Barbara Elizabeth Conolly, TEP, JP, MP
Elected Member for George Town South
Ms. Conolly graduated from Triple “C” High School in 1977 and went on to attend the University College of the Cayman Islands where she attained a diploma in Banking and a Certificate in Offshore Administration. She later became a full member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and awarded a diploma in International Trust Management – a designation of a Registered Trust and Estate Practitioner (TEP).
Ms. Conolly has worked in the financial services industry for over 30 years in the areas of corporate and fiduciary services and held the position of Manager of Fiduciary Services prior to her political career.
Ms. Conolly has been a member of Parliament since 2017. She served as a Councilor (now Parliamentary Secretary) for Education and Youth and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development. During this term she served on several House Standing Committees, including the Public Accounts Committee, the Standing Select Committee to Oversee the Performance of the Office of the Ombudsman. She also served as the Chairperson of the Organizing Committee of Youth Parliament. She assumed the role of Deputy Speaker in 2020 and acted as Speaker periodically.
Ms. Conolly was re-elected in 2021 and currently serves in the Opposition and is the Shadow Minister for Education and Social Development. She is also a member of the Public Accounts Committee and a member of the Organizing Committee of the Youth Parliament.
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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