’9 Colonels’ Reiterate Support For Conscription
Nine former Regiment Commanding Officers called on both political parties to re-think their commitment to ending conscription, saying to “not to do so would be careless and irresponsible in the context of 21st Century Bermuda.”
The group include nine of the eleven living former Commanding Officers: Lt Col Michael Darling, Lt Col CE Raynor, Lt Col Gavin Shorto, Lt Col Allan Rance, Lt Col Patrick Outerbridge, Lt Col David Gibbons, Lt Col William White, Lt Col Brian Gonsalves and Lt Col Brendan Hollis. Lt Col Edward Lamb and Lt Col David Burch are the two remaining COs who are not involved.
Their statement comes after Minister of National Security Michael Dunkley tabled the Security and Defence Review Committee’s Report in the House of Assembly on Friday [Mar 21].
The Colonels’ said that while the National Security and Defence Review Committee was not asked to address whether or not to abolish conscription, it “will be obvious to the careful reader of their report that if they had, they would have opted to keep conscription.”
While the Colonels continue their campaign in support of conscription, Larry Marshall Sr. of Bermudians Against the Draft also continues his campaign against conscription, saying that it “is morally and ethically wrong,” as “no government should force any of its citizens to work against their will.”
Conscription first began in Bermuda in 1957 with the now-defunct Bermuda Rifles, and the Bermuda Regiment started in 1965 with conscription in place.
The full statement from the ‘Nine Colonels’ is below:
Bermuda’s National Security and Defence Review Committee was not asked, in its terms of reference, to address the subject of whether or not to abolish conscription as a means of recruiting young Bermudians into the Bermuda Regiment.
However, it will be obvious to the careful reader of their report that if they had, they would have opted to keep conscription.
Towards the end of the segment that dealt with the Regiment, the Committee wrote: “…it must be noted that many of the challenges associated with the abolition of conscription raised by various stakeholders would be alleviated or eliminated by either the extended deferral of the abolition (i.e. longer than four years) or a complete reversal of the current position on conscription and its elimination.
“Maintaining the current Regiment model or a variant thereof, being mindful of the Committee’s other recommendations, within which conscription remains a component as currently legislated, should nevertheless be considered as the most cost-effective and efficient way to deliver the security and safety services available to the Government as a whole.”
In the circumstances, there could be no clearer indication that the Committee believes abandoning conscription is a bad idea.
- The report confirms that Bermuda needs the Regiment.
- The report confirms that the Regiment represents the most cost-effective solution to the problems it is charged with tackling, in its given roles.
- The report confirms that trying to give the Regiment’s roles either to other Government departments or to the private sector would increase the cost to the community considerably.
- The report confirms that help from the Regiment is written into the standard operating procedures of many other uniformed services and Government departments.
- The report confirms that international business feels that “any action that has the potential to compromise that security (provided by the Regiment), or indeed give the impression of compromising it, must be carefully considered.”
- The report confirms that the Regiment needs, to carry out its current roles, a minimum of 400 men and women.
- The report suggests the Regiment’s roles should not be decreased, but rather expanded to assist in other areas.
- The report confirms that expecting more from the Regiment without increasing its budget will result in the reduction or elimination of many of its current programmes, including the Junior Leaders, the Band and Corps of Drums, the Gun Troop and the Regiment’s involvement at ceremonial events.
We urge Bermudians to read this report [PDF] carefully. It contains much vital information about the way forward for many of Bermuda’s institutions. It is a sober, intelligent look at Bermuda’s security situation, which filters out the extreme and misguided rhetoric of some commentators.
Where the Regiment is concerned, it is a sweeping and comprehensive confirmation of what the Nine Colonels have been saying from the start – Bermuda cannot afford to gamble that relying entirely on volunteers to fill the ranks of the Regiment will succeed. Attempts to change the nature of the Regiment to a smaller, full-time unit, or to a partly full-time, partly part-time Regiment will be impractical and prohibitively expensive.
We call on both political parties to re-think their commitment to ending conscription. Not to do so would be careless and irresponsible in the context of 21st Century Bermuda.
Why don’t you 9 colonels go to North Korea with your communist bs…
of course they dont want conscription to end, they’re only trying to protect their job! They do need to take that BS somewhere else!
Bah hum bug! just get on with it and end it already. Oh, and colonels, in the context of 21st century Bermuda there is no need for a military. You can’t be a civilised country yet rely on a killing force to solve your problems. Push over and let the young people dictate as to where they want the future of Bermuda to go/be
what exactly is the responsible the regiment has been charged with?! I’m with Mr. Marshall who presents an excellent argument against conscription, it doesn’t surprise me that people who gained “status” and finance from their positions and who are probably under oath would be for maintaining conscription…Conscription also allows our young men to be arrested and detained, disrupting their lives and livelyhoods! and for what? why are we teaching them to shoot blanks when we should be educating them as to how and why the regiment and other armed forces came about! And where did that twenty- one gun salute originate from?Yes parades may be “nice” but nice for who? It is wrong under the constitution to force anyone against their religious belief, who decides what religion and beliefs are?
I think that the Regiment is a waste of taxpayers funds. We already have W&E to cut trees if there is a natural disaster. I see no real need for this Regiment. If we are serious about saving money then get rid of the Regiment and put the money to better use elsewhere. These so called 9 Colonels need to go fishing or travel the world and stop trying to assist in wasting taxpayers money.
Dark Knight you are a real a** hole.
For some reason, the ’9 Colonels’ haven’t addressed the arguments against ending the conscription policy, including those put forward by Larry Marshall, rather just going with the by-the-books reasoning for retaining the status quo.
Why not address the human rights topics and other matters?
They should go by the name 9 clowns instead. The only people that believe the regiment is justified in its current role are people who like power. These 9 clowns should be held responsible for failing to recruit volunteers first instead of solely relying on conscription. If they support the regiment so much and want other Bermudian males to suffer through power happy people running that place because they get turned on from shouting at somebody that doesn’t want to be there then maybe they should go back and make up volunteer numbers. There has to be a better option than the one they have now. Maybe of all conscripted persons do not show up and take a stand against conscription. They cannot arrest hundreds of Bermudian men and put them in jail. It is logistically impossible.
9 Clowns,
And you think the 9 colonels are clowns? You, and the rest of your mates who hide behind pen names should open up a circus.You are a bunch of clowns.
Obviously, you all are unemployed, as all you do is come up with mindless statements all day long.
As David lopes says, ” If you hate Bermuda and it’s people so much, there are flights leaving the airport every day, get on one and go back home!”
I will drive you to the airport if you want.
9 clowns had some valid points.
well after reading their points for conscription one stands out to me; that of Bermuda needs the Regiment. When in all truth its the complete opposite. The Regiment needs Bermuda, moreso the Regiment needs young Bermudian men to fill their ranks in order for power hungry militaristic men to get the fill of shouting down at people possibly as a way to fill a hole in themselves or to simply get ‘them off’. Those in position of power at regiment enjoy shouting at men, enjoy demeaning men and enjoy a position of authority. Seriously, I can’t think of any reason why they would want to keep conscription. Larry Marshall and many others have voiced their personal opinions on why to abolish conscription whereas these colonels haven’t voiced their personal opinions. Maybe its because they were made to do it means everyone else for the next thousand years must also be made to do it? Poor logic on their behalf.
save the regiment. I can think of NO reason NOT TO HAVE IT!!!!!!!!!!
What does it cost per year 7million ??? Anyone know?
then go enlist but don’t insist anyone be forced to.
Oh so they acknowledge that were in the 21st century.. They know?
Hahahah so pathetic. Do we pay CO’s after they retire? Why do these sad men keep saying we need the regiment?
Getting paid over 100k/yr as a CO in the bermuda regiment is kind of… A waste of our money dont you say?
if you poll most people you will find that opinion has changed over the years to most wanting ‘conscription’ to end. In fact if people are honest there has always been this sentiment but Bermudians are always fearful about speaking up. Either the OBA will be the ones to end it or the PLP when they get in again will end it. No one really cares about what this group of nine feel. There have been several workable proposals put on the table, one being Mr.Marshall’s. We need to progress and people are honestly tired of still debating and arguing about the Regiment being allowed to violate these young mens’ rights.
Both Parties has now agreed to end it. I think to listen to this group of nine after the OBA has already said they are committed to this change would be in bad taste, and a giant step backwards. Can the Government keep at least one promise? At a time when the OBA is fighting hard to win public approval, favor, and ratings this would not be a good look for them.
The debate is not about Regiment or no Regiment, it’s about conscription or no conscription, keep up! BAD has never advocated not having a Regiment. And it always amazes me how the ones who profess to love being in the Regiment don’t re-inlist, round up all those lovers of the Regiment and stay in there. Since according to some of the bloggers there are more people who love the Regiment so much, then we should have enough volunteers then.
But I really don’t think it is about those who have been in loving it, it’s more like since they had to do their ‘time’ then others should be made to suffer and do their time as well, even if their time proves to be a useless waste of time in the long run. I think the Regiment has realized that Bermudians see them for what they really are, time wasting, money wasting, men breaking entity. But the responsibility to get volunteers lies with the Regiment and they are not doing enough to make it attractive enough for our young men who may want to go there. Other jurisdictions have men who volunteer for what ever reason, the pay,the education opportunities,and more. Are we that stuck in our ole ways that we can’t change? If that be the case then sometimes change has to be forced.
My standard reply to the Colonels. I will start to listen to you when you have come clean about Glen Brangman. Until then, you do not deserve to have the ear of the people. Sorry.
and what about the GB’s in the public arena,stupid statement to single out one organization.
The GB’s in the public arena need to be properly dealt with, too. Not singling anyone out. The article is about the Colonels. I don’t think that questioning the credibility of men who failed to clean up their own house is in any way making a stupid comment.
we could get tomahawk missiles for what we pay these colonels. these colonels must be like james bond and we are safe forever, why do they want teenagers? cant we get foreign gardeners to help them, we got tons of them with trucks and tools? but, if we win all the wars , why is the band always retreating? what are they retreating from? and where do they plan to retreat to? cuz bermudas kinda small. will they leave me behind?