Regional university gives Mac honorary doctorate

| 03/12/2012

Premier Bush delivering his address.jpg(CNS): The Cayman Islands premier is to receive an honorary doctorate degree in public service from the University College of the Caribbean, officials said in a release Monday. McKeeva Bush will receive the special qualification at the university’s commencement ceremony next week in Kingston, when he is expected to speak on the subject of Integrity. Announcing the award, the UCC pointed to his years of public service and efforts to improve the lives of Jamaicans in Cayman, in particular, the “politically risky but principled decisions which Bush made to improve the standing of many expatriates” with the granting of Caymanians status in 2003 to almost 3,000 long term residents in Cayman, of which a considerable number were Jamaican.

In a press release the university also said that Bush had made continued efforts to improve the “relationship between Jamaica and the Cayman Islands". It also acknowledged Bush’s status as “Father of the House”, the longest serving legislator in Cayman, having served as a member of the Legislative Assembly continuously since 1984.

Although some here in Cayman are likely to disagree, the university stated that Bush’s party was credited with steering Cayman back to a path of recovery and viability following the devastation of Hurricane Ivan in 2004, when Bush was leader of government business, as well as minister of tourism. Bush was LoGB at the time of Ivan in September 2004 but he lost the May 2005 election to the PPM, the administration that presided over the vast majority of the infrastructure redevelopment. Ironically, Bush is believed to have lost the 2005 election largely because of the “status grant” giveaways.

As a result of his award, Bush will address UCC’s Fall 2012 Commencement Ceremony under the theme "Integrity: the Language of Leadership".

This will be the premier’s second honorary degree as he currently holds a master’s degree from the International College of the Cayman Islands.

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  1. Anonymous says:

    Awkward

  2. Anon says:

    I think this is great! We can give these degrees to all of our uneducated youth. Doctor of Spinology. Doctor of ignorance. Doctor of nepotism. Doctor of entitlement. The list is endless, and the need for study, effort, or knowledge is nil! Win-win for Cayman!

  3. bart simpson says:

    UUMMMNN! That Canary sure tasted good! I ate the lil SOB and no body even noticed!  

  4. the next premeir says:

    exscuse  this new article is corrupt as mckeeva would  say 'fool fool'

    A doctorate takes about 6-7 years to obtain, the amount of trips "Dr" Mckeeva has taken all over this world (with OUR money) would not permit him to obtain such a degree, afterall he didn't  even graduate from high school, for all we know "Dr" Mckeeva paid for this Honorary Doctrate, if he can obtain one of these, im well as sure i can get one myself- year 11 student.

  5. Dreadlock Holmes says:

    They have just de-valued the degrees of people who actually have doctorates. People who studied for them, worked for them why do places of higher learning do this and what is the motivation?

  6. Anonymous says:

    Phd

     

    From what I understand of his educational and previous employ.

    I believe Phd….with those credentials stands for

    Post …..Hole…..Digger.

     

     

  7. NeoSurvivor says:

    Hey, it irritates me also…….  there are far more deserving folk of an honorary doctorate, however, before we all get our collective undies in a bunch, let us not forget that ……..

     

    ….. it doesn't mean anything.   It doesn't empower Mr. Premier to attach any initials to his business card.   It doesn't grant him any special privileges.   It just is — a gesture that most of us think was out of place, and perhaps politically motivated. 

     

    Well, it ain't gonna help, so enjoy your moment,Mr. Premier.

  8. Anonymous says:

    And please don't forget the Dokta of Werbal Diarrea for our fren Foolio, couldn't think of a more deserving recepient – just to complete the analogy.

     

  9. Anonymous says:

    How can they award an Honouray Doctorate to a man that is the subject of 3 police investigations? 

    This would imply that the UCC is not up to date with current events!  Perhaps, in return, he can award them with a grant to buy computers and to  pay for internet access!

  10. Anonymous says:

    They can now call it, "The Shetty Bush Hospital"!

  11. Anonymous says:

    Given a doctorate for an act which has basically ruined these islands because of hte way it was done.  Agreed many people were deserving of status at that time.  Many of those did not get status.  It was a free for all.  A joke.  This has led to more crime because no background checkes were done.  Overcrowding in the schools and a flood of people looking for work.  It also led to some immediately going to social services for benefits and staying on welfare for as long as possible.  If this had been done properly over a period of time, it would not have had the negative effects it has had.  Also, I'm sure many of those who were granted status have seen a large cut in their income thanks to the increases of everything imposed on us by this excuse for a government.  May cannot come soon enough and if Doctor Buffoon is re-elected, I am out of here. 

  12. sum bodi hep mi says:

    From next year [2013] on Cayman, anyone  showing up to your business applying  for a job with a UCC diploma. Tell them to go look for the Hon. Dr. Mackeva Bush. Because  no-one but him will recognize the degree!

  13. Red Flag says:

    Mac does deserve a degree….the 3rd degree.

  14. Anonymous says:

    dr. dolittle 

    • Anonymous says:

      That is so FUNNY! I was thinking Papa Doc but Dr. Dolittle fits so much better. LOL

  15. Dr. Ebanks says:

    He can save money by simply ordering one on the internet like I did.

    It has about the same credability

    • Anonymous says:

      Careful using the name "Dr. Ebanks" and making the statement you did. Sounds like you are trying to associate the last name Ebanks along with the berating concept of "buying his/her degree on the internet".

      If i was Dr. Ebanks at the Chrissy Tomlinson Hospital, I would take you up in your statement legally.

    • Anonymous says:

      So tell us please, “Dr Ebanks”, which online diploma mill granted your “degree” ?

  16. Anonymous says:

    Bush speaking about integrity is an oxymoran, unless each sentence starts and ends with,

    "Do Not Do As I Have Done"!

  17. Anonymous says:

    The subtittle of this article should be, "University College of the Caribbean Publicly Insults The  People of The Cayman Islands"!

  18. Anonymous says:

    I hope that someone will take the time (lots of time) to explain to him that this degree does not mean that he can now start practising medicine.

  19. I Care says:

    In Life it is not who you are but who you know and how much you are willing to pay. Money talks bull  ><!><t walks

  20. Anonymous says:

    Doctor Bush the Bush Doctor.

  21. Anonymous says:

    Raaatid!

  22. Knot S Smart says:

    i had a nightmare last night. I was in the hospital and I saw Mac coming towards me with a stethoscope and wearing a white suit. Then I awoke and realized that Mac is not that kind of doctor. He has his Doctorate in Integrity and earned it for giving a whole bunch of Jamaicans status… I predict that next on the list is that the Dance Hall Queen will make him a Knight.

    Then we will have to address him as Sir Dr the Honourable for Life, Premier of the Cayman Islands…

     

    • Anonymous says:

      I liked the part about Mac in the white suit. Did it have lots of velcro straps?

  23. Anonymous says:

    HahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahahaHahahahahahahahHhHhahahahahahahahahahaha!

    Ha!

  24. Anonymous says:

    All these honourary awards do is make a mockery of those with real brains who studied hard to achieve such qualifications.  How demoralising and cheap.  And people wonder why such qualifications no longer help people get jobs – well here's your answer.

  25. Anonymous says:

    So some podunk school wants to honour him. So what? UCC doesn't even confer academic Doctorate degrees anyway, just honour ones.

    McKeeva is more to be pitied than scorned.

     

  26. Anonymous says:

    Giving a speech on integrity??

     

    I hope he includes his "leadership" roles in the following:

     

    First Cayman Bank

    Boatswains Beach development

    Stan Thomas Affair

    and the two other ongoing police investigations.

     

    You can polish a turd only so much.

     

  27. Anonymous says:

    "Honorary degree recipients, particularly those who have no prior academic qualifications, have sometimes been criticized if they insist on being called "Doctor" as a result of their award, as the honorific may mislead the general public about their qualifications."

    From Wikipedia

    This award to him  is an embarrassment to higher education.

  28. Anonymous says:

    CNS, please create a new "Comedy" section between Viewpoint and Library and make this the first story.

  29. Anonymous says:

    Checking my calendar to see if this the April Fools edition

  30. UH UH UH says:

    Don't you folks know by now that "EVERYTHING HAS A PRICE" and "EVERYTHING CAN BE BOUGHT!

    INTEGRITY!  Are you kidding me? If everyone attends who believes he can enlighten them on this subject, the audience will consist of eight people only! Snow Bush and his Seven Dwarfs!

  31. Frank says:

    Great, this XXXX will now want to be called "Honorable Dr. McKeeva Bush"

  32. Anonymous says:

    He should get the Nobel Prize for Comedy.

    Keyboard solo – hit it John John.

  33. Anonymous says:

    The thing to be very worried about is that this XXXXX really believes he deserves it

  34. Anonymous says:

    The other day I went outside to the sty and poured some perfume all over my pig. Boy did she smell good but at the end of the day she was still just a pig

  35. Anonymous says:

    This is the Caribbean. Corruption is the elephant in the room.

  36. Anonymous says:

    The "Right Honable Doctor Bush, PhD, OBE, JP," for life and eternity.

    This just shows you that we do not need an education to be a complete fool.

    • Anonymous says:

      You raise a good point. Too often people are dazzled by academic qualifications and think that because you've been away at university or college or whatever and have a string of letters aftrer your name, you must be very very clever and more than qualified for any job that comes your way. Well, I think that this goes to prove that life is sometimes just a little more, um, complicated than that.

  37. Anonymous says:

    The world has gone mad.

    Further opinion on both Institution and recipient would be unprintable.

  38. Anonymous says:

    Oh no, another good reason to be away from his job at our expense. Would you PLEASE keep him Jamaica. He is GUARANTEED to bring your country back to a state of integrity.

  39. Anonymous says:

    At the current exchange rate, a speech from our beloved leader might actually be worth two cents in Jamaica.

  40. Anonymous says:

    Was this institution formally Ganja University? That can be the only explanation, somebody must be smoking something. Jamaicans’ this is not one of your finest moments.

    • Anonymous says:

      If you want to insult your Premier go ahead, but please don't show your complete ignorance by starting with the stereotypes!

    • Anonymous says:

      You mean the pope's not a Cathilic and Jamaicans dont smoke Ganja,,,?

  41. Anonymous says:

    CNS, stop pulling our legs with stuff like this. For a moment I actually thought it was real! Good one, though!

  42. WHAT A JOKE says:

    At least when his political career ends next May, he can get a job at Shetty’s hospital – Well he is a Doctor – isn’t he ?

    • Anonymous says:

      This is better than comedy central, only a Jamaican university would be brave enough, then again, this is the most moral and upright island in the caribbean, to Sir with Love, one luv ya, big it up, man a yard. una na no da  saing one han wash de oda.  Big it up big it up dacta hanarable bush.

    • Anonymous says:

      What a Joke.  Please do not  hold your breath until May because you will faint.

  43. Anonymous says:

    Now this one takes the cake, not even President George W. Bush degree from Harvard can top this one because atlest he went to classes at Harvard.  I am not so sure that the Hon. W. McKeeva Bush know where to find UCC. 

    • Anonymous says:

      You must have received a doctorate from this same school.

      Good grief. Proofread.

  44. Anonymous says:

    What are they giving to Richard? Surely a Doctor of Letters is appropriate.

    • Anonymous says:

      University College of the Caribbean had better change its name to Cartoon College of the Caribbean it has a better ring (CCC then again Triple C school might find this offensive). Better still why don't  Cayman Internation School award him a degree and let him present a paper on " The sweet perks of being Premier".

    • Anonymous says:

      Yes, he's good at doctoring letters, that's for sure.

  45. Anonymous says:

    LMAO!!!!!

    Who says you need a highschool diploma!

    Hahahahaha!!!

    • Anonymous says:

      Please UCC also give the elected member from George Town a Phd  for the stellar job that he did in helping with the CHEC port project.  A Phd would be in order for this well deserving honorable gentleman.  I just love the ring of Dr. Elio Solomon, it would be such an honour for him, lord I can see it now, the two (double) DDs, what a compliment to the UDP party.

  46. Anonymous says:

    Ha, Ha, Ha,

    This news has given me one of the best laughs ever. I cannot stop laughing. He is going to speak on "integrity", you have to be joke for he does not know the meaning of the word and is the laughing stock of this country. This must be an April fools joke for next April 2013.

    God help this country, I guess he will now pass a law that we have to call him the Honary, Doctor Bush. Give me a break, the Jamaicans do not know what they are doing.

    • Anonymous says:

      This decision along is enough to know the quality of degrees awarded by this university.

    • Anonymous says:

      They sure like hell know what they are doing. Hoping for a further 3000 status grants……

  47. Anonymouse Man says:

    I am delightedthat Bush will speak on integrity. There is no one in the world more befitting to speak on this subject William McKeeva Bush! 

  48. Far Canal says:

    This has got to be a joke, right?

  49. Anonymous says:

    Mac  speaking on integrity, now that will be a challenge.  I hope that he does not choke on words such a "real checks and balances", "honesty", "openess", "transparency", "law abiding", etc.

  50. Anonymous says:

    Thank you UCC, here he is (the Hon. Dr. Bush) signed, sealed, delivered he is yours.

  51. Anonymous says:

    Regional university gives Mac honorary doctorate…

    …the theme "Integrity: the Language of Leadership".

     

    The joke almost writes itself.

  52. Anonymous says:

    An honourary doctorate? "Integrity: the Language of Leadership…. Oh please tell me this is some poor and ironic joke.

  53. Anonymous says:

    I'm totally speechless and I'm not too sure what to write here.  I can't believe these people.  They need a pychiatrist because they are just as crazy as McKeeva if they giving him a "Honorary" degree.  Has the whole world gone mad?

  54. Anonymous says:

    Dr. the Eternally Honourable Minister of Everything – Will that all fit on a real estate consultant's card?

    • Anonymous says:

      Porably not, but you can be sure his um, "consultancy fees" are going to go up – just like all the other fees he puts up!

  55. Anonymous says:

    That speech on integrity is obviously going to be a very short one.

     

  56. Anonymous says:

    I have always loved the Jamaican sense of humour.

  57. Anonymous says:

    Too funny for words.

  58. Anonymous says:

    INTEGRITY.   OH MY , WHAT A SUBJECT FOR MACK TO SPEAK ABOUT.    Now i must hear his speach.  If i was you mack i would report SICK this is not good

  59. GOBSMACKED says:

    He is to address people on the subject of ” Integrity ” ? – An honorary ” Doctorate ” ? Does the crest on this Universty’s degree certificate include a picture of Mickey Mouse ? The tragedy is that he will actually believe that he really ranks with people who spent years of academic study and research to achieve a “proper” title of Doctor of Philosophy. Can’t wait to see him publicly parade his Doctoral gown. When he appeared in London in his ICCI kit, he looked like Hamid Karzai without the Astrakhan hat. God help us…..

  60. Anynomous says:

    Congratulations Mr Bush.  We are proud of you.  Yes if it was not for you Caymanians would still be without a roof over their heads after Ivan, we would still be sitting outside on crates if you did not get this Country back together.  Thank you Mr Bush for all the hard work you have done not only to help Caymanians but for Jamaicans too. 

     

    • Anonymous says:

      What about the money from Dart for the home repairs?  Some of us are desperate, others have greed and not need.

    • Anonymous says:

      Err…USD2bn came from insurance payments…make did not make it fall from the sky…

  61. Anonymous says:

    University College of the Caribbean gets 2 prizes for this: they become the Caribbean's biggest educational joke for conferring a degree on a 5th-grade drop-out who ran a country into the ground, and they're helping tell the Caribbean's biggest joke for having Mac speak on "integrity".  The BS story they deploy for justification gets an honourable mention for most preposterous fable of the year.  All around a very humorous piece.  Thanks CNS!

  62. Slowpoke says:

    Now, "The Honourable Dr. Bush" to you CNS!

  63. Anonymous says:

    I just love this song, and I wish that all Caymanians young and old, christians and sinners would get the song or google the lyrics to: "We got he kingdom them out of luck now".  Apply these words  Cayman get screw tru greed and glutton, politics maipulate and press youths button. We aint seen nothing yet.

     

  64. Waskly wabbit says:

    UCC does realize this is academic suicide, right?? If I was an alumni I would sue – my degree just lost all value and credibility…

  65. BORN FREE says:

    That would be the only way he could achieve a doctorate.

  66. Anonymous says:

    OMG

  67. Anonymous says:

      Has anyone given him an Honorary primary school degree?

  68. Agent Double 0776 says:

    What did he major in?….BS?

  69. Tickle My Pickle says:

    Okay CNS, you got me

  70. Anonymous says:

    Way to go Mr. Premier the degree from UCC is well deserved for enriching the lives of Jamaicans.  Most of your fellow Caymanians would love to honestly give you such an award but cannot due to the fact that our lives have become so much more difficult since 2003; the one controversial decision that would have made our lives better you chose not to do due to pressure from the people with the power who were all too willing to call you a "rat and a dog".  Be very aware of those who find it very easy to take and harder to give.  I wish you the very best and hope thatthis deserving degree will bring you lasting happiness.

  71. Dred says:

    Did I read this right? huh. I think I am loosing my respect for this University….Why you ask?

    1) They are giving him a doctorate….nuff said.

    2) He is speaking on….ahem….INTEGRITY.

     

    The only thing left is for him to open a Church….

     

    And they are thanking him for the Status Grant Fiasco where people got Statuses who did not even apply. Some got and were not even here still. Many got who did not qualify on any level.

    I can appreciate helping out people who have been here awhile and who have contributed to the country but did anyone THOROUGHLY look at all who got it and examined if they ALL DESERVED IT? I know I have spoken to people who said their helper got theres and who seen it and said they were here for less than 2 years and never have been here before.

    This is all a crock.

    • Zeno says:

      You had to suggest it didn't you? 

       

      Next:   The Honourable Reverend Doctor Bush, Minister of Everything, Defiler of Procedure, Chief of Appliances and weekend One-Man Band.   

  72. The lone haranguer rides again! says:

    Dr McKeeva Bush, how do you like that haters?

  73. Anonymous says:

    How shameful that UCC would want to honour the illegal mass grants of Caymanian status which lacked any objective criteria or proper vetting procedures and benefitted persons who were not deserving while ignoring others who were and dare to suggest that it had something to do with principle or integrity simply on the basis that some Jamaicans benefitted. Every Caymanian should feel highly insulted.      

    • Anonymous says:

      Poster 17:59 why are you surprised? this is the sounding board for 4 more years and can't touch this.  For some people the best is yet to come for other dog eat ya suppa.

  74. Anonymous says:

    What a waste of time and paper. Better they had given him a Lawnmower so that he could go back to do what he knows best.

  75. Anonymous says:

    Thoroughly well deserved !!!

  76. Anonymous says:

    Fantastic choice by the University College of the Caribbean – well done. It's nice to see that the hard work and dedication of our Premier is finally rewarded. To be honest: Even if we all bash him from time to time, deep inside we all know that he is a great person of impeccable character and that this award is dearly deserved.  We can and should be proud of our Premier and celebrate with him. Often the really large man are so far ahead of the common people, that it's difficult for them to harvest the recognition during their life-time (Arthur Schopenhauer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart). I'm sure that when historians look back at our century, they will easily understand that McKeeva Bush is one of the brightest men that Cayman (and the Caribbean as such) has ever produced. Under his visionary leadership a new era has begone, which I have no doubt will later be called "Caymanian Renaissance". In the history books he will be mentioned in one sentence together with Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great and Albert Einstein. It's people like our beloved Premier that bring mankind ahead and help to make this a better planet. To be honest: I have no doubt that McKeeva could easily find a solution for the Israel-Palestine-Conflict and also could solve the Global-Warming-Problem – but instead he focuses on Bodden Town and East End. We should kiss his feet that he does everything possible to make our Islands a better place. We don't even deserve such a great man as our leader. We humble mortals are blessed to have somebody like him to show us the light. Yes, there are a few corruption charges – rumors about his "what's-in-it-for-me?"-mentality – but these are just collateral damage. Every great person had to fight with these problems. Human rights – nasty things. Free press – shocking. Personal integrity – well over-rated. I admire the scolars at the University College of the Caribbean that they didn't get blinded by all the corruption charges, by all the rumors about our leader, by all the back-stabbing from small-minded people that just don't see the brilliance of our Eternal Honorable Premier. To be honest: I was surprised that he didn't get the Nobel Prize for Peace this year – but I'm sure this will come in one of the next years. For me, he is the Messias and if the world doesn't come to an end on December 21st, then only because McKeeva Bush has brilliantly saved this planet. During his reign, no meteor has crashed into Cayman and no nuclear explosions have happend. Coincidence – or marvelous leadership? Thanks again for giving him the honorary doctorate degree – this means a lot to him (and also to me), and I'm sure that this will be a big incentive for the Premier to learn to write and read. Dear McKeeva Bush – Congratulations from one of your most loyal followers – and thanks for the fridge, by the way.

  77. Anonymous says:

    Is it April 1st already?

  78. Anonymous says:

    No way in hell is that School accredited!

     

    Wait… did he also NOT even graduate High School?

  79. Anonymous says:

    Speak on the subject of integrity….with all that has transpired, while unde 3 police investigations…hahahahaaaaaaaaaaaaa

    Love the pic CNS, it’s just perrrfect

  80. YoungLady says:

    I suggest Jamaica grant W. McKeeva Bush asylum.

  81. Like It Is says:

    The only way he would ever get a degree. . .

  82. Red Flag says:

    An illusion of education and a SHORT speech.

  83. wayasay says:

    Congratulations Hon. Dr. Bush, MLa., Minister of Finance.

  84. Anonymous says:

    I wish I had not gone to school, nor attened classes.   I gave my status away and I would've got and "Honorary Doctorate" too.  What an honour, but the best laugh is to speak on Integrity.

  85. Anonymous says:

    you have got to be kidding – speaking on integrity?  is this a hoax?

  86. Anonymous says:

    Integrity is like virginity – you can only lose it once! Mac is no virgin!

  87. Anonymous says:

    Is this a joke? My fellow bloggers – which one makes you LYFAO the most?

    1) Mac get's an honorary degree from a reputable institution when he didn't finish high school and can barely construct a proper sentence whether written or verbal….LOL

    2) Keke gives speech on integrity ….WTF?

    3) Both

  88. SANDFLY says:

    A Doctorate in Travel, Money Chasing, Mangrove Destruction, Transparency Avoidance, Sloopy Bookkeeping, Divisive & Backward Politics,Foolishness of all kinds and Bafoonery.

  89. BORN FREE says:

    Can it be received in Northward?

  90. Anonymous says:

    Amazing…a degree and a talk on integrity all at the same time!!!! Either there is another Mackeeva Bush we don't know about, or somebody been injecting the Shetty USD7m straight in their arms…

  91. Knot S Smart says:

    Dr Bush.

    Oh dear…

  92. Anonymous says:

    ROFL

  93. Rorschach says:

    ROTFLMFFAO…Ths is supposed to be CNS, not The ONION…

  94. Stiffed-Necked Fool says:

    No surprise, it figures considering who is giving it!

  95. Anonymous says:

    ROTFLMFAO

  96. Anonymous says:

    Go dya "Old Bush Boy" !!!!!! 

  97. Anonymous says:

    Are you KIDDING ME?? McKeeva speaking on "Integrity" and given an Honorary Doctorate??? Now we know the world will come to an end in 2012.

    This sounds like George W Bush coming to the Caymans to talk about "investments" and it must have been "exclusive and secretive investments".