Bush’s guilty plea is a test of character for MPs

| 04/12/2020 | 71 Comments
Cayman News Service

Johann Moxam writes: It is unfortunate that it has all come to this. It really does not matter which politician is involved in this sort of situation considering the details now in the public domain. This is now a test of the character of each elected member of Parliament. If the premier, the Cabinet members and all other elected MP’s accept this in order for the status quo to remain after a guilty plea, it speaks volumes about their own ethics, moral compass, judgement, respect for the office they hold, the people the represent and their character.

Consequently, this is now a crisis regarding our leadership, the integrity of the PPM-led coalition members, and an acid test for all the other MPs, who must either do the right thing or turn the other cheek in order to protect themselves, their positions, their perks and paychecks because a titan of Cayman politics controls the destiny of the Government of National Unity and their own ability to stay in power as we head towards the 2021 General Elections.

Please note, I am not seeking to cast judgement as I am not God or a judge or member of a jury and accept that people make mistakes in life (including me). The defendant clearly needs professional help for multiple serious issues that he has publicly acknowledged.

However, in my opinion what happens next in this chapter will speak volumes about the character of those currently in leadership positions in the Cayman Islands.

There’s an old saying that seems appropriate given the circumstances about what hangs in the balance:

“When someone shows you who they are, believe them the first time.” – Maya Angelou

The comment was posted in response to Court urged not to record Bush’s conviction.


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Category: Politics, Viewpoint

Comments (71)

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  1. nauticalone345 says:

    I’m between furious and resigned (though more the former) that this behaviour continues to be tolerated. For Mac it is but once more example of his unfitness for what is supposed to be such a high office.
    But just as concerning is the many (actually all except Ezzard) who sit by and allow such. While so long winded and judgmental in so many other matters!

  2. Anonymous says:

    The “Empty Chair” factor at the LA renaming was a very effective silent demonstration of the fact that most Caymanians reject governance.

    MLAs on their own, and without electorate involvment amended the constitution multiple times, they amend laws, so it is their party, let them celebrate their dictatorship governance on their own with out the commoners

    Another waste of over CI $$100,000 for a non-celebration of self worship.

    CLEAN SWEEP IN 2021!

  3. Anonymous says:

    People make mistakes in life especially when under the influence. There are others in office who beat their wives too. Why not go after them? Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.

    • I am sorry but whoever raises his hand against a woman shall not hold a position of power be it in the private or the public sector !

      Resorting to fighting against a weaker opponent isn’t courage ! Keeping calm , going away and cooling your heels is the best reaction .

      Dodging , parrying and evading aren’t the hardest thing to do until your opponent loses his wind or simply calms down , responding in blows will only get you into trouble in such a situation.

      I faced a few situations where a couple were having a row and the best reaction is by far to intervene before any blows are exchanged. Yes I received a few blows doing so to avoid escalation , so what ???

      I find very disquieting that people around when the incident happened did not intervene , reacting as if this was a “normal” situation !!

      According to the CCTV , it is pretty clear this was not a fight provoked by the lady ! Making his behavior inexcusable , even if heavily intoxicated ! If you had one too many and need to cool off , jump into the water !

      If any of these moves doesn’t come to mind maybe you shouldn’t drink in the first place ! All the more that as stated by the defendant and witnessed on previous occasions you intoxicate until you black out !

    • Anonymous says:

      So not holding yourself responsible when under the influence is what your culture taught you?

      • What my culture taught me is to drink and drink responsibly and never take the wheel after one too many drinks,

        My culture taught me as well you shall never hit a woman or rage at anyone , keep polite and civil , respect others as much as yourself and never let your fists do the talking for you !

  4. Anonymous says:

    Pension dodgers are no better.

  5. Anonymous says:

    Fair enough Johann. Some say you should run for elected office. Due to your position on this subject, should you decide to run there is certainly one question that you will have to answer. “Are you now or have you ever been a woman beater?.

    • Anonymous says:

      Oh snap. Now the past comes to light.

    • Anonymous says:

      4:51 pm, good question. All that wants to run for election should be asked if they was ever a woman beater and if they ever sold drugs. And be checked out. And if found that they did be barred from running for M P for life.

      • Anonymous says:

        Better change the elections law then, since at the moment neither wife beating nor any criminal offence carrying a potential sentence of 12 months or less is a bar. And even offences that do – like drug dealing – are not a problem if the judge decides not to record a conviction even if you are found guilty or plead guilty. If you think any of the current crop of MPs other than possibly Ezzard have any interest in making those changes I admire your faith but suspect you will be sadly disappointed.

      • Anonymous says:

        Voters need to change their Elections Law! We also shouldn’t require party affiliations if those are meaningless. We blew it though. Looking down the barrel on four more years of crookedness, and maybe the worst four ever.

      • Anonymous says:

        2:19 , in Singapore and Mayalsa if caught selling drugs it’s the death penalty by hanging. Here in Cayman is a little slap on the hand and they can still run for election, Cayman laws are crazy

    • alaw says:

      Johann never stop preaching about the MONEY that a MP MAKES
      Johann if elected would you ask for a PAY CUT?

      • GT North voter says:

        He has been saying that for a number of years. I have heard him say it on talk radio shows. I don’t always agree with every position but he is consistent and brutally honest when discussing issues and politics. I appreciate that and respect his bravery and leadership style when many prefer to hide or stay in the politically correct zone. He will win GT North in 2021

  6. Anonymous says:

    Johann still hasnt said anything about McKeeva. He just spouts about the PPM-led coalition and other MPs.

    I dont see where he has called Mac Bush out for his disgraceful behaviour, or where Johann suggests that Mr. Bush should be removed.

    Quite the contrary, Johann says he is not a judge or jury, and the Mac needs help… but yet Johann seems to be waiting to be judge and jury of all of the other MPs except Bush.

    True colours coming through now. Johann’s father is BIG in the UDP ranks so therefore Johann will never say anything bad about McKeeva, but instead Johann will try to tear down or shame other MPs

    • Anonymous says:

      Only the government and MP’s can remove the Speaker. The onus is on them to act in the best interests of Parliament and the Cayman Islands. The deafening silence by elected officials is a national disgrace as they allow Mr. Bush to carry on as Speaker. In any other country he would be forced to resign. If you are unable to understand what Mr. Moxam has written that is a personal problem because it is clear where he stands on this issue and has the courage to do so publicly.

    • Anonymous says:

      Your dislike for Moxam blinds you from seeing the reality and the merits of his opinion piece

    • Anonymous says:

      Should he resign? How the hell is that the question? He should be thrown out on his ass by every other member…then have dish pans thrown at him by every woman who has ever suffered his piggish behavior.

    • Anonymous says:

      The question isn’t whether Bush should resign, because we know he hasn’t and won’t; the question is whether the 17 others will throw him out, not just as a Speaker, but also as an MLA.

      There are also 17 official position statements that haven’t yet been issued, for whatever reason…only MP’s can remove the Speaker.

    • Anonymous says:

      Empty vessels make the most noise!

  7. Anonymous says:

    Johann, fair enough, but this should not be treated as the first test of our leadership’s character. There have been many, and each has been failed – except by Ezzard. We have every reason to be ashamed of our leaders.

    • Anonymous says:

      He is no paragon of virtue either. Because in a matter of days before the elections decades ago when he was the Minister of Health, a contract was awarded for the construction of Doctor Hortor’s Hospital to friends he ate breakfast with every morning at the Hungry Horse Restaurant. And a certain experimental treatment and drugs controversy and the list goes on.
      Suddenly people believe he is squeaky clean.

      • Anonymous says:

        Despite Mac’s best efforts an independent enquiry under a UK judge found the entire process to have been above board.
        MAC couldn’t stand having egg all over his face.

  8. Bertie : B says:

    There can be no logical excuse for Any man that hits women ! Any men that are friends with them Knowing what they do are no friend to women . They are coward punks and one day hopefully they will attempt to hit a woman and she kicks his ass literally to the curb . Men You do Not own women , you can be a husband a boy friend Not an owner just because you sleep together or have children . Women have been on the receiving end of violence for way to many years , This must and will come to an end . Teach your young boys as my old man taught his five sons .Never Lift your hand for that purpose .Real Men walk away , in some cases I had to run , but managed to get away .

    • Every single MP which does not condemn silently approves the depredations of such a representative and shall keep in mind that people might remember which role they played into keeping such a corrupt person in power.

      IMHO every single MP that does not condemn for what they are the violations of our elected officials is complicit of the the corruption and lack of observance of the rule of law on this island.

      I think this deserves a quote from “V for Vendetta”

      Voilà! In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran, cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of Fate.

      This visage, no mere veneer of vanity, is a vestige of the vox populi, now vacant, vanished.

      However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified, and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition!”

      The lack of action expose us all to less civil discourse may lead down the road to further disfranchisement , which I think is already riding high on such a small island.

    • Anonymous says:

      My father told all his sons women are to love, never, never for beating. And we always abide by that.

  9. Anonymous says:

    Sorry Johan but our MLAs have failed every “test of character” for the last decade. Why do you think for even one second this time will be different?

    McKeewa is returning to the House as we speak and everyone except Ezzard suddenly lost their desire for public attention. Enough said.

    • Anonymous says:

      This is a national disgrace happening before our eyes. All our MLA’s are individually responsible.

  10. Anonymous says:

    What exactly IS Johann saying?

    Just say it in plain english please

  11. Anonymous says:

    You got my vote En Fuego. We keep doing the same dumbness and expecting a different result. McKeeva should not be allowed to continue as our Representative and I think we need to remove all of the others who think it’s acceptable to behave like this and continue to be a leader of and to the people. None of us are perfect but at least most of us stand for something. All of the abusers currently in the LA need to be removed as well. They are all a shame and do not represent true leadership or even masculinity in some cases.
    S. Coulburn

  12. Len Layman says:

    Very well said, Mr. Moxam

  13. Anonymous says:

    The ‘I was drunk and can’t remember anything’ defence was ruled out by Magistrates in the UK years ago. If anything now it prompts them to increase any penalties they impose.

    If he doesn’t get jail time for this attack it’ll simply be sending out the wrong message to all the people who think they can beat up their wives and partners with impunity. Let’s set an example here.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Nice sentiment, but the test of character window closed during the “Gaypril” episode when three days of LA time was fully-consumed with streaming reprehensible anti-gay hate speech, all sanctioned by this “Speaker”, ironically charged with the duty of keeping order. Though presumed at the time to have been “protected by House privilege”, all that language and transcript is on permanent record. The window was further padlocked many months ago when the LA allowed McKeeva to continue to preside over the voters’ House, while concurrently facing another round of serious criminal charges. Morally, they are all seated in the same burning school house. For them, all that matters is that Caymanian voters, for yet another elections cycle, remain too placid, and/or disorganized to seek meaningful representative and/or criterial changes to the Elections Law. Those changes might have prohibited or restricted their party-scheming membership and a return to levers of power on May 22nd.

  15. JTB says:

    It’s not really a test, because we all know nothing will happen.

    It’s really just a demonstration of how discredited, compromised and corrupt our legislature is, how unworthy most of its occupants are, and how desperately change is needed.

    • Anonymous says:

      We knew this shortly after the Elections Results in 2017, when Independent Members decimated the old party faithful, and the UDP/CDP/PPM/Unity backstabbers linked arms and grabbed power even after loosing it. Still, no changes were proposed by disappointed voters to amend their Elections Law, to disband parties, impose higher moral/educational criteria, or expand representative participation to those that really want to serve their own people. MLAs are supposed to be professional Law makers/drafters/debaters – representing the interests of the district, not schoolyard boneheads representing competing interests. Cayman’s voters need to recall the Referendum petition and figure out that they hold all the democratic power to change their laws or system of governance at any time.

  16. PhenomAnon says:

    MLA Bryan, when you blocked the vote on McKeeva in the LA, you were on the Rooster saying “I need to hear the facts first. Let me hear the facts then I’ll pass judgement”. Well how say you now?

    What if that woman was YOUR daughter?

  17. Anonymous says:

    Johann we need you now more than ever to restore what little credibility Cayman has left. Please run for office before the current bunch of idiots ruin this country for good. Not a single one has any respect for this country, the office they hold, the people they represent except Ezzard.

  18. Anonymous says:

    While not necessarily directly related to the topic at hand, a Google search turned up some information that I was unaware of, and might be of interest to many. Specifically, I came across redacted Annual Reports that the Governor sends to the UK each year.

    On page 5 of the 1988 report, reference is made to an ExCo Member, also recently in the news before PAC, discharging his firearm in a public place on Christmas day. Those were the days. lol.
    https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/547516/1988_redacted.pdf

    • Anonymous says:

      Good find!

      Not much has mentally changed since Scott’s 1988 reference to a thin veneer of maturity. It took a Petition for a Referendum in 2019 as well as some painfully costly recent Judicial Reviews to prove out some of Governor Scott’s points 32 years later…and I have a feeling more democratic readjustments are on the way:

      “…they are however smug in their reluctance to accept that their prosperity depends on factors they cannot control (global economic conditions, hurricanes, and AIDS for example); that rapid development necessitates imported labour and the potential for out-numbering of Caymanians in their own land; and that the old mechanisms for maintaining social balance may not now be sufficient – in other words, a closer recognition of disruptive factors, and developing ways to deal with them, are required.” ~ Governor Scott 1988

      • Anonymous says:

        @12.10pm I agree with Governor Scotts sentiments that we should have taken steps to make sure that Caymanians recognize the perils of depending so much on imported labour. The disruptions are more evident everyday… expat workers demanding more and more rights in Cayman including the right to vote by British expat workers and a call for direct rule.

        • Anonymous says:

          Well, 32 years later, not only are these expats now voters like you and me, but so are their second generation Cayman-born kids.

        • Anonymous says:

          Social disruption isn’t always a negative when the social norms have been deviously biased and exclusionary – against the civil rights of our own citizenry!

      • Anonymous says:

        @12.10pm I agree with Governor Scotts sentiments that we should have taken steps to make sure that Caymanians recognize the perils of depending so much on imported labour. The disruptions are more evident everyday… expat workers demanding more and more rights in Cayman including the right to vote by British expat workers and a call for direct rule.

    • Anonymous says:

      No that Big Mac has pled guilty will Kenneth now make up his mind and an unanimous vote be possible?

  19. Anonymous says:

    I agree 100% with these sentiments.. and its not often I agree with Johan 🙂

  20. Anonymous says:

    I have to wonder why if it only took 6 or so months to get grief counselling before self approval of being fit to return to office, why he didnt do this 9 years ago. Lets not pretend this was a delayed or isolated incident that only just made him realize he needed to address personal issues.

    And also, all this back and forth of no recollection, then apology, then some recollection etc, honestly Im surprized that just his mental fitness for being able to hold office is not the KEY question here, no matter what the charges or sentence ends up being.

    • McCarron McLaughlin says:

      At a minimum a motion to censure Mr. Bush should be brought to parliament and as punishment he had to be forced to give up speakership of parliament. Something tells though the people there except Mr. Miller and some Opposition members don’t have any balls to stand up to the bully.

    • Anonymous says:

      All an excuse. An extremely thin one at that.
      Who he beatin’ on up to now that he don’t remember, his poor wife?

      Even blind drunk you wake up knowing bits and pieces.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Going forward this will set a precedent on how domestic abuse cases are handled in the future. If your average Jo sees that those in power are not held accountable for their actions what does that show. Domestic abuse and violence against women is too high on this island. Things need to change but how do you change this if it is seen as something that can just be brushed off. What goes for the goose needs to go for the gander.

  22. Anonymous says:

    Mr. Moxam Cayman needs you in front line politics and a leadership role. God speed.

    • Anonymous says:

      #gobacksleep

    • Anonymous says:

      We don’t need any more Monday morning quarterbacks we need more than talk. Johann is a good talker but he has some questions to answer for his past behavior and business dealings too!

      • PhenomAnon says:

        @9:51 am Unfortunately, your comment is very typical for this country. Someone speaks up, only to be shouted down and threatened with “I goin’ talk ‘bout YOU!” I think it is time our society did away with this childish tactic.

      • Anonymous says:

        LOL sound almost as desperate as Alden McLaughlin to smear Moxam except you do not have parliamentary privilege to protect you.

  23. Anonymous says:

    Them there kinda livin can’t hold Chaka

  24. Anonymous says:

    On point Johan! What Cayman needs is real leadership. Any MLA that supports Alden and McKeeva needs to go they are just as bad.

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