TEACHERS PAY DISPUTE

A pay dispute caused teachers at a majority of the Island's public schools to "work to rule". Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Mike Charles alleged the dispute was about the Government "reneging" on a payment package decided over a year ago that would have given teachers a 4.5 percent increase to their salary this year.

In September it was decided that teachers would be paid in line with public service workers. From 2008-2009, their pay would be linked "as close as mathematically" possible to the Bermuda Public Service Union.

BERMUDA HOUSING CORPORATION

The Bermuda Housing Corporation (BHC) leaked documents story was first broken in late May by a local television station. The documents concerning a corruption inquiry involving BHC were passed to ZBM and footage of them was shown on a news bulletin.

They contained allegations about theft from the Government quango, accusations from investigators that former Acting Director of Public Prosecutions Kulandra Ratneser failed to properly review evidence and named people involved in the investigation but never charged with any offence.

The story was further broken by the Mid-Ocean News on June 1, and continued to dominate headlines and airwaves for the rest of the year. On June 1, a livid Premier Dr. Ewart Brown sparked a potential constitutional crisis when he threatened that Government could cease to work with the Governor, because he had failed to protect the top-secret Police dossier.

Dr. Brown claimed he asked the Governor to protect the BHC investigation files prior to the publication of the Mid-Ocean articles, which he branded as "defamatory". On June 4, the constitutional crisis was averted after the Premier and the Governor issued a joint statement assuring the public that they intended to continue working with each other.

Also on June 4, Senator David Burch, Minister of Public Safety revealed that he had written to the Governor asking him to delegate his responsibilities over the Bermuda Police Service.

During the first couple of days in June police visited the Mid-News office and raided the office of the Bermuda Broadcasting Company in search of information pertaining to the leaked police dossier, which they claimed had been stolen.

Later, 246 copies of the leaked reports were found gathering dust in the pump room of a Cavendish Heights home. Scotland Yard was called in to investigate the newly found copies and the police leak. Eventually, Harold Darrell, a disgruntled former Progressive Labour Party supporter, came forward as the Mid-Ocean News' anonymous source.

On June 7 the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General applied for an injunction to stop the media reporting more from the secret files. On June 21 Police Commissioner George Jackson issued an apology to the public for the theft of the documents. He revealed that officers from Kent in England would assist with the probe into how this occurred.

A series of court battles began on June 13 when Chief Justice Richard Ground heard submissions at Supreme Court from Delroy Duncan, acting for the Commissioner and Attorney General, and Saul Froomkin QC, representing The Royal Gazette and sister paper the Mid-Ocean News.

Mr. Duncan alleged that the Police report was stolen, and argued that a breach of confidence was committed when it was reported on. He said court action to silence the media was necessary as Police feared further disclosure of "sensitive" material from the documents that could shake public confidence in the service.

Mr. Froomkin argued that legal precedent showed gagging orders should not be made "when to do so would be to cover up wrongdoings".

During the second day of the hearing, the court heard that the original copy of the BHC dossier had gone missing, and an international investigation was underway to find out how the documents went missing and where copies were made.

Over the next couple of months the issue went before higher and higher legal courts until October 29, when the island's highest court of appeal ruled that Bermuda's media should not be banned from reporting further extracts from the leaked police documents.

Five Law Lords from the Privy Council, sitting in London, said previous refusals by Chief Justice Richard Ground and the Court of Appeal to interfere with the freedom of the press were correct.

They also ruled that the Government and Police Commissioner, who brought the case, should pay the costs — which were believed to run into six figures.

And on November 6, Puisne Justice Ian Kawaley dismissed an application by Premier Ewart Brown for a temporary gag against the press printing more allegations about him the leaked documents.

TEACHERS PAY DISPUTE

A pay dispute caused teachers at a majority of the Island's public schools to "work to rule". Bermuda Union of Teachers general secretary Mike Charles alleged the dispute was about the Government "reneging" on a payment package decided over a year ago that would have given teachers a 4.5 percent increase to their salary this year.

Statistics

Education Minister Randy Horton asked Cabinet for a comprehensive review when it was revealed that in June 2006, 48 percent of final year public education students graduated, up from 43 percent the previous year and 38 percent in 2004. Out of 309 S4 Year students enrolled in September 2005 pursuing a BSC, 148 graduated at the end of the year, around 48 percent.

Of the June graduates, 97 were female and just 51 male. A further 12 students, six males and six females, graduated after summer school in August. With a graduation rate of 49 percent, CedarBridge Academy enjoyed a slightly more successful year than Berkeley Institute, which had a rate of 46 percent.

Support for the Government was becoming polarised on racial lines under Premier Dr. Ewart Brown, according to the latest opinion polls, which show backing among black voters was up by 36 percent. An independent survey for The Royal Gazette revealed that Government was picking up 62.9 percent of the black vote, with only 9.5 percent supporting the Opposition United Bermuda Party. In contrast, among white voters only 1.6 percent favoured the Progressive Labour Party, with 64.1 percent pro-UBP.

Recent polls showed Bermudians support Independence now more than ever before. A Royal Gazette poll taken last month shows that 34.7 percent of the population support sovereignty, which is 12 points higher than the last time the public was polled in March.

Prior to this most recent poll, the highest amount of support for Independence, 28 percent, was recorded in August 2005, immediately after the Bermuda Independence Commission (BIC) began consultations.