Premier Ewart Brown has revealed that he sacked Education Minister Randy Horton because he wasn't moving fast enough on Education reform.

However the Premier has refused to say in what specific areas Mr. Horton had failed to deliver.

He said: "I think we have done the right thing and that the children of Bermuda will benefit."

And Mr. Horton has admitted he was asked to resign and was then sacked when he refused to do so.

Speaking after the swearing in of new Education Minister Elvin James and new Environment and Sports Minister Glenn Blakeney, Dr. Brown said he had raised the problems of education two years ago when he became Premier.

"I indicated to Mr. Horton at the time that we really have to consider this the highest priority.

"I believe that he gave it his best, but when a few months ago I really began to intensify my look at it, it was clear that we were really beginning to get behind. It was clear that we were not making the kind of progress that I would like to make.

"There may be people who disagree with that but right now it is my responsibility. I am looking to show significant progress – change."

Dr. Brown said the Bermudian people had been promised that within three to five years there would be clear evidence of the change.

"You have to show signs that delivery is there. I thought the time had come for some new energy – this is not anything against Mr. Horton – but we needed new energy and I think that Mr. James brings that over in the time he's been at Environment and Sports.

"At this time in his life he has the commitment and energy to bring it about."

Dr. Brown again denied the sacking was because Mr. Horton was plotting a leadership coup.

"Mr. Horton made it clear to me at that time that he was not considering a challenge."

Probed about the seven Education ministers in ten years of PLP rule, Dr. Brown, who appointed Mr. Horton as his first Education Minister when he became Premier two years ago, said: "I take collective responsibility for that but not necessarily individual responsibility.

"As I look at ministers I know that it is not an easy task. Part of the problem I believe has to be the resistance to change, inside the Ministry itself.

"A successful minister is going to be the one who can use initiative and navigate his way through."

At a press conference at the Hamilton Princess yesterday Mr. Horton, surrounded by his family, said education reform would take three to five years and, 18 months into it, some significant progress had been made.

He said he cared for students as could be seen by his extensive teaching career and he added that education reform was a slow process worldwide.

Of his sacking he said: "Yes I am disappointed, I love children and I loved the job – as tough as it was."

The dismissal had not come as a surprise, said Mr. Horton, even though he didn't feel it was deserved and he said he put in long hours on the job – equivalent to a full-time Minister's job – even though he got paid a part-time Minister's salary.

Mr. Horton did not directly criticise the Premier for the dismissal and said he had the right to pick his team.

However he added cryptically: "As you move through the safari along the way you run into lions that might bite you. I got bitten by a lion."

Later he said: "Sometimes politics is a strange game, sometimes you don't know what is driving people to do what they do."

Following the sacking, announced on Tuesday, one PLP backbencher complained about the revolving door of ministers and suggested it was time the Premier took the job himself.

Dr. Brown, who is Tourism and Transport Minister, responded yesterday: "I am extremely busy as it is and I am not the only person in Cabinet who can get things done. I don't want to give that impression. We have the talent. We are a team and we work together."

He said once he felt Bermuda was on its way with hotel construction he would start looking for someone to replace himself in Tourism and Transport.

Yesterday former Education Minister Neletha Butterfield said: "I cannot speak for all educators but I would be concerned that we have made many changes in Minsters. Everyone brings a different leadership style and we hope the new Minister will be there to finish the reform which, to me, is extremely important.

"As an educator it's like getting a student mid-way in the term and we have to adjust and show them the work they missed and we as educators are able to adjust."

n El James undaunted, Page 2

n Editorial, Page 4