02/03/2020

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McKeeva Bush was accused of using public funds for his United Kingdom trip last week. He returned to Cayman on Saturday night from London and responded to the claims by saying he was in London for a previously arranged trip to attend a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association meeting.

After his meeting with the premier, Bush announced that he will be taking an immediate leave of absence from Speaker duties.

Bush, as the deputy chairman of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Small Branches Executive Council, “is the representative for all Commonwealth small countries”, he said, adding that “the entire meeting’s cost, including airline and hotel cost, is paid by CPA Headquarters in London”.

“I’m the Deputy Chair for Commonwealth Small Countries. I and the CPA Coordinating Committee met in London on 27 Feb. with the lawyers of CPA to discuss a number of matters as mandated by the CPA General Assembly which was held in Kampala, Uganda, in September 2019,” he said.

“[It was also] to conclude disciplinary actions thereof and to review new applications for the post of Secretary General. They also discussed the preparations for the forthcoming CPA Mid-Year Executive Committee meeting to be held in Assam, India, from 24 to 28 April 2020,” Bush said.