Videos: Premier Cannonier, Burt On UK Meeting
Premier Craig Cannonier said that he has had conversations with the rest of the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies about what the strategy should be for the upcoming meeting in London.
“This is not a compulsory meeting, this is not us being summoned there,” said the Premier. “This is really what I see as an opportunity for us to put Bermuda on the map, to clear the air as it is to what we do.”
British Prime Minister David Cameron has asked senior representatives of overseas territories and crown dependencies – including Bermuda – to London on the eve of this month’s G8 summit meeting to sign an international agreement to share tax information.
This meeting follows after a letter written last month by Mr Cameron to the Overseas Territories asking them to “get their house in order” when it came to international tax codes.
Opposition MP Walton Brown has said that the UK government “has crossed the line on this contrived tax evasion push”, and said it “is grandstanding on the part of the UK Prime Minister, and we should not be participating in it.”
Responding to that statement, Premier Cannonier said, “It is important that the Honourable Member Brown as he speaks to some of these things. I know he is not aware of some of the conversations that I have had.”
“And just so Bermuda knows I have had many conversations this week on conference calls with the rest of the Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies about what our strategy should be going into these meetings. So he is not aware of many things that are going on…”
Premier Cannonier continued, “For us to cower back and say well I am not going to say anything, I am just going to stay home as a form of defiance or we are standing up for Bermuda…really doesn’t get us anywhere. We haven’t said anything other than we are staying home….”
“I respectfully accept the advice that he may be giving. He and I have spoken on the side about these issues. But he is not completely aware of all that is being discussed. So once we get out there and we discuss these things and I can come back and give Bermuda a further report on the direction of where this is going.
Also speaking on the matter, was Shadow Finance Minister David Burt who said, “I think that it’s very important that Bermuda represents itself well.
“I think the UK has many times previously thrown Bermuda under the bus, and what people need to realise is that these people may be coming after the food that is on our table.”
“I think that it’s very important in regards to any issues unfairly labeling Bermuda as a tax haven need to be dealt with, and dealt with swiftly.”
Mr Burt continued, “It is important Bermuda protect what is ours. We have worked hard for what we have, we abide by all the international conventions, all the international rules. We are leaders of international tax cooperation ..”
“It is ridiculous for us to be thrown under the bus by the UK as a tax haven when we are nothing close to being a tax haven.”
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Our Premier needs to take a public speaking course. Just listen to him…..every other word – it’s ah ah ah – it’s painful listening to him…ah ah ah
Must be an UBP/OBA thing…Grant Gibbons does a lot of ah ah ah ah too…..Not to mention the aggravating accent of Minsiter Crockwell….oggghhh…
Good thing you guys are criticizing teh UPB/OBA. Because everyone knows that if you levelled the same criticism at the PLP/BIU leaders/representatives it would be totally racist.
@jmad SHUT THE HELL UP. Its true all the Ministers OBA and PLP need to take a public speaking class. My 14 year old son does not even use aaahhs and ummms when he is talking in general, he speaks better then most of these politicians.
“SHUT THE HELL UP”
um um…no..um um
But other than that I am in complete agreement. I just remember the reaction when that same criticism was levelled at some members of the previous administration and a particular Union leader.
There is a constant comment that the meeting is voluntary. I do not think that is true because there would be public and private consequneces for non attendance.
The most effective solution would be to choose one or two others to attend withthe Premier. If we are serious about Bermuda’s future, the Premier should decide on a bi-partisan delegation.
He invited PLP participation in the cabinet, and they said they would absolutely not want to participate. Now he’s supposed to invite them to attend everything that happens? Why? So they can be pissy and refuse again?
I read and listened to the statement from the Opposition and I dont hear them asking to be invited to this meeting.
Amazing for Burt to say this when his wonderful ex-boss was such a “fine” Finance Minister, who brought the country to such a mess. Burt contributed to the mess (as her Junior) or watched silently as his ex-boss kept digging and digging. The rating downgrade should be laid at her feet.
He has improved by leaps and bounds combined with being physically imposing…contrast with his counterpart who looks like he will fall asleep at any moment….who drones on and um ums….granted that Mr Burt is well spoken even though he talks out of both sides of his mouth…..or mouff as Mr.Bean would say
Well spoken Mr. Burt; now please tell Walton to Shut Up.
Victor,
Ditto. Although I would use stronger language!
Premier Cannonier,please tell those in Britain how grateful and happy we are as A Dependent Territory!
So it was okay when the King of Ah Ah, Randy Horton was with the PLP! He has the worst speech of anyone I have ever come across!
At least the Premier and the Speaker talk in more or less the same accent and pattern as most of their fellow Bermudians, unlike Ewart Brown whose speech in all ways is pure LA ghetto, which is perhaps a far greater underlying contributory reason for the gang outrages all around us than we care to admit and one which clearly reinforces Brown’s underlying message of sectarian hate with undertones of violence (witness his gun carrying bodyguards, etc).
I might also add that I know both Cannonier and Horton, despite their many obvious weaknesses, to be men of goodwill.
PLP you need to get it together before you go public. Brown and Burt speaking at opposite ends of the spectrum.