PPM leader calls for LA meet
(CNS): The opposition leader has written to the speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Mary Lawrence, asking her to summon an urgent meeting of the country’s parliament next week to debate a no confidence motion on McKeeva Bush’s government following his arrest by the police on suspicion of theft and offences under the anti-corruption law. Alden McLaughlin said that the arrest of the premier was hugely damaging to Cayman. However, with Bush denying he has done anything wrong and insisting he will remain in office, the opposition leader pressed the speaker to convene the LA to allow the UDP members who have been silent so far to demonstrate either their support or their lack of confidence.
The speaker has the power, should she choose to use it, under Standing Orders to convene a meeting and allow the debate, which could conclude with a secret ballot, to take place in the Legislative Assembly, which this time could lead to the downfall of government.
While Deputy Premier Juliana O'Connor-Connolly issued a short statement Tuesday, saying the government understood the gravity of the situation, the opposition leader pointed out in his letter to Lawrence that none of the UDP government members have made any public statements over the last four days to say whether they continue to have confidence in Bush as the premier or not.
“The current state of affairs presents a matter of the gravest national importance and hence my request to you to exercise the discretion given you as Presiding Officer,” he wrote.
Although Bush was still in office Saturday morning, it is understood that the UDP were still hoping that the premier would voluntarily step aside. But with the eight other members of the UDP government said to be split, with at least two members standing by the premier, those not in support of his remaining in office will not be able to form a government as they will not command a majority. If they then choose to vote in favour of the lack of confidence, the UDP could be forced to go to the polls early with a divided leadership team.
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Category: Politics
Incompetence fighting incompetence. Is that why nothing of value ever happens there?
Blogger 7:05, why is it that you people hate Mr. McLaughlin? Is it because he is too clean?or is it because he is a model Statesman? or you just simply hate him, because he opposes Mr. Bush? In all the actions of Mr. McLaughlin I cannot see any wrong that he has done, but look at Mr. Bush, Mr. Anglin, Ms. O'Connor, Mr. Solomon, Mr. Seymour and the last newsmaker Mr. Scotland. XXXX Are you not happy that Mr. McLaughlin and his party put policies in place that are working. Anti-Corruption law, Human Rights law, Constitution, Bill of Rights etc etc. These laws have stopped the Premier running away free handly spending our money like there was no end to it. Mr. McLaughlin please continue to do the right thing, there will always be haters. What you do, do it for COUNTRY. Yes, we needInvestors, we need revenue, but they ALL have to go through the processes. Projects are needed, jobs are needed, but do it through the process. That is all the UK was asking Mr. Bush and the UDP'ers to do and they were defiant. Their past has caught up with them. Remember to keep it clean Mr. McLaughlin and all those haters will learn to respect you.
"Mr. McLaughlin I cannot see any wrong that he has done,"
Why dont you start with incompetance. I wanted gold plated door knobs in my new house but when the quote came in I cancelled them as any reasonably fiscally responsible person would do.
He was responsible for the money pit on Frank Sound Rd and I hope you folks remember that come election time. The folks at Camana Bay built a good school in about 10 months for somewhere in the range of $20-30M. He CHOSE to build a monument that tooks years and 10 times that to build.
Mac dat u? I thought you were spending your time trying to hold on to power and now I see u b a bloggin'
Yes but the Bushit builders have been employed for many years and will be employed for many years to come. Bush took his idea and made it into a Gold mine for the bushits. Its what he does best. Its why his followers meet him at the airport to kiss his a$$. Its why he occasionally gets a good comment among the hundreds of bad.
He is the Mr. McLaughlin then, as he is now, with empty pockets. He never took one cent and placed it in his pockets. His hands are clean. We want people with vision, foresight and accountability. While it could have cost less, politics caused it to cost more.
The school is being talked about everyday, not the cost but the great facility that it is. I wish that some of the naysayers would try and get a few lessons at the facility.
The UDP is a mess. The leader arrested, the education minister too drunk to know what's going on. We deserve better this this!
Instead of hearing the Premier say, "I haven't done anything wrong" I would be more satisfied to hear him say, "I haven't done anything illegal." He seems to have an attitude that many laws do not apply to him, therefore the things he does are not "wrong."
Alden, if you are going to go throught this senseless process again, let me reitterate what another poster suggested below.
""If you do succeed in bringing this motion – then ask for a secret ballot.
While theUDP members might not be brave enough to publicly go against him, at least a few of them must be sensible enough to bring an end to this mockery of the good people of this country.""
If you reconsider that the No Confidence vote might be too senseless, then consider putting some heads together to try to come up with a real STRATEGY on HOW to get a MASSIVE Public Demonstration of the Public's desire to demand that McKeeva Bush steps down from this very 'RESPONSIBLE' position within our Govt.
Otherwise it seems it is now time for the Revolution.
Whatever you do, PLEASE GET THIS SORE OUT.
The PPM have shown themselves to be utterly inept. The previous "no cofidence" votes were a naieve and idiotic waste of political capital.
Make up you mind, one minute you say we do too little the next you say we doing too much – typical
Sorry Al, too little too late..
"Only God — or Ivan – Can stop me?"
Righhhht…
There doesn't need to be any downfall of Gov't. Without any admission of guilt, McKeeva should take leave, and deputy steps in until there is some resolution. It's not rocket science. Happens frequently in the real world.
But Cayman is third world not real world. At least the government is. Never ending stupidity is what happens here frequently. Its called Caymankind. The process of acting competently when all evidence is to the contrary. Here you are only a thief if and only the one day you are caught.
"McKeeva should take leave, and deputy steps in until there is some resolution."
Resolution? Surely you're not serious!
Miss Mary do not listen to Alden Mclaughlin, because he does not know shich chair to sit in. What a waste. Alden please sit down, you are hurting everybody's ear.
The speaker is a disgrace to the principals of parliamentary democracy.
Traditionally this is the person chosen by both sides to chair the assembly, and must be totally impartial, whatever his or hers natural politics are. This woman has regularly shown that she is to all intents and purposes a UDP supporter, and this shames her and the office of speaker.
Silly boy, he may as well have written to the premier himself because the result will be the same. Mr. Mclaughlin knows this but I suppose he has to go through with it for the sake of "the process" but mark my words the so-called speaker will come down on the side of her boss, & it will then depend on a miracle (of the other UDP members standing up to him, which there is not much more chance of that). The country has already been screwed by the actions of the premier so it won't surprise me if we are screwed even more by the actions of his pathetic colleagues in the UDP!
Al. Let me give you a little hint.
If you do succeed in bringing this motion – then ask for a secret ballot.
While the UDP members might not be brave enough to publicly go against him, at least a few of them must be sensible enough to bring an end to this mockery of the good people of this country…
You go Alden, show them how a real party works. Every member of the UDP party should hang their heads in shame that they have not had a vote as a truly democratic party would do to either retain or remove this man as the head of their party.
What a sorrowful opposition leader who can’t commandeer the respect of the majority of caymanians and . More to come.
The UDP MLAs would be stupid to listen to those who are asking them to support the removal of the premier from office.
Opposition trying to get his party to oust him because they know that that is the only way to get it done.
But from West Bay to Bodden Town, the supporters of the premier are not standing for that. If you vote out the premier make sure that you don't ever intend to run in politics again , because you would have committed political suicide.
Their are 8 stoogies, who have outright committed political suicide byhanging on to Mac's coattail. Do you think people are foolish? Their time has expired, so enjoy the rest of the show.
OK UDP, show you are a real democratic party and vote this man out or stand and fall with him. Either way works for us.