The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009

Speaker and Deputy Speaker

65.—(1) At the first sitting of the Legislative Assembly after a general election, and as soon as practicable after a vacancy occurs in the relevant office otherwise than on a dissolution of the Assembly, the elected members of the Assembly shall by a majority vote elect—

(a) a Speaker from among the elected members of the Assembly, or persons who are qualified to be elected as members of the Assembly, other than Ministers; and

(b) a Deputy Speaker from among the elected members of the Assembly other than Ministers;

and the election of the Speaker and the Deputy Speaker shall take precedence over any other business of the Assembly.

(2) A person shall vacate the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker—

(a) upon a dissolution of the Legislative Assembly;

(b) if he or she informs the Assembly, by writing addressed to the Assembly and received by the Clerk of the Assembly, that he or she resigns his or her office;

(c) in any circumstances which, in the case of the Speaker, would cause him or her to vacate his or her seat as, or if he or she were, a member of the Assembly, or, in the case of the Deputy Speaker, if he or she ceases to be an elected member of the Assembly;

(d) if, on the date of his or her election as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, he or she is a party to, or a partner in a firm or a director or manager of a company which is a party to, any contract with the Government or if, on any date after such election he or she or a firm in which he or she is a partner or a company of which he or she is a director or manager becomes a party to any such contract or he or she becomes a partner in a firm or a director or manager of a company which is a party to any such contract, and he or she does not, before the expiration of 30 days from the date in question, disclose to the Assembly or, if that is impracticable, to the Clerk of the Assembly in writing the nature of such contract and his or her interest, or the interest of such a firm or company, in it and the Assembly does not exempt him or her from vacating his or her office under this paragraph;

(e) if he or she becomes a Minister; or

(f) on the passing, by the votes of two-thirds of the elected members of the Assembly, of a motion expressing no confidence in him or her as Speaker or Deputy Speaker, as the case may be.

(3) If the office of Speaker or Deputy Speaker becomes vacant, the Legislative Assembly shall elect another Speaker or Deputy Speaker fulfilling the requirements of subsection (1)(a) and (b).