December 2, 2013

Dear Sir,

As a supporter of the One Bermuda Alliance, I was very disappointed to watch them deal with the Lamb Foggo Centre closure. First of all, it wasn’t really their decision to make (or reverse), it was the full responsibility of the Bermuda Hospitals Board. Second — and I am very, very aware of the circumstances — they should never have gotten involved simply because this deal was done (have you got any staff left down there and how much is this going to cost to resurrect?). Third, this was clearly and unequivocally a pure political decision made in the face of former Health Minister Zane DeSilva and area MP Lovitta Foggo making threats.

Premier Craig Cannonier, if you and Bob Richards don’t have the testicular fortitude to make tough decisions based on the various rationale for which you were elected — how in the world are you going to tell the Bermuda Industrial Union that their contract is null and void? Are you going to make every decision based on political expediency because that is not why we elected you.

I have a whole lot of time for what you are implementing in terms of a ‘plan for the future’. No question about that and no matter what the Progressive Labour Party bleaters say ... those plans are based on solid foundation. But the tough decisions relating to managing debt and reducing what seems to be a $300m annual deficit for the foreseeable future ... those decisions are coming up.

That’s when we have to tell the BIU that their contract with their bedmates, the PLP, cannot continue. Are you going to be able to handle that? You sure as peanuts won’t be able to get rid of 2,000 civil servants ... I wonder. And if I’m, wondering, you can bet there are a lot of people wondering ...

FOUR YEARS TO GO