Mac admits constituency ‘giveaways’
(CNS): McKeeva Bush
McKeeva Bush (CDP), West Bay West MLA Speaker of the LA, Leader of the Cayman Democratic Party. Biography: Bush is the longest serving member and... More, the veteran MP for West Bay West who is under pressure to resign from his prestigious office as speaker after his conviction for a violent assault, has fuelled further scandal with a social media post admitting controversial ‘giveaways’ to constituents. From kids bicycles to turkeys, voters in West Bay were treated to numerous gifts this Christmas, but Bush said he was not ashamed of what he has given to voters.
“I’m not ashamed that I give to mostly the seniors in need, and mostly in my district and I have done this all the time,not only in an Election year,” Bush stated openly on his Facebook page.
In a long posting, in which he claimed numerous achievements during his three decade long political career, Bush hit out at the critics. He said those criticising him over what many see as vote buying handouts were “foreign nationals chatting away making insulting remarks and just talking what they don’t know”.
Bush posted, “I know some of them – they are really nobodies and in Canada or other countries they wouldn’t even be looked at by their elected representatives much less having so much say trying to tell us what to do!!”
The West Bay MP also hit out at the local press adding, “Let me say to them including those who claim to write for so call media, You don’t know cayman and has done nothing for our people. It seems some of you want to interfere far too much and put things in place here that made your countries a rotten place to live.”
While Bush seemed to be railing largely against what he called “newcomers”, much of the current opposition to his behaviour regarding allegations of vote buying and the calls for his resignation over the attack on Livia Kwong, the manager of Coral Bay Beach, have come from Caymanians and several of his own constituents.
Speaking about the upcoming election, he said there was a lot of talk about solutions but he was glad he had been brought up to be “honest and to work hard and to help others.That is my mantra!!! I have worked for the good of one and all.!I have Helped young people to get an education,to get scholarships and other funding, to get jobs, to get homes and to have a better quality of life.”
Bush said his support over the lat four years for the coalition government had helped to keep Cayman safe but there was much more to be done for the years ahead. “I’m willing to continue to play my role if my people want me,” he said before listing what he said were his achievements.
He made no mention of the current scandal surrounding him over the assault conviction. Bush has refused to give up his prestigious post as speaker, despite the details of the drunken attack and the messages he sent in its wake, using obscenities and hate speech, now being public.
Government members have largely remained silent on the issue and the premier has argued that keeping the government together was more important than removing Bush from the role as speaker. Nevertheless, a no confidence motion has been filed by Opposition Leader Arden McLean.
CNS has contacted the premier about a meeting for that motion to be debated and we are awaiting a response. We have also contacted all sitting members about Bush’s position and his behaviour, and with the exception of Ezzard Miller, who seconded the motion, no MPs appear willing to go on record about this incident.
Some MPs have responded to their constituents’ inquiries but so far few have made any public declaration over Bush’s conviction for a violent assault on a woman. Despite the conviction and his admissions in court, Bush claims he has no memory of the drunken attack, while continuing to claim he was the victim of an attack, despite evidence to the contrary.
During his time in office Bush has been involved in a number of positive ventures and has certainly helped many families with direct support allegedly paying mortgages, bills and even college fees. But he has also been dogged by controversy.
From the infamous Stan Thomas fax, which appeared on its face to be Bush asking a land owner for a payment for land re-zoning, to his corruption trial, in which he was acquitted but not before the extent of his gambling problem was revealed, the veteran politician has never been far from scandal.
In his post, however, Bush claims that he has “made enemies in ‘high places ‘that ‘dog’ me until today”, not because of the controversies but because of the hard work and battles he has won for Caymanians against the powerful and wealthy, his battles with the UK and for his gains for the offshore sector.
“I know now, that any chance,wherever they can get a chance to embarrass me,they will do so,” he said.
Saying that he would be offering more solutions over the forthcoming campaign, he concluded by stating, “What people ought to know is I also have no problem in dealing with issues as I’m confronted with them!!”
While he has previously stated that he is not seeking to be premier again or even a front-bench minister, Bush has confirmed that he will be seeking re-election in West Bay West.
However, he has not addressed the issue of alignment and whether or not he will continue to support the current coalition government or whether he will be resurrecting his Cayman Democratic Party, a revamped version of the United Democratic Party, the platform Bush and various aligned candidates have run on since the 2005 election.
Category: Election News
When an expat gives time,computers , money etc to the needy, it’s called charity; if a developer donates a park that is needed it is called community spirit; if a politician donates a ham, turkey or bicycle to the needy, it is called buying votes.
Are you all serious literally every politician in Cayman does this… maybe not as blatantly as Mr. Bush but they all do it
I think it’s really funny how you all cowards “Anonymous” commenters hide to speak hate towards one another. And you all call Mac names, at least when he talks you know it’s him. Cowards you all are, that’s what you should be ashamed of.
A classic bait and switch, blame the foreigners to get sympathy from his constituents and to distract them from his illegal scandalous behavior.
“Keen Observer” is correct. Perhaps “gifting” in a personal context existed in Cayman politics before Jim Bodden but he surely brought it into mainstream politics in the mid-1970’s and it has become the norm now. A large segment of the electorate expects it and politicians have to comply if they want the votes of that type of constituent. It is wrong and clear corruption but it has become so entrenched that many people don’t know anything different. Yet, the same “generous” politicians will privately claim disgust at people camping on their doorsteps from daybreak to dusk for handouts. I know one who has complained to me yet couldn’t even see how he is “feeding the beast”.
A large segment of Cayman’s electorate sees Cayman’s politics being approached as “what can you do for me (and my family)” instead of “what can you do for us – neighbourhood, community, constituency, islands”!
The system itself is broken and will remain that way because sitting or potential politicians continue to bend to their constituents’ demands for handouts. No one who does not accept that will enter politics. If they do, they will not last or they will soon follow the status quo. Disgusting and shameful. I’m not voting this election because my little voice makes no difference – I’m not aware of any constituent consultation meeting or or process hosted by my rep since before last election!!
I know political gifting is illegal but is receiving those types of gifts also illegal? If not, it should be.
See Section 17 of the Anti Corruption Act on link below which states:
“Contractor subscribing to election fund
12. (1) A person who, in order to obtain or retain a contract with the Government, or as a term of any such contract, whether express or implied, directly or
indirectly subscribes or gives, or agrees to subscribe or give, to any person any
loan, reward, advantage or other benefit —
(a) for the purpose of promoting the election of a candidate or a class or
party of candidates to the Legislative Assembly; or
(b) with intent to influence or affect in any way the result of an election
conducted for the purpose of electing persons to serve in the Legislative
Assembly, commits an offence.
(2) A person who commits an offence under this section is liable on conviction on
indictment to imprisonment for a term of ten years
https://legislation.gov.ky/cms/images/LEGISLATION/PRINCIPAL/2008/2008-0011/Anti-CorruptionAct_2019%20Revision.pdf
why is this an issue when Alden and PPM did the same this Christmas 2020 in Red Bay also Austin. Turkeys, Chicken and Ham were delivered all over.
Sounds like charity to me. There is no chance of a successful prosecution. He gave bikes to children at Christmas? You think this is a crime? Good luck with that.
Make your bed, time to lie in it.
All of these “newcomers” were lured here with grand promises and endless riches that could never be sensibly fulfilled in the first place. Now locals are footing the bounced checks they never asked for or even were consulted on.
Unbounded ignorance, greed, and short-sightedness has brought us to this demise. The chickens are coming to roost and we all are paying the price.
Does Bush take us all for idiots, or is he perhaps slow on the uptake. He unabashedly takes pride in all his handouts over the years and truly believes that by giving them not just in election year, but continuously, he is not buying votes??.
🎵 Banana Republic
Septic Isle
Screaming in the Suffering sea
It sounds like crying 🎵🎵
7:54 go clean ya own toilet ya hear
In Canada you NEVER, EVER would have been elected XXXX.
What about that Ford guy in Toronto?
Just saying
It’s unfortunate that he’s too ignorant to know this is wrong.
Not an excuse
He “knows” it’s wrong but doesn’t think that applies to him.
A) This has been going on for the 35 years I’ve followed politics here.
B) If people think its only McKeeva doing this, they are delusional.
C) In this case, I actually give credit (which I don’t give to scoundrels easily) to McKeeva for at least admitting it. Others do it and say they don’t.
D) Doing this at Christmas months before the election is not against the law, though it probably should be. It’s still unethical vote buying.
E) What is against the law is gift giving during the election season. There will be $25 notes (at least) passed out by a high percentage of candidates, including some of our most self-righteous ones.
F) This is how Cayman politics works. This is how Caribbean politics works. You all aren’t in Kansas anymore. Get used to it.
G) OR… Registered voters can insist the system is changed. I doubt that will happen because too many registered voters benefit from the current system.
Cayman mon, sounds like you don’t have a job and depend on Mac’s handouts. I hope to God you are not a preacher at one of the West Bay Churches. If so both you and Mac are a disgrace to this country that was created by men and women who worked hard for every “penny” they made. In most countries “buying votes” is punishable by the Courts, sadly not in Cayman.
5.18pm Buying votes is illegal. Charity is not.
Mac has done so much for our district! He has the votes of my family!
Do you have specific examples of what he has done for your constituency? Handouts to an individual do not help long term. That is a band aid.
Voting for turkeys – https://caymannewsservice.com/elections2021/2021/02/voting-for-turkeys/
What an embarrassment for the people of West Bay. Time to go Big Mac.
Mac, a multi-generational West Bayer here who has known you for many, many years. So no foreigner rubbish from you. I believe you were brought up “honest” as you say, especially given the family circumstances. However, the honesty began disappearing the day after you were first elected. If you disagree, then please show us clearly how you have managed to transform from a gardener to a person who always has surplus funds to gamble/drink away, provide giveaways to elderly/children, etc., plus provide for a family ALL from an MLA/minister/speaker salary. I know that is a fair annual amount, but I dare you to show how all this is possible without the financial kickbacks.
Exactly!!! It XXXX is known to the penny what he has been making every year since elected. How has he managed to live so high on the hog? How has he managed to buy TWO condos at the Ritz while making $150,000 per year?
What??? Seriously?
Same as buying votes. Gee, Cayman thinks it’s a First World jurisdiction? Not even close. It’s pretty obvious why they won’t pass an anti-corruption law, isn’t it?
CNS: Huh? Anti-Corruption Law (2018 Revision)
I know now, that any chance,wherever they can get a chance to embarrass me,they will do so,” he said.
LOL He does that all by himself!
Caymanians, don’t be fooled. This tactic of demonizing foreigners is the same tactic that ruined our public education system. This tactic of “I’m for my people and the foreigners don’t like it!” makes the politician look like he/she is doing what is best for Caymanians, when the exact opposite is true. Back in the 90’s, politics drove expat kids out of public schools and the politicians used it to say “See, look at how we’re keeping public schools for Caymanians only! Let the foreigners pay for private schools!”. This lead to less parental involvement in the public school system (because in most Caymanian households, both parents work), less government accountability to public schooling, and basically created segregation between Caymanian and expat children (remember when we all knew each other?). Politicizing public schooling for Caymanians back then has made our public school system worse for us now, not better.
Well the same can be said for “giveaways”. When we Caymanians accept “gifts” from politicians, it essentially buys our vote and the politician is no longer accountable for doing the job that we elected him or her to do. We are supposed to elect people to SERVE the public by creating programs that benefit the WHOLE community. But when you accept gifts, you are giving the politician a pass to do whatever he/she wants, or to do nothing at all, because you accepted your payment for your vote. We have to put a higher value on our votes Caymanians. Better opportunities for education and employment, fixing social issues, making life better LONG TERM for you and your family. That’s what you should be demanding from our elected officials. Hold them accountable!
When you accept a handout or a gift, you feed yourself for today. When you hold your political representatives accountable, you’ll feed yourself and your family forever.
“This tactic of demonizing foreigners”.
The first memory I have of Mac was him screaming “white people need to go back where they came from” when he was running for the office his first time whilst standing on the flatbed of a trailer in the car park that is now Kirks Supermarket.
I will never forget it for as long as I live.
That’s how he became a politician.
His second grade education shows!!!
Lots of people only have that and are nothing like that, that is not an excuse.
You people need to get a job and leave BIG Mack alone.
I’m in a job monitoring electronic tags. He’s keeping me busy.
LMAO
I have no job, no house and am living on NAU BECAUSE of his “generosity and humanitarian benevolence!” All as a direct result of his abuse of power and influence.
Thugs, that double-dip, coerce, misappropriate, and give away public money from abused positions of trust, for the purpose of amplifying their own position, name, and glory, are not generous benevolent philanthropists, they are scheming crooks. Please learn the difference, Cayman.
Absolutely disgusting behaviour. The governance in these Islands just hit a new low.
If he would just retire now I would have more respect for him. Considering I have no respect at all for him atm, that’s something.
While i not trying to defend this man I am glad somewhat that at least he has the audacity to one acknowledge and standby it and at least expose himself unlike others who’s insidious and corrupt behavior is not talked about but is very blatant for all to see exactly who and what is at play and the greedy egregious behavior of those giving and receiving political gifts with absolutely no shame or legal consequences. Yet Our beloved Governor the right honorable martyn Roper Sees no Corruption in his Covid 19 jobs 4 the UK Quarantine Utopia!
You are an idiot. XXXX Just mauled another human being, blamed it on his dead daughter, convicted in the courts and now trying to change the conversation by presenting himself as the great humanitarian. He has given nothing from the goodness of his heart, everything has been devised to benefit his political agenda. He is an ignorant arrogant being and unfortunately many of us have enabled him over the years.
He’s quite clearly delusional, you can’t be this thick and know it, can you?
Well you can, but that would make you either complex immoral or a sociopath. Oh, wait…
Oh he not delusional, got away with it for so long, thrives or thrived and was enabled in the power, bullying, deceit, narcissism etc. Panicking now as transparency is showing, now he took a step too far and is he waking up to times have changed – 2021!
If Bush had helped his constituents as much as he helped himself they would all be rich by now. Bikes, fridges, turkeys, T.V’s are a drop in the bucket for him.
If he wanted to support his local community like this it should have been done through a charitable venture that was quite clearly separated from local politics. He knew exactly what he was doing and that it was wrong but doesn’t care.
Why should he care? We don’t enforce anything.
The man has been doing this all year, every year since his time as an MLA in West Bay. You all just love to hate and chat. Stick to facts and reason.
He has been buying votes for decades and unfortunately gotten away with it, which really isn’t surprising. XXXXX but he is now trying to pass himself off as this great humanitarian caring for his people, this man has never given without expecting something in return. This is not a caring human being and unfortunately he has conned enough people into believing that this is all about love of country and its people, coupled with the fact that West Bay and his constituency have such a high percentage of politically ignorant individuals. I am so disappointed and lost so much respect for our elected members, Island wide.
LOL
Well I know that at least two of us will not be voting for the current representative for South Sound. Her silence over Macs behavior and the lack of any reply to our emails proves to us that she is not worth voting for!
TO clarify you really mean GT South, as GT East covers a lot of South Sound as well, but we know who you are talking about.
Not to forget the Smith Cove nonsense.
Can this man even spell shame. I guess WBW has the representative they deserve.
I live in this area and he certainly never has, and never will get my vote. I’m ashamed.
Thanks for doing your part! Try to wisen up some of your neighbors!
He’s a doctor. I’m sure he can spell shame.
I fear the voters of West Bay West will continue to inflict this disgraceful thug on the rest of us, no matter how manifest his failings.
Hopefully the rest of the electorate will at least remove those shameless, spineless, unprincipled charlatans who have enabled and condoned his misdeeds.
Well, sadly, if no one runs against him, he can’t be voted out. Find someone great to run in WBW…..please!!
Cayman’s Trump doing his Cayman Trump things. People will vote him back in too. They don’t care what he does because Keke looks after his constituents.
Nothing short of bribery. Doe the man have no shame?
Errr….no…..that’s been obvious for decades.
No shame. I think he had a condo at the Ritz though.
Two actually.
And we spend how much on our robust impartial and independent law enforcement agencies? Governor, care to comment?
Mac didn’t like that with a down vote !
“Treating” is expressly prohibited at any time, especially in days leading into an election, and particularly so while on criminal probationary release and house arrest. CNS should ask the DPP for their opinion of the clear parole breach and get him relocated to Northward as soon as possible. The Governor’s office should also be asked for their official comment.
The spinless politicians and government will do sweet F all.
Mac has too much dirt on all of them.
I think we are all witnessing the final egregious probings of the limits of rationality. Even the most loyal recidivist supporters of McKeeva might question the mental swan song of doing this while wearing an ankle bracelet. If this goes unanswered, then none of our laws, regulations, processes, and gate-keepers stand for anything.
While I agree with you. Sadly No, it will go unanswered. The electorate is as XXXXX as Mac, that is why he is still there.
Don’t he forget that “Treating” is not limited to turkeys and bicycles. Status has also been given away (and then when it was pointed out the beneficiaries of those grants could not vote because they were not and in many cases could not become BOTC’s in time) changes to the elections law were made to remove the requirement that you be a BOTC (Cayman Passport holder) to be able to vote. All done in the open, with the benefits enjoyed by many in law enforcement and other agencies.
Pretty sure status was sold or exchanged for any number of “favours”
Yup, but any investigation or independent inquiry? Nope, just crickets.
Three Ring circus !
Vote Muppets ! The fact wether you vote or not does matter little since you get one anyway you decide ! The admission of the giveaways is grounds enough to demonstrate corruption and call for Direct Rule as to what took place in T&C and put a semblance of order to our politics
Direct rule going a little far. Now an independent judicial enquire by a senior judge from the UK like in the BVI – that would be nice to see. But what do we get from our Governor? Oh we are not like the BVI. We have all these rules and institutions like OfReg and the ACC to protect us….. passing swiftly over the fact that they do FA.
Can we get the BVI governor reassigned here?
We need direct rule. 3 to 5 years. Clear out the current corruption and press the reset button.
Soon, we may have no choice on the matter in order to merely survive.
May Mother England show mercy!
Mac is not spending his own money. He gets donations from the obvious suspects and Jamaican businessmen who want him to stay in power.
They have a lot to gain from Mac in office.
6.4pm Proof?