The newly-established Fuel Review Select Committee will hold its first meeting on
Friday, 1st March at 1:00 p.m., swiftly on the heels of the House Meeting that
recently concluded on Tuesday, 27th February. Called by Hon. Johany Ebanks, Chair
of the select committee, the agenda for the afternoon meeting includes discussion
of a schedule and terms of reference.

The select committee consists of the following eight Members of Parliament (MPs):

• Hon. Johany Ebanks, MP – Chairman
• Mr. Christopher Saunders, MP – Member
• Hon. Dwayne Seymour, JP, MP – Member
• Hon. Kenneth Bryan, MP – Member
• Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, MP – Member
• Hon. W. McKeeva Bush, JP, MP – Member
• Mr. Bernie Bush, MP – Member
• Ms. Barbara E. Conolly, NP, JP, MP – Member

Section 70 of the Parliament Standing Orders (2024 Revision) allows for the
establishment of a select committee either to more closely consider a Bill or to
assist the House in “exercising its function under Part IV of the Constitution”. That
part of the Constitution is namely to conduct the work of the legislature.

Mr. Christopher Saunders initially requested the establishment of the select
committee in September 2023 through Private Members’ Motion No. 9, which was
seconded by Hon. W. McKeeva Bush. This week’s Meeting formally established the
membership of the select committee through Government Motion No. 5 which was
moved by Hon. Johany Ebanks. It did not require a seconder due to the mover being
a Minister.

In both motions, the purpose of the select committee was to review the cost of fuel
in the Cayman Islands, and to make recommendations to the House on how to
reduce said costs. Once the committee has concluded its work, it will submit a
report to the House in accordance with Parliament Standing Order (74). All
committee meeting schedules and tabled reports are published on the Parliament’s
website.

In accordance with Parliament Standing Order (71), select committees naturally
dissolve when Parliament is dissolved at the end of the Term and do not
automatically reform with each elected Term.

This is the first Select Committee of the 2023-2024 Session of Parliament, and only
the second Select Committee formed in the current 2021-2025 Term (the Select
Committee on the Gambling (Amendment) Bill, 2022 was established in December
2022 and has held two meetings so far).

Previous Select Committees included the “Select Committee to review The
Immigration Law, 1992 (1997 Revision), The Local Companies (Control) Law (1995
Revision) and The Trade and Business Licensing Law (1996 Revision)” which was
established on 21st April, 1997, and the “Select Committee to review the Health
Insurance Law (Law 15 of 1997)” held in 2003.

Definitions:

• “Term”: The four-year period of elected representation.
• “Session”: A parliamentary year.
• “Meeting”: A meeting of the House that can be made of several days.
• “Sitting”: A daily meeting within the Meeting.