Premier: ‘Won’t Be Long Before Go To Polls’

June 6, 2017

“It won’t be long before people have the opportunity go to the polls,” Premier Michael Dunkley said yesterday.

The Premier made this statement at the end of yesterday’s candidate announcement, saying: “As we formally rolled out 25% of our candidates for the next general election, we have the experience, we have the fresh new faces, we have the diversity, and we have the ability to get the job done with the people that we’ve laid out.

“It won’t be long before people have the opportunity go to the polls. We have a record that we’re proud of and we have a team that continue to work in very difficult times.”

Speculation has been swirling about the possible date of the election, which has not yet been called, however clearly both parties are preparing for it, with both rolling out candidates, and both having launched advertising campaigns.

Opposition Leader David Burt has called for a vote of no confidence, and he previously stated that if a “majority of the people’s representatives support our motion” the country “should expect an election before Cup Match.”

The last general election was held on December 17, 2012, and saw the OBA win by a margin of 19-17, however both Shawn Crockwell and Mark Pettingill resigned from the OBA to sit as Independents, so both parties now hold 17 seats, with the Speaker drawn from the PLP’s side.

The vote on the motion of no confidence is scheduled to be held this coming Friday, and it could fail, pass, or the election could be called prior; what will happen remains to be seen, however elections must be held every five years.

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Comments (65)

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  1. Onion Juice says:

    Stalling to get maximum status voters finallized.

    • mixitup says:

      Yep – they will bank on how many ‘new’ voters they can get on the registrar.. Which play’s into to why they could care less about the thousands who have fled the shores of their own country. This Gov’t need to be VOTED OUT!!!

    • Yup!!
      Bermudians going to the polls by the thousands, must squash this evilness towards US.

      • Onion Juice says:

        Some will fall for de grocery thing again.

        • Ringmaster says:

          You mean the turkey give aways by Ewart Brown and Zane DeSilva? Compare that to the number of black Bermudians that have less than perfect live histories that Dunkleys and Butterfield and Vallis hire, to name just two. They have a restart on life and a future. Maybe you should apply?

        • wahoo says:

          …..and some will fall for the 2025 thing-a-ma-jig. Most of us realize that the OBA is getting this place turned around which is incredible if you consider it took 14 years to ruin it and drain the bank accounts in 4 years this place is booming again.

          • Onion Juice says:

            Booming by spending over $100 Million on a sailboat race and hope to make it back.

            • wahoo says:

              My people know that you are lying when you tell them $100M how dare you try and mislead us. Where is the $800M?

            • Ringmaster says:

              You need to get the facts. Not even the PLP elite refer to $100m any more. Probably realized the amount, much less than $100m, is a better pay back for Bermuda than the $40m no tender contract to Global Hue.

  2. Stinky D. says:

    No matter what the outcome before Friday or Friday we are going to the polls

  3. Times up Milkman says:

    This leader of the oba needs to dig deep and find out why so many black Bermudians don’t trust his party. Changing the name wasn’t enough in 2012. The former BDA party should never have merge with the UBP. Playing my people for fools was a stupid idea.

    • Skytrain says:

      To Times Up…. wasting your time writing what you did, was actually the Stupid Idea.

    • Say Whaat says:

      Agreed. People thought that the OBA was going to be the best of both worlds. Instead they got the old guard from the 80s who puts businesses before the people who actually voted them in.

      Maybe if we stop letting politicians own major business or be on the boards of major businesses, maybe we the people could get a fair chance in our own island.

      • Jus' Wonderin' says:

        How are PLP/UBP businesses working out? I’ll wait…

        • Spit Bouy says:

          @ Jus Wonderin’

          Exactly.

          • Just the facts says:

            Yup, and if they get back in, it won’t be long till we are back to where we were – or at least until their 2025 plan happens. Can we afford to go backwards and then wait till they scrape their way to 2025?

        • Say Whaat says:

          OBA is using millions of taxpayer funds to sue former politicians legit businesses.

          Maybe the PLP will take notes for when they are in power.

    • David H says:

      True. He should’ve known there’s only one political party on this island who can play “your people” for fools.

    • the real Terry says:

      Times up, not as stupid as your people voting the PLP in in 1998, look what that got them

      • Say Whaat says:

        You weren’t even living in Bermuda in 1998. Probably still don’t live here!

    • Toodle-oo says:

      So who do these ‘so many black Bermudians’ actually trust ?
      Surely not the party that chased the money out of here with their stupid policies and constant race talk ? Surely not the party that had massive and mysterious cost overruns on every project the touched . Surely not the party that after 12 years could not improve education or show any measurable social improvements ?

      If they don’t trust the OBA then who are they trusting , or is the answer ‘no-one’ ?

      • Toodle-oo says:

        ? ?

      • Say Whaat says:

        Race talk? You mean talk about everyday life for those of us with melanin?

        The recession gave PLP a big blow which hurt everyone. I think they have learned their lesson because the UBP haven’t learned theirs.

    • Onion Juice says:

      They are fools, got to admire people they are loyal to their party regardless they F!@# up or not.
      Well they didnt have centuries of psychological damage imposed on them.

    • Easter Lily Onion says:

      Quite a few white people feel the same way too –

      The economy now has fewer jobs, higher taxes and double the debt than before this lot started.

      And do you really think AC35, as much as it is a good thing, is the game changer Dunkley and pals make it out to be? So far not, plenty of hotel rooms still empty, restaurant reservations easy to come by… At a time of year when things should be buzzing regardless. Has this event displaced regular visitors? Surely it would make more sense holding it during the shoulder months? Not sure how much thought went into the thing because these guys were so anxious to be seen doing something.

      As for more hotel rooms, the number so far is fewer than 100.

      Casinos? The truth is the market for them is over saturated and a lot are losing money. They are very likely not viable but nobody wants to admit it (at least publicly).

      IB. It continues to flee. More empty space now than before they started.

      BMA. Totally out of control, a self perpetuating nightmare that needs to be brought under control to work for business rather than against it before it scares even more firms away.

      Petty politics. Just look at Rev Tweed. It would have been a lot smarter to just keep.. Instead we get a martyr. Dumb.

      I won’t be voting OBA.

      • So Tired says:

        re IB @Easter Lily Onion…And outsourcing more and more thus reducing the Bermudian job market even more. More mergers since the industry started!

    • Joe Bloggs says:

      Agreed

    • MOST DESPICE HIS “PARTY”.
      He does not care.
      America Cup is MOST important!!

      • Up D Hill says:

        @havesomebackbone, you have no understanding of whats been done in the last 5 years so why do you continue to make a fool of yourself? Or is it because you are a fool or just a bonehead ?

    • wahoo says:

      How was anyone played for fools? OBA inherited a mess and are doing a great job in resurrecting this island after the disaster that was the plp administration. Nobody’s situation improved under the plp things only got worse, you would be deceiving us if you said anything else.

      I do not think as many black Bermudians as you suggest distrust him, it sounds like you are trying to polarize the people because the plp do not have a good record when it comes to running the island and they have nothing to offer in the way of good ideas to take us forward. At the end of the day which party is diverse and represents a cross section of all Bermuda?

      • Onion Juice says:

        Diverse by deception, but when it comes to policy, it effects their own families and they are a minority in de decision making circle of de elite.

        • wahoo says:

          I hope that at least makes sense to you but the rest of us have no idea what you just said.

  4. A Chap called Vanz says:

    Doubled de debt Dunkley.

    • inna says:

      Cog Cox sound any better to you? She and DREB were the ones who maxed out every single credit line government had and then lied about how much we were actually in the hole!

      Dunkley did exactly what the PLP would have had to do, except the PLP probably would’ve “Tripled de debt” to help out the “real Bermudians”!

      Give me a break mate!

      • A Chap called Vanz says:

        Double de debt!

        $1.2bn to $2.4.

        Five years on from inheriting a $400m defeceit. Adding on interest the debt should only be ….

        Oops, my bad.

        And he did this without any redundancies to the civil service? And hotels are being built? And tourism is improving?

        Should be knighted, let alone a second term.

        Hang on he’s up against the former Junior Finance Minister who racked up the debt and defeceit? Shouldn’t it be a landslide?

        Not in Bermuda!

        • Spit Bouy says:

          @ A chap who’s clueless,

          So what percentage of debt did the plp increase? When they took over in 1998 it was about 126 million ended up at over a billion plus before people woke up. Oops forgot that didn’t you. Fail; again!

  5. Hurricane says:

    Just call the flippin election, Milkman. I know your afraid to admit it, but Burt has forced your hand.

  6. frank says:

    Dunkley has a lot on his mind right now I am sure
    like do I let this vote take place on Friday
    or do I call the election
    man can’t get no sleep

  7. .I hope that oba is squashed.

    • wahoo says:

      Why? Are you under investigation also? I hope they win, I think they are not perfect (nobody is), but they be better than the alternative by a 800 million miles.

  8. rumsoak says:

    I was riding my moped to work when suddenly God spoke to me and said “Hammer , fret not , the PLP will not win the election. ” I replied “Thank you God.” Amen.

  9. Ringmaster says:

    It should be interesting as there are now several marginal seats that could upset either party. Kim Swan in St George’s is one, but Walton Brown and David Burt, remember what happened to Paula Cox, are vulnerable. In the online ads, the PLP are using footage from the 1960′s to rally the voters, (back to the past) and the OBA are using footage of what is happening today for the benefit of the future. With all the ex UBP MPs and candidates the PLP can hardly be seen as Progressive. Now we have the PLP praising the Chief Jusice’s ruling on an expat preacher. So much for being pro Bermudian. As to Shawn Crockwell and Mark Pettingill, well they are both lawyers who were at the center of “Jetgate” which brought down Craig Cannonier. From almost day one they were responsible for destabilizing the OBA and now they are effectively holding Bermuda to ransom. Egos and self interest still takes first place before the interests of Bermuda for Bermudians.

    • Onion Juice says:

      De chickens have come home to roost.

      • Ringmaster says:

        Which is why the PLP will not win.

      • Bumbling bear says:

        Yes they have , the PLP now have pettingill and crockwell to join the other ubp members Jamal Simmons, Kim swan , Wayne furbert and let’s not leave out maxwell burgess.
        At the rate the PLP is going they will have a majority ubp party like the oba soon.

  10. Spit Bouy says:

    Yup as if this is a tough choice. Continue the forward momentum with the OBA who despite what many plp bloggers say has got Bda’s economy back on course or turn things back over to a party of people who shouldn’t be trust to run a snowball stand. Decisions, decisions Bda. Choose wisely. :-)

    • Onion Juice says:

      O.B.A. had a chance, they duped de people and Old U.B.P. showed up.
      But knowing my people, they’ll fall for it again.

      • Ringmaster says:

        Find a copy of Jamaica Farewell written by Morris Cargill. There is so much in there that will show why people like you will never prosper.

      • Spit Bouy says:

        @ OJ,

        Well if the voters fall for more plp deception you’ll get the pain that you all make believe you’re getting now. You wont be able to blame anyone but yourself and the plp then. Oh wait it’s never their fault LOL

      • wahoo says:

        Old UBP are on your team now bird. You should give them some truth serum and find out how they used to talk about you lot on de door step.

      • So Tired says:

        And if they do, they need to protest against each other and keep the peace in this country. You’ll get what you deserve and you deserve what you get!

  11. Coffee says:

    Dunkley is at this very moment trying his BEST to give the Premiership back to Cannonier .

  12. Some people will find fault with just about anything! The proof is in the pudding! The economy is turning around and jobs are being created. Some people need to get off their rear ends and take off their dark shades and take a look at the progress that is being made in this island. Far too many people grumble and bemoan their fate when they are their own worst enemy! Far too much hate and venom being spewed out of the mouths of some politicians and their followers. Lets not forget how a former premier ‘had to deceive its people’. And that was transparency? Soooo many lies and deceitfulness followed… and still does today! Continue with the progress of today current Government… you’re doing a great job!

    • Actuary says:

      I beg to differ. The economy is not turning around. The only reason retail sales are showing an uptick is food and fuel inflation, a lot of the latter driven by higher taxes. Higher levies on health about to kick in will lower take home pay for those who can least afford it. Higher payroll taxes essentially means no raises. Financial services tax drives up cost of everything… Leviathan (aka BDA Government) is getting bigger at the expense of the small people while the professional classes (OBA Donor Class)continue to evade their fair share of the burden – the (permanently?) delayed service tax on Lawyers, Accountants, Architects, etc would raise a minimum of $6,000,000.00 a month, that is $72,000,000.00 a year, which is a lot of interest and principal.

      • Actuary says:

        Also, while it is on my mind: What happen to those price holds on basics that the OBA implemented with major grocers at the outset of this Government? If I was a PLP strategist, I’d check the prices of items in those baskets now.

        • Up D Hill says:

          Nobody tells me what to sell my wares for @actuary, Hur Me!! Nobody!!!

  13. Up D Hill says:

    Correct me if I`m wrong, not to sure how the House works on this. Could the Premier call the house into recess for the summer before the vote on Friday? I would, you know just because!!

  14. rodney smith says:

    What it means to have Golf Balls. You go to Parliament and let the votes fall where they will. If the two Independents have more faith in the PLP than the OBA , at best they can only force an early election . It’s has to be called anyway. What’s the problem ? Short of that , the OBA wins the vote and we go on until the Premier calls the next election .They might force a tie to force Randy Horton to show his hand. What difference does it make ?