Editorial
Is the CaymanIslands Ready for Human Rights?
Understanding that Human Rights is vitalto the very fabric that qualifies human life, the Cayman Administrationaccepted tens of thousands of dollars in corporate sponsorshipsand contracted out hundreds of manpower hours to host the "HumanRights Today Caribbean Symposium" last September.
The former Governor of the Cayman Islands,Mr. Peter J. Smith, supported the Symposium with the statementthat: "I think it is important at this stage that we havea conference of this nature, quality and breadth to lay out allthe elements of human rights debate so that everyone here knowswhat is involved. This will ensure that local decisions on thisissue are made on an informed basis."
Last year, a large number of governmentagencies, international organisations, non-governmental organisationsand professional associations attended. Among them were judges,lawyers, Members of Parliament, police, prison chiefs, civil servantsfrom communications, education and immigration agencies, and customsofficers who participated in the attempt to reflect on, and findways to reform legislative, legal, policy and practical issuesthat effect human rights.
Critical issues affecting family, youth,women and children were addressed by regional speakers as wellas UK and US advocates who were invited to attend.
For quite some time, the private sectorhas been challenged to help the Cayman economy get back on itsfeet.
Last year, private corporations from thebusiness and financial sector stepped up to help, pledging theirsupport and their money to back an initiative that was meant toenhance the quality of life in Cayman and beyond. There was alsoa public statement that the Cayman Islands is dedicated to theexamination of human rights issues and the implementation of lawsgoverning that quality of life and justice be upheld.
In retrospect, what good did it do?
Educating the public and other countriesabout the status of Human Rights initiatives in the Caribbeandid nothing.
In fact, the UK has just announced thatthe Human Rights Act of 1998 does not apply to the Cayman Islandsand that there is no plan to incorporate the Act into the CaymanConstitution until a private UK consultant firm reviews Cayman'scompliance with other UK laws.
Companies like Deloitte & Touche andBoxalls Attorneys-at-law kicked in money.
Financial presenters like Mr. Lawrence CohenQC and attorney Ian Page-Brown LLD spoke on "A ComparativeStudy of the Laws Protecting Financial Privacy." And, agenciessuch as the Portfolio of Finance and Development and the actingChief Justice, Mr. Henry Graham held press conferences imploringthe people of the Cayman Islands to understand the need for sucha symposium.
When the music stopped, the last attendeeboarded the plane, and the podiums were dismantled, the drive,ambition and dedication that backed the hosting of the event dissipatedas rapidly as it had appeared.
On July 30, 2001, GIS could not produceenough press releases pounding into the heads of locals residentsand regional attendees, the goals which Cayman hoped to achievein hosting this event.
The event over, it is still left to be seenwhether anything was accomplished other than playing great hoststo a multi-cultural party.
For today, persons walking the streets ofCayman, sitting in the classrooms of local schools, or givingbirth to new babies in local hospitals are still seriously questioningtheir human rights.
These include the right to freedom, education,and reprieve from unnatural justice, privacy, a fair trial, orany of the other rights in the lengthy Human Rights Act of 1998.
There are those who believe that withoutembellishment at all, serious social disorder could erupt andthere would be not one law in the Cayman Islands Constitutionthat preserves the people's basic human rights.
If so, what a costly party it was to throwat the expense of living like free human beings.