Tucker To Stand For PLP In Paget
[Updated] This afternoon [Nov.23] the Progressive Labour Party announced that Darius Tucker will represent them in Constituency #23 Paget West.
Considered a ‘safe seat’ by many, the Paget West seat is presently held by the OBA’s Patricia Gordon-Pamplin, who won under the UBP’s banner with 76% of the vote in 2007.
Mr Tucker presently hold the Constituency #7 Hamilton South seat, which he originally won under the UBP’s banner – beating the PLP’s Wayne Caines 547 – 420 in 2007.
In 2009 Mr Tucker opted to resign as the UBP Whip and sat in the House of Assembly as an Independent MP up until June 2011, when he crossed the floor to join the PLP.
In September 2011, Mr Tucker lost his bid to run in Hamilton South, with the PLP selecting political newcomer Diallo Rabain.
Update 2.12pm: The full remarks by Mr Tucker are below:
Good afternoon to the Deputy Premier, the Hon. Derrick Burgess, branch representatives for Constituency 23 Paget West, Party Executive, Party Members, and members of the Press.
I would also like to recognize in her absence, the Party Leader & Premier the Hon. Paula A. Cox JP MP who is abroad in London representing Bermuda at the Overseas Territory Meetings.
I am both pleased and honored to be before you today as the Progressive Labour Candidate for Constituency 23, Paget West. My political path to this point may not have taken the typical route, but I am confident that it has brought me to the right place.
My time as a PLP MP may have been relatively brief, but since joining the Party earlier this year, I have indeed found a political home. I have been welcomed and encouraged by the membership and I am pleased that I will have their full support as I represent the Party in the next general election.
While I currently sit as the Member of Parliament for Constituency 7, Hamilton South, I will now be moving and running in Constituency 23, Paget West. From the age of ten to twenty-one, I resided in Paget West, so I am no stranger to this community.
I am very familiar with this area and will take the necessary time to reacquaint myself. In my informal canvassing, I am aware that the challenges facing Paget West are by and large the same ones facing the island – jobs & the economy, crime, and education.
I am excited at the prospect of working as a member of the PLP Team in an effort to continue the work being done by our Government, in the more than capable hands of Premier Cox.
I am a grassroots, community based politician…a carpenter by trade, who knows first-hand how uncertainty in the construction industry can affect job prospects and income.
My connection to the community enables me to go directly to the policymakers and legislators with first-hand accounts of how people may be hurting in different areas. With my personal understanding and experience at the grassroots level I believe I will be an asset to the Government as I present the views of constituents and share their hopes as well as their ideas.
Bermuda, you can be sure that your PLP Team cares about each of you. There is much work to be done. By reelecting the PLP Government we will continue the process of finding effective solutions as together we build a better Bermuda.
Constituents of Paget West, I will be visiting each and every one of you over the upcoming weeks. I look forward to meeting each of you and discussing your concerns, ideas and visions for a better Bermuda. It takes all of us to improve our country. We cannot expect to move forward together, if we live, work, think and dream separately.
The Theme of the Throne Speech was “Let’s Build One Another Together”. As a carpenter, I am ready, willing and able to begin this building process.
Thank you.
Update 2.36pm: Video of press conference:
Darius is a man of conviction and courage and I am pleased he has taken this step in his political career. It will be a hard battle if he is against Patricia Gordon Pamplin but he will give it 100% and push hard to represent the people of Paget West.
You mean a UBP elected man of conviction don’t you.
LOL
Pamplin does not have any integrity as Tucker. They were both voted ubp. Both opportunist. She will try to use bigger words than Tucker just because she sleeps with a therasus. Lmao.
PLP is claiming they stand for change. But their “out of the box” candidates like Smith and Ingham are persons who are most likely to loose. Darius will loose too. PLP are rolling out their “agents of change” who will loose. What is that saying?? PLP will keep their safe seats for their PLP who only want to serve PLP. Bermuda looses.
“She will try to use bigger words than Tucker just because she sleeps with a therasus. Lmao.” Hey! you stole our line for Paula!
“Thesaurus” perhaps. Jeez, don’t you plp types have spell check on your pee cees?
Whats a “therasus”?
You surely jest !!!
Biggest Joke ‘I HAVE NO CONCERN WHATSOEVER’….Tucker is right about that comment….just ask the voters in Hamilton Parish….he said and did nothing, hence ‘no concern whatsoever’! Poor kid couldn’t even read his prepared statement without struggling…..yeah right!
An interesting quote from Darius Tucker: “…the Country does not want a white Government. That’s just the way the Country is right now. They don’t want a white Government”.
What an interesting point of view. I hope he spends some time explaining that one to his prospective constituents.
If this is true Mr. Darius Tucker that was the wrongest thing you could have ever said. I am young Black Bermudian man and I love white and black the exact same way.
When did Mr. Tucker make these remarks?
I didn’t remember them either but apparently he said it in 2009:
http://www.royalgazette.com/article/20090918/NEWS/309189995
This is a throwaway for the PLP.
And who is the guy in the dicty costume? Dude it’s Thanksgiving not Halloween!
I think it was after he became an Independent, then realsed the gravy train was leaving without him so he joined the PLP, making the remarks so he sounded like he was one of the boys.
Why don’t you ask Daruis when he said it. Get him to attempt to deny it. Then we’ll have even more fun.
The clock is ticking on his political aspirations . Tick Tock Tucker , he should have stayed with his first choice .
Looks like Mr Tucker has outlived his usefulness to the PLP. Send him to the lions, or, in this case, the lioness. She should easily chomp him up with no scraps left for the vultures.
If the OBA isn’t the UBP in new clothes, what makes you so certain about this result? The core is the core no matter what. I agree with you on the result but i doubt we agree on the reason.
As there are people who will vote PLP no matter how much they screw up, there are also people who will vote for anything that is not PLP. therefore the OBA will get a lot of the old UBP votes.
It is the swing voters that the parties need to fight for. Like me, I wait for them to do their pre-election visit. I grill them with the same questions, and see who is the better person. Then I vote on election day.
Who is the dude in the dress with a kitchen napkin on his head?
Why are you making fun of this man. Why because he dressed in ethnic clothing?
You and the other people making comments below are UBP/OBA suckers. This is why we blacks are different and also why you will not win the next election.
It’s ethnic clothing get over it!
Oh come on. You have got to see the funny side of that get-up.
I don’t see the funny side Why is right. You people are a bunch of racial whites. How dare you dis the black brother for his ethnic clothing I don’t see the fun in that at all!
This is why whites and blacks don’t get along.
Is that traditional Bermuda ethnic attire, he is Bermudian ? To me it appears to be more of a personal choice of fashion. Please identify its exact origins and any religious relevence. Folks here are happy to learn. You seem to know about it, so please tell. Provide some links so we can delve further. Thanks in advance.
This idea that someone can wear absolutely anything they like and not attract comment is ridiculous.
Would it be ok if a white person stood up at a serious news conference wearing a viking outfit and saying “It’s ethnic, it’s my roots, you can’t even mention what I’m wearing”? Of course not.
And drop the “you’re a racist” crap. You have no idea what color I am. For all you know I may even have ethnic clothing of my own. The comments here are because of the extremely unusual clothing in what purported to be a serious press conference. Anyone with any sense can see that.
Since you’re so concerned about racism, I’ll remind you of something Darius Tucker said:
“…the Country does not want a white Government. That’s just the way the Country is right now. They don’t want a white Government”.
Is that racism?
Rick ROck,
I wish you would grow up and respect persons ethnic backgrounds and culture. Everything is not a joke to please your soul. I am white, and your behaviours make me feel sick that white people still act like you. This is why Bermuda is so divided along racial lines. You white people still remain clueless. Listen to your leader Craig and learn something from him. This suggest you are really clueless when it comes to race, culture and ethical backgrounds of persons. Take a course in culture and race !! You might just learn something and change the way you act !!!
Ethnic clothing?
If he attends a meeting with IB looking like that, they’ll be booking their one way flights. Or maybe he/they have already?
I thought the PLP didn’t accept ex- UBP candidates.. Don’t let me hear them on the talk show talking nonsense !
The PLP has more UBP candidates than the UBP.
How ironic… the PLP have become the ex U,B.P !!!!
Cancer, the only talk show that gets away with nonsense is “the peoples show”
The Host tries his best , but the callers to his show are all P.L.P. supporters and he has to agree with them, if not he would not have any callers !!!!!!!!!! and that is a fact…
I love Gina and E. Michael their show is balanced and so informative and so positive…these two are so great together..E Michael has a great sense of humour I listen to this show everyday.
Congratulations MP Tucker.
I continue to watch with fascination as the PLP election team is presented to the electorate. To your credit, you have the advantage of being a previous successful election candidate. You therfore know that any victory will require hard work, especially on the doorstep.
I note you are a carpenter and therefore should be used to ‘getting your hands dirty’…. here’s to dirty hands!!
Hey, we agree on something Mr Vote For Me. You said you continue to “watch in fascination as the PLP team is presented”.
I agree.
This presentation was absolutely fascinating! The inept barely literate reading of a speech obviously ghost-written for Mr Tucker…it appeared he had been given the script about 5 minutes prior to the press conference. The fact that he declared ‘strong ties’ to Paget, explaining his grandparents once lived there (really hilarious). The funny man in the green and gold dress thing. Was that planned, or a last minute flourish? The whole thing really was fascinating. Let’s see the PLP do more of these, they are incredibly funny! Keep this up!
Who’s the guy in his PJs?
Is that Paula’s fashion stand-in while she’s away?
family man … I said the same thing who and why is this man dressed in the type of garb ? is he related to Darius Tucker ? and by the way Darius and our deputy premier on the news tonight should be ashamed of the way they presented themselves on the news tonight.
Both your quotes are funny family man. Lol lol !!!
No PLP – don’t take UBP people!!!
He must have come straight from the hospital and forgot to give them back their gown.Thats one of those darn things that laces up in the back and your **s always hangs out.
From his jerky reading of that speech, he certainly didn’t write it.
Maybe the buy wearing the gilded hospital gown wrote it.
I assume the PLP’s campaign consultant wrote it.
umm ya
This is hilarious! Darius brings his seat to Alaska Hall then they don’t let him stand in the constituency he brought to them, then they throw him into the seriously non Pee el Pee C23. Darius they do not want you! Have you considered your political prospects when you lose to Pat Gordon? You won’t even get a job putting new cabinets into Cabinet because Inzane or Dennis de Dock Builder will already have that contract, that is if the PLoP win.
Darius vs Spitfire!
Spitfire by a knockout!!
Oh if you guys really wanna know the guy in the green gown is the premiers fashion coordinator!
cancer . thank you for letting us know who the guy in green is…how can i contact him ?
Pepper your a racist white woman. You should be ashamed of yourself. All you do on here is write hate about the PLP and anyone linked with it.
Pepper’s comment wasn’t rascist. Get a grip and quit blaming your own hate on others.
Before you start pointing fingers at who’s a racist and who’s not, you should read up on your history and you would find that members of the black beret cadre (a branch of the black panthers racist group) are still in the plp to this day, and you have the nerve to call people racist.
All jokes aside, who is the ‘other guy’ in the traditional African garment?
Thank you O I C now kick those racist white UBP people out of the OBA and you might have a good chance of being the next Government.
OBA are not rascist you fool. Wake up and look in the mirror, that is where you will find a racist. Read your comment again.
African is a bit of a generlization…last count, there wasv 57 countries in Africa. Each has its own wealth of fashion and tradional clothing. I really want to know more about this, it is interesting. Anyone who knows him care to find out please.
I think his name is Willy, he sells sno-cones on the side of the road in Southampton
@not cool. Now that really ain’t cool! Come on!!!!
Congratulations to Darius Tucker.. I wish you all the best.
Only question is which party is the New-BP?
The next time the PLP rolls out a candidate I’m going to suggest that they use a male member of the Caledonian Society in full Scottish dress. The gentleman in question (Mr. Clemons) is a hardworking member of the PLP who lives in the constituency. Not every resident of Paget is a UBP supporter.
For those who don’t know men in the Caledonia Society wear kilts (skirts). I’m sure you all would not make fun of that.
“For those who don’t know men in the Caledonia Society wear kilts (skirts). I’m sure you all would not make fun of that.”
I will take up that bet.
This lot will make fun of anything.
LaVerne, are you now being racist about people from Scotland?
Rick Rock, you such a joker!! I’m being as racist as you.
I’m white and I knew what he was wearing and for the record have no problem with it infact dignataies use to wear such things at formals. This was a joke that went to far……….
LOL
How did it go to far? Take a visit to other places in the world were they dress very similar in high level positions. This suggest you are clueless, and attempting to pretend that you are not.
Oh you are stupid look at the comments making fun of how the man is dressed. It started as a dig at him which could easily be taken badly and it was evidence above. This suggests as you put it that you are looking in the mirror as you talk…………..
LOL
Ms. Furbert,
Yes, I would jest about that because it would be just as odd. Racist? Nope. I’ve heard plenty of comments on Bermuda shorts with business jackets over the years, none of them any more racist than here. The term is so overused.
I watched this embarassing spectacle last night. I really don’t know how Burgess and Tucker can keep straight faces when they talk about committment.
Once again, Rick Rock you make me wish I was of another race, other than “White”. You make me sick with your lack of knowledge and history on culture and race. If you had spoon full of knowledge on race, I am sure your level of conversation would be much more productive. Instead you talk with a great lack of insight into respecting person’s cultures and race. Is everything you spill to gain some political advantage? Well this is truly sad. Get it together Rick Rock, and make white people feel a little better. You sound extremely racist, and express no respect for black Bermudians; the sad thing is that you are clueless to this fact, and many more like you!!! I hope you would raise the level of your debate on issues, and reach out to persons that do not look like you. Listen again to your leader Craig, and change if your capable of such !!
And then you type this so which is it was this something that Rick and others took to far or not? Clueless you called me?
sure your not a speacialwhitegirl……… before you try to critize me look at my posts over the length of Bernews and see where I come from till then lets pretend I don’t see your posts and you can do the same.
LOL I preach unity but point out race baiting by either said.
Also if you were visit other places in the world, you would see that this format of dressing is very similar and common practice, with in high government positions. So there is not nothing here that is a joke, the laugh is that you are not aware of such.
Again I said the same thing you are saying here…………….
LOL
Show me…..