Dear Sir,

The business community strongly encourages our politicians to reconsider the long and short-term effects of self-inflicted internal strife and related new job destruction, especially at a time when we are at serious risk from Trump and Brexit.

Our small community must realise that we have escalating international pressures to seriously consider that we cannot control, so we must focus on what we can control and leverage any and all opportunities while we can.

Dangerous locally generated brinkmanship through public confrontations and divisive statements continue to generate significant international consequences, damaging our island’s international reputation. The result is diminished potential international investment and the creation of new job opportunities. In addition, the loss in investor confidence takes years to repair.

Please consider the nasty public closure of the Marriott Hotel decades ago and, more importantly, the resulting lack of any meaningful hotel investment for decades since. The result: hundreds of lost jobs for us Bermudians and the decline of our once-proud tourism industry.

Meanwhile, international business is now under threat internationally from Brexit fallout and Donald Trump. The politicians should now be reaching out to engage the business community to quantify the risks regarding what is going on beyond our shores.

Additionally, we need all politicians to dedicate themselves to pursuing every available chance to create jobs and opportunities for Bermudians.

Most importantly, we must collectively make sure that the incredible tourism and job creation opportunity brought by the America’s Cup is not lost through our own internal conflicts.

BERMUDIAN

BUSINESSMAN