Bernie crosses floor to opposition benches
(CNS): After months of being a clear outsider on the government benches, Bernie Bush, the member for West Bay North, crossed the parliamentary floor Wednesday night to join the opposition benches. During his debate on the Referendum Bill for the cruise project, Bush was clear that he believed his constituents were largely opposed to the project. But more than that, he said, they were angry with the approach government had taken over the entire campaign.
Bush went on to explain his own concerns about how the government had conducted itself in this campaign and its criticism and derision of the campaigners.
The back-bench Unity government member also made it clear that he was not in support of the project and saw it as selling out to powerful cruise lines that do not support the interests of Caymanians.
Bush raised a number of concerns about the environmental impact on the marine habitat and worried that the claims regarding coral relocation and the potential for wider impact on Seven Mile Beach remained in doubt. He questioned why a new independent environmental impact assessment had not been conducted to reassure people about these risks of the current plans, which have changed several times since 2015.
Bush said he was not supporting the government project as he did not want to be responsible for those Caymanians who would lose jobs from waterfront businesses that already existed in favour of the multi-million dollar cruise sector, which has done nothing to help people here other than squeeze margins. He said he was also not willing to take the risk of being partly responsible for destroying the environment.
As he revealed that he was crossing the floor, Bush said that at times it had been uncomfortable on the government benches but he had stayed to retain his post on the Public Accounts Committee. He now expects to lose that position, he said, which he had really enjoyed.
Bush’s departure will have very little impact on the ability of the Government of National Unity to govern, as the coalition retains a majority with the remaining two CDP members and three independent members. Bush’s move will boost the ranks of the opposition to seven, leaving eleven members sitting in government, plus the speaker.
And as Bush noted, it will enable the premier, if he wishes, to remove him from PAC and put on another much more loyal back-bencher. That will give government a more solid majority on the committee that scrutinises how it manages the public purse, making it more difficult for the committee to properly hold government to account.
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Category: Politics
Yes, it is ALWAYS VERY COURAGEOUS to take up the positions that all the media outlets and activists will trumpet and revere as courageous, visionary and good.
Yes very courageous indeed!
Bernie will pay at the polls
Oh for heavens sake it doesn’t matter a rat’s ass what Bernie does, he’s a nonentity, a failed government employee of many years who did what so many of them do when their “abilities” cant get them a real job, he got a job as an MLA, paying him countless more dollars than he has ever been able to earn from whatever abilities he has (apart from cricket and a failed floating tourist bar in North Sound not sure what these are).
I wish Bernie well. He appears to have overlooked that after over 12 months of campaigning, 72% of his constituents still did not sign the petition.
Guess Bernie listened to to Mr.Roy Bodden on his recent incursion in Rooster when he stated “ the only person who can’t change his mind is a dead man”. The truth is we don’t know whether he did or not but as another saying goes for People who are convicted to life imprisonment vis “Dead man walking”. Ya lost it no more re-election dear one.
It might have taken an Unity intern an entire afternoon to sort the petition list into a district-by-district breakdown long before the Referendum question was set. Not that hard to copy/import the data to Excel, clean it up, and sort when the first 2-3 characters of the voter ID are the actual electoral district identifier. Are you that person?
Just because someone didn’t sign a public petition, doesn’t mean they support the port. Why do so many of you seem to think it does?
I see many people expressing their disdain for the current MLAs; wonder how many of them will pay their CI 1,000 to replace them in two years’ time, because it coming like this government lot would sell our unborn children if we let them.
What does “pay them their CI1,000” mean?
Vote No
Vote Yes . Support the port.
F#$k the port vote no
backbone ….the guy is simply saving his a$$….it is not easy baking breads…
People who dump derelict failed business ventures in the North Sound don’t give a shit about the environment.
Bernie for Premier ..
Does anyone know what happened to Julie?? not a peep out of her..
Too busy taking care of the Brac. Try again.
driveway on bluff?
And what is wrong with that?
Notice that she was conveniently absent during the vote..
Didn’t show up she wasn’t there
dat’s man!!
“I am not for sale and I am not for rent”
That’s the last time I vote for Bernie.
Fix the damn dump Bernie!
First fix the Port then fix the dump. Oh wait! Government has a plan for the Dump! It’s called Dart. Now sit down!
Tell Alden to take part of this $200M and fix the damn dump..Bernie does have access to the money..
All 18 are culpable. Watch.
I don’t care who has got a back bone, or who hasn’t. all we want is to hurry up and sort this damn port issue out once and for all!! I, and am sure many, are sick of it domineering CNS news day after day with the same old arguments. it’s as bad as Brexit is in the UK…..a lot of talk and same old arguments and nothing getting done!….get it sorted and move on. There are much more important issues on this island that need addressing than visitors to this island not wanting to get their feet wet!
they might as well swim to the shore, will be good for them + adds that adventure kick
Alden is back on his soap box again this morning berating everyone..If he is so sure that he will get the votes he needs why bother going this low..
Exactly! He was on TV saying that he asked Opposition constituents how they feel about their representatives. Seems like he forgot that the entire island including some in his constituency are complaining about him all the time. If he really wants to know what they are saying he only have to click on to CNS. I would bet that 9 out of every 10 posts about him is negative and the most common comment is about his arrogance.
Congrats Bernie! Finally an MLA who can stand up and do what is right..
….eventually
Better late than never. Could someone from the PPM please let us know whether or not the party is supporting the conduct of its politicians, or is it just a cult of personality?
Captain Eugene needs to poll his constituents as well. McKeeva is not going to able to help him next election..Grow some balls man and do what your people are telling you to do.
Captain Whogene? He’s out fishin’ or somethin’
This his last term I can find a trained parrot that got more tricks up their sleeve than him usless would be an understatement..
I think what we’re seeing here is MLAs finally listening to the people who elected them rather than the lobby groups pushing for the dock.
CNS: Thanks for the typo note. You were right, of course.
Good job Bernie. I am sure that many of the Premier’s hanger ons wish that they had the guts to do what he did. Right now the Premier is speaking in the LA, deriding the Opposition and sucking up to McKeeva while lying his tail off. He is a national disgrace.. He needs to remember that each person were duly elected and represents a particular constituent. I would like to also thank CPR for their hard work and diligence in this matter.
Thanks also to the lawyers who put together the Legal Opinion and thanks to MLA Suckoo for meticulously going through the Opinion and pointing out the anomalies in the half baked Referendum Bill which would have probably passed with flying colour if he hadn’t pointed out the problems. I understand they are now bringing (or have brought) changes to make it constitutional. Can you imagine, the Premier himself is an Attorney, so is Tara Rivers and he has the AG at his beck and call but through his arrogance he was ready to dismiss the Opinion .
And the monopoly and well funded special interest rejoices!
CNS is it possible for you to post the video of his contribution? I think EVERY person in Cayman and the world needs to be exposed to it.
CNS: I’ve added the video at the bottom. It is set to start at Bernie Bush’s contribution.
Nobody wants to see that uneducated embarrassment.
uneducated?? Maybe you should check Bernie’s BIO versus your so called god McKeeva…
Sure, how did his Government funded Masters degree end up? I beg you tell us.
At least Bernie went to school and tertiary education!!!! Where did your emperor McKeeva go????????
He always talk about old bush. I guess he went to school in old bush !
Finally…someone with backbone and integrity…Good for you Bernie!!
Good
Dwayne Seymour contribution last night was disgraceful and lacked any substantive substance.
As usual!! hopefully 2021 will remedy that.
John John made a total a$$ of himself last night. For a minister and for what it matters, the one for Environment, he was a complete and utter embarrassment. I would have been better to have voted for Ossie rather than him..He was unprepared, using made up words, saying that he had read 5 dictionaries and berating everyone in the opposition and CPR with malicious and unsubstantiated insults. So Happy that McKeeva as bad as he is put him in his place…
The Cayman Islands for years could always look for great leadership from Bodden Town. This is one is no leader and completely out of touch..Not fooling me again though!
@ 5.21 ..and Alva showed his true colours by talking down to him.Just watch John Johns contribution and see.
one small step for man…one giant leap for caymankind.
wow…an mla with a set of stones and a backbone.
well done bernie.
PPM trolls are very busy…Cant miss that Christmas Ham/Turkey
My first thought was “what’s his angle here” and that maybe he felt this was needed to secure re-election. That’s how cynical I have become. But maybe this guy actually has a conscience and the courage to take a stand. I hope so- it would be a first for our MLAs.
“10 minus 1 is 0.”
To the other members, regardless of how low the percentage of votes are in your constituency, a demand to vote is still a demand. Follow suit else your re-election will be at risk.
Watch as all the rats start to abandon Alden’s sinking ship!
Credit to Bernie for being the first to have the backbone to do so!
Whoa… good one Bernie. Feel the Bern, Alden.
A blessing in disguise, trust me.
Bernie- THANK YOU for having a backbone.
LOL – even rats don’t want to go down with Alden McBush’s sinking ship. So much for “Unity”.
10.39am They all have backbones, unfortunately most of them are very flexible.
Good on Bernies, vote Portxit.
Let’s name this debacle. Cayman’s version of Brexit = Prexit
I like Portxit
Prexit is too vague.
Doxit – rhymes with Toxic
Like the damn dump!
PPMexit