It would seem on face value that our Premier has done nothing wrong. We have heard his explanations to two of the charges against him and he is Lily white and we can all go on with our sails trimmed, enjoying the sunshine and calm seas, all as before.

Of course there are one or two things not quite explained but let’s not talk about those. Well not today anyway.

It was an experience for me to witness the two (or should I say) three “The Panel” shows on CITN-Cayman27, with two on following days. The first two, with Premier Mckeeva Bush and his UDP colleague, Ralston Anglin was in sharp contrast to the last one with Independent MLA Ezzard Miller and PPM MLA Arden McLean.

The contrast was in the rudeness and Bush didn’t need Anglin to support him there. He won on his own and even if you added in Miller and McLean it was still no contest

It is no wonder we have young Caymanian and late talk show host, Ellio Solomon, learning from the Father of the House how to be as rude as possible without fear of retaliation. And if the other person does retaliate, heaven forbid, with sameness, one can declare foul and say I will report you to a policeman

Plus, if you are an ex talk show host and campaigned for people’s rights and almost self governance, but expressly on fairness and openness, when you get elected on your talk show stance, you can conveniently forget about them, because you want to be like the Father of the House.

I once asked in an Editorial, where have our statesmen gone? Where has manners gone? Is there such a thing as politeness?

What example are we giving to our youth?

I thought I was ready for anything until I heard the biggest hypocritical statement come from the mouth of our premier. In debating the One Man, One Vote (OMOV) Referendum he said government had made it “as fair as possible.” If that is the case why is he changing the rules of fairness to suit himself by raising the threshold for the question to be carried? (See our lead story). Why is he using the people’s money to campaign vigorously and with malice against his own referendum? Is that his version of being as fair as possible? Does he really believe it himself? Does our ex-talk show host believe this, too?

Whether you are for or against the OMOV; whether you are a UDP or PPM supporter; whether you an atheist or a religious believer; whether you are black or white; can you possibly believe the premier has made it and is making the referendum as fair as possible?

I was pleasantly surprised when the premier announced referendum day was to be a public holiday. Now I am wondering what ulterior motive he has regarding that. Is it to see who he perceives are his enemies? Is someone being given the job of actually writing down the names of everyone who goes to the polling stations? Then there is Alden McLaughlin’s comment about his concerns for civil servants. Yes, Franz Manderson, the Deputy Governor, did give reassurances. But in people’s minds words are not the same as actions.

And last? Did the Deputy Premier, Juliana O’Connor-Connolly actually vote against the referendum? Now what do I make of that?