Fahy: ‘Take Them All With A Grain Of Salt’
[Updated] We are going to hear a “flurry of announcements about wonderful projects” that are going to put Bermuda back to work and solve all our problems between now and polling day and the public should take them all with a big grain of salt,” Shadow Minister for Environment, Planning & Housing Senator Michael Fahy said.
Senator Fahy was speaking after Premier Paula Cox’s announcement yesterday [Oct 1] that remediation work on the Morgan’s Point project has begun.
“I listened to the Premier’s announcement about the Morgan’s Point cleanup last night with great interest, but a certain sense of bemusement. It is a very tangled tale,” said the Senator.
“This deal has been in the pipeline since 2007. In April 2008, Government and the Southlands group signed a non-binding agreement. Nearly two years later, the Southlands people accused then Premier Ewart Brown of repeatedly stalling the project.
“On September 13, 2010, Government and the Southlands group signed a second agreement to get the Morgan’s Point project completed over a period of 20 years.
“In December, 2011, Junior Works Minister Vince Ingham told the Senate the clean-up would begin in April and would cost $35 or $36 million.
“In March of 2012, the House heard during the Budget debate that the clean-up was expected to cost $38 million. The Southlands group said that figure was inflated, however. The cleanup should cost $20 to $25 million, they said.
“In March, 2012, the Premier announced that remediation work would begin in April. According to the Royal Gazette, the Government did start remediation work at Morgan’s Point, but must have stopped at some time between now and then.
“In June, 2012, Government and the developers signed a third agreement, described as “final”. Now, in October of 2012, an election is looming and people are out of work.
“The Premier announces, once again, that work is starting. Some 40 unemployed Bermudians will be given work, she says. We sincerely hope that comes to pass. She mentions a figure of $20 million, which she says is the cost of cleaning up Bassett’s Cave.
“The whole thing sounds a bit like the plot of a Three Stooges film. Will work start next week as scheduled? Will it be completed on time? I will make no predictions,” said Senator Fahy.
“What I will predict, though, is that we are going to hear a flurry of announcements about wonderful projects that are going to put Bermuda back to work and solve all our problems between now and polling day, whenever that is going to be.
“I would advise the public to take them all with a big grain of salt,” continued Senator Fahy.
“The Government does set a hot pace in this area. There were umpteen announcements made, for example, about the start of the Park Hyatt project in St George’s. They even blew the place up to give a sense of forward motion. But nothing ever happened,” concluded Senator Fahy.
Update 5.51pm: In response, PLP candidate Dawn Simmons said: “The opposition seems to have a problem that this government is standing strong for Bermudians during the midst of a global economic crisis.
“The fact that we’re standing strong for our people is nothing new. The fact is, we passed FutureCare – a landmark reform that has provided our seniors with affordable doctor’s visits and prescriptions after a lifetime of hard work years before any election was due.
“The same with DayCare. This programme which helps working families with the childcare they need was also passed years before an election is due. The EEZ was expanded to help small Bermudian owned businesses was also expanded not during an election season.
“We will not relent or back down from delivering results just because it is an election season. We have and we will continue to standing strong for Bermudians whether an election is around the corner or not!”
Spot on!
We are all going to be way over the limit on our sodium intake by the time she FINALLY calls it….
OK, Fahy, whats your plan? Oh that’s right you won’t tell anyone.
Call an election numb nuts. Or better, the PLP are in power NOW what is their plan?
Sound of crickets…..
As oba/ubp Mr. Barritt use to say, now relevant to OBA, they don’t know, they won’t say, they won’t tell us. Premier continue finding jobs and help our economy rebound, then call election. Listen to all the old money families they believe in Bermuda and this government, especially the Green family.
Hey, when she finds one, let me know. To the rest of your comment…WWHHAAAATT??
Dude?! Are u sure u live on the same island as the rest of us? Continue finding jobs for who? When did this happen? I guess u know something the rest of us don’t. Smh! Some delusional people living on this rock.
As the CURRENT GOVERNMENT what’s the PLP’s plan? They don’t need an election to tell us.
I’ll vote for poop on a stick if it meant a change of Government. The only way to hold our Government responsible for the mess they’ve created is to vote OBA…..I voted for change in 1998 to get rid of the messy UBP and don’t regret the first 6yrs of PLP governance. It took another 6 yrs of messy behavior and bad policy to change my mind. Put your country first, vote OBA
Yes lets vote for a party that’s changed it’s name based on winning black votes and nothing more. After they win lets all have a party when their name and plan changes back to the old UBP.
Fools, your attitude is the reason why we will never move forward as a society and a country.
Rodney , is that you ?
Not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you?
I think he is a brick short of a load…. not the sharpest knife in the draw……and he has slipped his moorings ….
That’s the only thing they have done. Me and the rest of Bermuda are still waiting for this promise land plan they keep telling us about. I don’t care if wh!tie change the name, they had to do something to trick the blacks. I’d vote them in, if I get promise a job at this point. I’d vote for the Devil freak it!
Oba had to do something to trick the blacks, plp does everything to trick the blacks. Do you really think anyone can promise you a job? No, but I would like to see the oba’s plan, the plp have a good solid plan in the works for years that tackles unemployment and the gang problem. It started with fornicating in bushes, they claimed power, there’s less jobs which means we need less people, so remain soft on crime, and allow the unwanted populace to continue killing eachother, its a win win. Beat that oba.
At this rate ‘swing-y……you’ll be eating out of baygrape leaves.
Sricks used to lite the fire.
A great day too all.
Mr. Romney..oops Fahy….since no-one in the media or my Government will take you on, I am happy to. This is a wonderful example of precisely why Paula is wrong to pursue your Opposition-inspired agenda. You and so many others demanded good governance, openess and transparency. She responded by creating this ridiculous Office of Procurement and Project Management to appease you and the loud minority. And so now we have it, RFPs, tendering and openess up the ying yang takes forever to get something done; so Mr. Fahy, you cannot have it both ways. Either you want all these elaborate processes to run their course so that you won’t criticize who gets the contract for something (which seems more important to this Administration than getting anything done)or you want some results in good time.
Same nonsense with Gibb’s Hill Lighthouse. Michael Scott like some buffoon regretting how long it took to tender and award some basic painting contract because they had to check under every rubber tree to see who might have a high lift and some white paint before they could satisfy your carping Opposition with an awarded contract. And the result? months of flogging over the state of the lighthouse and a season that has now ended with it in a terrible state. What was the aim? to paint and repair the damn thing or to make you happy?
The OBA lost the plot ages ago and this Administration has joined you: the land where process is more important than results. That’s why you got this BS announcement from the Premier because she is celebrationg giving you what you all asked for. what a Joke.
Watch how long it takes to repair the playground at Parson’s Road….the kids who want to play on it will be in university by the time all the tendering and other crap is completed…..and then what will you say? By the way, you’ll still be in Opposition; make no mistake.
Do you not realise how bad of a job the plp is doing? We’re getting poorer by the day (literally!) and you’re actually thinking of voting for them again?
Sorry, but my husband owns a small business, and I’d much rather things took longer but that small businesses were given a chance to get some work ahead of the big boys like Correia and Island.
Cutting corners doesn’t get things done quicker, it just means you have to do things properly the first time rather than making costly mistakes by rushing into things. Perhaps if Ms Albon and her office was in place at the time we wouldn’t have had the overruns on TCD, Berkeley, the Police Station, Heritage Wharf…..you want me to go on?
Yes we know the plp will win again there’s no need to repeat ur selves like all u die hard supporters do. Smh!!! Must be great to have a stupid voting base. So go ahead cast your ballad for the same old same old and fill us in on how financially stable u are come the next election. Oh right you r probably one of the few cronies that have nothing to worry about.
That was directed at judge dredd. Stupid puters put it in d wrong place
As it stands we are comparing which party is best at insulting the other…
It would be a welcome change in the leadup to the election to be able to actually compare what each party has to offer…
I think the best response to the PLP would be a flurry of annoucements/ideas from the OBA as to what they can/are doing/ are going to do to create jobs/opportunities…
Old UBP, new UBP, new OBA, who gives a rats a$$. When the evil white man was running the show, we had little crime, little unemployment, tons of money , we lived in paradise. No, under the black man, crime is rampant, unheard of unemployment, most are scratching their a$$ to get by, corruption is out of control, and the island is like Ewart’s Compton homeland.
PLEASE, bring back the evil white man so I can eat again.
The problem with our country believe it or not is that they worshipped the ‘White Man’ for so long that they simply cannot respect Black leadership. That is why the crime is up among other circumstances. It is similar to when the parents left the house and left older brother or sister in charge, bad things happened and respect was not given all the time. Think about it’
All the Images in Governance are of Whites
Lets begin with the ultimate authority…God. We have worshipped God in the image of a white man for centuries and we honestly want to pretend that that has absolutely no bearing on our psyche? Who cares what race it is? ANY race touted as the image of God is RACISM! So when you see a white man you see your saviour and you see divinity and authority and omnipotence. You cannot accept or respect to see a black man or woman in governance and that is just the beginning of your problem but it is where you must start.
Dredd,one question…what has this black leadership done for Bermuda ?
Pepper or which ever OBA MP you are! Stick to the issue, if you fck with the blacks on this Island, with this black/white thing you keep bragging about the OBA will lose the election again. Trust me on that! Don’t be a fool and contribute to the race talk as you continue to write week after week. It just shows me even the OBA has racist people on it’s team. You’re know different then the PLP race talkers.
Dam can we get off this color issue!
Hello!
Judge Dredd, WOW!!! I think your comment is spot on, as sad as it is that’s exactly what it is!!
I am a 36 year old black Bermudian and I could honestly say this is the first time I have read something worth reading from people commenting. Thank you for that.
I have heard people say, “Black people can’t manage money” needless to say these sorts of comments really upset me. But the reality is this is the type of thinking of far to many. How can we change that?? I can read negative, untrue and bias comments without taking it on but what about those who can’t?
As a country we are in serious trouble and I don’ think its because of Government, past, present or future I think it’s because of us as a people. We don’t care for or trust one another. It seems as if hatred is consuming us all. The things we should be standing up and fighting for we do not.
I would like to finish with this: To both the PLP and OBA
I have been waiting for proper structure in the Education system since the big change and that’s where GOVERNMENT is failing Bermuda, PLEASE EDUCATE YOUR PEOPLE! That is the root of all problems PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE. How do you expect the young people of this country to give a damn about anybody or anything when no one gave a damn about them??
I am sick and tired of all this god crap. Their is no GOD…..
AMEN…
Why not just vote for neither? Would it be possible that a third party could come in and change things? I think its possible. Im only 23 and ive heard whispers of a third party coming into the fray. Although i do agree with what the senator is saying because it is all about politricks any government in power who feel their grip on the public leaving would sprinkle glitter and create mirages to hopefully fool enough to keep them in power…i wouldnt say it is time for someone else to be given the chance to mess things up. I believe it is time for Bermuda to take advantage of the power that they have. would you be willing to support a party whose issues are those that you input yourself? are you tired of the broken promises. Im not fronting PLP or OBA they are one in the same, i am asking you are you willing to make a change for your country? That is why a 3rd party. The people
I have some dog poop in the yard I would vote for over this lot.
Where do you live I need to bring some over?
Court Street, Green building, name: Alaska Hall
a grain of salt??!!! Hell, with this lot we will need a dump truck to get clear the sh*t that is coming down the PLP pipeline!
@ Educated Voter and Fools of fahy – stop embarassing yourselves and take a good hard look around you. The Bermuda you see is not the sweet smell of success but the stink of failure from a clueless government.
Move over. Its time for change.
PLP – Standing Wrong*
*credit to CS
Lots of talk of dog poop here – whether it be in the yard or on a stick – either way, the current govt is about as useful as poop on the bottom of my shoe – slippery and stinks to high heaven! Let’s scrape the Poo Poo Party off our shoes and use their mistakes to fertilize a better future for Bermuda and Bermudians.
Shoo to the Poo Poo Party!!!!
Is Fahy even a candidate???
Tsk, tsk. We all cast dispersions on each other while we don’t even know their true intent or id. It is easy for us to pen comments while hiding behind the keyboard.
People who say they have a brilliant idea/solution should be listened to tenatively at best. When the majority others praise your ideas as brilliant that is when you should start boasting. Everyone thinks that their ideas are the best.
Electioneering is what all parties do around election time so why are we surprised and spending so much energy on it. to me canvassing is electioneering. The candidates should be seen around all the time.
Use your best judgement to make YOUR decision. If you understand how government work most of the promises from either side will never be completed.