West Bay West MP McKeeva Bush, for the second time in recent weeks, delivered a swan song in Parliament as he declared he would not seek reelection at the end of his term.
Bush, speaking on Friday from the government backbench, made the announcement on his political future as he congratulated his Speaker of the House successor Katherine Ebanks-Wilks.
“I have at least two years left, I hope, and after that I’m calling it a day. I’m done for the day… 40 years, 10 terms of being elected, 15 years of being directly involved is enough. So I have announced I won’t be running,” he told Parliament.
He assured Ebanks-Wilks that she could depend on his help in the “next two years plus” and thereafter to assist her with anything with West Bay Central.
Bush, speaking on government radio Wednesday, had announced his intention not to contest the next election, signalling his retirement from politics at the end of this term.
Just this week, Bush was back in the news as police confirmed that they were investigating an allegation of sexual assault against the sitting MP, dating back more than two decades ago.
In a brief statement, a police spokesperson confirmed to the Compass that the complaint against Bush was “concerning an allegation of sexual assault by Mr. Bush dating back to 2000”.
Bush, in his brief remarks, pointed to the importance of family as he advised Ebanks-Wilks to take care of hers while in her new post.
He also pointed to the challenges he has faced as an example of political life.
“I would be nearly 70 at the next election God willing. I think I’ve done a lot of good. I’ve been crucified for some of it, lied about much of it and it will continue because our humanity is like that,” he said.
It was Bush’s departure from Speaker’s chair that paved the way for Ebanks-Wilks to be elected.
Bush had returned as Speaker after winning his seat last year and teaming up with the PACT administration, allowing them to form the government following the 14 April polls.
He faced widespread pressure to resign when he was last in the chair after being charged with assaulting a female bar manager in a February 2020 incident.
Bush did not resign at the time, even after being convicted in December of that year.
Then Premier Alden McLaughlin instead opted to move up the election date to keep the West Bay West MP out of the chair, saying he wanted the constituents to decide on who they wanted to represent them in Parliament.
This year Bush again found himself in trouble and, after calls from several different quarters, he resigned with an effective date of 30 Nov.
He later issued another resignation with immediate effect.
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