Premier calls on members to respect speaker’s office
Speaker McKeeva Bush presides over the LA, 6 November 2017
(CNS): Premier Alden McLaughlin came to the defence of his long-time political adversary, McKeeva Bush, Monday, saying the Legislative Assembly meeting had not got off to the best start. Following disputes between House Speaker Bush and the opposition, McLaughlin called on members to respect the office of the speaker and to stop getting personal. Admitting that he had fought his own share of battles in the LA and had not always demonstrated exemplary conduct, he said he had learned to respect the institution of the House.
He described the speaker’s office as fundamental to the institution and berated the opposition members for maligning the speaker on the radio and accusing him of colluding with government or being biased, saying this undermined the entire institution.
McLaughlin said it did not matter who sat in the speaker’s chair; it was the office and the institution that members must respect, whether or not they disliked or disrespected the person holding it.
“That individual holds that office as a result of a democratic process… and you undermined the democratic process if you attack the office,” the premier stated.
In an impassioned plea to his parliamentary colleagues to show respect to each other, he said that while he expected government policies to be attacked, it should not get personal, and he urged the more experienced politicians to set an example to the novice members.
He said the opposition should beat up on government — if it did not, it was not doing its job — but the MLAs should respect each other and address each other properly in the Legislative Assembly because they were representing their constituencies, not themselves.
As he closed his address, the premier offered more advice for members: He said that very few of those elected this time around had any real mandate, and that when members were elected on a slim margin of 30, 40, 50 votes, it would not take much for them to lose their seats. He urged the younger members to help and support government instead of “listening to those old battle-axes” who wanted to live out the rest of their political life beating up whatever government was there.
The premier described himself as a student of politics but said few people had given him credit as a politician because he was “not the huggy-huggy, smiley-smiley type”.
McLaughlin said that many people thought he had been elected because the former leader of government, Kurt Tibbetts, had carried him, but he said the reason why he had been elected five times and why others got reelected was because while they were in office, they had worked hard to get things done.
Offering his support for the speaker, the premier said he would help him in his goal to advance the independence of the parliament from the executive.
The speaker had held both Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller and opposition MLA Kenneth Bryan in contempt Friday because of their public complaints about him on a radio talk show and their challenges to his rulings. However, there has so far been no indication as to whether there will be any consequences resulting from this, as before the speaker can impose any sanctions, there must be a majority vote in the LA to support them.
Category: Politics
Respect when the politicians forget majority of there voter’s after they get elected. Then they be so disrespectful four years after again two faced too seek votes again from the same voter’s too try to get elected again and they talking about respect they need someone too show them what respect is all about. They need a proper beating in the hot sun with a cow cord in front of a crowd of people on the steps of the assembly because majority of them are a disgrace to the cayman islands just sinking this island straight to hell.
I think Mac’s wig is on too tight. Loosen it up and he will lose some of that piousness. Oh wait, what am I saying…
Late post: The truth be told the current speaker William Mckeeva Bush nees to apologize profusely to the people of the Cayman Islands for sullying the office of Parliament as he has done over the years , first deposed as a then Executive Council member, then deposed as Leader of the country and a host of allegations cast on him personally. All of this has sullied the offices and positions which he has held. Westbayer’s yes Missa Bush has done some good things in his time, but, the bad overrides the good; look within West Bayers and replace him at the nearest opportunity before or at the next election.
It is sacrilege to mention mckeeva and respect in the same sentence. Respect begets respect, it is earned and not demanded.. has he really forgotten who he is and his checkered past.
I think that the other members are right to expose the Speaker if he is in collaboration with any Political Party in the LA .
Mr Premier stay out of it . Because we could think otherwise .
Yes alden you @$$ for that to happen you need to ask the current speaker bahbabushka to step down!
At some point the PPM members will go back to hating the CDP members and the CDP members will go back to hating the PPM members
Someone please find recordings of Alden talking about the CDP before the election and after their unholy alliance and pay for some ad time on a local station and just play them one after the other
You would swear they are the best of friends now
Diogenes
Bush was not elected to be Speaker. He presides over the LA only as a product of sneaky deal making with PPM to form a government, reneging on a rival government deal. Nothing honorable about his installation there at all. This is Public Record. Any continuing collusion between the two needs to be called out! Case in point, we’re not holding our breath for Alden to re-table the Standards in Public Life Bill (2014), are we?
Premier, I agree, but it is ironic that the current speaker has been the worst offender in the past. Maybe that is lost on him. Do as I say not as I did.
The defense of his Speaker and watch dog is to solidify their union that helped both remain relevant and in powerful positions. It’s all self serving when you consider his own history in the LA as a MLA.
1. How much respect did he show the institution of the LA and his constituents when he got into a physical altercation and punched former MLA Elio Solomon in the LA?
2. How much respect did he show the institution of the LA as leader of the Opposition by boycotting a session and leading a mock sitting of the LA outside the court house as leader of the opposition when Mary Lawerence was the Speaker?
The Premier loses credibility with his every public utterance as he has mastered the art of double speak while preaching the dictators doctrine used effectively by McKeeva and Trump which is “do as I say not as I do”.
Alden is a flip flopper or suffers from political dementia. Either way his actions are self serving and hypocritical as Premier of the Cayman Islands
He can’t even respect the office himself, and he’s the one sitting in the chair. How can he expect the rest of them to do so? Especially since he himself, charged or not, is the one getting arrested outside of Casinos in Florida. What a complete farce.
The MLAs have no problem respecting the office it’s the office-holder they’ve got a problem with.
PAHAHAHAHAHahahahahahaha You invalidated all respect for the speakers office by putting mac in that position. Can’t get any better than this but we’ll see…
It must have been very, very hard for McKeeva to realize and accept that none of the elected Members wanted him to be Premier again. He had the honour of being the first Premier but that pleasure was short-lived. He should remember that Alden was among those who conspired together with the others to ensure that he got toppled from his lofty position.
And now, Premier McLaughlin, remember that “what goes around, comes around.”
It’s been a while since I’ve seen a Cayman politician deserving respect or honor.
Winston and Wayne, whilst on opposite sides of the argument, maintained respect. of course, they were elected leaders, not politicians.
Agreed
And Marco.
Best buddies now that Alden the Weak needs Big Mac’s support. Are there no politicians with integrity in Cayman? I wish the Premier had been a student of economics….maybe he wouldn’t be giving away the country.
“Alden the Weak” is so appropriate and ROFLOL hilarious ?
Birds of a feather fly together! They are tight buddies now.
And vice versa Mr. Premier. The speaker of the house also has a responsibility to good conduct in the house towards Honorable elected members regardless if members are part of the opposition or present government.
Respecting the office would be easy if someone respectable was the speaker. Respect is earned, not deserved.