Looking at Our New Deputy: Derrick Burgess

October 28, 2010

derrick_v__burgess Tonight [Oct 28] Derrick Burgess became Deputy Leader of the PLP after being selected at the delegates conference at Devonshire Rec.

Mr Burgess was elected out of the five candidates that stood; himself, Randy Horton, Terry Lister, Walter Roban and Michael Weeks. The results of the first round of voting was; Derrick Burgess 68, Terry Lister 59, Michael Weeks 21, Walter Roban 15 and Randy Horton 6.

Although Mr Burgess won, he did not win by the required 50%, so a second round of voting took place between him, Mr Lister and Mr Weeks, which saw Mr Burgess walk away with the victory.

Upon winning, former Premier Dr Ewart Brown congratulated Mr Burgess on his win saying “The soon to be Deputy Premier has overseen some of the largest public works project’s in Bermuda’s history as Minister of Works & Engineering. We look forward to his working with the same tenacity he’s shown as Minister in his new role as Deputy Leader and Deputy Premier.”

A graduate from the now-closed Robert Crawford School in Prospect, Mr Burgess earned a Diploma in Hotel Management from the Lewis Hotel School in Washington, D.C. and has pursued programmes of study at Bermuda College, the City College of Chicago, the University of Maryland, the Lewis Hotel School in Washington, D.C. and the George Meany Labour College, also in Washington, D.C.

Having commenced his career as a busboy at the now defunct Coral Island Hotel, he rose to the post of General Manager. He later worked at the now defunct Holiday Inn, later Lowes Bermuda, later Club Med Hotel, and at the Hamilton Princess Hotel. In addition, he has served as Director of Human Resources at Grotto Bay Beach Resort.

Known for his background in the unions, he held the full-time post of President of the Bermuda Industrial Union [BIU]. His involvement in trade unionism commenced upon his election as shop steward at the Holiday Inn Hotel. In October 2001, he was elected First Vice President of the Caribbean Congress of Labour, the first Bermudian to hold that position.

He has travelled extensively throughout the United States and the Caribbean, and Geneva, Switzerland wearing the hat of a trade unionist. In December, 2004, Mr. Burgess was re-elected to the position of 1st Vice President for the Caribbean Congress of Labour.

He was first elected to Parliament in February 1998 during a bye-election representing constituency 5, Hamilton East. On 1st September, 2006, he was appointed Minister of Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety, with his Ministry re-configured as the Ministry of Labour and Immigration some three months later. Previous to being elected as Deputy Leader, he served in the capacity of Minister of Works & Engineering.

Mr Burgess is not an MP who has spent large amounts of time in the spotlight, however earlier this year he made a statement in the House of Assembly to the UBP’s Trevor Moniz that was considered controversial in some circles, saying “You never thought that you would have to come to slaves’ children for an answer or a decision. That’s the problem: he doesn’t like that Mr. Speaker and he better get used to it.”

A member of St. Phillip’s A.M.E. Church, Derrick Burgess is married to the former Brenda Walker of St. George’s, and they have three children, two foster children and five grandchildren.

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Comments (21)

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  1. Kennette J Burgess says:

    Congrats cousin! May God be with you and my PLP and my Bermuda! Blessings

    • Tired of nonsense says:

      Notice how all PLP supporters place their party before country…

  2. Malachi says:

    Derrick Burgess? …….I hope he doesn’t pull Paula down to his slimy depths.

  3. Golden says:

    Please someone tell me this is all a really dreadful nightmare. Derrick Burgess? How? Why?

    • Tired of nonsense says:

      Because the PLP needs a leader that will talk down and berate white people as Burgess has displayed his whole political career. From what I gather that is the litmus test for a “successful” PLP leader. For every reopsnse as to why some thought Dr. Brown’s tenure was “successful” was because he was simply rude and condescending to whites.

      You think just because Dr. Brown is gone that the PLP was going to allow progressive thinking to take place. Sucker.

  4. Val says:

    And so the den of thieves perpetuates itself…be what he may, at least Mr. Trevor Moniz is an honest man. Of course, when nothing remains, it will be the likes of Mr. Moniz who gets the blame…plus ca change.

  5. terry says:

    Bermuda is another world a billion dollars out of “C”, and when the people greet it’s like a …..melee, to look across the harbor and see a multi coloured ‘SALE’……….

    Pass the rum…..

  6. Truth says:

    The PLP rewards loyalty. No matter how incompetent or divisive they may be. The delegates, to be fair to them, didn’t have much to choose from but Dereck Burgess as the Deputy Premier shows just how out of touch with Bermuda, the grass roots Party actually is. Party First, Bermuda a distant second. This “success” that the PLP is enjoying is an illusion. Bermuda is deteriorating around them and yet they find cause to celebrate in their bubble.

    We should be mourning. The only bright political star that Bermuda had was Paula Cox and she allowed herself to be tarnished and dragged through the mud when she stood silent and let Ewart run the countries finances into the ground. What would have been a celebration only 2 years ago is now, very much a non event today.

    • me says:

      2 years to turn things around…..a lot can be done in 24months…..what probably won’t change is the way some ppl think…..my mother hated the UBP, and although she worked for a UBP government, she showed up everyday, monday to friday for 42years, did her job, paid her bills, raised her family, bought a (real) home. so I understand the mentality……

      keep hating……but don’t stop contributing to the ‘business’

    • Dragging A Lure says:

      The haters/losers are out in full force. Polishing their keyboard keys for the next wave of written crucifixations on the PLP leadership. It was predicted that the same folks will start on the new Premier,Deputy Premier,Cabinet Members and PLP Delegates after the departure of Dr. Brown. The predictors are correct in their assessment, but why so quickly? Maybe those above can explain the reasons to us.

      • Tired of nonsense says:

        Because Derrick Burgess is forthright in his contempt for people that do not look like him. Would you jump up and down for a white politician who constantly belittled black people while berating whites for fraternizing with black people. I didn’t think so. So why should we afford such niceties to an individual who hates me without even meeting or speaking with me?

        Instead of throwing around accusations and allegations why don’t you seek to understand first?

        No problem w/ Paula though. Bermuda is in need of a woman’s touch right now.

        • Dragging A Lure says:

          Nice Try

          • Tired of nonsense says:

            Oh I apologize….didn’t realize that was a plantation question…

          • Tired of nonsense says:

            So why don’t you tell us through all your infinite wisdon and insight into the white psyche?

            Please enlighten me Lure.

            I already know your answer will contain nothing but a blanket stereotype of a whole race of people. Because generalizing a whole race based on the actions of some isn’t wrong and definitely not prejudiced/racist.

            Right Lure? Or do you prefer Drag?

      • LOL says:

        Clue#1. the felling of superiority …………

        LOL

        • Dragging A Lure says:

          Too all of the above,
          I’m calling the shots, so try another approach. (LOL)to my project/studies. (right bait)I’m winning big time. Check my name. I can provide it in many other languages also and it means the same thing. What do they say in Vegas. Fill in the blank (A is born every hour.) hahaha for a long time. Make my weekend Tired and the Rest of you Anti-PLP haters from birth. You bloggers are so funnieee. You’re being suckered in and not even aware. Next week I’m going to start charging consultant fees to all of you for my advise.
          Cheers

          Enjoy the weekend

          • Tired of nonsense says:

            “You’re being suckered in and not even aware”

            So you blindly supported a man that evidently has just about brought our financial position to its knees while allegedly skimming some off the top through non-tendered contracts to the same crony on more than one project…and we have been suckered…hahahahahahahahahaha

            ” Make my weekend Tired and the Rest of you Anti-PLP haters from birth”

            That quote alone shows the kool-aid stains on your lips. You have not once, on here or on any other site that you post under this pseudonym, addressed the issues at hand that are damaging and/or have damaged our island as a whole. No instead when asked to comment on these issues you resort to the old, boring and played out racist, haters and Uncle Toms excuse.

            It is you my fried that has been suckered to ignoring the issues and attack the messenger. It is people that think like you that are liabilities in a democracy. No rational thought process unless you are told what to think. Dr. Brown was great at poli-tricking and it seems that you are one of his proteges.

            When you drag a lure, try and catch a clue…

          • Dragging A Lure says:

            To Tired of nonsense.
            I don’t fish for clues hahahah. My bait is to catch SUCKERS.
            You’re giving me the impression that you fit the description.
            Better Stop Now

            I’m in control of this conversation.

            Don’t get angry it’s all a game.

            Thanks to Bernews for allowing these conversations

            Cheers