Online Petition To Reinstate Caines & DeSilva

July 8, 2020

[Updated] An online petition calling for Wayne Caines and Zane DeSilva to be reinstated has started, with the petition attaining just over 1,500 signatures as of this writing.

Mr DeSilva and Mr Caines resigned from the Cabinet after videos circulated showing them at a party not adhering to the Covid-19 regulations.

Wayne Caines & Zane DeSilva Bermuda July 7 2020

The petition said, “Minister Caines and Minister DeSilva were both forced to resign after being recorded at a private charity event without a face covering. The charity event was designed to raise funds to aid the most vulnerable members of Bermuda’s society who have been hardest hit by the Coronavirus pandemic and the enforced lockdown.

“There had not been a recorded case of Covid-19 in Bermuda since the 21st of June [over two weeks from when the video was taken]. On top of this anyone who is working is regularly tested for the disease ensuring they are not carrying it even if they are asymptomatic.

“The usual punishment for this offence is a fine so to force both these hard working Ministers out of their position is completely over the top.

“Both Ministers were only without face coverings for short periods of time. The event finished in good time and everyone returned home before the midnight curfew, complying with the current government regulations.

“Given the amount of work both these Ministers have contributed as part of the team to nullify the threat of the Coronavirus pandemic, it would be in the best interests of the island to reinstate both these Ministers to their positions forthwith.”

Zane DeSilva previously served as the Minister of Tourism and Transport, while Wayne Caines served as the Minister of National Security, and the Premier has asked Minister Diallo Rabain to serve as acting Minister of National Security and Minister Wayne Furbert to serve as Acting Minister of Tourism & Transport until he announces Cabinet changes.

Update 6.11pm: As noted in the comments below, a petition calling for the opposite, that they are not reinstated, has just been started. As of this writing it has two signatures.

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Comments (58)

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  1. sandgrownan says:

    Christ on a bike, at least be honest. It wasn’t a charity event, it was a birthday party.

    • RIP oba/UBP says:

      I say fox tail the oba and their 11 sitting.

      Let my people back in. The oba not only allowed the disgraced Jet Gate back in they want the man to lead them out of hell for the next election. LMAO

      • sandgrownan says:

        Explain how much public money was involved in “JetGate”. What was the actual scandal?

        Then compare that with the cost overrun on, oh let’s pick something at random, The Port Royal regeneration.

        The issue here isnt about the OBA – we have two Ministers vociferously “laying down the law” about behaviour then ignoring their own, and their government’s instruction. They need to stay “resigned”.

        • No says:

          The UBPaka oba has the answers that’s why the chairman who wrote the report left the party……and that’s why Craig got booted out of the 40 thieves club. Oh so did you front a surrogate to win the election and later remove him to replace him with the great sour Milk man.

          • sandgrownan says:

            Would like to discuss the original JetGate? You know, the one where Dr. Brown took a trip on his college buddy’s jet, and then spent, literally, millions of dollars on a no-bid tourism contract that achieved nothing? Or that GlobalHue subsequently had that contract renewed without tender, and then had the audacity to overbill you, the taxpayer?

            If you are going to piss and moan about the OBA, at least have some honesty when you do it.

            • wahoo says:

              That should about keep them quiet until the next storm comes up and we have to explain “jetgate” all over again. Love how they stop commenting when we tell them about original jetgate. Good thing is that Jetgate is about all they have.

      • Mark says:

        1,500 brainless Kool Aid drinkers – that’s why this island is doomed for Fourth World status.

        • LOL says:

          Well you can always pack your dirty bags and go to another country. BYE….. and they don’t even test you when you enter.

          • Mark says:

            You’ll be the one stocking up on Pedigree.

        • Ringmaster says:

          Two matters spring to mind. First, the PLP have never paid attention to or considered any petition. The second one shows over 1,500 want to take down Premier Burt by challenging his decision. Clearly dissent in the ranks.

      • Toodle-oo says:

        “Let my people back in. blah , blah” The OBA had zero to do with this .

        So are you voting against Burt now ?

    • Dianne says:

      It’s not uncommon, esp. for middle age folk and older to sponsor a charity event with a birthday party. . The party serves as a fundraising event where donations to the charity are given in lieu of birthday gifts. I’ve done this myself.

  2. Boston Whaler Owner says:

    NUTS!

  3. Unbelievable says:

    Wow. We just love mediocrity in Bermuda, don’t we?

    • sandgrownan says:

      Well, the fact that people seem happy with the government’s economic performance would suggest we not only love mediocrity, but that we celebrate failure.

      • Unbelievable says:

        I think the Govt’s early response was the right thing to do. The Govt dealt with the problem coming at us and although we haven’t been unscathed we have done ok with this crisis. The care home situation was poorly handled but you can’t fix that now. Burt admitted the Govt messed up there.

        Having said that, these two men were fired (ok resigned) because A) over the duration of this ordeal, they have preached that everyone should follow the rules, etc, etc.
        And B)there is no B. Because A is THE point. These are leaders within the Government who HAVE to lead by example. What is this? Trump World? Hard to believe that a military and religious man like Caines would sidestep the rules that he lectured to everyone.

        It doesn’t matter that the last case of Covid was two weeks ago. If you’re not up on the science of this thing then you are living in a cloud. Wear a mask, wash your hands and practice social distancing. Bermuda IS NOT out of the woods yet – as evidenced by the Delta flight cases. Bermuda WILL have Covid cases for the remainder of the year; I have no idea how many but don’t believe for a second that we are out of the woods.

        As far as the economy is concerned, if there were no real economic plans or ideas before the pandemic came around, any plan this Govt has going forward is too little too late.

        • Wow says:

          I disagree, Burt said we were aggressively testing when this shelter in place began, we were not, as we didn’t have the tests to be aggressively testing. We only really had tests when Britain sent us the first 1000 of a larger batch of tests.. Additional respirators were funded by a price money as the government did noT have enough. I know people who had to have 2 tests as the results from the first one were lost. now that gets registered as 2 negative tests. The retirement home was only disclosed because Public knowledge spreading forced their hand. The press conferences were a joke, late arrival, limited questions. Whatever happened to the Govt purchased Korean tests that didn’t meet the standard. Did we ever get the tests from Cayman, how many test kits do we have left? Then we have two politicians, one of which who has.been raining down fire with laws on social distancing at an indoor birthday party that was not publicly advertised as a fundraiser, but a private party. Interesting, when was it defined as a fundraiser, before or after the video emerged?

  4. Pastafarian Smith says:

    Bermudians continue to bang theirs heads on the wall. Can’t fix stupid.

  5. Jack Archer says:

    No, no and no. They made the rules which they broke – and I have seen plenty of videos of this, including Caines getting up to dance showing zero social distancing.
    If the people who make the rules cannot follow the rules why should we trust them?

  6. Bernews, where can we find the petition and I for one am in support of both these gentleman being reinstated, I know that the Premier feels that normal protocols are expected but I think we have to look further into what these two gentleman have accomplish for Bermuda, and especially The Minister of National Security.

    They made a mistake, but I also think we have to be weary of someone like Mr. Cannonier coming out demanding we get real answers, Did Bermuda really get real answers with “JET-GATE” and since which hasn’t the opposition leader been given many chances to reinstate himself.

    Well we are in to critical of times for us to be playing sloppy chess just to appease the status quo, we need Minister Caines reinstated immediately, even though as a gentleman he stood down and accepted his punishment, and if you dont reinstate him, please don’t even think of putting anyone else but Col Lt. David Burch as The new Minister of National Security, because if we don’t Bermuda will definitely be making a serious mistake.

    There is no one more qualified or capable of doing the job with the present P.L.P, when it comes to National Security, Minister Wayne Caines/ Lt.Col. David Burch, let’s get real Bermuda, we are in a serious dilemma with crime at the moment and we need someone at the top who can help get this under control.

    So for all the people who are caught up about Minister Caines misfortune on how he treated others came back to bite him in the ox, get over it and move on and let the man now know he is being watched even closer, but get him back to work and get the job done, because the next cry from these same nice people, is where is the answers for solving the murders and lawlessness among the youth.

    You can’t throw out the hardest working politicians and then expect things to run right. “REINSTATE MINISTER CAINES AND MINISTER DESILVA NOW”.

    • sandgrownan says:

      Explain the “Jetgate scandal”. I know you, and others trot it out all the time, but what law was broken? Was public money involved?

      Now compare that to cost overruns at Port Royal, or perhaps overbilling on hte cruise ship terminal, or maybe selling a property to the BHC at above market value.

      How does whatever JetGate was compare to those random examples? How does it compare to 20 years of economic failure by the PLP?

      Get a grip. They both failed.

      • Toodle-oo says:

        How is it that they NEVER mention the genuine Jetgate where a certain ex premier went on his old school buddy’s private jet and awarded him an untendered contract not once but twice ? And then to add insult to injury it was later determined that we were ripped off.
        Nothing but crickets from them . And we all know why .

        • sandgrownan says:

          …and GlobalHue over billed Bermuda for an extra kick in the teeth.

          Platinum period my ass.

          • Ringmaster says:

            They also used an agency in New York to which they paid a handsome fee to book advertising spaces.

  7. Double S says:

    And you wonder why politicians have the mindset that they can do as they please with no consequences or accountability. It is because of such enablers that sign such petitions.

  8. Cult Alert says:

    It appears a minister signs a special waiver so his buddy, who is also a Minister, can have a big bash during Phase 4. Then both ministers are caught completely breaking the law they are supposed to be enforcing. Then, when the story leaks they claim it was a charity event. How can anyone in their right mind think that this is ok and that they should be reinstated. The only explanation is that they are cult members.

  9. Toodle-oo says:

    No doubt the signatories are from the same people who thought Jetgate was an unparalleled scandal and still throw it up and don’t understand that their personal share of our debt is about $65,000 and growing .

  10. Judy says:

    No no no is right. They broke the rules, therefore they need to be deciplined like anyone else. This virus is never going to end if people do not abide by the rules.in 4 months I have been out of my home twice and that was to go to the doctor. Let’s work together and end this madness and get back to our normal lives. We can do it!!

  11. Underhand says:

    Hey Bermuda, it’s NOT the masks.

  12. NO NO NO says:

    While a potentially noble effort by some supporters, the punishment in this instance fits the crime.

    Both gentlemen know they did something wrong and they are willing to accept the consequences.

    Those that have created this petition should as well.

    NO ONE is above the law.

  13. potatoe juice says:

    Has anyone heard an apology, aside from them praising themselves. Or has the presentation to MOW been made yet?

  14. Seascape says:

    You have got to be joking!! They should not be reinstated. People were fined, taken to court etc and you want to sweep this under the carpet. It should not be. It was a birthday party with raising funds instead of gifts. Call it like it was.

  15. Stkz says:

    People get fired everyday they’ll be alright

  16. trufth says:

    Unbelievable. I assume this is a joke.

  17. Andrew says:

    The Party, partying like it’s 1999!……..I wish ;) #PRINCE #letsgocrazy #viralpartying

  18. bluenose says:

    We are doomed!

  19. bluenose says:

    And many are giving money to the cause. You cannot make this stuff up. smdh

  20. bluenose says:

    Mickey Mouse just signed!

  21. thelma says:

    when those people where on JET GATE every thing was alll right think who was on that plane think back on that one

  22. Wow says:

    How can you correct anybody else if you are not doing the right thing yourself?
    The petition is dumb.
    They have both failed before …port Royal and “titty milk”. If you justify this it is okay to run a red light once or slap someone twice. Move on. With over 20 I, I,s in Caines article. All about self. A wake up call for both.

  23. Seascape says:

    OMG…there is a petition to reinstate them and there is a petition to keep them out. http://chng.it/9DsdJHdW

    Only in Bermuda lol.

  24. Unbelievable says:

    Are you lot expecting BDA to be Covid free now? 3 new cases – one today. They should have been wearing their masks and setting a standard. That is leadership. They weren’t leaders. Plain and simple.

  25. ImJustSayin says:

    ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!! SMH!

  26. I'mjustsaying says:

    That’s why we are in the state that we are in because we accept failure and mediocrity. It’s a shame. SMH!

  27. Pangaea says:

    I got 17 rats this year are you going fire the Col.also.

    Every job i ever had I was always walking on glass.

    TIME
    They were in their own time. get It !

    • Many people fined or charged says:

      Were on their own time too. Not sure I see the point.

      An elected leader should be a public example of compliance to the rules they put in.

      It’s just that simple.

      Bad judgement by both. They admit it and accept the consequences.

      Everyone should honor this process and accept these consequences and outcome too. Blessings all.

  28. No. says:

    They set the rules, they broke them. Others were shamed in a public manner by Minster Caines and others were fined. I think they were lucky to get off with an offer to resign.

    • Wow says:

      Exactly.i agree.

    • Yes says:

      Well said. There are consequences for going through a red light. If not we will all go through court talking about our records

  29. antisheep says:

    HAHA just goes to show how sheep like people are…Anybody who trusts politicians and put them on a pedestal are clearly not intelligent. At this rate we will start acting like the divided states of america. I simply just laugh and pity the ignorant people that truly believe you can rely on politicians to set the example. If the common man makes a big flop like this they are fired so they shouldn’t be given special privilege.

  30. Twilight Boater says:

    It’s time for a break. Minister Caines has been running on adrenaline for months nonstop. No one can keep that pace forever without starting to burn out and make errors in judgment. It’s time for a well deserved break and to re-focus. Without doubt the Premier won’t hesitate to use his talents in future.

  31. Dready says:

    Neither should be allowed in politics, can’t trust them!