Julianna O'Connor-Connolly

{{Infobox officeholder

| honorific-prefix = The Honourable

| name = Juliana Yvonne O'Connor-Connolly

| honorific-suffix =

| image = Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, Premier (cropped).jpg

| office = Premier of the Cayman Islands

| monarch = Charles III

| governor = Jane Owen

| term_start = 15 November 2023

| term_end = 6 May 2025

| predecessor = Wayne Panton

| successor = André Ebanks

| monarch2 = Elizabeth II

| governor2 = Duncan Taylor

| term_start2 = 19 December 2012

| term_end2 = 29 May 2013

| predecessor2 = McKeeva Bush

| successor2 = Alden McLaughlin

| office3 = Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands

| monarch3 = Elizabeth II

| governor3 = Duncan Taylor
Helen Kilpatrick

| term_start3 = 29 May 2013

| term_end3 = 24 May 2017

| predecessor3 = Mary Lawrence

| successor3 = McKeeva Bush

| monarch4 = Elizabeth II

| governor4 = Peter Smith
Bruce Dinwiddy

| term_start4 = 8 November 2001

| term_end4 = 31 October 2003

| predecessor4 = Mabry S. Kirkconnell

| successor4 = Linford A. Pierson

| office5 = Member of the Parliament of the Cayman Islands

| term_start5 = November 1996

| constituency5 = Cayman Brac East

| birth_name = Juliana O'Connor

| birth_date =

| birth_place = Cayman Brac, Cayman Islands

| death_date =

| death_place =

| party = People's Progressive Movement (2013–2021, 2025–present)

| otherparty = United Democratic Party (2001–2012)
United People’s Movement (2023–2025)

| caption = O'Connor-Connolly in 2024

}}

Juliana Yvonne O'Connor-Connolly is a Caymanian politician who served as Premier of the Cayman Islands from December 2012 to May 2013 and again from November 2023 to May 2025 . She served as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands from November 2001 to October 2003 and again from May 2013 to May 2017.

O'Connor-Connolly was the first-ever female Premier of the Cayman Islands, serving as Premier of from 19 December 2012 until 29 May 2013.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cayman-premier-idUSBRE8BI1AM20121219|title=Cayman Islands governor appoints new premier|publisher=Reuters|date=19 December 2012|access-date=5 July 2021|archive-date=1 January 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101133033/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-cayman-premier-idUSBRE8BI1AM20121219|url-status=live}} Prior to becoming Premier, she was the territory's Deputy Premier serving from November 2009 until December 2012.{{cite web| url=http://www.gov.ky/portal/page?_pageid=1142,1595769&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL| title=Julianna O'Connor-Connolly Biography| access-date=23 December 2012| archive-date=21 April 2012| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120421063920/http://www.gov.ky/portal/page?_pageid=1142,1595769&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL| url-status=dead}}

Following the 2013 Cayman Islands general election she crossed the floor to join the People's Progressive Movement party and in May 2013 she was appointed as Speaker of the Cayman Islands Legislative Assembly, leaving this post in May 2017.{{cite news|title=PPM and CDP cut deal for government|url=https://caymannewsservice.com/2017/05/ppm-and-cdp-cut-deal-for-government/comment-page-1/|work=Cayman News Service|date=26 May 2017|access-date=31 May 2017|archive-date=14 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181114224113/https://caymannewsservice.com/2017/05/ppm-and-cdp-cut-deal-for-government/comment-page-1/|url-status=live}} Following the 2017 Cayman Islands general election She is served as Minister of Education, Youth, Sports, Agriculture and Lands.{{Cite web|url=http://www.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/otphome/whatwedo/joconnorconnolly|title=Hon. Juliana O'Connor-Connolly, JP, MLA|website=gov.ky|access-date=2019-04-09|archive-date=6 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706130421/http://www.gov.ky/portal/page/portal/otphome/whatwedo/joconnorconnolly|url-status=dead}}

During debate in the Legislative Assembly, following the same-sex marriage ruling by Chief Justice Anthony Smellie on 29 March 2019,{{Cite web|last=Whittaker|first=James|title=Same-sex marriage legalised in Cayman {{!}} Cayman Compass|date=29 March 2019|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/03/29/chief-justice-rules-same-sex-marriage-is-legal/|access-date=2019-04-09|language=en-US|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218085724/https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/03/29/chief-justice-rules-same-sex-marriage-is-legal/|url-status=live}} O'Connor-Connolly described the day of the ruling as "black Friday" for the Cayman Islands. She encouraged Caymanians to do what they could to object to the planned wedding between two women, even to the point of interrupting the wedding itself.{{Cite web|last=Whittaker|first=James|title=UPDATE: Speaker Bush calls on governor to fire Human Rights chairman {{!}} Cayman Compass|date=4 April 2019|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/04/04/legislators-condemn-same-sex-marriage-judgment/|access-date=2019-04-09|language=en-US|archive-date=22 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201022004536/https://www.caymancompass.com/2019/04/04/legislators-condemn-same-sex-marriage-judgment/|url-status=live}} The Education Minister had used the morning prayer before the debate to refer to "cruise passengers with alternative lifestyles" causing the streets of George Town to resemble Sodom and Gomorrah.{{Citation|last=CIG television|title=Legislative Assembly, April 5 2019 pt 1|date=2019-04-05|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtxoAo3mys|access-date=2019-04-09|archive-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418000535/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wDtxoAo3mys|url-status=live}}

The education minister has been a fervent opponent of the Domestic Partnership Bill and any legislation that supported same-sex couples' right to a private life; describing it as "this evil that is being forced upon us". She was one of two Cabinet ministers who voted against the legislation brought by government in July to address the longstanding breach by the Caymanian authorities of Cayman's Bill of Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.{{Cite web|date=2020-09-04|title=Education minister calls for prayer to stop DP Law - Cayman Islands Headline News|url=https://caymannewsservice.com/2020/09/education-minister-calls-for-prayer-to-stop-dp-law/|access-date=2020-09-09|website=Cayman News Service|language=en-GB|archive-date=7 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200907093621/https://caymannewsservice.com/2020/09/education-minister-calls-for-prayer-to-stop-dp-law/|url-status=live}}

Following the 2021 Cayman Islands general election, she again crossed the floor to align with a group of independents to form a government on the morning before Parliament had its first sitting, citing that "her constituents have expressed in no uncertain terms that Cayman Brac and Little Cayman need a Minister in the Government".{{Cite web|last=Ragoonath|first=Reshma|date=2021-04-21|title=Juliana, Isaac join PACT government|url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2021/04/21/juliana-isaac-join-pact-government/|access-date=2021-04-21|website=Cayman Compass|language=en-GB|archive-date=21 April 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421195858/https://www.caymancompass.com/2021/04/21/juliana-isaac-join-pact-government/|url-status=live}}

In 2023, she founded the United People's Movement and became Premier replacing Wayne Panton.{{Cite web |last=Connolly |first=Norma |date=2023-11-21 |title=Premier discusses behind-the-scenes talks that led to UPM |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2023/11/21/premier-discusses-behind-the-scenes-talks-that-led-to-upm/ |access-date=2024-10-13 |website=Cayman Compass |language=en-GB}}

In March 2025, she rejoined the People's Progressive Movement.{{cite web |title=O’Connor-Connolly returns to fold as PPM confirms Kenneth Bryan as deputy leader |url=https://www.caymancompass.com/2025/03/01/oconnor-connolly-returns-to-fold-as-ppm-confirms-kenneth-bryan-as-deputy-leader/ |website=Cayman Compass |access-date=13 March 2025 |date=1 March 2025}}