After Cayman Islands premier, Hon. McKeeva Bush’s defiant mood over the weekend and last Monday (5) saying he was not going to back down on his amended version of the Framework for Fiscal Responsibility (FFR) and he was going ahead with China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), he did an about face the following Tuesday evening.

So what changed his mind? His appearance on CITN-Cayman27 on their 6pm newscast was one of contrition. He looked and sounded like a beaten man. I even felt sorry for him. Yes, I did.

Even after the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Overseas Territories (OT) Minister, Mark Simmonds, letter of 2^nd November that he himself asked to be made public to the press, Bush was still bullish. The language that Simmonds had used was the strongest a British minister can give anyone as a warning to “do as I say” or suffer the consequences. I pointed this out in my Editorial on Monday.

The major problem I have with our premier is his secretiveness which people call deviousness. He seems to be unable to provide us with all the details, or in some cases any details, and this sparks off rumours – some wild – but others hit the bulls eye. Why does he do it? I believe it is because he has learnt that it gives him more power. It’s like the “I know something you don’t know” syndrome. If I am removed everything will be in a mess because I know secrets you don’t and when you discover them it will be too late.

All the foregoing makes me consider whether the UK was going to call in the cavalry. And that would have been disastrous for the Cayman Islands.

It had to have been something so horrendous that was told to the Premier, because it made him eat “humble pie”.

Cayman’s governor, HE Duncan Taylor had been flown back to London with no announcement, yet another media house had been given ‘the nod’. I can understand Bush’s irritation with this and their guarded “our sources close to the FCO tells us” statements. If I was receiving secretive information I wouldn’t be announcing to the whole world I had a source and where it was coming from!

What I have to say next is pure speculation and only a theory, but based on what has happened before.  Plus, I used to travel up from Brighton, England, every day for many years to London with fellow passengers who worked for the FCO and listened to what they said about the UK’s oversea territories. They viewed all of them as flies that needed the occasional swatting and even a dose of DDT if they got out of hand. And I could see they would enjoy doing this.

In the UK”s cabinet there is a section called COBRA that stands for the Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms. I believe this whole affair went to COBRA and the premier was told if he didn’t do as he was told British troops and soldiers would be sent out here. Parliament would be dissolved as the UK were scared Bush might declare Independence. To them he was ‘out of control’. I even suspect MI6 were at the ready.

Do you ever watch the BBC programme “Spooks” that airs under the title “MI5” on PBS? Scary stuff. Don’t mess with the Brits!

In Bush’s broadcast speech of contrition I was pleased when he blamed the past PPM government for his and our country’s woes. If he hadn’t I would not have believed it was actually Bush delivering the message. It had to have been an imposter.

I have played back his broadcast a number of times now and I can almost swear I heard horses and the rattling of sabres in the background.