PLP Leader Marc Bean’s Labour Day Speech

September 1, 2014

k0kGsm8 - ImgurOpposition Leader Marc Bean addressed the crowd before today’s [Sept 1] Labour Day march, calling on people to break their silence and “commit to being courageous in the face of wrongdoing, resolute in the face of injustice and united in the struggle for a Bermuda that works for you.”

Mr. Bean said, “2014 is shaping up to be the year of the struggle or the silence. Why do I say that? Because for almost 2 years we have been deceived, insulted, abused and disrespected. We have had enough. Our people are fed up, heartbroken and dissatisfied over the way we are being treated in our own country and we have had enough.

Mr. Bean continued, “There are those who count on you to be too scared, too timid and too stupid to struggle for a Bermuda where you come first. There are those who count on their money to buy your loyalty, buy your surrender and buy your silence.

“There are those who count on fear, intimidation and economic terrorism to keep you silent. There are those who are laughing their way to the bank while you suffer in silence.

“Yet there are those who aren’t afraid, who can’t be bought, who will never surrender and who are struggling everyday to bring freedom, opportunity, justice and equality to our people. Will you stand silent and let them struggle alone? Will you stand silent believing half a loaf is better than none while they greedily cut slice after slice?

“I for one won’t be silent, won’t be bought, won’t be bowed and won’t be broken. I and my colleagues in the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party will fight on for you, struggle for you and build a Bermuda that works for you.

“We stand on the shoulders of greatness…the shoulders of a labour movement made up of men and women who could not be silenced. They tried to break Dr. E.F. Gordon but he would not be silenced. They ostracized Dr. Barbara Ball but she would not be silenced. They demonized brother Ottiwell Simmons but he would not be silenced. They mocked and mistreated Dame Lois Browne Evans, but she too would not be silenced.

“We owe them too much…they gave us too much to sit silent and let Bermuda be taken backwards. We were made to fight for what is right. And in the names of those great trailblazers of justice we will fight, we will struggle and we will not be silenced.

Mr. Bean continued, “Our unity is our strength. Together, our numbers give us economic, social and political power if we are willing to use that power. Representing the hopes and aspirations of so many Bermudians is an awesome responsibility and the power we share must by necessity be used without fear, without permission from those who oppose our progress and without apology, in the best interest of our people.

“On this Labour Day 2014, let us break our silence, let us commit to being courageous in the face of wrongdoing, resolute in the face of injustice and united in the struggle for a Bermuda that works for you.”

The Oppostion Leader’s full speech follows below:

Today, we remember, honour and celebrate the men and women who fought for freedom, justice and equality for all Bermudians.

2014 is shaping up to be the year of the struggle or the silence.  Why do I say that? Because for almost 2 years we have been deceived, insulted, abused and disrespected.

We have had enough.  Our people are fed up, heartbroken and dissatisfied over the way we are being treated in our own country and we have had enough.

We are frustrated at having the right skills, right attitude, right training and still not having the opportunity to earn a living and provide for our families.

We are frustrated from seeing people with less experience, less skills and less qualifications being brought in on work permits to be our boss.

We are frustrated at being turned away from jobs we can do because they say we are overqualified.

They told you that there would be shared sacrifice… They told you we’d come together as Bermudians…they told us to sing Kumbaya and we’ll get there together but while we were singing they were slinging more money into everyone’s pockets but yours.

  • Light bill goes up but your pay went down
  • Insurance rates went up but your working hours went down
  • Food prices have gone up and the number of Bermudians facing jail because they can’t pay their bills has gone up as well

They say Bermudians don’t have the right qualifications to fill top level jobs but cut scholarships.

They say Bermudians are our greatest asset but at 65 they want to throw you out on the street.

This is what shared sacrifice means to them – you sacrifice and they share your money amongst themselves.

There are those who count on you to be too scared, too timid and too stupid to struggle for a Bermuda where you come first.  There are those who count on their money to buy your loyalty, buy your surrender and buy your silence.

There are those who count on fear, intimidation and economic terrorism to keep you silent. There are those who are laughing their way to the bank while you suffer in silence.

Yet there are those who aren’t afraid, who can’t be bought, who will never surrender and who are struggling everyday to bring freedom, opportunity, justice and equality to our people.

Will you stand silent and let them struggle alone?  Will you stand silent believing half a loaf is better than none while they greedily cut slice after slice?

I for one won’t be silent, won’t be bought, won’t be bowed and won’t be broken.  I and my colleagues in the Bermuda Progressive Labour Party will fight on for you, struggle for you and build a Bermuda that works for you.

We stand on the shoulders of greatness…the shoulders of a labour movement made up of men and women who could not be silenced.

They tried to break Dr. E.F. Gordon but he would not be silenced.  They ostracized Dr. Barbara Ball but she would not be silenced.  They demonized brother Ottiwell Simmons but he would not be silenced.  They mocked and mistreated Dame Lois Browne Evans, but she too would not be silenced.

We owe them too much…they gave us too much to sit silent and let Bermuda be taken backwards.  We were made to fight for what is right.  And in the names of those great trailblazers of justice we will fight, we will struggle and we will not be silenced.

But as we fight against what is wrong we must also bring forward an agenda that elevates the condition of all Bermudians, breaks the cycle of dependency and work towards moving from those who are labour to those who hire labour.

From those who consume to those who produce. All while never forgetting our core principles and continuing to fight against those who would marginalize Bermudians or mistreat workers

When you look back at the sacrifice of those who have brought us this far can you still be silenced?

When you look at your brothers and sisters, neighbours and friends and witness firsthand their marginalization and suffering can you still be silenced?

When you look ahead to future generations of Bermudians and the Bermuda we will leave behind can you still be silenced?

We recognize the threat we face. We recognize that moving backwards is not an option.

Our unity is our strength. Together, our numbers give us economic, social and political power if we are willing to use that power.

Representing the hopes and aspirations of so many Bermudians is an awesome responsibility and the power we share must by necessity be used without fear, without permission from those who oppose our progress and without apology, in the best interest of our people.

On this Labour Day 2014, let us break our silence, let us commit to being courageous in the face of wrongdoing, resolute in the face of injustice and united in the struggle for a Bermuda that works for you.

God bless Bermuda and God bless Labour.

-

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  1. Photos & Video: Labour Day March, Speeches | Bernews.com | September 1, 2014
  1. somuchless says:

    What I’m scared of is the PLP getting back in power. It would be more of the same. More spending, more parting, well you get my point.

    Both parties suck.

    • Kunta says:

      Spoken like a True Leader, unlike de Bull S— that Fahy spouted out.

    • Luis Suarez says:

      Marc, once again you miss the point.

      It’s Labor Day, a chance to commend workers everywhere, you’re not electioneering man!

      Marc, go back to Leadership College, way undercooked.

    • Speak Truth says:

      Truth Truth which some will have great difficulty accepting. Speak louder Mr. Bean as your message is bold and spot on. We must act like our forefathers who did not stay in their own lanes, and were not afraid to take the road less taken. We must stand in Unity to move Bermuda forward.

      Strong Message that we must swallow and digest and accept!

    • Strike fund says:

      He forgot to mention that union dues went up too.

    • uhhuh says:

      You should be, we should be lucky, we have people like Fahy and others in the oba to clean up this mess and want to clean up this mess.

  2. Terry says:

    Don’t even have to read his statement/address.

    KEY WORD.
    “Deceived”.

    Bermuda, I wish you luck.
    Shalom.

  3. Ryan says:

    Marc Bean, who is “they?”

    How can this kind of rhetoric be appealing to *anyone?*

  4. Building Bermuda for All says:

    Marc Bean….horrible speech, as usual!

    • SmIttY says:

      Yeah, if the content in his speech(s affect your guilt pricked conscience….I can understand how they are all horrible!!

  5. Owen says:

    disgraceful stuff from politicians so divisive with no solutions all sour grapes because they missed his chance for a friends and family plan , and dunno who he is speaking on behalf of ? All of the people u can fool some of the people some of the time but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time so tired of their bitter line. He won’t be anywhere in the same league as Dame Lois chalk and cheese there, you can quote as many human right activists as you wish but we are not fooled by the plantation speeches anymore. We have moved on, have the PLP ? Hell no
    They failed with most as they could not even amend the human rights act in their reign of spending ..two words and a comma , not very progressive you think? To busy drinking champagne and photo oping with celebs and sports people and the many cost overrun projects they wanted to rush out to get the votes , but we have brains and are not blind.

  6. John E. Thorne says:

    Marc Bean is wrong that we have been deceived, insulted, abused and disrespected for almost 2 years? In fact it has been 46 years! 30 years under the UBP, 14 years under the PLP and almost 2 years under the OBA. The UBP was a disgrace, the PLP was an even bigger disgrace while they bankrupted the country and so far the OBA has been a total embarrassment to all those who voted for them. I will defer grading them until after their first term. In the meantime we the electorate should come together in solidarity to demand an end to party politics because we are all suffering as a result. It is time to speak up before it is too late!

    • Terry says:

      Is that your real name John E. Thorne?

      Ewart said the same.

      Hymnn…….

  7. Navin Johnson says:

    We don’t care what you think. We had to deceive you. The PLP has not experienced anything in the last 2 years that even remotely comes close to the 14 year plague that all of Bermuda had to endure. We will feel the results of the disastrous PLP Government for the rest of our lives.

    • mixitup says:

      Whatever! Your beloved OBA is trash! More spending more deceit! No Plan.

      • Toodle-oo says:

        It seems as though you’re confusing (fear not, you have lots of company) the additional borrowing to cover the inescapable PLP debt with ‘spending’ .

        Did you read Larry Burchalls’ piece that ran last week and understand what happens in 2020 if the OBa can’t rectify the 14 years of total ineptitude ?

        And you want them back ? ?

  8. Huh says:

    I see we got the “demonic” Marc Bean today. Must have drank wrong tea. I’ll take 2 years of working towards economic recovery any day over 14 years of PLP self-interest, chaos, confusion, over-spending, over-travelling, race-baiting, hatred, division, arrogance, disdain, friends & family plan, Beyoncé, magic bullet, xenophobia, term limits, payroll tax, crumbling:- employment, tourism, IB & public education….the list is almost endless……..

  9. Raymond Ray says:

    Marc Bean is a young man who’s still wet behind the ears and them that support / follow him and his ranting are as wet behind the ears also…Sad yes, but true :-(
    All I hear is the same old crap and no plan what-so-ever just discreet racial remarks. “Until the colour of a mans skin is of no-more significance than the colour of his eyes there will be war” H.I.M.

    • Coffee says:

      What a telling statement by the paid OBA/UBP TROLL , Raymond Ray . Succinctly he manages to turn the UBP /OBAs used knickers inside out for all to see and to understand the funky way in which certain people in this country are (1) thought of and (2) used as collateral and chattel .

      Understand people what this troll has said , and more importantly the context and deep meaning that was unintentionally revealed and conveyed to the wider audience that speaks clearly to the mindset of the people and organization this troll by definition and extention represents .

      I repeat verbatim the words of this dangerous troll ” Now, as for Mr. Randy Horton and Mr. Terry Lister, they are both valuable pieces on the table “.

      I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether or not this troll is speaking of Randy and Terry as people , or is he speaking of animate objects to be used at will …. Remember , those are Raymond Ray’s words articulated as he thinks .

      Now Mark Bean and Fayhe are about the same age . I ask you , has the troll Raymond Ray ever questioned the wisdom of Fayhe’s assault on the Bermudian people by allowing thousands of foreigners to acquire Bermuda status ? Is Fayhe wet behind the ears ? Or is he a seasoned politician doing the will of his party .

      Mark Bean and Shawn Crockwell are in the same age bracket , is Shawn Crockwell “wet behind the ears ” when he all but ruined hundreds of tourist vacation plans in August by screwing up the transportation shuttle to Horseshoe bay beach . Or was that the fault of God for sending rain the next day ?
      Get real Raymond Ray , quit selling your soul for silver .

      • Creamy says:

        Full of stupid lies as always. How much do they pay you?

        You’re just a paid troll.

        • LOL (Original TM*) says:

          And starting to sound like Betty everyday now, half cheerleader the other half cheerleader lacky you know the one that follows the head cheerleader around as if popularity is catchy or something. Typically depicted as the bernet or non blond trying to be blond and has a habbit of stepping on anyone not of the same popularity scale thats how I view coffee. Maybe in need of some cream to even her/them out.

          LOL

  10. Toodle-oo says:

    What a total and utter load of bunk . But I bet the crowds lapped it up .

    It seems that some people wont be happy until everyone has absolutely nothing .

    • Kangoocar says:

      Totally agree!! The same crowd that was lapping it up, was continuously given the GOLDEN shower for 14yrs!!!! The plp … on the heads of each and every worker over and over!!! And their they are listening to the BS of Marc bean???? Unbelievable?????

    • We the People (1st!!) says:

      Trust me, the following is NOT an “utter load of bunk”

      We are frustrated at having the right skills, right attitude, right training and still not having the opportunity to earn a living and provide for our families.

      We are frustrated from seeing people with less experience, less skills and less qualifications being brought in on work permits to be our boss.

      • Willsee says:

        Can we have some examples please!

        • LOL (Original TM*) says:

          I agree this happens I used to work for an air conditioning company and I had been there since 14 and they had me train others who had papers in the line of work I did as apprentices, I worked from 6am for craine lifts till 900pm on service calls (I was an install tech), I did my job, my bosses jobs and I was the one they called to fix f ups on the job. Got paid 18 and hour while some of my apprentices were paid more as they had papers but no experience. Should have been in the room as I asked for $25 and hour. Your mouth would have dropped to the ground as mine did when my American/Bermudian sup told me good luck getting 25 and hour. So I left and changed occupations soon after all the Bermudians left except for a few.

          LOL

          LOL

      • Build a Better Bermuda says:

        It pretty much is a load of bunk, what Mr. Bean is ranting about is not the norm. I know more than enough Bermudians who have the right skills, right training and most importantly, the right attitude who are employed and if not the boss, are on their way there a they continue with the right attitude and they will all tell you, the right attitude is not one of entitlement. We are not entitled to a job in our own country, it is our responsibility to work for that job and any advancement. A failure to do that not only jepordizes one’s own job, but the company one works for, and by extension the jobs of all other employees there and the contribution that sum total brings to our economy.
        As with every speech and release from the PLP in the last couple years, it is devoid of any productive notions for advancing this country as it’s only purpose is to try and advance the PLP’s political agenda to get back to power and their intent to do so through the exploitation of the peoples emotions. The speech pounds out the notion that our problems lay at the hands of their ‘boogeyperson’, this ‘they’, to deflect from the truth that our current economic depression lays quite squarely at the hands of the PLP’s disasterous handling of our economy for over a decade. If we want to claw our way back up, then weare going to have to suck it up, knuckle down and work our way back up there again and that means we are going to have to welcome back any foreign investment or expertise who is willing to help us do that and anybody who tells you otherwise isn’t interested in how hard you might have it, they just want your money or your vote, or both.

      • Creamy says:

        If you’re frustrated at there being not enough high-paid jobs you should direct your frustration at the leaders who encoraged those jobs to leave. Term limits. The Cox Payroll Tax increase. The loss of thousands of jobs, and the gleeful cheers of Burch that this meant house prices would reduce.

        • SmIttY says:

          1000 jobs lost ALREADY, ONLY 2yrs in the OBAs one and only term as the Government!

      • Blowing smoke says:

        Speaking as a hiring manager, it is extremely difficult to hire on a work permit. If a single Bermudian applies for the job with the ‘right skills’ and ‘right training’, then it is impossible, regardless of whether or not they have the ‘right attitude’ (which, in my experience, is not usually the case.) Just recently I had to re-post a position 3 times, and not once did a Bermudian apply.

    • Rockfish#1and #2 says:

      Seems Brown and Bean have the same speech writer……no surprise there!

      • animallover says:

        I agree with that statement, Brown’s teaching Bean.

  11. World Traveller. says:

    The crowds loved it,it was nothing more than brainwashing,poor brainwashing,but still brainwashing.

    • Eat a pickle says:

      The more OBA people speak the more you hand the next election over to the PLP. The rhetoric is that black Bermudians are easily brainwashed and lack any sense. Great way to build that one Bermuda. Real recognize fakes.

      • Hmmm says:

        He never said tha Bermudians were easily brainwashed… You made that up.

        He said “nothing more than brainwashing,poor brainwashing,but still brainwashing.”

        I think the brainwashing propaganda the PLP use is insulting to Bermudians. It is the PLP that think we are stupid enough to fall for it.

    • animallover says:

      Too bad peaopl are soooo gullable

  12. Build a Better Bermuda says:

    The PLP can’t help it, can they, it is supposed to be a labour day speech and instead they deliver a PLP really speech. The entirety of which was their usual allusion to the hideous and deceitful ‘they’, the ‘them’; we hear that the PLP won’t be silenced, but never do we hear them call out the names of the ‘them’… Maybe because far too many of the PLP practice the same business as the ‘them’, that if they called them out, they would find themselves being called out too. How many of the top positions at Bermuda Healthcare Services are held by Bermudians? I have heard of a couple of locals coming back as doctors in the last few years, but I have not heard about one of them coming back to work for Dr. B.
    Gotta say, it is pretty rich hearing Marc Bean talk about the ‘them’ cheating the hard working Bermudians out of their future, when he sets up a betting shop in the heart of Court Street, a business who’s entire model is to ensure the odds are as much against you as possible so that the shop can take your money.
    At least Fahy talked about collaboration and the initiatives the government was putting out there to try and help, all Bean did was another PLP pre-election speech, the only way I could have been inspired by him was if I held onto ultra far right favouring.

  13. ya funny says:

    Every F$%^ing time the PLP talk all they do is complain and complain so more!! Never any solutions to the struggles Bermudians face! All bean did was copy and paste Brown’s speech from de other day! How are those land grabs keeping u? Is Spring Benny add to de list!

  14. Hmmm says:

    The whole come together thing is for one reason only…For Bean to have power. Power is what he craves at any cost and at YOUR COST.

  15. Unreal says:

    Many of you complain and try to out comment the other with ridiculous comments bashing everyday. For all of you that have negatively commented I challenge you to create your own party or even run independent and get involved in the political arena and make better choices for change. So shut up or put up! Come on where you at? I want to here your names tomorrow fighting for your motto: A Better Bermuda!

  16. X man says:

    The Speech indicates that its going to be a tough and grouling year ahead and things go from heated up to boiling over.
    I saw a fella wearing a teeShirt yesterday that said ” The PLP ARE FIGHTING FOR BERMUDA -THE OBA WANT TO SELL IT”.
    Of all of my 60 years I’ve never seen the Opposition more determined and this agressive.- not even in the 70′s.- but then
    again the Govt. of the day is very keen to sell off Bermuda to the highest bidder — this is a Massive cause for concern.
    The OBA’s agenda my not fit well with 65% of Bermuda’s voting residents.
    A question was bought up the other day by a teenaged Bermudian – ” is the OBA a Bermudian Party and did the People
    vote for a foreign Political Party and didn’t realize it.” — stunning!

  17. PANGAEA says:

    Are we any better off today, than we were the day before yesterday ?

  18. SmIttY says:

    Can someone breakdown for me,the debt that the PLP incurred in 14 yrs vs the 2yrs of the OBA?

  19. william says:

    I have to say this govt is only marginally better …they have the ability to manage money! They have the ability and the wherewithal to represent the human race!This is good …they are the majority after all!………….but I have to say…….this unlawful Retro active thriving legislation has not been corrected…..I have to say they are no better when it comes to stealing for this simple reason!

  20. campervan says:

    Wow this bloke is so negative!
    when he’s not bashing gays, he’s trash talking our fragile economy that people are trying so hard to turn around, or ragging on our vital expat community.
    We need positive forward thinking people at the helm.
    Thank goodness you are in opposition Marc.

  21. william says:

    Plp bankrupted Bermuda.What is being said here is;- Come ,let us bankrupt you again.Mark is say in we this and us that…..seriously?….our people?….Mark. ….you really belong on Saturday night live!Your a snake oil salesman…that is all.

  22. Spliffs says:

    Give me some of that Ganga tea,I need a lift!