Cayman Islands Parliament in Turmoil – Opposition Leader Urges Premier To Resign or face no-confidence vote

Tensions are running high within the Cayman Islands Parliament, as Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart has called for Premier Wayne Panton to step down today, on November 10, in the best interest of the nation.

In a letter dispatched on Thursday, November 9, McTaggart issued a warning that if the Premier refuses to relinquish his role as the leader of the overseas territory by 3 p.m. on Friday, he will face a vote of no confidence during a special Parliament session scheduled for next week.

 “I hereby call on Premier Panton to do what is in our country’s and our people’s best interest and resign by 3 pm tomorrow. If he does not, I will ask the Speaker to summon a Special Meeting of the House next week to debate a Lack of Confidence in the Premier and the PACT Government. It is our duty as representatives of our people to act to restore stable and effective government to these Islands,” the Progressive Opposition’s statement said.

This demand was triggered by the resignation of government backbencher McKeeva Bush, which has resulted in a legislative deadlock in Parliament.

“MP McKeeva Bush’s resignation from the PACT government today means Premier Panton no longer has a viable government. The Cayman Islands Parliament is now hung, with the Government and the Opposition now holding an equal number of seats, nine each, comprising three independents and six Progressive members. Premier Panton’s PACT Government of Independents has been unstable from the outset. But now it is constitutionally unviable.”

The Opposition added that the 2024/2025 budget presentation is now overdue, and the Premier finds himself without enough members in his PACT group to even constitute a quorum for a parliamentary meeting.

“With the 2024/2025 budget now overdue for presentation, the Premier does not even have sufficient members in his PACT group to form a quorum to hold a meeting of Parliament. A quorum requires ten elected members in addition to the Speaker. This recent resignation is the third we have seen this year as PACT continues its slow but inevitable process of disintegration. I have spoken before about PACT’s constant infighting being bad for the country, and this most recent resignation today is the final straw.”

Like the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands is an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. The Cayman Islands is renowned for its strong financial services sector.  With a population of around 65,000, it boasts a high standard of living, excellent infrastructure and a robust economy.

The territory is also well-known for its stable political environment. It operates under a parliamentary system and has a Governor appointed by the British monarch, along with an elected Legislative Assembly.