Cayman Islands Constitution changes take effect 3 December

The Cayman Islands Constitution (Amendment) Order 2020, which the Privy Council approved on 11 November, 2020, comes into effect on Thursday, 3 December, 2020, the day prior to the State Opening and first sitting of Parliament.

The Order makes several amendments to the Cayman Islands Constitution as negotiated between the Cayman Islands and the United Kingdom. These amendments were debated and unanimously approved in the Legislative Assembly in December 2019.

Amongst other things, the amendments change the name of the Legislative Assembly to Parliament; abolish the Governor’s power of disallowance of locally-enacted legislation; remove the requirement for the Governor to approve standing orders made by the Parliament; make clearer that the Cayman Islands has autonomous capacity with respect to domestic affairs; remove the Governor’s exemption from a duty to consult the Cabinet but defines certain exception to this; provide for Parliamentary Secretaries and a Police Service Commission; and provide an obligation for the UK Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs to notify the Premier of proposed Acts of the UK Parliament that would extend directly to the Cayman Islands or Orders in Council extending any provisions of an Act of the UK Parliament to the Cayman Islands so that the Cabinet can provide its views on proposed changes.