11/14/2008 11:35:00 AM Who will be the PLP leaders of tomorrow? As we reflect on a decade of solid governance, our party must also forge ahead and modernize
David Burt
On November 4, 2008, I was fortunate to be in Washington DC to witness the instantaneous mass celebrations as the United States and the world celebrated Barack Obama's election as President of the United States. As I enjoyed the festivities marking the 10th anniversary of the PLP's ascendancy to government, I saw the pictures and watched the footage of the momentous night 10 years ago on the November night in 1998, and it was clear that what the United States experienced last week was what Bermuda experienced 10 years ago.
The results of both elections were a watershed moment in the history of each of the countries. The unbridled joy of supporters on Court Street was the same as those in Grant Park in Chicago, or 125th Street in Harlem; they were looking forward to a new, brighter future. The PLP has made great strides to bring about that better and brighter future that their supporters took to the streets to celebrate 10 years ago.
Much can be said about the accomplishments of the PLP in Government, from great democratic reforms to significant investments in our future. The PLP has managed the economy presiding over consistent economic growth, increased the quality of life for our seniors, reformed our immigration laws to promote Bermudians, liberalised telecommunications, increased government services, invested in our people with the National Training Board and increased college scholarships, promoted healthy living, increased local and international transport options, and spurred re-investment in our local tourism product.
Though there has been much progress over the last 10 years, there has also been great sadness. During this time the party bade farewell to stalwarts like, Leon (Jimmy) Williams, David Allen, C. Eugene Cox, Dame Lois Browne-Evans, Pauulu Kamarakafego, and D. Aurelia Burch. Those members and countless others that may never get a stamp or a holiday are part of a great generation that spurned wealth and risked harm to build the Progressive Labour Party that we know today. It is members like these and the giants of our day like Ottiwell Simmons, Reginald Burrows, Stanley Morton, Dame Jennifer Smith, Alex Scott, Dr. Ewart Brown, Paula Cox, that have answered the call to service to work to make our island home a better one for all. They saw the Bermuda that was and wanted it to be different. They did not back down from the odds and toiled for many years in the political wilderness to meet their ultimate goal.
Answer the call
The question facing the PLP and Bermuda today is, 'who will follow in their footsteps?' Will a new generation of leaders step forward to answer the call? Or have we in Bermuda been so spoiled by our good governance combined with good fortune over the past 10 years that our generation feels like the battle has already been won?
"Will our "me first, everyone second" generation realise that in Bermuda there is a need for not only social leaders but also political and community leaders? Or will we continue on the path of increased selfishness as we strive to get ours no matter the cost to our community and our country, in the belief that the accumulation of personal wealth is more important than the building of communities and the wellbeing of all of our people?
Bermuda is unique as it is one of the few countries where those under the age of 40 concede political power and influence to an older generation. Even last week, as the world witnessed an entire country transformed by the youth vote, voter apathy amongst the young remains at high levels in Bermuda.
As we look forward to the next 10 years, Bermuda and the PLP face choices.
At this time in our party's history, as we look back on 10 years of accomplishment we must look forward to 10 more years of growth. Will this country continue to depend on the "old guard" of politicians or will the next generation answer the call, stand up, and be counted? Will the PLP seize this opportunity to modernize itself and actively look to the next generation of leaders within its ranks?
Will the long serving MPs look to the next generation and groom them in the art of statesmanship, service, and governance; will they pass the torch while the fire is still burning? Will the grassroots members of the PLP under 40 answer the call and run for positions within their various branches at the upcoming branch elections? Or will they, as in many years past, leave the heavy lifting to those who got us to this point; that is, the weary warriors of the last 40 years?
If the PLP wants to celebrate 20 years of Government on November 9, 2018, we must not just pay lip service to change, the party must modernize. We must not pay lip service to activism, we must get involved. The modernization must come from within; it must come from the next great generation of Bermudian leaders; it must come from us.
David Burt is the chairman of the PLP.
Reader Comments
Posted: Thursday, November 20, 2008
Comment by:
Fast Eddie
Statesmanship you say, and from the PLP? The long serving PLP MP's who contentedly wrapped in collective responsibiltiy and Parliamentary privledge, engage in and condone all manner of Uncle Tomfoolery.
In a related matter, Al-Qaida number 2, Ayman al-Zawahri in a post-election dispatch has referred to Obama as a House Negroe. Washington State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the latest message was just "more despicable comments from a terrorist."
Posted: Friday, November 14, 2008
Comment by:
David Chapman
Leaders can be born, made or elected and the nature of the birth of a leader is as diverse as the number of leaders themselves. The past and current generation of leaders, both international and local, exemplify this diversity of "roots", some being created through struggle, others through academic prowess and still others elected to fill a void. The critical factor is not so much how many leaders we have and/or where they will come from, as leaders come and go. More so, the critical factor is what principles do they represent, how resilient they are and how much foresight do they hold. A true leader than is not bound in their creation by the restraint of an organizational box but more so, is bound by an inherent will and duty to do what is right, at the right time and for the right reason. the founders of the PLP did not set out to create a political party and nor did they have a monotone makeup, but rather the common thread that bound was equity and justice.
It is our responsibility then to nuture and imprint the principles of service, duty, reason, rights and freedom into the minds of as many young people we can, not from an organizational framework but from an institutional one. With this in mind, there are already many who are rising the ranks, earning their stripes and broadening their horizons. We have to be careful to realize that they will and must come from diverse "roots" and not be a blanket "one size fits all" format. These leaders must be able to rise above the confines of ideology in order to bring true progress as they seek to adapt and thrive with the new opportunities present in the 21st century.
