Premier: “I Am Less Inclined To Mince Words”
Premier Dr. Ewart Brown spoke at the Sandy’s Rotary Club this evening [April 28]. With a nod to his near-future retirement plans, he stated “I am not one for coded language or beating around the bush and I can tell you in the brief time I have remaining as Premier of Bermuda I am even less inclined to mince words or hold my tongue.”
His speech mentioned various issues facing Bermuda and how they are or can be addressed, including gun crime, education and tourism.
Dr. Brown’s full remarks follow:
Good evening.
During the era of Bermuda’s struggle for freedom, justice and equality protesters were often seen carrying signs saying “Quo Fata Ferunt needs changing.” In those turbulent times, the agents of change argued that our national slogan, “Whither the Fates May Take Us,” was inadequate for a people who craved to master and shape their own destiny.
We gather tonight in a world where changes are occurring so rapidly, so unpredictably that the strength and endurance of every country is being tested. Yet throughout our history we have been tested and time after time have proven ourselves able to weather the storms of change; not by waiting to see where fate would carry us, but by taking what the world has given us and making lemons out of lemonade.
From shipbuilding to whaling to exporting of flowers to tourism to international business our people have adapted to change, grudgingly accepted change and because of this we have succeeded. Bermuda succeeded because we recognized that change though unpleasant, uncomfortable and often unwanted is a necessary part of life and growth.
We gather tonight in a Bermuda unlike any we have ever seen, could have predicted or wanted. A Bermuda caught in the midst of a global recession. A Bermuda where gun violence has hit too often and too close to home. A Bermuda where a broken education system has crippled the hopes and opportunities of our children; and a Bermuda where tourism the life’s blood of our economy for so many years, isn’t as vibrant as it used to be.
We could have waited to see where fate would carry us but that isn’t how I think and isn’t how this government operates. We chose to embrace these challenges, take ownership of them and move swiftly to address them.We launched a war on crime with tougher laws, better policing and increased community involvement. To do this we have started to:
- Toughen the Criminal Code targeting gang activity and its associated anti-social behavior.
- Put more officers with expertise on gang and gun crimes on our streets.
- Partner with the American Federal Bureau of Investigation giving our Police Service access to a wider pool of resources and experience.
- Introduce new weapons in the war on crime from expanded x-ray technology at our docks, the introduction of an electronic tracking system for people on bail or work release to arming officers with Tasers.
- Introduce a Witness Protection Program
Now that Government, the Bermuda Police Service and Government House are on the same page we have swiftly seen results. Where crimes often saw few arrests and fewer convictions, we are now seeing quicker arrests, better evidence gathering and stronger cases before our courts. This means fewer criminals on our streets, greater confidence in our police and our justice system and perhaps most importantly a safer community.
To fix our broken education system we have set tough, world class academic and teaching standards and will give our schools the tools and resources to meet and maintain those standards. Our Blueprint for Reform in Education will see the introduction of the internationally recognized Cambridge Curriculum in English, Math and Science. It will see higher standards of teaching, greater powers for our school principals and higher levels of accountability and transparency.
In 1998 our PLP Government inherited an outdated and outmoded tourism product, a failed marketing strategy and an industry in decline. To combat this we created incentives for hotels to update their facilities, fought for lower airfares for Bermuda, attracted new investors in hotel development to Bermuda and introduced am innovative and aggressive marketing approach.
Despite this I feel that more must be done to bring our tourism product into a competitive position.
We cannot progress our tourism industry until we, as a people, recognize that the Bermuda Model of 20 years ago is no longer effective or relevant in the 21st century. We are at a crossroads. On one path we could continue to do what we have always done with a few minor alterations here and there and hope that fates will carry us to success. Or we can look at a path that recognizes the need for change and embraces a new opportunity and a new beginning.
I am not one for coded language or beating around the bush and I can tell you in the brief time I have remaining as Premier of Bermuda I am even less inclined to mince words or hold my tongue.
If Bermuda is to have any future as a player in the world’s tourism economy, a mature conversation on gaming must occur. I am not one of those people who believe that gaming is a “cure-all” or a panacea for what ails our tourism industry but I do believe that it has the potential to create jobs for Bermudians, create greater opportunities for local business and generate a new revenue stream for our economy.
Our people have many views, opinions and feelings on the subject of gaming and we want to ensure that every voice is heard, every fear is addressed and every criticism constructive or otherwise is weighed. To kick off a full and frank discussion of the subject my government established in February 2009 a Task Force on Gaming who in partnership with our consultants, the Innovation Group, studied the potential impact of gaming on Bermuda and launched a series of public meetings to gain feedback from our people.
At the conclusion of the study the Task Force on Gaming recommended:
- That some form of casino gaming be permitted in Bermuda
- That a suitable site in the City of Hamilton be recommended as a location for the proposed casino. Centrally located it would offer accessibility for visitors and residents alike.
- That the casino be privately owned and operated.
- That no restriction be placed on Bermudian participation.
- That casino opening hours would mirror existing nightclub liquor licensing laws. In some jurisdictions casinos operate 24 hours a day. We believe that is neither appropriate nor suitable for Bermuda
- That the various pieces of legislation currently governing gaming in Bermuda be incorporated under one omnibus piece of legislation.
- That a 10% gross revenue tax be levied on a casino
- That an advanced social services safety net be adapted to address the potential negative effects of the introduction of gaming
This study further indicated that as many as 3000 new jobs and up to $146 Million dollars could be added to our economy.
Bermuda is at a critical stage in our development. How we approach this discussion on gaming will determine the future of our economy, our positioning in the increasingly competitive tourism marketplace and frankly whether we are serious about rebuilding tourism. Gaming by itself won’t revitalize tourism but I see it as an added amenity; something that we must offer to attract more visitors to our shores. To quote one hotel executive who supports the introduction of gaming, “hotels have bars and pools but not everyone drinks or swims…..they are amenities.”
While focusing the discussion on gaming from the perspective of energizing our tourism industry is a useful one that only covers one aspect of its potential benefits. The global recession has reinforced the need for a diversified economy and no country can afford to hope that their existing economic pillars will always remain standing.
We have a responsibility to examine opportunities for new revenue streams. The potential of gaming in this regard cannot be ignored and old arguments against its introduction must be tempered with the realities of the global economy.
An example of how need manifests change can be seen in Singapore. They enjoy a reputation as a stiff, heavily policed and well regulated place. These attributes have made it the home for a number of international companies who value the jurisdiction’s commitment to the rule of law and an excellent infrastructure that meets their needs in the Region. Sound familiar?Faced with declining visitor numbers however, Singapore has been forced to make a shift in how it attracts its visitors and maintains its market share in the increasingly competitive tourism marketplace.
The Government of Singapore has played a significant role in the implementation of casino gaming and the effect of that has been to ensure that no Las Vegas style neon lights announce the location of such a facility. Instead, casinos are hardly noticeable and form part of what the jurisdiction terms “an integrated resort.” Singapore expects to boost its tourist arrivals by 7 million people and its total tourism receipts to 21 billion dollars.
When it comes to spurring tourism, time and again, gaming is a proven winner. The Green Paper on Gaming in Bermuda reveals that:The casino industry has proven to be a catalyst for tourism development in other jurisdictions. Approximately 65% of Americans feel that casinos are a very or somewhat important aspect of tourism industry. Among Travel and Tourism Professionals, this number jumps to approximately 84% revealing the strong importance of gaming in overall leisure and travel.
Those statistics are worth repeating. 84% of travel and tourism professionals – the people who are promoting Bermuda – say that gaming is important. And, in our primary tourism market, the United States, fully 65% of Americans say that gaming is important to them.
With these facts in hand, I believe that gaming is a win-win-win for Bermuda. It’s a win for job creation. It’s a win for tourism. It’s a win for construction. It’s a win for our tax base. And, it’s a win for our economy.
I believe that attitudes towards gaming in Bermuda are shifting. Bermudians love to travel and have been exposed to gaming, whether it is on a cruise ship or in a casino at the various destinations they travel to throughout the world. Whether it is the international poker tournaments on cable or gaming over the internet our people have been exposed to this activity participate in this activity and enjoy this activity.
In fact many of us have come to the conclusion that gaming is an acceptable form of entertainment for ourselves and others. I believe that this recognition will be reflected in our discussion on this issue.
So I say to you tonight, let’s give tourism a future in Bermuda. Let’s take this opportunity and shape it into one that benefits our people and not leave our success purely in the hands of fate. There will be naysayers who will argue that we can’t and we shouldn’t. To them I say we can and we should.
To those who say this will take away our uniqueness I say uniqueness is one thing but being uniquely out of touch is another. Bermuda, the time has come for us to make up our minds as to what we want to be when we grow up as a country.
Thank you.
