Video: OBA Announce Harvey & Gurret
[Updated] The OBA is holding a press conference today [Sept 8] where they are expected to announce additional candidate[s] for the upcoming 2020 General Election, which will be held on October 1st, 2020. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below.
Update: The OBA announced that Thomas Harvey will run in Constituency 2 St. George’s West [which is currently held by the PLP's Kim Swan] and Nicky Gurret will run in Constituency 34 Sandys South Central [which is currently held by the PLP's Kim Wilson].
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the 26-minute replay is below
Update 1.00pm: OBA Leader Craig Cannonier’s remarks:
Good Day everyone, Good day Bermuda,
Yet again it gives me huge pleasure to announce two new One Bermuda Alliance candidates.
There can be no-one in St. George’s who does not know Thomas Harvey. He is a true son of the St. George’s soil and he will run in constituency 2, St. George’s West.
Nicky Gurret is person who is passionate about so many things and who is involved in so many projects that benefit Bermuda and Bermudians.
She will run for the OBA in constituency 34, Sandys South Central.
They are both new faces and part of a new team that will do better.
No-one has done better than the One Bermuda Alliance at helping the East and West ends of the Island.
It was the One Bermuda Alliance that passed legislation which enabled the town to collect a tax on fuel landed at Ferry Reach.
That tax was a hugely important for St George and allowed large infrastructure projects, such as work on Ordnance Island and Market Wharf to happen.
In addition, it was the OBA Government, working with the Corporation of St. George’s, that contributed almost one point five million dollars to the Penno’s Wharf/Hunter’s Wharf Refurbishment project.
When the One Bermuda Alliance was in Government, we negotiated with Norwegian Cruise Lines to get a dedicated regular cruise ship visiting St. George.
That deal also included bringing two catamaran ferries to the island for the run from Dockyard to the East End, which, before Covid were regularly full.
The One Bermuda Alliance also returned the ability for the town to collect wharfage fees, which provided significant income for its budget.
And, last, but certainly not least, it was the One Bermuda Alliance which negotiated the deal to develop the St. Regis Hotel and golf course.
Years after the old Club Med was blown up, years after the so-called platinum period, it was the One Bermuda Alliance that actually put something in place.
We did better.
In just four years, the One Bermuda Alliance brought $1bn of investment into Bermuda.
We performed an economic miracle.
Part of that investment was a result of the America’s Cup which had a big impact in the West End.
PwC’s report shows that AC35’s economic impact amounted to $336 million – Government’s three-year budget for AC35 was projected to cost $77m, the PwC report indicates that the actual spending was $64.1m.
It brought investment to the West End putting Bermudians to work in a wide variety of things like renovating people’s homes as they looked to rent them for the event, supplying the mega yachts or in tourism.
Bermuda, we did a good job then.
With a team that includes people like Nicky and Thomas, we will do better.
Nicky Gurret’s remarks:
Good day!
It is an exciting day for me, and I hope for Bermuda as I present myself to run as a candidate for Sandys South Central for the One Bermuda Alliance.
Why 34 Sandys South Central?
It is the constituency which holds my then matrimonial home. It is the area where I walked along Sound View Road to catch the ferry to work.
It is the home I came to with my husband when we both brought our two children back from the hospital.
It is where I roamed the railway trail with my babies during maternity leave and on the weekends with my family. I lived there for many years.
Why am I running?
I am running because I believe I can make a true difference.
I am a person with ideas and have extensive experience executing and bringing them to fruition.
I believe I can bring people together in a creative and energising environment.
I am a registered architect, artist and author who wants to build a better Bermuda for our families.
I have worked both in the private and public sector, as an architect in private practices as a project manager, as an educator teaching sailing at the White’s Island Government program.
I was the head building control officer for the government working over 12 years heading up regulations and inspections.
While working in the architecture and building field and as a volunteer activist I started The Bermuda Sand Sculpture Competition and ran it for 21 years.
I started The Bermuda Beach Art Festival and ran it for 6 years. I and a friend introduced Pechakucha to Bermuda and ran it for 6 years.
I have been the Artistic Director and Education Director at the Bermuda International Film Festival for the last 4 years.
I am an active member of the Bermuda Society of Arts, the Bermuda Dockyard Art Gallery, Masterworks, and BMDS.
As you can see, I am passionate about the arts and see it as a way to relieve the stresses of life and bring people together and create a beautiful environment.
I want to make the arts a fourth sector for Bermuda. I want to elevate Bermuda to be known as the artistic jewelled Island of the Atlantic Ocean and to bring people from all walks of life together in a joyous meaningful way.
I was one of the first female certified head sailing instructors. The first female registered Bermuda architect. The first female Head of Building Control at the Department of Planning.
So, you can see I have been involved in the community. I am a leader. I look at the big picture and then fill in the details.
One other organisation I am involved which I want to draw your attention to is Friends of Hospice which is the charity that support Bermuda’s only hospice called Agape house.
This weekend they are having their first Butterfly Blast in Victoria Park from noon to 4 pm and I encourage all people to support this family fun filled day.
I am running for the The One Bermuda Alliance as I believe more woman should be in politics, more inclusivity should be in politics and more imaginative ideas should be bought forward, developed and implemented to make Bermuda a better place with more jobs more people and better education.
I am running because I care and want to make a difference.
As a mother, wife, daughter and volunteer activist in the community I am determined to steer Bermuda on a better course.
We will do better.
For comprehensive coverage of the 2020 Bermuda General Election and past elections, you can find more information and statistics on the links below.
- All: Our coverage of the 2020 General Election here
- Candidates: List of the currently confirmed candidates here
- Constituencies: Data/past results of all 36 constituencies
- Timeline: Visual look at the 2020 election timeline here
- Official: The Government’s election website here
- Comprehensive: Our new BermudaElection.com website here
Interesting.