Minister Addresses Young Progressives Claim
In response to statements made by a member of the Young Progressives, Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development Glenn Blakeney today [May 1] said, ”I wish to completely disassociate any claim by Mr. Smith (High Priest Shiloh) regarding any plans that he and The Young Progressives may have for our National Heroes.”
The Minister said that he was “clarifying the issue after a misleading and inaccurate claim” was made by Mr. Gershwin Smith, otherwise known as “High Priest Shiloh,” on the radio today.
During the broadcast, it was reported that the Young Progressives “had linked up with the ‘Ministry of Consumer Affairs’ to create a Heroes Convention” on May 14. Minister Blakeney pointed out that there is no Government Ministry of Consumer Affairs, and reaffirmed that the Official National Heroes Day Proclamation Celebration will be held on June 19 at the Botanical Gardens, and the May 14 at City Hall event mentioned by Mr Smith during the radio interview is not the official event.
Mr Smith said that ”Government and myself have nominated” the three National Heroes; Dr. E.F. Gordon, Dr. Pauulu Kamarakafego [Dr. Roosevelt Browne] and Sir Henry ‘Jack’ Tucker.”
The Official Celebration in June is being organized by the National Heroes Day Naming and Recognition Committee with assistance from the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs. This year’s nominations were selected by the Naming and Recognition Committee that had considered 25 nominations from 15 people.
The official National Heroes’ Day Ceremony will be held on Sunday 19th June at the Botanical Gardens, the day before the holiday celebrating all four National Heroes. The National Heroes Naming and Recognition Committee made one other recommendation, which has been accepted, concerning two other nominees – this information will be released after National Heroes Day.
Minister Blakeney said the Government had no knowledge or involvement in any National Heroes event being organized by Young Progressives.
Update May 2, 10:30am: Response from the Young Progressives:
In response to our PLP Governments Minister Blakeney statements; The Bermuda Young Progressives respectfully will continue to honor all our community heroes who have worked diligently on behalf of our people. We will be holding our National Heroes Convention at City Hall as part of our community Heritage Celebration.
We support and participate in the Government National Heroes Day celebrations on June 19th 2011, but reject the Ministers accusation we have misled the public and stand by our statement that we reviewed our plans and nominations with the Government Minister.
We will continue our many decades of service to the disenfranchised community and will continue to promote and participate in our Bermuda Heritage.
What a cheapskate , a real ballbuster of a Minister .One Love High Priest Shiloh .
I’m glad someone finally called this ‘Shiloh’ out onto the carpet. He may well have thought himself engaged in official discussions with the government but there’s no way they were going to let him appear involved in government decision making. Because a large percentage of educated Bermudians will not look kindly on this sanctimonious religious nutcase deciding the national hero’s. And who in their right mind, in this day and age, gives themselves the title ‘high priest.’ He hasn’t even earned it, its self-proclaimed. The fact that he has a fraudulent title, yet wants to be in charge of bestowing actual titles on respected citizens, will be upsetting to many Bermudians. This is why you are seeing the Minister orchestrating this rejection so publicly. It must be pretty humiliating for the high-priest. For gods sakes please stop giving him oxygen in the press.
Is it me? Am I missing something? Rome is burning, yet our Esteemed Minister is worried about with whom his Ministry is associated?
I cannot believe I ever voted for these idiots. You are Minister of Youth, Families, Sports and Community Development. Try actions that alleviate the scourge of young sons being murdered, rather than all this other political ignorance like where you sit and with whom you are associated. You are all looking like a bunch of haughty windbags. Dare I say, you all remind me of the white politicians you so despised when you were at the kiddie table begging for the political crumbs from the adult table.
Don’t forget, they are also busy jockeying for the front row pew in church – and then having public hissy fits when then have to sit in the 2nd row. What is this govt coming to? Have they no shame at all? I’m embarrassed FOR them.