‘Partisanship Should Stop At The Water’s Edge’
“It has been a longstanding tradition in Bermuda politics that when it comes to International Business and our dealings with international bodies these issues should not be used as a political football,” Minister of Finance Curtis Dickinson said, adding that “partisanship should stop at the water’s edge.”
The Minister’s remarks follow after comments made earlier today by Shadow Finance Minister Nick Kempe about the Economic Substance Act, which was passed to meet new guidelines set by the European Union.
Minister Dickinson said, “Sadly, it would appear that the Shadow Minister of Finance seems to be too busy firing off press releases rather than picking up the phone and asking what is going on.
“Before the Economic Substance Act 2018 was passed in December, extensive briefings were held with the Opposition on this matter. During the holiday season, while many were on vacation, the Ministry of Finance was busy finalising regulations, and working with our international business partners to provide clarity to them on how the Government would implement the new regulations to ensure Bermuda benefited.
Minister Dickinson speaks about the Act in the House on December 17
“These changes are important, but there is nothing to be gained for Bermuda by telegraphing our plans to our international competitors via the press.
“I would urge the Leader of the Opposition to, as best he can, restrain the exuberance of his Shadow Finance Minister, and help him to understand that partisanship should stop at the water’s edge when dealing with these important international matters.
“If the Shadow Minister would like to know the actions the Government is taking in this regard, I am happy to meet with him, just like I met with the Opposition before the debate, and my predecessor the Premier met with the Opposition on no less than 3 occasions in 2018 to ensure that they were kept up to date on this important matter.
“As the Minister of Finance I will lead this Ministry with the seriousness it requires and I would recommend that the Shadow Minister understand that not everything needs to be the subject of a politically charged press release.
“Our future is at stake and we need statesmanship now, not partisanship,” Minister Dickinson concluded.
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This does not, in any way, address the issue raised by nick kempe.
Basically, what dickinson is saying that the public do not have a right to know the plan, whatever the plan to counter the substance act is
Why would we have a plan to counter our own legislation?
OUTSTANDING MINISTER OF FINANCE, BRILLIANTLY STATED
COME ON OBA STOP WITH THESE WEEKLY NONSENSICAL OPINION PIECES
GET IN TOUCH WITH REAL FACTS
Nonsensical opinion piece? Lmao!! Get in touch with real facts? You mean like Chris Famous who writes nonsensical opninon pieces about how we should be more like a fictional country?
B/s minister – nick kempe raises good points (immigration for one) that you have not addressed
You call for statesmanship – show it, plus leadership and tell us how you plan to provide the economic stimulus we need.
Spot on Minister of Finance!!!!
It doesn’t even sound like he read Kempe’s points and if he did he’s spinning it so that it looks like what he days it is.
SOUND LIKE YOUR OUT OF TOUCH LIKE KEMPE IS ON THIS MATTER
RE-READ THE STATEMENT CAREFULLY SND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL GRASP THE READ INTENTION OF HIS MESSAGE
Why, exactly, can’t the public be made aware of the progress on plans such as immigration reform as it might relate to this matter?
I am definitely out of touch on the matter. So are you and the everyone else. How could we possibly be in touch with it?
Sort of like the PLP’s enthusiastic embrace of AC35…. ha, ha, ha
Trying to stop laughing after reading this. As if this person along with his comrades ever gave any support to Bob Richards and the OBA when they did such an admirable job of protecting Bermuda on the international fiscal stage. This sanctimonious bleating reeks of hypocrisy. Finally, it looks like the plp is scared just a little. Whatever the proposed work around that is so secret, the EU will have their pound of flesh.
The PLP pretending it is ‘against partisanship’. FFS. They spent the entire 4 OBA years opposing every single thing based on nothing but partisanship. Even when a $64m investment produced $335m they did nothing but tell constant lies about it. And because a logical question gets raised he starts whining.
Grow the hell up and answer the question. We all want to know what the effin plan is.
64m produced 335m? What planet are you on? OBA have no proof whatsoever on that claim other than money that went into certain pockets! We are now left with the bill for Cross Island and loss of money from an airport we don’t need! 40 Thieves still at work!
Those numbers are from the PwC report put out by the PLP government in 2018. So the proof comes from the PLP. You seem to have forgotten that ‘partisanship should stop at the water’s edge’. Or does it only work one way, like everything with you people.
Er, independent pwc report gave those stats …..
lmfao you really are idiotic bra…obviously you didn’t read the report. you are CORRECT about cross island…but we do need an airport. Obviously you never worked or been inside the new one…IN THE BACK not the passenger part….smfh!
” money that went into certain pockets!”
You must be talking about the $1.2M that went into ewarts pockets, correct?
If not, then shut your stupid hole, you know nothing but racism, moron.
These guys are clueless, wake up Bermuda before its to late, oh wait never mind.
NO issue should be used as a political football… idealistic as that sounds.
The Minister is flat out telling porky pies. The public were purposely left in the dark and the Government DID NOT widely consult. Instead they just rolled over a did whatever the EU asked rather than take a pragmatic and nuanced approach.
This is rich coming from a Party who, whilst in Opposition, would pen articles in foreign newspapers bad mouthing the island. The PLP have never meta hypocrisy they didn’t like.
Now Minister would you be kind enough to live up to your Premier’s promise of transparency and actually address the issue?
Minister of Finance is out of his depth. He can’t elucidate on a plan when he hasn’t got one.
Wow – PLP takin dere marbles home cuz dey dunt like whaat de Opposition said!! Grow up Minister Dickinson – politic’s not for children. Your beloved PLP NEVER EVER gave ANY OBA Minister this type courtesy you’re now begging for!!
Lol Curtis. Same old PLP, attack the messenger rather than answer the damn question. Never mind the blatant hypocrisy given their behavior during and before the AC.
Clueless, inept and out of their depth. Again.
SOUND LIKE YOUR OUT OF TOUCH LIKE KEMPE IS ON THIS MATTER
RE-READ THE STATEMENT CAREFULLY SND HOPEFULLY YOU WILL GRASP THE READ INTENTION OF HIS MESSAGE
Short version: we have no plan, so I’ll spin it so that it looks like even ASKING about our plan means you’re against Bermuda.
CLASSIC PLP. Some new faces, same old BS.
I had hoped for better from Dickinson. Don’t know why…but I had hoped he’d be better than this.
“As the Minister of Finance I will lead this Ministry with the seriousness it requires and I would recommend that the Shadow Minister understand that not everything needs to be the subject of a politically charged press release.
“Our future is at stake and we need statesmanship now, not partisanship,” Minister Dickinson concluded.
Really? New brooms sweep clean. Your honeymoon will be short, and the person who REALLY controls OUR FINANCES will begin issuing instructions to you! And like your predecessor Burt, you will do as you are told.
Dickinson says Kempe should have called if he was that concerned, but this is not some kind of best bro thing. Kempe is asking questions on behalf of the Opposition. Dickinson is speaking for the Government. “Nick” can’t say he had a chat with “Curtis” and everything is cool. These two have formal jobs and responsibilities.
What’s with the keeping whatever the Finance Ministry is cooking up a secret? It should all be in the public domain, shouldn’t it? These are not banking secrets or competitive advantages between businesses, even if we are Bermuda Inc.
I was hoping Curtis Dickinson would be better than this.
Dickinson berates Kempe for publicly addressing an issue on the Economic Substance legislation – unnecessarily airing matters showing our competitors division, strategy, issues – when he could have simply picked up a phone.
TAKE YOUR OWN ADVICE – but no, unnecessarily make a public partisan whine – showing even more division to our competitors while tooting your horn for working “on vacation” [most all of us in the financial sector at the management level do] when YOU could have picked up the phone.
LEAD BY EXAMPLE. If you truly have the ability to lead. Kempe should not repeat his tactic again but if he does – rise above it – like a professional.