ABOUT THE PREMIER
Minister of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency and
Finance and Economic Development
Elected Member for Newlands
The Premier of the Cayman Islands, Hon. G. Wayne Panton, JP, MP, served in the Legislative Assembly (now Parliament) as a Member for Bodden Town, and as a Cabinet Minister from 2013-2017. Following his re-election as Member of Parliament for Newlands in April 2021, Hon. Panton was sworn in as Premier on Wednesday, 21 April, 2021. The Honourable Premier is the Minister of Sustainability and Climate Resiliency and recently (March 2023) the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development has been added to his Portfolio.
The Hon. G. Wayne Panton was born in the Cayman Islands and grew up in Newlands, Grand Cayman. He attended Cayman Prep School and subsequently, what was then called the Cayman Islands High School. Following graduation from sixth form he attended the Cayman Islands Law School (now Truman Bodden Law School) and joined the firm of WS Walker & Co (now Walkers) as an articled clerk. After qualifying in 1988, he joined Walkers as a corporate and trust associate.
Hon. Panton became a partner in Walkers in January 1997. During a period of very significant growth he had been a member of the firm’s three member Management Committee, the Deputy Managing Partner, Managing Partner of the firm’s international structured and asset finance practice and Chairman of the Walkers Group until his retirement in June 2011.
He has been active in a number of professional, civic organisations, district and community organisations and statutory authorities. He was President of the Caymanian Bar Association, Chairman of the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands, Vice Chairman of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands and a member of the Government Shipping Sector Consultative Committee.
Hon. Panton grew up on the water, so loves the sea and has logged many miles of open ocean fishing and travelling. His love for the outdoors is also reflected in such diverse interests as diving and flying. He resides in Newlands with his wife, Jane.
The annual Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference (CWP) marked the launch of the 45th Annual General Meeting, with the Deputy Premier, Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, JP, MP, and the Speaker, Hon. Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, MP, representing the Cayman Islands. Sessions included discussions on the critical role of women in democratic governance, youth crime, the CWP constitution, and roundtable discussions on the experiences of current female parliamentarians.
“The Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians Conference sparked a number of innovative ideas for how I can empower women in my community for the next women’s month” said the Speaker. “More women should be encouraged to enter into leadership roles in politics, so I intend to give women an opportunity to learn how to debate by spending the day at Parliament with myself and other female politicians.”
Following the CWP sessions, delegates held sessions on biodiversity and food security preparedness, adapting to climate change, preparing for national disasters, promoting democracy, crime and security, banking standards, and health care. Mr. Christopher Saunders, MP, was a panelist for the session on banking standards, and provided delegates with best practices from Cayman’s financial management and legislation.
A strong contingent of nearly two-dozen youth parliamentarians gathered on 26th July for the 16th Regional Youth Parliament. The two Caymanian delegates were selected for the top two positions, with Mr. Amani Ebanks as the YP Premier, and Mr. Alex Harris as the YP Leader of the Opposition.
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