BERMUDA’S political climate is keeping the best and brightest out of office and leaving the way open for leadership fuelled by a “naked desire for control”.That’s the view of All Bermuda Congress leader Khalid Wasi (pictured)<\p>, who yesterday urged Bermudians of “principle and character” to become involved with his party and “help the country find its right path”.

“Understanding the times has never been more of an imperative,” he stated. “Many Bermudians are currently perplexed, demoralised and confused by the state of political affairs.

“To say our leaders have let us down is an understatement. The need for clarity and a direction could not have at any time in recent memory been harder felt.

“The call on leadership to set the country on a straight path is lurking in the hearts and minds of the honest; while sadly, naked desire for control is still the impetus of the befogged minds of our political leaders.

“There is an old saying, ‘When the going gets tough, the tough get going’. While I don’t think the call is for tough characters, it is a call for some with good character to make some tough decisions.

“Our current system does not allow for the best of our citizenry to come forward as political leaders. Some of our very capable people lay buried, often avoiding politics but giving service to other causes.

“The continuum of our narrow-based concept of political parties relies on loyalty and patronage and with few exceptions will attract persons who can be relied upon to disregard their own principles for party loyalty. The moment is here when the country actually needs those persons of principle and character to step forward and change the paradigm.”

Now rolling out his party’s candidates for an expected General Election, Mr. Wasi encouraged Bermudians currently “enjoying success and also the comfort of being politically anonymous” to take on a public role in politics.

“I question such luxury at a time when the country needs the input of its entire people, particularly those with such skill who could, once provided the real opportunity, help the country find its right path.

“It is indeed a moral call which can also be said to be a rational call given the fact that much of what we all enjoy rests upon our reputation as a clean, upbeat and sophisticated jurisdiction.

“Our location has a lot to do with our success but our sobriety as a people has given us the winning edge.

“Bermuda’s economy has developed a diverse population which could scarcely have been imagined thirty years ago. Natural sociological history would show countries that have the ability to deal with multiplicity and diversity succeed over those that don’t.

“We can transform our current opportunity into a benefit that could propel our population to enjoy success for generations, or we can lean to low inclinations which will envelope and subject our future generations to a culture of corruption and vice.

“We need the capable minds and the out stretched hearts that can bring healing and resolve to our complexity.”

Bermuda was well positioned to become one of the greatest countries in the world, but it depended on the ideals we set, he insisted.

“I am merely pointing out a present time real opportunity. With our current geography and economy we actually can be one of, if not the greatest country in the world.

“Our current world focuses in on itself in unprecedented ways and because of technology and communication a country today can truly have the potential to be judged not by the size of its land mass or population, but rather by the size of its ideals.

“We have to avoid the hell of mediocrity and find our happiness in pursuing a higher vision.

“The All Bermuda Congress has ten core pledges which, if adopted, would place Bermuda legislatively ahead of any comparable jurisdictions in the world.

“Our aim is to take Bermuda to an internationally recognised pinnacle for a democracy, by providing the mechanism to structurally transform Bermuda both politically and socially.

“This will only happen when those with the intellect to recognise Bermuda needs to make a quantum leap from its current political paralysis, have the integrity to make the moral choice to stand with us.

“If our artisans and intellectuals do stand, they will help Bermuda and its people make its next step as a leading democracy in the twenty first century.”

ABC: ‘The right path’