Video: Cannonier’s Statement On Resignation
[Updated with video] Following his resignation this evening [May 19], Craig Cannonier issued a statement confirming that he will remain an MP, and saying that “nothing illegal was done, but I accept there was a failure over time to be completely transparent.
“This is a fundamental component of good governance and a core principle upon which the One Bermuda Alliance was founded.
“As a result, and after days of close counsel with my colleagues and family, I have decided to resign my position as Premier of Bermuda, and have advised the Governor of my decision.”
Mr. Cannonier’s full statement follows below:
My fellow Bermudians,
Many of you have been following events for the past few months around the so-called ‘Jet Gate’ affair and consequent allegations regarding my leadership.
This controversy has called into question my integrity and my leadership, the confidence of my colleagues and the support of my party – threatening the good work of the government going forward.
Nothing illegal was done, but I accept there was a failure over time to be completely transparent. This is a fundamental component of good governance and a core principle upon which the One Bermuda Alliance was founded.
As a result, and after days of close counsel with my colleagues and family, I have decided to resign my position as Premier of Bermuda, and have advised the Governor of my decision.
In so doing, I am asking you as a community to agree with me and support my Deputy, the Hon. Michael Dunkley, who will serve as Acting Premier.
I will remain a One Bermuda Alliance Member of Parliament in order to continue the initiatives I have put in place and to serve my constituents and the country in whatever way I can.
This is the best way forward for Bermuda.
I want you to know that everything I have done in my public life was done solely with the intention of moving Bermuda forward as rapidly as possible.
I want success for our country and your government, and I am very disappointed with the way things have turned out.
In saying that, I want to make one thing completely clear: No Cabinet colleagues have done anything wrong in this or any other matter.
As the leader, I accept responsibility.
I have been proud to serve alongside my Cabinet and backbench colleagues and the many hard-working and talented civil servants I have come to know. They are public servants one and all, and like me they want only what is best for the people of this great island.
We have put Bermuda back on the long road to recovery, setting the stage for job growth, restoring business confidence, stabilizing the country’s finances, restructuring Bermuda’s approach to tourism
ensuring care for people in need, and advancing human rights.It is a good, solid record and the work going forward deserves your continuing support.
In closing, I want to say how proud I am to have been your Premier. The support I have received from people all across the Island has been a source of daily inspiration and strength.
I especially want to thank my wife Antoinette and my family for their unwavering support and love.
I believe in Bermuda, and our ability to work together for a better tomorrow – one that is fair and equitable, that leaves no one behind.
I intend to continue that work as the Member of Parliament for Devonshire South Central.
It has been a privilege to be your Premier.
You have my best wishes.
Goodnight and God bless Bermuda, and may we continue to pray for one another.
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Can’t say that this is a surprise. I just hope the country isn’t pulled apart by this. I will continue to pray for our elected leaders. May they always show integrity and morality as we all work together to move this country forward and back to prosperous days.
Hey that cookie jar was worth 300k, I hope the cookies were good.
It’s hard to look innocent when I got cookie crumbs all over my face… Ya hear me?
Mr. Cannonier why do you continue to support a party that doesn’t support you? They used you from day 1. Now you are taking the full blame for the jetgate fiasco. We all know you weren’t the only OBA member involved. You have to stand up for yourself. You can’t just go out like that. Your reputation has been tarnished whilst they try to keep the reputation of the OBA intact. You were the party leader!
cannonier needs to grow some b===ls and give up his seat
Here we go again around the malberry bush!
Bermuda needs to fix Bermuda.
We are in economic trouble and we are fighting like kids in the schoolyard in that obsolete obtuse colonial institution called the Westminster Parliamentary system. The House of Parliament has descended into a sordid house these past few years.
As a Bermudian I am frankly disgusted by the shocking leadership of this country over many years. UBP / PLP / OBA are all to blame. I am not hopeful based on past “piss poor” performance from all political parties.
STHU Tony, these are the guys you supported. I wish Michael no ill, because his plan paid off – get a black surrogate then pull the rug out from under him and install himself as Premier. Now we have to work on getting rid of Shawn and Mark P and Michael Fahy
As expected!
@lmo you are a fool black and white the only 2 colors you see??
Calm down Tony, Bermuda politics should and can do better but history confirms that we are no better or worse than most countries in the world when it comes to political or corporate corruption. I’m sure than when all of us take a honest look at our own personal history we would agree that we too could have been a bit more honest. The world will continue to turn and we all will get get through this.
Tony I totally agree that we would never ever get back to real governance,until we see the likes and the return of the 40 Thieves,or maybe their off springs, like the grand and great grandchildren.
In all seriousness I don’t buy your hog wash because the U.B.P did many great things for Bermuda and so did the P.L.P as the opposition during the time of the U.B.P and then as the government. The biggest problem we have is right now, a bunch of everything being spun around it a pot calling them selves the Old Boys Association (O.B.A)Some from the U.B.P,some from the P.L.P,and Lord knows were else.
I think the O.B.A could do what no other party has done if they were not so deep rooted in the same trash that we saw come from most of their fore fathers back in the 40 Thieves era.
Now, I saw this coming a while ago and I’m glad that the Premier has done the right thing and stepped down. I do hope he continues to act accordingly as an MP until his constituents feel fit to make a decision.
Moving on, I know Michael Dunkley will make an excellent Premier and will do an great job managing the OBA and the Government. I know all the haters will say UBP this, back to slavery that (which I think I a vile statement), Cannonier was just a puppet….and so on.
Hopefully this is a firm lesson learned by both parties. Bear in mind, the PLP got away with a lot due to their lack of transparency and blind supporters. If the PLP ever get back into power, rest assured their ride will be 10 times harder than what the OBA is going through now.
Craig,
Why would you do this? Consider politically, you lose stability within your own party- even if it was done without ‘transparency’ you must have believed it integral to your plans; yet you admit it as wrong and undermine your own plans. Have you not read Machiavelli? Do you not understand the fundamentals of leadership? I am ashamed to think I voted for a man who could so easily abandon those fundamentals upon which he built his platform. I am disappointed beyond doubt, and wish that you had a stronger backbone; bermuda will not be rebuilt and restructured with strength by someone who can so easily dismiss the ideals upon which you founded your leadership. I cannot wait until the day my generation takes over government control. I will stand for that which you have abstained and the bermudian people and strength of our nationalist and moralistic ideals shall be my platform. Not your economically, self-sufficient, ignorant capitalist ideas. Your ;transparency’ will merely be a standing point for those ignorant statesman which stand in fundamental opposition to that morally right principles which you supposed to uphold. Disappointment Craig. This is from the youth, from the idealistic, from the morally pure, from those who see without the veil of your flawed politics in which you derive your own personal fiscal gain; I will stand for those ideals which we should uphold and I will directly uphold those evils you clearly do not stand in opposition to.
You sound naive or angry…
CC did the Honourable thing under the circumstances,unlike EWB.
Dear Craig,
I think you tried to create a better Bermuda. It was a bold move. You really believed that if we put our differences aside and simply worked for the better good we would get there. You did not want to play the game. You were the perfect image to get white people to trust you and black people to follow you. You were bold, but naive. Your UBP colleagues did not really support or trust your judgement. You were the guy that got them over the line. You believed the rhetoric that you spewed to the desperate public who needed a relief from the PLP. Yet it was laughable. You were a man that resonated with black voters but you were tolerated by the conservative constituency.
Forgive me for saying but You tried to play too many roles. Preacher, Politician, Pugilist but Pretentious. Eventually character showed up. If you look back over your life you will see a progression toward this end. Your failure to adhere to your basic training has resulted in your demise. Your roots in a belief system of clear laws and unwavering faith, and unswerving standards was not to be compromised. However the dye was cast and the leaven was in the bread…eventually it rose to the current crisis.
Yours seems a fatal pain but really it is a finding place. You will be okay when you surrender the illusion that power brings. You are closer to peace then you have been in a long time. Surrender, accept, abide, and trust and now get to work for the people. Take care of your family and mind your business. Yes, Craig it is time to reconcile your duplicity and integrate yourself back to some core values that make you, you!
While it is true that you lost your way, they watched you walk of the cliff. You served your purpose but really after winning the election they did not know what to do with you. You gave the old guard who really ran the government the opportunity that they salivated for. That is not all bad. I do think that there is a lot that the old guard can do to improve the country. They know business and they built this place. It is just that we have to accept some pain along the way. The truth is we all have to play the game you just did not know that…It is a game. In this round you lost but ultimately if you handle it correctly…you would have won. You did cause us to believe after a sad performance by the PLP and that was worth your short tenure. You made a difference…and you have people that love you and the black community is forgiving and will always embrace you as long as you remember where you came from.
Dear Craig Cannonier,
I think you tried to create a better Bermuda. It was a bold move. You really believed that if we put our differences aside and simply worked for the better good we would get there. You did not want to play the game. You were the perfect image to get white people to trust you and black people to follow you. You were bold, but naive. Your UBP colleagues did not really support or trust your judgement. You were the guy that got them over the line. You believed the rhetoric that you spewed to the desperate public who needed a relief from the PLP. Yet it was laughable. You were a man that resonated with black voters but you were tolerated by the conservative constituency.
Forgive me for saying but You tried to play too many roles. Preacher, Politician, Pugilist but Pretentious. Eventually character showed up. If you look back over your life you will see a progression toward this end. Your failure to adhere to your basic training has resulted in your demise. Your roots in a belief system of clear laws and unwavering faith, and unswerving standards was not to be compromised. However the dye was cast and the leaven was in the bread…eventually it rose to the current crisis.
Yours seems a fatal pain but really it is a finding place. You will be okay when you surrender the illusion that power brings. You are closer to peace then you have been in a long time. Surrender, accept, abide, and trust and now get to work for the people. Take care of your family and mind your business. Yes, Craig it is time to reconcile your duplicity and integrate yourself back to some core values that make you, you!
While it is true that you lost your way, they watched you walk of the cliff. You served your purpose but really after winning the election they did not know what to do with you. You gave the old guard who really ran the government the opportunity that they salivated for. That is not all bad. I do think that there is a lot that the old guard can do to improve the country. They know business and they built this place. It is just that we have to accept some pain along the way. The truth is we all have to play the game you just did not know that…It is a game. In this round you lost but ultimately if you handle it correctly…you would have won. You did cause us to believe after a sad performance by the PLP and that was worth your short tenure. You made a difference…and you have people that love you and the black community is forgiving and will always embrace you as long as you remember where you came from.
Seems like Craig fell on his sword when past administrations who actually genuinely harmed the people with their shenanigans would have laughed at suggestions they leave power. Or the current CoH for that matter. Craig was a good premier who was trying to govern a hard-to-govern little island that desperately needs enlightened leadership on tough issues.
It is amazing ,fo 14 years it was speak no evil ….see no evil….hear no evil.
An de devil was on the loose!…Machiabilli knows it too!
Machiavelli you moron.
Craig- it’s sad to see it come to this but you were out of your depth and you could not see it. You served your purpose to those people, but as a black person you assisted with selling this island down the river. You have given those people 3 more years to increase the divide and put forth their agenda- and sadly an agenda that doesn’t include Bermuda for Bermudians! I hate to kick a man when he’s down, but, you have let your people down in a way that you aren’t even prepared to comprehend! God help this island with Dunkley at the helm! After all, he did say on his audio clip, ” this is bitter sweet!” In the event u still can’t understand what your role was, let me help you with the spelling , S U R R O G A T E!
This is probably one of the most ridiculous comments I have ever seen on bernews! Why in the world does everything have to be black or white, why can’t it just be Bermudian? That’s who we are! We are not defined by the colour of our skin but by the content of our character, Martin Luther King Jr said that – google it! CC’s people are Bermudian not black, mixed or white! This is what is so amazing about the OBA, there is no talk about the colour of your skin, it’s about all Bermudians! The problems will continue if people don’t change they way they few people of different colour!
You’re missing the point. I think that this was a political conspiracy all along. Cannonier was there to get the majority vote which in Bermuda happens to be black. In it’s own way OBA used the race card as much as the PLP did. Both did it to gain power. Dunkley appears to be a ‘good ole boy’ from the good ole boy tribe. You know the kind – you look like me and think like me and laugh at my jokes; and therefore we can get along. Great probably for businesses with good ole boy mentality at the helm and now the ability to use Bermuda to make a profit. It will definitely bring a greater divide between the have’s and the have not’s.
Time to change how Bermuda does politics…
Drop it down to a dozen MPs, one for each portfolio plus 1 extra. Remove polticial parties and vote using the Proportional Representation system.
This will reduce the cost of Government and stop the inter-party fighting, where the opposition tries to pull down the Government (which has been going on since the 1960s).
Then the 12 can work for the better good of the island.
Look at Jersey (the one in the Channel Islands). They are a little bigger than us.
Here is some information:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/States_of_Jersey
So… the “surrogate” and/or “pawn” is not out of the way as predicted. Now what? Again the black man takes the fall while the others remain absolutely silent. Now the real fun begins…
Racist
We called it didn’t we? I don’t know why they don’t just drop the facade and change their name back to the UBP.
All gas station flags to be flown half masked today . At twelve noonday , the ukele man will strum TAPS at 24/7 Richmond .
Don Gearson must go , Dale Jackson must go , Charmaine Burgess must go , Mark Pettingill must go , Shawn Crockwell must go Micheal Fayhe surely must also go …
This is my wish list of the expensive hangers on that must go in the wake of the resignation of THE COLT CANNONIER !
Bob Marley sings… He’s gone ,he’s gone , he’s gone yeah .. Oh mocking bird have you ever heard words that I …..
Another brother used by the man, how long did you think they would keep you as leader?
TCF, your grammar is appalling.
And you continue to be anti-Bermudian.
The question is: were is this all going and how events concerning the ex Premiere Craig Cannonier / OBA will
affect the people of Bermuda.?
One thing for sure is that from here on to the next election all of our Elected MP’s will come under tight scrutiny and
further media exposure. — even if they buy to much candy.
This is how I see it – The OBA is trying to implement there concepts and policys- but the PLP is going to do everything in it’s power to stop, distort, and expose them [ OBA ] simply because they want the Power
of running Bermuda again. – this simply means the war between both the Running Political Party and the opposition
will intensify far greater than what we have seen. — i believe that it’s going to get bad.
Can Dunkley take on or hold of Marc Bean -we shall see – it’s going to rough ride from here on.
Before the next round of this fight between the 2 political partys – Lets not forget the real issues like – huge unemployment problem – the economy, Tourisuim.and the outstanding national Debt.
This is what happens when you sell your Soul.
Praying for this island of Bermuda!!!!
Mr. Cannonier, Michael Dunkley and company did what they set out to do. They used you to win the election then THEY got rid of you. Mark Pettingill should be the one to go.
Mr. Crockwell, Nandy Davis/Outerbridge, as soon as THEY find someone to replace you, you will be next.
Mr. Cannonier, did you really not see this coming?
As soon as you decided to step on that plane, you were doomed. Unfortunately your friend Stephen DaCosta was part of the plan.
Now you have been tainted with $300,00- that you probably did not even see
A sad day for our country, I am praying for your wife and children.
UM Prayerful sorry Crockwell is where he wants to be he not going know where he is safer then rest lol
Much respect, can’t fault a man for excepting his mistakes and making the decision to step down. Definitely one notch up in my book.
Oh hello UBP. Knew it was you all along…
How many black and white people are in the OBA. How can you make it about race when the OBA is predominately black.