Brown: “Should Be A Cause For Concern To All”

July 10, 2015

“The continued assault on a constitutional officer of the Bermuda government by the OBA Senators should be a cause for concern to all Bermudians,” Shadow Immigration Minister Walton Brown said today.

Mr Brown said, “In the wake of a damning report by the Ombudsman over the Ministry of Immigration’s mishandling of a work permit and employment issue, we have seen the Immigration Minister Michael Fahy offend the Ombudsman with derogatory and deprecating language, namely calling her work a ‘farce’. There has been no subsequent apology or any clarifications made to Minister Fahy’s remarks.

“Additionally, on Wednesday we were privy to a tirade from newly appointed Senator Georgia Marshall who called into question the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction over these matters.

“It is fine to debate the content of a report and equally fine to disagree, but we must disagree professionally.

“The manner in which Minister Fahy and Senator Marshall have aired their grievances, however, is unacceptable and reckless. We call on them both to adjust their behaviour accordingly,” added Mr. Brown.

Audio of Senator Marshall’s comments in the Senate on July 1st:

In releasing the report recently, the Ombudsman’s office said, “The Annual Report includes a special report regarding a complaint where the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Immigration failed to follow certain Ombudsman’s recommendations.”

The report detailed a circumstance the Ombudsman said involved a Bermudian professional lodging a complaint with them against the Department and the Minister of Home Affairs over their handling of an immigration matter. The full excerpt of the report can be read here.

In response to this, Minister of Home Affairs Michael Fahy said he found the Report “disturbing,” adding that the two Departments did “absolutely nothing wrong and for the Ombudsman to portray anything other than that is utterly false and misleading.”

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Comments (33)

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  1. Zevon says:

    No, Walton. We were concerned when you and the mob invaded the Senate, bringing government to a halt, requiring the police to be called and the chamber to be cleared. That was a “concern”. But pointing out the inadequacies of someone who wasn’t doing her paid full-time job properly is not a “concern”. Actually, that’s something we would like more of.

  2. watchmen says:

    How is it that this company is not fined? Regardless of the disagreements between the OBA and PLP they (the agency) broke procedure. They should be made an example of even if it was an “accident” – it is fine to abide by the phrase “ignorance of the law is no excuse” but not in this matter.

    These are the issues that fuel the fire of the people who think that the companies already know whom they will hire and advertise as a formality simply…

    • Ringmaster says:

      What if the “company” happens to be the Government? Fine the Government? Out one door into another.

  3. Person who knows a little says:

    Is he upset cause the minister used “disturbing” and “utterly false and misleading” instead of deeply alarmed? Last i checked these words were used when a person strongly disagrees with something, which he apparently does.

    So he wants the minister to take a firm stance when it comes to companies allegedly violating our immigration laws but not when defending himself and his decisions?…OK

  4. watching says:

    The OBA in the form of Senators Fahy and Marshall are not just attacking Ms. pearman, but are attacking all Bermudians with their words and deeds. It will be interesting if next week Senators Baron, Woolridge and Ball follow suit.

    • hmmm says:

      ….and our fathers and our father’s fathers and Jesus and God.

      Me thinks you are stretching your propaganda a little there Watching.

    • Zevon says:

      So when the PLP Minister Michael Scott spoke against the HRC in 2009 on exactly the same issue, the issue of the employment of this exact same woman, who had been turned down based on her lack of qualifications. was he attacking all Bermudians as well?

      • inna says:

        Of course not, if you are a PLP member. We are living in the “now” remember ?! Everything pre-2012 is null-and-void, according to the PLP!

  5. Terry says:

    About time Government got balls and tells it like it is.
    And that’s just off the top of my empty head.

    Enough of this crybaby crap from the opposition who drug us down the road of deficit

    Ask them “What’s in your wallet”.

    Then look in yours as avid supporters of past greed that is being processed to make it better by the present Government (ruling).

    Shalom.

    Ps. When the last penny falls after much work on the OBA part.

    ……………………….Food for thought……”IRONY”.

  6. Rhonnie aka BlueFamiliar says:

    Just an observation.

    Just because you’re in a position, doesn’t mean you’re capable of carrying out the responsibilities in full.

    Personally, I think someone should out the entire situation so the public can judge just what is what.

  7. Starting Point says:

    Someone tell Mr. Brown that the OBA are in another article planning genocide against Bermudians though denying them access to water!!!! The outrageous, indignation of these ministers to even suggest that we Bermudians reduce the use of water during these months while they drink their Evian with the rich establishment is further proof of their total disregard and blatant attack on Bermudians!

    Further more, to suggest we not wash out cars shows the OBA’s total disconnect from the service industry such as taxis and other forms of transport that our tourists rely on. This blatant attack on the average Bermudians car is yet another desecration of the principles of real Bermudians!

    dont get me started on the suggestion that Bermudians are not good enough for baths and should take showers instead!

    saddest part is there will be sheep from the PLP who think I am not mocking Mr. Brown, and his feigned indignation, but making good points….

  8. Joonya says:

    LMAO, you support and are lead by a man who is the poster child for disagreeing unprofessionally SMH.

  9. Tolerate says:

    lol, had me for a minute…..

  10. Terry says:

    Anyone working today?

  11. Unbelievable says:

    Jeez, Walton. You’ve really sunk to the bottom of my view of you. You used to be so reasoned now you’re just falling for the same anger that your leader has. You’re “embellishing” everything that the OBA does.

    This is a classic example of why no one in the PLP can muster the strength to criticise it’s own party.

    • inna says:

      What else do you expect those from those in the PLP who thought they would be in power forever?!

      Bean is the only smart one who diversified. The rest of em are banking on the PLP getting back in power so they can up their $56k slaray to $157K salary. Funny, at least they now know what it feels like to be living the life of a “real Bermudian”!!!

    • blow in says:

      leave the peoples liberation army alone , ITS IN SELF DESTRUCT MODE

  12. aceboy says:

    This is funny. The Ombudsman overstepped her bounds and is now being criticized for it. At least she wasn’t arrested…like the Auditor General.

  13. TonyC says:

    “the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Department of Immigration failed to follow certain Ombudsman’s recommendations.”

    Recommendations. They are RECOMMENDATIONS. Mr Brown – if I RECOMMENDED that you jump off a cliff, would you do it?

  14. Alvin Williams says:

    This is one of the many assaults on freedom and access to information which this government in it’s desperation is attempting to close off from Bermudians. It’s attack on the office of the Ombudsman can not be seen in any other light. It knows it can no longer tell the big lie; so as a last resort it hopes to shut down any criticism of it’s policies. But it is too late their true intent can not longer be hidden; they have gone to far and it is clear to the Bermudian people that this government does not have their interests at heart nor is it a priority. Their one aim is to create a Bermuda without the Bermudian and many have woken up to that fact.

    • Yahoo says:

      You’re quite the hypocrite Alvin. You’ve conveniently forgotten how the PLP treated the auditor general when they didn’t like what he had to say? Crawl under the rock that Ewart is hiding under these days….

    • blow in says:

      DEFINE a BERMUDIAN PLEASE

  15. Commie Comrad says:

    I am convinced that Mr Brown,et al in the plp would never agree to anything the govt of the day did or said no matter what. Even if they do good it will never be good in their eyes. This black and white rich and poor BS will only end when there is a CREDIBLE opposition that actually CARES about the island and thus we the people of said island. Perhaps we need to get rid of political parties and become a satellite district of North Korea. Then you wouldn’t need an OMBUDSPERSON or an AUDTOR GENERAL or political PARTIES.

  16. blow in says:

    I wish the children would play nice,

  17. Edmund Spenser says:

    “Should be cause for concern to all”
    I agree with this, the insistence by the PLP that the only requirement for a job in Bermuda is to be Bermudian and capable of turning oxygen into carbon dioxide is an grave insult to all the hard working Bermudians that have made the efforts to actually get qualified, especially when some real qualified Bermudians are struggling to get a job. Turning this into a political points scoring opportunity and ignoring the fact that the professional was in fact not qualified for the position is an insult to all the qualified Bermudians that are struggling to find work in their chosen field.

  18. And what …for goodness effing sakes ….has this got to do with legalization of medical marijuana for licensed cardholders both international…and Bermuda resident….we need this economical windfall and control of a controlled substance….which…by the way begs the question…if it is indeed a controlled substance…why the hell don’t we just go ahead and control it…we can regulate it and there will be no more additive innit to cause irradic behaviour or addiction….if you do you increase baby boomers….and by the by………..

  19. Babyboomers as visitors…

  20. Need Peace says:

    Well you’re just missing the point Edmund Spenser. It was reported that no Bermudians applied and the closing date for the post closed a day early which goes against policy.

  21. Legal Eagle says:

    Just because she holds a ‘Title’, doesn’t mean she is beyond being foolish at times! On the facts,her Report is a farce!!! But it serves her well known PLP loyalties!