March 7 2014

Dear Sir,

I heard that the properties at Albert and Victoria Row have now been condemned by this OBA Government, and I couldn’t believe my ears. Are these the same houses that the then OBA opposition highly criticised the former PLP Government for wanting to tear down to rebuild more fitting accommodations for the residents of Albert and Victoria Row?

Are these the same houses that the then Minister of Public Works, Michael A Weeks had several meetings about and spoke about in the House of Assembly as to the deplorable conditions of the properties and the need to improve the living conditions of these residents?

Certainly, these can’t be the same houses that garnered lots of media attention when OBA representative Ray Charlton tried to make the case that these houses should not be torn down and how dare the then PLP Government do such a thing.

Has the OBA had another change of heart? Have they made another about face on yet another issue?

OBA Government, are you now saying that prior to your being elected these housing accommodations were perfectly suited for the residents under the then PLP Government; and they were fine to live in; but now that you are the Government they need to be condemned because they are ‘all of a sudden’ unsuitable to live in?

What has changed? Because certainly, my last drive through the area saw me looking at the same houses in the same deplorable state as we saw pre- December 17, 2012 (that fateful election day).

I am trying to determine OBA, whether you now realise that the PLP was correct in wanting to ensure a safer more suitable housing complex for these residents? Whether you now see that then PLP government had the betterment of the tenants at Albert and Victoria Row in mind when they wanted to rebuild these houses?

You’re showing your hand OBA, and it’s not a good suit. It’s apparent that you used this housing issue to seek more votes from people who you thought you could fool or bamboozle. Personally, I think, that you — OBA Government, owe the former PLP government and the people of Bermuda (specifically those who inhabited Albert and Victoria Row) an apology. Why? Because not long ago you fought against the PLP wanting to create better housing for our residents in this area; you were so critical that you even had people believing that maybe those houses were suitable to live in. But, guess what? It appears that all of that was just a mask. You were insincere with your words and we see right through your double standards as a Government. You knew that those houses were uninhabitable, unsuitable and deplorable, but you cared more about votes. Time to wake up Bermuda, enough is truly enough. It’s time for change.

DEVONSHIRE SPEAKS