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CAYMAN ISLANDS
General
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1. Three islands: Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. Total land area about 100 square miles.
Population: Grand Cayman 15,000; Cayman Brac 1,603; Little Cayman 74. (1979 census.)
Political
2. The Cayman Islands are proud of their present status as a dependent territory of Britain and are opposed to seeking independence. They enjoy a large measure of internal
self-government. The present constitution, introduced in
1972, provides for a member system, whereby elected members are assigned responsibility for departments of government. The
Legislative Assembly, of which the Governor is the President
consists of 15 - 12 elected and 3 official members. Four of the elected members and the 3 official members form the Executive Council, chaired by the Governor, which is responsible for day-to-day government. At the last general election in November 1980 most of the members of the previous legislature were re-elected. There are no political parties but at the 1980 election (for the first time) the candidates formed themselves into 2 broad groups.
Economic
3. The Cayman Islands have one of the highest standards of
living in the Caribbean. The mainstays of the economy are off-shore commercial and banking activity and tourism but
efforts are being made to develop other sectors of the
economy. An oil transfer facility has been established and
light industrial and agricultural production is being
encouraged with some success.
West Indian and Atlantic Department February 1981