Updated with response from McKeeva Bush: I was on the Legislative Assembly website and noticed that in the biography section, McKeeva Bush is given the title “Dr”. I don’t recall him ever earning a university degree, much less a PhD. When did he earn his doctorate?

Auntie’s answer: I checked the website and you are certainly right about that. Here is the link to Mr Bush’s biography where he is listed as “Dr. Hon. W. McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP, Hon MSc, MLA”. I am not aware of any doctorate that Mr Bush has earned through academic study, though there was the honorary doctorate that was almost, but not quite, conferred in 2013.

In the above list of titles, I am assuming that the “Hon” bit refers to his being “Honourable” (which is, of course, forever) and not linked to the “Dr” bit, as in “honorary doctorate”, which seems to be the case for the “Hon MSc” part of his title. I believe this refers to an honorary master’s degree that, according to his Wikipedia page, was conferred by the International College of the Cayman Islands, though it does not say when.

Here’s what Wikipedia says about honorary degrees: “It is sometimes recommended that such degrees be listed in one’s CV as an award, and not in the education section. With regard to the use of this honorific, the policies of institutions of higher education generally ask that recipients ‘refrain from adopting the misleading title’ and that a recipient of an honorary doctorate should restrict the use of the title ‘Dr’ before their name to any engagement with the institution of higher education in question and not within the broader community.”

Members of the clergy in some denominations are sometimes referred to as “Reverend Doctor” but, again, that is generally if they actually have earned a doctorate by studying for it, though religious institutions also confer honorary doctorates of religion to people, and perhaps Mr Bush has received one of these.

But either way, I am not a big fan of people using those as titles if they have have been given degrees without studying for it through a recognised university — not a diploma mill. It is a mark of a specific achievement and should be reserved for those who have put in the work, which can take years, even decades. This issue came up last year and I made my feelings clear about this practice at the time. (See When is a doctor not really a doctor?)

In addition, many academics consider it rather crass to use the title “Dr” even by those who have earned PhDs, because they believe it should only be used by medical doctors.

All that said, it’s possible that Mr Bush has been secretly studying for X amount of years and has legitimately earned the right to call himself “Dr McKeeva Bush”, in which case he might want to update his Wikipedia page, which currently indicates that he did not finish high school.

But if not, while he has achieved much in his life, including being the Cayman Islands’ very first premier, it might be a good idea not to use that title.

I would, of course, welcome input from Mr Bush himself on the matter, as I’m sure he disagrees with me.

Update from Auntie: McKeeva Bush has not responded to me, however Wendy Ledger, one of the owners of CNS, received this message from him via WhatsApp. Here it is in full:

From McKeeva Bush:

[9:25 AM, 7/5/2018] Wendy: Tell auntie and the other sobs that my lawyer will read what they say. I won’t !
I will decide how to handle you and them under the standing orders.

But for now….
➖➖➖➖➖➖
Some people always throw stones in your path. It depends on what you make with them; a Wall or a Bridge? – Remember you are the architect of your life.

Take that!!!
[9:25 AM, 7/5/2018] Wendy: So you know !!!
Here’s what one wise person wrote to me about you and cns kind of racism bigotry

The legacy of colonialism which is the mother of racism will continue to manifest itself in all walks of our daily lives! Until the philosophy that holds one race superior than the other is finally discredited and abandoned,and the color of a man skin is no more significant than the color of his eyes,we will continue to see these acts of prejudice perpetrated against us! I know you see and experience it in your daily political interactions at the highest level!
No matter how they dress it up they will never acknowlege us as being equal to them! But is not what they teach us but what we know! Mac as the bible quotes! Prove all things,and hold fast to that which is good!

I have learned to laugh at you and that “pop eyed soldier crab”who you say own cns.

Even more from McKeeva Bush:

Your criticism of me only shows how really wutless and poor you and your slander sheet is!!!
While you criticize me about a doctorate I’ve been honored with only just shows just how poor and lowdown in journalism(simply just can’t call it that though) you and the “ pop eyed soldier crab”is!!!
Ha ha ha????????????????!!!!

By the way you ought to know since you and “your make believe writers” are so interested,there are several other well known and decent Caymanians who havd been so honored.