Premier Employs $418,000 Of Personal Staff
Premier Craig Cannonier disclosed the salaries of his staff, revealing that approximately $418,000 per year is spent on his Chief of Staff, Press Secretary, Administrative Assistant and Special Advisor.
A Parliamentary Question had been posed by Shadow Finance Minister David Burt asking how many people are employed under the Premier and Opposition Leader Personal Staffs Act 1983 [PDF].
The Premier’s answers were:
- Chief of Staff | Dale Jackson | $122,064 per year
- Press Secretary | Charmaine Burgess | $113,480 per year
- Special Advisor | Donald Grearson | $105,765 per year
- Secretary to the Premier | Judy Benevides | $77,254 per year
- Housekeeper at Clifton | Not named | $35 per hour
- Employed by the Opposition | Dawn Simmons | $33 per hour
Audio of the exchange in the House of Assembly yesterday [Dec 6]:
Mr Burt asked what the difference in responsibilities between the Press Secretary and Special Advisor is.
In his reply, the Premier said: “The Special Advisor is just that. A Special Advisor on many issues concerning politics, the history and the past.
“It is very important to me to ensure that I look at trends of the past so I can continue to make good decisions today and for the future.
“The Press Secretary is rather simple…she does all of my press releases on a day to day basis and handles the media.”
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Leading by example ?
Then they wonder why bda is in debt!!! Blaming everybody else instead of looking at all the other crap they have that doesn’t matter
House keeper not named ????????????????????????????
Bermuda is in debt because 30% of the workforce work for the government. Thanks to the former government. Educate yourself.
Whatever if they were trying to clean up the debt the simple premier won’t need all these servants
de plp had to same amount of “servants” as well.. stop ya noise. hypocrite. didn’t hur u when dey was in power!
It is still 1/3 of the PLPs wages, at least he doesn’t have body guards and about 20 or so entourage and first class traveling every week etc. etc. etc.
All those staff aren’t helping to clean up the debt. You are saying anything!!
The premier could consolidate some of those roles.
Not getting political, just curious. What was the payroll of the last Premier’s staff? Can someone answer. It would be more enlightening if we could compare the two.
OBA said they would do things differently so what’s the point in comparing! Execution of SAGE recommendations will be telling….testicular fortitude required!
Well, if they said that they’d reduce spending on staff, it’s kind of important to have the comparison of the last couple of administration’s spending on their staff, isn’t it?
A comparison would tell us if they are doing things differently.
Point being….doesn’t appear so now does it!
Point being… there’s no way of knowing…
Well obviously they are doing something differently. They are at least being transparent about the costs of the staff. The fact that we don’t have numbers to compare it to tells us that the previous administration wasn’t as transparent.
So if nothing else, it is at least an increase in transparency.
There’s NO chance of ever finding that out
@ Verbal Kint — you’re not likely to get an honest answer to that question because the former Premier(s) have too much to hide !
Both Former premiers have some thing to hide,and now other fake one aboard.
What, no special security detail, people to carry bags when traveling, outriders on motorcycles when going from place to place in Bermuda?
Yes, what was spent on the last two Premiers would be a very interesting comparison.
That’s what I wondered . DB never traveled light.
I am a strong plp supporter but i also run a local company ,the shadow minister did not need to bring this up its just childish .in every seat of power you must have a solid team around you if not you will fail its called corporate structure and these salaries are very modest compaired to smaller countries .it is just a shame that Mark Bean has to work with such idiots i wish he would purge the party .
Great comments, one thing though – to purge his party, Bean needs to ask the Godfather. In the meantime, guys like you should get involved and take back your party.
I agree with Verbal Kint. This really means little unless compared to previous Premier’s. It is the typical kind of tactic the PLP would use to make the current government look bad, but when asked how much they spent they get quiet.
I invite the opportunity to prove me wrong by publishing that information as well.
Money well spent,Dr Brown’s body guards cost more.
I well remember the incident where in one visit to DC he and his entourage racked up $100,000 in limo bills alone.
And don’t forget the catered lunches for Cabinet Meetings, and flowers all through the Ministries, extravagant re-furbishing of several Ministries, paneling etc, etc, etc.
Regardless of which party struggling and poor people still going to jail for bills it’s time for OBA to set a new trend you can cut all those individuals pay by half and they still be doing better than most of us.
Exactly!!!
Are you PLP supporters now saying that action should immediately be taken to fire all public employees that are not absolutely necessary? That appears to be what you’re asking for.
highest paid housekeeper in the world !!!
Yeah, let’s examine a few legitimate jobs of ppl actually doing something while we let thousands of workers skate by with stupid compensation.
What a f$/king hypocritical farce.
the housekeeper is being paid $35 an hour????? WTF??? thats crazy! smh whats the sense of getting an education when housekeepers are being paid so much?! to wipe down some furniture and scrub a toilet? smh
Maybe they just work 10-15 hours a week.
The Premier does not live at Clifton; correct?
But these other “regular” housekeepers get 1/3 of that per hour.
What housekeepers get paid $10/hour? I think $30/hour is more in line with what most people pay…
You know housekeepers don’t make $35 an hour. Government over pays staff and this actually a good example.
Did it ever occur to you that the housekeeper for a leader of government might need to be a bit more discrete and reliable than the average housekeeper? Worth more than an additional $5 and hour.
Cleaning a house = Cleaning a house. So what if it’s the Premier or anyone else for that matter. The job is the same. That is poor justification. There are many other people that work in other industries that are doing much more labour intensive or stressful jobs who make less than $35.
I hired a local housekeeping service once and they were $50/hour. They were also the cheapest quote after emailing 3 other companies. $35 is CHEAP.
A cleaning service usually sends more than 1 person to do a job, resulting in the job getting done quicker than 1 person.
They sent one person.
@bob—try fifteen to twenty-five an hour and some used to get twelve dollars an hour…@sandybottom remember the current Premier and ontourage have been to london and usa already!don’t forget the non portfolio minister as well and extra funds for education minister ect…
The going rate is actually around $25 – $30 an hour, the question is, are they hiring an individual or have they hired a company. $25 – $30 is typically what an independent operator charges, $35 sounds about right for a company rate as they have to cover payroll and insurance, wage and profit margin, materials. Comparison of all data is what is critical for effective judgement. What did the last administration pay for housekeeping at Clifton, what was the size and wages of the previous Premiers’ staff.
The opposition’s question was designed to be an emotional one, and I will give the Premier full credit for answering it, how many times was similar questions put to the previous administrations and dodging answers given.
I was looking for a house keeper for a friends family and the prices ranged from $33-$40 per hour.
35$ an hour still puts you at or near the poverty line in bermuda.
1000 a week on 35 hours, 52k a year. That is not a lot of money to live in Bermuda.
You would have to work more than a week just to pay rent. Given the cost of food, healthcare.
come on folks!
The going rate for housekeeping is 25 to 40 an hour.
@Premier Craig Cannonier & OBA:
This article clearly spells out that you and the OBA are not in tune with the the community. (smacks of the PLP F & F program)
First:
Do you truly need this many staff to be effective for a community this size?
Second:
Truly what value do these folks bring to the table. (OBA was elected to lead)
Third:
The salaries as with many in the civil service are over the top.
Fourth:
If you really need these folks then reduce all of their salaires by 20% or 25%
Watching you and the OBA……
-FWB
Same parade different band. A rose by any other name is still a rose. Bandits all
Dang housekeeper makes more than me. SMH. Maybe I shld have gotten my degree in Housekeeping.
A recent premier could go through more than that in a weekend at the playboy mansion.
HOWEVER this is NOT what the article is about….do let’s stick to the issue store hand………418,000 per year for such a small staff is crazy……
BRAVO!
All this PLP did this & that doesn’t address the point that for a government who has the job of getting the economy back in order they’re not showing adherence.
YES,exactly!!!
How do we know?
Without something to compare to, this just looks exorbitant.
But if they cut it from, like, $1.5million, down, to $418k, then things look a whole lot different, don’t they?
If the OBA and Craig Cannonier were so much about change then they would consolidate some of these roles. This is excessive in these economic times. And while i don’t have official figures I would bet that premier Paula cox did not spend these amounts as she did not have a separate press secretary and special advisor.
When you are the premier and you have no experience. You will do everything to “wing it”. He doesn’t need all that staff. He could definitely consolidate some of those jobs.
I suppose the Cog had real experience, and as for that kind, benevolent, empathetic soul known as the Godfather…Well yes he would have had the good sense as a Global figure to fly private down to Mandela’s funeral, especially as his own sacrifices and resulting victim hood are as great if not greater… Indeed, Cheers to HM’s loyal opposition for choosing such remarkable leaders, Beanbag included.
Great. You’re all for consolidating jobs where that can be done. Looks like you absolutely agree that Sage should be implemented.
Wither your OBA or PLP or even if you feel this is too much money … you have to give this government props for the freedom of information. Well done mr premier.
Not necessarily. This info was provided in response to Parliamentary questions from the Opposition, not voluntarily.
My recollection is that PLP Ministers rarely responded to Parliamentary questions raised by the then Opposition. Silence, or information that had to be retracted with a Government employee being made the scapegoat or some made up “we’ll get back to you”.
Lead by example Premier
All this money being spent out for a part time government, imagine what bills they could rack up if they where full time… Wasn’t the savings of cutting down the cabinet & MP’s supposed to save $730,000 a year? Well in one sweep with the removal of this present premier with someone who can actually do the job with out so much baggage could save $418,000 a year alone.
I wonder why THAT wasn’t on the Sage report???
…because then it would be the Cactus report.
*sigh* here we go again with this desperate nonsense. So sad.
Buddy you need 2 stick a fork in your a– and call it done. You have earned the award for being the biggest troll on here.
Man up and throw yourself in the ring 2 run as a candidate for one of the politrick parties in the next election.
No. I haven’t.
But you popping in solely to make a personal, ad hominem attack? While hiding behind a fake name?
That’s what trolling is.
You might want to find out what words mean before you use them, “Tony”.
Proud to be Bermudian. NOT. You guys are just embarassing us Obama runs the USA with less.
Quantifiably incorrect. Come on.
Oh really???? Care to back that claim up? A link somewhere? No, not just his salary. What do you suppose that little Piper Cub that he flys around in costs per hour to run?
If you really want a scary comparison go back to the days of Premier Jack Sharp. Here was a Premier who rode to work on a moped every day. GP1 was smaller than a class G today. He lived his own house which did not require any enhancements at taxpayer expense.
Adjust for inflation & try comparing to that time. You might look at the size of the civil service & our population too.
The days of Jack Sharp are gone. The days of good people gone, we are living in the days of greed and unfairness. Sad, sad!
How much was Dr Brown’s trip to the Playboy Mansion? Them bunnies are not cheap.
We as a people need to STOP justifying BS no matter which party is in power….that IS a HUGE amount of money for salaries no matter which way you look at it….are they each really doing $100, 000 worth of work (high end)… $113, 000 for press secretary…wow?..really? ….
The Premier obviously has no regard for the will of the public who have indicated that they would like cabinet reduced. In addition he has employed these people at excessive salaries.
Surely change you can believe in.
There’s nothing showing what it was before, therefore we cannot know whether the number of people is reduced or not.
To pretend otherwise is ridiculous.
If you add in the premier’s and the number get even higher!! A lot higher….politricks…as usual…
Sorry, I meant if we add in the premier’s slalary then the number for he and his staff’s salaries would be astounding…how do we get positions like those?
I thank the Shadow Minister for the question. The Premier does not need all of them, especially since he barely uses the press secretary – he doesn’t speak to the media on a regular basis.
Wait – he has a entire department (DCI) dedicated to providing him with press assistance, which the previous government utilized (Fact).
Interesting, huh!?
Nice to see the demagogues have found yet another molehill…
And they are saving their mole poop to try to make a mountain out of it.
You need to ask what the PLP were paying the entourage …economic advisors and all…This is a huge cut.
The PLP was voted out for this exact reason, are you saying that waste of public funds is justified just because there’s a new face wasting it? Remember it is this very premiers party that wants to reduce the cabinet & MP’s to save $730,000 a year yet here is a waste of $418,000 a year alone. He needs to learn to lead from the front by example, don’t expect others to suffer to sustain your own wasteful lifestyle.
At this point, who cares what PLP did! Clearly they were voted out for their behavior. Time for OBA to live up to what they promised! They won’t sit in the seat of power for long if they continue to ignore the reason they were voted in. I guess they want to be the shortest government in Bermuda history.
We all know that the last Govt wasted our money and landed us in so much debt but these figures are disgraceful. If we want out of debt the salaries should be cut in half immediately or get rid of some of these people
Save some money and get rid of gearson!
It’s amazing how people can defend these outrageous figures by bouncing back on what the PLP spent. I am personally very disgusted as on December 17th I voted for CHANGE, not more of the same. To keep saying the PLP did this, or Dr. Brown did that, has no relevance to the matter at hand. I was sick of the crazy spending, sick of the spiraling debt. I was one who woke up and smelled the coffee, and for the first time in my adult life did not vote for the PLP. This is what I get? $113,000 for a press secretary? Come on! How often does the Premier make a speech or address the media? What else is the press secretary doing to earn this bloated salary other than walking up and down Front Street? PS is a position that could be part time at half that salary. My husband is the executive manager of a company, with dozens of people reporting to him and he doesn’t even earn that! What is the exact role that Mr. Jackson’s plays? Chief of Staff would imply staff report to him and if that is the case-who does? Special Advisor? This is a role I may see the Premier needs, as there are so many issues he is confronted with and would need to take advice on. On the other hand, I would think the Cabinet could put their heads together and make decisions. What credentials does this so called Special Advisor have that would make him an expert?
I think that if the public understood a bit more about what roles these folks play, then we could be better informed. However, as it stands now it does appear to be of the same old, and I didn’t sign up for that.
Not defending, just saying that if the question is reducing Government spending, it’s important to have something to compare it to.
Not everyone is as ready to denounce and vilify based on one set of numbers as you are.
The real question is whether the Premier needs all of those people. If the mandate is to reduce overall spending, the first things to look at are luxury items that are not needed and get rid of those things. After all the trash is thrown out, then you can start to look at cutting costs on things that are needed.
And who gets to decide whether he needs them? You?
If we’re talking about getting rid of employees that aren’t needed, that’s ok. It looks like we’re all agreed that Sage should be implemented. Right Johnny?
We got to get away from paying a few people so much. Money well spent can take care of many people, like wanting to close the Lamb Foggo Urgent Care Centre for $250,000 which helps 6000 people a year and that’s only 2 peoples salaries in a top Government job. Wake up and lets get on track. There is enough money around for everyone.
It really is amusing to see the number of people posting and saying so and so should be fired yet the the PLP cries out against firing Government employees. The people listed are Government employees, so if it is OK to fire some of the Premier’s staff it must be OK to fire a whole lot more Government employees. Let the savings begin. If the Premier has 5 staff and the cry is fire 2, then use the same ratio and fire about 3,200 (two fifths of 8,000 to make it easy for some to understand) other Government employees. In one action the savings will balance Bermuda’s budget.
I agree. Looks like the PLP supporters finally agree that anyone not performing a useful job should be fired. So let’s implement sage. Looks like we’re all on the same page.
@ Sandy Bottom. I wouldn’t suggest to fire them. What I find amusing is that the OBA supporters say civil servants earn way too much, yet are defending these salaries. Which is it? They make too much or they don’t?
The one I have the most problem with is the Press Secretary, as Bermuda Government already has a communications department that deals with press matters. Be truthful. What on earth could Mrs. Burgess do all day to earn over 100k per year? Not $75,00 not $95,000 or even $100,000…we are talking $113,000!!! In all honesty, does that sound right to you? Putting the fancy title aside, she is basically a journalist with a communications background. Should she be earning a salary near Ministerial level?
Somehow, I know you will blindly defend any action the OBA takes, whether positive or negative, so I’m basically wasting my breath.
I never defended anything. You’re the ones expressing the view that these people aren’t necessary. Are you, or are you not, suggesting that people who are not needed are fired? You sound very confused all of a sudden. Are you saying you think she’s paid a bit more than she should be, as she’s “only a journalist”, but you wouldn’t want to see her fired?
No doubt that the Premiers personal staffing expense is a whole lot less than the PLP Premiers. The last two did not even drive themselves.
Like many I also question the necessity of the number of people & whether the positions need to be full time. Maybe needed. Maybe not. The positions could very well take much more than than the title might imply.
A true comparison with past administrations is needed to tell if there is waste or not. Go back to UBP days. The numbers must be available in the records somewhere.
Waste is waste. I don’t need to see your trash can from last year to know if mine is overflowing this year.
Who the hells cares. at the end of the day the Premier and his team will continue to get paid. tieam hsi sis o ddndat eh
Apologies for my earlier rebottle. I am so angry with all this back and forth garbage coming from some, that my fingers slipped. What I want to say; at the end of the day the Premier, his team and Mr. Burt are getting PAID. However, on the flip side Bermudians are out-of -work. Mr. Burt stop playing politics and focus. Join a task force that is determined to see Bermudians back to work. Those who have found themselves jobless in the last 1,2,3 years are not interested in what the haves are got.
The intellectual gymnastics through which you folks are putting yourselves must be painful. It is just hilarious that NOW the cry is “compare this with…”. Since when did this kind expenditure need to be compared with anything? Every Premier since the law permitting this kind of staff was passed in the 1980s has had this kind of staff. From Raj Nadarajah right up to Don Grearson today. Be consistent people. Either it is wrong in principle for this to be on offer or its not and if its not then we have to trust our leaders to exercise discretion and good sense to employ who they need to do the job we’ve elected them to do. As usual people have confused a number of things and so a little clarity might help:
1. The UBP and then the OBA used Parliamentary Questions to great effect in Opposition for this very purpose so do not fault the PLP for doing it; its one of the ways to keep governments honest and get information to the public.
2. The question asked was specific to those people hired under the Premier & leader of the Opposition’s staff act (or whatever its called) so there may well be other consultants out there hired under the cabinet office who are consultant and not staff of the Premier.
3. These people are not civil servants but political appointees. They are in addition to people like the Cabinet Secretary and all the army of civil servants also at the Premier’s disposal.
Lastly, to suggest that this is a “molehill” is quite funny because it was on molehills like this one that the OBA won the election. Molehills like GP cars, travel, staff and contracts. So, this molehill somehow was important to a majority of the people pre-December 2012. Funny though, all the GP cars have made it back on the road; there’s plenty of travel going on all the time and I don’t recall seeing too many contracts tendered, like the hiring for the tourism authority one which seems too have gone to Expertise somehow..……ah, what the heck; they’re just molehills.
Speaking of intellectual gymnastics…
I’m angry!! The only relevance of the presidential lifestyle(+F+F) spending of the taxpayers $$ by DB,is that it was ‘grossly excessive’! The 0BA promised to stop that–but has not!! And that fact does not change by simply claiming it is ‘LESS grossly excessive’ than DB’s!! How can the OBA expect the struggling BDN people,Charities,+Unions to accept upcoming SAGE austerity measures at the same time the OBA are still spending like fools–upon themselves!!!
Legal Eagle,stop your ignorance.
Dr.Brown and his son went to The playboy Mansion.Our dime paid for The Doc’s visit at least.What a waste of our money,by someone who closed the Clinic and cutback on social Assistance to the needy.
You must be a blind follower.The old PLP spent only on themselves and now the poor have to take licks because of it!
Hello Friends,
When children (and adults for that matter) are fed lies, they repeat the lies and the truth is seldom thereafter told. Here are a few truths:
!. My trip to Los Angeles during which time I attended a Charity event at the Playboy Mansion (a great event), was a private birthday trip. It was paid for by me, not the taxpayer. Of course my wife paid for EVERY trip she made with me while I was Premier. She also paid half of every room service bill we incurred when we were on Government business.
2. I never had bodyguards. Other than my Personal Assistant the only other members of the regular team were the Press Secretary and on certain occasions, depending on Police advice, an armed police officer. If someone knows who the bodyguards were, let them speak up.
3. Be careful when you compare the costs (to the taxpayer) of my “presidential style” with others. Remember that I lived in my own house. Government did provide security as was the case with my predecessors. When I was in New York to cover the Tourism portfolio, I lived in my wife’s apartment and never passed back any lodging charges to the Government. Those would have amounted to about $150k over 6 years!
These are just a few truths. I do not expect them to overcome the toxicity of the lies but those who seek truth might have an interest.
Sorry, we just had to deceive you …
!. My trip to Los Angeles during which time I attended a Charity event at the Playboy Mansion (a great event), was a private birthday trip. It was paid for by me, not the taxpayer.
So exactly how much bid the Department of Tourism (not your personal bank account of course – that would mean dipping into your own pocket) fund in ‘prizes’ and/or ‘benefits’ as a result of your attendance? It’s easy to say taxpayers didn’t fund your attendance but if we were on the hook for your commitments what’s the difference? What benefit did our tax dollars achieve for your largesse on the the public’s behalf?
2. I never had bodyguards. Other than my Personal Assistant the only other members of the regular team were the Press Secretary and on certain occasions, depending on Police advice, an armed police officer. If someone knows who the bodyguards were, let them speak up.
Are we talking about this singular trip in isolation or generally, because I witnessed firsthand a security escort accompanying you to the airport and on at least two occasions security sitting in no less than two BA seats to/from London. One could reasonably assume Bermuda’s Premier didn’t really need a security detail when visiting the UK given they would be sufficiently capable of providing support if there was a REAL need. While we’re on the subject, perhaps you could summaries exactly when, where and why the BPS ever considered it was necessary for you to travel both locally and overseas with any form of security detail. Exactly what “advice” warranted this excessive taxpayer expense?
3. Be careful when you compare the costs (to the taxpayer) of my “presidential style” with others. Remember that I lived in my own house. Government did provide security as was the case with my predecessors. When I was in New York to cover the Tourism portfolio, I lived in my wife’s apartment and never passed back any lodging charges to the Government. Those would have amounted to about $150k over 6 years!
Glad to hear you saved the taxpayers a few dollars during your trips to NYC. Please clarify why it was deemed necessary for taxpayers to fund a butler and cook – both positions were advertised in the Bermuda Sun – to serve you while residing in your personal residence?
By the way how much did you repay the Government for the Bermuda stone wall you had rebuilt on your medical clinic property near John Smith’s Bay after the last hurricane?
Should we be surprised by your inevitable silence to these questions? How convenient that you elect to only photobomb snippets of information but avoid answering any real questions that don’t fit a predetermined mold.
Did I say something wrong?
Dr Brown, you’re really saying “I never had bodyguards”?
This, Dr Brown, is an example of why we can’t believe a single word that you say.
Will you save your own embarrassment and admit that you had bodyguards, or do you want someone else to bring up the facts?
And your final statement “those who seek the truth might have an interest”… oh the irony.
That is fantastic coming from someone who had to deceive us.
Poor souls! You should at least get that unfortunate quote correct. It was “We had to mislead you”. It was still a horrible choice of words meant to convey the point that we could not share the details of a strategy that was not meant to be shared. Now, what about the substantive issues? Or are you pre-occupied with shooting darts from under your hood? Have you ever considered a non-KKK approach?
I think you protest too much sir.
No protest at all. Just an invitation to the hooded ones to remove their hoods.
Out of interest, when people “shoot darts” at the current Premier, is that a “non-KKK approach”?
So you see nothing wrong with “misleading” the electorate as to who the Premier would be immediately after the election. Got it.
For those who wish to know the truth, the BDOT paid NOTHING towards my son’s charity event at the Playboy Mansion. The entire BDOT contribution consisted of promotional items such as hotel stays and complimentary airline tickets. Thats it for now.
An unsurprisingly very specific reply. Did the BDOT contribute ANY item of ANY monetary value or benefit in connection with this event?
The devil is on the details.
The comment was made to PLP voters. After all, those on the other side didn’t want ANY PLP MP as leader!
So are non-PLP voters not Bermudians?
Love the aggressive divide and conquer approach. How ebrasive of you. Not unexpected.
Dr. Brown you are slipping. People have finally intimidated you into issuing several denials.
Mission accomplished I’d say.
Dr Brown. You ever heard of “He who excuses himself, accuses himself”?
James above is right, you definitelyu slipped up here mate.
I would love to meet in public with all of you who have made groundless allegations for years but since you will not come out from under your hoods, I shall end my participation in this exchange by saying the following:
!. The Playboy mansion contributions were obtained VIA the BDOT but there was no direct contribution from the BDOT and therefore the Bermudian taxpayer did not donate to the event. I believe it was an airline and a local hotel that contributed promotional items. No more from me on that one. If you think there was something else that happened, go to the Police.
2. Of course, all voters are important. But I did not make the unfortunate statement to ALL voters. The remarks were made the PLP delegates in a Party meeting and I subsequently resolved that issue within my party.
3. So you win an election, say terrible things about me and that means I have been “intimidated”? You must be out of your mind. If you could not intimidate me when I was harnessed by the limitations of the Premier’s office, what makes you think you can intimidate me now?
Finally, you know who I am. I cannot see through your hoods and look into your eyes. We cannot therefore have a meaningful discussion. When you are ready to deal straight up, let me know. We can do a public event or a private session, if you ever feel like “strapping them on.”
Granny used to say “It all comes out in the wash”