OBA claims Cabinet reshuffle won’t paper over the cracks
A Cabinet shake-up expected today will still leave the government leadership in turmoil after two high-profile ministerial exits, the Opposition has claimed.
David Burt, the Premier, has said he will shake-up the Progressive Labour Party top team today after a string of controversies.
But the One Bermuda Alliance said the reshuffle would be “too little, too late”.
An OBA spokeswoman said: “Premier Burt, and by extension the PLP, have lost the trust of many who supported him at the last election.
“The firings and resignations have mounted and promises have been broken on a regular basis.”
The OBA warned that the handling of the departures by Mr Burt had eroded public trust in the Government.
The spokeswoman added: “The island is in a precarious position — many Bermudians are struggling and countless more have left the island.
“Meanwhile, the PLP leadership is in turmoil.
“A Cabinet shuffle does nothing if the same performance and behaviour continues.”
Mr Burt’s administration was rocked after the resignation of respected finance minister Curtis Dickinson just 11 days before the Budget statement in February.
The controversial departure of Renée Ming from the national security role weeks later also ruffled feathers in the ranks of the PLP.
Ms Ming insisted that she quit the Cabinet and had taken her resignation letter to a meeting with Mr Burt last Wednesday — but he maintained that he dismissed her.
The stand-off led a senior PLP source to tell The Royal Gazette that Mr Burt’s account of events was not credible.
The source said: “Nobody believes his version of the story.”
The source added that Ms Ming had “wanted to quit for a while now”.
Mr Burt said after Ms Ming’s departure, which he insisted he had planned, that he would announce more Cabinet changes today.
It is not clear if Mr Burt, also the tourism minister, will retain the finance portfolio, which he took over after Mr Dickinson quit.
The national security role is being covered by Wayne Furbert, the Cabinet Office minister.
The Government did not respond to a request for comment yesterday.
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