It is somewhat difficult to follow the debate. There is no question that Cayman is not looking for independence and wants to remain a protectorate. There is a debate about what that status means. Yesterday I attended a meeting of a civic organization I am joining, and the guest speaker was from the constitutional authority to talk about the referendum. She spoke of the current situation and why Cayman is drafting a new constitution. There was a similar process prior to Ivan but it failed and then when Ivan came along was shelved. This new process is well along and is ready to be put to a vote of the people.
After the speaker finished the floor was opened for questions. There were a few questions about helping the Cubans and about the impact on the roll over policy. Then a few softball questions about whether the referendum might get pushed back and the voting places that have been chosen. Eventually, the questions started coming fast and furious on whether or not the new constitution would have a bill of rights. At first I thought the questions must be because people wanted a bill of rights but it quickly became obvious that wasn't the case. In fact, it is having the bill of rights section that most concerned the questioners and finally someone said what apparently everyone else had been thinking but not saying which was does this new constitution and the bill of rights mean Cayman is going to have gay marriage?
Apparently there is concern here that since the U.K. has civil unions that will be imposed on Cayman and Caymanians are concerned that the new Constitution and the bill of rights in it is the vehicle for that. The speaker kept assuring the group that this was not the case and that the constitution does not change the definition of marriage. It was a stark reminder of just how conservative this Island is.
