The Government in Parliament

Explore concise and informative summaries of parliamentary proceedings, providing highlights such as key discussions, decisions, and legislative matters addressed during each session.

Learn about the bills for deliberation below:

The Anti-Sexual Harassment Bill 2025 aims to strengthen protections against sexual harassment in the workplace and other settings. The bill defines sexual harassment in a comprehensive manner, covering verbal, physical, and visual conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.

It establishes clear processes for complaints, investigations, and penalties for offenders, promoting a culture of accountability. The bill also requires employers to implement policies and provide training on preventing harassment. Key provisions include safeguarding victims from retaliation and ensuring that organisations are proactive in addressing harassment issues.

The National Conservation (Amendment) Bill 2024 seeks to enhance environmental protection by amending existing conservation laws. Key provisions of the bill include strengthening regulations around the protection of endangered species, critical habitats, and marine environments. It also focuses on improving enforcement mechanisms, increasing penalties for violations, and providing clearer guidelines for sustainable development. The bill aims to ensure better management of natural resources, promote conservation efforts, and support the territory's commitment to environmental sustainability for future generations. Additionally, it empowers government agencies with greater authority to take proactive measures in conservation efforts.

The Referendum (Cruise Berthing Infrastructure, Gambling and Cannabis) Bill 2024 addresses three significant issues that will be put to the public vote: cruise berthing infrastructure, gambling, and cannabis legalisation. The bill establishes a process for holding a referendum on each of these matters, allowing citizens to vote on whether they support or oppose the development of new cruise berthing facilities, the legalisation of gambling, and the decriminalisation or regulation of cannabis. It outlines the procedures for organising and conducting the referendum, the eligibility criteria for voters, and the process for counting and announcing the results. The goal of the bill is to ensure that these important issues are decided through a democratic process, reflecting the will of the people.

The Customs and Border Control (Amendment) Bill introduces several key changes to the import process in the Cayman Islands. First, it establishes a 2% duty rate on temporary imports, meaning goods brought into the country for short-term use will be subject to this fee. The bill also introduces new penalties for non-compliance with import regulations, aimed at strengthening enforcement. Additionally, it introduces non-refundable application fees for certain customs-related services, which are designed to cover administrative costs and reduce misuse of the system. These amendments aim to streamline operations and improve revenue collection while ensuring greater compliance with customs regulations.

The Beneficial Ownership Transparency Bill, seeks to revise the definition of "beneficial owner" to ensure clarity in identifying individuals who control entities. It also empowers the Competent Authority to grant access to the beneficial ownership search platform to additional entities, including the Customs and Border Control Service, to enhance enforcement and compliance. Furthermore, the bill includes measures to ensure the continued effectiveness of the legislative framework governing beneficial ownership transparency. Finally, it addresses incidental and connected matters to support the broader objectives of the Act.