Comments on: Poll: 72.7% Oppose Independence For Bermuda

By: Jim Jones

Jim Jones — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 01:39:15 +0000

Yes that report showed that no other nation had ever decided an issue as important as independence by way of referendum.

Which turned out to be complete BS when a diligent citizen wrote an LTE that took up half a page and listed dozens upon dozens of examples of countries all over the globe that had done just that.

Foot in mouth, Mr. Scott.

By: Happyhols

Happyhols — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 18:41:58 +0000

Alvin, actually no I don’t get upset. I’m very happy to welcome Bermudians to the UK as I’m sure they make a positive contribution to the diverse mix of people that make up our population. It should be a mutually beneficial relationship.

What does upset me is hypocrisy of those who are happy to take the benefits whilst pretending there are none and that they are victims of “wicked people”. Believe it or not the average British person is no more wicked than the average Bermudian.

The British people welcome and enjoy our relationship with Bermuda but we would equally understand a decision to become independent – your choice!

By: Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich

Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 17:06:40 +0000

underwrites?

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 12:57:59 +0000

Yes well if I were a British citizen I would get very upset that my British tax money is going to subsidize Bermudian students whose parents do not pay one penny to the British tax man which under rights the British educational system.

By: Tolerate

Tolerate — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 12:43:36 +0000

@Happyhols; you lost Alvin’s attention when you commented “Perhaps we British”…. And to think you only touched the tip of the iceberg on the benefits we in Bermuda have.
Some however will NEVER get it,
SMH

By: hmmm

hmmm — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 12:04:37 +0000

the same 407 people and all in the same survey.

By: Happyhols

Happyhols — Thu, 09 Jul 2015 05:33:21 +0000

Funny how you moan about the wicked people, the cost of Gov. House and how you get nothing out of your relationship with the UK.

As a very small example have a look at the article on the fantastic exam. results achieved this year by Warwick students and you’ll see that all but 2 of them are now going to UK universities. Why when the US & Canada is closer? Oh yes it’s because they will pay home fees subsidised by the UK tax payer. They’ll get there using a British passport. They’ll be eligible for a student loan. While they’re there they’ll use the NHS free of charge as will all other visitors from Bermuda. Later in their lives if they get into difficulty in the UK they’ll be provided with unemployment benefit and housing and when they’re old they’ll be given a state pension. All paid for by the UK tax payer even if they’ve never contributed a penny themselves.

I won’t even start on the role the UK connection has played in attracting IB or your borrowing terms as a country.

So Alvin Williams I hope that goes some way to answering your “what do we gain” question. Perhaps we British are not such wicked people after all.

By: Spit Bouy

Spit Bouy — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 23:48:38 +0000

@ frank,

Lol, Sorry to burst your bubble but 14 years of the PLP have extinguished any hope of independence for at least two or three generations.

Though Britain stood by fiddling while the PLP where ‘burning down Bermuda’ the people of Bermuda will likely stick it out with the mother country; for the foreseeable future anyway. Poll or no poll.

By: Navin Johnson

Navin Johnson — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 23:21:58 +0000

The wicked were booted out in Dec 2012

By: Larry Marshall

Larry Marshall — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 21:41:26 +0000

I know there was a committee set up in 2004/2005, the Bermuda Independence Commission, to examine the pros and cons of independence.Perhaps that information would be contained in their report.

By: Onion

Onion — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 20:34:45 +0000

Because everyone pretty much agrees that independence is bad for Bermuda.

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 19:29:54 +0000

On an interesting note, in a recent poll in Jamaica, there was a majority feeling that they should have stayed dependant, over 60%

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 19:28:12 +0000

The most stunning thing about his latest poll from Profiles, is the sheer lack of their usual detail, normally we get a breakdown by age and gender as well… with this, barely 3 sentences… why lack of details for this particular poll did they only pay particular attention to just racial make up??

By: Tolerate

Tolerate — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:59:57 +0000

So what Alvin???? A million dollars to upkeep a residence in Bermuda (that we own) AND be allowed to make our own decisions. How much you think we are paying for the upkeep of Government owned properties in total?
You always go on about the same thing? Kills you that there’s a Governor representative of UK housed on North Shore on a nice piece of property.
WHO you think will move in when we go Independent; and WHO you think will foot the bill?
SMDH

By: aceboy

aceboy — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:31:31 +0000

Yawn.

By: Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich

Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 18:14:10 +0000

Though I disagree with you Sir, you have touched on a very valid and interesting point: There is a brain drain happening; many of our best and brightest have called it quits here (for now, at any rate) because it is simply so much more exciting elsewhere. However, I would suggest that in an independent Bermuda, this trend would accelerate as the stifling, monotonous baggage that we seem to carry so well would become all the more oppressive. Unless of course these folks were forced to remain here Cuban style, but even that regime is finally beginning to crumble.

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 17:24:24 +0000

It’s simple we are a British Overseas territory so-called; but there is a difference between Northern Ireland; Wales; even Scotland which recently voted to remain a part of the United Kingdom and Bermuda. and that is my point what do we gain from being tied to the UK; unless you accept that they are doing something for Bermuda by taking in Bermudian economic refugees? A move that absolves this government from looking after it’s own people.

By: aceboy

aceboy — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 16:53:23 +0000

The cost of Independence would be FAR greater.

For starters, how many embassies do you think we’ll need?

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 16:20:52 +0000

A million dollars a year is nothing compared to what it would cost Bermuda to set-up embassies/consulates in just a few countries. With regards to a bail out, do you think your chances of getting money on the world market with favourable conditions is possible for an independent Bermuda?

By: Mathematical

Mathematical — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 16:18:30 +0000

The problem with these polls is that they assume 400 people can accurately reflect the opinion of 50,000 people.

By: BullDog

BullDog — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 16:08:55 +0000

Just give me a US green card.. I don’t care for Bermuda at all! And I would leave and don’t come back if I legally could!!!

By: Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich

Peanut Butter and Bacon Sandwich — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 15:36:06 +0000

A classic sort of Bermuda contradiction, our people’s amazing ability to play both sides of a coin: on the one side, we like to do what the hell we please and on the other we do not trust our politicians (nor probably ourselves) to allow them to run the show entirely on their own (rightly so in my opinion); and again on the one side we are very protective of what is “ours” and on the other we want the whole World (yes, those EU Passports, keep em coming) to be our oyster. I do not expect this poll result to change any time soon, even if (as I expect) the pro Independence party (PLP) wins the next election –

We’ll just keep on doing what we do best, playing both sides, Well Done Bermuda.

By: Christopher Notorius

Christopher Notorius — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 15:17:08 +0000

Better than the cost of being independent. Al.

By: mixitup

mixitup — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 15:10:28 +0000

Imagine that! A whole 14years of so called wicked ppl calling the shots…. Imagine enduring 400yrs (and counting) of wicked ppl calling the shots. You want to discuss destruction?

By: Larry Marshall

Larry Marshall — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 14:35:25 +0000

Why should they bail us out economically? The British are not responsible for our current financial crisis!

By: Yahoo

Yahoo — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 14:30:34 +0000

As usual, you have no clue Alvin. Please go back to bed.

By: mumbojumbo

mumbojumbo — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:44:27 +0000

We have issues now…for what definitive reason was Queens pips removed from police uniform?….I request all thought…then let us scrutinise actual effects of …and let the ideas be inciteful …truthfully… and honest….honestly…this was just recently done…which party did it?….has anyone else noticed police complaint procedure has changed?….they don’t accept certain complaints any longer….and written complaint are not taken any more….call financial crimes unit it bears no fruit….what else?

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:42:20 +0000

I wonder if Bermudians think that being a British Overseas territory means that they will bail us out economically? I also wonder how long we are prepared to pay the price of being a British colony to the tune of over a million dollars a year which is what we pay for the upkeep of the British appointed governor.

By: Christopher Notorius

Christopher Notorius — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:37:00 +0000

Independence would quite simply be the very worst thing Bermuda could ever do. To think that we were quite close to it under those fools the PLP.

By: Triangle Drifter

Triangle Drifter — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:28:21 +0000

Bermuda effectively IS independent. We have been almost from day one.

We run all of our dsy to day affairs. Britain only rarely steps in, & then only when asked. We enjoy all of the benefits of being associated with a major world country without the costs of going it alone.

We are nothing but a little town out in the middle of a very big ocean. We are smaller than many corporations. We are smaller than many farms.

Some need to get over themselves & face reality. This little dot will never be in a position to be independent.

By: Tolerate

Tolerate — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 12:50:26 +0000

A quick search tells me in 1995 a Referendum Bill narrowly passed 20-18 in the House regarding Independence.
Put to vote, of which 58.76% of registered voters took part;74.12% vote against with 25.88% voting for.
So 20 years later there has been a 2% swing. This only shows me like in 1995, most Bermudians are sensible enough to realize where we as a small country stand.
I once asked a guy who was vocally going on about Bermuda needing to be Independent “what does Bermuda gain?” His reply was “we would be Independent.”
Queue the critics.

By: Larry Marshall

Larry Marshall — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 12:14:46 +0000

Interesting to note that in 1998 polls showed 58% opposed independence. That percentage continued to rise for the next fourteen years and beyond.

By: aceboy

aceboy — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:53:07 +0000

We had 14 years of that thanks (wicked people calling the shots). They almost destroyed us and the future is STILL uncertain.

By: You got jokes!

You got jokes! — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:50:50 +0000

Independence for such a small island is a recipe for disaster. We are simply too small to sustain ourselves in the event of a national emergency (should that ever arise). So what’s the point of burning down bridges that benefit our island significantly. Jamaica did that, and look how amazing that went!

By: Christopher Notorius

Christopher Notorius — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:50:00 +0000

Ignorance is rampant in this country.

By: Yahoo

Yahoo — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:47:26 +0000

Because it has worked out so well for Jamaica and countless others…

By: Ann

Ann — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:32:52 +0000

I’m not sure who you think the wicked are? How many times Have the PLP been to England to whine about something?

By: Anbu

Anbu — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:32:25 +0000

LMFAO!!!!! Thanx for brightening up this crappy wednesday! Mercy lmao

By: frank

frank — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 11:20:18 +0000

if bermuda became independent we won’t have wicked people calling the shots.
and maybe then bermudians we have a say in their country.

By: Onion juice

Onion juice — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 10:42:05 +0000

Let go of the apron.

By: navin johnson

navin johnson — Wed, 08 Jul 2015 10:24:41 +0000

stunning to me that only 72.7% would oppose….