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A week or two ago, Finance Minster Cox suggested that it was envy that prompted the Cayman Islands to comment on one of Bermuda's policy initiatives. While I think the Minister's comments were tongue-in-cheek, my own envy rises when I look at the website of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly. I think our entire population, especially our politicians, ought to feel envious.

The Cayman Island website lists Bills currently being debated, Bills in draft form, and even contains the "impartial, accurate and permanent record of Parliamentary debate" known as a Hansard.

Why is it that the Bermuda government's website can publish every minor speech by Ministers yet not have even an outline of what takes place in Parliament? On the Cayman website one can read the debates, verbatim, all the way back to 1994.

One can also read the Motions, Regulations and even Parliamentary Questions and answers.

Why don't I live there then?

There are even web pages for the Cayman Parliament's standing committees. I can imagine that some PLP functionary will suggest that if I like the Cayman Islands so much why don't I leave Bermuda and go there (they do tend to resort to that kind of ad hominen argument).

But if a government Minister wants to claim that we in Bermuda do it better, that ought to be reflected in how we actually do things here. Where I choose to live would be totally beside the point. The thing is, we could do it better in Bermuda, and the question we all should be asking is, "Why, with all our purse and pride, are we not?"

Our government has outdone itself in hiring journalists, inflating its press corps, constructing a grand media theatre and kitting out a government TV station. But these are mostly to benefit the public relations efforts of the Chief Minister's business. Our government has achieved far less in making information available about the people's business such as a full legislative agenda. Instead of complaining about media reports of parliamentary debates, for example, why not invest in a Hansard and publish it in print and online?

Instead of attempting to stifle Parliamentary Questions, as our Premier did earlier this year, why not emulate the Cayman Islands and publish the questions and the answers on the government's website?

Already, the Cayman's have published a draft anti-corruption Bill on their website. Surely we have good reason to want to be way out in front on that subject.

Among other things, the draft Cayman anti-corruption laws deal specifically with fraud or breaches of trust by public officials, elected or appointed; with loans or gifts in attempts to influence legislation or policy; with false claims and abuses of authority; with acquisition or disposition of property in questionable circumstances.

The law even has a section dealing with the protection of informers, a so-called "whistle-blower protection" clause. The law also prevents those alleged to have committed a corruption offence from being able to seek immunity for words or actions said or done inside parliament. As a safeguard, the Attorney General must yearly report to Parliament on the enforcement of the anti-corruption law.

And the entire draft legislation along with a clause-by-clause explanation is published on the Cayman website.

Instead of spending our money on legal manoeuvrings to prevent the disclosure of corruption, our government ought to be taking real legislative steps to prevent, detect and prosecute corruption. Now that would be worthy of envy.

[P.S. My thanks to the 'Vexed Bermoothes' Blog - www.vexedbermoothes.com - for steering me to the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly website.][[In-content Ad]]

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