Speaker McKeeva Bush had not publicly resigned from the post as the deadline set by Premier Wayne Panton for him to step down passed on Friday.
Bush has been facing calls to step down since allegations of inappropriate behaviour at a government cocktail reception at the Ritz Carlton emerged early last week. But the weather appears to have given him a temporary reprieve, with all parties insisting their focus is on the threat posed by the coming storm.
The Parliament confirmed to the Cayman Compass late Friday night that it had not “received any correspondence from the Hon. Speaker regarding the matter of his resignation”.
The West Bay West MP had previously indicated he would resign from the Speaker’s role but gave no indication of a timeline.
Panton publicly released his letter to the Speaker last week, urging him to tender his resignation “on or before 5pm on September 23”.
The letter does not set out what action could be taken against Bush if he does not comply by that deadline. A vote of no-confidence remains an option, though that would require the support of two-thirds of the MPs in Parliament to be successful. On Wednesday, the Progressives-led Opposition filed a no-confidence motion in the PACT government.
For now, the more imminent and practical danger posed by a rapidly intensifying tropical depression which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it advances towards Cayman on Sunday, appears to have moved the Speaker’s indiscretions off the agenda.
Asked for comment Friday, Bush said he was preparing his constituents for the ‘oncoming hurricane’.
A spokesperson for the Premier’s office said, “The government is focussed on helping the country prepare for the impending hurricane.”
For Bush to officially vacate office, a letter to Parliament via the clerk is required. The Compass understands that no such letter has been submitted at this point.
Governor Martyn Roper and the Opposition have also called for Bush to resign following the incident at a Caribbean Tourism Organization event last week, which is under investigation by police.
Bush has not commented on the specific allegations against him but indicated he would step down.
In an earlier statement to the Compass he did not commit to any timeline for his departure, urging people to “wait on the due process of the law.”
No-one has suggested he should step down from his elected role as West Bay West MP at this point.
Government leaders, including Panton, were locked in meetings with Hazard Management and weather officials for much of Friday and it appears likely that the threat posed by the impending storm has moved the Bush issue down the agenda – at least for now.
- Additional reporting by Reshma Ragoonath
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