Speaker of Parliament in Cayman Islands, McKeeva Bush is reportedly stepping down following harassment allegations against him in the British overseas territory.

According to Cayman media reports, Bush’s PACT government colleague, Infrastructure Minister Jay Ebanks made the announcement in a statement late Friday.

“I had a talk with Mr Bush tonight. I emphasised the fact that the PACT government just can’t ‘talk’ about accountability, but must be seen to be accountable,” the statement read.

“While the police investigation is not yet complete, the allegations are serious. In this case, the first step is to relieve Mr Bush from his duties as Speaker. Mr Bush understands this and has therefore agreed to step down as Speaker,” it added.

Earlier Friday, Deputy Governor Franz Manderson reportedly issued a release stating that the civil service had “zero tolerance for misconduct”.

“I am aware of recent media reports concerning allegations of assault by a member of Parliament against female civil servants who were attending an official event on 13 September,” Manderson reportedly said, adding “As head of the civil service, I wish to make it clear that we are committed to ensuring the safety of our employees and protecting their rights, including their right to report wrongdoing. The civil service has zero tolerance for misconduct.”

Bush, a former premier of the Cayman Islands, is reportedly accused of harassing two female civil servants at a cocktail party at the Ritz-Carlton earlier this week.