🗳️ Cayman Islands government accused of ignoring electoral boundary report

Local attorney Steve McField has expressed his frustration over the Cayman Islands Government's failure to address a report on the country's revised election landscape. The report was handed over by the Electoral Boundary Commission (EBC) over eight months ago and aimed to balance the challenges of growing voter numbers in Bodden Town while preserving historic district boundaries. With less than a year before the next general election, the current administration has yet to respond to the report or outline which of the EBC's recommended options it plans to implement. 🏛️

McField's anger was evident during a recent appearance on Radio Cayman's talk show, For the Record, where he criticized the administration's lack of planning and policies. He expressed his disgust that the report was still sitting with the Cayman Islands Government (CIG) with no word or debate about the EBC's findings. The EBC's report recommended several changes, including the creation of four supersized districts in Bodden Town and adjustments to the constituency boundaries within most of the traditional districts. However, even if these recommendations are implemented, there would still be a 22% difference between the four seats in Bodden Town and the six in George Town. 📻

The current voter register, published on April 1, lists 23,470 voters, slightly less than the 23,496 listed last summer when the EBC reviewed the constituencies. The disparities in voter numbers across constituencies are expected to increase as the population grows and more people become eligible to vote. This could potentially lead to a less democratic electoral landscape, with voters in larger constituencies having less influence compared to those in smaller seats. The EBC's report aimed to address these issues, but without the government's response, its recommendations remain unimplemented. 🗳️