Copyright caymannewsservice
(CNS): The professionalization of local politics will be costing the public purse more money next year as the government has agreed to create a new budget item to support the official opposition. Premier André Ebanks revealed last week that the government will fund two members of staff and find office space somewhere in the government’s estate to house the official opposition leader. The decision comes following discussions with Commonwealth parliamentary colleagues who said Cayman has fallen short of international standards in its lack of support, to date, for opposition leadership. Speaking at the Chamber of Commerce annual legislative luncheon, Ebanks said the Leader of the Opposition should get resources outside of the office allowance for MPs because there will be things that he or she will have to respond to outside of the constituency role. Cayman has been “woefully behind” on this issue, the premier said, as he explained that additional staff members will be hired through the Parliament to support the opposition leader, currently Joey Hew, in responding to government initiatives and policy proposals. He said that a search is also on for dedicated office space for the leader separate from his constituency office. “We’re going to scour the CIG landscape to see if we can find an office that will be the Leader of the Opposition’s office,” Ebanks revealed, as he spoke about a longer-term vision to have an official office of the opposition leader within the Parliamentary estate.. After a recent visit to Cayman by a Commonwealth parliamentary delegation for a post-election seminar the disparity in resources in Cayman compared to other jurisdictions was a topic of discussion and Ebanks said the matter was taken to caucus where it was agreed to support the new funding. Hew, the PPM leader has also argued to elevate the office of the opposition leader, and he is not the first that has contended that in should be formalised in the constitution as well. Ebanks said the focus currently however, is on practical support and part of a broader effort to improve cooperation between the two sides. He said there are times when the government executive is not enough and “we need all 19 of us as a team,” he said in reference to Cayman’s full set of MPs. The premier stressed the importance of a strong and competent opposition that can hold government accountable while contributing to policy development and enriching our democracy.
