Mr. Joseph X. Hew, MP
Elected Member for George Town North
As the Managing Director and Chief Operations Officer of his family’s group of companies, that include Hew’s Hotel & Restaurant Supplies, Restaurant Depot, Bon Vivant, Macdonald’s, the Office Bar, and Hew’s Janitorial, Mr. Joseph “Joey” Hew brings a wealth of successful business experience to public life.
Mr. Hew is a past President of the Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, and headed the Cayman Islands Restaurant Association for five years until it’s amalgamation into the Cayman Islands Tourism Association, where he continued to serve as a Director. In addition he has been Deputy Chairman of the Trade and Business Licensing Board, as well as the Port Authority of the Cayman Islands.
In 2013 he sought office as a George Town candidate under the banner of the Progressives and in winning his seat was named Councillor (now Parliamentary Secretary) to the Ministry of Constituency Administration, Tourism and Transport.
In 2017 he re-elected and served as the Minister for Commerce, Planning and Infrastructure.
Mr. Hew was re-elected in the 2021 election and is currently serving as the deputy Leader of the Opposition. He is a Member of the Youth Parliament Committee, Ombudsman Committee (Standing Select Committee) and is a member of the Council of the Parliamentary Management Commission.
He and his wife Cynthia are the parents of two sons
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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