Keeping the House in Order
Georgette Myrie -Clerk of the Legislative Assembly
In the aftermath of theupcoming general elections, a new slate of MLAs will be usheredinto the House, there to carry on the business of government forthe next four years on behalf of the people who elected them.
Some will be newcomers to the Parliament,eager to make their mark and to prove to their constituents thatthey are worthy of the mandate entrusted to them. Others willhave had the experience of sitting in the hallowed House, andto the newcomers may appear blase.
All however, will need an experienced guide through parliamentaryprocedures and a supportive administrative arm to help them dotheir duty with the diligence required of the responsible positionsthat they hold. They will find no better gatekeeper and host thanthe current Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Georgette Myrie.
Over the years, she has watched the changing of the guard, hasseen history made in the events that have transpired in the house,and has watched the interaction of backbenchers and ExecutiveCouncil members. Parliament, she says, mirrors the essence ofthe Cayman Islands and Georgette Myrie -- in a position of trust-- is there to provide support and advice to MLAs for the governanceof the Cayman Islands.
As Clerk of the Legislative Assembly, Georgette Myrie operateswith a quiet confidence and dignity, befitting one of the mostrevered public institutions in the Cayman Islands.
A career public servant, Mrs. Myrie has been at the post since1987, in which she is responsible for the administration of theLegislative Department. As Clerk of the House, she is also theRegistrar of Interests -- administering the legal provision bywhich political candidates, sitting members of the Assembly andjournalists "are required to declare their interests -- asshareholders and directors of companies, any gifts or paid tripsreceived from anyone, funds received in support of their electioncampaign and any land holdings."
Her career began at the Immigration Department in 1967, when itwas then under the Police Department. In 1972, the Caymanian ProtectionBoard was formed and Mrs. Myrie became Secretary to the Boardand Chief Immigration Officer and remained at the department until1975.
She then headed the Labour Department and in 1978 acted for ayear as Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Communicationsand Works, filling in for Gilbert McLean who was on study leave.She then went back to immigration and remained there until herappointment to the Legislative Department. She succeeded nationalhero, Sybil McLaughlin and Mrs. Gay Jackson.
The department provides "an advisory service on parliamentaryprocedures to Members of the Legislative Assembly and advisesthe Speaker of the House on the use of the Standing Order,"Mrs. Myrie says.
" I certainly enjoy my job," she says. It is a learningprocess. No two days are the same."
For Mrs. Myrie, the learning process began upon her appointment,at which time, she admits, she knew nothing about parliamentaryprocedures. "I had to learn and learn fast," she recalls.In 1988 she had an attachment at the UK Parliament's House ofCommons, part of her career-long learning process.
In addition, members of the Legislative Assembly are a sourceof learning, Mrs. Myrie says. Over the years, she has observedthe improvement in the oratory in the House and has seen "historyunfold, with the Queen coming to open Parliament," with thevisits of parliamentarians from all over the world, a knighthood-- being bestowed to Sir Vassell Johnson, and the visit of PrincessAlexandria.
Mrs. Myrie, who is Secretary of the Cayman branch of the CommonwealthParliamentary Association, says that over the years, she has alsoseen the increase from 12 to 15 MLAs and the four members of ExecutiveCouncil grown to five. She has witnessed the change from the presidingofficer - the governor -- in the chair, to an appointed Speaker.
Other changes have been evident. New and improved technology "hasled to a considerable improvement" in production, Mrs. Myriesays. She notes that the workload has also increased, since membersare allowed to speak for four hours on an issue.
The department keeps these records, and produces edited versionsof the presentations. It also sells copies of the islands' lawsand the Hansard - the record of Parliament - to the public, andacts as an archive for parliamentary records.
These publications may well be available electronically in thefuture, Mrs. Myrie notes, but for now they are a source of revenueto the department and consideration has to be given whether tomake them available as free information or to continue to charge.
The Legislative Department has a staff complement of nine - includinga Deputy Clerk, an Assistant Clerk and two Hansard Officers --and while staff can move freely between government departments,the turnover has been very low. Like other government departments,it is subject to general orders, its salaries are pegged to thecivil service and the department operates within a specified budget.
"I do feel that the Legislative Department is a very specializedarea," Mrs. Myrie says, noting that she looks forward tothe day when the Legislature is separate from the Civil Service.
She notes that other government entities - the Legal departmentand some attorneys-general have been very helpful in helping thedepartment carry out its functions and hopes for the day whenlegal advisors are attached to the Legislative Assembly, evenif not in a full time position.
In a job that is as varied and interesting hers, Mrs. Myrie findsmany gratifying moments. "I have seen backbench and governmentdiscuss issues, and that is healthy," she says, adding thatshe would "like to see more discussion among members beforeit gets to the stage where it reaches the floor of the house."
"I'm totally elated when I see school children come in, becauseI feel there are things that they can actually learn from Parliamentand it is unfortunate that it is not a part of the school curriculumthat they do that more often," she notes. Mrs. Myrie is focusedon staging a youth parliament in the near future and looks forwardto seeing more women in parliament.
"I feel it is incumbent on women to get up and take theirrightful place in Parliament. There are so many issues that comeup that women can relate more to," she says. She expresseddelight at seeing so many women in the current election campaign.
The Commonwealth Parliamentary Association is also focusing onincreasing the number and involvement of female parliamentariansand has earmarked a specific period for a conference for womenin parliament.
Mrs. Myrie, who has been one of the pioneering women in the governmentservice for 33 years, is now at retirement age, though she hasmade no concrete plans for the close of her career. When thattime comes, she says she also hopes to indulge a life-long wishto play the piano and to enjoy family life with her husband of30 years, Edward Myrie, son, Edward, Jr. and one grandchild.
A Justice of the Peace, she hopes to further serve her country,by getting more involved on the Juvenile Bench.
But of any other public posts, she is reluctant to speculate."If the country calls upon me and I can be of any assistance,I may consider," she says.