Bernie crosses floor to opposition benches
After months of being a clear outsider on the government benches, Bernie Bush, the member for West Bay North, crossed the parliamentary floor Wednesday night to join the opposition benches. During his debate on the Referendum Bill for the cruise project, Bush was clear that he believed his constituents were largely opposed to the project. But more than that, he said, they were angry with the approach government had taken over the entire campaign.
Bush went on to explain his own concerns about how the government had conducted itself in this campaign and its criticism and derision of the campaigners.
The back-bench Unity government member also made it clear that he was not in support of the project and saw it as selling out to powerful cruise lines that do not support the interests of Caymanians.
Bush raised a number of concerns about the environmental impact on the marine habitat and worried that the claims regarding coral relocation and the potential for wider impact on Seven Mile Beach remained in doubt. He questioned why a new independent environmental impact assessment had not been conducted to reassure people about these risks of the current plans, which have changed several times since 2015.
Bush said he was not supporting the government project as he did not want to be responsible for those Caymanians who would lose jobs from waterfront businesses that already existed in favour of the multi-million dollar cruise sector, which has done nothing to help people here other than squeeze margins. He said he was also not willing to take the risk of being partly responsible for destroying the environment.
As he revealed that he was crossing the floor, Bush said that at times it had been uncomfortable on the government benches but he had stayed to retain his post on the Public Accounts Committee. He now expects to lose that position, he said, which he had really enjoyed.
Bush’s departure will have very little impact on the ability of the Government of National Unity to govern, as the coalition retains a majority with the remaining two CDP members and three independent members. Bush’s move will boost the ranks of the opposition to seven, leaving eleven members sitting in government, plus the speaker.
And as Bush noted, it will enable the premier, if he wishes, to remove him from PAC and put on another much more loyal back-bencher. That will give government a more solid majority on the committee that scrutinises how it manages the public purse, making it more difficult for the committee to properly hold government to account.
The back-bench Unity government member also made it clear that he was not in support of the project and saw it as selling out to powerful cruise lines that do not support the interests of Caymanians.
Bush raised a number of concerns about the environmental impact on the marine habitat and worried that the claims regarding coral relocation and the potential for wider impact on Seven Mile Beach remained in doubt. He questioned why a new independent environmental impact assessment had not been conducted to reassure people about these risks of the current plans, which have changed several times since 2015.
Bush said he was not supporting the government project as he did not want to be responsible for those Caymanians who would lose jobs from waterfront businesses that already existed in favour of the multi-million dollar cruise sector, which has done nothing to help people here other than squeeze margins. He said he was also not willing to take the risk of being partly responsible for destroying the environment.
As he revealed that he was crossing the floor, Bush said that at times it had been uncomfortable on the government benches but he had stayed to retain his post on the Public Accounts Committee. He now expects to lose that position, he said, which he had really enjoyed.
Bush’s departure will have very little impact on the ability of the Government of National Unity to govern, as the coalition retains a majority with the remaining two CDP members and three independent members. Bush’s move will boost the ranks of the opposition to seven, leaving eleven members sitting in government, plus the speaker.
And as Bush noted, it will enable the premier, if he wishes, to remove him from PAC and put on another much more loyal back-bencher. That will give government a more solid majority on the committee that scrutinises how it manages the public purse, making it more difficult for the committee to properly hold government to account.
