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Over the past few days, I have said more than once that Bermuda is in the grip of the politics of one man, Premier Dr. Ewart Brown.

The public has been fixated on his campaign to destroy The Royal Gazette and Mid-Ocean News, loyalty declarations by his ministers, attacks on the Auditor General or his move to get rid of the head of the civil service.

It makes for big headlines and a lot of talk across the island.

What we are witnessing is the politics of distraction. It is deliberate, effective and absolutely wrong for our beloved island.

Bermuda today is confronted by major challenges that threaten our way of life. Our economy is in the grip of recession, our reputation as a centre for international business is under attack, our tourism industry is in dire straits and the integrity of the government to responsibly manage the public purse is open to question.

This is the time Bermuda needs to be at its best. This is the time the public agenda needs to cleared of distractions and sideshows, when the focus must be on the people's business.

But this is not happening. Instead, we have a master manipulator at the helm whose style of leadership, political tactics and grudges are crowding the public mind.

There are convenient, self-serving reasons for doing this.

It distracts attention from his government's vulnerabilities and exposures - such as the OECD grey listing Bermuda for not promptly implementing tax cooperation rules.

It distracts attention from government answering questions about a possible $1.8 million overpayment to our Tourism advertiser or serious irregularities in the construction of the new Police Station.

It distracts from people knowing why tourist numbers from core markets have fallen so low.

And by portraying his government as besieged by forces of the 'combined opposition', the Premier is trying to get people to see his government in a sympathetic, forgiving light.

These tactics of distraction are employed to deflect attention from the incredibly serious challenges facing the island and government's handling of them. They are employed to avoid public scrutiny - something that President Obama said he welcomed when speaking to the White House Correspondents Dinner last week: "You help me be at my best," he said. "You help all of us who serve at the pleasure of the American people do our jobs better, by holding us accountable, by demanding honesty, by preventing us from taking shortcuts and falling into easy political games that people are so desperately weary of..."

We need a unifying hand

What we need is a more responsible, more unifying hand at the helm. We do not need leadership that plays the politics of distraction. Bermudians need leaders who treat them like adults; who give them facts and direction and who are confident enough to admit error and do the right thing.

So what's to be done to change things around?

In my view, it depends on the Premier changing his way of doing business.

Until we see that happening, the party I lead will do its best to call him and his colleagues out, to expose the spin, demand explanations and do what we can to bring the steadying power of the people closer to the issues.

Often this role makes us come across as too negative. That sometimes is the cross an opposition party must bear. But if I can get people to understand one thing about the United Bermuda Party, it is that just like you, we want this island to succeed; we want this island to go from strength to strength, where what we do today creates better opportunities for our children to live fulfilling, positive lives.

We're in this for a better Bermuda and nothing will distract us from that high purpose.

Kim Swan is the United Bermuda Party Leader.

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