Mac targets governor in court fight with premier
McKeeva Bush, Leader of the Opposition
(CNS): The opposition leader has filed a response to the premier’s defamation lawsuit that outlines his claims of a conspiracy led by the former governor, Duncan Taylor, to topple him from office, rather than make a direct response to what Alden McLaughlin has said are damaging untruths about him. McKeeva Bush’s defence against the damages suit has been filed in the Grand Court but the documents are not public and CNS was refused access when it attempted to see the files.
Sources close to the premier confirm that on Monday his attorneys received the documents responding to the suit filed by him in early May. It is understood that the focus of the response is on Taylor and the whole alleged conspiracy rather than the premier’s defamation allegations. The opposition leader is understood to have claimed that the premier, when he was opposition leader, was involved in “secret meetings” with the police and the governor, where a plan to remove Bush was hatched in the wake of his arrest.
CNS contacted Bush, who is currently overseas, and his attorney, Michael Alberga, to ask about the defence to the suit but we have not received a response regarding the release of the documents.
Alden McLaughlin, Cayman Islands Premier (Photo by Dennie Warren Jr)
The premier filed suit against Bush after the opposition leader refused to apologise to him for accusing McLaughlin in a parliamentary motion and at a press briefing of being directly involved in what Bush claims was his unlawful removal from the leadership. Bush called for an independent enquiry into his arrest and subsequent charges for the alleged misuse of his government credit card, for which he was acquitted.
Since the trial in October last year, when the extent of Bush’s gambling while he was the leader of the country was revealed, the veteran politician has threatened to take legal action against the former governor, the police commissioner, the auditor general and others in relation to what he says were the trumped up charges to undemocratically boot him out of office.
But instead, Bush filed a private member’s motion in the LA, making allegations and pointing the finger at the premier in an effort to force his legislative colleagues to debate what happened to him under cover of parliamentary privilege. The motion has not been withdrawn and remains with the speaker.
Bush called a press conference to reveal the motion and detailed his belief that the case against him was a British led conspiracy. It was then that he made specific allegations against McLaughlin. The premier immediately demanded an apology but when none was forthcoming, he filed suit.
Mac’s time has come & gone. He is no longer relevant to Cayman’s future. Just wish he would now shut up & go away, as he’s only interested in wasting everyone’s time.
with the he said she said…and don’t forget about the starfish navigation system.
The Defence has now been published, an extract is below:
Paragraph 1 is denied. Chewbacca is a Wookiee from the Kashyyyk. But Chewbacca lives on planet Endor. Now think about it; that does not make sense.
Paragraph 2 is denied, for the reasons stated in paragraph 1.
Paragraph 3 is denied, for the reasons stated in paragraph 1.
And repeat.
Chewie doesn’t live on Endor, it is a gas giant, the forest moon of endor is populated, but by Ewockes, like miny chewies
Then you must acquit!
I always thought Chewie living with the Ewoks was because he was a pervert. The Wookie/Ewok thing seemed close to pedophilia. Note the spelling of “Ewok”.
What odds are they offering on the result in Vegas, Mac?
Bush and Operation Tempura do have something in common. They were both screwed over by the FCO who have manipulated information, hidden material allowing the blame for there incompetence to rest elsewhere. Time is catching up with them and everything will be exposed. We need the ICO to continue to show courage in the release of the Taylor report at least that will allow some of the pieces being put together. It continues to amaze me how McClauglin does not take on the FCO perhaps he is the comfortable puppet for them whereas Bush challenged the UK establishment. This is not about McLaughlin and Bush it is about the role of the FCO and commentators on this issue need to raise there game and level of debate.
to 5:48 a,m We again see the problem in Cayman, turn a blind eye to corruption!, bury our heads in the sand!…again Legge spoke the truth, something Caymanians cant handle.
Your Comment is 100% correct. the thumb- downs, again are miss guided by their emotions and the stupid belief that the sun never sets on their party/Government. I got news for them, they will wake up one day.
More anti-Caymanian rabble-rousing.
You call it treason, we call it the truth.
Yes, we know you do, but we also know that is a reflection of your own bigotry and hypocrisy. The people who gain most from illegality on these Islands are not Caymanians.
To hell with you and Legge!
Sounds like a classic Chewbacca defence – sacred vessel mark II.
So, lets get this right. After being cleared whilst gambling the countries money, he threatened to sue. And still no action. Because you cannot keep quiet in a civil action.
Just when we thought bushwacko was through gambling.
Wonder why he has that picture of Her Majesty the Queen on the wall behind him. Seems a bit odd as he’s always at war with the U.K.
That’s where he wants her, behind him.
An interesting photograph indeed. Mac is waxing poetically and the candlestick is bent.
Perchance they are related?
He is always at war with the FCO not the UK or the Queen! big difference, they have political idiots there also!
You don’t understand Mac and his generation. They love the Royals (who hand out gongs to gain that veneration) but chafe against the FCO (who get in their way).
With little interest in a quiet bottle of bubbly, I have heard there witl be fireworks, a bucket of booze, hookers, blow, and then a little joy ride around town if victorious.
Sounds like my typical Friday night.
Maybe one day Big Mac will be remembered fondly, as he does have some things in common with the much beloved, especially by David Legge, president Ronald Reagan.
Member of the press: “Mr. President, why do you give an answer to a different question than the one you are asked?”
President Reagan: “Nancy is doing fine, thank you for asking.”
Your problems are home grown and unrelated.
As Rome Burns These boys play with their fiddles
In other words Cayman is falling apart and the Criminals know it and your leaders are screwing around
who are they going to blame when the end comes and its coming sooner than later
maybe that’s what they want
They will blame expats and the British government as usual I guess
…and in other news, Cayman is the t’ird most expensive place to live in the world.
And gasoline just went up again for no understandable reason. I think my Government wants us to be number one!
Can you let me know which country is #2? I will need to move there when we become #1.
Because we all know that the CI government controls world oil prices…
So McKeeva Bush and Michael Alberga are accusing others of wrongdoing. Dearie me. I’m so glad I live in the United States.
Are you saying the land with the most people behind bars and the most disfunctional politics is the best place on earth?
USA, USA, USA!!!
It is hands down the best country in the world (and I say that as a Brit). Nowhere else is even close.
We hear ya Dave. Keep drinking the koolaid……
Oh Christ, David, like you, apparently, I am glad to have gotten out of the UK-far far longer ago than you, you are very young to me. But that statement is about as sensible (ie idiotic) as Ezzard saying “Caymanians are the most intelligent people in the world”. The US is an amazing place but please remember the depth of its corruption, its ludicrous election system (Koch Brothers and Sheldon Addelson spending billions that could help the poor of the world if they were not such greed merchants). its bible belt reactionary views about gays, its gun culture and so on blah blah. You apparently left Britain and did well in the US; fine, but please don’t forget the warts and – much worse – pretend to the rest of us that it’s “hands down” blah blah. Not your best post (and makes me wonder if you are as tough on Delaware as you are on these other places that are not “hands down” the blah blah!!
Nowhere’s perfect, including the USA. But it is by far the best country. As for Delaware, we’ve held a conference session on Delaware’s involvement in crime and highly-publicized it.
The next time you’re using your iPhone, iPad, Apple or PC computer to connect to the Internet to read an honest opinion protected by the First Amendment, while waiting for a plane to fly you to Miami for a good time, you might want to ponder what all of the above have in common. That’s right. The good ol’ US of A.
Your chest pounding triumphalism is certainly infantile enough to be American. I’ll grant you that.
Not sure you want to be using Apple as an example. Their chief designer is a Brit and all their manufacturing is done by slaves toiling offshore. Not very patriotic.
As for Miami. Dear oh dear. Now that is a ghastly place devoid of any semblance of culture. But you, just like Mac, apparently consider it a good time. Fancy that!
I don’t understand why you think it good for your brand to be posting pithy one liners and jousting with trolls on this website. Do you post on US and UK media sites whenever their politicians and citizens are charged with crimes? Probably not.
Since naughty politicians are a favourite peeve of yours, what do you make of the fact that in the entire history of the USA there have only been 12 sitting Senators indicted for crimes, including corruption and bribery?
This is either the most honourable legislature in the history of the world, or maybe, just maybe, they are unable to recognise corruption when they see it (and, of course, what is considered corruption in the rest of the developed world is largely permitted in the USA as legal lobbying). What is that called again? A culture of corruption?
Mr. Marchant, I don’t know what happened to you here in Cayman, and if something did I am truly sorry, but can you just spread the love a little more and end your obsession with Cayman bashing? Whilst in every society there will be criminals, 99% of Financial sector workers here are fully compliant ( and then some) in all aspects of AML, sanctions and whatever international laws now apply, and earning their crusts honestly.Even the OECD had something to say about the latest EU blacklist. I would remind you that Enron, Parmalat, Madof, AIG, Fannie and Freddie ( I could go on) did not happen here. And some of the things that went on to cause issues with the latter are going on again. But not here. You could also have a sniff at cell or SAC structures in Bermuda, no audits needed, no requirement even to register. That cannot be good.
Yes, we have some scandals, issues to deal with but show me somewhere that doesn’t. In comparison, and remembering that Cayman is the 5th largest financial centre, scandals are surprisingly few here. So please continue your ( I believe necessary) work, but can you please balance it a little more with other places, including that big one you live in?
You are so glad that you are so glad that you live in the United States. Well I guess it’s better to be living here in the Cayman Islands where there is some people who still believe in a civilized society. Where you can settle your differences with words in a court of law. Yes there are people who do not like Bush, but they don’t get a gun and visit him while he is at church and murder hi along with other innocent people. I’m glad that I live here in the Cayman Islands.
What’s the hurry to turn Cayman into Jamaica Mac…..?
…which is free from all forms of wrongdoing like vote-rigging, ‘lobbying’, violent racism etc…
Mac will never answer a charge against him, just blames everyone else, related or non related. I suspect he will call some iguanas as witnesses, maybe a chicken. Why does anyone even listen to the windbag?
LOL, about the only thing Mac doesn’t seem to have thrown into the mix is his alleged involvement in Operation Tempura.
He has to keep something back for the appeal.
This reports states that Bush is off island. Now I wonder where he can be? At least we know that he is not using a government issued credit card this time around!
Are you sure? Former employees still use gas boy. Former employees still collect paycheques while on leave. Former politicians collect pensions. What makes you think he doesn’t still have a credit card?
and has the government passed any corruption laws to stop government credit card use for illegal activities in the Caymans? such as gambling, or hiring a prostitute in Holland, or using it to buy weed in Colarado?
Don’t bet on it!
Does he still use those cool invisible bodyguards that take payment in crockery and don’t generate any paperwork other than casino comp statements?
He better be careful what he asks for, he may just get it! Not all could not be exposed in the trial, but he may not like all that will be exposed if he goes ahead with this court fight with the Premier, it’s fair game, & he may just be sorry that he opened up such dirty can of worms. They say it’s best to simply “let it be,” especially after getting yet another huge break/escape!!
So doesn’t the same thing apply to the current Premier, he is being accused of conspiracy and when facts are laid out ( if they ever are) the glove may fit, so let’s wait and see.
What a waste of MLA time when their attention is needed in so many areas.
Alden, please swallow your pride and stop wasting time on childish issues. So much time spent on Mac (who’s not worth arguing with) and Legge who’s throwing a tantrum.
Please grow up and stop being childish.
Huh? Suing someone for trying to damage your reputation and legal career is being childish? What a moron.