Explainer: Our constitution and removal of the Speaker of Parliament Loop Cayman Islands

Black Immigrant Daily News

At the first sitting of the Parliament following a general election, elected members of the Parliament decide who will be the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament. This is done by a majority vote.

Although the elected members of Parliament had the option of appointing a person outside Parliament to be the Speaker of Parliament, they made a determination to appoint someone internally, being McKeeva Bush. As the Deputy Speaker could not be chosen from outside Parliament, the elected members chose Katherine Ebanks-Wilks as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament.

As a result of the recent allegations surrounding the Speaker of Parliament, members of the public have asked about the procedures for removal of the Speaker of Parliament from office. The options under Cayman’s constitution are as follows:

the office becomes vacant upon dissolution of the Parliament by the Governorthe Speaker may voluntarily resign in writing and submit his resignation letter to the Clerk of Parliamentthe seat becomes available if the Speaker ceases to be an elected member of Parliament the Speaker must step down if the Speaker becomes a Minister elected members may put forward a motion expressing no confidence in the Speaker (for this vote to pass, two-thirds of the elected members of the Parliament must agree)

At the time of mounting pressure surrounding the allegations, the Speaker of Parliament indicated that he planned to resign, which would have resulted in the vacation of that office.

However, as time passed, the resignation letter did not initially surface. The delay in submission of the resignation letter may have been what triggered certain members of Parliament to file a private member’s motion to force the removal of the Speaker of Parliament through the passing of a vote of two-thirds of their number expressing no confidence in the Speaker of Parliament.

While members of the public were anticipating a vote in Parliament on the issue this Friday, the Speaker of Parliament finally announced that he would be submitting his resignation letter to the Clerk of Parliament.

The Speaker said:

In light of the circumstances, I have taken the decision and tendered my resignation on Tuesday, the third of October, to take effect the thirtieth of November.

I do so in the interest of all parties.

Given this new action and the submission of the letter to the Clerk of Parliament, the post of the Speaker of Parliament will be vacated on November 30.

At that time, Parliament will proceed with its normal rules and elect a person to be the Speaker of Parliament either from among their elected peers or someone outside Parliament.

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