Speaker offers unusual warning to governor
Governor Martyn Roper and his wife, Elizabeth, are greeted outside the Legislative Assembly by (L-R) Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, Premier Alden McLaughlin and House Speaker McKeeva Bush
(CNS): In his address in the Legislative Assembly welcoming the new governor to the Cayman Islands, House Speaker McKeeva Bush urged him to stay out of legislative business. Using what he said was a regional turn of phrase, he warned Martyn Roper that “cockroach has no business in a rooster fight”.
As he opened the formal swearing-in ceremony, Bush, who is the Father of the House as the longest serving MLA, admitted that in his new role as speaker he struggles to keep quiet after being at the heart of the political fray for so long, but nevertheless indicated his ongoing suspicion of those sent here by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
How the governor felt finding himself likened to a cockroach within hours of arriving in Cayman for the first time is not clear, but as a career diplomat it is likely that he took it as Bush said it was meant, as a humourous warning about his efforts to maintain the independence of the Legislative Assembly.
Bush told the governor that democracy was “alive and well” in Cayman. But because he is speaker, “I am told not to talk,” he said, confessing that he did not find that easy after more than 36 years of talking, but that sometimes he did appreciate the rest.
The speaker also praised the current Government of National Unity in which he now serves, alongside his political nemesis, Premier Alden McLaughlin. He said that its members are hard working, like everyone in Legislative, before he issued his words of advice to the governor about not getting involved in internal political disagreements.
“I will ask you, though, pay very little attention to that. Sometimes, as one of our sayings in the region is, cockroach has no business in rooster fight. Don’t take that as an insult but how it is meant. You will do best to listen,” Bush said, before adding that he was looking forward to a cordial relationship with Roper and welcoming him to the Cayman Islands.
See Bush’s welcome to governor below on CIGTV:
Category: Politics
This uneducated clown is an embarrassment to Cayman but we already knew that. The real shame is on the simpletons who keep voting for him.
Bush is no rooster, he is just another run of the mill capon! (A neutered rooster.)
Sounds like intimidation Mr big mouth Mac. But I think you got it twisted with that slur.
The cockroach is alden Mclaughlin and the rooster is yourself.
A rooster is a lazy animal makes the hen do all the work. Only last 1 to 2 second during sex and his brain is just as small as his pecker. Always wanting more chicks (processions ) than what he can afford. Makes a lot of noise and thinks he more important than what he really is.
Cockroaches and chickens is this what our legislative assembly has been reduced to. Don’t forget the sakes and dogs.
His excellency Mr Martyn roper has a lot of extermination work to do. .
Let the culling begin.
Mac the cockroach should sit down and shut his hole
Well at least he didn’t treat the Governor’s wife like a waitress at a casino.
Mac should be expelled from office, based solely upon the egregious insult he bestowed upon Governor Roper. Yes, yes, I know…… If all the plethora of other sins, crimes and horrors perpetrated by Bush didn’t do the trick, why should this gigantic insult be any different?
West Bay, you listening finally? Your MLA is hurting the country, hurting your district, and continuing to disgrace you. Does he represent you? DOES HE?
Good start, trash talking your boss. Bush is outta here and he sees the writing on the wall.
What Bush really wants it t be called out on this and then to apologize to the Governor so they can be friends. Its how backward caribbeans form friendships.
In Mac’s disrespectful welcoming to the Governor , he has definitely forgotten his true Caribbean culture , and forgetting that honey catches more flies.
Dont worry Gov.
Cockroach has been here for millenia.. but roosters are family to dodo birds.
And our old friend still singing now to the FCO
What is it to be ashamed of? There are many more things in Cayman worse than using a “Caribbean saying” to be ashamed of.
If that’s his welcome to the Caribbean, let it be. Mr Bush/Cayman was directly burned already by a recent governor who does no wrong, so he has all right to give him a heads up. Look at history, these people are not as nice as their smiles.
His office is to look out for the interest of the UK. Instead of thinking the Gov is a god, come to save, we Caymanians need to respect our leaders and use every democratic mechanism to hold them accountable.
They are the ones who can do something for us, NOT the governor. Respect begins at home.
I can tell you comrades when UK is ready to do what they want for them, there is NO opinion or person in Cayman which will be respected.
Stop hating your own and believe the lie that UK will save you. Think Local and think about the next generation free from colonial rule and mental bondage.
Comrades?
Bush speaker , respect has to be both ways . One can’t show disrespect , and be expecting to get respect back in return . RESPECT has to be a two way street , tell Mac that .
ThinkLocal , Mr Bush was directly burned by a recent Governor , so then are you saying that Mac has the rights to insult a new Governor and put him in place , which he is here to represent the UK and the people of Cayman islands . Mac has no right to have insulted the Governor because that is a reflection on all people of Cayman islands .
are you really using “respect” and “mackeeva” in the same construct? wow
ThinkLocal is obviously a Mac supporter and is too ingrained of living with bush manners than to be civilized.
Where is the middle finger button ?
Dear CNS
Thank you for being here in the form of Caymanians being able to let it all hang out. We can have our say and remain Anonymous. This is good. No big rock or big coral through my window this way.
The comments have been great and many look forward to the shadenfreuda aka the delight of getting even with our enemies when bad things happen to them, when Makeeva Bush gets brought down to earth.
This has to be the most rude welcome to anyone, anywhere in the world.
Absolutely disgraceful.
Mr. Bush: you are an embarrassment to the Cayman Islands.
Small cockadoodledooooooooooooooo
What about Roper from Ropers? That was even more embarrassing.
What happened?
How in the good F are you going to talk Caribbean slang to this man and expect him to comprehend?
OMG! SMH.
And there you have it, our very own “Trumpian” Speaker.
This has nothing to do with Trump.
1 38 you are so wrong about President Trump. He is educated and McKeeva is not.
Trump is for the little working person and McKeeva is not.
Why does the title of this article include the words “unusual” when it is in reference to something McKeeva Bush has done or said?
Are we in the twilight zone or does everyone have such a short memory or had “high hopes” simply because he is in a speaker’s position, that he would learn to speak in such a manner as to not reflect his ignorance, childishness and simply donkey ways!!!
He has been the same from day one because he gets away with it!
You can also believe, without a shadow of a doubt, that the new Governor was already given in thorough details what to expect with the laughing stock of a politician that we have so eloquently titled “Speaker of the House”.
Welcome to Cayman, please forgive us for this sorry excuse of a career politician that I am sure even the United States of America has the unfortunate luck to have!
I hope that Bush take the time and read all of these comments and see what the People really thinks of him and his behaviours of arrogance and ignorance . Then come down of that speaker chair .
Do we see the smirk pouring of Franz and Alden face in the article photo , while Mac give the Governor his nasty insults .
I liked in the video when the Governor talked about the growing trade in the East and Mac was just a grinning and a nodding. Oh he knows first hand about the growing trade in the East alright.
He can read?
Ron he doesn’t bother to read CNS as he knows full well what the commenters think of him, but it’s water of a duck’s back as far as he is concerned.He is absolutely content to continue behaving as he has always done confident in always getting the votes he needs from his army of equally challenged West Bayers who will die for him.
Bro, save it. They are ALL the same. Who are you kidding???
SO TRUE
@ 1:09 pm
According to our Cayman Constitution which so many voters praised simply because it is a “Constitution” – only the Governor has the true power to call out the Government and get them and/or the Premier out…
Our lengthy Constitution goes in to details with many aspects of life in the Cayman Islands – but as the highest order in the land, it provides very little remedy to the people by way of ridding itself of a Government it deems incapable of providing the representation required to maintain, advance and promote the livelihood of the middle and lower income classes in the Cayman Islands.
The PPM mandate included its intention to look in to issues causing the rise of the cost of living – and yet, in these past two short years people have found themselves with up to a 25% rise in the cost of living from mortgage increases, to rent doubling to the never-ending rise of utility bills…
And here we have our Speaker of the house embarrassing this country (yet again) by calling our new Governor “a cockroach” – I do not care “how the saying goes” – that is an insult and our Governor has every right to keep a mindful eye on a Government who contradicts its own arguments, has misplaced $1 billion dollars of public money, has seen to the decline of education standards and believes that creating department, board and committee one after the other is a solution to the problem.
All Governor Roper needs to do is enact and enforce the Standard for Public Life and solve the problem.
Someone needs to print a whole bunch of signed that say “Enact the Standard for Public Life Law” and put them in the ground in front of the governors house for like a week or two straight to bring it to his attention.
I hope Alden is sutably embarassed at the behaviour of his “Speaker” of the House, who has excelled in ignorance and crass behaviour in his description of the new Governor. How he of all people could have been given this exalted appointment defies all logic. Shame on the PPM and it’s cohorts.
Try hush, David Wight is too busy “eating his vomit” to listen to you!
Sweet Jesus in Heaven, I am utterly ashamed by not shocked to hear that words spewed from Big Mac’s mouth at the swearing in of our new Governor. He is a disgrace & an embarrassment of these islands. I hope the wool has & will continue to be moved from the eyes of those who “worshipped” him & will never cast an X for his vote ever again
I remember listening to him on the radio one time, when I tuned in I had no idea who was talking, but in my mind the whole time I kept asking: who is this idiot? This guy doesn’t know what’s going on, is poorly educated, and tries to hide behind some fake religious crap and now he decides to trash talk the new governor to his face?! The guys got balls and in this sense, that’s not a good thing.
Dear Governor Roper,
As you can tell from that very warm welcome you received that there is a lot in Cayman that needs to be addressed. I am sure you have been briefed on specifics and I am sure you have your own game plan but in my non-advisory expertise I would recommend the enactment of the Standards of Public Life law as someone else posted here. If this government had nothing to fear it would have come into law years ago.
The second thing I would recommend is a full investigation of this cruise dock fiasco. If it wasn’t good 5 years ago and the FCO had to come in and shut it down, how can it be good now with the same players playing the same game. If not for that reason then for the reason of the lack of transparency, the lack of public support from the Ombudsman’s Office or the lack of response from the FOI requests.
“Cockroach don’t belong in a cockfight”? There is a big cockroach and a whole bunch of little ones in CIG and I hope you become the Gold Duckwing Old English rooster in this cockfight.
As for you McKeeva, your days of false power is coming to an end. Your dirt will be brought to light and I will be personally there smiling broadly for what you have done to Cayman and to my family.
Awesome commentary…
If the new governor is worth his salt he sees and knows who and what McKeeva is.
Has the Speaker spoken to any of us yet since he became speaker ? I have seen him reply to many comments in the past before . Really shows how big that wig and suit has made him in his head .
But how arrogant of them 3 to stage a photo of the Governor having to look up to them, see article photo .
That’s the problem – they don’t know their rank, position, or limits of authority – time for some rapid reminders.
Capn 7 58….you nailed it. I thought the same thing. This is poor and uncalled for.
See here! When Queen Elizabeth, II came to Cayman both times she was on an elevated dais built for her.
Has Cayman lost all dignity and propriety! We are British subjects and we RESPECT His Excellency Gov. Roper.
Does anyone remember that when Queen Elizabeth was sworn in the Archbishop stated that at the last day she would bow and kneel because Jesus will be our King one day. Are we without feeling or awe. Can we please come back to showing honor to where honor is due? Symbolisms are important because it is right. People knowing their places in society and filling their roles are important things. God has given the Government to rule over us so Cayman we can do better by showing respect. Do you hear us Mac? We mean you and all of us.
So, it’s largely about whether your representative speaks to you? Like we are primates who need hierarchal acknowledgement? At least your honest. This island thing of voting for the people who fluff you up at dominoes serves no benefit
Mac is afraid. Mr. Roper may just be the man for the job to put an end to all the “ cock fights” around here ;). #whatsinthedarkmustcometolight
What Mac is. Really afraid of is that the Governor is well briefed and will be watching the cruise port contract award.
Isn’t the saying “puss don’t business in dog fight”? smh
Cayman would be a much better place if McKeeva was made to wear that wig back to front. Permanently.
And perhaps put some of it in that big mouth!
Hahahahahaha!
We could crowdfund enough superglue to make sure the wig doesn’t come off in a storm. Or indeed ever.
Alden and the entire PPM should be ashamed of themselves, honestly they have lost my support forever and I am a Party member
They are doing the same things together now that they took turns doing separately for years
While it is good that you can see clearly now, the real question is why were you sold this snake oil in the first place
Old saying apart from “Cockroach …..” is “You lay with dogs, you get fleas!” Keep on scratching Mr. McLaughlin, you will learn one day, maybe too late.
Please follow that advice…..
“I am told not to talk,”
And hence why roosters should stay out of casinos and far from bar rooms. Remember cockroaches have been around much longer than chickens
An empty drum makes the loudest noise
Take no notice sir. Village idyattt
We all know the real reason this person is worshipped by so many West Bayers, it’s what they get out of it. Now I am forced to believe the same applies to the Premier, shame on the PPM.
Everyone except those in west bay who keep putting him back in knows that he does not know any better. Of course the Governor knows exactly who mckeeva is- his reputation proceeds him. Another Caymanian saying is ” give him enough rope and he will hang himself” Mckeeva will be the swinging cockroach!! I don’t know why they keep letting him out to embarrass us. We all know that the Premier has to take whatever the village idiot spews out because he is keeping the unity shambolic rimkydink mess together. Who would have ever conceive that those two would become friends. There is enough vomit and coolade going around for all of them. Let them have their full. Another cayman saying ” time is longer than rope”
That’s…not just a Caymanian saying
McKeeva is always first in line to jet-off for a protocol adventure, especially if it involves his self-anointed medals, falsely paid honorary doctorates, fu man chu outfits, casino baccinals, or commonwealth pomp. He gobbles it up, while stoking independence talk, hoping one day to rule over his own independent country. Roper should give the LA two weeks to enact the Standards in Public Life law and subpoena all the financial records of the Cabinet. We’ll see who the cockroaches are then.
Better yet is give him 1 week to clear out and take that smelly old wig and robe with him. He is an embarrassment to all people in the Cayman Islands
Regardless of the future date of enactment, the effective disclosure period for the enactment of the Standards in Public Life Law, should be back-dated to June 10, 2009, the date on which the Constitution Order (2009) was approved by Buckingham Palace. §117, pertaining to the purpose of the Standards in Life Commission, and §121, Register of Interests and consequences. Both have been wholly and complicitly derelicted by successive corrupt regimes – who continue to ignore their Constitutional obligations to deliver prescribed Institutions Supporting Democracy (Part VIII). I don’t think there is anything more telling about this regime than their ongoing and deliberate ignoring of these obligations. The Register of interests should be publicly searchable online, by anyone, including journalists, and political integrity watchdogs.
4 :09 pm , sense he has become Speaker , his head has gotten so big the LA building can fit inside of it . The people should demand for him to step down .
The governor should have poked in in his eye (lol)
Roper should have asked them to all bend down slightly lower to receive a Moe Howard nose grab triple face slap.
For those who didn’t get the reference.. A 3 stooges move.
I believe His Excellency has enough wits about him to get acclimatized with the not so warm welcome extended to him!
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread!
Love that saying!
And don’t forget to stock the pantry with carrots and milk.
The idiot has just revealed the reason the previous governor was hooked. Such an embarrassment that man
I think they set him up to get rid of him and then they all stood together to make sure that it was in solidarity and viewed as a united front. #disgusting
You think?
The true face of CaymanKind, and don’t you forget it!
More like mckeeva kind! I am a Caymanian I would never act like him. He is just plain uncouth and ill mannered.
Mac: Get help. Please.
The public talk is that Mac is not happy with governor Roper because he endorsed for Mr. Franz Manderson to have become the governor and that did not happen. So Mr. Mckeeva, Mr Franz nor the premier will be happy.
4:55 Really!! What nonsense. I bet you are the same poster and said that our acting Governor wasnt busy because the LA was not in session.zzzzzzzzz
Get help please!.
Stop spreading bs. No Caymanian will Govern our island period. The FCO has been very clear on this. Think and do a bit of research before spreading lies.
You hit the nail on the head bobo!!! If you think we are In a mess now, just imagine if that would come to.past!! God help us.
Why do we continue to have this embarrassment in public office … he needs to go and stay out of public life …. even worse he has now invented his academic achievements of Dr. and Hon MSc. or is it MSc. (Hon) lol which he got from UCCI or somewhere worse is a joke. Honorary degrees are just that, and do not give him the right to address himself as a Dr or having a Masters of Science. But ignorance is the hallmark of this fool and we have allowed him to do as he likes in our country. A fake man, fake achievements he is all illusion and we continue to give him the smoke and mirrors to pretend he is something he is not … what example is this for the youth of our island ….
Your Excellency Mr. Roper,
Please disregard our Speaker’s ramblings, and take them with a large pinch of salt. Maybe you are well aware of our Speaker’s history, but if not a, quick search of local media will reveal the not so stellar record of our Honourable McKeeva Bush.
I truly hope you have the focus and fortitude to ignore his bluster and attend to much more important matters at hand.
I am sure that Mr Roper was given a full briefing by the FCO before he arrived and that they had plenty to say about the Hon Dr MsC Speaker.
Good ole Mac embracing the #CaymanKind mantra!!
The public talk is that Mac cannot help himself and the premier cannot say any hard words to Mac. The public talk is that Mac made up the numbers to form the 2017 government so he is the leader or the dictator. The public talk is that Mac can and will mash up the government if our premier fails to follow Mac instructions.
McKeeva de-facto premier as well as being Speaker of the House.
Nah, they can govern without his three guys.
I must say that I think that Bush is the most disrespectful , disgraceful bully I have ever seen since he became speaker of the house . What and insulting welcoming he gave the new Governor and Alden isn’t no better . I am sure Mr. Roper feels like getting back on the plane and going back to his home after the first day .
I hope that everyone see that they has NO INTENTIONS OF WORKING WITH THE GOVERNOR .
As a West Bayer of many years I find he continually lets down our district. Why can he not welcome our new Governor in a traditional Cayman manner. Moreover he knows Mr Roper will not respond. Bush will always seek parliamentary protection as used by cowards. He is unable to string a sentence together and should return to night school to complete his education.
He insists on opening his big mouth and continues to think life is all about him. Bush get a life and move on. Vegas beckons.
Reminds me of the great orange buffoon up north!
Salty salty!
Debbie here Mr. Johnson.
Shadenfreuda aka delight of idiots being brought in line, is coming.
I listened to his speech when he was exalted to one of his positions and I wondered then why he did not get a speechwriter!
Guess he is so insecure!!! That is it really.
Nice to read your comments and thanks for weighing in. Hope Makeeva dont show up to cut down the rest of your trees because he sure cuts down everything else.
No chance that Bush will trespass in my yard, nor will DPC. Fast Eddie does work for me and keeps vermin out of the yard whether they have credit cards or otherwise.
Again, those “trees” were not yours. No if ands or buts. Get a grip and start paying attention to the issues outside your bubble. Stop. Playing. The. Victim.
1048 BoBo what is this? Mr. Johnson was and is the owner of the cut down trees! They were on his property and unless his grape tree overhung your property then you have a right to cut that overhanging limb. You nor anyone else have no right to walk in and cut bushes or trees on any other person’s land. Typical entitlement mentality. Mr. Johnson kept up his property and the trees kept the salt spray in check along with erosion. You all are idiots and immensely ignorant if you want to level and cut down the flora and fauna in any landscape. Mr. J is standing up for his rights and not being a victim as you call him in your pathetic comments.
Dear Mr. Johnson,
Notice my respect to you like most Caymanians. We are mostly nice, respectable and law abiding people.
You watch out for people coming in on your property to cut the other bushes on your property.
Don’t let anyone call you a chicken, or any bug because you are no push over like your lovely grape tree.
We will vote him out and not get mad but get even at the ballot box.
Hi Debbie thanks for this. I try to be reasonable and always support the underdog. Unfortunately I get flack from those who do not know me. Often it is sour grapes which is rather paradoxical because one limb on the tree last year gave me lots of nice grapes. Alas no more. So I deal with Politicians who go out on a limb. ( apologies for all the puns)
Anyway no matter that trees and Bushes have given me a problem life goes on, in and out of the political arena.
Well said Chris. At least you have the balls to put your name to your responses. We respect you for that. Regrettably de bush has no kudos to respond.
Chris , you’re right in saying that he continues to think life is all about him only Mac . Read the recent comment at the top by ThinkLocal.
It started a long time before he made Speaker. I remember him being equally disrespectful to Duncan Taylor when he arrived.
Ron, have no fear, McKeeva’s obnoxious behavior will not deter the Governor. He will stay and he will go on and do exactly what he was sent here for.
The Mac attack is back! Hopefully he can keep this UK minder in check!
I think Mac needs a minder plus diapers.
Dear Mr Roper,
I would like to apologize for McKeeva on behalf of the people of the Cayman Islands. We aren’t all as simple or rude as he is.
wtf?….roper just got a taste of good ole caymankindness…
anywhere else in the owrld mac would be forced to resign…here ..its just another day in wonderland….
There are plans in the works, bush has stepped over the line one too many.
Embarrassing. ????????♀️
Again.
Still. Again would imply that he ever stopped being an embarrassment.
Seems like Mac still has foot in mouth disease. Something’s never change.
4 :14 pm , there’s no cure for it , if you don’t have a brain .
Does Mac need to get baptized again with another front page photo in the Compass? Nevertheless, it will take more than a dip in salt water to clean him up!
I don’t know why McKeeva continues to speak like some fool; considering he’s now the Speaker of the House one would think he would at least try to act like he has some culture and stop being so ignorant!!!!
4:09 Because he is a fool maybe? Personally, I wouldn’t worry about it too much because the FCO know exactly who they’re dealing with here and I’m damn sure Gov Roper got a full briefing on the situation. I’ll bet he left the UK with a simple message, “Just remember, if their lips are moving they’re BS’ing you!”
And don’t say the word Tempura…..even when ordering food
5 :17 pm , did you tell Forbs that too, he needs to know .
These offices are all just ways for him to dress up, run his mouth, and make money. He brings his lack of dignity to his work.
CHEC & Decco still love him though!
A fool will speak as a fool once he is not aware of being a fool and in his case he is not aware as so many people idolize him even from the editorial staff of the Compass