Mac case adjourns till June

(CNS): The case against McKeeva Bush, the former Cayman Islands premier, was adjourned Friday morning until 28 June, clearing the way for the UDP leader to concentrate on the election campaign and his bid to return to office. Bush made his first appearance in the Grand Court in relation to the 11 counts of theft and abuse of office charges against him. But his time in the dock was fleeting as his attorney, Michael Alberga, had arranged with the crown for the adjournment, when he is expected to enter pleas. Bush was accompanied by several UDP supporters in the court as well as Steve McField, who is part of the UDP leader’s team.

Although the veteran politician is facing a list of serious charges, which relate to the alleged theft of around $50,000 of public money, much of which was withdrawn on a government credit card from ATMs in a United States casino, he has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. He remains at the helm of the UDP and is hoping to be returned on 23 May as premier of the Cayman Islands once again.

If Bush is able to win at least ten seats, he will resume the job of premier, despite being ousted from office last December after his former UDP colleagues supported a no confidence motion brought by Opposition Leader Alden McLaughlin.

However, even if the UDP does not secure ten seats, Bush could still regain his former job if his party secures the largest number of seats of any one group and he can persuade any of the former UDP members, several of whom are running as independents or with the newly formed People’s National Alliance, to support him.

Although Bush is facing criminal charges, there are no legal impediments to any candidate who has not been convicted to stand for office. Therefore, because Bush has not been found guilty of any crimes, he can continue to run and could be returned as either a back bench MLA or to high office once again.

The current judicial backlog will mean that Bush is unlikely to go on trial for the offences he is charged, if it gets that far, until at the earliest the summer of 2014 and will only be required to step down if he is found guilty.