Stating that there were “no integrity issues” surrounding his guilty plea to careless driving while under the influence of alcohol earlier this year, new Cayman Islands Deputy Premier Rolston Anglin said Wednesday that there was no reason for him to step aside over the offence.
Mr. Anglin’s comments were made during a press conference hosted by the just-formed minority government of United Democratic Party leaders who agreed to split from former Premier McKeeva Bush in a Legislative Assembly no confidence vote this week. That vote cost Mr. Bush his leadership position within the government.
The no confidence vote was brought on by Mr. Bush’s arrest last week on suspicion of corruption and theft offences. Mr. Bush has not been charged with any crimes.
Mr. Anglin has already pleaded guilty and will face sentencing on 5 March. However, he said the two situations were entirely different.
“The concern isn’t the same,” the deputy premier said. “Under my scenario, I can’t go to jail. I can’t be eliminated as a member of the house. There’s no integrity issues surrounding me.
“I made a stupid decision,” Mr. Anglin continued. “I apologised to the country and I decided that even though I thought I had a good case that it was in the best interest of myself, my family, my colleagues and the country to move forward.
“The worst that can happen to me - and I’m not saying this to make light of it - but the worst that could happen to me…is that I could lose my driver’s licence.”
On the other hand, Mr. Bush, if charged and convicted, could face a multi-year jail sentence on corruption-related offences.
Moreover, Mr. Anglin’s LA colleagues said the deputy premier’s conduct occurred in connection with a personal matter while the allegations against Mr. Bush concerned his behaviour while in office.