As Chairman of the Human Rights Commission I am pleased to share in the celebrations of Implementation Day. Today – 6 November, 2012 – is a monumental day; one of which we should all be proud; one which marks a new beginning for the people of the Cayman Islands. Today is the day in which our Bill of Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities become enforceable on a local level.

The rights within the Bill of Rights, Freedoms and Responsibilities are fundamental to the lifestyle we are all so blessed to enjoy in the Cayman Islands. The people of these islands have fought for these rights and it is our duty to continue to work to ensure our future generations receive the same or better rights than we do today. With these rights come freedoms but so too come responsibilities. We look to our Government to ensure that the people of the Cayman Islands are treated with dignity and respect, fairly and humanely, lawfully and rationally through sound policies, procedures and legislation. We seek to promote the importance and democratic values amongst those who form the next generation through these rights.

The Commission continues to seek to promote, protect, and preserve human rights for the people of the Cayman Islands and we hope you will join us to embrace the journey and the challenges which lie ahead.

Remember that these are YOUR rights!

Richard Coles