UBP 'stronger and more united'
DEPUTY Opposition Leader Patricia Gordon-Pamplin is confident the party can win the next General Election — because voters want a Government that is willing to serve them.And she said the United Bermuda Party had emerged stronger and more united following the resignation last week of former leader Wayne Furbert and the election on Monday night of new leader Michael Dunkley.
The Shadow Finance Minister — appointed to the deputy leadership unopposed at the same time as Mr. Dunkley — also took a swipe at former party chairman Gwyneth Rawlins, who has publicly condemned the party and this week said it should disband.
“I believe sincerely that, coming out of these recent changes, we are indeed a United Bermuda Party,” Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said.
“I think that the team of Michael Dunkley and myself are a response to what the public wanted, and what the polls were saying.
“What was seen on the outside as internal fighting was the pain of trying to find the right combination, and was not disrespect towards any member.
“I believe that we will be much stronger for biting the bullet and making the change, even if some questioned the timing. Being in government means making difficult decisions at inconvenient times.”
Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said the change in leadership personnel was felt necessary because, under Mr. Furbert’s stewardship, “the spark that was necessary to ignite the community” did not materialise.
“Wayne worked tremendously hard, was dedicated and committed, and for that he has the entire team’s utmost respect,” she said.
“Unfortunately, critics can be brutal, and every one of us is vulnerable to criticism. We trust that this new team at the helm of Michael and myself, will serve to strengthen the resolve of our team, and satisfy our critics.”
Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said the party was ready to fight a General Election at any time and was confident of victory.
“We have seen too much self-aggrandisement for the past almost nine years under the PLP, but the results to the electorate are dismal — no housing plan, children unable to graduate, no concern for green space, health care costs out of control, and homeless people on the increase, all while Government Ministers voted themselves a hefty pay increase.
“The attitude of Government is ‘me first’ and if there is anything left over, they will share with the public. I refuse to believe that the public is happy to have more of this poor treatment by the PLP.
“There will be an election soon, as the Premier will attempt to gain ground on what he might perceive as United Bermuda Party un-readiness.
“We are confident that we can win this election for all the reasons stated. People do not deserve to be dictated to, or to be disrespected. We are elected on our platforms to serve the needs of the people with programmes that we have promised.
“No government has the right to alter the entire course of people’s lives without including them in the decision-making process.”
Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin acknowledged that former party chairman Ms Rawlins had done “a good job at the helm”, but suggested she was bitter at not being rewarded with a Senate seat.
“Anyone who was an integral part of an organisation, did a good job at the helm as chairman, wanted a Senate appointment to represent the Party, and then chose to criticise it when they elected to leave when the appointment was not made, hardly seems to be in the position to suggest that the party disband,” she said.
“Some of us are wholly committed to the party and our beliefs for a well-governed Bermuda, and bailing out when things get tough is not the sort of weak commitment that we would want.
“Anyone can be an armchair quarterback and criticise the team — however, anyone who has not held either a Senate or a Parliamentary position would perhaps have difficulty in understanding the commitment that those positions take.
“Ms Rawlins is certainly entitled to her opinion, but Pat Gordon-Pamplin is not about to take the line of least resistance.”
UBP is ‘stronger and more united’
