Full Speech: Dale Butler Campaign Launch

Good afternoon and welcome to my official Press Conference announcing my bid to become the Party Leader of the PLP and Premier of Bermuda. I would like to thank PLP members, my family, friends and supporters for being here for this public announcement.

Thank you for coming to this historic occasion held right here within the foundation of the P.L.P. and with people who the Party want to help the most to be able to live in dignity and contribute to Bermuda even when in need because their basic need for shelter has been met.

As a former Minister, I attempted to highlight the plight of the homeless and as the Premier, community development will be the main plank in a revived Social Agenda that Bermuda, with so many resources, sadly needs.The building of a new shelter therefore, will be a priority within the first 2 budget periods. Radical to some but it gets to the heart of the matter and it will be led by a Homeless Commissioner who will also be a Senator who will be a “Spiritual Counsellor” to the Cabinet.

I joined the PLP at the age of 16 after hearing stories about the founders of the PLP and their goals and dreams for working class people and how much they cared about people.

Working class people who continue to work hard, try and raise their families and have faith in our 120 plus churches. Working class people who built clubs, lodges and schools with meager resources, but persevered. That fortitude was inculcated in me by my family and by Seniors when I listened to their stories told in my home, church and school. While much has changed in our families, we still have the resilience to do well. Yes, our strength has been here in the trenches from people who can take an apple and make a pie and take a 2 pound chicken and feed a family of 5. I am talking about our people who can work 2 and 3 jobs to make ends meet AND put a child through university because of their determination and tenacity to succeed.

As a Government, the PLP has attempted with child Day Care, Financial Assistance and housing to meet the needs of our people because of our record of caring. (Attached is our record of numerous achievements for all to see).Be that as it may, there are gaps. And one immediate step that can further help workers is to eliminate the payroll tax for those earning under $65,000 and let them have those funds.

Which means that under my Premiership, Team Bermuda will work with all ideas and with all Bermudians and guest workers who wish to assist and make Bermuda an even greater success for all. As the late leader of the PLP, L.F. Wade stated, “We need courage, conviction and commitment.” Team Bermuda agrees and as the next Premier the command to action will be given that we need to restore trust, accountability, integrity, honour and fairness.

Team Bermuda of the PLP can be a beacon of light and hope as we make Bermuda a better place for all as we develop national unity and a focus of purpose for our beloved country with its strengths and weaknesses.A Bermuda where everyone is included and Not excluded because of race, creed or colour.A Bermuda at work protecting the rights of its citizens so that from childhood to senior-hood we can do for ourselves with a Government that motivates for success, encourages and underlines its own and everyone’s responsibility to the common cause: TEAM BERMUDA, WHERE TOGETHER EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE.

In concluding, I wish to thank the numerous people from all walks of life who have supported me over a 40 year period of community involvement from the classroom to the principalship; from being an Allen Star and Mother Sunbeam to being a Sunday School Teacher and Community Activist; from working with the anti-apartheid group from day one to honouring our community leaders and highlighting their contributions in print and events and now with our National Heroes Day.

As your Premier two more outstanding Bermudians will be chosen to celebrate. Ladies and gentlemen, it is from my numerous interactions and engagements with Bermudians that TEAM BERMUDA was conceived as the direction to take Bermuda with an emphasis on our new Social Agenda developing A Common Cause for a better Bermuda. It is from all of this that Team Bermuda was created. With all hands on deck, we can work to make Team Bermuda a reality in a country that is safe, happy, prosperous and successful for all of its shareholders and not just a few. The dream, the vision, not to be forgotten, not to be labeled but to be implemented for all to benefit.

We can be a happier people who are focused, making progress, contributing in creative ways and making this Team the Bermuda that our Founders dreamed of in 1963. Together Everyone Achieves More; the homeless; the handicapped; the family; the children; our seniors and our artists; our businesses; our graduates; our sportsmen; our males; our churches; our clubs and our Unions can all achieve for a common cause: Bermuda. At the moment a lot of our countrymen are unhappy. Make them happy by addressing their needs. There is little or no unity.They say hurricanes bring us together. We say we need a new model. We say our mutual interest can bring us together if we all try and remove every impediment that keeps us apart whether it be language, discrimination, racism, economics, education disparities or a lack of history. We are a small country that needs to focus on our issues in order to be successful.

Here now are some of the key components of the Team Bermuda New Social Agenda.

1. Crime: Team Bermuda will take every step legally possible to add to the Government’s current list of actions. In that regard, technology will play a key part.

2. Handicapped: Persons with disabilities. The development of an action plan with timelines will be a priority.

3. Education: Academics/evaluation/achievement; an all boys’ school and a commission to close a few schools schools and convert them into much needed community centres for youth, seniors and small business.

4. Drugs: Team Bermuda will continue to support the National Drug Strategy and do more to catch drug importers.

5. Underemployed: Some people also say unemployables. Stats indicate there are a growing number of young people without skills who are NOT working. This is clearly a case for Team Bermuda to come together and develop a programme to meet their needs. This has to be a priority because their numbers are growing, they have ability but need assistance. It has to be provided.

6. Community activists: So many people have good ideas which are often expressed on Talk Show Radio and the ideas may be missed. Team Bermuda will assess their ideas in an “Ideas Council” and contact them if the ideas will benefit Bermuda.

7. Lack of financial payments from some fathers: Review the reform package that Technical Officers currently have along with ideas recently expressed by Kevin Comeau. And release with an action plan The Rodney Smith Report.

8. The Mincey Report: The country awaits the action plan for its implementation. While I have concerns about it, we have to add to it and get going. Team Bermuda will develop an action plan and ensure its implementation no matter if it is one or two or 100 steps each year. The development of our sons is critical and will be a priority.

9. Hot-line: Develop one and publish results. Too much frustration is built-up when people cannot get small things done quickly.

10. A third national sport: Whereas we are an island and at the moment our national sports, cricket and football are land based and predominantly male, Team Bermuda proposes to make Aquatics a Third National Sport thereby increasing its funding. By doing this we will be able to meet the goals of a wider section of people.

How do you pay for all of this?

• a. There will be no more new “free” programmes
• b. Reduce waste and spending in Govt.
• c. Cuts in the Premier and Ministerial salaries. 20 % for the Premier and 10% for Ministers for a 2 year period
• d. Review and cut consultants. Use the advice of Technical Officers first and upon their advice maybe the use of local experts and last and only last a foreigner if the Officers so advise.
• e. Growth in international business and growth in tourism

AND SO TODAY WITH THESE FEW BRIEF WORDS ABOUT A REVIVED SOCIAL AGENDA WITH FRESH AND NEW IDEAS that address Community Development, I wish to thank our police for the work they are doing to make Bermuda safe; our nurses and doctors for the care they give and I send my sympathy to those who have lost a loved one….and to the victims of crime may they find peace and justice in our land. To our teachers and principals who are ready for the term ahead I commend them for the job they attempt to do everyday to make our school system better. And to our church leaders, I say, with your leadership and facilities we can develop our community together.

Together Everyone Achieves More. At this time I would like to thank everyone for coming who contributed a can of food to our campaign to feed the needy. After all is said and done, win or lose, this campaign has demonstrated in word and deed that we care.To the Salvation Army, Major Loveless, please accept these gifts from the people of Bermuda. The remainder of the Team Bermuda Plan will be released tomorrow night at 6.30 p.m. rain blow or shine at Harbour Nights where the people who attend represent our rainbow, Bermuda.

I will then deal with Part 2: The Bermuda Regeneration Plan:

• 1. Corruption allegations
• 2. Business
• 3. Clubs
• 4. Consultants
• 5. DAB to name but a few. Come and find out about appointing a Green Senator and a Senator who will be responsible for a Comprehensive Seniors Plan, the Homeless and persons with disabilities and also be a “Spiritual Counselor” to the Cabinet.

Now let’s enjoy some fishcakes which are being distributed if you have a just across the road at The Wok who have been keeping them warm. The Major and homeless first.

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