PLP Conference To Get Underway Tomorrow
The 2013 Progressive Labour Party Conference begins tomorrow [Oct 23] at BIU Headquarters.
Under the theme, “Empowerment through Economic – Entrepreneurship and Employment through Education,” PLP delegates will meet over the week to elect officers and discuss topics of importance to Party Members.
“The PLP Conference represents an opportunity for our members and supporters to have their say on the direction of their Party. In this, our 50th year, the input of our members in shaping the modernization of our Party is invaluable and appreciated,” said PLP Chairman Maynard Dill.
“With new leadership, a new vision and new people bringing new ideas, the PLP is committed to building a 21st century movement to meet the needs of 21st Century Bermudians,” the Chairman added.
PLP Leader Marc Bean said, “We enter the 2013 PLP Conference a stronger, more unified and more focused Party. We have listened to the people, grown from the lesson learned in December 2012 and humbled ourselves. We are reconnecting with the people, our values and promoting a new vision of economic and cultural empowerment.”
Mr. Bean continued, “For 50 years, the PLP have driven positive change and been at the forefront of bringing Bermuda out of the dark ages of oppression, injustice and inequity. To those who have and continue to support us, I thank you.
“To those who lost faith with us, we encourage you to weigh both our words and actions as we continue to modernize our policies, our vision and our team. To those who have never supported us, we will continue to fight for a fairer Bermuda, where obstacles to opportunity are removed and where honesty and hard work are rewarded.”
The PLP Conference will be held BIU Headquarters on October 23rd beginning at 5:30 pm. On October 24th at 8:30am the conference moves to Devonshire Rec. The Party said all PLP Members are “welcome and encouraged to attend.”
My main irritation with the PLP isn’t what they stand for (who actually doesn’t want equality?) but the way they act as though they’re the true leaders of it. Without a doubt many of the past PLP MPs were fighters for injustice and equality but can the same be said now? Prime example are the PLP MPs who spoke against basic human rights for homosexuals. These are the same people who claim to be the fighters for justice and equality? It doesn’t make sense to me.
Doesn’t make sense to me either on that front. However the theme of “Empowerment through Economic – Entrepreneurship and Employment through Education” sounds interesting, something the current government doesn’t seem to give two hoots about.
The concepts of Empowerment through Economic-Entrepreneurship are indeed interesting, but that relies heavily on having renewed growth of our population/GDP base for the economy. With so many international business people and Bermudians gone from Bermuda, there is a very weak foundation to build entrepreneurship upon.
This maybe true, IDK, but you are basically saying that everyone that is in Bermuda currently is incapable of entrepreneurial success? That’s pretty offensive.
Bermuda is such a small place that there just isn’t much room for ‘entrepreneurial success’, unless you are realllly innovative.
“people of Bermuda should also be held accountable for not being proactive in demanding more from the PLP administration”
WOW, now he’s blasting the voters and blaming them for the PLP messing up Bermuda….
I don’t believe it !
Ah my apologies that was not him…wrong speech ! Please ignore last post.
unless the OBA seriously screw up, those bies are finished
well I don’t know were you have been but the oba are not concerned about the ordinary man in the street their only motive is to make sure the good ole boys keep control
why you think they are stalling on the casino bill it to give their people chance to get in place
and what portion of the population were the PLP concerned about?
and since the PLP were in power for the past 14 years, please tell me how the hell is the OBA making sure the food ole boys “keep control”?
and lastly, who are these people you speak about getting things in place?
Lol silence when confronted with reason…
perhaps Frank is referring to the 40 thieves… you know the old boys/ old money guys,families of Bermuda. Some of which still have ties to the OBA. Many would tend to agree, as many of the older money families do feel a sense of privilege or perhaps entitlement to have/ regain what was always so easily, freely, without a thought ‘theirs’. Many do speak about the new ‘heads(s)’ being a front man for those really in control behind the scenes/strings. This is said to be the case here as well as in other countries. If he (Frank) isn’t referring to the above, then this is what comes to mind to many.
Evidence?
move bout of the dark ages, you dont think much do you. look back just a few years if you want to talk about cronies being in place
what exactly do you mean by “ordinary man in the street”? I would consider myself one and I feel they are heading in the right direction with the interests of all in mind – time will tell as to how sucessful they are.
I don’t think the OBA will have much choice. The island is basically bankrupt thanks to the PLP and the OBA is going to have no choice but to make the hard decisions.
When you have a $300 million dollar deficit and either have to cut or the island goes bankrupt the OBA sure have a big hill to climb.
Unfortunately, the inaction(or lack of long-term vision)of the PLP over the 14 yrs as Government to complete tangible changes/amendments which should enhance the position of Bermudians and contributing Non-Bermudians on Social, Educational and Economic (in a sustainable way) has caused the members and the supporters of the PLP to have to now ask people of Bermuda to and I quote from the article above:
“To those who lost faith with us, we encourage you to weigh both our words and actions as we continue to modernize our policies, our vision and our team. To those who have never supported us, we will continue to fight for a fairer Bermuda, where obstacles to opportunity are removed and where honesty and hard work are rewarded.
In my humble opinion the PLP need to be honest, first with the issues that were not addressed (yes, I agree the people of Bermuda should also be held accountable for not being proactive in demanding more from the PLP administration)and use this time out of office to plan n a sustainable way.
Now I had no reason to believe the OBA had any intention of doing the right thing, I still think it was a matter of gaining power to continue on the same ‘train’ and blame the PLP for the issues related to the ‘coaches’ or the ‘track’ for that matter.
I am a believer in Nelson Mandela being a true leader, he has shown remarkable insight into the complex leadership challenges still facing the world today and all the individuals in it. Everyone that decide to take on a leadership role, not just in Government, should be willing to learn and exercise genuine integrity.
Mr Bean as the current leader, I leave you with this. Courage is more than the absence of fear, the answer is not always either/or but often ‘both’, a moral leader will spur us to look within ourselves, reconsider the things we take for granted, and contemplate the legacy we’ll leave behind. Be an instrument of ‘REAL’ change for Bermuda.
Thank you and God Bless
I agree that Nelson Mandela is a true leader but the biggest travesty he supported was the Truth and Reconciliation Commision that was set up to give amnesty to the ruthless murderers from both civil and criminal prosecution!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Then you know NOTHING about him.. Understand nothing about him. Put the rage down. Mandela believes “Happiness demands giving up all hope of a better past.”
Think about his words and example.
PREACH Mike Hinds! Reconciliation not retaliation. Nelson Mandela is INCREDIBLE.
Nelson Mandela is one of the greatest leaders the world has ever seen. Unfortunately you have no idea why.
Ya, Ya, Ya, I’m more of a Fredrick Douglas , John Brown type of guy , but Mandela is one of the greatest leaders.
I don’t recall Frederick Douglass promoting hate, but I could be wrong.
I get the John Brown thing, though. You seem deluded enough and racist enough to think armed revolution is the only way to get your way…
Yawn.
PLP redo the Constitution where ALL MEMBERS select our Leader and then we can talk.
This system where 3 MPs call 13 Branches is ridiculous and why the Party is in a complete shambles.
MP Bean is a nice man but does not have the ability to pull off a victory.
Former PLP
After the last 5 yrs of PLP govt,they do not deserve my vote!
The OBA appeals to us.
PLP Conference at BIU Headquarters…therein is a problem, don’t ya think?
Are you suggesting they should have the conference at Tucker’s Point?
LMAO
They couldn’t get in
@ makes sense? I don’t know if you are aware of Bermuda’s History or you just crawled from under a rock, but B.I.U and P.L.P are like peanut butter and jam just like the Employers Council and O.B.A/ubp.
The B.I.U and P.L.P were formed in the Apartheid Era in Bermuda so obviously they had the same ideology of liberating the people from the ruling Oligarchy of economic and social injustice.
Until the P.L.P gets back to the fundamental aspect of their for-fathers they will not prosper.
Oh, oligarchy. You’re back.
Apartheid era? Wow.
APARTHIED (the political principle of total separation of European from African races) Hmm I wonder if that ever happened in this beautiful Island called Bermuda.
a·part·heid (-pärtht, -ht)
n.
1. An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites.
Sure, it means what you say. But it also SPECIFICALLY means this, thus, the use of the word is pointed, intentional, insidious, inciteful and hateful.
And if you’re claiming that you AREN’T using the word to incite, I call you a liar, straight up.
@ Mike Hind – I ordinarily support your comments but you need to accept and acknowledge the ‘polite/pseudo APARTHEID’ that is alive and well in good old Bermuda. Let me give you a few examples, 2013 since you plead ignorance:
1) Black expats paid up to 40% less than white bermudians and white expats with less formal education and experience than the Black one brought in for window dressing and to do all the work. Remember now, we are always told to be happy to simply have a job in corporate life so are never comfortable, or able to negotiate our true worth on the org chart
2) The polite society where Blacks and Whites still dont play together or invite each other to private events, especially family events at private homes.
3) A two party political system where the only reason the OBA won was because the Black voters were more fed up with the arrogance displayed by their PLP reps, than to deal with 1992 fast forward 2012 white arrogance
4) A corporate culture where even Blacks are intimidated to openly push for or promote their own because they dont want to offend the ‘guest’ from Connecticut or London who already has Tuckers Point membership and all the social invitations , despite not having a tertiary education, only a great East Coast accent, or brushed up Cockney one – and of course leaves a successful career in the US/UK to come to Bermuda for less money right ($200,000+ base, plus housing, plus school expenses, plus discretionary performance related bonus) but has to be trained or brought up to speed on the Bermuda market by an AVP or VP who isnt allowed to go any further because he doesnt look right for the corporate photo
5) If you think its imaginary and no Apartheid is a fiction try approaching certain people and introducing yourself as a black male who hasnt been formally introduced by a “Group” and see the response you get, a wierd combination of dismissal and being ignored, all whilst you get a “thats a good boy” pat on the shoulder. Thank heavens the Michael Dunkley’s, Trevor Moniz’ and John Barritts of this world actually realised the still incendiary nature of Bermuda’s reality and dont ignore people in the streets
6) Who designed ‘Back of Town’ and for what purpose and during what era where many of the “units” constructed – please fly home from wherever you currently safely write your blogs, buy a deepdale special and walk for 3 hours into those communities and look at the condition those people live in, this wasnt deliberate? Have you ever looked at the social engineering behind Zone 1 and Zone 2 residential neighbourhoods or is it my racist slant of events that makes me see it differently
7) Apartheid education, yes the PLP failed during 14 years to overhaul the same useless two tiered system that has generation, after generation, condemned to administrative or menial work if their parents cant afford $20,000+ per year fees for private school. Also remember many of us, from 1st hand experience attended Saltus or Warwick in the early days and were either expelled or suspended repeatedly for being loud or unruly for just asking questions and being inquisitive, by the same UK imported teachers who were given the “put that lot in their place” welcome talk by a former Headmaster/Headmistress on their arrival from their GBP500 per year jobs in the UK to the life of luxury and sudden societal relevance when they arrived home.
8) Why were so many educated Blacks forced to go into the civil service and ignored by the then growing international business sector in the post 1980s boom? oh dont tell me, they werent compliant enough to take instructions? the same instructions they took leading to the culture of impotence in the civil service where the whole structure is scared to make a decision because of the call my mortgage or I’ll lose my job culture.
The great thing about history is your attempts by blogs, or the facade that is the OBA cannot erase what happened and is still alive and well in 2013 Bermuda, maybe Apartheid is way too strong a word, but a systematic social system of elitism and restrictive opportunity may be a more politically correct way to define where we now are. Take the blinders off as this doesnt go away because its sensitive or embarrassing, in time what do you think will happen with the 4000+ unskilled young unemployed, on the stop list looking every day at affluence and a world right beside them that they have no access to.
Ban or condemn my post but the unequal society that is 2013 Bermuda will e no quick fix for any politician, let alone you sitting comfortably on your new Apple blogging in between your cups of tetley tea, sainsburys buns and the news on SkyOne.
Wake up
I think you still need EVIDENCE .LMAO
Instill find it amazing that you rail so hard against the concept of backing up your claims. It says a LOT about you that you have such a problem with someone having integrity.
But…but…any black person that is successful in this “social system of elitism and restrictive opportunity” is labeled an Uncle Tom….I have none of what you mention above and my family is struggling just like many others yet you feel no way about grouping all whites together. You do realize it is economically impossible for everyone to be rich right? I’m happy with what i have, i dont want to be rich, i just want to survive, money changes people. I agree the system may not be fair, but guess what, life isn’t fair. What you typed sounds like a series of jealous rambling of I dont have what he has. Try going out and making something for yourself instead of waiting for the system to hand it to you. I Dont have a job, I’m working on a certification as we speak, I volunteered with my free time and when people saw my work ethic as a volunteer, BANG I had a job offer. Oportunity out of selflessness…crazy concept huh? The only difference between positive and negative is your attitude, try changing it sometime, the world wil feel no way about passing you by.
You live in a cartoonish world of make-believe.
Not what I said at all. Never denied any of this.
I take issue with the use of the word as it has a very specific meaning and it’s use to describe Bermuda’s problems is incorrect and disrespectful to those that DID live under Apartheid (note the capital letter). Also, when used by an avowed racist like the fake “Mazumbo”, the intention is obvious.
Correction I’ve told you already the word is NEGROPHIL. But I guess your not gonna accept it, seems you feel comfortable calling some one a racist. LMAO
Just people who are racist.
(And you’ve never told me that before. Not sure why you’d lie…)
There’s a difference between “admiring Negroes and Negro culture” (the definition of your word – of which I’m one, as well) and, as you’ve shown time and again, the belief that THAT culture and people are superior to another race and/or culture.
Oh, and for the record, I’m Bermudian, born and raised, and live and work here. Your implications that I don’t are off mark and, frankly, offensive.
Man, you feel so sorry for yourself, it makes my day.
The unions, the “ordinary man in the street”‘ and the PLP.
It sounds so old fashioned. Who cares about the unions? They are a pathetic bunch, caught in the 1970s. PLP, you f***** it up, you f**** the people over, and it will take years to forgive.
And Marc Bean, are you serious? Bermuda needs true leaders, not children.
Funny how someone who don’t care about the Union’s benefit from the Union’s!!!!!!! LMAO
If the general public realized how much control they have by uniting, we wouldn’t need unions, but governments aim to divide.
“people shouldn’t fear their government, governments should fear their people.”
A perfect example of true ignorance.
PLP gave Tuckers Point their SDO. Sounds like a good place for their conference.
@ Norff Rock Cakes
Some of us have very short memories, or selective amnesia.
Would you vote for the PLP, with the current leader,be real?
Actually, I would. The irony of your question is the OBA and their leader! Haha! As an exercise, can you provide 3 points of leadership in which we can compare Marc Bean and Craig Cannonaire? While we are at it, let’s compare the TOP 15 OBA MPs(not possible)l with the PLPs MPs in terms of performance and ability. Include the Senate also, and you will see that the OBA lacks quality and rely on 6 Ministers(Moniz, Bob Richards, Dunkley, Crockwell, Gibbons, and pat Pamplin). The rest are useless and do not contribute anything but photo ops and scripted text. And before Mike Hind comes to the defence……..
Let’s compare on ethics and honesty. I think we all know who wins there.
And competence. Richards or Burt? You want a two-bit illegal liquor salesman as your finance minister?
Premier and Opposition Leader first Sandy B……..it cannot be done. Bean runs circles around the Premier……Burt has what it takes and has proven to easily match Richards….easily. As for the others, let’s continue the exercise….oooooops, you only have 5 UBP/Oba MPs left.
When?
Was it the hate speech that resonated so deeply that you think he’s doing a good job?
No defense. I know it’s useless. I’ll point out you’re off-base, you’ll throw a little tantrum and make some false personal attack, I’ll respond calmly and honestly and then you’ll disappear…
Just like always.
Why waste my time?
I’m not disagreeing with you, but name 6 quality members of the PLP from the current bunch (or 6 from a past administration for that matter). Interested to see your list.
plp went the same way as the Dinosaurs!
To the PLP Executive – You just don’t have a clue do you? As long as you directly align yourself with the BIU, you will never get my vote again. The BIU cannot be seen to be representative of you, of the PLP party. Chris Furbert / Laverne Furbert are so warped in their thinking, I shudder when they speak. We know that their thinking is not pervasive anymore. The average man on the street, the one you say you represent, the one who is hurting and only now has scrapes on his knees. Until you recognize the deep rooted structural changes that have occured in Bermuda in the last 10 years, the PLP will never be equipped to lead again.
The talent you need to attract to help you position yourself as a credible alternative will NEVER set foot in BIU.
Don’t speak for the average man on the street. Nah don’t do that. You don’t know em.
I EMPLOY THEM. 18 of them to be exact. So I know them probably a hell of a lot better than you do. With a prison record and a spell on Financial Assistance, I know the “average man” probably a lot better than you do. But at the same time, I also know why the average man is being displaced in this country…now at the point of no return. Do you understand why? And don’t give me any crap about the foreigners coming in taking jobs.
And you arrived at that conclusion because… A Clue used proper grammar and sounded sensible?
Indeed. Because I can structure a proper sentence without any spelling errors “I am out of touch”. I would suggest that those who cannot write a proper sentence or one riddled with spelling errors, or speak in “text language” all the time are the ones out of touch with the everyday Bermuda of today. Our economy is so moved beyond that given the IB presence, it is not funny. But some Bermudians still live in the day where they think that it is acceptable to show up to work 10-20 mins past time every day and where 9 mos is considered “long term employment”.
And if I associate with the BIU – who think that a drunk driving ferry or bus operator should be given a second chance due to “seniority”. Give me a break. When you support that rubbish…
Chris Famous – I love you like only a fellow Berkeleyite can…but 10,000 strong is a misnomer and you know it. Only 2 years ago, the members of the Trade Union Congress fought bitterly on the most simplest of issues and were operating separately, speaking unilaterally, not collectively but as the numbers dwindled and the public, even Union members cross a KFC picket line – they now sing “United we stand…..” The union does not have the power it once did…especially not with this government. The OBA will not let a bus strike cripple a work day / or tourist shuffling at Dockyard. Filipinos / Indians whatever drive buses too…
Um u had the chance to deliver to the 21 century bermudians and u didn’t! PLP just never listen just ask Dr. brown and Paula administration and BTW Mr. Bean U was apart of them.
Can you imagine what would happen to our children’s future if the old govt became the new govt? Scary to say the least.
I’ll rent a punt from somerset bridge rentals and row myself to Cuba. Cat, dog, grandma and myself. Love to leave the wife behind. Payback time lol
So lets see according to you folks the BIU is bad for Bermudians?
Tell us why did the OBA leader march with the BIU wearing a BIU hat?
A he was fronting
b he knows the unions carry the swing
But kindly continue with union bashing. In case you have not noticed the unions are a collective of near 10,000 Workers in this island.
Bermudians and guest workers.
More misinformation and baseless assumptions from Mr. Famouss.
Such a shame.
But seriously, the unions are so outdated with their left wing rhetoric (bordering Marxism at times) and their blind support of clowns who fail to show up to drive their bus over and over, or who smoke drugs on the job but are still “brothers”, and deserve backing.
You see people are tired of all that bs, and to top it all you have Chris Furball calling endless press conferences, and is barely able to string a sentence together.
I think its just de Unions in Bermuda that people have a problem with, do I have to explain why, nay don’t want de race card thrown at me! LMAO
Then don’t play it! If you KNOW you’re playing the race card, you know you’re wrong.
Outside of BELCO (monopoly) and the bulging public sector, all other unionized sectors (construction, hospitality, BTC) are in serious decline. Unions are out of touch with reality and have done almost nothing for their members who have lost the jobs even though they had paid union dues for decades.
Seems like you need to be educated a bit.
The members are the backbone of the Unions, the Union don’t make decisions without a democratic vote of its members.
With construction that was in decline when workers decided to do piece work and making quick money and it back fired on them and had company’s like D&J who were bringing in cheap labor making it hard for Union company’s to compete and who is gonna work for hospitality wages paying $2000 for rent.
Your dues fees go toward administration, running of the building and all the benefits that most workers are not privileged to have just to name a few.
This is a Big Pond Small fish.
Comments posted here show that Bermuda is a deeply divided place. Mostly by race/age/education/income/place of origin. The PLP is a deeply divided party with very few of the elected MP’s really supporting their current leader who was voted in by party members, not MPs. Most PLP MPs see him as a man up in space somewhere who occasionally comes down to earth with some of his “newly discovered spiritual wisdom”…
Mike Hind! This is usually your cue to bring balance……where are you? The above post has just exhibited a deeply rooted fear in the unknown and uncontrolable. What a compliment to the PLP!
Do you, like, actually think about what you post, or just string words together as they pop into your head?
Just realized that “sanity clause” is also posting as “small fry”…smfh. That’s what I call being out in space!
The PTP are Wanna be DREAMERS
All during the age when the United Bermuda Party was in control of the government; Bermuda’s black population even though they were the majority; they were in fact a political minority. With the rise of the OBA government; we have reverted to the status of being a political minority even as with the former UBP government there existed black premiers at the head. But a black premier also must defer to the wishes of it’s white
political base. So even if premier Cannonier as he did earlier in his administration talked about to need to end institutional racism. Today in an effort to pander to his white political base; he can make the statement that whites suffered in this recession. Well even if that is true and I have no doubt that it is true; but they are not to be seen at the front line of resistance to this government’s efforts to lower the standard of living for Bermudians. They are silent on the one sided call of so-called shared sacrifice by this government. The constant drum beat
coming from this government that places value of the foreign expatiate migrant worker above the value of the Bermudian; when in fact it is the Bermudian that is the back bone of this country’s economy and I am going to keep stating this truth; it is Bermuda that has given the foreign worker the opportunity to earn a living in this country. They are not a sort of missionary come to save Bermuda economically. In fact the money earn by Bermudians does not go through the doors of the money shops; but remains right here in Bermuda. but to the question of power in this country; it has been the trade union movement led by it’s spear head the Bermuda Industrial Union; that has been the great equalizer in this country; without it’s existence we would have been a society that was less equitable; we would have been less consciousness of civil and human rights-principles that were the bed rock of the struggles led by no less personages such as Nelson Mandala and Martin Luther King; often quoted but use only in part as the need to continue the struggle manifests itself.
“it is Bermuda that has given the foreign worker the opportunity to earn a living in this country”
Well how noble and selfless of us. LOL. You’re a space cadet man. Get rid of international business, and see how long until Bermuda is another Jamaica.
Bermuda was in existence a long time before the large scale importation of migrant workers. A smaller economy might give us a chance to start all over again.
You talk about Jamaica; but Jamaica has natural resources; can grow it’s own food and has the potential to market some of the best weed in the world. I foresee the day that marijuana will become a cash crop in it’s own right with world wide export potential. Why pick on Jamaica when you want to frighten Bermudians? Why don’t you talk about Greece or Portugal; are they paradigms of economic stability? In an ironic twist of fate which countries are the preferable choice for would be Portuguese immigrants fleeing their country’s economic stress? Brazil; Angola; Mozambique; the common link former Portuguese colonies.