The Opposition has filed a lack of confidence motion in Speaker McKeeva Bush following allegations of inappropriate behaviour at a government function.
The West Bay West MP had indicated he planned to step down, at the urging of Premier Wayne Panton and members of the PACT government. But he had not done so by the Premier’s Sept. 23 deadline, articulated in an open letter to the Speaker following the alleged incident at The Ritz-Carlton.
Speaking to the Compass earlier this week, Panton did not rule out a motion of no-confidence in the Speaker coming from the government benches. But he said he hoped “calmer heads” would prevail and Bush’s departure from the role could be negotiated amicably.
With a meeting of Parliament scheduled for next Friday, the Opposition leader has filed a motion, seconded by George Town South MP Barbara Conolly, calling for the Speaker to step down. It would need the support of two-thirds of MPs to force Bush’s removal from the prestigious role.
Progressives leader Roy McTaggart said in a press release announcing the move Friday that it was evident Bush was refusing to go and the Premier was failing to back his words with action.
He accused Panton of trying to hold on to power rather than hold Bush accountable.
“If the Premier insists that he will dither on this as he does on everything else, then it becomes my responsibility to do what the Premier is afraid to do.
“And so I have brought the motion to ensure that the Parliament has an opportunity to decide whether the Hon McKeeva Bush remains as Speaker or not,” McTaggart said in the release.
The Opposition has also filed a lack of confidence motion in the government, which will likely be debated at the next session.
Previous motion
Ironically it was a motion of no-confidence in Bush filed by the previous Opposition, led by then-East End MP Arden McLean, that led to the early general election last year. At that time, Bush, who was part of an alliance with the Progressives, had been convicted of an assault on the female bar manager of the Coral Beach club.
Rather than have the motion debated in Parliament, the Progressives called an early general election.
The issue of whether prospective MPs would work with Bush in a government was a key feature of the election campaign and the Progressives’ failure to deal more forcibly with the Speaker was cited as a black mark against them on numerous occasions.
Ultimately, Bush was re-elected as West Bay West MP and effectively became the kingmaker in the post-election negotiations, making a deal with Panton, which eventually led to him being reinstalled as Speaker.
Addressing that impasse, McTaggart said his group had refused to work with Bush, preferring to be in Opposition than to again form a partnership with the controversial former premier.
The motion cites both Bush’s earlier conviction and the police investigation, media exposure following the allegations of misconduct at the government-hosted Caribbean Tourism Organization event as well as a “history of similar events”.
It states, “The deadline imposed by the Premier for the resignation of the Speaker has passed and the Premier has so far initiated no public action to cause the Speaker to resign or be removed.”
The motion calls on parliamanterians to declare a lack of confidence in the Speaker. If successful, Bush would be forced to step down from the role but would remain an MP.
The motion would require government support, to succeed, however.
Bush would also not be able to preside over the matter himself, so Deputy Speaker Katherine Ebanks-Wilks would hear the motion.
Neither Panton or Bush were immediately available for comment Friday. Bush has not responded to questions from the Compass this week.
Panton, speaking to the Compass Tuesday, reiterated his call for the Speaker to step down. He said any decision on a no-confidence motion form the government against Bush would be made by the coalition group as a whole.
The Premier added, “I have made it very clear to the country and I’ve made it very clear to the Speaker what my position is. That has not changed, and he is aware of that. But for now our concern is making sure that we address the needs of the country and any ongoing issues that have resulted from the storm.”
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