‘Just change election law’

(CNS): As signatures from registered voters exceeded 2,500 on the petition for a referendum, one of the MLAs leading the charge for a change in the country’s voting system has called on the premier to save the country the time, money and trouble of having a referendum and just change the election law to single member constituencies. Premier McKeeva Bush has acknowledged the difficulties presented by increasing the members in George Town to six to accommodate two of the three new legislative seats at the next general election, and Ezzard Miller says he has the power to introduce one man, one vote now and show the world Cayman is a democracy.

With little doubt left that the petitioners will, at the very least, reach the 3,800 signatures from registered voters to trigger a referendum before the end of this month, the independent member for North Side said claims by the premier that a referendum before the election would be too expensive plus the issue over the number of seats in the capital point to an obvious conclusion.

“There is no support from the boundary commission report for an extra seat in West Bay as has been suggested by the premier, and as the number of petitioners for one man, one vote continues to grow, given the claims of how much it will cost, the premier can save the money by withdrawing the existing motion that is currently before the Legislative Assembly and change the law,” he said.  “It is already evident that many people support one man, one vote and although I believe a referendum will cost closer to $300,000 than the stated million or so by the premier, no matter the costs, we can save it by going straight to single member constituencies for 2013.”

Miller said that the premier is often talking about the need for the Cayman Islands to be equal to the larger western nations on the world stage, and introducing the one man, one vote system is a chance to show we are a real democracy.

“It is unlikely that the rest of the democratic world is wrong on this and we are right,” Miller added, referring to Cayman’s current complex and unfair multi-member constituency voting system.

Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin, who has previously noted that there may not be enough time to hold a referendum before the 2013 election and educate the voting population on the new system, has stated that he agrees wholeheartedly with this position.

He told CNS that if the premier moved straight to change the election law, there would be more than enough time to ensure the country is prepared and voters understand that they will be voting for just one candidate from the lists — in considerably smaller constituencies in the case of West Bay, Bodden Town and George Town.

The premier now agrees with one of the main issues that both Miller and the opposition member for East End, Arden Mclean, had stated was a major motivating factor for change. Bush has indicated that for George Town to send six members to the Legislative Assembly with the new 18 seat assembly, the capital would control one third of the LA membership, which was too much power for one district.

Speaking to Cayman27 last week, Bush suggested that West Bay couldbe the recipient of an extra seat so that the capital and his own constituency would be equal. He said his district had the same needs as George Town.

Such a move would be contrary to best election practices and, as noted in the boundary commissioner’s report, it could amount to gerrymandering —  the practice of rejigging constituencies in an effort to influence the general election result.

Although Bush has stated that he is willing to hold a referendum on one man, one vote on the same day as next year’s general election, how the eighteen members of the next parliament will be voted into their seats is still not settled.

The petitioners for the one man, one vote are now seeking to collect as many signatures as possible to try and force the premier’s hand. Despite asking for a November referendum, even with the constitutionally mandated 3,800 names, the time of the national poll would remain in the hands of government.

The group hopes to surpass five thousand signatures to demonstrate the wide support for the principle and push for a change in the election law. Miller has confirmed, however, that he will seek a judicial review if the premier refuses to hold the referendum before November of this year and makes no move to change the election law.

Anyone wishing to sign the petition can contact any of the following volunteers: