Dear Sir,

On 7 August 2008, the Leader of Government Business issued a statement that the proposed team that will negotiate with the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office for a new constitution for Cayman will consist of:

- up to 4 government MLAs;

- up to 4 opposition MLAs;

- a representative from the Chamber of Commerce;

- a representative from the Ministers Association;

- a representative from the Seventh Day Adventists Mission.

This is a most disgraceful proposal, as it is such a obvious play for votes from these three special interest groups that insults the intelligence of the Caymanian public!

None of these special interest groups are qualified to negotiate a constitution and none have any mandate from the Cayman public to do so.

These special interest groups do not deserve greater representation from the government on national matters. The Caymanian people will only have an indirect voice at the negotiating table - through the elected politicians. Yet the Chamber of Commerce, Seventh Day Mission and the Ministers Association are apparently of such great importance that they can speak directly to the FCO, to ensure their special interests are protected in the constitution.

Bear in mind that a constitution is a legal document of supreme importance. It is the core legal document on which our entire country is established. It sets out how the government is structured and operates. Most importantly, it sets out what rights the people have against the government and its agents. It is wholly unnecessary and inappropriate that these three special interest groups – to actually directly negotiate our country’s constitution.

A constitution is fundamentally about people’s rights against government – not big business and religion.

Rights for vulnerable Caymanians such as the disabled or the mentally ill are not the main priority of special interest groups like the Chamber of Commerce, Seventh Day Adventists or the Ministers Association.

The Chamber of Commerce is a private organisation representing business interests – absolutely nothing at all to do with the structure of government or protecting human rights.

The Ministers Association is a volunteer organisation of local church ministers and the Seventh Day Mission is a conglomerate of seven local Adventist churches. They are not elected by the Cayman people or anyone else for that matter. Again, nothing at all to do with a constitution or human rights for all people.

This is a clear admission that the PPM holds the interests of the Chamber of Commerce, Seventh Day Adventists and Ministers Association to be more important than those of any other part of the Caymanian population.

The government should be able to represent the interests of our business community and religious groups in the exact same way that they intend to represent the views of the rest of us – nothing more, nothing less. To do otherwise is to publicly declare to Caymanians and the world, that the core values upon which our constitution is based – is not the protection of rights for the Caymanian people, as it is supposed to be – but rather it is money, power and politics.

The politicians are clearly pandering to these special interests groups to get voting support from these organisations’ membership.

However, this is a very misguided and dangerous tactic. Particularly because it is such a obvious play for votes, which insults the intelligence of the Caymanian people.

Special interest groups like the Chamber of Commerce, the Seventh Day Adventists or the Ministers Association should not be directly negotiating our constitution. They have no mandate from the Caymanian public and are not qualified to do so.

Simply put, our country’s constitution is far too important to be used to curry favour with the Chamber of Commerce, the Seventh Day Adventists or the Ministers Association. I urge the PPM to reconsider the proposal to include any special interest lobby groups in the negotiations for a new constitution. I can say here and now that I will be hard pressed to vote for any politician that thinks Caymanians are too stupid to see that they are handing over our constitution (tantamount to selling our country) to two or three special interest groups, in order to buy votes.

M.B. Ebanks