Cracks appear in new-found LA unity
Speaker McKeeva Bush in the LA
(CNS): The new-found unity in the Legislative Assembly with the unanimous support of the premier’s decision to appeal the chief justice’s ruling legalising same-sex marriage began to crack Friday. The first signs that not all members are equally behind the homophobia that has been dominating proceedings over the last ten days emerged when Speaker McKeeva Bush took aim at Opposition Leader Ezzard Miller, who had criticised the speaker on a radio show about his failure to address the poor taste ‘joke’ by the health minister on Wednesday.
Speaking on Radio Cayman’s morning talk-show, For the Record, on Friday, ahead of today’s meeting, Miller said that he had not been one of the many MLAs laughing at Dwayne Seymour’s gibe at the LGBT community, where he pretended to ‘accidentally’ say this month is “Gaypril”.
Answering a question sent in by a listener about why nothing was said about the unpleasant ‘joke’ at the expense of the gay community, Miller pointed the finger at Bush.
Watch the video here, exchange starts at 1:16:15
He said it was “the role of the speaker is to address that kind of decorum”, adding that he (Miller) would not have got away with the same type of unpleasant attempt at humour without some form of reprimand.
He said it was the kind of thing that erodes parliament, and noted that it was important to raise the level and quality of debate and behaviour in the parliament.
The opposition leader said the level of debate had “troubled me for a long time”, and he pointed out that these days the proceedings are broadcast instantly, not just on local TV but live on YouTube across the world. “We need to improve the discourse and level of debate,” he added.
Politics may be adversarial, Miller said, but if politicians could not command respect with their own performances and demonstrate respect for each other, “how can we expect anybody to have respect for us?”
He said, “That rests solely with us and the speaker.”
But addressing the Legislative Assembly on Friday, the speaker defended himself against Miller’s criticism, and tried to diminish his own response to the comments by Dwayne Seymour, even though in the video of the ‘joke’ Bush can be heard laughing loudly in the background.
Bush said he didn’t think there was a problem with what Seymour had done as he thought it was a “Freudian slip or a slip of the tongue”, but he said the opposition leader had tried to make it personal about the speaker. He said he didn’t know why what was said was not in keeping with the expected decorum of the House.
However, more than 160 comments posted on the story about the incident on CNS yesterday made it clear that the community did believe that the comment was in very bad taste. While the issue of discrimination against the LGBT community in Cayman has proven to be extremely divisive recently, those commenting on this particular issue were overwhelmingly disheartened by the minister’s behaviour.
But the speaker appeared not to understand the insult made by the minister to the LGBT community and claimed that there was nothing wrong “as that word” (presumably “gay”) is used in their community.
Bush said he tries to be as “judicious as he possibly can” and urged members to be respectful at all times. He suggested that the LGBT issue was behind them for the time being, as there are “appeals ahead of us”.
The speaker added, “But we are under attack and we know how to deal with that.”
See Bush’s response below on CIGTV starting at 3:35
Category: Politics
The Minister was simply using a word concocted by the gay community, so you who criticize The Minister are actually chastising the gay community. CNS maybe you should have researched this before posting this article : https://www.campuspride.org/resources/planning-for-the-month-of-gaypril/
CNS: Oh, I see. It wasn’t a pathetic joke at all. Minister Seymour was simply showing his solidarity with the gay community in the Cayman Islands and the heavily emphasised winks were just a weird tick. Perhaps the other members were laughing at him for that. Not very nice of them! Anyway, thanks for clearing that up.
Time for a transfer to “Speaker of the Outhouse”.
“But the speaker appeared not to understand the insult made by the minister to the LGBT community and claimed that there was nothing wrong “as that word” (presumably “gay”) is used in their community” So if that is the track the speaker is taking, it would therefore be ok to call black people n*****s, as that is what they call each other in “their community”?
The biggest embarrassment to this country is not the dump, it is Bush and his sheep who are too afraid to stand up to his bullying and ignorance. Thank you Ezzard for having the balls to condemn his behavior you could do alot more but it is a nice start. Bush should spend his free time at UCCI and try to get some education. He is dumber than Trump and that is saying a lot!!!
Please do not compare Bush to Trump. Trump is fixing the USA and will be President for another term. The Democrats are only trying to get rid of Trump and have achieved nothing for the country.
Time for the UK to give them what they want, independence. Let’s see how their elected members get on on the world stage. UK needs to distance itself from these racists and homophobes before they get tarred with the same brush. Finance industry would run for the hills. Good luck running a country with the income from the new dock.
It’s time for worn out tired loud mouths in our
Arliament to do he right thing for the love of their families at least and get the rats ass out of the House of Assembly. Enough of this stinking dirty no count uneducated embarrassment. We are in the 21st century we don’t burn Bush for mosquitoes anymore. Geez.
The one thing that the LA can be unified on
Hating gay people
Nice try. I hate your behavior does not mean I hate “you.” You gays are so full of logical fallicies.
That does still mean you should not be put in any position of power since you cannot control your petty biases.
Yikes imagine brainwashed religious nuts talking down to other people about logical fallacies
Cracking me up this morning
Because as long as you aren’t stoning people in the street you think you can get away with anything
I’ve read the bible, I’ve listened to the orthodoxy in Cayman
You lot aren’t dumb enough to say what you really think in public but we all know what your ideas are regarding these Islands
You dress your hatred up with pretty words and ambiguous doublespeak but the real question is, Who do you think you are fooling?
On the weekends, they successfully fool flocks that willingly give 10% of their paycheck to hear a repeated false promise that death can be defeated.
Nowhere does the Bible say anything like “Hate the sin, not the sinner.” It is not the sin which is cast into a lake of fire. It is not the sin which does all that weeping and gnashing of teeth. It is not the sin who receives eternal damnation. It is most certainly the sinner.
God didn’t drown “the sin” in the flood, but all of the men, women, children and babies outside of Noah’s immediate family.
Once again this newly arrived phenomenon whereby Mr Bush is now remarkably receiving a larger vote than his critics.
Voting as dodgy as the politicians. They must have a Whatsapp group!
What is remarkable is that the LA still conducts itself as though the Reformationist lobby controls the electoral votes. Over half the registered voters are new post-2003 and are largely educated contributing expatriate business leaders that don’t align at all with this adolescent discrimination and bullying – including against paper driftwood Caymanian status holders. A reckoning is coming.
If only your description of the new voters created from 2003 Status giveaway were true. Unfortunately the majority are neither educated nor contributing but rather they take & demand. Most are from one country more ignorant and gay hating than my people (BTW I am appalled by our latest behaviour). However since this Govt continues to give P/R and Status unchecked (albeit to mostly more educated people) change may indeed be coming. Not sure if this will help the indigenous Caymanians though as they will still be left behind in their own country. If only Politicians had had the guts to define a Caymanian as one born of a Caymanuan born Parent & Grandparent in the Constitution. Stop rubber stamping permits for cheap labour, put back in quotas for each country & start deporting riff raff (since we can hardly deal with our own) even if they have Status. There should be no section
In the law that bestows irrevocable Status.
That’s not a “crack’ in the unity, that’s just Ezzard being Ezzard: he disagrees with everything …
At least Ezzard has the courage to call out these bullies … where is the PPM whip? Come on Alden apologise on behalf of your Govt and regain some respect
Cayman appears to be showing its true colours just now with all the homophobic and xenophobic comments on here and Facebook. Cayman kind appears to be archaic and bitter.
McKeeva Bush’s ignorance is mind-boggling. He hasn’t a clue about the meaning of “human rights”. The rest of the world is thinking, “This guy is a total JERK” — and they are right. His ignorance is exactly why he should NOT be in the Assembly, let alone be Speaker. Well, go ahead and laugh all you want at Seymour’s meanspirited joke, Mr. Bush — because you won’t be laughing when same-sex marriage arrives, which it will, and in the not-too-distant future. Fairness is coming — whether you like it or not, Mr. Bush. And dinosaurs like you will be forced out to pasture.
Who you?
Your NOT getting anything or changing anything nor having your own way! NO GAY MARRIAGE IN CAYMAN!!! Period!! Our government has better things to do and your wasting Caymans time and money on this bs. Go away somewhere else! Goodbye!
Half the LA are raging bigots, the other half are cowards mewling weak protests at the first half after their masks slipped off. If Miller had any honour, he’d drop support for the appeal to steal the rights justly recognized due LGBT people. If he and the rest of them had any spine, Bush, Seymour, Eden and O’Conner-Conolly would be tossed out on their ears.
All of us Caymanians know that the Premier and the Leader of the Opposition have close family members who are gay. We presume they love them nonetheless. Could they not have ignored the awful stuff coming from the Minister’s Association and the ignorant views of some of the electorate and taken a lead in encouraging a change of attitude from that cobweb one of 100 years ago to something more akin to what exists in the developed western world today, instead of leaving it up to the Courts which will undoubtedly rule in favor of at least equal rights for gay people?
It is pure hypocrisy to try to characterize the stupidity of Minister Seymour as a Freudian slip. His exaggerated several winks made him look like he was having an attack of St Vitus Dance. But perhaps he is afflicted—let me not judge.
Minister Seymour only displayed his ignorance and unsuitability for leadership.
Well, we have always been aware of Bush’s Trumpian propensity to mendacity. Nothing new here.
And I am not surprised that the Premier again so publicly allied himself with Bush. These guys are all users of each other, regardless of principle.
I agree with Miller here, especially as I do believe him when he says he wants to improve himself and the level of decorum by all, in the LA.
The problem is many of us are witnessing this type of behaviour by our MLA’s and is this is NOT new! This type of BULLYING is prevalent and clearly even those who are not comfortable with it are afraid – which is precisely what BULLYING attempts to do!
These behaviours are then perpetuated throughout our society by many others. Indeed this is a very sad indictment on our cultural norms in Cayman….and needs desperately to change!
Adolescent gay jokes told by an MLA in the LA and sanctioned by the Speaker speak volumes about the real homophobia exhibited in Cayman. These grand constitutional professed issues are but smoke screens for adolescent homophobia.
Not mature enough for shame.
“Faux Apology” and now “Freudian slip”, somebody has been giving the Speaker private coaching on how to pretend he received an education.
Lol. To be or not to be, that is the question.
Well done Ezzard Miller the ignorance and immaturity on display by MLA’s about this same sex union which is tolerated by the Speaker is truly embarrassing our country.
Only because it’s so close to home. Otherwise he wouldn’t give two shits like the rest of them.
Yes, but this coming from Mr. Miller is rich to say the least given his previous LA antics and comments.
Yes Indian doctors and disabled people are fair game but let’s not make a gay joke which would have been perfectly acceptable if a member of the LGBTQ community made it.
Are the thumbs down here saying it is not embarrassing for our country?
Spoken like a true stateman Honorable Bush! Bless you and the other members of the Unity Team.
Big Mac is a boorish clown as a politician and now as the speaker
People like you need to leave and go back to your own country. Honorable Bush is a great leader and always took up for us Caymanians. Bless you honorable Bush!
Telling people to go back to their country while using the American version of honourable in a country where British spelling is standard
I truly have seen it all, are you even Caymanian?
There is nothing standard about Cayman spelling or pronunciation. If you intended it to be all British-like, you should have worked harder at it.
Why do you automatically assume the commenter is from another country? This whole situation shows just how real Caymankind isn’t! Shameful!
Always took up for us Caymanians – yep, especially the brand new ones he hosted status to and who now owe him.
The man should never have been made speaker of the House. Behind the scenes horse trading as usual. What country in the world would allow a failed head teacher to become CEO of Education, a gambling government credit card spending Minister to become Speaker of the House and a post election Brac driveway queen to become Minister of Education with all wielding a bible to reach such dizzy heights?
This is what happens (below) when religion gets in the way of decency. A talented man is losing the life he loves because he couldn’t understand the role of a public figure in a tolerant society.
Be warned Cayman, your intolerance for gays, race and gender, your xenophobic attitudes towards foreign workers and residents, your vile abuse of poor tenants in sub standard accommodation, your appalling employment conditions and pay will all be counted. But your treatment of your own kind, your poor, sick and elderly is the most harming. And now you add the victimisation, harassment and discrimination of two of your own daughters as a point to rally behind.
What a disgusting society and representation you have. I hope the world has their say and you pay the price.
Israel Folau: RFU to meet England’s Billy Vunipola after he defended Australian’s comments https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/47909515
So according to Mckeeva he didn’t hear the comment made by the Minister of Health
But you can literally hear him laughing ( he didn’t turn off his mic) and then he said “we understand”
The fact that this man so blatantly and purposefully lies with no regard for his duties and decorum in the house proves again he should not be in the position he is in
FB would love to have a copy of this and see how ass backwards we really are!!! Maybe CNN should have a copy too! We won’t have to worry about putting up anymore hotels now will we? Tourism will go down the tubes!!!
How would that benefit anyone?
@7:02 – it will benefit potential residents and visitors as they can then see how ignorant, racist, homophobic, immoral and backwards Caymanians are and can choose to visit/reside in a much more civilized and advanced country.
Unfortunately, your comments are as divisive and discriminatory as those that rant against LGBT’s. I’d wager that every single country on this earth has ignorant, racist, homophobic, immoral & backwards people within its indigenous and foreign population, but they also have intelligent, compassionate and open-minded ones as well. And Cayman cannot possibly be different from all these other countries! I (a Caymanian) get into absolute rages whenever I hear anyone ignorantly discriminating against the LGBT community (or in fact all ignorant and unfounded discrimination against anyone). I also to believe that our residents/citizens of foreign origin are a benefit to Cayman (unless they’re here to be malicious). So can we please keep it civilized and stem the discrimination by not stereotyping people – not all Caymanians hold the same views and beliefs, in the same way that all citizens of other countries don’t.
This is a perfectly valid point so why the thumbs down?
Others than FB got copies of that and more a few days ago. The BBC, Times, Herald, Daily Mail. FCO and a couple others received copies of the youtube videos of that and Juju calling on the boycott of the wedding and Dr. Bushbrain bashing Harris as an atheist.
Betsy, oh Mameh…