November 9, 2023

Statement From The Hon. Roy McTaggart, Leader of the Opposition

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.

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.

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.

May God guide the actions of each of us who have been elected to serve our country and our people. God bless these beloved Cayman Islands.

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