Opposition boycotting parliament until speaker goes
(CNS): Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart said Friday that under the current government Cayman’s legislature is becoming a “kangaroo parliament”, as he announced that the opposition would not take part in the proceedings until Speaker McKeeva Bush vacates office. In a statement issued just after the meeting opened this morning, the opposition leader said that although Bush has resigned, he expects, and the government is enabling him, to continue in the chair when he should leave immediately.
“I regret to say that under this Government we are rapidly becoming a ‘kangaroo parliament’,” McTaggart stated on behalf of the PPM members. “We take our oaths seriously when we swore to serve the people of the Cayman Islands in the House of Parliament. We would be abdicating our duty to the country to participate in the sham that today’s meeting of Parliament has become.”
He accused the government of banding together to prevent a motion of lack of confidence in the speaker from being debated on a false premise. “This refusal of a valid motion is inexcusable and a violation of all democratic principles of Parliament,” McTaggart added, as he confirmed that the opposition would not attend on Friday.
The meeting was opened with Bush defending criticisms against him relating to his failure to get the Parliamentary Code of Conduct completed in line with his commitment when he was appointed as Speaker in the deal cut with the PACT Government after the elections last year. That was followed immediately by a motion moved by government back-bencher Dwayne Seymour (BTE) and supported by Isaac Rankin (EE) for a vote of confidence in PACT, which had been filed in reaction to the opposition’s original no-confidence vote.
Seymour said that, as a former member of the opposition and a minister in the last PPM-led administration, he was “uniquely qualified” to bring the motion and reassure the parliament that the PACT administration retains his confidence and that of others. He said that his loyalty had been called into question so he wanted to defend the government. He said the PACT was not a band of yes-men, as he implied that government disagreements were healthy.
Seymour said the opposition’s decision to file a no-confidence motion had given PACT the determination and resolve to keep going. He said that despite the roadblocks, they want to make life better for all Caymanians, as he listed what he said were the many things the government had achieved in the first 18 months.
See all the statements regarding this issue in the CNS Library.
See Fridy morning’s session of parliament below (there is some interferance at the beginning)
- Fascinated
- Happy
- Sad
- Angry
- Bored
- Afraid
Category: Politics
Let’s also not forget that Jan 2021 (almost 2 years ago now) saw these same “Representatives” (PPM in power at the time, but many of the current government in agreement) raise their own salaries at a whopping 16% while giving civil servants 2% just last month and providing little relief of direction for the country on a whole! What brilliant representation is this?
Opposition should have dealt with Mac from back when any/all his previous offenses took place. They were wimps and pushed it off. If they’d gotten rid of him then he wouldn’t still be disgracing us now.
I attended the Parliament on Friday and was looking forward on hearing the position of the Leader of the Opposition, the Hon. Roy McTaggart, debate on the private members motions before the House. However, the Hon. Leader of the Opposition and the other Opposition MPs were absent, until (as was discovered later that day) that they explained their views at a press conference. This was a bit disappointing as I hoped they would have made their concerns felt more across the general populance with more impact in Parliament, especially with the same passion as they did on a separate stage.
I’m praying for each member to make it in their very best interest to put things aside and pull up their socks and move these beloved Islands forward with a more effective government for the future and its people.
The great escape of our times is escape from personal responsibility for the consequences of one’s own behavior.
He needs to go NOW, the truth is he needed to go a LONG time ago. The PPM didn’t get rid of him before they lost power…and I’d still like to know why they allowed him to stick around. Now PACT wants him out but will allow him to stick around until the end of November? Why oh why???
Mac is a jerk (actually I want to use a much stronger word but I won’t.)
To paraphrase an old classic;
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more.
What you say?
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more.
Woah Woman, oh woman, why I treat you so mean,
I’m the meanest old man that you’ve ever seen.
I guess if you said so
I’d have to pack my things and go. (That’s right)
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more.
What you say?
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.
Hit the road Mac and don’t you come back no more.
Cayman needs to decide what kind of place it wants to be, look in the mirror, and then fire CoP Byrne for non-performance.
Look in the mirror – then fire the expat. Nothing to do with the multi generational caymanian MPs who failed to do their duty, no siree bob.
lol, yep the contradiction in just one sentence is quite amazing 9.14am
So let me see by the PPM’s theory – if I am not happy with my salary that I was initially promised by my employer, shall we say – and I decide to stop coming to work until I get exactly what I want from them. Then my employer cannot fire me, but must still hold a seat for me nah true?….
See how that doesn’t work for the average joe – then dear PPM’ers – DO YOUR ******* MAJORLY OVERPAID JOBS and go deal with the heat in the kitchen or step TF down. Tanx.
Thanks for the Education CNS , we need to implement a recss as lil provision here in these z islands . I wonde which MP will have the testicular fortitude to do so.
Don’t swell up more that is swollen. Dem don’t represent Caymanian culture – its lgbt and special interest.
Keep smoking your weed!
One more ting about PPM skalawags. Do you all remember that during the 2017 elections the Holier than thou Government if now Sir Alden McLaughlin struck a written deal with Mckeeva Bush. You all remember that the contents of this agreement were never made public right.
I now call in Sir Alden and the PPM who are resoundingly against Mr. Bush remaining on seat , to now fully disclose the terms of that agreement.
If you are truly for the people of these Islands and you are as transparent as you proclaim to be let’s have you mate!!
This will be an everlasting legacy for you!!
As far as I am concerned, the PPM Opposition members just confirmed that they are unfit to govern. If you cannot take the heat, then do the right thing and get out of the kitchen. The Westminister system is an adversarial one i.e. a system where one has to often be able to confront their adversaries. In this case, the PPM Opposition showed they are a bunch of immature cowards who cannot debate and make their arguments from the floor of the house. Their pay should be deducted for the meetings they remain absent, since their voters put them there and the public purse pays.
If you have a job, and you are absent without permission, is that not clear grounds for actual dismissal especially when you make demands that have no basis and state that you will not return until your demands are met. It’s a pity we do not have a recall provision for such situations where elected representatives through their actions have actually fired themselves. They work for us the electorate, not the other way around.
So will the PPM be forgoing their salaries during this time?
They should. What do you say, AG? Not a difficult question!
11.34 So should PACT forego their salaries for allowing Bush to continue in the Speakers chair or should they be rewarded for keeping him?
@3:56PM…Not sure how you can equate the two..Both the PACT Government and the SPeaker are at work and working..the PPM are refusing to work. In any other position the pay would be cut and/or they would be fired.
Did MacKeeva forego his salary whilst on “Leave of Absence”? I notice you make no mention of that.
The Speaker’s decision to allow the ‘motion of confidence’ had all the legitimacy of the Deputy Speaker’s refusal to accept the motion of no confidence. Even the text that was handed to Kenny to read regarding Standing Order 31 was completely off point as ‘personal statements’ are supposed to be non-controversial whereas John John’s statement was anything but.
Quibble
Would the PACT government please step up and end this argument about whether the Deputy Speaker’s refusal of the PPM motion based on her interpretation of ‘clear days’ was lawful by asking the Grand Court to provide a definitive statement about what our law is. Hopefully both sides can agree to accept what the Grand Court says and the country can move on without more division.
It would be nice if SOMEONE knew what was going on!
You ARE joking, aren’t you?
That would be the obvious way forward except that PACT knows the answer to that question and for that reason will do everything in its power to ensure that it is never answered by our Court.
Not sure why you would need a court to interpret that – may as well ask the court if the sun comes up in the East. Black and white.
Or they could just lodge another motion – this time on so nuch notice that there’s no room for refusing it. Except they won’t because they know they will lose – the fix is in, which is why Max is still in the Chair – and for whatever reason the PPM don’t see the benefit in a public debate; they just want to win.
The absence of the Opposition Members of Parliament on Friday (7 October 2022) was unprofessional and inappropriate. Six PPM MPs, who are elected by the Caymanian electorate, were AWOL (absent without leave). Only later did they appear publicly via a press conference, instead of taking their seats in Parliament (as required).
Whilst they alluded to so-called reasons for their absence at the press conference, in particular relying on provisions of the Constitution and of the Standing Orders, the six PPM MPs should have attended Parliament to state their position clearly by making points of order, just as the Hon. Minister Kenneth Bryan correctly did.
If all decisions and acts (including failures to act) of public officials must be lawful, rational, proportionate and procedurally fair (pursuant to section 19(1) of our Constitution’s Bill of Rights), because the “Legislature and the Cabinet must uphold the rule of law” (pursuant to section 107 of our Constitution), then (if the Opposition MPs felt that anything was unlawful, unconstitutional or procedurally unfair) they should have showed up to Parliament and ventilated their views (including raising any points of order as per the Standing Orders), which would have been officially recorded in the Hansards.
However, instead of doing that, all Oppositions MPs failed to show up to Parliament, which they were elected to do by the Caymanian electorate and paid from the public purse to do so, and (by choosing to hold a press conference instead) this was clearly irrational and disproportionate and was a breach of their duties as MPs, who are unable to attend, to inform the Clerk of Parliament as early as possible of their inability to attend (pursuant to paragraph 6 of our Standing Orders, as Minister Bryan pointed out).
The problem is Orrie your argument offers adherence to written law which often omits principles that might be considered morally deficient and includes those hell bent on negating or loop-holing a way around them. Sure Roy might be showcasing a dbl standard but I’m all for them making a stand against such a delinquent who thinks accepted social protocol doesn’t apply to him.
When in power recently for two consecutive terms, many of the PPM’s (aka, the “Oppressives”, not Progressives) decisions and acts were not only just unlawful, unconstitutional, ultra vires and void ab initio, but amounted to nothing more than manifestations of social inadequacy and were oppressively irrational.
It’s not that the Oppressives have now grown a conscience and care about socially acceptable behavior, it’s that they are power-hungry, out-of-touch with the majority of the Caymanian populace and now are experiencing irrelevancy, and reality setting in must really sting.
This is nothing more than a diversionary tactic, which has the true aim of regaining power by power-hungry PPM and is not about a person acting as a social inadequate. The Oppressives are the epitome of hypocrisy at is finest.
With this issue 7:18 shouldn’t the perspective simply be unpholdiing the integrity of the constitution and confidence in Govt ? It seems you hold a grudge with the PPM or more specifically their history (which may valid) and they should be derailed from an effort to pursue ‘what’s conscionable right’. Looking at the face value of where we are right now, in this moment, I don’t care what either represents, deal with that after. It’s the fundamental responsibility for any & all officials to uphold the integrity of office/ elected Govt and associated recognised values but right now PACT is hugely off target and looking to shoot duck in rabbit season.🎯🦆🐇
So why didn’t PPM turn up in Parliament and actually make those points, in public, even if they knew they would lose the vote? If they only turn up when they know they are going to win they may as well stay away – don’t seem to understand the role of an official opposition.
Orrie, when Parliament stopped functioning within the Constitution with the refusal of the motion of no confidence, we arrived at a point at which no rational being would should lend credence to the non-democratic shell that was left by attending it and pretending that everything is OK.
You are hung up solely on one side of the issues Mr. Merren as you appear to be a PACT supporter. Let us not forget what drove the PPM not to show up. It is unacceptable to many in this country that the Speaker dictates his terms of resignation and said resignation letter claims no wrong doing.
We the people deserve better so spare us the deflection of pointing out standing orders.
What caused the PPM to not show up to Parliament was irrationality and disproportionality (infringing s.19(1) BoR), which was unconstitutional and unlawful (infringing s.24 BoR).
I truly believe that sll of this ppm hugging is totally unbalanced and irrational. It is a worldwide convention in lmatters of labor and specifically with Resignations that upon a person retiring from a job that the ending date of employment be agreed and discussed between the hiring entity and the individual. There is non where anywhere written that it cannot be eight weeks or days from the acceptance of the resignation. We recognize that politricks is being played here but truly let’s stop these shenanigans highly paid poor people mistake and get back to work. If you don’t then suffer the consequences at whenever the next election is called. Oh and keep out of the bar rooms Sir Alden you are besmirching your title .! Or as others would posit you are truly embracing British cultural tradition. 😝
Allowing one to select a date of resignation is usually written in a contract eg “3 months notice”. He is not “Retiring” as stated in your comment. This resignation was a forced one – it was requested with an original date of 23/09/22 and reportedly agreed upon only for individual involved to renege. When a resignation is requested if you it implies seriousness is used to help save face. One does not get to decide when he demits office. When do we the people stop rewarding bad behavior from politicians we elect to manage our country for us ? How dare he decide how and when his resignation takes place in light of a potential charge hanging over his head and the sitting Premier and other members accept his terms. Shameful, repugnant behavior. What are they afraid of – that their “pack” will fall apart? If they had any common decency and morals they would have dealt with the matter at 5:01 pm on September 23, 2022 when resignation was not forth coming, but in true form we continue along as if it’s normal. If the alleged victims were related to government members then perhaps this would be over by now.
Minister Bryan was reading from a script he was given. He’s not sure what he read.
Its interesting that the Constitution provides for an MP to lose their seat if they fail to attend the House for a period of time prescribed by the standing orders, but somehow no such provision ever made it onto the Standing Orders. As it stands they can get elected and never turn up in 4 years and still get paid. Mind you, they can get sent to prison for less than 12 months and still get paid as well!
That is idiotic and must have come from greedy idiots!!!That being said, I suppose all members though it was great.
How do the greedy bastards get by with stuff like that???
Long list of accomplishments by pact I heard on the radio is about two weeks work with the right project management
Sorry!…… We have no ” right project management”.
PACT would have done anything to avoid taking the no confidence to a vote. I think every voter should ask their MP where they stand on Mac and How they would vote. AS a voter i want to know although unless its in the LA where they will be forced to disclose, its unlikely they will be truthful.
Maybe the media could ask each one of the MP to let the public know where they stand on support for or against MAC.
No one has ever asked me, but I think he should be in prison……….. or the insane asylum.
But he will remain forever honorable, right Roy? You are obviously OK with that.
Exactly. No attempt by them to change that law, or their ludicrous pensions and benefits.
Sad what is happening to these islands. Very sad indeed.
Both sides of the aisle are very sad.
Wow. Seymour is qualified for something. Who knew.
Shame on PPM for not showing up. When I pay you I expect you to show-up. They are paid to do a job and it is the duty show-up. Shame on PPM
Just add it to your list. My dissatisfied list for PPM is six pages long!
Given that Parliament never seems to sit anyway not sure what the point of a boycott is. Mind you, what’s the point of any of them!
Yeah. Good thing they told us, eh? Otherwise we might not have known they were gone.
Probably to Country Western bar.
Country and Western bar is nice this time of year..
Lots of pretty ladies…
Yeah, no need to go to Honduras, you can give them Status right here.
The Opposition were elected to what was supposed to be a democratic Parliament operating on the basis of the rule of law. Sadly, they appear to have ended up with their only option being a biased mockery of a Parliament that does not operate within our laws. Why should they show up to offer legitimacy to what is clearly illegitimate?
S.19(1) of our Constitution provides:
“All decisions and acts of public officials must be lawful, rational, proportionate and procedurally fair.”
The Deputy Speaker is a public official.
The Deputy Speaker’s decision to refuse the motion of non-confidence, even if it was based on an erroneous understanding of our law rather than deliberate subversion, was an unlawful and therefore unconstitutional administrative act. In a democracy such an unlawful decision would be void.
The refusal of the Deputy Speaker to reconsider and rectify that unlawful administrative decision once her error was pointed out was also unlawful, and procedurally unfair and therefore also unconstitutional.
Your Excellency, will you do nothing in relation to this failure of the rule of law? Waiting for PACT to do something is futile as it is clear that PACT cares nothing for any such rule.
Ironic how the PPM, who consistently breached s.19(1) BoR for 8 years, now see fit to rely on it.
Truth.
I haven’t completed all of the searches yet, but so far I can find no record of Fidel Castro, Hugo Chavez, Idi Amin Dada, Anastasio “Tacho” Somoza, Anastasio “Tachito” Somoza, Manuel Noriega, Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, “Papa Doc” Duvalier, or “Baby Doc” Duvalier ever opening a session of Parliament with the first order of business being a vote of confidence in their own government.
Our emerging banana republic is more of a farce than the ones you mention as evidenced by the delusional glowing reports of how wonderful they are that they blathered on about.
How come his motion wasn’t out of time and was heard?
#8.45 Because he is a PACT member..the rules dont apply to them.
Does Mctaggart believe we all still live in those dark years when the Merchant class in these islands kept us uneducated? Listen ole boy we know how y’all think you had the power over these islands for two terms and all you did was give away give away, yes even when you lost the election spending/playing stunts with the peoples money. And yes, you’re doing it again by now on one hand criticizing Bush for remaining on the job snd YOU now deciding to take vacation until November under the guise that you all are holier than thou. How shameful, how sad, how pathetic et Al PPM. You took a day off on pay and now you want more !
People of the Cayman islands you are seeing the true colors of the Opposition, they are nothing more than a bunch of educated shysters who have fooled many of us into believing they love these islands . It is obvious they are not fighters they don’t have to be nah, we pay them handsomely to deceive us for 8 years.
What is needed now is a unified protest against the PPM who were bought out lock stock and barrel by their puppet masters, you all know who these are, they breathe the same air we do and drive the same roads.
Educate your children people and join them in a Resolve to save these islands from the likes of the PPM and their cohorts and puppeteers. You will be saving and preserving these lands for our future generations
Peace Be with You All.
Please dont bother to rise up with divisive ” class war” bull. Crawl back into your hole, wherever that is.
By Jove! You know them very well!
I concur!
That same “merchant class” as you call them was made up of hard working individuals with integrity who had already made their money. They weren’t in Politics for the money. They built Cayman into the envy of the world. Now, along comes a band of misfits who have never accomplished anything meaningful in their lives, never handled significant amounts of money or budgets, and almost overnight we are the laughing stock of the region. Whenever a political group tells you they are “for the people”, go ahead and grab your ankles for what comes next. PPM’s biggest sin is they were boring. You wanted excitement, you got it now.
well if they’re boycotting they aren’t destroying our futures…so long live the ppm’s boycott.
Voters need to boycott the PPM at the polls next election.
Agree, however good luck finding a “party” which has any continuous integrity. I think we should do away with the party system, and cause all those elected to actually represent their districts.
I want two votes: My district representative, and Premier. Force them to work together without party politricks. It will be the best for all of us.
I believe I previously commented that this was unworkable as you cannot elect someone as Premier and not have her/him commanding a majority support of the other elected MPs. Otherwise, you end up with the tail wagging the dog.
Wayne Panton is the Premier and ………I can’t remember where I was going with this.
all part of the game.
they knew they could not support or win their no confidence vote in the government, and instead performed a bit of theatre to allow them to avoid an embarrassing loss.
When they filed the motion, I’m sure they thought they had the numbers, then mac backed out, along with his acolytes, so they tried to file a motion against him, and weren’t quick enough.
It’s all just a bit desperate. Clearly their backers are getting pushy for the returns they were promised before they funded their last election campaign.
Guess they just trying to rally the PACT haters and the Mac haters but they forgot about their haters.
More spineless masonic games. Both sides on the same team and only one loser.
The innocent fools that believe this bullshit.
Brit Prime minister just sacked a senior MP for alleged inappropriate behavior.
The sacked MP claimed he was taking painkillers which exacerbated the effects of alcohol.
He was taken away in a drunken state by a friend.
Sound familiar anyone…?
CNS: I’m not sure if this is the point you were making but just to clarify, Liz Truss has sacked Conor Burns from her Cabinet, which she, as prime minister, appoints. He’s not sacked as MP. The Tories have also suspended him from the party. There is no mechanism to force the exit of a UK MP outside a general election other than the Recall of MPs Act 2015, which gives this power only to voters in his own constituency. The process is triggered after particular wrongdoing such as a custodial prison sentence (including a suspended sentence), which then goes to a petition. A by-election is called if 10% of constituents sugn the petition.
Sounds good to me!!!!!
Thank you CNS.
The point I had hoped to make was that in our mother parliament, inappropriate behavior is not tolerated, and is dealt with swiftly .
The same should surely apply here to our repeat offender who seems to have escaped for decades without anyone, anyone at all even whispering…”Mac you shouldn’t behave like that “.
My like was for the CNS comment and clarificaton. Only the idiots who voted for Mac can recall him. By-election required.
CNS: Except that the law cited is UK legislation. As far as I know, there is no equivalent law in Cayman and therefore no way to recall an MP.