Dear Sir,

The headline in today’s edition (February 14, 2022) of The Royal Gazette says it all: “Shock as finance minister resigns”. I am deeply saddened by this announcement.

In my opinion, Finance Minister Dickinson is an exceptional public servant who has served Bermuda well in difficult times. The Premier will be hard-pressed to find a replacement of his ilk, who would be ready, willing and able to fill his shoes.

Here is a man who has been able to represent this island on the international stage with wisdom and aplomb. Anyone who would criticise him or his ministry for any expense to travel abroad in his work would be severely misguided. In my judgment, Curtis Dickinson is an extremely bright and honourable individual who has put his country ahead of all else in his personal life.

He has been in the midst of trying to resolve a thorny international tax issue that, one way or another, would have a devastating affect on Bermuda’s future. He, along with many others around the world, has had to balance budgets that have been devastatingly affected by an out-of-control pandemic that still continues unabated.

He is not the Minister of Tourism, but in my view, he should absolutely resist seeing Bermuda dole out significant loan guarantees or cash to greedy business developers on the pretext of saving a hotel that is virtually bankrupt. This would be sheer folly.

I am no political animal, but my family and I have benefited from 60 years of joy and pleasure residing on this jewel of an island that has weathered many financial storms — no pun intended! — over this time. I care very much that Bermuda will continue to have a stable economic future.

My fervent wish at this time would be for Finance Minister Dickinson to reconsider his resignation and to return to his ministerial desk to retake the reins of Bermuda’s economy. We need him right now and the Premier and his Cabinet should do everything in their power to bring this about. Let us all pray that this comes about.

ROBERT LANDAU

St George’s