It was with shock and sadness to learn of the passing of former Cayman Islands Speaker of the House and North Side MLA Edna Moyle.

Mrs Moyle had been battling with cancer for some years. Family members have confirmed that Ms Moyle died at the Cayman Islands Hospital around 12 noon on Tuesday (21).

From CI Government website – Biography for Edna Moyle

Mrs. Moyle, a native of North Side, has represented that district in the Legislative Assembly from 1992 until 2009.

She received her tertiary education in Jamaica at Knox College and Suthermere Commercial School.

She had considerable experience in the legislative affairs of Government having been Secretary to the Administrator of the Cayman Islands from 1966 to 1969 and Deputy Clerk of the Legislative Assembly from 1971 to 1979. She was Deputy Speaker of the Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2000 and acted as Speaker in 1999.

Mrs. Moyle was well versed in the principles of democracy and good governance. She has represented the Cayman Islands at numerous Commonwealth Parliamentary conferences and seminars in the Caribbean, Canada, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and South Africa.

As a working mother of five children, she has championed the cause of women, children and communities throughout her life. She served as Minister of Community Development, Youth, Sports and Gender Affairs between November 2000 and November 2001.

Mrs. Moyle was a founding member of the People’s Progressive Movement.

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Mrs. Moyle received an OBE in the Queen’s 2009 Birthday Honours list. She was made an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) (OBE) for her “substantial contributions to politics in the Cayman Islands”.

Mrs. Moyle was also a Justice of the Peace. She was one of the persons who put an end to discrimination against women in the civil service, she established a women’s affairs office and she was a guiding force in the launching of Cayman’s Legal Befrienders Clinic, through which needy women can obtain free legal advice. Moyle also moved a Private Member’s Motion that resulted in the Family Support Unit and Cayman’s Crisis Centre.

Commenting on the award of her OBE she said, “I am also grateful to my nominators for thinking my accomplishments were sufficiently worthy. I accepted on behalf of all the people and I want everyone to know that I will always be involved in the welfare of women, youth and children and will be happy to get involved in any way that government wants me to.”