The Cayman Islands National Archive (CINA) is dedicated to preserving the documentary history of the Cayman Islands and its people.
The National Archive's operations have many facets. Not only is the Archive charged with operating a Government Records Centre and providing a records management service to the Public Service, CINA is also responsible for collecting, preserving and making available the archival records that form the Historical Collections.
The National Archive takes a holistic approach to research. Archives pertaining to the Cayman Islands flow into the Historical Collections from Government agencies, private donations, copies of records identified within the holdings of overseas institutions and our Oral History Programme. To further enhance the client experience, the Archive has a large reference library making our facility a single site for research. We offer our clients both primary and secondary sources for the genealogist to the academic researcher.
Locked within the documentary heritage of our island is a rich history awaiting to be discovered, embraced and revived for the benefit of community.
The National Archive comprises the following sections:
The National Archive provides two sets of services: one to the public and one to government. For members of the public, the Archive acquires, preserves and gives access to the historical heritage of the Cayman Islands; for government departments it supports a modern records and information management service ensuring that official records are properly managed from the moment of their creation until they are transferred into the Historical Collections or disposed. The two services are closely linked: today’s records are tomorrow’s archives. Only with sound records management and meticulous preservation can records be carefully maintained for future generations.
The work focuses on two major outcomes:
For more information, please see the Classes of Information page or Section 7: Categories of Information of our publication scheme.
The Cayman Islands National Archive is established under The National Archive and Public Records Act (2015 Revision). The major responsibilities of the National Archive are defined in this Law and the accompanying Regulations. The National Archive also has responsibilities to establish rules and procedures, as defined in The Financial Regulations section 43(2); The Personnel Regulations section 49(3); and The Freedom of Information Act section 52(3).