Cayman Islands Governor Duncan Taylor confirmed this week that he was aware as early as February 2010 of “alleged financial irregularities” which led to a police investigation that opposition party members said has targeted Premier McKeeva Bush.
Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin said Monday that neither he nor his party members had “called for” an investigation into Mr. Bush, despite statements to that effect that were made by the premier on Saturday.
Mr. McLaughlin said he was aware the concerns that led to the commencement of the probe were brought to Governor Duncan Taylor by the judiciary in early 2010….just weeks after Mr. Taylor had arrived on Island.
“It was referred to the governor by the judiciary,” Mr. McLaughlin said. “The only report which we have made to anyone is the letters which I wrote to the governor [and other law enforcement officials] and the letter which [Ezzard] Miller wrote to the Anti-Corruption Commissioner [Police Commissioner David Baines].”
Both of those letters were dated 10 June, 2011 – about 15 months after the investigation of Premier Bush is said to have started.
On Monday afternoon, Governor Taylor released the following statement:
“I can confirm that in February 2010 an issue was brought to my attention which alleged financial irregularities. I referred the matter to the commissioner of police who subsequently decided to launch an investigation. I am advised that this investigation continues.
“It would be inappropriate for me to comment on any ongoing police investigation or to divulge any details of the investigation or the names of those people being investigated, and quite wrong to speculate on what might be the outcome.
“I am satisfied that the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service continues to take the matter seriously and to deal with it properly.”
Mr. Taylor and Cayman Islands Police Commissioner David Baines have declined to state what the specific allegations involve.
Mr. Miller, the North Side MLA, in his submission to the Anti-Corruption Commission on 10 June attached a copy of a 2004 letter that he said was signed by then-Leader of Government Business McKeeva Bush. Mr. Miller asked the commission to investigate the contents of that letter.
“This letter that Mr. Miller referred to…was actually unearthed in the process of civil court proceedings before the Grand Court early last year,” Mr. McLaughlin said.
Premier Bush made reference to the same document during a speech to his supporters on Saturday. He referred to the 2004 letter as a “real estate bill”.
The Caymanian Compass has learned that those civil proceedings referred to by Mr. McLaughlin involve a lawsuit that was filed in the Grand Court in May 2007. The suit – a copy of which has been obtained by the Caymanian Compass – was brought by Atlanta, Georgia-based developer Stanley Thomas against Ronald Zimmer, Celita Zimmer and Seaside Realty, Ltd.
According to a statement of claim filed in the case, the lawsuit involved the purchase of land in the Frank Sound area that later came into dispute. The case was settled out of court in early 2010 for an undisclosed sum, the Compass has learned.
The property purchase in Frank Sound is not believed to be directly related to the police investigation that opposition party members said is looking into Premier Bush. However, Mr. Thomas’ name does appear on the 2004 letter that Mr. Bush referred to as a “real estate bill”.
Mr. Miller said the allegations he reported to the Anti-Corruption Commission were “very serious” if they are found to have merit.
“The power of the governor to remove the premier in the instance that the accusations are true are limited,” Mr. Miller said. “His party members, however, can do so. I call on the general council and members of the United Democratic Party to remove that risk by asking the Premier to temporarily step aside.
“If nothing comes out of it, then they can reinstate him,” Mr. Miller said.
Premier Bush said this weekend that he has done nothing wrong and that he planned to meet any calls for an investigation “head-on”.
“[The opposition’s] plan is to get me investigated, say that I’ve done something, take a real estate bill that I billed someone and say that I’ve done something wrong and then they’re going to investigate me further; that is their game plan,” Mr. Bush said. “They can’t convict me because the truth will prevail. But what they will do in the meantime is try to tear the government down.
“There has been no end of the maliciousness. No matter the police investigation they have called to try and put me away, which have all proven nothing, because you can’t twist things to say something is bad when the facts are not real and it is not there.”
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If the Premier is found guilty, then the UK will use the opportunity to pursue their good governance program by dissolving cabinet, bringing direct taxation, and suspending and changing our Constitution. TCI is just an example of how they pursue good governance over the people’s democracy.
If the Premier is not guilty, it is another victory for the inhabitants of these islands in terms of retaining our limited democracy here. The UK would have to continue doing their research and investigations to find corruption in the Cayman Islands. The Premier would be vindicated and Alden’s chance of getting power will be lost.
Either way, guilty or not guilty, this news can be bad for the Cayman Islands. It all depends how the media spins it. These are just mere allegations that could have been made-up. Why I said made-up, because political parties have been known to attack each other that way. So Caymanian don’t be ignorant and always have an open mind. No one should pointing the finger and condemning another person without the FACTS.
Bodden,
Why is it you always give the premier the benefit of the doubt. Is it because you are still bitter for being ousted in 2000 defeated by Kurt Tibbitts. Why would you try to scare the people into believing that digging out corruption from our elected government is the wrong thing to do? If you were that interested in the good of our country you would be elected yourself and running the country after all, you seem to be not only a banker, but a corporate attorney and an experienced Legislator apparently a former leader!
You should have been the first Premier but you allowed bitterness to get in the way. You could have been elected in May of 2009, you would have already built your Independent or National team Base and people would have been strongly looking towards you, so you spend the rest of your life with that other goon ousted by Arden in East End, trying to cloak this premier in all his wrong doing against us, come on we expect better coming from you. You seem to be through with politics and in your bitterness you too bask in the pleasure of seeing our peoople suffer day after day at the hands of this premier. No matter what he does its OK with you? That’s the essence of bitterness, come on now get rid of bitterness. You can run again John Paul in the US is 71 and he’s still in the race. You’re much stronger than John Paul but you need more faith in yourself. You give up too easily, you need to start fighting.Then we’ll definitely make sure you have a landslide victory but helping Big Mac will bury all your political chances for the future.
ahhh… Dubai, I am not the Bodden you are talking about. Cayman has more than one Bodden. Are you sure you’ve been to the Cayman Islands before? You will find that Bodden is a common surname. 😉
Alright,
But I hope I made some good points anyway.
That is not alright, because if you are accusing or portraying the Bodden who I think you are referring to in a negative light, CayCompass should remove your blog. That is making his character my character!
Bodden
You need to stop this political scaremongering (and in my case, I do believe that have the right Bodden that I’m addressing).
If you don’t live in the TCI and was not a part of the entire experience and sequence of events that caused Britain to suspend their constitution and implement direct rule, you don’t know all the facts.
You’re only repeating a political line that probably only represents one side of the story for the residents of Turks Caicos.
You might be doing our beloved country of the Cayman Islands more service if you took to warning your political leaders of their conduct in office that might lead to suspension of their constitutional independence if they have been found to have been invloved in corrupt and illegal activity.
The problem with the current BOTS of Cayman and Turks Caicos Islands is that there is not a set standard and defined process in the judicial systems to define, pursue and punish official corruption and illegality.
In Britain, there certainly is and it is completely non-partisan; it is not influenced by the political process in any way.
The British courts are prosecuting and jailing all MPs of the former Labour Government who have been found guilty in Britain’s most recent corruption scandal, the padding of expense allowances by MPs.
This is proof of the anti-corruption process in Britain working as it is supposed to.
What process is there in Cayman and how does it work ?
The current Premiere was ejected from Cayman’s LA some years ago for involvement in a questionable situation in which he was found culpable.
I completely agree in the innocent until proven quilty concept but there is never usually smoke without fire.
If an investigation was requested by the judiciary, the highest legal authority in the country, then there has to be merit to their request.
That the political opposition is now willing to use it against him is to be expected but does not make their position any more moral than his.
For you to be using the Turks Caicos situation as a smokescreen to divert attention away from whatever investigation your Premiere is undeniably under by the RCIPS is nothing short of deceptive political agitation on his behalf.
If the RCIPS would hurry and get this investigation over and give the public their conclusions it would be better for all concerned but…
What happens, if indeed your Premiere is found to have to answer to a case of corruption ?
Does this not place him and the Cayman Islands in exactly the same position as the Turks Caicos Islands ?
And if this is found to be the case, and he does not step down or resign, what are you saying about the type of leadership that you are willing to accept and support in the Cayman Islands ?
Don’t get me wrong, I am no defender of the British Government; we who live here know exactly what some of their officials and administrators are capable of but they cannot run roughshod over us here in Britain; we’re onto them.
What direct rule is doing for the TCI is making sure that some tinpot, corrupt political party does not enforce independence on British citizens without their consent and unfortunately…
If it happens in Cayman, it will have to be for the same reasons.
Firey,
We really appreciate you. No one could have said it any better than you in this recent comment of yours.
Thanks for Caymanians in the UK watch-dogging what these home grown dictators are doing to our people. Those of us living abroad are also supporting them in their fight for democracy and most of all their exercise of their rights and freedoms. Keep writing, we need your enlightened views in these forums because there are forces out there that really do not have the best interest of the people at heart. They will not stand for anything therefore they are supporting anything even when its blatantly wrong in the sight of God and man.
@Francis G. – Are you sure that direct rule in TCI is making sure that some tinpot, corrupt political party does not enforce independence on British citizens without their consent? lol… Thats the first time I heard that one. Where are the facts for such a claim or are you just assuming?