New OBA Senators: Michael Fahy & Toni Daniels
[Updated with videos] The One Bermuda Alliance has named Michael Fahy and Toni Daniels as their new Senators this afternoon [Nov.3] to replace party leader Craig Cannonier and Dr. Kathy Michelmore.
From left to right: Toni Daniels, Michael Fahy, OBA Leader Craig Cannonier, OBA Deputy Leader Sen. Michael Dunkley and OBA Chairman Thad Hollis:
Mr. Cannonier was sworn in at Government House this morning as the island’s newest Member of Parliament and the new Opposition Leader after winning the Devonshire South Central by-election earlier this week, with 82.89% of the vote.
Mr. Cannonier said, “Their mission is to make sure all Government decisions and actions help get the Island back on track and working better for Bermudians.
“This week, the Premier tried to breathe new life into her Government by shuffling the Cabinet, but no matter how much shuffling goes on it remains the same government under the same leadership that has presided over a serious loss of opportunity and employment across the length and breadth of Bermuda.
“We have a duty to stop the slide. Our Senate team will push the Government to perform better and make sure it puts Bermuda first in all its decisions.”
Former Senator Dr. Michelmore has also resigned, set to move with her family to New South Wales, Australia. She previously said, “I recognise that many people may ask ‘Why leave now?’ when the political landscape is becoming more and more exciting.
“Timing is never perfect, and a move at any time would probably disappoint. However our family has a new adventure ahead, and our circumstances mean that now is the time for us.”
Michael Fahy, a lawyer who works in international business, previously served as OBA Chairman, Bermuda Democratic Alliance chairman and as a United Bermuda Party Senator. Toni Daniels, who co-owns and operates the popular Down To Earth health food store, serves as the OBA Secretary.
Update 4.19pm: Mr. Cannonier also released his Shadow Cabinet assignments. They are:
- Craig Cannonier – National Security
- Bob Richards – Finance and Economy, Trade and Industry
- Dr. Grant Gibbons – Education
- Trevor Moniz – Attorney General
- Shawn Crockwell – Business Development and Tourism, Party Whip
- Pat Gordon-Pamplin – Transportation
- Mark Pettingill – Public Works
- Michael Dunkley – Health
- Donte Hunt – Community Development
- Cole Simons – Government Estates and Information
- Louise Jackson – Seniors spokesperson
- Toni Daniels – Youth Affairs and Families
- Michael Fahy – Environment, Planning and Housing
Update 8.17pm: Video with Toni Daniels:
Video with Michael Fahy:
Dunkley looks like he’s plotting his takeover……
We have bigger concerns than that my friend. You ought to be concerned about all of this debt that our children will be paying off ..all courtesy of the PLP.
Here’s the kicker, what services have you gotten for all of the money spent?
Reduced Ferries
Reduced Buses
A decaying infrastructure
Reduced Social Services
Free School? Nope.
Free Healthcare? Nope.
Free Nursery? Nope.
A booming economy? Nope.
Where is the return on the “investment”? Those things are what you ought to be thinking about.
Free ferries and buses? Nope.
A job if you want one? Nope.
Adequate education standards in those new schools? Nope.
International Business waiting in the wings to come back when the economy is better? Nope. They all have well-developed exit strategies though.
Along with his sidekick Fahy.
Curious, you’re dead wrong about Dunkley. Cannonier is already showing himself to be an articulate and effective leader.
But if you want to look for a party leader who is effectively dead meat, with others already plotting a takeover, look no further than the PLP. It’s common knowledge. Zane is licking his chops and Ewart is pulling the strings.
I wanna seat in the Senate too. Datz one Gorgeous Woman. She gatt my vote.
All the best to them. Fresh minds and ideas.
Jack better keep an eye on her.
me too ….sure is fine looking woman.lol
GOOD LUCK TO THE OBA KEEP THE PLP ON THE TOES!!!!!!
Same old UBP with a few minor changes, Toni Daniels and Craig Cannonier.
TJ, wait till you see the new candidates when the election is called. Unless your on the inside of OBA your sarcastic comments carry no weight except to divide which your good at.
Lets reflect upon the Party which now includes the former leader of the old UBP. You should consider listening to the lyrics of the Williams Brothers’ song…”Sweep around your own front door”.
Absolutely, it’s just UBP spelt with the letters OBA in it. Might have changed their mission and vision a little but I guess that had to happen to keep up with the negative changes we face in Bermuda.
Exactly! what qualification does ms. daniels have? lets see her cv? some are posting about her pretty face, which she is, but lets hope she’s more than a pretty face.
I know Toni, she is not to be underestimated. She is very sharp and will be an asset to the OBA in the Senate and to Bermuda as a whole. I would say she is very straight forward or in other words you could say down to earth…
I’m not a follower – tell us what is her qualifications? Same ole same ole shown in the senate – Michael and Michael Sin-ate show. Donkley and Fa-key – I didn’t want to deceive you, I had to, so I could start my own new party so who are the sheep’s? say after me “t h e 7 h e a d e d s n a k e s.
You tell us what qualifications these politicians should have!
Sort memory indeed it was the good doc who “had to deceive you” so you are a follower.
LOL
Toni’s definitely more than just a pretty face. She has spent decades of her life contributing to the Bermuda community. But not in the spotlight because that’s not her style. She is very well-spoken, but isn’t “all talk”. Her commitment to Bermuda is demonstrated through her actions. Bermuda should be thankful to have her as part of its leadership team. You’ll see…
http://www.oba.bm/index.php/component/content/article/7/246-toni-daniels-
No OBA, that’s pretty rich coming from a PLP supporter. I didn’t see any such criticism when a 25 year old disk jockey was given a senate seat.
Toni Daniels has actually done a few things with her life. Your comments about her being a ‘pretty face’ are cheap and sexist.
Beyond a short lived waitress career what qualifications did Ms. Minors have to run Tourism, one of the most important portfolios in Government? Furthermore what qualifications does Ms. Minors have to be the Minister of Economy, Trade & Industry?
Besides numerous tax-payer funded Government appointments/consulting jobs what qualifications does Marc Bean have to be the Minister of Environment, Planning & Infrastructure Strategy?
With background in the “arts, journalism, public relations, advertising and communications” what qualifications does Dame Jennifer have to be Minister of Education (for a second time!!)?
As a former doorman and union activist what qualifications does Derrick Burgess have to serve as Deputy Premier Minister of Transport?
As someone with only a prior junior position in banking what qualifications does Walter Roban have to serve as Minister of Public Works?
How is Zane Desilva, someone with absolutely no prior experience with public health issues, qualified to server as the Minister of Health?
Let’s not even mention Glenn Blakeney’s qualifications for Minister of Youth Affairs & Families.
Foolow the sheep off the cliff No OBA…..thats where your going without them.
Dunkley is going to cut Patrice’s __s down in Constituency #10 thats why he is chillin
Cabinet looks like the UBP wearing the coat of OBA. Same persons, I was looking forward to a change, only 2 new persons? Same UBP/OBA party !!! No surprise here!! Old wine in new bottles, but I am not even sure the bottles are new !
go sabotage your own website “babygirl”
Just wait for the announcement of all the new candidates. They had plenty to choose from. I know for a fact over 100…
Just another reminder – the UBP still continues in it’s own diminished way. The OBA is a newly formed political party which includes members of the UBP, BDA and totally new members such as the 100 people who have put there names forward to serve if called upon. Some have never been involved in politics before.
The more rhetoric you hear coming from the PLP mouthpieces the more you know they are looking at the OBA as a serious threat going forward. They can see that the OBA is building a formidable and viable Party ready to take over the reigns.
That photo with the Milk Man is priceless. How much you want to wager that if the OBA win the next election Craig will be booted out of the OBA/UBP and replaced with another leader with the last name Dunkley.
There are some things money can’t buy. For everything else, there’s Dunkley the man in charge.
Hey Dunkley I’ll vote for you come election time if you get my car payed off.
You’ll be lucky if you can still afford the payments after the budget in March. By the time the election comes round you may be walking (no buses or ferries).
Id rather walk than catch a ferry or bus anyway. THey may be drived or piloted by bus Drirvers that refuse to take a drug test after an accident and intoxicated Ferry drivers that smash ferries with passengers into docks and are let off.
I do not think Michael Dunkley is that kind of a guy, and why do you say he is the man in charge ?
You really think if Craig won Michael would just be able take it from. I don’t think so. Craig would carry a lot of weight if he managed to win the Government. Michael might have to wait till Craig is ready to hand it over.
Big whoop! More political crap! PLP will easily win the next election. The Premier is a smart women. Say what you like, she is smart and trying.
It is easy for us arm chair politicians to run the Country!
I think it is fair to say that the only ones that thought it would be easy were those in the PLP GOv. Remember right after there big win three elections ago, they went straight to WORK by announcing a PUBLIC holiday so that we could all celebrate their win, and he great future.
With all of the criticism of the UBP back then and how they would do sooo much better. I am embarassed to say that I voted for the PLP the first two times. Here is what we have to show for all their hard work.
PUBLIC EDUCATION: worse state than ever
CRIME : worse than ever
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: worse than ever
LABOUR RELATIONS (UNIONS): worse than ever
ECONOMY: worse than ever
EMPLOYMENT: WORSE THAN EVER
NATIONAL DEBT: I DON’T BELIEVE WE HAD ANY DEBT BACK THEN
TOURISM: WORSE THAN EVER
In all fairness the one department that I can say that is more efficient today thanks to the PLP is TCD. It used to take me most of the day to get my car passedor licence renewed…now 20 mins and Im in and out. But…now that I have been out of work for 3 weeks and all the time in the world, I would rather sit in the old TCD office and wait all day and have a job to go to, than to be out in 15 mionutes and have no place to go.
Let us not forget things like the house on T- Street situation, Berkeley/Proactive deal that cost us millions, the TuckerPoint/ Rosewood Rosewood deal where this government ignored the public outcry, or the Stonington Beach Hotel 99 year deal, or the Bermuda Cement Company raw deal, or the TCD , cruise terminal deals, millions in unaccounted for money, loss of tourism because of piss poor planning. I could go on and on….if my memory was a bit better lol.
Nothing will change , if nothing changes.
I could keep going on but we have all lived it! Personally I wish we didnt have to deal with “part politics” and we could just vote for the person, note the UBP, OBA, or PLP candidate! Or at the very
We did have debt, around $120 million when the PLP took over in 1998. It remained under $200 million until around 2008 when it suddenly started going up like a roller coaster and in 2010 it was $1000 million ($1 billion). It is now around $1200 million ($1.2 billion).
From my understanding they were so scared of screwing the economy up at first they let everything coast along as it had been set up under the UBP for the first 6 -7 years. Then as they gained confidence they started managing thing along there own lines and the spending really took off with the thinking the money would keep rolling in. It didn’t keep rolling in…
So here we are ending up with nothing in reserve and just paying the interest is more than Bermuda can handle, never mind paying down the principle in any meaningful way. How Paula Cox can say with a straight face she is happy with her performance as Finance Minister is farcical. Politics forces people to really say some stuff to save face.
@Princess
I will add to your list
Health Care for Seniors -WORSE THAN EVER
Two Seniors living in one House one paying $300+ one paying $637
We Seniors are struggling we worked for our Pension and now have to pay it back to Government and are left with not even a cent because Health Care + Rent and only rent leaves us with no money left. Monthly Pension Check Gone
How can they justify doing this oh forgot Zane Desilva said if you are Healthy he will consider dropping your cost (ok for him to say that he gets all his ailments taken care of free allowing the KEMH to do experiments on him than he has the nerve to say every one should have a Colonoscapy)free for him !!!!!!!! WORSE THAN EVER FOR US.
Last but not least Private Pension is yours right when you claim for HARDSHIP you have to pay $100 to get your own money YOUR OWN MONEY something is wrong with this picture. WE SENIORS NEED OUR CLINIC BACK AND OUR HEALTH INS. DROPPED TO AN AFFORDABLE COST BECAUSE WE WOULD LOVE TO BE ABLE TO buy Groceries::: Excuse Typos please! just a Senior Venting
PLEASE NO HARSH COMMENTS Thank You!!! HELP YOUR SENIORS!!!! WORSE THAN EVER FOR US
Cox has handed Wayne Furbert the ex leader of the UBP, the responsibility for a very important Ministry. She should rename the party the UBP/PLP.
As long as they rename the BDA…. I mean OBA (or whatever it is called this week) the UBP/OBA. Because all they’ve done is put “lipstick on a pig”. There’s next to nothing new about them. Same old, same old.
Funny isn’t it that the hardline PLP supporters say the OBA is the old UBP. The PLP has “THE face” of the UBP….it’s former leader! I guess the UBP couldn’t have been all that bad with Jamal and Wayne and others being “invited” to join. If he and the UBP were so bad why ask him to join the party then push aside some of your key PLP supporters / candidates and Hand him one of the key positions while others have been tosssed aside like discarded trash. Makes no sense unless one admits that maybe they need help and direction….maybe the PLP needs guidance? Just askin?
Again! Say what you like. Furbert is respected in his constiuency and has a lot of contacts. He is liked by a lot of people.
It may have hurt deep down to appoint him but this is a very smart chess move on her part. Who says she does not have the testicle fortitude to make tough decisions?
All we are focusing on is his past UBP alliance. Think outside the box people, this is a very good move on her part.
I can tell he is likeable but he just seems to such a bumbler i.e. not good a communicating. I don’t think he is the right person to sell Bermuda. Even he said he was surprised when asked by Paula Cox if he would like to be Min. of Tourism. He isn’t qualified for the role. I see it as a reward for him. On the plus side at least he will be full time. Having it only as part time position was an insult to the industry.
So the OBA is the UBP huh? Well Ya better take a closer look at the PLP/UBP. The EX-LEADER of the UBP is now the PLP’s minister of tourism!!! All those years Wayne slammed the PLP…talked about them like dogs…what all is now forgiven??!! He’s an opportunist straight up. And to think ya’ll fell for that okey doke!? Only in Bermy.
It only goes to show that the PLP ain’t got no bench! And you can bet ya boots the PLP backbenchers must be choking on that huge BITTER pill they have to swallow, seeing a UBP/PLP man springboard over the party faithful. What an insult. No wonder LaVerne was almost choking on her words the other night. She must be VEX!!!!
I know that most of the bloggers are incapable of saying anything positive about “the other side” whichever that side happens to be, but I would like to say that I feel just a little bit more confident about Bermuda’s future when I read that in one day our leaders have chosen Senators of the quality of Toni Daniels and Michael Fahy for the OBA, Vince Ingham and Diallo Rabain for the PLP, AND that a man of the character of Craig Cannonier has been sworn in as Leader of the Opposition. These are all younger, fresh faces who might just be able to turn this country around – and turn it around they must because we are so close to the edge. I wonder if it might even be possible to fight the next election on the issues rather than on making an endless string of insulting comments about the other party. Sorry – just dreaming!!!
Bermuda has is rather immature politically, in terms of Party Politics. It has a long way to go before we get to the point of actually debating on the issues. Sorry… and I hope to be proven wrong.
I agree on your point about the high quality of candidates – and all on the same day. Maybe there is a glimmer of hope for all of us and our children.
@ Common Sense
This is one of the most constructive comments I have seen in a long time. Well done!! PS – I agree with your comments.
Sitting pretty on Seabright Avenue………..yes we beautiful Bermudians are smiling today!!!
They couldn’t get my vote but I know where I am shopping tomorrow. Oops, I am certain she is bright as well..
Perhaps no that Brown and Laverne are out of the way Bermuda can have a campaign based on issues and improving the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in regardless of who wins or looses. Some comments here are funny and if anyone thinks that Craig Cannonier would be duped or tricked or have his strings pulled by someone else has never met him. Fahy is a lawyer in IB (so was the premier) and Ms. Daniels runs her own business which judging by her looks alone must be good for she certainly looks healthy and down to earth. Let get the election over with and start healing Bermuda…
Do these two even know anything about politricks? Going from bad to worse!
God help us! we’d be better off with the plp.
Common sense is right – the plp PAID bloggers are so obvious – writing under “pen” names they then repeat the same message over and over and then use their real name as well. the thread and consistency in the message from these lot is shocking. look at the quality senate on both side now that l furbert is gone. ingham ran BELCO (but also was in charge when rates went WAAAAY up hurting the little man. Fahy has always been based on fact and solutions. Daniels is HOTTTT and runs a very successful shop. Rabain is a decent humble guy! WOW – that is the future of Bermuda. It is what we have all wanted!
Toni is cute!
Now that I take a double take..she’s pretty hott! A bit too tiny though
)
Lighten up, it’s Friday..most of us worked hard all week…
Congratulations to Toni Daniels, Michael Fahy, Vince Ingham and Diallo Rabain. As ‘Common Sense’ says, these are fresh new faces with the possibility of new ideas that will be for the benefit of all Bermudians.
@ Pipsqueak. Hopefully none of them know about or practice poliTRICKS. We have had more than enough of that. As far as being knowledgeable politicians, they come to the table with at least as much experience as any that have been sitting in the House over the last few years.
I am holding the vision of a working, thriving Bermuda. I am speaking what I want, not what I don’t want, and striving to remove negativity from my mind and my speech. Anybody want to join me?
congrats to both Toni and Michael
but Toni you need to come DOWN TO EARTH and join the PLP