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FAQs

Does the Law Reform Commission Have the Power to Change the Law?

The Law Reform Commission does not have the power to change the law. The Commission is a research and policy development body that makes recommendations for reform to the government of the day. The government may choose to accept some, all or none of the Commission’s recommendations on a particular area of reform.

What is the Composition of the Law Reform Commission?

The work of the Law Reform Commission is carried out by seven Commissioners, three full-time legal counsel (the Director, a Senior Legislative Counsel and a Crown Counsel II) and a Legal Administrative Assistant.
The Commissioners are drawn from a range of legal backgrounds in the public and private sectors. The Solicitor General and the Director of Public Prosecutions are ex officio members of the Commission.

How is Law Reform Conducted?

The law reform process is time consuming and comprises extensive consultation, legal research and writing. The Commission usually prepares at least two publications during the course of a project. The first publication, a Discussion or Consultation Paper, sets out the Commission's preliminary suggestions for reform. The preliminary suggestions are made after extensive legal research is carried out by the staff of the Commission and after such research has been considered by the Commissioners. The Commission publishes the Discussion or Consultation paper on www.lrc.gov.ky and www.gov.ky and submits it to identified stakeholders for comments.

The second publication is a Final Report, which is submitted to the Attorney General. It contains the final recommendations of the Commission and, in most cases, supporting draft legislation. The Commission makes its final recommendations after it takes into account the responses it receives on the Discussion or Consultation Paper.

Most projects take between one of five years to complete, depending on the scope of the project.

Who can Make Suggestions to Review a Particular Law?

All members of the Cayman Islands community can make suggestions to review any law which they think requires amendment or repeal. The Commission is empowered to review and consider proposals for reform referred to it by any person or authority.

How Can I Have My Say on a Matter Under Review by the Commission?

The Commission welcomes all submissions during the consultation phase of a project. The Commission specifies the consultation period when it publishes a Discussion or Consultation Paper. Submissions can be made to the Director of the Law Reform Commission in the following ways –

by email to cilawreform@gov.ky;
by post to P.O. Box 136, Grand Cayman KY1-9000; or
by hand delivery to 5th Floor Government Administration Building, Portfolio of Legal Affairs, 133 Elgin Avenue, George Town, Grand Cayman.