Truman Bodden | |
|---|---|
| Leader of Government Business | |
| In office 26 April 1995 [1] –8 November 2000 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Governor | Michael Edward John Gore John Wynne Owen Peter Smith |
| Preceded by | Thomas Jefferson |
| Succeeded by | Kurt Tibbetts |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands | |
| In office November 1976 –November 1984 | |
| In office November 1988 –November 2000 | |
| Constituency | George Town |
| Personal details | |
| Occupation | Attorney,Politician |
Truman Murray Bodden,OBE (born 22 April 1945) [2] is a former Caymanian politician. An attorney at law by profession,he served as Leader of Government Business from April 1995 to November 2000. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly for George Town. When in government he served in the Ministries of Education,Youth,Finance,Civil Aviation,Employment,Tourism,Environment,Investment and Commerce.
He is a founding member and director of Truman Bodden and Company Attorneys-at-Law,Cayman Islands.
The institution,originally established in 1982 as the Cayman Islands Law School,was later renamed in honour of Truman Bodden. [3]
Raised in a close-knit family,Bodden began his career helping in his father’s small shop before earning a Bachelor of Laws (Honours) from the University of London. [4] In 1969,he became the first Caymanian barrister admitted to the Bar of England and Wales. Returning home,he served as Crown Prosecutor,Coroner,and Assistant to the Attorney General,later founding his own law firm,Truman Bodden &Company,and co-founding Cayman National Bank. [4]
Bodden entered politics in 1976,representing George Town in the Legislative Assembly for over two decades. [4] As minister and later Leader of Government Business,he oversaw major developments in health,education,and infrastructure,including the Truman Bodden Law School and the Truman Bodden Sports Complex. [4] His leadership and lifelong dedication to the islands have made him one of the most respected figures in Caymanian public life. [4]
In May 2023,the local news outlet Cayman Marl Road (CMR) reported that Truman Bodden had resigned as Chairman of Cayman National Corporation Ltd. (CNC) for health-related reasons. [5] According to CMR,witnesses expressed concern about his wellbeing after observing what they described as unusual or erratic behaviour during a visit to the Little Cayman agricultural show around 18 May. [5]
CMR further reported that,several weeks earlier,an incident at a local airport had caused additional concern,with bystanders describing his behaviour as "erratic" and noting that he appeared in attire they regarded as inappropriate while attempting to board a flight from Little Cayman. [5] The outlet also alleged that his family sought a protective court order following reports that he had been distributing money to non-family members and covering large personal expenses for others. [5]
Bodden is the father of two children.