After much to and fro, same-sex couples in the Cayman Islands are now allowed to enter into civil partnerships. The British Governor of the Cayman Islands, Martyn Roper, approved the Civil Partnership Law last Friday.

The Civil Partnership Law paves the way for same-sex couples in the Cayman Islands to register their relationship and enter into a legally recognised partnership.

Governor Martyn Roper at the introduction of the law:

“Today we will end discrimination against Caymans and others in our islands while protecting the institution of marriage.”

Years of strife end with a word of authority in the service of Her Majesty

In the Cayman Islands, marriage for all was first introduced last November and – after the government under Alden McLoughlin appealed and the appeal was upheld in the Court of Appeal – was reversed only a few months later.

Even then, the Court of Appeal called on the government to introduce same-sex partnerships, which are legally equivalent to marriage. If the Cayman Islands do not legislate in this regard, Britain must “acknowledge its legal responsibility” and “take steps to end this unsatisfactory state of affairs”, the Appeals Court’s statement said.

Roper was thus acting using his reserved powers under Section 81 of the Constitution, since the Cayman Islands are part of the United Kingdom’s overseas territory. However, the autonomy of the Cayman Islands was in no way threatened, Roper affirmed: “British intervention in this way is extremely rare”.

Prime Minister Alden McLaughlin “deeply humiliated”

Prime Minister Alden McLaughlin said he was “deeply humiliated that the British Government was forced to legislate for us in relation to the Civil Partnership Act because of our failure to fulfil our duty as legislators”. In a statement, McLaughlin, who with his government had instigated the annulment of same-sex marriage in the first place, admitted that the Cayman Islands were not a theocracy, “but a democracy, and no democracy can survive for long if it does not respect the rule of law.

Queer organisations continue to fight

Billie “Bee” Bryan, founder and president of Colours Cayman – a local non-profit organisation for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queers, inter- and asexuals – welcomed the introduction of the Civil Partnership Act.

However, speaking to Loopcayman, Bryan stressed that absolute equality of marriage is “the only true means of achieving equality” and Colours Cayman will continue to fight for “absolute equality of marriage”. “We believe,” said Bryan,

“that our constitution does not allow people to be treated separately for any reason but equally.”

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