18/09/2026
PPM Weekly Wrap Up 🇰🇾
It has been another busy week for the Opposition, both at home and abroad.
Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition, and Hon. Pearlina McGaw Lumsden, Deputy Speaker, joined other Cayman Islands parliamentarians in Cape Town, South Africa for the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference, held from 13 to 19 September. The conference brought together parliamentarians from across the Commonwealth under the theme “Strengthening International Law and Parliamentary Democracy in a Changing World Order: Commonwealth Leadership.” The programme included the CPA General Assembly, the 42nd CPA Small Branches Conference, the 10th Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference and sessions addressing issues including inclusive trade, climate resilience, artificial intelligence in parliaments, human rights and accessible parliaments.
Back home, Hon. Joseph “Joey” Hew, Leader of the Opposition, joined For The Record on Wednesday, where he responded to claims by Employment and Immigration Minister Michael Myles concerning Trade & Business Licensing requirements and employers’ pension and health insurance obligations. Mr. Hew disputed the Minister’s claim that changes made in 2017 removed the requirement for applicants to demonstrate that they were compliant with those obligations. Mr. Hew’s position was that the changes were intended to assist businesses at the initial application stage, particularly start-ups that did not yet have employees, while compliance checks continued to apply at renewal.
Also this week, Hon. Joseph “Joey” Hew raised concerns about the condition of the Sir John A. Cumber Primary School playing field in West Bay. Following a visit to the facility, Mr. Hew highlighted holes in the artificial turf and inadequate lighting, describing the field as dangerous and calling for greater attention to its maintenance. The field is shared by the school and the wider community, and the Ministry of Youth, Sports, Culture and Heritage said its facilities team would assess the lighting.
Hon. Kenneth Bryan, Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Immigration, also made headlines this week after calling for tighter policing of marriages of convenience. Mr. Bryan called for clear legislative rules, evidentiary standards and enforcement mechanisms to identify fraudulent arrangements while protecting legitimate couples. He also reiterated his opposition to the extended timeline for spouses of Caymanians to obtain Caymanian status, arguing that genuine Caymanian families should not be penalised in efforts to address abuse of the immigration system.
As we head into the weekend, we encourage everyone to take extra care on our roads. Slow down, stay alert, be vigilant and look out for one another.
Have a safe weekend, Cayman, and as always, For Love of Country. 🇰🇾