Glenn Blakeney Submits Resignation Letter
[Updated] Devonshire North Central MP Glenn Blakeney has submitted his resignation letter to the Speaker of the House, confirming his retirement effective December 7, 2015, saying his “decision is predominantly based upon personal reasons.”
Mr Blakeney, who is also well known outside of political circles through his career in broadcasting, was first elected as a Member of Parliament in 2003, and then subsequently reelected in 2007 and 2012.
Resignation Letter
The letter said, “Dear Mr. Speaker, Please accept this letter in confirmation of my impending retirement effective December 7, 2015. I have had the distinct honor of serving the constituents of Devonshire North Central for three consecutive terms, since being first elected to the House of Assembly, July 24th, 2003.
“My decision is predominantly based upon personal reasons and although I will no longer sit as an elected member in the lower House, I hope to continue contributing in meaningful ways to the wellbeing of my island home.”
Mr Blakeney said it “has been quite a political journey and a most rewarding experience to earn the confidence of voters in Constituency 13, Devonshire North Central.”
Bye-Election
Mr Blakeney’s resignation will prompt a bye-election in Constituency 13 Devonshire North Central.
In the 2012 General Election, Mr Blakeney defeated the OBA’s C. Anthony Francis by a margin of 19 votes, winning 51.18% of the vote [411 votes], while Mr Francis won 48.82% of the vote [392 votes].
In the 2007 General Election Mr Blakeney won 53.52% of the vote vs the UBP’s Albertha Waite, and in the 2003 General Election Mr Blakeney won 57.22% of the vote vs the UBP’s Hilary Soares.
PLP Comment
Update: The PLP said, “The Progressive Labour Party acknowledges receipt of a letter from Devonshire North Central MP, Mr. Glenn Blakeney, regarding his intention to resign from his seat in the House of Assembly effective December 7, 2015.
“We thank Mr. Blakeney for his over twelve years of service in the House of Assembly to the people of Devonshire North Central. We also thank him for his service as a Cabinet Minister during the PLP administration as Minister of Environment and Sports and as Minister of Youth, Families & Community Development.
“He has been a dedicated public servant and we wish him well in his retirement from public office.”
There’s going to be a few interesting Bye-elections just around the corner.
Is Philip Butterfield on the horizon??
In the wake of the Auditor General’s report all the PLP should resign and Paula Cox and Ewart Brown should be questioned as part of a royal commission for their role. Bermuda is going to feel the PAIN of their actions for decades to come. A new party with a will to both inspire Our People and also hold their leadership to account should replace the PLP. The PLP are toxic to the core. They must go!
Depends if he is Bean’s camp… much like Jamahl, you will get the nomination if your are in favour, not if you are qualified.
he should be
Bye Blakeney… It’s time for some new talent. We need new politicians who have a sense of ethics and vision to move Bermuda forward. No longer can we stay stuck in the past.
He won by the skin of his teeth last time. This bye-election is going to come down to who turns out the vote better and who is motivated to go to the polls. I want to see Rabain vs Francis. Let’s go!
Yes there will be. But are those not in the shadow cabinet going to set up their own party. If they do, they are going to do real damage to the PLP & distrust the current Bean hierarchy & his followers. To the loyal PLP supporter, as a quote said from the Apollo 13 mission “Houston, we have a problem”. Simple as that.
Bean and Burt would probably be the most ethical of the PLP unlike the old guard.
Potato potahto. Burt’s already hedging on PAC taking any kind of meaningful look into the AG reports. Why’s that?
Most Unethical you mean.
PLP need to stop adding self important egotisistical lawyers. Lawyers are good at arguing positions, they are not good at developing and guiding a country. Engineers, financial professionals and folks with business experience are.
we all walk in different coloured shoes, and all the toes point forward,in the next 2 years grab all thats good for all the shoes
Doomed to fail and loose another seat if they don’t put aside their unearned egos and get their isht togaher!
No one in the PLP is setting up their own party and no one is changing the name lolol. Only the UBP had to do that to trick black Bermudians to vote for them…..and yes it worked.
It appears that many black Bermudians have the view that whites would vote for the PLP if they had a white leader, based upon some comments recently. That thought shows their own racism. White Bermudians don’t care about colour, just good leadership. To vote for someone just because of the colour of their skin is simply stupid.
@lol. That would render you stupid if that were the case.
@stevie, N.L.P already tried that and they FAILED.
How much for a bye-election?
Whoever Bean names will be painted with his political brush. He might find it difficult to get someone within his party to run under his banner unless they agree with his political philosophy. Sen Rabain, Butterfield and anyone thinking of a successful political future would need to be thoughtful on this by-election run. Bean’s days are numbered…everyone with an ounce of intellect knows that.
bean should just do the right thing and step down
the party is not about marc bean louis made the same mistake thinking that the party could not do without her and we all know what happened.
the party needs a leader that can bring bermuda togather not some radical guy stuck on stupid.
The PLP need not worry. It’s the OBA that should be worrying. Mike, Bob and Co. are governing like they have a super majority. There will never be a super majority in the HoA again. They will all learn to govern well and govern nice.
Quo Fata Ferunt.
The difference is, Mike, Bob and Co. are in it to improve the prosperity of all in Bermuda, unlike the last lot who just lined their own pockets.
Thanks for your years of service Mr.Blakeney , even more thank you for paving the way for possibly a more dynamic individual to take over from you .
The Arron Hill generation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who is Arron Hill?
County doesn’t need more lawyers to argue and score points, country needs doers, creators and people who can comprehend the smaller and bigger ramifications from decisions.
Aaron has a good head on his shoulders and could become a capable leader. But he is too young, inexpreienced and idiolistic. Sadly his ideals were shaped by many who we are hearing about now. I hope he can separate the wheat from the chaffe, so to speak. Either way, he ain’t ready. He needs another 10 years to become what you hope he will become. We shall see. Thrusting him into the limelight now would be a mistake, a mistake that I suspect “desperation” will see come to pass.
So what do you think the average age of the Progressive Group was when they formed?
Every Generation ALWAYS have University Graduates that take up the cause in their native homes, just like the 1960′s Movement, most of the advocates were students !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Who’s camp is Hill in, Bean or Brown? With Brown threatening a lawsuit over some alleged libelous comments Bean made in meetings at Alaska Hall it is clear that the PLP are deeply divided. DEEEPLY dividend. Will Hill be in the Brown camp and risk being tarred with past issues raised by the AG or will he be in the Bean camp assisting him to fulfill BEAN’S life purpose “according to the will of the Lord”.
The PLP is a slow moving train wreak right now. If Hill has half a brain he will stay well away from it all until the dust clears.
You didn’t think he was dynamic then.
Where are my tea leaves……
“Personal reasons”. Thats right. It is always personal reasons. You will never hear the real reasons. A nice wy of saying “Take this job & shove it” to the boss.
Must be the same reason you clowns in the oba didn’t release the Jetgate report to the public…hmm
Must also be the same reason someone in your party stated that thier facebook got hacked and they didn’t send out those messages.
Regards
Bull $#IT
their
All these resignations as the auditors report about mis handling of fund. Just saying
… ‘united we stand, divided we fall’… no more ‘standing strong’, now it’s the Lean, Mean, Green Fighting Machine…
All the best to the PlP, .remember when you elect a leader you must follow, he speaks the will of the people he represents, and so should you, the paycheck received is from the public and refusing to do what the leader suggest from the will of the people will only lead to another demise,.. Follow the Leader, stop trying to undermine Mr. Bean, he had charges dropped against him In the beginning God created and gave Us the herb(genesis 1:29), In the early 17th century cannibas(hemp) was used in Bermuda for tough working clothes and rope, there were tobacco crops that was the first form of “money” before the first coin was minted right here in La Bermuda! lets not play ourselves believing what we have been told about a thing, lets study for ourselves and think! there is a new way that must come and those who are of the old beLIEf will not represent us if they are afraid to stand up and defend our rights, we have people going up to government to defend same sex marriage when our own politicians are afraid to defend the very book they are sworn in by and the people it pertains to, tsk tsk, too bad not enough testicular fortitude to defend a PLANT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! although issue may not seem big for some, why poersecuteth thou for a NATURAL PLANT!! if people have choices then let them choose! Thanks to the powerhouse for their contribution however do not mistake who is being represented in the House of Assembly , not your agenda but the agenda of the people you represent!!! no matter what YOUR belief is, becoming a public servant means doing the will of those who elected you.. The leaders of the oba cannot even compare to Mr. Bean, who at least has shown more honesty and less fear than all of them! We do not need people who are fearful of other opinions leading us anywhere because they appear to be closed minded and uncircumsized. If our leaders don’t speak openly and honestly than we have puppets everywhere, who can tell the difference! because something is made legal or illegal doesn’t make it right or wrong just a matter of legality, lets stop fearing words and change them to sharpen our own sword! remember the Premier dropped the “F” bomb in public, which is called an offensive word, although it is in the dictionary, we in Bermuda have labeled it an offensive word to which a punishment is attached, nothing happened to him? go figure! DID Mark Bean break any laws?!
@lol, OJ and Coffee. How about you kindly tell me where all that missing money went?????
In your mind are we really missing money or has the AG telling been feeding us a bunch of BULL????
Missing or unaccounted for ?
Does it matter? It is gone and we as an island are on the brink. You support those who put us there.
It has been accounted for & determined to be missing.
Wonder if all this info from auditors report making everyone scerred!
Burt needs to resign from the PAC!
Yes he does. He is utterly conflicted.
One down and quite a few to go. PLP is toxic to the core and good for no one. Anyone who still wants to vote PLP after all we know, needs mental help.