The Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands is the unicameral legislature of the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands. It is composed of 21 members; 19 elected members for a four-year term and two members ex officio. The Governor may at any time, by Proclamation, prorogue or dissolve the Assembly. The Governor shall dissolve the Assembly at the expiration of four years from the date when the Assembly first meets after any general election unless it has been sooner dissolved. There shall be a general election at such time within two months after every dissolution of the Assembly as the Governor shall, by Proclamation, appoint. The first meeting of every session of the House shall, by Proclamation, be held on such day as the Governor shall appoint. A session usually consists of four meetings. A Meeting comprises several sittings. In the elections of 8 November 2000, with a turnout of 80% only non-partisans were elected. After the election, conservativemembers of parliament formed the United Democratic Party. The conservative social democraticPeople's Progressive Movement formed in response and won the subsequent election. Following the most recent election both established parties failed to attain the majority of seats in the legislature. The Progressives, three of the nine elected independents and the Cayman Democratic Party formed a historic national unity government. Progressive leader Alden McLaughlin secured a second term as Premier of the Cayman Islands, with Cayman Democratic Party leader McKeeva Bush as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly.
History
The first meeting to discuss the possible legislative future of the Cayman Islands took place on 5 December 1831 at Pedro St. James Castle, a great house in the fertile area of Savannah on Grand Cayman. This building is the seat of parliamentary beginnings in the Cayman Islands. By 1909 what got established as the Legislative Assembly of Justices and Vestry was meeting in the Court Houseon the waterfront in what is now the headquarters of the Cayman Islands National Museum, in front of Hog Sty Bay and the cruise passenger arrival terminal. The building served as the seat of government, the court house and the legislature. Now it is the home of the Cayman Islands National Museum. The present Legislative Assembly building was built on the site of the former Princess Royal Park. The building design was the subject of some controversy when selected as the winner of an international architectural competition. Being the first poured concrete public building in Cayman, modern techniques were not yet in use, so the concrete was mixed on the street and poured pail by pail by a bucket brigade. The cornerstone was laid by Captain Rayal Brazly Bodden, MBE, JP, on 29 September 1971. The building was completed in July 1972. By 2003, the legislature had outgrown the space and the building was in need of renovating. Repair and refurbishment work on the building began in February 2003, which added more space through reconfiguration, and renovated and refurbished portions of the interior, including the main chamber. The newly refurbished and expanded building was inaugurated with the opening of the Legislature session on 2 July 2004, two months before Hurricane Ivan, which almost completely devastated Grand Cayman over a two-day period. The LA building withstood the storm with minor damage to its roof. Nineteen members are currently elected on a "one person, one vote" basis, following a Constitution Order in 2015. This replaced the electoral system form the 2009 constitutional amendment. The two ex officio members, the Deputy Governor and the Attorney-General, are appointed by the Governor of the Cayman Islands.
Official Members
Hon. Franz Manderson, MBE: Deputy Governor; First Official Member, Responsible for External Affairs
