March 30, 2014

Dear Sir,

Where did the Friday headliner “Terry Lister poised to lead new party” come from? Raymond Hainey as a journalist is no newcomer to Bermuda politics, so one would suspect there is something behind what he wrote. While a rumbling of political discontent isn’t new among parliamentarians, I don’t know, but don’t think it’s as oblique as to articulate the formation of a new party.

I could be very wrong however in my assessment there exist among many who were elected some who imaginably have become very untrusting and disappointed in what they have currently. Some among the One Bermuda Alliance who do not want to be aligned with the direction of the leadership, feeling it isn’t living up to the mandate it was given at the polls. Then there are some among the Progressive Labour Party who feel the party has not moved far enough in a direction of change. Put the two elements together and there is a coalition of discontent and desire for something better.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen this, there was a time during leadership of Dr Ewart Brown when a similar situation occurred but never came to fruition. This is why I ask the question of where this news emerged. Was it a balloon being floated with a warning sign? Was it an attempt to smoke the individuals out? I’m sure if you remember The Last Supper, with the atmosphere filled with suspicion “is it I Lord”? In our case it may be is it you, you and you?

I don’t think Terry Lister is as capricious as to manipulate a scenario of the kinds described. I do believe, which is normal, he has a desire to lead. He has never won favour as a leader and perhaps that maybe because the structure and ideology of the party to which he belonged. The country needs togetherness and to bring that requires change. Even though the OBA before the election held up the banner and promised change. Truth is, aside from the much needed change of government, little else has structurally changed about our politics.

If a significant number of PLP merged with a few OBA they could clinch a leadership by forcing a no-confidence vote or command a new majority, that’s of course if the governor permits a new government to be formed by petition in the house of assembly. If a group did accomplish that, they don’t have to rule as it were — with their small numbers against a combined majority of PLP and OBA on the backbench. They would have to broker an arrangement taking members from all sectors of the house that they can work with to form a government. They may, as an example, leave the Minister of Finance in office if he accepted the arrangement.

The ideal would be like a peace treaty where the members of the house accept an interim period to work together as a full house for the remainder of the term. During this interim period a number of reform items can be tabled. The public will be freer to engage under a non-partisan type approach to devise the most suitable form of governance for the country going forward. The country as a unit would be in a better construct to deal with the economy as a united team. Without political agenda each member of the society could to do their part for the good of the country not just the party in order for us all to attain mutual survival.

KHALID WASI