August 26, 2011

Dear Sir,

It always amazes me that the PLP seem to be even more arrogant then they ever accused the old UBP of being ... and they get away with it. I suspect that they get away with it because they just assume that their black supporters will continue to vote for their inability to solve any of our problems — simply because they are black. As I've said many a time, if you stick your head in the sand or sit on your hands or cover your eyes wide shut, you get exactly what you deserve.

Talk about same old, same old? Every one of the old guard gets a safe seat. Every one of the Ewart boys gets a safe seat. And those decisions are made by just a handful of people.

The PLP is a Party that will never, ever change. They will be defined by racial policy, incompetence and lack of leadership. Those who paint the OBA as the old UBP with a cheap facelift are undoubtedly partly correct. The fact is that the OBA does subscribe to some of the old UBP political agenda, but the difference is that they have made an effort to change their focus and to bring new people into the governance of Bermuda. Plus, and this may be the most difficult for the diehard Alaska Hall member to accept, these OBA people are not stupid ... they have learned a hell of a lot while wandering in the wilderness and watching the PLP stumble over virtually every problem they've ever faced..

Some years ago, a study was done to define the 'swing voter'. A pretty accurate, and not unexpected, picture arose. The swing voter in Bermuda is generally speaking a single, black woman between the ages of 35-50, usually employed, and with children. Now, I ask you if you had to define a person impacted by the incompetence of the PLP economic policy, could you name a more likely target group?

Rolfe Commissiong and the PLP and their race-based election platform notwithstanding, the understanding of the racial issues of the past and present are pretty much accepted within both racial groups these days. Maybe not with Eva and the political hacks who use racial divisiveness for political purposes but, within the community, most of us treat each other with respect and understanding and, using the immortal wish list of Rodney King, we are starting to 'get along'.

The PLP will not change because they stand on the hope that the black Bermuda voter will vote for them and agree to live in a community where virtually every sector is spiralling down and every decision is based on race. The OBA is the future. It is a party which has attracted the best of the old and the best of the future.

POLLY SAWYER

Southampton