In 1998, the PLP promised to operate "in the sunshine of public scrutiny". They promised that, "accountability and transparency will be the underlying credo for the priorities, principles and policies of a PLP government."

This vision of a government operating with fairness, openness, honesty and accountability was a noble one and reflected the values of a United Bermuda Party government that over the course of 30 years built the economic and political framework that made Bermuda the envy of the world

The values of openness, honesty and accountability are ones that most Bermudians share, black or white, rich or poor, PLP or UBP. As a new Opposition, we were comforted by the news that on this issue the PLP appeared to share these values, the values held by most Bermudians.

But after seven years it has become apparent that the PLP's vision of a fair, open, honest and accountable government has failed to happen because there are those within the Cabinet and within the PLP's Parliamentary group that from almost day one, violated that vision and betrayed the people's trust.

Remember the cover-up of the mishandling of asbestos by a former PLP parliamentarian at Southside? Even when the cover-up finally ended and the truth was finally revealed no one was held accountable, no one had the decency to apologise and no one took responsibility.

Remember how PLP told the people that Berkeley would be, "on time and on budget?" Even when the truth was finally revealed no one was held accountable, no one had the decency to apologise and no one took responsibility.

Remember how the PLP told us that there was no corruption within the Bermuda Housing Corporation? Even when the truth was finally revealed no one was held accountable, no one had the decency to apologise and no one took responsibility.

Remember how the PLP tried to conceal the fact that the much heralded Bermuda Homes for People project was technically insolvent? Even when they were caught trying to mislead the people, no one was held accountable, no one had the decency to apologise and no one took responsibility.

Remember when the PLP sold out the people of Bermuda by giving a sweetheart hotel deal at Coco Reef to a major PLP campaign contributor? Even when the truth was finally revealed no one was held accountable, no one had the decency to apologise and no one took responsibility.

Remember when a member of the PLP told the people that they had to deceive them to win the 2003 election? No one within the PLP has repudiated those comments, no one has had the decency to apologise and no one has been held accountable.

And these are just the things we know about!

Now the PLP faces allegations of misconduct over the management of Government pensions.

Who knows what the next scandal out of the PLP will be?

Yet while the public has been held spellbound and disgusted by the never-ending demonstrations of unethical conduct by PLP Members of Parliament, the Premier appears to be oblivious to the people's growing sense that this government is more interested in making life better for themselves than in making life better for our people. Whether the Premier recognises it or not, the PLP's behaviour has led many of our people in the community to ask themselves, "if the PLP can do this, what else are they capable of?"

By their actions, the PLP hierarchy has shown that they are incapable of disciplining themselves and that they either never truly believed in openness, honesty and accountability or have lost sight of their values and forgotten where they came from.

Former New York Mayor Ed Koch once said: "The knife of corruption endangered the life of New York City. The scalpel of the law is making us well again."

To prevent this new culture of corruption from becoming the standard for ethics and values in our country, the time has come to enshrine in legislation, laws to govern the conduct of our elected officials. Parliamentary Code of Conduct legislation would promote integrity and make crystal clear what constitutes acceptable conduct for our representatives. It would define what constitutes a conflict of interest, create an independent investigative body and outline clear, tough penalties. Introducing and enforcing a Code of Conduct is the only way to dispel the cynicism, loss of faith and loss of respect in our representatives. This is the only way to preserve higher standards of accountability and transparency and to restore respect for the ethical values that most Bermudians hold dear to their hearts.

After almost seven years of scandals, dishonesty and cover-ups, our country is at a crossroads. We can choose to turn a blind eye to immoral and selfish behaviour that violates not only our values, but our sense of decency. Or, we can choose to say enough is enough, and declare that corruption in any form, by anybody, is unacceptable in Bermuda and to Bermudians. The choice is clear.

We urge the PLP to join the United Bermuda Party and support a Parliamentary Code of Conduct and legislation that would create an independent investigative body and introduce clear, tough penalties for political corruption in all its forms.

@EDITRULE:

Wayne Furbert is the United Bermuda Party MP for Hamilton West and Shadow Minister of Housing.