Financial Reasons: Less Soldiers To Parade
This year the annual Queen’s Birthday Parade will have a reduced amount of soldiers on parade.
Answering Bernews, a spokesperson for the Bermuda Regiment, confirmed that the smaller Bermuda Regiment Guard strength was for financial reasons, and that the Regiment will parade with two Guards, rather then four. The Bermuda Regiment’s budget was reduced by over a million dollars in the most recent budget.
The military in Bermuda has always celebrated the Sovereign’s Official Birthday with a June parade. From the nineteenth century until 1955, the ceremony was put on by the soldiers of the infantry battalion that was garrisoned in Bermuda.
Until the 1950′s, the ceremony itself was a purely military celebration, with minimal public participation and took place at the Prospect Garrison field. This field is now the site of Bermuda’s National Stadium.
From 1950 to 1955, the Queen’s Birthday Parade took place at Bernard’s Park with units from the British Garrison and the Royal Navy playing the lead role. From 1952, there was participation by local units such as the newly formed Bermuda Rifles, the reformed Bermuda Militia Artillery, and the Bermuda Cadets Corps.
In 1966, following the formation of the Bermuda Regiment, the parade shifted to Front Street where it became a major Tourist drawing card. The parade has taken place on Front Street ever since 1966.
In 1980, the Bermuda Regiment mounted a 120 person Guard of Honour when it presented four Guard sections made up of men, and one complete Guard section made up entirely of Bermuda Regiment servicewomen who were taking part for the first time.
Laid down British military protocol requires that all military units that receive a Sovereign or Head of State, must mount a 96 person Guard of Honour; to provide less could be considered a diplomatic discourtesy. The UK Guard of Honour that greeted President Barack Obama on his recent May visit to the UK was a 96 man Guard of Honour.
The Bermuda Regiment has mounted 96 man Guards of Honour for His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Haile Selassie I for his 1967 visit to Bermuda, for the several visits of HM the Queen, and for a visit by US President George Bush (the first).
This cut-in-half Guard of Honour is one of the few times that any military unit in Bermuda has departed from this centuries old protocol.
shame n shame
WASTE OF TIME AND MONEY !!!
Oddly enough, I agree that the regiment is a waste of time and money.
Bermuda needs to reform the regiment entirely! Imagine if the $8m+ a year spend was put back into education or social services that are hurting right now. Let’s face it, the discipline is not exactly helping our young men, just teaching them to handle weapons and swear more effectively. Please someone in government do something Progressive for once!
Education has enough money, trust me. At the end of the day it’s up to the students. Teachers, staff, and facilities are in place for a successful learning experience.
Love live the Bermuda Regiment!
YAH A FREAK!!
Financial Reasons: Take away regiment all together
Amen to that. How sad that the regiment is more important than education. Time to think about ceasing regiment at least until economy picks back up.
Couldn’t agree with you more
Bernews commenters are hilarious.
Headline: “Regiment Repaints a Truck.”
Bernews commenters: Down with conscription!!!
Headline: “Regiment Parade on X Date.”
Bernews commenters: “It’s 21st century slavery!!!11!”
The headline does read ‘doing less with less’ so if they were doing hardly nothing to begin with then the comments calling for reform have merit.
It’s still gonna be a great parade , so go and show support for our young men who accept the fact that they have to do national service.
(unlike the lazy whiners who have no intention of ever doing anything and trying to hide behind lame human rights, discrimination claims)
Hear hear!
well said “do attend”
Thanks for the history lesson Bernews, didn’t know the history or the protocols behind the parade. hope it’s good weather for the parade.
AGREED!!!
Family:
The article is discussing the cutting of the honour guard for the Queen’s Birthday Parade – it is amazing to me how quickly any reference to the Regiment automatically turns into a “get rid of” or “destroy” the Regiment rants.
The Regiment has a ceremonial purpose – i.e. the Queen’s birthday parade, to name one. I can agree that the Regiment isn’t all peaches and cream – they have some serious problems that need to be addressed – I fully admit and acknowledge that fact.
However, this “die, Regiment, Die!” mindset is just crazy to me. Fact – Bermuda is a British Dependent Territory. Our national anthem is “God Save the Queen.”
Until we decide to govern ourselves, it is a matter of honour and respect. I am a Nationalist – I believe in Bermuda and her people – what we decide for ourselves, I will fully support, even with my life (as I served in our Regiment for 10 plus years).
So either accept where we are – - or get in the position to move us to where you think we should be – - plain and simple – - no need to shoot off at the mouth with nothing but empty rhetoric – - we have Bermudian politicians for that.
Yng Black Mind
(those who know understand)
Blog – http://yngblackmindbda.blogspot.com
Young black mind, white mind, no mind. The fact is that many people have been oppressed by the regiment with no avenue to voice their concerns or suggestions for improvement. Your 10+ years means you’re like many of the long-term soldiers there: socially awkward.
Maybe if the Regiment was a full time volonteer service, then people would not see it in such a negative light. Hence why the fire service does not get such bad press! You get me? I did my time by the way and know what it is all about. But time for it to change, so that a professional army can do drills for the Queen on ‘National Heroes Day’ !
Continued waste of BDA tax payers money. Not surprised though.This country has no money sense and will continue to p*ss money away until they go broke.
Personally, I can’t wait until all those clowns that work full-time up there come looking for jobs in the private sector. They won’t find any openings from me!
the solution is simple: EXPAND THE PRACTICE OF CONSCRIPTION TO INCLUDE ALL BERMUDA-BORN FEMALES BETWEEN THE AGES OF EIGHTEEN AND THIRTY.
…problem solved.
Oh Boo Hoo!! You mean to tell me we gonna see less robots marching up and down. OMG!! What is this island coming to? (In sarcastic voice)
The training of the military is pure, classic mind control. It is designed to break the spirit of a recruit to the point where he will do, by reflex action, whatever he is told to do, whenever and wherever, he is told to do it.The more elite the regiment, the more profound is the mind control. The Police are the same.It is not that we don’t need the Police in today’s society, it is that we need them to think for themselves and assess situations on their merits. There are some who try to do that, but the system constantly discourages them.
You know what is another form of ” Classic Mind Control” – Religions
You know what else discourages you from thinking for yourself – Religions
I totally Agree. Religions and I’m sorry to say – Education. If I told you 2+2=4 that’s indoctrination. If you found out for yourself that 2+2=4 that’s education. I am indoctrinating my idea to you that 2+2=4 on you.
Make the Regiment voluntary, improve the pay and make sure that a soldier can get a FULL College/University Degree….This will ensure a superior quality soldier and the Regiment will still make it’s numbers…maybe a few short but so what, a ten man squad of Real Soldiers is better than a hundred hams any day, any time , anywhere. Sgt.Burch J.B. 5971
Even though the article talks about the Regiment, there is a bigger picture here……The state of our economy!!!! Hello, wakey, wakey people..pick them boogers out of your eyes and focus. When traditions (and more than 50 years old) are scaled back then you know you have a serious economic situation. If the Govt scaled back the May 24th parade, Cup Match or canceled Labour Day activities then I’m sure you all would pay more attention to our economic state.
If your atcrlies are always this helpful, “I’ll be back.”