Existing comment:
Caymanian Government after 1831
The system of government established at Pedro St. James in 1831 remained relatively unchanged for more than a century.
At the edge of the British empire, the Cayman Islands received little attention from colonial officials in Jamaica or London. The initiative taken by Caymanians in 1831 to establish a legitimate local government did not receive the sanction of Parliament until 1863, when Britain confirmed the status of the Cayman Islands as a dependency of Jamaica, with limited self-governance. This arrangement lasted until 1959, when the Islands received their first written constitution and woman [sic] finally obtained the right to vote. Three years later, the Cayman Islands became a British colony district [sic] from Jamaica, and in 1972 a new constitution increased the responsibilities of the elected members of government.
Demand Parsons, the Custos (Chief Magistrate), was appointed by the Governor of Jamaica in 1888 to be the first full-time chief executive of the Government of the Cayman Islands.
Commissioner George Hirst (left), who wrote Notes on the History of the Cayman Islands, poses with the Justices and Vestrymen in 1911. The Commissioner and the Justices were appointed by the Governor of Jamaica, whereas the Vestrymen were elected.
The courthouse (now the National Museum), George Town, in 1911. The legislative meetings were held here for many years.
The Legislative Assembly building which opened in 1972. The Justices and the Vestry were renamed the Executive Council and Legislative Assembly in 1959. Both bodies now have elected and appointed members. |