EDITORIAL: Voters may soon have their say. Are you ready?

It is now clear that registered voters in the Cayman Islands may have a chance to have an official say on the divisive topic on whether government should move ahead with its plans for the cruise berthing project in George Town.

However, there have been those who have expressed unease at the need for the Supervisor of Elections to verify each signature on the petition. Some have indicated a fear of victimisation but it is understood the process is to ensure everything is legally sound heading into the vote.

Getting the required number of signatures does not automatically mean campaigners have stopped government from moving forward. What happens now is that there will likely be a vote on whether the project should advance. Government, however, will be the ones setting the tone for any such vote. They will determine the exact wording of the question to be posed at a referendum.

With that explainer out of the way, we return to the right to vote. In prior editorials, we have stressed the importance of registering to have your name on the electoral register. A case like this shows that there is the potential to be called upon to have a say on matters of national importance aside from the four-year election cycle.

The referendum will not only be for those who oppose the project in its current form but for those who are also in support. Both sides have the right to let their vote be counted. Staying away because you don’t agree with the campaigners is the coward’s way out and cheapens the process.

We continue to watch developments and encourage everyone eligible to vote to turn out on Referendum Day and let their voices be heard. Democracy is, after all, not a spectator sport.