Winston Connolly, George Town MLA and education ministry councillor, has announced he has left the ruling Progressives’ government.

“I’m a just an ordinary Caymanian who serves his community as a member of the Legislative Assembly. Nothing more,” he said, “People need to come ahead of parties. People need to come ahead of politics. I am here to serve the people, not the parties. Going forward as an Independent I feel I will be in a better position to raise the pressing and important issues facing our Beloved Cayman Islands. I will support the Government in whatever I believe is in the best interest of these Islands and my people. I am here to be a voice for the people and I will be an independent voice, standing firmly in opposition to any proposals that go against their best interests.”

His resignation from the government benches is the third in two months.

Connolly ran as an independent C4C candidate at the last election.

This leaves the Progressives led coalition with nine members on the government benches plus the speaker, Julianna O’Connor Connolly.