McKeeva Bush

The Honourable McKeeva Bush OBE
Premier of the Cayman Islands
Incumbent
Assumed office 27 May 2009
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Stuart Jack Donovan Ebanks (Acting) Duncan Taylor
Preceded by	Kurt Tibbetts
In office 8 November 2001 – 18 May 2005
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Governor	Peter Smith James Ryan (Acting) Bruce Dinwiddy
Preceded by	Kurt Tibbetts
Succeeded by	Kurt Tibbetts
Personal details
Born	20 January 1955 (1955-01-20) (age 56) West Bay, Cayman Islands
Political party	United Democratic Party

William McKeeva Bush, OBE (born 20 January 1955^[1]), is a Caymanian politician and the current Premier of the Cayman Islands. He also serves as leader of the United Democratic Party and the first elected member for West Bay. He is currently serving his seventh term in the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands and has represented West Bay in the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands continuously since 1984.

Education

Bush was educated in the Cayman Islands Government primary and secondary school system and was awarded an honourary master’s degree in humanities from the International College of the Cayman Islands.

Political career

Bush was elected Premier during the Cayman Islands general election in 2009, and in addition to assuming the post of Premier, he also currently' serves as Minister of Finance, Tourism & Development for the current United Democratic Party administration. Following the Cayman Islands general election 2005, Bush served as the Leader of the Opposition from May 2005 to May 2009.

Bush is currently the longest serving member of the Legislative Assembly of the Cayman Islands and is referred to as the "Father of the House". Bush has served on previous Executive Councils (renamed Cabinet in 2003) and served as the Leader of Government Business and Minister of Tourism, Environment, Development and Commerce from November 2001 – May 2005 during the United Democratic Party administration. He has also served as Minister for Tourism, Environment and Transport from November 2000 – November 2001, Minister of Community Development, Sports, Women's and Youth Affairs and Culture from 1994 – 1997 and Minister for Health and Human Services from 1992 – 1994.

Bush is also a Justice of the peace and was a founding member of the United Democratic Party.

Investigation

In late 2010 the Cayman Islands police opened an investigation into Bush relating to certain alleged financial irregularities dating back to October 2004, and that investigation remains ongoing.^[2] The Governor of the Cayman Islands, Duncan Taylor, has declined to appoint a commission of enquiry whilst the police investigation is ongoing.^[3]

Personal life

He is married to Kerry Bush and they have two children; son Barry and daughter Tonya, who died from diabetes complications on 25 January 2011.

Bush is a director and shareholder of the Cambridge Real Estate Company.^{[citation needed]}

Queen Elizabeth II named him an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1997 for his work in the Cayman Islands community and success in the Cayman Islands Government.

References

1. ^ Official Bio
2. ^ Cayman Net News (2011-10-20). "People need probe update". http://www.caymannewsservice.com/politics/2011/10/20/people-need-probe-update. 
3. ^ Caribbean News Now! (2011-07-26). "Cayman Islands premier under investigation". http://www.caribbeannewsnow.com/cayman.php?news_id=7151&start=0&category_id=30. 

Political offices
Preceded by Kurt Tibbetts	Premier of the Cayman Islands 2001–2005	Succeeded by Kurt Tibbetts
	Premier of the Cayman Islands 2009–present	Incumbent

Persondata
Name	Bush, McKeeva
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	January 20, 1955
Place of birth	Cayman Islands
Date of death
Place of death