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Parliamentarians gathered at the House of Parliament for the Third Sitting of the Second Meeting of the 2025-20265 Session on Friday, 17 October, 10:00 am. During the Sitting, the Deputy Governor, Honourable Franz Manderson, recognised outstanding civil servants who have earned the prestigious distinction of Employee of the Month and the current Employee of the Year. Deputy Governor Manderson stated that the DG Awards Programme was established in 2012 to formally recognise high-performing civil servants who consistently deliver exceptional outcomes within their respective ministries and departments. The Deputy Governor also highlighted that the Portfolio of the Civil Service received two prestigious awards from the Cayman Islands Society of Human Resource Professionals; the Beacon Award for talent development was presented to the Civil Service College in recognition of its outstanding contributions to leadership and professional development and career progression within the Civil Service; and Chief Officer for the Portfolio of the Civil Service, Gloria McField-Nixon, who received the Pinnacle Award for Human Resource Leadership. There were nine questions to members of the Government. Of note were the questions to Premier and Minister for Financial Services and Commerce, Honourable André Ebanks. In response to the question about whether the Government intends to agree to a new electoral boundary layout within this term, Premier Ebanks said the Government is committed to requesting that the Governor to appoint a new electoral boundary commission in early 2026 with specific terms of reference. Responding to a question about the Government’s position on the Domestic Observer Mission Final Report, Premier Ebanks said the Government is also committed to election reform. He said that Caucus has agreed in principle to support campaign finance reform, review and potentially increase campaign expenditure limits and enhanced transparency in political advertising. The final question to the Premier sought to ascertain whether the Government intends to bring forward legislation to give effect to Private Member’s Motion No. 5 of 2023-2024 on the sale of pepper spray for self-defence and personal protection. Premier Ebanks said the Government has approved a working group chaired by the Cabinet Secretary to prepare a full analysis of the potential benefits and risks so Cabinet can make an informed decision. Members of the Government delivered eight statements. Most notable were the statements by the Deputy Premier and Minister of Tourism and Trade Development, the Honourable Gary Rutty, and Deputy Governor Manderson. Deputy Premier Rutty spoke about the first in a series of meetings with some of Cayman’s business leaders to discuss trade diversification and how to lower the cost of imports to help lower the cost of living. He stated that “the insights gained will be instrumental in developing a trade diversification strategy that is practical, well-informed, and meaningful in reducing the cost of living for working and vulnerable families.” Deputy Governor Franz Manderson provided an update on the raising of the retirement age in the Civil Service, noting that the decision cannot be taken lightly or without proper consultation. He added, “Over the years, we have taken significant steps in this direction. The retirement age was raised from 60 to 65, a move that reflected our recognition of longer life expectancy, improving health outcomes, and the invaluable experience and knowledge transfer opportunities that all our workers bring to their roles”. During Government Business, Premier Ebanks presented Government Motion No. 5 of 2025-2026, titled “The Strategic Policy Statement for the 2026-2028 Financial Years”, that sets out the Government’s vision and priorities for “A Cayman Islands that is stronger, fairer, and braver”. The Premier outlined plans to overhaul the education system, diversify the economy, and improve the efficiency and transparency of the public service, among other key reforms that are outlined in the Strategic Policy Statement. The Premier also announced that the National Coalition For Caymanians has signed a coalition agreement, in which they committed to enacting a Ministerial Code of Conduct and a Parliamentary Code of Conduct, describing the occasion as “a history-making day for our beloved Cayman Islands”. There were several speeches from both the Members of the Government and Members of the Opposition in the ensuing debate. Notably was the speech made by the Leader of the Opposition and Elected Member for George Town North, the Honourable Joey Hew, who spoke on several topics including the need for better data, stronger financial forecasting, and improved modelling. Other speakers included: Deputy Premier Rutty; the Minister for Finance and Economic Development, and Education and Training, Honourable Rolston Anglin; the Elected Member for George Town East, Roy McTaggart; the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Kenneth Bryan; the Elected Member for Bodden Town West, Christopher Saunders; and the Elected Member for Red Bay, Roy Tatum. The motion was ultimately approved. The House adjourned until Wednesday, 5 November at 2:00 pm. To watch Friday’s proceedings, visit: Third Sitting of the Second Meeting of the 2025-26 Session of Parliament | 17 October | For further information visit: www.gov.ky/governmentinparliament. How to follow: Watch live broadcasts of sittings on CIG YouTube and CIGTV (Logic – Channel 23, C3 – Channel 3, Flow – Channel 106).
