Famous: ‘Forced To Accept Rules Of An Empire’
Citing the phrase often attributed to Paul Revere that “the British are coming,” MP Chris Famous noted the recent legislation in UK Parliament which seeks to force Overseas Territories to create a public register, as well as the recent debate about the UK taking steps regarding same-sex marriage in Overseas Territories, and said Bermudians need to understand “what is at stake here.”
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday, Mr. Famous said, “There is a guy named Paul Revere, anyone know what he said?”
“Keep that in mind, because in 2008, the same set of colonisers, had voted for the Overseas Territories to open our books, but not the Crown Dependencies.
“For those that don’t know what the major difference is between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, it’s simple, the Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe.
“So they want us to open our books, destroy our economy, so the companies will flee back to their countries. That is what it’s about.”
“It gets worse,” the MP said. “Last month the House of Lords in London debated forcing the Overseas Territories to accept same sex marriage,” Mr Famous said, then asking, “how long before they try and force their will on us when it comes to immigration?”
“Our Bermudian people who have to decide really fast…the clock is ticking. We have 18 months before they try and force us to open our books. Not 18 years, but 18 months.”
“We are going to be forced to accept the rules of an empire,” he added. “The empire that just voted to damage our economy in the next two years.”
“An empire that is trying to force us to accept something that the people don’t want. An empire that is going to trying to force us to take immigration matters that we are against.”
Saying that Bermudians need to understand “what is at stake here,” Mr Famous said, “The British are coming, the British are coming. Are we going to stand up, or we going to lay down?”
Audio extract of Mr Famous’ comments:
The UK Parliament vote to “open our books” that Mr Famous referenced is the amendment passed in UK Parliament that seeks to allow the UK to order Overseas Territories to make their beneficial ownership registers publicly accessible.
A beneficial ownership register is a database of information on business owners, and while the vast majority of nations worldwide do not make theirs public, the UK does, with their register going public in 2016, becoming the first nation in the world to do so.
This matter has been discussed for years, and the Bermuda’s Government’s position over the years has been that they maintain registers, provide information to official entities at request and will make the registers public when it becomes world standard, which it currently is not.
Premier David Burt previously said,”There will be no public register of Beneficial Ownership in Bermuda until this Honourable House, elected by the people of Bermuda votes to implement one,” adding that the “Government rejects the regressive colonial mindset that some in London hold.”
Other Overseas Territories leaders have taken similar positions, with the UK being accused of colonialism by some of the Overseas Territories, with the islands’ leaders calling it an “affront,” an “unacceptable act of modern colonialism,” and an action that would “overturn democracy in the relevant territory.
Following a conference call with British Prime Minister Theresa May and leaders of the Overseas Territories in May of this year, a statement from the British Government said, “The Prime Minister spoke about the recent passage of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act.
“She said that she understood that the cross-Party amendment to this legislation that would require the Overseas Territories to create public registers was a matter of great concern for the leaders and that she was conscious of the strong reactions the issue had provoked in their territories.
“The Prime Minister added that the government highly values the relationship with the Overseas Territories and would continue to work in a collaborative and pragmatic way on these issues and others.
“The Prime Minister spoke of the government’s efforts to promote public registers of company beneficial ownership as the global standard and reiterated that we would expect other major financial centres, including the Crown Dependencies, to adopt public registers at that point.
“She also welcomed the importance of the existing cooperation of the Overseas Territories with UK law enforcement agencies and emphasised the need for this to continue and develop.”
Race Race Race.
He needs to go back to sleep, he makes more sense when he’s dozing off on our dime.
Shut up! He is right the Brits have pirated their way into wealth!
Name one country that hasn’t! It was the way of the world back then. Today we know better, so we do better. In some parts of the world life Africa Pirating is STILL a huge problem. Today they just use motorized boats and machine guns.
Has he even bothered to look up which jurisdictions are ‘Overseas Territories’? Gibraltar, The Falkland Islands, and Ascencion are just some that will be surprised to now learn that they are apparently ‘black people in the Caribbean’. Mr. Famous, you should be ashamed of yourself. Chris, the classification received is down to nothing more than geographical proximity to the U.K. Not race.
just like you Bermudians did as well
When the P wants to intimidate and drill their agenda it almost sounds like a dictator speech…we all want to get along Chris but it seems like you don’t. Let’s work together and fix what needs to be. Peace and Love
SGM… That’s all he knows… And for his information Bermuda IS NOT CARIBBEAN!!!
To Sandgrownan:
What MP Chris states is the truth.
Your message does not suit what Minister Famous is about.
Thank God he does speak
VERY HAPPY ABOUT THAT POINT.
The premise of his lengthy statement is that black majority territories are discriminated against necause there is a blacl majority. If you read Wolf’s comment below it’s clear that CF’s entire rant is baseless.
CF is either ignorant or a liar. Take your pick.
To Straightforward
What C. Famous states is trumpery arguments.
Definition: SHALLOW, DELUSIVE, WORTHLESS.
The facts suggest otherwise.
Yep racist. He said “overseas territories are black people,” not true, Bermuda is 40% white, and the other OT islands are full of white people as well. And he said “the crown dependencies are white people”. FALSE again.
This Minister Famous needs to be RECALLED from Parliament.
I don’t think we can take this guy seriously anymore.
Last week we had a sex offender with nowhere to send him. Step in the UK.
Colonialism or acttually pretty useful?
Dont speak for people. You cant take him! Stand up and speak for yourself!!!
Ding dong the same can be said for youe warped mind weakling.
typical of this lot bitch bitch bitch but when needed put their hands out, in away i hope the uk says FO you keep him
Thank you for your input, Chris.
Bring on INDEPENDENCE…SEND THE BRITISH FLYING.
The british will quite happily “fly” as you put it. You lot on the other hand will be the ones crying once all is said and done. Careful what u wish for as u just might get it.
An hu are you on drugs? Low IQ? Mentally challenged?? Just curious love
That it? Am i on drugs? Thats really all u have? Pretty funny how you defend the biggest plp muppet there is. Pretty sure my IQ is well beyond your scope lol. Funny how this guy goes on and on abt foreigners but cant even trace his bermudian lineage past one generation. But i know how it goes here… hes an auto bermudian. Good attempt on the troll tho. Also wondering what part of my comment isnt truthful. “Just curious” of course lol
And its anbu. A-N-B-U. And u talk abt my IQ. Sheesh
To Anbu:
Sounds terrific, to me.
I will definitely wish, with no care!!
To STAIGHTFORWARD.
You obviously need to educate yourself on the consequences that will take place if Bermuda was to become independent right now. There are too many benefits, too many ties to other countries, and right now we still need the attachment to the UK to survive. Look at Jamaica, the Bahamas, etc. Our economic infrastructure would decline greatly.
Don’t forget Barbados.. They are all but broke
Straightforward just wants it’s gang banging children back from police protection in the UK.
we’re all already British numbnut
Yes Jamaica and the others before us have done amazingly well. Maybe you should watch the documentary called Life & Debt.
By the way, how will you pay for independence? What money? We are broke thanks to the last 14 years that the PLP were in power!
We’ll make our own money and not bother with dollars or pounds. WE’ll all be millionaires. We just need to go independent so we don’t have to obey the slave masters.
How would you picture an indepedant Bermuda working? Pretty sure IB would leave creating huge loss of jobs. Does anyone in the base have any forward thinking ideas to reassure us of what the future would hold for the peoples republic of Bermuda?
“For those that don’t know what the major difference is between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, it’s simple, the Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe.
That is an absolute lie and Chris Famous and his PLP cohorts know that. The difference between the OTs and Crown Dependencies is down solely to the constitutional arrangements between the latter jurisdictions and the UK.
The UK Government noted that to be the case and stated that despite this issue they will be using other mechanisms to require the Crown Dependencies to comply with the requirement.
Mr. Famous you should be totally ashamed of yourself for misleading the House and the public ins such an inflammatory matter. If you can’t debate with truthful facts them maybe you shouldn’t be in the position you are. Disgusting propaganda with the sole goal of inflaming emotions based on pure and utter lies.
TO Politricks:
NO….Mr. Famous should feel VERY PROUD TO BE A Bermudian.
Hats off to Mr. Famous.
I thank you, Mr. Famous, for your fortitude, strength, transparency and desire to “set the record straight”.
Thank you for your openness and honesty.
Mr. Famous lied to you and you praise and thank him for it and even claim he is setting the ‘record straight.’
How sad and scary at the same time that such people like yourself are among the electorate.
How do you think people like Col. Burch and Famous got in.
Apparently you have trouble recognizing sarcasm…
He is a beneficiary of the days of a more open immigration policy – they are comparatively recent arrivals in Bermuda and regrettably he keeps confusing our culture with that of other places and is a most unreliable source to set any records in Bermuda straight!
Exactly! Famous noted the other day that he is a second generation Bermudian, meaning his grandparents immigrated here and were granted status under the UBP.
Now this second generation Bermudian wants to stop anyone who he deems to be unfit from being grated status like his grandparents.
The hypocrisy is astounding, but not entirely unpredictable from Famous.
Someone tell me one thing CF has accomplished for Bermuda since being elected.
Just one.
I dare you.
He’s got one year’s salary in his pocket. Tell me how he earned it. Unreal that we swapped this guy for Bob Richards.
Famous along with Col. Burch are not playing with a full deck!!!
It’s not setting the record straight at all. Constitutionally we are different has nothing to do with race. On top of that they were as of the beginning of July (haven’t kept up in a bit) still trying to figure out a way they could force the Crown Dependancies too.
This transparency from Famous is absolute garbage!
Hes barely bermudian mate
And the ignorance – you forgot the ignorance…
Famous is 2nd generation Bermudian. He’s still wet behind the ears for all I care.
“The UK Government noted that to be the case and stated that despite this issue they will be using other mechanisms to require the Crown Dependencies to comply with the requirement.”
No, they won’t actually. They will not be forcing or requiring them to comply at all and the UK knows they can’t. Mitchell and Hodge, who championed this legislation, said recently that they will visit the crown dependencies to “attempt to persuade them” to adopt the same rules. ATTEMPT to PERSUADE?? That is a blatant admission that the UK is powerless over the crown dependencies in this regard. A far cry from what they’re doing with the OTs. Famous is absolutely right to call out the UK on this hypocrisy.
No Famous isn’t absolutely right. The reason I stated is absolutely correct and that is the constitutional arrangement vary between the Crown Dependencies and OTs. That is a solid fact that you nor Famous can argue against. No matter how much you would like to stoke your preferred narratives, the truth is the truth.
There are 14 OTs with only 5 being in the Caribbean. And despite his and others ignorant beliefs not all are ‘black’ countries.
He lied. Again.
You are tge liar and you have way too much time on your hands. All that typing to express yoursekf????
On top of this he says the British are coming… No silly little famous, the British are here. We are British numpty.
“For those that don’t know what the major difference is between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, it’s simple, the Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe”
Well, that shows a complete lack of understanding of the constitutional relationship between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. How about the fact that Crown Dependencies were established before 1066 and the people were beholden to either King Harold or the Duke of Normandy. All Overseas Territories have been established after 1066.
One thing about Famous, he has never met a lie that he didn’t like.
Firstly, the UK is not “taking steps regarding same sex marriage”. We are being left to look like the third world coutry that we are.
Second, there are legal defenses to the public register, and Famous doesn’t know about them he should get off his a$$ and find out.
He is an idiot.
Agreed! But Idiot doesn’t even come close to describing his and his court’s level of ignorance and incompetence. The future of Bermuda is in serious trouble and I doubt the wave can be stopped at this point.
The wave can’t be stopped, so I suggest that you make contingency plans for your financial and geographic future – then grab some popcorn and enjoy the horror movie as it continues to play out…
Why do PLPers in one breath claim to abhor Trump, but emulate, and even exceed his anti-immigration and anti-gay agenda.
Between those acts and your Bermuda First protectionism (no different than Make America great again slogan), constant utilization of ‘alternative facts,’ and persistent demonstration of people who are not Bermudian whilst placing labels on who can be considered to be a ‘real Bermudian’ (such as above) you lot and Trump are exactly the same in your ideologies. It is sad and scary that you guys can’t see the quite obvious parallels.
The PLP are in power Mr. Famous. Why the need for such divisive and awful race bating talk filled with absolute lies. I repeat. PLP are in power. PLP have a majority.
Why not just get on with the TON of work that needs to be done and stop wasting your time, being paid for by US, AND GET SOME REAL WORK DONE rather than this spewing out this c**p.
No wonder folk are falling asleep in the house. This drivel is enough to send everyone to sleep. Do some work PLP and folk will not fall asleep. You just all love the sound of your own voices SADLY.
It is a process. They must keep it up to solidify hatred, which in turn helps to keep them in power.
He is an IDIOT who voted for him ….this guy needs to go somewhere where he thinks he is intelligent and what he says has merit …Quick we have found the Village …….
my mother told me that is hould keep quiet and let them think I’m stupid then to OPEN my mouth and prove it
this guy is a joke and everyone knows it. go away famous
What a load of divisive waffles
That’s right Chris , keep your support base angry with your racially tainted lies . It’ll guarantee that you get re-elected .
Oh , when’s you’r next ‘conciliatory column’ on how much we all have in common and how we should all just get along together ?
Bermuda needs right minded politicians to clearly explain the business advantage of falling under British Law if not you are going to see more and more of this emotional propaganda. The truth is the Plp and the UK both want us to go independent and if people fall for a phony agenda we will lose a clear business advantage.all you have to do is look up the gdp of islands ,comparable in size,that went independent compared to the overseas territories.
“For those that don’t know what the major difference is between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, it’s simple, the Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe”.
Chis Famous needs to go back to school to study his geography.
British Overseas Territories
Bermuda is not in the Caribbean neither are the following: –
Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, St Helena Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, British Antarctic Territory South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Indian Ocean Territory, Sovereign Base areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia on Cyprus, Pitcairn Henderson Ducie and Oeno Islands
In The Caribbean
Anguilla, Cayman Islands, Turks and Caicos Islands, Virgin Islands, Montserrat
British Crown Dependencies
Channel Islands and The Isle of Man
I have always (and still do) wonder – what is this persons (Famous) role/purpose in the PLP. How many of you PLP’ers even laugh at his hypocrisy. He is probably one of the MOST AWFUL people on this island. I actually believe the PLP are afraid to let him go because he caused the MOST MAJOR upset in an election in years past.
Chris – You are only in the PLP because they probably get a staff discount at BELCO.
Chris Famous – The M.P in front of your name should stand for MOST PATHETIC.
Famous and Col. Burch getting into Parliament is the biggest tragedy in Bermud’s History.
Chris you are not a real bermudian and never will be. Your family immigrated here not too long ago. You are bringing hate filled speech to this island and you should be ashamed of yourself. You can only get support by speaking hateful nonesense. Let our island heal and unite as ONE. United we stand divided we fall. Stop causing us to fall with your hate. Bob Marley would be ashamed of you. One Love Bermuda, One Love!
“For those that don’t know what the major difference is between Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies, it’s simple, the Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe.”
There are 14 Overseas Territories. Only 5 are in the Caribbean. In one of those (Cayman), black people only make up 20% of the population.
Of the other Territories, 4 are in the Atlantic Ocean, 1 is in the Indian Ocean, 1 is in the Pacific Ocean, 1 is in Antarctica and 2 are in Europe. Of these, only two have a black majority (Bermuda at 54% and Saint Helena at 50%).
Mr. Famous is entitled to his own opinions but he is not entitled to his own facts.
A revisioninst’s worst nightmare are facts. Famous and his ilk must not be sleeping too well at this point.
It wouldn’t bother them in the slightest, they will still walk around and be treated well. A nasty population is growing in this country.
I swear Chris Famous isn’t playing with a full deck!
LOL given that our entire legal system stems from the “rules of empire” … Mr Famous can perhaps now admit he’s just rabble rousing. It gets tedious.
Looks like the Empire has struck back.
please help us all.
This is what our taxpayer money is being spent on, this slobber and sleepiness…
Ahem–Mr. Famopus–why not focus you and your colleagues attention on managaing the national debt that your earlier colleagues created.
Please stop the race baiting and language of deviciveness, most Bermudians just want to live peacefully together and create a hospitable community for our kids and grandkids–why do your articles always try to pitch one against the other.
We Bermudians are better than this—is this how it is done further South in teh Islands?
You make me sad.
Have a blessed day.
Go Independent Famous. All Bermudians in UNI in UK face at least 100% fee increases. UK sends back all our people. Our unemployment and social welfare system explodes. Do it Famous, I dare you!!
Ummm, I am more Bermudian than this guy would ever be. Bermuda is not a black country nor a white country, we are all colonists of a volcano. So don’t go saying we are a black country, because Bermuda is NOT a black country. Hell we aren’t even a country.
Overseas Territories is slavery by another name. Slavery added on paper but not in practice. They still see us as their slaves it is in their DNA no matter where they are in the world they think they have a right to subjugate and dictate to us. After all they are the children of Edom.
To actually compare OT’s to slavery shows that yo have no idea what slavery truly is and is truly disrespectful to people who have actually experienced slavery in the past right up until this day.
You’re not a slave. Period.
What the Hell are you talking????? “Stand for Truth” time to change you name.
That’s two consecutive House sessions that Famous has spouted outright lies in. Where is the condemnation for misleading the House and the people?
the empire masters want back full control over the “freed” slaves.
They would be delighted to cut us free.
Where would our criminal go if that were to happen–not to mention alot of our kids that study and are gainfully emplyed in the UK
This hateful appraoch will impact everyone of us.
We Bermudians are not like Mr. Famous, he is creating a false narrative to support his agenda.
Bermudians work together–don’t fall into his populist/socialist trap–
Blessings abound!
is it a false narrative or is it a narrative you cant see with your current eyes?
It’s most definitely a false narrative . The Goverment is fully aware that any attempt by the UK to force a beneficial ownership registry would contravene our constitutional agreement with Britain and consequently be very easily challenged in court. We have our own Constitution,as do the other OT’s ,so a blanket approach by the Uk would be legally impossible. If you want to believe all this Paul Revere fluff ,knock your self out, but the reality is you have been dealt pure BS.
He’s just like TRUMP
hate to say it cause i don’t favor Trump but at least he has a few brains and business sense
And the irony of all this is the PLP support him and do not state that what he says is wrong.
The sheet will tangle the fan.
We are being prepared for independence. Famous is just a mouthpiece and says what his superiors want him to say
Is Famous the Marc Bean of PLP 2.0? In the sense that he makes no sense? All this saber rattling over independence. Go ahead. Give it a vote.
Yup, the evil British Empire. Awards which the likes of Dame Lois Browne Evans and Dame Jennifer Smith received. Lucky for Chris Famous the evil UBP allowed his family to voluntary relocate, or were they forcibly brought up in slave ships in the 1970/80′s, from St Kitts to become Bermudians?
History being rewritten.
Well at least MP Famous finally admitted that he and the PLP view only black people as being real Bermudians. Bout time you guys were truthful in how you view others.
Hard to think that this is anything other than the next installment of the PLP plan to heighten emotions and gradually move towards independence. There have been a series of these mini dramas performed by various Ministers at regular intervals since they were elected.
Bermuda needs to awaken!
While Theresa May attempts to make Brexit a good thing for England, bashing and dragging us all along the way. England needs to find that money that the EU would contribute to them! England made choices and now don’t like their choices they made, and now they have an immigration crisis, oh dear! They had no problem using us to build their Empire and make it rich, now they having their own problems and want to drag the strong Colonies down with them!
Celts in the UK and Northern Ireland, have their own laws in their counties, so why us as Bermudians just going to bow down give in so easy for what we as an Island people have built! They should be asking for advice on how they could build up their economy instead of trying to bring us down!
Minister Famous has it all right and the blind and deaf syndrome continues with our people! Spineless, weak minds need to be empowered and educated! Wake up Bermuda! Wake up!
Whilst your all bickering over a black and white people, England sits back and watches from a distance their program is working to separate and conquer their old tools, you fools still haven’t learned! FYI I’m Milato! I walk on both sides and it’s sad still nobody can see the big picture Mr. Famous is trying to show, its full circle just a different time!
Keep trying to inform the ignorant, blind and deaf! They are unable to be empowered by the truth! Then going point fingers at Government when it’s actually us as people of Oneness who can change and make thungs better for us!
Jeez tryi being born in the UK and they tell you your not British! You all better wake up! Yes it’s happening in the UK, to our own! Wake the up!
Bermuda , The OBA took the same stance under Bob. This is a real problem that we must address . Will Bermuda continue under the paternalistic rule of London ? When will we stop playing the game , ” Mother May I ?” The topic of Independence is back on the table . Will we talk about it ? I guess not , we do love our British tea .
“The Overseas Territories are black people in the Caribbean, the Crown Dependencies are white people up in Europe.”
Apart from Gibraltar, of course. And St Helena and the Falkland Islands, although the latter two don’t have a material international business sector.
The reason given for not including the Crown Dependencies was constitutional, given their different form of self government. Bermuda’s own high level of self government suggests the UK Parliament was acting outside of its jurisdiction and this could and should be challenged in the courts.
Having said that, the optics on this are terrible – it does look racial.
Both Brexit and this move, which is mostly driven by the problems for the British of imposing sanctions on rich Russians hiding their money in places like BVI after the Salisbury poisonings,help the cause of those who are pro-independence, although I do not think it has tipped the balance.
I find it galling that this guy thinks he is more Bermudian than I am purely because of a ‘certain thing.’ My family has been here for many generations longer than he has.
Don’t be fooled, this is how all of the PLP and the vast majority of their supporters think.
Unfortunately he is joined by many , many thousands of others who hold the same beliefs.
The ignorance and hate abound and they live amongst us with their fake smiles and niceness .
This guy’s ignorance and fearmongering are absolutely astounding. The fact that he got voted in over Bob Richards is very telling of the national IQ. Amidst all the BS he’s spouting, one thing is undoubtedly true- the island has the government it deserves!
More disinformation.
You idiots don’t see it?
Glad I left that island
I am a white Bermudian and this legislation is the main reason we would want to consider independence. If the UK is not required to open their books just like the USA doesn’t have to open its books, why should we? This is exactly what happened to all the banks in Switzerland. They had to open their registers and everyone fled elsewhere and funnily enough where to? The good ole USA (Delaware and other states that don’t have to expose their registers). Don’t, don’t, DON’T do it! Don’t open our registers.
If someone suspects money laundering the Bermuda Government will assist in any way possible. Legislation is already set up for that. We don’t want to expose our “investors”, this will only send funds shooting back to the UK and that is EXACTLY what they want!!!
I heard that there were legal grounds on which we can oppose this due to our constitution. Will the PLP be challenging this through the courts as aggressively as they are fighting other causes or will they just use the opportunity to stoke up support for independence?