Audio | MP Dunkley: ‘A Very Concerning Situation’
The “most respected PLP Minister has resigned” and “doing so very close to the budget is certainly a very concerning situation,” OBA MP Michael Dunkley said.
Speaking in the House of Assembly on Friday, Mr Dunkley said, “There is a crisis, whether the Premier and any colleagues acknowledge it, or admit it or not. Sir John Swan said it, and many people believe it, and thank him for speaking out.”
Noting that former Finance Minister Curtis Dickinson resigned very close to the budget, Mr Dunkley said it “was a shock resignation that caught the country by surprise, and it appears caught many of the political colleagues of the member by surprise.”
Mr Dunkley said that Mr Dickinson was a “very respected member of the House of Assembly,” adding that “we have had some good debates with the honorable former Minister. They’ve lacked any political contention, and the former Minister had been all about business.”
“In my view, the most respected PLP Minister has resigned. One of the most important Ministers, the Minister of Finance, I believe after the Premier, is the most important Minister, has resigned. Doing so very close to the budget is certainly a very concerning situation,” he added.
“Typically, the budget is around Valentine’s Day, so the budget is about two weeks late anyway. It’s a real concern at this time, because the economy is in turmoil.”
Mr Dunkley also noted that the Premier now holds the tourism and finance portfolios, and said “to hold three positions like that, it has to be very difficult, nearly impossible to carry out those functions.”
The text above represents only a small portion of Mr Dunkley’s comments, for full context please listen to his full 14-minute speech during the Motion to Adjourn on Friday, where multiple MPs spoke, and we will continue posting audio of their comments throughout this week.
Thank you MP Dunkley for expressing to your fellow parliamentarians what so many Bermudians are thinking.