Case against speaker goes to prosecutors

(CNS): The decision over whether or not House Speaker McKeeva Bush will be charged in connection with an assault at a bar last month is now in the hands of the director of public prosecutions (DPP). An RCIPS spokesperson told CNS Thursday that the investigation file had been submitted to the DPP for legal ruling. “We are awaiting a decision and direction at this time,” the spokesperson added.

The speaker was accused of physically assaulting the female bar manager at Coral Beach Bar on 22 February after what appeared to be a long evening of drinking.

Bush, the longest serving member of the Legislative Assembly and representative for West Bay West, issued a statement after the incident, which was reportedly seen by several people, apologising for his behaviour and to the victim.

The speaker fell short of taking full responsibility for injuring the victim or accepting the gravity of the violence inflicting upon her, but he did accept that he had hit out at the people trying to assist him when he fell and claimed that mental health issues, fuelled by grief, had led to alcohol abuse, for which he was going to seek treatment.

Bush has not resigned from his position as speaker but has been given some form of undefined leave by the premier. North Side MLA Ezzard Miller has said he believes this is unconstitutional and has called for a special sitting of the Legislative Assembly.

The opposition supported that call but it was inexplicably thwarted by MLA Kenneth Bryan (GTC), who has since been expelled from the official opposition. However, Bernie Bush (WBN) resigned as deputy on principle in protest against the government’s inaction.

With the COVID-19 pandemic dominating the news headlines over the last two weeks, the Bush case has taken a back seat. But members of the public have continued to express concerns on social media that the incident is being swept under the rug. However, with the news from the RCIPS that the case has gone to the DPP for a ruling on possible charges, CNS will continue to follow up on this issue.