Sybil Ione McLaughlin (24 August 1928 – 10 May 2022) was a Caymanian politician who became the first Speaker of the

Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands The Parliament of the Cayman Islands is the unicameral legislature of the British Overseas Territory of the Cayman Islands. It is composed of 21 members; 19 elected members for a four-year term and two members ''ex officio''. The Governor may a ...

. She was declared a National Hero in 1996. McLaughlin was born in

Mobile, Alabama Mobile ( , ) is a city and the county seat of Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population within the city limits was 187,041 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 195,111 at the 2010 United States census, 2010 cens ...

in 1928. In 1945 she started working for the Cayman Islands government and when they received a constitution she was made the clerk. During her career her expertise was used at other parliaments. She worked at the

House of Commons of the United Kingdom The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the upper house, the House of Lords, it meets in the Palace of Westminster in London, England. The House of Commons is an elected body consisting of 650 me ...

, Stormont House and in the offices of the governments of

Grenada Grenada ( ; Grenadian Creole French: ) is an island country in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea at the southern end of the Grenadines island chain. Grenada consists of the island of Grenada itself, two smaller islands, Carriacou and Pe ...

and that of Trinidad and Tobago. In February 1991 she became the first Speaker of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly.Speakers
Cayman Islands Government, Retrieved 12 February 2016 In 1996 she retired from being Speaker and she was made a National Hero of the Cayman Islands. This is the Cayman Islands' highest honour and it was awarded because of her contribution to parliament and to the community in general. Hon. Mrs. Sybil Ione McLaughlin, MBE, JP
Cayman Islands Government, Retrieved 12 February 2016 On 10 May 2022 she passed away at her home in South Sound. McLaughlin lay in state in the House of Parliament in the Cayman Islands on 19 May and her funeral was attended the following day.

References

1928 births 2022 deaths Politicians from Mobile, Alabama Caymanian women in politics American emigrants to the Cayman Islands Members of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands 20th-century British women politicians Members of the Order of the British Empire National Heroes of the Cayman Islands {{Caymans-politician-stub