MP McKeeva Bush has confirmed in a press statement that he has again been arrested, and indeed news reports confirmed that he made a court appearance on very serious charges involving a female. Mr Bush has denied the allegations and, like everyone, is entitled to a presumption of innocence until proven otherwise in a Court of Law.

However, there are facts that we cannot ignore. Mr Bush is currently facing other serious charges against him involving two females. That case will be going to trial later this year. Also, in December 2020, Mr Bush pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault on a female.

In the recent past, it was only after the Opposition sought to bring a motion of no confidence against the then-Speaker Bush that the Premier was able to convince Mr Bush and come to an arrangement with him to step down from his role as Speaker. At the time, according to an article in an online media publication, Premier Panton accused the Opposition’s principled stand of being more about power than principle.   

It should be noted that the Opposition also stated on April 22, 2023, our surprise that Mr Bush had been appointed by the Premier to the Public Accounts Committee. We said at the time that: “Once again, despite his many admonishments of Mr Bush and the court charges faced by Mr Bush, Premier Panton continues to promote his former speaker into high-profile political positions. It begs the question of whether Premier Panton’s claim that he cares about the treatment of women in our society is genuine. Instead, it would appear the Premier is more interested in appeasing some members of his government in a desperate attempt to cling to power.”

We now ask whether Premier Panton intends to continue allowing Mr Bush to remain as a part of his PACT Government, and sit on the government benches, and to also allow him to continue as a member of the Public Accounts Committee. 

– The Progressives