As the Cayman Compass looks back on the top news stories of the year, we revisit the one that shook not only the political landscape, but also rattled the PACT administration.
The year started off relatively quiet politically for West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush, but that was by no means an indication of what to come for the veteran lawmaker.
Bush, who held the third highest office in Cayman as Speaker of the House, found himself embroiled in controversy that would eventually see him resign from the role following public and political pressure.
Police probe prompts political pressure
On the morning of 14 Sept. police confirmed, following queries, that allegations had been levelled against a senior sitting Member of Parliament who was accused of assaulting two female civil servants at a cocktail reception the day before – held as part of the Caribbean Tourism Organization conference at The Ritz-Carlton.
It would later be revealed that the individual in question was Bush.
In the face of mounting pressure, including from Premier Wayne Panton, Bush was asked to step down from his Speaker role.
The premier gave Bush until 23 Sept. to demit office, having issued a strongly-worded letter requesting his resignation on 15 Sept. following the allegations of assault.
As the clock ticked on that deadline, reports online indicated that Bush had agreed to step down as Speaker, after discussions with Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks, both of whom were in Honduras at the time.
However, nothing formal was issued by Bush, leading to days of political turmoil.
Both Governor Martyn Roper and the Opposition, in separate statements, urged Bush to step down.
Contrasting motions
With no resignation forthcoming from Bush, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart and his team filed a motion of no confidence, seeking, in effect, to remove Panton as premier and install a new administration.
The Opposition cited as its top reason for the motion, Panton’s “ineffective leadership” as it outlined 14 instances in which it alleged the government had fallen short in the management of the affairs of the Cayman Islands, including the Bush controversy.
Panton described the motion as a poorly-timed power grab.
Opposition Leader McTaggart would later file another no-confidence motion, this time seeking to remove Bush after he failed to tender his resignation by the 23 Sept. deadline he was given by Panton. This was rejected by Deputy Speaker Katherine Ebanks-Wilks, who said it had not been filed in time.
MP Dwayne Seymour meanwhile filed a new counter motion – to bolster support for the government and derail the Opposition motion of no confidence in Panton’s leadership. This motion was accepted for debate.
Resignation with terms
Bush, in a statement broadcast on government radio, in early October then announced that he had tendered his resignation as House Speaker, but stated he would not stand down until 30 Nov.
He told the Compass he had done nothing wrong, but was resigning in the best interests of the jurisdiction. He said he would remain part of the government.
“I helped put PACT together and I think they have the best solutions for the country. They just need to get it done,” he said.
The delay in the effective date of Bush’s resignation did not sit well with the Opposition as they boycotted Parliament in protest.
Criticising the decision not to allow a vote of no confidence in the Speaker, McTaggart claimed the House was becoming a “kangaroo parliament”.
A motion was moved in the House to accept Bush’s resignation, effective from the end of November, and was unanimously approved in the absence of the Opposition.
Seymour’s confidence motion, which he said he brought forward in the best interests of the stability of the government and the jurisdiction, was also approved unanimously by the government members.
Bush, when he presided over his final sitting as Speaker, leaned on the lyric from Jamaican artiste Prince Buster, saying he is “still hard man fi dead”, signalling his resolve to rise again politically.
Calling it a “bittersweet” departure, Bush said he would hold fast to his word to demit the Speaker’s chair at the end of November.
However, shortly after making that pledge, on 12 Oct. Bush delivered a second resignation letter, this time stepping down with immediate effect.
Asked what prompted his change of heart, the West Bay West MP simply stated, “Too many lies being told – and far too much speculation is being made.”
West Bay Central MP Ebanks-Wilks, 43, then became Cayman’s youngest Speaker of the House after being elected to the post by her parliamentary peers following Bush’s departure from the chair.
Bush’s second resignation followed a statement from Commissioner of Police Derek Byrne confirming that the investigation into the assault charges levelled against the legislator was nearly done.
The police file into the allegations was submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions for consideration on whether to lay charges against Bush.
However, the file was returned, as the DPP, the police said, instructed some additional actions be completed by the RCIPS.
“This work is currently ongoing, and once completed, the file will be returned to the DPP for ruling in early course,” the police spokesperson said.
There have been no further updates on this case from the authorities.
This was not the end of legal troubles for Bush, though.
In late November, police confirmed that the senior legislator was under investigation for a new allegation of sexual assault, dating back more than two decades.
A police spokesperson told the Compass, “The RCIPS has received a complaint concerning an allegation of sexual assault by Mr. Bush dating back to 2000”.
No further details of the alleged sexual assault were made public.
Bush has not commented on the investigation.
He remains in the House as a backbencher.
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