Video: OBA Announce Kempe & Richardson
[Updated] The OBA is holding a press conference today [Sept 2] 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 12.18pm: Catherine Kempe will be running in Constituency 14 Devonshire North West, which is currently held by the PLP’s Wayne Caines. Jarion Richardson will be running in Constituency 23 Paget West, which is currently held by the OBA’s Patricia Gordon Pamplin
Update: The live broadcast has concluded and the 46-minute replay is below
Update 1.15pm: OBA Leader Craig Cannonier’s remarks:
Good day Bermuda and members of the media.
I was delighted yesterday to unveil Robin Tucker and Marcus Jones as One Bermuda Alliance election candidates.
Today, there are more new faces – more great candidates to add to the new team I have assembled, who you will see over the coming days.
Catherine Kempe is a health professional and the OBA Deputy Chair and will be representing Constituency 14.
Jarion Richardson is a successful businessman, a former police officer, journalist and member of the Royal Bermuda Regiment.
He will be representing Constituency 23.
Pat has served Bermuda well for many years. She has been a Minister, Shadow Minister and Opposition Leader. I thank her for her service in Constituency 23.
Bermuda, you have now seen four new and outstanding OBA candidates.
We are the right choice.
Throughout Covid, the Premier listened to the experts.
He listened to health professionals in Bermuda and overseas.
He listened to us a well. I talked to him on regular basis.
Ben Smith sat on the Emergency Measures Organisation and Pat Gordon-Pamplin sat on the Economic Advisory Committee.
As a Party, we were involved in many discussions with the Premier’s team via video conferencing.
Yet when it comes to the economy, the Premier is unable to listen and take advice.
The extensive recommendations in the Bermuda First report – which he commissioned – appear to have been ignored.
The Financial Policy Council, which is chaired by the Premier’s finance minister, said that an economic recovery plan should be put in place “as a matter of urgency”.
We heard that, but did the Premier?
The Premier put out a call to Bermudians to help him with ideas. Has he listened to any of those?
Bermuda, we are listening.
We will soon unveil our social and economic plan.
We know how to instil confidence in the economy.
We know how to instil hope and we know how to create jobs for Bermudians.
We will do better.
We know how to instil confidence in the economy, we know how to instil hope and we know how to create jobs for Bermudians.
But we have learned from our own mistakes made along the way and we will do better. Jarion and Catherine know it. I know it and I believe you know it too.
Catherine Kempe’s remarks:
Thank you, Mr. Cannonier, for those kind for giving me the opportunity to represent the people of Constituency 14, Devonshire North West.
Good day Bermuda and good day, members of the media.
I am running for the House of Assembly for constituency 14 to work on increasing women’s presence in politics.
As I said in my recent article, the Covid-19 health crisis has shown that 19 of the top 20 countries which have done the best have been led by women.
It is time for women to have a larger presence in the running of our Government. We will do better.
Many will say that the Premier did well through the pandemic, however it was the professional – and inspiring – women behind him that allowed our country to do as well as it did.
Dr. Cheryl Peek-Ball, Dr. Fiona Ross (the Head of the Bermuda Health Council) and Dr. Carika Weldon were instrumental in putting in place the policies and procedures that helped protect us.
It is a testament to the strength of female leadership that Bermuda did as well it has.
While I highlight those three superwomen, I am not forgetting the everyday woman.
During lockdown, it was those women who suddenly had to make sure that her children could continue schooling from home.
They cooked, they did their ‘day job’ – they multitasked while still experiencing the stress of a pandemic and a crisis for jobs in Bermuda.
Maybe I should be referring to them as wonder women.
I am a mother of two primary school boys, and I faced the sudden shift to working from home while ensuring that my children were doing their schoolwork.
It was a steep learning curve that I and other women had to master quickly. But we rose to the challenge.
We are natural do-ers, leaders, organisers.
We can no longer sit on the sidelines and allow some men of the House of Assembly to make public derogatory comments about women as so-called jokes.
They may have seemed in jest to some but were derogatory to all women.
I can no longer sit on the sidelines while misogynistic comments are being made about women, perpetuating the culture of toxic masculinity within our government and society.
We cannot expect the men that make these comments to be able to truly fight for us and believe in our rights.
Women represent 52% of the population but we do not enjoy anywhere near the same level of representation in the House.
We need to continue the struggle to make sure that we are strongly represented in our communities, our society and our government because we will do better.
Jarion Richardson’s remarks:
Good day Bermuda, Party colleagues, Members of the Media,
My name is Jarion Richardson and I’m running for Constituency 23, Paget West.
Before I begin my remarks, I’d like to thank my colleague and predecessor, Patricia Gordon-Pamplin.
Having spent 22-years serving the communities of Paget West and Bermuda as a whole, I have been humbled by her kind words and support.
I have had incredible privileges that the vast majority of Bermuda will never know.
As a police officer, I was privileged to work alongside members of various communities around Bermuda in resolving problems that seriously impacted their lives, safety and their own pursuits.
I was privileged to meet and work with truly selfless police officers, who are still out there on the front-line of a global pandemic.
I was privileged to serve in the Royal Bermuda Regiment and represent Bermuda in overseas training exercises.
I was privileged to assist small children as a medic in Jamaica and I was privileged to spend my early adult years as a reporter, observing court cases, Parliament nd getting an education in civil society second-to-none.
I got to participate in people’s greatest joys and then record, for all posterity, the legacy after they passed away.
I was trusted enough to be of service and here again, I’m asking for trust.
We face a calamitous future, full of uncertainty and, no doubt, suffering. We didn’t get here quickly or suddenly, but rather over time, almost without notice.
Our values of service and sharing have been replaced with ‘get while the getting is good’.
Our prudence, our discernment and humility replaced with raucousness and self-congratulation.
I believe this election is not about the issues that we can see, feel and discuss; it’s about the degeneration that led to our issues.
I believe that there is a better Bermuda over the horizon.
A Bermuda where opposing views are shared and respected, and maybe even admired.
A Bermuda where education is aligned to your dreams, whether it be a career or a lifestyle.
A Bermuda where you are valued, not because of the color of your skin or which family you’re from, but because of the care and compassion you pour into those around you.
A Bermuda where the economy functions for the good of all, and benefits protect the most vulnerable not enrich the few.
A Bermuda where families sit around dinner tables, where children play cricket in the streets and can walk home from school without fret.
Where our leaders lead humbly, embarrassed by their accomplishments and always subservient to necessities of the communities they serve.
Where money is valued, not for what it can get me, but for the security is provides.
Where our security is enshrined in our laws, not in our names.
Where are police aren’t cops, but constables. Where our teachers sit at the very top of our society, respected, dignified and honoured for their role in trustees of our hopes and builders of our future.
Where disagreement doesn’t mean disdain. Where angry is temporary, and forgiveness is perpetual.
Where we laugh, out loud – a lot.
Over our history we’ve been everything from slaves and sailors to farmers and fishermen to underwriters and attorneys.
In this time of uncertainty, we don’t know what we will be next. Which part of our economy will boom, or maybe it will be something that isn’t here yet.
But no matter what we do for a living, we will navigate it well if we arrest the regression of our civil standards and discourse.
We have to hold onto character and virtues.
Only that way can we get back to when we used to leave our doors unlocked.
I look forward to speaking individually and personally to every voter in Constituency 23.
He entered the Senate with hair. What happened?
They need more surrogates that’s what happening. Jet gate knows his time is up Oct 1st. This time the nails will remain in the oba aka ubpers coffin. They never did figure out why so many blk voters departed so they send in more fronts to trick the voters or so they think.
Catherine Kempe is sharp. She would be a relief as an MP.
How come we only see Politian’s, (from both sides) leading up to elections.
BSERS
Um cuz there’s election coming up. Who do you want see instead?
another old ubp guard bites the dust only I left
another one bite the dust
looks like Graig is cleaning house
so far, much more impressed with OBA candidates. PLP ones make me go meh
Kempe seems to only think women can do things. Many men held down the fort during the lockdown as well.
Get over yourself, lockdown was a blip on Bermuda’s radar. Our economy was in free fall and will continue to be. Men and women must come to grips and act in Bermuda’s best interest. Fake strikes and emotional begging will not take anyone further.
Not my party, but these are two solid individuals who I would consider voting for if they were in my area. Fresh, passionate and love Bermuda.
I look forward to good mix of new MPs and we need a stronger Opposition.
Best of luck to all the candidates who deserve to win for what they can contribute. PLP have this election won but we need help.
Sound like a Russian troll, this is not your party but you will vote for them, and declaring PLP have it won giving a false sense of over confidence.
That worked in 2012, sorry Charlie.
Regardless of party; articulate, passionate and love their country. Impressive!!!!
She gave credit to Dr Peek ball, Dr Ross and Dr Weldon, but no mention of the Minister of health, the woman directly accountable at the top. Clearly she avoided that for political reasons. More of the same from the OBA.
The minister of Health is a lawyer. She has NO idea of how to handle a pandemic and was taking advice and direction , just like Burt was , from the real experts. Here and overseas .
Kempe gave credit where it was due .
Keep hating .