PLP To Elect A New Party Leader This Friday
The Progressive Labour Party will be hosting Special Delegates Conference on Friday [Dec 21] to select a new Party Leader.
Former Premier and Party Leader Paula Cox lost her Devonshire North West seat to the OBA’s Glen Smith on Monday, and her party was also defeated at the polls, with the OBA claiming a 19-17 seat victory.
Yesterday the PLP confirmed that Ms Cox tendered her resignation as Party Leader effective immediately, and that Derrick Burgess would serve as Acting Deputy Leader in the interim.
The PLP constitution [PDF] says: “In the event of the death, retirement, resignation, or removal of the Party Leader or Deputy Leader, a joint session of the General Conference Delegates and Members of the House of Assembly shall be reconvened within seven (7) days to elect a replacement.”
The person selected as party leader must be an elected MP. The 17 elected PLP MPs are: Lovitta Foggo, Derrick Burgess, Wayne Furbert, Glenn Blakeney, Walter Roban, Michael Weeks, Walton Brown, David Burt, Rolfe Commissiong, Lawrence Scott, Marc Bean, Zane DeSilva, Randy Horton, Terry Lister, Kim Wilson, Dennis Lister and Michael Scott.
Although the final decision will not be made until Friday, unofficial sources indicate that Terry Lister is seen as one of the more likely candidates to replace Paula Cox.
The last time the PLP voted in a new leader was in October 2010. Three MPs put themselves forward, and Paula Cox won with 124 votes, Terry Lister received 39, and Dale Butler finished with two votes
I would hazard a guess that Derek Burgess, Glenn Blakeney and Terry Lister at a minimum will put their names forward.
Again unfortunate (fortunate for the OBA) that Dale Butler lost his seat I think he would have made a fine party leader!
I wonder if Wayne Furbert is asking his parent’s permission to run for leader ????
Wayne is taking a big cut in pay and Wayne does not like that so he would be a likely candidate to put himself forward…of course under that guise of being the best candidate but really because he wants the money…..
This was all part of the secret plan …sssshhhhh…Wayne is actually a mole on a fact finding missioon. Can they “really” trust him! Is he one of them??? LOL
Keep a man’s parents off this, his mother and father are both alive and well. You sound like the very stuff that keeps Bermuda so devided. Welcome to the new Bermuda if this what the country is about with talk like this on Bernews. Only cowards avoid placing there names.
Dale needs to realize that is free thinking ideology is more suited to match that of the OBA. Dale, don’t forget that you’ve taken some major licks from your political associates over the last 8 years.
Disagree. Butler should be brought back into Parliament by the PLP as a Senator and his views valued for helping the PLP rebuild bridges to the independent voting public. I don’t think he is a good fit for the more capitalistic orientation of the OBA and it would be unprincipled for him to join them. Butler is a social democrat in the best sense of the term and needs to help moderate the more extreme anti-business wing of the PLP.
Your argument would be valid if that party of the PLP actually listened to him. He is indeed one of their best, but I agree with swing voter, he would be a better suit for the OBA as they would actually listen and would be interested in his ideas.
Frankly, I say Dale Butler for Minister for cultural affairs
Crossing the aisle is just not a good thing. It usually smacks of opportunism and lack of principle. Butler should fight the good fight within the PLP or as an independent if he chooses. If PLP doesn’t listen, its their bad. Even the UBP MPs who crossed over to BDA/OBA mid-term had their reputations tarnished. Only the ineptness of the PLP saved their election prospects. I would not like to see Butler adding his name to the list of aisle crossers.
It has not been the PLP’s bad for not listening to him, it has been their worst and they have abused his reputation to try and crutch up their own. I had actually hoped he would put himself out as an independent.
I do not believe in the notion of party loyalty, for, as with the PLP, it can create the attitude of party before country. Each constituency representative has the responsibility to their constituency and the country in whole over their party. Butler did indeed make a statement about his displeasure with the PLP when he resigned his ministerial post and if there was enough people of like mind in the PLP, then he could effect positive change there. But the PLP is to divided in its core, the camps there are to separated, and both sides are more interested in trying out maneuver the other to listen to him in the middle. The best thing he could do would be to leave the party, whether to the OBA or not, because if that statement in itself doesn’t catalyze change, then there is no hope for the PLP to ever become a party worthy of government. I us the word ‘worthy’ because, they could still retake government, but unless they change, they will never better serve the people.
You are wrong with your UBP/OBA analysis. When the former UBP MP’s left, they didn’t cross the floor, they left behind the past for a more positive change and it did not tarnish their reputation. In fact, it was received as a positive, to all but those who subscribed to the notion of party before country, or that a party is the country.
Should Mr Butler decide to go to the OBA, no body would think him an opportunist except for the foolish.
I would like to see him as MInister for cultural affairs, sports or education, he would shine brighter in an OBA cabinet, than he ever could have in a PLP one.
There’s no use in trying to revise history. The MP’s who left the UBP and changed parties were not viewed positively at the time, least of all by significant portions of their respective constituencies. This was very publicly made known by those constituents at the time. It has worked out for most of those who walked out on the UBP. But no matter how you sugarcoat it, Butler WOULD be crossing the aisle.
In any event, Mr. Butler’s situation is different. He is trying to bring his party back to where he believes it rightfully should be. To join the OBA would betray many like-minded people in the PLP who are trying to do likewise. He makes a much better statement by staying and fighting for reform then by becoming an opportunist. Hopefully he will stick to his principles and stick to the fight for the true soul of the PLP.
We shall see how they treat him. He is an independant that could win, and then he would have a bigger voice than he had with the PLP and he could still side with them when he chose.
Is there a possibility of a split developing in the PLP, at least at the MP Level? It seems that the west contingent of Wilson, M. Scott, Horton, Lister and Lister would not be very happy with the prospect of Burgess (ie E. Brown) as party leader, nor with DeSilva or Blakeney. Newbie L. Scott would appear to have more in common with the west bloc. So that’s six constituencies.
But by the numbers in MPs at least, if would appear Burgess (ie E. Brown) should have the largest reliable bloc – Furbert, Blakeney, Roban, W. Brown, Burt, Commissiong, Bean and DeSilva. That’s nine constituencies which should be enough delegates to deliver the vote. I see Weeks and Foggo as somewhat independent compared to the Burgess/E. Brown bloc but their delegates might support the above.
So in a contest between T. Lister and Burgess, Burgess would appear to have delegates from more constituencies backing him. I see that as being very unpalatable to the west bloc and to those generally who want to freshen up the party for the future. If somehow, the delegates really decide to go for a fresher new face, who might that be?
Weeks might have the best chance of being the compromise choice. But if the Burgess bloc made a deal with the west, Wilson could be the choice. Also Burt could position himself as the fresh alternative but I think he would be viewed as too close to the Burgess bloc.
As for who would be best received among the wider public as Opposition Leader, its clear it would not be Burgess/DeSilva/Blakeney. T. Lister might be received ok but cannot win. Burt, Weeks and Wilson all carry baggage from either being in the last cabinet or being closely identified with it. Weeks may be the best bet. Interesting days until Friday……
Should they select a compromise leader, expect the right wing bloc to polictically weaken the choice, whomever it might be, like the Doctor did with the last compromise, former Premeir Alex Scott.
That is the main reason I laughed when the Doc said he was outraged when they called Scott a political eunuch, he was the one who preformed the operation.
Excellent analysis, as a result, how about Weeks & L. Scott as the new leaders to usher the PLP into a new direction…
As much as I like Terry as a guy I’m not sure he would be that strong of a leader. Dennis I’ve never heard much from so I don’t know. Kim Wilson would be a wonderful leader and even as an OBA guy I’ve always respected her as a politician.
Burgess/Horton/Blakney/De Silva as leader? Ugh.
There is only one choice and they will make the wrong one.
I respect Kim Wilson and think she should step forward.
Personally, I think Minister Wilson would make a fine OBA politician.
Remember, numerous people (on both sides) stated the same of former Premier Cox during the Brown era, then after she became Premier, Leader, Finance Minister….
Zane is probably going to try to buy the leadership position
Zane will be silent right now for his closet is not empty and the keys have been found.
Gosh I hope not, at leeast not until he can take a few courses on public speaking.
Burgess will think he should be the one and I hope he is the one voted in. It will make a nice contrast to the more inclusive and moderate OBA Government.
I hear Wayne Furbert has already made overtures to the OBA that he is willing to walk over/back to the other side. Not really surprising…if I were Craig I would not accept the offer.
Yes we want to see more moon walking and singing purlease!?,?!
Wow, PLP wonders why they don’t win and then you have Famous’s rant in the Bermuda Sun and now this crap on the DeCosta Show.
In my view Kim Wilson has the intellect, the leadership and the class to lead the party – it is the delegates, not solely the MP’s who decide. The truth is that the bench is shallow and this is why the governance of the country was in the state it was. I am a PLP supporter and I wish the OBA well – beacuse I wish the Country well. But to function correctly a country needs to have an effective and loyal Opposition (L. Frederick Wade’s words). I think Kim Wilson brings the Parliamentary Stature so lacking in many others and I hope she puts her name forward.
Would be wonderful to have Kim Wilson as the leader of the Opposition. She seems to have th package that many of us admire. Hoping she will put her name forward. Or hoping that maybe she will be named as a minister in a Bi-Partician Cabinet.
Derek Burgess has my vote
Well done Glen Smith – Busted ha tail!
ya they say he gave out a lot out dated can food
Much respect to the new Government O.B.A.Party Also respect to the General Public for their concern about the next Leader of the Progressive Labour Party.Let me make an observation that most People miss.The political Party P.L.P.success does not rest with its Leader but lies in the depth of loyal support from its followers and supporters.It has always been the Loyal support of its followers.The nature of the P.L.P.supporters is such that The P.L.P. will whip any Party from the Back Benches…from the Opposition Benches or if it Disbanded as a Party or run as a loose ruck of independents with no leader.The P.l.P always has been The Movement of the People……The P.L.P.will whip any Party whether in Government or outside of Government….those who know …know….those who do’nt know will never understand that….!That is why we are called….The Peoples Party….P.L.P.Forever”””We do not need to be the Government to run this Country…..We are the Government…..The People Standing Strong for Bermuda and Bermudians…..that is why we can never be defeated ….or discouraged….you will never see this country without a P.L.P. the movement of the People………
COx said she lost because she did not listen to the people. The PLP at this election was most definately not the party of the people. It tried to gesture at various people groups, but failed to listen to what we had to say.
ps are you obsessed with whipping? There is a serious amount of it in your message.
I just heard on the news that an overture has been made by the OBA to Marc Bean to take on a post!!!!!!!! This can’t be true!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This can’t be true!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Maybe if I say it enough times it won’t be true)
It can’t be true. He has never done anything worthwhile for his ideas are crazy and wasteful and he hasnt been given the power. I would be totally shocked and disappointed if it is Marc Bean. He has nothing to offer.
They need Marc to get those 3 dog parks he promised done!
I also heard about the arrival of 4 dudes from England yesterday who are financial forensics from some UK government agency.
Staying at Grotto Bay no less.
Stop lying
Oh it’s true.
On a side note what happened to all the GP cars which the PLP MPs were using? If they got re-elected do they keep them.
Too early to institute that level yet. January will start everything in greater motion. Right now is team-building mode and exploration mode to see what is going on.
New Years Resolution will be to cut the fat.
I hear that most of the Ministers cars are going to be sold off! Great idea and about time too.
don’t be stupid they get passed on to the new gov.lets see how many they keep iguess graig had a good ride in gp1 lets see if bob wants one and dunkley will want his painted yellow and blue lol
The best choice would be Zane DeSilva, as it provides the PLP with the perfect opportunity to prove it has room at the top for non Blacks. Or is he just another “surrogate” or token.
Yes, I agree with you. Zane would be the best choice. A business background, understanding of the economy and Health and it iwll demonstrate the inclusiveness of the PLP as a party.
The PLP has a secret plan to use “white surrogates” so it will likely be Zane for leader…this just leaked by Wayne Furbert in a post election memo (written two months ago) who is trying to join the OBA !
Terry Lister has this in the bag because he has a business background and PLP needs a leader who understands how business works in Bermuda nowadays but he will be interim while Zane builds his powerbase before next election…..
you people should realy zip it
Marc Bean is a moron, so he is probably a shoo-in. My vote would go to Mr.Ashfield DeVent. He has ethics, excellent ideas, and compassion, as well as a sense of fairness. Consequently, he has been shoved out of politics. Anybody see anything wrong with this picture but me?