The Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009

Allocation of responsibilities to Ministers

54.—(1) The Governor, acting in accordance with the advice of the Premier, shall by directions in writing—

(a) charge any Minister with responsibility for the conduct (subject to this Constitution and any other law) of any business of the Government including responsibility for the administration of any department of government;

(b) designate the style by which any Minister so charged shall be known,

but a Minister shall be charged with responsibility for finance.

(2) If the persons appointed as Ministers do not include an elected member of the Legislative Assembly representing Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, the Minister with responsibility for District Administration should ensure that the District Commissioner liaises with the members of the Assembly representing Cayman Brac and Little Cayman.

(3) Nothing in this section shall empower the Governor to confer on any Minister authority to exercise any function that is conferred by this Constitution or any other law on any person or authority other than a Minister.

(4) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (3), except for the purpose of submitting questions relating to such matters to the Cabinet and conducting business relating to such matters in the Legislative Assembly, a Minister shall not be charged under this section with responsibility for—

(a) any matter for which the Governor, acting in his or her discretion, is responsible under section 55;

(b) the discharge by the courts of their judicial functions;

(c) the initiation, conduct and discontinuance of criminal proceedings; or

(d) the audit of the accounts of the Cayman Islands or any authority or office of the Government or of the courts.

(5) Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly with respect to any matter for which a Minister is responsible under this section.

(6) A Minister charged under subsection (1) with responsibility for the conduct of any business of the Government may be assisted in the discharge of that responsibility by a board, committee or other similar body consisting wholly or partly of persons who are not public officers and established by a law made under this Constitution or by directions in writing given by the Minister concerned; and any such body shall have such advisory, consultative and administrative functions as may be conferred on it by such a law or directions, but, in exercising any such functions, the body shall be subject to the directions of the Minister concerned.

(7) Where a Minister has been charged under subsection (1) with responsibility for the administration of any department of government, the Minister shall (subject to this Constitution and any other law) exercise general direction and control over the department, and, subject to such direction and control, the department shall be under the supervision of a public officer; but two or more departments of government may be placed under the supervision of one public officer.

(8) The Governor, acting in his or her discretion, may at any time call for any official papers or seek any official information or advice available to a Minister with respect to a matter for which that Minister is responsible under this section.