Column: ‘It Reeks Of Delusion & Desperation’
[Opinion column written by the OBA’s Dwayne Robinson]
The people of Bermuda should be concerned after reading the recent article from the Premier regarding the last five years of PLP governance. It reeks of delusion and desperation.
The Premier stated: “The past five years have not been easy, and we haven’t gotten everything right. Yet we have remained a government that listens, we have remained a collaborative government, and we have remained a government that is still humbled by the tremendous responsibility you entrusted to us.”
Several high-profile resignations from his cabinet seem to refute that point.
The Premier continues to act as though his party has only been in power from 2017. They still must answer for 1998 to 2012, and the decline of our island’s finances. Bermuda was already over $1billion in debt when the One Bermuda Alliance was elected in 2012.
Our Cabinet spent four years stopping the bleeding caused by three terms of successive PLP governments which saw an island with a surplus become one shackled with crippling debt.
The Premier believes his government saved Bermuda from the OBA. In his words, “Five years ago, the people chose to put an end to one of the most divisive periods of recent memory.”
The division he speaks of was created and executed by the PLP in a successful attempt to disrupt and unseat the OBA government. The Progressive Labour Party is the only one in that unfortunate situation to gain anything.
The people marched on the OBA regarding the airport and immigration reform, yet those same hot button issues were embraced by the PLP once they got into power, greeted with not even a peep of protest.
Immigration reform has since begun to be passed by PLP and its review of the airport was never released publicly. The people have simply been told, ‘Your stuck with it’ then members of the PLP enjoyed their photo ops at the new facility.
We are now living in the time where the people are tired of receiving nothing from standing with PLP.
Oh wait, but they have.
They have received increased land tax, a sugar tax, rising cost of living, rising health insurance premiums, and more debt. The real rewards like undisclosed pay-outs, paid committee positions, and Cabinet positions are reserved for the party faithful. Have the lives of the average Bermudians improved under the PLP they marched with? Let’s be honest and acknowledge that the answer is a resounding ‘no’.
The Premier was blessed with a 30-seat majority from the people of Bermuda in 2020, and look how has he utilized it. He spends his time blaming the four years of the OBA for the financial woes of the Government via Morgan’s Point and the Airport.
Yet the new Finance Minister forgets that we pay $330 million to operate the hospital yearly; that’s more than the cost of Morgan’s Point and the Airport payments combined. We have yet to see the details of the Hospital deal the PLP struck with Paget Trust to determine how much that is costing the taxpayer.
The brand of desperation displayed by the Premier in his recent piece can be compared to another leader across the pond. And we’ve all seen how that worked out for him.
That leader was also riddled with resignations and political blunders but told his citizens everything was going fine…until it wasn’t.
- Dwayne Robinson, approved candidate for Constituency 30, Southampton East Central
You cannot win a seat on that kind of response. Lord help u
I agree. We just had a serious public meeting on gang violence. That would have been something that someone who wants to be in government could have discussed. This column has no point except to complain that the PLP knows what to say to win elections.
OBA: if you ever want to challenge for government again, you need to tell people fresh ideas for the island’s problems:
- do teachers need extra training to deal with kids susceptible to gang recruitment? From whom? Are you willing to commit the funds for that? Do you agree with shutting so many school buildings, especially the primary schools that get the best ratings?
- would you license the sale of soft drugs to take the profit from selling it away from gangs?
- what tax concessions are appropriate for hotel operators? Zero, a little, a lot? Some countries like Dominican Republic give resort operators almost unlimited tax concessions, on the theory that the jobs and the tourists that come are worth the lost tax money. Is that a model Bermuda should follow?
- rather than complaining about the PLP stealing your policies on the airport and immigration, tell us what you would do next. Do you still agree with public-private partnerships? If so, would you be willing to abolish WEDCO and find a foreign partner to revive the Dockyard properly?
The truth is better than the delusional lies that are being fabricated for the ‘faithful’…. Well said! We need an honest government.
It wasn’t delusion or desperation. It was more “oh woe is me (David Burt). Please Bermuda, don’t be mad at me.” And of course, Burt had zero ideas on how to make Bermuda better.
Does this clown realize we needed a new HOSPITAL but did we really need the airport and a $200 mill Morgan’s Point hotel!!! The only reason the OBA has him there is because JET GATE place him in the party because they have no other yes man to select from.
Well, yes we did, and the PLP managed to bigger that up too.
Don’t forget that Jetgate DREB was responsie for the hospital. I wonder whose palms were greased?
Bermuda does indeed need a new hospital because the PLP only built a half one at unknown cost and is too small. Yes, Bermuda needs new hotels, ask the BTA and Min of Transport, but the best the PLP could do is build Grand Atlantic that has cost $100m and still sucking in money. At least the St Regis was built, no thanks to the PLP.
Are you happy to see all that Tucker’s Town property, you know the land that people marched to get a COI for alleged theft, subdivided into plots and multi million dollar houses being built, houses that 99% of ordinary Bermudians couldn’t afford?
If we did not need a new Airport and if it was such a bad idea then why is it that the PLP tried to build one themselves? You do realize that the PLP not only announced plans to build a new airport before they lost the election but had it listed as part of their campaign in the same election that they lost?! They just could not find a way to build it except to borrow more money. So, how can you be upset at the OBA for building an airport that the PLP indicated needed replacing BEFORE the OBA. Is it the way it was funded that bothers you? Because the hospital was funded the same way! Oh, and if your still holding on to the Jetgate thing because that is the best you got…try googling Dr. Brown and Global Hue contract to see who got on a private jet first, and what it cost us.
You’re the clown who doesn’t realize that we needed a new airport…so you can go shopping in Atlanta twice a year.
You’re the clown who doesn’t realize that we need a new hospital…but didn’t get one!
He’s not a clown but he actually packs the food shelfs at the local grocery store. So maybe we need a better spokesman for the OBA or this may be the best we have.
Good day,
I do work there any more. However I am not ashamed to have worked there, it was good job, and I made an honest living. I am equally happy with my current employment. Now could you address my message?
Great response Dwayne! Maybe if we had a few ‘honest working men’ in the PLP rather than the friends and family, brown envelope, back scratching crew that are currently in Government, then we wouldn’t be so broke and directionless!
You mean he has an honest job, so can’t be trusted?
You would rather listen to a nonentity ‘consultant’ f&f insider paid $150,000 a year by government, who achieves nothing of value.
Let the Truth be told ….well done …it doesnt stop there
Kings wharf ….. Port Royal …..Faith based Tourism …St,Georges Police station …St.Georges fire station….how about the take over of the Cement plant …Berkley …Police headquarters…. The plp have proven over and over that they do not possess the aptitude to govern they know how to spread fear and thats how they got elected and continue to get elected
but the faithful sheep continue to believe
I agree with him, and it’s good to see a visible, front foot OBA.
Anything to get rid of the current laughing stock. Just an embarrassment of a Government.
An article criticizing and trying to bring down the Premier will not work. The OBA has no ideas or solutions and the public knows this. Hence the results in 2017 and 2020. Come with some new people and new ideas and perhaps someone may listen.
LOL, what complete and utter tosh.
Stop begging the OBA to save you. Everyone knows the PLP has no idea what to do, stop begging for help, you’ve got all the power….it makes you look weaker than you are.
The racist UBP/oba can’t even save themselves 30-6. The best thing they can do now is change the name again or someone start a 3rd party.
And if white people support the 3rd party, you’ll call them racist too.
The fact is, the predicament in which we find ourselves is entirely of the PLP’s making. The fact that they are myopic, bigoted, arrogant, racist and homophobic is just icing on the very mouldy and past it’s best cake.
Someone needs to teach them what a hypocrite is….it’s not a good thing.
OBA = myopic, bigoted, arrogant, racist and homophobic.
Oh come on.
Myopic and bigoted are an exact description of the PLP.
Arrogant – how about the TAF debacle? The PLP don’t give a rat’s a $$ about people. We all know exactly why the TAF hasn’t been scrapped.
Racist – the only thing the PLP really believes in is hatred of foreigners.
Homophobic – hard to believe you’re serious.
Does that include their black supporters too ?
With the election 30 – 6 and a party that changed it’s name overnight aka the OBA to run away from it’s racist past. I doubt any remain accept a few 2% miss guided used fools that keep fronting for them.
Keep the lie alive!
I’d prefer a party the denounces it’s “racist past”, to one that promotes a racist, homophobic and xenophobic present.
Do you know what a hypocrite is?
So you finally admit that your UBP was racist back in the day? Which is why they change the name! Now you understand why it’s PLP 30 – UBPoba 6.
Are you missing the part about your current government being racist, homophobic and xenophobic…are those words too big for you to understand?
Your party is no different than those who you seem to think were racist.
You don’t know what hypocrite means, obviously. LMFAO
The party is 98% white voters and 2% black voters = Leader Cole and the deputy leader Jarion. Why do they continue using this type of approach placing blacks to lead an all white party?
Why are you such a racist? You need church.
Your 2% black voters is totally incorrect , but what if they (a group of all black candidates) formed a new party that attracted 95% of the white vote ? What accusations would you make then ?
Which party is beholden to the white British Lords?
It would be the racist and homophobic party, the right wing plp.
LOL
…but, the racist plp don’t have any new ideas…all they do is steal from people like YOU. LMFAO
I’m sorry I’ve upset you with the truth, but your party is racist, homophobic and xenophobic.
Best of luck selling your onions
I think Mr Robinson isn’t representative of the OBA “old guard” so it may be hard for a PLP supporter to criticize him as a “no ideas no solutions” guy the way they would for say Simons, Dunkley or Cannonier.
U have it right. A very childish article when he has the floor to give his vision. Ah. Does not happen. School kids throwing mud and worst of all initiating nothing.
I don’t expect us to get to a normal next election date, the Government are embarrassingly broke, utterly pennilessness, talk to anyone who works there. Default coming and the Government falls.
More than whispers I can assure you. Days cash on hand only.
True. I work there, we all wonder if they will meet payroll every month.
My department should have 15 trained workers, it has 3, with 2 agency workers. When I joined there were 22 of us.
You do the math, cos the Government clearly can’t!
That’s been their goal since 1998
PLP = myopic, bigoted, arrogant, racist and homophobic.