Opposition Leader Marc Bean’s Easter Message

[Written by Opposition Leader Marc Bean]

My wife Simone and I have been touched by the love, and support we have received over the past year. As we celebrate our daughter’s first Easter, we are filled with excitement at the potential within Bermuda, and Bermudians.

Easter evokes so many positive feelings for so many of us. Whether it is the knowledge of the resurrection of Jesus, and his triumph over death, kites, fishcakes and Hot Cross buns, Easter unites Bermudians together as one people, with one culture, if only for one weekend.

This shared heritage transcends all that divides us, and like the Christmas spirit, it is a feeling we wish could be experienced all year round.

As a time of renewal, Easter represents an opportunity to reflect upon where we are in our personal, community, and national development. Despite so many of our brothers and sisters having lost their jobs, and struggling to make ends meet, we remain an island where there is still a sense of hope that better days are ahead.

Despite our fears, and our worries, more and more of our true spirit, as a people, is being revealed. We have witnessed workers offering to take home less pay, to keep their colleagues employed. We have witnessed families feeding, and clothing their neighbor’s children.

And we have witnessed a level of charity from Bermudians that proves when it comes to love and compassion, Bermuda is indeed, another world.

This charitable and giving spirit has helped to cultivate hope that we will be a stronger, more united people when the economy revives again. Yet, we must never forget the lessons we are learning now.

Compassion for others, and cooperation must continue beyond our economic standing.

We must believe in a Bermuda where every Bermudian who wants to work, will have an opportunity to work and a Bermuda, where everyone who wants to provide their family with a brighter future, will be able to do so.

We however cannot do this as a people who lack self-pride, and have a lack of belief in our capacity for hard work, intellect and talent. When we bad mouth each other, look down on each other, and are unwilling to give each other an opportunity, what can we expect from those who make the real decisions regarding jobs and opportunities?

We must change; our future depends on it.

Let us use this Easter holiday to reconnect with our families, bond with our neighbors, and renew the sense of community, that we all know exists within each of us. Let us further commit to looking within, and deciding that going forward, we will stop referring to our fellow Bermudians as lazy, stupid or any other negative connotations.

Let us begin to support, and praise businesses that show a commitment to hiring, training and promoting Bermudians. Let us begin to play a part in the elevation of our people with a more encouraging, nurturing, and protective attitude towards each other.

That change of mindset by itself will not create jobs, or put more food on our tables. It will however begin the process of making it less socially, and economically acceptable to treat Bermudians like second class citizens when it comes to jobs, opportunities, and having a say in the running of our own country.

That change of mindset will make each of us more open to working with each other, cooperating, building success together, and competing. When we trust, respect, and work with each other, there is no limit to what Bermudians can accomplish.

From our family to yours, we wish you a safe and Happy Easter.

- Marc Bean

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