Bush opens parliament with warning about rules

| 14/07/2021 | 102 Comments
Cayman News Service
Speaker McKeeva Bush presides over Parliament, 14 July 2021

(CNS): Speaker McKeeva Bush opened Parliament on Wednesday, laying down the law as he made the most of his increased power that has come with the increased independence of the House. The speaker’s position is now more than just a referee between the two political sides of Parliament. During his address Bush also warned the media not to report “scandalous words if they happen to fall from the lips of members”, implying that transparency rather than the behaviour of MPs would be to blame for any fallout.

After short comments on the troubles in the region in Cuba and Haiti and the impact that might have on the Cayman Islands, Bush turned his attention to the rules. The member for West Bay West, who was returned by only the narrowest of margins and found himself back in the speaker’s chair as a result of the post-election political horsetrading, took the opportunity of the first meeting of the PACT Government to stamp his authority on Parliament.

He warned members to follow the rules and not to abuse their privilege. But he was quick to berate the press for past reporting and implied that both selective or even full reporting could leave reporters in breach of the rules.

Bush made it clear that he would not allow any of the Hansard to be used outside of Parliament, even in the courts. He also pressed home that committees drew their power from Parliament and he was in charge of those, too.

During the last meeting Bush clashed with Ezzard Miller, the former chair of the Public Accounts Committee, when he had challenged the speaker’s decision to withhold a report from that committee without legal justification.

However, after outlining many of the rules of procedure, Bush ended his address by pointing out it that was the Standing Orders and not necessarily the speaker’s orders that the MPs should always follow.

Parliament is now sitting in order for the government to deliver the Strategic Policy Statement. The proceedings are being carried live on CIGTV below:


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Category: Politics

Comments (102)

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Baby Trump gonna baby Trump.

    #lame

  2. Anonymous says:

    Don’t you get it?

    Wayne is not the actual Premier.

    Wayne is purely token merchant class to please those who really run this little place.

    MacKeeva remains the “Real Premier”.

  3. Sek A. Bush says:

    So sad, people wanted a change from Bush and got a double dose of Bush.

  4. Anonymous says:

    2 questions for CNS to consider for the next press conference – assuming that there is a next press conference:

    1. Whatever happened to the Code of Conduct that the Premier constantly promised around the time of the appointment of the wig in the big chair?

    2. Is it possible to move the big chair to a corner or possibly into the lobby for the next 4 years?

  5. Anonymous says:

    No one is out to ‘get’ him. Most of us want to rid a respectable office of him.

  6. Anonymous says:

    From the photo it looks like he is getting more attention than is deserved. Although to be sure I can’t tell whether Roy has his eyes open.

  7. Anonymous says:

    I’m starting to think that he only says incendiary things like this to try to remain relevant and in the news. He likes to be talked about and apparently he doesn’t mind whether it is positive or negative. He just wants to be talked about full stop.
    Plus, this way he can say “See??!! They’re out to get me!”

    • Anonymous says:

      ‘There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about’.

      Oscar Wilde

      @12:23 If I may, this probably sums up your post.

  8. Anonymous says:

    It is a bizarre state of affairs when any unflattering reference to the contemptible may be inferred to be a contempt.

    Instead of using his name in future articles would it be possible to simply say ‘A man in a wig’ did or said whatever?

    • da-wa-u-get says:

      I copied your comment for emphasis! It needs to be stated again!

      “It is a bizarre state of affairs when any unflattering reference to the contemptible may be inferred to be a contempt.”

  9. Anonymous says:

    The Gardener General of the Caymans

  10. Anonymous says:

    In other words dont report word for word of the clownshow they run to get paid rediculous salaries.

    Signed leader clown with the wig.

  11. concernedcaymanian says:

    The Irony is hilarious – Bush and trying to enforce rules! lol – i.e. thou shall not steal, assault woman, be corrupt, a sleezebag, etc

  12. Anonymous says:

    So what have we learned?

    Not all clowns wear big red false noses – although many wear silly wigs

    • Anonymous says:

      We have also learned that the majority of the Parliament still supports this STAIN on Cayman as the Speaker of OUR House.

      We have also learned that these same individuals will continue to perpetuate this attack on OUR image.

      We have also learned that these power-drunk individuals will continue to sit in our House and let Mac read these attacks into OUR Hansards.

      Is there any end in sight?

      PACT please ACT.

      • Anonymous says:

        It is still early days but so far PACT is behaving more like NACT – No accountability, competence or transparency.

        Anybody seen the mythical Code of Conduct or is it in the pasture with the unicorns?

        • Anonymous says:

          You missed our Honourable Premier’s announcement in CNS? Take you head out of the sand your Arse is bare! 😱😱

    • Anonymous says:

      That is correct! He should be in prison.

  13. Anonymous says:

    How does a tirade against the media being able to report what happens in Parliament co-exist with section 11(1) of our Constitution are certain people beyond any such requirements:

    11.—(1) No person shall be hindered by government in the enjoyment of his or her freedom of expression, which includes freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference, and freedom from interference with his or her correspondence or other means of communication.

  14. Anonymous says:

    Mr. AG. I know he gave you status and all, but really, as the government’s lead legal advisor, you sat quietly through that crap? Can we expect a corrective statement from the Hon. Speaker, or is is blatant contempt of the courts (and wider society) to be accepted? Do we have a King all of a sudden? Has anyone told Her Majesty?

  15. Anonymous says:

    Hmmm…Mr. McSpeaker, any comments about the proposed Standards in Public Life Regulations?

  16. Anonymous says:

    CNS – Perhaps instead of the name or the position you could simply write, that “XXXX” – or just use the acronym.

    CNS: I’m sorry I couldn’t post that. It made me laugh though.

  17. Anonymous says:

    It would / should be tough for any self-respecting and law abiding politician to be told by this thug to observe the rules. I’d be embarrassed.

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, but he had enough votes from brain-dead voters to get him elected. Cayman – you are a wasteland.

  18. Anonymous says:

    Take another look at the lead image.
    https://caymannewsservice.com/2020/03/panton-finally-quits-ppm/

    #sheissupportedonlywhenpoliticallyexpedient

  19. Anonymous says:

    This house deserves no respect and this country has no legitimacy on the international stage as long as McKeeva Bush holds high office. Do not forget what he did and the arrogance with which he attempted to avoid responsibility.

  20. Anonymous says:

    MAC – You deny the very basis of the democracy and the balance of power you are sworn to uphold. Governor, WTF?

  21. Anonymous says:

    ‘After short comments on the troubles in the region in Cuba and Haiti and the impact that might have on the Cayman Islands,’ – Cayman has and is already been impacted by his dictatorship ways, Cayman be careful.

    • nauticalone345 says:

      Yep, Mac B has done far more damage to Cayman than anything in Haiti or Cuba, or anywhere else!

      He should crawl under a big rock in shame….but of course he won’t. He has no shame! Christian my behind!

  22. Anonymous says:

    Bush is the black mark on Wayne’s tenure.

    • Anonymous says:

      The second one so far, right after his “plan”. Many more to follow.

    • Shine says:

      Bush is a cancer on the Cayman Islands! He would fit in better with some country with no schools or courts…….. or prisons.

  23. Anonymous says:

    The King of Caymanians has spoken. Give unto him all that is Caymanian. As for the rest of us, only a fool follows a fool.

    • Anonymous says:

      14@2:07pm – The “King of Caymanians”, “…all that is Caymanian”…. your inferences are inaccurate, divisive and simple-minded. Most of this “King’s” followers/supporters and many voters are NOT Caymanian by birth. Fact! You’d be surprised at the large number of Caymanian expats who support him. Conversely, as to the “rest of us”, there are many Caymanians in that category also.

      Today’s lesson: don’t generalize!

      • Just me. says:

        So the voters are expats? Or ex-expats? Caymanian expats? I am not surprised.
        Todays lesson: Not all Caymanians are Caymanian to all Caymanians unless your an expat but not an ex- expat or Caymanian expat and he is still your King. Bought and payed for. Unless your simple minded of course.

      • Anonymous says:

        You dingdong @ 14/07/2021 at 5:36 pm If you think that he got woted in by paper Caymanians, you are even dumber than he is. Are you new here??

  24. Anonymous says:

    That’s really rich coming from that buffoon.

    Someone (who?) needs to call him on the points he made about the Hansard. PUBLICLY
    EVERYONE needs to know that he is full of BS.
    But what do you want to wager that NOBODY stood up and advised him that he cannot make those rules. This isn’t his personal playpen even though that is how it’s been run for the past 30 years.

  25. Anonymous says:

    Bush has form on this. There have been other occasions on which he tried to have members of the press expelled from the public gallery, using excuses such as their use of laptops or phones. Fact the proceedings are televised seems to have escaped him.

  26. Anonymous says:

    Still waiting to hear from Heather as to her thoughts about the holder of this position.

    • Anonymous says:

      No one in her constituency has heard from her so don’t hold your breath.

      • Anonymous says:

        Every day more and more the people of Savannah and Newlands realize they were duped !

      • Anonymous says:

        I’m guessing you don’t live in Savannah. Even when Heather wasn’t in the house she was well visible and in touch and she still is today..Stop lying.

      • Michel says:

        That is not true. Ms. Heather as been and still is involved with her constituants. Which district are you in btw? Too bad you’re allowed to make such comments under ” Anonymous”.

    • Anonymous says:

      I wouldn’t worry so much about Heather..Barbara, Julie, Tara had their opportunity to speak up and get rid of him. They instead decided for their political expediency they would follow Alden and Gang and not say a word. Only after Barbara was worried about not getting elected and was already out of the house did she make a comment and then instead to using the opportunity again to condemn him she used it to condemn another woman completing in the elections and indirectly Mckeeva for her own politically expediency. The time for her to speak was when she was in the government not when she was out on the campaign trail.

      Heather fell in line when the stupidity happened with Isaac and Sabrina. If Julie and those two had come over from the start Mckeeva would be sitting on the backbench next to Alden.

  27. Anonymous says:

    Rule numba 1: Dont wack women when your drunk.

  28. Anonymous says:

    any comments mr governor???

  29. Anonymous says:

    McKeeva is power drunken buffoon that is a disgrace to the Caymans. He is not the only one. His type and lodge brothers are also leading or in senior civil service positions.

  30. Anonymous says:

    What an egotistical, self-centred, uneducated nincompoop!

  31. ppm DISTRESS SIGNAL says:

    The hypocrisy of ppm politicians and their loyal supporters online is laughable

    • Anonymous says:

      You have been in distress for far too long. What the hell does PPM have to do with any of this?

      Have you ever considered taking a Rorschach test? I bet we all know the results.

      • Anonymous says:

        You must have forgotten PPM did nothing to hold him to account while he was in their government. In fact they called an early election so they didn’t have to face up to their responsibility.

        • Anonymous says:

          Did it not occur to you that calling an early election got rid of him?

          For him to return as Speaker he had to huge hurdles to climb. One, he had to get elected, which he managed by the skin of his teeth. Two, he had to be appointed Speaker again, and that honour goes to the PACT government.

          Why don’t you go way back and blame Benson for encouraging him into politics?

      • Anonymous says:

        Everything! Hence our new response a govt for the people and by the people! Shut up sit down and keep your foot in your mouth!

  32. Anonymous says:

    Bush made it clear that he would not allow any of the Hansard to be used outside of Parliament, even in the courts.

    So the public record of what is said in Parliament can’t be made public? Let’s sing together, “Back in the U.S.S.R….”

  33. Anonymous says:

    Sounds like someone wishes to be a dictator. Be careful, Cayman.

    • Anonymous says:

      Well he has been to Cuba and China a few times so what were voters expecting, that he’d come back with some wisdom or wah?

    • Anon says:

      One only has to read George Orwell’s Animal Farm to see where this is going. All animals are created equal but some are MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS. Be careful what you wish for you might just get it.

      • Anonymous says:

        5.08am “All animals are created equal but some are MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS” That is why Caymanians should keep the animals from ever being put in power, because they already think they are more equal than us.

  34. There are some other Rules says:

    One of them is don’t get drunk and assault someone.

    And the second is like unto it, don’t get drunk in a casino and grope your server.

    I believe you can be and the Speaker has been arrested for breaking both of these rules.

    We used to think there was a rule against charging personal expenses or taking cash advances on a Gov’t credit card but it turned out that wasn’t really a rule just a guideline.

  35. Anonymous says:

    How can he stop anyone from using the words in Hansard in courts or for news stories? That’s what they are there for!
    Also, how on earth does he expect to try and control what the media can and cannot say? Is there such a law? If so, this is truly a step backwards for democracy.
    I’m having second thoughts about supporting Panton now.

    • Anonymous says:

      He doesn’t have the power to stop ANYONE using Hansard. It’s scaremongering nonsense. I find it highly unlikely he knows what Hansard actually is or can read it anyway. We have really taken a step back having him back in Parliament.

  36. Anon says:

    Hi CNS, where can I see what powers the Speaker/Members of Parliament have in Cayman?

    CNS: Here.

  37. Anonymous says:

    Wayne was becoming premier worth having Bush back in that position?

    • Anonymous says:

      The answer is obviously no. But as you well know, there was no pathway to forming a government without the Bush.

      • Anonymous says:

        The desire for power can compromise all morals and ethics.

        • Anonymous says:

          Sad isn’t it? If Wayne was doing it so he could actually make a difference in our futures we would have seen it by now. It was all talk so he could be the powerful one.

          • Anonymous says:

            Yeah, I mean why hasn’t Wayne solved all the issues in 3 months that PPM didn’t solve (and largely created themselves) in 8 years? /s

            Get a grip.

  38. Anonymous says:

    he is the shame of a nation

  39. Anonymous says:

    PACT appointed Speaker Bush, don’t forget.

    • Power over principles says:

      Never forget the PPM did the exact same thing.
      The golden rule is a politician will do whatever it takes to get or keep power in the Cayman Islands.
      PPM and PACT lost the moral high ground the minute they jumped into bed with Mac Bush because he knows he now owns them both.

    • Anonymous says:

      So did the Progressives led UNITY government headed by Alden, Moses, Joey, Roy, David, Barbara, Juliana, Tara, Austin, Dwayne and Eugene in 2017. Know your recent history and facts before you judge

      • Anonymous says:

        It was Kenny who blocked the motion. Selective memory I see.

        • Anonymous says:

          The point was who appointed Mad Mac as speaker.
          The facts are both PPM and PACT appointed him so there’s nothing selective about stating known facts. Try google.com

          • Anonymous says:

            The facts are that only one of those two groups appointed him after he was convicted of assault in a court of law.
            Perhaps you should try a different search engine.

        • Anonymous says:

          Umm – he was the opposition member who didn’t support the opposition motion. Don’t seem to recall the government voting for it…Selective memory indeed – just like yours apparently

  40. Anonymous says:

    It is hard to read this line without laughing. “He warned members to follow the rules and not to abuse their privilege.” That is all he does is break rules and expects his position gives him the right to do so.

  41. Anonymous says:

    Perhaps you should follow his advice CNS, and not mention him at all – or is a failure to report his words of wisdom also a contempt of parliament lol. Or perhaps just refer to him as the Speaker – no name – that would prick his ego no doubt.

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