Dr. Brown is stuck in the past
June 22, 2009
Dear Sir,
How pathetic that our so 'Honourable' Premier Brown felt the need for a phalanx of policemen to surround him on his departure from the House of Assembly last Friday. Clearly he wasn't "feeling the love"!
I can only think that his 30-odd years in the US have so influenced him that he sees nothing but violence and intimidation all around. Who brought intimidation and bullying to Bermuda's politics? Dr. Ewart Brown! Who zipped us back to the days before the Theatre Boycott? Dr. Ewart Brown! Who delights in creating racial divisions at every turn? Dr. Ewart Brown! The world truly has moved on, Dr. Brown, but how stuck in the bad old past your behaviour is! You seem to have lost any semblance of being a Bermudian at heart.
Please go back to your beloved USA and leave us to lick our wounds and try to recover from the terrible havoc that you have wreaked upon us.
PENNY HILL
Hamilton Parish
Have patience in God
June 22, 2009
Dear Sir,
Some folks may be familiar with the simile "as deceitful as the devil" and may think of the words, "we had to deceive you", while others may feel that these words are quite fitting, as Bermuda is called the Isle of Devils.
With this in mind, rather than condemn our leader for consuming himself in deceit, let us have patience and confidence in God. According to Psalm 37, we must cease from anger, and forsake wrath and we are also warned that the wicked plot against the just. However, God will deliver the righteous from the wicked and they will find peace, but the wicked shall perish. May we find strength in God's word during these troubling times.
GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT
Devonshire
He doesn't get it
June 23, 2009
Dear Sir,
The Premier just doesn't get it. He states: "I'm not a popular guy right now, but I'm more concerned with the correctness of the gesture." (Royal Gazette, June 23)
What will it take for him to acknowledge that ignoring the Constitution, his very own Cabinet, the British Government and the Governor, was incorrect.
The secreting in of four Uighurs under the banner of humanitarianism and friendship does not and will not cancel out his huge error – one deliberately made; one he chooses to cast aside.
CONCERNED
Hamilton Parish
Burch's judgment
June 22, 2009
Dear Sir,
I had to chuckle Monday evening when I listened to Colonel Burch being interviewed along with the Chinese Muslims.
He made a statement along the lines of – I realised the good nature of these individuals (the Chinese Muslims) when one of them halted the taking off of the plane as he wanted a Koran. Well, if Colonel Burch believes that this is a good indicator that these individuals are not terrorists, he has completely lost his mind. Osama bin Laden probably has his Korans tied to him, as perhaps did the 9/11 hijackers.
BLACK PLP VOTER – PERHAPS NO MORE
St. George's
Don't give up
June 22, 2009
Dear Sir,
The results are in, and the motion of the no confidence vote in the Government, led by the Premier, tabled in the House of Assembly has been lost.
Although not surprised by the outcome, I am still left with a feeling of being completed gutted.
I feel as if the protests held on June 16 and 19, were in vain, that the voices of the people fell on deaf ears, even though there were a few that did hear us.
I am sure that many others that attended the protests feel the same, so on that note I would like to remind them of Dr. Martin Luther King – who did not give up, he fought a bigger battle than we did, and he fought stronger and longer, so I hope that those that united on those days, both black and white remember that and find strength in that – and still stand together to fight for what we believe in.
I am not surprised by those that felt they could not vote the "other" way, and I do understand their loyalty to their party, but I do hope that they have a clear conscience in what they have done.
In closing I leave you with this – I wait for the morning that I awake to an Independent Bermuda, led by a Dictator, as that too shall be thrust upon us under the cover of darkness!
D. ADDERLEY
Pembroke
Debate went off topic
June 20, 2009
Dear Sir,
Last night's debate was a historic one so I tuned in for a few hours (FM 105.1). While the outcome was never really in doubt, the (lack of) quality and the duration was alarming. The issue was the Premier's leadership, but MPs spent 11 hours discussing everything but the colour of the sky (although I may have dozed off for a few minutes).
I wish I had a stop watch. The critical issues of the debate: constitutional responsibilities; Bermuda's international reputation; lack of accountability; and potential damage to our economy, etc. may have been discussed for a grand total of 28 minutes.
Compare this debate to a meeting at your job. If you sat there for 11 hours discussing everything but what was on the agenda what would the outcome be? Taxpayers deserve better.
KENT SMITH
St. George's
P.s. How can a Member of Parliament claim Bermuda has no business ties with China when his pay cheque has Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation (HSBC) on the top of it!
No remorse shown
June 21, 2009
Dear Sir,
I've always thought Dale Butler to be one of the hardest working politicians, so whilst his decision to leave the Cabinet is unfortunate for Bermuda, I believe he made a very important stand, and it is a shame none of his other colleagues had the integrity and gumption to do the same.
Prior to the vote of no confidence, I understand that the Premier, after not having the common decency to sit through the majority of the debate, gave some superfluous speech, still not accepting any responsibility for the situation at hand and continuing to blame whites for all the ills of the day.
If I were Randy Horton, Alex Scott, Wayne Perinchief, Paula Cox, Jennifer Smith and Neletha Butterfield, after that speech, the Premier would have been voted out. The Premier has not an iota of remorse and for that reason alone, the UK Government should dissolve Premier Brown's Government.
The PLP MPs voted Party and this issue was bigger than Party. The people of Bermuda – black, white, young and old do not want Premier Brown leading the Government and this vote is going to bring about some unsettling times for this country.
As for Wayne Furbert, he is obviously trying to get back at the UBP and get in the good graces of the PLP. Forgiveness is a completely separate issue from voting on how this country will be run going forward. Wayne Furbert's Friday night speech was not worth the time of day. The UBP should be glad to be rid of him.
CRG
St. George's
A snapshot of the future
June 20, 2009
Dear Sir,
Last night I had a dream. I had a dream that I awoke to a new dawn in Bermuda politics. I had a dream that Bermuda had rid itself of the self-serving, dictatorial, racially divisive, clench-fisted 1970s-style leadership of Dr. Ewart Brown. I had a dream that MPs from both sides of the House had put their differences aside and united in defence of the Bermudian people and the Bermuda Constitution by upholding the Motion of No Confidence in Dr. Brown.
Sadly, it was just a dream. The so-called PLP dissidents stamped their feet but ultimately showed their true colours and, presumably having decided which side their bread was buttered, voted with their pockets.
Not only did Dr. Brown survive, he has seemingly emerged stronger than ever and reportedly now claims to be receiving his guidance directly from God. Truly, his ego knows no bounds and as of today it seems neither does his delegated authority. He apparently holds himself above the law. He has deliberately shown contempt for the Bermudian people, the Constitution, Parliament, and his own Cabinet. In return he has been granted carte blanche to continue on his self-serving and destructive path.
The two UBP members who abstained or were absent for the vote should resign forthwith. Indeed the entire Opposition might as well pack-up and go home, and at least take the "white privilege", "colonial", "40 Thieves", and "plantation" cards out of Dr. Brown's deck. Without being able to play these race cards maybe, just maybe, the electorate will wake up in time and change the future that Dr. Brown has painted for himself. Rest assured he will not be satisfied until he is hosting celebrity parties and dispensing patronage from Government House, surrounded no doubt by statues of his own personal heroes.
Today, Bermuda is a step closer to Independence and the recent, and not so recent, actions of Messrs. Brown and Burch should give us all a snapshot of just what that will be like. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the last remaining curb on Dr. Brown's power, the UK Government through the Governor, will step up to the plate in the form of a Commission of Inquiry. Personally, I don't hold out much hope.
There is room in the Ark, apply in twos,
NOAH
Southampton
P.s. Perhaps, once they realise that they have been used as political footballs, and see that they have escaped one dictatorship for another, the Uighurs will reconsider their good fortune.
Premier's plantation
June 20, 2009
Dear Sir,
I find it sadly ironic that the one main fear spread by Ms Foggo in the last election was that of returning to the "plantation" if you didn't vote PLP. That is exactly what we now have under the PLP Government owned by Dr. Brown.
With Dr. Brown "winning" the vote of confidence after threatening his party, it proved several things.
One: There is no democracy in Dr. Brown's PLP Government.
Two: Knowing that there are more than a few in his party who would definitely like to replace him yet still voted for him, that they are afraid of retaliation from this one man, even if he was no longer Premier; and
Three: We now live on a plantation with Masta Brown and his overseers, and they don't seem in the least bit concerned for the slaves.
THIS SLAVE AIN'T DANCING
Southampton
Loss of respect
June 19, 2009
Dear Sir,
Dr. Brown says that white people are protesting against him because they somehow are upset at the (perceived) loss of "white privilege". Say what, doc? If this white man was ever privileged – and I am sure I was – I still am today.
I live in Bermuda. I own my own home. I work. I treat my fellow man with respect and dignity. I pay for what I buy. I act with integrity. I participate in the community. I go to church. I travel. I do all the things I ever did ... and I've been around for a while. In short, I am very privileged to be able to do all that and more.
What I have lost is respect for Ewart Brown. Respect for the PLP. Respect for the Government. And, to some extent, respect for the British Government who do not seem prepared to stand up and be counted here.
And I do not believe virtually anything that comes from Ewart's mouth. It's not 'white privilege'; it's not racism; it's not anything but a belief that one 'earns' respect through hard work, integrity and, in his case, good governance. . No, I can't prove it but there are very few people out there ... white, black, PLP or UBP, Eva, LaVerne or Rolfe...who actually, in their heart of hearts, believe that there was no quid pro quo; that this was a humanitarian gesture; and that this somehow benefits Bermuda.
IT TRULY IS TIME TO GO
Southampton
JFK misquote
June 20, 2009
Dear Sir,
Apropos of nothing, I believe it was John F. Kennedy who didn't say:
"Ask not what you can do for your country, ask what you can do to ensure you still have a job on Monday."
Yours misquotedly,
ANDREW R. DOBLE
Hamilton Parish
