Premier/PLP Hosts ‘Open Mic’ Night
Last night [Dec.28] the Progressive Labour Party hosted an ‘Open Mic Night’ at Shine’s House of Music, with the discussion covering a number of topics including work permits, job training, integrity of the politicians, payroll tax, getting involved in politics and more.
Premier Paula Cox, Senator Diallo Rabain and Environment & Planning Minister Marc Bean sat on the panel, and Makai Dickerson served as moderator.
Other PLP officials were present including backbenchers Dennis Lister and Dale Butler; Senators Jonathan Smith, Vince Ingham and David Burt; and PLP Chairman Anthony Santucci.
The club was decorated with green and white PLP balloons, and free refreshments were on offer. There were approximately 70 people present when we arrived at 7.15pm.
Minister Bean was asked about a number of topics including a fish farm, possible decriminalization of marijuana, as well as the integrity of politicians.
Answering the question on decriminalization, Minister Bean said drugs are a “major issue,” and so far the policies we have are not working well, as the prison is packed, police are busy, and young people are being stoplisted after making a mistake. He said Government is looking at “alternatives to the status quo,” however not specific decriminalization as such.
Minister Bean, who at 37 is one of the youngest MPs, urged young people to get involved, saying the younger generation “cannot repeat the folly – real or perceived – of older generations.” The responsiblity for the future lies with the younger generation he said.
Noting that over the past few decades there have been people who “have exhibited a lack of integrity,” and that “cronyism has been rampant in this country,” Minister Bean said if young people feel that the older generation has let them down, the best option going forward is to become involved and “not repeat the foolishness that you observed yesteryear.”
The Premier was questioned about the tax system, with a young entrepreneur suggesting adding income tax for businesses making millions, and even billions of dollars.
Premier Cox said that international business is “keeping Bermuda afloat,” and we want to appear welcoming, saying other jurisdictions copied our legislation and are “trying to out Bermuda, Bermuda.”
An audience member asked how the politicians intend to engage young people, and another audience member said “have integrity!”, to which the audience member said “I have integrity”. The second audience member replied to her saying, “No, I mean the politicians.”
The lady who said politicians need to have integrity then asked a series of questions. In those questions, Ms Kystal Assan mentioned “SDO scandals, accusations of corruption, backpedaling on human rights legislation”, and asked the panel what they are doing to restore credibility.
Minister Bean replied, as did Premier Cox who spoke of transparency, and mentioned the good governance legislation and the creation of a procurement office. Ms Assan replied that from the answers, it seems they don’t think they have a credibility problem.
Saying he thinks politicians like to talk while dodging the question, one young man asked for an answer “in as few words as possible” to why gambling is not allowed.
Premier Cox explained that the law prohibits it, and mentioned that some cruises lines have indicated that it is not as economically viable to visit Bermuda when they cannot keep their casinos open in port. She said the issue of gambling will be on the “table sooner rather than later.”
After the discussion period was over, the audience was thanked for their attendance, and there were draws to give away free tickets to New Years Eve events. Following the draws, the crowd mingled with the Premier and other politicians while local singer Candace Furbert performed.
HAH! The cog still spins… I don’t know what’s worse- these gangster politicians still preaching their bull, or the fact that some people still believe what they say!
It sounds as though this was more than a PLP xmas jaunt and should be commended. It would be very easy for these people to sit at home with their feet up on 28 Dec. My one criticism is that it appears very safe, questions that are wide full tosses easily hit to the boundary, and that the venue is likely to attract PLP members only (which I’m sure was the intention given the balloons). How about some
bravery and doing the next one, open house at the Yacht Club?
I was unable to make it myself, but I am curious, FF (or anyone, just FF inspired the questions) if you could answer the following:
1) What questions would you have asked (not being full-wide tosses hit for six)? Perhaps you, or others, could take these questions to the next event.
2) How is Shine’s a ‘venue likely to attract PLP members only’? I’m really not sure what you mean by that. Why is Shine’s such? What qualities about Shine’s render it scary or unattractive to non-PLPers? The implication I’m getting is that it is not welcoming to Whites (as opposed to the Yacht Club, where the opposite would be at play, not welcoming to Blacks). It can’t be the location, as when it was Studio 52 (or whatever, memory is foggy) back in the late 1990s it was certainly quite a diverse crowd. So, I’m just trying to work out why the place is seen by you the way you imply. I’m not coming down on you, I’m just genuinely trying to understand your perceptions and reasonings.
You know very well what I am saying. I don’t know what it was like 15 years ago, and I’ve no reason to suggest it isn’t a welcoming place, but its predominantly a black club these days. I’m not looking to score political or racial points here, I’m just stating the facts. I would just like to see Paula Cox experience the other side of the coin, the people of Bermuda that are really unhappy, and that is not going to happen at a self satisfied PLP Q&A in Shines. Fact.
To be objective, did she and her government not hold town hall meetings like a year ago? If I remember they did. I understand your point, but the Yatch Club?!
As said, I’m not trying to attack, just understand. What constellation of factors makes it a Black space as opposed to a White space or a race-neutral space?
The OBA Youth Wing have held events at Docksiders and Moon, but they haven’t held an event at Swinging Doors or, in this case Shines. Perhaps this is on their schedule (and the PLP for Docksiders and the Yacht Club)?
Dockies is a well known Parkside hangout, perhaps the OBA Youth Wing was looking for some folks who get things done?
Agreed The RBYC would be a poor compromise, but I think a nice town hall Q&A on neutral ground would appear more balanced.
Buy hey, I guess you have to cater to your voters.
Job well done given it took place on Dec. 28 with people away and the downpour of rain. I was there it was a chance for anyone to come and give questions and to me it attracted mostly non-pro PLP so job well done. If more of these type of events take place it will be nothing but positive. Also, the OBA’s was good…I’m undecided so at this point OBA or PLP have the chance to grab my vote.
As you see why the event was held on the 28th of December. It was so that the PLP(Please Leave Parliament)can say that the turnout was low but they still gave people the chance to voice there concerns.
This is there DUE DILIGENCE as they will call it.
But really it is the same rhetoric they have been spinning since 1998.
Lets stop talking and start to fix and heal the ENTIRE community by helping people not making it harder for them.
Not interested….. OBA all the way!
Meh….party politics needs to end.
Good opportunity to voice your concerns, ask your questions, get answers and dialogue. If you are really concerned with trying to progress location should not be an issue. I look forward to the next one.
My question is “What has this Government (PLP) done to tightening their belts” in these hard economic times
We are all told to tighten our belts for the hard ride ahead.
Guess what alot of these hard times were created by this Government (PLP) As they were spending, spending like drunken saliors and our finance minister (Yes the COG) was in charge of our finances as she is today.
And I am suppose to believe in her. HECK NO
plp – pathetic losing party
What do they all have in common?
Wayne Furbert
Darius Tucker
Larry Scott
Jonathan Smith
Jamahal Simmons
Julian Hall
Vincent Ingham
Maxwell Burgess
They were all ex- UBP members or MP’s or actively assisted in UBP fundraisers. PLP=UBP
Stephen Todd – ex BDA.
When will Kim Swan move now that we works at Port Royal?
You forgot the PLP Chairman, Anthony Santucci. I believe he was involved with both the UBP and NLP prior to his more recent (post-1998) association with the PLP.
@ Jim Bean OBA/UBP dieheart……This proves that Blacks are willing to move, it is the whites that are not !! Many of these folks listed really should have never been associated with the UBP in the first place. Thanks to God they have come home to their true roots!! “PLP PLP all the way PLP”.
………using false or exaggerated information to win support for a political cause or point of view……read a book about the last days of the Third Reich
many paralells, particularly the paranoia that everyone is out to get you
watch as the trips overseas increase for inner cirle to get away from the Bermudians, lets go shopping with Renee in Paris I say.
lets have tea at the lighthouse this afternoon and have conversations on racism and the cliff dive Bermuda has taken in the last 13 years under PLP “RULE”. I think not, l’d rather bash them on here thanks.
Dear Paula & Co,
Your time is running out not even grassroots supporters are interested in your smokes and mirrors routine anymore, and all this nonsense must now end. The PLP must give Bermuda credible leadership and candidates.
@ 65 Thieves That’s exactly what the PLP are doing, Putting forward quality candidates and putting in work on behalf of the people. If you can’t speak to the event then why post on the story? There are plenty of places for you to pass out milk on behalf of the milk king.