Archive for the ‘Bermuda’ Category

One step forward, two back …

Posted: February 22, 2013 in Bermuda, bermuda politics
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Finance Minister Bob Richards presented his first budget today and finally some – albeit with a small “s” – good news for us Permanent Resident Certificate holders.

Readers may remember I had a rant last year about the continued treatment of PRC holders as second-class citizens, in particular when it comes to buying property. Even though I have been a resident of Bermuda for more than 30 years, own a business, and have three Bermuda-born children I still can’t vote and would be penalised with a 25% licence fee (10% for a condo) should I wish to buy a home. Oh – and that property has to have an Annual rental Value of more than $63,000 and I would not be permitted to let out any part of that property, even if it contained existing rented apartments.

Today Mr. Richards offered some relief as a means of stimulating the stagnant real estate market, cutting the 25% rate to 6% for 18 months before rising to 6%. For non-Bermudians who are not PRC holders, the rates will be cut to 8% (rising to 12.5% after 18 months for houses) and 6% for condos, rising to 8% after 18 months. The ARV level and the apartment restrictions will remain in place.  

While the licence fee reduction is certainly welcome and a step in the right direction, it really doesn’t go far enough. Why should PRCs still be discriminated against when it comes to buying property? Why subject us to a rise in the fee after 18 months and other restrictions?

Surely the logical step – from a human rights standpoint if nothing else – is to grant PRCs full Bermudian status. I am delighted that the OBA Government plans to finally protect gays under the human rights laws. It would be nice if PRCs were given similar consideration.

After the vote

Posted: December 18, 2012 in Bermuda, bermuda politics
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Some of the commentaries worth reading today after yesterday’s election:

“If we want a better Bermuda, we need to do much more than vote in a new government. We are going to have to demand more accountability from everyone, but starting with ourselves.  Succinctly, we must start practicing collective responsibility.” – Bryant Trew in the Bermuda Sun.

“This election … proved that appeals to racial loyalty are not effective. The PLP attempted to make this election about race, especially in the last days, and voters seem to have rejected that in favour of an improved economy. Unemployment knows no bounds and even the anti-business rhetoric which infused the PLP campaign at the end failed to mobilise the PLP base and may even have backfired.” – Analysis in The Royal Gazette

“The PLP is reflective of all the people of this island. Yet they wish to label us as a black party only to subliminally tell whites not to vote for us … We know there are many PLP supporters and members of many different races. However, for a multitude of reasons they seem a bit hesitant to come forward and publicly involve and engage with our events and activities … Persons such as Dorothy Thompson, David Allen, Zane De Silva, Jonathan Smith and Dr Barbara Ball must not be the exceptions .They must be the norm.” – Christopher Famous in the Bermuda Sun.

“The new team (OBA) must be genuinely — not rhetorically — transparent. It must be genuinely direct – not obtuse and non-commenting and non-answering. Above all else, this new team must genuinely embrace all residents and all Bermudians – and not just those who can be described as “our people”. – Larry Burchall in the Bermuda Sun.

“The hope of this newspaper is that this election will open a new chapter in Bermuda politics, which will be less divisive, less reliant on race as a motivating force, more open to problems all Bermudians face and more constructive. The next few years will not be easy, but they can lead to a better Bermuda, provided all people are willing to work together for the betterment of all.” – Editorial, The Royal Gazette.

“The first job for the new government is mending fences. Because the biggest threat to our economic stability is the massive debt and a dearth of ways to repay it, I believe the OBA government must make peace with our income generators and take clear steps to woo them back. This will not be an easy task because of the race-baiting that has been a dominant theme in how previous administrations beat up on their political opponents.” – Stuart Hayward in the Bermuda Sun.

“Posturing, arrogance,  hubris, defensiveness, an unwillingness to change policies that aren’t working out … the list of damaging side-effects of UBP-PLP hatred goes on and on. And it has gone on and on, for way too long. There were understandable historical reasons why it developed. But the great hope that the OBA has offered us this week is that it need not go on forever. Bermuda, Bermudians and the Bermudian political system can move forward, grow and mature. The time has come, and here is our opportunity.” – Tom Vesey in the Bermuda Sun.

An historic shift

Posted: December 18, 2012 in Bermuda, bermuda politics
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For me, the most exciting aspect of last night’s stunning election victory by the One Bermuda Alliance was not the closeness of the vote but the fact that the Bermudian electorate – and specifically black Bermudians – had the courage to vote for change.

It was a watershed moment in Bermuda’s democratic development, as significant as the Progressive Labour Party’s historic sweep to power in 1998 after 30 years of United Bermuda Party rule. In the same way that 1998 was overdue and had to happen, the same goes for 2012.

I have always held the opinion that Bermuda would only become politically mature when black Bermudians, as the majority of voters,  had the courage to not only elect a predominantly black PLP Government but also to vote them out. The realisation that they truly do have the power to hold Governments of any persuasion accountable is a significant shift. This was an election that Bermudians of all races took very seriously and in which they voted on the issues, and less on emotion and historical allegiance. In future, the OBA and the PLP will underestimate Bermuda’s voters at their peril.

The OBA victory was as decisive as it was unexpected. Most pundits – myself included – felt it would be a close election but that as a new party, the OBA could not expect to win power in its first campaign. I had predicted a 19-17 PLP victory but from the moment Glenn Smith not only beat Premier Paula Cox in Devonshire North West but crushed her by almost 100 votes, it was clear change was in the air. In fact, by the time it was all over, the OBA were just 22 votes and a few spoiled ballots short of a 22-14 win, such were the narrow margins of PLP victory in Devonshire North Central, Pembroke Central and Sandys North.

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