|
 |
|
|
Cayman Islands,
History and Government
History: The two smaller Cayman islands were discovered by Columbus in 1503. Sir Francis Drake explored the area in 1586, but it was 1670 before the islands came under full British rule. Grand Cayman was settled from Jamaica by 1672; Little Cayman and Cayman Brac were settled some time later and maintained a separate administration until 1877. The Governor of Jamaica held administrative responsibility for the islands until 1962, when Jamaica itself became independent. Since then the islands have had their own Governor appointed by the British crown (see Government section to follow). The present incumbent, appointed in 2002, is Bruce Dinwiddy.
Cayman politics operate without political parties as such; at election time, rival political groupings are organised into ‘teams’ with names such as ‘Unity’ and ‘Progress with Dignity’. The membership of these is fairly fluid. A modest degree of constitutional reform was introduced in 1992, including the appointment of a Chief Minister, and this prompted the formation of what was then the territory’s only political organisation, the Progressive Democratic Party (PDP). For electoral purposes, the PDP operated as the ‘National Team’ and at the 1992 poll won all but three of the 15 elective seats in the islands’ parliament. However, following the most recent poll in November 2000, another political party, the United Democratic Party, was formed by the ‘non-partisan’ bloc which won the majority of seats. Thus the Cayman Islands joined the world of regular party politics. McKeeva Bush assumed the Premiership.
Although the UK is officially responsible for the islands’ foreign policy, the USA, as in the rest of the Caribbean, exerts a dominant influence over its ‘back yard’. Both the US and British governments have been concerned about the exploitation of the islands for drug trafficking and its associated money laundering. There is virtually no concern on the islands about the issue of independence, leaving just one other issue of contention – citizenship. Following a change of policy, the British Government has announced that it is prepared, in principle, to grant full British citizenship to the inhabitants of the Cayman Islands.
Government: As a British Overseas Territory, the Caymans have a Governor who is appointed by the British monarch. The Governor is responsible for external affairs, security and defence. He is also Chairman of the Executive Council comprising three members appointed by the Governor and four members from the Legislative Assembly, elected by that body itself. The Legislative Assembly comprises the above three members of the Executive Council appointed by the Governor and 15 members elected by universal adult suffrage every 4 years.
|
|
