Video: Independent Karen Hodgkins
[Updated] Independent candidate Karen Hodgkins — who will be running in Constituency #31 Southampton West Central — is holding a press conference this morning [Jan 23]. We will have additional coverage later on and in the meantime the live video is below.
Karen Hodgkins will be running as an independent in Constituency 31 Southampton West Central. As it stands now there are four candidates; Ms Hodgkins, the PLP’s Crystal Caesar, the OBA’s Linda Smith and Independent Juanae Crockwell. The PLP’s Crystal Caesar is the incumbent.
Update 12.55pm: Ms Hodgkins’ remarks:
Good morning Bermuda
Southampton West Central
And MediaI am here today standing as an Independent candidate in order to serve constituency 31 Southampton west central.
I have chosen Evans’s Bay today for this press conference as I lived here for many years and swam in this beautiful bay. I also lived in Granaway Heights and Tribe Road #3 for many years. I know the people and constituency very well.
I believe I am the right person for this job.
I have run my own business for 33 years and have made it very successful. I am a visionary and a hard worker and I know how to get things done.
In my business I have spent those years counselling and helping clients to become healthier and happier people.
This is my passion helping people. Now I would like to take that passion and help my country.
I also have 15 years experience in the political world and I am ready to represent you in the House of Assembly.
There are many goals I would like to see achieved for Bermuda .
These are just a few of them:
1. I believe as a country housing is at crisis point. We must have housing for our people. our homeless need a new purpose built shelter. If anyone has seen the one by TCD it is demoralizing. I say what good are we as a country if we can’t take care of our most vulnerable citizens.
2. We must build some complexes with studios and 1 bedroom apartments to allow opportunities for our youth to have their own space, for single mothers and to alleviate this housing crisis.
3. We must eliminate the 75% sugar tax in order to help bring our food costs down. People are struggling to pay their groceries so why is the Government burdening them with this huge tax.
4. Our seniors need nursing facilities a place where they are cared for and safe. A realtor recently told me there is nothing available for our seniors. Maybe we can have more private/ public initiatives to build more senior residential centers or maybe Government could subsidize in home nursing care.
5. We need to update our legislation for harassment and stalking in domestic violence cases. Women and men need proper protection. The Uk has the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 which if I am elected I will personally be bringing to the house of assembly.
6. We must complete the universal healthcare care initiative as soon as possible. Many people are not insured and the costs of private premiums are outrageous.
7. Our mental health act needs to be updated to the level of the UK legislation to allow those that need help to get it.
8. Personally I would like to have a dog park for our furry friends like many places in the world have.
9. We should build a multi purpose entertainment center for concerts, theater and other events. This could also be used by our young people who are interested in the Arts and Theater. Bermuda deserves a facility like this to add to the quality of our lives.
10. Our duty import tax system is completely outdated and it is time to change to a sales tax on goods sold. This would be in my opinion a much fairer system as those that buy the most expensive products would pay more taxes. It would also help the cost of living to go down as the duty on imports would be slashed and passed on to consumers.
These are just some of my thoughts for Bermuda and I do have many many more.
Some of these initiatives I have mentioned could be paid for with the new corporate income tax, however, that is after we have allocated a percentage to pay down on our massive debt. That must be a priority. The Corporate income tax must pay down our debt.
I will be having a Town Hall at St Anne’s Church Hall on Saturday January 25th 11am-1pm if you would like to meet with me and discuss these initiatives and any of your ideas to make Bermuda a better place to live. I would love to see you all there.
Southampton West Central and Bermuda I am ready to listen, serve and work for you.
I would appreciate your vote on February 18th.
Thank you very much.
And have a blessed day.
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That’s it. Just don’t complain. Step up and run. Good luck.
Best of luck to you, Karen Hodgkins.
CHANGE THEM! They have changed us.
All the best Karen. Your ideas are sound!
Karen thank, I hope you and the other independents finally destroy that racist UBPOBA party. This same party has loss so many black members and supporters over the years. Even today they continue same PLAYBOOK by using black surrogates as poster candidates.
I agree on seven of your ten ‘want to do’ points in principle.
Particularly like the proposal for doing away with import duty in favour of point of sale sales tax. Imagine how much the size of the the Customs department can be cut with a sales tax paid directly to Government. Don’t think that it will make a huge difference in the cost of goods, the Government will get money out of our hides one way or another, but retailers will not have to finance, and pass on, the cost of duty while product sits on the shelf waiting to be sold.
The trick will be getting rid of all those Customs CS no longer needed.
I don’t agree with all her plans, but I do agree with most of them. She does look like she is competent, honest, approachable, and trustworthy. Much better than the useless incumbent in the constituency.
I wish all these independent people will stop. They dont stand a chance. The person in my district is a baker ??
Condora
Here are my thought for you Ms hodgkins as we need to get real our existance depends on it and also for any other who are on the the yellow brick road .
This not for were we begin ,it is for where we will eventually end up .
There is no such thing as afordable housing as we import everything that is fo moe ink to dry ..
I have been i construction and realestate for for virtually all my working life designing an building homes .
I no take pleasure in by asking you if you are copy cat other people play book.
BERMUDA is international why do we have all big building in our city..
What they all represent is big business we need to staff them an provide executive housing to thectop floors for their workers .
our young people neecd to stay home and help their parent in threir waning years like i did and not ask the parent to provide for them for party money .
We built our own house with our own two hands block on top of block.
our tax monery is not for the glory of other for their Batchelor pads and fun palaces . .
You have alot of wish full thinking making promices for that which we have no money for , you appear to sterio type your thought along domestic avenues , all this while we need to improve our foreign revenue we are international and stay that way ,we need money to buy food and all that from miles away.
We do not have money i worked a taxi nights for for your idears my tax money in not for other people glory days i am surprised you did no ask for car money to go with the luxury. apartment.
We need sustainable income your idears would have been good 60 years ago .
The disapointing young need to get a job and work like we had including extra night work .
No more free rides no more hand outs for the returning deserters
We are way over taxed so much so the tourists can no longer afford come here any more so they go else where .
What about the national debt ?