Sir John Swan: ‘We Need A New System’
“It is very clear that the current political system is failing,” Sir John Swan said, adding that “we need a new system, a system where all of Bermuda can be involved in finding solutions and working together to make them happen.”
Sir John Swan said, “So the Premier has now announced the much anticipated election. On February 18th Bermudians will cast their ballots and decide who and what style of Government they want for the next five years.
“I am proud to have announced that I will be standing as an independent and am pleased that we are already seeing other individuals rise to the challenge as independent candidates. And I believe many more will be announcing in the coming days. You may ask why I, at my age, have decided to re-enter the world of Bermuda politics and it’s a good question.
“I believe that contrary to the spin of remarks made in announcing the election, Bermuda is in a very serious situation. I believe so many of the most important factors of life in Bermuda are simply off track and failing.
“We heard no mention of the size of our national debt nor that virtually all of this debt has been incurred by a PLP Government. The published debt is well over $3 Billion, something over $50,000 per resident of Bermuda, but if you add in the other debt Bermuda owes, the total is probably closer to $6 Billion!
“There was no mention of the lack of graduation success of our students in the public education system.
“Also, no discussion on the failing public infrastructure – the state of our roads, buildings, bridges, etc What about the crisis of our medical system, where thousands of Bermudians cannot afford health insurance, where emergency patients cannot get beds in the hospital because of long term, non urgent patients taking the space required.
“The fact that so many Bermudians cannot afford to pay for the basics of life in Bermuda and have to continuously decide whether to pay for prescriptions, rent, electricity or food and so much more.
“It is very clear that the current political system is failing. Party Politics is failing. Indeed in the press conference where the Premier announced the election, what did those in attendance chant in the end ‘PLP All the way, all the way PLP’. What about Bermuda I ask? We cant bring the same answer to the same problems and expect a different answer.
“I ask Bermudians to ask themselves are they better off than they were, are they confident in the future, do they believe the current system is going to solve the problems and bring Bermuda back on track. I am running because I believe the answer is no. And I believe I cant just hide in the outfield, I have to engage and try to help.
“We need a new system, a system where all of Bermuda can be involved in finding solutions and working together to make them happen. This is the vision that the Independent movement brings. Its time for real and meaningful change.”
Go for it.
Independence then onto becoming a republic
You can kiss that idea adios! As long as we have this $3 to $6 billion debt, Bermuda will never go independent.
The PLP are managers. That’s all they will be from this point on.
Crazy, the PLP were in the wilderness for decades as this “Longest serving Premier” was heading the Government, this same system worked just fine then.
John Swan why don’t you be honest and tell everyone why they closed down the UBP? Was it because the economy was bad or was it because that 25% of black voters the party needed to win all departed?
“tell everyone why they closed down the UBP”
Thank you for finally admitting that the UBP is gone, dissolved, “closed down”.
Can’t argue with much of what Sir John has to say. The Westminster System has failed us for quite some time. IMO Bermuda is way too small for party politics and 36 MPs is way too many.
We would be better served with 20 MPs. All independent. All elected via proportional representation. No more constituencies. Each MP represents all of Bermuda.
To select this 20 each voter would have multiple votes, giving the voters far more say in who represents them. Without going into too much detail of the mechanics of it, start with a pool of say 40 potential candidates. Each voter can vote for up to 5 maybe 10 of those candidates. Top 20 are in.
From there all MPs would have to do some work. They would have to sort out among themselves who gets the Ministerial positions but all of the rest would have pull their weight as assistant Ministers and hold chair positions on the various Government Boards.
As independents they don’t have to agree with each other. They have to work together though.
Drifter, I agree with you that Bermuda is too small for party polytricks, but political parties are here and they will not go away. That is a sad fact of life.
The Progressive Labour Party was the first political party in Bermuda and it has every intention of being the last political party in Bermuda.
Well said, Sir John! Long time no see. Let’s get together after the election.