Bush files US action to see BOT adviser’s emails
(L-R) The FCO’s Miami-based overseas territories security adviser Larry Covington, RCIPS Commissioner David Baines and Head of the Caribbean and Bermuda Section of the FCO, Tony Bates (courtesy of Cayman Prepared)
(CNS): The speaker of the Legislative Assembly is not giving up on his efforts to sue government for what he has always maintained were trumped-up charges designed to drum him out of office when he was premier. Lawyers acting for McKeeva Bush have filed an application in Florida’s Southern District court asking for a subpoena to be served on Larry Covington, the UK’s overseas territories security adviser, who is based in Miami.
Bush is seeking emails between Covington and officials in Cayman and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London relating to his 2014 case when he was tried and acquitted of accusations that he misused a government credit card.
Bush was acquitted of all eleven charges after it became clear during the course of the trial that there was no government policy to prevent officials using their cards for personal purchases provided that the funds were repaid. Bush had used his government credit card, along with several others, to withdraw cash while gambling in US casinos on a number of occasions but he had given blank cheques to his administrative staff to cover personal expenses charged on the government card.
During the trial some correspondence was read into the record that implied that the governor at the time, Duncan Taylor, then police commissioner David Baines and FCO officials had interfered in the case. Bush has always claimed that the FCO wanted him out of office and they were seeking a way to unseat him.
Bush, now speaker of the House, believes that they pursued the prosecution against him maliciously to not only remove him as premier but to prevent him from running for office again or to undermine his chances of winning the 2013 election if he did.
Having failed to get from officials here the documents that he believes exist and will support his case against the CIG, Bush is now seeking to access correspondence between Covington and UK officials, including the governor and the police commissioner when they were based in Cayman or FCO officials in London, directly from Covington with the help of the US authorities.
CNS has contacted Bush for comment but he has not responded.
At the time Bush was investigated regarding the accusations of the credit card misuse he was also under investigation for other potential financial crimes, but none of those investigations ever progressed to charges. He was arrested in connection with an explosives importation case, where he had asked government officials to release seized explosives for a local quarry. While the owner was prosecuted and fined for importing dynamite without the correct permits, Bush was never charged.
Accusations were also made against Bush during this time about improper financial transactions relating to cash he received from landowner Stan Thomas in 2004. Correspondence released into the public domain showed that the cash appeared to be over the zoning of land. Bush claimed the money he received had nothing to do with zoning and was in connection with a legitimate real estate transaction but his personal assistant had made a mistake regarding the details.
In addition, Bush faced an investigation over his failure to follow the proper process when he circumvented the Central Tenders Committee in relation to a loan he had negotiated with Cohen & Co, a New York finance company. Even though the deal fell through, it formed part of another anti-corruption investigation that also looked into a $1m fee, which appeared to come from the New York financiers paid to a Jamaican university that was due to bestow an honorary PhD on Bush. Questions were also raised about a Cohen connection to Bush’s plan to sell the Government Administration Building to address the government’s public finance problems in 2012.
The latest move in Bush’s legal claim that the authorities here were on a witch hunt with the intention of deliberately removing and keeping him from future office comes amid speculation that, having taken the speaker’s chair in the current administration, he was dropping the law suit. But Bush is nevertheless pressing ahead with the legal action.
It remains unclear, however, whether or not the law suit filed by Premier Alden McLaughlin against his new political ally has been dropped. McLaughlin filed an action suing Bush for libel, slander and defamation after the then opposition leader accused McLaughlin of also being part of the conspiracy to bring him down — something the premier vociferously denied.
The court filings regarding Bush’s efforts to subpoena can be searched at the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida case number 1:18-mc-20228-JEM William McKeeva Bush.
Category: Politics
Monkey colony? LOL Cayman
pirates of the caribbean …just with no blackbeard!??
Yes and therein lies the problem with many of you bigots from across the pond. Who believe everything you do is justified so long as it affords you great comfort and convenience no matter how much suffering and death you inflict or impose on others. Sovereignty and Immunity from been held accountable or responsible for unlawful and immoral atrocities until it follows you home. Murdering and destroying others has been away of life for so long that many of you think its a right. Down with FCO and its minions.
Freedom!
6.51- we are always right, and we need to be. Suffering and death afflicted by the FCO in Cayman? Really? With comments like that which show no understanding at all of reality, doused with a liberal sprinkling of feeling sorry for yourself, is precisely the reason we are here. Now stay calm and drink tea. BTW, we stopped the Colonial BS about 50 years ago in case you hadn’t noticed. You probably don’t get out much, right? One does love a good rant that is not on topic.
Grime Reaper can you explain your comments on murder and destruction in so far as it affects the Cayman Islands. Most murders here are committed by your very own and as far as bigotry is concerned you are a prime example but only one of many Caymanians of the same ilk who maybe because of too much inbreeding blame every home grown problem on expatriates.
When Cayman is given its independence by a Britain desperate to get rid of it and its embarrassing problems, who are Caymanians going to blame all their problems on? Oh, wait, they will blame everything on their “colonial past”!! Booya!
Yes and they’ll be the only wrenches left on this rock. They should be very careful what they wish for.
Your type of person we do not need here. Mr Bush was railroaded out because he cared for us regular people.
Yes Mr Bush cares so much about you regular people that he is off Jet-setting every other week, in Casinos instead of here doing his duties
When will you mindless fools wake up William Mckeeva Bush does not give a damn about you
Yes 3;44am you are absolutely right because one the very nasty and spiteful things or tactics the colonial power practices, is they pull the entire infrastructure out of colonies when they leave. Thus ensuring it collapses and installing despot dictators or political leaders to guarantee it takes place.Then they say look at what happen when we left them to manage themselves. Uganda idi Amin 1971-1979 was trained a Sandhurst military college Libya Muammar Gaddafi although they now conveniently deny this. Educate yourselves before you go making statements and pointing fingers. Bless Up
They going to take the roads, bridges, power lines and Camana bay? Give me some of whatever you are smoking…
Educate yourself indeed. Lets start with your evidence for saying Amin or Gaddafi were at Sandhurst, because I would be really interested to see your educated and informed approach at work (PS RMAS Benghazi is not the same as RMAS Sandhurst).
Got excited for a second there 3.44 am…read it as “wenches” first time round…
Umm, sorry but there are very few countries more embarrassing than is Britain right now.
Talk about a monkey colony of a government – look no further than the Houses of Parliament.
@ 30/01/2018 at 10:03 am,
Tony Blair is a British Prime Minister that committed war crimes whilst in power, killing an estimated 1 million people, yet was still allowed to serve in the highest office – with no charges to date.
Therefore, I strongly suggest you reassess your position on the British government’s claim to a respected right to speak on or criticise Mac’s activities.
Detail the war crimes and the international legislation that underpins your allegation, please, 10:03am. Thanks.
Detail the case against Tony Blair in the International Court of Justice in the Hague, which is were such actions are taken against war criminals?
Great article CNS! Thank you for reminding everyone about (some) of the shenanigans Mac got up to in office and the excuses he made.
So let me get this straight
Mac thinks that the FCO’s grand plan to take him down, involved instructing the Governor who they relayed the commands to the Commissioner to arrest him for something that while unethical was not actually illegal (so the FCO’s great plan was foiled by a lack of preparation, or did they plan to have him acquitted the whole time)
For what reasons? To what end?
And somehow Mac himself pieced this all together?
Mac is a lot of things but he isn’t exactly a detective and somehow he uncovered this grand conspiracy that involves a total of two people and no proof (and of course let’s not forget Alden was also somehow included in this plot, even though Mac and Alden are two sides of the same coin)
Seems like a convenient excuse that he is using to deal with the fact that members of his own party jumped ship to save their own political careers
The British government seems like the scapegoat for any issues in Cayman
As bad as the PPM is in my opinion at least Alden seems to be able to keep all his choir singing the same tune, poor old Mac
Diogenes
1205pm if it so far fetch as u claim please please release the Tempura files ?? Greatest deception the devil ever did is to make u believe he does not exist.? wid your deceptive propaganda goweh!!!!
Tanaka sensi
What release of the Tempura files? Most of the really good stuff was either withheld or redated but watch this space because my sources say it won’t be staying secret for much longer.
The question is: who would you trust with your life (and family’s welfare) to present serious evidence of wrong-doing in the Cayman Islands? There’s no shortage of baksheesh, cover-ups, and accomplices willing to erase people. Most of us have been exposed to the dark elements at one time or another. When good folks report drug parcels washed-up on the beach and the masked machete bandits arrive before the police, you know it’s not an imaginary concern.
Its time for this Narcissistic maniac to go ?Not you Mckeeva you can stay! This man has destroyed and ruin so many able & capable Caymanians so the FCO can continue to maintain control of this place. He has shown in the recent times in the Tempura Matter even one of their very own if they attempt to expose or loosen his nasty grip of this place
Easy to forget the silence of CIG of cost overruns, incredibly expensive buildings, not finished buildings, bad audits, unexplained expense, Gas boy cards, cartels, monopolies, why there are no controls around CIG credit cards, Lodge…the list goes on…but you go ahead and blame the FCO. Frankly the FCO would rather we were not their problem, they have enough to worry about. Typical Cayman thing, blame everyone else..
There is zero chance that a US court is going to subpoena a UK official to turn over UK official records. There’s this little thing called sovereign immunity that applies to the FCO and their officer in his official capacity. One assumes his lawyer mentioned that and Bush doesn’t care because he can say it’s all a setup and probably won’t have to pay the UK’s legal fees when he loses.
The Architect of Chaos gets outed?? Be very careful Mckeeva Bush the network of moles and sabotage minions live amongst us. That does not include snitches and proxies who inhabit the RCIPS and Government oh and our UK stooges who will kill their own just to get noticed.
Papa, did you forget your tin foil hat again? The cosmic rays bothering you? Or is it just the full Blue Super Blood moon with eclipse getting to you…all the LUNAtics out in force today…
Mckeeva is unimportant or an insignificant aspect in this matter. What is important is that those who’s efforts and methods to undermine these islands is exposed along with those who authorized it and continue to play these very nasty double games, whilst making millions off this OT and all the while pretending they care so much for our welfare. The unjust shall not go unpunished!
Oh dear Polaraoid….what money does the UK get from here? Perhaps you send a Western union every month? The Nutters will be taken away!
You so dumb even if i wrote it down on you hand you wouldn’t understand Star!
Thanks Hopscotch. Probably took you a whole day to come up with that astounding piece of wit and repartee. You should have given it another couple of days.
Now; if you lookin to lead your country and Mc apply with all of those transgressions on his resume, surely you not goin take him on your team.
But when you talkin bout our Premier and him feeding his personal desires; he never see nuttin on Mc resume that he couldn’t live wid. What an appetite for power and an ego.
And people wonder why the road to crime is becoming the sought after alternative shortcut. Idiots in prominent positions like this who get away with things on technicalities dismissing all forms of integrity to pursue self serving means of enrichment against the people’s money are the examples seen by our youth and the attitude entrenched for generations to come. After that long sentence rap the court jesters knuckles, dismiss him, and direct him back to sit in the corner.
Someone clearly needs to learn history from the other side of the page.
Sad … and typical.
any politician that has ties or want jamaican influence here should not be in office!
Bush…your such an embarrassment for the country! Could we just have a little peace now?
Maybe the editor of this story could mention the amount he spent with his card in the casinos.
And compare that to the combined income of the caymanians that can not pay their water bill.
He paid back every cent and more I believe, so like it or not he is in the clear where that particular charge is concerned. Especially because he was ALLOWED to do so.
CIG did not have a policy in place stipulating that politicians nor high level employees couldn’t use the cards for personal reasons, so he broke no law. Remember it was not a case of morals principal like it or not.
You or I and many others would not have used the credit card for those purposes nor personal purchases period; but it didn’t mean we did not have the choice to do so and pay it back.
It was common practice for them ALL and many of THEM took advantage of it. However it was only MAC that got singled out. What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Even if you don’t like MAC and some of the other things he has been purported to have done – fair is fair. He was embarrassed very publicly and removed from office. He was slapped with numerous charges that didn’t stick – because he won the case.
Naturally he or anyone else would sue or seek a pay out. My comment will irk some but it was all there for the public to read and follow when the case was on. Now the country will pay the price; because the pay out will come from our money.
I vote for individuals who have integrity, competency and something positive to bring to the country – and their credentials would naturally include the educational background necessary. So I am not on any party’s side – I am on the side of calling it like it is – like it or not.
Even if you discount the credit card charges, he has done plenty of other unethical things while in the public eye no less
The man is a walking contradiction to “Christian or Caymanian values”
But he is still elected either way
Correct 11:07 and exactly why he has a right to sue because like it or not, he outrightly won that case.
As for the many other things he did, those are exactly what they should bring him up for; then perhaps they would win a against him.
Look at them now – all on same side when they were crucifying him up to election day.
Why join up with someone like that? Politicks…makes you scared of politicians period. Its all about the power and almighty dollar…not country.
A shade myopic Sir!
To excuse him legally “because there was no written policy on use of credit cards” is one thing, but to suggest he has some moral authenticity is absurd. ANY reasonable person would know that to use a Government credit card for gambling (or indeed any private use) is misuse, and in my opinion the Premier and any of his cohorts who don’t understand this are not fit for office!
11:28 am
If you read my post you would understand I was not, and to date is not condoning what he did.
Simply stating he won – it was not a case on morality – it was on facts.
Like it or not he had the right to use the card once he paid it back.
9.14 your condoning of him is part of the problem, not the solution
How can you say you care for the poor if you spent a quarter million in a casino.
Is Bush using LEGAL AID for this?? The reason I ask is that when someone asks him to help them with a lil money he says that he is broker than the ten commandments. Where the money coming from?
The $10mln Nation Building Fund that was used as his personal cookie jar was something else. Strange that these things get forgotten. No law against being a megalomaniac.
Says you….
I have always contended that it is important to have all of the facts made available so that the public can finally find out if there is any truth to the allegations. We should all want nothing more or less than the full and complete truth regarding these matters.
I trust the defendants to Mr Bush’s pending action will reciprocate and request copies of all his e mail correspondence.
Teflon Mac is one bad mama jama! (“can’t touch dis!”)
They lick him down…and he get back up…what a hard man feh dead!
Wha I see happenin here is pure unadulterated booracratic harassment!
An FCO that is willing to conspire with another country to dispossess its own British citizens – and justify the act (at the highest level of government) on the basis of (African / Black / Brown) race of said British citizens – is capable of any other deplorable collusion.
Watching this space.
The basis was more likely to be based on whether the FCO thought there was corrupt practices going on rather than anyone’s skin tone.
My friend, you need to broaden your knowledge of actual British colonial history before you reply to posts that you clearly fail to understand.
Still yet to be proven, years later
It was a wonderful excuse at the time
Spoken like a true, typical, racist Brit.
Kudos!
People wonder why the word racist has no power behind it anymore
anyone who disagrees with a point of view is racist or sexist
I am a Caymanian who does not believe Macs bullshit that does not mean that I am a “racist Brit”
Ok, never mind.
Your last comment confirms that you too are unaware of the historical reference of the original comment.
I was discussion apples but you mistakenly thought it was oranges.
Oh dear 11.01pm, see the full moon is getting at ya. The fact that he did and was proven to use the government credit card on gambling, but got away with it due to inadequate laws here, XXXXX does not mean that he is qualified to govern in any way shape or form. He has no moral authority and anyone who supports him suffers from the same. He should be got rid of, for the good of Cayman.
what happened to Aldens lawsuit against Mac?
It would appear that as part of the “Unity government” they ceased hostilities at least publicly including the suits
We’ll see how long this little government lasts but considering their hunger for power they will likely grin and bear it so that they can retain their titles
I hope they both retire at the end of this term
What is he trying to accomplish with this?
Validation?
Vindication?
His reputation is already in the toilet everywhere except West Bay, even if those specific charges were false he has been involved with tons of other things (lets not forget Casinogate over the summer)
I sure hope that as a sitting MLA he would not dare take damages from the public purse(the same purse paying his trumped up salary) in relation to this incident if he is proven correct
Walk a day i those shoes, then come back and comment.
Thanks but no thanks my mother taught me how to behave in public, she also taught me how to respect women including my WIFE, cause people always seem to forget that point
and he has the audacity to post evangelical talking points almost every week on Facebook, West Bay West you need a better representative
You mean the Casinogate for which ZERO charges were filed?
The same Casinogate whereby people like yourself were calling for his resignation or removal on the mere accusations of a casino worker?
Never once called for his resignation
Perhaps you should ask yourself why a good christian like Mac putting himself in that situation, considering they refuse to legalize gambling here because it is “immoral”
you think that she was lying in a casino likely filled with cameras
Think again genius
Bush himself called it a “cultural misunderstanding”
does that sound like a denial or an excuse
As you brought up Christianity, PM Tony Blair is a self-proclaimed devout Catholic … that just happens to commit war crimes, killing hundreds of thousands, and economically profit after the fact.
The British government and or the FCO doesn’t have a leg to stand on when it comes to condemnation of Mac.
The FCO is not involved in my analysis (as a caymanian voter) of a Cayman politician but thanks for your input, you might have commented in the wrong place
Lol!
If there ever was an expression demonstrating one’s ignorance of the constitutional basis that is “the Cayman Islands” – it is your comment.
As the saying goes; “Better to remain silent …”.
Ignorance is bliss
Alden will approve the funds to settle the case with his Speaker as part of the sweetheart deal that guaranteed a second term as Premier for the UNITY coalition. Big Mac will then propose constitutional amendments that increase term limits for the Premier. You’ve got to love the art of politics and horse trading in the Caymans.
Bush, just give up you are a first class loser wasting money much needed by Caymanians in need.
If I had a dollar for every investigation Mckeeva has been under, I would have enough money to go to a casino in Florida and slap the ass of every staff member there.
This tired old boy needs to try so retire while he still has the last vestige of his honor,
something tells me he won’t stop unless he can call himself Premier again or until he is placed into his grave whichever comes first
CNS; can you amend the first line to “The speaker of the Legislative Assembly is not giving up on his efforts to sue Cayman and its people”?
By now our Premier has rue the day he took Big Mac into his fold. What an embarrassment this must be for him now. My heart breaks for ” our beloved isle Cayman “
Are you naive or deliberately blind?
He only became Premier due to the deal with McKeeva so why would he rue the day considering he knew of multiple lawsuits and was directly involved in a counter suit claim against the same person he rewarded as Speaker? These guys are soulless who will do whatever it takes to fulfill their personal agendas. One must have a degree of shame or integrity to rue anything, obviously the Premier and Speaker lack those fundamental moral values.
No, I was merely being sarcastic!
More like only got a second term as Premier. He had already been Premier in the previous administration.