UK confirms former Cayman premier lost OBE over assault charges

(CMC) –– The United Kingdom’s Cabinet office has confirmed that Caymanian parliamentarian, McKeeva Bush, has lost the title Order of the British Empire (OBE) based on his criminal conviction for assaulting a bar manager in February 2020.

According to the UK Cabinet office’s newly published list of honours that have been revoked by the Sovereign, Bush forfeited his royal medal following his criminal conviction.

In October last year, there were reports that the former premier’s OBE was under review by the forfeiture committee.

However, Bush, in a post on social media, claimed that he made the decision to give up the OBE that he has held for 26 years because times had changed.

“I found myself conflicted about retaining an award that doesn’t promote Caymanian excellence but rather one that many people believe celebrated imperialism and perpetuated a system of class and privilege,” Bush said.

He claimed he had formally written to the responsible bodies in the United Kingdom to return the royal title.

But, the list from the Cabinet office clearly states that the honour was revoked because of criminal offences and not because of Bush’s change of heart over the medal’s connection to the British Empire and the negative legacy of Cayman’s colonial masters.