During an impassioned speech in Parliament, McKeeva Bush hit out at Opposition members who said he should not have been reappointed to the Public Accounts Committee.
The elected member for West Bay West delivered a lengthy personal explanation on Wednesday, 26 April, in response to a statement released days earlier by the Progressives.
The party, on Saturday, 22 April, asked why Premier Wayne Panton continues to “enable and promote” the independent MP who is facing criminal charges for indecent assault. The former Speaker has pleaded not guilty and will go to trial in September.
In response, Bush told Parliament: “My appointment to the PAC is legitimate and appropriate and goes with my experience and knowledge of the workings of government.”
Split loyalties
Bush was reappointed to the Public Accounts Committee during a special sitting of Parliament on Friday. He last served on the PAC eight years ago, but was voted out by the Progressives government at the time.
In its statement, the Progressives said, despite many admonishments and Bush’s court charges, the premier “continues to promote his former speaker into high-profile political positions”.
“It begs the question of whether Premier Panton’s claim that he cares about the treatment of women in our society is genuine,” it read.
It went on to accuse the premier of “appeasing some members of his government in a desperate attempt to cling to power”.
But Bush hit back, saying while he has learned not to respond to “non-credible people” he decided, on this occasion, to stand up to defend himself.
“Not because I see credibility from whence the criticism cometh,” he said, taking aim at Opposition leader Roy McTaggart, “but because some matters warrant my response.”
The MP went on to speak of his history as a politician and as a member of the PAC.
He said he was duly elected to the position and has never shunned his duty, adding, “I am a servant of the people – if I’m called, I serve”.
Bush questioned the parliamentary protocols, practice and precedents, and added that legal principles state a person is innocent until proven guilty.
“Only in this country is it not so,” he said. “Only here that you must leave your seat, your family, be derided… Only here.”
Past accusations
Bush spoke in some detail about his current criminal charges stating, “I will face the courts and their decision will be made”, and also described “corruption scandals” from his past.
“There are… those who feel they are that privileged that no matter what they do, and have done, they don’t get before the police, and I am not part of that club” he said.
He mentioned past charges – for which he was found not guilty – of misconduct in public office and breach of trust.
They were connected to claims he withdrew almost $50,000 on his government credit card to gamble on casino slot machines in Florida, Las Vegas and the Bahamas.
“I have stolen nothing,” he said, adding that he personally paid the money back which, he said, was policy at the time.
“I was not the only one that used a credit card – they were used by every cat and dog that had one,” adding that was a big “hullaballoo” made up at the polls to “get McKeeva out”.
During his speech, Bush described his support of the appointment of women into various political roles during his years in Parliament.
“The women are better off today in this country because of what I did when I sat in that seat over there as a private member,” he told members, after listing his contributions.
“I want to put a challenge to find anyone who is elected that did more for this country than McKeeva Bush,” he added.
“And more sought to ensure young women to be afforded all available opportunities to acquire a good education in areas where they were failing before.”
Referencing the incident in February 2020 that led to him being sentenced on three charges of assault against a female bar manager later that year, Bush told Parliament he “certainly beat no woman”.
He concluded by saying he has been married for 47 years and added his “wife did never beat me with a horse whip”.
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