Video: Corporation Members Voice Concerns
The Corporation of Hamilton held a press conference today [Oct 7] where they discussed the Municipality Bill, their recent trip to Colombia, media coverage, the business vote, the former administration and more.
Alderman Carlton Simmons said when they were elected they came in with the intention of making sure the community is served well, and said that those people who are maligning them should present any evidence if they have it.
“We have not done anything significantly different from our predecessors, but for some strange reason everything we do seems to be wrong,” said Mr Simmons.
Mr Simmons asked why the Government needs to come in and make these sweeping changes as a matter of priority, and asked what the need was to make the changes in a hurry.
The Alderman said as they were elected by the people, they would have thought they would have some input into the Municipality reform.
He also said he finds it very strange the “type of scrutiny” they have come under having been elected as the first majority black Council.
Mr Simmons said the reports that the trip to Colombia cost $100,000 are “ludicrous” [he said the cost did not exceed $30,000] and asked the media to get their “facts straight.” Mr Simmons also said their predecessors “traveled many places” and it never made the press.
“This is how they come after you,” said Mr Simmons. “Facts are no longer important.”
He said he has never seen a “former Mayor attack a sitting Mayor” as much as former Mayor Charles Gosling has, and said “we would ask publicly that he cease to so do. We don’t think it’s respectable or professional.”
The Corporation also released the financial statements, which can be found here [PDF].
[Note: The press conference was quite wide ranging, the text above represents only a small portion, however the video below contains the complete coverage.]
The full 50 minute video of the press conference is below:
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Who can sit through fifty minutes of these guys rambling on. Especially when that Cher song is playing in my mind …
I don’t think they’re gypsys though, but they do try to spin a fast story.
Mr. Simmons seems to think that the City is a “sovereign” body. Sorry brother, but it never was and never will be. If you don’t learn to work with govt, it will bite you in the a$$.
Circling the wagons are they? The indians will win this one.
Mr. Scott reads the financial stmts and suggests only 40% of revenue comes from business. He is delusional. If all business left Hamilton, the Corporation would collapse.
TRUE…..but if all the people left it would collapse too….so that is a two sided argument…..Truth is some thoughtful inclusive initiatives that bring all the parties together would be in everybody’s best interest!…and COH has failed in that area…..which I feel is a lost opportunity to show some real leadership…That is what happens when you are ruled by Committee!
Hardly !!!
If all the people in Bermuda or all the people living within the City Limits ? Those 200 people who voted is who you are talking about, yes??? If it’s all the people in Bermuda you refer to, go seek help.
shoes must be pretty tight, and not a very convincing rebuttal
So tell us what the real costs for the Columbia trip were and exactly what the Corporation gained from it – after all, last year total expenses were under $10,000 and this year they are …
On an only slightly related note, there are an untold number of comments asking for Donal Smith to come clean about his history. Without commenting on the implications of those posts, it does seem like there is something that the Deputy Mayor should fess up to.
What does his history have to do with the COH and Government you idiot!
Is Graeme Outerbridge the son of Yeaton Outerbridge ? and what Outerbridge makes ” Shery Peppers “
Yes.
what does that have to do with anything??????
“Mr Simmons asked why the Government needs to come in and make these sweeping changes as a matter of priority, and asked what the need was to make the changes in a hurry.”
…because you numpties signed away our waterfront for the next 262 years …..to one person ….for 262 years.
I’m just saying.
Learn how to spell Sherry peppers ….and yes he is the son of Yeaton…..and I am another son…and this Outerbridge makes his Sherry Peppers the old fashioned way…myself!
$30,000 WASTED…there was NO gain whatsover in going.
Personally I smell a few rats!
“elected as the first majority black Council.” … Man keep that card in you back pocket!!
First majority black council? Someone needs to do a recount of prior councils. I think the last group was 5 to 4- if you need to count that way.
The O.B.A is spot on for passing the municipality bill which allows the ratepayer to vote in the municipal elections.
Wow normally you’re against the oba. You’re Singing a new tune today lol.
they must have not been included in this friends and family package?
Told you MAWI had good drugs.
Lol
Where is the rest of TEAM HAMILTON and what are their positions on these “concerns”? (Larry S?)
Wow theses guys must be a couple of jokers??they take a trip to Colombia to get investors,want to sign away a 262 year lease of the peoples water front, and claim it is a race card??Did not E.Brown start to strip away the corperations Municipality reform and also wedco??They have money to spend on trips , but yet no money for up keep of trucks and road works!!no corperation or government should have the right to spend the peoples monies without scrutiny..Businesses, artists and employees create the things that money buys; a government just rearranges who benefits. -
Brother Simmons is driven by emotion. We all know that the Kung Fu master frowns upon that.
“We have not done anything significantly different from our predecessors, but for some strange reason everything we do seems to be wrong,” said Mr Simmons.
Uh… did any of the predecessors sign away, behind closed doors, a prime city area for 262 years?
How many were held in contempt by an Ombudsman?
How many are unwilling to work with the coutry’s government?
How many spent thousands on pointless trips?
How many had this many legal wranglings?
How many didn’t have a clue when to speak up and when to keep their mouths shut?
And for the record, I suspect it’s only you, Mr. Simmons, presuming you really don’t have a clue, that doesn’t understand why people believe everything you’re doing is wrong.
Personally, I really, really hope that it’s nothing more than incompetence, though after the deputy mayor incident, I’m not certain that many intelligent people can be that incompetent.
Both Scott and Simmons have been the centre of controversy and bad press before. Simmons recollection of what happened previously may be clouded as he spent much time complaining about the police …hmm wait, he was the centre of controversy those times as well!
What a hoot! I hope this lot has been brushing up their resumes, not that anyone would hire them, because they must know that all of them are one term wonders.
Even those who got sucked into voting for the Outerbridge cartel in that sham of an election must be regretting what they did.
Like the OBA, the next COH members will have a huge job on their hands to return some sanity & dignity to the city.
Imagine this. You have a farmers market which picks a Council from its membership to ensure the interests of the market are served. The Council members are asked to serve without pay to ensure that only serious farmers who care about the market serve. The Council runs its affairs from taxing the stalls in the market. For 250+ years this goes on…and next thing you know, the farmers market grows into an international shopping center attracting farmers from all over the world. Then the rules change saying that the farmers running the stalls (who are paying the taxes) have lost their say. I ask you…how does the future of the market look?
Wow what a crew. Carlton Simmons seems to be the centre of a lot of controversy although that would appear to be par for the course with more than one other member of this ‘council’. They do sort of seem out to lunch.
I will bet one to a hundred that if a race profile was conducted on these comments the majority would be the minority…….See the truth is the Mayor and his team are destined to fail by decree of prejudgement and the very nature of the Politics and devisive ways in which the community at large behave,{in particular the powers to be}….You all know that is true!!! A million was spent by the previous Mayor and his team…no comment??? the COH was handed over without a fight when the PLP took COH property, changed the rules and refused to pay them their due and legal demand for rent…Oh and the previous Mayor had personal vested interests with his Company’s contracts with the PLP at the same time…no conflict of interest there I guess……Certainly no comment was made! Not suggesting I am happy with the waterfront deal myself…and I truly hope we can find a resolution that serves the people of Bermuda in a more Democratic and inclusive way….but….the COH does and has for over two hundred years owned this property and it has been within their portfolio..not the Governments…to exercise at the COH disgression without challenge until now!… By the way previous administrations have spent over $500 K exploring the same idea…just never pulled the trigger,,Again, no comment that I ever saw!!! See a little double standard emerging here?…Of course not!! Then add the complicating factor that the present team were elected and not put forward by the usual cronyism, a sprinkling of public minded individuals along with a healthy dose of self serving members that mostly served the same master…themselves…Is it any wonder we see a full on attack….Please remember these elected officials work…forty plus hours a week without remuneration..would you???…Also, the previous system of Governance found ways through nepitism and contractural advantage to remunerate their members…and those fortunate enough to give of themselves freely…I applaud…because we all appreciate those with a give back mentality for sure….My basic question is what does this group expect to get knowing it would take an act in the House to pay them….Fact is they are working for free…..and destined for doom at the hand of an eager lynch mob mentality that permeates and grows by careful disinformation, misinformation, untruths along with a venomous distaste by the status quo for the condition the PLP perpetrated by design. The truth is everybody should be working to build our community together…not finding ways to tear us further down…. I am ashamed of all of you..
You start by making one statement: A million was spent by the previous Mayor and his team. If you read the Financials (the link is in the story) you would see that the million was returned- in fact more than a million. Why you ask? From interest payments, cause they didn’t spend a penny.
I am sure the rest of your points are equally valid, ie wrong & misguided.
You don’t read well I guess. A million was NOT spent, it was put into the trust SPECIFICALLY to fund the legal challenge that Mayor Gosling KNEW was coming.
The Trust would have Trustees and who would have a fiduciary obligation IN LAW to act in the best interests of the beneficiary.
What they didn’t do was set aside the million into an “expense account” and use it to fund trips and iPads etc.
Your other points can be addressed when the Ombudsman finishes her investigation into the Corporation….Mr. Outerbridge.
Don’t be ashamed for me…you should be the one bowing your head in shame for trying to justify the absolute mockery these guys have turned the Corporation into.
So in actuality your defense of such actions, which simply harm the tax payer, is what you should truly be ashamed of, not the people who are tired of such shady dealings conducted by our elected “leaders.”
How does going to a Mayoral conference for people of African descent attract investors?
When Donal(d) Smith went public with his view of gays was he absolutely sure the investors he was trying to encourage weren’t gay, or had gay friends or children?
Did such a question even cross his mind?
Would anyone want this man to be their salesman?
Elected by the people? yes all 105 votes for you and you give away The Waterfront for 262 years…well maybe not give away..get elected…ask for a salary..get turned down…create a whopping expense account….give away the city for 262 years…..and you think you should stay in ?
the COH was set up years ago by a bunch of white man to control the money that flowed through the city that’s all now we live in a new day it is time for the COH to be gone the city belongs to Bermuda just like the waterfront so all those big buildings in town pay land tax to the government the good old boy network is dead let it die
Frank you are so blinded by hate.
Why do Bermudians think, because they speak loud and long that everything will be fine!
Straight out of the PLP songbook. Babbling on & on without really saying anything at all perfected by Paula.
These guys learned well. Trouble is, many voters have gotten wise to that ploy.
ya she was/is a great orator using big words to explain the simplest things, she cudda jus said, ya man wer broke…..as the Jamaicans say, deh waman she ah bag-o-mout!
Well at least we know why they wanted new revenues from parking.
Yeah nothing wrong…
just sign away the lease to some dummy for 262 years
go to a black mayors conference in Columbia….FOR WHAT?!?!?! and at how much cost?
Get rid of the money grabbing COH,and elect a new accountable one!
These men are not very smart. any 10 yr old would tell you, acting up at home would probably result in you being sent to your room. But acting up in public would get you a royal flogging on the spot. Old Chinese proverb “Better to gently caress, stroke and feed an untamed animal than to swing a stick at it”.
For the $30,000 spent on the ‘Colombia folly’, perhaps those $$ could have been used to clean up Reid Street.
Has anyone noticed the state of it these days…trash, chewing gum on the sidewalks, potholes on a road that badly needs resurfacing…in fact a complete disgrace for the Harbour Nights which took place on Reid Street this year.
The City is broke! Why do you think they’re trying to raise more revenue? They are only on maintenance mode… Have been for two years now!
We complain when they want to increase fees to pay for better service…that’s what we get…all of us that “know everything”, NOT! We just want it all for free!
They now have to pick and choose what gets done!
Pity more people are not more realistic about the state of our economy!
“The City is broke!” Exactly, but why is the question? The answer is easy, the COH’s biggest income was always from the Hamilton Docks… When the previous Government removed that income stream the COH was doomed.
See the race card comes out again as usual. I dont recall anything prior to now the fact that they were going to a black mayoral function and had they said something BEFORE the trip it would do what. Who cares black pink green blue ?????
What is Alderman Larry Scott’s thoughts on the COH?
@ Come correct
No one wants to know your address.
My house is yellow and I don’t claim to be a god so they won’t give me drugs anyway. Do gods have something against reply buttons?
@ come correct
Your self esteem is low.
lol Yea ok, proof?
@ come correct
Put a condom on your tongue before you decide to reply on any of my philosophies.
So no then? Just the usual ramblings of a self-proclaimed god.