UK mandates that elections be held in May 2005

Friday, October 1, 2004

At a meeting between all 15 elected members of the legislative assembly and His Excellency the Governor Bruce Dinwiddy on Tuesday 28 September, a consensus was reached that the general elections may now be held on or before 17 May 2005. This means that dissolution of the Assembly could be on 17 March. 

It is not yet clear whether or not the present electoral roll will be closed because the original list in force was for a 17 November 2004 election. Registration of new voters usually takes place every three months, and it is therefore possible that the 3,000 recipients of Caymanian status in September 2003 may be eligible to register and vote in the postponed election. This would swell the list from 13,000 or so to over 15,000 potential voters.

It is understood that the ruling United Democratic Party (UDP) had a preference for a November 2005 election, while the UK government suggested the May date. According to a spokesperson for the opposition Peoples Progressive Movement, the PPM’s preference was for an earlier date.

In the event, legislators have now agreed on a new date and one reason for holding the elections earlier rather than later was reportedly to ensure the process was over before the beginning of the new fiscal year in July. 
Still to be determined is whether or not modernisation of the constitution will take place prior to what is now the 2005 general election.

Among the proposed changes in the new constitution is the appointment of a chief minister, an additional two elected seats for the assembly and provision for single member constituencies. The time now presented by the postponement of the election could very well provide an opportunity to establish the boundaries for single member constituencies.

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