Opinion: Guest Columnists
GUEST COLUMNISTS
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Apr 18, 2013 8:00 amConsulting with farmers would have been the right thing to do
I have been a bona fide farmer in Bermuda for over 35 years. I work some 40 acres of land. I plant seed. I grow food.
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Apr 5, 2013 8:28 amIt will take time to bring us back from the brink
When I became Finance Minister I knew the job ahead was going to be very challenging.
Our goal as a new Government was to get the economy working again for the benefit of Bermudians — creating jobs and career opportunities; and enabling government to build toward a society that delivers social and economic equity for all.
That is no small task. -
Apr 1, 2013 3:00 pm
New ground for Bermuda
The Immigration Appeal Tribunal has just published its procedural rules to hear appeals, which means that Bermuda finally has a fully functioning Tribunal for people to appeal decisions relating to work permits, residency and Bermuda status. This replaces the old system of having to appeal to the Cabinet for such matters.
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Apr 1, 2013 3:21 pmBeyond April Fools Day
Albert Einstein once said that “coincidence is Gods way of remaining anonymous”. It is therefore truly poetic that the first 100 days of our new government would finish on Easter weekend a time for spiritual healing and new beginnings. It is even more fitting that the rest of their term in office begins on April Fool’s Day.
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Mar 19, 2013 9:00 amDoes the environment have a place in politics?
Environment and politics have to coexist in a relative ratio in which the government understands that while the environment should not run their every decision, it should be uppermost in their thinking. As such, if our Island becomes a place where the environment is kept in mind in political decisions and is respected by the people it can be more productive and sustainable.
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Jan 28, 2013 8:48 am
Our hopes for Bermuda
At a recent Sandys Rotary meeting two young students — Nathanael Fubler and Jashae Allen-Lamontagne — spoke about their lives, their hopes and their fears.
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Dec 24, 2012 8:00 amLowering taxes can improve economy
This is the second and final part in a series by Kevin Comeau on how Bermuda can best stimulate its economy
In most countries, the businesses that are the main drivers of the economy usually don’t have the economic mobility to simply get up and leave the country if the government raises taxes. -
Dec 22, 2012 8:00 amThe reality of stimulus spending in Bermuda
This is the first in a two-part series by Kevin Comeau on how best to stimulate Bermuda’s economy
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Dec 20, 2012 8:00 am
Let inmates keep the right to vote
The election is over, the race was extremely tight, and the new One Bermuda Alliance-led Government begins its journey to represent the people of Bermuda. The OBA leadership often spoke to the need to represent all people, even those who did not vote for them, and CURB hopes that this leadership will include many of the talking points put forward prior to the election in CURB’s Racial Justice Platform.
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Dec 17, 2012 9:49 am
Be guided by your conscience
My twenty years of teaching and long involvement in community work has offered a fair share of contact with young people. Perhaps this is why I have had queries from the younger generation regarding the up-coming General Election; mainly seeking guidance on how to vote. In response I encourage the person to be guided by their conscience, rather than by me or any other ‘authority’.
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Dec 17, 2012 8:00 am
Time has come to vote for a better tomorrow
On behalf of the One Bermuda Alliance, I would like to close our campaign here in The Royal Gazette by saying “thank you” to the thousands of Bermudians we’ve met canvassing in every constituency across our island.
You’ve welcomed us into your homes.
You’ve given us your ideas about how to make Bermuda work better.
We hope you’ll give us the privilege of making those ideas work for you. -
Dec 17, 2012 9:46 am
Why first time voting matters
On Tuesday November 6th, 2012 my friends, classmates, students, and many others made a difference for their country. It was Election Day in the United States and everyone I knew was able to vote. All over campus prior to this day everything centered on the election. People were asking, “have you voted?”, “did you mail in your ballot?”, “who did you vote for?”, and literally every other question you could possibly...
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Dec 13, 2012 12:21 pmIt’s time for the PLP to have a break
For all the good achieved by the Progressive Labour Party Government, and there has been some, the PLP overall gets a failing grade. Much of the good is no more than is to be expected of a responsible government. But no one expected so many disappointments. The list is quite long, almost daunting. But here’s a start.
The economy
PLP policies and practices have increased the Island’s outgo and decreased the Island’s income. -
Dec 13, 2012 8:00 am
The cruelty of age discrimination
‘There are others who feel the way I do and have experienced the same circumstances, but only I and one other of my colleagues were willing to come forward and speak of the injustice that is currently taking place with the practice of mandatory retirement. I am not afraid.’ Cecil Whitecross, avid sportsman, age 65 years old, forced to retire because of his age
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Dec 13, 2012 8:00 am
30 steps to a better Bermuda
2012 has seen more of Bermuda’s children and their families sink further below the poverty line. With more parents unemployed and more still underemployed, the stresses faced have deeply impacted the well-being of the most vulnerable members of our community. This economic situation is made worse by the continued threat of violence in the neighbourhoods where most of these children live. With these dual issues of poverty and safety at the...
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Dec 11, 2012 8:00 amEnding the partisan divide
As with anything new, it takes a while before a “new” phenomenon of Independents gains traction and people begin to embrace it in larger and ever larger numbers.
Even the media, which should be way out in front of the general public in bringing innovative or educative phenomena to light, deliberately or otherwise seem to treat Independents minimally. -
Dec 11, 2012 8:00 am
Diversity is OBA’s guiding principle
The One Bermuda Alliance applauds CURB and its unwavering efforts to remove the scourge of racism from our lives. And we are grateful for CURB’s timely intervention, especially at a time when Bermudians are deciding how they want Bermuda to be governed over the next five years.
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Dec 10, 2012 8:00 amBermuda does not need anti-business rhetoric
I feel obligated to respond to PLP candidate Vince Ingham’s claim (at the Victor Scott Primary PLP meeting on December 5) that the business community in Bermuda ‘have no social conscience and they are acting for their own interests’. This is an irresponsible statement.
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Dec 10, 2012 8:00 amWe have high expectations of our students
This is a response to an Editorial in The Royal Gazette on December 3.
1. Thanks for finally recognising that the adoption of the Cambridge Curriculum was the enactment of a recommendation contained in the ‘Hopkins Report’.
2. The hope “ … that more subjects would be added over time.” -
Dec 10, 2012 8:00 amAn ageing population raises many questions
In the latest in a series by Age Concern looking at the challenges facing senior citizens, Cordell Riley looks at how a shrinking working population will have to financially support many more people ...
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Dec 5, 2012 8:00 amA vision for Sandys North
Anyone visiting relatives and or friends in Boaz Island and/or Ireland Island will quickly see that this is a community in decline. Boarded-up windows and doors are visible everywhere. Trees are growing out of the walls and what were once patios. Behind the decaying façades, vacant units lie wasted, unable to shelter our families in need.
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Dec 4, 2012 10:31 amThe courage to choose ‘win-win’
‘Life of Pi’ is a beautifully filmed fantasy adventure offering an allegory of the Story of Bermuda. Both accounts include storms. On December 2, 1977 our island experienced its most drastic emotional storm. The two stories point up that while conflict is normal, the key piece is how we regard “the other”.
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Dec 3, 2012 8:53 amThe high cost of health insurance for the elderly
“The major reasons given for not having health insurance coverage were unemployed (75 percent) and an unable to afford coverage (eight percent).” Health Survey of Adults in Bermuda (2011, p. 10), Bermuda Health Council.
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Dec 1, 2012 8:00 amIt’s time to quantify our wealth gap ‘metric’
CURB’s release of its Racial Justice Platform and its focus on 15 talking points appears to have created quite a sensation on the blogs. CURB prepared this platform because we believe that if Bermuda is truly to become united, there must be healing, educational advancement, economic justice, and a method put in place for measuring progress or a lack of same.
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Dec 1, 2012 8:00 amWhat art can do for Bermuda
In his book, ‘Basic Economics’, Thomas Sowell states that “we do not have enough resources to meet everyone’s desires. The very definition of economics challenges any utopian scheme”. Citing the British economist Lionel Robbins, Sowell asserts that: “Economics is the study of the use of scarce resources which have alternative uses. Using resources to do one thing requires us to take resources away from somewhere...
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Nov 30, 2012 8:40 amWith OBA, future won’t be anything like the past
Question sent to my inbox: “In your opinion, what is the OBA saying that the UBP has never said? Given that it is commonly accepted that Bermudians (similarly to the United States) are heavily influenced by race when deciding who to vote for, what is the OBA doing to address that? There are obviously many Black members of the OBA, as there were in the UBP, but it was clearly a margin of Black, previously UBP voters, that caused the PLP to...
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Nov 27, 2012 9:09 am
Voting for an Independent
The perennial question, “Why vote for an Independent candidate?’, provokes another even more important question, “Why not, given Bermuda’s present two-Party system gridlock, vote Independent?”
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Nov 22, 2012 8:00 amThanksgiving binds all Americans and their friends together
Thanksgiving is one of the most cherished holidays in the United States. Holidays often change over the years — the evolution of Christmas from a religious celebration to a several months’-long commercial event is perhaps the most obvious example — but for nearly four centuries, Thanksgiving has maintained its original theme, ie, the importance of taking time to be thankful for the many blessings that have come our way during...
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Nov 21, 2012 8:00 amA brighter future we can all believe in
The choice that you make on December 17 will be one of the most important in the life of this country.
On that day, having endured five years of unemployment, soaring debt and violent crime under the current Government, you can cast a vote for hope and change for a party with new leadership, new ideas and a vision to get Bermuda moving forward in a new and better direction. -
Nov 17, 2012 8:00 amFollowing your inner voice
The US general election has arguably offered us the good, the bad and the ugly; a process that while flawed, remains essential. While any election has the potential to divide, it does include the genius of the secret ballot which allows citizens to follow their conscience in the choices they make. This formal process is a reminder that life “calls” us to declare personal independence and to follow our inner voice, as we make choices...
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Nov 15, 2012 8:00 amTime for fixed term elections
I support, applaud and empathise with the disenfranchised students lobbying for absentee balloting.
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Nov 14, 2012 8:00 am
Debt level is downright scary
Over the last seven years the Government has amassed an incredible and downright scary amount of debt. $1.45 billion is such a large amount that it seems almost fictitious. It is so hard to quantify that we might as well call it a gazillion. To put it into perspective, if Bermuda were to pay the debt off at the rate of $1/second (ignoring the effects of compound interest), it would take more than 45 years. The year would be 2058 and I would be...
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Nov 13, 2012 8:00 amStop and search is ‘unconstitutional’
In Bermuda, police officers have the power, under various laws, to stop and search people (and vehicles) if they have reasonable grounds to suspect these individuals have stolen goods, drugs or weapons. These powers are a legitimate tool of law enforcement, and they play a vital role in rooting out the recent scourge of gang-related crime.
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Nov 6, 2012 8:00 am
We have the power to change
Never before in modern history has Bermuda faced economic and social challenges such as it does now. There is probably no Bermudian who has not been affected by this crisis. Many are frightened by all that they see, hear and experience firsthand. However, we have the power to change our current situation and the worst thing we can do now is to succumb to fear and reluctance to change.
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Nov 2, 2012 7:00 amJobs Corps has taken too long
It’s too bad an approaching election is the only thing that seems to get the Government focused on the people’s business.
The recent announcement of a Jobs Corps youth work programme is a case in point.
The programme, which aims to help young people develop the skills needed to engage in full-time work, is very much the people’s business. It’s a good idea that needs a strong and genuine commitment to make it work. -
Oct 26, 2012 8:00 amTerm limits aren’t helping
In 2001, the term limit policy was instituted by Government to guard against the possibility that Bermuda would be faced with a need to grant long term residency to guest workers who had lived and worked in Bermuda for an extended period.
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Oct 22, 2012 8:00 amGaming will create new jobs
I’ve never been to Vegas, unlike perhaps thousands of my fellow Bermudians. Although I have a cousin who loves it so much she recently got married there. Nor have I been to Atlantic City.
I suspect you’ve guessed by now that I am not the gambling type. Or maybe I should use the new-fangled word “gaming”, as in: I’m not the gaming type. -
Oct 17, 2012 8:00 amDelivering the promise
Good governance produces good citizenship. All elected Governments should have as an overriding principle, the assurance and/or the promise to all of its citizens to provide good governance and a results-based approach to governing which includes:
1. Social responsibility, democratic openness, the rule of law and respect for the environment. Failure to accommodate such expectations should have drastic consequences. -
Oct 10, 2012 8:00 am
Economy beginning to recover
There is growing evidence that the long dark night that has been our recession may be coming to an end.
As recently outlined by Premier Paula Cox, and featured in the daily paper, recent news on a host of fronts indicates that confidence in Bermuda and its economy is slowly returning. -
Oct 9, 2012 8:00 amThe OBA’s plans for the future
Recently, a Government spokesman and Progressive Labour Party candidate said the One Bermuda Alliance “hasn’t told us how they are going to address Bermuda’s most vexing challenges”.
This statement is rich because the Government has not told the people of Bermuda what it is doing to address Bermuda’s most vexing challenges. -
Oct 2, 2012 1:14 pm
OBA won’t reveal its plans
The One Bermuda Alliance still hasn’t told us how they are going to address Bermuda’s most vexing challenges. In a recent op-ed in The Royal Gazette, we hoped that they would begin providing those solutions. They didn’t.
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Oct 1, 2012 8:00 am
From small acorns grow mighty oaks
I was initially disappointed in the turnout at City Hall during the Gathering for the International Day of Peace on Friday, September 21. No more than 60 people attended the one-hour observance. However, upon reflection, I woke up to the fact that my disappointment was just my ego taking control for a while. This at a time I was supposedly encouraging fellow residents to make peace with at least one other person. The irony was that I had given...
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Oct 1, 2012 6:00 am
An open letter
This is an open letter from Sir John Swan to Editor of The Royal Gazette Bill Zuill, who the newspaper announced would be stepping down from his post in December.
September 28, 2012
Dear Sir, -
Sep 28, 2012 9:51 amIt’s time to amend PACE
When the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (“PACE”) was passed in Bermuda in December 2005 it represented a revolution in Bermuda’s criminal justice process.
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Sep 27, 2012 6:00 amWe must protect open spaces
A few days ago, my One Bermuda Alliance colleague Senator Mike Fahy expressed reservations about the solar array that has been proposed for that little area of land at the LF Wade International Airport that juts out into Castle Harbour, called The Finger.
He said he hoped the Government would make sure there was no other better purpose to which the land could be put before they gave permission to use it that way. -
Sep 26, 2012 6:00 amThere’s a big difference between generating revenue and collecting it
Bermuda is confronted with major socio-economic problems and we should prevent them from becoming permanent features of Bermuda’s future. These problems are:
1. Shrinking savings, rents, real estate values and availability of jobs. -
Sep 17, 2012 10:22 amGaming referendum should be separate from general election
Rumours, Facts & Opinions About The Election, Gaming and Politics:
Rumours:
1) The Parliamentary Election is to be held in late November or early December
2) Gaming/casino is to be included on the election ballot
3) The ballot containing the candidate choice and gaming is designed to get people out to vote, particularly those who have become disillusioned about the state of affairs in Bermuda.
The Election
Facts -
Sep 14, 2012 9:19 amCritical economic factors for Bermuda
The Association of Bermuda Insurers and Reinsurers (ABIR), which represents 22 global insurance and reinsurance companies with substantial underwriting operations on the Island, now employ 1,700 people in Bermuda including more than 1,100 Bermudians (citizens, spouses of citizens and PRC’s).
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Sep 12, 2012 12:01 amThe OBA’s economic plans
As the One Bermuda Alliance candidate for Pembroke Central, I have spent the past three months listening to people’s concerns and answering their questions. Walton Brown wrote an article last week asking for more details on “what the OBA would do if elected”. I will highlight four of the 30 initiatives presented in our formal Reply to the Budget that was published in full by all the major news outlets in March. In turn, I...
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Sep 5, 2012 6:00 am
A swift and simple solution
Most Bermudians are grateful for the fact that we live in a pluralist, democratic society.
We elect successive governments with the support of the majority of the people. We hold those governments to account every five years. We boast a whole chapter on fundamental rights in our Constitution, ensuring protection for minority groups, and we outlaw discriminatory behaviour under the Human Rights Act. -
Aug 28, 2012 6:00 amReflections on South African crisis
The fact that police in South Africa on August 18 shot and killed 34 striking mineworkers has been the source of exasperation for many; considering that country’s journey in ending apartheid. While the details of how this tragic incident occurred will be the subject of a special commission, it is clear that this crisis will lead to much soul-searching in that country. I believe that there are some implications for the rest of the Human...
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Aug 14, 2012 8:00 am
Prove me wrong, Mr Brown
I always enjoy reading Walton Brown’s well written and insightful articles, and his July 26 column, “Comeau’s speeches miss the point”, was no exception. It raised a number of interesting points about racial equity.
Unfortunately, there were a couple of “facts” in Walton’s article that are incorrect, which I would like to address. -
Aug 8, 2012 8:00 am
Bermuda's crisis of confidence
In these times of spiralling national debt and momentous economic and social changes, we are in a “crisis of confidence”. The symptoms of this crisis is all around us:
l Businesses having difficulty meeting obligations
l Job shrinkage in local and international businesses
l Redundancies resulting in rising unemployment
l Fear of unemployment for those in the workforce
l Insufficient jobs available for summer students -
Aug 6, 2012 8:45 amDialogue based on equality
This is the response of Citizens Uppooting Racism in Bermuda (CURB) to Kevin Comeau’s Second Rotary Speech.
In 1965, then President Lyndon Johnson gave the commencement speech at Howard University and stated the following: -
Jul 30, 2012 1:21 pm
Some programmes that will help
Having outlined issues connected with racial-equity in Bermuda, Kevin Comeau here presents solutions, in the form of four proposed programmes
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Jul 28, 2012 7:59 amThe power of a morality-based construct
This is the third part of a speech by Kevin Comeau on the issue of racial-equity in Bermuda.
Dr Cornel West, one of America’s most prominent (and brilliant) racial-equity advocates, has strongly advocated replacing of the “black authenticity” construct of racial equity with a “morality-based” construct. -
Jul 27, 2012 7:52 amThe racial-equity construct’s unintended consequences
This is the text of Kevin Comeau’s speech delivered to Hamilton Rotary Club on Tuesday.
Yesterday’s solution is today’s problem -
Jul 26, 2012 8:00 am
Our work permit and residency policies are hampering our recovery
Bermuda is still very appealing to existing and start-up companies as a place to do business. Bermuda's climate is second to none, our standard of living is still relatively high, crime is low compared to other Caribbean islands and our proximity to major US business centres is unmatched. So why are many companies setting up in other jurisdictions?
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Jul 19, 2012 7:00 amImproving racial-equity in Bermuda: How blacks and whites can both benefit
This is the second part of Kevin Comeau’s opinion piece. The first part was published in yesterday’s Royal Gazette:
Racial inequity in the business world -
Jul 18, 2012 7:54 am
Improving racial-equity in Bermuda: How blacks and whites can both benefit
At this moment — and perhaps for a short period longer, probably only months — there exists a window of opportunity for all Bermudians to benefit socially, economically and politically. That sounds exciting, and it is, but it requires black and white Bermudians to re-evaluate their long-held beliefs and attitudes concerning racial equity and then work together to implement meaningful programmes to dramatically reduce the social,...
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Jul 16, 2012 8:08 am
We need to build trust
What is trust and how do you maintain and build upon the trust you already have? Further, how can you build trust when it doesn’t exist?
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Jul 4, 2012 8:00 am'A celebration of our common humanity'
Happy 236th birthday America, with many happy returns of this day! As an American, it never ceases to amaze me how our forefathers risked so much for our liberties and our freedom. The majority of them lost their homes and many their lives to win the independence we treasure so dearly today. At the time, the United Colonies of America were the first dependent territory in the history of the world to break away successfully from a parent nation.
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Jul 3, 2012 8:45 am
It’s time for some honesty
The Government’s main argument in defending its record on the economy has been that Bermuda’s economic troubles are caused by “the global recession”.
The One Bermuda Alliance has always disputed this view because our recession has been deepened and perpetuated by “Made in Bermuda” factors that have nothing at all to do with global conditions. -
Jun 29, 2012 8:00 am
We need to reduce our debt
My deep concern is that no one has been spared from the ravages of our economic malaise and what is being done to remedy the situation. Each one of us has been affected by or experienced at least one of the following:
* Businesses having difficulty meeting obligations
* Job shrinkage in local and international businesses
* Redundancies resulting in rising unemployment
* Fear of unemployment for those in the workforce -
Jun 29, 2012 9:00 amThe UK and the Overseas Territories: A vision for security, success and sustainability
The following is the full text of the UK Minister responsible for Overseas Territories, Henry Bellingham on the release of the White Paper
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Jun 20, 2012 8:00 am
Action is needed and needed now
For a company to grow and become competitive both locally and internationally it must be in a position to acquire the necessary employees with the abilities to cater to the demands of its clients. In order for the company to continue to turn a profit, management must ensure that the employees are comfortable, appreciated and compensated. However, if the company does not maintain the relationship with the employee and another company (either...
- Should same sex marriage be allowed in Bermuda?
- Yes
- 49%
- No
- 47%
- Don't Know
- 4%
- Total Votes: 3454
- Poll Archive