Speaker denies working with CHEC
McKeeva Bush, Speaker of the House and Leader of the CDP (formerly the UDP)
(CNS): The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and leader of the CDP, McKeeva Bush, has denied that his consulting firm is working with or consulting for China Harbour Engineering Company. In a short memo written by the veteran West Bay MLA on behalf of his company, WMB International Consulting Ltd, regarding his connections to CHEC, Bush indicated that he was in Belize in June “introducing” the Beijing-based firm to possible investments there, but he has said he is not working with them. In a message exchange with CNS this weekend Bush refused to clarify his relationship with CHEC and said anyone who says he is working with them will be challenged in court.
CHEC was the Chinese firm that Bush, when he was premier, entered into a talks with about a potential deal for the George Town cruise port. The proposal for CHEC to take on the financing and development of the piers was extremely controversial, as he scuppered an existing agreement with another potential development partnership to enter into the dialogue with the Beijing firm. He was heavily criticised at the time by the PPM opposition and its leader, Alden McLaughlin, who is now premier in a coalition government with Bush.
The question of Bush’s continuing relationship with CHEC reemerged in June this year, when reports in the Belize media suggested that Matthew Leslie, a former political candidate and one time UDP member who has family connections to the country, and Bush were both in Belize looking for business.
At the time Bush denied doing business with Leslie or having any business in Belize involving CHEC.
However, two documents circulating this weekend, including a memo from Bush stating that his firm is not involved with Leslie or his family in any way, revealed that he was in Belize consulting for Sinopharm and introducing CHEC to possible business partners. Sinopharm is a Chinese pharmaceutical and health services firm.
When CNS asked him to explain the contacts and the work he was doing, Bush stated that his only connection to CHEC was that he introduced them to possible business in Belize.
“I am not a consultant for CHEC and have no relationship with CHEC in Belize or in Cayman. And I’m just waiting to see who will say I have any other connection than what my letter says…” Asked to explain Bush told CNS, “You’ve seen what I’ve written. That’s what it is!! You or any one else just try to say more!!!”
Bush said he had nothing to elaborate on but added further emphatic denials: “What I know is I’m doing no business with China Harbour nor any Chinese company in Cayman. Nothing in Cayman much less anything to do with our Government!!”
Government admitted earlier this year that CHEC had submitted applications during the bidder pre-qualification stage of the current process for the George Town cruise berthing facility. Since then it emerged that the Chinese firm had not continued with its bid.
However, in recent weeks the company appears to have re-engaged, and unconfirmed sources have indicated that the company may now be one of the remaining three bidder groups engaged in talks and government’s preferred choice. CHEC is said to be in talks with government offering to finance not just the George Town project but also a possible pier in West Bay by the Cayman Turtle Centre and a dock on Cayman Brac — a recent proposal that emerged in the National Tourism Plan, published this week.
Government has said very little about how the tendering process is advancing, as no tender documents, plans or redesigns have been published; the talks appear to be continuing behind closed doors with several groups that involve international firms and cruise lines in partnerships with well-known local contractors.
See the relevant correspondence in the CNS Library
Related articles:
Category: Business, development, Local News
I was driving on the ETH today and saw a traffic sign “Bush Cutting”. Tempting, very tempting…maybe a sign from the heavens?
ohhhhh….the arrogance!!???????
Is there any coincidence that both Hell and Mckeeva Bush reside in WB
I think not
Is it a consulting firm or an insulting one? Sue me already.
Kudo’s Mr Speaker as you are trying to make our islands great. Keep up the good work sir along with the rest of the Unity Team!
Jim Henson just left the door open because another muppet got loose.
Sick of McKeeva! Can’t even reach him for valid WBNW constituency matters!! What’s his purpose to his constituents??!!
His constituents are a money crutch for him. Only time he cares is when he needs their support.
Just remember that at the next elections.
Q. If someone is using their political career and sway to arrange high-level meetings and intros, how is that NOT a form of influence peddling for CHEC? Why else would he do it?
But but but his hands are clean and his heart is pure???
Oh please. Where did I put that “vomit” emoji?
where are all the macbots????
They finally woke up, Mac will not even be elected in 2021, he can’t even get his usual 4 seats in WB anymore and failed to get any elsewhere, now he is resigned to being Alden’s puppet and trying on his get rich and get out schemes. He needs to go far and stay long
He is not Alden’s puppet but rather the other way round as Alden is his as Alden is now pursuing McKeeva’s policies not those of PPM
You don’t know the Alden I know! He is squarely in charge don’t let anyone fool you
8:07 am , there are no more macbots left , they all became kirkdartbots .
Kirkbots by day, Macbots by night.. they are.. THE NAY SAYERS!!
A consulting firm??? On what topics? Based on what education & experience? Anyone engaging that company should immediately be considered suspect.
Look at his letter, he is now a Dr. and has a Bsc. degree.
The Seventh Day Adventists University in Jamaica was going to award him a doctorate degree after the $1 Million “Donstion” funded by Caymanian taxpayers. The “Donation” was returned and the Dr. withdrawn.
Now it looks like he must have still awarded himself the doctorate degree!!!
What a bombastic representative he is of the Csyman Islands.
Alden how much more damage are you going to allow him to do before removing him from being Speaker?
CNS: For the record, Auntie covered this in her column – Is McKeeva Bush a ‘doctor’? Sadly, Mr Bush’s input was not very illuminating about where the doctorate came from.
This is an embarrassment to those who studied long and hard to obtain their doctorate. He doesn’t even realise how stupid he appears, by signing his name and title to his scribbling with horrible spelling and sentence structure. Mr. Bush the designation of doctorate along with you obvious lack of education is pitiful. No one is expecting you to do that!
i think he was awarded an honorary doctorate by some institution in Canada but I do not know the reason he was so honored
CHEC suspect ? Say it ain’t so.
This guy. Sheesh. Can we just at least pretend he’s in jail?
I see Mac’s written English has improved.
Anyone uncomfortable that the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly who is to remain neutral politically is supporting a company that is bidding on a local govt contract?
Naw. But it’s great weather here in paradise and with Dart around looks like a good economy for a while.
Well he still calls himself “Dr”. Guess last time in the US he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express.
Why is it that when a politician ’emphatically’ denies something it raises immediate suspicion?
Because a Leopard cannot change his spots.
big mac…the perfect example of why all status holders should be allowed run for office.
Sorry bobo not in your life time.
When you sign your name with a fake “Dr.” doesn’t that make everything in the document suspect?
You mean like “Dr” Steve McField and “Dr” Mary Lawrence, 4:18?
Don’t forget Dr Kenrick Webster
Dr. Pepper
Don’t forget Dr. Dolittle …………
Or “Dr”. Frank and “Dr”. Watler, the list goes on….
Those two fall in a slightly different category. Dr. Frank, whatever you may think of him, actually embarked on a course that would lead to him earning the designation. My understanding is that nobody has been able to find his dissertation which should be a public document.
Dont forget all the online Dr.s at out prestigous university teaching the new generation. SMH. This has gotta stop.
Dr Franks is real
What a giggle?
He’s not a real Doctor, He just plays one on Cayman Cross Talk. LOL
knock knock….here to collect CAESAR’s taxes….???? we need them to build a dock for crusise passengers in GT. So the rich can prosper…tee hee haw haw haw!
“What I know is I’m doing no business with China Harbour nor any Chinese company in Cayman. Nothing in Cayman much less anything to do with our Government!!”
He maybe right, nothing in Cayman, didn’t say nothing anywhere else.. just not in Cayman.
What a muppet.
In other words “I nah doing nuttin with them in Cayman so it nah matter, and what I do in other countries none of unnah business”. Can we please remove this XXXX now. If people of this country don’t realize that these XXXX that are ruining our reputation are innit for themselves and no one else then we need to do an elector test before you cast a ballot.
I much as I do NOT support the dock in Cayman, I do support some sort of development in the Brac to draw money there to help it’s local economy but NOT at the expense of the very thing people come here to see and NOT through CHEC. Read Glidden’s article in the related stories. Look at the permit concessions Mr. Love of Country McKeeva Bush would have given CHEC. Was there a guarantee that when the project was done all those new work permit holders would have been leaving? I bet not. Bush would have given out 300 permits to Chinese workers, jobs locals could have done but hey at least it wasn’t 100% of the jobs right? Had to add the token Caymanian in there.
Once again the bully from West Bay threatens court action if someone has an opinion of their own. Such a clASS act.
“revealed that he was in Belize consulting for Sinopharm and introducing CHEC to possible business partners.”
Isn’t that working for/on behalf CHEC? Actually going to Belize? I mean he could have picked up the phone and called someone but to actually get on a plane and GO to another country? Did he buy the ticket? If not I would say that amounts to some kind of professional relationship which added with introducing them to potential customers would mean, even in a very small capacity.. working for CHEC.
When are Caymanians going to wake up ? Does he have to murder someone before we see his for what he really is ? Alden Mclaughlin I am so embarrassed for our country that you joined this man and made him our Honorable Speaker. I hope you are prepared to reap the whirlwind that is coming
Alden did the best he could with the hand that the voters handed him. A country gets the kind of government they deserve.
The unity team will be ousted next election.
LA House needs a good spring cleaning.
2.28pm I could not agree more, unfortunately Alden has plumbed the depths and set a new record low in political dishonour by going to bed with his arch enemy.
Isn’t he being paid to do a job for the Caymanian people?
Do you think he cares when it comes to his own personal gain? He is a low life bottom feeder.
Bureaucratic harassement!!!!!
All these years and mac still can’t sort himself out..you either the good guy or the bad guy b. I’m sure he’s learnt the hard way over time that you can’t be both.
How much longer will the Caymanian populace sit idly by and watch fiascos such as these be unveiled?
The time is at hand to stand up shoulder to shoulder and say enough is enough!
Democracy ensure that if fools are the majority, a country will suffer.
Religious freaks dont think for themselves. That why they vote for him.
Anyone else uncomfortable that the speaker of the house is working for a foreign government? Sinopharm is half state owned by the Chinese Government.
Oh gosh, gobble gook!! What a cackle, threat of another lawsuit. How many of those are out there pending now? How much longer will we as a country be content with this load of crap!!
We had a lot of “crap” like this going on up North and we did do something about it during the latest presidential election. We’re taking some heat for this decision because it may not seem like the most internationally popular one, but we are very happy with the outcome so far.
When is your turn.?.
If you only watch Fox News, you’re going to be very surprised where the whole thing “up North” is going.
I’m positive it’s nowhere near as bad as where things are going down South on your rock…
Good luck
Fox News is a joke.. I’d rather get my news from the Enquirer.
Oh dear! Are you really referring to the “great orange hope” – that is like jumping out of the frying pan straight into hell. As much as we would like to make some changes , no thanks for your example.
Well there is a “Hell” in West Bay..
I don’t know which is worse, listening to him speak or reading what he has written?
I can’t agree with your more. This man would appear can do no wrong or has done nothing wrong. Now to top it of he is a “DOCTOR” of what? my guess is of BS. LOL
Ah, the bright light of transparency….
Maybe consulting about super secret security service firm…oh no wait that was a lie
What’s that smell?
Mac’s rug needs to be cleaned.
Mac Belize Matthew Leslie China Harbor….that’s what the smell is.
What a toxic combination
politicians the world over…????
Greedy, dumb ass pollies.