(CNS): The beleaguered, UPM minority, government will be looking to the official opposition as well as the independent members across the aisle to steer through a raft of important laws next month now that the next parliament meeting has been set. At the moment there are 21 pieces of legislation listed for the meeting which will start on 9 December and run for a week. They include around a dozen recently Gazetted amendment bills relating to the offshore sector and government’s revised fee regime.
New Bills include the Public Transport Bill and the Information and Communications Technology (Validation) Bill.
Meanwhile, there is still no sign of the more controversial bills that the deputy premier, Kenneth Bryan signaled last week that government still wants to steer through parliament before it is progued likely at the end of February or early March. This includes the referendum bill, changes to the National Conservation Act and amendments to immigration legislation, none of which have yet been published.
This means given the need for a 28 day consultation on the final bills parliament will need to meet again in the New Year and the UPM will need to persuade the opposition to support the controversial bills just weeks ahead of the start of the election campaign if the proposed bills are to become law and the referendum to take place on election day.
Having lost its majority however, with the departure of four members last month who will be moving on to what will be a crowded opposition bench the UPM will be looking to the PPM opposition to help it steer through the proposed legislation already on the agenda.
The former opposition leader, Roy McTaggart, criticized the UPM administration last year when Juliana O’Connor-Connolly brought the 2024/2025 budget and the proposed offshore sector fee increases. But it is the new leader Joey Hew who will now have the task of leading the Progressives in the ‘aye or nay’ vote to these revenue raising bills which have already been calculated in the 2025 spending plan.
Members now have until 5pm on 2 December to submit motions as yet none have been approved by the Speaker but it is understood that several are likely to be approved before the meeting starts alongside questions from the opposition to members of the government, and statements by government members. The public is encouraged to stay informed about the proceedings and outcomes of the meeting by tuning in to the Government’s YouTube and CIGTV cable channels. The proceedings can also be followed via Radio Cayman, or in person at the House of Parliament.
Documents will be made available at www.parliament.ky ahead of the meeting.
