PPM calls on Panton to go as PACT crumbles

(CNS): The resignation of McKeeva Bush MP (WBW) from the PACT Government on Thursday has left Premier Wayne Panton without a viable government, and he should step down, Opposition Leader Roy McTaggart has said. He added that Panton cannot secure a quorum without opposition support with a hung parliament. As a result, the opposition wants Panton to resign by 3pm today, otherwise they will call on the speaker to hold a special meeting for a vote of no-confidence.

There are now nine members on the opposition benches — three former PACT independent members and the six Progressives — and nine members on the government benches. While Panton can depend on the speaker’s casting vote, he will need at least one member of the opposition to support a call for next month’s budget meeting.

“Premier Panton’s PACT government of independents has been unstable from the outset. But now it is constitutionally unviable,” McTaggart said in a statement issued Thursday evening. “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.”

Bush is the third person to resign from PACT, which McTaggart said “continues its slow but inevitable process of disintegration”. The constant infighting was bad for the country and Bush’s resignation was the final straw, he added.

“I hereby call on Premier Panton to do what is in our country’s and our people’s best interest and resign,” McTaggart said. “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.”

CNS understands that Bush has still not written a formal letter of resignation to the premier, but a statement from him about his departure has been circulating widely on social media. The veteran MP is accusing PACT of being paralysed and unable to perform even the basic functions of government, including the budget.

“Despite all my, and many others, efforts the current Pact administration is unable to right its ship, endless petty, selfish infighting has ground everything to a halt while day in and day out regular Caymanians are suffering and our future slips away,” Bush claimed. “Their ship is sinking and I can’t allow it to take our beloved country down with it.”

Bush said the results of the gridlock are everywhere. He described a frustrated, underpaid and dysfunctional civil service with underappreciated teachers and planning applications stalled. Bush claimed that planning applications were down 71% year on year — which is inaccurate. However, it offers a clue over why Bush and the two previous PACT members of government left and is at the heart of the infighting.

CNS understands that all along, the rift in government has been fuelled by the powerful local development lobby, which is now calling in their favours.

Bush, who is facing criminal charges and due to go on trial next month, said that he planned to be part of the next government. “I will use all my experience and efforts to help guide us to a new government, one where I will not be a minister but just a humble servant of our people offering my best advice and guidance,” he said.

CNS has contacted the premier, and we understand he will be releasing a statement later today.