PLP: Listening In To Phone Call Is “Disturbing”
Acting PLP Leader Derrick Burgess said the Premier’s “decision to allow several of his OBA colleagues to overhear what was supposed to be a one on one conversation with the Opposition Leader is disturbing,” while Premier Craig Cannonier denied that the phone conversation was recorded.
Both sides have stated that the Opposition Leader and the Premier spoke on the phone last week about the gambling referendum, and in the House of Assembly on Friday [Dec 13], Tourism Minister Shawn Crockwell admitted that he listened to the conversation.
Minister Crockwell said that he, and another Cabinet Minister, were having a meeting with the Premier when Mr Bean called. The Minister said Premier Cannonier originally took the call privately, then put it on speaker phone saying “You guys need to hear this.”
Audio of a brief excerpt of Minister Crockwell’s comments in the House on Friday:
Earlier today, Premier Cannonier responded to a TV news story last night in which he said Senator Marc Daniels stated the Premier tape recording the phone conversation with the Opposition Leader Marc Bean last week.
The Premier said, “The accusation made by Senator Daniels is absolutely false. The conversation between myself and the Opposition Leader Marc Bean was not recorded.
“Bermuda’s economic recovery is at a very delicate stage, and we have to take care that we do nothing to damage the recovery. The stakes are too high. It’s much too important for political games. We can’t allow politics to interfere with jobs for Bermudians,” said the Premier.
In a statement issued this evening, Acting PLP Leader Derrick Burgess said, “The Premier’s decision to allow several of his OBA colleagues to overhear what was supposed to be a one on one conversation with the Opposition Leader is disturbing. This decision is worsened by the Premier’s embellishing of the conversation to the people of Bermuda.
“Anyone meeting with the Premier or anyone from the OBA going forward would understandably be concerned about confidentiality and whether what is said will be twisted, distorted and end up in the public domain.
“Leaders are expected to conduct the people’s business with dignity, humility and integrity. Last week, Premier Cannonier let Bermudians down with his words and deeds and violated that standard.
Mr Burgess continued, “The OBA have a history of breaking promises and with their Parliamentary majority have the power to move whatever they desire through Parliament with or without the PLP’s support, but this should be done for the right reasons.
“Our political system works best when politicians regardless of political affiliation are able to work together. Despite sometimes vast political differences this system has worked for over 50 years.
“For there to be collaboration there first must be trust. Trust broken is not easily rebuilt. The Premier and his OBA colleagues have recently given the impression that they are not trustworthy and will need to work diligently to erase that impression so we may all work together to get our country headed in the right direction,” said Mr Burgess.
On Friday [Dec 13] Premier Craig Cannonier announced that instead of holding a referendum on gambling as was previously announced, the matter will be decided by a vote in Parliament. Debate ensued after his announcement, and you can view all our coverage of the cancellation of the referendum here.
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Oh so disturbing.
Herp derp
“OMG THEY LISTENED TO THE CALL!”
And what if that is against the law? No big deal?
It is not against the law. Get a freakin grip.
This makes the PLP sound so desperate.
Can you imaging if the PLP did the same thing during their tenure? Oh wait, I guess that would have been okay…
Actaully recording a conversation without someone’s consent is against the law. Ask a police officer.
The call was not recorded.
Let solve all the secerts BS now and telivise both parties cocus meetings so all of the undecides in the country can make up their mind about each party?
LOL what do they have to hide.
Just cause it was legal, doesn’t make it ethical.
What’s really wrong is that it shows the Premeir is a little boy trying to do a man’s job. Rule #1 Bermuda don’t speak to this man about nothing in confidence, unless you want your business on the street.
I have lost all respect for you Mr. Craig Cannonier……
Imagine you speaking to a news reporter, police officer or your manager and they put you on speaker phone to let everyone in the office hear what your saying. This was wrong as a leader. If we fail to win the next election the buck stops at the top.
At least someone get it.
It is not desperate, these are the actions of someone who is not fit to be the leader of the country!
Um. This regularly happens. I am often put on a speaker, particularly when I’m saying something that more than one person might be interested in hearing. No ‘permission’ is needed. I can usually hear when it’s happening, and if the other participant is on a speaker the inference is that anyone else within earshot will hear what you say.
I think that the problem is as the Premier he is set to a higher standard. All these things that the OBA are doing… ask yourself what the reaction would be if this was the PLP and they were making the rookie mistakes.
This wasn’t a rookie mistake. The premier outsmarted Bean, who now can’t deny what he said.
Nah. What’s really wrong is that Bean wanted to be able to later deny what he’d said. Bean has been outsmarted. Again.
Youre like really crazy…
Shocking the way you process things as an adult
What’s really wrong is that it shows the Premeir is a little boy trying to do a man’s job. Rule #1 Bermuda don’t speak to this man about nothing in confidence, unless you want your business on the street.
I have lost all respect for you Mr. Craig Cannonier…..
OBA has not broken promises willy nilly. Obviously there WAS an alarming conversation… The Govt decided that it was in the best interest of the country to change direction and not go to referendum (very expensive too)…. I am happy that we won’t be subjected to ‘politrix’ in this matter and looking forward to learning more about the plan For introducing gaming, which the OBA has promised will be coming in the new Year, with open and transparent public meetings, information sessions etc… I’d rather learn about it that way than hear lots of speculation and misinformation on talk shows etc…. I am willing to listen and learn. And give input if there is an opportunity…. Are you??
This is going to get so nasty. I see it coming.
PLP, you are petty. This country does not need you constant distractions taking up precious time of our government. You are time wasting constantly. You are like little poorly behaved children. I’m so embarressed. You have become a huge joke PLP A huge joke. Your followers are leaving you in droves. I cannot belive you are constantly running to the press with irrelevant nonsense. Shameful PLP. It is the tell tale signs of a party in disarray and desperation.
? the plp are no longer in power so if they are dominating conversations thats because they are the only party that is having an affect on people.hmmm why don’t you just espouse whatever it is that you think the present oba government are accomplishing and stop concentrating on the apparent losers.. who does that! OBA supporters obviously lack any compliments for their own party so they have relinquished to blame a party whose job it is to oppose..surely the governments accomplishments should outshine anything the opposition are doing or saying! Or can’t you admit that life hasn’t changed much since a year ago!
and do you think the PLP created the mess we were are currently in, in just one year?
What did The caller have to hide. If it can’t be said infront of other OBA members then it shouldn’t have been said at all. Sounds like the PLP are desperate to cover something up. What are they trying to hide? Can’t trust the PLP, they are hiding something. Sounds like the Premier did the right thing in dispensing with the referendum.
I don’t think anyone has anything to hide. This is a simple point, it is crazy that the premier wouldn’t have the common decency to let Marc Bean know that he was being recorded!
Also, are they aware that if they recorded the conversation they did in fact break the law.
Section 61 of the Telecommunications Act makes it illegal to record a phone call without consent!
I can’t believe people don’t have an issue with this.
He was not being recorded. Try reading the story, it really helps.
So I can take the banks and cell companies to court when they record conversations for quality control since they don’t actually give me the option to consent?
No, because you are informed. “This call may be … etc.” You have the option to hang up and go speak to someone in person. It is only illegal to record without someone’s knowledge. Obvious exceptions to that, such as police with a warrant/court order.
This call was not recorded it was not kept private. That is not illegal in any way.
One suspects that Craig felt it was better for his colleagues to hear it first hand, rather than second hand from him.
Many countries have a record keeping requirement that all communications (voice, email, texts, etc.) related to doing the country’s business make be archived so that later on that all factors relating to how/why decisions were made are documented.
Makes sense. What about the police? Call them and your conversation is recorded without warning. Are they exempt?
You have the option to consent or not. They tell you they are recording you, if you don’t consent hang up and walk into a local branch. Simple.
S 61 of the Act actually appears to make it illegal to “tap a wire and secretly overhear or record” without prior authorization. But if you just record a call made to you without tapping a wire, i.e. the signal is not intercepted, that doesn’t appear to be illegal.
But anyway, none of it matters in this case, because the call was not recorded.
This shows that the Premier believes in his team and that the OBA work together. It also shoes that the PLP act alone in secrecy and with cloak and dagger approaches. Not to be trusted not to be believed are the PLP.
No, it shows that the Premier can’t hold a conversation, much less make a decision by himself without his friends telling him what to say and do.
The Premier is the leader of a team, he is not a dictator. Whatever was said would have to be communicated and discussed with his team. The real issue, is what is the PLP trying to cover up and hide. Why are they and their supporters dismissing good practices, whilst promoting dictatorial individual governance.
Exactly!! Don’t worry Premier Cannonier, they’re gonna oust you soon and make way for Michael Dunkley to be premier.
you said that a year ago…it didn’t happen. so shallow.
I cannot beleive that Shawn Crockwell is bragging about the him and someone else listening in on a “private” call between the Premier and the opposition leader.
If this is true, and Shawn Crockwell said it is, I can’t see the trust between the 2 leaders recovering. This is a betrayal, and is certainly not something that is statesmanlike.
At the very least the premier should have informed the opposition leader that he was putting the phone on speaker phone, but to not do that is a breach of trust and is really behaviour that is befitting a 15 year old girl and not a grown a** man who is the leader of the country!
I think most people can hear when they are put on speaker. Unless the Premier was speaking directly into the phone mic, that is……
You generally know if you are on speaker but you will not know who is in the room unless you are told. It is a common courtesy to identify who is in the room for various reasons in any phone conversation, especially at the level of politics.
It is also interesting that information about the private call was revealed by the OBA in the first instance.
They work for the public, they do not work for the private.
Private (sector) is EXACTLY who the OBA work for.
Very true, very true!
Actually, I just listened to the audio clip above and he says it was a cell phone call so it would be rather hard to know if you’re on speaker on a cell so i retract my first comment.
Nobody can be trusted. It was sneaky!!
how was it sneaky….if I wanted my team to hear the verbal doubletalk…then I’d want them to hear it first hand…
You guys try to make sense of and justify the most ridiculous things with straight faces… Must take practice. Mind you, your government is giving you enough of it lately.
The Indians called it forked tongue, that’s how they lost their land.
Yes Johnboy, that exactly what I would have said. On any conversation, you can certainly hear if you’re on a speaker. Is Marc Bean deaf? Why all this garbage anyway? Marc Bean you got your way, you wanted no referendum, so your wish has come true. Utter nonsense, PLP have nothing to do. Vote them all out!
Well that is your take on it but mine is what exactly was in the conversation that is upsetting to the PLP – could it possibly be the real reason why a change was made not to have the referendum?? If you are worried about what was said in a phone call maybe the truth is being told.
I don’t think anyone has an issue with what was said. Question is recording conversations without someone’s consent
It wasn’t recorded.
Is this really the best the pathetic PLP can do? Moan about someone overhearing them. Put on your big boy pants.
Booo Hoo Waagh Waaaagh.
after all Burgess and his cronies put Bermuda through they are outraged over a phone call…my heart weeps for you Burgess
We can all listen to the debate on the motion to adjourn from Friday.
No matter your political beliefs, we should all be disturbed if anyone, let alone the Premier, allowed someone else to listen to the call without telling the caller that there were others in the room.
Forgetting this basic courtesy, it seems as though the real issue is being lost. If anyone listens to the debate, MP Crockwell was the first to mention that the call was recorded and was then supported by MP Pettingill. They did not specify whether it was an audio recording or a handwritten recording. If the call was ‘hand recorded’ there is more reason to doubt what the OBA reported since their collective memory might be selective.
The real issue? Did the Premier tell the truth about why he changed the decison to hold a referendum? Based on comments from MP Burt (which have not been refuted), there were several approaches by the Premier to the PLP to change from a referendum to a bill from as early as September. Unfortunately, it also appears that the Premier did not tell his coleagues about the approaches. Thus MP Crockwell did not know until Monday.
From an international (inward investment) perspective, if the Premier has not been completely truthful, a simple apology (however crafted) is warranted before this ‘callgate’ gets blown further out of proportion.
Any potential person that calls the Premier (including his colleagues) must now have some concern about the basic common courtesy of our Premier in taking phone calls.
Note to OBA posters. If you are so adamant that a bill is the right choice, does it stand that the initial OBA promise for a referendum (supported by tabling a bill) was wrong? You can not have it both ways!
Forget all that fluff, the important thing is what is the PLP trying to hide. I couldn’t care if other OBA MPs heard the call or if it was recorded. To me that ensure greater ethics are upheld. one person keeping info to themselves is not good.
hmmm—–what are you not getting, it was a private call to the Premier….these situations may occur in politics but to have recorded without permission and then for it to be mentioned in the house of assembly by one of the eavesdroppers is quite odd to say the least! It has nothing to do with what the plp are keeping secret, the whole cabinet and gov.mps have lots of secrets!the revelation comes during the house sessions on whatever is for public consumption! how would you like it if your private phone calls were put on speaker for the rest of the room to hear without the benefit of your knowledge?
I prefer it if my phone calls are to more than one person on speaker. It’s more efficient and more ethical. Harbouring info to yourself is an action for your own interests.
Ok stop lying just to prove your point.
the opposition leader wasn’t making a call to several people, just the premier…so what is your point.. everytime you make a call you don;t mind who listens? Well then leave your real name hmmm…
I can’t believe it, Derick Burgess is still upset about his loss of Premiership, supreme controller and leader of our great nation. Everything out of his mouth is to divide. When was the last time anyone has heard him say something constructive, something to help Bermuda recover from the mess he and his pals got us into? I can’t recall. Everything he complains about is designed to get his friends and family back into power! Nothing to do with helping Bermuda!
Sounds like Bean is disappointed he can’t now deny what he said.
If you cant even take a call by yourself then you are not a leader period, especially within the Westminster system the premier has a lot of power, what is going on in Bermuda seriously now is not the time for a limpet as a ‘leader’. When I return I hope to set up a new party focused on radical change and prosperity for the next generation as I have experienced a selfish, weak, GREEDY!, shortsighted, irresponsible, elder generation myself – its funny how it takes rubbish to produce quality.
The leade did lead. He made the correct decision to have his team who were there hear something that was of relavance and importance to his team. The weak leader is Bean for backing out of helping this country and moving things forward….Bean needs to get his individuals together and tell them to stop running to the press with distracting and childish nonsense. WE WANT OUR GOVT ACTIVE IN GETTING THIS COUNTRY GOING, NOT HAVING TO RESPOND TO PLP SCHOOL YARD BS…..all this has done is prove that the PLP are not in it for Bermuda, but are in it for their own egos.
Exactly, obviously what was said was such that the Premier wanted a second (and as it happens a third) pair of ears to back him up when it was denied… It’s a shame that “official” conversations concerning the business of our country are not recorded as they are in most countries!!
Who cares? Really?
People who have something to hide ….the PLP
Well, exactly.
Uh puhleeze, find something of relevance to complain about.
This was not a private call. It was a call about the publics business. It was put on a speakerphone. So what! That way there was no confusion to others in the room over who said what in response to what. Nothing lost in relaying the message.
What else did Bean say that the PLP does not want made public? Did he go into a rant?
If anything this is a tad unethical, but not illegal. Get over it.
OBA will be out in the next election!
I hope so because Craig Cannonier has no idea wth he is doing
Unlike the PLP right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH
Have you ever spoken to him? He seems to know exactly what he’s doing and be both generally well-informed and mentally engaged in what is going on.
You must have been talking to his puppeteer.
I don’t think so. They have another 3 years to continue to make changes that will be better for Bermuda. It is not likely that after giving the PLP 14 years to run down Bermuda that people will all of the sudden think they are capable. The PLP are disorganized and divided much like the GOP in the US. It will take awhile for them to bounce back. These next 3 years will be a good reality check for Bermuda and the PLP. I see much information coming to light in the next 3 years.
I doubt that, not many want the PLP to ever, ever be in power again.
So let me get this right. The Premier let his already in the room colleagues hear something he was going to jave to communicate to them anyway. Sounds efficient and so much better to hear it from the horses mouth. What are the PLP hiding.
and there would be no problem with it if he had let Mr Bean know who else was listening. The deceit lies with Premier Cannonier not disclosing to Mr. Bean who was listening.
Why? Wouldn’t Bean assume his words would get communicated to Cabinet members? Why would Bean have any issue with others hearing his words? The only reason appears to be that he wanted to later deny what he’d said, which he can’t now do.
This is exactly the point that should be made. If bean has said something that was supposed to be in confidence then he isa showing his imaturity as a leader. No premeir in good standing would ultimately keep information form the opposition secret. Beans a dreamer.
I have no idea what this guy is talking about. It seems like petty s*** stirring.
I agree Blackbird!!!
‘SCANDAL’ coming to a theatre near you.
Staring: Craig Cannonier and Marc Bean
Supporting Actors: Roban, Fayh, Burt, Dunkley,Crockwell, Gibbons, Brangman,etc
Story lines: Dreaded Term Limits,Slavery and Conscription,Education and the Revolving Door, Too Many Civil Servants, Clinic Fiasco, and now The ‘No Privacy Private-Call’ stay tuned as this cast of (characters) seeks to destroy, deceive, and win their way into your hearts,and homes by any means possible.
Vote the OBA out, are you joking, we’ll go back to the incompetent plp/biu going nowhere but down. Thank you OBA for doing all the right things. You know they are doing the right things because the plp/biu disagree with every thing they do.
This just shows how both the OBA and PLP hate each other-
This type of Politics could well be why were in a bad situation today.
I have to laugh how one political camp calls one political party the PLP/BIU and the other is called
the OBA/UBP – just makes common folk like shake there heads – I don’t think were ever going to let the past go.
which means we are back to having a White based political party and a Black based political party. – that’s only trouble for the future.
The thing is that they don’t – go up to the House of Assembly and watch the social times when they are just relaxing.
But yeah, otherwise you’re spot on.
i agree mate, we need a change in system of government. this tit for tat politics is too petty for the lifestyle that we all enjoy.
The OBA tried, but has learned they can’t trust the PLP. Th eOBA is all Bermuda. The PLP is for me myself and I (must keep the conversations to themselves)
I wonder what was said by Mr. Bean given all the distractions now being issued by the PLP.
I imagine teh threat of mobilizing their supporters for a referendum boycott was real. Just like they did in ’95 with the independence refrendum. Same old selfish Party to the same old selfis tricks.
And Mr. Burgess why in the world would you want to work with or collaborate with a “demonic Party” that is comprised of nothing but “rednecks and house n*****?”
And to all of you who yearn for the return of the PLP. Do you all conveniently forget the numerous shenanigans and financial mismanagement that was teh hallmark of their reign? Or do you simply yearn for a Party that has the least amount of non-Black Bermudians in its ranks. it must be the latter because it can’t be the PLP’s stellar performance as Government that makes you want them to regain power so quickly.
And that’s the rub isn’t it. It isn’t because they were on speaker (and you have to be as dumb as a bag of rocks to not know you’re on speaker) but because they were essentially caught out trying to hold the Government to ransom.
Same old tired 60′s/70′s era reactionary politics.
Burgess is frothing at the mouth and it’s delicious.
I don’t understand the scandal.
There is collective responsibility of Cabinet so presumably everything said to the Premier would also be passed on to Cabinet.
The PLP just look out to lunch on this one.
Agreed, well put.
Well put indeed
All,
There were several previous interactions between teh Premier and MP Bean that the Premier did not communicate to teh MP Crockwell about the referendum.
Therefore previous coments about it being ‘efficient to let everyone in the room hear the conversation or ‘colective responsibility’ do not wash. The Premier was clearly keeping information about the referendum and his attempts to get MP Bean to work with him secret.
Can any of the posters confirm that they routinely let others listen to phone calls without letting the caller know that others are in the room??
No, sure it’s bad manners. But it’s not a travesty, disturbing, disgusting or a scandal. Politics is a dirty business and if the bigot was threatening to scupper a referendum (that would be at great cost to the taxpayer and we can ill afford) unless he got his own way, then he got just what he deserved.
This is a non issue.
Listening In and Recording are 2 vastly different things.
Even IF it was Recorded,so what!the plp are NOT to be trusted with anything they Speak,or Do.
It’s time the plp figured out they need to go away for good,they are not wanted.
If it was recorded it is against the law.
Read section 61 of the Telecommunications act.
Grow up children! Now…where’s my betting slip from “Paradise Gaming”?
It seems to me that Marc Bean was saying something that needed to be heard by a third party. On the talk show yesterday it was repeated several times he did not know he was on speaker. Everyone with any common sense knows when they are on speaker phone. You can hear the difference. So Marc was saying something he did not want anyone else to hear so he could deny it later. I wish both parties would grow the he– up. He said, she said. A bounce of 4 year olds.
The PLP are the biggest “WINDBAGS” ever and have always been. They should have never been Government ! Case in point, this speaker phone crap. What a bunch of Children !
The same way people on here use screen names and type in private knowing that no one knows them and that their email or name will not be published,
Now imagine if Bernews decided to let the government or police know what your email is and your name,..to some of us its no big deal but to others it would be a big deal because we are giving our thoughts to bernews and for bernews eyes only…….to have a 1 on 1 convo with leader to leader and then to have a leader turn and secretly bring in another person to listen to the convo is wrong and shows that the leader cannot be trusted to have a private conversation and it shows that he is not really leading tthat he is in fact a puppet looking for advice from his puppet masters
If you post something stupid on Bernews like a threat Bernews will either edit it or not post it. Politicians are not afforded this luxury they are held to account for their words and actions. If there was nothing to hide we wouldn’t be talking about this.
Awaiting the day when PLP is the ruling government again.
What have UBP executed so far? Oh right broken promises and defamation of PLP’s legacy.
The reality of the matter is. No one condemns UBP for their let downs throughout the past years or future years as the ruling government. So sad but true.
Whaaaat? Plp defamed their own legacy. What, in 14 years did they do for you? The only thing I can give you is that in the last 20 yeas nothing has changed, but at least we’re moving in the right direction now unlike the last 15 years.
Pure ignorance. As I reiterate NO ONE condemns OBA oops UBP.
I don’t need to list the wrongdoings of UBP. Sorry no time for it
merry christmas Puppeteer
Not going to answer the question?
The fact remains the budget was balanced under UBP so while they were not perfect in other aspects the budget as we now see is THE most IMPORTANT aspect of a stable government.
a balanced budget under the ubp went right along with the riots, strikes, and general unrest of the people who were being ignored during those times there were quite a few incidents under the ubp including “high ranking” murders.. the ubp have never really cared about the indigenous Bermudian, and they always had the purse strings which they just took, and wielded their authority by being racist and discriminating against people of colour, it will take more than fourteen years to undo the prejudice of the ubp. The ubp would have never formed a party if the plp hadn’t done it first! so who”s zooming who?How quickly we would like to forget decades of autocratic rule with surrogates to match then and now!so what exactly do we have here…two very different outlooks of Bermuda and her people… Its very clear what the problem is, moon people and sun people need their own territories like east and west the two should;ve never met.sad but true indictments on all parties/people concerned.Bermuda can sell herself, because of the beauty of the land and also other aspects which are rarely highlighted, but I won’t be given any ideas to people already “qualified”!