PLP: ‘New Email Is Pre-Election Campaign Item’
[Updated] “The newly created email address ‘askyourpremier@gov.bm’ is simply a desperate pre-election campaign item set up by the OBA government to increase Premier Dunkley’s favorables and to appear to be open and transparent to the people of Bermuda,” the PLP said today.
The Cabinet Office announced yesterday that “in an effort to enhance and increase community engagement by connecting directly with residents,” Premier Michael Dunkley launched a new email address called AskYourPremier@gov.bm.
A PLP spokesperson said, “The newly created email address ‘askyourpremier@gov.bm’ is simply a desperate pre-election campaign item set up by the OBA government to increase Premier Dunkley’s favorables and to appear to be open and transparent to the people of Bermuda.
“Premier Dunkley already has his own government email address, his own personal email address, a Facebook account, an Instagram account and a Twitter account.
“Additionally the government has the Department of Communication & Information and the One Bermuda Alliance has Public Relations consultants on their payroll. Despite all of this expensive PR expertise, they still blame their low polling simply on communication and PR.
“Unless this new email address will encourage Premier Dunkley to respond to queries with openness and transparency, then this will be only another electioneering tactic to win over the people, with little to no substance behind it.
“Perhaps now the people of Bermuda will get answers from Premier Dunkley to questions that his Cabinet refuse to answer during the question period in the House of Assembly.
“The OBA should be reminded that it is not simply their PR that needs work, but it is the policies that the OBA are enacting and standing behind.
“Even the best political spin in the world cannot save a government who seems to have everyone’s best interests before the population they were elected to serve.”
Update 5.21pm: Premier Michael Dunkley said, “I have been extremely encouraged by the positive feedback from the public since launching the ‘Ask Your Premier’ email. Over the course of today I have had several exchanges with various residents about several topics.
“I think it’s important to remind the public that the intent of the email address is so that I can connect directly with residents on Governmental matters of interest to them. And as I have said on many occasions, this is in keeping with my commitment to public engagement, openness and transparency.
“The email address is functioning and operational and I look forward to continuing to have a robust dialogue with those who reach out to me.”
Update 5.27pm: An OBA spokesperson said, “The Premier set up the email address ‘askyourpremier@gov.bm’ to expand opportunities for Bermudians to get answers to questions they might have about government programmes and initiatives.
“The Progressive Labour Party has a problem with this. We urge them to get over it.
“They say it’s a ‘desperate pre-election’ effort ‘to increase Premier Dunkley’s favourables’ with the electorate. Such rubbish. But given their concern about so-called ‘favourables’ we take the opportunity to inform them that Mr. Dunkley polls higher than anyone in the PLP. Oh, and in terms of their reference to the OBA’s ‘low polling’, last we checked the OBA continued to maintain a lead over the deeply divided PLP.
“We also note the PLP’s statement that Government refuses to answer questions in Parliament. This is a classic example of the PLP willing to ignore facts and say anything to mislead people.
“They give credit only when they absolutely, unavoidably have to. Consider the Bermuda Tourism Authority and how they attacked it relentlessly. Now, with a radically new marketing strategy in place and arrival numbers showing real forward progress for the first time in nearly a decade, their tune is grudgingly changing to make sure they don’t get too far behind the Government’s impressive effort to rebuild tourism and create new job and career opportunities for Bermudians.
“The PLP initially accused Premier Dunkley as the ‘photo-op Premier’ when he’s taken unprecedented steps to make sure the doors of government are open to its citizens. They can’t accept the Premier is trying to expand public access to information. It is work that’s in keeping with the OBA’s commitment to a government that is open, transparent and accountable.
“The Premier and his colleagues will continue to work hard to advance these goals and progress Bermuda to a better place. Again, we urge the PLP to get over it.”
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Not often do I agree with the PLP of late but they have a valid point here.
No way in hell will Mike Dunkley be able to answer 90% of these questions.
His Ministers and MP’s and others in various departments to which the question/s relate, will.
Happy Tuesday.
but will they? his Ministers and MPs are the same ones who refuse to or are unable to answer Parliamentary questions. This is all for show. Will the emails be covered under PATI?
Please, will someone remind me of any time in which the sitting government refused to answer a Parliamentary question? Perhaps there has been a time or two, which I also don’t remember precisely, in which MPs were told that there was no answer immediately available, but that is not a refusal. Perhaps I missed it while I was away.
However, I remember very clearly Dr. Brown’s actual, point-blank refusal to answer a Parliamentary question with the insulting dismissive, divisive “that’s a plantation question” comment. I remember it so clearly because I was vocal in my objection to his behavior. It was one of the first indications that respect for protocol, principles and the rule of law had fallen by the way-side. Has anything changed?
Isn’t that the hallmark of a good leader? To delegate with authority to get the job done.
If he was able to answer 100% of the questions, you would be complaining that he is not giving you the right answer. Catch 22!!
Then the questions in the emails will be disseminated to the correct department in order that they may provide an answer.
Just more wind from the rudderless PLP
Sending the Premier and email to ask a question will be like the PATI Act. People who have already requested information have experienced that not all is revealed back.
The Premier will never disclose everything in response. He should stick to making the PLP look bad and stop making promises on things no Politician can deliver on.
THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
& while your’re add it Premier fire the imbecile who recommended this idea 2day.
YEP, SHUT DOWN LINES OF COMMUNICATION! @ JAWS,,,, WRONG !!!!!
The weakest one we have had in history
”
@ Terry
Hey buddy, this is a good thing! How do you know how these emails will be answered eh,mouth piece?
The fact that the “spokesperson” took the time out to formulate a response speaks volumes. Jahmal, nothing to do today?? Lots of hot air around today!
The PLP are the ones in election mode as their modus operandi seems to be: tear down everything the OBA says and point fingers in every direction but back at ourselves.
I don’t disagree with it being a pre-election thing, but geesh, the PLP has been electioneering ever since they lost.
They complain he doesn’t listen, he sets up an email for the public so he can hear from them more readily and they complain it’s all electioneering… they complain that the BTA is an ineffective waste of money because it didn’t turn around tourism right away like they promised they could back in ’98, but right about when they predicted we would begin to see an uptick from their new marketing strategies, we start to see an uptick and the PLP start mouthing that it needs to be maintained (like the BTA doesn’t know what they need to be doing, they already called it with their strategies)… Let’s face it, the PLP’s only purpose right now is to tear the government down, rather than lift this country up… seems they are Bermuda’s Donald Trump Republican Party. Guess that make the PC their Tea Party.
What a bunch of big babies.
A bunch of big babies is right. The PLP have been in election mode since December 18, 2012. Vision 2025 was unveiled two years ago – someone tell me that’s not an election manifesto!?
The OBA is a messy lot but the PLP really needs to get it’s own house in order if they want want anyone to take them seriously.
The only purpose of this email is score political points, and to distract the voters?
I guess this desperate plp statement is a genuine and necessary way to educate the public on matters of Great importance, and to keep the people of Bermuda well informed… No way is this an attempt to score political points *eyeroll*
rotten milk
Oba I used to think you took my breath away but with this latest desperate PR attempt I now realize I was just suffocated by your
B-U-L-L $hit
If Mark Bean is the leader of the PLP next election and you don’t build the new airport I will vote OBA.
If Mark Bean is not the leader of the PLP next election and you build the new airport I will vote PLP.
What???
Hasn’t the Opposition been demanding that the Government listen and communicate better…but when they attempt to improve it’s “electioneering”….GTHOH with that!
Will we be able to plantation questions by email?
No, but you can send in dairy farm questions. The Premier will be sure to keep the answers mooooving along.
Awesome
They don’t want to listen anyway to what the OBA has to say from the beginning. The plp followers ask about the airport so the OBA has meeting and all they do is make a lot of bloody noise. No noise when they built a waste of space hospital. No noise when money was being wasted. God help us if they get back in. Right now they are having inside major problems with the leader ship how come the followers are not making any noise about that. Really
Um yeah, it’s soooo terrible that he would do that. People will complain about anything! It’s an email address. Get over it.
Oh my God! Would you just STOP! I can’t believe the Opposition is being paid to tear everything down… what a waste of time and taxpayer money!
PLP are just mad they didn’t think of this first
If something is doing a year and a half prior to an election, is that regarded as ‘pre-election’ now?
Or is the PLP saying it would like an election very soon? The PLP MP’s don’t seem to be talking to each other these days.
hahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahhahah
ahahhahahahahahhahahahahhahahahahhahahahha
hahahahhahahhahhhahahahahhahahahahahahahaha
hahahahahahhahahahahahahhahahahahhahahaha
hhahahahahahahhahahahahahhahahhahahha
hahhahahahhahahhaSigh!hmmm
I LOVE this comment!!
he’s talking about your beloved PLP/UBP…you should HATE their comment! lmfao
Oh no, because the PLP have never resorted to pre-election shenanigans right? It’s called ‘politricks’ for a reason, both sides do it and are equally full of it in their own way.
Frustration,frustratin _ needed,need_
The leaderless unprogressive anti equality party is flapping its lips again making it look like they are doing(complaining) about something
If this is a matter that causes the PLP brain trust to meet, discuss and issue a press release, Bermuda cannot possibly have any serious problems—right?
Nothing but a poor effort to distract us from the issues they are facing!
The PLP is ALWAYS in election mode….politics…have an ask Mr Bean email…that would be juicy.
PLP just threw their toys out of the pram
I dare to say that Premier Dunkly is by far the most straight forward and most approachable premier since the days of Sir John Swan!!
No big fancy bodyguards or transportation escorts!
Meet the people. (I remember those days)
Interacting with people one- on -one is even MORE beneficial. He will be hiding behind his e-mail set-up.
Hey!! Wait!! That is not this man’s style to get out there and mingle with the electorate. Immigration Reform proved that. He ducked and ran to AVOID the results of his actions. Too many thorns out there for his liking.
He has not done well with the electorate.Skeletons hang wildly in his closet and in front of his face.
Maybe that is the reason the PLP hate him so much. He is a complete opposite of ‘he who cannot be named’.
Like a dumb thing you think up after smoking a joint lol
What if one submits a “plantation question” – will a public hissy fit follow?
For anyone to complain of a chance to email the leader of Bermuda is plain stupid. Even if 1,2,0r3 emails were answered a week,thats plenty IMOP! Can you imagine the garbage questions he will get. 75% of these emails will be deleted and rightly so. This is a good thing people, I will be one to email the Leader of Bermuda with a question that concerns my neighborhood and community and not one that concerns me personally. It can be a good a way to keep his troops in check!
what email address does the PLP have so I can ask questions of their leadership?
Premier Michael Dunkley is one of the BEST people we have lead this island in a long Time.
He is honest, transparent and is dedicated to making life better for
BERMUDIANS…….
I agree Premier Dunkley is a great person and I don’t think by no means does he want anything bad for this country along with his team. They are true BERMUDIANS not like Brown he just had a vendetta against this country. He does not give a dame about you people. Do you see him around only when it suits him. Please wake the hell up. Stop thinking color and think about your country and your future.