Governor:Constitution to encourage good governance
(CNS): Speaking for this first time publically about his view of the proposed constitution the Governor Stuart Jack has said the new document reflects the needs and values of the Cayman Islands and forms a solid, workable basis for the relationship between it and the United Kingdom. “I believe it will extend democracy and promote good governance,” he said.
The final constitutional document arrived in Cayman today, 12 February and was presented to the Legislative Assembly the document is expected to be available to the public online later today. This final document comes out of the final round of talks with the UK and has been agreed by allthe stakeholders with the exception of the Human Rights Committee that have pointed out a significant flaw with the bill of rights.
However with backing from the UK, the opposition, Government, the Chamber and the churches, the protestations of the HRC have fallen on deaf ears.
The Governor also said that the bill of rights was an acceptable compromise.
“It will give added protection to ordinary members of the public, for example in respect of the treatment they get from the police and the courts,” the Governor said.
“There will be an independent Human Rights Commission that will monitor human rights in a local context. In areas which the Bill of Rights does not explicitly cover it will be for the Legislative Assembly, in other words the elected representatives of the people of these islands, to decide whether and in what form further rights should be set out in law.”
He said he hoped that the elected government and legislators would take action to strengthen the protection of women and children as legislation was outstanding for far too long.
“I hope they will go ahead with plans to provide better arrangements for young offenders, though I recognise that this requires resources and may therefore not be achievable immediately,” the Governor added.
Commending the overall document and the work that had gone into it he said that it would give the people of the Cayman Islands a greater say over international relations, government finances, the police and judiciary.
He noted that his office would now have to consult the elected leader and other who will be known as the Premier and other elected officials on a larger range of issues.
He said several new bodies composed mainly of local people will provide stronger checks and balances while the legitimate interests of the UK and its international obligations would be safeguarded.
He said he particularly welcomes the National Security Council which will be chaired by the Governor and composed of the Premier, two other elected Ministers, the Leader of the Opposition and two representatives of civic society as well as the Deputy Governor, the Attorney General and the Commissioner of Police.
“The Governor will normally be expected to follow its advice on policy matters. But the wide membership and the exclusion from its remit of operational and staffing matters mean that the police will not be subject to undue political interference. That means, for example, that the Police Commissioner, not politicians, will continue to decide which police officer does which job,” the Governor said.
Category: Headline News
I totally agree with the last post, LONG LIVE CNS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is about time.
The first balanced news media in the Cayman Islands. Keep on keeping on. We all applaud you. The truth will set you free, in otherwords you must sleep better at night.
To those who can’t handle the truth, I would say don’t read what CNS publish.
Go CNS, go CNS, go CNS.
Some people use these forums to simply rant and rave about whatever the topic of the day seems to be.
To attack the idea of attempting to root out corruption isn’t a strong argument in my reality.
Mistakes have been made and they must be learned from and not repeated but for years I have heard people local and foreign alike complain about corruption and accept it as the way business gets done in Cayman. Who you know makes all the difference…
The lack of information is part of the problem, people need to learn where the money spent has gone. Successful or not, people deserve to know…
The reason Tom Russell is so beloved in certain quarters is that it was a different time (15000 population?), things were easy and laid back, and Tom was a good drinking buddy and admirably friendly to one and all. Oh-and he also pretty much did what Jim Bodden wanted him to do-Cayman’s definition of the ideal "Governor". It’s easy to be liked, difficult to govern ie stand up against some of our more hot headed politicians.
Mr. Russell was (and is) generally loved and respected by the people of these Islands because he was humble but dignified, respected us and clearly had (and has) our best interests at heart. He could walk with kings but not lose the common touch. He (unlike some subsequent Governors) did not automatically side with the British expatriates on the basis that they were his compatriots as they seemed to expect. That is real reason that he is not well-liked by some British expatriates who seek to cast aspersions upon him. The result was that in those days the ‘mother country’ was well beloved. I would bet that if we had similar Governors since we would not have been as socially divided as we are now. There is no other Governor since that Cayman would consider making its representative in London.
Thank you, I am not a particularly sensitive person, but that term was used to cause offence to the Governor. The person that rants with capitals on your site wishes that various people go to home or hell but what would they do differently? they never say. The Governor is in a difficult position, allegations were made – instead of ignoring them , as others have, he called in Operation Tempura. Is that so bad? A mistake might have been made by the Met Operation but I do not believe that it was ‘corrupt’ or ‘malicious’ it was just a mistake. This Governor seems to be the only one to go against the Status Quo and stand up for what is right. It has been a very long time coming. It is about time Cayman was brought up to speed, corruption is not acceptable. This Governor is trying to do that.
To the Editor,
The comments at 16.03,
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are clearly racist and offensive to some people. You as an editor should be more responsible about what you allow to be our there on the internet. The comment and many of other comments that are posted would be worthy of a Police Investigation.
You never know who is reading these comments and it reflects badly on your website. Your website is good but when you allow comments likethe above to be out there for the world to read it brings it down. Your webpage is in danger of becoming a forum for rants from bigots. Other new sites would not print such comments.
Oh and perhaps you could advise your commenting bigots that it should be ‘cronies’ and not ‘croonies’. I don’t think Operation Tempura are a singing group.
CNS: The comment expresses anger at public figures, but since the writer clearly holds another "limie" in high esteem, I don’t think it can be seen as racist. The language is pretty harsh and I did consider deleting that sentence, though the sentiment reflects the majority of the comments on this issue.
You cannot justify using an offensive racist term just because the writer holds another white person in high esteem. That is ludicrous.
If a person can’t pass comment on HE the Governor without resorting to that sort of language you shouldn’t be posting their comments.
For your information the definition of a racist incident in the UK is as follows:
"A racist incident is any incident perceived to be racist by the victim or any other person" So any colour, race or person.
I doubt that Cayman have defined it yet but in the future I’m sure it will be adopted as the Cayman Islands are after all ultimately Governed by the UK.
I urge you to remove that comment as it causes me offence.
CNS: In deference to your sensitivites I will remove the sentence which includes the term that so offends you. However, as a Brit myself, I do not consider the term racist. It was a slang word referring to British sailers who ate limes to prevent scurvy. Still, as you say, racism is a question of perception.
No person shall be qualified to be elected as a member of the Legislative Assembly who –
(e)
subject to subsection (2), is serving or has served a sentence of imprisonment (by whatever name called) exceeding twelve months imposed on him or her by a court in any country or substituted by competent authority for some other sentence imposed on him or her by such a court, or is under such a sentence of imprisonment the execution of which has been suspended, or has been convicted by any court in any country of an offence involving dishonesty;
The above from the latest draft constitution. Will this make it difficult for some past MLAs to stand for re-election?
Good Governance should start with the Governor himself, Stuart Jack. Perhaps, he should try and take some lessons on proper ways to Govern, from one of our past and most highly respected Governor´s, HIS EXCELLENCY AND MOST HONOURABLE; THOMAS RUSSELL !!!!!!!!
Why do you think Caymanians then and now, hold such an honour and respect for this distinguished gentleman, even after so many years have past ??????
The big difference is,THOMAS RUSSELL helped build the CAYMAN ISLANDS and GOVERNED the CAYMAN ISLANDS.
STUART JACK instead, he is attempting and for the most part have accomplished the role of RIPPING, DESTROYING AND TEARING DOWN the CAYMAN ISLANDS.
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CNS: The last sentense has been removed because it contained a termthat one of our readers found offensive.
As the writer of 1603, I respectfully accept the decision to delete the last sentence of my posting, by CNS.
However, native Caymanians and Islander´s alike, are often privately and sometimes publicly referred to, particularly by UK citizens, as ¨those unc – – – – – – – – natives¨ That being said, I believe I´m then justified in return, to call you a – – – – – – .
I have many many wonderful UK friends whom I call – – – – – – and some of them even refer to themselves as so, and get a big kick and laugh about it.
I think all those who disagree with my comments, are all just simply ashamed of what their nation´s SPIT and Governor Stuart Jack have done in the Cayman Islands. Out of frustration, they then lash out at those who call them – – – – – – and try and create a smoke screen by bringing in racism in the picture. !!!!!!
Don´t feel ashamed though, me as a so called ¨unc- – – – – – – – – native¨, I tell all my so called ¨unc- – – – – – – – people¨ about their you know what, and chastise them accordingly when they do need it. OH YES I DO !!!!!!!!
May I suggest that you do likewise with your own when they screw up, instead of seeking other motives such as racism.
LONG LIVE CNS !!!!!!!!! The true voice of the people of the Cayman Islands and the great supporter of ¨Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of the Press !!!!!
It´s about time, don´t you think ????????
I have never called you any names and Idon’t even know you and you do not know me.
It is not so much the word you used but the context in which it was used. The word was used was to clearly to cause offence and it did to me. I’m sure it would caused the Governor offence if he read it. I am sorry that some people have called you names which you find offensive but that does not justify you name calling in return.
You do not know what nation I am from. This forum is open to the world and you should remember that and temper your words accordingly. Your words reflect badly on the Cayman Islands and I hope that you are not representative of the Islands as a whole.
I would be interested to read what you would have the Governor and the Met Investigation Team do instead. You rant about them yet you offer no constructive criticism.