GOVERNOR ROPER ANNOUNCES HIS DEPARTURE FROM CAYMAN

By Staff Writer

HE Governor Martyn Roper has announced that he will depart the Cayman Islands in March next year at the end of his tenure.

“Lissie and I arrived in these wonderful Islands 4 years ago on 29 October 2018. We can’t believe how quickly time has flown by, and what a privilege it has been to be so warmly welcomed to Cayman throughout our time here,” he wrote in a Facebook post dated November 1st.

“Over the last four years as Governor I have shared many extraordinary moments and occasions with you all,” he said and highlighted several of those moments including “ not to forget we had to contend with a challenging earthquake and numerous tropical storms (one of which - Grace – felt to many like a hurricane!).”

In addition to his official duties and community outreach, Mr. Roper’s tenure in Cayman will also be remembered for his intervention in the deadlocked issue of the legal recognition of same-sex partnerships where he had to resort to using his constitutional powers to override existing legislation and imposed the Civil Partnership law.

“As Governor, I have sought to strike a careful balance between my constitutional responsibilities in fully respecting the domestic autonomy and accountability of our elected leaders and fulfilling my UK obligations for security and good governance,” he wrote in the post.

“I have steadfastly supported the people of these Islands, including the financial services industry at overseas events, in UK and on EU and FATF listings,” he added.

Social media-savvy Governor Roper lists a catalogue of accomplishments and engagements from his arrival in Cayman on 29th October 2018 to current and ongoing official and community involvements over the past four years and counting down to March next year when he leaves office.

Among the highlights chosen by Mr. Roper the constitutional change discussions in 2018 that amongst other revisions changed the Legislative Assembly into the House of Parliament and our elected representatives into Members of Parliament, plus setting up a Police Service Commission.

He also recalls supporting both the PPM Government and the PACT Government, working very closely with two Premiers and Ministers, the visit of the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall - now King Charles III - to the Cayman Islands in 2019, the Cayman Islands Government’s response to the Coronavirus Pandemic, the BA repatriation flights, too many press conferences to mention and my first dose of the UK supplied vaccine in early 2021 (those vaccines saved hundreds of lives), and the formation of the Cayman Islands Regiment and continued UK support to our Coast Guard.

Also listed by the Governor are the Pride March and the passing of the Civil Partnership legislation advancing rights in our jurisdiction, the gun salute following the death of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, and the declaration of Ascension of King Charles III, attending the funeral with Premier Panton of Her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth III, and the 2021 Elections and appointment of local election observers,  and more recently the swearing in of the new Chief Justice, Margaret Ramsay-Hale

On his social and community engagements, Mr. Roper mentions “a steel pan performance with my teacher Earl La Pierre in front of hundreds of people!, a wide range of interactions with our community from seniors to youth to media to charities to blue iguanas, meeting with the crew of HMS Medway following Hurricane Ian,” adding that “there are so many more I could have included”

He said, “it has been inspiring and uplifting to interact with so many different people across the community and to see how much community activity and care there is for others.”

Mr. Roper, who has another five months in Cayman, remarked: “Both Lissie and I have come to love and admire so much about the Islands that we have called our home for the last four years. We will be here until the end of March 2023. There is still much to do but I look back with pride and affection at the last 4 years. We emerged stronger from the pandemic. I remain confident about the future success and prosperity of Cayman. God bless the people of these Islands.”