The fall of Premier Craig Cannonier after only 17 months on the job should be a warning to those elected to serve the people of Bermuda.

No one on either side of our political divide should gloat or view his departure as leader of the One Bermuda Alliance as some type of earth shattering development for Bermuda.

Perhaps the most vital lesson out of this political fall is that taking your eye off the ball of promised transparency and accountability at every move while serving the Bermudian people carries a heavy price in the end, because the truth usually finds its way to surface no matter how long it takes. In a sense, the resignation of Mr Cannonier was a courageous move in trying to halt further political bleeding that could threaten the OBA body itself.

With mounting evidence about that infamous ‘Jetgate’ trip, which should never have been, Mr Cannonier was in a no-win situation. Up until he allowed himself to be become involved in accepting that flight his run as Premier was similar to others who encountered bumpy parts of the political highway but still had considerable public support.

However, that support can diminish rapidly when there are strong indications that something is done outside of basic expected principles in keeping transparency and truthfulness out front in dealings with the people’s business.

The fall of President Richard Nixon over the Watergate scandal forced him out of office but did not result in the collapse of the United States. President Bill Clinton faced impeachment proceedings over a dreadful error of judgement, but again the US was able to steady itself during the crisis which Mr Clinton survived. Leaders make mistakes all over the world, and in the political arena the people usually become the judge and jury. Remember the people decide in democratic jurisdictions who they feel will best serve their interest. They must be respected.

Bermuda can ill afford political instability while trying to enhance international business on our shores and seeking to expand our tourist industry. This is a critical time for our troubled economy, and job losses continue to take a toll on family life. While Cannonier’s critics are probably basking in his fall from political grace they should be careful to remember that both political parties have had to wade through resignations over the years, which is a part of political life.

However, many find it nothing short of stunning that the former Premier could allow an American businessman to dictate his terms for holding a meeting to discuss potential investment in Bermuda. No amount of money should have resulted in bypassing proper codes of expected conduct in order to establish further overseas investment. In other words, if Nathan Landow wanted to do business here he should be expected to comply with arrangements that suit government procedures. It is difficult to assume he would not have responded to having such a meeting take place on our soil with the Bermudian people aware of objectives.

As there are aspects of that highly controversial jaunt still being investigated it might be best to focus on where we go from here.

A page has been turned and Michael Dunkley is now the Island’s new Premier. His immediate task is to pull his team together and reassure Bermuda that the ship is not sinking and remains on course. That will not be easy with the Opposition Progressive Labour Party on the lookout for further weaknesses. After all, that is their role.

While it might be described as a sad time in Bermuda politics, a bright spot is that the same lesson learned from not being transparent in serving the people of this Island is something that can befall every politician who chooses to step away from operating with utter integrity and truthfulness. Many politicians have made mistakes that were not unlawful but were just ethically wrong. We hope Bermuda learns from what has transpired and will be able to pick up the pieces and, in the old Bermudian spirit of unity, move to a brighter day. That hope must be kept alive.