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Lobby goup: Privatisation is a red line that cannot be crossed

Demonstrators in the People’s Campaign gather at Victoria Park ahead of a march to the Cabinet Office on July 25

The People’s Campaign has warned Government not to privatise public assets claiming that, if it does so unilaterally, it will be “crossing a red line”.

And the minority group also expressed concern over issues of transparency, accountability and good governance following the OBA’s release of an internal investigation into the Jetgate incident.

In a recently released newsletter, the group has given an evaluation of the performance of elected officials in July “to keep the people of Bermuda conscious to the decisions that are being made, and how they are aligned with the people’s expectations”.

The left-leaning group welcomed Government initiatives to reform middle schools, bring in public access to information legislation and develop a national training plan.

But it denounced the Public Bodies Reform Bill, tabled by Premier Michael Dunkley on June 18, stating that it contains elements “that are in direct violation of The People’s Campaign manifesto”.

“We support the notion that Government does not own public property but holds it in trust on behalf of the people and we believe that the OBA should exercise proper stewardship that protects the assets of the people,” the newsletter states.

“We are fundamentally opposed to any plans to privatise and/or mutualise any public assets. Any unilateral decision by the Government to privatise public assets will be consider to be crossing a red line.”

According to the newsletter, the ruling One Bermuda Alliance investigation into party funding and the Jetgate affair highlighted a number of concerns.

“The People’s Campaign renews our call for election and Parliamentary reform that include regulations regarding campaign financing,” the newsletter concluded.

“We also encourage the Premier to address these concerns publicly.

The group also demanded a public apology from OBA acting chairman Susan Jackson after she condemned a placard held by a member of the public during a People’s Campaign protest march as “clearly racist”.

“The People’s Campaign requests a public apology from MP Jackson for her misrepresentation of the facts surrounding this issue,’ the letter says.

“Our position on this is clear; we publicly denounce any kind of racism or discrimination. The placard was not condoned or authorised by The People’s Campaign.

“We note that Mrs Jackson remained silent on the selling of racially inflammatory T-shirts over Cup Match and call for political leaders to be forever mindful to be balanced in their approach to governing.”

Governor George Fergusson also came under fire over his decision to reject a motion passed by MPs to set up a Commission of Inquiry into historic land grabs.

And while it said that it supported a subsequent boycott of the House of Assembly by Opposition MPs, it urged PLP members to return to the chamber when Parliament resumes in November.

Cross-party calls for respectful and responsible dialogue were also supported by the group which said it “fosters a healthy democracy that is organic and evolving”.

The group will be holding three public meetings this week in order to provide “an update on issues that we have been addressing, including PRC Status”.

The first meeting will be held this evening at the Allen Temple AME Church Hall in Sandys.

Tomorrow’s meeting will be held at the Whitney Institute Middle School, Smith’s, and on Thursday the group will host a meeting at St Paul’s Centennial Hall in Hamilton. All meetings will start at 6.30pm.