PPM CALLS FOR PANTON’S RESIGNATION

Meanwhile, the fallout from Mr Bush’s decision to join the opposition benches has seen the main opposition Progressives party call for the resignation of Premier Wayne Panton.

In a statement issued this afternoon shortly after Mr Bush’s announcement, the Progressives (People’s Progressive Movement/PPM) said the situation was now untenable for Mr Panton and his PACT coalition.

“MP McKeeva Bush's resignation from the PACT government today means Premier Panton no longer has a viable government. The Cayman Islands Parliament is now hung, with the Government and the Opposition now holding an equal number of seats, nine each, comprising three independents and six Progressive members. Premier Panton's PACT Government of Independents has been unstable from the outset. But now it is constitutionally unviable,” the party said.

It determined that “with the 2024/2025 budget now overdue for presentation, the Premier does not even have sufficient members in his PACT group to form a quorum to hold a meeting of Parliament. A quorum requires ten elected members in addition to the Speaker. This recent resignation is the third we have seen this year as PACT continues its slow but inevitable process of disintegration. I have spoken before about PACT's constant infighting being bad for the country, and this most recent resignation today is the final straw.”

The statement signed by Progressives leader, Roy McTaggart set an ultimatum for the Premier to step down, failing which it would call a Motion of No-confidence in the government.

“I hereby call on Premier Panton to do what is in our country's and our people's best interest and resign by 3 pm tomorrow. If he does not, I will ask the Speaker to summon a Special Meeting of the House next week to debate a Lack of Confidence in the Premier and the PACT Government. It is our duty as representatives of our people to act to restore stable and effective government to these Islands.”

(This is a developing story)