Bernie’s alleged bias against fire chief backfires
(CNS): Minister Bernie Bush has been suspended from office and lost responsibility for home affairs after infringing the Constitution and breaching the Ministerial Code of Conduct over the management of the fire service. In a press statement released early Monday, Premier Wayne Panton said that Health Minister Sabrina Turner was taking over the home affairs portfolio.
But Bush, who has apologised, is staying in government and keeping his Cabinet seat following his two-week ban.
In the press release from his office, the premier said that Bush had breached two sections of the ministerial code, which all members of Cabinet signed last summer, and had stepped over the line of section 55 of the Constitution. Panton said that by signing the code, Bush had made a commitment to uphold the Code of Conduct and to accept the consequences of any breach.
“Minister Bush’s conduct and comments in relation to the staffing of the Fire Service are infringements of Section 55 of the Constitution and breach Section 2.4 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct,” Panton stated.
“Furthermore, other comments he made as a Minister contravene Section 2.6.3 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct. We all agreed to hold ourselves to certain standards of conduct when adopting the Ministerial Code of Conduct last year. The consequence for this breach is, in part, that the responsibility for the Ministry of Home Affairs will be reassigned to Minister Sabrina Turner, effective Monday, 11 April 2022.”
Bush has been accused of interfering in the recruitment process that led to Randy Rankin being appointed as the interim chief fire officer as well as undermining the position of current CFO Paul Walker, whom he has publicly criticised.
Under the ministerial code, Cabinet members are expected to “act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias as well as observe relevant laws, including the Standards in Public Life Act”, which the premier has said Bush breached.
Section 55 of the Constitution sets out the governor’s responsibility for the recruitment and management of senior public officials.
Following Bush’s suspension, which will see him take two weeks unpaid leave from Monday 18 April, the premier also required Bush to apologise for his conduct to Governor Martyn Roper, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson and the former Acting Chief Officer in the Ministry of Home Affairs Michael Ebanks.
During the period of his suspension, Parliamentary Secretary Isaac Rankine will act as minister for Bush’s remaining portfolio. In the release issued by the premier’s office, Bush said he still backed the premier and the PACT government. “This has been a valuable lesson for me and I accept the consequence of my actions. The Premier continues to have my full confidence and support,” he added.
Explaining why Bush was retaining his Cabinet seat, Panton said, “I believe Minister Bush can make a substantial contribution to the good of our country in the areas of youth, sports, culture and heritage. These subjects align well with his interests and experience and his passion. I am optimistic that the unfortunate events of the past will bear no reflection on his future performance.
“My hope is that Members of Parliament will adopt broadly similar obligations and standards in a Parliamentary Code of Conduct to be observed by all members of Parliament, and if that Code is breached, Members of Parliament should similarly face consequences,” Panton added.
This is the first time the code, which was implemented last July, has been used to sanction the behaviour of a minister. While Bush is by no means the first minister to interfere in civil service matters, in the past there have been no consequences.
The Office of the Auditor General has previously raised concerns about politicians influencing public officials and not establishing clearly defined roles. While civil servants, regardless of their seniority, are expected to work with whichever minister is elected (and vice versa) without bias, that has not always been the case.
By invoking the code, the premier has now set a precedent for the rest of Cabinet. According to the code (2.7 and 2.8), the premier oversees the matter if a minister is alleged to have breached the code, and the governor oversees the matter if it is alleged that the premier has breached the code.
Although this code does not apply to government’s back-bench members, the members of the opposition or the speaker, they would be subject to a parliamentary code. However, while this was billed as a priority for PACT in the wake of the election, the draft bill has still not yet made it to Parliament.
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Category: Politics
@9:06 Educate yourself. It is for the Premier to hold Ministers accountable. Not the Governor. The Premier took strong action and set a clear level of expectation that errant behaviour will not be tolerated.
@6:36:
Yeah man. Now THAT is some really strong action there, buddy. Reduce Bernie’s work load for the same pay. Wow! Poor Bernie! From now on THAT is how I am going to handle workers who break the rules: give ’em less work for the same pay cheque. THAT should really teach them the lesson that errant behaviour will not be tolerated. I am SO angry at myself that I did not think of that fearsome punishment years ago. Panton is freaking BRILLIANT!
Then why is he not also charged with section (8.2) c. “proposing family members for appointments’;
We gave him a chance the last election, however, please don’t set foot in Powery lane for any campaigning come 2025.
Signed,
Powery lane residents
Bernie should also have to face another charge for lying to the public and the press. Bernie has been involved with meddling with Civil Service employees for years. You can go back to talk shows to find the proof. Lets not be fooled by his antics of “Caymanians first”…it’s all a political strategy for him.
When one now departed principal at John Cumber Primary arrived, Bernie introduced himself, said, “this is my school not yours”, continued on saying that he did not like the new principal’s mother (a long standing activist), and he wasn’t going to like the new principal either. And continued to make his life hell. The good part is that we got a great principal on the Brac out of it, though he didn’t stay that long.
So if the governor had not step in, do this mean that Bernie’s ranting and raving would have been swept under the rug? C’mon Mr. Premier, just when we though you had a spine.
Is he still the Treasurer of the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee? While Minister of Sports? In direct contravention of the Olympic Charter?
Wayne-O, you there?
Why don’t you ask his daughter. She works at the CI olympic committee office.
Any Olympic Committee is not suppose have any association with the government or connection . It’s in the Olympic charter. But I’m sure he knows that.
Yes, Bernie is still the “TREASURER” of the CI Olympic Committee and has been the “Treasurer” of the CIOC for the past 18 years, notwithstanding that he has not had one day of accounting training.
Yes, it is in direct contravention of the IOC Charter for a minister of sports to be on the Executive of a National Olympic Committee.
Having said that, it is not Hon Panton’s place to rectify this, nor even consider commenting on it, as this too would be in contravention of the IOC charter, however, the present Executive and present non-Caymanian born President, has a fiduciary duty to report this to the IOC and take corrective actions by requiring his resignation from CIOC.
Bernie Bush did resign as Treasurer of the CIOC when he became Minister of Sports. Janet Sairsingh is now the treasurer , she is also a certified CPA. Please get your facts straight before you post. It is correct that the government should have no involvement with the CIOC or activities according to the IOC charter.
Lodge main Goals in society the 3 P’s Position Power Protection and they consider the Government coffers as their personal Bank. Some people unfortunately believe they are a benign threat until you conflict with a member’s personal or business interest.
This is a very wise statement. Freemasons have been and still specialize in infiltration. Lodge members should not be eligible to be senior civil servants or MPs.
The risk of espionage or treason is too high where Lodge members are privy to sensitive public sector information and then it is unclear where there loyalties lie.
As head of an SAGC about 10-15 years ago, I directly experienced and witnessed Lodge control of that organization via the Board (at least 5 Lodge members including the Chair) and the Ministry (at least 2 Lodge members) and some of the management team. It was toxic to the organization and was intended to intimidate the administrative leadership of that organization. Sadly, I’m aware of at least two other SAGCs which were in the same position, for the same reasons. From following the news it seems like it’s even worse now.
Someone posted that the Lodge is full of “upstanding people” and “above board”!! NOT the Masonic Lodge I encountered. Corruption, influence-peddling and cover-ups prevailed, as did “pressure” on non-Lodge administrative personnel. A particular Lodge member/Board member’s company ALWAYS received ALL the consultancy awards, in a vast array of disciplines – I didn’t even know that company (an international accounting firm) had expertise in so many areas!!
One particular Chairman who is now deceased referred to them as his “associates” whenever he brought Lodge directed issues to the table. “My associates would like us to take this or that approach…” Whistleblowing got me early retirement!!
Fact – Lodge corruption and influence in Cayman’s public services is REAL, pervasive and grossly detrimental!!
Jim Bodden’s legacy – tear down that pirate’s statue!!
It’s a poison group that every boy joins and never becomes a real man. The old chastisers are like that of only a serpent hiding so called esoteric knowledge. Ha
Unadulterated truth. Heavy words with substance.
Like Arden, Bernie thinks he’s cool and macho when he speaks like a hokey “country” folk….their constituents deserve more respect than that.
It’s called vote buying. You get what you deserve. People aren’t voting based on the person’s educational standards, character or ethics. Until term limits are introduced and the people stop their selfish behaviors with vote buying then these writings are meaningless.
I spoke to a person once who said they love election season as they get “gifts” from all of the candidates and tell them they have their vote to keep getting more.
We deserve better but the people keep electing the same fools and the follow the money.
Bernie Bush should have never been a Minister to begin with. Panton had not choice but to discipline him – Governor made him do it or he would. The Ministerial code of conduct is such a joke Panton won’t even publish it so the voters can read it.
CNS: This is untrue. The code was published at the time. I’m sure you can find it with a simple google but we’ve put it in the CNS Library for easy reference (under ‘Cabinet’. See here.)
@9:06am Thanks CNS for clearing that up..Typical Caymanians tearing one another down and calling each other liars when they haven’t even bothered to look for the truth.