The Cayman Islands' physical isolation under early British colonial rule allowed the development of an indigenous set of administrative and legal traditions which were codified into a constitution in 1959. Although a British overseas territory, the islands are self-governed in nearly all respects. The constitution, or Cayman Islands Order, that now governs the islands came into effect in 1972 and was amended in 1984. 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... A United Kingdom overseas territory (formerly known as a dependent territory or earlier as a crown colony) is a territory that is under the sovereignty and formal control of the United Kingdom but is not part of the United Kingdom proper (Great Britain and Northern Ireland). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... 1984 is a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Cayman Islands' political system is very stable, bolstered by a tradition of restrained civil governance, sustained economic prosperity, and its relative isolation from foreign policy concerns by virtue of its colonial relationship with the United Kingdom. Public discussion revolves around public sector expenditure and social services, the pace of additional economic development, and the status of the large foreign national community on the islands.

Government Structure

The British Crown appoints a Governor of the Cayman Islands, who is recruited from the U.K. government service and serves as the British representative. Daily administration of the islands is conducted by the eight-member Executive Council. An Executive Council in British constitutional practice is the top tier of a government led by a Governor-General, Governor or a Lieutenant-Governor, superior to Legislative Councils and Legislative Assemblies. ...

The chief secretary, financial secretary, and attorney general are appointed by the governor. Responsibility for defense and foreign affairs resides with the United Kingdom; however, the chief secretary has the portfolio for External Affairs, and the Cayman Government may negotiate certain bilateral matters directly with foreign governments. The remaining five members of the Executive Council are elected by the Assembly and divide the remaining administrative portfolios.

The 18-seat unicameral Legislative Assembly is presided over by an independent speaker. Elections are held at the discretion of the governor at least every 4 years. Members of the assembly may introduce bills which, if passed, are then approved, returned, or disallowed by the governor. The U.K. Government also reserves the right to disallow bills approved by the governor. . A Legislative Assembly in British constitutional thought is the second-to-top or third-to-top tier of a government led by a Governor-General, Governor or a Lieutenant-Governor, inferior to an Executive Council and equal to or inferior to a Legislative Council. ...

The four-tiered judicial system is based on English common law and colonial and local statutes. The Cayman Islands Court of Appeal is the highest court on the islands, but a final appeal may be heard by Her Majesty's Privy Council sitting in London. This article concerns the British Sovereigns Privy Council. ...

Political coalitions

Political parties have operated infrequently in the past, and public officeholders tend to be independents. Since the 1970s, groups of candidates have organized themselves into ad hoc coalitions called teams and run on platforms of shared concerns. In November 2000 elections, voters ousted the leader of the government and two other ministers because of legislation enacted to weaken bank secrecy. Seven new members were elected to the Legislative Assembly. Events and trends Although in the United States and in many other Western societies the 1970s are often seen as a period of transition between the turbulent 1960s and the more conservative 1980s and 1990s, many of the trends that are associated widely with the Sixties, from the Sexual Revolution...

In the run up to the November 2004 elections the elected politicians polarized into two groups known as the United Democratic Party (UDP) and the People's Progressive Movement (PPM), with a third group of former Members of the Legislative Assembly also active but without a common name to identify them. Current issues being debated include the establishment of 17 single-member constituencies, the recent wholesale grants of status, and the islands' recovery after Hurricane Ivan. 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United Democratic Party is one of the two main political parties in the Cayman Islands. ... The Peoples Progressive Movement is a political party in the Cayman Islands without parliamentary representation. ...

Currently, some constituencies have multiple elected representatives depending on the number of registered voters. The recent large number of grants of status, or citizenship, has sparked debate, and the widespread destruction by Hurricane Ivan and the subsequent handling by government has also been criticized.

Summary

Country name:
conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Cayman Islands

Data code: CJ

Dependency status: overseas territory of the United Kingdom

Government type: British overseas territory

Capital: George Town In politics a capital (also called capital city or political capital — although the latter phrase has an alternative meaning based on an alternative meaning of capital) is the principal city or town associated with its government. ... George Town, Grand Cayman is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. ...

Administrative divisions: Districts: George Town, Bodden Town, West Bay, North Side, East End and Sister Islands (Cayman Brac and Little Cayman)

Independence: none (overseas territory of the UK)

National holiday: Constitution Day (first Monday in July) Commemorates the anniversary of the signing of the constitution of 1849 which made Denmark a constitutional monarchy, and commemorates the constitution of 1953, adopted on this day. ...

Constitution: 1959, revised 1972 and 1992 1959 was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1972 was a leap year that started on a Saturday. ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Legal system: British common law and local statutes

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 February 1952)
head of government: Governor and President of the Executive Council Bruce Dinwiddy (since 2003)
cabinet: Executive Council (three members appointed by the governor, five members elected by the Legislative Assembly)
elections: Legislative Assembly is the only elected body consisting of 15 Members, the LA appoints the Leader of Government Business and the other four Ministers (who become members of the cabinet) Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary) (born 21 April 1926), styled HM The Queen, is the Queen regnant and Head of State of the United Kingdom, as well as the Queen of Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Grenada, Jamaica, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea... February 6 is the 37th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1952 - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ... Bruce Harry Dinwiddy (born February 1, 1946 in Epsom, England) is the governor of the Cayman Islands since 2002. ... 2003 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar, and also: The International Year of Freshwater The European Disability Year Events January January 1 - Luíz Inácio Lula Da Silva becomes the 37th President of Brazil. ...

Legislative branch: unicameral Legislative Assembly (18 seats, three official members and 15 elected by popular vote; members serve four-year terms)
elections: last held November 2000 (next to be held November 2004)
election results: percent of vote - NA; seats - National Team coalition 9, independents 6 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Judicial branch: Summary Court; Grand Court; Cayman Islands Court of Appeal

Political parties and leaders:
United Democratic Party - McKeeva Bush
Peoples Progressive Movement - Kurt Tibbets
The United Democratic Party is one of the two main political parties in the Cayman Islands. ... William McKeeva Bush (born January 20, 1955) is a Cayman Islands politician and the Minister for Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce and the Leader of Government Business. ...

International organization participation: Caricom (associate), CDB, Interpol (subbureau), IOC The Caribbean Community and Common Market or CARICOM was established by the Treaty of Chaguaramas which came into effect on August 1, 1973. ... The Caribbean Development Bank is a financial institution which assists Caribbean nations in financing social and economic programs in its member countries. ... This article is about the International Criminal Police Organization - Interpol. ... The International Olympic Committee is an organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland, created by Pierre de Coubertin in 1894 to reinstate the Ancient Olympic Games held in Greece, and organise this sports event every four years. ...

Flag description: blue, with the flag of the UK in the upper hoist-side quadrant and the Caymanian coat of arms on a white disk centered on the outer half of the flag; the coat of arms includes a pineapple and turtle above a shield with three stars (representing the three islands) and a scroll at the bottom bearing the motto HE HATH FOUNDED IT UPON THE SEAS Flag Ratio: 1:2 The flag of the Cayman Islands was adopted in 1959. ... Binomial name Ananas comosus The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a tropical plant and its fruit, native to Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. ... Families See text Turtles are reptiles of the order Testudinata, most of whose body is shielded by a special bony shell developed from their ribs. ...

See also : Cayman Islands