Video: OBA Leader Candidate Bob Richards
This evening [Sept.10] the One Bermuda Alliance [OBA] will host their Leadership Election, with Senator Craig Cannonier and MP Bob Richards both hoping to be elected leader. We spoke with Mr Richards yesterday about tonight’s election, and the future plans of the OBA.
When asked what he hopes to bring to the table as leader, Mr Richards said he brings experience in both politics and business, which he feels is one of the “principle things” he could bring as leader.
Speaking on the OBA’s chances at the next election, Mr Richards said he thinks they are good, with Bermudians being “tired of the mistakes of the present government.” He said they will field “36 high quality candidates”, and they will work hard in every constituency to win seats.
Responding to PLP MP Wayne Furbert’s recent comments about the OBA having a black leader, Mr Richards said “Mr Furbert is a victim of out dated thinking, I guess that’s why he is a member of the PLP now. We are a party that stands on a set of principles.” He said the party aims to bring people together, regardless of race or ethnicity.
Mr Richards said he feels the biggest issue facing Bermuda is the “stagnation of the economy.” He said the Government’s view that our economic decline is all due to the global recession isn’t accurate, and that although the world’s economy has an effect on the island, much of our issues “have made in Bermuda written all over it.”
Full 20 minute interview below:
Bob Richards has a BA in economics from Waterloo Lutheran University in Canada and a Bachelor of Commerce and MBA from the University of Windsor in Canada. He has worked in various capacities for two Canadian banks in Toronto, the Bermuda Monetary Authority, Shell Trust Bermuda Ltd., Bermuda Asset Management, Ltd. and Bermuda Information Technology Services Ltd.
In 1997 Mr Richards was appointed to the Bermuda Senate where he served as Government Leader, and also as Minister of Telecomunications, and in 2007 he was elected a Member of Parliament and since then has served as Shadow Minister of Finance.
His fellow Leadership Candidate Senator Craig Cannonier has BSc in Industrial Psychology from Towson State University in Baltimore, Maryland. He has worked for the MarketPlace Group, People’s Pharmacy, Cable & Wireless and currently runs Esso City Tigermarket, Collector’s Hill Esso and Warwick Esso. Earlier this year, Senator Cannonier was appointed to the Senate.
The Leadership elections will start at 7:30pm this evening, and Bernews will carry live video of the evening’s activities.
This is this “change” from UBP? Same ol same ol!
NO, this is change from the PLP! You Ministers can start kissing your fancy corner offices with bathrooms (!) goodbye. The PLP had their chance, they screwed up royally, now it’s time for something different.
It’s the PLP who offer the same ol, same ol. The OBA offer hope and solutions.
and what change does the PLP offer? same ol same ol! any government would be better than our current.. and if you think otherwise, you havent been living in the same Bermuda as the rest of us seventy thousand!
Is this that all you are programmed to say? Same ol same ol?
That has been so played out..OOPs. Sorry I forget some of us never grow up from the baby stage. Once a baby always a baby. The only difference is the size of the pamper.
will you be posting an interview with the other candidate, mr. cannonier, as well in order to at least appear impartial? OR was an interview offered to him and declined as I can’t tell from the article?
We asked both candidates for an interview. If we had the ability to post both, we would have.
Bob Richards is the right man for the job,and his deputy should be Trevor Moniz. I hope the OBA members will look past personalities and perceived public appeal to put the right people in place tonight. Bob Richards understands and can do the work involved to help get our economy on track. He and Trevor are intelligent, thoughtful individuals who can be trusted to always do the right thing.
Agree ‘D’. Nothing againt Mr. Cannonaire. He has done tremendous work. If he is ‘elected’ he will fit right in.
Ask Shell, boss who is outspoken how Bob Richards performance appraisal was when he worked At shell.
Bob can’t lead period
Why making reference to Bob’s poor pass work experience not posted?
The irony about wayne furbert is that if the PLP lose he will cross the floor to go back to OBA so he can get a MInistry and some status. We are screwed with all these opportunist leaders.
Hey! Everybody wants to be a Star.
So the majority of the UBP MPs leave the UBP, slap a new label on a ‘new’ party and expect us to believe that they really represent change? Yeah right. Pull the other one.
You’re right Real Talk. At least with the PLP it is the same old and we know what we have and it won’t change. This is 1998 all over again, except then the PLP took over a soundly run economy but look at it now. So let’s try something new. At least the alternative has new faces and answers for the mess the PLP has brought to Bermuda.
@ weak talk – WHO CARES IF DEY PLP, UPB, OBA, OR FLIPPIN WELL XYZ!!!!!! Forget de names, wur dey came from before….if they about change den support dem or at least give dem a chance n listen to what dey sayin. ANYTHIN is betta den de current govt….POINT BLANK PERIOD! (even if dey weren’t PLP…ppl still would say de same thing, ain’t black/white/purple no more…jus need change so um not havin to pay off debt or have LESS income because dey need to raise taxes jus becuz dey want to drink sum fackin champagne in India!
Who (with half a brain) gives a rat’s azz. More than half of them are also ‘newbies’ .
One thing is for sure , after 13 years of the PLP it’s obvious that once they’re gone , and it will eventually happen , political parties and the way they govern/operate will never be the same as what we’ve seen up to now.
Once the electorate finally gets over ‘race’ they will, and must , understand that we can never have another close call with a PLP type of operation.
Unfortunately any new government is going to have their hands full for a very long time trying to reverse 13+ years of damage done by the PLP.
There is nothing wrong with resetting the dial, only this time the dial maybe working!
Time for change ,because I need a job!
You have two fingers.