Bermuda has been rocked by many hurricanes and tropical storms over the years, and we have generally been able to cope, through storm shutters and staying put, until things calm down enough to regroup, and assess any damage in order to begin rebuilding. Those of us who have witnessed many of these storms, know only too well, how inthe aftermath, there is a spirit of cooperation between just about every section of our communities, because storms of nature do not pick and choose even though some areas can be more devastated than others, for reasons only known to fate. The important factor is that in order to make repairs, a full assessment of damage is essential.Bermuda is currently in the midst of an economic storm and most know that it is always best to erect storm shutters before the storm hits, because attempting to do so afterwards, is similar to putting new locks on that barn door after you know who has gone.Many Bermudians are growing increasingly concerned about how best to ride out this economic mess, that has lead to an overload of political in fighting, that is muddying the waters, and preventing a clear picture of the damage that needs repairing.The One Bermuda Alliance, has the mammoth task of trying to fulfil its pre election promises of moving Bermuda away from economic despair, through creating more jobs, boosting tourism, and expanding international business. The OBA was given this task after the electorate lost faith in the Progressive Labour Government, and opted for new management for Bermuda.In fact, some observers feel had the PLP Government erected economic storm shutters years ago, when the first alarms were sounded, the situation today might not be so bleak. Another area of endless debate.With talk that things are likely to get worse before improving, and the possibility of cuts in the civil service in order to stop the bleeding, many are expressing disgust and anger over a lack of cooperation between political factions that would push political affiliation aside, for the good of the Bermudian people.Surely we can learn from the American Government shut down, how being cemented into a position for surely political reasons can be costly for all. There are times when party allegiance should be pushed aside in the interest of what is best for the people. That usually is wishful thinking.The Bermudian people should never be taken for granted. Yes, many of them are struggling daily to make ends meet, but they still watch what is going on, and often question whether we are moving in the right direction. These people don’t want to be told we are, they want to feel we are, by having things improve in their lives.It is troubling and disturbing when top City Officials for whatever reason, failed to cooperate fully with the Ombudsman who was conducting an investigation into matters concerning the Hamilton Corporation.The big question hanging in the air for many, is why would cooperation not be the case, if there was nothing to fear. This is not to say anyone is guilty of anything, but this type of incident keeps us from moving to the higher ground of transparency in conducting the peoples business.Constant political fighting for whatever reason is good for the media at times, but it hampers putting our best foot forward collectively, and doing what is right for Bermuda.It maybe a bit late to put up the economic storm shutters in the middle of the storm, but never too late to assess damage, and how to work our way through a difficult time without deeper financial hardship.It will not be easy, but things could improve if every single person on this island realises that sacrifice and sharing will be part of the process.The new Government must stay the course, and the Opposition must carry out their responsibilities, but there needs to be great care in thinking before speaking, to avoid sound bites that become distractions from moving Bermuda forward. We can do better, and we must for future generations.Premier Craig Cannonier, has his hands full, and must be aware that there will be no miracle over night, yet the people want more than encouraging words in moving Bermuda forward. On the other hand it took years to get to this point, and we can only hope it will not take as long to right the ship.The Bermudian people want truth, transparency and success in moving forward. They are entitled to nothing less.