EDITORIAL: Christianity, Culture, Heritage and Human Rights

The Cayman Islands have been known to be a God Fearing and Christian community for many years. In recent times, many residents including the Government thanked GOD for his mercy and grace for the Islands’ current success in dealing with the COVID 19 pandemic. As of August 5, there were no positive cases and no deaths linked to community transmission.

In a development that’s certain to have far-reaching social and political implications for the Cayman Islands, His Excellency The Governor, Martyn Roper, announced on Wednesday that he will assert his constitutional powers and enact the controversial Domestic Partnership law.

This swift action by the Governor was forewarned by Premier Alden McLaughlin, but many residents never expected this decision to take place so soon after the defeat of the Government’s bill one week ago.

We believe that this precedent will open the flood gates for further deterioration of the Christian Culture and Heritage as other enacted laws were also linked to the Christian Heritage.

Two examples are the Saturday Midnight closing of Bars which was said to be related to Sunday Worship and also the absence of casinos and gaming laws.

Many residents have publicly criticized the hypocrisy of these laws as Bars currently are allowed to open on Sunday mornings and raffles (a form of gambling) are allowed to be conducted as fund raising events.

One can now expect these arguments to return to the fore front when elected officials will find it difficult to use the excuse of Christian Heritage in these cases.

The Cayman Islands still remain an Overseas British Territory and this cultural shift was inevitable. We would have preferred if it was gradual and not enforced during a pandemic when the future economic success of the Cayman Islands depends on the unity of its citizens.

We will hear calls for unity, but it will take time for this fire to simmer as people accept the reality that the decision ultimately lies in the hands of the Governor and the UK Parliament.

We believe in Human Rights and that a person’s relation and faith is a personal decision that should not be forced on others.

Change is inevitable. The success of change, as we have learnt, is related to the pace of that change and the level of communication. As leaders we must ensure that change management includes the entire team and that all members are important.

We wish the best for this paradise we call home, and we encourage those with strong values, Heritage and Culture to hold tight to their beliefs as we respect the rule of earthly law whilst practicing tolerance for those who hold different values and customs.

The Cayman Islands is no longer a place that time forgot. We live in a global village with no real borders and we must realize that our neighbours may have come from a location far away.

In the words of Sheri L Dew, neither man nor woman is perfect or complete without the other. Thus, no marriage or family, no ward or stake is likely to reach its full potential until husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, men and women work together in unity of purpose, respecting and relying upon each other's strengths.