And rightly so – to be afraid to walk from your car at night to your front door or to visit an entertainment establishment at night for fear of being robbed,  or worse, is not the Caymanian way of life. And even if these incidents are not everyday occurrences but are only spikes in crime they must never come to be accepted as the norm.

I can say Mr. Speaker, that every single member of my Government - whether a Progressives candidate, a CDP candidate or an Independent candidate - campaigned and promised to work with the RCIPS to tackle crime, particularly gun related crimes. We take these promises seriously and during the recent budget session Government committed to various strategies to combat crime and keep our communities safe. Indeed some $270 million has been allocated to National security over this budget cycle, which is two years. 

We committed to putting in place a dedicated Community Policing Programme and voted funds to provide the RCIPS with 75 new police officers over the next three years to help accomplish this. I am pleased to say, as everyone in this House and the wider public would be aware, that Community Policing has become a reality and is being welcomed by the public as well as by those on the opposition benches.

As of February, 26 Community Police officers have been placed in East End, North Side, Prospect, South Sound, George Town, at the Waterfront, Seven Mile Beach and West Bay. Officers stationed on Cayman Brac and Little Cayman were already considered community officers. They are all working on differing shifts, depending on the demands of each area. These officers are embedded in the communities and there is a genuine commitment to make sure those officers are maintained in those areas for at least two years.

Mr. Speaker, community policing is still in its fledgling stages but I am certain that it will play a key role in not only keeping communities safer but also helping rebuild public trust in the RCIPS and thus peoples’ willingness to ‘say something when they see something’.

I have also advised the Commissioner of Police that the Government will consider providing additional resources, such as more CCTV cameras in order to deter crime and improve detection. We just need a proper plan.

I have asked the Deputy Governor to review the salaries of police officers (as well as other underpaid departments of government) with a view to making the RCIPS a more attractive employer. This will enable the Commissioner to attract and retain more qualified persons to the Police service.

So we are doing as a Government what we need to financially support the RCIPS and I am satisfied that under the leadership of the current Commissioner  and his senior team the RCIPS has taken seriously this Government’s commitment to keeping our communities safe and reducing gun crime in the Cayman Islands.

Increasing Neighbourhood Watch programmes is another commitment that is being met and the RCIPS, through the Community Policing Programme, will assist communities to put these in place. Neighbours know when something looks wrong and when someone looks out of place in a community and can help raise an alarm if needed. 

We also committed to improving border security and to merging the Customs and Immigration agencies into a single border force. The work on this has started and we have secured the assistance of Mr. Colin Brown who is head of the UK’s Border Force National Targeting Centre to move this project forward as a matter of urgency. Mr. Brown arrived in January and has been working with the steering committee charged with the planning and eventual implementation of the merger. So again, this commitment is being met and when complete we will have a single border force agency with staff trained to better protect our seaports and airports, focussed on preventing illicit drugs, guns and people landing illegally in the Cayman Islands.

Modern law enforcement and border protection agencies do not focus on searching suitcases and containers, instead they rely on intelligence as well as on modern investigative and targeting practices that are more successful than searches alone. This is where we are going, Mr. Speaker. Currently Immigration and Customs staff are undergoing cross training as well as participating in joint operations. Over the next six months we will start seeing a single uniform for some staff and a fully joined up Cayman Border Force should be in place for the start of the 2019 financial year, which is January. I will continue to provide this Honourable House with progress reports on the work being done in this area.  But again, the commitment has been made and work is ongoing and will become reality.

Another key element in border protection is our commitment to create a modern Cayman Islands Coast Guard with a multifaceted role, including search and rescue, patrolling our seas and helping keep illegal guns, people, and drugs from being smuggled into our Islands. The Coast Guard will have the ability to board and search vessels in our waters and make arrests if needed. We have obtained the services of Mr. Phil Bostock, who is a commander in the UK’s Maritime and Coast Guard Agency who has also been on the ground from January to assist in the development of the Coast Guard.

Neither the Coast Guard nor the border protection agents can be everywhere, so we will utilise technology to assist in the detection of boats entering our waters. It will be important Mr. Speaker, and I will ensure, that the Coast Guard will be as independent as possible with a local commander – who we are hoping will be a Caymanian. It will be properly resourced and we will ensure that it will be structured in such a way so as not to have its resources poached for other law enforcement work.

Staff has already begun specialist joint operations and are undergoing training in enhanced search and rescue capabilities.  We have the services of the consultant to the end of this year and we intend to put in place operational policies as well as any necessary legislation by year end.  Major assets will be budgeted for in the 2020 budget cycle. This is a major undertaking but we are moving as swiftly as we can and with God’s grace this too will be achieved.

But Mr. Speaker, there are other things that we are looking at to battle crime, including initiatives to prevent youngsters from entering lives of crime as well as more effective rehabilitation programmes – both for incarcerated prisoners and those who have served their time. If we can prevent re-offending and help people lead more productive lives then that is part of the battle won. 

Improved policing is about dealing with crime now. In the longer term, the answer lies in stopping our people turning to crime in the first place. I believe the most significant contribution to long term crime reduction, besides a good education, will come from the early identification of young people at risk of offending behaviour, and implementing programmes to help them make better life choices – choices that will benefit them, their families and their communities.

As I reported during the Budget session, work on this commenced during the last administration and an Inter-Ministerial Committee on Youth Affairs has been established to serve as the coordinating and advisory body to implement plans in this area. The Department of Children and Family Services is playing an important role in the overall solution through social workers who specialize in family crises resolution and trauma. But they cannot do it alone. This requires work and cooperation across many ministries for there to be real success. Mr. Speaker, a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub Team, or MASH, was created in 2016 where the Ministry of Community Affairs, in conjunction with the Department of Children and Family Services, works with the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, Education Department and Health Services to enhance the safety of our children.

These are important and part of a longer term solution that addresses the causes of crimes.  

But there is another issue that needs to be addressed; one that I believe needs our utmost attention. That Mr. Speaker is the need for the elected government to be allowed a greater role in national security matters. Our role needs to extend beyond merely voting funds for the police. The elected government needs a significant voice in strategic decision-making relating to national security matters. That was what was contemplated by the constitutional provision that created the National Security Council in the 2009 constitution, but that is not what has occurred in practice. For national security to succeed it needs to become a shared responsibility of the Governor and the elected Government. It is too big and too important an issue to be the Governor’s alone. The National Security Council needs to function in the way it was contemplated – as the National Security Cabinet of the Cayman Islands – and not merely as a talk-shop. Earlier Mr. Speaker I mentioned that Government is providing funding for resources to combat crime. All of us in this House are held accountable by the public for reducing crime, even though our main opportunities to do so rely on our control of the budget and on the views of the Commissioner at the time, and the Governor at the time who has constitutional responsibility for all aspects of internal security, including the RCIPS. We get to vote money but we do not have real control of national security issues.

Mr. Speaker you may recall that during the Constitutional talks a decade ago that I raised this issue with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It was a battle. As a compromise the UK agreed to create the National Security Council a body that is charged under Section 58.4 of the Constitution with responsibility as follows:

“The National Security Council shall advise the Governor on matters relating to internal security, with the exception of operational and staffing matters, and the Governor shall be obliged to act in accordance with the advice of the Council, unless he or she considers that giving effect to the advice would adversely affect Her Majesty’s interest (whether in respect of the United Kingdom or the Cayman Islands); and where the Governor has acted otherwise than in accordance with the advice of the Council, he or she shall report to the Council at its next meeting.”

Mr. Speaker  every Governor since 2009 when the Constitution came into effect, presumably under the directions of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has never accepted that the advice, by way of decisions  given by the National Security Council  are really intended to be advice that was to be followed, but merely as  ‘suggestions’ to be considered.

Because of this Mr. Speaker, you and the wider public would have heard me mention on several occasions that the UK Government needed to rethink the position of the Governor having full responsibility for the RCIPS and to consider a Police Authority whose role would be to allow for the sharing of authority between the Governor and elected members regarding strategic police matters. 

During the Strategic Policy Statement last year I said the following:  “in line with my earlier point on creating a culture of delivery, we will not only provide additional resources to the RCIPS but we will also insist that resources are used as agreed and will hold the Commissioner to account for the results. This will mean creating new approaches that foster accountability and enhance the responsiveness of the RCIPS to the people’s concerns. Our proposal to accomplish this is the establishment of a Cayman Islands Police Authority and we will discuss with Her Excellency, the Governor, how we can establish such a mechanism quickly”.

During the Budget process in August last year I again noted:  “As we provide additional resources to the RCIPS we will insist that resources are used as agreed and hold the Commissioner to account for the results of those expenditures. We also intend to discuss with the UK Government the establishment of a Police Authority to help create new approaches in fostering accountability and enhance the responsiveness of the RCIPS to the people’s concerns.”

And I was pleased that the Governor during her Throne speech noted the following: “The Government has also indicated its eagerness to discuss the creation of a Police Authority with me and with Her Majesty’s Government. A Police Authority that would be devolved some authority for policing. Whilst no outcome to these discussions can be pre-determined, I welcome the conversation.”

Mr. Speaker, I mention this to provide some background and to remind the public and this House that this has been an issue for some time.

Mr. Speaker, we are at a critical juncture, where national security issues are increasingly a concern to the people of this country and those that visit. If we are to succeed in addressing these matters, the National Security Council, which is made up of the Governor, the Premier, the Deputy Governor, two ministers, the Leader of the Opposition, the Attorney General, the Commissioner of Police and two private sector representatives, must be permitted to function as the Constitution contemplated. Mr. Speaker, I can advise that in my recent conversations with the Office of the Governor I have urged that going forward the National Security Council be operated as was envisaged when the Constitution was written. That is, as a decision making body whose decisions or ‘advice’ on ‘non-operational or staffing’ matters regarding the RCIPS the Governor would be obligated to take. Where this advice is not followed then the Governor will be obliged to report this back to the NSC at the next meeting. 

I also discussed with the Office of the Governor the need to formalise the proceedings of the NSC with regular monthly meetings and with papers submitted by members for consideration, similar to the process followed in Cabinet. I would expect that the NSC agenda would be agreed jointly between me as Premier and the Governor. This should help the NSC become more focused on strategic and policy matters and take meaningful decisions. It will also provide elected members - I and the Leader of the Opposition as well as two Government ministers - with some real say into non-operational policing matters. It is through us the elected members and the private sector representatives on the NSC that the security concerns of the everyday man, woman and business owner in this country will be taken to the NSC meeting table for consideration and decision.

Mr. Speaker, I am hopeful that we may get to a point swiftly to where these discussions become reality. I certainly am hopeful Mr. Speaker and I pray that nothing comes along to derail these considerations.  With a new Governor arriving this is certainly an opportune time for a reset regarding the NSC and for the UK’s representative and the elected members of the Legislative Assembly to share authority for internal security.

So Mr. Speaker I will close by saying to this honourable House that the Government’s commitment to creating safer communities and tackling crime is not just talk – they are happening. These strategies will take time to work, but with the RCIPS properly resourced and trained, and with elected members having a say regarding policing strategies, and with much improved border security and a new Coast Guard service, I believe we will win the battle with crime. The social issues are also important and these too are being tackled. Sadly we will not ever eliminate crime, but we can and must drastically reduce it and prevent its further escalation in these Islands.

Thank you Mr. Speaker.

As I ran for election at the beginning of 2017, everywhere I went and everyone I spoke to talked about crime and the fear of crime in our communities. 

People were, and still are, concerned about the increase, in what they often term, nuisance crimes – everything from petty theft, illegal motorcycles and speeding vehicles.  But of greater concern are the incidents of robberies and violent crimes.  These too often involve guns and arise out of gangs and drug use.

When we sat last year and debated the budget, my government agreed to the request from the Police Commissioner for new resources to tackle crime on our streets.  Of the 75 new officer positions approved in the budget over the next three years, (at 25 a year), it was agreed almost one-third will be dedicated to community policing.

I campaigned for safer communities and said it would be achieved by making our border control more effective - at our airports and around our waters.  A Coast Guard to assist with search and rescue as well as the detection and interdiction of boats arriving with illegal cargo.  And by supporting the use of community policing as an effective tool to make communities safe and I was heartened that the Police Commissioner is of the same view and this is one of his priority areas. 

So I was very pleased to hear that twenty-six Royal Cayman Islands Police officers have now been assigned to full-time neighborhood policing duties around Grand Cayman, as the department attempts to expand its visible presence within our communities.

Four officers and one supervising police sergeant have been placed in North Side and East End, 10 officers and a sergeant are in George Town, three officers and a sergeant will staff areas of Bodden Town and four officers plus a sergeant will staff West Bay.

RCIPS Inspector Courtney Myles will oversee the entire unit that will see beat officers on foot and on bicycles.  They will be expected to engage directly with the people living and working in their beat area and will be operating in that area for a minimum of two years.

This is good news, and I encourage everyone to get involved, meet your community police officer, ask about setting up a neighborhood watch area and let’s all work together to make our communities safe.

Ato Modibo Stephens left the Cayman Islands on Sunday 11 March, 2018, travelling to Miami in the United States.

Mr. Stephens is now a prohibited immigrant to the Cayman Islands. Under Section 82(h) of the Immigration Law, a prohibited immigrant is “a person who, not having received a free pardon, has been convicted in any country of an offence for which a sentence of imprisonment of or exceeding 12 months has been passed otherwise than for non-payment of a fine”.

Mr. Stephens was sentenced to 18 months in prison on 4 August, 2017, and the Court recommended his deportation following completion of his sentence. Mr. Stephens’ sentence resulted from a guilty verdict on one charge of using an information and communication technology network to annoy, harass or abuse an underage female. At the time of his sentencing the court recommended deportation.

The Cabinet of the Cayman Islands approved the issuance of a Deportation Order for Mr. Stephens for 16 March, 2018, or as soon thereafter as could be arranged by the Department of Immigration.

It’s hard to believe that it’s only sixty years since the passing of a bill in the Cayman Islands that allowed women to vote and stand for election.  My own mother was 33 years old before she had the right to vote, today that seems impossible to conceive. 

It is 9 months ago that the country went to the polls and it’s interesting to note that just over a quarter of the candidates nominated for the 2017 General Election were women. 

This is a step in the right direction on the road to political equality, however, when you realize that women make up more than half of our population, they are still under-represented in the Legislative Assembly.  I encourage more women to stand for public office and to step forward into the political arena to become involved in the decision making and bring women and family issues to the fore. 

No-one can deny the role that women have played in the development of these islands.  Caymanian women took over in family, business, and government when the men went to sea and women played a more active role in social and economic life.  However it wasn’t until after World War II that women were accepted as partners in the political process.

I come from a line of very strong women who worked in the community at a time when most women stayed home. My paternal grandmother, Ethel Connor, was a school teacher. My maternal grandmother, Lizzy Bodden, worked as a seamstress and on her own raised two children after her husband died when my mother was five years old.

My mother, Althea, worked as a dispenser, nurse, pharmacist and sometimes doctor for 36 years at the Government hospital. It was really the only job she ever had. I know from her experiences the difficulties and discrimination that women in the workplace encountered. 

I’m happy to say I’m still surrounded by strong women, my wife Kim and my sisters Debbie and Elizabeth. 

 As we celebrate International Women’s Month we celebrate women’s achievements – from the political to the social – while calling for gender equality. 

In addition to the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Law on December 8, 1958 (which allowed women the right to vote), other milestones include the Gender Equality Law 2011 and the extension of CEDAW (Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women). 

Whilst we have made great strides, there is still much to be done. With the advancement of technology and social media, the power of corporate, social and grassroots initiatives, and the voices of supportive men and women willing to speak out on issues concerning gender equality, everyone can be an advocate for change.  We must ensure that girls and women are treated fairly in the workplace, and in society generally.

I also want to draw attention to domestic abuse and highlight the great work that the Family Resource Centre, as well as the Cayman Islands Crisis Centre, are doing by providing safe shelter to victims, support and counselling, as well as educating the community on what family violence is and what healthy relationships are.

Recent global prevalence figures indicate that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.  That’s pretty deplorable. 

When people talk about domestic abuse, they often focus on domestic violence. But domestic abuse occurs whenever one person in an intimate relationship or marriage tries to dominate and control the other person.  Domestic violence and abuse are used to gain and maintain total control over you. Abusers use fear, guilt, shame, and intimidation to wear you down. Your abuser may also threaten you, hurt you, or hurt those around you.

Domestic violence and abuse do not discriminate. It occurs within all age ranges, ethnic backgrounds, and economic levels. And while women are more commonly victimized, men are also abused.

Figures show that globally, women’s education, health and violence towards women is still worse than that of men.  International Women’s Day, which is part of Honouring Women’s Month, is a day when men and women across the world come together to recognize these inequalities whilst celebrating the achievements of women.

Show your support for Honouring Women’s month by participating in the following events:

■ Thursday, 8 March - International Women’s Day – Canvas and Mocktails at Art Nest, 7.30 p.m. – 9 p.m., $38 incl. refreshments

■ Friday, 17 (Kaibo) and Saturday, 18 March (Smiths Cove, South Sound) - Colour Me Purple 5K Run/Walk., Cost $25. Fundraiser for local youth and women’s initiatives

■ Sunday, 25 March - Honouring Women Month church service, John Gray Memorial Church, West Bay, 10 a.m.

For registration and more information, call the FRC on 949-0006 or email Family Resource Centre

Senior officers from the UK’s Border Force and Maritime and Coastguard Agency are being seconded to the Cayman Islands to oversee changes in the way in which Cayman’s borders are protected and its search and rescue services provided.

Colin Brown, who is currently Head of Border Force’s UK National Targeting Centre, will arrive in early January for an initial period of six months to oversee the modernisation of immigration and customs procedures at Cayman’s borders and to advise on the transformation of elements of both departments into an integrated “Cayman Islands Border Protection Service”.

On Sunday The Progressives gathered for the Annual Seniors Christmas Party.

The Cayman Islands is not on the EU’s list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.

The list is the outcome of the EU’s screening process to identify countries that it considers to be non-cooperative in working with EU Member States to combat tax fraud, evasion and avoidance, which erodes the tax bases of EU Member States.

The EU announced the list of 17 non-cooperative jurisdictions today. It also announced a list of 47 countries that it considers cooperative, but that it says can make further enhancements to prevent misuse of their jurisdictions. The Cayman Islands is included among these 47 countries.
In developing its lists, the EU assessed jurisdictions against three criteria. The EU had no concern with Cayman’s position on two of these criteria: tax transparency, in relation to our exchange of tax information with other countries; and implementation of the OECD’s base erosion and profit shifting (BEPS) programme, which addresses multinational companies' tax avoidance strategies.

For the criterion on fair taxation, the EU noted positively that Cayman’s system does not charge different tax rates to persons based on any factor, including whether the person resides in Cayman or not. As part of this particular criterion, the EU also wants to ensure that jurisdictions do not facilitate ‘letterbox companies’. These companies, which are set up to circumvent tax obligations, do not actually have physical presence, and therefore do not perform tangible economic activities, in the country in which they are established.

‘The majority of Cayman’s companies are not bricks and mortar, but they also are not letterbox companies’, explained the country’s Premier, the Hon. Alden McLaughlin. ‘Rather, they are financial instruments that pool investment capital and facilitate international transactions.

‘In addition, our transparency aids foreign tax authorities with their tax assessments.

We provide taxpayer information to more than 100 countries, including all EU Member States and G20 countries. Thus there is no interest in setting up these companies to circumvent tax obligations’.

In cooperation with the EU, the Cayman Islands Government is further assessing the fair taxation criterion, and will work with EU Council officials to address this issue by December 2018.

‘This is in line with the Cayman Islands’ longstanding commitment to international cooperation, which has been recognised by international organisations such as the OECD, the Financial Stability Board, and the International Organisation of Securities Commissions’, said the Minister of Financial Services, the Hon. Tara Rivers.
The EU began its process of developing its non-cooperative tax jurisdictions list in fall 2016, by inviting 92 jurisdictions to participate in the assessment. The Cayman Islands Government has continuously cooperated in this process by responding to multiple requests for written information, phone calls, and face-to-face dialogue.

On Wednesday Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers and the Cayman delegation attended the second day of the Joint Ministerial Council meeting at Lancaster House in London.

In the morning session the Rt. Hon. Mel Stride, Financial Secretary to the Treasury, led the discussion on tax transparency and beneficial ownership.

A highlight from the session was United Kingdom officials acknowledging that the European Union process to determine non-cooperative jurisdictions has been challenging for the territories involved.  It was again confirmed that the UK has been and continues to work on behalf of the British Overseas Territories to ensure that the EU process is fair and balanced.

Several leaders spoke about the EU process with Premier McLaughlin noting that the process was indeed challenging but the Cayman Islands Government had worked diligently to provide EU officials with information to assist in their deliberations. He thanked the UK for the work being done to assist OTs and again pressed them to continue to lobby the EU on behalf of Cayman and the OTs.

It was also noted by UK Government officials that the UK could assist the territories in educating the public about how far the Overseas Territories have come in the fight against financial crimes, tax evasion and the issue of beneficial ownership. UK officials also acknowledged that it needs to help educate the public that overseas financial centres play an important role in facilitating global finance. However, it was also noted that OTs with financial services businesses also needed to tell their story and help educate people and change perceptions to help shift attitudes. 

Territories provided updates on the progress made in implementing commitments made last year in the Exchange of Notes on Beneficial Ownership. ‘Minister Rivers provided an update on the work that has been done to implement those commitments. Minister Rivers also indicated that Cayman had submitted comments which highlighted a few concerns for further discussion as part of the planned 6 month review.’

Premier McLaughlin said Cayman and other OTs have been requesting that the UK Government extend the UN Convention against Corruption to the OTs for several years, which has presented a problem when the Cayman Islands is under review. UK officials agreed to see what could be done.

Lord Ahmad also updated the OT leaders and their delegations about the Commonwealth Heads of Government to be held in April 2018. Lord Ahmad said the UK intends to ensure that Overseas Territories have an opportunity to be more involved in these meetings going forward. The Overseas Territories already participated in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association as well as in the Commonwealth Games, and so it is right that they have the opportunity to participate in the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings as well, he said.

The remainder of the morning session included conversations about health, including the UK assisting OTs to improve their health systems. Steve Brine, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State for Health led the session. Topics included an update on the work done by the UK’s Department of Health as well as collaboration between the UK and the OTs on mental health and obesity.  

Lord Ahmad led the session on Child Safeguarding, and Claire Perry, Minister for Climate Change, led the session on the UN Framework on Climate Change. It was noted that the recent hurricanes in the Caribbean highlighted that small islands like the British OTs are badly impacted by rising temperatures. It was highlighted that the UK should ensure that OTs had the ability to lend their voice directly in debates about setting climate change standards.

The afternoon session included an update by Robin Walker, Parliamentary Undersecretary of State at the Department for Exiting the EU, on the Brexit negotiation. The future of the relations hip between OTs and the EU was discussed with several OT leaders again noting concerns about losing EU financing and grant options as well as maintaining trade to EU countries. OT leaders pressed UK officials to ensure that they are not disenfranchised once the UK leaves the EU.

They say that art decorates space and music decorates time - well the best of both worlds came together on Wednesday night for the annual Progressives' Fundraiser!

Have a look through our photos:

The project will cover repairs and maintenance, gardening, cleaning parks, beaches, beach access and roadside verges. A similar project will also be undertaken in the Sister Islands under the supervision of District Administration. The dates of the programme are from Monday, 4 December - Friday, 15 December 2017 and from Monday, 8 January - Friday, 12 January 2018.

The project is only open to unemployed Caymanians, 18 years and older, and unemployed spouses of Caymanians who have the right to work. Rigorous vetting will take place to ensure that only those who are eligible are accepted into the programme. Contracted workers will be paid $10 per hour, foremen will receive $12 per hour.

Application forms can be picked up at all district libraries in Grand Cayman, as well as from District MLA Offices, the Needs Assessment Unit, the National Workforce Development Agency and at the Government Administration Building’s reception area in George Town.

Mandatory registration and training will take place at the Lions Centre on Tuesday, 28 November 2017 at 9 a.m. Applicants will need to bring a completed application form and supporting documentation with them to prove immigration status on registration day.

For further information, please call or send a WhatsApp/text to the NICE Hotline 917-0153, or email NCEP@gov.ky.

Older persons in the Cayman Islands now have a voice to represent them as Government continues to implement the Older Persons Law.

Cabinet has approved the appointment of members to the Council for Older Persons, naming six members from each district in the Cayman Islands, seven members from Government, along with an attorney and a medical doctor.

“Reaching this point has been a milestone and a major accomplishment for the Cayman Islands,” said Premier and Minister for Community Affairs Hon. Alden McLaughlin. “The appointment of this Council is a significant achievement.”

The council members will champion and monitor the promotion and development of programmes, projects and legislative measures as well as monitor and evaluate the implementation of the action plans for the Cayman Islands Older Persons’ Policy.

The government, under the previous Progressives-led Administration, approved the 2017 Older Persons Law in March this year. The law commenced in July.

Specifically the law seeks to promote access to services including their affordability, physical accessibility and acceptable maintenance; social inclusion so that our elderly feel valued, their opinions and differences are respected and their basic needs are met so they can live with dignity; anti-discriminatory practices; and improved care, including physical, psychological, social or material assistance and services aimed at promoting the quality of life and well-being of older persons.

“I commend all who had a part in helping develop the Older Persons Policy, getting it approved and enacting the Older Persons Law,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “And I deeply appreciate the members of the Council for agreeing to serve on this important board to protect and advance the well-being of our elders.”

The following members will serve for a term of not less than four years:

Mrs. Lucille Seymour - Chair & Member for the district of George Town
Mrs. Sarah Alice Mae Coe - Deputy Chair & Member for the district of West Bay
Mr. Reginald Nixon - Member for the district of Bodden Town
Mrs. Barbara Gee - Member for the district of East End
Ms. Esther Patricia Ebanks - Member for the district of North Side
Ms. Lana Poldavaart - Member for the Sister Islands
Mr. Mark Beckford - Member, Attorney-at-law
Dr. Eryka Simmons - Member, Medical Doctor
Chief Officer or designate - Ex-officio Member (representing the Ministry responsible for Community Affairs)
Chief Officer or designate - Ex-officio Member (representing the Ministry responsible for Health)
Chief Officer or designate - Ex officio Member (representing the Ministry responsible for Education)
Chief Officer or designate - Ex-officio Member (representing the Ministry responsible for Employment)
Chief Officer or designate - Ex-officio Member (representing the Ministry responsible for Gender Affairs)
Director of Policy Coordination Unit or designate - Executive Secretary (representing the Cabinet Office)
Mrs. Tempora Wesley - Representing the Department of Children & Family Services

A Cayman delegation led by The Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin will be heading to Miami for a pre-meeting of the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) on 28^th October. 

This meeting is specifically for Caribbean British Overseas Territories giving them the opportunity to discuss the needs of the islands impacted by the recent hurricanes, prior to the JMC meeting that will be held at the end of November in London.

The goal being to ensure that the needs of those territories impacted by the storms are a key part of the agenda for talks in London.

During the recent trip to Manchester and London, the Premier and his team were lobbying hard on behalf of the British Overseas Territories that had been affected by the recent hurricanes.

Mr. McLaughlin said “The UK government had indicated a commitment of up to £62 million, according to Lord Ahmed, Minister for Overseas Territories, to help rebuild the British Virgin Islands (BVI), Anguilla and Turks and Caicos (TCI).  However due to the damage inflicted on these islands, they will need to access significantly more in reconstruction funds.” 

“The devastation is such that their economies are in danger of long-term damage unless they receive financial assistance - in the short term for disaster relief - but in the medium to long term to rebuild infrastructure and to enable them to maintain their economic base.  This includes the financial services in BVI and TCI as well as tourism for all three countries.  If the hotels and airports are not ready to receive tourists this winter it will be another blow to their economies.”

The request by the UK to obtain funds from the international aid budget managed by the EU International Development and Cooperation Directorate, (IDCD) has been denied.   The reason given is that the GDP of the islands is too high and the budget is designed to relieve poverty.    However, Priti Patel, the Secretary of State for International Development, one of the senior UK government officials that Mr. McLaughlin met and lobbied whilst in Manchester, responded to the IDCD asking it to “urgently” review the rules relating to countries hit by Hurricanes Irma and Maria saying that the international rules should take into account the vulnerabilities of small island states. 

For example 36% of Anguilla’s capital budget in 2016 according to Bloomberg News, came from EU funding and normally this funding would be used to build or repair infrastructure such as roads, ports, government buildings etc.  There is no indication at the moment, how this funding is going to be impacted by BREXIT – it may continue, it may not.  However, what is clear is that a lot more capital funding is going to be required by the islands affected by these major hurricanes to get them back on their feet.

Mr. McLaughlin continued “I lobbied all the Ministers, Parliamentarians and Officials that I met in Manchester and London regarding UK support for these islands.  It is important to remind the UK that the Overseas Territories are part of the British Family and deserving of assistance when impacted by natural disasters.  In fact I feel that the UK has an obligation to assist the Caribbean British Overseas territories, in the same way it supports Gibraltar and the Falklands. 

I feel obligated to join my fellow Premiers and Chief Ministers in lobbying the UK because I’m conscious that this will also benefit the Cayman Islands.  If one OT is floundering, that puts a question mark around all of us; I want to make sure that UK aid is available.  Today it is TCI, BVI and Anguilla but tomorrow it could be the Cayman Islands impacted and needing help.”

The Premier added “We are happy to play our part and we are in a fortunate position to be able to do so.  The assistance we’ve provided so far, from the RCIPS officers that we sent to BVI, the helicopter and RCIPS team we sent to Turks and Caicos and the medical and humanitarian support we provided to Anguilla benefits those Islands but it also highlights our relationship, shared histories, and circumstances. 

“We are all Caribbean people but we’re also British and we’re obligated to support our Caribbean Overseas Territories brothers and sisters in their time of need.  The importance of our relationship has been recognized at the highest levels of the UK government, on many occasions over the last few weeks it’s been said how grateful the UK government is for the assistance that the government and the people of the Cayman Islands have provided.  I would go so far as to say that this recognition has raised the profile and esteem of the Cayman Islands with many in the UK government.”

The annual Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) brings together political leaders from the Overseas Territories (OT’s) and UK Ministers.  It will meet this year in London from 27^th – 28^th November and will be hosted by FCO Minister for the Overseas Territories Lord Ahmed.

Following on from the successful meetings in Brussels with key EU decision makers, the Cayman delegation led by Premier, Hon. Alden McLaughlin, travelled to Manchester to the Conservative Party Conference.  The aim was to utilise the conference to continue engagement with elected members of the UK government to help them better understand Cayman’s Financial Services business and the important role we play to the UK and world business.

The team attended various events in Manchester including the Gibraltar Reception where they met several key individuals including James Cleverly MP, and Andrew Rosindell MP; both are members of Cayman’s All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) – which aims to support and increase awareness of the Cayman Islands in Westminster.

Mr. McLaughlin said “it was good to catch up with James and Andrew and to update them on the needs of our fellow Overseas Territories (OT’s) devastated by the recent hurricanes as well as to bring them up to date with what’s happening in Cayman.”   The reception was hosted by a long-time friend of Mr. McLaughlin’s, the Hon. Fabian Picardo, Chief Minister of Gibraltar.

On Monday Premier McLaughlin, Hon. Tara Rivers, Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs along with Councillor Austin Harris met Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs where the Premier presented Mr. Johnson with a gift from the Cayman Islands.  Mr. McLaughlin said, “Whilst Mr. Johnson had seen first-hand much of the devastation caused by the recent hurricanes, I continued to make a case for continued support from the UK.”

Prior to the meeting with Mr. Johnson, Mr. McLaughlin and Ms. Rivers met with Sir Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defence where humanitarian aid, the need for a coordinated effort on disaster preparedness and recovery for the OT’s going forward was again the topic for discussion.

On Monday evening members of the delegation attended the Conservative Party Conference business dinner.  Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond was the key note speaker and the dinner was attended by the majority of the UK Government’s Cabinet Ministers as well as key UK business leaders.

Mr. McLaughlin took the opportunity to speak with Hon. Priti Patel, Secretary of State for International Development.  Mr. McLaughlin continued to lobby for financial support for the OT’s impacted by these two major storms, again stating that the Cayman Islands had been quickly able to offer humanitarian aid as Cayman had not been affected.

For the final leg of the mission the group travelled down to London.

Ms. Rivers met with City UK, a group which promotes policies that drive competitiveness, support job creation and ensure long-term economic growth in the UK.  She also attended the 100 Women in Finance Breakfast event at Bloomberg and met with Baroness Evans who currently serves as the Leader of the House of Lords.

Ms. Rivers said “this has been a very successful trip; I had the opportunity to speak with many key influencers to educate them on Cayman’s role as a Financial Services Centre and all the work we have been doing around implementing and shaping international transparency standards.   I was fortunate to speak at the British Overseas Territories (BOT’s) reception in Manchester about the inter-connectedness between the UK and the Cayman Islands, as well as the humanitarian relief we’ve been providing to those affected by the recent storms.  This was very well received by everyone in attendance.” 

Councillor Austin Harris also spoke about Cayman at the BOT’s reception.

Mr. McLaughlin’s and Ms. Rivers final meeting was with Lord Ahmed, the Overseas Territories Minister.

Mr. McLaughlin said, “I provided a general update on what was happening in the Cayman Islands and we again discussed Caymans’ humanitarian assistance efforts to our OT neighbours.  We talked about the need for the UK to commit, not just short term financial help with the devastation, but long term to help their economies get back on their feet.”

Lord Ahmed again expressed his thanks, as had everyone the delegation met over the course of the trip, for the assistance that the Government and the people of the Cayman Islands are providing to those islands affected.  He reiterated how grateful the UK government is for the help.

The final event on the itinerary was the Conservatives Abroad dinner which was attended by Mr. McLaughlin, Ms. Rivers and Mr. Harris along with other members of the delegation.  Mr. McLaughlin was a guest of honour and was invited, during dinner, to say a few words about the Cayman Islands.  Sir Michael Fallon, Secretary of State for Defense was also in attendance as the guest speaker.

Mr. McLaughlin added “Everyone involved agreed that this trip accomplished what we set out to do.  We were able to renew and build relationships with not just senior Civil Servants but also senior members of the UK government and business leaders and to continue to spread the story of Cayman’s success.  This is important for us as a country, to ensure the people we meet understand the issues that the Cayman Islands face and the contributions that we make.”

Premier Alden McLaughlin, Hon. Tara Rivers, Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin had unprecedented access Monday evening to the most senior of United Kingdom government officials and business people when he and the Cayman delegation attended a dinner hosted by The Rt. Hon. Philip Hammond, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

During the dinner Mr. McLaughlin spoke with Hon. Priti Patel, Secretary of State for International Development, about the Cayman Islands’ rapid response with humanitarian assistance to Caribbean British Overseas Territories that were ravaged by hurricanes Irma and Maria.

Last month the Cayman Islands Government sent medical teams, equipment and supplies to Anguilla, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service helicopter to Turks and Caicos and armed police to Tortola, British Virgin Islands following Hurricane Irma. More relief was sent to the islands following damage from Hurricane Maria. The Cayman Islands was the only British Overseas Territory that did not suffer from either storm.

“I told Ms Patel that it was our duty and privilege to help our sister British Overseas Territories,” said Mr. McLaughlin. “All of the BOTs have forged a strong bond over the years and it is incumbent that we take care of one another when we are in a position to offer any kind of assistance.”

Mr. McLaughlin, Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers and Councillor Austin Harris are in Manchester attending the Conservative Party Conference 2017. Attendance gives the Premier and the delegation an opportunity to meet with high-ranking UK politicians and business people to keep them updated on the strength and stability of the Cayman Islands.

“This Government, like the previous Progressives-led Administration, will take every opportunity to continue to build relationships and spread the story of success that is the Cayman Islands,” Mr. McLaughlin said.

Prior to the dinner the Premier, Ms Rivers and Mr. Harris met with Hon. Boris Johnson, Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, where the Premier presented Mr. Johnson with a gift from the Cayman Islands.

The Manchester visit follows a trip to Brussels where the Cayman delegation met with key EU decision makers from 28-29 September to assist EU ministers of finance in their understanding of Cayman’s financial regulatory compliance. The EU is slated in December 2017 to name the jurisdictions it considers to be noncompliant with global tax good governance standards.

The Cayman delegation returns home on Sunday, 8 October.

We’ve already seen and heard some early indications of the devastation that Hurricane Maria has caused to the island of Dominica.   This is a very dangerous storm which will later today pass through our Overseas Territory neighbours. 

Premier Alden McLaughlin said “we’ve been carefully watching Maria’s progress and have been in constant communication with both teams in BVI and Anguilla.  It’s a credit to the bravery and commitment of our teams that they desire to remain in the islands in order to continue the tremendous work they have been doing.”

He continued “Their well-being and safety is of paramount concern and we are assured that every possible precaution has been taken in light of Maria’s rapid development into a category 5 storm.”

BVI is still recovering from the devastating blow that Hurricane Irma delivered, debris litters the islands and hurricane force winds will turn that debris into projectiles.  The recovery teams on the ground are racing to help people prepare for the passage of Maria.

Matthew Forbes, Head of the Governors Office said "the RCIPS Officers in BVI are continuing to do a fantastic job and are a credit to Cayman.  They will be based in a secure location with the Governors staff, Bermuda police and the UK military for the passage of Hurricane Maria.  They will then be ready to deploy as soon as the storm has passed. "

In Anguilla the medical team that travelled down on last week’s relief flight have volunteered to remain during the passing of the storm.  The team has assessed the situation and have been given the assurance that the facilities, supplies and conditions in Anguilla are at levels that will not compromise their safety, security and well-being.   

Chief Executive Officer of the Health Services Authority Ms. Lizzette Yearwood said “we have maintained hourly contact with the team and the Anguillan authorities and they have reassured us that all precautionary measures have been implemented to ensure their safety and well-being.” Additionally Ms. Yearwood emphasized that, “Should conditions deteriorate after the passing of Hurricane Maria, the HSA along with the Government have established arrangements for their evacuation if necessary.”

McCleary Frederick, Director of HMCI  added “the medical teams are going to shelter at the hospital where they can best be positioned to provide any services that may be needed afterwards.  We’re expecting tropical storm force winds later on today at the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and I will remain here for the passing of the storm.  We’re all okay and doing as much as we can and I think it’s making a big impact at the hospital and with patients that are being seen and with the response from the EOC.”

The public are reminded that, whilst Hurricane Maria is not a threat to the Cayman Islands, everyone is encouraged to prepare for this very active Hurricane season.   For further information on how to get ready, visit www.caymanprepared.ky.

The Cayman Islands Government’s work with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to help provide needed security and humanitarian assistance to sister British Overseas Territories is paying off.

United Kingdom Foreign Minister Boris Johnson landed on Anguilla Tuesday  afternoon as a Cayman Islands Government chartered Cayman Airways jet was leaving the island after delivering medical teams, medicines and other needed supplies.

Anguilla, the British Virgin Islands and Turks and Caicos, all British Overseas Territories, were ravaged by Hurricane Irma this past week. The Cayman Islands was the only British OT that did not suffer from the storm. Anguilla suffered extensive damage, and at least one person there has been confirmed dead.

Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin applauded the arrival of Mr. Johnson, saying the urgency shone by the Foreign Minister’s visit to Anguilla demonstrates a new commitment to the Overseas Territories.

“The UK has responded this time in a way that I haven’t known them to respond in the years since I have been in government,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “The fact that they sent the Foreign Minister out to the Overseas Territories is intended as a clear signal of their commitment in assisting with the recovery effort.”

The Cayman Airways 737-300 jet left Cayman Tuesday afternoon loaded with two doctors, six nurses, one paramedic, and almost 16,000 pounds of needed medicines and medical supplies and other critical donations to make the two-and-a-half hour trip to Anguilla.

The medical staff will stay on Anguilla for two weeks before being retrieved and replaced via another Government chartered Cayman Airways flight.

Health Services Authority Director Lizette Yearwood said the medical staff will deal with normal maladies that come from rebuilding after a storm, such as lacerations, puncture wounds and trauma.

“We sent about 15 pallets of medical supplies that were donated by the HSA, Health City and CTMH Doctors Hospital,” she said.

The Cayman Airways flight also returned with a person that was in dire need of medical assistance that could not be provided in Anguilla.

Deputy Premier and Minister with responsibility for Cayman Airways Hon. Moses Kirkconnell said the humanitarian mission shows once more the importance of Cayman’s national airline.

“Cayman Airways is not only important to us as our national carrier, but it is also an asset to the region, especially in times like these when our neighbours need help in any form,” said Mr. Kirkconnell. “The airline has been used many times for charity work and we will continue to celebrate Cayman Airways as a major contributor to our economy, our country and our region.”

Anguilla Governor HE Tim Foy said the aid from the Cayman Islands Government is important because his island was badly damaged in Irma.

“The aid shows fellowship and support of fellow overseas territories. This very big gift has a real value when it comes to those close to you,” Mr. Foy said.

Chief Minister of Anguilla Hon. Victor Banks echoed the Governor’s sentiments, saying it is important for the British Overseas Territories to show solidarity.

Mr. McLaughlin said the bond formed with fellow Overseas Territories government officials through Joint Ministerial Council meetings was instrumental in allowing the aid package from Cayman be assembled and delivered so quickly.

“I have said it before and it bears repeating; we and our sister British Overseas Territories are British people,” he said. “We are not residing in some foreign land. The British Overseas Territories have been owned by Britain for hundreds of years.”

“We who went through Hurricane Ivan some 13 years ago and then Hurricane Paloma nine years ago know well the feeling of absolute despair and isolation that follows a major destructive event like the passage of Hurricane Irma,” he said. “Cayman is in a wonderful place to be able to assist our brothers and sisters in the British Overseas Territories and I am delighted we have risen to that cause.”

Cayman Airways has lowered its fares for Caymanians and travelers in south Florida so they can come home or avoid the ravages of Hurricane Irma.

One way fares to Cayman have been reduced to $69 with no change fee and no baggage fee.

“As a government we need to make every effort to get people home and safe from harm’s way,” said Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin. “It is our obligation and our mission.”

The flights will be Friday, 8 September, 2017. There will be one flight from Tampa and two from Miami. There will be additional flights added if needed. The Miami airport will remain operational until winds reach 35mph.

“We expect the Miami airport will be closed on Saturday, so we need to get our people home tomorrow,” said Deputy Premier and Minister for District Administration, Tourism and Transportation Hon. Moses Kirkconnell. “There are already mandatory evacuation orders in place in South Florida, so we need to do all we can to help.”

Hurricane Irma is on a path to slam Miami as a Category 4 storm late Saturday or Sunday.

Irma has already battered the tiny island of Barbuda and left thousands homeless on the island territories of St. Bart and St. Martin, where local officials said about 95 per cent of the island was completely demolished after Wednesday's thrashing by the Category 5 storm.

"If you're told to evacuate, get out quickly," Florida Gov. Rick Scott warned Thursday. "Based on what we now know, Miami-Dade will have major hurricane impacts with deadly storm surge, deadly storm surge and life-threatening winds. Look at the size of this storm. It's huge. It's wider than our entire state and could cause major and life-threatening impacts on both costs; coast to coast."

Cayman Airways will honour the low-cost fare to get people back to South Florida and Tampa once the all-clear is given following the hurricane’s landfall.

While the Cayman Islands so far remain spared by the wrath of the storms raging around the region, we watch with anguish the unfolding scenes of devastation being wrought by Hurricane Irma in the eastern and northern Caribbean.

This is one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the Atlantic and, at a Category 5, smashed into the Leeward Islands last night (Tuesday, 5 September 2017). Irma barrelled past the Virgin Islands and pummelled Puerto Rico today, and is projected to head north of Hispaniola. The storm then looks set to go over Turks and Caicos, and hit The Bahamas before possibly making landfall in Florida at the weekend.

In its wake, the storm is leaving a path of destruction and damage that will likely rack into billions of dollars.

While some islands now begin to pick up the pieces after the storm moves west, others are hunkering down to brace for the worst. Our hearts go out to those who have already been affected by Irma and we pray for those who are waiting for the worst.

Of course, we must not forget all the people in Texas who are still reeling from Hurricane Harvey which hit the state less than two weeks ago. The Cayman Islands has strong links with that area, many people have family in cities such as Port Arthur, which was badly affected by the storm.

Earlier today, I met Her Excellency the Governor and her staff, the Deputy Governor, Hazard Management and other government officials to discuss and assess the situation regarding Hurricane Irma. The Governor’s Office is in regular contact with the crisis command centre in London and we are being updated as the situation unfolds. We will issue details of how people can help once conditions on the ground become clearer.

I’ve also spoken to some of my fellow Overseas Territory Heads of Government and assured them of our thoughts and prayers, as well as our commitment to supporting them in the aftermath.

In the meantime, I am pleased to say that the British naval ship RFA Mounts Bay is in the region and on its way to assist UK Overseas Territories in need. The ship was in the Cayman islands only a matter of weeks ago conducting hurricane-relief exercises, so the scenarios that they played out on Seven Mile Beach will now play an essential part in relief efforts

Having experienced Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and Hurricane Paloma in 2008, we in the Cayman Islands know only too well the horror of a major storm and its aftermath. And although it looks as though we may be spared the impact of Irma, we must remain vigilant and be prepared at all times during hurricane season. Please, make your hurricane plan and preparations, if you have not already done so. If you need further information on how to get ready, visit www.caymanprepared.ky.

We continue to pray for God’s blessings on our regional neighbours and our beloved Cayman Islands during the remaining hurricane season.

Novelist and visiting journalist Stanley Johnson made a courtesy call to Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin at the Premier’s office in the Government Administration Building Thursday.

Mr. Johnson, father of former London Mayor Boris Johnson, presented Mr. McLaughlin with a copy of his book Kompromat, a political thriller about the “skullduggery” that might have gone on behind the scenes in the run up to the European Union referendum in June 2016.

The Premier gifted Mr. Johnson with a copy of Michael Craton’s book Founded upon the Seas, a history of the Cayman Islands and Their People.

Mr. Johnson arrived in Cayman on 5 August and left 10 August. While here he toured Pedro Saint James, the Mission House, the National Trust, Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park the Mastic Trail and Cayman Crystal Caves.

Talks continued in London Thursday with Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, Finance and Economic Development Minister Hon. Roy McTaggart and Minister for Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers meeting with Miriam Sachak, head of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Economics and Financial team.

Minister McTaggart provided an update of the Cayman Islands Government’s financial position through to June 2017 as well as projections for the remainder of the financial year. Other matters discussed were Cayman’s plans to continue paying down debt and Government’s commitment to continue the policy of the last Progressives-led Administration of no new borrowing during the term. Ms Rivers provided an update on Financial Services matters.

Also discussed were Government’s infrastructure development plans, including progress and challenges, as well as the process for the upcoming Strategic Policy Statement and budget preparation. This next budget will be the first two-year financial plan under revisions to the Public Management and Finance Law.

Minister McTaggart noted that United Kingdom officials continue to applaud the ongoing management of Government’s finances and government’s conduct of the country’s financial affairs.

In the afternoon Premier McLaughlin, Minister McTaggart, and Minister Rivers had a bilateral meeting with Lord Ahmad, Minister for the overseas Territories at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Matters discussed included national security, in particular Government’s plans to create a national border protection agency with the UK’s assistance. Financial service matters discussed included the exchange of Beneficial Ownership information with the United Kingdom and the EU’s screening process for non-cooperative jurisdictions.

The recent Cayman Islands election was discussed as were the challenges and opportunities of operating a coalition government. The Premier highlighted the importance of the UK’s continuing support of the Cayman Islands and all Overseas Territories now and post-Brexit. This was also highlighted separately at the special Joint Ministerial Council for Exiting the European Union meeting on Wednesday.

It is expected that Premier McLaughlin will meet with Lord Ahmad again in November when OT leaders meet in London for the Joint Ministerial Conference and ongoing discussions about Brexit.

Throughout the day Minister Rivers and Chief Officer Dr. Dax Basdeo had other meetings with business entities in London; details of which will be provided through the Ministry of Financial services.

Also travelling with the Premier are Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose, Senior Political Advisor to the Premier Roy Tatum and Jason Webster, Policy Analyst in the Cabinet Office.

They return to the Cayman Islands on Sunday, 16 July, 2017.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin is in London this week, along with the Minister of Financial Services and Home Affairs Hon. Tara Rivers and the Minister of Finance and Economic Development Hon. Roy McTaggart for series of meetings, including a special meeting of the Joint Ministerial Council to discuss Brexit.

On Monday the Premier hosted a lunch for Friends of Cayman at the Travellers Club off Pall Mall, which included key stakeholders in the UK.  Former Governor of the Cayman Islands and chair of the Friends of Cayman, Mr. John Owen, was in attendance as well as head of the Cayman office in London Mr. Eric Bush.

“It is always good to be with friends, especially the Friends of Cayman here in the UK who have a keen interest in the Cayman Islands and willing ambassadors to promote our various industries.” said Mr. McLaughlin.  As but one example, Mr. Owen recalled Friends of Cayman hosting an auction at the House of Commons which raised over £50,000 for the Blue Iguana Recovery Programme during its inception in 2003. 

Through the Friends of Cayman, Stanley Johnson, renowned conservationist, writer and father of Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, is coming to the Cayman Islands in August to write about the success of the Blue Iguana Programme. 

During the lunch the Premier spoke to the election results and the new coalition government.  He also discussed Cayman’s good economic position and the need during this administration to focus on social and other issues facing Cayman.
“We have a government of unity that will aim to address the interests of the Cayman Islands and our people for the next four years,” he said.

In the afternoon, Minister Rivers and Minister McTaggart, along with Chief Officer Dr. Dax Basdeo met with a delegation from the Isle of Man led by Chief Minister Howard Quayle. Matters of mutual interest, including financial services, were discussed.

Monday evening Mr. McLaughlin hosted a dinner at the House of Commons for more than 30 Members of Parliament and Peers from across all parties, including members of the All Party Parliamentary Group for the Cayman Islands with the chair, Graham Brady MP, who is also chairman of the influential Conservative Party 1922 Committee.

Also in attendance was Her Excellency the Governor Helen Kilpatrick.

During the dinner the Premier spoke about Cayman and reminded those present that our ties to the United Kingdom go back centuries with our earliest settlers being British. He recounted our country’s decision in the 1960s to remain British and discussed our constitutional history.

He also reminded those in attendance that the Cayman Islands operates its financial services industry in the highest ethical standards; always transparent in the way we perform an all-important role for business not only in London, but around the globe.

Meetings continued today with a pre-Joint Ministerial Council gathering with leaders or representatives from the Overseas Territories, including Bermuda, Gibraltar, BVI, Montserrat, Anguilla, Falkland Islands, St. Helena, TCI, Tristan da Cunha and Pitcairn.

Also travelling with the Premier are Cabinet Secretary Samuel Rose, Senior Political Advisor to the Premier Roy Tatum and Jason Webster, Policy Analyst in the Cabinet Office.

They return to the Cayman Islands on Sunday, 16 July, 2017.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin with former Cayman Islands Governor and head of Friends of Cayman Mr. John Owen at the Friends of Cayman luncheon on Monday.

Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin welcomed Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Mr. Bernardo Guanche Hernandez to the Cayman Islands on Friday, 23 June, 2017.

Mr. Hernandez was visiting on Grand Cayman and had a brief friendly visit with the Premier in his office.

Mr. Hernandez began his diplomatic career in 1984 and has enjoyed many overseas postings, including high level appointments in his home country. He assumed the role of Cuban Ambassador in Jamaica on 3 October, 2013.

Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica Mr. Bernardo Guanche Hernandez, left, and Cayman Islands Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin met at the Premier’s office Friday afternoon.

Remarks on Manchester terrorist Attack

By Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin, MBE, JP, MLA

It is with a heavy heart that we acknowledge the senseless terrorist attack on concert-goers in Manchester, England on Monday night.

As of this morning it is being reported that 22 people were killed and 59 injured. There were many more still unaccounted for as parents and guardians frantically searched for their children and others who attended the Ariana Grande concert.

Flags in the Cayman Islands were ordered to be flown at half-mast on Tuesday.

Our prayers, thoughts and sympathy go out to the people of Manchester and England as they pull together in the aftermath of this act of terrorism.

Come see YOUR Progressives Team for the last time before the election!

Where: Kirk Supermarket Parking Lot

When: Tuesday, 23 May, 7:00 P.M. 

#CAYMANSTRONG 

Juliana and Moses would like to invite YOU to a Public Meeting!

Where: Kirkconnell Supermarket, Stake Bay

When: Tuesday, 23 May, 7:00 P.M. 

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANISLANDSSTRONG

Meet YOUR Progressives candidate for West Bay West.

#CAYMANSTRONG #voteorrett 

Come meet YOUR candidate for Bodden Town West!

Where: Kurt Tibbetts Yard, 419 Northward Road

When: Monday, 22 May, 7:30 P.M.

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANSTRONG 

Don't miss your chance to meet Moses and Juliana!

Where: Mrs Ann Walton's Residence Spot Bay

When: Monday, 22 May, 7:00 P.M.

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANISLANDSSTRONG

Edward Chisholm wants to hear from you!

Where: Chisholms Supermarket Parking Lot

When: Monday, 22 May, 7:30 P.M.

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANSTRONG

Saturday 20th May

Progressives Motorcade

Meet Bobby Thompson Way 12 noon

Finish 7:00 pm Heather Bodden's yard, Savannah

http://caymannewsservice.com/elections2017/2017/05/18/the-battle-of-the-incumbents/ 

Theresa Green writes: Political geeks out there will have already spotted the rather unusual situation that has emerged in one of the 19 electoral districts in Cayman’s first election under the system of one person, one vote in single-member constituencies, but for those who haven’t noticed, there is just one race between incumbents. Newlands is the only constituency where two sitting MLAs are actually competing against each other. 

Given this is a transition election, it could have happened in a lot more of the districts that were previously part of the multi-jurisdictions, but the way the candidates have chosen their districts means there are no sitting CDP candidates up against either PPM or independent incumbents.

The only direct battle between serving representatives is in Newlands, where Alva Suckoo, as a result of his decision to resign from the PPM and become an independent, is facing off against the Progressives’ Wayne Panton. By all accounts, it’s going to be a very tough race between the two of them, with the independent candidate, Raul Gonzales, pushed well back into third place.

Panton may not have received any gongs for being the region’s best minister in his field like some of his Cabinet colleagues, but as the minister responsible for financial services, he has been arguably the most prolific minister when it comes to important legislation. Panton has steered through a swathe of laws to ensure that the Cayman Islands gets through its forthcoming critical task force financial industry review and a number of others that the industry has been wanting for years to help improve the offshore sector’s ability to compete on the global stage.

Panton also faced up to considerable controversy over the opposition to the much-needed Legal Practitioners Law, and when it comes to the environment, he managed to overcome decades of dispute when he navigated the National Conservation Law through the choppy waters of the LA with unanimous support.

Panton has also been the only minister in a massively hostile environment to offer support to the LGBT community and insist they should not be the subject to discrimination, although he fell short of calling for legislation to pave the way for same-sex unions. 

Meanwhile, Suckoo, since he crossed the floor at the end of November 2015 on the coattails of political veteran and his ally, Anthony Eden, has been diametrically opposed to Panton’s positions over the last year and a half, despite campaigning on the same policy platform as him four years ago in a campaign funded largely by Panton’s cash.

Even before Suckoo crossed the floor in the wake of the hateful vitriol spewed in the first anti-gay debate in the LA, he had already tried to sabotage Panton’s National Conservation Law. But always willing to compromise, Panton shaped the legislation to ensure all the parliamentarians could get behind it.

There are those that believed from early in this administration that one of Suckoo’s concerns about his political future was that once the PPM enacted the legislation to introduce one person, one vote, he would have a fight on his hands to be able to run in Newlands, the only seat he was confident of winning, and had always planned to jump ship when the time was right.

Suckoo said he left the Progressive because of the policy on gay rights, among other issues, but the Progressives don’t actually have any gay rights policies. They have not changed any laws to advance the rights of the LGBT community and have no plans to do so any time soon, much to the chagrin of activists. But Suckoo is apparently banging that drum on the campaign trail. Claiming to uphold Christian values as part of a loose alliance with Eden, Gilbert McLean, Arden McLean and Ezzard Miller, among others, he has pointed to Panton and his slightly liberal tendencies as the spawn of the devil.

Some say Suckoo also had his eye firmly on the fight for Newlands when he led the charge and took up against the Legal Practitioners Law and deliberately painted the legislation as anti-Caymanian. Whether this is just being politically astute or playing to win at all costs in a dirty game that marks tight election races remains to be seen. But this battle of the incumbents in Newlands could prove very decisive in shaping the next government.

The fact that two sitting MLAs are going up against each other makes the race tougher than any other for both incumbents. But this race could also make the difference between the PPM securing the numbers needed to lead a government or an unstable coalition of the largely incumbent independents, with a couple of the new faces expected to secure their seats, supported by the CDP.

Whatever voters think about the PPM, anyone with an interest in the environment has to be concerned about Panton not being returned to office next week, be it in government or even in opposition. The joke that he was the first environment minister who knew where the Department of Environment was when he took office would be very funny if it wasn’t a fact that he was the first one to ever visit the North Sound Road HQ.

Whatever people’s politics, we all have to breathe the same air and we are all vulnerable to rising sea levels and the damage caused by intense hurricanes. The impact of climate change in our region is expected to become increasingly apparent in the very near future — years not decades, experts now say — because of our geographical location, protecting our shorelines from over-development is going to be extremely important.

Given that the few candidates on the campaign trail who have made any serious commitment to real environmental protection are very unlikely to win, Panton remains the only experienced politician on the ballot that actually cares. He can at the very least act as a restraint on those, even in his own party, who will continue to put the environment at risk and sacrifice our natural resources in the name of development which remains the holy grail to so many would-be and existing politicians.

During the next administration, it is essential that Cayman deals with its marine park enhancement to protect not only its tourism product but to mitigate against climate change and to preserve the dwindling reefs and fish for future generations. Yet with a handful of vocal and determined fisherman and developers still opposing the much-needed expansion, it is almost impossible to imagine another minister managing to deal with this issue other than Panton.

The environment has been given very little attention during this election because, as Panton noted recently, it is often seen as “a tomorrow problem”, but in reality, it is much more important than almost any other issue for low-lying islands. It is hard for those of us who are concerned about the dangers of climate change to understand the indifference most politicians have for what we are doing to the planet.

Cayman alone cannot stop what is happening to planet Earth. But given that we are on the front line of the rising seas, we can stave off the impending doom and coastal erosion by enhancing our reef and mangrove protection and stopping coastal development as soon as possible. Having a minister with no real interest or, worse, no understanding of the realities of Cayman’s precarious position is a real concern. While the arguments continue about education, immigration, unemployment and crime, none of that will matter if Cayman is underwater before 2040. 

Never mind the white goods or lavish spreads, when it comes to treating by the 2021 election I want free snorkels and fins for my vote.

http://www.caymanreporter.com/2017/05/18/premier-says-hes-shy-not-arrogant/ 

By Paul Kennedy

paul@caymanreporter.com

Premier Alden McLaughlin has revealed he was a very shy child – and his demur demeanor wrongly paints him as arrogant.

Cayman’s leader was speaking in a professionally produced video which went online this week in the run up to the country going to the polls.

Made by Cayman Spaces, the video shows the premier relaxing on his farm in East End and cycling around the country.

But it’s at the very beginning he made the revelation about his childhood.

“I was a painfully shy child,” he said. “I’ve had to work through that all my life. Unfortunately a lot of people interpret my shyness as being aloofness or being standoffish or even arrogant at times.

“It’s none of those things. It’s just the way that I am that I’ve battled with my entire life.”

The three minute clip which has appeared on YouTube also contains testimonies from fellow Progressives – who say the premier is more comfortable wearing his cycling outfit than he is in a suit.

Joey Hew, tourism councillor  said: “The Premier you see in a suit at the cocktail parties is a very uncomfortable guy.

“If you take that jacket off and you take that tie off and get an opportunity to walk around the farm with him or go for a bike ride, then you meet the real person.”

The premier also described his farm as his “happy place,” and revealed when the pressure of running the country is getting to him, that’s the place he goes to unwind.

“Whenever pressures really reaches me, I’ll just disappear from the office, put on my work clothes, come up here and fall in with whatever my guys are doing, whether they are weeding or planting, fertilising or spraying,” McLaughlin said.

“After four or five hours of that it clears my mind and I get back into the harness again and continue with the business of running the country.”

To watch the video in full, click here.

Meet YOUR Premier Hon. Alden McLaughlin!

Where: The Sailing Club, 320 Spinnaker Road, Red Bay

When: Friday, 19 May, 7:00 P.M.

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANSTRONG 

Join Moses and Juliana for a Public Meeting!

Where: Mrs. Meriel Ritch Store, Spot Bay

When: Thursday, 18 May, 7:00 P.M.

Refreshments served!

#CAYMANISLANDSSTRONG 

Wednesday 17th May

Joseph Hew & Marco Archer Area Meeting

George Town North and Central

Kirk Home Centre Parking Lot - Eastern Avenue

7:30 pm

Refreshments

Tuesday 16th May

Meet & Greet

Alden McLaughlin

Loretta Ramoon's house

284 Victory Avenue

7:00 pm

Refreshments

Please join George Town Progressives candidates Barbara Conolly, David Wight and Roy McTaggart to hear what they have planned for YOU in the next 4 years.

When: Tuesday, 16 May, 7:30 P.M.

Where: Outpost Street (Vacant Lot)

#CAYMANSTRONG #voteprogressives #voteconolly #votewight #votemctaggart

Alden would like to meet YOU!

When: Saturday, 13 May, 7:00 P.M.

Where: 348 Prospect Drive, Prospect Park

#CAYMANSTRONG #votemclaughlin

Ed would like to meet YOU!

When: Friday, 12 May, 7:30 P.M.

Where: Paul & Mary Ebanks House, 141 Hutland Road

#CAYMANSTRONG #votechisholm

Joey would like to meet YOU!

When: Friday, 12 May, 7:00 P.M.

Where: Washington Boulevard Park (End of Greenwood Drive)

#CAYMANSTRONG #votehew

Come out Wednesday, May 10th to the launch of The Progressives Manifesto!

Hear what plans The Progressives have for our country for the next four years!

#CAYMANSTRONG

The Progressives 2017 Manifesto Official Launch will take place Wednesday, 10th May at 7:00PM.

Location: Bimini Drive (behind Hurley's) Grand Harbour

Refreshments Served

#CAYMANSTRONG  

Join Progressives candidates Heather and Wayne Monday 8th May 7:30 pm Mrs Mary Bodden's yard, 423 Hirst Road, Newlands. Hear their plans for the districts of Newlands & Savannah.

Roy McTaggart YOUR Progressives candidate for GT East! #CAYMANSTRONG

Barbara Conolly YOUR Progressives candidate for GT South! #CAYMANSTRONG

David Wight YOUR Progressives candidate for GT West! #CAYMANSTRONG

#CAYMANSTRONG

Ed would like to meet YOU!

When: Friday 5th May, 7:30 PM

Where: 160 North Side Road (Whittakers Yard)

Refreshments to be served!

#CAYMANSTRONG 

David Wight has lived and worked in George Town West his entire life. He has excelled as an athlete and would like to channel those successes to help his people succeed.

#CAYMANSTRONG 

Heather Bodden is committed to her people and especially those in Savannah. She loves to help the needy and would like to encourage them to better themselves.

#CAYMANSTRONG

Barbara Conolly main interests are the elderly and the youth. She will also focus on unemployment and crime in the George Town South area! #CAYMANSTRONG

Lucille Dell Seymour is dedicated to uplifting her Caymanian people!

#CAYMANSTRONG

Maxine Bodden Robinson candidate for Bodden Town West invites YOU to a Community Meeting.

When: Thursday, May 4th, 7:30 PM

Where: Entrance to Northward

Refreshments will be served!

#CAYMANSTRONG 

David Wight, Barbara Connoly and Roy McTaggart will all be on hand to answer questions and discuss the issues important to the people of George Town.

Where: Opposite Rubis Gas Station, Walkers Road
When: Wednesday 3 May, 7:00 pm

Marco Archer Yard Meeting 

Date: 1 May 2017

Location: 196 School Road (Junction of Eastern Avenue and School Road)

Time: 7:30 PM

Due to the inclement weather, tonight's public meeting hosted by Edward "Ed" Chisholm is cancelled. The revised date will be made available on our website as soon as possible.

Premier Hon Alden McLaughlin and Ms. Lucille Seymour will be hosting a public meeting to discuss issues of importance to the people of the districts of Red Bay and Prospect.

Other speakers include:  Hon. Kurt Tibbetts, Hon. Marco Archer and Mr. Roy McTaggart.

Where:  Vacant lot next to the Seafarer's Hall, Prospect

When:  Saturday 29 April, 7:00 pm

or, watch us live on Facebook