OBA: ‘Inappropriate To Raise This Issue’

June 15, 2018

Narinder Hargun is Bermudian and the fact that he was born elsewhere does not make him less Bermudian,” Opposition Leader Jeanne Atherden said, adding that “it was inappropriate to raise this issue during the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council.”

In April of this year, the Governor announced the appointment of Mr Hargun as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, from 14 July 2018, with Mr Hargun set to replace Chief Justice Dr Ian Kawaley who announced last year he would be stepping down in July.

In a statement today, Ms Atherden said, “Narinder Hargun is Bermudian and the fact that he was born elsewhere does not make him less Bermudian, he has status and is therefore considered to be a Bermudian.

“It was inappropriate to raise this issue during the Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council. This Government must move on and accept that the best qualified person for the post of Chief Justice has been appointed.

“He is willing to serve his country and that should be lauded and not dismissed in the very derogatory terms that have been used in the House of Assembly.

“The OBA will support the appointment of a Bermudian to every top position in the country where the person is qualified. They should always be next in line. Mr Hargun is considered to be a Bermudian.”

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Comments (23)

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  1. Mark says:

    Are u kidding? He raised it at that meeting! Either youre against racism or youre not. Selective racism is this govt’s modus operandi. Disgusting. Not my govt or my country. Time to call an election.

    • mixitup says:

      And this same person^^ rides along in a system that is built to give advantage to the minority and says nothing, but screams holy hell for something like this…Smh. At least pretend to be consistent will you.

    • Onion Juice says:

      Remember Fahey said there is no such thing as Bermudian and Marshall said we’re lucky to be born in Bermuda and ALL de nagative things been said about Bermudians and no one defends us.
      Bunch of hypocrites.

      • Portuguese says:

        Neither of those statements is true.

        Everyone here is right. All you have is hate. If you hate everyone here so much why don’t you leave.

      • jt says:

        You missed the point (again). Hargun is Bermudian. Just like you.

      • SMH says:

        “Bunch of hypocrites.”

        Yes, and you prove it every day. You’re a hypocrite, nothing more, nothing less.

      • Earth watch police says:

        Plp is just a racist party too bad for Bermuda.

  2. Athena says:

    It is very much cause for concern in a democracy when a representative of the sitting government makes a blatantly discriminatory statement that indicates that “all Bermudians are not equal”.

    It is especially inappropriate in the meeting where it was raised and all of us should be embarrassed at this type of regressive thinking being voiced.

    There could not have been a better Bermudian chosen than Mr. Narinder Hargun. Those who have made derogatory comments need to conduct themselves more like government representatives than schoolchildren!

  3. truth says:

    Not your government or your country. Did you feel that way when unapologetic and undeniable white racist were running things?
    On to another matter!
    This lady wants foreigners to have the rights of bermudians and she wants to defend same sex marriage. The West/European world view is not the only one on the planet. It should not have unchallenged reign over the minds and cultures of non-white people.
    If you want a Western/European world then go where they represent the majority and vote along those lines.
    Dont come to countries and threaten us or insult us because we dont like the idea of a man sleeping with another man or we want to protect the rights of nationals against slippery immigration policies that are not for our betterment!

    • SMH says:

      “white racist were running things?”

      You campaign for the removal of rights, yet continue to whine about racism
      You’re nothing but racist, bigoted hypocrites. The world laughs at you.

      • Really! says:

        No the WORLD (mostly people of color) laughs at white racist who are blind and ignorant…Those who are like you!!!

    • Question says:

      First of all “this lady” that you reference is a black Bermudian. What she is suggesting is that every Bermudian is treated equally. Amazing that you fascists don’t want that.

      Like it or not, every Bermudian has to be treated equally. You can’t just treat people who don’t look like you as second class citizens. Your threats don’t scare anyone, and you make yourselves look like a backward bunch of third world amateurs, which is essentially what you are.

  4. Really! says:

    Jean just doesnt get it.
    The voters that she should be going after do not resonate with these sentiments. Unless she is kissing up and trying to get foreign votes. She is politically naive to extoll this view so vociferously. She needs to learn politics and get on with winning the votes that shape elections. Not! sounding off so that her base knows that she is loyal…

    • Longtail says:

      She “needs to learn politics”…. i.e. she needs to become a racist???

    • CLEM says:

      Better to be in opposition and speak words if truth and kindness than lower yourself and attack people on the basis of their aquisition of Bermudian Status. Lord Ahmed remeber is the son of an immigrant so he would have recognused the comments made for what they were. A very sad and depressingly familiar narrative.

    • jt says:

      She’s defending a Bermudian and the hiring of Bermudians.
      Hargun is Bermudian.
      I thought that’s what “the voters she should be going after” are looking for.

    • wahoo says:

      This is more about morality than any kind of loyalty and I think you know that deep down but it just does not suit your agenda.

    • Harold says:

      The west view should indeed not necessarily rule but I would rather abide by their rules than have rules which allow overt discrimination from a minister

    • Redrose says:

      Really? So she needs to lower her standards to meet others Low standards?

  5. Alvin Williams says:

    Funny we did not hear such words when her OBA politicians stated there is no such things as a Bermudian; she could never be the leader of my country neither her or her political party.

    • jt says:

      Hargun is just as Bermudian as you are Alvin. You should be applauding his appointment.

  6. Trott says:

    It would seem that all this rhetoric is to rile people up whether they agree with the appointment or not. All this noise is about distration. Get on with getting control of our hospital and airport.
    The ssm is a Church problem not state.

  7. Kathy says:

    We are very lucky to have Hargun for the post. He is so very qualified and fair and will make a great appointment. At the end of the day, isn’t that all that matters? And at the end of the day, he is BERMUDIAN!