Tuesday, November 3 – Premier Honourable Ralph T. O’Neal, OBE will this week be among those witnessing history in the making when Honourable McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP is sworn into office as the first Premier of the Cayman Islands.

 

Premier O’Neal will lead a three-member delegation to the Cayman Islands for the ceremony during which Honourable Juliana Y. O’Connor Connolly, JP, MLA and Honourable Donovan W.F. Ebanks, MBE, JP will also be sworn in as the Deputy Premier and Deputy Governor respectively.

 

The ceremony scheduled for Friday, November 6 at the Legislative Assembly Building on Grand Cayman, will also signal the commencement of the new constitution for the Cayman Islands, the document which facilitates the appointment of the Premier.

 

Honourable Bush and his United Democratic Party (UDP) secured nine of the 15 seats in the Legislative Assembly in elections in May this year, the same month that a referendum accepting the draft Cayman Islands Constitution Order was held.

 

In his congratulatory letter to Honourable Bush following his electoral victory, Premier O’Neal described the UDP victory as impressive saying, “It is an indication of the overwhelming vote of confidence the people of the Cayman Islands have placed in your leadership, especially during this global economic downturn.”

 

The process of constitutional change in the Cayman Islands is quite similar to what occurred here in the Territory in 2007 when the Virgin Islands Constitutional Order was accepted and the first Premier appointed.

Premier O’Neal will be accompanied by the representative for District Two Honourable Alvin Christopher and Administrative Officer, Ms. Jermine Barry.

 

In the absence of the Premier from November 5 to 7, Deputy Premier Honourable Dancia Penn, QC, OBE will perform the duties of Premier in accordance with Section 55 of the Virgin Islands Constitution which states that in the absence of the Premier for a period exceeding 48 hours, “the Governor shall authorise the Deputy Premier to perform the functions of the office of Premier.”

 

Hon. O’Neal returns to office on November 9, at which time Hon. Penn will resume her duties as Deputy Premier.