As West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush made his final statement from the Speaker’s chair Monday night, he leaned on the lyric from Jamaican artiste Prince Buster, saying he is “still hard man fi dead”, signalling his resolve to rise again.
Calling it a “bittersweet” departure, Bush said he would hold fast to his word to demit the Speaker’s chair.
“I went and offered myself to resign. Yes, I was asked at the time I said in my letter, then we agreed. I have stuck to that. I have no intention to try to do otherwise. That’s why I’m reading, if you want to call my swan song at this time, because I want people to understand that we are trying to keep the peace in this country,” he said as he addressed the parliamentary chamber of only government MPs as the Opposition continued its boycott.
Premier Wayne Panton, prior to adjourning the House, noted Bush’s comments and “the acknowledgement that you have acted in the best interest of the country. I don’t think anybody question your motive in that respect. We appreciate that.”
The road ahead
Although he lamented that the departure from the chair was “bitter” for him due to the circumstances in which he opted to resign, “considering the interferences and undue influences being brought to bear publicly on the matter of the accusations against me”.
Bush maintained he will continue to have a voice, as he welcomed “the sweet moment” of now being able to fully participate in debates in the House.
“I will be able to be more active in matters concerning my constituents and meaningfully participate in debates of policy that affects people that government will bring to this honourable House,” he said.
Bush demitted office in the face of allegations of inappropriate behaviour from the senior politician at a government function, that sparked the series of motions and counter-motions in the House.
Those allegations are the subject of a police investigation.
Though he did not speak directly to the allegations, Bush simply said, “to those who are trying otherwise to bring me down. I will pray for them”.
The MP, who tendered his resignation with effect from the end of November’, defended his decision not to demit office immediately, saying the Standing Orders and the Constitution are silent on an exact timing for resignation.
Using precedence from the House of Commons, Bush contended that it is a presiding officer’s “at any time, and in any circumstances, prerogative to do so or not”.
This follows criticism from the Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart who, together with his Progressives MPs, refused to attend Parliament while Bush remained in the Speaker’s chair after he resigned.
They had argued a delayed resignation date was “unacceptable”.
Ebanks Wilks did her ‘duty’
The Opposition had brought a motion of no confidence against Bush seeking his removal.
However, Deputy Speaker Katherine Ebanks-Wilks rejected the motion on the grounds that it was not filed within the required time.
Bush, in defending that decision, said Ebanks-Wilks had her “instructions” as he could not decide on that motion since he was the subject of it.
“No one should accuse the deputy speaker of anything less than doing her duty. There’s a lot more to be said and I suspect even for the patience that… I’m trying to exhibit… that more will be said sometime in the future,” Bush said.
Bush also made it clear he was not seeking any office nor did he have any interest in becoming a Parliament Secretary or being back in Cabinet.
He said he will continue to work with the government to improve the Cayman Islands from the backbench.
“I give a commitment, an undertaking to be an avid advocate for my constituency of West Bay West and indeed to work with my other West Bay colleagues to assist them in any way I can and… from the backbench to act in the interests of the people throughout these islands, Caymanians and those who choose to work and live among us,” Bush said.
He pledged his support for Ebanks-Wilks, should she take over the Speaker’s chair.
“I will be leaving this honourable office in the very capable hands, I hope, of my successor who is the deputy speaker… who is a committed and dedicated young but very mature woman from West Bay who would be the fourth female speaker of this institution,” he said.
Bush expressed gratitude to all those who have served the House along with him, and supported him during his tenure.
“I will continue to promote and advocate that our Parliament progress and evolve on its new strategic direction. The honourable members [are] fully aware and mindful that we do have some archaic and inefficient ways of doing things that I believe should not any longer be the norm. I believe we are in good hands of the new Speaker once the House chooses that,” he added.
Bush said his record of service will continue to stand.
He urged all members serve their constituents well, “because apart from administrative, organisational and structural issues concerning governance, we should all aim to improve the quality of life, as has been said often from your onset here”.
Before he pounded his gavel for the last time, Bush vowed to donate it to the House, saying he had the gavel made in Honduras out of the hardest wood available there.
Related Videos
