Fahy emerges as key figure

Senate Leader and Home Affairs Minister Michael Fahy is a key member of Premier Craig Cannonier’s “kitchen cabinet”, party insiders have revealed.

One man with close ties to the party said Sen. Fahy, who was campaign chairman in the run-up to last December’s election — along with party chairman Thad Hollis and PR man Don Grearson — are credited with key roles in the OBA victory and are all part of the Premier’s inner circle.

And another insider said that within Cabinet, Finance Minister Bob Richards, Economic Development Minister Grant Gibbons — who also sat on the campaign committee — and veteran Trevor Moniz, the Public Works Minister, are all seen as close advisors to the Premier.

The insider said: “It’s horses for courses — the Premier has different groups for different things. He has come to rely on some of the wiser, older heads as well.

“He is very much a team player — it’s all still pretty new, but he wants to see the OBA going forward together as a team.”

The insider added: “I’m pretty impressed by him so far. He wants to see things being done and it’s very positive. He is doing very well, considering he is new to all this.”

The insider added: “He developed a very good relationship with Bob Richards going up to the election and Grant Gibbons was on the campaign committee so he has a high regard for him.

“But he is very accessible and open — there’s nobody cutting off access.”

In line with the OBA’s commitment to concentrate on turning around the economy and cracking down on gangs and gun crime, Public Safety Minister Michael Dunkley and Attorney General and Legal Affairs Minister Mark Pettingill are also both key parts of the team.

An insider linked to the former Bermuda Democratic Alliance (BDA) said: “There is no question he has fostered those relationships — the BDA boys are tight, but not to the exclusion of anyone else.

“The BDA went through a lot together, but he definitely recognizes the benefit of people like Bob Richards. He is very good at being inclusive so there’s no us and them.”

He added that — in contrast to former Premier Dr Ewart Brown, whose critics said he was too autocratic and the last PLP Premier Paula Cox, who fought accusations that she was too distant and out of touch, Mr Cannonier was “a personable guy”.

The insider said: “He has none of these problems. He was on a flight back from Miami and he was sitting in coach — people were tweeting that they were sitting next to the Premier.

“It’s a different style of doing things and also reflects that we have to cut our cloth.”