Mary Lawrence, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly (LA), made an error on Monday (5) by leaving a motion still on the floor whilst moving on to another.

It was plain to see and hear that the speaker seemed very confused and muddled as she made her decisions. She also was unaware of the letter from Overseas Territories Minister Mark Simmonds that had been widely publicized in all the media, which was the subject of Cayman Islands premier, Hon. McKeeva Bush’s speech.

Independent MLA from North Side, Ezzard Miller, moved a motion to reject the statement by the premier so that it could be debated in the House. The motion was seconded by Hon. Alden McLaughlin but Mary Lawrence ignored it, something she cannot do. She can either allow the debate or close it. She did neither but ordered the Clerk to move on. To the next item of business.

When Miller and Arden McLean, MLA for East End, tried to point out her error Lawrence told them to sit down.

The LA had opened with the premier’s address regarding the problems he has with the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and Mark Simmonds’ letter that had been sent to the media. Mr. Bush said he was ignoring the warnings Simmonds had given in his letter and was proceeding with his changed transposition of the Framework for Fiscal responsibility into local law, and was proceeding with the China Harbour Engineering Company negotiations to construct the George Town Cruise Ship Berthing Terminal.

Now that Lawrence has made this error it can be challenged in the courts as the LA is subject to judicial review.