Deputy Leader Kenneth Bryan Files Motion to "Unmask" Crime; Notifies Premier and Governor of National Security Initiative

Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Kenneth Bryan, has officially filed a Private Member’s Motion calling for urgent amendments to the relevant legislation to restrict masks and total head coverings in public spaces and neighborhoods.

The motion follows a robust exchange during the Finance Committee on November 18, 2025, where Deputy Leader Bryan questioned Commissioner of Police Kurt Walton on the operational hurdles created by the lingering post-pandemic "masking culture." The Commissioner confirmed that the widespread use of non-medical masks is a significant barrier to the RCIPS achieving its crime detection targets.

The Deputy says the ALL members of Parliament must move swiftly to provide the RCIPS and the business community with the legislative teeth needed to ensure that the Cayman Islands remains one of the safest jurisdictions in the world.

“The COVID-19 pandemic is behind us, yet the veil of anonymity it created remains a tool for criminals,” said Deputy Leader Bryan. “Our business owners are fearful, and our police are being forced to identify shadows instead of faces. It is time we restore the Caymanian standard of transparency and public safety.”

In a decisive move this morning, the Deputy Leader also issued formal correspondence to both the Honourable Premier, André Ebanks, and Her Excellency the Governor, Jane Owen, as the head of National Security. The Deputy Leader is calling for a bipartisan, unified front to address the "criminal's veil" that is currently shielding perpetrators and leaves residents across all districts in fear.

“We have moved beyond simple health masks to a culture of total head concealment,” stated Deputy Leader Bryan. “I have notified the Governor and the Premier that the Opposition is ready to work across the aisle,” Bryan added. “Criminals do not care about political parties, and neither should our response to this crime wave.

 The proposed legislation includes a balanced approach, providing strict exemptions for certified medical needs and occupational PPE for workers like gardeners, professional using chemicals, construction crews while on the job. But for everyone else, the mask must come off in our streets and our shops. “We are not choosing between health and safety; we are ensuring that security is the priority for every resident, in every district, across all three Islands.” I look forward to a positive response from the Government so we can move forward with one voice for the safety of all Caymanians.”