In the world of politics, and that includes Bermuda, fence building often takes priority over bridge building because divisiveness is something most political groups rely on to keep their support base intact, even when situations dictate that a bridge of better understanding over differences would be the best approach.

On our small Island, where we can almost see from one end to the other, we still have too many political and social fences that need to be torn down to tackle truly challenging problems of the day.

Removing fences is never easy because it requires a will to overcome the social injustices of the past that prevented some from fully participating in community life based on skin colour.

Over the years through diligence and commitment, many fences were torn down in the struggle to remove the awful stains of post-slavery conditions, and today children of many who were reluctant to build bridges are now sitting together studying in classrooms with children of those who suffered during that dark chapter of social injustice.

It’s a step in the right direction.

There are millions of stories about oppressed people and the struggle for freedom and in many parts of the world today the battle to build bridges of understanding is proving extremely difficult, and lives are being lost daily in this never-ending clash between opposing groups over the right to exist in freedom and peace.

When former US President Ronald Reagan issued his historic words “tear down this wall” to Mikhail Gorbachev, this mass structure known as the Berlin Wall built by East Germany to preserve power and prevent true freedom became a symbol to the world as freedom-loving people decided that the wall must be removed if Germany was to become a strong country and take its proper place in the free world.

Although the wall stood for 28 years, dividing families between East and West Germany, the day came when the people, after learning that there would be easing of travel restrictions between east and west, moved in with hand tools to begin the task of removing this wall, and today Germany no longer has a such a wall that hinders growth, with people who want to live with dignity and peace.

The type of fences we have today are not built with bricks and mortar, and yet they too must be torn down because in a world becoming more diverse by the minute, there is little room for any type of divisiveness, be it political or social.

Here in Bermuda there is much work to be done in building a more unified society and our political leaders are expected to be instruments in seeking solutions through carving a path of logic and common sense in tackling even the most sensitive issues.

However, we all know that is not quite the case when political imaging is involved, and tempers become overheated.

It is not disagreements that bother most of the community, but conduct that has tones of disrespect and malice, which usually leads to fence building rather than finding better ways of closing the gap of misunderstanding to make use collectively of our full strengths.

As we struggle to get our economic base stronger through tourism and international business, our leaders must stay focused on working as closely as possible together for the good of all Bermudians.

Leftover invisible fences from our past need to be left in the past, and the lessons learned should help both political parties to work more closely together in seeking solutions.

There appears to be an undercurrent of political motives whenever sensitive issues arise and this tends to create confusion with the populace, who are simply looking for our leaders to deal with problems with respect for each other in the process.

The world needs more bridges between good people at a time when the ugly face of terrorism threatens to build fences to divide and rule without regard for basic human rights.

Here in Bermuda we are proud to have a democracy where all voices can be heard.

Let us be respectful in doing so, to show younger people how important it is to build bridges, rather than fences.