One of the functions of newspapers is to hold leaders accountable. This includes examining whether leaders are consistent in their statements and whether their words match their actions.

Premier Alex Scott?s advocacy of Bermudianisation in the appointment of the new Chief Justice is worth examining because his statements do match his personal long-time and vocal support for Bermudianisation, yet the performance of the PLP Government since 1998 simply do not measure up to his stirring rhetoric.

Over the last five years, several non-Bermudians have been brought in to fill senior Government posts. They include Barry Coupland, who was made Director of Marine and Ports, and whose appointment is now the subject of a court action by a Bermudian, Michael Dolding; Dr. Michael Orenduff, who became the first ever non-Bermuda president of the Bermuda College in its 29-year history; John Prescod who became Commissioner of Prisons in a restructuring which saw his Bermudian deputy?s job eliminated; Stephanie Reid, who was made executive director of the Bermuda Hospitals Board, left early and has since been replaced by a Bermudian who was working at the hospital in a senior capacity when Ms Reid arrived; James Howes, who is in charge of the Bermuda International Airport; and Nigel Hickson, the consultant for the Ministry of Telecommunications.In some of these cases, there were no qualified Bermudian applicants. But there were in others and these are now being tested by the courts or through grievance procedures.

What?s the difference between these cases and the appointment of the Chief Justice? All of these appointments, while under the final control of the Public Service Commission, are Government appointments, while the appointment of the Chief Justice falls within the Governor?s powers.

And yet when the Government of which Mr. Scott was a part, had a chance to do something about Bermudianisation, it did not, at least in the above cases.

But why criticise Mr. Scott for appointments that did not fall under the Works Ministry that he led before becoming Premier? Cabinet collective responsibility cuts both ways. A Minister might be outvoted on an issue and must then accept the will of the majority or resign. Once that happens, all Ministers are equally responsible for all decisions made, including Government appointments.

Even appointments over which the Governor does have control have failed to elicit the same outrage as the Chief Justice appointment. When Khamisi Tokunbo refused to re-apply for his job, was not reappointed and a non-Bermudian Director of Public Prosecutions took over the job in an acting capacity, there was silence from Government.

And people with long memories will recall the furore that the PLP raised over the appointment of the Englishman Colin Coxall as Commissioner of Police and the same silence that greeted the appointment of Barbadian Elliott Mottley as Attorney General.

More recently Tourism Minister Renee Webb announced that the new Director of Tourism was likely to be a foreigner ? a clear breach of Government policy which has gone unpunished, but more importantly, a clear example of the Government?s lack of commitment to the very policy that Mr. Scott has emphasised and re-emphasised in the current dispute.

The record shows, sadly, that the Bermudianisation argument only seems to rear its head when it is convenient. That hurts Mr. Scott?s credibility on this issue now and in the future.