Colonel Burch: Willing To Stand As Candidate
This morning [Apr.16] we caught up with former National Security Minister Lt. Col. David Burch who was hard at work during a neighborhood cleanup in the Southampton area.
Speaking on his recent resignation, Colonel Burch said the Premier “did something I thought was disrespectful, and we disagreed, and we had one little spat ,over one little issue. But I consider her still to be a friend of mine. I am still PLP, I am still going to work for this Government, but I just could not continue in the role that I had then.”
The Colonel, who was decked out in a PLP shirt and co-hosting today’s cleanup with Health Minister Zane DeSilva said, “That’s it, that’s all it is, you see me I am out today with PLP people working in my constituency.”
“I still believe we are the best thing for this country….than those other people.”
When asked what his plans are for the future he said, “I want to run in 29, so I am concentrating on that. I will work my district, if the branch selects me, then I will be a candidate, if they don’t, then I will work for the for the person they do select. That’s how it happens.”
Constituency 29 is presently held by Speaker of the House Stanley Lowe, who has served as MP for Southampton East for over 30 years.
Earlier this month the Colonel resigned from both his position as Government Senate Leader and Minister of National Security. While appearing on the Let’s Talk program that night [Apr.4] the Premier said after the last shooting she wanted to meet with the Commissioner of Police to get a ”first hand” feel for what is happening. She said that after the meeting, Colonel Burch sent her an email after “he was concerned that I met with the Commissioner, and I think he felt that I lack confidence in him.”
Prior to serving as Minister of National Security, Colonel Burch held the portfolio of Labour, Immigration and Public Safety under former Premier Dr Ewart Brown, having been appointed after the 2007 election.
One of the more outspoken politicians, he was seen as a controversial figure in some circles, however was also seen in some circles as a very effective politician. His resignation prompted hundreds of comments on our site and Facebook page, with many having strong, and often opposing, opinions on the Colonel’s departure from his position.
Commenting on the resignation of Senator Burch earlier this month, Premier Paula Cox said, “We are acknowledging the departure of a Minister who certainly stood for duty, honour and country. That was Minister Colonel David Burch. He has resigned, I think the circumstances are such, it’s not a resignation I would have welcomed or wanted, however Government is a continuity of action and progress.”
On April 4th, Wayne Perinchief was sworn in to replace him as National Security Minister, while Jonathan Smith was sworn in to replace him as Senator. The new Minister is a former Assistant Police Commissioner who was elected to the House of Assembly in November 1998 in the Pembroke West Constituency and has served there ever since. Senator Jonathan Smith, who joined the PLP in 2009, also served in the Police Service for a number of years and was Bermuda’s Police Commissioner from 2000-2005.
Omg, he’s baaa-aack!
Burch is passionate, leave him be, anything is better than the current lame duck Administration, even Col. Burch.
Burch will never stop till he’s Premier.
Wrong. He will never stop until he takes this county down with him.
Racism isn’t passionate…it is racism…point blank
@real racists, Please Delete Rob as a racist. I can’t speak for the other three. Thanks. Yours truly, Rob.
Good soldiers don’t die they …Boots on the Ground ,kick a$$ n take names later .
BOOYAH……..old soldiers don’t die, they………….
And I’m moving back to the 29
LOL ! ! My Bad
Col. for Premier!!!!!
What did I tell you. Oh! He knows how to play the game. Wait until he gets into the house, oh boy! Watch out out Premier he’s comin after you, and you know who.
You got to it before me Cleancut………
Yes! I was really only looking for Burch’s picture to come up. Oh he’s good boy! He’s going to start picking at the people in Southampton now, and then his campaign of kissing up to the Premier. If he gets to run then we will really know the Premiers true colours, and I am not talking green.
“than those other people”……That is a quote I will remember till death.
As for being disrespectfull………………Come Burchy, come on. You were never elected. You were appointed by your party. And please don’t get me started on all the names you call your fellow African Bermudians and how you treated IB and other Caucasion Members of Parliament and all the rest.
Nothing more than a tool, a mouth piece for the PLP and the big dog of the yard took your bone to share and you/he didn’t like it.
So he quit because the Premier of Bermuda wanted a one on one with the person that knows what the hell is going on.
I smell an election
What a day to give up heroine………
The Colonel is an army man and that equals strong protocol. One can understand that it would be difficult for him to swallow the impression that he might have been overlooked and/or kept out of a decision. No doubt he has the same loyalty for the PLP that he has for the army We can use all the good men!!
Col Burch No one leaves a position like that over 1 spat…Wrong answer! sounds good to the public if they buy it. Not me as I think of you as a person that if you can’t have it your way then it’s no way and maybe you should take this time out and get some education as it is needed for your future like you told us. OBE, JP, ED what the hell is that! Maybe AA, BA, MS Ph.D I am familiar with these Degrees. Also buy a book on communication and manners.
the man was a upper manager at a major insurance company not because he was ‘liked’ …..its because he was good at his job….you could have all of the nice collegate BS acronyms you want. they don’t make you a success in the real world….
I think you need to get some copies of the RG from the later ’70′s
OBE is Order of the British Empire (military honour)
JP is Justice of the Peace (all senators and MPs have this)
ED is Efficiency Decoration (another military honour)
None of these mean he’s desirable as a candidate or MP, however.
Have you ever seen him wear these awards? No. He refuses to wear them. Just look at the pictures from the presentation of the regiment colours at national stadium. A disgrace to all of us Bermudians that wear our medals proudly. Do not call him Col. Call him David if you come in contact with him.
Dame Jennifer Smith stands and wears her medal proudly in the regiment photos. The women that put Burch into Politics. Does she regret that? I will take a guess and say yes.
As usual Hater you’re wrong. He was wearing them yesterday at Capt. Gibbons’ funeral, proudly. Interestingly, Colonels Darling, Raynor, and Shorto were not. Do we now call them a disgrace and disrespect them and call them Michael, Eugene and Gavin? How arrogant you are to assume something and by extension mete out disrespect as the punishment. Were you at the funeral yesterday wearing your medals proudly or was the first Bermudian Director of Music not worthy of your presence? Hate and assumptions go both ways.
Retired officers have wide discretion when it comes to the wearing of medals,especially at funerals.( it is not mandatory) Captain Gibbons did not have a FULL military funeral, contrary to what has been assumed. There were several persons present who are medal recipients who did not wear them either. All former Officers are well versed in these matters and made the decision to wear the blazer with Regimental tie, or in Colonel Raynor’s case, the RAA tie. I could go on, but would rather let Captain Gibbons rest in peace!
Ditto.I just cannot handle ignorance and hate being given the weight of fact.
Am I a hater? Yes. Who do I hate? Well you know who, Why do I hate? Because I hate being lied to, and I hate individuals in government that have no due respect for the people of this country. Yes medals were worn yesterday only due to the fact that the cat is out of the bag, for the eyes of the Premier. Clever!
Medals were worn at the funeral, of course, do you think he is the only one reading these blogs. No games can be played right now, an election is near.
Thanks Renaissance! We are talking about one running OUR country!!! With what he has (military honours ok!) one would think that he would be able to take… as he says (Disrespectfull) criticism…spit it out and keep pushing forward for our country not for his individual feelings. Not a small spat like that.It makes me wonder what his REAL story was knowing him like I do he doesn’t like to be wrong n he wants what he wants and if he can’t have it his way then the child comes out. Is this what we need…he definately can’t take the heat so u know the rest of that.
Yes he has done good things and I thank him.. but come on Burch be a man for once.
When he makes a mistake or is wrong, or he plainly does not understand something he will blow his top on other people to save face. I think the Premier now knows just how intelligent he is.
Admittedly the ‘1 little spat’ reason sounds a bit off, and worrisome if he plans to run for election. But that’s the Col. and unfortunately, we have come to expect this type of behavior from him.
What is most disturbing is that the same term, ‘disrespect’, is what is turning our once peaceful island into a death zone. People being shot when someone ‘disrespects’ them over some ‘little spat’.
While I approved of the Col.’s accomplishments as a Senator, I am not so sure I like the idea of him as an MP or possibly as the Premier. We’d probably be at war with the UK in short order.
Summarized I have a feeling that UK has something to do with him stepping down (along with other SILLY things) as we know they are not fussy about him or Brown for what they did. Plus Burch and his fast mouth told one of them off (UK) …as u know all u have to do or say one thing bad to a person in life and they dont like u lol but it’s true.. Premier ummmm defo NO! Burch take a chill pill.
Unfortunately for the Col. he is too far in the 50′s and 60′s to be a progressive leader. He is too tainted by the EB regime and has a bad attitude. He is well spoken and does not hold his tongue but he only speaks on the battles he knows he can win. He will be a divisive leader/MP if elected. He may get things done but he steps over people to do so. I know the Col. have worked with him and even served in the Regiment under his command. I somewhat like him but I do not feel he has the whole of Bermuda’s interests at heart. He still has a bone to pick with certain people in the community and he is still out to get them.
Your impression of him may be different but I hope those that vote in his constituency (wherever he runs) have all the facts and make an informed decision.
To think this joker may be back makes mw want to puke.
As a member of the Progressive Labour Party I am concerned that one misunderstanding could creates a divorce or seperation. If this was a marriage would the Col. leave his significant other because he felt disrespected. In life there are time we all feel disrespected but we are part of a team and teams work together and deal with their problem in the locker room not in the court of public opinion. How can we be sure that this will not happen again since this is the second time the Col. has resigned because he was dissatisfied. If our Government is to be effective it has to be strong in the face of adversity. Don’t talk to me about being an army men because even people from the army respect authority and take orders or someone may be killed if we are in a war. Col. please stop the drama and make up your mind to either be a team player and supporter or do something where you report to yourself thus elimitating any direspect. Finally the Speaker of the House has not said he is stepping down so please respect his contribution until such time as he departs Government because he was there before most of us and when our PLP was fighting to be an Opposition. I call that respect, commitment and a team player. Hats off to Sir Stanley Lowe.
After 43 years in the House of Assembly, 13 as Speaker, just what is it that Mr. Lowe has left to do ? I respect him to but he is part of the reason why no new, fresh, intelligent people are entering politics. It is time for him to go and to do so with dignity. His Branch has been ignored for years and its time for the people of 29 to have a real representative again. As for the disrespect….it is a fundamental principle of leadership that you d not undermine your team. The person who was not the team player here was the Premier. she should never have met with the Commissioner without the Colonel. That’s so basic as to be embarrassing that the Premier would do it. If she cannot trust her Minister to give her the story then she should sack him, not have a meeting without him. That means she doesn’t trust him or have confidence in him. And in this system that means the Minister has to go. Bet she wouldn’t have taken that from Doc………
its a shame but it is true, so many wouldn’t have ‘taken’ that challenge up to recently. If you dissent, you were out, and replaced by a more ‘dedicated person’….sadly it happened on both sides of the floor, what ppl would do to keep the MP/Ministerial salary.
@Hmmmmm,
Ditto!
Now we have gone off track once more. Stanley Lowe, “Doc”….um outta hare…..
Many IB publicly redomiciled during EB’s Premiership and many also redomiciled as a Plan B without any noise or notice. If DB were to be elected with his similar rancor and bitterness towards “those other people” which includes IB (and in a PLP stronghold a dead skink would win), many more IB will reduce their presence or quietly leave. Hopefully the PLP would not consider moving back to the 60′s again having tried that and caused many in Bermuda to live with crime, poverty and less services plus a billion dollars of debt.
Well they have $11.9 billion in profits to console them. I wish someone would be mean to me so I could make that kind of money. And that’s before the almighty 2% payroll tax was given back by the Queen of Climbdown. I value these guys and understand how important, wait, critical they are to this economy but I’m sick of the eternal guilt-trip that makes me feel if I didn’t smile at one of them at Miles they’re moving to Switzerland. And by the way, one of those billions to the Consolidated Fund would make it all better. Could they get by with $10.9 instead?
@Hmmmmmm. Don’t worry that they will up and go if you don’t smile at them! What the PLP and the followers never grasped or understood, but it is too late now due to the mistrust and unethical behaviour, is that some of the $11.9bn would have been agreed to as a small tax to avoid the tax haven image. Think about it. Most of the domiciles IB are relocating to have tax! The PLP missed the opportunity early on due to the need for “our time now” and “get even”. 1% of IB profits over 12 years would have Bermuda in the clear, and IB would have paid! If only the PLP had had some plan and brains instead of partying and retribution. Now its back to growing food in the yard – or back to the Plantation, courtesy of the PLP.
You need to ask yourself the real reason the PLP didn’t then and still can’t bring themselves to have that conversation with IB. You can’t spend 400 years eating at the kids’ table and then magically one day you’re with the adults. These guys are afraid now more than they were then. I agree with you that they would’ve paid but i disagree that its too late for that discussion.
What’s going to happen when Burch wiggles his way back into office again and sends the IB firms SHREDDED work permit applications in the mail. Will they get angry? I hope they don’t leave.
You shop at Miles? Damn……..No wonder you have a chip on your shoulder re-IB. Who you gonna blame next when they move…..
Didn’t you say you were gone? bye bye.
Hey big dog….Your still singing the same ole Hmmmmm.
With the thread yes. As for being allowed to have limited free speech, no way in hell. Then again, the object of the exercise you just don’t get. Cyber world is a beach and apparently I am standing there along with thousands and the “Feel the Love” guy has everyones name and address.
Could you get by with zero instead if they all moved?
Watch out! Madame Premier, Burch is on his way. He’ll be knocking at your door before you can say election, After which he will be a thorn in your foot until he achieves his ultimate goal.
Rob…let me call you ‘Robby’………………Ask Paula Cox where thye money has gone in the past 12 years.
Don’t ask the Auditor General………………………….thye don’t like figures……..bawahaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Don’t you think she knows. She wasn’t a cog you know, she was just waiting for the waters to calm. She set Burch up and now she can run office without HINDRANCE.
We don’t need a colonel in charge of our country, look whats happened in the past with military personnel in charge of affairs….Panama and Noreaga, Libya and Gadaffi………
As for those ‘other people’……by the sound of it they are a lot more tolerant than he(Burch) is…don’t need any more bigots and hypocrites in power
All of you supporting Col Burch in his attempts to re-enter the political scene as either a candidate or possible premier are showing their true racist colors.
Some of you have the nerve to call all whites racist as well as any sort of PLP opposition but then you have no problem supporting a man who has made his hatred for others that don’t look like him as well as stereotyping women from other cultures.
If a white politician talked about others in the manner that Col. Burch has over the years you lot would be crying for his head and jumping up and down about white supremacy and racism.
You supporters are ALL hypocrites of the highest order.
Hah cum you can say det hair “Racists”. Ann eye keep gattin sansored. Whats up Pat. Jingus…I say one thing that is fact……um cunfoozed……………
Anyway…….Rick Olson for premier…………………..
you speak like an immature/challenged individual. it causes your comment to be a bit invalid.
He has been told to get back to work, he has been on the payroll and they
still need there favors or he is off the payroll! this is how Bermuda works,
Dirty, Dirty!!!!!
In my opinion it would be unwise to give Col Burch any power. I don’t believe that he has the ability to control his emotions and I think that is a dangerous characteristic in someone with power. Sure, let him help on projects if he is wanting to help get things done to beautify Bermuda but not a position with power to wield.