‘Refusal To Participate Is Baffling & Disturbing’
“The OBA’s refusal to participate in a bipartisan effort to root out possible corruption within the Government is baffling and disturbing to every Bermudian that supports an open and transparent government,” Shadow Economic Development Minister Wayne Furbert said.
“Instead of joining with us for the good of the country, we were treated to thinly veiled threats from one of the Jetgate 3; former AG Mark Pettingill.
The PLP’s full press conference last week on the matter
Mr Furbert continued, “His cynical and desperate attempt to deflect from his questionable conduct in both the JetGate and Waterfront scandal makes it clear that he is more interested in protecting himself and concealing what really happened than in acting in the best interest of all our people.
“The benefits of a government free of corruption are clear and a Commission of Inquiry into corruption within the OBA government would help bring the truth to light and reassure the world that both the PLP and the OBA have zero tolerance for corruption no matter who engages in it.
“This was a missed opportunity for us to cast aside party lines and come together under the shared values of openness, accountability and transparancy. Unfortunately, despite their campaign promises, the OBA seems to believe those values don’t apply to them.”
Following Mr Furbert’s initial statement about establishing a “Commission of Inquiry to conduct a special investigation into the serious allegations of extortion and bribery made against Ministers of the government”, Premier Michael Dunkley said, “Mr. Wayne Furbert’s call for a formal inquiry into hearsay allegations made in a court case that is not yet concluded should tell Bermudians all they need to know about the anything-goes political motives of the PLP leadership.
“It is now a well-known fact that they are carrying out a “sustained program” of “disinformation and criticism”, as directed by a former PLP Leader. Mr. Furbert, in making his call for an inquiry, is just following orders.”
“The Government will not allow the Opposition to undermine the system in order to serve its narrow-minded, self-serving political motives. Their sustained programme of mud throwing has nothing to do with serving the best interests of Bermudians and nothing to do with progressing the Island’s economic recovery that can help so many,” the Premier added.
Where’s the $20M for Port Royal? Why aren’t you also calling for an inquiry into that? Where has Michael Maclean hidden the $18M? Why aren’t you calling for an inquiry into that?
I’m gravely concerned!
The whole thing was orchestrated knowing the outcome in advance. You have to give the PLP credit. As opposition they have become completely transparent.
I think part of the plan was to know Marc “Quickie Lickie” off the front page and deflect some of the damage.
Clear as mud
I’m deeply concerned…..is that more concerned than gravely?
Shut up. Every time someone comments about corruption in the OBA, you are quick to come back with something from the PLP era (error). This is not a competition on what party was/is the most corruptible. The oba promised that they would do things differently and now here we are – same sh*t, different day. The PLP are NOT in power anymore, the OBA are.
Actually it is more of a statement on hypocrisy, that is to say that while the PLP is willing to jump up and down everytime they get someone out there making unsubstantiated claim of curruption, they do not believe they should be held to the same standards for their own. Why aren’t they calling for a commission into Port Royal to clear the air there. BHC, White’s Island, the BCC lease, Berkley and Courts construction contracts… all of these and more have actual Auditor reports filed, with red flags flying about them… but someone makes an unsubstantiated claim of corruption in an affidavit that they then don’t even use in their case and they cry murder… this when only a couple months ago they were crying foul of legislative reform to our legal system that they were claiming would eliminate the protection that people have under the law to be innocent until proven guilty. This after they had supposedly turned over evidence of corruption to the police, meaning that there would be a police investigation, so any inquiry would be redundant and an obstruction to an on going investigation to begin with.
It seems like its corruption in both psrties
Agreed. The PLP seems quite angry that they are not involved this time around!
Hearsay doesn’t mean corruption. It could easily be orchestrated by the opposition as part of their disinformation campaign.
Flip Flop is working hard to stay relevant.
“….a sustained program of information, disinformation and criticism must be considered acceptable”
“This was a missed opportunity for us to cast aside party lines and come together under the shared values of” … pandering to whatever jive the PLP has come up with to chatter about.
“What does matter to Mr. Furbert and his colleagues is doing whatever they can to raise doubts about the Government, to distract peoples’ attention from the progress we are making on their behalf and to drag the whole system down into their gutter.”
the plp would love for the government to sit down and jaw all day about perceived corruption etc. in doing so, nothing useful would be accomplished with respect to the government getting on with the people’s business and this government would end up with a track record similar to the previous administration. misery loves company.
Maybe, just Maybe Wayne, they don’t believe there is any corruption to root out? Has that crossed your mind at all?
Re the policy of misinformation etc.
This has actually been going on for the last 2.5 years: it started as the rewriting of history, that then morphed into shooting the messenger and ignoring the message and now that has morphed into mis and dis-information as nicely highlighted by this statement which tries to get the reader to assume that there really is corruption in the OBA….
As i said my column this week: what do the 23 percent youth unemployed think about the politricking?
All of this charade is purely to counter any actions against plp members that is on the horizon. It is a relentless attempt to tarnish the OBA with similar yet completely unsubstantiated claims. The more accusations made before the charges are laid against their members the better – or so they think. 2016 will be a hell of a year.
I keep on seeing that there is something coming up on the horizon about alleged corruption charges on the PLP, can somebody shed some light on that?
God, I sure hope someone is held accountable for the piss poor math skills of the PLP.
PLP = talkers
OBA = get it done.
end of.
Squawkers more like it. All squawk not walk
First time I read your name as “Bermuda Rooster” and thought to myself “well, that guy would know with a name like that.”
What happened Onion, did you run out of Juice today or are you reverting back to your Iane_G or Mockingjay names?
Well said Mr Dunkley – the PLP needs to follow due process. Police investigation followed by charges followed by Court case followed by verdict. Why do they want to circumvent this and keep running to a Governor that they have repeatedly said should be recalled or done away with altogether?
I’m more interested in why suddenly they are in such a rush…… watch this space!
The funniest moment in the House on Monday was when Min Crockwell was recalling the night of the election and seeing Furbert on TV at Alaska Hall, in a stunned state, trying to come to terms with the fact his flip flop move had not worked out right. The House and listening public got a good laugh from that recollection. I saw it too on the night and it was priceless. To be reminded of it was a perfect way of realizing exactly just how principled Furbert is or isn’t. The word is opportunist.
Ironic that PLP SIT in front of a wall with the message STANDING STRONG.
They are not standing and they are the weakest collection of misfits ever to form a political party.
One day somebody in the PLP is “concerned” about something. The next somebody else is “appalled’ about something. Then somebody is “shocked” about something. Now the latest buzzword is the PLP is “gravely concerned”.
To use another PLP quote, maybe the OBA “don’t care what you think”, or maybe “get over it”.
Sorry, but the OBA does not have time to sit down & have a chat with you over a little afternoon ganja tea. There is work to do cleaning up a $500,000 per day financial disaster that the PLP is responsible for. Maybe when the PLP comes up with some viable solutions for getting rid of their financial dung pile the OBA might find some time to listen to them.
You forgot, we had to deceive you, Triangle.
Flip flop thinks that if he repeats something enough, people will be stupid enough to start believing it. Says a lot for his attitude towards his fellow Bermudians.
Sad part is….
Sad reality is that the majority of his supporters do just that.
If you tell a big enough lie and tell it frequently enough, it will be believed.
All propaganda has to be popular and has to accommodate itself to the comprehension of the least intelligent of those whom it seeks to reach.
Didn’t the PLP leader hand over so called irrefutable evidence to the Police that he claimed would result in the perpetrators facing 15 years on jail?
Why would the PLP want to interfere with the ongoing investigation?
Do they not trust the police will do their jobs?
It is so clear the PLP have nothing to offer except attempting to sling mud when there is nothing to sling!
Pipe down and actually try and work on something that is beneficial to Bermuda and support the good that is being done instead of trying to knock it all down.
You are the biggest stumbling block to getting Bermuda back on track.
I wonder if either party recognizes the fact that regardless of what has transpired or is currently transpiring, the general public has absolutely no faither in EITHER party to govern effectively and honestly. No one in either the PLP or the OBA have proven by deeds that they are in any way concerned about the average Bermudian on the street. We’re the ones that are suffering economically through all this nonsense – without jobs, much less thousands of dollars in bonuses. Hope for the future of this island is rapidly diminishing with every petty argument, lawsuit and character assassination. Grow up and govern appropriately – time is running out.
Whats ‘baffling and disturbing’ is that these three do not understand the judicial system and due process of the existing court case.
Bi partisan. That would be a first for Flip Flop and company. Didn’t think that word was in their dictionary. Further bipartisan talks would include the former govt tenure? NOT after all we HAD to DECEVE YOU! Give up Flop your week is up next mouth pieces turn,
I’m sure the word is in their dictionary, they keep using it… the actual definition being in there too is another matter.
What I don’t understand is, despite dislike for the PLP, why do people excuse the behavior of the OBA? Why is ok for them to act in any way they want to?
Because, they aren’t actually acting like the PLP makes them out to be. The truth is far from the PLP and their companies portrayal.
What behavior specifically are you referring to?
I can give you $2B reasons why people get upset when the PLP start pointing fingers.
Wont be long Mr. Furbert will be trying to jump over to the other side of the floor again
I hope all realise that there is an awfully lot of unaccounted for funds on both sides of the House.
Why hasn’t Government House stepped in to have some type of investigation done to try and recover these funds on behalf of the people of Bermuda.
Care to substantiate those claims?
What they are saying is all great in theory but extremely rich coming from these lot. The PLP can’t really comment on corruption with a straight face can they???
Some of these comments make me LAUGH OUT LOUD! Thanks. I needed that today.
Pettingill actually said have an Inquiry…just back date it to 1998…Furbert didn’t seem to want to amend his motion to include that…wonder why???
I am presently awaiting a phone call fro National Geographic magazine who have expressed interest in doing a full rtical on Bermuda political process and law inclusive and primarily conscerning this type of antics and goings on…wherewithall….and gumtive commotion….and yes zane…they know how many peppers peter piper effing picked!
Two wrongs don’t make a right. Just because the PLP did it doesn’t mean it’s now okay for the OBA to do it. With a mindset like that we as a community will never get anywhere. We are starting to take on the wars of the parties. If anything we should be trying to expose any corruption, whether it’s the PLP or the OBA. Stop taking sides. OUR money is going missing and the opposition is calling out the party in power. You should want OBA to participate in the bipartisan so we can see if there is corruption or not. If the shoe was on the other foot I would say the same. I’m tired of my money going missing and you people arguing about who did what. You all need to widen up
What have the OBA done that makes this a 2nd wrong? You’re operating on the premise that something corrupt must have happened here. But no one saying that wants to confront how laughable the claims made by Maclean were. They might as well have been written by a highschooler with an overactive imagination.
This whole thing is a joke to anyone with common sense and a neutral perspective.
@Jeremy Deacon. If there is the possibility of no corruption then the Govt shouldn’t need to be concerned and should welcome the enquiry. Not agreeing to it creates a negative perception that there is something to hide which as you allude can morph into something awful even if there is nothing there. The OBA is losing the trust of people when they continue to deflect and hide yet in the same breath claim they are transparent.
OBA were willing to have a motion but just dealing with these hearsay allegations no their own would be a nonsense, include them sure, that will take 5 minutes, but also include all the other allegations and money issues and contracts going back to 1998! Why not Wayne Furbert, if you really are so interested in righteousness include it all and left he chips fall!
The best way to shut the plp up is to have an inquiry, be found squeaky clean, throw it in their face then go on to win the next election.
But instead oba’s resistance to being put under the spotlight, gives me reason to pause and ponder if any or all of the allegations against them are true.
The way it works is that the accuser has to come up with some sort of evidence that what they’re alleging has some basis in fact. If there were any evidence, it would be different. But there is not evidence at all. There are just wild allegations.
Any id1ot can make allegations. You can’t convene a Royal Commission of Inquiry every time somebody takes it in their head to make up an allegation. Nobody would have time to do anything else.
There has to be evidence. If there is, bring it. Show us. Show the police. Show the Governor. Tell the papers. Show us.
The problem is that there is no evidence at all that these allegations are anything other than pure fiction.
The way our justice system works is that there is an assumption of innocence, until there is evidence of guilt. And there is no evidence.
lol, serious? “gives me reason to pause and ponder if any or all of the allegations against them are true.”
You been made your mind up, your not fooling anyone.
Hey, lets have an investigation on EVERY hear say that’s out there.
What is it you don’t get that there is an ongoing investigation RIGHT NOW dealing with allegations.
Trying reverse psychology by saying “The best way to shut the plp up is to have an inquiry, be found squeaky clean, throw it in their face then go on to win the next election” is as childish as your MP demanding a member of the gallery be sent out for looking at him. You’ll get your investigation once; and IF, the ongoing legal process sees it necessary. Go sit down with Furbert.
This is getting more and more pathetic every day.
SMH
Pointless, because then the PLP would just claim the inquiry was obviously currupted and their report couldn’t be taken seriously, the. They would just drum up some other allegation to demand another inquiry over… it is a baseless election strategy to just create as much and as long as possible an illusion of corruption through the OBA to throw around come next election. Meanwhile the PLP wouldn’t give damn about the taxpayer costs of this strategy, because it would just mean that the tax payers would be fronting part of their election campaign, and that is alright by them.
I welcome an inquiry into any alleged PLP misapproprations. The bigger question is why haven’t the OBA done this yet?….
…yet they eagerly go to court using the people’s money for defamation issues…
The leader of the PLP made it very clear that there will be no collaboration with this government. Flip Flop is now pretending to be at odds with this directive in an attempt at scoring cheap political points. How stupid does he think the voting public are?
And is Marc Bean ok with this? Or does that matter at all these days…
Minister Richards once said he looked under the hood of our finances when the OBA was first elected and claimed it was worse than expected. If he saw any alleged wrong doing or misapproprations by the PLP shouldn’t the OBA carry out its due diligence and have made an enquiry from day 1? I don’t mind having people brought to account whether it’s PLP or OBA. If there was wrong doing bring it on! I’m still waiting. So it’s the same here. The OBA should welcome this inquiry as a precedent was set with Jetgate creating the mistrust which has grown to an elephant size today. And it keeps growing.
It seems the PLP politicians are getting more and getting more and more vocal these days ! Could it be that the new forensic accountant policeman on the government payroll is getting closer to the 900 million which was so called mismanaged and gone missing !!! Me thinks some folks are starting to feel the heat !!!