Published 5th November 2009, 11:41am

Several Caribbean officials are scheduled to attend this Friday's Commencement Day ceremony that will take place in front of the Legislative Assembly.

Regional leaders will include British Virgin Islands' Premier Hon. Ralph T. O'Neal and Labour Minister, the Hon. Minister Alvin Christopher; Bermuda's Senator Walton Brown; and CARICOM's Chief of Cabinet Neville Bissember.

Starting at 10:30 a.m., the commencement programme will mark the introduction of the Cayman Islands' new Constitution. The morning's formal proceedings will be open to the public. Everyone planning to attend is asked to be in place by 10:15 a.m.

Highlighting a packed programme will be the swearing-in of the Premier and Deputy Premier by His Excellency Governor Stuart Jack, CVO, and the swearing-in of the Deputy Governor by the Hon. Chief Justice, Anthony Smellie, QC.

There will be a march-past by the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service and George Hicks Campus bands, as well as by detachments from the Fire Service, and Her Majesty's Prison Service. The Cadet Corps, Girls Brigade, Scouts, and Gideon Pathfinders will also be represented.

Also on the agenda are musical selections by the Cayman National Choir and the Harmony Singers. Rudy Myles will sing 'No Man Is an Island' while Jamesette Anglin will render the National Song.

Concluding the morning's event, free refreshments will be served to the public.

The commencement ceremony will be followed by an invitation-only luncheon at The Ritz-Carlton. Guests will include the visiting dignitaries, government officials, past and present elected officials, constitutional framers, and community leaders.

A private UDP fundraising event will follow in the evening. That is not an event of the Cayman Islands Government.

As the inaugural day of the 2009 Cayman Islands Constitution, Friday has been declared a public holiday, for this year only.