Governor ‘shocked’ by allegations against Bush

| 20/09/2022 | 115 Comments
Cayman News Service
Governor Martyn Roper and his wife are greeted shortly after their arrival in the Cayman Islands in October 2018 by (L-R) Deputy Governor Franz Manderson, then premier Alden McLaughlin and House Speaker McKeeva Bush

(CNS): Governor Martyn Roper issued a statement on Tuesday to say that McKeeva Bush should resign as speaker of the House of Parliament following his inappropriate behaviour last week at an official cocktail party. Roper said he was shocked to see social media and press reports concerning Bush’s conduct and revealed that he had urged him to step down in private correspondence.

The opposition has also called for Bush to resign, giving the premier the support he needs for a successful no-confidence motion if Bush fails to submit a formal resignation by Friday.

Premier Wayne Panton issued a statement on Saturday, noting that he had written to Bush on Thursday asking him to resign following the allegations of sexual harassment at an official government event. The governor has now issued his own short statement on the matter.

“Like so many others in the community I was shocked to see social media and press reports concerning the conduct of Speaker Bush at a regional gathering of tourism ministers and officials,” he said. “These matters are currently the subject of a police investigation. I will therefore not comment further about these allegations.

“In the circumstances it is right that Mr Bush resign from his role as Speaker of Parliament as he has confirmed to the Premier. I had urged him to do so in private correspondence.”

Roper continued, “Inappropriate behaviour towards women should not be tolerated in any society. We all have a responsibility to call out this type of behaviour and support the victims. Our elected representatives have a responsibility and duty to uphold the highest standards of conduct and behaviour expected of everyone in public life.”

Meanwhile, the opposition has also called on Bush to resign, which should give the premier six additional votes if Bush fails to step down and he is forced to call a vote of no confidence. Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart said his thoughts and those of his colleagues were with the women who have suffered the alleged assaults.

“We must be clear that the behaviour alleged is never acceptable and those in positions of power have a duty to uphold the highest standards. In the circumstances, there is no alternative for Mr Bush but to resign his position as speaker,” said McTaggart. “My colleagues and I also lament that 16 months after he formed the PACT Government the premier has been unable to implement a Code of Conduct for all parliamentarians.”

However, it was Bush, as speaker of the newly independent parliament, who was responsible for steering that legislation through the House.

At the time this article was published Bush had not made any formal statement about his resignation, nor was there any indication from the premier’s office that he had resigned from his prestigious post.

It appears likely that Bush will vacate the speaker’s chair in the coming days but he will remain in parliament representing West Bay West as a back-bencher. As such, he will once again be free to debate and vote.

See statements by the governor, the premier and the leader of the opposition in the
CNS Library.


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Category: Politics

Comments (115)

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  1. Anon says:

    I really hope the good people of west bay will send this gentleman off into the sunset next election.

    • Anonymous says:

      Shocked? Just wondering what the reaction would be if someone made a similar allegation against the LOGB or other senior politician. Did they get witness statements? It is only an allegation. Innocent until proven guilty.

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  2. Anonymous says:

    The governor was “shocked”? Really? Don’t they brief these guys on the basics before they start their terms here?

    #lame

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  3. Anonymous says:

    Can someone explain what Bush really did? Did he cat called a woman or did he actually touch them? Both are bad I know but one behavior can be worst than the other.

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  4. Ima Speak says:

    Wayne really disappointed me when he formed the gov’t w/ this “failure as a leader”! There were so many more options he could have chosen for this honourable position, if he had just put aside his pride and vengeance for PPM and some others. McKeeva needs to just accept he has a major problem controlling his drinking and at the same time interacting with women. Can’t understand why he insistently keeps going to public gatherings or places where he will overindulge in consuming alcoholic beverages when he knows what is the end results. Clearly, he has a terrible problem and someone needs to get him some serious help. If I could I would have him committed to prison for his offences and put a stipulation that he can only come out as long as he has completed a rehabilitation program for Alcoholics after he has served his jail term. I think prison would give him time to rethink the path his life has taken and how much effect his actions have on women, these Islands, and his family!!

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  5. Anonymous says:

    Anonymous says:
    08/03/2020 at 5:21 pm
    All in All the government tweeted the election process when it instituted One Man One Voe – Proportional Representation. This process has not been adopted in its true capacity. True Proportional Representation is the process whereby the country is seen as ONE Constuiency(District) and All eligible voters cast their one vote for a candidate irrespective where the voter or candidate physically resides. For example, in the 2021 election, if I live, in say, Cayman Brac yet the best possible candidate for me to vote for lives in Bodden Town, I should be able to cast my obe vote for that candidate.

    When this process is put into action this way, then we can say two things:

    1. The Cayman Islands uses Proportional
    Representation the correct way ; and

    2. In doing so, it can result in creating an elected body of 19 persons who are the best possible representatives for the country.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I said that from da very beginning of hearing the one man one vote. you get to choose the candidate that is capable of running the country. jus suppose you got two idiots running for election in your district/counstiuincy but you still had to vote for one of them, knowing neither of them would make a great candidate….so tho from west I should not be forced to vote but instead vote for whomever I chose despite thier district. datz one man one vote

  6. Anonymous says:

    10 dollars says Bush DOES NOT resign and drags this through the house, until 2/3rd of the MP’s vote no confidence. If that no confidence vote is not achieved, Bush remains speaker.

    Resigning takes courage.

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  7. Anonymous says:

    innocent until proven guilty. everyone assuming he is guilty because of rumors. give the man a fair chance.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Does your mother know you are playing with the computer?

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    • Anonymous says:

      11:26am your correct…but he has history of being disrespectful to all and especially women.

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    • Beaumont Zodecloun says:

      Rumours? How about testimony from the victims? I’m sure there is video. I wouldn’t expect either to be disseminated to the media.

      An aside: Once a person has shown their true colours several times, they lose the right to whinge about their rights. We know who this man is. KNOW it. Will he ever change? Only if he wants to. Regardless, the people of the Cayman Islands should not be required to wait to find out.

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    • Anonymous says:

      please

    • Anonymous says:

      Everyone is assuming he is guilty because of his past history. Let him deny it if he is innocent, and ask the Ritz to release their CCTV footage.

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    • Cheese Face says:

      “give the man a fair chance” Nope!

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    • Anonymous says:

      No, actually you are guilty the moment you commit an offense. You are presumed innocent under criminal law, but you can still be liable civilly (including as a matter of ethics or employment law) long before any conviction is obtained, or even if eventually acquitted. (OJ Simpson is an extreme example).

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  8. Anonymous says:

    LMAO….the only reason he is “shocked” is because he did not expect McBeater to do it again!!!!!!!!!

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  9. Two Cents says:

    Of course he’s shocked.
    His perspective of Bush is based on what Alden tells him. Don’t forget he let Alden talk him into holding the 2021 elections earlier than he, Roper, had announced they would be held purely because Alden didn’t want to go ack to the LA and face a vote of no confidence in who – Bush.
    Obviously Alden sold him a line about how Bush didn’t deserve to be ousted from his Speakers role and Roper bought it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      I haven’t ready as much bull crap in a long time. Cite your sources Two Cents, you’re certainly not 50 cents

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  10. Anonymous says:

    Hopefully when the no-confidence motion comes Wayne will swallow his pride and all of the best of parliament will join together and form a coalition government.

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  11. Anonymous says:

    How about Bush shouldn’t even hold his own passport while the criminal investigation is underway, and with a clear parole/custodial sentence breach, and who’s fault is that? How is he free to fly to Honduras, or anywhere right now? What is the threshold for being deemed a flight risk?

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  12. Anonymous says:

    I’ve said it countless times that Roper is here to keep quiet and turn a blind eye. The other guy got booted off for doing the opposite.

    Roper was warned the second he arrived by McKeeva about ‘a cockroach having no place in a rooster fight’ and I’m sure he probably saw McKeeva drunk at numerous functions.

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    • Anonymous says:

      James Bond needs to collect his paycheck from the Cayman Islands. So, turning a blind eye of connivance is not surprising.

  13. Clarification says:

    The behaviour is shocking. That the Speaker behaved that way is no shock at all.

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  14. come off it, Roy! says:

    to McTaggart: If you were so upset about the lack of a Code of Conduct for Parliamentarians, then why didn’t you implement one when you and Alden were in charge of the previous government?

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  15. Al Catraz says:

    Wait until he finds out water is wet!

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  16. Anonymous says:

    Also, he is most surprised that the chicken crossed the road.

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  17. Anonymous says:

    It’s called plausible deniability.

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  18. Llareggub says:

    let’s build a statue of him so we can remember him on heroes day

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  19. C'Mon Now! says:

    Declaring himself to be shocked amounts to saying, “I’m the dumbest man in Cayman”.

    In seriousness it is a terrible statement as we all know this is McKeeva’s nature. Roper should have said he was disappointed and saddened that Mac apparently didn’t learn from his last chance and that the issue should fully investigated, and that Bush should be dealt with accordingly.

    Is this really so hard?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Do you have any concept at the range and depth of issues, extending back decades, that our authorities have refused or failed to deal with accordingly? We appear to be in this stinking mess in part because our authorities prior failures to deal with things accordingly. Why is that?

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    • Anonymous says:

      Gov Taylor would have had the COP deal with this POS and had his backside in Jail.

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  20. Anonymous says:

    The Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Roy McTaggart wrote:

    “My colleagues and I also lament that 16 months after he formed the PACT Government the premier has been unable to implement a Code of Conduct for all parliamentarians”.

    Whilst that is true, the PACT has implemented a Ministerial Code of Conduct (for Cabinet Ministers) and a Cabinet Manual.

    On the other hand, despite calls for a Code of Conduct for Parliament by the Constitutional Commission, the PPM Government failed to implement a Code of Conduct for Parliament, which is inevitable that the PACT will achieve.

    This is just the PPM using political posturing aimed at their own strategic goals, whilst being tainted with their usual hypocrisy as always.

    When the previous issue with Speaker Bush happened last time, why didn’t the former Premier McLaughlin and the PPM (including Roy McTaggart) not call for his resignation or otherwise support the private member’s motion for a vote of no confidence that Ezzard Miller and Arden McLean were vigorously pursuing on the Opposition side of the aisle back then?

    It is obvious that the PPM did not care then and they do not care now. What the PPM truly care about is power: plain and simple. PPM are not team players, they are arrogant and power hungry. And, when in power, the PPM acts like power drunk and promotes self-interests.

    Why did the PPM, when they had 8 consecutive years in power, not implement both a Code of Conduct for Parliament and for Ministers in Cabinet?

    And, given the PPM’s 8-year failure to do so, why is the Hon. Leader of the Opposition complaining about slightly over 16 months concerning the PACT?

    Whilst it is agreed that a Code of Conduct should be implemented for Parliamentarians, this is something that is on the PACT’s agenda, but was never on the PPM’s to-do-list.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Bullseye!!!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Stop distracting, Wayne became a hypocrite when he joined Mac to form a government after he was convicted/plead guilty of assault.

      The ppm formed government with him before the incident. They didn’t have the benefit of hindsight but a Wayne sure did and went ahead anyway!

      Stop deflecting, Wayne has no morals

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    • Anonymous says:

      Whataboutism, wokeism, all part of a PACT propagandist’s retort…

      Move on from that, please

      Cayman deserves better…

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      • Anonymous says:

        Cayman deserves better? Better what? If they can’t get better material to elect, there really isn’t much that will help. Have you ever heard the saying “Garbage in, garbage out”? Look at our elected leaders in the last twenty years! What do you see? And to make it worse, the losers are still given seats on the back bench, so they can keep the deadwood in the zoo….. and voting on how to run the country. It is easy to see why it is difficult keeping Cayman operating properly.

    • Anonymous says:

      Whilst you have stated much in your post that I agree with 9:22 pm, the difference in our opinions is that to me it is quite clear that PPM and PACT are cut from the same cloth. They are one and the same! Both of these “groups” of wannabe politicians have demonstrated by their actions that one is no better than the other. They are ALL, as you rightly said, “power drunk and promotes self interest.” Although you directed that comment at PPM (and I agree with you) the fact remains that PACT was formed by the same power drunk and self promoting mentality. Hence we still have McKeeva! Wayne is no more innocent than Alden. Were it otherwise these islands would not be in this current, embarrassing position.You should remind yourself that the same Wayne left PPM because of their apparent condoning of McKeeva’s behavior; yet he was quick to grab McKeeva up, with all of his disgusting baggage, and place him right back in the Honorable Speaker position, solely to gain power as Premier. That action told me everything about Wayne and I lost all trust and respect for the man as a result. So, let’s all take off the blinders and be honest – neither Roy/Alden and their PPM nor Wayne/Saunders and their PACT are honorable or capable parties worthy of leading these Cayman Islands. Collectively, PPM and PACT have pulled these islands down to the destruction that continues before our eyes. Instead of taking sides with any of these inept “leaders” we, as the voting public, had better wise up and focus on finding a new and true path to national success and sustainability. God bless these beautiful Cayman Islands.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Nailed it.

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    • Anonymous says:

      This shows that PPM is only interested in PPM. They don’t give a damn
      about Caymanians . Get lost, PPM!!!

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      • Anonymous says:

        If you said PPM and PACT are only interested in themselves, then I would agree wit you. Just stop this political cult behavior. They are just alike. Seriously!

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    • Anonymous says:

      Kaboom 💥

  21. Silent majority! says:

    The Speaker MUST resign as his position is wholly now untenable!
    He resigns as Speaker and it’s a real pity that the Constitution Order of 2009 did not contain a clause dealing with RECALLING an Elected member of Parliament. Cause I would spearhead that effort in his WBW constituency.

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    • Anonymous says:

      That’s the part many miss…how can Roper/Panton/Opposition bench deem him unfit to be Speaker, yet somehow remain comfortable letting him double dip on as an MP for WBW?

      CNS: Whether they are comfortable or not is not the point. There is no mechanism to remove a sitting MP providing that person does not become disqualified under section 62 of the Constitution.

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    • anon against ignorance says:

      Bush is considering what favours he can get in exchange for his letter of resignation, we must be patient. In the meantime he should be required to wear his wig back to front whenever he appears in public.

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  22. Anonymous says:

    The trees keep voting for the axe because the axe said my handle is made from wood so I am one of you…

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  23. Anonymous says:

    I’m shocked that he’s shocked. Wait, he was being sarcastic right? Tell me he was being sarcastic! That would be funny.

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  24. Anonymous says:

    He needs to resign as a member of Parliament, for good , good bye! Not just speaker!
    He in not honorable and a disgrace to this country.

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  25. Anonymous says:

    I will tell you who is shocked we are shocked Roper that Mac has allowed you to remain here until March as it appears him and his minions are running things! Shocked! can you believe this man. We had some bad governors but you Mr Roper who has allowed Corruption and mistrust in Government is by far the worse ever your indifference to Caymanians is Shocking!

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  26. Anon says:

    “Shocked”! Must be the only one who is! Predators don’t stop. Ever.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Yes. Like blaming a snake for striking. A snake will do what a snake is born to do. However, when it becomes a threat to your family, you have to root it out.

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  27. Anonymous says:

    How can anyone be shocked…..it’s been going on for years and the POS is still in office, someone in Government grow a pair!! What an embarrassment, I am ashamed to be Caymanian!!

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  28. Anonymous says:

    In other news, Governor “astonished at news in social media that bears defecate in the woods”. And from a man who was in charge of law and order in these islands at a time when the DPP successfully prosecuted this man for violently assaulting a woman when he was drunk. Appreciate he has to say something, and saying that he wants to await the investigation outcome looks awfully supportive in a #metoo era, but really? Shocked? Fool me once….

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  29. Anonymous says:

    Dear Premier and Governor

    are you familiar with the fable of the frog and the scorpion? What outcome did you realistically expect?

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    • Anonymous says:

      It would have been even worse if PPM were in power.

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    • Anonymous says:

      for those not familiar. “A scorpion wants to cross a river but cannot swim, so it asks a frog to carry it across. The frog hesitates, afraid that the scorpion might sting it, but the scorpion promises not to, pointing out that it would drown if it killed the frog in the middle of the river. The frog considers this argument sensible and agrees to transport the scorpion. Midway across the river, the scorpion stings the frog anyway, dooming them both. The dying frog asks the scorpion why it stung despite knowing the consequence, to which the scorpion replies: “I am sorry, but I couldn’t resist the urge. It’s in my nature.”[

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  30. Anonymous says:

    And? Can you people stop talking about this and get this jerk out of here. I use the word jerk, because they would delete what I would really say about him.

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  31. Anonymous says:

    Well, he’s the only one who is.

    “We must be clear that the behaviour alleged is never acceptable and those in positions of power have a duty to uphold the highest standards”
    We’re acting as though this is a first offence. Great model for the community. The McKeeva defense.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Apparently it only applies to harassment of woman. When it’s captured on video and reported through social media. Doesn’t apply to hate speech used against gays in parliament – that’s perfectly acceptable.

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    • Anonymous says:

      Thing is peeps, McKeeva’s disgusting behavior has all the publicity but there are others (at least one) in the civil service, spanning both administrations, who is as guilty of similar behavior as McKeeva. The difference is one is considered all powerful, and is sneaky and cunning, while the other is open and a drunk. It’s all common knowledge folks, just listen to the whispers.

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      • Anonymous says:

        Rather than listen to the whispers, why don’t those of you who are aware of the behavior report it? By saying nothing you acknowledge that it exists and is acceptable. I guess Christianity, Caymankind and the bible are only relevant when it suits the agenda.

  32. Enough is enough says:

    If anybody is truly shocked by anything that Mac says or does, then that person must be very naive. The man is an open book, and a disgrace. He should disappear from the public realm altogether.

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  33. Anonymous says:

    Bush should go to jail. But unfortunately these women are Caymanians so they won’t press charges.

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    • Anonymous says:

      And even if they did – want to point to to the criminal offence committed that would warrant a jail sentence when you can throttle a woman on CCTV and beat her with a tray and get a suspended sentence? Or assault your girlfriend at a party in full view of other guests and get no conviction recorded? Or attack your pageant rivals and police officers and get no conviction recorded? Or attack your ex wife’s lover and get off scot free ( apart from the kicking you got from said lover). Cayman has a group of people who are special because of who they know or what they know.

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  34. Anonymous says:

    How can the governor be shocked by this? This leopard doesn’t change his spots, if anything he grows more spots on his record.

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  35. Anonymous says:

    Can we banish him from politics?

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  36. Anonymous says:

    Love the composition of that photo – makes the Governor look like a dwarf, with the Caymanian trinity of DG, Premier and Speaker graciously receiving him.

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  37. Anonymous says:

    Meanwhile in other news……a week and change has passed and absolutely F’all from Govt…..

    Useless.

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  38. Anonymous says:

    “Like so many others in the community…”oh come on. If you were honestly shocked, then you are not only remarkably naive but probably the only person in Cayman who was surprised that Mc may be caught up in a scandal involving drinking and inappropriate behavior to women.

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  39. Anonymous says:

    Well he might have put for knighthood….you never know with this governor….whatever is best for London.

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  40. Anonymous says:

    How is he “shocked”?! Really? Time he started doing his job and ensuring good governance.

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  41. Anonymous says:

    He must be the only one shocked. The rest of us knew it was only a matter of time.

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  42. Anonymous says:

    Anyone truly “shocked” by these allegations has clearly not been paying attention to this man’s history.

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