Who Would Be Chief?
This is the million-dollarquestion facing the Cayman Islands today where the political windshave recently changed into a mode of deadly calm. Could this presentmood, of numbness and disbelief, felt among the people to be theeye of the storm we are experiencing?
In recent weeks, there has been active discussionamong candidates for this year's up-coming elections and otherspeakers at public meetings - who are boldly suggesting that thereason why the Cayman islands is so backward politically is becauseof the fear that has been imbedded in them - that a Constitutionaladvancement would mean a date set for independence.
This is far from the truth, because there are levels of autonomyto be achieved by legislators through the internal self-governingmethod of Government administration. For example, Bermuda haschosen through their legislators and their electoral process thatthey do not want independence. However, because of the sophisticationof public and private administration required to bring about goodorder, there is absolutely no way that territory could have advancedto the high standards it has achieved.
Why then have Cayman's legislators avoided bringing the issueof Constitutional advancement to the electors? Is it because therewill heavy in-fighting among themselves, or is it because thereis no trust among elected officials that someone has to undertakethe role of Chief Minister?
Every successful corporation has a Board of Directors (the Membersof the Legislative Assembly) who in turn appoint a managing director/ChiefExecutive Officer (Chief Minister). Therefore, what is so wrongwith the appointment of someone to assume the role of Chief Minister?
One sitting Legislator said recently that he regretted not 'pushing'too incorporate the statutes for Constitutional Advancement andthe appointment of a Chief Minister when the U.K. presented it'smodel of a draft Constitution for the Cayman Islands in July 1992after extensive meetings between the Constitutional Commissioner,Legislators, the Private Business Sector and citizens.
With the appointment /selection of a Chief Minister, the executiveauthority of the Cayman Islands will still be vested in Her Majestythe Queen by the Governor, either directly through him or officerssubordinate to him. However, its the case again of what comesfirst the chicken or the eggs?
If and when a Chief Minister is to be elected the Governor caneither cause a ballot to be held and appoint an elected memberof the Legislative Assembly who appears to him best to commandthe support of the majority of the elected members. This can bedone by secret ballot, and with a clear majority of an electedmember - the Governor can appoint that individual to be ChiefMinister of the Cayman Islands.
Ministers of Government will then be reporting directly to theChief Minister. Frankly speaking, perhaps this is another 'boneof contention' between elected members which must be resolved.Some of the candidates in this year's - election while seemingto avoid being connected to others - have already begun alignments,which could broker a Coalition Government. This is not a bad thing.And this will also be another demonstration of the transparencysought by many.
The eventual step forward for a Government that will take theCayman Islands forward, which will advance the will of the people,could only be achieved by a majority of the elected members comeNovember. So the perceived opposition towards political parties,groups, and alliances cannot be considered all bad - if this countrymust move forward and take control of its own destiny.