PLP Questions OBA Constituency #20 Candidate
[Updated] The PLP has issued a statement asking “why the candidate for Constituency #20 Marcus Jones doesn’t have an opponent from the OBA as yet.”
“The electorate in Constituency #20 deserve time to consider their options and make a reasoned choice,” said the PLP. “Is the OBA too busy fighting over this seat to actually pay attention to the issues that matter to the constituents?
“Is the traditional old guard of the UBP pulling the strings? Are they allowing nepotism to rule the day? Bermudians are beginning to wonder what this OBA is really all about and who they are really fighting for? Are they fighting for the people? Or, is it all about power?” concluded the PLP.
C#20 Pembroke South West — traditionally seen as a stronghold for the Opposition — is presently held by the OBA’s Louise Jackson.
Mrs Jackson is retiring and the OBA has not formally announced her replacement, while the PLP has confirmed that Marcus Jones as their candidate, and Independent Jonathan Starling has also announced he will contest the seat.
The constituency saw the largest margin of victory in the 2007 General Election, with Mrs Jackson [under the UBP] earning 83% [711-145] of the vote vs the PLP’s Laverne Furbert. In the 2003 General Election, Mrs Jackson won with 81.83% of the vote against Neville Darrell.
Opposition Leader Craig Cannonier previously said the OBA will roll out their candidate for C#20 close to the Nomination Day of November 29th.
Update 6.15pm: The OBA responded, and their statement follows in full below.
The One Bermuda Alliance will roll out our candidate for Constituency 20 before Nomination Day, November 29. Our leader Craig Cannonier said this clearly last week.
But before the Government falls over itself checking on what the OBA is doing, it should take a good hard look at itself – at the fact, for instance, that it has not yet rolled out the Premier as a candidate in Constituency 14. Why is that? Given the history, voters might well ask just who is going to be the next leader of the Progressive Labour Party.
The PLP spin doctors like to suggest there is fighting within the OBA. They’re just shooting arrows in the air. Our team is strong, morale is high. In fact Senator Dunkley made that very clear when he was asked by the press about that very issue. His full statement can be seen here.
Often in elections, one side will attack another to deflect attention from its own weaknesses, and this is exactly what the PLP is doing here. There is plenty to suggest there is fighting within the PLP’s ranks, from Cabinet ministers punching at each other in the House of Assembly, to MPs being ousted in their own constituencies, to ministers refusing a Cabinet shuffle.
And so it makes sense that this Government should spend all its election campaign energies trying to tear down the OBA; trying to keep people from looking too closely at the PLP’s unhappy team and the fact that they offer Bermuda no plan, no solutions, no hope. So far all we have heard is excuses. They are the excuses government.
Bermudians want answers and assurances that their future is going to get better. The OBA will continue to speak for change; change that brings them a Bermuda built on social and economic equity, leaving no one behind; with good-paying jobs, safe neighbourhoods and great schools. That’s the change we believe in, and that’s what we will continue talking about.
The Government wants to talk about anything but Bermuda today – the thousands unemployed and under-employed, the soaring debt – and what they should do to undo what they’ve done. They’re standing in the centre of a mess, and they want everyone to look away.
Oh, and by the way, the only known case of nepotism that we are aware of is in Constituency 24 where Lawrence Scott is running in his father’s old seat.
Update 6.41pm: The PLP responded, pointing out that Premier Paula Cox was rolled out as a candidate on November 8th. Their full statement follows below.
The both ways OBA are at it again, telling another fairy tale to the people and trying to pass it off as fact.
The OBA should be aware, just like everyone else in Bermuda is aware, that Premier Paula Cox was rolled out as our candidate for Constituency #14 on 8 November 2012 in front of a packed and cheering house at our Warwick rally.
The video was posted on the internet for all to see. If the OBA doesn’t even know how to use the internet, how can we expect them to run a country?
Our team is in place and it is a team of quality candidates that truly care about the community. We have a record of delivering real results for Bermudians. In the face of an assault by the UBP Members of Parliament that now represent the One Bermuda Alliance, we delivered FutureCare which even the OBA is now praising.
We delivered DayCare which is helping hundreds of young families. We delivered the Economic Empowerment Zone. And, we have offered Bermudians a vision for the future – a realistic ten point plan for growth.
The OBA’s statement displays a level of anger and arrogance that Bermudians just won’t buy.
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Articles that link to this one:
- Independent David Petty To Run In C#20 | Bernews.com | November 19, 2012
- OBA Confirm Susan Jackson For C#20 | Bernews.com | November 28, 2012
Looks like the PLP are really into panic mode. Pathetic attempts to avoid providing their answers to the many questions relating to how they intend to fix the economy, jobs and crime.
J Starling is contesting the seat, but interestingly on his blog he has already predicted the winner. The OBA.
Yes, I wrote that some time ago. I’ll revisit it, thank you for noting it.
Registered voter questions why the PLP doesn’t focus on promoting themselves rather than spending so much time asking questions about their opposition.
WEll when you ain’t got a record to run on………………
LOL
Well, if I wasn’t already aware of the last 14 years, I’d be wondering. Received my constituency PLP candidates pamphlet yesterday. Says a lot about his education and his positions, but not a single thing about what he or the PLP have achieved during their time in power. Both would have been good to have on the pamphlet
What a waste of a statement…. Does the PLP have nothing better to do than this crap… How about telling the people WHY WE SHOULD VOTE FOR YOU?..
The PLP needs to be more concerned with what they are going to do, what plans they have for fixing the miserable failure that they have been than worrying about what the OBA is up to.
The headless chickens are running at full speed around Alaska Hall.
Probabley gonna be Kim Swan, Jinx Darrell or Graeham Innerbridge.
No Terry… Sea Dog..
From what I know of the PLP candidate, Marcus Jones, I think he’s an excellent candidate and a worthy opponent. Despite being a rival for the seat, I wish him all the best.
I am eager to find out who the OBA candidate is also.
“eager”?
That won’t change the outcome Comrade Starling. Will it change your strategey or committment?
A blessed day to all.
Why the hyper-focus by the PLP on constituents they haven’t shown any interest in in the past?
Just wait until the candidate emerges.
Then watch the spin machine go to work to pull up dirt et al.
PLP – PATHETIC LOSER PARTY!!
This is all they have!! Country is crumbling and this is what they got!!!!
Whoever the OBA candidate is Mr.Jones, after his performance or shall I say non performance, on the Darius Tucker show the other evening has ZERO chance…..if the OBA put a rock up for candidacy the rock would likely beat him as it would be more animated….
He didn’t say much but he had that friendly Bermudian glare down pat.
The UBP/OBA…Shocks excuse me , the OPPOSITION , will probably put VSB’s RACHAL SAWDON there , You know to ensure the youth vote . Besides , she’s easy on the eyes .
Mountbatten dude we finally agree on something. Rachel is more than easy on The eye she is as sweet as she looks
So it turns out the PLP candidate list is not exactly 100% cast in stone either.
Pot, meet kettle.
Truth is I just want to hear what is the plans of the PLP if they should regain the leadership of the Bda Govt, or the plans of the OBA if they should gain said leadership. I don’t want to hear why this person/party is yadda yadda, tell me what are the plans for the future so my children may enjoy a Bermuda I have enjoyed??? SIMPLE enough.
Plans? Silly girl, we don’t need to plan. All of Bermuda’s problems are the result of the World Wide Recession. As soon as that’s over and the USA, Canada and England are out of recession, our problems will fix themselves. We just have to keep standing strong on the backs of Bermudians.
Maybe the PLP needs to worry about losing their Candidate in St George’s. That’s Phil Perinchief and now John Gibbons deserting the sinking ship.
Sadly, I suspect the OBA will make the mistake of passing this safe seat on to someone with the same name as Louise Jackson just to prove that nepotism is alive and well. It will be interesting to see just how much experience the candidate has to justify being handed one of the safest seats for the OBA. Watch this space!
Is that a bit like how the PLP passed Larry Scott’s seat on to someone with the same name? Or is nepotism different when the PLP do it? How much experience does he have of anything, other than being the previous MP’s son?
Watch this space.
I forgot about Linda Merritt. That makes 3.
Who is the PLP candidate for # 14? The sitting MP is the Premier and Minister of Finance. Rather telling that she hasn’t been confirmed as the candidate. Why are the PLP keeping this secret? What are they hiding? Where is the transparency? Where is David Burt to respond to these questions?
Oh come on PLP the OBA has no convicted criminals or corrupt political wizards to put in these areas so they have to make do with honest hardworking business people quit complaining and get your own house in order
Actually the OBA does have one convicted criminal running as does the PLP – evidently it helps the resume if you can say you’ve been through hard times but are now reformed. Frankly, if either of these candidates had been in any way profoundly and genuinely rehabilitated they would surely have never entered the self-inflating political rat race and would instead have undertaken genuine, humble social work or perhaps have even gone out and found genuine jobs in trade or commerce. Nonetheless, it is not Shaun or Rolfe who should shoulder the blame for this sorry state of affairs but rather ourselves.
Who dat?