Politicians Reject Recommendation Of The 2023 Electoral Boundary Commission To Rename 19 Electoral Districts
Honourable Juliana O'Connor-Connolly JP, MP, Premier
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By Alric Lindsay
At the first sitting of the third meeting of the 2024-25 session of Parliament on January 31, 2025, members of Parliament rejected a motion brought by Premier Juliana O’Connor-Connolly to approve an amended order of the Governor to give effect to the recommendations of the 2023 Electoral Boundary Commission to rename the nineteen electoral districts. This follows Parliament’s rejection of an initial draft order from 2024 to adjust the electoral district boundaries (except for North Side and East End) and add a twentieth electoral district.
Proposed changes to electoral district names
Based on the amended order, it was proposed that the nineteen electoral districts be renamed as follows:
(a) West Bay 1
(b) West Bay 2
(c) West Bay 3
(d) West Bay 4
(e) George Town 1
(f) George Town 2
(g) George Town 3
(h) George Town 4
(i) George Town 5
(j) George Town 6
(k) George Town 7
(l) Bodden Town 1
(m) Bodden Town 2
(n) Bodden Town 3
(o) Bodden Town 4
(p) North Side
(q) East End
(r) Cayman Brac 1
(s) Cayman Brac 2 & Little Cayman
According to the amended order, each electoral district would be represented in the Parliament by one elected member.
If passed, the Electoral District Boundaries Order 2025 would come into force upon the next dissolution of the Parliament right before the April 30, 2025 elections.
Decision of Parliament
When the matter was put to a vote, 16 members of Parliament voted “no” to Government Motion No. 7 Of 2024-2025, an amended order of the Governor to give effect to the recommendations of the 2023 Electoral Boundary Commission. Two members of Parliament were absent.
Note to readers:
The reason for the above Parliamentary process is set out in section 89 of the constitution of the Cayman Islands.
An Electoral Boundary Commission is appointed to review the boundaries of each electoral district and submit a report to the Governor and the Parliament. In this case, the Electoral Boundary Commission recommended adjustments to the boundaries of electoral districts, changes to the names of the electoral districts, and the addition of a twentieth electoral district.
The purpose of the recommendations of the review by the Electoral Boundary Commission is to ensure an equal ratio between the number of elected members of the Parliament representing each electoral district and the number of persons qualified to be registered as electors in that district.
Once the Electoral Boundary Commission submits its report, the Premier must lay before the Parliament for its approval the draft of an order by the Governor to give effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations in the report.
If the motion for the approval of any draft order is rejected by the Parliament or is withdrawn by leave of the Parliament, an amended draft shall be laid without undue delay by the Premier before the Parliament.
If any draft order is approved by resolution of the Parliament, the Premier shall submit it to the Governor, who shall make an order (which shall be published in a Government Notice) in terms of the draft, and that order shall come into force for the determination of the boundaries of the electoral districts to which it relates upon the next dissolution of the Parliament. Assembly after it is made.
