Cabinet Shake-up – What’s To Come?
This coming Monday morning [Nov 1] Premier Paula Cox will unveil Bermuda’s new Cabinet team at Government House.
Premier Cox is said to be very tight lipped, with even those close to her not fully aware of her plans, with little more than speculation to go by.
Possible names speculated to become new Cabinet Ministers include Ashfield DeVent, Wayne Perinchief, Patrice Minors, Wayne Furbert, Terry Lister and Dale Butler. Lovitta Foggo and Michael Weeks are the only two PLP MPs without Cabinet experience.
Party insiders say the Finance Ministry is seen as the “hot potato,” with the person accepting it having to face problems, and as one party insider put it “will become the most disliked politican going.” The new Finance Minister has the option to allow Bermuda’s debt to continue to climb, or make slashing cuts – neither of which are popularity builders. The debt will take years to reduce, making it a Ministry in which there is nothing remotely close to a “quick improvement” available.
Terry Lister, an accountant by trade, is seen as a possibility for Finance, however it is unclear whether Mr Lister would be willing to accept the role. As far as being offered it – some say there may be resentment as Mr Lister openly criticised Government’s spending while Ms Cox was Finance Minister. Others sources indicate that the Premier could offer him the Minister of Finance position to solidify party unity, in a move reminiscent of President Obama naming Hillary Clinton to a senior position after the 2008 U.S. elections.
New-PLP MP Wayne Furbert could be seen as viable for Minister of Finance; the successful business man is an accountant by trade. He has previous Cabinet experience – albeit on the other side of the floor with the UBP. Party insiders suggest that Mr Furbert, who also could be seen in the Transport role, may need to ‘pay his dues’ more before obtaining a Cabinet position.
Derrick Burgess, who held the Ministry of Works & Engineering, is said to be able to exercise his options due to being the Deputy Leader. It is speculated he may retain the Works & Engineering portfolio.
Dale Butler, a former educator and proponent of Bermuda culture, is thought to be willing to work any capacity except for Education, and the outgoing Mr Butler could be seen as a fit for the Ministry of Tourism – which was formerly held by Dr Brown.
Wayne Perinchief is said to be open to a return to Cabinet. His background in Policing could be seen as positive for public perception of the Labour & Public Safety Ministry, especially at a time when public morale is down due to the rise in crime. Mr Perinchief supported Mr Lister in his campaign, with some insiders saying that may work against him.
Michael Weeks, who ran for Deputy Leader, has a sporting background and could be seen as a fit for the Sports Ministry. Mr Weeks does not bring experience having never sat in Cabinet before, however is fairly well liked in many circles which could be seen as a bonus for public perception.
Present Minister without Portfolio Zane DeSilva, who is seen by some as a Brown loyalist, is anticipated to remain in Cabinet. Should he be moved, one Ministry ruled out would be Works & Engineering due to what would sure to be public backlash, something Premier Cox is said to wish to avoid.
Ashfield DeVent, considered to be one of the more “street savvy” MPs and speaks frequently on aspects of anti-social behaviour, is seen as a possibility to hold the Social Rehabilitation portfolio, presently held by Minister Neletha Butterfield, who is anticipated to remain in Cabinet.
There is also expected to be a shake-up in the Senate; the last group of appointed PLP Senators were Colonel David Burch, Kim Wilson, Walton Brown, Thaao Dill and Marc Bean.
Marc Bean is almost definitely out, as he is hoping to become an MP, and will be contesting the Warwick seat vacated by Dr Ewart Brown. Kim Wilson, who serves as Attorney General, is anticipated to stay. Colonel Burch, seen as a controversial but hard working politician, is seen only to not return if he wishes to retire.
Thaoo Dill, the well known Hott 107 radio personality, is not seen as likely to be re-appointed. Walton Brown, the former Premier’s cousin, is said to be very enthusiastic to keep his Senate position, however may be removed in a shake-up. As far as new faces, former PLP chairman David Burt is seen as a front-runner.
The official announcements will be made this coming Monday, and could range from expected appointments to a massive shake-up. Feel free to leave a comment below and let us know your thoughts on what you think may happen, or what shuffling you would like to see.
With that bunch to choose from Cox doesnt have many options.
If it means trying to please the likes of yourself then you are absolutely right. Not much of a chance there!
If Premier Cox wants to keep the island afloat and it’s future generations may she be guided by opinions snd reality.
Best too you Paula. The ball is really in your court. And if your pundits are reading this I hope they find my message. It’s not about you, it’s about us.
I for one hope that she finds a role for Rolffe. Maybe Minister of Misinformation or Minister of Banking Security.
Yeah that might be nice to have someone to deal with the misinformed sheltered types.
That the PLP delegates elected Bro. Derrick Burgess as the new Deputy Leader on Thursday night underlines the fact even younger members appreciate the fact the party grew out of Bermuda’s labour struggle. The Premier should now take the opportunity to acknowledge the historic relationship between the PLP and the labour movement as well. It would be a tremendous vote of confidence in both Mr. Burgess and the trade union movement he once led if the new Premier would divest herself of the Finance portfolio she says she intends to keep. Instead, she should appoint Mr. Burgess as Finance Minister. Mr. Burgess has repeatedly demonstrated his bona fides as a capable administrator, a skilled organiser and a tireless worker. He understands the needs of business as well as the needs of Bermuda’s working class. As union president, he always championed conciliation rather than confrontation. He knew how to work within a budget and how to get projects completed on time. And Mr. Burgess has shown as Works & Engineering Minister that he can run a large, diversified public sector department with the short of brisk efficiency the private sector is always demanding from Government (and sometimes claims a monopoly on). Appointing Mr. Burgess as Bermuda’s Finance Minister would be a bold move on the Premier’s part. But a fully justified one. On a symbolic level, it would send a powerful and positive signal to the community — Bermuda’s finances would now be under the management of a former BIU president. On a practical level, Bermuda’s finances would be competently and prudently managed. But Ms Cox is not known for boldness. So I doubt she will seize the historic opportunity she has been presented with.
Dear Onion Seed,
Younger members do respect the struggle of the labour movement, particularly as the events of 1950 – 1998 have allowed us to benefit from greater access to Front Street, the International Business Sector and not being an underclass in our own country. However, younger members have real jobs in the private sector where we our judged by our performance and rewarded for our efforts. Our generation respects the merit of performance and people who do what they say.
Our new Deputy Premier does not have a background in international business, finance, investment banking, risk management, accountancy or law and additionally he would not be an appropriate candidate for Minister of Finance for the powehouse that is Bermida following reasons:
1) The challenges and competition faced by our international business model needs professionals who have worked in the sector, with contacts and professional networks outside Bermuda to help us position our strategy and remain competitive.
2) Our new Deputy Premier’s performance and comments in the Media as Immigration Minister will remain with him for the rest of his political career and him now eating his own words to have to “break bread” with foreigners would not be something he would enjoy.
3) There are over 15 talented Bermudians who individually each have 15+ years in international finance, investment banking, insurance and group marketing who are qualified to be Minister of Finance. Recruit 1 of them, give them clear targets and they will deliver. We DO NOT have an opportunity to take a romantic journey with our new Deputy Premier in such a critical ministry. His history of “I dont want them here” demonstrates how he will respond to any legitimate disagreement from the sector with his policies as Minister of Finance.
4)Onion seed, have you really considered the qualifications to be Minister of Finance in an offshore financial centre? Do you honestly think the new Deputy Premier can represent us in front of the OECD, FATF, RIMS, ABIR, SEC, FSA?
5) Our new Premier, the Hon Paula Cox, is qualified and if she chooses to retain this portfolio she has our 155% support.
Please use blogs for constructive ideas Bermuda needs serious public input in how we are governed and how MP Cox’s team can better run Bermuda. It is clear that Onion Seed is a Union Member, unaware of how capital, jurisdictional strategic marketing, international finance, or even risk transfer operate.
6) Go and review the financial statements, performance and general operation of the Bermuda Industrial Union during the period 1975 – 2010 and be honest about the figures, membership and judge its management and leadership. Then do the same exercise for the Ministry of Finance and Bermuda Monetary Authority and then take a view of the BIU’s leadership can administer or manage an Economy.
I wish more people would THINK before posting irrational posts on these websites. MP Derrick Burgess for Minister of Finance, Please.
Use these blogs to make suggestions about educating Bermuda’s children or healing the racial divide in our great nation, or how we can continue to attract capital and talent. Or better still have another BUURRR, as you have clearly already exceeded the limit.
Appointing the same person intimately involved in the $5 million BIU bond fiasco. Wait, you are just joking right? Right!!
Wait, probably can’t be worse then the seriously inept job done over the past few years.. Oh well.
We need to have people that are qualified to do jobs for the Country! Cousin Derrick has many admirable qualities and has come a long way, he is no more qualified to head up finance than I am and I would like to think that he would be the first to recognize that…Get real Onion Seed, EXPERIENCE in a particular area is key, the new Premier lacked it in Finance and it shows, at least find someone who has a an Education in the discipline, has a professional background in finance and appoint them in the Senate as with the Attorney General. if you want to do well for the Country you don’t hand out a Ministry like a lollipop! We already have far too many people either in Parliament or wanting to run for Parliament who simply are not qualified to do the job as Legislators for the Country, it is essential that the Front Bench at least is qualified for the job they are given!
I can’t believe this was written without sarcasm – this is the same man who provided what amounts to a financial guarantee (a regulated and specialized line of insurance) with no due diligence performed on the company it guaranteed nor on the union’s own ability to pay off a mere $6.8 million. Paying off the bond, which the union was legally bound to do, would have bankrupted the Union according to former Premier Brown when he forgave the debt – Raymond Russell continually highlights the union’s lack of financial accountability and mismanagement and you seriously think Burgess should be Finance Minister? Boy does this statement show how our education system has truly failed our people, That is a travesty. How can you claim that a $78m police/court building which was millions of dollars over budget, so many millions it makes the alleged TCD over run look like a drop in the bucket – how does that demonstrate working within budget?
Onion Seed, mI hope your seeds don’t germinate.
Onion Seed – you sound like a union member who has access to the new Deputy Premier and wants a “job” sitting around all day, or walking behind him saying “well done Minister” so you can keep your $75,000+ a year wage, for the 15 hours a week you put in at the BIU on your PC writing these blogs! I hope you keep your work when the hammer drops on Mondeeee!
BINGO!!!
C’mon guys and gals … Onion Seed is just takin’ the piss …No one could be that delusional in real life .. lol lol
Onion Seed – agree with you that Derrick Burgess is a tireless champion of the labour movement. However I am firmly against giving him the Minister of Finance portfolio. In his time at the BIU, it was Derrick who employed Julian Hall as a “consultant” and allegedly paid him using creative accounting (i.e. had the educational expenses of his daughters met by the Bermuda Industrial Union in lieu of payment for work as a consultant), allegedly in order to evade his creditors. He then hired him when he was at W&E allegedly for $200k per annum…again as a “consultant”. I am all for employing people, but it seems it’s only a select few that reap the benefits!
Right now, Bermuda is in a very precarious position with the amount of debt we are carrying, and I would much rather have someone who has a financial background (although there are no guarantees), and an inkling of what fiscal responsibility really entails.
The only factual statement above in paragraph one from “Tish” is that he hired Julian Hall. The rest is actually untrue and merely a parroting of speculation in the Royal Gazette that rarely failed to jump off of its customary fence sitting when it comes time to malign anything PLP – before you malign the dead and his innocent children, get some facts. I am not a PLP supporter and I think Derrick Burgess should be put out to pasture, I am sickened that the bitter Laverne Furbert now has a paid platform to air her unrelenting and monotonous views but I can also be objective and call out BS. When you use the Royal Gazette as your source, it’s less credible than Wikipedia… you know, where people can edit their own entries.
Onion Seed is surely being sarcastic – he should ask DL Burgess where the audited published Union accounts are!
Like the former Premier, I am becoming blind to you haters. As well as deaf. Derrick Burgess doesn’t have a background in international business, finance, investment banking or risk management? That’s a good thing as far as I’m concerned. Wasn’t it those high-finance specialists (particularly some of the ones operating out of Bermuda’s American International Group offices) who plunged the world into a global recession because they couldn’t grasp basic arithmetic? These were the people who drove a multi-billion dollar enterprise like XL to the brink of bankruptcy by investing in the US sub-prime mortgage market? These are the people who have made Bermuda look like a mid-Atlantic loan shark operation in Florida because they put the squeeze on the people there as regards hurricane insurance? Come on! Did Bro. Derrick make a mistake regarding the completion bond? Of course he did. And he’s ‘fessed up to it more than once! Have I heard a single apology from those in “international business, finance, investment banking or risk management” who destroyed millions of people’s retirement plans and investments? Who were rewarded for their greed? Who got golden parachutes for plunging the world into the most disastrous recession since the Great Depression? I don’t think. I assume Bro. Derrick can balance his own cheque book. Based on the evidence, I don’t think the same applies to our International Business experts!
Onion Seed
The blame for the sub prime and CDO mess can be directly traced to Joe Cassano’s Financial Products Group in the London office of AIG. Bermuda’s office did not participate – read the non fiction account of The Big Short if you wish for facts – in fact – the Bermuda market is one of the only financial markets to have proven its soundness when other larger ones needed a bail out – Bermuda’s players have nothing to apologise for – the same can’t be said for many in New York, Chicago and California (Ameriquest and co) – Bermuda had to suffer as everyone did but you are pointing your finger in the wrong direction.
ONION, you need to stop smoking those ganja SEEDS for real…….and you were serious or you wouldnt have made the post. Its silly loyalty like Onion Seed that kept us pinned up for the past 4 years. Hopefully the new Deputy gets to be, MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO……he can then start his campaign to fight against the new PLP Cabinet, UBP & BDA as you lot seem to get bitter when sidelined…………..on Thurs night his interview with Gary Moreno was an “Um Um, I support our new Premier and um um am Proud of her…………” great opening line Mr Deputy Premier…to neutralise the troublemakers, I hope our new Premier creates various MINISTRIES OF WHAT WE DID FOR THE UNION BACK IN 1980s. I’d rather pay income tax here at 20% so she can pay them, rather than risk putting some of these jokers out there to represent us internationally. Scary prospect.
Premier Cox has talked about saving $150 million a year through cuts – if Ewart Brown gave back the kickbacks, BDA housing, ferries, Kerwin Communications, Dockyard terminal, cement contract, TCD construction, etc, the Honourable Lady would likely be half way to her target.
If Ewart Brown has had money that he should not have had it begs the question as to where was the Finance Minister at the time? Sorry, but the Honorable lady, nor her supporters can really start to blame others or even blame the World Economic down turn, WHICH, by the way, was predicted years earlier…the “buck” didn’t stop where it should have, it needs to.
It’s very important that premier cox puts an individual in place in home Affairs, that can have a good working relationship with our International community, and not someone with a continuous grudge to grind, like the present minister, Terry Lister or pat rice minors would be perfect, yes, burch does work hard, but behind closed doors and away from view of the Premier he’s mischievous.