Comments on: Column: Vic Ball On Union & Govt. Relationship

By: Unbelievable

Unbelievable — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 18:33:27 +0000

Well I wasn’t even talking about the debt but since you brought it up…..yes it is the PLP’s fault. The OBA inherited that whopping $1.2 billion debt that the PLP created and yes the OBA had tomorrow something ridiculous to keep it at bay or else the Bermuda Government would have defaulted. I don’t know why people can’t understand that simple idea.

It’s kind of like if you have hole in your roof during a hurricane. You try to patch it up best you can while the storm is still raging. Well guess what? That extra billion of debt that the OBA had to borrow is that patch. Thanks PLP. Thanks a lot.

By: Onion juice

Onion juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 16:29:36 +0000

Do you work for UBP?

By: serengeti

serengeti — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 16:27:57 +0000

It was $1.6bn or so in December 2012. It hasn’t doubled, despite the efforts of unions to force government to spend every last borrowed cent.

By: CBA

CBA — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 16:14:49 +0000

shut up.

By: PBanks

PBanks — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:10:21 +0000

What is so wrong with the aimed policy of “notice must be given before industrial action takes place so that attempts can be made to resolve a dispute and avoid workers walking off the job”? Why is this a deal-breaker for unionized workers?

You’re ticked off at either the employer or government, fine. But why take it out on the general public with the wildcat activity? Giving notice would probably get more allies to your cause. Even two days could serve to escalate the seriousness of the issue to all parties, and allow the public to prepare for disruption in service a little better.

By: Toleratate

Toleratate — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:00:54 +0000

Gifts???? Guess that’s one way to word it. Thanks for the clarification.

By: know dat

know dat — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:42:51 +0000

Whats our debt now?

By: hmmm

hmmm — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 14:16:59 +0000

Do you work for the union Onion Juice?

By: clearasmud

clearasmud — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 13:42:08 +0000

Repeating the party line in an opinion column is not helpful to anyone other than the party faithful.

What the government is attempting to do is to ask the courts to stop illegal striking BEFORE it happens which is impossible. If the Unions take an illegal action then the courts can be asked to force them to honour the terms of an agreement but what the Minister has asked is for the courts to ban the unions from taking Future actions which is impossible. The court is already available to both sides in any dispute if the other side is not following the rules so please mister Ball explain exactly how your minister’s plan will work?

By: Starting Point

Starting Point — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 12:34:41 +0000

The 800 is not debt, it is missing and unaccounted for. Completely different. Although personally, I don’t have the same concern for the 800 as I don’t think it is stolen but simply an example of complete ineptitude by the civil servants, many of those in accounting positions have almost zero accounting qualifications. AG chambers are qualified folks but those in the individual departments are often administrative staff who have been given responsibility that is beyond them.

If only PATI could let us know when the last fiscal audit of a government department was done by an independent investigator. I would be shocked if there has been one in the last 15 years at least, prob longer.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:45:48 +0000

Then let the charities negotiate and write out an agreement for them and let them denounce ALL the benefits they receive from the UNIONS.
FOOL

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:41:57 +0000

No we just don’t like Surrogate’s that are being used to under mind what his forefathers fought for.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:40:10 +0000

Typical, lets get the Black guy to validate our dirt.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:38:47 +0000

And this tiny minority has a lot of punch, you saw what happened in the beginning of the year when SpongeBob wrote that threatening letter.
You better ask somebody.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:35:55 +0000

Right now America’s Cup is MORE important than a few cancelled buses.

By: Onion Juice

Onion Juice — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:33:05 +0000

Ok, so the PLP gave the Union gifts, that’s what friends do.
UBP have been giving their friends gifts as long as a Government was formed on this island, is BTA a gift.
PLP were just playing catch up.

By: Contributions

Contributions — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 11:05:18 +0000

Open Mind you are spot on! I already donate to a worthy charity. PALS is one charity that is totally worthy of my contribution. Ask any cancer patients who cares for them during this difficult need. The unions are politically motivated and no longer represent work related issues. Wake up union members….if you want job security you must fight for a thriving economy. Can the unions or plp or pc move this island forward? Credibility and ethics are necessary and these groups lack both!

By: Serious Though

Serious Though — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 10:42:10 +0000

your “open mind” opinion and thoughts are seriously scary. . You have no open mind about unions. .sound like a tea bagger

By: Serious Though

Serious Though — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 10:36:31 +0000

They have a team that writes “opinions” .. for any them

By: kangoocar

kangoocar — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 10:09:32 +0000

Does the nonsense ever end from you??? The decision to close the US bases was done so in the 1990′s under the CLINTON administration ( democrat )

By: Zevon

Zevon — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:43:18 +0000

Why would LaVerne have started the “lie”? She, of all people, would have known the inside truth.
What happened, did she slip up and let the story out?

By: Zevon

Zevon — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 08:39:11 +0000

Myth, but yes, that is the PLP’s fault. Definitely.

By: know dat

know dat — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 04:35:51 +0000

The OBA has more than doubled that debt.

Let me guess.

Thats also the PLPs fault.

By: know dat

know dat — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 04:32:49 +0000

The PLP bailed out the Bank of Butterfield… don’t see them fighting tooth and nail to get the PLP back in power.

The fallacy in your argument lol

By: Tolerate

Tolerate — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 02:35:22 +0000

lol, Coffee… but you have to note; a certain BIU insider admitted the agreement was with a certain Premier at the time and holds NO water now under the OBA. Now that’s some BS thinking there my friend.
All this fuss can be avoided by as Unleash the Kraken! says below “just follow the law folks how hard is that–REALLY….”

By: Unbelievable

Unbelievable — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 02:12:29 +0000

Yeah but not like an $800 million disappointment.

Keep going , Vic.

By: Own Mind

Own Mind — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 01:54:00 +0000

It would be interesting to see what would occur if government were to change the Trade Unions Act 1965 to allow employees to decide to keep their contributions rather than give them to the union or donate them to a charity. Imagine the union members with free will, like god originally desired. Charities would actually have to work for their donations, the unions would have to win the affection of their workers and suffer the same financial drain that everyone else has. Workers could have access to a little bit more of the money they work for. I have heard quite a few union members; civil servants, who do not agree with the way the union acts but do not bother changing their contributions because the money is lost to them anyway.
Until the government decides to do what is right, any union member can send a letter to HR stating that they would like their future contributions sent to a charity. Here is the current list of authorized and worthy charities. Help a child, preserve heritage, wipe out invasive species, preserve nature. Do something worthwhile with your contribution even if you cannot give it directly to your family. http://www.gov.bm/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_0_20421_0_0_43/http;/ptpublisher.gov.bm;7087/publishedcontent/publish/ministry_of_labour___haps/registry_general/charities_documents/0915charitylist.pdf?qid=22369204&rank=3

By: bluebird

bluebird — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 01:43:06 +0000

Excellent letter VIC.
my my it sure does get under alot of peoples skin.They really do not like an honest and straitforward information.All they can do is to DEMAGOUGE it.
but manny of us do appreciate you putting pen to paper as a very few dont seem to know what either is.
(pen or paper)

By: Coffee

Coffee — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 01:07:01 +0000

A lie spreads quicker and gains more likes from people who live , think and operate like you !

By: Coffee

Coffee — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 01:03:09 +0000

Says the Real Bermudian who cheered when the Republicans withdrew the US NAVAL bases from Bermuda !!

By: Alvin Williams

Alvin Williams — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:52:48 +0000

If some one would have told you that a government would come into being that would have worst labour relations with Bermuda’s labour movement than that which existed under the old UBP government; it would not have been believed. Clearly this government has no understanding of the deep roots the labour unions have in the community and as such no government could really isolate it and any widespread confrontation would open up Bermuda to widespread civil unrest.
As one who stood on one of the many picket lines of the labour struggle of 1981; I am keenly aware at one point where such an open ended labour unrest would reach the point of no return. It would be at that point that Bermuda would find itself of having not enough prisons to contain the fall out.

By: Charlly X

Charlly X — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:46:21 +0000

Lol lol Vic !!! If the Oba practices what they preach we’d probably be able to somewhat believe you ! Lol !! Your gang has two mouths on every face ! I believe it your vision is ” Fuzzy ” too !!

By: robert

robert — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:42:02 +0000

Vic, you are a massive disappointment, shame on you !

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:12:12 +0000

people complain because the OBA don’t communicate about what they are doing, and people complain that the OBA is grand standing with opinion columns communicating what they are doing… seriously… pick one, can’t have them both.

By: ding a ling

ding a ling — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 00:10:04 +0000

just want to know the pop spokesmen of the week????

By: Build a Better Bermuda

Build a Better Bermuda — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 23:57:27 +0000

Those that don’t are the ones who rely on the unions, PC and PLP to tell them what is happening.

By: Jahmani

Jahmani — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 23:21:52 +0000

whatever you say there Juan Baldedz .

By: jt

jt — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 22:50:24 +0000

Just another case of misinformation. Ooopsy.

By: kangoocar

kangoocar — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 22:41:00 +0000

No!!! We only have weak constitutions to those that continue to spew daily diarrhea from those such as yourself!!!!!

By: Coffee

Coffee — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 21:33:09 +0000

Not surprising , most OBA’ers have weak constitutions . Anything good will be rejected automatically .

By: Straight to the Point

Straight to the Point — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 21:31:55 +0000

Well said Vic Ball.
Unions represent a tiny minority of our workers, managers and staff.
I for one am completely sick of them. No wonder they are shrinking with this sort of radical selfish attitude.
Grow up unions. We all live here…not just you

By: wondering

wondering — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 21:15:11 +0000

So now our political landscape has taken the form of Opinion Column Grandstanding that underpins good governance……

By: Jahmani

Jahmani — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 20:57:23 +0000

I find myself on the toilet after Coffee .

By: lucky 7

lucky 7 — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 20:49:04 +0000

On the floor their points go right over your head

By: Coffee

Coffee — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 20:35:52 +0000

Very simple ! Because they debate best to themselves , in their own heads , while sitting on the toilet .

By: Rochelle

Rochelle — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 20:01:18 +0000

So the Busses that are not running every day is that not costing money to our people that need to get home? When they only fine out the same day and time that the bus is not running? We must stand up for our rights and get knock down for our ignorance.

By: Unleash the Kraken!

Unleash the Kraken! — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:41:38 +0000

Oh boy–get ready I hear the spin machine whirring into action—one big belch of vitriol getting ready to puff out of the machine!!!

Take cover!!!

Just follow the law folks how hard is that–REALLY….

By: kangoocar

kangoocar — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:17:34 +0000

It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out the unions and peoples campaign agenda?? They simply will bring the Island to a stand still if that is what it will take to get the plp back into power!!! And why not??? After all the BIU received big gifts when the plp were in power, such as that $10 million forgiveness of the bond they owed!!! This is just more proof that the plp/unions always puts themselves over all else!!! Mr Ball quit correctly points out, ” it is always mr and Mrs. Bermuda that suffers the most ” when the combined opposition pulls their unlawful stunts, and in particular it is their own supporters that suffer by far the most!!!! All correct thinking Bermudians should be kicking themselves in the behind for not protesting and marching on the cabinet building when the incompetent plp gave the BIU that gift!!! The unions have proven they can’t be trusted and breaking the law means nothing to them!!!!

By: Paid Blogger

Paid Blogger — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 19:16:38 +0000

Well said and to the point. I just hope others will understand what is being done via the Courts.

By: rhonda

rhonda — Mon, 21 Sep 2015 18:10:05 +0000

How come OBAers are eloquent letter writers, but can hardly put a thought together on the floor.