Column: Take Toxicity Away From Discourse
[Opinion column written by PLP MP Jason Wade]
Last year I penned an opinion piece asking my fellow Bermudians to turn down the volume a bit and take some of the toxicity away from the discourse.
As we start 2022, I would like to echo these same sentiments.
Clearly, we are still in the midst of what feels like an unending pandemic, and while progress has been made with regard to vaccines and treatment of illness, we still must be careful of our exposure to large gatherings.
The current Omicron variant, while it doesn’t appear as lethal, is wreaking havoc with the staffing levels of many companies and institutions, both locally and abroad. As a government and as a community, we must all find a way to protect the public health of Bermuda, while trying to ensure the continuity of business and education is maintained.
This is not an easy balancing job for anyone in the decision making positions, including: business executives, elected officials, civil servants and consultants.
Unfortunately, the past few weeks have not been without their challenges and lessons have been learned in how to constantly adapt. We are grateful for all those who have improvised to overcome.
We won’t all agree with every or any decision made, however, there is no need for the vile comments that have permeated our social media lately. The comments sections of nearly any post are extremely nasty, negative and personal.
Most people wonder why the moderators continuously allow these comments to permeate our society.
Bermuda, your government is here to lead through this pandemic. We are doing the best we can with the resources we have amid a fluid landscape. Please let’s try to use 2022 to move our country forward together, rather than using the keyboard power we think we have to go after hard working civil servants and our fellow Bermudians.
- MP Jason Wade
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The irony of a PLP representative asking others to tone down toxic dialogue shouldn’t be lost on anyone. Maybe for once you should lead by example.
It’s not lost on me. It started in 1998. the Great Dame’s personal bag carrier…”we don’t care what you think”, “we’re in charge now’…his comments how he would like to see for sale signs everywhere. Who can forget DREB yelling in house across the aisle and hiding behind Parliamentary Privilege.
Who can forget The People’s Campaign, the March on Parliament.. stirred up by the PLP.
The fact remains, the PLP have since 1998, reduced Bermuda to a failed state. 20 years of failure, incompetence and greed. Try getting a straight answer out of your MP.
To consider the civil service…is this guy serious? The math doesn’t work, we can’t afford it, it’s too big, we don’t need it. How many times does the obvious have to be pointed out.
Keep your “cant we all be friends BS” to yourself.
Actually it was the ‘At your own peril’ remark that kicked it all off.
Under the “Great Dame” and the Venerable CE Cox the country flourished. Do your homework!
Eugene Cox was the only credible member of that failed government. In 1998, the PLP behaved like kids in a candy store, spending on vanity projects, borrowing, expanding the civil service with little of no accountability. Who can forget the new cars and rampant overspending? What about the Minister being pulled over for speeding in a Government car on Harbour Road to state “don’t you know who I am?”.
If the Dame was so great, why did the PLP seek to oust her just after the 2003 election. We had to deceive you.
Bermuda flourished in the late 90′s despite the PLP, not because of them.
He was talking to the PLPBIU supporters not the obaUBP sheepie. Now go change the name again and continue being toxic all it does is cause 30-6.
Well said Jason. C30 represent!
To bad it couldnt all go away like the commissioner did who was investigating the unknown entertainer.
Care to update us on this, or why Mr Richardson was awarded for doing wrong..
ILL WAIT
Don’t forget Dancing Wayne and Zane – they got awarded for bad behaviour too. Consistency, I guess.
“Most people wonder why the moderators continuously allow these comments to permeate our society.”
Oh, so suddenly the PLP wants publishers to censor any anti-government opinions. You weren’t so keen on that when the vile PLP lies were posted constantly under the last government.
“the past few weeks have not been without their challenges”. Yes. Made worse by the so-called ‘leadership’ of the country disappearing on vacation for a month, and then blaming the testing debacle on the sudden, unexpected onset of something called Christmas. Which, like everything else that happens, the PLP failed to plan for, despite repeated warnings from the scientist in charge of testing.
Jason Wade can shove it.
Please, government ministers in other countries (Canada for one) resigned because they took a holiday out of the country during Covid. Canada for one, encourage their citizens not to travel unless essential. We have the Premier and the Minister of Health and a bunch of other Ministers go on holiday after they place us under curfew. You know us folks who have been laid off because of their policies. When businesses suffer so does the average working man or woman. So do our leaders vacation at home to help local businesses or do they go to Disney or better yet casino’s lol? So while the good doc at MDl labs was working on her holiday to meet the demands they placed on her, our elected officials were where?
Spin all you want. Those who seek higher office, should set an example. Not do as I say and not as I do!
Me for one, I’m sick of the arrogance.
“Last year I penned an opinion piece asking my fellow Bermudians to turn down the volume a bit and take some of the toxicity away from the discourse.”
Where were you in 2015 when I was shouted down and threatened for attending a “town hall meeting” on immigration reform?