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The United Bermuda Party believes it's essential that government sets the best possible example by following the spirit and letter of the law.

We can't have one set of rules for the government and one set of rules for the rest of us. Unfortunately, with the Brown Government, that is exactly what we have.

Time and again the Government has shown that it marches to the beat of its own drum, thumbing its nose at the rules.

Time and again it has swept aside procedures that challenge its agenda, even though they exist to ensure sound, considerate and orderly results.

Its abuse of Special Development Orders in the face of public protests, questions and concerns is well established.

The construction of a new pier at Dockyard is the latest example of its contempt for due process.

That a government project could be started without planning permission is a head shaker. No one is allowed to build without planning permission, period. But that straightforward rule is not for this government.

An investigation of Planning Department files on the Dockyard project, which was prompted by a ZBM News report last week, reveals the government steamrolling the project over the protests of its own officials.

Concerns

We learn of their 'extreme concern" over the approach adopted in the planning application for Phase 1 of the Dockyard Cruise Ship Pier.

We learn of the "dangerous precedent" the government is setting in ignoring the globally accepted rationale for environmental impact statements.

We learn that the environmental statement for the Dockyard project concerns only its construction and not the impact of its operation as a cruise ship terminal.

We learn about the inadequacies, the "lack of effort" and "limited fieldwork" in the contractor's environmental work.

We learn of careless statements, such as an historic wreck at the construction site being labeled an "obstruction."

Throughout the Planning file, one is struck by government officials playing catch-up with a project already underway.

We were particularly concerned to read their concerns "appear to remain ignored..."

The kicker to all this is found in an e-mail message from Mark Telemaque, Cabinet Secretary, and Permanent Secretary for both Tourism and Transportation; the two ministries held by Dr. Brown.

Mr. Telemaque, in a September 7 email, after acknowledging the gap between Planning requirements and the content of the Environmental Impact Statement, states: "We simply can't brook any further delays (in the project) for whatever reason."

There is no statement that better conveys this government's disdain for due process.

We believe the reasons for this is part arrogance, part inability to work within the system and part failure to plan this country's future in a methodical, democratic and thorough manner.

The Dockyard project stands as an example of a government that is out of sync in its planning. The decision to host mega-ships in 2009 being taken without enough time for proper environmental understandings, without public consultation, without consideration for planning controls and without a clearly articulated mega-ship policy.

In this regard we don't believe there has been a thorough examination of the ramifications of mega ships in terms of the cost of upgrading our ports, the impact on the environment, transportation and services. Bermudians must remain vigilant in order to check this government's predilection for bypassing rules, advancing without a plan and ignoring public concerns.

MP Cole Simons is the United Bermuda Party's Shadow Minister for the Environment.

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