UBP Leader Kim Swan: “We are Behind Devrae”
Following the official nomination today [Nov 23] of the UBP’s candidate for the upcoming by-election, Leader of the Opposition Kim.Swan said “I am proud of Devrae Noel-Simmons today especially as nomination day represents the day you are officially placed on the ballot. Devrae has shown great faith in the United Bermuda Party and for the past fifteen months has been involved in the community and rebuilding one of our western branches.”
On November 10th, the UBP formally introduced Devrae Noel-Simmons as their candidate for Constituency 26, Warwick South Central. The political newcomer is a graduate of Howard University, with a background in physical training, security and small business ownership.
Mr Noel Simmons was previously convicted of drug possession, and says he has since turned his life around. Mr Swan appeared to subtly allude to that saying “Devrae has been placed under the micro-scope but it is a position he expected; but his candidacy can serve as an example to the many young people in Bermuda that it is possible to turn your life around. He is showing that it takes a willingness to take responsibility for your mistakes; courage and humility to face the negativity; and patience to rebuild the trust that you were responsible for eroding”
Mr Swan concluded by saying “We are behind Devrae and look forward to the people of Warwick supporting his candidacy.”
Nomination Day: Pictured above from left to right; Mr Swan, Mr Noel Simmons, Senator Jeanne Atherden and MP Trevor Moniz.
The by-election will be held on December 15th to fill the seat vacated by former Premier Dr Ewart Brown. The PLP has put forward former Senator and Junior Minister Marc Bean to contest the seat, and the BDA has put forward political newcomer and insurance executive Sylvan Richards as their candidate.
Someone please tell me this is a joke, please… Sir. John Swan would never have countenanced a candidate of this caliber…Best thing any one who wishes to see a genuinely strong Opposition or possibly even new Government can do now is join the Alliance and get involved…Another decade of the present bunch of self-serving kleptocrats is not what any of our children deserve.
By the way, has anybody else noticed the strange silence coming from the PLP government, as if Brown never really existed…
@June – - I am having trouble understanding the purpose of your post here? What I am getting from your comment/post is –
1. Devrae is not a worthy candidate to run for office (UBP or otherwise)
2. Sir John would not have supported Devrae
3. Join the Alliance or the opposition and the government are doomed, and
4. There is a problem with the PLP not speaking/discussing Dr. Brown.
Is that about right? Ok –
1. The change you speak about in your post is going to be created with different ideas and progressive thinking – - we can’t do the same things if we expect for things to get better – so why not look for new blood from sources we normally wouldn’t? (Just a thought)
2. Sir John is and will always be a man of the people of Bermuda – - He is a Pond Dog and very proud of that fact. I believe that he would have been very critical of Devrae, grilled him on the issues and his past, allowed Devrae to speak to those points, and then supported him after receiving those answers.
3. Silly opinion based political jargon (moving on)
4. Just a thought – “if some in the country had major issues with our former leader, if we want to get them to support us, maybe we should get them to focus on what we are going to do by not focusing on what he did” – - that’s just smart in my opinion.
That last part of your statement is just a wasted political jab – - I encourage real dialogue to create change for our country – - grumbles and political shots from either part (PLP, UBP, or BDA) in my opinion is just wasted energy. But I respect that you have the right to express your thoughts – - – as does everyone.
I dont know what Sir John would say and frankly I dont care, neither should anyone. Your decision to support Devrae or whomever is down to you as an individual – in the voting booth. People have opinions on his suitability and they are entitled to do so. If he was caught with drugs intended for supply, then it is safe to say he was a drug dealer. Was that the first time he had been in possession with intent to supply, or was it just the first time he was caught – we will never know. Does a person accept that he has ‘repaid his debt to society’? Well, that depends on how we as individuals quantify that debt. I personally view his arrest as symbolic of his character, not unlike other ‘politicians’ that have similar backgrounds. I base my opinion on that, not what Sir John would do…
@ Yng black mind…a vote for the PLP or UBP is a vote for the same o’l Special Interests who place Bermuda in fourth place. If people want to send a Message and vote for a party who place the interests of Bermuda first, who place the interests of our grandchildren first, then they will vote for the BDA. Also, why is Dr. Brown’s mini-me afraid to debate the issues with the BDA candidate? Why does mini-me refuse to attend talk shows with the other candidates? The silence says a lot.
First of all, personal attacks and name-calling (“mini-me”), to me, at least, show that, as a supporter of the BDA, you’re just after more of the same, too.
How is the BDA any different from the UBP or PLP? Grand messages? Both of the others have that. Propaganda? Yep. “Vote for us because the other two don’t care!”? Check. Smears, negative campaigning, and the rest of it? Absolutely.
At this point in our history, the ONLY way people can “send a Message” is an active campaign of spoiling ballots to show that we’re fed up with “VOTE PARTY VOTE PARTY VOTE PARTY” that we’ve had shoved down our throats for so long and to take away the “Mandate of the people”.
A vote for ANY party is a vote for more of the same ol’ same.
@ Yng ‘Black” mind.
#1 A BUM is a worthy candidate to RUN for office. Doesn’t mean we will vote for them and actually PUT them in office; I.E. anyone can run for office.
#2 Nobody knows what Sir John would do except Sir John and quite frankly i’m not sure anyone cares. Well lets be fair…. I don’t!
#3 I couldn’t agree more with your 4th point. I want good leadership not the arch enemy of former leadership. We need leadership that has not been stained with the blood of this war for power and that includes BDA.
Yng Black Mind – My reply is don’t shoot the messenger; but for the purposes of engagement and clarity,I will try to assist your trouble understanding:
1. Devrae is not a worthy candidate to run for office (UBP or otherwise).
Correct, there are far better fish in the Pond…
2. Sir John would not have supported Devrae
Correct, no doubt in my mind that Bermuda’s longest serving and most electorally succesful Premier would have been able to pull a far brighter (in every sense) fish out of the Pond.
3. Join the Alliance or the opposition and the government are doomed
Not sure what you mean, but my point is that a strong, effective, erudite opposition cum government-in-waiting is essential to any well funtionning democracy. I might add the old cliche, power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, (as we have seen).
4. There is a problem with the PLP not speaking/discussing Dr. Brown.
Yes, there clearly is – four years of this thieving, narcissistic, race-baiting degenerate and nobody, not even after he has departed, has the courage to say (in the very least) “an apology is in order…”
Trust I have made myself clear this time.