The Premier has promised a public holiday in honour of Dame Lois Browne Evans if Government is re-elected.

Dr. Ewart Brown said the Progressive Labour Party would memorialise its former leader if it is returned to power at the polls.

While he refused to name the date for the forthcoming election at Thursday’s PLP rally, Dr. Brown staked his mandate to the people, promising better health care, social benefits, education reform, affordable housing and even stronger economic performance.

He also promised more hotels.

Speaking at ‘The Main Event’ at West Pembroke School Field, Dr. Brown said: “Solid as a rock, protocol has been established. Good evening family.

“I thank you for being here tonight and thank you most of all for your support of this Government, for the party, for the PLP. Thank you very much for this warm welcome. This, my friends, is not what our detractors have in mind.”

Referring to reports that he and former Premier Dame Jennifer Smith, and former Minister Renée Webb, were all investigated by Police looking into allegations of corruption at the Bermuda Housing Corporation, Dr. Brown said: “As you have gathered by now, the nefarious allegations, the rumour mongering and the anthrax email were orchestrated in a menacing symphony to send you running for cover. They were designed by our opponents to tear us apart.

“They have done the opposite. Here you stand as a resolute group, united as ever, as solid as a rock. They are traumatised by our steadfastness and are reeling from our unwavering unity. Our detractor expected us to cower and shuffle when they accused members of our Government of baseless senselessness, stupid things that we would not even contemplate, much less do.

“They expected to find a damaged leader, a weakened party, a boy bent over. They did not expect to find a man standing tall, backed up by strong proud men and women with a common origin, and the wisdom and resolve of our ancestors who shout out to us across the centuries. Stand, stand, stand, and don’t let nobody turn you around.

“As I look out over this sea of green I see defiance and unity. I see the PLP solid as a rock, I feel your tremendous energy and your excitement. The surge of self identity and new consciousness among PLP supporters and potential supporters is electric.

“Tonight I am proud to be your brother in this effort, I am honoured to be your leader. Thank you for your support, it has meant everything to me, to Cabinet, to your parliamentarians, to your senators and to our party. It means everything to every day men, women and children to have a Government in power which comes from the people and not from Front Street.

“You are all here for one simple reason — because you want to help the Progressive Labour Party move Bermuda forward. The PLP Government has a host of accomplishments under its belt. We promised you a new Bermuda and we have delivered.

“Business is booming even though the Opposition lied and said that business will flee if we won the Government. More and better jobs have opened up for Bermudians, incomes have been rising higher than ever before.

“Try to get a hotel in Bermuda and find out the real truth about tourism. It is off the charts. Even though they accuse us of fixing the figures, we don’t have to fudge the figures. All you have to do is look around you — tourism has rebounded.

“We have more people than we can accommodate and we will have even more when we get additional hotels under the next PLP Government.”

Dr. Brown added: “There is still work to be done. We need to continue the business of reforming education, of building more affordable accommodation, of lessening the financial burden on our seniors, of continuing to revitalise tourism. We need to continue the business of rebuilding the health care system and of social transformation. We need to continue the business of encouraging and facilitating the business of black entrepreneurship, because every Bermudian was not equally disadvantaged by the vestiges of slavery. We need to continue the business of improving race relations so we can move Bermuda forward as one united by our common heritage. But we can’t get there by spraying cologne on fertiliser. To do all these things we need your support. There are those in opposition who will want to take your vote and who will do almost anything to get it. They covet the strength and unity of the PLP.”

Referring once again to the BHC scandal and its coverage in the international media, Dr. Brown said: “Their (the UBP’s) attacks are increasing in ferocity, they will continue to attempt to subvert and sabotage and to give the world a negative image of Bermuda. That is their diabolical strategy. They will recklessly damage Bermuda’s good name around the world to get your vote.

“They will create baseless allegations to get your vote, but you must resist the filthy Mcnasty campaigning exhibited by the Opposition.”

The Premier then attacked United Bermuda Party leader Michael Dunkley, suggesting he had been insensitive to the feelings of the people on the death of Dame Lois Browne Evans.

“For one thing the party is led by a man who can’t give you a straight answer,” said Dr. Brown. “He won’t or can’t give you the answers you deserve. He can’t even bring himself to answer this simple question: Should there be a public holiday to honour the life of Dame Lois Browne Evans? His response: Well, I’m not sure.

“I say throw out the sour milk with the rest of the garbage. Tell everyone you are lactose intolerant. We don’t want a leader who is unwilling to sense the will of the people. We don’t want leaders who do not care, who can casually go off the Island on a business meeting when our beloved Dame Lois was being laid to rest.

“We don’t want a leader who would do that, a leader who does not know us. I say you can’t truly lead us if you do not know me.

“We don’t want leaders who will not acknowledge that we need a holiday to memorialise the passing of Dame Lois, because she mattered so much to us as a leader. What we want is a leader who can say yes, there should be a permanent recognition of Dame Lois’s life.”

Dr. Brown said: “Under the next PLP Government there will be a permanent recognition Dame Lois’s life. She deserves nothing less. Dame Lois spent every ounce of her energy reaching out and educating others and now we must ensure her selfless contribution to this country is never forgotten.

“There is still plenty of work needed to spread the lessons and love of our country’s matriarch, our national hero. Why I know this is a truth is that on the day of Dame Lois’s funeral her casket was draped in the very flag (the Union Jack) that could not fly at half mast up on a hill, so clearly we have work to do.

“That a public holiday in her honour cannot be greeted warmly by all sectors of this community means we have more work to do.”

He said: “The PLP started down a very important road but we have to reach our destination. We must work to reach that destination and be united on our quest. We must be solid as the rock to collectively move Bermuda forward. There will be adversity and I expect the resistance to be strong. Adversity is a normal part of our existence and we know that without pain there is no gain. We know what it means when the UBP leader (Mr. Dunkley) says he born in 1958 and therefore doesn’t understand racism. You can’t fix it if you can’t face it.

“We understand that the combined opposition has decided that this election is their last stand, their last chance of ever governing this country again. They have designed the most expensive and filthy campaign Bermuda has ever seen. Using their filthy Mcnasty smear tactics they have devised a campaign which says ‘if we kill the head the body will die’. But it is not working. I am here tonight to tell you as long as you’re the body and I’m the head and God is willing, we will not die.

“We shall take the hits and dust off our shoulders but we will not hide, not shuffle or bow down. We will stand up again, again and again, we will stand up, raise our swords and slay the lying, vile, underhanded and vengeful UBP dragon.

“And if you think the UBP isn’t vengeful, then ask Maxwell Burgess.”

The Premier said: “We have conducted the people’s business and will need your support to continue the mandate. I ask you to stay the course, unwavering and as solid as a rock.

“The UBP and all the king’s horses cannot turn this tide. The tide turned in 1998 and there is no turning back. We must continue to move this country forward as we bring each and every one of our brothers and sisters along. That is the essential difference between us and the UBP, while they want control of everyone’s livelihood and everything else, the PLP wants to empower every Bermudian, that is our mission.

“Let’s make it three straight victories in the Dame’s (Dame Lois BrowneEvans’s) memory.”

He said: “Remember that a sturdy resolve is required. You must stay strong and keep your eyes on the prize and expect more lies and garbage from our opponents.

“But in the end, when that glorious election day arrives you must go to the polls as you have never done before and you must re-elect a Progressive Labour Party government.

“Like proud kings and queens let us go forth now to the battle ahead. Bermuda now belongs to all of us. We want to keep it that way. We will never go back, we have come too far from where we have started from.

“Nobody told us the road would be easy, but it is our road. We will create our own destiny guided by our creator not our former master. We will stand, we will stand, we will stand.”

Yesterday, UBP leader Michael Dunkley was unavailable for comment.

The Premier was also unavailable for comment, but his Press Secretary Glenn Jones said: “The Premier declared last night (Thursday) that the next PLP Government will find an appropriate way to permanently honour Dame Lois’ selfless contribution to the community. A public holiday will undoubtedly be one of the options to consider.”

Asked about plans for more hotels, Mr Jones said: “It has long been the Premier’s position that a plan to revitalise tourism must include new hotel inventory.”