PLP: “Offensive: Pettingill Trivializes Apartheid”

June 5, 2010

[Updated] The Progressive Labour Party [PLP] have accused Bermuda Democratic Alliance [BDA] MP Mark Pettingill of trivializing apartheid, and called for the BDA to distance themselves from Mr. Pettingill’s comments.

Yesterday in the House of Assembly MPs were debating an act which would have enabled the Police to hold persons for 28 days without charge. Mr. Pettingill spoke against this measure giving various reasons, focusing most specifically on the legal aspects. The MP, a veteran defense lawyer, said that holding suspects for that long would allow defense lawyers to use that fact in their favour while defending their client. Mr Pettingill explained that should an individual confess days into his detention, the extended detention could be legally used to get the confession waived.

During his speech he also referenced international matters such as Guantanamo Bay and South African apartheid, making comments including “this is what happened in apartheid-era South Africa – detention without charge”.

The PLP today [June 5] released the statement below:

In South Africa, many of the old supporters of the Apartheid-era regime are now supporting a new and recently rebranded political party called the Democratic Alliance.

Yesterday in the House of Assembly, an MP for Bermuda’s Democratic Alliance referenced South Africa’s recent history and trivialized the horrors of Apartheid by equating a measured law to combat gun violence with one of the most despicable atrocities in human history.

Mr. Pettingill is clearly ignorant to the horrors of apartheid. If he wasn’t, he would never have made such a statement. And, Bermuda’s Democratic Alliance is complicit for not reprimanding their MP for his ignorant comparison.

Apartheid South Africa made coloured and Indian South Africans second class citizens. Black South Africans were made third class citizens.

In Apartheid South Africa, racial segregation was the norm. Blacks were given substandard education, forcibly removed from their homes and relocated, denied passports and the opportunity to travel freely, denied opportunities in government, denied opportunities for higher education, denied the ability to own land of their choosing and denied the ability to go to restaurants, swimming pools, cinemas, etc.. In short, black South Africans were subjugated and humiliated by the apartheid government.

When black South Africans rose up against institutionalized subjugation, they were beaten, killed and rounded up by the apartheid police the Army.

This is the legacy of apartheid. This is what apartheid is about. It’s about institutionalized racism and racial discrimination. It is therefore, patently offensive and ignorant to compare a measured effort to get guns off of Bermuda’s streets and convict gun offenders with the overt humiliation and subjugation of a people.

Mr. Pettingill should apologize and Bermuda’s Democratic Alliance should distance themselves from Mr. Pettingill’s trivialization of one of the worst atrocities in human history.

Update 11:44pm: The Bermuda Democratic Alliance has responded to the PLP’s claim. Below follows the full response from Sean Pitcher:

On Friday, in the House of Assembly, the Labour Party attempted to rush a piece of legislation through. Mark Pettingill, a Bermuda Democratic Alliance MP, and experienced trial lawyer, realized that the Bill contained flaws, which if passed, would have been eventually overturned through the courts.

We have already seen this under the Labour Party with the laws imposing harsher sentences for offences involving bladed weapons, which were overturned in the Court of Appeal. Mr. Pettingill voiced his reservations, and then introduced amendments which were passed unanimously. In this instance, the Parliamentary process worked as it was designed, and Bermuda won in the end. That is the Better Way and works for Bermuda.

Did Mr. Pettingill receive any thanks for his efforts? Not at all! Within hours of the vote, a misleading article appeared on Premier Ewart Brown’s Facebook page attacking Mr. Pettingill and accusing him of trivializing apartheid in South Africa. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The reality is that Premier Brown’s Labour Government attempted to race flawed legislation through the House of Assembly, legislation that, if applied by people with the wrong motives, would have had the potential to incarcerate people for up to 28 days with out any evidence at all. Mark Pettingill is an ardent believer in, and strong defender of the rights of all people.

We in the Bermuda Democratic Alliance fully support the need to strengthen our Police Service and our Department of Public Prosecutions. If the Labour Party was really serious they would they introduce laws that protect citizens that do the right thing and testify against criminals and upgrade the training and equipment available to our law enforcement agencies. Instead, they try to bulldoze bad legislation through Parliament, and then castigate those who expose the truth. This is unacceptable and is why we are failing in Bermuda. Collaboration and working together is what we need to aspire to – this will ensure success in defeating the criminal element.

In a five hour debate Mr Pettingill simply quoted Bishop Desmond TuTu who said that when the British Government were trying to pass a bill on the more serious issue of terrorists being held without bail that it reminded him of apartheid where his countrymen were held without charge for inordinate amounts of time. It is quite pathetic that the Labour Party is trying to paint the BDA as some kind of apartheid era party. This is a desperate move from a desperate government and does nothing to serve the interests of Bermudians.

Read More About

Category: All, News, Politics

Comments (24)

Trackback URL | Comments RSS Feed

  1. Face Palm says:

    “In South Africa, many of the old supporters of the Apartheid-era regime are now supporting a new and recently rebranded political party called the Democratic Alliance.”

    If there is one thing that the PLP has perfected it is playing the race card in the most innovative ways. This is a new low — I hadn’t thought of playing six degrees with the names of your poltical opponents.

    I’m interested to see how well this attempt to stifle criticism works.

    • AJ says:

      The Government has been maneuvering for this racial association angel for awhile – they have often referred to the BDA as the DA…quite petty and childish but very typical of the sort of standards we have come to expect of this Government. If they are so concerned about identities – they may wish to review their own- as they certainly lost their “Progressive” almost more than a decade ago and – as for “Labour” (ironic snicker) we know how well they have served us on that front! So that leaves us with simply “Party” and THAT they have certainly been having – on OUR dime!!!

  2. Smacking of desperation...and hypocrisy? says:

    Mr. Pettingill is clearly using the reference to highlight the mistreatment of people and ineffective legal process which was created by poorly drafted (and extreme) laws. The statement is not trivializing Apartheid. It is actually defending those who were subjugated by the corrupt and oppressive regime which passed those laws and enforced them. If one takes some time to think about what Mr. Pettingill actually said, and the context in which it was said, one would realize that he is defending people’s human rights and not trivializing Apartheid for petty political points as the PLP apparently are through this statement. Highlighting the similarity in the parties’ names and twisting Mr. Pettingill’s statement show to the lengths the PLP is apparently prepared to go to discredit its rivals. Quite a shame really.

  3. Kristin says:

    I agree Face Palm. This is a new low…

    I’m so confused … what is the point here? Pettingill’s comments said that ‘detention without charge’ was something that happened during Apartheid. Others have said the same thing in other countries were legislation that allows people to be held without charge was being debated. How do his comments trivialize apartheid?

    This is not a story – changes were suggested, EVERYONE AGREED, the law was passed. Notes and comments like these represent that type of ‘old’ politics that most right-thinking Bermudians are against – comments that are meant to stir up emotion, rather than discuss facts; designed to divide and conquer, rather than unite and progress.

  4. terry says:

    I did’nt even read responses.

    Typical.

    Mark is white…end of story…………………………

    Sad, very sad.

  5. terry says:

    Actually, since today is “D” Day” and the memories of that era I focused on today I thought about how and why the world got involved. Apartheid was wrong but the consequences of “Kristallnact”…………………brought more world suffering than any in humanity.

    It’s inception continues today.

    A great day too all.

  6. Rich says:

    Interesting to note that the PLP were helped on this story by the RG. Their opening paragraph in its coverage of the debate completely distorts and hyperbolises what Mark actually said:

    “Government yesterday agreed to a last-minute amendment to a tough new law aimed at tackling gun crime after a Bermuda Democratic Alliance MP likened it to the oppressive apartheid regime in South Africa.”

    This suggests that the Apartheid jab was the thrust of Mark’s speech and supports the PLP’s interpretation somewhat. Being the main daily, its take on a story tends to be what drives the news cycle, read by most and piggy backed on by the radio broadcasts.

    Perhaps this is as much a story of the PLP getting facts straight as it is of responsible reporting by the media.

  7. T Payne says:

    Agreed Rich, and its a huge problem that happens constantly.

  8. BDA not ready says:

    Mark Pettingil is full of himself and draws and hide behind the race card. He needs to apoloize. Note he was no where to be found when a vote was taken. He grand stands as always and never truly gives a full day at the house. He needs to reinburse the public for the time missed at the house

    • AJ says:

      You sound like one of those bitter UBP supporters. Who can you name that is in the House from start to finish…I daresay darling Kim was obviously vacant….

  9. NOT PETTINGILL says:

    As usual Mark Pettingill takes the spotlight – John Barritt should of been the one noted as the one who tried his best to get a haul to this bill.

    • AJ says:

      I don’t know if you listened to the debate or were present, but you should have noted that the Opposition were very supportive of Mark and his recommendations. Note what Bob Richards and others had to say – all VERY complimentary. The point here is that this event was historic. We (the people) won – Parliament worked together!!! Yes, Mark facilitated that (indisputable). The UBP is a dead Opposition – they could have NEVER effected the same because the Government would never have been so receptive to them – as is regularly evidenced in the House now.

      • UBP is the only opposition says:

        The gambling bill was not won with the BDA the 1st time nor 2nd? AJ you must be blinder than Stevie Wonder. The UBP Richards is staying on the ball in finance. The issue is that BDA is in the house under the UBP … they are UBP in BDA false clothing. The kind is naked, don’t try to make us believe they are wearing clothes, they are NOT

        • AJ says:

          You are right. The UBP is not in it’s death throws. They have attracted so much new blood and support; their style of politics and opposition is exactly what this Country needs and the People are satisfied and confident in you. Kim’s is visionary. THe UBP is not at all threatenend by BDA, nor should they be. Sorry. I’ll shut-up now.

          • Petty Jealousy - Frantic? says:

            No Canniderrie is the visionary. He whipped Donte for voting against the BDA on gambling and then hailed Sen. Bean for lashing out against his party. so AJ you are so right. Pettingill was there today because of all the bad press he is getting but where were the other 2 when the votes matters? Keep hailing up the BDA and the PLP will ride into another 8 years of power with such dedicated people in front and behind the scenes. Now I can shut up.

          • Watching says:

            The UBP is the only hope for the county to be united. I never voted before but after all I have seen happening, as a young Bermudian can never trust BDA nor PLP. BDA is the really white party of young whites trying to integrate and erase history.

  10. Tired of the nonsense.... says:

    “Mark Pettingil is full of himself and draws and hide behind the race card. ”

    What are you smoking? Dr. Brown is the one who has played tne race card once again in light of crticism. So instead of addressing the message that PettIngill was making (as a successfule defense lawyer he does know what he is talking about as it was about law) guess what his course was to distract, “talk about racism and white supremacy” while never tackling the points made.

    Just like the BDA said in their press release, these are actions of a desperate man and administration. That’s all he has left. Can’t even get legislation pass his back bench anymore. He just needs to get out and stop the irreparable damage that he causes this island everytime he opens his mouth.

    Pettingill was in defense of the innocent until proven guilty individuals who are overwhelmingly black before our courts today.

    Remember in 2007 when Marc Bean labelled the UBP’s crime platform as neo fascicst and that they were going to lock up all black people, because that’s what whites do?

    Where is all the outrage now that the PLP have put forth such draconian legislation. Where is Bean and his neo-fascist criticisms now.

    HYPOCRITES ALL OF YOU!!!

    • hypocrites = PETTINGILL says:

      Pettingill is the bigest hypo. He ran and fought for the UBP and now won’t resign to run for the new party he now says he believes in? Dr. Brown, has always been PLP and never a traitor to the party that elected him. Get real. Mark hides behind the race card. Where are his morals persoanlly and professionally?

      • Tired of the nonsense.... says:

        “Mark hides behind the race card”

        What Bermuda politics have you been watching mate?

        The PLP has almost perfected the use of the race card to an art form. They draw up some flawed and police state type legislation. It gets debated. The PLP admits that its somewhat flawed and thus agrees to incorporate the amendments. In order to distract attention from the draconian legislation that allows for people to be locked up for extended periods (which would have a greater affect on the young black males of our society) of time without due process (yes the same sort of legislation that the PLP labelled as being neo-fascist and another white man’s attempt to lock up the black man = hypocrites)they issue a statement about Pettingill belittiling Apartheid.

        It’s called distractions. I don’t want people to realize that we screwed up so we will fabricate some outrageous claim towards our opponents and hope that the people don’t see what the real deal is. And obviously it worked on some as per your response above.

        That is playing the race card and to the most despicable degree. But sadlt it has become the absoulte norm with theBrown administration. Take no responsibility for one’s actions and/or words and a) blame the party that has been out of power for over a decade, b) claim racism at every crticism, c) label your enemies and repeat the fact they are your enemies, d) blame people that don’t look like you and label them your enem because they don’t look like you so they must be bad

        I agree that all BDA MPs as well as Wayne (“it might confuse the people if there was a by-election”) Furbert and Darius Tucker.

        HYPOCRITES

        • Confused? who you, yes says:

          BDA MP’S MUST TO RESIGN! They are impostures, not to be trusted. We know what Dr. Brown is – he’s the leader to the PLP, voted for the PLP, and represent the PLP. You may be silly enough to believe that cop out excuse of “confusion” – we are not confused – the BDA oportunists won under the UBP platform and couldn’t get their own way, wouldn’t pull their own weight, do you ever see them in the community or community functions, unless there are free sports tickets then they grab up all for themselves. They are a bunch of selfish, dishonest(run for 1 party then represent another without reimbursing the party for what was spent on them gaining a government pay cheque) and elite social climbing wantabees

          • AJ says:

            Sounds like another frantic and bitter UBP supporter consummed with petty jealousy.

          • Tired of the nonsense.... says:

            Just like Wayne Furbert and Darius Tucker….

  11. Petty Jealousy - Frantic? says:

    Frantic and petty jealously of Egotistically, opportunistic and un-reliable former UBP imposters – not a chance AJ … When the MPs you support resign and have a by-election, you and they may gain respect. They are afraid that they will be booted out of the parliament and that means the paycheque will cease. Here ends me wasting time on small pea brains peeps.

  12. fleabiting says:

    14 yrs of race divisiveness,,have sent 6000 expats home,IB left the island and these unscrupulous group plp is still talking about race!!!