MCKEEVA BUSH STEPS BACK FROM PACT

There’s been another defection from the ruling PACT coalition with independent member for West Bay West, McKeeva Bush withdrawing his support for the now-beleaguered administration.

In a letter addressed to Her Excellency Governor Jane Owen, dated November 9th, Mr Bush stated that after much serious and deep consideration he made the decision not to continue to support the present government.

“I can’t support the PACT grouping any longer, as of today the 9th day of November 2023,” he wrote.

In the excoriating letter, Mr Bush further stated: “In my opinion, the country is headed in the wrong direction. Our people are hurting like I’ve never seen before.” He also said that in his view, matters given priority by the PACT coalition government of Premier Wayne Panton “as far as I’m concerned

are not the right ones.”

This development has sent shockwaves through the Cayman community as it now means the Parliamentary arithmetic is precariously balanced with Mr Bush’s withdrawal of support from PACT coming less than two months after Cabinet member Dwayne Seymour quit the government on September 22nd.

It now means that the 19-seat Parliament is practically deadlocked with nine seats on both sides of the House leaving the Speaker, Katherine Ebanks-Wilks who succeeded McKeeva Bush in the chair on 25 November 2022 - and a PACT supporter - with the casting vote.

Mr Bush’s abrupt withdrawal of support from PACT also comes at a crucial time for the government PACT with a much-anticipated budget due to be presented later this month against a backdrop of indications of significant reductions in government spending.

The rift between Mr Bush and the PACT coalition is also linked to the budget with Mr Bush having written to Premier Panton in October expressing his misgivings about the government’s spending priorities.