Tucker’s Point SDO Is Passed
The controversial Special Development Order for Tucker’s Point Resort passed. The debate in the House of Assembly went into the early hours of this morning [Mar.1] and passed 21-10.
The SDO was tabled in the House of Assembly on February 4th. The Bermuda Environmental and Sustainability Taskforce [BEST], Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda [CURB], the Bermuda National Trust, David Wingate as well as private citizens spoke out about their concerns.
You can view the related documents here, and a statement from Tucker’s Point detailing specifics of what developments they plan here.
Sigh.
this government is a joke. we.are.doomed.
I Wish I Could Laugh but They are a Sad group of People. What’s Next Bermuda?
Is there any surprise? It was a done deal from the begining. TP has sold units to be built already, according to the Tourism Minister last noght. How could that be done without a guarantee from the PLP Government to Tuckers Point that the SDO would be passed.
You have essentially the same Cabinet as under the Brown Regime. How can you expect any difference on behavior? SSDD.
Over 700 online petition signatures in just a few days. Ignored. Course those people don’t matter. Very few of those names are recognisable as the names of black Bermudians though they seem to be very vocal against the SDO on talk radio.
What DOES it take to get Bermudians motivated? In Wisconson they come out in fridgid weather to protest. In Bermuda they won’t come out on the nicest of days.
Bermuda, you were decieved yet again. That was NO debate last night. It was going through the motions. The UBP put on a spirited response knowing full well it would be in vain. The PLP backbench was, as usual, spineless. Sheep, told what to do & when to do it.
When will all those PLP supporters, who say that they are so disgusted with the position that they are in now, protest in front of Alaska Hall?
Until then you are just sheeple getting the disrespect that you diserve.
Your first paragraph answers all your questions!
I don’t take your jibe at black bermudians lightly.
We seldom signed these useless petitions under the old UBP government for reasons I’m sure you are familiar with. Back in the UBP days I bet you won’t be so fast to sign if your home wasn’t paid off or your business relied heavily on government contracts, let alone your kids were in private school and you were a part of the yachty fraternity.
Signing a petition doesn’t make anyone more committed to a cause, it just proves that you have less to loose than others.
At the end of the day its the ‘ticked’ box on the voters card that matters M8
Oh we know LOL, its called shooting yourself in the foot!
Sorry if I trod on your toes. Does the shoe fit you? If so, put it on. You are part of the problem. Stand up for what you know is wrong. Where were you for the Quigar protest, the COH takeover protest, yesterdays protest?
The banks are not going to pull any mortgages unless the payments are not made. They don’t care about skin colour. They care about money colour. Don’t worry about the banks. The real worry is the PLP SS taking names of who takes part in these protests. You don’t want to find your car tires slashed, or worse, do you.
They have you back on the plantation & that is precisely where they want you to stay.
I have plenty to lose & have lost plenty already at the hands of PLP ineptitude since 98. A buisiness lost to the Platinum Period for starters. Housing value which has fallen dramatically, like everyone else, because of PLP incompetence.
These issues are far too serious to be left untouched till voting day evry 5 years.
You’re 50% right but you have selective memory my friend. A plantation of UBP or PLP persuasion is no different. Slaves are slaves. We were slaves to the UBP, now we’re slaves to the PLP, no difference. But the real plantation owner is HSBC and foreign investors and the plantation is global.
You’re also right that it was not about skin color under the UBP as long as we followed the program. Its the reverse with the PLP, just ask the biggest 2 construction company owners!
PPL like you had no problem when the UBP were also realestate agents/developers pushing out SDOs like rabbits having babies. How did many hactares of garden patches once zoned as agriculture magically convert in condo developments in the 80′s and up to 1998?
PPl like you were very comfortable with a biased government until things changed, for better or for worse, with big bad HSBC breathing down everyones neck…..you’re right its not about color anymore…. we’ll see who’s left standing and it won’t be us (all of us m8).
Just a note, I don’t think anyone said that they were ok with it happening under the UBP… That’s an assumption that you expanded on.
You’ve got really good points, itwasn’t me. Sadly, the message might get lost if you keep accusing people of positions they haven’t made.
@ UE I’ve realized that governments make slaves of anyone and everyone. On one hand the ‘blind’ followers that support a government, come what may. On the other hand, protestors and dissentors that are persecuted financially, socially and otherwise. My point is that for 30years I felt like a political and economic slave under the UBP. So did many others black and white. Yes, in 1998 I felt liberated. In 2011, I’m a homeowner and make 100K/yr. I’M STILL A SLAVE. So are you and everyone else. Welcome to slavery M8…
I am so tired of these comments about houses being snatched from PLP supporters under the UBP, and other similar accusations. This is not a general truth but rather an urban myth. Bermuda -under the UBP- had proportionally the highest per capita of black home ownership than the US, Canada, or any European country. In fact it was the ability of the UBP to create our black middle class through the participation of home ownership, that helped make Bermuda the success it was. If I recall correctly, every PLP MP in those days was a home owner.
Stick your head in the sand as is the case today, just in reverse. I know at least 5 businessmen back in the day, had their loans called for ‘no reason’ other than they didn’t comply with political idiology. neither folklore nor myth…..
Name them.
bernews won’t print that information directly.
an auto mechanic whose business threatened the big boys
a laundrymat owner
a construction company real estate developer
a consolidated shipping agent
a cable company upstart
the originator of bottled water
all of the above were either denied permits, overdrafts, loans called, ideas stolen
I’m not sure why it was debated that long – it was going to go through anyway. It’s the “democratic” Island in which we live in.
they probably had free food
On another similar topic I said this gives a new meaning too “SDO”..”SAVE DE ONION”.
Well it looks like “SDO” realy has a new meaning and current.
“SOME DUMB ONIONS”.
So much for opening that account at HSBC, won’t be doing that.
Boycott HSBC if you care, boycott the PLP if you care…
They have sold their souls to the DEVIL.
Business as usual.
Before the back-hoes and concrete trucks start dishing out their eco weapons of mass destruction, would the Hon Dame Jennifer Smith JP MP like to Adopt any of the endemic and natural birds & creatures that are about to be wiped out!!!
They don’t give a crap about trees, birds, and native plants. A really smart and intelligent senator said she would rather someone have a job than an oxygen producing tree. That is the most short sighted thing I have ever heard from the government. Scary to those that have any clue about these issues. So many people making decisions about the environment that are 100% clueless and they want it that way!
I just wish the PLP would admit they have NO IDEA what they are doing and they don’t have a clue how to run this government. It couldn’t be more obvious to those that know about the issues.
Maybe now all the diehard PLP lovers can see that their government is just as arrogant and unable to listen as the old lot.
HAHA
you ubp idiots think you know everything.
newsflash
YOU DONT
there are many people think who the PLP is doing just fine. You will see this at the next election.
just as we listen to our leaders, you listen to everything your leaders say so what is it you really expect?
just because you place a note here does not mean you know everthing.
When you have no job, and no trees to give you oxygen or bring you water, no freebies left because government can’t take on any more debt, you won’t be laughing about anything my friend. Mark my words, Bermuda is done. Good luck to you and your party. The PLP is doing a HORRIBLE JOB at running this country, whether you want to believe it or not. It is there for all to see.
So then you agree with the SDO?
Seriously deluded and insane.. PLP survives not because of astute management and visionary actions, it is as simple as having more voters that believe that ALL IS WELL…
Note to file – Bermuda is Rome and it is burning…
My god, are you a child? Hard to believe that an adult can write in such an immature manner.
Just a note…
One of the “leaders” of the UBP, Mr. Richards, has been right all along about the financial stuff.
One of the leaders of the PLP, Dr. Brown, lied to the House and to the people of Bermuda.
Which one would you rather listen to? Someone who’s been proved correct or someone who has lied to your face?
Which leaders should we be listening to? Hm?
How much did TP pay for the land? Us Bermudians could really use some cash to put on our debt right now…
I recind my prior post. I now understand that TP already owned the land.
Sign petitions…debate…protest…ally ou want, but at the end of the day, this current government is going to do as it damn well pleases.
And yet we continue to vote them in…year after freakin’ year after year…
any bets half those that voted for the SDO couldn’t tell you what SDO stands for….I’m willing to bet 50% at least…..
Sad day for all Bermudians! The wealthy foreign businessmen have won again. Shame on all those who voted for the SDO! This Government will go down in history as looking after Big Business instead of the average Bermudian’s interest. 21 traitors who betrayed the trust of all Bermudians!
AGREED 100% – None that I’ve seen have genuinely served the Bermudian average Joe & Jane Bermudaz; simply assisted the wealthy keep their wealth while the rest of us struggle to loss everything that truely matters!
Shame on all of you “Politricksers” – you are there to serve us BERMUDIANS!!! As a young Bermudian I don’t see any benefit to me or my family – today, tomorrow or years to come.
Uh, this is what happens everywhere in the world. It is common knowledge that the publicly elected officials we elect as citizens do not have the average citizens as their top interest.
Money is everything, and we all know it can buy anything.
Really sad reading the commentary on here. Just to give you a history of pettions, there have been many in Bermuda. Others have gathered over 15,000. This one gathers less than 1000 and 12 people show up to protest and this is supposed to represent the MAJORITY.
This is private land!!! The government to the in principle SDO to the House which it did not have to do! It was debated, and it was passed. How many of you commenting on here actually listened to the debate? I’d guess none.
Its so funny when i read the comments of people “blinded by hate” and “drinking the kool-aid”, yet unable to make rational arguements of any sort about topics of national importance. This SDO paves the way for possible future development and also deeds acres of private land to the government for use to turn into a park.
It’s great to hate, but please don’t make the opposition to this seem like it was some great public wave against this topic. Its private land, and the development (subject to conditions) could help Bermuda. Lets at least TRY to be fair and balanced.
Once again, IT doesn’t matter WHO owns this land. It is the same argument as Southlands it’s private. Great who cares, it does NOT negate the fact that the land is PROTECTED BY LAW. And the government is abusing the SDO crap. ABUSING ABUSING ABUSING!!!!
This government is IGNORANT, POMPOUS, AND FINANCIALLY INCOMPETNET.
I can’t for the life of me understand why anyone could say they support and keep a straight face. IF you support the PLP you either are not paying attention, too proud to admit they have filed you or you are financially benefiting from supporting them. There is no way you can convince me different. Disgusting, makes me nauseous that people can continue to make excuses for them.
To Preto – really sad that you are not sad and worried. Must be single and mobile…
Good for you!!!!
“it’s great to hate…”
That sums you up, doesn’t it?
Oh, as does your choice of the phrase “fair and balanced”…
Just as racist and just as much a propaganda machine as the network that shares the phrase.
Another nail in the coffin.
Next step, they will ask for the restrictions in the SDO to be loosened.
Oh, and one day, they will probably be asked to give citizenship rights to those homeowners.
Citizenship for the homeowners – that’s OK, there’ll be plenty of space.
Indeed we have the government we deserve. So many of us are lukewarm when it comes to our civic responsibility… and we know where ‘lukewarm’ gets us. Ah well, it was a good country… once!
we don’t need more 5 star hotels. We can’t fill the ones we already have and we have nothing to offer the 5 star guests that might consider coming. The entertainment industry needs a boost so that we can attract more visitors. Once we find a solution to bring more visitors then we should look at what sort of hotels we need to develop. A good idea might be to develop a 3 star hotel for the average traveler. More visitors spending less money is probably better than less visitors spending more money.
The interesting part about this story is that the Government didn’t have to table this in the House of Assembly. The law permits (requires really) the Minister responsible for Planning to issue an SDO on certain criteria and with certain restrictions. No parliamentary scrutiny is required. It begs the question: why was this tabled, why did they vote and was what they did anything more than window dressing? I know they’ve tabled a Bill to NOW make SDOs subject to scutiny in the Legislature but that is not the law presently. So, what would have happened if they lost the vote last night? the Minister could’ve signed it anyway. Will this SDO now go to the Senate and if so what happens to it there? if they lose there, will they wait a year and a day as required with other Bills and bring it back to the House? Procedurally this is a farce. Its a nice idea to play democracy like this but its theatre of the highest order, designed to allow the Teflon Premier to say “well it was voted on….so its transparent”. Can the media do just a little research and elevate the discussion for a change as opposed to feeding the frenzied speculation that only perpetuates the peoples ignorance on both sides of any debate? Help !!
Good post! …But good luck with the mainstream media doing any meaningful research on anything.
That’s the part I would really like to see answered now. Pretend transparency and an election on the horizon, or something more?
Yeah, the government works for the people so if the majority of the island disagrees we should be able to do something about this.
^^The interesting part about this story is that the Government didn’t have to table this in the House of Assembly. The law permits (requires really) the Minister responsible for Planning to issue an SDO on certain criteria and with certain restrictions. No parliamentary scrutiny is required. It begs the question: why was this tabled, why did they vote and was what they did anything more than window dressing?^^
It’s all part of the PLP’s little world of ‘lets’s pretend that we finally have a democracy’ …. They claim all the time that much consultation has been done on other matters (and it hasn’t). Then they ‘debate’ an SDO for the first time ever .. Halelujah ..we have democracy and open government at last ! It was always a done deal…NO ‘new democracy’ whatsoever .. Open your eyes all you kool aid addicts.
Great, lets add on to a hotel property that is already empty. I was down there last weekend, no tourists, a hand full of locals eating in the restaurant. I pray that the surrounding crystal caves will be okay.
FAIL – They Need a New Political Party…UBP Never Cuttin it And PLP Jus Failed The Grade
and the BDA is what? they voted for the infamous SDO and you want them to join with the UBP and have Barritt and Dunkley run the party – failure failure failure
Good point College. Maybe the backbenchers from the PLP should cross the floor and join the UBP. There is some strong stuff there.
Hell…We could call it the UPP. United Progressive Party.
Basically, thats about the best idea.
Otherwise, steal the Armour from the Regiment and lets do a little Lybia/Eygpt and then construction would increase. Hell, even take over Tuckers Point……
Why Are Trees Important to the Ecosystem?
Trees are important to the ecosystem for several reasons. Without trees, human life could not exist on Earth.
Human Health
1. According to the Community Forest Guidebook, 100 trees remove about five tons of CO2, and 1000 pounds of other pollutants within their lifetime. CO2 is toxic to the human body so it is important for trees to remove it.
Pollutants
2. The pollutants that 100 trees remove in their lifetime also include 400 pounds of ozone and 300 pounds of particulates. This is crucial for those people who suffer from respiratory disease.
Reduce Heat
3. Especially in urban areas, trees are able to reduce ambient temperatures. Carbon dioxide, nitrogen and other pollutants can cause a “heat-island effect.” However, trees are able to reduce the heat by 5 to 8 degrees.
Water and Soil
4. After storms, trees are able to trap large amounts of water in their leaves, trunks and branches. The Community Forest Guidebook says that for every 1,000 trees, storm water run-off is reduced by one million gallons.
Shelter
5. Trees provide shade that is necessary for keeping animals from the heat outdoors. Trees also provide a home for many types of animals.
So, to answer the intelligent senator, A TREE IS WAY MORE IMPORTANT THAN PROVIDING A JOB. Get educated or shut your public mouth
It’s ALL SMOKE AND MIRRORS!!! Played again by the “Real Government” and you better believe that they don’t have the word “Party” behind their name anywhere!!! Think about that…
Until Bermudians get off their collective asses and protest in sufficient numbers – this sort of thing will continue to happen. If they held a march against the SDO a few hundred people at best would show up. Bermudians are just too fetching lazy to actually do something about it.
You get the Government you deserve Bermuda.
…and yes, I am Bermudian – a very disgusted Bermudian today.
I am glad to see that someone has finally made a decision on one of the many resort properties on the island that need permission to get worked on.
So now that the Tuckers Point Pay Off in the back room has gone on eand all partied were satisfied what about 9Beaches, Club Med and Sonesta. Let’s get them through just as fast and pump some money into the economy and get some jobs created.
wonder who got paid
WOW. Sad day for Bermuda…
For those that take the position that as private property they can do what they want. A burial ground is on the property – is it then OK to bulldoze that or cover it with concrete or buildings because it is in the way?
I’m not one to say “I told you so…” but I told you so.
How many people cussed me when I said voting for Ewart Brown in the General Election was stupid. This is the entirely predictable result. Bermuda has gotten exactly what it deserves.
Looks like the SDO isn’t going through after, the great minds in the government didn’t read the fine print concerning whether a majority of the property could be developed.