Bean: immigration debate a chance to talk independence
A “familiar” political debate about boosting the number of Bermuda residents presents a chance for “a real conversation about citizenship and nationhood”, the leader of the island’s third political party has stated.
Marc Bean, of the Free Democratic Movement, weighed in today on sparring over immigration between the Government and the One Bermuda Alliance, which came after a summit last week exploring the island’s high cost of living.
Mr Bean said some of the recent statements on growing Bermuda’s numbers, made by Michael Fahy, an opposition MP, and David Burt, the Premier, had been a rehash of old topics and that “much of the political theatre around immigration is familiar”.
He added that the FDM believed the commentary presented “a valuable opportunity to move beyond fear and preservation towards clarity, purpose and sovereignty”.
Mr Bean, who unsuccessfully challenged the Progressive Labour Party incumbent Scott Simmons for the Southampton West (Constituency 32) seat in the General Election this year, said the debate signalled a need to discuss national identity.
His statement said: “We welcome the Premier’s willingness to open the door to discussions around independence.
“This, more than any recycled debate about status, is the real issue that must be addressed.
“A mature country cannot be built on ambiguity.
“If we are serious about charting our own course, then we must be prepared to speak honestly about what it means to be Bermudian, who belongs and how we build a stronger and more unified nation.”
The former PLP leader’s comments followed remarks on the topic by Mr Burt last Friday in the House of Assembly, when the Premier upped the stakes by suggesting a more fruitful discussion might be the option of presenting “citizenship” rather than Bermudian status to residents holding a permanent resident’s certificate.
Invoking citizenship, which is off the table while Bermuda remains a dependent territory of Britain, prompted Mr Bean to welcome the renewed spotlight on issues he said the island could “no longer afford to avoid”.
The Premier on Friday called the granting of status to PRC holders a “red line” that the Government would not cross.
That term echoed the party’s stance in opposition in 2014, when Walter Roban as shadow home affairs minister used the same expression to attack the OBA government for exploring the option of commercial immigration.
Mr Burt told the House last week that the Opposition could “meet us halfway” and talk citizenship rather than status.
Immigration has stood out as a longstanding contrast between the two parties.
The return to politics last January by Mr Fahy, a former immigration minister, prompted the PLP to warn that the OBA aimed to open “immigration floodgates” if returned to government in the General Election on February 18.
However, in September 2022, the PLP flagged up an urgent need to grow Bermuda’s working population by 25 per cent in the next five years, when Jason Hayward, the Minister of Economy and Labour, cited the impending pressures of a rapidly ageing population.
The FDM took its own stance on immigration when the party emerged in 2020 shortly before a landslide win for the PLP in the General Election that year.
In that instance, the new party proposed allowing people who had resided continuously in Bermuda for seven years to have the option of Bermudian status if they had been born on the island, or had arrived in Bermuda before the age of 18.
Mr Fahy returned to the topic last Thursday after the Cost of Living Summit, when he said the island needed to examine creating a more welcoming environment for people from overseas to settle.
The Shadow Minister of Housing and Municipalities and Home Affairs also said that “if it means having to give status to encourage people to buy and invest, let’s do it”.
While Mr Fahy said the chance to obtain status would prove attractive to foreign workers seeking a life in Bermuda, the FDM leader said the option was politically fraught and would not present opportunities for real growth.
Mr Bean said: “Let us be clear: the granting of status does not grow our population.
“It increases the number of individuals eligible to vote, and in a small democracy, that shift carries immense political implications.
“Many Bermudians understand this instinctively.
“The concern is not immigration itself, but the motive behind it.
“When proposals appear to serve political preservation over national development, people grow wary and rightfully so.”
He added: “Bermuda needs to grow.
“Our population must increase if we are to support a stable economy and ensure a high quality of life. But this growth must be balanced with protecting the cultural identity that defines who we are as a people.”
Mr Bean outlined the FDM’s immigration strategy as based on attracting back to the island Bermudians who had emigrated, drawing skilled Caribbean and African workers who “share historical and cultural connections with our people”, and building ties with traditional partners such as Britain, Canada and the US.
He also proposed “expanding our reach” in Latin America, the Middle East and Asia.
The FDM statement framed the issue as requiring honesty on “what is on offer”.
Mr Bean said: “If we are to move forward as a people, we must go beyond patchwork solutions and begin the serious work of self-determination.
“That means taking full responsibility for who we are, who we welcome and how we move forward as a free and self-governing people.”
The Progressive Labour Party welcomed the statement from Mr Bean.
Dawn Simmons, the PLP chairwoman, said: "We appreciate that the Free Democratic Movement is echoing concerns that the PLP has historically raised, particularly around the importance of national identity, fair immigration reform and the need for a broader conversation about our future as a people.
“Throughout our history, the PLP has championed policies that prioritise fairness and equity for Bermudians and protect the rights of our people.
“We’ve opposed opening the immigration floodgates and have stood firm in our belief that any conversation about status must be rooted in justice, fairness and the will of the Bermudian people.
“Conversations around immigration, identity and sovereignty belong to the people of Bermuda, not just to any one political party.
“The more voices engaged, the stronger our democracy.”
The PLP added: “The Bermuda Progressive Labour Party remains committed to building a fairer Bermuda and ensuring that any decisions made about our future are shaped by Bermudians, for Bermudians.”
Mr Fahy’s suggestion of offering status came with a reference to Bermuda’s impending corporate income tax, which he said would increase the pressure to offer better security to foreign workers.
The warning was echoed last Friday by Ben Smith, the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, who highlighted the island’s reliance on international business and the CIT making Bermuda “even more connected” to foreign capital.
Mr Burt responded by praising the Opposition for taking a clear position on a contentious issue — noting the unpopularity of the 2016 Pathways to Status immigration reforms that had to be shelved after days of protests shut down the House of Assembly.
However, the Premier was also sceptical that offering Bermudian status amounted to any realistic growth opportunity.
Mr Burt told MPs: “If the view is that granting status to PRC holders will increase the population of the country, I will only ask the OBA to take their time to explain to the people of this country how.”
• To see Marc Bean’s statement in full, see Related Media
• UPDATE: this article has been updated to include comments from the Progressive Labour Party
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